North Salem Special Town Board Meeting: Public Hearing, Resolutions, and 2026 Budget Worksession – November 4, 2025

The Town of North Salem Town Board met in person and via Zoom on November 4, 2025. The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and an executive session at 6:30 p.m. to discuss a specific contract, followed by a public hearing and regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. at Town Meeting Hall, 66 June Road. The board closed the continued Sunset Ridge Water District public hearing, acted on resolutions, and heard 2026 tentative budget presentations from the Superintendent of Recreation, Chief of Police, and Deputy Superintendent of Highways, with a stated goal of adjourning by 8:00 p.m.

Public Hearing: Sunset Ridge Water District Improvements

• The board continued and then closed the public hearing on the proposed increase and improvement of Sunset Ridge Water District facilities.
• The Supervisor stated the district needs approximately $210,000 for outstanding work, including PFOS tank installation, roof and eave repairs, and rehabilitation of Well No. 2.
• The district owes the general fund $69,785, up from $30,372 at the end of 2024 per the audit; the district entered 2024 with only about $4,000 in fund balance.
• Annual debt service is $32,940, with bonds extending to 2030, 2035, and 2040.
• A $100,000 bond anticipation note (BAN) was executed at 3.55% interest, with proceeds expected this week. The board anticipates borrowing roughly $150,000 more next year; the Supervisor said a $100,000 BAN is not worth the legal costs.
• The BAN is part of a consolidated $2.4 million borrowing (town hall $900,000, solar $400,000, and water district $100,000); the solar portion is expected to be repaid by grants.
• Councilman John asked detailed questions about long-term debt, borrowing timing, and whether the $69,785 owed consists of capital or operating expenses. The Supervisor agreed to reclassify items (including $25,000–$35,000 in Han engineering fees and well work) in the Tyler accounting system.
• Councilman Warren noted the district must repay a $10,000 prior-year advance from the general fund this year. The Supervisor said the district had roughly $90,000 remaining in its 2025 operating budget as of October 23, while Warren, citing bookkeeper Russ, suggested the available balance was closer to $9,000–$15,000. The district spent $180,000 in 2024 against a budget of about $144,000–$153,000.
• On uranium filters, the Supervisor said the vendor's sales representative recommended replacement, but his calculations showed the filters contain only about half an ounce of uranium against an allowance of roughly 1.5 pounds. Contracted replacement/disposal costs about $50,000 (about $3,000 per tank to purchase). Well No. 2, a 600-foot deep well with higher uranium levels (~40 pico curies per liter vs. ~20s in other wells), was rehabilitated and will be used when needed.
• The hearing was closed by unanimous motion.

2026 Tentative Budget Presentation

• The Town Clerk (Maria) presented the Supervisor's 2026 tentative budget.
• The projected tax levy increase is 3.984%, requiring a local law to override the tax cap. Four cost drivers alone total 3.85%: the mini-revaluation ($84,000, about 1%), town hall debt service ($90,000, about 1%), the retirement system increase (over 1%), and the projected medical insurance increase (just under 1%).
• A public hearing on the tax levy override local law was scheduled for November 25, 2025.
• The preliminary and final budgets are due by December 10, 2025; the board is meeting weekly during the budget process.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes of August 26, 2025 (Regular Meeting/Worksession) and September 9, 2025 (Croton Falls Plan Public Hearing) were approved as delivered.
• October 2025 monthly reports were accepted from the Facilities Manager, Highway Department, Planning Board (financial), Police Department, Tax Receiver, and Town Clerk. An amended September Tax Receiver's report was deferred for review at the next meeting.
• Town bills totaling $37,342.76 were approved, with one board member abstaining.
• Highway bills totaling $15,054.50 were approved.

Resolutions

• Public hearings set for November 25, 2025: (1) a local law to override the tax levy limit; and (2) a local law amending Chapter 220 (Vehicles and Traffic) to add stop signs on Stephen Road (referred to as Stevens Road in the transcript) at Valeria Circle. Board members planned to inspect the location.
• The Supervisor was authorized to sign the NYS Department of Transportation Municipal Snow and Ice Supplemental Agreement and adjustment calculation worksheet (contract D014824) for the 2025–26 season; estimated reimbursement is $221,000, up from $185,000 this year.
• The Supervisor was authorized to sign a two-year agreement with Auctions International, Inc. (East Aurora, NY) for online auction of obsolete town vehicles, machinery, and equipment at no cost to the town.
• The Supervisor was authorized to sign Westchester County Department of Health permit applications for five water districts (Candlewood Lake, Croton Falls, Paps, Salemers, and Sunset Ridge) and to pay annual fees of $330 each, totaling $1,650.
• Compensatory time payout was authorized for Planning Board Secretary Donna Nofric: 51.5 hours of unused comp time accrued as of October 31, 2025, at an hourly rate of $44.53.
• Victoria Renale was appointed as a part-time Intermediate Court Clerk for the Justice Court at $25 per hour, up to 16 hours per week, effective November 10, 2025, with a probationary period of 12–52 weeks.
• A payment of $3,490 to Abrams Fensterman, LLP for May 2025 legal services (Justice Court matters) was approved; the bill had not been previously approved.
• A $4,400 payment to the North Salem Lions Club for water remediation work (20 yards of gravel and sealing of the back wall) at the town-owned building was deferred to the next meeting pending legal advice on prevailing wage requirements.

Worksession: Recreation Department (Lauren Rosasco, Superintendent of Recreation)

• Community center usage: October 2025 had the largest weekly average attendance on record at 161. Year-to-date building use totals just under 10,000 people, with town usage just under 5,700 and facility users about 4,000.
• A new budget line for facility-use fees was requested with $20,000 in projected revenue; $12,523 has been collected year-to-date, about $2,500 of which covered the sound/lighting technician, for a net of roughly $10,000.
• The recreation assistance line increases from $23,000 to $55,000 to continue a new full-time position; hiring is expected in December, two months behind schedule. Staff overtime is unsustainable: one staff member (Colleen) has worked about 200 hours over required time and the Superintendent about 800 hours.
• The van driver line increases from $8,000 to $16,272 to start a senior van program two days per week.
• Free senior fitness programs: eight free classes per week are full with waitlists, serving 56 unique senior residents. The contractual line is proposed at $27,500 for 2026; the current year's $42,500 figure resulted from a transposition of the $24,500 requested, and year-to-date spending is $14,335.
• The recreation master plan consultant line is $13,000 in the tentative budget, below the $20,000 requested; formal estimates from the consultant are pending.
• The Superintendent noted that office space will be needed for the third staff member; an office-pod concept (credited to Rick O'Leary) was discussed.

Worksession: Police Department (Chief Tom Howley)

• Chief Howley identified the state's $35,000 earnings cap on retired officers (unchanged since 2019) as the department's biggest problem, forcing shift cuts. The chiefs of North Salem, Somers, Patterson, and Lewisboro were scheduled to meet with the governor's new liaison, Luke Powell, at 10:30 a.m. the next day and are seeking to make the cap a Westchester County priority in the county budget.
• The department has 15 officers including the Chief; two officers are on medical leave (one expected back within weeks, one after the new year).
• The police budget is about $14,000 higher than last year, with patrol salaries up $10,353. Two supply lines are misaligned: police accessory equipment ($27,000 budgeted, $11 spent) and department stock ($20,000 budgeted, $33,781 spent) together total $45,000 of $47,000; the board discussed rebalancing to a combined $50,000.
• The vehicle maintenance line shows no spending; some maintenance bills may have been misclassified, and the department will verify coding.
• A new police car (about $60,000 in lease payments) will arrive this year; if acceptance is deferred to January 1, storage in Rochester costs $450 per month.
• A generator for Town Hall, including transfer switch, is on the draft 2026 capital plan at about $40,000; wiring is already installed, so no additional electrical work is needed.
• The Chief requested a portable electronic message board (about $20,000) for road closures and town announcements. The board noted smaller speed-feedback signs ($3,000–$4,000) as a lower-cost alternative and did not approve the purchase.

Worksession: Highway Department (Deputy Superintendent James 'Bo' DePaoli)

• The military surplus truck program that saved the town money has dried up; parts are hard to find and cost double from collectors. Five military trucks (2009, 2016, and older models) on state and county routes sometimes sit for three weeks awaiting parts.
• DePaoli proposed a five-year replacement program: one large truck per year (roughly $335,000–$360,000 each, with the current order about $335,000 including a belly blade) plus smaller trucks (F-600 type, about $91,000–$95,000) that offer more year-round functionality. A new truck arrives in January or February and requires an additional $1,500 tariff payment. Western Star trucks cost about $46,000 more than Internationals; the department prefers Internationals. Brewster has offered to let North Salem piggyback on its bid price.
• The Highway Superintendent (Ward) requested a front-end loader priced at $211,000 (about $10,000 below the typical price), which the dealer is holding; DePaoli confirmed the loader is needed because the current one is worn out. The board agreed to proceed next week and hold delivery until January.
• The department owns only two pickup trucks; additional pickups are needed for intersection cleanup.
• Salt spreader floors on two units are rotted (stainless bodies but steel floors) and will be patched this year.
• One water truck is beyond repair; the tank may be moved onto a retired freightliner.
• CHIPS aid: line 351 is $131,000 (higher than usual), and line 345 is $185,000 this year with only $40,000 received to date; the state snow/ice reimbursement is estimated at $221,000 for next year. The Supervisor noted this reimbursement covers the cost of a new truck in about a year and a half.
• DePaoli will bring the fleet inventory spreadsheet to a follow-up meeting to set a replacement schedule.

Key Outcomes

• The Sunset Ridge Water District public hearing was closed; the board will pursue further borrowing (approximately $150,000) in 2026 and will review expense classification in the Tyler system.
• Public hearings were scheduled for November 25, 2025, on the tax levy override local law and the Stephen Road/Valeria Circle stop signs.
• All resolutions passed except the Lions Club payment, which was deferred for legal advice; the amended September Tax Receiver's report was deferred to the next meeting.
• The 2026 budget worksessions will continue weekly; the preliminary and final budgets are due December 10, 2025. Note: the agenda listed the worksession order as Rosasco, DePaoli, then Howley, but presentations were actually heard in the order Rosasco, Howley, DePaoli.