North Salem Town Board Regular Meeting/Worksession – August 25, 2026

The North Salem Town Board met in person and via Zoom at Town Meeting Hall, 66 June Road, on August 25, 2026. After opening with the pledge of allegiance and an executive session, the board approved three sets of minutes, heard a resident's testimony on turtle crossings, reviewed uses for Senator Harckham's $100,000 CREST grant, discussed a proposed dog park at Purdys Field, and adopted personnel, permit, bond, and payment resolutions. All votes were by voice vote.

Executive Session

• The board voted unanimously to enter executive session for legal advice of counsel and personnel discussions concerning particular persons, then reconvened to the public meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Finn North Shield, a recent North Salem graduate, spoke in support of installing turtle-crossing signage on Route 116/Titicus Road near the Croton Falls Firehouse. He said he had seen turtles in the road over several years, described turtles as important to the ecosystem, and suggested signs, crossing tunnels or bridges, exclusion fencing, alternate nesting sites, and consideration of other wildlife. He distributed materials listing local wildlife rehabilitators and agreed to join upcoming calls with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Discussion Items

Turtle Crossing Signage

• The supervisor said he had contacted Kelly Totoro, chair of DEC Region 3, and the DEC planned to connect the town with its endangered species and estuary program. Resident Peter Van Scoy had shared photos/videos of animals struck on the road and reported that snapping turtles move in both directions and nest near St. James Parish Hall, making the area a biotic corridor.
• Board members identified other turtle crossing areas in town, including Route 22 near Valeria Circle and between the Croton Falls Firehouse and Dean's Bridge. The board agreed to post turtle-awareness and education material on the town website and Facebook page and to coordinate with Conservation Advisory Council co-chair Ellie Thompson.

CREST Grant

• The board reviewed possible uses for Senator Harckham's $100,000 CREST grant allocation. The supervisor proposed an automatic standby generator for the town hall and noted another generator/electrical project expected to exceed $100,000 and to be phased through the capital plan. Previous grant funds had been used for solar equipment and police radios.
• Police Chief Tom, who attended for this agenda item, asked that the generator and tasers be funded from the grant if possible. The board discussed Taser 10 costs, including a Minnesota package of $51,900 for 10 units and related equipment over five years, about $5,200 per officer package, and $2,100 per device. A board member said members support police equipment but need cost and technology details. Lucas mechanical CPR devices for the ambulance corps were also mentioned, estimated at about $15,000 each originally and possibly $16,000–$30,000 currently. Route 22/Croton Falls streetscape and pedestrian safety was raised as a possible future use, but it would need DOT design first.
• The board leaned toward prioritizing the town hall generator and obtaining more taser information before finalizing the grant application.

Proposed Dog Park at Purdys Field

• The supervisor proposed a dog park at Purdys Field, saying he had sent the board an initial note in April 2025. He described interactions with the DEP: the DEP initially said no, then indicated willingness to work on a dog park after the supervisor raised using dogs to chase geese from the field and cited an older DEP goose-control permit. The DEP asked for fence height/length, tree removal details, including dead ash trees, and site layout. The supervisor wanted to use Hahn engineering for the permit application, estimating the engineering and permitting work at a couple thousand dollars.
• Board members expressed mixed positions. Some supported moving forward, saying the board can decide without waiting for committees and that Purdys Field is likely the only viable site. One board member said she originally wanted a dog park but would prioritize a safe Route 22 crossing in Croton Falls; other members responded that the two issues are separate. Concerns were raised about maintenance, licensing, enforcement, visibility from two state roads and an interstate, and whether nonresidents could be excluded. A member noted the pickleball courts already lack an enforcement mechanism.
• The board agreed to move ahead with gathering engineering and permitting information, to loop the Recreation Advisory Committee into the discussion, and to address the stalled recreation master plan; $12,000 is budgeted for the plan but has not been spent.

No-Parking Signs on Route 121

• The agenda listed a worksession discussion of no-parking signs on Route 121, but no separate substantive discussion of that item appears in the transcript; the board moved from CREST grant discussion to the dog park item.

Resolutions and Board Actions

• Approved the minutes of the July 14, 2026 regular meeting/worksession and the July 20 and July 24, 2026 special meetings, with a correction changing a 2027 reference to 2026.
• Extended Rosemary James's seasonal appointment through September 25, 2026, to assist the assessor with grievance preparation and processing for approximately 8–10 hours at $45 per hour; the supervisor said he would verify the budget line and may need to transfer funds.
• Postponed the police department personnel appointment pending paperwork.
• Appointed Liam Villa Fuerte Hughes as a volunteer intern in the Recreation Department from August 26 through December 31, 2026, and authorized the recreation superintendent to enter an internship agreement with SUNY Delhi.
• Reappointed William Monty to the Board of Assessment Review for a term expiring September 30, 2031.
• Authorized the supervisor to seek bids for Delancey Hall floor refinishing; the public notice was scheduled to run Thursday, and a September 9 site/pre-bid meeting was planned. The stairs were included in the bid; members discussed whether pine stairs would wear but approved the motion as written.
• Authorized the supervisor to apply to the New York State Department of Transportation for permission to install turtle-crossing signs on Route 116/Titicus Road near the Croton Falls Firehouse.
• Authorized release of a $1,000 bond to Angelo and Sandra Madeira, 34 Yerkes Road, for driveway opening permit No. 2006-01, as requested by the superintendent of highways.
• Authorized a $28,919.88 payment to Tundra Contracting Group, Inc. for payment application No. 1 under the Delancey Hall painting contract approved July 21, 2026, as recommended by James Hahn Engineering; this included wallpaper-removal change order No. 1 and a retainage reduction.
• Authorized Change Order No. 2 with Tundra Contracting Group, Inc. in the amount of $9,716.72, dated August 21, 2026, for additional painting work: seven interior doors to be painted dark gray and painting of the stairs, balusters, and railings.
• Authorized a $44,998.95 payment to Tundra Contracting Group, Inc. for payment application No. 7 under the exterior siding/window repair contract, contract No. 2, approved July 8, 2025, closing out the contract.

Additional Facilities Discussion

• After the resolutions, the board discussed remaining Delancey Hall items: protecting the single-pane windows, many storm windows do not fit; reinstalling the oil furnace; possible low-profile oil tanks at roughly $10,000 to install; a propane boiler alternative not previously accepted; measuring for a kitchenette; adding a 3-yard, 4-inch gravel skirt around the building; removing dead bushes; and replacing the rear handicap railing with stainless steel at about $1,800. No formal votes were taken on these follow-up items.

Key Outcomes

• All resolutions on which the board voted passed by voice vote; no vote was recorded against any motion.
• The board directed follow-up on turtle signage and education with DEC, DOT, the Conservation Advisory Council, and resident Finn North Shield.
• CREST grant prioritization: town hall generator first, with taser cost information to be provided by Police Chief Tom and further grant application work later.
• Dog park: proceed with engineering and permitting information for Purdys Field and involve the Recreation Advisory Committee.
• The board adjourned by motion at the end of the meeting.