Peekskill City Council Work Session Budget Meeting – October 8, 2025
Peekskill City Council Work Session Budget Meeting – October 8, 2025
The meeting began with a brief executive session regarding personnel matters, followed by a public statement from the Mayor and council members calling for Councilman Rob Scott to resign after his guilty plea to obstruction of governmental administration and disorderly conduct. The remainder of the meeting focused on budget presentations from the Police Department, Clerk’s Office, and Youth Bureau. No formal votes were taken; council members discussed budget requests and future scheduling.
Executive Session
- Motion to enter executive session to discuss matters concerning the medical, financial, credit, or employment history of a particular person, or matters leading to appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal, or removal. The motion carried unanimously.
Public Statement on Councilman Scott
- Mayor read a statement calling on Councilman Scott to step down immediately, citing a violation of public trust. The Mayor stated that if he does not resign, the council will move forward with a resolution for censure and seek guidance from the governor’s office for removal procedures.
- Council members (several spoke) expressed sadness and disappointment, urging Councilman Scott to resign for the good of the city. They emphasized that public office is a privilege and that accountability is necessary.
- Councilman Scott responded that he would consider the statements and provide an official statement in another forum. He noted that some information in the press was inaccurate, specifically that he did not plead guilty to forgery.
Budget Presentations
Police Department (Chief Leo Deleuski)
- Mission & staffing: Currently at 56 sworn officers (goal of 62). Requested filling all vacant positions, adding a detective position, maintaining a downtown walking/bicycle post, purchasing four vehicles, and continuing locker room renovations.
- Calls for service: 2022: 11,718 cases; 2023: 11,839; 2024: 12,643. As of October 8, 2025, over 33,000 calls for service and 9,000 cases created. Arrests: 2022: 1,348; 2023: 1,388; 2024: 1,632; 2025 year-to-date: 1,447 (compared to 1,203 at same time in 2024). Traffic tickets: 2024: 4,135; 2025 year-to-date: 3,945. Parking tickets: 2024: 21,594; 2025 year-to-date: 18,312.
- Budget request: $11,783,124 for 2026, an increase of $539,865 from the previous year. The city manager noted the proposal includes 61 officers (one hired mid-year).
- Discussion: Council members praised increased quality-of-life enforcement and downtown patrols. Questions were raised about overtime, staffing injuries, and the need for additional officers given population growth. The chief noted that the city ranked 14th safest among New York suburbs (per FBI/Zillow data). Council members suggested adding a scooter mitigation plan and exploring cameras for riverfront paths.
Clerk’s Office (Cassandra Redd)
- Mission: Custody of official records, council proceedings, public information, and administration of elections.
- Revenue: Increased demand for birth/marriage certificates due to Real ID requirements. 2024: 404 certificates issued, $4,040 collected. 2025 projection: 590 certificates, $5,945 (47% increase).
- Budget request: Flat from prior year; no major concerns. The clerk noted that the department has been operating with fewer staff and requested continued support.
- Discussion: Council members commended the office for excellent customer service and efficiency. A question about a line item (“ADDL” – additional stipend) was clarified as a small amount not expected to be used. The clerk confirmed that the parking permit renewal system is being consolidated to a calendar year.
Youth Bureau (Tuesday McDonald)
- Mission: Empowering youth through education, leadership, and civic engagement.
- Staffing requests: Full-time senior office assistant (currently shared with Nutrition), and a youth employment worker (previously grant-funded). Requested $5,000 increase for part-time college student support and $2,000 for other youth builder expenses.
- Grants: Currently six active grants; some expire in December 2025. The bureau is reapplying for Project Elevate and other grants. No grant funding for personnel.
- Programs: Back-to-school supply giveaway (1,100 book bags), Juneteenth celebration, toy distribution, and the “Engage and Elevate” collaborative (launched May 2025 with 38 adult leaders and 33 youth).
- Discussion: Council members expressed support for additional staffing, noting the bureau’s importance. Questions were raised about gender-specific programming and inclusivity for LGBTQ+ youth; the director acknowledged the need and is working with the Fourth Friday group. The city manager noted that the recommended budget for 7143 (personnel) is $141,000, down from $173,000 in 2025, due to the end of the WEOA grant and reduction of the office assistant to part-time. The director explained that if new grants are obtained, resolutions can add funding and staff. A council member urged keeping the senior office assistant position full-time, noting the increased workload.
Key Outcomes
- No votes were taken on the budget presentations. The council will continue budget discussions at the next meeting (October 14 and 15, 2025).
- Councilman Scott’s resignation was not formally requested; council members expressed their positions but no action was taken. The Mayor stated that if Scott does not resign, the council will pursue a censure resolution and seek removal guidance from the governor.
- Budget adjustments mentioned: $5,000 for trees to be added back to the capital budget; Lake Mitchell project funding will be addressed in the capital plan.
- Next meetings: October 14 (budget, Planning Department) and October 15 (budget, DPW and Water departments) at 6:00 PM. The city manager aims to have all department presentations completed by October 15 to allow for a public hearing on October 27.
Meeting Transcript
So good evening, everyone. Welcome to our committee of the whole meeting for October 8th, 2025. We have a budget presentations, uh, an executive session, executive session of discussion of matters concerning the medical financial credit or employment history of a particular person, persons, or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal, or removal of a particular person, persons or corporation. Are we we're going into um executive session first? Yes. Okay, so I would ask for a motion to go into executive session. So moved. Second. What person? For all that long. For discussion of matters concerning the medical, financial, credit, or employment history of a particular person, persons, or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal, or removal of a particular person, persons, or corporations. Okay, my bad. So moved. Second. All in favor? Aye. We're now going into executive session. See what you do to me, count. Thank you. Good evening, everyone, and welcome back to our committee of the whole meeting and budget meeting. Um, prior to going into the budget, there's uh some business that the council needs to take care of. Um for the public, we know that there was an article that was out regarding uh Councilman Scott's uh case and litigation. And so at this time, I am going to make a statement, and then any council person who would like to make a statement after that will be free to do so. And then we'll move into the budget from there. So public service is a privilege built on the trust and confidence of the people we serve. That trust is sacred, and once it is broken, it cannot simply be overlooked. Councilman Scott's temporary or interim guilty plea is a uh clear representation of the violation of that trust and undermines the integrity of our local government. The residents of Peakskill deserve leaders who uphold the highest ethical standards and follow below both the law and the spirit of the law. It is important that we hold ourselves and our colleagues accountable, that we self-police to maintain the public's trust in local government. When an elected official fails to meet those standards, it is our responsibility and duty to act decisively. For these reasons, I'm calling on Councilman Scott to do the right thing and step down immediately. However, if he chooses not to, we will move forward for a resolution for censorship and also seek the guidance from the governor's office for removal procedures. Here in Peakskill, our progress depends on honest leadership and accountability. Our community deserves nothing less. And that concludes my statement. Is there anyone else who would like to make a statement on the matter? Yes, I would like to add a couple of thoughts to it. First, I I would hold uh Rob in high regard, and um he's a very good person. In my mind, made a mistake. It is a serious mistake. Um, and um it evolved from uh signatures that weren't properly recorded or written in and then evolved to other things in the case. It brought to mind that uh I like Rob um had not run for election before when I got appointed to the board counsel in to 2020. Uh I then had to run separately in 2021, and I didn't know anything about the process. So it happens that I had the good fortune that Drew Claxton came over to my house, sat down with me, and said, Here's what you've got to do, and then she immediately realized I was a terrible campaigner. So she rounded up all the folks that can do that, help you with your campaign, and I was duly elected. And so I think of it as uh I got to be elected under the strong wings of Drew Claxon. Under her support. And I think if Rob had had a Drew Claxon and was operating under her wings, he would never have gotten into this in the first place. So I'm I'm very, very sad about it. I think everything that's been the fight that Rob has put up for this thing is it shows the strength of his character.
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