OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Peekskill Common Council Work Session – October 20, 2025: Budget Presentations and Special Items

Meeting Portal — Monday, October 20, 2025
BodyPeekskill, New York
SessionMeeting Portal
DateMonday, October 20, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:38:44

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

To our uh committee of the whole meeting for today, October 20th, 2025.

0:06

We have a couple of presentations on budget and then an agenda with uh six items and then executive session 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, removal of a particular person, persons, or corporations.

0:29

So at this time I'll turn it over to our city manager.

0:32

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

0:34

Good evening.

0:36

I have um Tony Tracy is going to take us through uh two items.

0:42

Uh 1420 department, 1420, the legal department, and uh 1900, which is a department that is called special items, and it's not really a department, it's just a location in the budget where we account for contingencies as well as insurance and uh outside council costs, and so Tony's gonna take us through that, and I do would also like to talk to the council and executive afterwards about specific cases that have to that are um part of this discussion.

1:20

Okay you have your books.

1:34

This is starts on for the department labeled 1420 on page 27.

1:55

Good evening, mayor and city council.

1:57

Good evening, so as the city manager said, I have some explanation discussion about the legal and special items in the budget.

2:10

Okay, so the first one that I have is in the it's in the 1900 group of the budget items, so yeah, I don't know.

2:17

I'll give you that.

2:17

Let me give them that page.

2:19

So we're gonna start with uh the 1900 part on page 44.

2:27

Is that the same as your book?

2:29

Yep, 44.

2:30

Okay, page 44.

2:31

Oh, 44.

2:32

We're starting at four.

2:41

Which is the general point.

2:43

Okay.

2:50

Okay, so the first line in that section is the general liability insurance, which is all of the regular coverages, such as the auto insurance and those types of policies.

3:02

And this is based on a recommendation from the broker, which is a lion, that they told us to project about an eight percent increase for 2026.

3:13

And so our number is based on our projection for 2025 of 850,000.

3:19

So we've projected 918,000 on that line.

3:26

And then still within that same category.

3:28

I've grouped a couple of the smaller items together.

3:32

So we have association dues, which is a NICOM dues for 7,286, taxes on city property, which is approximately $37,000.

3:44

There's a consultant services line, and that's for things like the CAC, sustainability, grant writing, kind of those miscellaneous type consultants for $50,000.

3:57

So that totals $94,286.

4:04

The next one is again some of the lines in that page that you're looking at are combined into contingencies, and these exist for various purposes.

4:15

So the first one we have judgments, judgments, and claims for 150,000.

4:21

Those are just for cases that take place.

4:34

And then we have a contingency line that really is a contingency for anything that the council determines that it's necessary for as we move through the year.

4:46

So if there's an emergency situation, things like that, then we would address it with the council and ask for your approval to use it for that purpose.

4:54

That we put in 200,000, and the last line is contingency for the safer grant.

5:01

This is the grant where the city had hired the six firefighters, and we're building in this contingency that as we move forward toward when the grant ends, we've been building up a little bit of a base toward funding their salaries at that future date.

5:16

So altogether we have $775,000 in contingency in that grouping.

5:24

Uh uh, it's it's several lines there within that 900 1900 budget.

5:31

So it's uh when you're looking in your budget book, it's gonna be Tony.

5:38

You wanna I don't have line items on this, I'm sorry.

5:45

Okay, so re so the go back to the line before the the slide before this.

5:53

Sorry, just get back there.

5:55

We go.

5:56

Okay, so uh the first one is 1930.

6:00

It's 1900, 1930.

6:02

It's the one to fourth one down.

6:08

The second one is 1930 0200.

6:15

The 1930s.

6:18

Yes.

6:18

You see that one?

6:21

It's right beneath 1930.

6:23

And then after that is uh the contingency at the very bottom, 1900 1990, the second from the bottom.

6:34

Yep.

6:35

And then the last one, 1900, 1990, 0064.

6:42

And so those four lines make up the one total.

6:52

Tony for this safer grant.

6:55

Um that will you're anticipated.

6:58

Are you gonna have a separate uh fund balance item for that instead of just the general fund balance?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget Equity Analysis██████████████████18%
Procedural██████████████14%
Parking Management█████████████13%
Public Safety████████████12%
Affordable Housing██████████10%
Zoning And Land Use███████7%
Transportation Safety██████6%
Senior Services█████5%
Pending Litigation███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Peekskill Common Council Work Session – October 20, 2025

The Peekkill Common Council held a work session on Monday, October 20, 2025, at 6:15 p.m. in the Common Council Chamber. The meeting included budget presentations for the Legal Department (1420) and Special Items (1900), followed by several agenda items including the MTA Parking Management Plan, event permits, a FEMA port security grant, and an update on the Payment in Lieu (PILOT) program. The council also discussed liaison reports and concerns, and entered executive session for personnel matters.

Discussion Items

Budget Presentations (Legal Department and Special Items)

  • Tony Tracy (staff) presented the 2026 budget for the Legal Department (1420) and Special Items (1900).
  • General Liability Insurance: Projected $918,000 for 2026, an 8% increase from the 2025 projection of $850,000, based on broker recommendation.
  • Special Counsel (outside litigation): Projected $425,000 for 2026, broken into $215,000 for existing litigation against the city, $130,000 for possible new cases, and $80,000 for litigation initiated by the city.
  • Contingencies: Included $150,000 for judgments and claims, $200,000 for general contingency, and a contingency for the SAFER grant (firefighter staffing) totaling $775,000 across several lines.
  • Legal Services (Keenan Bean): Budgeted $665,000 for 2026, based on 2025 spending categories: general counsel $234,000, labor $212,000, litigation $116,000, legislation/policies $43,000, Momentum grant $22,000, DRI grant $15,000, and other contractual issues (not litigation) $23,000.
  • Common Council Budget Adjustments: Tony presented a sheet with revenue adjustments: a $16,000 reduction in library rent and a $65,000 grant addition, netting $49,000 in new revenue. Expense adjustments included: mayor's salary correction ($395), HR medical expenses (+$2,500), unclassified employee development (+$11,500), membership dues, PACOM module (+$5,000), and firefighter supplies (balance of $83,605, with remaining $22,000 funded from a 2022 Capital One lease). Reclassifications for heat in garage, parks overtime to tires, and salary adjustment were net zero.

MTA Parking Management Plan 2026

  • City Clerk Cassandra Redd presented the annual parking management plan, required by the 1992 lease with Metro North Commuter Railroad. Slight increases for two designated parking areas were approved by MTA. Councilmember Andrew noted outdated language (physical permits vs. license plates, overnight parking rules, snow emergency areas). The plan will be brought back for a resolution on October 27.

Turkey Trot Street Closure

  • Caring for the Hungry and Homeless of Peekskill submitted a request for the Turkey Trot on Saturday, November 22, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., with distribution at the firehouse on Main Street from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The route is slightly changed due to the distribution location. Resolution to be brought back October 27.

BID Request for Free Holiday Parking

  • The Business Improvement District (BID) requested free parking for four hours in the Nelson and James Street garages from Friday, November 28, 2025, through Friday, January 2, 2026. Council agreed to bring back a resolution.

Street Closure for Tree Lighting

  • Parks and Recreation requested a street closure for the holiday tree lighting on Saturday, December 6, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Resolution to be brought back.

FEMA Port Security Grant for Fire Rescue Boat

  • Fire Chief Seymour and Rocco Picciano presented a $688,694 FEMA port security grant for a 31-foot walkaround cabin fire rescue boat (Life Proof Boats). The grant is 75% federal ($516,521) and 25% city ($172,173). Senator Harckham pledged $100,000, reducing the city's share to approximately $72,174. Annual maintenance is estimated at $4,300. The boat will be docked at Peekskill Yacht Club at no charge. The boat is expected to be delivered within one year of contract signing. Council expressed strong support; a resolution will be brought back.

Payment in Lieu (PILOT) Update

  • Carol Samel (Planning) provided an update following the public hearing. She recommended two changes: (1) remove the requirement that property owners provide parking permits to residents at no cost, allowing permits to be unbundled from rent and charged directly to tenants; (2) allow upfront payment of maintenance fees at a discount. The fee structure remains $15,000 per space for conversion of non-residential to residential and $30,000 for new construction. Annual maintenance fee is $670 per space (compared to New Rochelle's $960). The changes will be brought back to council at a future meeting.

Council Liaison Reports and Concerns

  • Councilmember Scott: Thanked Westchester Cars and Coffee for toy drive; Girl Scouts Troop 1397 and others; youth bureau board meeting October 28 at 5 p.m.
  • Councilmember Douglas: Raised concerns about four upcoming affordable housing projects (41 North Division Street, Chuck Lesnik’s project, White Plains Linen building, and a 125-unit project near St. Peter’s Church) that are utilizing county programs and not paying full taxes. He urged council to engage the county to stop concentrating affordable housing in Peekskill. Discussion ensued about the need for workforce housing, mixing income levels, and ensuring long-term management.
  • Councilmember Fassett: Thanked NAACP for domestic violence awareness event; praised Parks and Rec for pumpkin painting; announced fire department trunk or treat (Oct 24, 6-8 p.m.), Fourth Friday LGBTQIA+ youth event (Oct 24, 5:30-7:30 p.m.), and giant pumpkin contest (Oct 25, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.).
  • Councilmember Fernandez: Requested updates on elevator issues at 901 Main Street, traffic light at Park and Brown Street, and malfunctioning parking meters. City manager noted ongoing work on parking system upgrade.
  • Councilmember Talbot: Thanked colleagues for support during his absence.
  • Deputy Mayor: Reported on senior center activities (thrift sale, exercise room, CPR class, grocery delivery, digital classes, tag sale); library board update (bookstore profitable, new website, Narcan training Nov 5); requested speed bumps on Elm and Union (if traffic light not feasible).
  • Mayor: Congratulated Black Diamonds and Martin McDonald (100% graduation and college acceptance); welcomed new business (Next Aura Café and Bakery); announced early voting dates (Oct 25 – Nov 2) and Election Day (Nov 4); invited to Lincoln Depot centennial celebration (Oct 25 at 1 p.m.); proposed a Snow Angels program for seniors.

Key Outcomes

  • Resolutions to be brought back on October 27, 2025: MTA Parking Management Plan, Turkey Trot street closure, free holiday parking, tree lighting street closure, and FEMA port security grant acceptance.
  • PILOT program changes: Council agreed to remove the mandatory permit bundling and allow upfront maintenance fee payment; staff will draft revised text for a future meeting.
  • Budget adjustments: The common council budget adjustments presented by Tony Tracy were generally accepted; no formal vote was taken, but no objections were raised.
  • Housing concerns: Council will continue discussions with the county and planning board about the concentration of affordable housing and explore preferences for Peekskill residents.
  • Executive session: The council voted to enter executive session to discuss personnel matters (medical, financial, credit, or employment history).

Meeting Transcript

To our uh committee of the whole meeting for today, October 20th, 2025. We have a couple of presentations on budget and then an agenda with uh six items and then executive session 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, removal of a particular person, persons, or corporations. So at this time I'll turn it over to our city manager. Good evening, Mayor and Council. Good evening. I have um Tony Tracy is going to take us through uh two items. Uh 1420 department, 1420, the legal department, and uh 1900, which is a department that is called special items, and it's not really a department, it's just a location in the budget where we account for contingencies as well as insurance and uh outside council costs, and so Tony's gonna take us through that, and I do would also like to talk to the council and executive afterwards about specific cases that have to that are um part of this discussion. Okay you have your books. This is starts on for the department labeled 1420 on page 27. Good evening, mayor and city council. Good evening, so as the city manager said, I have some explanation discussion about the legal and special items in the budget. Okay, so the first one that I have is in the it's in the 1900 group of the budget items, so yeah, I don't know. I'll give you that. Let me give them that page. So we're gonna start with uh the 1900 part on page 44. Is that the same as your book? Yep, 44. Okay, page 44. Oh, 44. We're starting at four. Which is the general point. Okay. Okay, so the first line in that section is the general liability insurance, which is all of the regular coverages, such as the auto insurance and those types of policies. And this is based on a recommendation from the broker, which is a lion, that they told us to project about an eight percent increase for 2026. And so our number is based on our projection for 2025 of 850,000. So we've projected 918,000 on that line. And then still within that same category. I've grouped a couple of the smaller items together. So we have association dues, which is a NICOM dues for 7,286, taxes on city property, which is approximately $37,000. There's a consultant services line, and that's for things like the CAC, sustainability, grant writing, kind of those miscellaneous type consultants for $50,000. So that totals $94,286. The next one is again some of the lines in that page that you're looking at are combined into contingencies, and these exist for various purposes. So the first one we have judgments, judgments, and claims for 150,000. Those are just for cases that take place. And then we have a contingency line that really is a contingency for anything that the council determines that it's necessary for as we move through the year. So if there's an emergency situation, things like that, then we would address it with the council and ask for your approval to use it for that purpose. That we put in 200,000, and the last line is contingency for the safer grant. This is the grant where the city had hired the six firefighters, and we're building in this contingency that as we move forward toward when the grant ends, we've been building up a little bit of a base toward funding their salaries at that future date. So altogether we have $775,000 in contingency in that grouping. Uh uh, it's it's several lines there within that 900 1900 budget. So it's uh when you're looking in your budget book, it's gonna be Tony. You wanna I don't have line items on this, I'm sorry. Okay, so re so the go back to the line before the the slide before this. Sorry, just get back there. We go. Okay, so uh the first one is 1930. It's 1900, 1930. It's the one to fourth one down. The second one is 1930 0200. The 1930s.

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