Westchester County Budget & Appropriations Committee Meeting - May 18, 2026

The Budget & Appropriations Committee of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, chaired by Legislator Tyrae Woodson-Samuels, convened jointly with the Committees on Infrastructure & Housing, Seniors & Youth, Parks & Environment, Litigation, and Public Safety & Veterans on May 18, 2026, at 10:12 AM. The meeting adjourned at 1:29 PM. All 22 action items were approved unanimously and referred to the full Board of Legislators.

Minutes Approval

• Approved the minutes of April 27, 2026, and May 4, 2026.

Discussion Items

1. Bronx River Parkway Rehabilitation Program (Items 1 & 2)

• Authorized a bond act to deauthorize $5,700,500 and a new bond act for $9,700,500 to fund roadway rehabilitation, bridge replacement, and culvert work on 0.7 miles of the Bronx River Parkway. Discussion covered contingency levels, traffic mitigation (two lanes maintained in each direction), interest rate of 4.06% (attributed to longer PPU), and a 24-month construction timeline.

2. HUD Consolidation Plan (Item 3)

• Authorized submission of the FY 2026 Action Plan and acceptance of $5,970,202 in CDBG, HOME, and ESG grants. Commissioner Blanca Lopez explained the urban county consortium of 31 municipalities, the reimbursement-based funding cycle, and the application scoring process. Members asked about outreach to nonprofits and the definition of entitlement communities.

3. Croton Point Avenue Affordable Housing Development (Items 4–7)

• Approved four items: a bond act for $5,765,000 (BPL37), a land acquisition act, a bond act for $6,150,000 (BPL1A), and an inter-municipal developer agreement for 100 affordable homeownership units at 1–3 Croton Point Avenue. Units will be priced at approximately $325,000–328,000 for first-time homebuyers at 80% AMI, with a 50-year affordability period. Discussion included noise and pollution mitigation, sale price mechanics, and the use of $20 million in state AHOP subsidies.

4. Yonkers Riverdale Avenue Conveyance (Item 8)

• Authorized consent to the transfer of 343 affordable rental units at 47 Riverdale Avenue/30 Hawthorne Avenue and extended affordability by 50 years. The new owner, PRC, plans extensive capital upgrades including new appliances, energy-efficient systems, and roof/boiler replacements. Legislators commended the county’s commitment to preserving affordable housing.

5. Dam Improvement Bond Acts (Items 9–11)

• Approved rescission of two prior bond acts and a new bond act for $1,194,602.36 to fund design work for dam improvements at Woodlands Lake and other county park dams. Design is expected to take about 12 months, with construction following.

6. Dunwoodie Golf Course Facility Improvements (Items 12–15)

• Approved an environmental resolution, capital budget amendment, amended bond act, and consolidated bond for $10,448,803 to replace the 70-year-old maintenance facility, add backflow preventers, and improve water supply. Discussion noted cost escalation, added scope (security, temporary building), and an 18-month construction timeline.

7. Pound Ridge Fire Protection Services IMA (Item 16)

• Authorized a five-year inter-municipal agreement with the Pound Ridge Fire District to provide fire services to the northern section of Ward Pound Ridge Park. In lieu of annual payments, the county will purchase a $43,000 equipment shed and provide $2,000 in annual maintenance. Pre-positioning rescue equipment was noted to improve emergency response times.

8. Youth Development Programs (Items 17–19)

• Approved three IMAs:
  • Mount Vernon ($150,718) for Safe Haven, Youth Empowerment/Employment, and Step-Up programs serving grades 2–12.
  • Yonkers ($132,000 with 100% match) for the Sixth Grade Leadership Academy serving about 110 students.
  • Tarrytown ($29,193) for the Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow Summer Camp serving about 150 youth. Director Ernest McFadden noted that all programs use New York State Office of Children and Family Services performance measures.

9. Greenwich Road Bridge Rehabilitation (Items 20–21)

• Approved an environmental resolution and temporary easement agreements for the full replacement of the 1919 bridge over the Mianus River in Bedford. Legislator Nancy Barr thanked staff for extensive community engagement and environmental sensitivity.

10. Lawsuit Settlement (Item 22)

• Authorized a $400,000 settlement in Gasparre v. County of Westchester. The committee entered executive session at 12:59 PM and returned at 1:12 PM to vote approval.

Key Outcomes

• All 22 action items were signed by committee and referred to the Board of Legislators. All votes were unanimous (8–0 or 7–0) with all present members voting aye.
• Chair Woodson-Samuels announced the reappointment of nine incumbent members to the Citizens' Budget Advisory Committee: John McGarr, L. William Kay III, Rodman Reef, Julie Stern, Judith Stern Rosen, Beth Smayda, Jonathan Mark, Diana Quast, and E. Annette Nash Govan. Three positions remain open.
• No public comments were received.