Westchester County Legislature Joint Committee Meeting - May 18, 2026
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Westchester County Legislature Joint Committee Meeting - May 18, 2026
On May 18, 2026, the Westchester County Board of Legislators convened multiple committee meetings (Budget & Appropriations, Litigation, Infrastructure & Housing, Parks & Environment, Public Safety & Veterans) starting at 10:00 a.m. (with some committees meeting later) to review and vote on a range of items including lawsuit settlements, bond acts for capital projects, federal grant approvals, affordable housing developments, and inter-municipal agreements. The meetings were chaired by Legislator Tyrae Woodson Samuels (Budget & Appropriations) and Legislator David Imamura (Litigation), with a quorum present. Key outcomes included unanimous approval of a $400,000 lawsuit settlement, authorizations for bond acts totaling over $16 million for infrastructure projects, approval of the HUD Consolidated Plan application, and support for affordable housing initiatives.
Discussion Items
- Lawsuit Settlement (Gasparre v. County): The Litigation Committee, in executive session, discussed and approved a settlement of $400,000 to resolve claims of physical injuries from alleged exposure to biohazardous materials at the New Ro Premier Wastewater Treatment Plant. The motion passed unanimously.
- Bronx River Parkway Rehabilitation: The Public Works Department presented a project to address three culverts and a bridge between County Center and Cemetery Road. The low bid was $15.6 million, but shortfall required an additional $4 million in bonding. The committee approved the bond acts (2026-232 and 2026-233) to fund the project, which will maintain two lanes in each direction during 24-month construction.
- Wampus Pond Dam Rehabilitation: Parks Commissioner Peter Tartaglia requested $400,000 in additional design funds to complete engineering for dam repairs. The dam (built 1940) is a Class B dam requiring upgrades. The committee approved the bond acts (2026-208, 209, 210) to fund design.
- Dunwoody Golf Course Improvements: The committee approved $6.3 million for maintenance facility upgrades, including a new storage building, backflow preventers, and security improvements, bringing the total project to $10.4 million.
- HUD Consolidated Plan (CDBG, HOME, ESG): The Department of Planning presented the annual application for $5.97 million in federal grants for 31 municipalities. The committee approved the resolution (2026-203) to authorize submission, including the Annual Action Plan and acceptance of funds.
- Affordable Housing – Croton Point Avenue: The committee approved bond acts and an intermunicipal development agreement for 100 for-sale affordable homeownership units (one- and two-bedrooms) at 1-3 Croton Point Avenue in Croton-on-Hudson. Units will be priced at 80% AMI (approx. $325,000-$328,000) with state AHOP subsidy of $200,000 per unit. The project is transit-oriented near the Croton-Harmon train station.
- Yonkers Affordable Housing Transfer: The committee approved the conveyance of property at 47 Riverdale Avenue (343 affordable rental units) to PRC, which will rehab the building and extend affordability for 50 years.
- Fire Services IMA – Ward Pound Ridge: The committee approved an agreement with Pound Ridge Fire District to pre-position a rescue UTV and equipment at the park in lieu of annual payments. The fire district responded to 35 calls in the park over five years.
- Youth Programs IMAs: The committee approved three inter-municipal agreements with Mount Vernon (Safe Haven, Youth Employment, Step Up), Yonkers (6th Grade Leadership Academy), and Tarrytown (summer camp) to fund youth services for summer 2026.
- Greenwich Road Bridge Rehabilitation: The committee approved temporary easements for construction staging and a temporary bridge to maintain traffic during replacement of the 1919 bridge over the Miannis River in Bedford.
Key Outcomes
- Litigation: Unanimously approved the Gasparre settlement (Act 2026-2291).
- Bronx River Parkway Bond Acts (2026-232, 233): Unanimously approved in Budget & Appropriations and Infrastructure & Housing.
- Wampus Pond Dam Bonds (2026-208, 209, 210): Unanimously approved in Budget & Appropriations and Infrastructure & Housing.
- Dunwoody Golf Course Bonds (2026-211, 215, 217, 218): Unanimously approved.
- HUD Consolidated Plan (2026-203): Unanimously approved.
- Croton Point Avenue Affordable Housing (2026-220, 222, 223, 225): Unanimously approved.
- Yonkers Affordable Housing Transfer (2026-208? actually 2026-??? – from transcript: item eight): Unanimously approved.
- Ward Pound Ridge IMA (2026-227): Unanimously approved in Public Safety & Veterans.
- Youth Programs IMAs (2026-200, 226, 228): Unanimously approved.
- Greenwich Road Bridge Easements (2026-201, 202): Unanimously approved.
- CBAC Reappointments: Announced incumbents will be reappointed to the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee.
All items passed unanimously across relevant committees by voice vote or roll call, with no recorded opposition.
Meeting Transcript
Thank you. This meeting is being recorded and summarized. All right, good morning, everyone. I am legislator Tyra Woodson Samuels, Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. Today is May 18th. We're starting at 10, 11 a.m. And I'll start us off officially with a roll call vote. I am present. Majority Leader Holstein. Let's let's not be here. Here's Linda Pierce. Present. Committee Vice Chair Tubiolo. Majority Whip Williams. Here. Okay, and Chairman Gashi. All right. We have a quorum again. It's 10-11 a.m. Uh Leader Holstein will be joining us momentarily. We do have two sets of minutes, April 27th, 10 a.m. as well as May 4th, 10 a.m. Do we have a motion for both sets of minutes? Second. I have a motion in the second. Rollfold vote on the minutes. I'm a yes. Let's let your legislator peace. Yes. Let's later Williams. Majority Witt Williams. Yes. Legislator Williams Johnson. Yes. All right. Both sets of minutes pass. And we move on to our items for discussion for today. We start out with items 2026 232 as well as 23. And we have guests from the Department of Public Works here to discuss these items. Please join us. Yes, please. Let's say it's hi. Good morning, everyone. I am legislator Pierce. I am standing in for the chairwoman of infrastructure and housing who is on the big screen, but not able to be at the table today. So I'm going to open the committee by calling the role. Chair Williams. Present. Chairman Gashi. We are open at 10 12.
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