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Record of Proceedings

Westchester County Joint Committee Meeting Summary: September 14, 2026

Board of Legislators & Committees — Monday, September 14, 2026
BodyWestchester County, New York
SessionBoard of Legislators & Committees
DateMonday, September 14, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:00:58

Original source
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0:00

I don't know.

0:02

And mommy's like, no, I won't be.

0:04

And that causes huge problems.

0:06

And then again, that's like this meeting is being recorded and summarized.

0:10

All right.

0:10

Good morning, everybody.

0:13

All is well.

0:15

Well, good morning to everyone except Cowboy fans.

0:17

Um business last night.

0:21

Um let's say Wilson Samuels, Chair of the Budget Appropriations Committee.

0:26

And I will start us off with attendance.

0:28

I am present.

0:29

Umsteen.

0:33

Right.

0:35

Let's say an obvious.

0:40

Present.

0:41

Majority Williams.

0:42

Here.

0:42

Let's lady Williams.

0:44

Chairman Gosh.

0:46

All right.

0:46

We have a forum.

0:47

We are starting officially at 1005 a.m.

0:50

And um I would like to open infrastructure and housing.

0:55

Uh and present vice chair Pierce.

1:00

Uh majority meter holstein.

1:05

I just say the NBR.

1:09

Samuels and Chairman Gashi.

1:11

We're open at 10 a.m.

1:15

And I will open social services disabilities and rights.

1:21

Um here vice chair Williams Johnson.

1:28

Regis Williams.

1:30

Yeah.

1:38

Okay, we are open at six.

1:41

All right.

1:41

So we have a holdover item from last committee meeting.

1:46

Um for the record, items three eighty-one, three and two, three eighty-three, and three eighty-four.

1:52

And before we dive into those items, I'm just going to indicate to the record we've been joined by legislative Williams Johnson.

1:57

Thank you for joining us.

2:00

Um yeah, we have a few folks to justify them.

2:05

Uh Mr.

2:06

Bifish, Dolito, and Rumi.

2:09

Please join us at the table.

2:18

Gentlemen, good morning.

2:19

And again, for the record, just reaffirmed yourself as well with your titles and done to you.

2:25

All right, thank you, Mr.

2:26

Chair.

2:26

Um, I'm John Beefers.

2:28

I'm the first deputy commissioner of the Department of Social Services.

2:34

Good morning, Tom Learning Reimbursement Manager.

2:37

All right, thank you.

2:38

So um, as Affirmation, we're here again.

2:41

Um, some of the committee members had a few questions.

2:45

Um certainly, so we are here, as you said, um to chair regarding uh follow-up on BSS twenty-two thirty-two seventy-two, which is the purchase and renovation of the OASIS uh emergency residential shelter at nineteen Washington Avenue in New Rochelle, currently owned by the Archdiocese Church of St.

3:10

Gabriel.

3:11

Um, and our proposal to purchase the property, which is point thirteen uh point three five acre uh lot with seven thousand four hundred and eighty-two square feet.

3:23

Uh the building was built in nineteen hundred.

3:26

It's one currently operated as one of our nine drop-in sites throughout the county, although the important piece is it's the only site on the sound shore.

3:36

Uh we operate with 297 uh uh beds throughout the county for that purpose.

3:43

Um it's been operated since 2008 by West Cop.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget Equity Analysis████████████████████████████████32%
Fiscal Sustainability██████████████████18%
Procedural█████████████13%
Public Transportation█████████9%
Homelessness███████7%
Economic Development█████5%
Pending Litigation████4%
Transportation Safety████4%
Public Sector Employee Benefits███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Westchester County Joint Committee Meeting Summary: September 14, 2026

The Joint Budget and Appropriations, Infrastructure and Housing, and Social Services committees of the Westchester County Board of Legislators met on September 14, 2026. Chaired by Legislator Tyrae Woodson-Samuels, the meeting addressed a bundle of capital items for the Oasis Center shelter, the 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), and the Fiscal Year 2026 Second Quarter Budget Update.

Oasis Center Capital Project and Land Acquisition (Items 2026-381 through 2026-384)

  • The committee considered four items related to the purchase and renovation of the Oasis Emergency Overnight Shelter at 19 Washington Avenue, New Rochelle. Department of Social Services First Deputy Commissioner John Befus presented the proposal, stating the county plans to purchase the property for $1.2 million, based on appraisals of $1.3 million and $1.1 million and a tax assessment of $1.6 million.
  • The total $11.1 million request includes $1.2 million for acquisition, $100,000 in transaction fees, $500,000 for client relocation, and $9.3 million for renovations. The current lease of $107,100 annually expires on December 31, 2026.
  • The facility is the county’s only drop-in shelter on the Sound Shore, currently housing approximately 50 men. Renovations are expected to take 27 months (9 months design, 18 months construction), requiring clients to be relocated to the Grasslands shelter or area hotels.

Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for 2025 (Item 2026-349)

  • Representatives from PKF O’Connor Davies presented the county’s audited financial statements, which earned a GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. The general fund balance increased by $5.7 million in 2025 to $568.9 million, with an unassigned fund balance of $436 million (17% of general fund expenditures).
  • Gross sales tax receipts totaled $956 million, a $26 million increase over 2024 but $13 million below budget. The airport fund balance grew to $75 million, while the health insurance fund was drawn down to $5.9 million as planned.
  • A significant deficit was reported in the tobacco securitization fund; subordinate bonds face a potential default in December 2027, though the county has no legal or financial obligation for this separate corporation’s debt.

Second Quarter Update for Fiscal Year 2026 (Item 2026-420)

  • Budget Director Larry Soule reported the projected deficit improved from $16.6 million in the first quarter to $9.4 million. Higher sales tax revenue ($17.2 million net) and state operating assistance ($5 million) helped offset pressures from Playland revenue ($1.6 million shortfall) and lower bus farebox collections.
  • Legislator Williams Johnson raised the issue of over 5,000 unenforced school bus stop-arm camera citations, calling it a public safety and revenue concern tied to a lack of enforcement at the municipal court level.
  • Director Soule cautioned that while the 2026 fiscal year is manageable, significant structural challenges are anticipated for the 2027 budget.

Key Outcomes

  • Oasis Center Package (Items 2026-381, 382, 383, 384): All four items were approved. Ayes: Woodson-Samuels, Holstein, Nambiar, Tubiolo, Williams, Williams Johnson. Absent: Pierce. Away: Gashi. Referred to the full Board of Legislators.
  • Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (Item 2026-349): Received, filed, and approved. Ayes: Woodson-Samuels, Holstein, Nambiar, Williams, Williams Johnson, Gashi. Away: Tubiolo. Absent: Pierce.
  • Second Quarter FY 2026 Update (Item 2026-420): Received, filed, and approved. Ayes: Woodson-Samuels, Holstein, Nambiar, Williams, Williams Johnson, Gashi. Away: Tubiolo. Absent: Pierce.
  • The meeting was called to order at 10:05 AM and adjourned at 12:05 PM. (Note: Draft minutes originally listed the start time as 10:04 PM, which appears to be a clerical error.)

Meeting Transcript

I don't know. And mommy's like, no, I won't be. And that causes huge problems. And then again, that's like this meeting is being recorded and summarized. All right. Good morning, everybody. All is well. Well, good morning to everyone except Cowboy fans. Um business last night. Um let's say Wilson Samuels, Chair of the Budget Appropriations Committee. And I will start us off with attendance. I am present. Umsteen. Right. Let's say an obvious. Present. Majority Williams. Here. Let's lady Williams. Chairman Gosh. All right. We have a forum. We are starting officially at 1005 a.m. And um I would like to open infrastructure and housing. Uh and present vice chair Pierce. Uh majority meter holstein. I just say the NBR. Samuels and Chairman Gashi. We're open at 10 a.m. And I will open social services disabilities and rights. Um here vice chair Williams Johnson. Regis Williams. Yeah. Okay, we are open at six. All right. So we have a holdover item from last committee meeting. Um for the record, items three eighty-one, three and two, three eighty-three, and three eighty-four. And before we dive into those items, I'm just going to indicate to the record we've been joined by legislative Williams Johnson. Thank you for joining us. Um yeah, we have a few folks to justify them. Uh Mr. Bifish, Dolito, and Rumi. Please join us at the table. Gentlemen, good morning. And again, for the record, just reaffirmed yourself as well with your titles and done to you. All right, thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I'm John Beefers. I'm the first deputy commissioner of the Department of Social Services. Good morning, Tom Learning Reimbursement Manager.

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