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★ ★ ★PUBLICRECORDSEP 15 2026
OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Budget Appropriations Committee Meeting – September 15, 2026

Board of Legislators & Committees — Tuesday, September 15, 2026
BodyWestchester County, New York
SessionBoard of Legislators & Committees
DateTuesday, September 15, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:00:44

Transcript — VerbatimClick a line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:00

Well, good morning to everyone except Cowboy fans.

0:03

Um handled business last night.

0:06

Um Legislator Winston Samuels, Chair of the Budget Appropriations Committee.

0:11

And I will start us out with attendance.

0:14

I am present, uh majority leader holstein.

0:18

All right.

0:20

Let's say the non-bio.

0:21

Here.

0:21

Legislative Pierce.

0:26

Majority Williams.

0:27

Here.

0:28

Let's later Williams done.

0:29

Chairman Gosh.

0:31

All right.

0:31

We have a forum.

0:32

We are starting officially at 1005 a.m.

0:36

And um I'd like to open infrastructure and housing.

0:40

Uh and present vice chair Pierce.

0:45

Uh majority leader holstein.

0:50

Legislative NBR.

0:52

Okay.

0:54

Samuels and Chairman Kashi.

0:56

They're open at 101.

1:00

And I will open social services disabilities and rights.

1:08

Did you hear Vice Chair Williams Johnson?

1:14

Regisor Williams.

1:15

Yeah.

1:19

Yeah.

1:23

Okay, we are open at all right.

1:26

So we have a holdover item from last committee meeting.

1:31

Um for the record, items 381, 382, 383, and 384.

1:37

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

1:42

Thank you for joining us.

1:43

Well channel.

1:45

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

1:50

Uh Mr.

1:51

Beefish, Dolito, and Ruby.

1:54

Please join us at the table.

2:03

Gentlemen, good morning.

2:05

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

2:10

All right.

2:10

Thank you, Mr.

2:11

Chair.

2:11

Um, I'm John Beefis.

2:13

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

2:17

Thank you to the social commissioner.

2:19

Good morning.

2:20

Tom Learning reimbursement manager.

2:22

All right, thank you.

2:23

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

2:26

Uh some of the committee members had a few questions.

2:30

Um certainly, so we are here as you said, um to chair regarding uh follow-up on BSS 223272, which is the purchase and renovation of the OASIS uh emergency residential shelter at 19 Washington Avenue in New Rochelle, currently owned by the Archdiocese Church of St.

2:55

Gabriel.

2:56

Um, and our proposal to purchase the property, which is uh 0.35 acre uh lot with 7,482 square feet.

3:08

Uh the building was built in 1900.

3:11

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.

3:21

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

3:28

Uh it's been operated since 2008 by West COP.

3:32

So we went through a lot of detail of the presentation last week, but there was some follow-up.

3:38

Uh we provided uh at your request uh two appraisals, uh one for 1.3 million dollars in 2025, the other for 1.1 million dollars in 2024.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget Equity Analysis████████████████████████████████████36%
Fiscal Sustainability████████████████16%
Public Transportation██████████10%
Procedural███████7%
Homelessness███████7%
Public Health███████7%
Pending Litigation████4%
Mortgage Tax Distribution████4%
Economic Development███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Budget Appropriations Committee Meeting – September 15, 2026

The Budget Appropriations Committee of the Westchester County Board of Legislators met on September 15, 2026, starting at 10:05 AM and adjourning at 12:05 PM. The committee reviewed holdover items for the OASIS emergency shelter purchase, received the annual comprehensive financial report for fiscal year 2025, and discussed the second quarter fiscal forecast for 2026. All agenda items were approved unanimously.

Discussion Items

OASIS Emergency Residential Shelter Purchase (Items 381-384)
First Deputy Commissioner of Social Services John Beefis, along with Tom Learning, presented a follow-up on the proposed purchase and renovation of the OASIS shelter at 19 Washington Avenue, New Rochelle (owned by the Archdiocese Church of St. Gabriel). Key details:

  • Property: 0.35‑acre lot, 7,482 sq. ft., built 1900. Currently operated as a drop‑in site (only one on the Sound Shore).
  • Current lease: $107,100 annually ($8,925/month) with WestCOP, expiring December 31, 2026.
  • Purchase price: $1.2 million (two appraisals: $1.3M in 2025, $1.1M in 2024; 2024 tax assessment: $1.6M).
  • Total request: $11.1 million ($1.2M purchase, $100K transaction fees, $500K relocation, $9.3M renovation including two years inflation and design).
  • Renovation timeline: 9 months design, 18 months construction. The facility will be shut down during construction; residents will be relocated to Grasslands shelter overflow or hotels.
  • Capacity: Currently houses approximately 50 men; women are served at a Mount Vernon site. After renovation, expected to remain 100% occupied.
  • Legislators asked about relocation plans, capacity, and cost breakdown. No opposition was expressed; the purchase price was deemed fair based on appraisals. The committee voted unanimously to advance the four items.

Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (Item 349)
Nick and Scott from Davies presented the audited financial statements for fiscal year 2025. Highlights:

  • The county received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from GFOA (only 25–30 New York municipalities receive this).
  • General Fund: Total revenues $2.518 billion vs. final budget $2.503 billion (+$15M); total expenditures $2.502 billion (savings of $11M). Net surplus $5.7 million, increasing fund balance to $568.9 million.
  • Sales tax: Gross receipts $956M, $13M short of budget but up $26M over 2024.
  • Fund balance: Unassigned fund balance $436M (17% of general fund expenditures).
  • Other funds: Sewer fund balance $27.2M; Refuse fund $22.9M; Airport fund $75.5M (surplus $8.2M budgeted for 2026); Health insurance fund nearly depleted (balance $5.9M).
  • Tobacco securitization: Subordinate bonds face potential default by December 2027 due to declining cigarette sales; county has no legal or moral obligation.
  • Legislators questioned mortgage tax trends, fund balance policy, airport capital funding, and health insurance sustainability. The report was received and filed unanimously.

Second Quarter Fiscal Forecast (Item 420)
Budget Director Larry presented the 2026 second quarter forecast. Key points:

  • Projected deficit reduced from $16.6M (Q1) to $9.4M (manageable on a $2.5B budget).
  • Favorable variances: sales tax (+$17.2M net), additional state daycare subsidies, state operating assistance for Bee‑Line bus (+$5M), vacancy savings.
  • Unfavorable variances: assumed no pension amortization (placeholder in budget), additional contributions to self‑insurance funds (6N/6J), children with special needs transportation costs, lower Playland revenue, school bus stop‑arm citation revenue shortfall.
  • School bus stop‑arm citations: Over 5,000 citations ignored; lack of enforcement by municipalities. Legislators expressed concern about public safety and revenue loss; committee will explore solutions with the county attorney and state legislation.
  • The forecast was received and filed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Items 381‑384 (OASIS shelter purchase and renovation): Approved unanimously by roll call.
  • Item 349 (Annual Comprehensive Financial Report): Received and filed unanimously.
  • Item 420 (Second Quarter Forecast): Received and filed unanimously.
  • Adjournment: Motion carried unanimously at 12:05 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Well, good morning to everyone except Cowboy fans. Um handled business last night. Um Legislator Winston Samuels, Chair of the Budget Appropriations Committee. And I will start us out with attendance. I am present, uh majority leader holstein. All right. Let's say the non-bio. Here. Legislative Pierce. Majority Williams. Here. Let's later Williams done. Chairman Gosh. All right. We have a forum. We are starting officially at 1005 a.m. And um I'd like to open infrastructure and housing. Uh and present vice chair Pierce. Uh majority leader holstein. Legislative NBR. Okay. Samuels and Chairman Kashi. They're open at 101. And I will open social services disabilities and rights. Did you hear Vice Chair Williams Johnson? Regisor Williams. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, we are open at all right. So we have a holdover item from last committee meeting. Um for the record, items 381, 382, 383, and 384. 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. Well channel. Um yeah, we have a few folks to justify them. Uh Mr. Beefish, Dolito, and Ruby. Please join us at the table. Gentlemen, good morning. And again, for the record, just reaffuse yourselves as well with your titles and done to you. All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I'm John Beefis. I'm the first deputy commissioner of the Department of Social Services. Thank you to the social commissioner. Good morning. Tom Learning reimbursement manager. All right, thank you. So um, as aforementioned, we're here again.

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