Summary of Proceedings
Joint I&H, B&A, and P&E Committee Meeting – October 5, 2026
The Infrastructure & Housing (I&H) Committee, joint with Budget & Appropriations (B&A) and Parks & Environment (P&E), convened on Monday, October 5, 2026, at 10:13 AM in the Committee Room of the Michaelian Office Building. Chair Shanae Williams presided over the meeting, which addressed emergency sewer infrastructure repairs in Yonkers, a major drainage project at Playland, a recommendation to transition the Woodfield Cottage juvenile detention facility to county operation, and a financial update from SUNY Westchester Community College. The meeting included votes on four legislative items and the receipt of multiple reports.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes Approval: The minutes from the September 14, 22, and 29, 2026 meetings were continued.
- Item 2026-465 (330 Riverdale Avenue, Yonkers): An ACT authorizing the County to consent to the conveyance of real property at 330 Riverdale Avenue, amend restrictive covenants to income restrict 170 affordable rental units to at or below 60% of the County area median income, and extend the affordability period an additional 50 years. The item was signed by committee to the Board of Legislators (Aye: Williams, Holstein, Nambiar, Pierce, Woodson-Samuels).
Discussion Items
Flint Avenue Pumping Station Forcemain Replacement (Items 2026-475 / 2026-476)
The Department of Environmental Facilities (DEF) requested an amendment to the 2026 Capital Budget and a Bond Act in the amount of $14,180,000 to finance an emergency replacement of a failed forcemain on Flint Avenue in Yonkers, following two breaks within a hundred feet of each other in the same week in August 2026.
- Positions and Debate: Legislators expressed significant concern over the justification of the $11 million incremental cost. First Deputy Commissioner Lou Vetrone stated the estimate was derived from internal discussions and experience, but he did not have a written breakdown ready at the meeting. Legislator Holstein pressed for a written cost breakdown, specifically requesting buckets for design and construction phases. Legislator Nambiar asked what timeline the department gave the DEC, with Commissioner Kopicki answering the outside date for complete construction is May of 2027, weather dependent, though they hope to install temporary pipe before Thanksgiving. Legislator Jewel Williams Johnson, representing the district, requested detailed maps, contact information regarding village coordination, and long-term durability assurances, stating she wanted to be able to confidently say the problem is being solved properly. Commissioner Kopicki urged the committee to trust the department, describing the work as an immediate and proactive emergency response.
- Outcome: The motion to move the items Without Prejudice (WO Prejudice) carried unanimously (Aye: Williams, Holstein, Nambiar, Pierce, Woodson-Samuels). The committee directed DEF to provide a detailed schedule and cost breakdown to legislators by October 19, 2026.
Playland Parking Lot Drainage Improvement (Item 2026-490)
Parks and Recreation presented an amended Bond Act requesting an additional $14,000,000 (making the total authorization $21,000,000) for Phase 1 of drainage and paving improvements in the bus parking lot and historic colonnades at Playland.
- Positions and Debate: Legislator Nambiar raised concerns about pedestrian safety for visitors of the Westchester Children's Museum crossing the bus route. Acting Commissioner William Bland and Director Rob Lopane confirmed the design includes specific pedestrian safety improvements, such as a new crosswalk addressing the "desire path," ADA ramps, signage, and warning beacons. Legislator Nambiar also asked if a better location for bus drop-offs could be considered. Legislator Woodson-Samuels requested a graphic diagram of pedestrian improvements and a cost breakdown. The largest cost component is the reconstruction of the historic boardwalk canopies, which will be replaced with pressure-treated wood and synthetic roofing materials to match the historic appearance. The project is anticipated to be completed in 14 to 16 months.
- Outcome: The item was approved by all three joint committees (I&H, B&A, P&E).
Woodfield Cottage – County Takeover Recommendation
The Probation Department presented a proposal for the County to take over operations of the Woodfield Cottage juvenile detention facility.
- Background: Commissioner Ralph Posey outlined a severe failure of the current vendor, Together for Youth, to fulfill contractual obligations since January 1, 2026. Failures included chronic staffing shortages, lack of food service, failure to secure technology, and resulting safety and security risks. The county intervened with a $1.6 million security contract and diverted Probation officers to backfill critical functions. The previous vendor, Children's Village, also saw performance deteriorate over its five-year contract.
- Financials: The projected annual operating cost for a county-run facility is approximately $30 million. With state aid and reimbursements estimated at $28 million, the net increase to the county operating budget is projected between $1.2 million and $2.46 million annually. This includes hiring 150 new county employees at a higher salary grade to attract qualified candidates.
- Positions: Commissioner Posey strongly advocated for the takeover, stating "There are some things the government does better than the private sector, and corrections is one of them." Legislators generally supported the objective but expressed concerns about the sustainability of state aid. Legislator Nambiar and Minority Leader Punzio highlighted the risk of the state reducing reimbursement. Legislator Holstein stressed the need to account for annual raises in out-year projections. Legislator Williams Johnson framed budgets as a moral document.
- Outcome: The proposal was signed by committee and referred to the Board of Legislators.
SUNY Westchester Community College (WCC) Third Quarter Report
Dr. Valenza Miles and the WCC finance team presented the third quarter financial report.
- Highlights: The college is financially stable, with projected operating revenues of $108.6 million against $108 million in expenses. Headcount enrollment has grown 33% since Fall 2020 (to 15,023), though full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment rose to 3,733. The college manages $143.3 million in active capital projects.
- Discussion: Legislators questioned the tuition breakdown, the high personnel cost ratio (85% of budget), and the impact of the demographic "enrollment cliff." The primary challenge in capital projects is the timing of state reimbursements, not funding eligibility.
- Outcome: The report was accepted and filed.
Other Business
- Item 477 (Sales Tax Exemption MOL): Introduced by Legislator Nolan, received and filed.
- Subscription Transparency MOL: Introduced by Legislators Imamura, Nambiar, and Williams Johnson, continued to a future meeting for further review.
Key Outcomes
- Flint Avenue Pumping Station (475/476): Approved Without Prejudice; DEF directed to provide cost and schedule details.
- Playland Drainage (490): Unanimously approved by all joint committees.
- Woodfield Cottage: Recommendation for county takeover approved, moving to the full Board.
- WCC Report: Received and filed.
- Adjournment: The official minutes record adjournment at 11:13 AM, while the raw transcript records the meeting concluding at 12:20 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Diane, do you have something to that point? Yeah, two comments, which I definitely would request that DEF confirm. I believe that we the one of the main drivers to asking for the full amount to do the break the repair to the breaks is A, there's um a time sensitivity due to DEC monitoring. And um I believe that this work is intended to be accomplished on a somewhat expedited basis. But again, I need uh Vinny and Lou and Jasmine to confirm that. Commissioner Yes, no, no, no, we've had conversations with DEC. DDC is very interested in having us do this as soon as possible. Uh we did not receive an order of consent or an administrative order. However, um basically based on you know they were looking for a timeline for us, they look for uh schedule for for this replacement as soon as possible. So we haven't received, like I said, any consent order for this, but they are watching this very closely and they want this you know installed as soon as possible. The other money that we're talking about is really just design, which it's not additional, it's construction of the second half of that forcemain. This is going to cover the design of this emergency work and the installation of this emergency work, and the back and the rest of the money is going to be for the design of the you know for the remainder of that pipe. It's not for construction of the second half of the pipe. Okay, can you then please just get us a breakdown which will show how much is for design for the next stage, how much is for design for this stage, and how much you're estimating for construction for this stage, so that we can at least see those three buckets. I can go back to the just a reminder, we can't hear anyone on the back on the back um. Um, so yeah, I can try to get you something. I mean, it's gonna be Yeah, we don't we don't have a meeting tonight, so you got you got time. Good answer to that to that point, Ms. Yeah, to the point of something that uh Commissioner Biggie said. Thank you, uh Mr. Chairman. The DEC is asking for a timeline. So what is the timeline you're giving the DEC? Uh it's really based on delivery of material, but we would like to get the uh temporary pipe in the ground before the holidays. Uh once the temporary pipe is in the ground, I believe we gave them a date of May of next year for complete construction, but that is weather dependent uh re plan. That's like an outside date. We would like to get this in again. It's it's it's I I can't even tell you you know when the permanent pipe is going to be delivered because we're still talking again. We have a meeting going on in the other room with the contractor about the pipe that we're specifying for the permanent installation. And because that because that pipe saw so much corrosion and why it failed, it wasn't being eaten from the inside, it was from the outside. And I think that's due to the the water table there and the salt in the water, and it was eroding the pipe. So we're having to switch gears a little bit here, maybe do a coating on the outside of the pipe, and that all impacts, of course, the delivery uh you know of the new pipe. So it really depends on delivery of a pipe, but I would love to get this in January, February if we can, if we have a mild winter. Um you know, May is on the outside. Uh, but um of course it really depends on um delivery time. But again, the HD the HDP pipe that's going to be the uh the bypass pipe, those are typically readily available. Um and if that's the case, we're just ironing out which you know, specifying exactly what type of pipe we need.
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