Yorktown Town Board Meeting Summary – March 19, 2024
Yorktown Town Board Meeting – March 19, 2024
The Yorktown Town Board held a lengthy public meeting on March 19, 2024, covering multiple public hearings, committee reports, and resolutions. Key topics included a stormwater retrofit project, proposed local laws regulating ATVs and e-bikes, and amendments to the town ethics code. The meeting featured reports from the town supervisor, council members, and New York State Assemblymember Dana Levenberg, along with extensive public comment.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Stormwater Retrofit Project (East of Hudson Watershed Corp.): Residents raised concerns about tree clearing without permits, noise, light pollution from the proposed basin, and a temporary project sign. The town acknowledged permitting errors and committed to installing vegetative screening and addressing neighbor concerns. The contractor was directed to remove wood chips and restore the site with native plantings.
- ATV and E-Bike Law: A large number of speakers addressed the proposed local law. Key positions:
- Support for separating e-bikes from ATVs (many speakers, including trail committee members and cyclists).
- Support for banning ATVs on all town property (trail committee, residents, and the victim of an ATV incident).
- Need for stronger penalties, impoundment, and enforcement (former police officer, residents reporting dangerous riding).
- Concern about e-bike safety and speed (some residents, cyclists argued for class-based regulation).
- Support for clear definitions and police input (Trail Conference, local experts).
- Ethics Law Amendments: Multiple speakers urged stronger transparency, independence of the ethics board, and retention of the word "indirect" in conflict-of-interest definitions. The ethics board chair requested that the town attorney be required to recuse in cases involving board members and that the board be allowed to hire outside counsel. Several residents criticized the proposed changes as weakening the current code.
Discussion Items
- Supervisor’s Report: The supervisor noted a successful senior citizens meeting on colon cancer screening, the St. Patrick’s Day luncheon, and the Kenny Scroy Act of Kindness Day fundraiser (over $1,500 raised for two charities). He also announced that a priest would fund the preservation and relocation of the chapel on the Soundview property.
- Councilmember Reports: Councilman Esposito highlighted the new turf field at Legacy Woodlands Park (with concussion-prevention padding), the reopening of the courthouse steps, and local restaurant openings. He also noted the upcoming Maple Weekend and Eagle Scout ceremonies.
- Assemblymember Dana Levenberg Report: She discussed her solar canopy legislation (inspired by Yorktown), housing bills (comprehensive plan updates, needs assessment), and state budget priorities including road funding ($1.5 billion for local roads), school aid (rejecting governor’s cuts), universal school meals, and pension improvements for public employees. She also responded to a resident’s question about electric school bus mandates, acknowledging infrastructure and funding challenges.
- Town Clerk’s Report: Diana Kwas outlined changes to voting districts (four districts relocated) and upcoming election dates (presidential primary April 2, special election April 16, etc.).
- Arbor Day Committee: Larry Klein presented a $600 budget request for Arbor Day (April 26) and asked for a $600 annual allocation. The board expressed support.
- Climate Smart Community Task Force: Sarah Wilson and Paul Mossworth reported on an energy audit (no cost to town via NYSERDA and grants), a solar RFP, and electric vehicle charger grants. They also noted a $76,250 DOE grant for energy efficiency.
- Proclamations: The board proclaimed March 21 as Down Syndrome Awareness Day (with "Rock Your Socks" campaign) and March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day.
- Ethics Law Discussion: Town board members debated the inclusion of the word "indirect," the role of the town attorney, confidentiality of disclosure statements, and the need for transparency. Councilman Esposito argued that public disclosure of personal financial details could invite fraud, while others emphasized the importance of transparency. The ethics board chair suggested a recusal mechanism for the town attorney when conflicts arise.
Key Outcomes
- Stormwater Retrofit Permits Approved: The board granted wetland and tree permits for the East of Hudson project after the contractor acknowledged prior work without permits. The contractor agreed to install screening for neighbors and remove the temporary sign after construction.
- ATV/E-Bike Law Public Hearing Closed: The board decided to separate e-bikes from ATVs in the law, incorporate police and highway superintendent input, and return with a revised draft. No vote was taken on the current proposal.
- Ethics Law Public Hearing Closed: The board committed to reviewing all comments and producing a red-line version. No immediate amendments were adopted, but the board agreed to consider the ethics board’s suggestions, including mandatory recusal of the town attorney when a board member is involved.
- Adopted Resolutions: The board unanimously approved a consent agenda including:
- Authorization to scrap a 2008 Crown Victoria.
- Energy audit contract with Daylight Savings Company (no cost to town).
- Agreement for sewer pipe repair in Hunterbrook and Halex Mills.
- Preventive maintenance contract for water pollution control plant equipment.
- Budget transfers for computer equipment (ARPA funds) and workers’ compensation claims.
- Release of erosion control bond for Springhurst Street.
- Award of bids for asphalt, temporary traffic lights, pool pump rebuild, and traffic study review.
- Agreement for DWI enforcement detail with Westchester County ($10,000).
- Modification of senior account clerk job classification (salary increase per CSEA MOU).
- Engineering services agreement for Croton Heights Road water main installation.
- Appointment: William Ritchie was appointed to the Veterans Advisory Board.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 12:45 a.m. on March 20, 2024.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the uh town board meeting of March 19th, 2024. If we could all rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. And to the Republicans, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. And we could remain standing for a moment of silence as we keep our first responders in uh in our hearts uh as well as uh remembering those who served in Vietnam as we come across along to Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Day. Uh I would also like uh everyone to please keep the Slater family in their in their uh prayers as the passing of Matt's grandmother, Eleanor Vogel. Yes, thank you. Okay. Introduction starting to my right. Good evening, Diana Kwas, town clerk. Deputy Town Supervisor, Red Lacterman. Councilman Sergio Esposito. Councilwoman Luciana Howitt. Councilman Patrick Murphy. Oh, excuse me. Uh David Chen now filling in for Adam Rodriguez as town attorney. Okay. Um just uh quick things uh for my report uh to the town. Um as I'm still a liaison for the senior committee, had a uh a very good senior meeting here on Friday, uh speaker from uh Hudson Valley, New York Presbyterian, who's actually a uh gastrointestin intestinal expert, uh spoke about quite a few things, including uh cancer screening and uh for colon cancer. So uh just very interesting. You could catch those meetings on our public access channel. Um we also celebrated on Wednesday. Uh I think pretty much everyone made it there. Uh our senior St. Patrick's Day luncheon. And um I must say that we had a uh an Irish soda bread bake off between myself and Franz and everyone but Mora said mine was better. So either either more just doesn't like my non-traditional recipe or or she's very honest and no one else's. Um so uh we had that on Friday. We uh we celebrated today early, the Kenny Scroy Act of Kindness Day, where our police department uh they do their no-shave to raise money. Uh they had two charities that uh each got over $1,500 by the time things were said and done. Uh both support connection and united for the troops. There were also about three tables full of donations for United for the Troops to for them to make their care packages that go overseas. So uh some great work there. Thank you for all in the community who participated, and especially to our men and women in blue who uh not only keep Kenny's memory alive but are always thinking about our town and how they can uh help the residents in a positive way. You guys do a fantastic job. Thank you. Yes. Thank you. And uh just uh something that uh went through planning and is moving, so we had a lot of talk about progress and preservation, so I was very happy. Uh it was actually two Fridays ago to meet uh a priest who or father who wants to come down and pay for the chapel to be saved on the uh on the Soundview property uh part of it, and there's a uh you know it has to be added to the site plan, but it looks like the planning board is going to be okay with that being taken down, moved, and becoming actually a resident. So we will have Father Frank living on uh on the property in the chapel. Uh, even though it's not the period of historical significance. It's a beautiful looking chapel. They're gonna have to do a ton of work. Uh I was just walking around it uh two days ago, I believe it was. No, actually Monday. Uh I was there yesterday. And uh, but he's willing to uh willing to pay for it. And uh Sergio, someone listen to you. Someone listen to me, fine. If you want to save something, it would be great if you uh invest in it.
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