OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Yorktown Town Board Work Session Summary – September 10, 2024

Town Board — Tuesday, September 10, 2024
BodyYorktown, New York
SessionTown Board
DateTuesday, September 10, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:01:02

Transcript — Verbatim
0:04

Good evening and welcome to uh the work seas section work session of September uh 10th, 2024.

0:12

If we go all right uh all stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:16

It's a long day.

0:17

Yeah.

0:18

Amen to that.

0:21

I pledge allegiance to the United States of America and to the Republicans and the God.

0:34

And if we could have a moment of silence and uh please uh keep in your prayers, the uh family of uh Chief Robert Noble uh and his wife Elena as a uh Elena's mother Linda Metrano passed away last week.

0:50

Uh may God hold her clothes, and as we remember all of our first responders and military uh that that fight for our freedom every day.

1:04

Amen.

1:05

Amen.

1:06

And please remember that tomorrow we will have our 9-11 ceremony uh at the memorial on uh uh East Main Street over by the library, and we will uh be honoring those uh that were lost on that uh horrible day in our history.

1:24

Um well, one other thing I was asked to talk about.

1:29

Uh we have coming up next Monday, September 16th, uh 630 to 730 at the John C.

1:36

Hart Memorial Library, uh a moment in history, the Pines Bridge Skirmish.

1:43

So we have a really nice uh memorial over in Railroad Park, uh the Pines Bridge Monument.

1:49

It um it is a um uh a rendition of uh troops stationed at the Davenport House, uh including the Rhode Island Regiment, uh which was also known as the Black Regiment because it was one of the uh one of the regiments that was made up of both uh or all three Americans, um uh African Americans at that point, and uh Indians, so uh American Indians.

2:19

So it's uh quite a quite an interesting story.

2:21

So I highly recommend if you have some free time Monday to go and do that.

2:26

And also uh Luciana was asked to talk about, but she gave it to me, our fourth annual whole in one contest, uh Sunday, September 22nd at the Lynx at Valley Field.

2:37

That's 9 a.m.

2:38

to 12 p.m.

2:39

There's gonna be raffles, there'll be a 50-50 drawing, putting and pitching contest, hole in one, uh thousand dollar cash prize for hole in one.

2:48

So just get out there and swing.

2:51

Um so if you can make it, once again, Sunday, September 22nd at the T Bar and Grill.

2:57

And is there a rain date on that too?

3:00

I can't see.

3:01

It's I believe there's a rain date of the 29th or 30th.

3:06

It's just on this one.

3:08

Okay.

3:08

But we'll get it there.

3:09

Well, Jim will tell us when he comes back in.

3:12

But that all the money raised goes to the Friends of Parks and Recreation, and that goes right back to our parks.

3:18

They they're a uh 501c3 that raises money to help with different projects uh with our parks and going back to our kids.

3:26

So really great cause, and we hope you get there.

3:30

All right, we will go into our open session.

3:33

Um our first up will be uh Talia Pearson, who has been doing a huge amount of work uh on her own, talking about anti-Semitism in the United States and the world.

3:46

Uh so she has a little presentation.

3:50

And for those of you that don't recognize the name, uh I think we also have a Judge Pearson here too.

3:57

How are you, Via?

3:59

Two.

4:00

Well, no, that's a Judge Cohen, but that's a proud grandpa.

4:05

So how are you?

4:06

Good to see you.

4:07

I'm good.

4:08

Does this work?

4:08

Okay.

4:09

Thank you so much for having us.

4:11

My name's Leora Lugasi, and I'm a junior at Yorktown High School as well as a Jewish student.

4:17

I'm Talia Pearson.

4:19

I am a junior as well at Yorktown High School and a Jewish student.

4:24

My name is Benjamin Smith.

4:26

I am a sophomore at York High School, and I'm also a Jewish student.

4:30

We are here today to discuss the topic of anti-Semitism, its impact on the Jewish community, and what the town can do to help support the Jewish community, especially as we approach a year since October 7th, the most deadly attack on Jews since the Holocaust.

4:49

First off, I want to acknowledge and thank all you've done for the Jewish community in Yorktown.

5:00

For example, the vigil held subsequent to October 7th, uh the annual Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony, and most recently the adoption of the IXRA definition of anti-Semitism, which explicitly defines anti-Zionism as anti-Semitism, which means a lot to us.

5:08

On October 7th, over 1,100 innocent civilians were murdered by Hamas terrorists.

5:13

And as we approach one year, there's still 1001 innocent civilians being held in Gaza.

5:18

This tragedy has had profound impacts on only the world Jewish community, but the local Jewish community as well.

5:25

We feel as though if the flags were lowered to half mass on this day in solidarity, it would serve to show that the Jewish community is supported in Yorktown.

5:34

While lowering the flag in remembrance of not only the Israeli civilians, but the Americans murdered as well.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Water And Wastewater Management████████████████████20%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████████████████19%
Parks and Recreation███████████████████19%
Procedural█████████9%
Mental Health Awareness█████████9%
Holocaust Remembrance████████8%
Public Utilities████4%
Public Safety████4%
Public Health███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Yorktown Town Board Work Session – September 10, 2024

The Yorktown Town Board held a work session on September 10, 2024. No agenda or minutes were available, so this summary is drawn entirely from the raw transcript.

Announcements

  • Officials asked residents to keep Chief Robert Noble and his family in their prayers after the death of his mother-in-law, Linda Metrano.
  • The board reminded the public of the September 11 memorial ceremony on September 11 at the East Main Street memorial, a September 16 talk on the Pines Bridge Skirmish at the John C. Hart Memorial Library, and the fourth annual Hole-in-One Contest on September 22 at the Lynx at Valley Field, benefiting the Friends of Parks and Recreation.

Community Presentations

Yorktown High School Students on Anti-Semitism

  • Students Leora Lugasi, Talia Pearson, and Benjamin Smith, all Jewish students at Yorktown High School, presented on the upcoming one-year anniversary of October 7, 2023. They said more than 1,100 civilians were murdered and that 1001 civilians were still being held in Gaza, and asked the town to lower flags to half-staff on October 7 in solidarity.
  • They referenced the town's adoption of the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism and thanked the board for earlier support, but also described a yearbook incident at Yorktown High School in which a student printed the phrase "From the River to the Sea," which they called blatantly anti-Semitic.
  • They invited board members and the community to an October 7 memorial event on September 30 at the Yorktown Community and Cultural Center (YCC), featuring a survivor of the Nova Music Festival attack.
  • Board members praised the students' bravery, expressed support for the request, apologized for the yearbook incident, and said they would attend the September 30 event.

Alliance for Safe Kids and Drug Crisis in Our Backyard

  • Liz Talbert, executive director of the Alliance for Safe Kids (ASK), described the organization's 20-year history, its fiscal sponsorship of Drug Crisis in Our Backyard, and a new virtual Save a Life Wellness Fair with an anonymous, free mobile app and website.
  • Susan Salomon, founder of Drug Crisis in Our Backyard, said the organization was founded in 2012 after her son Justin died of a heroin overdose. She announced the tenth annual Run for Recovery on Saturday, September 28 at FDR Park, and described free family support services and a CRAFT workshop scheduled for November 9.
  • Board members thanked the presenters, praised their work on addiction as a disease, and noted the date correction from an earlier graphic.

Discussion Items

Water Meter Project and Infrastructure Update

  • Water Superintendent Paul reported that 585 residential meters remain to be changed out of approximately 10,100 total meters, or about 5 percent. Letters on Yorktown letterhead were expected to go out at the end of that week or the beginning of the next.
  • Approximately 350 residential meter pits still need new radios, and meter reading is not working in dead spots on Hunter Brook Road and Forest Court, requiring manual reads.
  • The town plans to buy commercial water meter testing equipment and training for $15,000 because outside testing services are unavailable; roughly 360 commercial meters are affected, and some have not been tested for about 30 years.
  • Board members discussed adding deadlines to the letters and possible fines for noncompliance. The supervisor noted pending state legislation sponsored by Senator Pete Harkham that may prohibit fees for customers who opt out of new meters, so the board preferred personal outreach, phone calls, and door knocks before imposing fines.
  • The French Hill water tank rehabilitation will be bid separately after joint bidding with Somers and Northern Westchester Joint Waterworks produced uneven pricing. The Department of Health requires the work by the end of the year.
  • The Croton Heights water loop project is more than halfway complete and will create a second water feed into Croton Heights Road.

Shrub Oak Park Pool Coping and Tile Project

  • The board considered hiring Weston & Sampson, recommended by staff after a request for qualifications, for the Shrub Oak Park pool coping and tile project. Patrick Bates of Weston & Sampson answered technical questions.
  • The main options were a PVC hand grip and grate system and a granite coping system. Board discussion included safety concerns, with PVC estimated at 10-15 years of life and granite at 30-plus years; rough comparisons referenced about $1.1 million for granite and about $400,000 for PVC options over a 30-year horizon. A stainless steel option was set aside because of Department of Health timing and chemical compatibility issues.
  • The board voted to authorize the contract with Weston & Sampson for design and construction documents, with a roughly four-week design phase and six-week construction document phase, aiming for work before the 2025 pool season if possible.

Tree Nursery Shed and Yorktown Square Park

  • The Tree Commission requested a prefabricated shed for the Willow Park tree nursery, priced at $4,642 without sales tax plus installation. The shed would store tools, supplies, and safety equipment for volunteers and students.
  • Board members supported using the tree fund for the shed, but Councilmember Dave asked for a walkthrough to ensure the shed could be delivered without crossing the Algonquin pipeline easement. The board agreed to complete that check before ordering.
  • The Tree Commission also presented a preliminary concept for beautifying Yorktown Square Park (also referred to as the Rexall Park area) with about 2,500 nursery stock plants.

Traffic Safety Committee Process

  • A councilmember noted that recommendations from the traffic safety committee, including stop signs, no-parking changes, and speed limit changes, had not been through a required public hearing. The board asked the town attorney to draft local laws and targeted a public hearing for October 15.

Resolutions and Votes

  • The board separately approved a resolution urging the New York State court system to pause the centralized arraignment plan. The resolution cited concerns from Chief Robert Noble and the Westchester County Police Chiefs Association, including officer safety risks, increased overtime, longer custody times, litigation exposure, and financial hardship for defendants' families. The vote passed by voice vote.
  • The board then approved the remaining resolutions as a group. These included:
    • Authorizing a letter to close the Greenway Trail grant for kiosks at the Atomic Veterans Memorial Bridge.
    • Authorizing a $1.25 million budget transfer from the general fund to highway paving for approximately seven to eight miles of road.
    • Authorizing fund transfers for Hunterbrook pump station repair parts and purchase of two Grundfos pumps from a sole-source supplier, Rain Air Pump.
    • Authorizing Change Order No. 1 with Landline Communications for office wiring at the Albert Capalini Center as part of relocating Parks and Recreation staff out of aging, mold-affected trailers.
    • Authorizing a budget transfer for pickleball court drainage and authorizing bids for Sparkle Lake exterior door replacement, pickleball court fencing at Tom Diana Park/Granite Knolls, emergency generator maintenance, and French Hill water tank rehabilitation.
    • Authorizing senior meal preparation agreements with the Town of Cortland and Town of Somers (the transcript gives a rate of 625 per meal), a county nutrition services agreement, and a meals-on-wheels agreement with county reimbursement of $92,996.
    • Authorizing release of a $500 erosion control bond to Melissa and Matthew Muchi.
    • Authorizing a $7,500 sewer fund budget transfer for the Mohansack Pump Station control panel maintenance.
    • Authorizing disposal or auction of a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer declared obsolete.
    • Approving revised board liaison appointments to town boards and committees.

Key Outcomes

  • The town board expressed support for lowering flags on October 7, 2024, and several board members committed to attending the September 30 memorial event at the YCC.
  • The board voted to hire Weston & Sampson for the Shrub Oak Park pool project, with granite coping emerging as the likely material direction pending final design.
  • The board directed the water department to proceed with outreach letters, phone calls, and door knocks for the remaining residential meter installations, and to wait on fines pending state legislation.
  • The board directed a pipeline-safety walkthrough before purchasing the tree nursery shed.
  • The board set an October 15 target for a public hearing on traffic safety local laws.
  • The board urged the state court system to pause centralized arraignment and approved all remaining resolutions and liaison appointments.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome to uh the work seas section work session of September uh 10th, 2024. If we go all right uh all stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. It's a long day. Yeah. Amen to that. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America and to the Republicans and the God. And if we could have a moment of silence and uh please uh keep in your prayers, the uh family of uh Chief Robert Noble uh and his wife Elena as a uh Elena's mother Linda Metrano passed away last week. Uh may God hold her clothes, and as we remember all of our first responders and military uh that that fight for our freedom every day. Amen. Amen. And please remember that tomorrow we will have our 9-11 ceremony uh at the memorial on uh uh East Main Street over by the library, and we will uh be honoring those uh that were lost on that uh horrible day in our history. Um well, one other thing I was asked to talk about. Uh we have coming up next Monday, September 16th, uh 630 to 730 at the John C. Hart Memorial Library, uh a moment in history, the Pines Bridge Skirmish. So we have a really nice uh memorial over in Railroad Park, uh the Pines Bridge Monument. It um it is a um uh a rendition of uh troops stationed at the Davenport House, uh including the Rhode Island Regiment, uh which was also known as the Black Regiment because it was one of the uh one of the regiments that was made up of both uh or all three Americans, um uh African Americans at that point, and uh Indians, so uh American Indians. So it's uh quite a quite an interesting story. So I highly recommend if you have some free time Monday to go and do that. And also uh Luciana was asked to talk about, but she gave it to me, our fourth annual whole in one contest, uh Sunday, September 22nd at the Lynx at Valley Field. That's 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. There's gonna be raffles, there'll be a 50-50 drawing, putting and pitching contest, hole in one, uh thousand dollar cash prize for hole in one. So just get out there and swing. Um so if you can make it, once again, Sunday, September 22nd at the T Bar and Grill. And is there a rain date on that too? I can't see. It's I believe there's a rain date of the 29th or 30th. It's just on this one. Okay. But we'll get it there. Well, Jim will tell us when he comes back in. But that all the money raised goes to the Friends of Parks and Recreation, and that goes right back to our parks. They they're a uh 501c3 that raises money to help with different projects uh with our parks and going back to our kids. So really great cause, and we hope you get there. All right, we will go into our open session. Um our first up will be uh Talia Pearson, who has been doing a huge amount of work uh on her own, talking about anti-Semitism in the United States and the world. Uh so she has a little presentation. And for those of you that don't recognize the name, uh I think we also have a Judge Pearson here too. How are you, Via? Two. Well, no, that's a Judge Cohen, but that's a proud grandpa. So how are you? Good to see you. I'm good. Does this work? Okay. Thank you so much for having us. My name's Leora Lugasi, and I'm a junior at Yorktown High School as well as a Jewish student. I'm Talia Pearson. I am a junior as well at Yorktown High School and a Jewish student.

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