The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence marking the anniversary of October 7th, with prayers for hostages, peace in the Middle East, and those affected by Hurricane Milton. Councilman Esposito delivered a historical address on the origin of Columbus Day as a response to the 1891 lynching of Italians in New Orleans, arguing it should remain a celebration of Italian-American heritage rather than be renamed Indigenous Peoples Day. The board then heard presentations on the Pines Bridge Monument Committee's plans for the 250th anniversary, discussed a $100,000 CREST grant for electronic signage, and reviewed the upcoming budget, which will require a tax cap override. A public hearing was held for the proposed redevelopment of 800 East Main Street into senior housing, with extensive traffic analysis and public comment. The meeting concluded with the adoption of several resolutions.
Pines Bridge Monument Committee / Yorktown 250th Anniversary – James Stripoli, Michael Conn, and Joe Ryan presented plans for a commemorative event on May 2–3, 2026, honoring the Battle of Pines Bridge and the First Rhode Island Regiment (African American, Native American, and European soldiers). They highlighted the monument's significance, a virtual tour of 11 Westchester sites, and efforts to secure living historians. The committee requested town support and noted that the event would boost heritage tourism. Council members expressed strong support, with Supervisor Ed Lachterman recalling his experience at the Bicentennial.
CREST Grant – Electronic Signage – The town received a $100,000 grant from Senator Harkum. Supervisor Lachterman proposed using the funds for electronic signage at the library and the Cappellini Center (formerly the 6th Grade School) to promote programs and events. Councilwoman Susan Siegel suggested seeking broader community input before deciding. Councilwoman Luciana Muscente supported the proposed locations, noting they serve many residents. The board agreed to solicit ideas from department heads and community leaders while moving forward efficiently due to the grant’s reimbursement timeline.
Budget Discussion – Tax Cap Override – Town Comptroller Janelle explained that after five years of flat or reduced taxes, rising inflation, utility costs, and insurance (liability insurance doubled in five years) necessitate breaking the state tax cap. The town will propose a local law to override the cap, with a public hearing scheduled for November 19, 2024. She noted that because the town did not raise taxes in prior years, the cumulative tax burden is still lower than if 2% increases had been made annually. There are no longer state rebate checks for staying under the cap. Council members acknowledged the need for the increase to maintain services.
Good evening, everyone, and uh welcome to the work session meeting agenda for October 8th, 2024. Can you hear me? I don't think so. Tom, I don't know if we got any volume on these. You could hear me? Uh huh. Now you can hear me. Hello. Now we're all can hear us. If we could all rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. And if uh General Washington can uh start us off. One nation under God, indivisible liberty and justice for all. And if we could remain standing for a moment of silence, uh as we just pass the uh anniversary of October 7th. Uh I'd like us to keep in our prayers the hostages that are still being held, the uh non-combatants that are paying the price for this uh for this evil attack of terrorism, and uh pray that there's peace found, the hostages returned home, and uh blessings to all who are serving to try to make this happen for us. And a special prayer for those in Florida as Hurricane Melton comes down on them. Thank you. Please be seated. So uh before we go into open session, uh Councilman Esposito wanted to say something. Yeah. Um just uh I Columbus Day is coming up, and um I just I feel that uh I don't know if it's working. Okay, all right, that's much better. And I don't know if uh if many of us understand uh the actual origin of Columbus Day and and what Columbus Day really means. Um it really has little to do with Christopher Columbus. So I'm gonna read you an article. It's called the uh The Lynching They Gave Us Columbus Day. It's by an author named uh Lewis Navarre. On March 14th, 1891, eleven Italians were lynched in New Orleans. It was the largest mass lynching in the American South. It took place the day after nine of the men had been acquitted in the trial of the murder of a New Orleans police chief David Hennessy. Two of the lynching victims were not on trial at for any crime. Newspapers after the deed reported with delight that a wild mob numbered by thousands avenged the murder of Chief Hennessy, informing the public that the wretched Sicilian band had been butchered. This is the newspaper. I'm sorry. Uh it was during the hostile climate that a new word was introduced into the American English. It remains associated with Italians and Italian Americans to this day. That word was mafia. Uh when you refer to Italian people as that. It's it's not this glorified thing that you see on the on TV and and and you know, the sopranos and all of that. This explains the approval that the lynching of these European men in New Orleans elicited at that time. This was an era after all when the lynching was a public spectacle. Lynchings were often announced beforehand in local newspapers, advertisements indicated the time and place where the public was invited to attend the rally and to join a mob. In the case of these doomed Italians, one local newspaper, the Times Democrat, ran an eye an advertisement on March 14, 1891 that read in part, all good citizens are invited to attend a mass meeting to remedy the failure of justice. Newspaper editorials encouraged these killings. The Daily States advocated mob action to remedy the failure of justice against the Italians. The Italians were acquitted. Rise people of New Orleans, alien hands of oathbound assassins have set the lot of the blot of a martyr's blood on our vaulted uh on our vaunted civilizations. The Italian consul in New Orleans at the time, Pasquale Corti, was terrified. He well understood the blood of innocence tainted American culture as it forged ahead. He contacted Louisiana Governor Francis Nichols, asking for the intervention of law enforcement to prevent mob violence. Nichols, who was scheduled to leave office the following spring, declined to take action.