Yorktown Town Board Meeting – November 19, 2024

The Yorktown Town Board held its regular meeting on November 19, 2024, beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance, a moment of silence for former Parks and Recreation Commissioner Al Avidable, and reports from the Supervisor and Police Chief. Key actions included the swearing-in of three new police officers, a public hearing on overriding the state tax levy limit, adoption of the preliminary 2025 budget, and approval of a litigation settlement.

Consent Calendar

• Appointed James Torrey as Senior Recreation Leader (effective December 16, 2024, salary $68,580).
• Approved various resolutions including the purchase of a used Jeep Grand Cherokee for the Building Department, authorization to advertise bids for three Ford F-550 trucks for the Highway Department, and budget transfers.
• Authorized the Town Clerk to advertise a public hearing for the preliminary budget.
• Authorized the Supervisor to accept a $100,000 CREST grant for electronic sign boards at the John C. Hart Memorial Library and the Albert H. Cappellini Community and Cultural Center.
• Authorized the Supervisor to execute a settlement of litigation with Great Midwest Insurance Company and Competitive Carpeting Corporation for $270,000 and transfer of refuse containers.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Dan Strauss (58-year resident) criticized the ongoing ATV issue and advocated for stronger penalties. He also expressed opposition to the Underhill Farm project, stating it changed the town.
• Larry Killian (Yorktown Heights) suggested the town invest in solar panels to reduce electricity costs and urged that department heads consider hybrid/plug-in hybrid vehicle options when purchasing. He cited potential savings.
• Mark Lieberman (Wells Street) referenced a Harvard/Audubon report arguing that solar farms on forested land are less beneficial than rooftop solar and that housing development supports local businesses better than large solar installations.
• Howard Gould thanked the board for suspending fluoride and urged civility and long-term thinking.
• Ken Belfer reminded about the Great Fall Cleanup (Battle of Yorktown) on Saturday, November 23.
• Anthony Pachette (Yorktown) requested a marquee for the theater, increased library funding, and improved safety on Veterans Road (speeding, pedestrian danger).
• Michael Beaks commented that manicured lawns are as ecologically harmful as solar farms, encouraging less chemical use.

Discussion Items

• Police Department Presentation: Chief Robert Noble introduced three new officers: Ashley Sacasa (former NYPD, bilingual, closed a cold hit-and-run homicide case), Brian Bennett (U.S. Navy veteran, former Poughkeepsie PD), and Kelby Castulo (NYPD Cop of the Year, rescued kidnapped children). All were sworn in.
• Chief Noble also reported on a November 9 homicide in Yorktown, praise for the rapid response (90 seconds to 2 minutes) leading to the suspect's death, and the arrest of a suspect with 89 grams of PCP (class B felony) who was released due to bail reform. He thanked the board for supporting the FBI Safe Streets Task Force.
• Budget Discussion: Comptroller Janelle McNeil presented the need to override the tax levy limit. The preliminary operating budget is $73,795,540. Non-property tax revenue and fund balance use lead to a required tax levy of $36,466,612, exceeding the state cap of $35,001,657 by $1.45895 million (4.16% over the 2% limit). Reasons include double-digit increases in medical (12.7%), retirement, and insurance costs. The board discussed revenue adjustments (e.g., increasing interest income projection from $800,000 to $1.3 million based on 2023 actuals). Councilwoman Susan Siegel raised concerns about the lack of board discussion on specific revenue and expense changes before voting. The tax rate increase for the town portion (general, highway, library) is 6.68%, translating to about $110 per year ($9.24/month) for the average homeowner with $10,000 assessed valuation.
• CREST Grant: The board approved a $100,000 grant for electronic sign boards. Councilwoman Siegel voted against, citing a desire for more discussion on project priorities.

Key Outcomes

• Vote to Override Tax Levy Limit: The public hearing was closed and the local law to override the state tax cap for FY2025 was adopted unanimously.
• Preliminary Budget Adoption: The preliminary budget was adopted by a vote of 4-1? Actually, the transcript shows Susan Siegel voted yes but with concerns. The vote was not explicitly split, but she said she would vote yes. So it passed. The public hearing is scheduled for December 3, 2024 at 6:30 PM (different from usual time).
• Litigation Settlement: Approved a $270,000 settlement and transfer of refuse containers.
• New Police Officers: All three were sworn in and will serve in the Yorktown Police Department.