Yorktown Town Board Meeting - February 18, 2025
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Yorktown Town Board Meeting - February 18, 2025
The Yorktown Town Board met on February 18, 2025, for a regular meeting that included multiple public hearings, discussion of infrastructure projects, and approval of resolutions. Key topics included sewer extension and pump station delays, a tobacco control law amendment, water rate increases and meter policies, and approval of stop signs at several intersections.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Several residents (Nancy, Steve, Rick, Teresa) urged the board to approve stop signs at the intersection of Hanover Street and Underhill Avenue, citing long-standing safety concerns and numerous accidents. They thanked Highway Superintendent Dave Paganelli for advancing the proposal.
- Mike Sam Walker spoke in strong support of the 485B tax incentive program for businesses, arguing it is essential for attracting new development and that eliminating it would handicap the town. He criticized the assumption that businesses would come regardless.
- Natasha Allison expressed concern about the town actively pursuing repayment of a fluoride grant and questioned the motives, especially with potential federal funding cuts. She also found some board comments about water conservation insensitive to those on fixed budgets.
- Todd Carter shared the history of his grandfather, a pioneering African American watershed police officer, and called for recognition during Black History Month.
- Sarah Wilson reported that over 600 boxes of cereal were donated for the food pantry by Grace Lutheran Church, the Lions Club, and the Leo Club.
- Several residents praised the highway department for its 20+ hour response during the recent ice storm.
Discussion Items
- Infrastructure (Hallex Mill Sewer): Councilwoman Susan Siegel raised concerns about a $12 million sewer project (including $10 million East of Hudson funds) that has stalled since 2016. She suggested directing engineers to scale back the project and report back by March 11. Supervisor Lachterman countered that discussions should occur in work sessions and that the town lacks matching funds. Siegel also questioned why a $145,000 Hunter Brook sewer inspection bid was issued when funds were unavailable.
- Tobacco Control Law: The board reviewed a proposed local law to prohibit new tobacco/vape retailers within 1,500 feet of schools, playgrounds, and childcare facilities, and to restrict advertising. Councilmembers agreed to also include senior housing and medical buildings as suggested by the county planning board, postponing a vote to March 4.
- Water Rates and Meters: Superintendent Paul Vasillow presented proposed rate increases (75¢ per 1,000 gallons, first increase since 2019), a capital projects fee (20¢ per 1,000 gallons), and a $5 quarterly meter rental fee. The average residential user would see about $75/year total increase. The board also discussed smart meter benefits (leak detection, customer portal) and enforcement of meter testing, including escalating fines for non-compliance. Public comment raised questions about level billing and auto-pay, which the board agreed to explore.
- 485B Tax Incentive: Several board members echoed support for the 485B program, arguing it is critical for attracting businesses and generating long-term tax revenue and jobs, despite criticism that it gives away tax relief.
- Stop Signs: The board discussed and approved adding stop signs at multiple intersections for safety, particularly Hanover/Underhill, based on traffic safety committee recommendations.
Key Outcomes
- Stop Signs Approved: The board voted unanimously (voice vote) to approve the stop signs at Hanover/Underhill, Colonial/Granite Springs, Sycamore Road, and Larkspur/Crescent intersections.
- Tobacco Law Vote Postponed: The public hearing was closed, but the board decided to add senior housing and medical buildings to the buffer list; the law will be voted on at the March 4 meeting.
- Water Rate Law Postponed: The public hearing was closed, but due to technical changes (e.g., billing frequency, commercial testing fines), the law and fee schedule adoption were postponed to March 4.
- Resolutions Approved (Omnibus Vote): The board approved multiple resolutions including: declaring a 2007 Crown Victoria obsolete; transferring $55,239.52 from sewer fund to NYC DEP; budget transfer for highway salt ($37,375); contracts for library renovation design; summer camp bus bids awarded to TM Bus Inc., Royal Coach Lines, and Hudson Valley Charter Service; refund of duplicate tax payments; and purchase of a 2025 Ford F-150 XL for the water department ($53,797.50).
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome to the town board meeting of February eighth, twenty twenty five. If we could all rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Brady, can you uh lead us off? And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. And if we could remain standing, uh we'd like a moment of silence as we member and pray for the passing of uh the Honorable Alice E. Roker uh last week, um, and also uh another fixture in our community, veteran community, uh U.S. Army veteran Wayne Reese, who was a uh early recipient and then a longtime volunteer with uh my brother Vinny, uh helping veterans uh find find uh housing and have their housing uh needs fulfilled. Councilman Patrick Murphy. I forgot the kids' table off the city. And there's no cookies and milk over here. Uh do uh no shave. They're organizations of the Alliance for Safe Kids and United for the Troops. Uh and they also take donations through uh it's usually March sixteenth, but this year, because March 16th is a Sunday, they will be uh kicking off the donations on the thirteenth of March with uh donations that are dropped off and also money raised by the police department. So it's a great thing to do. Uh both United for the Troops and the Alliance for Safe Kids have uh websites that you could check their needs list and any help for those two organizations that helped too, very important uh groups in our community is just amazing. So uh I know I dropped off a couple of bags for the troops, a couple of checks uh for each organization, and we will uh we will keep doing things throughout the uh month. Uh and it's uh it's uh great, and thank you, uh Officer Mullen and uh all of our PD for uh you know not only keeping Kenny's uh spirit alive, but also the great work you guys do in the community on a daily basis. Um we had a ribbon cutting the other day, five below. They opened a couple of weeks ago. They did their ribbon cutting on Valentine's Day morning, so they are up and running in operation. Uh also up and running in operation is Walgreens, and they will do their ribbon cutting this Thursday at 9 30 a.m. All are invited to come by, I'm sure. And uh as we cut open cut the ribbon on another business. Uh and then we will have another uh business grand opening on March 1st, which we'll talk about next week, or or get it out there. And then um on Valentine's Day, it was a busy day, but we had the senior luncheon. Uh got to spend some time at the at the community center. Uh I was joined uh by Diana uh Quast, our town clerk, Mora was there, uh Amy Swann from the library, uh my wife Carol came down as well. Uh uh DJ Paulie always volunteers time for all the parties there, does a wonderful job. And something that a lot of people don't know, we have one of the members of the Belmonts who lives in town. And Angelo was singing some of the uh Dion and the Belmont songs, which was really uh a great little addition to that. Um we were talking about veterans. Uh our legislators in the county of Westchester have approved a free Westchester County park pass for veterans. They did that at the end of January. So any veteran that would like a complimentary park pass for Westchester County just needs to bring uh proof of residency, uh the proof of their veteran status, and you can go to any park pass office location, and you can find out more information if you need right online with the Westchester County uh government uh website. And um, I do want to wish uh uh ha two days early, but uh a happy one hundredth birthday to one of our veterans, uh Tommy Einwich. He was uh he was the uh chaplain at the American Legion Post 1009 uh until health has kept him more homebound. But a great man, he actually served in World War II, 17 years old, and his father had to get sent home. His father served in World War One and World War II, and because they were both uh overseas and the only males in the family, the government actually sent his dad back home because uh you you can't they they won't will not do a notification that all the males in a family have have been uh killed in action. So uh it's an interesting story. And and Tom was a prodigy drummer, uh 12 years old. He was uh a drummer down in New York City. Uh really interesting uh gentleman and uh Tom, we wish you good health and uh and a happy 100th birthday. And that is it for me. Happy birthday. Um hello, Yorktown, good to see you all. So I just want to remind you that our fantastic library always has something cooking pretty much every day. But on the 19th at 7 p.m., they do have a Zoom link. You can find it on their website to actually learn and watch skits of these groundbreaking black comedians that have taken place, and it is hysterical because I started doing some Googling. And then on Friday on the 21st, if you have nothing to do midday, they have a screening of Wicked, and you can bring your own snacks.
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