Yorktown Town Board Meeting - July 15, 2025

The Yorktown Town Board held its regular evening meeting on July 15, 2025. After the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence for recent losses, the board heard the 2024 annual audit, held two public hearings, heard extensive public comment, and acted on numerous resolutions. This summary is reconstructed from the raw transcript because no agenda or minutes were available.

Consent Calendar

• Accepted the retirement of Richard Finn, Yorktown Police Department, effective July 26, 2025, and Richard Williams, Parks Department, effective July 31, 2025.
• Awarded the town vehicle and truck repair bid to Yorktown Auto Body Inc. for three years with three optional one-year extensions.
• Authorized budget transfers for the Underhill Avenue and Route 118 intersection improvement capital project and for the cash payment of unused time to Samuel Samsone on retirement.
• Authorized the supervisor to sign New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation contract 136418 for a $5,760,000 pump station upgrade grant.
• Authorized rebidding of tree removal services for the Highway Department.
• Accepted the 2024 Justice Court audit prepared by PKF O'Connor Davies.
• Moved the August 5, 2025 Town Board meeting to Monday, August 4, 2025 because of the Yorktown Police National Night Out.
• Authorized an electrical supply agreement with Constellation New Energy Inc.
• Approved a $25,000 Water Department budget transfer.
• Scheduled a public hearing for August 4, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. on the Mohegan Lake Improvement District wetland permit application for biological lake treatments.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ilan Gilbert, former town supervisor, praised the Yorktown Lions concert series and suggested lighting the stairway from the field to the Triangle Center for safety after evening events.
• Howard Gould, a Yorktown resident, challenged Councilwoman Siegel's record on sewers during her 2010-2011 term and her handling of fluoride funds; he opposed the Navajo Fields overlay, citing health, traffic, overcrowding, and a proposed 36% Con Edison rate increase.
• Ann O'Neill of Yorktown Heights said Michael Grace, a legal representative, stood next to the board at the July 1 meeting, told her to stop talking, and stayed near the board for two more speakers; she said he should sit with the other representatives.
• Joanne Sillick of Yorktown Heights questioned the 'community benefits' sewer offer from the developer, asked where 700 cars would go if the road cannot be widened, and asked whether fire equipment can reach upper-floor fires in new buildings; she said residents overwhelmingly oppose adding Navajo to the overlay.
• Peter Cleary, a new resident, asked about emergency alert sign-up and testing, school emergency plans, support for elderly and disabled residents, and emergency power, food, and water plans.
• J. Copstein said the prior request for board recusals on Navajo should have gone to the ethics board instead of being raised at the podium.
• Sarah Wilson of Yorktown Heights reported attending the Somers Town Board meeting on July 10 about the Granite Point subdivision near Amwalk Reservoir, which serves about 35,000 Yorktown residents; she asked the board to explore county, state, or land-trust options to protect the site.
• Jamir Chendani of Yorktown Heights clarified that his earlier comments were about the overlay decision, not about planning board or planning department staff.
• Dan Strauss, a 59-year resident, opposed the Navajo and Underhill Farm projects and opposed in-ground solar in residential neighborhoods, saying solar is a commercial use and the overlay process is driven by money.
• Anthony Pichette raised pool fees, which he said have risen about $50 per year for four years, opposed possible bus route cuts in northern Westchester, and asked the town to expedite outdoor dining permits for Libre coffee house.
• Ken Bell, a 35-year resident, recalled the old Route 6 bypass recommendation, said he would support a Mohegan Lake overlay only if the bypass existed, and asked why a planned August 4 Mohegan Lake bacteria treatment hearing resolution was not on the agenda.
• Brian D. of Shrub Oak asked the town to move library electric car chargers away from the street view, fix damaged curbs on East Main Street, and pause additional overlay districts until infrastructure and emergency services catch up.
• Rick Adams of Aquatic Dynamics, the original builder of the Shrub Oak pool complex, said his company was the apparent low bidder on the pool renovation, brought references, and was concerned about hitting the post-Labor Day construction window.
• Charles O'Neill of Yorktown Heights said a local baseball official told him tournament entry at Shrub Oak costs about $5,000, so only 'rich kids' could use new fields; he also questioned why the town could not use fund balance for sewers.

Discussion Items

• Councilwoman Susan Siegel read a statement about the July 1 meeting, saying a resident's statement about prior DEC wetland violations was factual. She produced a March 2022 settlement in which the property owner acknowledged violations, noted the DEC settlement number appeared on a site plan in 'book one,' and said book one was never posted on the town website. Supervisor Lacheman responded that history is not relevant to the overlay decision and public hearings should not be personalized. Siegel said her statement was only to correct the record. The exchange included agreement that there had been violations and that they were resolved.
• Alan Casseyev of PKF O'Connor Davies presented the 2024 audit. The town received an unmodified, clean opinion. No material weaknesses or significant deficiencies were reported; three minor control deficiencies were noted in a management letter. General fund revenues totaled $38,643,000 against a final budget of $32.3 million, a positive variance of $6.3 million. Expenditures totaled slightly under $36 million against a final budget of $39,429,000, a positive variance of $3.4 million. The ending total general fund balance was $36,926,000, including $24,415,000 unassigned, which the supervisor said was roughly 65 percent of the town budget. The 2024 results included a $1,011,000 surplus after the board had appropriated $1,425,000 of fund balance into the 2025 budget. Revenue highlights included a $2,105,000 positive variance in use of money and property, $1.3 million from sales tax, $971,000 from licensing and permits, and almost $2 million from ARPA grant expenditures. Special district fund balances totaled $11.4 million; the community development fund had a $29,000 deficit; the library fund had a $2.9 million balance.
• Controller Janelle McNeil said the town originally appropriated $1.4 million from fund balance in 2024 but actually used $7.4 million, including a $6 million amended budget for capital purchases. She explained that fund balances built up during COVID, that general funds cannot be transferred to separate sewer district funds under state law, and that multi-million-dollar infrastructure needs such as $184 million for eight-inch water main replacement cannot all be done at once. Board members discussed using the unassigned balance for capital projects, grants, and taxpayer relief.
• On the EFC pump station grant, Councilwoman Siegel asked for documentation showing the agency approved using $1 million of the $5.76 million grant for the Farm Walk pump station rather than the four Halleck's Mill pump stations it was originally structured for. Dan, a town staff member, said the scope was changed to five stations, no money was being taken from the Halleck's Mill district, and all the Halleck's Mill work would be done cost-effectively. He said the contract was portal-based and could not be printed until signed; the board authorized the contract and asked for documentation.
• Councilwoman Siegel voted against extending the agreement with GNG Municipal Consulting and Grant Writing, saying she had not seen board-level communication, did not know which grants were being pursued, and questioned a $50,000 flat fee. Supervisor Lacheman said the firm is unlimited in the number of grants it can pursue, communicates with department heads, and will give a full update in September. The resolution was approved with Siegel opposed.
• Before awarding the Capolini Center masonry repair bid, Siegel asked that architect David Tetro oversee the work because the building is a local landmark. Staff said bidder references were checked, the bidder has done historic buildings, and Heritage and Preservation Committee chair Lynn Briggs is involved. The front of the building has been closed for three to four months because of a safety hazard.
• Poet laureate John McConnell updated his recovery vow, saying he had spent 5 days in the hospital and 100 days in rehabilitation after breaking his hip, and he plans to walk without devices by November 10.

Public Hearings

• Ballon SWIP: The board considered a resolution approving a stormwater management erosion and sediment control permit for the Ballon property (listed in the transcript as 2285 Solma Road River Road). The permit covers construction of a house and a public sewer line, excavation, and removal of 33 regulated trees, with 18 replacement trees. The public hearing had been closed at the previous meeting. At John Tageter's request, the board added a 'whereas' stating the lot was determined to be a legal building lot before adopting the resolution. The supervisor said the sewer extension could serve 11 houses, with potential for five more.
• Microbrewery/microdistillery zoning: The board opened a public hearing on a proposed zoning amendment to allow microbreweries and microdistilleries in light industrial districts. The applicant for 1735 Front Street described a small seven-barrel brewery and tasting room, with no full liquor license, no late hours, and no cooking facilities. State definitions were cited: a microbrewery is 75,000 barrels or less and a microdistillery is 75,000 gallons or less. No one from the public spoke. The board closed the hearing and then voted to keep the record open for five additional days for agency comments, shortening the original 10-day period.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the Ballon SWIP resolution with the added legal-lot whereas (appeared unanimous).
• Closed the microbrewery/microdistillery public hearing and extended the comment period for five days; no zoning amendment was adopted at this meeting.
• Awarded the Capolini Center stone and brick repair bid and authorized the related budget transfer.
• Approved the vehicle repair bid, tree service rebid, electrical supply agreement, water budget transfer, EFC grant contract, Justice Court audit, meeting date change, and Aug. 4 public hearing notice.
• Approved retirements of Richard Finn and Richard Williams.
• Approved the GNG grant-writing agreement extension 4-1, with Councilwoman Siegel voting no.
• The supervisor said he would follow up on stairway lighting, library EV charger placement, bus route reduction concerns, EFC grant documentation, Amwalk Reservoir options, and emergency alert system improvements.