Yorktown Town Board Meeting – October 6, 2026

The Yorktown Town Board convened on the evening of October 6, 2026. The meeting included the Pledge of Allegiance, a moment of silence for the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 attacks, community proclamations, a grant update from GNG Grants, public comment, and adoption of a new three-way stop at East Main Street.

Opening & Announcements

• The supervisor opened with the Pledge and a moment of silence, noting that tomorrow is October 7 and marking three years since the October 7, 2023 attacks. He described his visit to the Nova Music Festival site and thanked Yorktown High School and Lights of Tomorrow for hosting a survivor presentation.
• A board member added details about the October 1 commemoration and praised Lights of Tomorrow, a local youth organization.
• Town offices will be closed Monday, October 12, for Columbus Day; the October 13 board meeting will include a comprehensive plan presentation and a work session on e-bike laws.
• Board members also announced the Run for Recovery, the library reopening after renovations, hydrant flushing from October 5 to November 20 west of the Taconic State Parkway, an October 17 lacrosse game honoring Sheridan Gorman, and other community events.

Consent Calendar

• Appointed Michael Bertaroni as park groundkeeper in the Parks and Recreation Department, with a probationary period of not less than 12 weeks starting October 19, 2026.
• Reappointed Laura Tropp to the John C. Hart Memorial Library Board of Trustees for a second five-year term from September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2031.
• Reappointed Tom McLaughlin to the Heritage Preservation Committee for a term expiring October 31, 2026.
• Authorized releasing four $500 erosion-control bonds for stormwater permits BSWPPP 031-25, 001-25, 014-26, and 037-25.
• Approved a budget transfer for extraordinary legal services and a contract with ESI Employee Assistance Program for the employee assistance program.
• Approved a budget transfer of $8,859.29 for the volleyball court project at Tom Diana Park at Granite Knolls.

Proclamations & Recognitions

• Proclaimed October 8, 2026 as Jackson Iriardi Day, recognizing his Eagle Scout rank, 36 merit badges, Troop 238 service, and his Eagle Scout project rehabilitating Hollow Brook Trail.
• Proclaimed October 9, 2026 as Kathy Rogers Day, honoring her resilience, community service, and 25-plus years supporting Support Connection; her family said they donated $30,000 in her memory to three organizations.
• Proclaimed October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month; Kathy Quinn of Support Connection accepted and urged residents to get mammograms.
• Proclaimed October as LGBTQ History Month, affirming inclusion and opposition to discrimination.
• Proclaimed October as National Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, noting the town's partnership with Hope's Door and the police department's 2020 membership in the Westchester County domestic violence high-risk team.
• Proclaimed October as Down Syndrome Awareness Month; a representative from GiGi's Playhouse of Westchester accepted and described free programs and the importance of acceptance.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jay Copstein acknowledged the board's work on ratables but argued enforcement and oversight have failed. He cited the 385 Kear Street site plan approved August 9, 2021 still operating in violation, special consideration for the Jacob Road Solar Project, and quality-of-life problems including litter, noise, e-bikes, fire-zone parking, and handicapped-parking violations. He reported e-bikes leaving the high school parking lot on Route 22 on September 25 and questioned a $650,000 contract awarded without RFI, RFP, bid, or outside independent consultant.
• Howard Gould, a 27-year resident, thanked Councilman Murphy but asked all board members to show basic courtesy and refrain from side comments or interruptions. He said Councilwoman Siegel disrupted his public comment on September 15 and had used inappropriate language on another occasion; he called for a standard of conduct that protects civility and public trust.
• Brian Raphael of 2796 Old Yorktown Road said the town swale on his property, within a sewer easement, had historically been cleaned by highway superintendents about every three years for roughly 45 years. He said it has not been cleaned in 3.5 years since Superintendent Paganelli took over, causing the swale to fill and heavy rain to flood his backyard up to his hip. He asked the town to clean it.
• Carl DeLaberto of the Veterans Advisory Committee said requests for work sessions had been denied and described an unresolved dispute over Jack DeVito Field and Veterans Plaza. He said the field is town property, that the advisory committee had not been brought together with all parties, and that past supervisor Michael Grace moved war monuments without consulting the American Legion or VFW.
• Major Sheridan of the Veterans Advisory Committee asked the board to define the term veteran and flagged a board member's May 12 work-session comment at the 1:17:13 mark as stolen valor. He said the town board made no fireworks risk assessment beyond the vendor and displayed recovered smoldering debris that landed on buildings tied to veterans. He asked that the statement be proven or refuted by name using a DD 214 or other designation.

Grant Presentation & Discussion

• Scott and Jay of GNG Grants reported that a $1.2 million congressional appropriation for infrastructure upgrades cleared the Appropriations Committee and awaits final budget approval; one speaker initially said $2 million before correcting to $1.2 million.
• Grants not awarded included the municipal parks/recreation grant for Downing Park and the New York Plays grant for the Railroad Park playground.
• Pending applications include hockey rink upgrades, a New York Kicks soccer field grant, and a law enforcement technology grant for drones, body cameras, software upgrades, and battery backup packs, with decisions expected around the end of December.
• Upcoming opportunities include the BRICS program for a senior/community center, an 80/20 grant due December 7 with a prior cost estimate around $850,000 for a prefab building; a state Arts and Theater grant due January 12 requiring a nonprofit partner; a $100,000 Play It Forward grant opening November 1; a NICERTA grant for level 2 EV charging stations; and the Restore New York program for vacant buildings.
• The consultants said no water or sewer grant applications were submitted for 2026; WQIP and WIA grants require engineering reports, and Yorktown's high median household income makes WIA scoring difficult. The supervisor suggested exploring a larger, economic-development-focused approach.
• A board debate emerged over whether the board had ever discussed the BRICS/community center application, its budget, location, operations, and maintenance obligations. Some members cited a prior Beaver Ridge agreement and roughly $800,000 in intended funding; the supervisor said the discussion should be scheduled for a separate board session.

Discussion Items

• E-bike law timing: Councilwoman Siegel said state law prevents towns from acting until Westchester County acts, and the county is expected to introduce an e-bike law at the October 19 Board of Legislators meeting with a public hearing on November 14; one initial reference said November 19 before correction. She suggested postponing the town discussion until the county acts. The supervisor wanted to hold the October 13 work session anyway to develop Yorktown's priorities and influence county legislators. The board agreed to keep the discussion scheduled but not enact legislation until the county acts.
• Cell tower law: A board member asked for discussion of general parameters such as where towers are allowed or prohibited, setbacks, and whether town-owned property should be held to the same rules. Staff have compiled examples from Bedford and Mount Kisco; scheduling was not finalized.
• Navajo Fields and sewer updates: A board member asked whether Navajo Fields had satisfied two building-code violations from May 12 before converting grass fields to turf; the supervisor said no complete application had been received. She also requested updates on the Mohansic pump station and on the $142,000 sewer TV-inspection work approved in March 2025; engineering said pump station plans are still in progress, and the supervisor said he would ask for a fuller update.
• Public-comment follow-up: The planning board liaison said the 385 Kear Street property remains in violation and the planning board is weighing additional mitigation, including knotweed treatment with 80 to 90 percent expected removal. The supervisor defended the $650,000 CAD contract as vetted by Police Chief Noble and reported 8 to 10 daily fire-zone and handicapped-parking violations from a part-time code enforcement officer. He also responded to the swale and DeVito comments.
• Three-way stop public hearing: The board opened and closed a public hearing on a local law to amend Chapter 275, Vehicles and Traffic, to add a full stop at East Main Street, creating a three-way stop at the Lakeland Deli intersection. The supervisor cited blind curves, speeding, county buses, and nearby business owners' requests. Howard Gould voiced support, and no other speakers commented.

Key Outcomes

• Closed the public hearing and unanimously adopted the local law adding the East Main Street full stop and three-way stop.
• Approved the personnel appointments and all resolutions listed in the Consent Calendar.
• Agreed to proceed with the October 13 e-bike work session but not to adopt local e-bike legislation until Westchester County acts.
• Agreed to consider scheduling a cell-tower-law parameters discussion and to seek engineering updates on the Mohansic pump station and sewer TV-inspection follow-up.
• Grant updates were received; no water or sewer grant applications were submitted for 2026, and future grant targeting may shift to projects less affected by median-income criteria.