Minutes of the Reorganization Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Larchmont, New York, held on MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2009
(editrix: spacing is funky, keep scrolling down…)
PRESENT: Mayor Elizabeth Feld
Trustees Marlene Kolbert
|
Anne H. McAndrews
Jim Millstein
Richard Ward
ABSENT: None
Also Present: Clerk Finn, Treasurer Brucciani
Attorney Staudt (Arrived at 9:15 PM) Joanna C. Feldman, Esq., representing Village Attorney’s Office
Mayor Feld called the meeting to order at 8:05 PM, and welcomed those present.
Reverend Thomas Nicoll from St. John’s Episcopal Church, pronounced the Invocation.
Trustee Kolbert extended the Village’s appreciation to Reverend Nicoll and St. John’s Church for allowing the Committee on the Environment to hold its Environmental Summit there on February 2, 2009.
The Honorable Jerry Bernstein administered the Oath of Office to newly re-elected Village Justice Thea Beaver.
The Honorable Thea Beaver administered the Oath of Office to newly re-elected Trustee Anne McAndrews.
Mayor Feld administered the Oath of Office to newly re-elected Trustee Richard Ward.
On motion of Trustee Millstein, seconded by Trustee McAndrews, and unanimously carried, it was:
RESOLVED, to accept the Certificate of Election presented by the Clerk, which reflects the results of the Village Election held on March 18, 2009.
The vote on the above resolution was as follows:
Ayes: Mayor Feld, Trustee McAndrews, Trustee Ward, Trustee Millstein, Trustee Kolbert
Nays: None
Mayor Feld next made the following appointments:
Clerk Finn – Licensing Officer
Trustee Kolbert – Deputy Mayor and Alternate to Larchmont-Mamaroneck Joint Garbage Disposal Commission
-2-
Liaison Appointments:
|
Mayor Feld: Intergovernmental Relations
Joint Sanitation Commission
Police Department
TVS (Town/Villages/Schools)
Recreation Committee
Bills and Invoices
Trustee Kolbert: Deputy Mayor
Library
Parks and Trees Committee
Flint Park Conservancy
 
; Environmental Committee
Committee on the Arts
LISWIC
TVS (Town/Villages/Schools)
Trustee McAndrews: LISWIC
Land Use Boards
Mamaroneck-Larchmont Human Rights Commission
CDBG
Beautification
Larchmont/Mamaroneck Summit
Palmer Avenue Streetscape
Trustee Millstein: Fire Commissioner
Recreation – Fields
Budget and Finance Committee
Technology Committee
Cable TV Board of Control
Trustee Ward: Coastal Zone Management Commission
&nbs
p; Sheldrake Environmental Center
Taxis
Traffic Commission
Ambulance District
Mayor Feld made the following announcements:
1. The Village’s Arbor Day festivities will be held on April 24, 2009, at 3:30 PM in Turtle Park.
2. The Building Department will be closed on Wednesdays, from 10 AM to 4:30 PM, beginning May 6, 2009. This change will provide the Building Department staff with an opportunity to increase its efficiency in the department and step up code enforcement efforts in the Village.
3. The Memorial Day Parade will be held on May 21, 2009, beginning at 7:00 PM in Lot #3 at the Railroad Station. The Police Department awards ceremony will take place in the Village Hall Court Room at 5:30 PM that evening. On the topic of the Parade, the following resolution was adopted:
On motion of Trustee Ward, seconded by Trustee McAndrews, and unanimously carried, it was:
RESOLVED, to appoint Police Chief John Poleway as the Parade Marshal for the 2009 Memorial Day Parade, and to schedule the date of the parade for May 21, 2009 at 7:00 PM.
4. The Board of Trustees will meet in an off-site session early in May to iron out priorities for the year. Items include the Palmer Avenue Streetscape Improvements, continued field improvements at Flint and Lorenzen Parks, affordable housing, etc. The Board will also meet next week with department heads to determine what stimulus funding might be available to the Village.
-3-
|
5. Rye Town’s Supervisor recently announced that he would like to discuss consolidation of his municipality with the Villages of Rye Brook and Port Chester as it has become unaffordable to run municipalities without help. Mayor Feld expressed her support of the idea of consolidation, whether it be full merger or partial.
6. Regarding the discussion on March 18 on stipends/health benefits for Village Board members, Mayor Feld stated that a survey has been done of other municipalities. While the Board’s unpaid status is rare, she does not think it is the proper economic environment to be considering this issue at this time.
On motion of Trustee Millstein, seconded by Trustee Ward, and unanimously carried, it was:
RESOLVED, to approve the appointment of Gilles Henry Mellet as a volunteer member of the Larchmont Fire Department.
Trustee Ward reported on the following:
1. He advised that the Ambulance District met recently. The Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is progressively learning their skills. They meet the first Wednesday of the month at the Weaver Street Firehouse, and he encouraged anyone interested in joining to go.
2. A Walkability Workshop was held on March 24, 2009. At this workshop, a livable community advisor addressed the attendees on how to make a community more suitable for people to walk and bike. They examined the area from the French American School diagonally to the Railroad Station. The advisor will be submitting a report on his findings.
3. Scooter racks have been installed at the Railroad Station. There is no charge at this time for using those facilities. Trustee Ward stated that the number of scooters parked at the station in March 2009 was 25% higher than last year’s April count.
4. On April 19 at 4:00 PM at Larchmont Temple, the Friends of the Library will sponsor a reading by established and emerging writers and poets whose work will be published in the third edition of the Westchester Review this spring.
5. Donations for the Clothes Closet are being accepted at Pink on Palmer on Chatsworth Avenue, or at 173 Larchmont Avenue. The Clothes Closet will be opening at the CAP Center on April 18, 2009. Clothing collected will be distributed to community residents in need.
Trustee Millstein reported on the following:
1. Two summers ago, he did a study about consolidation of Town and Village services. This study determined that there could be some significant savings and improvements in service. He noted that the Village is a subdivision of the Town. A property owner’s total tax bill is dominated by the school district. Village taxes are 24% of a property owner’s tax bill. He has been invited by Village of Mamaroneck Trustee Tom Murphy to do an LMC-TV show next week on this subject.
2. Mayor Feld and Trustee Millstein informed the audience that, in conjunction with health concerns associated with the Flint Park turf field’s crumb rubber last year, the Village Board has upheld its commitment to have this material tested. Water quality tests have been completed, and
-4-
the results were essentially undetectable; i.e., the concentrations of lead were too low to measure. Mayor Feld also noted that upgrades to the drainage system have made the area much better as well. She added that water quality testing will probably be done annually.
Trustee Kolbert reported on the following:
1. She extended the Board’s condolences to the family of Christine Helwig, former Supervisor of the Town of Mamaroneck and member of the Mamaroneck Board of Education, on her recent passing.
2. With regard to the issue of salary and/or benefits for Village Board members, Trustee Kolbert advised that she received only one irate e-mail about it. While the economic climate might not allow for this proposal at this time, she still believes it would be appropriate to provide some type of compensation to make it more attractive to run for the Board in the future.
3. She asked the residents to support the Friends of the Library’s annual fundraising drive. The funding raised allows the Library to make improvements to their facility and offer programs and activities for young and old alike.
4. She extended the Board’s condolences to the family of Melvin Gardner, a long-time resident of the Village and member of Horseshoe Harbor Yacht Club, on his passing.
5. The Environmental Committee is hard at work, next week offering composting workshops at the indoor Farmer’s Market and one at the Sheldrake Environmental Center.
6. She reminded everyone that leaf blowers are not permitted to be used in the Village between June 1 and September 30 annually. She asked homeowners to notify their gardeners about this law.
7. Trustee Kolbert noted that organic waste collection began on April 1. She asked residents not to put this waste out until the evening before their second garbage collection day. She also said that gardeners may take this debris to the Sanitation Commission’s Maxwell Avenue yard.
8. She asked that everyone be aware of activities that are against the law and are subject to traffic violations; i.e., illegal U-Turns, not turning headlights on when raining, double parking, passing a stopped school bus, stopping in the middle of the road, and idling.
Trustee McAndrews reported on the following:
1. She participated in the Walkability Workshop with Trustee Ward on March 24. She was particularly interested in their observations around the Railroad Station and Palmer Avenue business district in light of the proposed improvement project slated for this area in the coming months.
2. She has started an analysis of different cost benefits associated with energy efficiency projects she would like to see done in the Village; i.e., energy-efficient windows for Village Hall and new LED traffic lights.
3. She thanked the Beautification Committee for their efforts in planting flowers around the Village. In this regard, the Committee is working in close cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce as many merchants are interested in having flower pots in front of their stores.
-5-
|
4. Trustee McAndrews noted that she is looking into offers she has received to spruce up the Neptune symbols at the top of the entrance signs to the Village.
5. She reminded the audience that the County’s shredder and e-waste collection day will take place at the Town of Mamaroneck’s SanitationCenterMaxwell Avenue on May 2, 2009, from 9 AM to 3 PM. on
Police Chief Poleway next addressed the Board on the following:
1. On April 6, 2009, the Police Department slightly amended their overnight parking procedures. They are now urging residents during normal business hours to obtain temporary parking permits from the Village Clerk’s Office. The Police Department will continue to grant permission for on-street overnight parking. On a limited basis, they will also continue to issue temporary permits when Village offices are closed.
2. In November, 2008, County Executive Spano sent out a request to establish a special needs registry for people who might need special services during emergencies. Residents who believe they may need these special services are encouraged to dial 211 to register, or visit www.westchestergov.com/specialneeds.
3. He urged voluntary compliance from residents on the quality of life issues mentioned by Trustee Kolbert earlier this evening; i.e., U-Turns, stopping at school buses, etc.
On motion of Trustee Millstein, seconded by Trustee McAndrews, and unanimously carried, it was:
RESOLVED, to authorize Mayor Feld to execute the 2009 Prisoner Transportation Agreement between the County of Westchester and the VillageLarchmont. of
On motion of Trustee Millstein, seconded by Trustee Ward, and unanimously carried, it was:
RESOLVED, to approve the reappointment of James Staudt as Village Attorney for the coming year.
On motion of Trustee Millstein, seconded by Trustee Kolbert, and unanimously carried, it was:
RESOLVED, to approve the reappointment of Joanne Lanza as Deputy Treasurer for the coming year.
On motion of Trustee Kolbert, seconded by Trustee McAndrews, and unanimously carried, it was:
RESOLVED, to approve the reappointment of Brian Rilley as Deputy Village Clerk and Deputy Registrar for the coming year.
On motion of Trustee Ward, seconded by Trustee Kolbert, and unanimously carried, it was:
RESOLVED, to approve the reappointment of Judith Doolin Spikes as Village Historian for the coming year.
On motion of Trustee Millstein, seconded by Trustee Ward, and unanimously carried, it was:
-6-
|
RESOLVED, to approve the appointment of John Poleway as Emergency Coordinator for the coming year.
Mayor Feld announced that the Village Board will meet once a month unless otherwise needed, all at the MunicipalBuilding. She announced the dates for upcoming meetings as listed below, and said these dates could be changed at the pleasure of the Board:
April 27, 2009
May 18, 2009
June 8, 2009
July 13, 2009
On motion by Trustee Kolbert, seconded by Trustee McAndrews, and unanimously carried, it was:
RESOLVED, that all employees of the Village who are required to provide Surety Bonds according to law shall, before entering upon the duties of their respective offices, be covered by the blanket Surety Bond now in force, or a renewal thereof, and the expense shall be a charge on the Village.
On motion of Trustee Kolbert, seconded by Trustee McAndrews, and unanimously carried,
RESOLVED, that JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Capital One Bank, HSBC, and TD Bank, are hereby designated as depositories for Village funds for the ensuing year.
On motion of Trustee McAndrews, seconded by Trustee Millstein, and unanimously carried, it was:
RESOLVED, that Treasurer Brucciani and Deputy Treasurer Lanza are the authorized signatures on all Village bank accounts.
On motion of Trustee Ward, seconded by Trustee Millstein, and unanimously carried, the public hearing on the 2009-2010 Preliminary Budget was opened.
Treasurer Brucciani explained that the Preliminary Budget has not changed much since the Tentative Budget. It calls for a 2.45% property tax increase for the coming fiscal year.
He noted the following highlights in the budget:
1. If this budget is adopted, the tax rate will increased from $289.69 to $290.63 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
2. The Appropriations line has been reduced by approximately $79,000, bringing the total line in the 2009-2010 budget to approximately $15,019,000.
3. Due to the economic climate, the Village’s revenues will be down approximately $404,000.
Other items he noted in this preliminary budget were:
1. Salaries total approximately $6.9 million, or 46.23% of the budget.
2. Retirement totals approximately $904,000 or 6.0
2% of the budget.
-7-
3. Fringe Benefits total approximately $1.9 million or 12.64% of the budget.
4. Debit service totals $527,000 or 3.51% of the budget.
5. General Liability/Umbrella Insurance totals $235,000 or 1.56% of the budget.
6. Library Transfer equals approximately $786,000 or 5.23% of the budget.
7. Total energy cost equals approximately $383,000 or 2.55% of the budget.
8. Joint Sanitation Commission costs equal approximately $1.5 million, or 10.11% of the budget.
9. All other appropriations total approximately $1.8 million, or 12.14% of the budget.
In comparing these items with last year’s adopted budget, Treasurer Brucciani stated the following:
1. The salaries line has increased $98,500, or 1.4%.
2. The retirement expense line is down $15,000, or 1.66%.
3. The fringe benefits line is down $164,000, or 8%.
4. Debt service has increased $17,000, or 3.3%
5. General Liability/Insurance Coverage is down $10,300, or 4.21%
6. The Library transfer line stayed flat at 0%.
7. The total energy line is up $30,000, or 9.34%.
8. The Joint Sanitation line is up $27,000, or 1.8%
9. All other appropriations are down $64,000, or 3.41%.
On the revenue side, Treasurer Brucciani indicated the following:
1. Sales tax totals $775,000 in the preliminary budget, down $25,000 or 3.13%.
2. Mortgage tax is estimated to come in at $200,000, which is down $150,000 or 43%.
3. Interest earnings totaled $68,000, down 65%.
4. Fines and forfeitures remained the same at $550,000.
5. The Transportation budget line totals $593,000, down $2,000 or .34%.
6. Day camp revenue will remain flat at $122,000.
7. Gross receipts tax will remain flat at $100,000.
8. Building permit revenues are $150,000, down $50,000.
-8-
|
9. Miscellaneous revenue is down approximately $50,000.
10. Real property tax revenues have increased to $324,000, or 2.9%.
Treasurer Brucciani said that a total of $300,000 will be appropriated from fund balance to reduce the tax increase for 2009-2010.
Following further discussion, on motion of Trustee Kolbert, seconded by Trustee Ward, and unanimously carried, the public hearing on the 2009-2010 budget was adjourned until April 27, 2009 at 7:30 PM.
Mayor Feld and the Board expressed their thanks to Treasurer Brucciani for all he has done to keep the 2009-2010 budget increase as low as possible this year.
Treasurer Brucciani next reported that funding still remains in the grant Larchmont received from the Environmental Protection Agency for Stormwater Management. After a discussion with Public Works Foreman Rick Vetere, Mr. Vetere suggested that the remainder of this money be put towards the purchase of a street sweeper with conveyor belt. The Environmental Protection Agency has approved this funding amendment, and therefore, he would like to go out to bid for the purchase of this equipment.
On motion of Trustee Kolbert, seconded by Trustee McAndrews, and unanimously carried, it was:
RESOLVED, to authorize Treasurer Brucciani to solicit bids for the purchase of a new street sweeper with conveyor belt for the Public Works Department.
Treasurer Brucciani informed the Board that bids are expected to be solicited shortly for the bridge repair work at the Larchmont Reservoir. Two bridges there were damaged in the April, 2007 nor’easter. Prior to that bidding process, however, the Village must declare that this project is a Type II project under SEQR. A Type II action does not require any review by the Village; i.e. Lead Agency Declaration or Review, and Negative/Positive Declaration and Resolution.
Therefore, on motion of Trustee Millstein, seconded by Trustee McAndrews, and unanimously carried, it was:
RESOLVED, that the Larchmont Board of Trustees hereby determines that the bridge replacement project at the Larchmont Reservoir is not subject to review under the SEQR regulations since the proposed action (replacement of two bridges) is classified as a Type II action, as per 6 NYCRR Part 617: State Environmental Quality Review; specifically Part 617.5 "Type II Actions", paragraph (c)(2), and, further, this project also does not exceed the thresholds in Section 617.4 of said law.
Treasurer Brucciani supplemented this resolution by stating that Paragraph (c)(2) reads: "The following actions are not subject to review under this Part: replacement, rehabilitation or reconstruction of a structure or facility, in kind, on the same site, including upgrading buildings to meet building or fire codes, unless such action meets or exceeds any of the thresholds in section 617.4 of this Part". He reiterated that the proposed project/action also does not exceed the thresholds in section 617.4.
On motion of Trustee Millstein, seconded by Trustee Kolbert, and carried, it was:
-9-
|
|
||
|
|
|
RESOLVED, to authorize Mayor Feld to enter into an agreement with Community Markets to conduct their 2009 Farmer’s Market in Lot #3 at the Larchmont Railroad Station from May to December, 2009, subject to Attorney Staudt’s negotiation with Community Markets to include the language “gross negligence” in the indemnification portion of the contract.
The vote on the above resolution was as follows:
Ayes: Mayor Feld, Trustee Millstein, Trustee Kolbert, Trustee McAndrews
Nays: None
Abstained: Trustee Ward
Following a brief discussion, on motion of Trustee Kolb
ert, Trustee McAndrews, and unanimously carried, it was:
RESOLVED, to approve the request of the Larchmont Historical Society to designate the Larch tree as the official tree of the Village of Larchmont.
On motion of Mayor Feld, seconded by Trustee Millstein, and unanimously carried, it was:
RESOLVED, that Abstract Audited Voucher No. 14, dated April 13, 2009, in the amount of $106.702.64, per copies filed with the Clerk, be paid, subject to confirmation and approval by Mayor Feld.
On motion of Trustee Kolbert, seconded by Trustee McAndrews, and unanimously carried, the meeting was adjourned at 10:15 PM.
