Town Board

February 26, 2019

 

CLOSED SESSION

 

Personnel; Nutrition/Senior Service

Litigation & Negotiation: Parks and Recreation, Town Attorney

 

OPEN SESSION

 

1. Traffic Safety

The members of the Traffic Safety Committee including  Councilwoman Roker, Police Traffic Officer Swart, Highway Superintendent Paganelli, civilian member Greg Bernard, plus the town’s traffic consultant Phil Grealy made a series of presentations. The full presentation can be viewed at http://yorktownny.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=736

 

Officer Swart explained the role of the committee and how complaints are investigated. The committee currently has 114 open complaints. He also explained the criteria for speed humps and said that stop signs are not used to slow speeders. Two specific issues he addressed was the intersection of Underhill Avenue and Summit Street and also the No Parking signs on Rochambeau that are not being enforced.

 

Highway Superintendent Paganelli addressed Hallocks Mill Road (See Town Board 9-4-1018.) The underlying issue is that any solution will be seen as positive for some but negative for others and how does the Town Board respond to a vocal minority that isn’t speaking for the silent majority.  He also reminded residents that it is illegal for them to have  drains from their property discharge onto town roads.

 

Phil Grealy reviewed his preliminary recommendations  for a traffic light at the intersection of Stony and East Main Streets and other traffic calming measures along East Main Street from the Seton church to Lakeland Liquor.  He estimated that the traffic light could cost between $150,000-$200,000.   He explained that before he prepares a final design for the light, the town needs to get easements from Lakeland Lumber.  The board asked Mr. Grealy to make his presentation available for uploading to the town’s web site.

 

2. Con Edison Gas project

The company will resume work in the spring on Gomer Street, from Sterling Place to Granitae Springs Road and on Hanover Street from Croton Heights Road to Underhill Avenue.  The work should be completed by November.  The company will notify homeowners in the affected areas as work progresses

 

3. Economic & Business Revitalization Committee

The members of the Committee reported to the board and offered a list of “next step” recommendations, including

·        Creating a “quick review” group that would work with potential developers so that they could get early feedback on whether the town was interested in their proposal and if so, how to proceed.   

·        Initiating a marketing effort that highlighted the town’s unknown  assets and creating a “brand” or the town.

·        Creating an economic development position to coordinate the efforts of other town groups such as the Chamber, write grants, and develop a marketing plan.

·        Seek investors for a hotel.

·        Reach out to architectural students to create a vision for the town and host an event.

·        Leverage the town’s farms and trails to attract visitors.

 

4. Turkey Mountain Celebration

Aaron Bock. John Schroeder and John Flynn of the Yorktown Land Trust shared with the board the Trust‘s plans for a 50th anniversary celebration of the creation on the Turkey Mountain Park  with a kick off scheduled for Saturday June 1.

 

5. Burbio.com

The web site’s host reviewed how the site currently includes a calendar of events for a variety of town, community and school groups and asked the board to become a partner in the site, listing other town events. There is no cost for any organization to be included in the site and the only request the web host made of the town is that the town include a link to the burbio site on the town’s web site.  The host will do all the necessary work to get the town’s events uploaded.

 

6. Selected resolutions

Cameras. The board approved advertising for bids to purchases and install cameras at town facilities.