Town Board
May 23, 2017
Closed session
Interviews and personnel
Open Session
1. Refuse and Recycling
Kim Gage requested permission from the board to go out to bid for a new packer truck. (Note: because it was difficult to hear all of the discussion, the CIY observer is not certain that the estimated cost was stated as $300,000.) Ms. Gage noted the age of the fleet, the cost of ongoing repairs, plus the fact that two trucks have been down for an extended period of time. She added that from the time a new truck is ordered to delivery could be almost a year. With some apparent reluctance, the board gave her permission to go out to bid but without making a commitment that it would approve the purchase.
2. Mohansic Trailway
(See Town Board 5/9/2017) Representing the Yorktown Trail Town Committee, Jane Daniels advised the board that everything was in place to move forward on the project and for the June 6 wetlands permit hearing. Going over the budget for the project that will be funded in part by two grants from the Hudson Valley Greenway, she said that the estimated cost of $3,500 - $4,000 for the item 4 that will be put in place by the Highway Department will come from the town’s matching $7,750 cash contribution. (Later in the evening, Highway Superintendent Paganelli asked the board if his department’s budget would be reimbursed for his staff’s labor time, and the supervisor told him not to worry about that.) Representatives of AT&T have conducted a site visit and assured the group that there is no problem with the buried fiber optic cable or removing the berm close to Route 118. The town attorney is working on an encroachment agreement with AT&T.
Ms. Daniels said that several volunteers from the NY/NJ Trail Conference, plus eagle scouts will help build the bridges that are part of the project, but that more volunteers are always welcome. Councilman Diana said he might know of another scout troop that might be interested in helping out.
3. Capital Projects/Road paving
Calling 2017 the “year of infrastructure,” Supervisor Grace led the board through a discussion of possible capital projects for 2017-2018. He said that the town was in good financial shape and that now was the time to proceed with some projects.
Paving
Highway Superintendent Paganelli led off the discussion with a proposal to pave 19.66 miles, or 10% of the town’s roads, this summer. To accomplish that goal, he said he would need between $1.4 - $1.8 million in funds from the town to supplement $755,700 he already had in his budget and from state grants. He went through a list of possible streets, spread through different parts of town, that could be paved under his plan. He also discussed different paving options at different costs and how, depending on the condition of the existing road, only some options were available for some roads. For most of the roads, he is proposing a process that will apply 2” of blacktop that will be compressed to 1½”, a process that he said has been used successfully in other towns and which should last 10 years and would save 25% over more traditional paving methods.. He stated that the process was much more than “painting the road black.”
After the board accepted Mr. Paganelli’s 1½” recommendation, the highway superintendent recalculated his plan and came back with a request for $1.678 million. Supervisor Grace asked Mr. Paganelli to come up with a revised list of streets to be paved and with which option. There was no board resolution to allocate the money which would come from fund balance.
Given its existing condition, paving Downing Drive will be a more expensive project. (Note: Downing may not have been in the $1.6 million figure.)
When Mr. Quinn suggested that the culverts under the roads to be paved be checked out with the town’s new camera, Mr. Paganelli estimated that 75% of the culverts were probably in need of replacement as they were likely to be about 60 years of age and at the end of their useful life. No figures were given about the cost of replacing the culverts.
Mr. Paganelli noted that he left off the list of possible streets any that might be sewered wthin the next year or so but that he would hold off paving a street where sewers might be installed 8-10 years from now.
Other Capital projects
The following projects were mentioned with some being identified as top priorities with a more final list likely to be discussed in June. In general he said the town had to “think big” if it was going to accomplish anything.
To be done in 2017
Rehabilitition of Railroad Station. Estimated cost $300,000+. To be done this summer. There was a question as to whether this was a reimbursable grant.
Granite Knolls sports complex. The supervisor said that some amenities might have to be paid for by the town and phased in over time. No details were available.
To be done in 2018 (planning in 2017)
Veterans Road and Hill Blvd culverts: $3.4 million. Reimbursable state gants
Old Crompond Rd culvert and Mohegan Ave wall: $1.8 million. Mr. Paganelli indicated that the Old Crompond Rd. might have to be closed by the end of the year if the culvert wasn’t replaced. He indicated that this might be the last possible culvert/bridge replacement that needed to be done.
Sidewalks along Veterans Rd. no cost estimate available
Tennis Courts: Lower Downing and Shrub Oak. Rec Commission to get cost estimates
Senior Center at Downing Park
Commerce/Downing Drive streetscape (from Rexall Drug, to Downing and around to 7-Eleven). Plan and cost estimates to be developed. Noting that the sidewalk in front of the bicycle shop on Commerce Street was in immediate need of repair, Mr. Paganelli said he would like to blacktop the sidewalk on a temporary basis while staff work out the more permanent streetscape plan. He said he didn’t like the idea of the blacktop but that he was concerned about safety. Supervisor Grace asked him to wait a few weeks to give staff time to come up with a plan.
2019
Highway garage/Depot Square. The supervisor said that he’s had many requests about purchasing the property that he estimates can generate $1.4 million or more.
Other projects
Barn at Lowe’s site. Would only be done if a new location was found
Historic graveyards: no cost or plan discussed
Vehicles: the supervisor said he thought the departments were okay with current fleet.
Commuter lot next to town hall. The supervisor was critical of the lot’s appearance and said that the town should be held to the same standard as private developers. He indicated the need for landscaping in the lot.
Phone system replacement. $25,000. The supervisor said this wasn’t a major expense and the savinags would pay for the new system in one year.
Generator for town hall. Councilman Diana is meeting with Con Ed which would extend a gas line to town hall. The existing oil tank is under the flag pole and when the town has to remove the landscaping and monuments in order to provide four additional handicapped parking spaces, it was suggested that that might be the time to replace the buried oil tank.
VacAll truck for Highway: $275,000, of which $175,000 will be reimbursed. The truck has been ordered.
Sewers. This would be paid for from the special district.
Comptroller Caporale participated in the end of the discussion, raising the issue of the cash the town would have to have available while it waited for the state to reimburse the town for some of the projects that would be paid for in total or part with grants. While there was no firm time frame on how long it took for the reimbursements to come through, a 3-6 month wait was possible.
4. Local law on change in notice mailing
(See Town Board 3-28-2017.) The board will hold a public hearing that will require proof of first class mailing instead of certified mailings with return receipt requested. It wasn’t clear if the hearing would be June 20 or July 18.
5. Double utility poles
(See Town Board 4-25-2017.) In an item not on the agenda, it was agreed to give the utility companies until September to remove more of the double utility poles rather than enact the proposed local law now and grandfather in existing poles. It was noted that the poles on many streets have already been removed. Mr. McDermott noted that if the town used a “hammer” and passed the law now, it would then have the onus of enforcing the law if the utility companies didn’t comply.
6. Miscellaneous resolutions
YCCC rent waiver. The board waived the rental costs for two groups. In order to avoid having to approve these waivers one at a time, the town attorney was directed to draw up a policy statement that would waive rental costs for all non profit groups that meet certain criteria, e.g., a cap on the cost or number of times they use the YCCC and the community service that they provide.
7. Appointments
The following members of volunteer boards were reappointed.
Advisory Board on Architecture and Community Appearance (ABACA): Roxanne Visconti
Landmarks Preservation Commission: Bridget Krowe and Edwin Pell
Cable TV Committee: Francis McVetty
Sean Connolly was appointed a new member of ABACA.
Closed Session
Sewers