Town Board

July 16, 2020

 

1. Restoration Bid for highway work

Highway Superintendent Paganelli and Water Superintendent Rundle explained that sometimes water main breaks require major repairs to the road that are beyond the ability of either department to handle and that in such cases, outside contractors need to be called in. The problem occurred two years ago with a major break on Route 35 and most recently on Nutley Road. The latter repair will be made next week.  To be prepared to deal with this type of unanticipated situation, the board agreed to go out to bid for vendors who who could be called in an emergency situation without the necessity of the town needing to sollicit three quotes.

 

2. Laberge Group – grants

(See Town Board, 6-16-2020.) Scott Siegel of the Laberge Group presented the findings of the needs assessment, identifying which potential projects could qualify for which grants. While he explained that the report’s matrix provided the town with a “road map” of possible funding sources, most of which were state grants through the Consolidated Funding Program (CFA), he added that it was unlikely that any CFA would be available this year; while there was a possibility that the grant program may open up in August, he said he doubted that this would happen.  One grant program that could fund a $400,000 grinder used at the town’s Greenwood Street recycling facility has a four year wait for funding,.

 

Mr. Siegel explained the three options the town had to use his firm to write specific grant applications.

 

3. Sustainable Westchester

Nina Orville explained the organization’s community solar program and three programs the town could participate in. Through the organization, residents in either Con Ed or NYSEG can subscribe to a community solar project that would result in their saving 10% on their electric bill. The solar project does not have to be in Yorktown. The online  registration can be completed in a few minutes and subscribers can withdraw from the program at any time without any penalty.

 

The organization’s three programs are:

1) An outreach program to encourage solar energy.

2) An incentive program that would give the town $50 for every client it motivated to sign up for community solar.

3) A community solar assessment program done in cooperation with NY Power Authority  where the agency would do an assessment, at no cost to the town, of installing solar on town properties.  If the assessment showed that a solar installation made sense, the town would then lease the property, e.g., a town parking lot or roof on a town building, to a vendor who would construct and maintain the facility.   The board considered this program a “no brainer” and Supervisor Slater said he would provide Sustainable Westchester a list of town properties  ASAP in order to meet the program’s submission deadline. It was noted that the Climate Smart Task Force has already compiled a list of potential town sites that could accommodate solar. Supervisor Slater said he would also inform the school districts that they are eligible for the program that is limited to municipalities and school districts.

 

4. Granite Knolls/Solar canopies over parking lot

The board received six responses to the RFP (Request for Proposal) to install solar canopies over the parking lot.  Town attorney Rodriquez advised the board that while all six proposals had similar programs, e.g., 25 year leases, there were differences between the proposals on their assumptions and how they would pay the town.  Three proposals were described as being “generic.”  Acting on Park Superintendent Martorano’s comment that he liked three of the six proposals, the board will set up closed door interviews with the vendors. (Note: by law, discussions of RFP proposals are made in closed session.)  It was noted that while there was no timetable associated with the RFP, some of the assumptions in some of the proposals could be based on tax incentive programs which do have time factors.

 

5. Hill Blvd/Veterans Rod culvert projects

The board received 9 bids for the work; both projects were part of a single bid. The two projects will cost $2.9 million, but after state reimbursement, the town’s share will be only $300,000. The town anticipates passing a resolution next week to award the bid to the lowest bidder, a Yonkers based company.

 

6. Miscellaneous resolutions

Summer trails programs. The board rescinded an earlier resolution providing money to BOCES for a summer trails programs and passed three resolutions for other groups to organize trail programs. The programs were set up by the Parks Department as an alternative to summer programs that had to be canceled due to Covid-19.

 

ACCC. The board waived the $10,460 July and August rent for Westchester Ballet.

 

 

CLOSED SESSION

The subject matter was not disclosed.