Town Board

August 13, 2019

CLOSED SESSION

Personnel: Human Resources

Litigation & Negotiation: Town Attorney

OPEN SESSION

1. Section 8 program

(See Town Board 7-16-2019.)The board reconvened the hearing. Ms. Perez advised the board that no public comments had been received. The board closed the hearing and voted to adopted the 5-year plan and the 2019 administrative plan.

2. Sewer update

Town engineer Quinn and Ed Mahoney, assistant superintendent at the treatment plant, gave the board an update on multiple issues for both the Hallocks Mill and Peekskill sewer districts.

Hallocks Mill

Flow levels: levels have begun to level off to the more typical 0.9 mdg after eight months of high flows due to wet weather. Because of the high levels, DEC is requiring the town to prepare a Flow Management Plan that can identify ways to reduce flows.

Increasing SPEDES permit to 2.5 mdg from current 1.5 mgd. As part of the plan to get DEC to approve the higher permit level, the town needs to explore ways to lower the plant’s phosphorus level. Mr. Quinn suggested that the town hire a consultant to explore the phosphorus issue and also identify measures that would improve the plant’s operation. In response, Councilwoman Roker said the measure would be a show of good faith and Supervisor Gilbert said that the DEC might consider giving the town a conditional approval for increased flows based on the town’s commitment to undertake certain measures. He said the DEP is supportive of the town’s efforts to increase its SPEDES permit.

Pump station upgrades. The work is going slower than expected. The package replacement station for Walden Woods was damaged when delivered and the town is working with the contractor and supplier to address the issue.

Sewer extension project: The town has submitted a grant application to help lower the cost; it expects to know whether it will receive the grant by the end of the year. Without the grant, Supervisor Gilbert estimated the bonding cost to the 315 homeowners to be $750/year. He said he has been advising those homeowners looking at a one-time $12,000-$15,000 hook up cost that they could postpone hooking up to the sewer line; based on this information he advised the board that he was optimistic that the homeowners would support the project. Supervisor Gilbert also advised the board that as an alternative to laying out the $10 million East of Hudson money and having to pay interest on the borrowing while it waited for the county to reimburse the town, his office was working on an draft IMA (Intermunicipal Agreement) that would have the county pay the contractor directly.

Councilman Roker spoke about the need for an informational meeting for the affected homeowners, at which time they could also sign the required petition for creating the sewer district.

Repairs at the plant: In response to issues raised in a Department of Health inspection report, the consultant hired by the town has reported on what needs to be done to address the violations.

Future capital projects: for 2020 the engineer would like to proceed with a project that would interconnect two emergency generators. Plans for the estimated $550,000 project have been drawn up. The engineer would also like to begin planning for the replacement of the remaining pump stations, including the Mohansic pump station, the district’s first pump station built in 1961. Const5ruction could begin in 2021.

Work order system: Mr. Quinn advised the board that after some delays due to consultant staffing issues, the program is moving along and he expects it to be functioning soon. His staff, along with staff from Water and Highway, will receive the required training.

Peekskill Sewer District

Consent order: (See Town Board 5-14-2019.) As a follow up to the DEC consent order regarding a series of more than 20 violations between roughly 2014-2016, Mr. Quinn advised the board that the town had received 10 proposals in June in response to an RFP soliciting ideas on how to remedy the problems. After reviewing the proposals, he suggested that the board interview, all on the same day, four of the firms. He said the RFP deliberately left the scope of work up to the vendors as long as the scope met EPA requirements. One of the measures would be an inflow and infiltration study at locations to be determined. The study would take 10-12 weeks and the town is obligated by the consent order to provide the DEC with results by August, 2020. One of the priority areas may be the Hunterbrook district as that is one of the oldest.

Mr. Mahoney advised the board that the sewer line along Route 6 between Hill and Lee Boulevards that frequently became clogged, causing spills and violation notices, has been cleaned up and is working normally now.

Hunterbrook pump station: Mr. Mahoney advised the board that new parts are being installed at the pump station and that the new flow meter has been ordered but has not yet been delivered. After only 20 years in operation, the pump station is at or reaching its capacity even though the district property owners are still paying off a 30 year bond.

For both districts:

Mr. Quinn advised the board that it needs to review how the town’s multiple sewer districts in both the Hallocks Mill and Peekskill system pay for the maintenance of their systems. The issue, he said, was one of fairness and that property owners in the Hallocks Mill district should not be paying for services provided to the Peekskill districts.

2. Jefferson Valley Mall water loop system

(See Town Board 2-19-2019 and 3-12-19.). Without discussion, and after the Water Department inspected the system, the board approved a resolution authorizing the supervisor to sign an agreement with the owners of the JV Mall to take over the existing water system. The agreement includes a provision that for a five year period, the owners will reimburse the town for all maintenance and repair expenses.

3. Commerce Street parking

To close an omission in the no parking regulations for Commerce Street, a public hearing will be held in September (the date was not announced) to prohibit parking on a small portion of Commerce Street in front of the former Mitchell Hardware building and across the street from the BP station

4. Stormwater Permit for 1690 Amazon Road

The property owner wants to build a house on the ľ acre vacant lot. Because the plan involves moving >200 cubic yards of earth, the application requires a public hearing. The board voted to refer out the plan; a hearing will be scheduled once the referral reports are received.

5. Sunoco Station, Lee Boulevard

(See Planning Board, 8-12-2019.) After the August 12, 2019 Planning Board meeting, the sign installer contacted her client regarding the Planning Board’s preference for a monument sign. She advised the board that because of visibility issues, her client needed the pole sign, but that she could “dress up” the pole and include an attractive base. Councilman Lachterman said that while his preference would be for a monument sign, he was okay with the pole sign given the visibility issue. A public hearing will be held, most likely in September, at which time, the installer will provide photos of the enhanced pole sign.

6. Selected resolutions

Energize NY Open C-Pace program. (See Town Board 7-16-2019.) The board authorized the supervisor the enter into an agreement with the program.

Downing tennis courts: The boar approved a $3,250 change order for the resurfacing and reconstruction of the courts.

Special board meeting: The board will hold a special meeting Tuesday, August 20, to discuss a personnel issue with the building inspector. The meeting will be in closed session,

NOTE: The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be September 3rd.