Town Board

August 14, 2018

Absent:  Councilwoman Roker

CLOSED SESSION

Interview for Economic and Business Revitalization Committee, litigation and negotiations involving Finance and Legal Departments, and personnel for Police Department

OPEN SESSION

1. Senor Advisory Committee

Members of the committee reported on their activities to date and went through a laundry list of issues they would like the board to address such as housing and the need for day care. The board thanked the group for its efforts. Supervisor Gilbert noted that not all the issues were up to the town to revolve.

2. Appointments

In an item not on the open agenda, the board appointed a new police officer.

3.  ACCCC boilers

Margaret Gspurning, head of building maintenance, advised the board that boiler #3 was shot and needed to be replaced, adding that boilers #1 & #2 will also need to be replaced next year.  She said the problem had to do with sediment in the water supply line to the boilers,. The board voted to go out to bid for the purchase of one boiler. The money will come from the budget’s contingency line.

4. Phone system

(Note: replacing the town’s existing phone system was last discussed in 2014. No action was taken at the time.)  A vendor explained the advantages of a hosted PBX system that he said would reduce the town’s monthly costs to $2,700/month from the current  $6,000/month.  There would be an initial cost for the phones; depending on which phones were selected the costs might range from $19,500-$25,000. There would also be an additional charge for wiring that was estimated to be under $35,000.  Because this was an issue of concern to Councilwoman Roker who was not at the meeting, the board decided not to take action and give the vendor an opportunity to meet with Ms. Roker.

5. Road paving

Highway Superintendent Paganelli reported that paving is underway but given the fact that some of the funds allocated in the budget have to be spent before the town can be reimbursed by the state, the board voted for a $120,000 budget transfer from the department’s equipment line to cover the shortfall. The town will get reimbursed for $71,600 from the state. The 2018 budget included $350,000 from the highway fund balance for equipment and trucks, some of which  have already been ordered but other purchases have been put on hold to provide funds for paving.  Given the $1.2M allocated for funding this year, Mr. Paganelli said the town is on a just under 25 year cycle for repaving.

6. Traffic Safety

Mr. Paganelli advised the board that a four way stop sign was needed at the intersection of Hanover and Underhill Avenues and also one at Whitehill in the vicinity of Mohansic Avenue.  The attorney will draft the appropriate language for a local law and a public hearing will be scheduled.

7. The Weyant

The board rehashed the pros and cons of the three different site plans but ended the discussion with no agreement.  The choice narrowed down to the 36 unit  two 3 story buildings or the 23 town houses.  The 20 duplex plan was eliminated because it could not accommodate the shared access with the Roma Building site to Route 202.  Councilman Diana appeared to favor the town house development, while Councilman Lachterman appeared to support the  two building approach supported by Mr. Tegeder who offered several reasons why that was a better plan for the site, for the town and for the abutting homeowners on Hamblyn Street. Supervisor Gilbert said he hadn’t made up his mind, but said he would give the developer, John DeVito, his decision at the September 4 board meeting so that Mr. DeVito know in what direction to proceed.

If the board opts for the 23 unit town house plan that is based on the current R-3 multi family zoning, a variance will be needed. Alternately, if the board rezones the site for transitional zoning, then a variance would not be needed.  The original  36 unit plan is baed on a transitional zoning request.

Mr. DeVito explained that rents in the town house units would be more expensive than the 36 apartments. The two types of developments would also be marketed to different segments of the population with families more likely to want the town house development. The town house development also limited his ability to place bedrooms on the first floor, a feature that was a positive for senior and the disabld.

Mr. Riina advised the board that even though the road improvements outlined in the mini master plan would likely  take the DOT years to build, there was a good likelihood that the DOT would permit the developer to construct the Route 202 access as long as it saw progress with the plan.  Once that access is built, it wasn’t clear from the discussion whether the Hamblyn access point would be just for emergency use or whether the developer would still follow the  curb cut plans that would limit turns  onto and from Hamblyn St into the development.

8. Televising work sessions

The item was tabled given the unexpected absence of Councilwoman Roker who asked that the item be placed on the agenda.

9. Building roofs

A representative of The Gardland Company, specialists in building enveloper solutions, reported to the board on the infrared  testing it had done of the roofs of all town buildings.  The test results showed problems with all the roofs, some of which were known but others came as a surprise. The biggest surprise was that there was one inch of water on the roof of the left wing of town hall; the water was in a pocket between the original concrete roof and a second roof with the concrete holding back the water so that it didn’t leak into the building.

In response to a question whether he had seen evidence of any mold, he advised the board that although he is no expert on the issue, the only location that concerned him was the underground tunnel that linked the court to the police station.

No overall cost figures were discussed, although the vendor did say that due to the cost of repairing or replacing all the roofs, the work would likely have to be done over a period of years.  No action was taken and the board will revisi the issue at its September 4 meeting.

10. Truck for building maintenance

Acting on the request of Margaret Gspurning, in charge of building maintenance, the board approved the purchase of an equipment truck that the maintenance staff could use as it worked in various town buldings. The truck will be purchased off state contract. She explained to the board that if workers are doing a project in a building other than their headquarters in the ACCCC, they often have to go back to the ACCCC to get specific tools or other equipment. Having an equipped truck with them will save time, she explained.

11. Landmarking the ACCCC (Albert A Capellini Community & Cultural Center)

Lynn Briggs and two other members of the Landmarks Preservation Commission made a presentation to the board asking that the building be landmarked.  Going over the building’s history she noted that when it was built in 1923, it consolidated several one room schoolhouses. It was added on to in 1927, 1935 and 1954.   In 1980, the town purchased it from the school district for $280,000. Ms. Briggs said that the building met the five criteria in the Landmarks Law for landmarking a building. She added that only the building, not the track behind it, would be landmarked, and that landmarking would only affect the exterio4r of the building.

Councilman Lachterman noted that a donor was interested in paying for a plaque to honor Mr. Capellini and that the plaque could combine both the naming honor and the building’s history.

According to Ms. Briggs, the only cost associated with landmarking the building would be the cost of a plaque which was estimated at $1,800.

Calling the landmarking a “no brainer,” the board voted in favor of a resolution to move the landmarking process forward.  

12. Tree Law

After a brief discussion, and at the urging of Linda Miller, the spokesperson for Advocates for a Better Yorktown (ABY), the community group that prepared the initial draft for a stronger tree law, not to delay the process any longer,  the board voted to refer out a revised version of a new Tree Law.  The revised draft incorporates changes to the original ABY draft that reflect previous comments and concerns from board members, comments from the Tree Commission on the size of the trees that are to be protected, and Mr. Tegeder’s comments at the board’s June 12 meeting. Ms. Miller advised the board that additional comments from Mr. Tegeder that had only been submitted late in the day could be considered along with the comments from the other advisory bodies that were being asked to comment on the draft.

Ms. Miller agreed with Supervisor Gilbert that the tree law could and should be coordinated with the proposed new solar law, adding that the tree law needed to be enacted first.

Future board meeting schedule

No more meetings in August. (except a closed session meeting August 15)

September 4 – regular meeting at Patriotic Garden

September 25 – work session