Village Board Meeting - April 10, 2006

Minutes of the Public Hearing on the Proposed 2006/2007 Fiscal Budget and Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village/Town of Mt. Kisco held on Monday, April 10, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. in the Frank J. DiMicco Board Room, Village Hall, 104 Main Street, Mount Kisco, New York.

Present: Mayor J. Michael Cindrich

Trustee George L. Griffin, Jr.

Trustee Peter Grunthal

Trustee Anthony Markus

Also Present: William Williams, Village Manager/Clerk

Whitney Singleton, Village Attorney

James Palmer, Assistant Village Manager

Absent: Trustee Peter DiChiara

Mayor Cindrich opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and asked everyone to please reflect on why we are here and asked for guidance in the decisions that we make this evening will benefit all the people of Mount Kisco. He also asked that we remember all the troops overseas.

Public Hearing on the Proposed 2006/2007 Fiscal Budget

Mayor Cindrich said the first item on the agenda was the 2006/2007 Proposed Budget. The Proposed Budget has been noticed in accordance with our operating procedures and the Village Manager is going to make a presentation. After the Manager's presentation if there are any comments I'd ask you all to come to the podium and make your comments. What the intentions of this Board are is that we take comments this evening, we close the public hearing this evening except for written comments and then over the next two weeks this Board will continue to review the Budget Proposal and if by April 24^th we feel we are prepared to make a decision and adopt the budget we will, if not we will put it over one week and that will be the final day and we will have a Special Meeting on May 1^st for the adoption of the budget. We have three weeks to work on the budget, hopefully we can complete the task in two weeks. Mayor Cindrich turned the meeting over to Village Manager Bill Williams.

Village Manager, William Williams thanked the Mayor and the Village Board. The 2006/07 budget is an accumulation of three budgets all with this Board. This budget hearing is a culmination of the work of many individuals. A lot of credit has to be given to the Department Heads, Susan Riley, James Palmer, Thomas Warren, Whitney Singleton, Patty Hogan and my assistant Paula Maiorano. But a lot of other Department Heads i.e. The Fire Chiefs, Volunteers, the Commissioners, Pete Scala, Charlie Pieragostini, Members of the Recreation Commission and any body else if I have forgotten you I apologize. All contributed to the thinking process that put this together.

Mr. Williams proceeded with a PowerPoint presentation outlining the proposed budget. The over all summary of the proposed operating budget in the General Fund versus the Current FY 2005/06 Budget which is up 9.3%. The Library budget is up 9.4% which includes the cost of moving and relocating to a temporary structure. The Water Fund operating budget has a slight increase of .6%; The Sewer operating budget fund is up 6.0%. The aggregate total which is $24,316,988 is 7.6%. We like to think of this as the current versus the proposed, this is what some people refer to as the big picture.

Mr. Williams on the next screen explained that the General Fund is the operating fund where the tax rate comes from. So the over all appropriations is $18,449,628. It is generally supported by estimated revenues other than the property tax of $5,658,118 and real property tax revenues as proposed of $12,447,722. The Village real property tax rate in this proposed budget is $79.63 per $1,000 of assessed value, an increase of 8.62%. We used $38,000 as an averaged homeowner's tax bill for comparison. This tax bill will be $3,026.04 an overall increase of $240.27.

Mr. Williams explained on the next screen that a series of financial factors which we considered a “perfect storm” converged on the 2004/2005 budget to the Board and the Manager to increase real property taxes by 17.5%. This Board of Trustees reduced the adopted budget to 14.6% of the property tax increase. It included appropriated fund balances of $300,000 which was not available in fiscal year 2005/06. The appropriated surplus in 2005/06 represented 3.0% of the next year's tax increase. No “one-shot” revenues were used. The Finance Committee by policy discouraged the use of reserves for operations or the use of surplus to balance the budget. Therefore, the fiscal year of 2005/06 adopted budget is lean and fiscally prudent. It resulted in a 6.74% tax increase which provided reliable and consistent revenue to finance Village services and that budget operates until May 31^st this year. Still no “one-shot” revenues or use of reserves or fund balance to balance the budget. The proposed budget uses $343,788 of surplus fund balance and $110,000 in reserves for capital purposes only as opposed to issuing debt. The Fiscal Year 2006/07 proposed budget is still lean and fiscally prudent irrespective of its 9.3% in expenditures. It contains a tax increase of 8.62% to provide reliable and consistent revenue to finance Village services

On the next screen, Mr. Williams said the budget that is proposed at 8.62% is largely similar to the one that is operating this year. I will review what the new initiatives are and try to help you distinguish how they are different from the prior year. Moody's rated the Village of Mount Kisco in March of 2005 as an “A1 rating with a positive outlook”. The proposed budget supports a policy that the financial team feels would support the continuation of the financial standing. Which is very important because we will eventually have to apply for long term financing for the new proposed Library in a year or two. Revenue fee charges were increased in last year's allocation period 2005/06. The proposed budget includes additional staffing and capital project items requested by a successor management team. Requested in 2006/07 are Superintendent of Public Works, a Water and Sewer Superintendent which is contained this year and a Director of Code Enforcement. It also provides more significantly a proposed five (5) year Capital Budget which includes many items requested by department heads and on our wish list. Fox Center Park Improvements includes a CDBG local match which is a project which is supposed to begin this summer. A Department of Public Works pick-up truck and a replacement garbage truck. A possible Vac All Truck which would be shared by contributions from the General, Water & Sewer Funds. Three Police cars included within their operating budget. The start of the Leonard Park Paving Project, the road at the park has deteriorated. A Water Department Utility Truck and a generator at Leonard Park. Sewer and Inflow & Infiltration Project due to surging of storm drains that flow to the Saw Mill River Sewer Pump Station which puts us in jeopardy of fines. $593,788 dollars from the General Fund which comprises the Capital project requests which includes for the very first time $250,000 in the Operating General Fund Budget from property taxes. This is a distinguishing difference from the prior year budget. The $343,788 comes from surplus fund balance. But the difference between 05/06 and 06/07 is the proposed budget puts in $250,000 of taxable property tax into the budget.

Mr. Williams explained on the next screen that Health Insurance Premiums increased 10.7%. Workers Compensation Premiums more so and medical costs increased 55%. The Village has a retainage of $75,000 per claim and the Village incurred a tremendous amount of claims in the prior year. The premiums really didn't go up 55% but our budget estimates from our carriers puts us in the predicament. The actual amount isn't that large but the percentage is. Everybody has read about the New York Power Authority telling us to budget a rate increase of 33%, the 10 (ten) year freeze by the Power Authority is over and Westchester County through its Director is going to negotiate with the Power Authority on behalf of the municipalities and come up with some sort of agreement during the year. Gasoline and diesel fuel and heating oil increased by 20.5%. This is a volatile area and there is no way to predict anything.

Mr. Williams explained Items of Interest. He said the voters approved an $8 million dollar referendum in November, 2005. There is no property tax impact this year, because nothing has been expended and so there is no effect on the General Operating budget. The sale of the former Swiss Benevolent Society property is pending. There are recommendations for restoring reserves from the Board to different accounts depending on open space and others. The proposed budget contains a five (5) year capital plan and at this time no debt to be issued for vehicles and equipment in accordance with the policy set forth by the Finance Committee and adopted by the Board of Trustees. There is a recommendation for a review and a fast tracking of the replacement of the Village Department of Public Works Facilities in order to protect the health, safety, welfare and liability of the Village relative to environmental issues. New personnel positions in the budget (Superintendent of Public Works, Director of Code Enforcement, a part time clerical position to support the code division. This is important because of the emphasis that could be better placed by having someone who could solely be retained just to handle Code Enforcement as a singular person with expertise in the field who could give summonses and in turn construct cases and work with the prosecutor towards a fair and equitable settlement. Labor contracts at present are unsettled all funds are in the contingency accounts. Water quality and distribution improvements were made and there are none proposed for the current budget year. In order to maintain debt and the goal was to try to present a stable water rate increase for at least a year. The Saw Mill Sewer Pump Station improvements should be scheduled some time in the near future. The proposed inflow and infiltration (I & I) project would reduce some of the storm water infiltration into the system. There are recommended sewers in the non-sewered areas, even if the scope of the project is reduced. The Assistant Village Manager will propose to you the use of East of Hudson Funds and some of those other EPA Funds in order to do recommended sewers in non-sewered areas in the near months to come. The Assistant Village Manager has worked very well with the Northern Westchester Hospital Center, which I am very proud of and is talking about receiving PILOT (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) payments and those discussions are on going. If funds are received and they can be bench marked they can be included to reduce the tax rate in the current 06/07 budget.

On the next visual Mr. Williams explained that now one could see the comparison between the prior year and the current year. General Government Support has an increase in it and Contingency has the amount for the labor contract settlements. A lot of these budgets look the same because there are no personnel costs in them. General Government Support has a new position in it. Transportation and Parks & Recreation are growing very modestly. Home and Community Services which is largely sanitation has not grown. One can see now that Employee Benefits and also the Inter Fund Transfers are becoming the largest components. This is indicative of the soaring costs of benefits, retirement, social security, medicare, life insurance, dental and other factors that we have. The Police Department budget has the existing component of 35 sworn officers. The Public Works Department has added one position (Superintendent of Public Works). The Engineering Department we maintain the outside contractual firm for the ensuing year. In the Building Department there is a Director of Code Enforcement and one part time Clerical support position.

Mr. Williams said the next chart (General Fund Appropriations) was meant to show a three-year look at the numbers and the percentage change from '05 to '06. He said General Government Support is up 25.5% that the contingency for labor settlements. He said Public Safety is flat 0.5%, Health is up 2%, Transportation is up 8.2%, Senior Nutrition is proposed to go up 6.9%, Parks and Recreation 4.6%, Home and Community Services level at -.3%, Town Functions at 2.0%, Employee Benefits this is only a component of it 3.6%, the larger portion of Interfund Transfers is up 29.8%. The over all percentage increase is 9.3%.

Mr. Williams said the next chart shows the Proposed General Fund Appropriations Percent by Functional Category as a pie chart. The largest pieces of the pie are Public Safety (25%) and Employee Benefits (19%), Inter Fund Transfers at (14%), General Government Support at (10%). This tells a picture of why resources are unstable and revenues can not match the growth of those areas.

Mr. Williams said the next chart shows percentage by type of expenditures. He said that personal services represent 43% including Contingencies; Employee Benefits are 19% indicating that we have 63% of the budget. Equipment is just 4%; Contractual Expenses could be anything from materials and supplies to electricity; Debt Service represents 6% of the General Fund Operating budget; and the transfer to the Library represents 5% of the General Fund Appropriations. Personal Services, including employee benefits, comprise 62% of the General Fund proposed budget.

Mr. Williams said the next chart depicts the revenues. He said between the current and the proposed with an 8.62% property tax. The amount of real property taxes to be levied is $991,618. This is where there is a difference between trying to fund the budget in that regard. We felt that certain items could be raised, Non-Property tax Revenue +$50,000; Departmental Income +$16,250, Intergovernmental Charges +$109,431, and for the very first time due to the rising interest rates, interest income is up and in the prior years interest income was almost non-existent due to the fact of extraordinary lower interest rates. License and Permits no increase. A significant obstacle in the budget was a realization that the Fines and Forfeitures which is based upon parking tickets and enforcement through the Justice Court will not make the fiscal year's estimate which had been rising. So reluctantly we had to cut that back $125,000. Had that not been cut back the proposed property tax rate would have been 7.5% rather than 8.62% with the same amount of dollars in it. Miscellaneous Revenues is up $10,000. State Aid we estimate is a whopping $24,500 - thank them in Albany. The Appropriated Fund Balance which is for Capital not for like in 05/06 the Swiss Benevolent Society Property in the Operating Budget. This gives you a grand total of General Fund Operating Expenditures of $1,571,587.00 for 06/07.

Mr. Williams said the next chart shows the revenues by category in a pie chart. It demonstrates that 67% of the Operating Revenues of the General Fund comes from property tax. Departmental Income, Licenses & Permits and Non-Property Tax Items represent the largest component at 8%; and the miscellaneous ones bring out the rest. You can clearly see that two-thirds of the budget comes from property taxes. This is the reason why taxes don't go up linearly because the other revenues in the budget may not be expanding and sometimes they can be contracting. We are trying to draw revenues from departmental income sources and some of them are producing income and others are not. The most difficult one is in the Court Administration at the present time.

Mr. Williams said the next chart shows the Library Fund Appropriations and Estimated Revenues Prior & Current Budgets vs. Proposed Budget. This is the Library Fund Budget as proposed except that we allocated the relocation expense to the capital budget and they requested $943,660. However, $71,000 of that is for one time relocation expenses. The sources that we proposed using were Local Sources, Transfer from the General Fund which is property tax or other revenues and the Staff felt that $71,000 in the Library's Appropriated Fund Balance would be appropriate to use rather than the bond issue. Giving the Library an operating increase of 9.4% (the $71,000 distorts the increase for this year).

Mr. Williams said the next chart lists the Water Fund. The bottom line on the Water Fund that it's up 0.6%, Water Administration is up 11.3%. Most other things are down. Interfund Transfers are down and Debt Service is up a small amount 3.6%. Employee Benefits are the largest increase 7.1%. Transmission & Distribution is up 5.6%. Part of the reason why some of these costs have gone down we renegotiated the Aquarion Contract and lowered it so we took advantage of some of those savings.

Mr. Williams showed on the next chart (Water Fund Appropriations Comparison) this clearly shows where your money is going on the water bill. It's in the Debt Service. So for the next 18 � years we will pay the Debt Service for extraordinary good water and the other costs (Water Administration, Source of Supply, Purification/Filtration, Trans./Distribution, Employee Benefits) hopefully it will not go up much or go down. Debt Services is a large amount for a small number of water users. Also included in our Debt Services are the improvements to our distribution system. The proposed 2006/07 budget does not initiate a project in the current year than we might be presented with a similar Debt Service for 07/08 and perhaps a similar increase or decrease in water rates.

Mr. Williams said Metered Water Sales are pretty much flat. There could be some increase in water billing but we won't know for sure because the water bills just went out and there could be some re-reads. We feel comfortable that we made our target in Other Revenues which is up 11.1%. The total Water Fund increase is 0.6%.

Mr. Williams said the Sewer Fund Appropriations is a smaller fund and it has some increases in equipment and costs and it's a little more difficult to hold the line in it. It represents only $756,673. There are some decreases but Interfund Transfers supporting positions are going to hit it for 14.7%. Metered Sewer Sales are reflective of what the water is those are largely a small increase. Other Revenues of $10,000 is little or nothing but the aggregate is a 6.0% increase. Our sewer rate is very small it's less than $10.00 per cubic foot. The I&I Program will support this budget. There are no major capital items included in the sewer budget for the Saw Mill River Pump Station for this year.

On the next screen Mr. Williams spoke about Debt Service. Debt Service is largely consistent to the prior year. There is a small increase in the Water Fund Debt Service. You can see the majority of the Debt Service is attributable to the Water and some to the Sewer. The General Fund has Debt Service of $1,320,350 which equates to a -0.3% decrease to the General Fund. Special Assessments are down 11.5%; Interest Earnings are up; Transfers from General Fund is down -1.0%; and there is no Appropriated Fund Balance.

Mr. Williams said that the annual Debt Service as a percentage of the Budget are declining. There was a high year in 2003/04 as a percentage of the budget (19.5%) when the filtration plant came on and now you can see that Debt Service has held constant and as the budget increases Debt Service as a percentage of the over all budget is declining to 12.4%.

Mr. Williams said the next screen shows the Ten Year Real Property Tax Rates. He would like to see property tax increases having a more leveling fund. I know the hard work this Board has done with its Finance Committee that it will work very hard to reduce this rate increase and how much controls the Staff has put into this to try to make it even better. I think the operating budget that will end 2005/06 will have a fund balance that is attributable to a team effort and from my perspective it was nice to be a part of that and to participate in that. Most of you in this room get the credit for all of that because you worked hard, putting in the weekends and the nights and the controls and Tom Warren deserves a lot of credit for this. Thank you.

Mr. Williams showed a chart on the Capital Projects Budget. He said that he hoped that some of these items survived. Some of these items have already been projected and there are reserves for: Village Hall Roof & Cupola has a $225,000 Reserve Fund (if it is not done under the cell tower proposal); The Operating Budget has three Police Cruisers project for the ensuing year $105,000; the Department of Public Works replace two Pick-up trucks with plow $60,000 from Reserves; a Vac All Truck (shared by the General, Water and Sewer Fund) at $100,000; Garbage Trucks can be reimbursed from State aid which we have applied for but they have an aggregate acquisition cost of $165,000 and there should be a replacement schedule because they are all going to come due at once if we don't buy one soon; Street and Curb Maintenance is a combination of CHIPS ($65,000) and $35,000 from the General Fund; Library $8,000,000 Serial Bonds; Temporary Location of $71,000 from Reserves; Fox Center Area Improvements $238,809 Westchester County Community Development Block Grant Funds and it requires a General Fund contribution of $243,788. The Building and Grounds Committee has said that the Driveway & Parking Lot Areas of Leonard Park are deplorable we thought we would start with $50,000 a year plus additional future year financing of up to $150,000. We were told that the Tea House Wall replacement is in dire need of replacement and $45,000 is included in the General Fund to make that project happen. In the Water Department a utility truck with plow was requested. A Vac All Truck share of $50,000; a generator for Radio Circle $35,000; a water meter outside transmitter replacement at the filtration plant for $15,000. At the Sanitary Sewer Inflow & Infiltration which would be contract costs to re-line and seal and remove inflow, rebuild sewer catch basins that are subjected to infiltration for $85,000 and the Val All Truck (Sewer Fund Share) of $50,000.

Mr. Williams thanked the Mayor and Board of Trustee for giving him the opportunity to present the budget to the Board. Mr. Williams wanted to personally recognize Thomas Warren tonight for being one of the best finance officers he has ever had the pleasure of working for. Mr. Williams was very delighted that the Board has Mr. Warren here and he felt very comfortable with Mr. Warren working with the Board. The Board will have exceptional budgets as long as Tom Warren is Treasurer of Mount Kisco and I thank him very much.

Mayor Cindrich thanked Mr. Williams for the presentation.

Trustee Markus asked why the revenues from the Court Administration were down about $150,000 (20%), was there any basis behind that.

Mr. Williams replied that the PEO's issue tickets and we do not have any control over the disposition of them. The Judges will tell you there is a large degree of uncollected parking revenues and V/T revenues that has not been collected. The Town Justices have asked the Village Board of Trustees for a workshop session and this issue needs to be discussed with them. A few years ago we were able to work with a firm and get a back log addressed and there was an increase in that regard. But we seem to have less written tickets overall and our revenues are down in that regard. Mr. Williams stated that it was not one thing, it was a combination.

Trustee Markus asked why the Water Revenues were constant if there was an increase in the water rate wouldn't there be an increase in the water revenue.

Mr. Williams replied that we don't have a rate increase proposed in this budget. In 05 there was a rate increase there wasn't one in March, 2005. When the Treasurer proposed the increase he proposed a minimum increase to meet the basic overall budget.

Trustee Markus noted that consumption was down and that was basically one of the main reasons why the revenues stayed constant.

Mr. Williams replied that some of it could be that although I thought that we had a fair degree of consumption this summer and I'm told that our consumption for this winter season is very high. But those figures we don't have yet, they are not accurate enough to use as an estimate.

Mayor Cindrich noted that conservation is becoming more attractive with the higher water rates.

Mayor Cindrich asked about the I&I reduction. I know we are investigating whether East of Hudson funds could be used for any of the I&I work.

Mr. Williams replied that no, the monies cannot be used and the proposal that the Assistant Manager has before the Board is to solely use it for sewer construction because there is a June 1^st deadline. However, Dolph Rotfeld is appealing this decision.

Mayor Cindrich noted that the money allocated for the cupola maybe off set if we are successful in our negotiations with the wireless company.

Mr. Williams noted that that was correct. The monies were set a side in reserves by a prior Board.

Mayor Cindrich asked if the Fox Center Improvements were a necessity this year.

Mr. Williams replied yes, because the Village of Mount Kisco received CDBG money in 2006. Westchester County is not sure if there will be any CDBG money in October.

Mayor Cindrich asked if anyone from the public would like to address any issue or a general issue or a specific issue.

There was no comment from the public.

Mayor Cindrich stated that the Board had been debating a number of issues. We have to schedule additional meetings with certain department heads. We have a request from the Justice Court to meet with the two Judges. They have issues one that Trustee Markus raised with unpaid parking tickets they are also addressing other issues which includes security needs. Mayor Cindrich stated that he was concerned with the rapid deprecation of the DPW Equipment because the Village did not have a suitable structure for washing and storing of the equipment. Right now, our equipment is stored outdoors in the weather and it is very difficult to clean after a snow storm and the equipment deteriorates rather fast. So as a Board we are going to have to address whether we invest in the equipment or rebuild/build an adequate highway facility. We have a lot of open issues and we have some work to do over the next several weeks.

Trustee Markus stated that this Board and the Staff have worked very well in being very fiscally responsible. I think there would be much greater tax increases and less efficiency in the government if it wasn't for the hard work of the Board and Staff in working with our request we wouldn't be fiscally responsible and I know that's difficult sometimes because we all want to spend more for more services and more things but sometimes it's the reality of the inflationary trend of the various costs that we can't control such as Health Insurance, Pension Costs and mandates. We have to strike the best balance that we can to provide services and to keep the increases in taxes to a minimum. One of the areas that I think is important is Code Enforcement and I think we need to continue to provide resources to that area in order to address quality of life issues in the Village.

Mayor Cindrich noted that one of the major burdens that this generation has is the filtration plant. The fact is that we are paying down this significant debt for a small Village without any subsidy from the State and Federal Government. We are paying down this debt over a twenty year period.

Village Treasurer, Thomas Warren replied when the debt was issued through the Environmental Facilities Corporation they only allowed up to a twenty years bond even though the life of the filtration plant hopefully would extend beyond the twenty years. Currently there is a covenant on the bond that we cannot refinance it for the first nine years. So we have about another seven years before we could consider refinancing the bond at a lower interest and possibly over a longer period of time.

Mayor Cindrich noted that the Village is requiring people to pay for the services they use that are extraordinary. We are protecting the people that request minimal services from the government and that goes for building permit fees, special fees any fee that is out there. I think we are on the right track because people that are on fixed incomes that don't require extra services we have to protect them to keep this Village whole.

Mayor Cindrich stated that another item that is significant that they are working on was the not for profit people and tax exempt people in the Village was the pilot program (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) for services they actually use and they are significant. This is important that the small tax payer is not supporting some of the not for profits by an unfair burden of paying for the sum of the services the not for profits may use. We are working on that initiative to make this community an affordable community to live in which we do have affordable housing and we do have the high end covering the full spectrum.

Trustee Griffin, Jr. stated that in the next two weeks we will give this budget a hard look in attempt to reduce the tax increase. If we can reduce some of the costs and/or do things more efficiently we will do it.

Trustee Grunthal stated that we need to crunch the numbers and he thought that it was a very effective budget in many ways. Many of the line items that might have increased more did not increase. I think overall the budget has been very conservatively done. Most importantly there is no additional debt being incurred with one small exception which needs to be looked at very carefully. We are operating within the parameters that the Finance Committee set and this Board approved, which I think is very satisfactory. I can see about $200,000 or $300,000 of reductions without reducing services here. I don't want to see an increase as large as the one that is being proposed. We have some work to do, but overall I think we are off to an excellent start thanks to our staff.

Mayor Cindrich thanked Village Manager Williams for putting together this package and for assembling the team. There are a number of innovative ideas and they are working well for the Village.

Mayor Cindrich thanked Jim Palmer, Tom Warren, Patti Hogan and Tom Schneider from the Finance Committee for their input.

The following motion was offered by Trustee Markus and seconded by Trustee Grunthal to close the public hearing on the 2006/2007 proposed budget leaving it open for written comment from the public until close of business on Thursday, April 20, 2006, all in favor.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Grunthal Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

REGULAR BOARD MEETING

1) Communications:

A. Letter from the Church of St. Francis of Assisi re: Way of the Cross on Good Friday.

Motion made by Mayor Cindrich and seconded by Trustee Grunthal approving the request of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi re: Way of the Cross to be held on April 14, 2006 Good Friday , all in favor.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Grunthal Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

B. Letter from William P. Hegan re: vacancy on the Leonard Park Committee.

Motion made by Mayor Cindrich and seconded by Trustee Markus scheduling an informal interview for the vacancy on the Leonard Park Committee for Monday, April 24, 2006 at 7:25 pm, all in favor.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Grunthal Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

C. Letter from MKESA re: Second Annual “Captain Merritt's Hill Historic Home Tour”.

Motion made by Trustee Markus and seconded by Trustee Griffin, Jr., approving the request to hold the second annual “Captain Merritt's Hill Historic Home Tour” on Friday, May 19, 2006 from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm , all in favor.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Grunthal Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

2) Petitions: None.

3) Board, Committee and Commission Reports: None.

4) Village Manager's Reports -

A. Level of Byram Lake and Water Distribution System.

Mr. Williams, Village Manager advised that the level of Byram Lake is at 98.3%. The March, 2006 Pumpage Readings were 1,390,304 solely from Byram Lake.

B. Blue Dot Inc. - Byram Lake Monthly Report - March, 2006.

Month Total Rain 0.72

Month Max Level 0.15

Month Min. Level -0.31

Month Max Capacity 100.6

Month Min. Capacity 98.1

5) Board Reports

Mayor Cindrich stated that he reviewed a report by one of our Police Officers having do to with code violations and he thought the report was clear and conscience and exceptionally well done and he thanked the Police Department and the Officer for this effort.

Mayor Cindrich stated that the Little League was coming up this month and that he was working with the Police Chief and the Recreation Department to reduce the cost of this parade.

Mayor Cindrich reminded the Board about the upcoming Memorial Day Parade and to please register to march in the parade.

Mayor Cindrich asked the Village Manager to follow-up on the Mark Vigliotti Eagle Scout project with regards to the Village Engineers memorandum.

Mayor Cindrich stated that the letter the Board of Trustees had received from the New York Power Authority was very disturbing regarding the anticipated rate increases in the year 2007. The Village of Mount Kisco uses the NYPA for all Village owned buildings. This rate increase is something that will have to be addressed in the budget.

Avenue

Mayor Cindrich stated with regard to Keith Ferguson's request for a stop sign on Hillside Avenue perhaps Village Staff could explore the idea of making Hillside Avenue a one way street and a work session be set up to discuss this option with the residents that signed the petition.

Mayor Cindrich requested that Mr. William Glover's letter written on behalf of the Club Scouts regarding a memorial tree planting be sent to the Recreation Commission in concert with the Leonard Park Committee for further review. The Village Board is in support of any donation being made to the Village.

6) Old Business - None.

7) New Business

A. Resolution approving the 2005 Length of Service Award Program - (LOSAP) Addendum.

The following resolution was made by Trustee Grunthal and seconded by Trustee Markus approving the 2005 Length of Service Award Program Addendum.

Be it resolved, the Board of Trustees, as sponsors of the Length of Service Award Program, (LOSAP) for the Mount Kisco Volunteer Fire Department, approve the additional service credit for past qualified service due active volunteer firefighter Richard Alexander for calendar year 2005, as certified by Mount Kisco Volunteer Fire Department Length of Service Award Program Committee, all in favor.

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Grunthal Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

B. Resolution authorizing the Village Manager to sign the proposal from Insite Engineering for Engineering & Planning Services for the Mount Kisco Library.

Mayor Cindrich requested that this item be table. He was more than satisfied with this proposal from Insite Engineering. However, he wanted to have the construction manager on board prior to authorizing this agreement.

C. Resolution approving the Croton Point Sanitary Landfill Joint Defense Agreement.

The following resolution was made by Trustee Markus and seconded by Trustee Griffin, Jr. approving the Croton Point Sanitary Landfill Joint Defense Agreement dated March 30, 2006 in the amount of $2,500 and that there be an opt out clause if the Village was not satisfied with the legal defense, all in favor.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Grunthal Nay

Trustee Markus Aye

D. Schedule a public hearing re: Cabaret Application Appeal Denial for Bellizzi Family Fun Restaurant located at 153 E. Main Street.

The following motion was made by Mayor Cindrich and seconded by Trustee Markus scheduling a public hearing re: Cabaret Application Appeal Denial for Bellizzi Family Fun Restaurant located at 153 E. Main Street for Monday, May 8, 2006 at 7:15 pm to be held in the Village Board Room located at Village Hall, 104 Main Street; Mount Kisco, NY 10549, all in favor.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Grunthal Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

Motion made by Mayor Cindrich and seconded by Trustee Griffin, Jr. scheduling an Executive Session immediately following this evenings Regular Meeting to discuss pending litigation, personnel and real estate matters, all in favor.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Trustee Grunthal Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

8) Bills -

Resolution to Approve Bills

The following resolution was offered by Trustee Grunthal and seconded by Trustee Markus.

BE IT RESOLVED, the Village Treasurer is hereby authorized to release payments to the vendors and totaling as follows:

General Fund $128,581.64

General Fund Claims $123,218.74

Water Fund Claims 3,395.37

Sewer Fund Claims 1,967.53

Library Fund Claims 0.00

Trust Fund Claims 0.00

Senior Nutrition Program 40.00

Water and Sewer Funds 92,421.82

Water Fund Claims 90,674.39

Sewer Fund Claims 1,747.43

Library Fund 1,736.61

Capital Projects Fund 1,723.25

Trust in Agency Fund 29,060.05

____________

TOTAL $253,567.37

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Grunthal Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

9) Approval of Minutes -

Motion made by Trustee Markus and seconded by Trustee Griffin, Jr. hereby approving the Regular Meeting Minutes of March 27, 2006, all in favor.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Grunthal Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

10) Non-Local Business - None.

11) Public Comment - None.

Mayor Cindrich wished everyone a Happy Easter and a good Passover Season coming up and I hope everybody takes an opportunity to reflect on life as it exists and we can move forward.

There being no further business to come before the Board a motion to close the meeting at 10:00 pm was made by Mayor Cindrich and seconded by Trustee Griffin, Jr., all in favor.

______________________________________

William F. Williams, Village Manager and Clerk

Public Hearing on the 2006/2007 Proposed Budget and

Regular Village Board Meeting 4/10/06 1.

Created by pmaiorano. Last modified 2006-04-25 08:54:38.