Village Board Meeting Minutes - June 2, 2008

Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village/Town of Mount Kisco held on Monday, June 2, 2008 at 7:30 pm in the Frank J. DiMicco Board Room, Village Hall, 104 Main Street, Mount Kisco, New York.

Present: Mayor J. Michael Cindrich

Deputy Mayor DiChiara

Trustee Griffin, Jr.

Trustee Anthony Markus

Also Present: James Palmer, Village Manager/Clerk

Whitney Singleton, Village Attorney

Absent Trustee Peter Grunthal

Mayor Cindrich opened the Village Board Meeting. He asked everyone to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance and asked everyone to please reflect on why we are here and ask for guidance in the decisions that we make here this evening that they may benefit all the people of Mount Kisco.

1) Communications:

A. HSBC Bank Gift Presentation.

Mr. Charles Pieragostini, Superintendent of Recreation introduced to the Mayor and Board of Trustees Mr. John Amadio, Branch Manager of the Mount Kisco HSBC Bank.

Mr. John Amadio, Branch Manager of HSBC Bank stated that the Mount Kisco Parks and Recreation Department had been selected to receive a check in the amount $10,000 as part of the HSBC Challenge Tour Grant for a community based project. The monies will go to the J. Edward Fox Memorial Park.

B. Letter from Dee Roider re: Vacancy on the Board of Assessment Review.

Mayor Cindrich read the email from Dee Roider dated May 21, 2008 regarding her interest in serving on the Board of Assessment Review.

2) Petitions:

Mayor Cindrich stated that he had a number of signatures in the form of a petition that he was going to bring up under Board Reports concerning activity at the Boys and Girls Club.

3) Board, Committee and Commission Reports: None.

4) Village Manager's Reports -

A. Level of Byram Lake and Water Distribution System.

Village Manager Palmer reported that the level of Byram Lake as of 9:00 am this morning was at 99% of capacity.

Village Manager Palmer reminded residents that this Friday, June 6^th (1 to 3pm) and Saturday, June 7^th (9am to 3pm) Westchester County will once again be sponsoring one of their Household Chemical Clean-Up Days.

Village Manager Palmer reminded residents that this Saturday, June 7^th Senator Leibell and Assemblyman Bradley will be holding a community forum here in Village Hall from 10:30 am to 12:00 noon.

Mr. Anthony Oliveri, Project Coordinator with Rotfeld Engineering gave the Mayor and Board of Trustees an update on the Hillside/Sands Water Main Improvement Project.

D. Request for an Executive Session to discuss pending litigation, personnel and real estate matters.

Motion made by Trustee Markus and seconded by Trustee Griffin, Jr. scheduling an Executive Session following the close of this Regular Meeting to discuss pending litigation, personnel and real estate matters, all in favor.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Deputy Mayor DiChiara Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

5) Board Reports:

Trustee Griffin Jr. reported that the Memorial Day Parade was held last Friday. We had a lovely parade and that there was a great turn out. We had the students from the Mount Kisco Elementary School participating in the parade and it really brought a lot of life to the parade. We had refreshments afterwards at the American Legion Hall. I think it was a very successful parade.

Deputy Mayor DiChiara reported on a meeting that Trustee Markus and he attended with a committee of local residents (Pat Morrissey, Marilyn Hyatt and Richard Hooker) to discuss putting some affordable housing for emergency responders and other volunteers on Maple Avenue. We had our first committee meeting and we met with Community Housing Initiatives and we discussed different housing plans and different target groups and what funding is available for the Village of Mount Kisco so we can build some lower cost affordable housing for our volunteers. We are going to meet with some other affordable housing builders. As this committee goes forward I will make sure that I keep the Board and the public informed. This project is so important because we need to make sure that we keep our first responders in Mount Kisco. This housing project would be affordable housing that would be owner occupied. So in addition to allowing the first responders to own their homes in Mount Kisco it would also bring home ownership to Maple Avenue to hopefully improve the street. This committee was started at the direction of the Mayor and Trustee Markus and I hope to bring some recommendations to the Board and hopefully we will be able to move forward.

Deputy Mayor DiChiara stated that one of the personnel matters the Board was going to be discussing in Executive Session tonight was the negotiations with the Police Union. That contract is already one year over due and the last contract was approximately 3 or 4 years past due. The Police Contract expired one year ago and as of this day we still don't have a list of demands from the Police Union. We are trying to negotiate in good faith to the best of our ability to make sure we can give a fair contract to our Police who unfortunately are behind because we don't even have a list of demands from them so we can't even really negotiate. Also we've had quite a few grievances. We had a grievance that was won by the Village on a certain issue and now that grievance is being brought up again as a similar issue. It frustrating because we are trying to do the best for the workers of the Town to make sure they are well paid and well compensated so that they provide the best service they can to Mount Kisco and unfortunately we are being stymied and I'm not exactly sure why. So hopefully when we talk to our labor counsel tonight we can get to the heart of the matter and hopefully move forward with our Police Union.

Mayor Cindrich reported that he had a meeting with County Legislature Peter Harckham and the Town Supervisor of Bedford Lee Roberts. We set down some common goals and objectives for the upcoming few months that have to deal with water issues, open space issues and potential developments that may affect the residents of both communities. I think it was a beneficial meeting and we are going to try to meet more often and hopefully resolve certain issues.

We have quite a full agenda this summer with the work that Trustee Markus has been doing on the proposed Sign Ordinance. We have a lighting proposal that the Planning Board has been working extremely hard on and we also have zoning amendments. We are going to commence the public hearings on some of these items in June and we will probably discuss them over the summer. We might take action on them in June, or maybe not. But we will not continue the public hearings over the summer because we want to make sure that we get input from the public which is important to us. We want to make sure that nobody is on vacation and they are not aggrieved that they did not have an opportunity to comment. That public hearing is going to start next week. We'll circulate the information and get it out on the website and also with hard copy handouts.

Many residents and non-residents are aware that the Northern Westchester Boys and Girls Club of the Village/Town of Mount Kisco made a business decision regarding the adult swim program and I accept their business decision and I am not trying to influence their business decision. But a number of residents have written to me, emailed, called, and approached me on the street. He has to indicated to both the Boys and Girls Club and residents and non-residents, if the Boys Club opted to change their business plan and we can assist in anyway, we will do so. He has personally conveyed that message to Brian Skanes, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club. He read a letter from Rob Himmes regarding this issue. He stated again this is a business decision by the Boys and Girls Club. If the Boys and Girls Club wants the help of this Village I have extended the olive branch to them to help our local residents. I haven't approached the Recreation Commission or Recreation Department but the option set forth in this letter maybe viable. I probably have 50 emails and letters, along with the petition of 400 people I tried answering as many people as I can but obviously I can't reach them all. We care and we are concerned. We will work with the Boys and Girls Club, we will work with the adult swimmers. I don't think offering our pool program, which is saturated right now is a viable solution. But again if the Boys and Girls Club wants our assistants we will be glad to do so.

Mayor Cindrich read a letter from Joan Stewart regarding the Mount Kisco Ancient Fife and Drum Corps, recent visit to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. Mrs. Stewart stated that “the Corps was a tribute to both the Fire Department and the Village of Mount Kisco. It was an honor for the Corps to be invited to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the Colonial Williamsburg Fife and Drum Corps. The Corps members had fun, yet showed their skills, both marching and playing in the parade, and while performing along on the Village Green. The chaperones and I were so proud watching the Corps. We don't always hear about the good qualities in our youth today, but this group is well worth praising.” The Village Board of Trustees extended their praise to the Fife and Drum Corps. They were in our Memorial Day Parade and they were extremely impressive.

Mayor Cindrich echoed the sentiments of Deputy Mayor DiChiara regard the PBA negotiations. This protracted labor negotiation format that the Village of Mount Kisco uses is extremely expensive. Instead of doing it with the members and the Village Manager they opted to do it with legal representation. But we are into the second year of negotiations and we still do not have demands and this is not fair to the Village and I don't think it is fair to the majority of the union members.

6) Old Business -

A. Resolution canceling the Public Hearing re: Zoning Moratorium.

Motion made by Deputy Mayor DiChiara and seconded by Trustee Griffin, Jr. canceling the Public Hearing regarding a Zoning Moratorium, all in favor

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Deputy Mayor DiChiara Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

B. Resolution scheduling a Public Hearing re: Proposed Zoning Changes.

Motion made by Mayor Cindrich and seconded by Trustee Griffin, Jr. scheduling a public hearing regarding Proposed Zoning Changes for Monday, June 30, 2008 at 7:30 pm, all in favor.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Deputy Mayor DiChiara Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

7) New Business

A. Resolution to authorize Use of Capital Reserve Moneys.

Motion made by Trustee Markus and seconded by Trustee Griffin, Jr. authorizing the Use of Moneys from the Capital Reserve Fund as follows:

Resolution for Use of Moneys from Capital Reserve Fund.

Whereas, the Board of Trustees established a Capital Reserve Fund in January 2002 to finance all or part of the cost of construction, reconstruction or acquisition or capital improvements or acquisition of equipment, and

Whereas, the Village's fiscal year 2008/2009 adopted budget provided for the use of Capital Reserve Fund moneys for, among others items, the following purposes:

(1) Pick-up trucks and plows (2) for DPW $56,560

(2) Vacuum leaf collector for DPW 26,000

(3) Fuel tank replacement at DPW 60,000

(4) Garbage truck for Refuse & Sanitation 210,000

$352,650

Whereas, the use of such Capital Reserve Fund moneys is authorized for such purposes in accordance with Section 6-c of the General Municipal Law, now therefore,

Be it resolved, the Board of Trustees hereby authorizes the use of $352,650 from the Capital Reserve Fund for the aforementioned purposes.

This resolution is adopted subject to permissive referendum.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Deputy Mayor DiChiara Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

Resolution for Use of Moneys from Sewer Capital Reserve Fund

Motion made by Trustee Markus and seconded by Trustee Griffin, Jr. authorizing the Use of Moneys from the Capital Reserve Fund as follows:

Whereas, the Board of Trustees established a Sewer Capital Reserve Fund in August 2006 to finance all or part of the cost of construction reconstruction or acquisition of sewer capital improvements or acquisition of sanitary sewer equipment, and

Whereas, the Village fiscal year 2008/2009 adopted budget provided for the use of Sewer Capital Reserve Funds to, among other items, expend $90,000 replace the roof at the Saw Mill Sewer Pump Station, and

Whereas, the use of such Sewer Capital Reserve Fund moneys is authorized for such purpose in accordance with Section 6-c of the General Municipal Law, now therefore,

Be it resolved, the Board of Trustees hereby authorizes, the use of $90,000 from the Sewer Capital Reserve Fund towards the roof replacement at the Saw Mill Sewer Pump Station capital project.

This resolution is adopted subject to permissive referendum.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Deputy Mayor DiChiara Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

B. Appointment to the Board of Assessment Review Board.

Motion made by Deputy Mayor DiChiara and seconded by Trustee Griffin, Jr. appointing Dee Roider to the Board of Assessment Review for a 5 year term to expire on September 30, 2013, , all in favor.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Deputy Mayor DiChiara Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

Mayor Cindrich requested that a joint work session with the Planning Board be schedule for the 18^th or 19^th of June to discuss the proposed Illumination Guidelines.

Mayor Cindrich read the following resolution supporting the policy of purchasing fuel efficient vehicles.

Be it resolved that the Village Board of the Village/Town of Mount Kisco is committed to conserving fuel and reducing global warming, and

Therefore, an effort will be made by Village/Town of Mount Kisco Department Heads to research and recommend for purchase, vehicles that are considered fuel efficient, and

Therefore, a committee consisting of the Village Manager, the Mayor and the respective Department Heads will study alternative vehicles and made recommendations to the Village Board before vehicles are approved for purchase.

Motion made by Mayor Cindrich and seconded by Trustee Markus adopting the above referenced resolution supporting the policy of purchasing fuel efficient vehicles, seconded by Trustee Markus.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Deputy Mayor DiChiara Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

F. Resolution authorizing the Village Manager to notify probationary employee Sheri Citrone of her termination.

The following motion was made by Mayor Cindrich and seconded by Deputy Mayor DiChiara authorizing the Village Manager to notify probationary employee Sheri Citrone, that she is hereby terminated as of June 10, 2008, all in favor.

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Deputy Mayor DiChiara Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

8) Bills -

The following motion was offered by Deputy Mayor DiChiara and seconded by Trustee Griffin, Jr. to pay the bills, all in favor.

General Fund $172,363.72

General Fund Claims 166,768.26

Water Fund Claims 4,774.81

Sewer Fund Claims 68.27

Library Fund Claims 752.38

Senior Nutrition Program 4,761.82

Water and Sewer Fund 37,012.46

Library Fund 662.41

Capital Projects Fund 44,902.28

Trust and Agency Fund 16,121.42

TOTAL $ 275,824.11

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Deputy Mayor DiChiara Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

9) Approval of Minutes -

Motion made by Trustee Griffin, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Markus approving the following:

Regular Meeting May 19, 2008

Motion Adopted

Mayor Cindrich Aye

Deputy Mayor DiChiara Aye

Trustee Griffin, Jr. Aye

Trustee Markus Aye

10) Non-Local Business - None

11) Public Comment -

Mrs. Joyce Wall stated that she would like to know if the “vest pocket park” was ever dedicated as park land that Village Manager Ledger put on Maple Avenue in 1974 or 1975.

Deputy Mayor DiChiara replied that that was a question he had asked Village Manager Palmer a while ago and it was researched and nothing could be found in the records that dedicated that property as park land.

There being no further business to come before the Board a motion to close the meeting was made by Trustee Markus and seconded by Trustee Grunthal, all in favor. 8:30 pm.

__________________________

James M. Palmer

Village Manager and Clerk

Regular Meeting June 2, 2008 3.

Created by pmaiorano. Last modified 2008-06-17 12:48:58.