Village Board of Trustees
Regular Meeting
March 15, 2007
7:30 p.m.
A Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Briarcliff Manor, New York was held in the Village of Briarcliff Manor Village Hall, at 1111 Pleasantville Road, Briarcliff Manor, New York of the 15thof March commencing at 7:30 p.m.
Present
William J. Vescio, Mayor
David Venditti, Deputy Mayor
Robert Mayer, Trustee
Elsie Smith, Trustee
Also Present
Michael Blau, Village Manager
Ingrid Richards, Assistant Village Manager
Clinton Smith, Village Attorney
Christine Dennett, Village Clerk
Absent
Gayle Waxenberg, Trustee
Board of Trustees Announcements
§ Stash the Trash will be held on April 28, 2007 at the Youth Center on Van lu Van Road from 10:00am to 3:00pm. The rain date will be the following day.
§ Election Day is Tuesday, March 20, 2007 from 6:00am to 9:00pm.
Village Managers Report
§ There would be road closures due to the Ramp X work on Route 9a.
§ Con Edison’s tree trimming program would begin. The program is more aggressive than in the past and in many situations trees would be removed. The first loop would be in the Tree Streets and the general vicinity.
Public Comments
Mr. Clay Tiffany of Hall Road stated the Board was obligated to put in the minutes what he said. He stated he wanted mandatory psychiatric testing for all BMPD members. He stated there were many police officers out on sick leave and asked why they were still employed. He stated a Briarcliff Manor parent attended a high school basketball game and threatened a Putnam Valley parent and he should have been arrested. He further stated he wanted an autopsy done if he died. He stated he’d been having chest pains and if his death was the result of his repeated beatings, Officer Tartaglione could be tried for murder. He stated the campaign literature distributed by the Board had lies.
Change Date of Meeting
Upon motion by Deputy Mayor Venditti, seconded by Trustee Smith, the Board voted unanimously to change the meeting regularly scheduled for April 5, 2007 to April 2, 2007.
Schedule Public Hearing: Amendment to Chapter 45, Planning Board – Deliberations by Alternate Planning Board Member
Upon motion by Trustee Smith, seconded by Trustee Mayer, the Board voted unanimously to approve the following resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED that a Public Hearing is hereby scheduled for April 2, 2007 to hear and discuss an amendment to the Code of the Village of Briarcliff Manor, Chapter 45, Planning Board, to provide for participation in deliberations by Alternate Planning Board members.
Authorize Village Manager to proceed to bid for the Library Expansion Project
Village Manager Blau reviewed the past and current site plans with the Board.
Mayor Vescio requested the Board review the bid documents and that a library construction committee meeting be scheduled.
Mr. Clay Tiffany stated in his opinion the library referendum vote was based on all residents paying equally and if a separate library district was created it would invalidate the election.
Village Manager Blau stated it would have to be researched.
Mayor Vescio stated the referendum was for a monetary amount and the Board sent the letter to the Library Board to open a discussion.
Mr. Tiffany asked Village Attorney Smith to cut through the legalese. He stated if the public at large had been misled wouldn’t it invalidate the vote.
Village Attorney Smith stated he couldn’t directly answer Mr. Tiffany’s question but a vote was taken and it would stand.
Ms. Ellen Melnick of 333 North State Road asked when the construction would begin on the Library.
Mayor Vescio stated the architect was delivering the 90% plans tomorrow and soon after the existing temporary trailer would be removed and sent to the Department of Public Works for use as more office space.
Upon motion by Trustee Mayer, seconded by Deputy Mayor Venditti, the Board voted unanimously to approve the following resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Manager is hereby authorized and directed to proceed to bid for the Library expansion project.
Authorize Village Manager to execute agreement with Westchester County - Garden Project at Route 9a and North State Rd
Trustee Smith stated the project was part of the Beautification Committee’s initiative and hopefully everyone would enjoy it.
Upon motion by Deputy Mayor Venditti, seconded by Trustee Smith, the Board voted unanimously to approve the following resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Manager is hereby authorized and directed to execute a license agreement with Westchester County to construct and maintain a garden on the property adjacent to Route 9A at the intersection of North State Road.
Tax Certiorari, 345 North State Road
Upon motion by Trustee Smith, seconded by Trustee Mayer, the Board voted unanimously to approve the following resolution:
WHEREAS, a Consent Judgment was issued for the property at 345 North State Road owned by Briarcliff Manor Associates; and
WHEREAS, the tax certiorari filing is for Town of Ossining assessment years 2002 through 2005; and
WHEREAS, the Consent Judgment reduced the tax assessment for the subject property for each year requested; and
WHEREAS, the assessment for the tax year associated with the Village’s fiscal year 2006-07 has been reduced on the assessment roll.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees does hereby authorize the payment of tax abatements for Fiscal Years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 in the following amounts based upon the reduced assessment values in the Consent Judgment:
FY 03-04 |
$5,597.47 |
FY 04-05 |
$7,037.69 |
FY 05-06 |
$9,333.48 |
Total Abatement |
$21,968.64 |
Close Inactive Capital Projects to Debt Service
Upon motion by Trustee Mayer, seconded by Deputy Mayor Venditti, the Board voted unanimously to approve the following resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees does hereby authorize the transfer of outstanding and unused funds from various Capital projects to Debt Service.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the amount to be transferred totals $207,502.39 and is reflected on a budget transfer sheet to be authorized by the Village Manager per the direction of the Board of Trustees.
Award of Contract – Edward M. Weinstein Architecture & Planning, P.C.
Village Manager Blau stated the firm came highly recommended and had done a lot of work throughout Westchester County.
Upon motion by Deputy Mayor Venditti, seconded by Trustee Smith, the Board voted unanimously to approve the following resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Manager is hereby authorized and directed to execute a Professional Service Agreement with Edward M. Weinstein Architecture & Planning, P.C. to provide planning, engineering and design services in connection with a fishing platform and shoreline stabilization project in Scarborough Park per their proposal totaling $24,000.
Minutes
Upon motion by Trustee Smith, seconded by Trustee Mayer, the Board voted unanimously to approve the minutes of February 1, 2007 as amended.
Upon motion by Trustee Mayer, seconded by Deputy Mayor Venditti, the Board voted unanimously to approve the minutes of March 1, 2007 as amended.
Adjournment
Upon motion by Deputy Mayor Venditti, seconded by Trustee Smith, the Board voted unanimously to adjourn the regular meeting at 8:15pm.
Respectfully submitted by,
Christine Dennett
| 