Town of Greenburgh
Work Session Agenda of the Greenburgh Town Board
Tuesday, April 29, 2008 (NO WORK SESSION THIS TUESDAY)
(All Work Sessions are Televised Live on Cablevision Channel 76, Verizon 32)
All Work Sessions are now streamed live.
1:15.m. Executive Session – Discussion – Candidates:
Energy Conservation Coordinator Position
1:30p.m. Cabrini Affordable Housing re: Main Street, Dobbs Ferry
1:45p.m. David Doynow—request to purchase a very small parcel of town land
2:00p.m. Parcel Q – Councilman Francis Sheehan
2:15p.m. TDYCC: Commissioner’s Salary, Job Advertisement,
Greenburgh Affordable Housing (Hastings, Knollwood Rd.
- Councilwoman Sonja Brown
2:45p.m. 2009 Forecast – Michael Kolesar, Comptroller
3:00p.m. Special Meeting
• Tree Decision - Broadview
• Tree Appeal Hearing – Old Army Road
• Appointment of Energy Conservation Coordinator
5:30p.m. Adjourn
May 6, 2008 Work Session – Tentative
• Philanthropy Department – Winsome Gordon
• GHA Account Receivable, 1st Quarter Financial Review, Internal Controls (findings to date), PBA: Dental Claim; PBA: Spousal Retiree Medical – Michael Kolesar
• May Visit, Bar Out List – Councilwoman Sonja Brown
• Tappan Zee Bridge – Murray Bodin
• Helene Orce: Edgemont Fire District
• Hevelyn Road
• Leaf Blower Ban Laws
Work Session Summary – Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Hevelyn Road
The Town of Greenburgh is considering a request to repave Hevelyn Road (located off of Knollwood Road) as the road has not been paved in over seventy years. The town has fixed potholes on the road for many years and has also provided snow removal/garbage collection services. Before the Board decides on the project, the Town and the Village of Elmsford must resolve the question regarding whether or not Highway Law 189 allows for the Town to “take-over” the specific road.
Bond Refinancing (AND BOND RATING UPGRADE TO AAA)
Town Comptroller, Michael Kolesar announced that the Town is “on-target” for a 5.2 million dollar serial bond refinancing which will save the tax payers 275K over an eight year period of time. (*Note – On Thursday, 4/17, Town Supervisor Paul Feiner was informed that the Town of Greenburg’s bond rating has been upgraded to AAA, the highest rating a municipality can receive from Standard & Poors Bond Rating Agency.) Less than 3% of all communities in the nation have AAA bond ratings.
Richard Greenspan Property Bridge Repair
A portion of the Town’s share for the repair of this bridge will come from FEMA.
Gerry Byne, Commissioner, Parks and Recreation requested to revisit this issue at the May 6th Work Session.
Theodore D. Young Community Center
The RFP, developed by Councilwoman Sonja Brown and Councilman Francis Sheehan, formerly approved by the Board, authorizing the solicitation of a consulting firm to conduct a needs assessment at TDYCC was presented in its final format. The job announcement for the TDYCC Commissioner’s position is now available on the Town website. Press releases will be sent to newspapers advertising the position. A salary range will be presented for Board discussion. Acting Commissioner Valerie Whitehead and staff presented a comprehensive overview of program currently offered at TDYCC.
UPDATE –WESTHAB-----I have spoken to representatives of WESTHAB. They are planning to downsize their proposed workforce housing proposal and will present the Town Board with a new plan within the next few weeks.
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43 comments:
A needs assessment at TDYCC???
How about an assessment of a 23% tax increase?
If the council wants more services at TDYCC they should first look at massive cuts at bloated police department and sanitation
Does the town subsidize Edgemont Day camp?
Reading what will be commented on at the next work session may I put my two cents in.
People purchase property here in Greenburgh to build themselves a home or if it's a large parcel to build a few homes.
Tell me how can one build without the removal of trees.
Has your board come up with a way to build homes on tree tops?
As far as the money that was given to Fairview fire department the same amount should have been given to the other fire district.
Here we show particular friendship
with the Fairview dept.and the hell with the others.
The money was to be used town wide,what is it that your board does not understand about the State Comptrollers ruling.
Now getting to the leaf blower ban.
Why not do some residents a favor instead of a leaf blower ban have residents bag their leaves.
I for one am tired of picking up all my neighbors leaves that the gardeners blow from one side to another.
This is the only way to have safe and clean roadways.
By the way how much money would be saved on overtime.
How much money would be saved in the replacement of curbing that is broken up in picking up the leaves by machines and then dumped in a truck?
You're not really looking at ways to save money,you want the public to think that you are all working for the benefit of the entire town,
Wrong.
You all seem to be afraid to do something that will make certain people mad,well you woke us up with a heavy tax for this year and you know darn well we will be looking at almost the same figure next year well here is a way of saving some money starting with the DPW.Another thing why does the town give leaf bags away each year.
You state that the town is giving away leaf bags which can be picked up at town hall. Is this reminder just to let the people know that there is a town hall ,why give something out for free that will not be used by the homeowner that is for leaves to be picked up by the town.
What's the story here?
Free bags but no law on the books for their use?
Too much attention is given to the center.
In the long run it will be costing tax payers more money because the center is not being run as a business that is bringing in revenue to cover expenses.
There's not enough money coming in to keep this place alive .
How can the taxpayers keep paying for all the whims of the users day after day.
What this place needs a good business manager not what we have now .
The recreation commissioner has too much on his plate and nothing is being done correctly other than spending more and more money.
Thank you for letting me give you some of my views as far as changes that could be made.
You see I didn't say anything about the PD. that's because you know what's going on but none of you have the guts to do what is right.
Shalom.
I like the town. I like the services. I like the supervisor. I like the Board. I like living here.
How many employees are allowed to take cars home? Can we put GPS on them? Monitor useage.
There is certainly more good coming out of Town Hall then bad.
Didn't the Town Board & Supervisor prohibit cars from being taken home? There are only 3 or 4 exceptions (don't recall who). The Supervisor uses his old car with the sign on top. It ain't a town car. He should get a new car.
And from todays Journal News, Greenburgh Police participated in a joint operation with other local police, where a police officer took out an ad in craigslist and made offers to provide sex for money. When the people responded to the ad they were arrested for attempting to use a prostitute.
Can anyone say entrapment?
Obviously we have too many Greenburgh police if they nothing better to do.
Kudo's to the entire town team for the impressive bond rating. Greenburgh is recognized by an independent and well respected independent bond rating agency for being one of the unique communities that has earned a triple A bond rating. This has to be good for property values.
The 23% tax increase will make a lot more impact than the bond rating. We need a massive reduction in taxes. The Police Department is bloated and Feiner doesnt care. Its in the B budget.
After seeing this weeks work session,.I was surprised to see the people who live in the affordable houses yell at one of the town board members as though he was dog do.
The nerve of these people ,instead of thanking the the town board for the help that they are receiving they argue over and over again obout what they want.
We want things too but we have no way of receiving freebees.
They get what they want and I would'nt be a bit surprised that they are the ones that would not produce their tax returns as proof of their income.
You know the more they get the more they want.
Now getting to what Kapica was saying about cutting out one or two of the programs that the police department runs,he has to cut expenses and since he does not want to touch anything internally he has to do away with these programs.
If Grants are available well and good if there are no grants I do not think it's fair for tax payers to pay for these programs
How many things must the taxpayers pay for that do not benefit the whole town.
Paul you have the Westhelp money that is to be used town wide,use that money and leave the taxpayer alone we're tired of paying for freebees..
.Your townboard seems to be concentrating very hard on the center and their needs.
If the center cannot bring in enough revenue to pay for its self plus some extra money to be used later close the dam place.We don't need it .
It's not being managed properly and if you do not get someone from the outside to check into what they are doing wrong it will cost taxpayers more and more each year.
When will this stop.
The community center is important. Programs offer our young people something constructive to do. If the town cuts down on programs and our kids hang out on the streets, we will have more gangs and crime. do not cut the community center.
I agree, lets stop picking on TDYCC. It has some great programs. Why is the Police Department untouchable? Increased salaries, OT, pensions? And Sanitaion and public works.
No one seems to want to cut expenditures,so where does that leave us. The center wants more money as do the departmnent heads which means we are back to square one.
The center is good but it is costing too much tax money. If it brought in some revenue i would say let it be,but it's always running in the red.HOW COME?
The center is not a good business endever .Outsiders should be paying much much more than THe commissioner Bryne's states.
He is not a good manager for not seeing beyond his nose.
The center needs money then raise all the fees for everyone.
NO EXCUSES. Freebees have got to stop.
Greenburgh has been running a charity is now almost in bankruptcy because of poor managerial skills.
Every department is demanded for more funds which right now is impossible.
So why must the center get all the attention and money. There are children throughout all of Greenburgh that take great advantages of school activities why can't the children that attend the center do the same.
Is this center also run as a daycare ?
If so what are the charges.
There is a tendency that when something is considered constructive and important, we let them have whatever they want. That is how we got into the fix of an over-the-top library, far more than was needed for a library, and far more expensive than was necessary.
Now we hear the same thing about the TDYCC, and sometimes the police department. Sure these are important, but that is all the more reason to provide oversight as to spending. There are limits to the town's resources, and those resources have to accommodate the entire town.
So yes, we should make sure that the TDYCC can continue its valuable work. We should also make sure that the money is spent wisely and efficiently, not on make-work jobs, on patronage, and on programs which don't attract enough residents.
Same with the police. I am tired of hearing "what if somebody is injured" or worse. That cannot be the standard for unlimited spending. At the last Board meeting we found out that five officers, nearing retirement, have overtime up to almost 60% of their very high base salary, just so that they get a pension higher than their last base salary. The residents should not pay for such extravagent retirement lifestyles (not to mention that those retired officers will get another job and another pension).
We need much more control, not only for extraneous programs, but for basic services. We can save much money if we push for such controls.
The comment by anonymous that "Greenburgh is almost in bankrupcy" is laughable. Last week Greenburgh was one of the handful of communities around the nation that was honored with a very impressive AAA bond rating by Standard & Poors. Even Chappaqua doesn't have a triple A rating. Or, Bronxville.
But I dont think they had a 23% tax rate increase. But TOV has no elected officials.
God help us if TOV had its own elected officials. We would see Sanctimonious Ella, lying Superlawyer, deceptive Michelle, ranting Carol, and Edgemont-focused Madelon, as our Town Board.
Thank your lucky stars that the villages prevent us from having them.
I think 23% speaks for itself.
How much has Bernstein's lawsuits cost the town to defend?
Did Bernstein reimburse the town for the legal costs that the town is entitled to receive?
Get rid of TDYCC!!!!! It DOES NOT serve the teens or families town wide. It DOES NOT have enough programs that attract youth ouside of its own, small community!
Dear anony: are you wacko? You want to shut down the pool at TYCC? You want to close down the nutrition program? These are good, solid programs.
Who benefit from the two mentioned programs.These two programs are not used town wide.
If one checks none of the programs are used townwide residents. The center seems to be run as a community center for that neighborhood.
Not only does Fairview use the TDYCC but many in Elmsford and Tarrytown.
So why is a center needed only to be used by a chosen few but paid for townwide.
The expenses to keep this place opened is getting out of hand.
If the neighborhoo0d wants to keep it opened they should pay for it in full.
How about taking a survey of how many area people ouside Fairview use it.
Another thing take a survey of how many people use the parks and what area they come from.
Many of us will find out that we are paying for facilities that we do not use.
It is not paid for Townwide, it is paid for TOV wide.
Yes, Edgemont camps (EDGMT Rec)recieves money from parks & rec. to run the camp program. EDGMT Rec donates money to both the Edgemont SD AND the Scarsdale Teen Center. Not one of these 3 services are open to any child except those that live in the Edgemont SD.
This fact flies under the radar. Wrong & criminal.
Mission Statement
The Department of Community Resources at the Theodore D. Young Community Center seeks to improve the quality of life for Greenburgh residents by providing a variety of educational, cultural,recreational and social programs and services.
It is our multi-faceted approach by which we endeavor to lessen problems caused by poverty,
racism and cultural deprivation.
This is the centers MISSION STATEMENT?????????
Town entire??? I'm not living in poverty (I could be soon though), the only rasism I'm subjest to is created by the center and the GC school district against ME, and I do not suffer from cultural deprivation.
What about you all?
The great accomplishment of Bernstein is that he has made everybody feel like a victim, and made everyone angry at their neighbors. No thought of community, just what do I personally use.
That's not what this country is about. We pay income taxes that support an army that I don't like, a social security system that doesn't give me benefits, educational programs that my children don't need, national parks that I don't visit, and I can go on forever.
But these things are what make up a country, and I live in and love this country. My taxes pay for this country, and the country is what I get.
It is no different with Greenburgh. We are a community, and taking care of those less fortunate than me who live in the community is part of what I, as a member of the community, pay for.
What was it that John Donne said? Something like "No man is an island, amnd when one man is diminished it diminishes me."
So, you complainers, be grateful that you live in a great community and that you don't need the assistance that others do.
Dear 8:07,
Verrrry interesting. Looking into it.
Hal,
If you think it is true, file a complaint with the state comptrollers office. I assume they will soon have an office at Town Hall.
There are no poor people living in Greenburgh.
The people that say they are poor are the ones that have the best of two worlds.
Most of them refuse to do a days work but insist and demand that they want every free program that is handed out by the government.
My parents worked off their butt and maybe sometimes went without food because they did not want welfare.
Welfare is a way of life to these people and we the taxpayers give into every demand they seek.
The center is not for the residents town wide or used by all the residents.
People make themselves poor so they could get and live off the fat of the land.
End of the story.
Is anyone going to primary Richard Brodsky this September? I'm so angry at him for his anti environmental positions.
Is anyone going to primary Richard Brodsky this September? I'm so angry at him for his anti environmental positions.
Is anyone going to primary Richard Brodsky this September? I'm so angry at him for his anti environmental positions.
Brodsky WHO!!!!!!!!!!!
anon at 4:15
What is worse is Greenburgh doesnt even require proof of income for subsidized housing.
This is the reason that the federal Government should be contacted as to what is happening in Greenburgh how affordable housing is being abused.
The town has nothing to do with enforcing the laws of housing but the commissioners that are chosen to oversee the goings on are the ones that have been running the show.
They need people from outside Greenburgh not the residents to oversee what is happening .
The residents in charge have too many friends living in these apartments and believe me the payback is great.
The affordable houses have been
taken for granted by the same people and their families.
Try to get someone else in.
No way Jose.
The State Comptrollers office will gladly investigate these problems,since all the peoples monies is involved in this program.
The state Comptrollers office should be given permanant space at town hall because there will be many many more wrong doings to be investigated..
By the time the newspapers carry all the investigations that are going on in Greenburgh everyone will know where Greenburgh is.
I never knew this town existed since the saying goes this is the place to live if you want freebees.
No one checks you out.
6:59,
It's true!!!! If you're an honest middle-class family in Freeburgh , you get SQUAT and go broke trying to continue to live here while subsidize the middle-class thieves. Between the affordable housing, TDYCC, Central 7, Lois Bronz Child…………………………………there are many, many falsely declaring income for FREEBIES! Everyone looks the other way! Those in charge want to be called do-gooders and if it means filling housing, programs or classes with those who do not qualify, so be it.
Let's see if town officials make a move to check into all the alligations of wrong doing.
Yes Paul we are tired of paying for all the freebees in this town.
You are just as guilty as they are because you allow them to fraud the government.
Haven't you realizes that this is the way of life for these people taking the system over a barrel.
Get smart and see what must be done to ween these parasites out of Greenburgh.
I assure you your affordable buildings will have a boom in empty apartments.
If you are afraid to further an investigation turn the problem over to the proper authorities.
Anon at 11:18
Paul knows about this. When they had hearings about the public housing, he listened to people complain why they couldnt or wouldnt disclose their income. He just cares about special interest rates. Which is why we had a 23% rate increase.
After listening to the work session of 4/29 I have come to the conclusion that the community center belongs solely to Fairview.
Let the residents of Fairview pay for this place.
Listening to the woman closer to Feiner made me disgusted .Her demands were a little too much and she said over and over again what she wanted not the board.
Why does the board go along with this center when it is for One Area but the taxpayers from the unincorporated area have to support it.
It belongs to Fairview let them pay for it.
The expenses for this center are getting a bit too high and a little bit out of hand.
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