The Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster held a Regular Meeting on 19 July 2006 at Village Hall, 208 Main Street, Brewster, New York. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 P.M. by Mayor Degnan. Present were Trustee/Deputy Mayor James Schoenig, Trustee William Banks, Engineer John Folchetti, Counsel Gary Kropkowski, Treasurer Mike Santos and Clerk Bernadette. Trustee Terri Stockburger absent.
1. Public Comment
2. Executive Session – 7:35 p.m. – The mayor makes a motion to go into executive session.
8:15 p.m. – The mayor makes a motion to return to the Village Board Meeting.
3. 50 Main Street Resolution(s)
Mayor Degnan discusses 50 main Street acquisitions and opens up for discussion.
Carol Octis – Are you going to renovate the building, the outside?
Mayor Degnan: Yes.
Carol Octis – Handicap accessible?
Mayor Degnan – Yes
Walt Schmidt – Mayor Mitchell Court. We’re putting the cart before the horse. We’ve got a problem with the immigrants.
Mayor Degnan – Sir, we are discussing 50 Main Street. The property you’re living in was a swamp 10 years ago. You have a place to live. If you want to discuss urinating in the streets, we can talk later.
RESOLUTION from Dan Hollis
Yoshi Ito – Could you discuss that maximum exposure…
Daniel Hollis, Attorney – there is no money involved. To acquire the store space on the first floor for Village offices. The Putnam Community Foundation will acquire it. The worst case scenior is if for some reason that the foundation cannot go forward, however, thorugh the offices of Senator Liabel, the funds are available. The village would acquire this property and own it it’s in entirety and the renovations for the upper floors would be something that the Village can be involved in, or they can be sold as condominiums, with a resale for affordable housing.
William Banks seconds it. William all in favor 4 ayes, Teresa Stockburger is absent.
Mayor Degnan discusses the bond resolution. 4.3% on 2 million dollars. A monthly amount of 5 year period to be $90,000 interest. A little over $40,000 a month during the first year, with the cost going down over time. The bond is set at 5 years with the idea that the community foundation will acquire it, however, we are not married to 5 years, it could be at a 30 year bond.
Total raised by taxes is a little over $500,000. So this would double our budget. So, worst case scenario. This is so much of a symbolic issue to take this 10 year abandoned building and do something great with it. It’s the center of the Village and I support this.
Mayor Degnan asks the board to accept. William Banks seconds it. 4 ayes – Teresa Stockburger absent
RESOLUTION from Dan Birminghanm.
4. Engineer’s Report – John Folchetti, Engineer
There was a problem – owner Barry Nesson’s property and the sewer/septic smell was terrible.
John Folchetti states that the tax lots that front Main Street and Marvin Avenue and how it connects to the sewer plant are complicated and
Mayor Degnan states that there was a problem on Prospect Street a few weeks ago and asks the community to pick up the phone and call the Board of Health or the Village Clerk and lodge a formal complaint so that we have a paper trail for employees.
On a motion by Mayor Degnan, the duly constituted Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster hereby accepts the Engineer’s Report submitted for July 2006.
Seconded by William Banks. Ayes 4 Nays 0 Abstain 0 Absent 1 – T. Stockburger
5. Constable Report – Alex Mancone, Chief Constable
INSERT CONSTABLE REPORT
The Constabulary program has 6 members tat officially began on July 10, 2006.
There is no taxi & limosene regulations in the County of Putnam. Three years ago, we created a local law with no request for the County Sheriff’s department to check their licenses. Now we have the Constables that can follow through and enforce these laws.
Carol Octis - We can help you. We can tell you what time and where.
Mayor Degnan – We’ve agreed to have our Constables to patrol the DEP land for squatters and they are happy with that. We want to put a management program in place that deals with matters like this in place. The way the drunks work, is this – I call 911, and within three minutes they are there. The intoxicated individual was held until an ambulance came and he was transported to the hospital. The law is whether you’re a NYC cop of a Deuty, there is no longer a place where you can hold an intoxicated person up. If someone becomes seriously injured or dies, that agency can be sued.
Who pays for that?
Medicaid will reimburse the costs to the hospital associated with the ointoxiated person. We all know there are many people with drinking problems. These are issues we deal with on a daily basis. We are reaching out with the Churches, having the Constabularies, offering AA in Spanish, and working with the Putnam County Spanish liason.
We have hired a part-time PARC employee now who has been on Main Street for two weeks now. His only job is to deal with litter. There is a full time DPW employee soon to be hired for litter Village wide. You saw us tonight taking action on a building which has been a rpobelm for over 10 years. We are looking for solutions.
Mr. Schmidt: What ever happened in getting the workers off the street??
Mayor Dengnan: The Day Laborer Station has been put aside until a safe location can be found. It is intended to enchance the safety. Until we can find a place, there can not
Frances Bicker: Isn’t there something we can do to keep them moving, instead of standing there?
Mayor Degnan: It’s a civil rights issue.
Mayor Degnan makes a motion to ask the Village Treausure to find $600 made available for training. William Banks seconds it. All in favor, 4 ayes.
Dan Birmingham: As a resident, I want to acknowledge all that you’ve done in your short time of administration. You’re starting with the issues that people see. I encourage people to keep coming to meetings and make use of the resources that this Board offers. The Sheriff’s Department contract was never about Code Enforcement or Quality of Life issues. The Constabulary office is all about that.
On a motion by Mayor Degnan, the duly constituted Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster hereby accepts the Constable Report submitted for July 2006.
Seconded by James Schoenig. Ayes______ Nays________ Abstain______ Absent
Jack Gress asks to address the Chief Constable. Can the property on Mayor Mithcell Court be fenced off – 8 foot high. What’s happening now….
Mayor Degnan: This Board and the Constables don’t know anything about that. You need to address the people who own the property.
Joseph Amodei – Ok what about cameras?
Mayor Degnan: I appreciate your input. We have been working on the issues of Cameras. There are people in favor of it, and there are people who don’t favor it. The cost has been put into the budget. Personally, I am in favor of cameras on Main Street.
Joseph Amodei – Do we have to speak to Senator Liabel’s office/
Mayor Degnan: Yes, technically the owner of Mayor Mithcell court is owned by the Putnam Community Foundation. Any requests are deteremined by the Codes of the Village of Brewster. They already put an 8 foot fence up.
Joseph Amodei – Would cameras be included on our street?
Mayor Degnan – any private property can set up videos if they wish.
Dan Birmingham – contact the foundation for the fence. I’ll get the phone number for you.
Mayor Degnan: Discussion of having the Constabularies march in the Fireman Parade. There will be one to follow in beind the Sheriff’s Department.
6. Building Inspector Report
James Schoenig asks about a fence that was erected on Oak Street
Mayor Degnan asks about Brewster Honda – looking for a series of Zoning Exemptions from the Town of Southeast. The attorney for Brewster Honda, states that there are issues of infringement on set backs from the railroad and that the Village of Brewster didn’t care about. We need to go to Brewster Honda and see that they are following Village Code.
Bruce Zarzeski – states that DeMarsico cleared an area to the riverbanks and DEP slapped them with a fine. There is also an area which is not to be blocked because the Fire Department access that area for water. The current owner wants to make everything nice and correct. The parking lot is in our jurisdication. Currently everything they are doing everything correct for the Village of Brewster.
Mayor Degnan: I want you to go to Brewster Honda and let them know that a statement of the Village of Brewster not concerned - is something that they shouldn’t be saying. John Leather, would you please accompany Bruce.
Jack Gress: Was that statement in the minutes of the Town of Southeast meeting?
Mike Santos: I don’t know. They were in front of the Zoning Board at the Town of Southeast.
William Banks: The mountain continues to grown at 151 Main Street. This is a structure at this point. It seems that this must be in violation of the moratorium.
Mayor Degnan: He either calls it storage of his materials or he is building a parking lot. Either one, he is in violation and needs to be citated.
Bruce Zarzeski: Yes, he is being written up.
Mayor Degnan: Show me the violations Bruce.
Check 27 Prospect Street – it is being rented. But, I believe that they occupied that through HUD as owner occupied. Please check with HUD.
Mayor Degnan: Asks that Neshewait and Kwok be notified they will be summoned if they don’t clean up the garbage on Progress Street. Those two restaurants need to keep that garbage under control. The Granite Slabs should not be stored there. The solution is eliminate the parking behind Guadalapana and turn that area into an area that would adequately store the garbage dumpsters. Gary Kropkowski asks that we look into the area being tunred into a non-parking area.
Frances - what can be done about the property right next to Dan Birgminham’s house. The deck looks like it’s falling down, there must be 40 people there, they are sleeping on the porches. It’s a fire hazard.
Mayor Degnan: To protect the Village – if you call here and give your name and complaint, then we have the authority to inspect. If it is unfounded, then it’s unfounded. If it’s founded, then we will pursue it and issue violations. Your names remain anonymous. We contact the owners.
On a motion by Mayor Degnan the duly constituted Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster hereby accepts the Building Inspector’s Report submitted for April/May 2006.
Seconded by William Banks. Ayes 4 Nays 0 Abstain 0 Absent 1
7. Code Enforcement Report
On a motion by ________________, the duly constituted Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster hereby accepts the Code Enforcement Report submitted for July 2006.
Seconded by ________________. Ayes______ Nays________ Abstain______ Absent
8. Brewster Flower Garden - TABLED
On a motion by Mayor Degnan, the duly constituted Board of Trustees for the Village of Brewster hereby authorizes the Village Treasurer to accept Mark Buzzetto’s proposal to hang approximately twelve plants of geraniums and petunias to be placed evenly throughout Main Street in hanging baskets on brackets supported by various poles at the cost of $1,120. which covers the cost of all materials, time and labor to install.
Seconded by William Banks. Ayes ______ Nays________ Abstain______ Absent _____
Discussion: It is late in the season to put out flowers. This is a step in the direction towards what we want our community to grow into. It’s better late than never.
9. AQUA Mate Watering System - TABLED
On a motion by ________________, the duly constituted Board of Trustees for the Village of Brewster hereby authorizes the Village Treasurer to purchase a portable watering tank with an extended hose and pump to allow easy watering and maintainence of flowers on Main Street by the PARC consumer various days per week. The cost of a twelve gallon AQUA Mate Watering System with shipping and handling will not exceed the cost of $750.00.
Seconded by ________________. Ayes______ Nays________ Abstain______ Absent _____
10. John Cesar Memorial
On a motion by Mayor Degnan, the duly constituted Board of Trustees for the Village of Brewster hereby authorizes the Village Treasurer to appropriate funds of $500 for the John Cesar memorial stone that will be place at Village Hall with a sculpted profile on a large bronze plaque inscripting date of birth, date of death, and the quote: “Brewster was his life. Being it’s Mayor was his passion.
Discussion: Denis Castelli states that the Bronze plaque will cost between $5,000 - $5,500. Sculptor & Artist Keropian will be creating it. The money is going to Michael Keropian.
In the event that you don’t raise sufficient rfunds, will the money be returned?
Yes, I think it will be easy to raise the money.
Seconded by William Banks. Ayes 4 Nays 0 Abstain 0 Absent 1 – Teresa Stockburger
11. Vouchers
RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster hereby authorizes the Village Treasurer to pay July vouchers totaling as follows:
[a] General Fund [A] - $246,771.22
[b] Water Fund [F] - $11,726.27
[c] Sewer Fund [G] - $5,219.96
[d] Capital Projects Funds [H] - $765,390.29
Motion made by Mayor Degnan and seconded by William Banks.
Ayes 4 Nays 0 Abstain 0 Absent 1 – Teresa Stockburger
12. Justice Report.
Mayor Degnan made a motion to accept the Justice Report for June 2006 as follows: Total submitted to the Chief Fiscal Officer was $11,488.00.
Seconded by James Schoenig. Ayes 4 Nays________ Abstain______ Absent _____
13. Parking Report for June 2006
Total Rented Spaces = 330
Total Monies Collected = $11,252.62
On a motion by ________________, the duly constituted Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster hereby accepts the Parking Report for June, 2006.
Seconded by James Schoenig. Ayes 4 Nays________ Abstain______ Absent _____
14. Summer Hours - REVISED
On a motion by _________________, the duly constituted Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster hereby authorizes the implementation of summer hours for the office and DPW staff at Village Hall. Whereas, the entire staff will arrive at work one-half hour earlier each day of the week and leave work two and one-half hours earlier on Fridays commencing on the Friday before July 4th Holiday and ending on the Friday before Labor Day. Village Hall will not close any earlier than 1:30 p.m. as there will be alternating coverage at the front desk until that time.
Seconded by William Banks. Ayes 4 Nays 0 Abstain 0 Absent 1
15. Garbage Receptacles
On a motion by _________________, the duly constituted Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster hereby authorizes the Village Treasurer to purchase new garbage receptacles for Main Street, not to exceed the amount of $10,000. Garbage receptacles that are reusable should be placed in other areas of the Village, including the Taxi parking lot on Railroad Avenue.
William Banks seconds it.
Discussion: We budgeted approximately $22,000 dollars @ $1,8000 per can. It was thought that purchasing a portion at a time would be better. We can authorize the expenditure and ask Teresa Stockburger what the options are for purchase.
16. Taxi Permits
On a motion by Mayor Degnan, the duly constituted Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster herby authorizes the permissions for 6 Taxi Companies and 36 medallions to operate and be licensed within the Village of Brewster.
Seconded by William Banks. Ayes 4 Nays 0 Abstain 0 Absent 1 – Teresa Stockburger
Discussion: James Schoenig asks why six. Is this because we have only 5 allowed now? Last week I left a message with Brewster Taxi and told them to get it done. They still haven’t completed any of the necessary paperwork to operate legally. I would like the Constables to go down there and issue them violations.
Mayor Degnan: I have no issues with them being written up and being treated fairly. However, with changing it to six it doesn’t stop them from being issued summons for operating without a license.
Jack Gress: Does the Village have the right to limit the number of businesses?
Mark Anderson: Is this companies or medallions?
Mayor Degnan: Companies. 5 companies and 6 medallions.
17. Mileage Reimbursement
On a motion by __________________, the duly constituted Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster herby authorizes the increase of reimbursable mileage rates to $.44 cents per mile, according to New York State rates as of January 1, 2006.
James Schoenig seconds it. 4 ayes.
18. Parade Permit
- On a motion by ________________, the duly constituted Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster hereby authorizes the Village Clerk to issue a Parade Permit to Brewster Rotary for the 1st day of October, 2006 from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. along a route from the Train Station on Main Street east to the intersection of Merritt and Oak Street. The Rotary will be responsible for arranging parade route security with the Sheriff’s Department and Brewster Constabulary, and notifying the Brewster Fire Department.
Seconded by William Banks. Ayes______ Nays________ Abstain______ Absent _____
- On a motion by ________________, the duly constituted Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster hereby authorizes the Village Clerk to issue a Parade Permit to the Brewster Fire Department for the 27th day of July, 2006 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. along a route from Marvin Avenue to Main Street to North Main Street to Markel Park. The Brewster Fire Department will be responsible for arranging parade route security with the Sheriff’s Department and the Brewster Constabulary. The Brewster Fire Department is also requesting permission to post temporary parade & carnival notices on Marvin Avenue and East Main Street and taking responsibility of removing them.
Seconded by ________________. Ayes______ Nays________ Abstain______ Absent _____
19. Public Comment
Mayor Mithcell Court residents
Carlo Octis: Is there a noise ordiance?
Mayor Dengan: I believe it’s 10:00 p.m. If there is noise after that, call 911.
Jack Gress: I want to reiterate what Dan Birmingham says. I would like to say thank you Mayor Degnan for all the hard work you’ve done. I see a difference already.
20. Other Business
Yoshi Ito: The Rental Registration Law –
The wireless network – wireless grid throughout the Village.
Also the Parking Kiosks and the Security Cameras need to be Public Noticed.
Mike Santos: The iinsurance matter with the Code Enforcement Officer.
10:05 p.m. Mayor Degnan makes a motion to go into Executive Session.
Mayor Degnan hereby asks the Board of Trustees
Meeting adjourned