Town Board - Regular Meeting

TOWN OF CLARKSTOWN TOWN BOARD REGULAR MEETING Town Hall Auditorium January 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM MINUTES

PRESENT: Supervisor George Hoehmann Councilman Mark Licker Councilman Michael Graziano Councilman Donald Franchino Councilman Robert Axelrod Town Clerk Lauren Wohl

ABSENT: The Supervisor George Hoehmann declared the Town Board meeting opened. Assemblage saluted the flag. The Town Clerk read the roll call.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS There was a special presentation from the Clarkstown Police Department. Members of the Youth Police Academy were present with Graduation Certificates. Lieutenant Kiran Dwyer spoke about this program and thanked the School Resource Officers who are vital to the success of the youth academy. A copy of all graduation recipients is on file in the Town Clerk's Office - attached to this Town Board Agenda. ~ Youth Police Academy POLICE DEPARTMENT MATTERS A member of Police Department Administration will report.

PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING AGENDA ITEMS AND GENERAL

PUBLIC COMMENTS Al Osterlitz, New City Mr. Osterlitz is questioning the stipends being spent for Food Scrap Composting Location Inspections and stipends for Street Lighting Inspections. He does not believe this should be coming from the Town Budget. He feels that stipends should not be given out to perform these tasks. He believes the funds should come from Rockland Green. Mr.

Osterlitz believes the Street Light Inspections should be an assignment for our Highway Superintendent or Highway Department. Joe Charles, Nanuet He would like a complete update as to what is happening at the former property of the Grace Baptist Church on Demarest Avenue in Nanuet. Greg Sheehan, Valley Cottage He is concerned about the $20,000 stipends that are being given to the Highway Superintendent is excessive.

What has changed with the Food Scrap Program and the lighting inspections that warrant these stipends. The lighting situation has been around for decades. Bill Mashi, Clarkstown He is questioning an incident of 66 Saw Mill Road, New City. This house sits on a couple of acres and is zoned single family. It was purchased by a new owner a few months ago. There was garbage being left on neighbors property.

The police were called and realized there were several families living in the home. Some were undocumented immigrants. They all got evicted and the home is now sitting empty. He would like to know if the Town is taking any action against the new owner? Is the Town interested in cracking down on situations like these or is this an accidental side effect of a littering investigation?

The Supervisor responded to the comments: Last year the Town Board issued Stipends for the Food Scrap Composting and Street Lighting Inspection. The Food Scrap Program was just started. For now, only Clarkstown and Orangetown offer this program. The plan is to go Countywide. The Town is looking to get reimbursed from Rockland Green as part of a host agreement.

As far as the lighting district concerns - it is more than just monitoring the lights, there is additional work. The Town used to have a lighting district coordinator, who was getting paid approximately $100,000 per year. This person retired. We tried to handle this work through the Highway Department, through the Superintendent's Office. This is his request.

The Superintendent indicated that this work has become excessive for his Confidential Assistant. It really should be a full time position. They interface with the Sub-Contractor, maintain a database, in addition to working closely with Orange and Rockland and other Utilities. This resolution was a renewal from resolutions passed from last year, with no increase. To Mr.

Charles - the Town Board published a request for interest at the former Grace Baptist site. The Town Board is evaluating all suggestions. There will be a presentation on the two potential developers that have projects that would fit within the zoning. No decision has been made. There will be a meeting with the residents in that immediate area as the Town proceeds going forward.

It has been the position of the Town to do something with this property - once we acquired it. The Town spent over four million dollars and was able to solicit/receive a grant for $1.3 million to tear it down. The Town would like to be made whole on this property. In addition, there is a desperate need for good workforce housing. There will be a process going forward, but the Town is still evaluating the proposals.

There were several proposals going forward that the Town immediately said "No". They were not in conformance of the Zoning and therefore thrown out. The Town Board will be getting an update on this over the next couple of weeks. We will be following up with the local residents. The Supervisor asked Al Moroni, his Chief of Staff, to collect Mr. Charles' contact information. To Mr.

Mashi - The Supervisor stated that illegal housing has been a major focus of his administration and the Town Board since he took office. When he took office, this Town had one Code Enforcement Officer. We now have five officers, soon to be six. We took space in our DEFM Department to create storage space for files in our Building Department. This is all due to our Code Enforcement efforts that we are undertaking.

This situation, in particular has nothing to do with littering. We encourage residents to report - through the 31 app. They can report code enforcement concerns anonymously. The Supervisor speaks of it when he is on the radio and when he is speaking to community groups. The Town receives lots of calls with concerns. We have significant issues where people are buying homes, illegally converting them, or renting them.

We also have significant issues with migrants that are in our town and this is consistent with sanctuary cities. We see this in the suburbs of Chicago, New York and other suburbs of major sanctuary cities. We have been more aggressive than other Towns in Rockland in combating this.

The Supervisor stated that he cannot get into any specifics of cases under investigation - he can say that of people have moved out of his house, that Mr. Mashi is speaking about, there is an ongoing investigation. The Supervisor stated that he can tell us that some of these cases have involved human trafficking and some of these cases have been referred to Homeland Security.

He is hopeful that with many changes in policy at the Federal level - this may help our situation. He encourages that we need to change Bail Reform at the State Level. The Migrant Crisis and Bail Reform have a direct correlation. There has been a 25% increase in larcenies over the past four years across Rockland County. This is direct result of Bail Reform.

Additional crime has increased from drug activity and gangs. We have Venezuelan Gangs committing crimes in the County and in this Town. The Supervisor is hopeful that with the changes in the Federal Level, we will see a more muscular approach at the Federal Government Level and this will help us address issues here in Clarktown.

The fact is, that once Sanctuary Cities were established, the suburbs have seen double digit increases in their crime rate.

RESOLUTIONS

AGENDA ITEM #1: RESOLUTION No (40-2025) - Accepting the Town Board Reorganization Meeting Minutes of January 7, 2025 — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #2: RESOLUTION No (41-2025) - Amending the Budget — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #3: RESOLUTION No (42-2025) - Authorizing Supervisor to Employ Office Students and Part Time Workers — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #4: RESOLUTION No (43-2025) - Setting a Public Hearing on a Local Law Amending Chapter 290-7.5 (New City Hamlet Center Zoning) of the Town Code of the Town of Clarkstown – Child Day-Care Parking Table Correction — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #5: RESOLUTION No (44-2025) - Setting a Public Hearing on a Proposed Local Law Amending the Official Map of the Town of Clarkstown with Respect to the Discontinuance and Abandonment of a Portion of Morton Avenue, Congers — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #6: RESOLUTION No (45-2025) - Setting a Public Hearing on a Proposed Local Law Entitled “A Local Law Amending Chapter 262-23 (A) of the Town Code of the Town of Clarkstown”Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #7: RESOLUTION No (46-2025) - Setting a Public Hearing on a Proposed Local Law Entitled “A Local Law Amending Chapter 262-15 of the Town Code of the Town of Clarkstown”Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #8: RESOLUTION No (47-2025) - Designating Delegate and Alternate to Attend Annual Business Meeting of the Association of Towns — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #9: RESOLUTION No (48-2025) - Authorizing the Supervisor to Enter into an Agreement for Implementing a Town Program to Promote Control of the Canadian Geese Population (not to exceed $11,600.)

AGENDA ITEM #10: RESOLUTION No (49-2025) - Authorizing Execution and Acceptance of Stormwater Control Facility Maintenance Agreement Regarding Crystal Lake Condominiums (Tax Map Designation No. 53.13-2-22, 23, 26) — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #11: RESOLUTION No (50-2025) - Authorizing Execution and Acceptance of Stormwater Control Facility Maintenance Agreement Regarding 400-500 Corporate Court (Tax Map Designation No. 52.19-1- 1) — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #12: RESOLUTION No (51-2025) - Granting Certificates of Registration to Perform Sewer Related Work — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #13: RESOLUTION No (52-2025) - Awarding Bid #26-2024 -- Purchase of One Crime Scene Vehicle - CPD (Total amount: $79,294.00)

AGENDA ITEM #14: RESOLUTION No (53-2025) - Authorizing Expenses for Conference (NYTOA Conference) (Total Cost Shall Not Exceed: $3,500.00)

AGENDA ITEM #15: RESOLUTION No (54-2025) - Authorize Stipends for Food Scrap Composting Locations Inspections — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #16: RESOLUTION No (55-2025) - Authorize Stipends for Street Lighting Inspections — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #17: RESOLUTION No (56-2025) - NYSLRS - Standard Work Day and Reporting — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #18: RESOLUTION No (57-2025) - Amending Resolution #26-2025 Appointing Jon Valentino to the Position of Member - Parks and Recreation Advisory Board — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #19: RESOLUTION No (58-2025) - Amending Resolution #27-2025 Appointing Jon Valentino to the Position of Vice Chairman - Parks and Recreation Advisory Board — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #20: RESOLUTION No (59-2025) - Reappointing Larry Kigler to the Position of Member - Architectural Historic Review Board, Term Effective and Retroactive to January 1, 2025 and Expire on December 31, 2031 ($4,000/annual)

AGENDA ITEM #21: RESOLUTION No (60-2025) - Reappointing Brandon Kapp to the Position of Member - Alarm User's Review Board, Term Effective and Retroactive to January 1, 2025 and Expire on December 31, 2026 ($1,010/annual)

AGENDA ITEM #22: RESOLUTION No (61-2025) - Appointing Matthew Veronesi to the (Permanent) (NY Helps Program) Position of Superintendent of Parks and Recreation - Parks and Recreation Department, Effective and Retroactive to January 2, 2025 (No increase in salary.)

AGENDA ITEM #23: RESOLUTION No (62-2025) - Appointing Thomas Maneri to the Position of Groundsworker - Department of Engineering and Facilities Management, Effective January 27,2025 ($46,520/annual)

AGENDA ITEM #24: RESOLUTION No (63-2025) - Appointing Kyle Ayres to the Position of Groundsworker - Department of Engineering and Facilities Management, Effective January 27, 2025 ($46,520/annual)

AGENDA ITEM #25: RESOLUTION No (64-2025) - Appointing Joseph Shine Promotionally to the Position of Senior Groundsworker - Department of Engineering and Facilities Management, Effective January 27, 2025 ($55,773/annual)

AGENDA ITEM #26: RESOLUTION No (65-2025) - Appointing Barry Werk to the Position of Member - Sanitation Commission, Term Effective February 8, 2025 and Expire on February 7, 2030 ($3,121/annual)

AGENDA ITEM #27: RESOLUTION No (66-2025) - Accepting the Resignation (by Retirement) of Maria Conciatori - Senior Clerk Typist - Town of Clarkstown Highway Department, Accepted and Retroactive to January 4, 2025 — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #28: RESOLUTION No (67-2025) - Accepting the Resignation (by Retirement) of John Hanchar - Police Sergeant - Police Department, Accepted, Effective and Retroactive to January 18, 2025 — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #29: RESOLUTION No (68-2025) - Creating the Position of Constituent Services Assistant (Towns) - Supervisor's Office, Effective and Retroactive to December 30, 2024 — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #30: RESOLUTION No (69-2025) - Creating the Position of Clerk-Typist (Part Time) - Planning, Effective and Retroactive to January 7, 2025 — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #31: RESOLUTION No (70-2025) - Accepting the Resignation of Michele Heim - School Crossing Guard - Police Department, Accepted, Effective and Retroactive to December 20, 2024 — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #32: RESOLUTION No (71-2025) - Accepting the Resignation of Patricia Curry - School Crossing Guard - Police Department, Accepted, Effective and Retroactive to June 26, 2024 — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #33: RESOLUTION No (72-2025) - Accepting the Resignation of Steven Kunis - Chairman and Member - Architectural Historic Review Board, Effective and Retroactive to December 30, 2024 — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #34: RESOLUTION No (73-2025) - Accepting the Termination of Ian Reynolds - Groundsworker - Department of Engineering and Facilities Management, Effective and Retroactive to January 3, 2025 — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #35: RESOLUTION No (74-2025) - Granting Leave to John Macrino, Effective and Retroactive to January 17, 2025 — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #36: RESOLUTION No (75-2025) - Grant Leave to Dawn Mauro, Effective and Retroactive to December 24, 2024 — Adopted

AGENDA ITEM #37: RESOLUTION No (76-2025) - Waiving the Notice Requirement in Section 110-b of the New York State ABC Law with Respect to a Liquor License for CEC Entertainment d/b/a Chuck E. Cheese’s (255 West Route 59, Nanuet, NY 10954) — Adopted

EXECUTIVE SESSION The Board may move into Executive Session to discuss personnel and/or litigation matters. SPECIAL MEETING The Board of Directors of the Clarkstown Middlewood Housing Development, Inc. will meet immediately after the Town Board Meeting.

ADJOURNMENT At 9:25 PM there was a motion to close the Executive Session and Town Board Meeting. This was offered by Co. Graziano, seconded by Co. Franchino. All were in favor. Respectfully Submitted, Lauren Marie Wohl - Town Clerk UPCOMING MEETING Next Town Board Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.