Pedestrian Safety Update
To a packed room Interim Village Manager Chuck Strome gave a detailed report about pedestrian safety measures implemented around Mamaroneck Avenue School. See HERE. Police Chief Sandra DiRuzza noted that 4 additional crossing guards had been hired and an upcoming meeting with both school districts would address better student pick-up and drop-off procedures. Many of the speakers who addressed the Board of Trustee (BOT) thanked the Village for their rapid response. Westchester County was also thanked for their prompt attention to this important issue. See HERE.
Flood Report Update
Mayor Torres gave a comprehensive update about ongoing work and the status of grant applications at various critical locations throughout the Village. She clarified that flood mitigation is taking place all over the Village and must begin downstream in order to get the water out of the Village as quickly as possible. Subsequent work will then move upstream. Torres also described that signage will be erected at various public locations showing a map of the entire Village with rivers and bridges and will be updated as work is completed. See full report HERE.
At the regular meeting Trustee Yizar-Reid asked what the contingency plan was if certain grants were not received for flood mitigation. Torres replied that the projects were not in the current year’s budget and would most likely have to be bonded. Trustee Young raised the issue now that the Village should issue $20 million in bonds to “bite the bullet” to pay for projects that aren’t in the budget and have been put off for so long. Torres wants priorities and the Budget Committee to help the BOT with numbers.
Complaint Tracking System Implemented
At the Work Session Cliff Cazes, Manager of Information Systems, presented a demonstration of the new complaint tracking system. The purpose is to make everyone’s life easier – both complainants and Village employees – and to keep a record of each complaint and the response. An employee in the Village Manager’s office will oversee all complaints and ensure they are answered in a timely manner. Cazes described the system as not requiring any additional cost to the Village as it is a web application.
Even Year Elections Revisited
At the Work Session Trustee Rawlings again raised his interest to change the date of Village elections to only even years. Although the two-year terms for the Mayor and Trustees would remain the same, even year elections would mean that the entire 5 member board would be up for re-election every two years. Mayor Torres pointed out that voters rejected this by referendum in November 2023, but Trustee Young insisted that voters only rejected extending Trustee terms to 4 years – not moving elections to even years. Editor’s Note: both topics were included in one referendum which was soundly defeated in November 2023. He charged that the only reason not to support the even year elections was “political gamesmanship.”
Trustee Lucas pointed out that it was too late to get a referendum on the November 2024 ballot so, unless the Village paid for a special election, the earliest it could be voted on by the public is November 2025. She also described that the recent NYS legislation mandating County and Town elections to go to the even year cycle was the subject of several lawsuits which, if successful, could nullify the law. Torres pointed out there was no urgency to bring this topic up now. Nevertheless, by consensus, Trustees Rawling, Yizar-Reid and Young directed the Village Attorney to draft legislation despite not having cost estimates to run a special election or resolution of the NYS lawsuits.
Young Brings Up Volunteer Committee Issues
At the Work Session Trustee Young complained that the earlier Executive Session didn’t get to the topic of two resumes received by the Board for the Budget Committee for one open seat. Torres explained that the BOT had not discussed the resumes yet.
Trustee Young moved on to whether the Ethics Board was properly constituted based on the statutory requirements that no more than two members may be registered in the same political party. He said, “I don’t know if we have an Ethics Committee.” Lucas pointed out there were currently four members serving – two Democrats and two unaffiliated voters according to the most recent voter list – which is appropriate under the law. The Ethics Board has been active lately looking into a slew of issues and complaints.
Finally, Young raised the issue of a disruptive member of the Flood Mitigation Advisory Committee (FMAC) to which Trustee Rawlings is the liaison. Young described the last two FMAC meetings as being so contentious that several members will resign if something isn’t done. Torres said she would be happy to hear a suggestion. Young suggested guidelines be prepared for volunteer committees as the Village does not have a great reputation for civility. None of the members of the BOT seemed to favor removing any member from the volunteer committee. At the Regular Meeting, FMAC Chair Steve Glener spoke about the committee’s serious dysfunction and if members did not attend due to concerns about disruptions the consensus was to disband.
Choosing a Developer for Hunter Tier
Trustee Rawlings put this item on the Agenda without any backup documentation. The BOT plans to schedule an additional meeting during the first week of September to discuss the recently received revised proposals from the two bidders (Westhab/WHA and Luna). Torres said the information must be reviewed by staff before it is shared with the public.
Dan Kushnick read a statement (see HERE) on behalf of himself, Maria DeRose and Ellen Silver (all candidates for Village Trustee)) stating their concerns about the Hunter Tier process and that the BOT should wait to commit to a developer until all of the requested information is assembled. They also point to the participation of Westhab/WHA in the drafting of the RFP that they eventually submitted a response to and an Ethics Board opinion that Trustee Rawlings has chosen not to follow.
Trustee Lucas Unearths More Village Emails with Westhab/WHA
Although she did not read her complete statement in the interest of time and the crowded room Lucas, the only current sitting trustee who was on in the BOT in 2018, released emails showing Westhab/WHA involved in zoning changes for a project on Ward Avenue which did not materialize. See emails HERE.
Clarification: Lucas released emails showing Westhab/WHA was involved in 2018 and 2019 in zoning changes adopted by the BOT in 2019 that benefitted their proposed affordable housing project off Ward Avenue along the river (a project that never materialized). She provided further documentation that subsequently, in 2019-2021, also at Westhab/WHA's request, the Village worked on another change to establish guidelines to permit construction within 50 feet of a water body, an effort abandoned in 2021 once Westhab had pivoted from Ward Avenue to Hunter Tier.
Lucas stated she believed the Village could have done better with a more comprehensive Request for Proposal (RFP) that included renovations to Old Village Hall – similar to the public/private partnership that Pelham just completed.
One speaker at the Regular Meeting, Jennifer Guzman, identified herself as affiliated with both the Washingtonville Housing Alliance (WHA) and MCAH (Mamaroneck Coalition for Affordable Housing) and described what she said were “damaging comments” about WHA and their strategic partner Westhab (one of the responders to the Hunter Tier RFP). She went on to describe the founding of WHA and their mission to advocate “for residents” – a mission they have followed for 44 years. She said the issue has been “overstudied” and it’s time to move things along. Trustee Young added that he attended a recent MCAH event where many current and former Village residents told stories about not being able to afford to live in the Village any longer. Editor’s Note: Any affordable housing built by either Westhab/WHA or Luna at the Hunter Tier Parking Lot would be subject to a lottery system whereby there is no guarantee that current or former Village residents would be chosen for the new apartments. See HERE.
Young Proposes Closing Hunter Tier Parking Lot Immediately
At the end of the Regular Meeting Trustee Young said he was “alarmed” by documents describing the Hunter Tier Parking Lot as requiring emergency repairs. The document he referred to is a 2018 proposal for emergency work costing $224,056 (see HERE). The engineering firm recommended the emergency work to be done first and then long-term repairs would commence a year later. Young said he had asked Interim Village Manager Chuck Strome if he could find any evidence that the work was done. Strome responded he couldn’t ascertain that at this time. Young said it was “my impulse to close it (the parking lot) until told it is safe.”
Strome recommended the BOT have alternative parking spaces available prior to closing the lot. He will have another firm evaluate the condition of the structure as soon as possible.
August 15 UPDATE: HUNTER TIER SAFETY
From Mayor Sharon Torres (on Facebook)
Contrary to what you may have heard from only one Trustee, the Hunter Tier Parking Lot has been deemed safe for use with the existing blocked spaces on the lower level remaining blocked.
Unfortunately CBS did not do it's due diligence in reporting last night and only listened to their alum, Lou Young and his personal opinion. Shame on them.
Instead of using connections in the media to bring attention to much needed issues like the ACE project, or flooding, it was used to create more division.
This morning the engineer hired by the village walked the parking lot with the Village Manager Chuck Strome and Village Engineer Gino Frabasile. The following was determined:
1. There is NO immediate danger or emergency that would cause the structure to fall or require immediate closure
2. Some work from the original study was visibly done
3. The parking lot does need repairs
4. The engineer will be back to do a more in-depth study and will give the Village a report of all recommended repairs within a few weeks
5. There is NO reason to close the lot - per the engineer
We all have opinions. Our opinions do NOT outweigh facts. We should rely on experts to do their job and provide guidance before we make decisions that affect a municipality.
Only one person in the village wants to close the Hunter Tier Lot with no notice and no contingency plan. He is not an engineer.
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