Bronxville Board of Trustees: New DPW, PD Appointments, Presentation on Lawrence Hospital Cancer Center

Here's a look at what happened at the June 14 Bronxville Board of Trustees meeting:

New Hospital Cancer Center Presentation

Last night's Board meeting began with a presentation by Edward Dinan, the president of Lawrence Hospital Center, on the hospital's proposed cancer center.

The hospital is gearing up for a three-story cancer center to be built on its three-acre site.

The goal is to have all aspects of cancer care pulled into one cohesive unit, Dinan explained. 

"It will provide this comprehensive, integrated approach for the patient," he said.

Dinan went through a series of common questions, one that was in regards to the noise problem. To that end, Dinan said that LHC plans to employ drilling instead of pounding and that the hospital will "abide by all Village requirements."

As far as concern over parking, Dinan said they have commissioned a parking study, which will look at projections for 2014 and 2019. In addition, some services, such as rehabilitation, have been moved off campus, which has freed up parking.

He went on to say that the only new patients entering the building will be those for the new radiation treatment service, of which he estimates there will be 22-25 total per day, along with 7 additional employees.

The project will also include six new operating rooms to replace the current rooms, which date back to the 1950's. Dinan described them as functional, but out of date.

The proposed plan is for a three-story building, with two stories above ground and the radiation area underground. There will be no new street access other than what currently exists, Dinan said.

In addition to Dinan, Tim Hughes, Hospital Vice President for Business Development also spoke, showing about seven slides of what the construction would look like.

The project will take about 17 months from start to finish, Dinan said. It is estimated to cost $29 million in construction.

When asked by Trustee William Barton about the financing of the project, Dinan said there would be three sources of funds: borrowing, philanthropy and hospital reserve funds. There is currently no signed commitment from anyone at this point, he said, although he stressed that there is no signed agreement to proceed, either. He said he's confident that financing will be secured.

Dinan left a Q&A booklet with the Board.

EVAC Update

Kevin Cunningham and Kevin O'Donnell from EVAC, the Eastchester Volunteer Ambulance Corps, were on hand to give an update on their services.

Cunningham spoke to the Board and public, informing them on operations, communication and medical services provided by the department.

In terms of operations, there is a new ambulance—a 2010 Ford E350—that will be running as of July 1. It provides more advanced patient care, including upgraded radio equipment, digital monitoring and GPS technology. Cunningham acknowledged that it was made possible by The Community Fund.

He also explained that there has been an increase in calls over the last three years. In June alone, there have been 40-plus more calls as compared to last year.

Later, when Trustee Barton asked what accounts for the increased volume, Cunningham cited the aging of the population.

As far as communications, Cunningham said the EVAC website is set to be revamped, which will include the ability to update in real time and on scene.

Communication renovations have also been made to the EVAC center, including the installation of a generator with a battery back up system to prevent power loss. They also hope to have an Emergency Operational Center up and running by September, he said.

According to slides provided by Cunningham, there were four medical updates, including a Rescue POD for administering CPR and advanced intravenous access equipment, which makes it easier to access veins when administering an IV in a critical situation

Contracts with Not-for-Profits

Two contracts providing some financial support for not-for-profits were approved last night, one with the Chamber of Commerce and one with the Senior Citizens' Council.

Village Attorney James Staudt explained that New York State law provides that a Village can only give money to a not-for-profit if the not-for-profit provides services to the Village in return for the money.

The Board authorized the payment of $6,500 for the 2010-2011 fiscal year to the Chamber of Commerce. Services they provide include festivals, concerts and social events, as stated in the resolution.

For the Senior Citizens' Council, the contract is for payment of $12,500 for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. According to the resolution, services include home visits, social work, health related programs and more.

Mayor Mary C. Marvin said that getting County funds to help with the program is also being looked into. Plus, the seniors have put out a solicitation letter, she said.

She also explained that a point of frustration for her is that many members of the program are from Yonkers and Mount Vernon and historically, neither community has offered funds for the program.

New Appointments for DPW and Police Department  

The Board approved the appointment of Victor Lema as general foreman for the Department of Public Works.

Rocco Circosta, Superintendent of Public Works, said he was proud to recommend Lema for the position, calling him "a great asset to the department."

He also explained that for the past 10 months the department had been operating with an acting general foreman and that there were three candidates up for the permanent position.

When asked about the duties of the position, Circosta explained that the general foreman is a first-line supervisor and runs the day-to-day operations of the department, including responding to emergency calls and working with the public.

The appointment goes into effect June 15.

The Board also announced the hiring of three new police officers: Wilson Valentin, James Mazzucca and Thomas Roviezzo as second year officers.

The appointment goes into effect June 21 and each officer will have a salary of $55,826. All three had previously been officers with the White Plains Police Department.

Mayor Marvin explained that the need for new officers came when three veteran officers announced their retirement this year. She hopes to have all six officers present at the July Board meeting.

Village Revaluation

As per the Village's recent revaluation policy, the Board approved the authorization of $100,000 to establish the project. 

This money will come from the sale of bond anticipation notes, as stated in the resolution.

Mayor Marvin said that in discussions with the assessing consultant, they are confident the money will be recouped. She also stated that as a result of good assessment values, grievances are down 30%.

"I think this is a program where it does take money upfront, but the benefits will be more than worth it," she said.