Recap: VOM Board of Trustees Work Session

Here is a not-so-brief summary of what was discussed at Monday night's Village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees work session (there were 19 items on the agenda!):

Replacement of fire ladder truck

The village and the Fire Department are considering buying a new or used ladder truck to replace 30-year-old Ladder 21, which was sold last year. The replacement would cost between $800,000 and 1.2 million, according to Village Manager Rich Slingerland. Currently, the Fire Department only has a front line ladder truck, which "gives us basic front line coverage," Slingerland said, noting that a replacement for Ladder 21 is not necessary, but the option is being explored.

Old Hook & Ladder firehouse

The board discussed future uses of the Old Hook & Ladder Firehouse and Mayor Norman Rosenblum suggested getting feedback from the public. Trustee John Hofstetter noted that the original idea was that the old firehouse would be sold to pay off a related debt, and suggested that the village keep the rights to the space above the structure. Slingerland added that LMC-TV and multiple private entities have expressed interest in the property.

Traffic issues

If it all goes as planned at the next board meeting on June 14, left turns into the carwash on Halstead Avenue will no longer be allowed for vehicles traveling east; there will be no parking near the driveway at 625 Waverly Ave. to accommodate truck traffic in and out of the business across the street; and there will be no parking on the north side (Harbor side) of The Crescent to allow easier access for emergency vehicles.

In addition, residents of South Barry Avenue have requested for a stop sign or speed bump to address the speeding problem in the area. The village has been working with residents on this matter for over a year, Slingerland said, and the Police Department did implement increased enforcement as numerous tickets were given out. The next step is to hire a traffic engineer to work with the traffic commissioner to explore alternatives.

The board also discussed requests to revoke a pedestrian-exclusive phase on Barry Avenue and Boston Post Road. The fire and police departments, the traffic commission and other drivers have complained about traffic stretching for a few blocks starting at that intersection, especially during peak times, said Slingerland.

"We are going to convey that information to the state and see what we can do to improve the intersection," he said.

Withdrawing the pedestrian phase, which was what the departments and commission requested, would be a last resort, Slingerland added.

In a letter to the board, Mamaroneck resident Chari Topol-Allison, who crosses that corner "several times a day," said that the pedestrian phase is necessary and working well.

"How does the village expect children to cross four lanes of busy highway when cars are coming at them and there is no adult to stop the traffic?" she asked. "The pedestrian only phase is no more than 20 seconds long… Our children and residents' safety is much more important than giving impatient drivers back their 20 seconds."

Rosenblum replied that a communication would be sent to the Rye Neck School District for reply. "The intent to have this reversed is under current review and it will be done in a public forum, including but not limited to BOT meetings," he added.

Ethics Board review

The Board of Ethics will be asked to review a quote from Antonio Recca, the father of a recreation commissioner, for the purchase of plants to be placed by a fence line at the beach. 

Parking ticket penalties and offenses

The village is considering adjusting the parking ticket penalties and offenses doubling schedule in coordination with its new parking ticket collection company. Fines usually increase after a certain amount of time to encourage people to pay them on time. If this change were approved, a $20 ticket would go up to $40 after 15 days, to $80 after 30 days, and to $160 after 45 days. The board is expected to call for a public hearing at next Monday's meeting.

Appropriation of funds

Next Monday, the board is expected to approve the appropriation of close to $69,000 from the contingency account to pay retainage fees to three companies for work done to the Palmer Avenue firehouse. A different company filed a $340,000 claim lawsuit against the village last year for "additional monies and expenses they claimed were caused by delays in construction," said Slingerland, explaining that the biggest delay was caused by concrete provided by another vendor that failed resistance tests. The village is "in the process of dealing with that through our attorneys," he said.

Live music on the avenue

Saidur Rahman Dawn, the owner of Café Mozart, asked the board to resume his business' band permit, which allows him to use village parking spaces for an outdoor live music event on Thursdays in the summer. The board expressed safety concerns with regard to the heavy traffic passing through Mamaroneck Avenue and both the board and the proprietor agreed that, if granted, the permit would need to be shared with nearby businesses. Slingerland said he would discuss other possibilities with Dawn.

Recreation Committee

Rye Neck head coach Joan Spedafino is expected to be appointed as the new member of the Recreation Committee at next Monday's meeting. Resume TK.

Management of Coastal Zone, Harbor and Watercraft

The board discussed a proposed local law to amend the Public Hearings/Membership and Terms/ Retention of Consultants sections of the Management of Coastal Zone, Harbor and Watercraft Law. This is not an action item as input is still being received.

Harbor Island Park

An engineer who has evaluated the Harbor Island Park Plaza Deck recommended repairing it. The project will cost an estimated $30,000. The structure has rusted heavily and is in need of major repairs, although it is not an immediate hazard, said Slingerland. Once bids are received, the village will determine how to pay for the project.

Sanitary sewer requirements

In the near future, the board is expected to approve issuing a $400,000 bond related to sanitary sewer requirements. In 2007, Westchester County and the village established in a contract that the village would work to address its inflow and infiltration (I&I) issues over three years. If this wasn't done, the village would be liable for the cost of the project. To fund the project, the village applied for grants and received one for $485,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency through Congresswoman Nita Lowey. Because there have been issues with how the funds are channeled, the village is looking to bond $400,000 to match the federal grant and meet the contract with the county.

Dog walking

At the last board meeting, several residents requested the board to allow dog walking in Harbor Island Park in the summer months (currently, it's only in the winter). The board discussed allowing a shorter leash and pointed out the benefit of the dogs helping keep geese away. Some expressed concern over dogs running after kids. Rosenblum said the board would schedule a public hearing on this matter.

Bike Law

After a resident complained that her bike, which she had locked to a post in the village, was confiscated by police, the board agreed to review the village's Bike Law. On Monday, the board is expected to schedule a public hearing for June 28 on these changes, which would allow bikers to chain their bikes to designated areas in the downtown and would not require them to register their bikes. In addition, six racks will be installed. 

Tree Law

A few months ago, a proposed local law to reconstitute the Tree Committee was discussed at a public hearing. After much debate, the board decided to study other municipalities, discuss the matter further and come up with a comprehensive re-write. On Monday, Slingerland revealed the study's findings: out of 15 Westchester municipalities, most of them villages, eight have three committees, five of those eight are all-volunteer and the rest a combination of staff and volunteers. The seven that don't have a tree committee/department/board, have a tree warden or similar.

The present committee is formed by volunteers, but disagreements among the members have caused the committee to stop functioning as such. According to Slingerland, the majority of the committee is interested in working with the revised law once established.

Slingerland recommended the board a combined committee. Trustees Ryan and Hofstetter disagreed, saying that village volunteers, being the backbone of the community, should be allowed to do the work of an advisory board to the Board of Trustees, and that the board should appoint the two people that have expressed interest and the committee should continue the way it is, respectively.

In a heated discussion with Tree Committee member Stuart Tiekert and the board, Rosenblum supported Slingerland's recommendation, saying that the current system did not work because the majority of the members felt it was operating as an investigative body.

Tiekert said the village needed "an all-volunteer committee" and it was "very unfortunate" that members were failing to attend the meetings. He also brought up an incident last week, during which trees on Mamaroneck Avenue were trimmed improperly and cut back severely, according to Slingerland. The village manager attributed the error to miscommunication between his office and the Department of Public Works and said work was stopped immediately.

The proposed law may be discussed next Monday to call for a public hearing, said Slingerland. His preference, however, is to re-circulate the draft for another week or two and then schedule a hearing.