Tarrytown Board of Trustees Roundup - 8/16/2010

Here's a look at what happened at the Board of Trustees meeting held on Monday, August 16, 2010:

Moment of Silence

Mayor Drew Fixell called for a moment of silence to recognize the passing of Robin Birrittella, a life-long Tarrytown resident and upstanding member of the community. 

Fixell noted that Birrittella had been an active figure in village government. She worked on the Village Hall Task Force, was a member of the Moderate Income Housing Committee and was a member of the Architectural Review Board from 1998 to 2001. 

There is visitation at Coffey Funeral home today for Birrittella. Times are from 2-4 p.m. and  7-9 p.m. Her Funeral Mass will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Transfiguration Church. 

Mobile Shredder Coming to Tarrytown

Have documents you need to shred?

Any paper can be disposed of, free of charge, this Saturday, August 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Village Hall parking lot. The county's mobile shredder unit will be on hand to take those dusty files from you and send them packing to the recycling center. 

Village-Wide Tag Sale Approaching

The village-wide tag sale will take place on September 25, 2010. Deadline to register will be at the end of the business day on September 17. Call 631-8347 to register. 

Village Adopts an Early Retirement Incentive

Village trustees adopted one of two retirement incentives that were approved in Albany at the end of May. 

The form of incentive adopted allows village-identified employees to retire, between the months of October and December, with additional months of pension credit – not to exceed 36 months – for each year of service under their belts.

Village Administrator Michael Blau said that five positions had been targeted for this incentive. 

"In order to qualify we have to show that we will receive 50 percent savings in salary over two years," Blau said.

For example, if an employee currently makes $70,000 and retires under the program, the village needs to save at least $35,000 in salary expenses over two years. 

"There were a number of position we looked at that didn't meet that threshold," Blau said. 

Blau noted if all five employees retire, one of the five positions would be made redundant while four other positions would be filled in with new hires at a lower rate of pay.

Questions Posed about Parks

Lori Semeraro posed questions to the village board about parks.

Semeraro wanted to know when the next public input session would be for the redevelopment of Pierson Park. 

Trustees said there is another Public Information Session on September 20. An open session to solicit comments on the design of the park isn't required, but trustees may hold a round table on the subject at a later date. 

Semeraro also wanted to know about the plants along the RiverWalk trail near Losee Field. She said that the plants that were picked to line the path have begun to grow too tall and are beginning to block out the views of the Hudson. 

She asked if they could be moved elsewhere to maintain the view shed. Mayor Drew Fixell said the village would bring the issue up to consultants working on the project.

Trustees Approve Capital Budget 

Tarrytown trustees approved a $2.89 million capital budget for the 2010/2011 fiscal year. We had a full story on the capital budget here. 

New Towing Rates in the Village

If the village tows your car, you'll have to pay a lot more than you used to. 

The village hasn't changed what is charges to tow in years; the new schedule brings rates more in line with neighboring municipalities. 

The new towing rates are:

• Towing within a two-mile radius of Tarrytown: $125
• Flat-bed truck towing: $175
• Road service: $75 during business hours, $95 otherwise
• Storage fee: $45 per day
• Winching rates: $105
• Rollover: $200

There will be an additional $5 per-mile charged for towing a car over two miles beyond the borders of Tarrytown. 

Numerous Public Hearings Set

September 7 will be a busy night for public hearings. Trustees scheduled six public hearings on that meeting date. 

Trustees are petitioning comments from the public regarding a couple of minor code changes, and these larger issues:

• Allowing dogs to access all of the village's parks
• Changing peddling laws so vendors don't have to move every 10 minutes –the law would continue to bar peddlers from the downtown business district. 
• Changing all park operating hours from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset.
• Adopting a new fine schedule for those who don't pay their water bills, so it will cost them extra to move those bills into their property taxes. 

New Handicapped Parking Spot Approved

Trustees approved the creation of a new handicapped parking spot near Key Bank at 75 North Broadway. The spot will be at the first metered space to the north of Dixon Street. 

Final Push for Revised LWRP

The village's Local Waterfront Revitalization Program has been in draft form for 27 years, and now the village will pay to complete it.  

The LWRP is a set of 44 policies relating to the use of waterfront properties and public access to the waterfront. The document is binding and has to be signed by the state. The LWRP then becomes the blueprint for all waterfront activities and usage moving forward.

Blau said the village received $3,000 to update the LWRP and submit it to the state for finalization. Trustees on Monday agreed to pay a contractor $6,000 to complete the work.

New Video Equipment in the Works

The Village took out a contract with George Malone to work as a consultant on new video equipment for the village. 

The village is sitting on roughly $100,000 in PEG funds that it needs to spend on equipment. 

Malone has worked with Greenburgh's public access station; as a consultant, he will bring a proposal to the board for a complete overhaul of village equipment. 

Next meeting

The Board of Trustees will hold their next meeting on the Tuesday after Labor Day.