Today, April 7, 2025, we have quite a lengthy agenda with several presentations and
sorry. 18 items, thank you. Wow. Okay. So, at this time, I'm going to turn it over to our city manager.
Okay, good evening, mayor and council.
Good evening.
Tonight, first off, we're going to start with Emma Kamenski from CEP.
And we've got Janelle.
It's Janelle, come see your last name.
Because Eric, from CEP also, and they are our sustainability coordinators.
I'm going to give Emma some time to load up the presentation that they have.
that they are here to talk to us about the resiliency action plan.
And this is the second plan.
You guys have worked on with us.
So the first one was the climate action plan.
And you should note that the climate action plan has been a very important component of our grant strategy.
And so we actually did not get one of our grants last year because we didn't have the climate action plan.
But we plan on resimbeding because about three weeks after that, when went through, we passed
for adoption that climate action plan.
So this is another very well thought out plan and they've done some really good work accessing
knowledge from our department heads.
So Emma, I'm going to let you take it over here.
Thanks, Matt.
Firstly, we want to say thank you very much to the council for having us to speak here today,
regarding the city of peak skilled climate vulnerability assessment and adaptation plan, which is
other as known as the C-BAP. My name is Emma Kaminsky. I'm the city's sustainability coordinator
through the Center for Economic and Environmental Partnership, and this is Janelle Kiseric,
Executive Director at C-B, who has been supporting this working out. The work will be presenting
today as well as all previous climate action planning has been completed through the Hudson Valley Regional
Council's Climate Action Planning Institute with support from EquUSA and internally from
the Planning Department, City Manager's Office and the CAC, the Conservation Advisory Council.
In our last presentation to this council several months ago in 2024, we covered the climate
action plan, which is a plan for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from municipal sources.
So that plan has since been adopted and in today's presentation, we are going through the C-VAP
which is a separate but related set of documents that
complements and expands upon the climate action plan.
Okay, so what exactly is the C-VAP?
It's composed of two different sections.
The CVA or climate vulnerability assessment and the adaptation plan.
The CVA is an assessment of peak skills assets systems populations and the risk that they face
as a result of local effects of climate change.
So the goal that one is to understand what climate
vulnerabilities are particular to piece to go.
The adaptation plan outlines strategies that
prepare the city to better withstand the climate threats
and then adapt to the new normal climate and weather conditions.
The goal of that adaptation plan is to compile
a list of feasible and impactful and equitable strategies
that address the vulnerabilities that were identified in the CBI.
So, in this presentation, we'll cover the time and work.
The results of the CBA and the recommendations of the adaptation plan.
Okay, so here's our timeline of work from the first kickoff meeting of Cappy in February,
2024 to the present.
The process can be thought of in three separate phases, the research phase,
which included reading and review of the relevant climate summaries,
the hazard mitigation plan, and all recommendations from the HRC.
Then the outreach phase, during which we released and promoted the climate vulnerability survey,
you may remember, and then the review phase where we actually wrote the assessment and play on,
based on the results of those previous phases.
So we're now in the final phase of the copy projects,
which includes updating the city's website with the most recent draft,
see-up, this presentation, and following this presentation of final round of revisions to incorporate additional feedback.
In the near future, we hope to see a formal adoption of the see-up.
So we can begin the work of implementing its recommendations and then incorporating them into city work, as well as the comprehensive.
So when we were evaluating the effects of climate change on P-skill, we considered the potential effects of three climate hazards based on the recommendations of the climate impact assessment for New York State.
The first being increasing temperatures, where the primary risk is he waves extreme heat days and drought.
The second was rising sea level.
The Hudson River is of course connected to the Atlantic Ocean,
and it's water level will rise in proportion to sea level rise.
So the primary risk is also flooding and changing flood zones.
The third was changing precipitation patterns,
which also brings a greater risk of flooding
in addition to the increased strength and frequency of storms and storm surge.
So this is not entirely comprehensive.
There are other climate threats facing the area, but they are not explicitly mentioned in the
C-bap as they were recommended in the climate impact assessment from your C-bap.
And those climate hazards are also addressed by the Adam Haitian plant strategies, regardless
of whether they're mentioned.
And you'll notice that the most significant hazards that we highlighted here in the C-bap
are also reflected in the greatest concerns
that respondents to the climate vulnerability survey.
So I'm going to pass off to General and get into the results.
Thank you, Emma.
You need to adjust your mic.
How's that?
Much better, perfect.
As Emma mentioned, we started this work
by reaching out to the city of peak-scale community
to better understand how climate disruption
has impacted their lives.
This graph shows the key takeaways discussed by city residents.
We have also shared with you each of you in the council at the anonymous responses.
They're in the packets that you received tonight.
And those will be available.
Some of the anonymous survey data is also going to be available in the website.
As you can see, natural hazards such as extreme temperatures, poor air quality and heat waves
And flooding are the greatest hazards being experienced by residents and what you will find in other areas of the survey is that community members have highlighted that these listed hazards are affecting them in the following ways.
More than 75% of respondents are either very concerned or extremely concerned about high energy costs due to extreme temperatures.
Over 70% are very or extremely concerned about the risks to trees and wildlife as well as water and flooding and water infrastructure.
And over 60% of respondents are also concerned with the health risk associated with rising temperatures.
And here are just a few resident comments that come from the climate vulnerability survey.
Just going to pause here for folks to take a few seconds to read these.
I
hope you had a chance to read some of these comments and of course all comments are included in the survey packet provided to tonight.
So we have conducted thorough research, analyze the hazard mitigation plan and engage with residents to better understand the climate-related vulnerabilities that your community faces.
To bring all of this work together, we developed a list of strategies that the city can implement to both mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change and the vulnerabilities identified through our assessment.
The list was created collaboratively with input from the conservation advisory council, the city planners,
city manager's office, as well as the police, fire, and water departments.
Together, we have identified and refined the strategies we believe will be most impactful as the city moves forward in building resilience.
While the list is extensive, we recommend that the city formally adopt this climate adaptation plan.
Doing so will ensure that all stakeholders are aligned and can work collaboratively to implement the proposed strategies.
I'm going to go through each strategy and a little bit more detail.
Strategy 1.
In addition to the P-scale emergency notifications system, which is run by P-scale emergency management office,
we suggest incorporating the distribution of informational pamphlets to the public
on actions that they can take to minimize their risk during extreme weather events.
This could go a long way in preparing the public and advanced.
We suggest partnering with organizations and community groups to ensure a broad outreach,
and we suggest that the literature be made available in both English and Spanish.
Strategy 2, we suggest conducting comprehensive reviews of existing city buildings and zoning codes
to facilitate distributed energy projects, including battery storage
and geothermal energy initiatives for new, for new construction, we suggest establishing conditions
such as ensuring zero increase in runoff, constructing structures above the FEMA 100 year
base flood elevation and implementing robust erosion control measures.
Strategy 3, we is to identify key locations within the community for implementing green
infrastructure to effectively manage storm water on our watershed wide basis.
taking into account combined and separated sewer sheds.
By strategically targeting these areas,
the city can address storm water management holistically,
improving resilience to drought and water quality.
Strategy 4 is to implement a large scale tree planting program.
In 2025, the city accepts a complete comprehensive tree inventory
and management plan funded by a grant from the New York State DEC awarded in 2024.
Implementing a large scale tree planting program and alignment with the management's plan
specifications is a logical next step.
A robust tree planting program will not only help mitigate the urban heat island effect.
We could also enhance the city's resilience to flooding by expanding permeable surfaces.
This initiative will contribute to improved air quality increased by a diversity and a more sustainable urban environment.
Strategy 5 is to implement the recommendations of the tree inventory and management plan with more robust tree monitoring and maintenance.
A tree board advisory to the Department of Public Works composed of local volunteers with knowledge of tree care and maintenance,
may be instituted to review cases of tree removal and to ensure the tree ordinance and management plan are adhered to.
Strategy 6 is to create a map to identify areas of high social vulnerability within peak
scope, such as low income neighborhoods, proximity to toxic release inventory facilities,
location in flood areas, and the ages of infrastructure in the area.
This map would be an invaluable tool for decision making in the future.
Strategy 7, as dorm events become more frequent and infrastructure continues to age without
timely replacement. The city must prepare for more regular occurrences of minor utility
flood failures. The water filtration plan, as an example, has identified their need for emergency
power.
Strategy 8. As identified in the hazard mitigation plan, the city currently lacks
designated emergency evacuation shelters and does not have the necessary shelter equipment.
Although the city has access to the town of Cortland's emergency shelter trailer, it is likely
that this resource would be needed by the town itself
during a large-scale regional disaster.
Therefore, it is critical for the city
to establish its own resilience hub.
A dedicated community center facility that
can serve as an emergency shelter
and provide essential services during times of crisis.
As a city continues to develop its community center,
there may be opportunities to improve the center's functionality
and align these efforts to create synergy
by incorporating emergency resilience functions
within that space.
In strategy nine, the last strategy,
unitsively owned local transportation,
which is wheelchair accessible,
and able to be deployed in advance of a weather emergency
or during events such as high heat days
will increase the city's capacity to support residents
who do not have private means of transportation
or the ability to drive.
Additionally, it has been highlighted by the fire department
that the purchase of an inflatable float inflatable boat
would allow emergency services to access stranded residents
during heavy flooding events.
All of these strategies require thoughtful planning,
coordination, and continued collaboration.
The stakeholders who have been actively involved
in this work, including sheep and numerous city departments,
are well prepared to support implementation efforts.
We are currently seeking feedback on this plan
with the ultimate goal of future adoption.
Adoption of the climate adaptation plan
will enable city departments and partner organizations to work together more effectively,
aligning efforts across sectors.
It will also support the integration of the strategies into the city's comprehensive plan,
helping to achieve our climate resilience goals in efficient, coordinated and cost-effective matters.
That is all of the strategies.
I just want to take a second to thank the Hudson Valley Regional Council,
especially Mary Lambert for her continuous support.
Thank you.
The adoption and creation of this plan. The city managers office and the planning departments, they've been great to work with. And the conservation advisory council, the city has a really excited and energetic council, which is great.
And to all the participants of the capvy process, and thank you all for hearing us out tonight.
If you have any questions, we're here to answer them. They could be sent to us either in email or ask tonight.
Council, any questions? Thank you so much for a very full report.
Can we go back to page 16, the climate mold of the assessment key takeaways, that's on stream now?
Yeah, so is there a, this is what survey indicated was the prior, with the major concerns.
But they probably align with actual data as to the number of heatings, the number of excessive heat days, different forms and stuff like that.
That would be very difficult to gather to take a look at what records we have of actual weather conditions.
And actually then see how well balanced it goes.
I would just suspect it would match up pretty well with what people are concerned.
But I did occur to me to be, you know, there's opinions and then there's actual data.
And to the extent we could get the data.
If it's easy to access, then I would like to see what we could do that.
the data from the survey or the just the temperature data you're saying.
The weather data from the region.
Yeah, I think that would be fairly reasonable to gather and send to you all.
It's not in the survey the survey was distributed to the residents.
And so this is anecdotal of how they're experiencing it,
but we certainly could pull data from weather and the region and send that.
As I think they're accurate, but it would be nice to certainly, my experience matches what you show here, but it's nice to have
the heat, the heat, the heat island and all that kind of stuff as we drive through peak school and we get into the summer ages.
You know, it's just something that's really serious, so.
Yeah, absolutely. We could share it with Matt.
Anyone else? Yeah, I just first of all, I want to thank you for all the work that you've done.
that their conservation advisory councils are near and dear to my heart, and this is a wonderful
presentation. I'm really glad that you did the reach out to the residents too, because I think
that even though it is, and I totally think it's very valuable to just feel what to see what people
are really believing they are feeling, and especially with the heat days, because I mean I can say
that I think it's way hotter in the summer
than ever used to be.
So, and I know the value of trees,
and I'm happy about that.
The tree inventory, all that.
So, thank you.
Yeah, absolutely.
And what you have in your package,
I mean, this is just a snippet of the questions
that were answered, but there is a lot more detail
in the full survey that would be interesting.
Thank you.
Do you tell us about how many people took the survey?
Yep, it was 143 respondents.
I think 43 and they were all residents.
Correct.
Anyone else?
Yes.
I really appreciate it.
It's kind of a job.
Mostly when we talk about floating,
for me, it's personal.
I mean, when I was seven years old,
I was in Dominican Republic.
Living, there was a agostative first.
There was a shewark and Dave.
And I was request and the children of the fighter fighter from my house.
I never can forget that.
And in 1993, I had to request my own mother with the fighter fighters in Mayan.
They were in the second floor.
It is, I don't know, because you mentioned that you were working with a OEM for the fighter
department.
There were identified, like, how can you say, like,
the more rates or the rate points that we have in the city
when we talk about flooding, and how many
is the impact of the population in that area?
Because I know the, um, prior street,
we have the migratory brewery right behind the Sun House.
House is a, uh, it is flooding right there.
So, oh, so you're curious of how many residents live
within a flood area?
Yeah, like in Greece, for the participation there.
That's not something that I know, all pan,
but maybe someone in the...
We did, we did, I did give an information
about the three risk grants that we received
in one of the two of the areas mainly have to do
with flooding impacts, residents and businesses,
was the Rick McGregor broke and the Hullabrook and the third one has to do with River
Front flooding.
But I think that's something that we could try to add.
I think that would be useful if we looked at real data to add with the Council on us talking
about you.
Thank you.
No, definitely add it to it.
And the second one is the same question, but no floating like people who are raised in
area, like, there could be possibility for a landslide, you know, like, that's another thing that we have a lot of heals and everything.
Oh, how many houses and buildings would be impacted by soil erosion?
Yeah, that would be nice.
Okay.
That would be great. Thank you.
Thank you for your work on this.
This is great to see the takeaways that you found with this.
So it's, it's, it's, it's eye opening, but it's not surprising.
So thank you for your work.
Absolutely.
Thank you so very much.
Okay. Thank you. Next, the next action for this, Emma, is you'll collect more information.
We'll represent. Okay.
We'll come back to you with comments and changes.
Okay. So next up we have with us Jason Angel and just Jocelyn up at the cello. Yes,
of ecological citizens project as well as online we have Nora Barger of working power.
Thank you City Manager Alexander. Good evening Mayor McKenzie, council members.
So, Johnson was actually not able to make it in person, she's online virtually, so you get the less intelligent portion of our partnership here, but you'll have to deal with that.
So, my name is Jason Angel, I am the co-director of the local nonprofit, the Ecological Citizens Project.
we're also joined tonight by our solar development partner Nora from working power if there are
questions that pertain. And so there are two parts of the discussion tonight. The first part is
just to give you all a project update of where we are in the Communion Solar Project. I know you all know
it well. We've been discussing it for a number of years. And part of that discussion that we really
to focus on tonight was a discussion around the subscriber management strategy of who gets
energy off of the solar project. And then the second part of the discussion is our request for
a public interest determination. So we'll start with the first part and please stop me at any time.
I don't have a PowerPoint, but if you have a question as we go, please feel free to stop me.
And so we'll start with the project update and the subscriber discussion.
There are two items in your packet that provides some background material.
One is a recent status report update to the city managers office of March 3rd.
There'll be some items that come up in the update.
And the second is a recent project update to water superintendent Rambo of February 28.
And those provides some more details.
So, as you all know, this project, the goal, this project, is to develop the ECPs, the local
nonprofit, working powers, our solar development partner, the goal is to develop roughly
two megawatts of non-profit own solar in the city of Peac scale, and the real thing I think
that distinguishes this project is to maximize community benefits to the city of Peac scale.
We'll discuss those a little bit more in the public interest determination, but the primary benefits
are the lease payment to the city, energy bill savings to low and moderate income households
and the creation of a food sovereignty fund to support local food and security initiatives
as well as some other community benefits.
But that's the primary goal.
We've accomplished a lot of progress.
Today, it's been a real partnership with the city, with the city manager's office.
Some of that, progress includes, we've secured $1.4 million in federal state and private
grant money that allows us to maximize the community benefits.
Another important piece of work is just working closely with the Peaksville water and sewer department,
so they can provide input on the project as it's designed and developed.
That included at their request paying for a third-party independent water quality engineering firm to overlook the project
and comment on it and ensure, you know, the protection of the water supply.
Additionally, we've been working very closely with the City Manager in Corporate Council.
We're nearing a final lease agreement, which would stand for the 25 years of the project.
We've teamed with the National Floating Solar Leader in the country,
R2, that has engineered or built 70% of floating solar in America.
And then we are commencing the permitting process tomorrow night going before the planning commission and which will also begin the site plan review process and the secret process which will discuss a little bit in the public interest determination.
So really the most important thing that's happening right now this week this has become like project week here. So we're getting the results from the con Edison interconnections study this week.
And so just a reminder, this is an interconnection study is when the utility analyzes how much capacity the nearby energy infrastructure has to absorb the energy that would be produced by the solar system.
So we learn that and then we also learn how much it would cost to upgrade the utility infrastructure to handle energy produced by the system.
and it's just getting back the utility interconnection study
is something that can, you know, it can kill a project.
If the costs of upgrading are so high that the project can't sustain it,
it can kind of change the finances of the project or if we all cross our fingers.
You know, have you conservative estimates we have in our project model?
They come in there and we can move forward.
But it really will.
We will relate that to the city.
It will really determine the economic viability of the project and what flexibility we have.
But it can affect things such as the final level of the community benefits we discussed.
And it will kind of have some bearing on the final lease agreement decision.
Some of them will discuss, you know, they're included in that packet such as a cost of holding a decommissioning bond
from the entire length of the project or considering the construction of a fence near the reservoir.
Some of these are costs that will be, you know, kind of be part of that interconnection study determination.
So, we kind of are just letting you all know that's where we are coming.
I'll stop there before I get into the subscriber's strategy.
Any questions or so far?
Should I have any questions?
Jason, I know you're working with our cases.
They've started their work and are they coming back with anything of concern?
Yeah, no.
They have, I believe, they pretty much completed their work because we've been asked,
But pay for the escrow account.
And so they have made a number of recommendations
to the lease agreement, which have been incorporated
into the lease agreement draft.
And while we haven't gotten the final,
or I don't believe the city has the final deliverable,
our case is really that with these recommendations
that they do not have concerns about water quality
and how we're proposing the project.
Great, thank you.
Anyone else?
There's only about the reservoir floating systems on the reservoir.
The putting the solar panels on top of the water, buildings, and the other buildings.
What's going on with in our own garage and stuff like this, where are we with that?
Good question.
You're correct.
So the public interest determination tonight just has to do with the 1.63 megawatts of the floating
solar. The, the, how we get to two megawatts is the solar on the water treatment plant
roof. And we kind of put that secondarily because we wanted to find out how much interconnection
capacity there was for the big project, the 1.63. But we were about to submit interconnection
to kinetics and for the water treatment plant roof as well. It's gone through an initial
design that designs gone to the water department. They had some questions about snowguards
And if those need to be removed, so we're working on a kind of a solution to meet their concern around snow guards and how panels would affect that.
And the James Street garage, are we still going ahead with that or what happened to that?
We would love that, but we're not involved with that discussion.
Yeah, but if the city ever wants to put solar, community on solar on the James Street garage, we would definitely support that as well.
Let's try and move ahead to the subscriber.
We need many other questions.
One question.
You mentioned that you guys security a fit that are granted one.
Yes.
So how now can we say this for sure now?
Any change for that?
So that is a really good question.
Thankfully we got, so that federal grant was for a total of $450,000.
There were three phases of it.
So we got $300,000 in the project bank account before anything happened that last $150,000.
We were supposed to go down to DC and participate in a Department of Energy Forum that got delayed and paused.
And so, we believe we can still get that last $150,000, but if not, we would be able to get it through lending.
So, it's only like a $400,000, I heard it was a run one meeting.
Yes, it's so far out of that 1.4 million, the only money that has not is not in hand is that $150,000 of the federal grant.
You know, the rest of the other is from NYSERDA, the New York State, federal government, and then private foundations, and so it's that last 150 that we're working on.
I'm just a big question.
I heard that it was a 1.4 of federal grants, though.
I know everybody's worried about that.
Any other questions?
I discussed, so the subscriber's shred, oh, was there okay?
So, the subscriber strategy is really kind of one of the key points we want to get your feedback on,
because it relates to what happens after we get the interconnection cost back.
So, when we were first proposing the project, we had proposed a community solar subscriber approach,
and that is really when our estimates is that the combined solar will produce energy for 400 households.
We had proposed that half of those households were market rate households and the other half were low and moderate income.
And so what a community solar approach does is you have to go out and subscribe individually the households into receiving energy credits from your solar project.
So that was kind of the subscriber strategy we first proposed, since we proposed this project
and we're awarded the RFP, New York State has released a new program that's called New York
State Solar for All.
And what that program does is it's trying to solve a lot of challenges with solar development.
It automatically enrolls low and moderate income households that qualify for the heat energy
assistance program, or SNAP, or TANF, or SSI into distributed energy generation projects in
conenison. And so these are kind of two separate approaches. We can go on. And so the state
solar for all program would mean that the energy from this project gets distributed to all.
So while the community solar approach would distribute to 200 low- and moderate income households,
The state solar for all program would distribute to the 28,
how, 2800 households in the city of peak scale
that qualify for heat, tanf, SSI, or SNAP.
So the reach of the energy would be more,
but at the same time, the energy bills savings
would be reduced, because it would be distributed
across more households, not only in peak scale,
but across low and moderate income households in Kanebison.
So we wanted to put that before you,
because it's a real choice about where the energy goes.
The reason we're considering it,
I mean, has the benefit of more reach,
although those energy savings per household are reduced.
A key benefit is community solar going out
and subscribing individual households is really expensive.
So to give you a sense, we're going to work with a,
we've been discussing the sustainable Westchester,
a subscription management partner,
whose job it is to go and subscribe the 400 households in
commusual or onto the program, but then also manage it throughout the 25
years. If someone was not getting their energy bill credits, they call
its subscription management. If someone leaves peak skill alone, my income,
then they have to go and subscribe a new household. The estimated costs
of that commusual approach are about $900,000 over the life of the project.
So it's a real cost to the project. I mean, to put that perspective,
that $900,000 is more than the 25-year lease payment to the city, and it's more than the creation
of the food sovereignty fund, which was kind of one of the driving factors.
So it's a real, it's a real decision we want to put that before you because we will have
to make a decision on that subscription management approach in the April May, because you have
to make that decision as you go in after you get the interconnection study.
So I'll just stop again there because it's a bit complicated, the kind of differences between
these approaches, but because you are a key partner to this project, city piece, we want to
explain it to you and see if you have questions as we kind of move into making that decision.
Any questions?
Yeah, I do.
So what you're saying is that either it's kind of ed is doing this broad distribution
in which case you wouldn't need subscribers.
Exactly right.
It goes automatically into, but everybody's going to have like, some small amount of, exactly.
Savings, or get targeted more specific in which case you have to have a management.
Exactly, right.
You're exactly right.
Yes, so under community solar, there would be 200 low-end water income households in
peak skill.
We would have to target them.
They would get all of the energy, they would get half of the energy bill savings.
under the state, so, if we're all, it would go automatically into
Con Edison in all of the low and moderate income households,
in Con Edison, and they would get the energy bill same as
which would be reduced because it's over a much broader.
Yeah.
And we don't have any sense of, I mean, is it like,
three cents off your bill or, you know, like, a buck fifty?
Yeah. So, the challenge we've been talking to NYSERDA to get a better sense,
and the difficulty right now is they're launching the program,
And as we don't have a hard number on what that is per year,
we can keep trying to get that.
I mean, I think it's a significant reduction
because it's spread out so much.
But what the state is saying is as more solar project
come online, those households, those 28 hundred
in peak scale are going to get larger and larger benefits.
But I can't answer your quote.
I mean, I can come back and see the best answer we can get to.
So New York State is saying that if the more solar projects in New York State, or in this area, or what?
In Kahn Edison, so it kind of works by utility area, and any distribution energy project can go into the state solar for all and get redistributed to low and modern income households.
Yeah, Kahn Edison's all the way down to New York City, isn't it?
Yeah, it should be Kahn Edison, Westchester.
Yeah, if that approach was just peak skill, that would be fine.
But since we can't do that, we're taking on the facility, we're taking on the burden
of having the facility here, and it should be directed to peak skill.
And I don't mind if all 400 residents are low on moderate income,
and it just goes to low on moderate income.
And it is there a way to target some of the buildings that are only occupied by low on moderate income
as a way to just, I mean, we have many buildings like that, and maybe just a direct stream
to part of the building. That wouldn't be so hard to, and they would always have to be qualified
as well a modern income. So I think it would be nice for something where people are paying their
own electric.
That's just an idea that it's, you know, if it's bred so thin over cone at Westchester,
What is it gonna be like a dollar? That's right. That was my question. Yeah, probably
that math for us and that would help a bit. I think if it's really down to something like
50 cents off somebody's bill, then I think that you go to peak skills.
Well, I think the fact that it's here in peak skill, and you know, this is our project,
with the partnership that it should stay in peak skill.
We're not putting stuff here to take care of the rest of the county.
when we can't take care of where we have here.
But then we have, do we have that bill of $900,
that's the dollars, that's not forget that one.
Jason, that's the $2,800 number.
Yeah, where does that $2,800 number come from?
So thanks to Westchester County,
we're working with a city manager's office,
so that's from Westchester County.
That's the currently city of Peace Corps residents
that are enrolled in either heap, tan-if, snap, or SSI.
So we're not going outside of Pigsco with this.
You know, it's keeping it in Pigsco.
It's just a diluted benefit for more people.
No, the benefit would go both to the 2,800 in Pigsco,
but it gets spread across connedic and westchester
low and moderate income households.
So here's the tricky, and I understand the point of view,
the tricky thing about this conversation is,
I mean, two things to your point, Councilman Douglas.
The current proposal was for 400 households,
half of the market, half of them low and moderate income with 20% electricity bill savings.
We couldn't support 400 LMI households because it would break the project.
And so the second thing is it is a smaller benefit.
I can work on the best estimates, you know, and get back to you.
But that 900,000 number, the reason we're bringing this to you now is when we get the
connection, study, back from Con Edison, if there are results of that cost, break the project.
They say, like, it cannot work financially, then we have to consider trade-offs and discussion
with you about, you know, what's the best way to keep the project being built.
And so, you know, this would be one potential trade-off, which is why we want to break it.
And are they looking, when they look at those numbers, are they looking at single family homes
single apartments or they're looking at, you know, some of the complexes we have are, you
know, a conglomerate. So is that considered one? That kind of thing I think needs to
be kind of flush that as well. I believe there's I'm going to pause and just see if my partner
nor from working power wants to add anything, but I believe those are their all individual households.
They're based on that 2800 number from Westchester County that received those four federal
program. But if they're correct, it's essentially individual utility accounts, individual
meters. Okay. So we know that they have meters, because some people who get those services
are not paying their own utilities. So I'm asking how that's broken down because that would
be something you need to know. Yeah. Um, that 2800 number could be far less. Because just because
you get tanner for just because you get this or that does not mean that you have utility bills.
You're utility bill for being included in if you're getting a subsidized rent or something like that.
We need to be able to break that down.
Okay, correct me if I'm wrong, Nora, but I believe the way state solar fall is
is organized is that if you're a household receiving any of those four programs,
TANF, food stamps, SSI, or heap, then you get a portion of energy bill savings.
Regardless of if you have a meal.
You would have to have a utility bill because you would have a role in the energy affordability program,
which would then, you know, it automatically, so it's opt-out instead of opt-in.
So the statewide solar for all is opt-out.
You could decide you didn't want the savings if you had a utility bill.
The opt-in is the one that's the, you know, we have to ongoing management.
There's also about a $100,000 fee just to subscribe to the
acquire the subscribers on the front end, so overall it's about a million dollars total cost to the project.
And it sounds really simple and like it is a wonderful product to be able to provide residents that do not have the money to put on solar
or maybe don't have the rooftop or a good rooftop,
but on solar.
So community solar solves for that,
but it is incredibly difficult to get the subscribers.
There's a lot of trust issues, there's a lot of education.
There's just a ton of work that goes into it,
and then maintain this subscribers over time.
It is a fairly costly endeavor.
So certainly is what we've been contemplating
from the beginning, but as Jason has said,
If costs come back higher for interconnection or other things,
terrorists have just been put on many, many goods,
so the cost of the project is probably going up.
It's just, there's going to have to be some trade-offs at some point,
and that's why we want to make sure everyone's aware of these options.
And I just want to say, I always think about the senior older women
We're on their own still living in their house and most of the houses are old so they're
drafting and you know these people I don't know whether situations are but I know where
I when I had my house there were at least five people on that block who were single women
widows whatever living alone in old houses. I know what my heating bill used to be.
So, Jason, when is that study supposed to be done?
One will we know if this is viable and April 10th?
We're supposed to be so this week, we're supposed to get the interconnection study.
So we're just putting in front of you and we'll surely be back in front of you with the results of that study to let you know how it impacts these decisions.
But we just because this is coming up quickly and it's such a poor decision we want to put it in front of you.
It's kind of clinch is all on that.
Exactly. Yeah, that's going to really drive the conversation.
Okay. I'm reading the tea leaves, right?
Did it may not be feasible other than running it through the state program through
kind of wishes. If the interconnection study came back with a very high cost of
grid upgrades to make his project possible, this is one of the largest cost
drivers that you could look at, yeah, wait for the numbers, wait for the numbers, yeah.
And in the meantime, we will work on some of the things you all raise, a better cost estimate
of the state solar for all, although we have been pushing for that, and then this American
Z's point about the accounts, though, of the 2,800 solar for all of that.
Jason, just one last question.
Who, what entity is overseeing the solar for all?
Is that counted directly?
No.
third-party New York State. So it's a New York State program. I believe
NYSERDA, New York State Energy Research Development Authority, is overseeing it. It's in
their house and it's been in the work for about 10 years and it's trying to remove
some of the biggest barriers to solar development. I go. I just add a little bit
that they ran up pilot in National Grid.
It was very successful, and so that's how they driven forward with the rest of the state, because it really solves for some of the projects that can't figure out the solution, or they're too marginal to move forward. It helps them move forward.
So obviously New York State has a enormous goal for a noble energy, so this is just another tool to help these projects to be able to move forward.
Thank you.
Thank you. Anyone else?
Okay. Isn't thank you so much for varying their own problems on that.
Now there's a part 2, I apologize to you,
because I saw how long your agenda is, I don't know.
So, it's not so good.
So, there is a part 2, and this is,
is running, should I go right into it?
You can jump into it, just give the basics
and then I can add to it.
Okay, so the second part of this discussion
is as I said, we are, this project
is beginning the permitting process
in front of the planning commission starting
tomorrow secret is coming down the road likely for the May meeting and part of the permitting
process is this our request for public interest determination and so just a bit of background
here we are project received a letter from the Peace Field Building Inspector Determination
determination letter on March 17th, which recognize that floating solar is not currently
recognized as a city of peak school permitted use, which we all knew in the R1A zoning district,
the one family zoning district. And so we're seeking determination from the city council for
an exemption from code section 57518, which is what prohibits non-permitted uses, under the
matter of Monroe County New York Public Interest Bouncing Test, which basically says
the city can allow for a non-permitted use if the project passes a public interest test if it
to the Common Council Mayor McKenzie on March 26th which stated the case for making this
public determination and a lot of it's just based on is the public interest served by this
project which is a decision you all make. But that letter outlined some of the ways that this
project serves the public interest I'll just go through a few of them briefly. One, this project,
the 1.63 megawatt floating solar project meets the City of Peacecales 2024 local government
operations climate action plan, which has a buildings and facilities strategy number two listed
in that climate action plan to install solar on municipal properties, which this would do. It
also supports the City of Peacows Climate Action goals because the project would reduce greenhouse
gas emissions by an estimated 29,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent over the 25 year
life of the project. It would produce $1.2 million estimated electricity bill savings for
LMI households, which would apply to either root community solar or state solar for all. It
would produce a city lease payment of $780,000 over the life of the project. It would create a
sovereignty fund, which would fund the Peace Go Regeneration Farm, which we partner with a city
with that produces free food and free educational programs and a paid youth apprentice program
at the Peace Go Regeneration Farm on city property and it would also create a fund for other
city local food and security initiatives. I don't know if I mentioned that's an estimated $883,000
over 25 years, any work would be a prevailing wage job.
We would include apprentices when possible, which is a little bit more difficult with the
floating solar project as compared to like a roof mount project, and it includes funding
to work with local community-based organizations that the ECP has partnered with very many
times in the past to do community outreach around subscriptions.
And I think we've discussed some of the ways the project is working in the public interest
to prioritize public safety.
As I said, we helped pay for an independent third party water quality engineering firm.
And in addition, I think this worthwhile mentioning at the recommendation of the water and
to our department, we're paying, we would pay for the construction of a stop gate, which
would be engineered to isolate one reservoir at 1,000 Lindbergh place from another, which
would be an extra layer of protection.
The public interest determination asked us to list if there was any intergovernmental participation
around this project.
As you all know, there's been a lot, as you're probably sick of seeing us, but since 2022,
We've made six presentations to the Common Council on this project.
We've made three presentations to the Conservation Advisory Council.
We've made additional community presentations to the Peaceful Business Improvement District,
the Peaceful End of the ACP, the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Congress.
We sit in on weekly sustainability meetings with the City Manager's office and seep,
which does a really excellent job of keeping things moving.
We have regular meetings with the Water and Sur Department to incorporate the recommendations
into the project design and tomorrow night we bring the project to the planning commission and
as I mentioned the secret process with like they kick off in May.
So finally, we don't see any potential alternative locations for this project.
We don't see any alternative methods to produce the amount of energy this project would.
And so we personally believe because this is the whole point of the project.
We've built it around community benefit that this project satisfies the criteria for granting a public interest exemption
for the proposed floating solar rate at 1,000 Lindbergh place, and that's it, but I'll turn it over to corporate council, if there's additional.
Yeah, just to give you a little more background regarding this public
interest exemption under a county of Monroe, which is a case
a doctor in that's been come up.
It only applies on municipal property.
It doesn't apply to private property,
so that's really the key factor here is
that this is going to be on city property where there is a project
that does not necessarily comply with zoning on municipal property.
You can exempt from zoning.
If you meet this public interest doctor,
and I think Jason did an excellent job explaining
The majority of reasons why the believes this project does meet the requirements for the public interest document.
Another one is there is going to be a secret review.
The planning commission will be declaring itself lead agency at some point.
You'll have an opportunity to comment on the secret process.
They're going to hold public hearings with respect to a site plan review.
So there is going to be significant public oversight with respect to how this facility is going to be constructed as well.
that's another factor that is considered in that analysis
to allow the exemption, so we're not waving site plan.
We're just allowing this use.
There's really no other place where you could have
a solar floating solar facility on a reservoir
in the city of Peakskill.
The one on top of the building, the water building
is a permitted use actually in this zone,
it's just not on a floating solar.
So that's really my assessment of the analysis.
you'll have a resolution before you next week going through through the analysis sort of similar
to what's been presented by ECP working power here, but they've done a pretty, I think, a pretty
thorough job going through the analysis here, I'm in setting forth why they believe
you're entitled to make that public interest determination. Count so many questions on what you've
heard and what's been discussed. We go to that. We got a nice memo on the garage to detail
of all the things that Jason Street garage.
We got a nice memo from.
Yeah, that gave the background.
Yeah, everybody threw that in.
And it pretty much dug till with what you're saying.
Anyone else?
Jason, is there anything other than construction?
There's no ongoing disturbance or anything
that would be caused in this neighborhood
or anything that we would ever be concerned about that.
No, you're just shaking your head now.
Yeah, so I must say words.
Yeah, so there is no besides the construction
of the project. Once it's built, it's stable and there's no other ongoing disturbance.
Thank you. It's really the water testing processes that we're sort of digging into right now and
making sure that those are properly addressed and the cost of those future costs for those all
the testing assessments are properly handled as well. And when thought ahead, this is
The planning commission would be the lead agent.
This is our water and our reservoir and the city council is responsible for it.
I don't mind them doing it, but this would seem obviously where the city council would be the lead agent.
You're doing the analysis of the lease regarding the safety factors.
The site plan is the construction of the facility.
obviously the secret looks at the safety of it and all the environmental factors and you have
an opportunity to comment, you know, but the planning commission is the board that typically
does lead agency for these types of projects.
If you have an objection, there's always that ability.
Just struck me as well.
This is our baby.
We're responsible for it.
We're responsible to ensure the safety of it.
We're responsible to see it.
develop property that it protects our water. And so I don't mind less works, leave it to
the planning commission, but I think I'm just wondering if it's appropriate.
Well, I think we look at the safety factors have really been looked at in analyzing the lease,
and that's what our case has been brought in. This is really looking at the environmental impacts
from the construction of the project, not necessarily the impact on the, the necessarily,
I don't think Secret's going to look at necessarily and as much detail as you have the impact on the water supply,
which is something you can certainly have with respect, you've done with respect to the lease and you'll continue to have the right to do.
But that's just one small part of the Secret review that's going to be done with respect to this project.
So it may just be worth noting that R2 as well, the engineering firm that will engineer and
build it, also build the city of co-hosts, New York, floating solar on their municipal
reservoir system and they also permitted that project and of course there's the state
Department of Health, there's agencies that regulate testing and safety going.
Now, can I thank you?
Okay, thank you so much.
We're very excited to bring this project to Pisco, we're getting to the reality point here now.
I know you have a long agenda, but thank you all for the city's partnership, the council, city managers, partnership, throughout we're very excited to work with you and get to the city.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Thank you, Jason.
I think that would also give us lots of points too for our status.
So we would become more grant eligible with this program.
Yes.
Jonathan, who's going to introduce new city parks to you, and talk to you a little bit about
the Pew Park, and Rose Hartley is with us at like her to introduce all the, any other people
who are appropriate. Good evening, council. Good evening, so as you know, we've been working with
a new city parks on some projects, particularly in the Pew Park, so this presentation is going to
highlight as an additional funding, and I'd like to highlight the principle of new city parks,
Rose Harvey, and we'll leave it to her for the presentation.
Thank you.
I'm Sarah Lebros.
Thank you, City Council.
And I'm introducing Emily Nye, and she is both our Chief Financial Officer, but also director
of design.
And Shannon Way, who is a project, is just working on this.
And I'm the Executive Director and co-founder of New City Parks.
And I'll be very, very fun to city parks, but we were created.
Our mission is to create parks in small cities in the most underserved areas, and we provide
at no cost to the city and the communities with whom we work, community organizing, design,
engineering, budgeting to set up a project, a park project, revitalization.
or new park for construction and then we go out with our city and your city is wonderful
as a partner to raise public dollars to actually build the park and help steward it and we
have seven cities and we just came in relatively speaking we just came into peace skill in 2024
for we kind of started working and Emily's going to go through a presentation on where we are
with revitalization of Dupue Park.
I have everybody alone to see some of you again, thank you.
To pew part. You all know it well, I'm sure. It's an incredible asset and such a unique
one in the middle of a city to have a part of this size and scale into a butt of the blue
mountain reservation.
But as you also know, it's got the best shape. So when we were very
said about the connection in this woodland in the middle of your city, but noted that the
recreational infrastructures in pretty poor shape that kind of supports basketball
course, every paved surface essentially needs refurbishment.
Ablishing, way of finding, infantry and circulation is pretty poor. There are a lot of conflicts between ours and people, and if you don't really know your way around, you know, it's hard to know what's where without signs. And then of course, there's your pool, which mention almost on its last slides.
So, this is the master plan we put together with the landscape architecture firm, Sarah Chauva,
Associates.
When we were helping the city put together an application for the New York State EPF
brand.
We did that in July.
We successfully were awarded the grant in December.
I think you all know that was for $600 and $75,000.
The focus of the grant application was this area where the
separation is heaviest, and we did, so that's that's what we're going to show you in the next slide that area in a little more detail.
But we also looked at the whole part, and wanted to improve circulation throughout, improve your picnic areas, introduce furnishings,
This is a placebo area and also look at the trails in the park, which are such a, you know, so lucky to have them.
But I think people who don't know them well are intimidated to start hiking because they can easily get lost.
Okay, so this is a different view of the area that is the focus of that EPS.
APF grant. As you know, you have a great purple ball court, which is a terrific start, but
this grant funding would help refurbish the tennis courts and produce a pavilion for
gatherings.
The Amirians, that sort of thing. We would extend pathways from the street and to the park,
here all the way down to the basketball courts, and over here beside the street to help
of my some of those plus between people and cars.
We would also refurbish both basketball courts.
And one would serve a dual purpose.
We would be both the basketball court and a soccer mini pitch.
These are just the images to give you.
My idea of all these features that you don't know
what a soccer mini pitch it looks like.
This is what it looks like.
It's enclosed.
And this would have striving for basketball as well.
And basketball goals on either end.
inspiration for pavilion structures.
This city got a large press
France to improve plaingrounds across the city and this will
but peace skills play around will be one of them in the
St. Joseph's will be replaced.
And this is just to demonstrate some
of the improvement to the trails. We,
um,
Jonathan, please go to work on the trail system.
And this summer, they're going to do a first round.
They're going to improve one loop here.
He's going to make her serve, and improve the markings and signage,
and we're going to get a new kiosk and a temporary map to introduce people
who maybe have been reluctant to enter the woods to get to be hiking.
And then what we'll follow is a plan to improve the trails
who out of the park and also the markings and markings
too.
You can ask, and this is the sort of marking
we want to have throughout the hills and hills and hills.
And again, and here's where we are with our funding.
And I'm going to let Rose take it from here.
So this is almost perspective and secure funding.
And if you look down, there's a subtotal of secured farms of 1.6 million rounded down.
And it's a combination of the state parks grant, the EECF grant.
What was already allocated for the playground from a previous press grant.
And then peak skill parts, trust fund is going to match the state grant, which is a higher match than some of the others.
And then we have hired essentially New York New Jersey Trail Conference with Commission now to do some, this is a initial work and they will join more work for us again with the city.
So, that's all done, and that is that rendering that you saw that Emily showed of kind of improvement of the repreational areas.
And then phase two is perspective.
And perspective in terms of what phase two is is the gazeboes, the pit barbecue area, more picnic areas,
And that is going to be another 1.35 and we already have actually you all secured $100,000
or you're appropriating a 100,000 of the old Hunt Grant CDBG grant.
And then there's the new state program called MPR.
It is for all the recreational features that I just talked about for phase two.
the highest amount is a million and we will be applying for it on the half of the city and then we're going and we've talked to the mayor and that about a pressed fund.
And right now, it's at 250,000, and it may change, and that's after we talked about the pool.
But so we think that these are good prospects that would go in the summer, and we find out at the end of the year.
And that's another 1.3.
So it basically takes the total cost of to few to $3 million.
Now, the MPR grant, we would get the maximum amount of million.
So we had back of strategies that in case we don't get that.
bring the county out to look at connecting Blue Mountain and covering some of those
costs and additional costs. We have, we know, two other possible state costs that are
smaller. So, this could all change somewhat. But we think we're going to get there for
the 1.3 and for the revital or for the total of the 3 million and you all really out of
your trust fund out of the 3 million you all are with that match really providing 700,000 out
of the 3 million.
That could change if there is a perspective grant that has a higher match, we'll see but that's
what we're looking at right now.
Now the pool of bromance, we've always had our eyes on a pool and so you all and there's
a National Park Service grant, it is just for pools, it is for underserved communities, it is
a federal grant, we've been monitoring it and we've raised it.
in the past for other cities, our fingers are crossed that it will go forward and to
they've changed the criteria a little bit over the new administration and that may be problematic,
but we are working with the administrators of this potato and program.
The match for that is a one-to-one match is a New York State swims grant.
Now, of heat skill also doesn't qualify currently for the New York State Parks a
swim grant, but we, with that, have been talking to the commissioner, Dazzney, the commissioner
parts and trying to explain that the criteria they're using is not reaching the target audience
of low income and diverse populations. We are getting indications that maybe they will change it.
We don't know.
So the poll is, you know, we're going to try.
It's so big.
We had Sarah Togan, take a look at it,
and Christ it out for us just back in the envelope
engineering study that we would do if we got these graphs
of an end-depth one.
And they think it's somewhere between six and eight.
So we settled as seven.
And we'll wait and see, we're on it every day.
This year we can change it, and we'll go from there.
And that one thought, and again, we've talked with the mayor,
and with that about maybe the press grant,
it would be a very large press grant,
But maybe we have a dual press grant and get some large amount from your local representatives
and we've been setting up meetings with us in the city to go forward on that.
And that's pretty much it.
Can you answer any questions?
You,
uh, yeah, uh, thank you Rose and everyone's like, I can see the names right here, but uh, for the presentation.
Uh, when you mentioned about the possibility to have some connection between, uh, the reservation, the Blumen time reservation and the DPU part, uh,
work on the connectivity that we are talking about.
Some trails that within your 177, 79 acres, before you get to Blue Mountain Reservation,
And the first thing we're doing is creating a very basic trail that's just kind of parallels
the lake and we're going to get it in New York New Jersey, the New York New Jersey Conference
trail conference will help us clean it off. And then you have a lot of on your property,
various spurs here and there, and it's not really clear where is the real path. So we're thinking
creating some well-defined paths and letting grow over some of the spurs and get ends
and so forth and so on. And then, as well, most importantly, we're going to have three
entrances to Pew for deputors who don't really know where the entrances are. They'll have
us and they'll have maps and then we're working again with the city about getting New York
New Jersey Trail to also run some programs, just leading walks on to puke as to Flaura
and Flaura and just making people and kids safe and maybe even a work program for an annual
you know. So with respect to the, um, that is primarily yet the one of those, or two
of those trails, we may connect if somebody wants to go further than to view, connect them
to the mains for trails of the field. Thank you. Now, I'm sorry of the count.
I did it a question because I didn't see a specific area, but I was when they did it when you guys did a presentation in the library.
I was a chair, the idea to do something like this because it would be very interesting to have a pathway connecting between the blue, montan and the DP bar.
similar like if we haven't the river from far in in
connecting and by to as accessible for all the area like it's
I don't know where, remember, and all the people on Washington Street, and they can be decided
to go either way to the deep part of the Blumenty Reservation, because, I mean, the experience
that I have is going to the North Trail in the United States Rail, is really into how
for a different community they can share seniors, kids and walk biking and use as a connectivity
for another municipality. That would be nice if we can have a similar pathway like we haven't
driven from between the two parts.
Well, and thank you also for all your input throughout. Yes, we are bringing the county out to
just look at that as well.
Where are the right connections to Blue Mountain Reservation?
And so it's a thank you.
Thank you.
We're all following up on your good ideas.
Thank you.
Based on the amount of secured funding,
do we have any sort of timeline
when we might start seeing some of the playground improvements?
I assume we're going to tear these improvements
as we get more funds to do them.
But what are we looking at in terms of potentials starting?
Well, actually we're thinking of doing all at once.
And the reason is that one mobilization is much more efficient and less costly.
And, but, if we don't get a grant or they stall, then we will begin in terms of phases.
So, we're set up to do phases, but we're hoping that we're going to apply for the grants this year,
the perspective grants and we're hoping if we'll get it we'll know by the end of this year
and then it takes a while to process all these grants and just if you get the award and
you have it and you have the money but getting it contract with painful, cumbersome process
much because of the state system and requirements.
So we're hoping that we was start and we go out to bid in the fall of 2026 because you need
to have all the grants under contract and start in early 2027.
If we start not getting grants then we can start to face it.
we've kind of worked that out as well.
The poll is a whole nother matter.
That will be separate and we'll go on its own timeline.
We already have Saratoga doing some preliminary designs
and we've met with your pool staff at Jonathan,
just to get enough to apply for the grant.
But if we can get both, so they match each other,
Um, that, you know, want to do some heavy duty engineering and so forth and so on and that problem where you will be on a later timeline.
Uh, particularly the federal grant, the federal grants require us to convert and award and to a contract or really earners.
And we're here to do that with you and for you.
But that slows it down a little bit.
Thank you Rose. I just wanted for clarification. So when she's talking about the playground's map,
that is separate from the other grant that we have for all of the playgrounds. This is just for the playground
being the pupil. Correct. Correct. All right. All right. Just our residents who are looking at
other playgrounds that we have a grant for that we're working on, but I don't want anybody to
get that next stuff. These are two separate projects, totally and two separate streams of funding.
So, anybody else have questions or comments?
I'm really excited to see this project roll out,
and thank you for your help with it.
It's been terrific working with you.
It was wonderful working with the City of Peacefield.
You're all fabulous.
There was some talk.
There was some talk of changing the traffic directions in the parking.
It's a fact that we're leaving all the road systems as they are, the access roads into the
park or are we reversing them, I think the access to where the parking is for the pool
and stuff.
I believe there was some planning that was done to modify that.
There was, and we're definitely thinking about that, and we're waiting to see where we are with the pool, and it's less of a, and it would be something that we would do at the end once we've, you know, was construction's finished.
Thank you so very much. I appreciate your presentation.
Thank you.
Thank you, Rose.
So next up, I believe we have.
Tentrum.
Ten.
you can see. So sustainable Westchester is here to talk to us about the Westchester power program,
the CCI, the city is involved in Dan. Can I plug this? Sure here.
Here we
go.
Let me know what I have left.
Yeah after um half an hour, I'll be through.
Because you're not doing great.
Yeah but I
Have
been there.
Well of sex.
Okay, I'm sorry.
Yeah, yeah, I did that in terms of the slide show, but when I did that, it had to be
a room slide, every close as far.
Are you getting any cooler?
No, you can turn it off.
I'm okay.
I can turn it off.
Yeah.
Wait there.
Hello, everyone.
I heard the comment from the early gentleman not being so good seeing, seeing,
people here and so often, we're here not too long ago, but the situation with the bidding process for the new contract and everything is such that we wanted to come early everybody to see everybody.
So I'm Dan Welch, I'm with Sustainable Westchester,
and I'm not going to skip through the sort of climate change stuff because you guys are climate smart certified and all the rest of it.
But just for the orientation of the public, this is a climate-oriented initiative, the electricity program.
And obviously, the challenges still here, the state plan is aggressive, but we're falling
short on it.
One of the answers of Westchester County has been to work collectively, doing amazing
work on the local level, but some things are easier done when you pull your resources.
So sustainable Westchester is an air municipal consortium.
That serves as a shared service to help the unit's authorities,
programs that would be difficult to do on their own.
And this is just a quick look at the sort of portfolio,
and includes all sorts of work and the energy side of things,
building, decarbonization, working with a lot of partners,
countywide, and a lot of innovation to these community choice aggregation program that we're going
to talk about today is a first-in-state. We had the first residential demand response. There's
people in the Peace Corps participating in that and so forth. And so the Wester's Power Electricity
program obviously is targeted towards the yellow chunk of our carbon footprint, the residential
energy consumption. And to that end, the program is organized in an opt-in format as far
as the municipalities are concerned. We do have 26 municipalities participating approximately
130,000 residents in small businesses within those participating municipalities in the program.
In peak scale, there's about 4,700 plus residents in small businesses enrolled as the end of February.
And again, we always want to do just a quick electricity 101 for four folks,
because it's important to understand the distinction at least between what the utility does and what the program does.
So, the Westerster Power Program is about your energy supply that basically is identifying where you're buying your power from who is actually generating the power for you.
And then the utilities are always going to take care of the logistics of getting that power to you and the hardware, the lines, the billing, all that.
And so when you are with which is the power, or if you've signed up to a private supplier
yourself, you're going to see that supplier name on the bill.
If you're not with the private supplier, you won't see anything.
It'll just say, kind of there.
The program, obviously again, is directed at trying to leverage our collective buying power
with a goal of increasing the access and uptake of renewable energy.
It's a fixed-rate program, as in contrast to the utility offering, which is a monthly variable rate,
where you only know the rate after the month is over.
And it serves as a platform for a lot of other sustainability initiatives.
The key features of the program in terms of the way it operates, number one, it's an opt-out program, and you heard that word earlier today.
That means that the eligible customers are getting a letter at the program, or at the start of every new contract, it says, here are the terms of the new contract.
If you don't want to be in, you need to contact us and will opt you about or if you want to change your supply and need to contact us.
So that's the nature of the opt-out program.
But you can do that at any time and through all sorts of media whether it be email or the online forms or call us on the phone, whatever medium you're comfortable with.
And there are a couple of different supply options, so there's flexibility there.
As a fixed rate program, we can never say that we can guarantee or we know you're going to save money or anything like that because we don't know what the future will bring for the utility rates.
So we have to make sure that everybody knows it's not a guaranteed savings program.
program has had a huge effect over its lifetime in the year 2024.
We mitigated over 327,000 venture tons of carbon dioxide through the collective participation
in this program.
That's very hard to sort of get a handle on what that actually means.
the EPA has a little calculator where you can translate that into things that are more tangible,
so it's equal to, say, for 76,000 cars off the road, et cetera.
There's a social cost of carbon is something that the DC does in terms of assessing what the,
what the associated damage of releasing that carbon into the environment would be, come back to
sort of consumer friendly consumer choice, as fact of it, it's when you bring CCA into your
community that means you have one more choice than you had before, essentially, before you
have CCA, then you're either with utility or you have to go out on your own and seek some
options within the private asco suppliers. When you bring in the CCA, you have those original
choices, but then you additionally, you have the community selected default supply as well.
And again, the...
There's various methods that you can use to affect your transactions. If you want to change your supply or you want to change the supply or opt out. During the enrollment periods, when you receive your letter, there will be a card in that envelope and that's one way to opt out. Otherwise, as I said, online, by email or by phone, and there's never any penalties to make any of those changes.
you can come back in as well if you like, if, say, your situation changes or you feel the market has changed in a way that argues for that.
This is just an obvious representation of the fixed rate versus what you see with the utilities,
so it does provide sort of a cap on what you're going to see on your bill.
So here is where we are in a recent few months.
It's the left column, our hour rates.
We put up a non-renewable equivalent rate there.
In other words, pulling out the cost of the renewable energy.
Certificate that is the medium for us buying the renewable power.
Just to give you sense of sort of how we're doing in the market relative
to what the conneson rates have been.
So we're doing OK relative to conneson at this point.
You're likely to see a little dip in the spring time yet,
and then it pops back up in the summer,
at least that's the way the market used to work.
The whole markets are a little bit crazy right now.
And just to show how we've done historically,
on the whole, we've been OK relative to the utility.
With the exception of the two years of the prior contract, everybody that is a very painful experience with that, we want to recognize that that is the case.
But here on this chart here, you can see we've been otherwise in a ballpark versus the utility.
The big part of what we do is communicating with customers.
They're calling us for all types of things.
They're calling us for things that are not necessarily directly,
in our scope, but we're helping them as best we can to find the right answers to those questions.
And we're providing more and more in the way of bilingual resources.
we now have 20 percent staff. We have four native Spanish speakers and we're having more Spanish
events and of course dealing with these Spanish phone calls coming in. This is just again
to emphasize that the program sort of serves as a platform for engagement with residents
on a whole raft of things, we've got the building energy work where thousands of people have
been helped to access state programs to help them tighten up their homes and improve their
their cost of energy for their homes. The grid rewards program here in peak skills had a good
number of people participating saving savings and dollars there. We heard about community solar
here earlier and there's quite a few subscribers to that as well we've
served as the aggregation agent for many projects so far and we'll come back to that
also and again the education side are buildings people have been out having
sessions which is it called the energy kit sessions which I think they've done a
here in peak skill, which is helping people to access resources if they've got to reduce their energy costs.
And we talked earlier in the earlier discussion of your solar project.
There was an mention of, again, opt-out programming versus the solar installations.
And that the solar-for-all program is an opt-out program as well.
As I mentioned, we had a proposal into the Public Service Commission now for almost three years to set up an opt-out community solar program, which would actually sort of be the best of both worlds.
you would have the opt-out ease of enrolling the low and middle-income customers, but you'd
be able to target it as you please. We submitted probably a month ago an update to our submission
asking them to set us up as a pilot for that. So it occurred to me as I'm listening to this.
maybe it might be something that would be of interest to peak skill and perhaps a good word
with the folks up there would be helpful.
There will be one of the, we're starting as earlier than we would normally have for a couple
of reasons.
One is we want to have a longer runway for the bidding just in case when we go to bid, you know,
You see a bump in the market and say, we have the luxury then of saying, you know, let's
wait another three weeks and reap, reap it.
But one of the other reasons we want the longer run way is that the DPS has set out in
the rules, which has increased the amount of post-alwart outreach initiatives, sessions,
public meetings, virtual sessions, and physical outreach that we need to do, so it's going
to stretch things out. Which is a good thing. Although some of the ways that they view
outreach, you know, we would think would be better applied in other directions, but it's all
Let's see, yeah, then this is just to make sure that people understand that the folks
who are in the assistance programs are not eligible for this ECI, so they would be excluded
from this.
They, of course, you know, have options to participate in the community solar programs and you're
working on that.
They can also participate in the grid rewards, the demand response, and make a few dollars
off of the three or four peak day calls that come and again our buildings folks are out there
holding meetings in the community to make sure that everybody who's qualified for the
empowered program can get you subsidies to upgrade your housing stock.
This is then speaking
again to, but I just kind of jumped the gun on the schedule stuff. Again, our contract
does go through November 30. In years past, you probably would have seen us, you know,
we would have done kind of a high-high-high, you're doing meeting now or in another month.
And then later on, come to for the specifics on the, on the participation, MOU, but we want
to go right to the MOU stage so that we have the extra month or two, again, flexibility
on the procurement. And also to allow plenty of time for the outreach. So that's the primary reason behind that.
And that's pretty much the backdrop of why we're here today. And you have in hand the standard contract draft and the MOU format hasn't really changed over the years.
Yeah, I just want to underscore my understanding that the kind of prices change month to month, right?
So some months that may look like we're doing better and some not.
And you base how we're doing on the compilation of the entire year compared to,
I'm sorry if the program that you're representing has this fixed rate every month.
Yeah, yes, so that does make it a little difficult for people because the last
year will I do better or will I, will I not and I, you know, we can't answer that question
and that's unsatisfying, you know, but yeah, you would want to look over a long period of
time, and it does vary. In general, we're paying a, you know, some kind of modest premium
for renewable, I'm saying it's fair to say that. But then there's also times when stuff
happens and kind of rates go way up and, you know, we have a safe harbor for that.
And can some people in the program opt into the renewable, or does everybody have to opt
into the same thing.
Well, there's two, there'll be two offerings.
It's a 50% renewable and 100% in the last round, peak
skill was in 100%, but everybody has the option to switch
into the 50%.
We used to have a non-redoable offering, a couple of rounds
battery in there, but the way the DPS set up the new rules
is really impossible to get a bit that meets their requirement
right now for that. So they kind of, you know, pushing you, if you're going to do this kind
of program, you may as well do it for, you know, renewable. But we do have the 50% which
does shave, you know, roughly a penny off of your kilowatt hour cost. Yeah, because it's cost
to them, there's cost. And we all have to be very mindful of what's happening in the environment.
So thank you. Yeah, sure. And, you know, I should say there's lots of speculation about all types
things in the economy now, and certainly energy was one of them, and when the top came
up of tariffs for Canada, that was going to include some of the energy resources that we
depend on here in New York, and we still don't know exactly where that's going to land, but
That was something that at least, again, if the worst happens, at least, got a place to be.
Just to be clear, based on your chart and the information you've provided, peak skill
joined in 2019 to this program, I think, and it looks like five out of the six years
that potentially has cost more to be part of the program, looks like 2022 was the win.
My question is, how many households or businesses in peak skill are currently opted out of this program?
I don't remember the exact number, but it's not insignificant.
It's probably, it could be as much as 2000, it's my guess.
People are opted in still than opted out of the program.
Yeah, I think you started at maybe six, seven thousand or something like that.
Thank you.
Anyone else?
questions.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
Thank you for
patiently waiting for us, Dan.
Okay, next up we have our city
clerk, Cassandra Redner, who's going to talk to us about three items and we're
going to start with the flea market. Thank you, Matt. Good evening, Mary
Council. Good evening. So the first item will continue the discussion for the
the flea market as you see in the memo, the bid would like to propose a new location on James
Street for Maine and Park Street. Chief Duluth Geese had visited the proposed site and his
recommendations are listed for signage and barrels. The signage will be needed on James Street
similar to that, which was on bank.
The quick of the signs go up, the better for everyone.
It will benefit all.
The barrels will be needed at the intersections for
James and Maine, James and Park,
and the James Street Garage exit.
So we would like to, for the discusses with the council.
The standard, what is the signage that we're looking for?
is that the permanent signage and the DPW signage
that goes on the streets regarding parking?
Is that what the chief was suggesting?
We get underway.
Chief?
Is that a thumbs-up chief?
Yes, thank you.
Anybody else?
So it's from Maine to Park.
From Maine to we're correct.
Where cable is and sea town right there?
So is that something else?
Before the intersection, yeah.
Before the intersection, that's
proposed location. That's being proposed by the bid. So I would guess that yes, that is big
or not with them. That seems like is that comparable size to what's happening now?
Bill powers is here. Maybe Bill could explain.
Thank you. How does choice came to be?
Good evening Mayor and council.
Good evening.
So the bid board voted last week to move the flea market off a bang street to
change street from Park the Main Street. The board felt compelled to keep the flea
market in the downtown and move it outside of the downtown to keep those
2000 people coming in from, you know, the surrounding areas on Sunday, while still
honoring the wishes of a limited number of people businesses on
bank street that were opposed to the flea market. We'll continue to work with the
city to address the parking in trash issues, which they brought up to us as well,
which I don't think are direct.
We related to the flea market. I think there's just constant issues that we need to take a look at. So, James Street from Maine to Park is our only viable option.
It's slightly longer than bangstreet, so we can accommodate the same number of vendors, so that was a good thing.
And we can accommodate, not just the vendors, but it's also just one block over, so that people who were used to coming to bangstreet can probably find it pretty easily and we'll do some additional signage.
The other thing I just want to mention is that the foot traffic really was important to the
bit board to keep it in the downtown.
I know you have a long agenda, but I know you're going to get questions.
So why the other locations were rejected.
So the high school parking lot was rejected because too close to the residential neighborhoods.
You're going to have 50 vendors coming in with cars and corridors opening and closing
and noise.
You know, I know the neighborhood is used to the school activities there, but Sunday might
be their only respite.
So we wanted it to be respectful of the neighborhood, the top of the James Street garage was also rejected because of safety concerns
and whether the elevator could withstand the thousand trips on a Sunday.
It's an aging elevator and we were really concerned about that if nobody can get up or down in the parking garage it really does
present a both a security issue and a safety issue.
Also, half the vehicles wouldn't fit in the garage because there is a limit on the hate
getting in.
So, that was another concern.
We looked at Brown Street, which was discussed a couple of weeks ago, that too was rejected
primarily because of the residential neighborhood that it butts up against, again, residents
are used to a quiet Sunday morning and it would create quite a bit of noise.
And then we also looked at South Street, from Depute of Washington, but there are residential
homes in the middle of that block that require access with their driveway, so again, not
fair to them.
And lastly, we did look at the riverfront parking lot.
It was rejected because it is outside the business improvement district and also the city
as you know is considering potential development there, so we'd have to move the flea market
again at some point in the future.
I'll be answering questions.
Questions?
Thank you for that.
Letting our residents here in your explanation and how much you worked on this, much appreciated.
I'm glad it is going to still be in the downtown.
I feel that is very important too.
I know people that attend that flea market every week.
And I was getting phone calls saying, is it going away?
We hope it's not going away.
So I'm glad that everybody put their heads together.
You worked hard on this.
And I think that will be a viable site for it.
And I hope more great success for all the businesses of Beakskill.
Thank you.
So I appreciate that.
And I also appreciate the Mayor's help in connecting us with the school district, initially, to see if that was a viable option.
Thank you.
Thanks on your work on that.
I think it sounds like a good solution to me.
Thank you.
I mean, I think it's a great place also.
And just about some of the concerns, the business probe,
And that meeting was meeting, maybe to have, you know, to resolve that, prevent that, that doesn't happen.
It is possible maybe to have a like a beacon container, like a garbage container, like, in that area, like for the garbage pickup.
Sure. Again, I think, you know, there's a little bit larger discussion with the city in terms of garbage pickup for Sunday.
Matt, I don't want to speak for you, but we are looking at doing a lot more potentially
on a pilot program to keep the whole downtown cleaner, not just where the flea market is.
I also don't believe that the trash is being generated by the vendors from the flea market.
They're required to take whatever they bring in back out.
Well, just like the restaurant makes, I'm like, because sometimes he's a garbage container
are flowed after that, so just now we heard them, and though the thing is, well, you mentioned
about maybe the soup or marker, that there are conversations with the, there are, the good
thing, there are not too many business over there, but our no business is on that stretch,
and then face out onto the change screen. Only two, and there was another thing that was mentioned,
like if people, the restaurant, the thing, the restaurant say they have a delivery, and there
There's no answer for that.
We find around the Chinese restaurant in the Mexican daily.
They do a delivery from that side.
Just in case to maybe, we're gonna chat with them.
Like usually the Sunday delivery is even
with La Placita, there were no Sunday deliveries.
When we looked at the Brown Street area.
Just for mention of that.
And I think early in the morning,
maybe they don't have it too many things,
but it's something that's really a force
or maybe something to consider.
And, and the other thing is about the, the portable restaurant, like, we're going to bring them in, yeah.
All right.
So, it's good.
Thank you.
I appreciate your support.
I want to say thank you for really looking at this and hearing the concerns of everybody
and trying to come up with a viable solution.
I do think that moving this there will actually bring some life and foot traffic to some of those restaurants in that area,
I think it brings more opportunity for people to have other places to eat and pick up things, and yet still be close in the downtown to visit all the other vendors and stores.
And they have to come through downtown again, so it's great.
Thank you so much.
It'll just a quick scheduling question. If we pass the resolution next week on the 14th, we will let's
start on the 24th. Yes, okay. Thank you. Thanks for your hard work. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
The only thing we'd have to do is to move it.
We would just have to describe the new location.
and do a resolution.
For the street closure.
The street closure for the 14th.
If we pass it on the 14th, then they will be able to open on the 21st.
Okay, thank you.
In every move that sign as a recommendation,
I think that there are signs in the parking lot also,
in all of the on-brand street.
Do you feel like I'm sorry, I didn't hear you?
I have there are signs also by the parking lot,
by so we restaurant to say those in parking on Sundays over here. So that should be
maybe the all the signs will be made appropriate. Yeah. Okay.
Thank you. So next up we will move
to the street closure for of the railroad avenue for Mother's Y.A. Market. The arts 105.66
submitted an application to the city requesting
street closure on Saturday, May 10th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
with the rain date of Sunday, May 11th for the purpose
of hosting the Mother's Y.A. Market.
This event aims to continue to encourage local shopping
by showcasing auditions and detainment
entertainers, excuse me, and community groups.
That's a lovely event.
And I think we should do it again.
Okay.
I'm good with it.
Good.
Thank you.
Okay.
So if the council is okay with that, we'll bring a resolution back for our next week.
Thank you.
Last is the Cinco de Mayo Celebration.
So Ruben Alvarez of Ruben's Mexican Cafe has submitted an application to hold the annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration
on the Vision Street on Saturday May 3rd, 2025 from 1 p.m. to 1130.
Think of the mile is seen as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage.
The street closure would begin at 11 a.m. on the 3rd and then 12 in that 1230 on the 4th.
So Cassandra, when I was looking at this, yes.
So it says for the visionary, but the map underneath shows that it's the visionary park street and up the other part of the vision.
So I just want to make sure that if that's what we're doing, we're covering that.
And as a suggestion, the stage.
We found that the stage has worked the best when they push it down.
Thank you.
Central kind of pass or by the K-Lat parking.
Okay, so we could refer that because that gives them area to push back for this stage
and also have some seating and then leave that area up there for vendors and things that they need.
But it looks like from this, from this drawing that they're going all the way up part street,
kind of to the, to the parking lot, we just need to make sure of what it is that they're requesting.
Okay, and then it's going up north division, kind of by just before south street.
So is that whole area being closed?
Because it doesn't say that in the memo.
I think that was close last year.
I just want to make sure that if we're going to do a resolution that has all the
complete areas, we'll do.
Yeah, and in the map also it's the number one and number three is repeater.
Like the Sal Division Street, Part Street, Sal Division Street, between Park and
South Street.
Okay.
Maybe, maybe because that was the, it's right to include centrals.
Okay.
I will address that also with Ruben.
It's the time I thought it was 11 in the downtown.
Is it 1130?
It's going from one to 1130.
You can write, but then you have it all for the cleanest room.
So the street won't be reopened until 1230.
OK, but I hope we stop at 11, downtown.
Stop at the noise ordinance.
There's a lot of stuff.
Matt?
The event will stop.
I don't know if it was the 1130 or 11.
It was 1130.
His request was 1130.
So we just need to check that with whatever ordinances.
Yeah, I would just check the ordinance on that.
Okay, to make sure.
Yes, thank you.
My other question was, have you sat down with Mr. Alvarez at this point and discussed the fee structure?
Last year there seemed to be some confusion as to why the event didn't happen.
And I just want to make sure that the fee structure has been discussed upfront.
It has.
Okay.
And he's understanding your process.
Okay.
Yes, he's understanding and okay with it.
Any other questions, Kelvin?
Just clarify for me, Mary.
You were suggesting pushing the bands down.
Central Avenue.
Oh, they're so it's not.
So you'd need a little bit more, too.
Maybe to the K-Live.
Right.
That's where the block holes are.
You leave the opening to the K-Live.
Yeah.
So they can drive out of the K-Live, but it's right before the K-Live.
and it just opens it up.
Yeah, I think that works.
So if you can mention that to Ruben.
OK, well, so as well as the CPW,
who'll be setting it up where we want it.
And check with the police to just
make sure they're on board.
Discover some up.
OK, any more questions or recommendations?
I'm good.
OK, thank you.
Thank you.
Have a good night.
I'm going to turn, I'm going to turn this over to back to that into Deputy Mayor for the food truck discussions, and I'm going to turn.
Okay.
Thank you, Mayor.
Okay.
And now we have Jonathan Zamora to talk to us about the proposed and the ongoing discussions around
we're by no means at the end of this,
this is just to keep you inside the loop
about a proposed food truck policy, Jonathan.
Good evening, council.
Good evening.
Thank you.
So we're coming to you again,
resurfacing the food truck policy discussion
for this idea of peak skill.
When we introduced this idea a few weeks ago,
we had some good dialogue about placement in city parks.
And those types of things, so what we did is we went back and revisited some of the ideas and points.
We met with the Parks Advisory Board.
We met with the Conservation Advisory Council.
And we asked their input in terms of what their thoughts were of having food trucks in parks.
So what you have in front of you is what's called the balanced integration in peak skill parks.
And it's really more to make sure that the green spaces are kept as clean and pristine as possible.
We want to get feedback from residents about, you know, hey, we should do food truck festivals.
We should have food trucks and parks, but we realize that they're all also a waste.
This is for people to attend.
So we want to, where it's a very delicate balancing act.
So some of the ideas here is to designate ecosystems in parks where we have pre-identify paved or other non-intrusive areas where there's no vending near quiet or ecologically sensitive areas.
We can create or offer incentives for electric and low impact vehicles.
Right now, the common practice and probably for the short term foreseeable future.
Most of the food trucks will have generators. Obviously we're not going to allow out idleing and those kind of things and we're looking at a
At the holistic approach to food trucks in general, so
Having event based vending only
Periodic presence in the parks may be possibly just on weekends
Were there allowed during city permitted events
As providing aesthetic and design controls
or we encounter.
Thirds, the use of muted tones and minimal signage, a lack of maybe flashing lights, really to more sort of blend in with the natural surroundings as to as opposed to sort of popping out and sort of being a little bit in your face.
Looking at mobile food gardens or green trucks, encouraging vendors to offer a better for you, local or plant-based food options on their menus, obviously having them provide their own trash receptacles,
and those kinds of things as well.
Obviously having strict waste and maintenance protocols,
having recyclable bins available for the vendors,
and possibly even having the food truck vendors pay a refundable cleaning deposit
at the time of their application.
We want them to have a little bit of skin in the game
in terms of maintaining our green spaces,
and those sorts of things.
Obviously time windows and sound limits would apply.
You know, people go into the parks, they'll go fishing, they'll go play pickleball, they're
going to go walk around the track, they don't exactly want to hear loud music and
sirens and things like that.
Also getting quarterly reviews or feedback from residents on how the process is going in
the parks.
You know, it's important to include as many people as possible in the decision-making process,
especially when it sort of presents itself in a city-wide application like this does, and then
also possibly including the gift back to the park requirement or component where the vendors
contribute in in-kind service, maybe offered to a tree planter, a bench donation, something to
also beautify a park and really signal collaboration versus a vendor takeover. And then
kind of look at this trial program and just see what the reactions are, see what the results
are over a one to two year period. Just to kind of really be transparent about the process
to work together with the community in a way that helps, you know, enhance what the city has to
offer. So this is kind of the version 2.0. Again, we talked about fruit truck zones in various
spots of the area and we feel that the park component particularly needed some more attention
And so that's what we brought to you today.
First of all, this is great.
I really like the extent which you delved into this whole issue.
You covered a lot of bases and a few that I wouldn't have thought of.
So that's good.
You're giving back to the park.
I'm assuming that and I like that idea.
But I'm assuming it's not in every week kind of thing.
It's a one season.
Right, it would be according to the permit, and that would be pre-established, so there's going to be more, you know, conversation between RRs of the city, between the legal department, between the vendors and in general, and to see what works for everyone.
Is there a season that fees will be allowed through the winter?
So typically we have one, I believe, food vendor at the moment, or mobile vendor, who has a permit from I think middle of February to the end of this year.
And that one location is actually on the corner of Leigh Bore Park, and he's set to
bend ice cream.
I haven't seen him yet, it's obviously raining this time of year, but we can talk
about what that season looks like.
Councillor.
in this new order in that regulation or whatever we're going to call with a system one that
we haven't through the city clear. It would be from the entire city would be only
for part or it would be. This is only for part. This is just in city parts, this firm.
This particular component is addressing city parts, but we did previously discussed food
trucks zones where they, we can have food trucks to have the available to then where they're
not indirect competition with the brick and mortar locations or restaurants where there
are small pockets throughout the city. We don't have a very large area, you know, to work
with so we want to try to strike a compelling balance.
Yeah, this is on the parks. Yeah, but I have a few ones and I just want to mention it like you
say, that one, the leap of art, it's going to be in that area,
it's going to be in the street.
So it's not going to be inside the park.
So I just want to put in the mind,
like it could be a, you know, like a provide maybe when we move
forward this more information to the people who's going to be
quite a that thing because how they can be have the entire information like a
like a contenting with the clear and connected with this one like you mean
the food truck operation. When they went that part because I remember there was
a spirit for one of the ice cream I mentioned that like yes and one year they
say oh you're no load to go to the park but in the previous year he was a lot so
and something like it how that thing maybe could be and another kind of is an
the ice cream to make the how they were. The vendor that has a permanent leapore has a push
card. It's not an actual food truck, you know, a motorized food truck. And the other thing
is about, you say, like, for, by pair me, I know the, then, and Fleeceman appear. It was the area
sign for that. I mean, the intention for this is to have a one seasonal, like a
consumer woman, Talbot mentioned in diarrhea, or it's going to be, we like, we'd like to
have a rotation of fenders because that one particular spot, especially with the
boats coming in, is quite, it can be quite lucrative for one particular vendor, so we
can even implement like a lot of a system or something to that effect, where it's more equitable
and transparent with the vendors we allow in those areas.
And I guess that would be probably best if whichever vendors are down there, or for a
little variety of food, one's not a nice screen truck or something like that.
Right exactly, complementary.
I have nothing at all against ice cream.
Okay, and the last one is about the humans and at some point in the events, I mean, just
to put in, and I think I would talk about before that.
Like, mostly like a riverfront for the festival,
like you make sure that if we put in somebody,
that could be a conflict in that area.
Like, it's somebody apply for an event,
and somebody has already a pair of me
for having to throw over there because, you know,
like, people they need to raise money for pay the fee,
Right, so really at the riverfront in particular, there are no permits allowed for food trucks,
Metro North will not allow it, special events are a completely separate condition.
So obviously we want to be sensitive to the brick and mortar stores that are located just on the other side of the railroad tracks.
And we want to try to work together with everyone in a way that makes sense to you.
Okay, thank you, sure.
Anybody else?
And I think these are really lofty goals for ECO balance.
So thank you for that and great efforts so far.
I still think we're going to have some issues
with older vehicles that are gas driven,
that are gas customers, absolutely.
So we're aware of that.
But great effort.
And I like the incentive idea behind that as well.
We're still going to roll out the other options
for food truck throughout the city.
We're still going to work on that.
Yes, we are.
potentially rolled out some of these suggestions with that as well.
Right, we're really, this is kind of part two.
There's the part one, which is the designated food zones.
We've had this complimentary for the park,
and we create one document or policy that would apply
to the broader city.
Right, thank you so much.
Anybody else?
Yeah, the zones are more interesting to me.
I think this is wonderful what you've got here.
But what really needs protection is the location
of the way from residential obviously, in parts of the park, there may be zones in the parks
where it would be okay to have a truck or it might be just on the street next to a park
by Leapore where it could be okay to have a food truck there because there's not a heck
of a lot of residential right in that area, so actually figuring the zones out where they could
be and not bother people much seem to me and that could be in the parks as well as the streets
But this is a very good piece of work that we set our goals forward.
Jonathan, one last question.
Regarding the permit fees, are we still offering an annual permit?
Are these going to be per event or per episode?
So I think we're going to have a different, very structure.
Maybe for the food truck zones we have seasonal.
We have multiple permits so there could be annual, like the vendor.
I've read outside of Leapore Park, for example, we could have a special event permit for events throughout the city.
And then also seasonal, what we want to have the food truck culture complement our current restaurant infrastructure.
You know, we don't want to overwhelm or directly compete but rather enhance what's already here.
Thank you. Just one more comment.
And I will be back to the, to the, to the part me, on the Claire and the part.
I don't know, it would be, it would be nice, maybe, to consider to have a only one
application for where all different, because that, that would be more like information for the people.
It's even like when they come into the clear and they apply for the neighborhood center for the senior centers of another place and they have to wait for the department who will run that building and apply.
I mean, the entire information would be nice to have one, one, two, four, and all the permits.
That's a great idea. No, I have a streamlined application.
Jonathan, thank you for this.
I just want to just want to wrap it up.
You want to wrap it up, right?
Go ahead.
I like the language about collaboration and enhancing
the current environment with the rest of the month.
So let's say, for example, it was talking about the ice cream.
I guess if anybody knows, I don't know what the ice cream person is, but you've got a key.
So let's say if the ice cream shop opens up somewhere around there,
like how would that work?
like, would that shop have, say, over, you know, this cart being there down a block from
them?
So, so the nice thing about individuals or families opening up businesses in P-Skill is
there's a planning process.
So, when we get word of a potential new idea or new business, that kind of signals to our
department that, you know, we kind of take a look to see what's happening and what's in
local area, you know, and then that kind of depends on where the business is or depends on
the type of permit that is available. So, for example, if we wanted to have a permit on a central
avenue, you know, maybe we make that seasonal versus annual because it's kind of close to the
bit district. So, things like that, we again, this is part of the bigger conversation, so I appreciate
all the feedback.
But specifically, specifically to a particular product, like you said, ice cream, would that
restaurant owner be able to say, I don't want this, it's like there are a number of feet.
I know when you were talking about the actual food truck, she was saying 500 feet away, I'm
not, right?
It was the same thing.
I think right now, the language is 200 feet away, I think the way I can look, I mean,
And I guess the question is, is the park one, are you talking about with respect to the park permits or any food truck permits?
Yeah, pretty much any, you know.
I think there's a difference if there's a park permit, are you going to allow a food truck that provides a similar, you know,
you're sitting to provide a service to the park.
You know, that would be a different for an event, that's a different situation to some extent.
Yeah, not necessarily an event, but what's someone that just wants to, you know, have a permit to do something in the park?
sure. Like how would that work? So that's part of what we still have to look at in review.
But really, God give God a hard and fast answer. The more you dive into these things,
the more branches you discover. So we just want to try to cover as much as possible.
Because I would imagine just like when we've owned certain storefronts at a zone for certain businesses.
It's like okay, there's already something here. So these are the list of, well, maybe I'm
for this thing you can do, but the list of things you can't do, correct? You can't have this
because someone's already selling donuts right now.
Of course, I would have.
I've just got a quick thought to the planning process
when they're getting their permitting.
I'm assuming that there's something they have to be approved
by the report of health.
Yes, they have to have the certificates.
They have to have the certificates.
All the paperwork.
The reports.
In the report, there is a global vending.
Absolutely.
I'm going to see that air in the tire.
You know what they say about assuming?
I just don't know that you want to be a continued with the ice cream, I mean, the ice cream if you think about it, usually they don't want to stay in one point.
So, something like, how do you, like, they don't want to stay in one place permanent.
Like, both people and then probably go outside the park or I mean, just consider that thing.
I still think that would be something to have a permanent place for ice cream in the market.
There's different kind of...
There's different like licenses where the competitors license.
Do they have to move the cart?
I mean I don't know, I'm just asking.
Depending on the definition, it's either stationary or they can move from certain designated spots.
What's nice about having these conversations now is we can kind of define what that looks like.
Right.
You know, it's which is to our benefit.
There's actually something nice in there.
I have an ice cream truck sort of stationary in the bark because I think that's a draw to the bark.
Sure. Absolutely. I'd like to first of all, thank you for this. This is really, I'd like the environmentally conscious strategy, I think it's wonderful.
I do have a question though about number two with the electric or low impact vehicles.
I know it says here phasin by 2027, I just want to make sure that that's realistic.
I know a lot of these trucks are gas powered with the generators like you were saying and stuff like that.
Are there a lot of electric food trucks just electric food trucks do you know of?
No, not many. This is really just more of a place marker.
We just want that thought to be known.
Okay, the details of is you're not concrete.
Okay, so they can start thinking of that.
They can start learning, you know, as you know,
you know, the city has a lot of vehicles just throughout many departments.
And recently we've been picturing electric vehicles,
kind of moving into this, you know, blended narrative
of eco-consciousness.
So that's kind of what we're having.
But that year might be a movable year, then if we don't have
absolutely this is not fixated.
But that's what it's like.
I really appreciate all this.
This is a lot of attention to detail here.
And I know it's a work in progress.
But that's how it starts in the conversation.
Tonight was a really good one.
That was good.
I mean, because when we were talking about that,
I don't know if you may be considered to have a like a
food trot stamp, like a parking in its path.
You know, like a, and they can be stopping over there
if you're tiny and go to like a, you know, go around and like a rotation.
Yes.
So you know, like a taxi stand, like a certain way to work out so many different
places and that would be something to me.
Oh, that's a great idea.
Absolutely.
They had to, uh, we're going to do that right now.
No, no, no, I just want to give it a, yeah, because we have a
conversation now.
Okay.
Anybody else?
Thank you.
Okay.
Jonathan, thank you for your work on this.
I appreciate it was a great discussion and looking forward to
even further.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Of course.
Oh, my goodness.
All right.
I'll just put it in the mirror.
Wait a minute, like the mayor's acting.
Oh, right.
Thank you.
OK, we're going to go on to the next one, Jonathan.
You're on the next one here.
You want to, shall we call?
Yeah, the next.
She's going to text me.
Matt, are we right out to the next one?
Yes.
So get the mayor.
Number five.
Jonathan, you're going to update us on all programs?
Yes.
I went for the mayor to return.
Yep.
So he's waiting for the mayor.
Mm-hmm.
Actually, just anything that's new, right?
I mean, everything I'm looking at so far in the first page
is stuff that we're doing already, right?
Mm-hmm.
So there's...
Beekable is new.
Yes.
So what's on this list here is a lot of what we offer
from spring and summer,
but I have a quick PowerPoint presentation
that's going to highlight some particulars.
I'm going to bring that up.
Go ahead and bring that up, come on.
Fishing at questions here.
I love that.
Well, you've got a lot of reviews here.
Check out.
Fishing at questions, Pierre.
Hey, Pierre, well, maybe there's someone Pierre
who is fishing at questions, Pierre.
That's what it is called.
You get it?
So before I begin this presentation,
I just want to call your attention to a flyer that we handed out on Juneteenth Freedom Day, this year, June 21.
It's the save the day that was just brought to my attention.
And when we're making it's way through social media as soon as possible, and in a regular basis,
but we are planning to have a very robust and engaging parade and festival with entertainment,
food vendors, craft vendors on Saturday, June 21st.
Much of more information is to come, but the saved the day has arrived.
Thank you.
Let's save the day.
So you have the listing in front of you on the memo of some
spring and summer programs that we do on a regular basis with a
couple of new items.
So, for example, pickleball in particular,
adjustments and pivots in summer camp, and the hub newsletter.
So, to Pew Park pickleball, our courts are open.
They're open as of April 2nd, a bit of rainy weather, but that's okay.
So we have a couple of handouts here, one pageers that kind of describes Pickleball, how to play,
how to engage and how to contact the Parks Office to obtain a permit.
So the schedule, we wanted to make it, we saw, we had a lot of feedback from residents in a small
some previous thoughts about how Pickable was going to run and operate and it seemed to prevent
present more hurdles than less user-friendly than it should be. So we had some internal discussions.
We met with some individual residents and folks and we feel like this is a very equitable and transparent
way to go about Pickable in general. So the schedule is open seven days a week whether permitting
from April 2nd to October 16th, so that is just about 28 weeks of usage, or just shy of 200 days for the pickables these.
And now whether permitting that October 16th could extend into November, depending on the weather year, so there may be even additional usage.
We broke the, we have four courts. We broke the schedule down into three distinct parts, so from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
two courts are over, considered for open play.
What that means is that anyone can walk up and play
pickleball at their leisure with their friends.
Two courts will be available by reservation.
If individuals have a standing session,
okay, I want to play at 10 o'clock.
They can go on to our community pass portal.
Reserve the one hour timeslot to play at a particular time
or they can walk up and play open play.
The majority of feedback that we had said residents like to play in the morning or after work when
they come home.
So we wanted to kind of split it down the middle of 50, 50.
From 1 PM to 4 PM, all four courts were available by reservation, which means you can make
your reservation on community pass up a week in advance, and you can reserve your 60 minute
time slot, and I'd go walk up and play and play as you like, okay? From 4pm to 7pm all four
courts are available for open play, which means no reservation is required. People can walk
up after a work or after a long day and play on the court set at their leisure. So we wanted
to kind of remove the perceived barriers or hurdles for people to play pickleball, but being
to the fact that we realize that there's neighboring communities that have, you know,
pickleball courts as well and we are going to see an influx of non-residents coming
to the parks to play in the game. You know, we only have four courts we want to make sure
that peak score residents are able to play at their leisure.
So, can you just go over open play? Is that free?
So, open play is not considered free. The permit will need to be purchased.
So, what that means is that people residents and non-residents can go to the Depue Park's
office and purchase a pass for the season or year.
We have the fee structure right here on this slide.
So for residents 18 to 59, the fee is $40 for the entire season.
senior's 60 and older, $30, juniors, eight years old to 17, 35, a family of four at
the same residence, $90, and a day pass, $3. So one thing we'd like to consider
also is that there was a talk about having guests join you while you're playing, if you
are a permit holder, you can have a three guests join you to play an actual game of
You know, playing doubles, which is a little challenging, but it's typically played with four people.
So that goes for residents and residents alike. You're allowed to have three guests with you as well.
That's great. Is this going to be posted on the Pickleball courts?
So this will be posted on the courts. This will also, um,
every of the time slots and the fees will be on our community pass as well.
And people can come into the office.
We require that just like we do with the pool, just so we can prove residency.
So it's not exactly, you can, you know, make the purchase online yet to come in and provide your information.
I have a, I have a quick question.
The reservation, is somebody, since this is sort of no, very no.
Are we watching it to see if it's, I mean, I'm thinking the middle of the day is probably when people wouldn't want to play,
you know, let alone make reservations if it's 95 degrees out or something.
So, you know, it is very new, we want to see what the demand is, we want to see where the
bottlenecks are.
If we go at 10 o'clock in the morning and we see 60 people waiting to play, pick a bowl with
that tells us one thing, you know, and then we have to see how the season plays out.
We've had people come in and purchase their passes and they say, listen, I just want to play.
You know, I'll make a reservation or I'll do open play, but I just want to play.
So we want to remove the barrier to that, but also give people a resource if they say,
listen my friends are coming from from or visiting me let's go play pickleball in the
pew let me make that quick reservation and off like a good what about if somebody
doesn't want to like in a seesome permit just to play one day or something like that
for BC tourism something that that would be possible like a pool sure sure
the idea and just renew the idea for $15 we have a day pass for $3 actually for
residents it's three dollars for non-residents it's five. Okay, another question is about
most of the youth you mentioned about the from eight years old and about low-income
they're nothing like if people have some kind of waivers until they die for a wife mostly for youth.
Well you know it is we had that something we have to look at and see what the demand is but
$35 for almost 200 days of a full season.
There are local, area facilities not far from here.
That are charging $70 a month upwards to play indoor or elsewhere.
So we just want to try to make it as equitable as possible.
The goal, not really is to make money, but to really be able to maintain the pickleball
courts.
So as people play on them and there's a where and there's,
you know, nets that need to be replaced.
Unfortunately, we have experienced some vandalism already, so we just need to make sure that
right.
So we have a sort of a mat facing Hudson Avenue and they're fixed by plastic rings or
metal rings.
Those have been broken, the mat has fallen down, it kind of acts as a sound barrier.
So we just, you know, we don't know why people do what they do, we just want to make sure
protect what we have and maintain what we have or we're not in the business of being a private firm.
The $35 is by a person, they're like a full group of family, so the family of four would be $90.
$90. And how many do you do in the four people? Four people. There'd be an incremental charge.
It's just like we do with the pool. If there's like a fifth or six person, right?
Sure. Thank you. Okay.
Let's talk about summer campus. It's rainy April, but certainly it's coming up.
Hold on, please. You're going to jump for the other, we're going to talk about the program for the sports or something.
Well, the list here is just what we provide, but I have the presentation to highlight a few of the programs. If you have questions, we can certainly.
Yeah, it was our question about the soccer over here.
I don't know if I jump up.
Can we let him finish?
Ask questions.
We let him finish his presentation and then ask questions.
Because the least.
For this one.
Okay.
So what particular is your question?
What sport?
So we're working right now with the school district, we have the field where monitoring
when we're going to open that, we need the grass to knit successfully, and the school
definitely wants to use it, so we're going to have a meeting coming up, we don't have
that exactly yet.
I don't, we don't have an open date as to when that field will be available, but when we
be coming up. Okay, I just do that because I know that's okay was one of the most popular
and the recreation of the show.
Okay, so in terms of summer camp, we are collaborating with the
YWCA who is bringing camp, fun kissed, and the freedom school to the city of P.Skill. So what we're
going to, what we're doing actually is next Monday night on April 14th at 6 p.m. We're actually
having a Zoom call, a Zoom meeting where staff from the YWCA from the Youth Bureau and Parks
and Recreation will have sort of an infosession for parents or residents who have questions
about what to expect with camp and the kind of look at all the offerings that PICSkill has.
So this kind of re-emphasizes the introduction into the community and the flyers of registration
information for Camp FunKist has already been going out and distributed. Right now the YWCA is
looking to hire Camp Counselors from many Previous Camp Counselors that used to work in the
Thanks for watching, and I'll see you in the next video, and I'll see you in the next video.
I have the information here in terms of ages, children turning four by December 31 to those entering six grade. There will be two three-week sessions this year. The activities were expanding anywhere from sports and swimming, art, STEM, musical theater, themed week, specials, and more. There is the fee as $460 per three-week session with a $100 deposit required and payment plans are available.
So, when speaking with staff from the White WC, there are registrations, people are interested.
It's nice to see that the word is getting out.
We just have to be more diligent as this is the time of year where parents and kids start to think about summer camp.
When is the call next week? You said?
April 14th at 6 p.m.
So, if the QR code that's on that flyer, that logs you right into the meeting.
We're going to find a flyer.
So I just got that, but that won't be making us rounds on social media in
terms of our city camps.
We have three different versions.
We have a teen escape camp or teen travel camp, which is back to five days a week this year, Monday through Friday.
Again, two separate three weeks sessions.
Activities include trips to six flags, to splash down, to top golf, late compounds, A1F, Latix and more.
$600 per week session and then includes transportation and it was even speaking with
these school districts about providing lunch if that's an availability so that's
something to work on.
The middle of the fire is the Youth Bureau's rising stars summer program and that is
specifically for children ages 10 to 13. Six weeks, beginning June 30th and ending August
eighth, nine thirty a.m. to two p.m. We do have a new offering this year. We receive grants
if you recall for a sports youth sports and education grant. So we're including basketball,
soccer and swimming as part of the rising stars campus year. And those funds will be used to offset
the cost of the instructors and materials that are needed. So there is no cost for that offering.
So that campus free. That campus free.
Great. Yeah.
The two we were working on on our 2025 creative arts program.
And that has a refresh curriculum.
So that's for grades first through seventh.
Activities include music genre themes,
Disney and Pixar film animation.
What art made look like in 2050.
Songwriting, dance workshops, creative story telling and more.
the fee is $460, not $46.
I don't think that's good.
You need to get the fee.
Just making sure.
Go away, yes.
I'm thinking about it.
No, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no.
You make her right there.
The, the, the, the, the, the lead button.
You just didn't work on that one.
So that is $460 for a for residence.
I actually was thinking are you bringing in directors?
I'm thinking.
Absolutely.
The cast of Phantom of the Opera.
Yeah.
And then lastly, some of you have already subscribed.
Thank you very much.
We rolled out our hub newsletter just before the Chamber
Breakfast earlier last month.
This is published the last Friday of each month
and is very sort of tailored to include highlight events,
programs and activities from Parks and Recreation
from the Seniors and Nutrition Program
and the Youth Bureau departments.
So we also spot light some of our community partners.
I think the Alzheimer's Association
and others of the Pigsville Library.
And then we also are highlighting the Board's and Commission's groups or volunteers that assist
in those departments just to kind of let people know what it is they do, how to contact
them, and ways to get involved.
So the QR code people can scan and go right to the sign-up page and get that newsletter
toward the end of the month for the month prior or month after.
Do you get email access to it?
What does that?
You get email access to it.
Sure.
Absolutely.
Any questions at all?
Just cover to a couple of brief things.
Sounds very exciting.
Sounds like a busy summer.
Very busy summer.
We have our concerts, series all square away, or we're going to be having movie parties and
Puxley Park this year, moving our movies to the middle of downtown, and we're very excited
about what the summer's going to bring.
It'll be great.
And thank you for the presentation, I want to get you through that before I had any questions.
On the list of programs that you passed out, can you talk me through what's going on with
the tennis program, with the Peaceful Racket Association and how they're related to the
city and sort of how that works.
So we actually had a couple of meetings with the Peaceful Racket Association, which is a
But this grassroots group does is provides instruction.
They provide resources in order to build up the game of tennis in the peak skill community.
So in addition to doing those things, because they're in non-profit group, they can apply
for grants and actually provide those resources and kind of spill back into the peak skill
facilities.
So it's actually a very nice partnership.
We do have further discussions to talk about what that collaboration looks like and what that means.
So we're wing a couple of different options in terms of how tennis is going to look moving forward.
And there's going to be potentially lessons and things available through them and everything is going to be booked to our community pass portal
and those kinds of things. So those are sort of some of the details are working through now.
Thank you for that. Well, and the only other thing I wanted to just get clarification on sand volleyball.
assume that's the pit that's down at the waterfront that has pretty much been
defunct. Are we bringing that back to life? We are bringing that back to life. Yes,
we're talking with our DPW and our parks maintenance crew to bring in some sand and
to rebuild the fence that was damaged some time back. So that is something on our
checklist. I am proud to report that the PXCIL stadium has been open for use. We have
the high school team played a game and played a couple of games already and has
practices so it's looking excellent and the drainage is it doesn't seem to be much of an issue
at this point.
Thank you very much.
For the sand, well at that point, how is that going to be managed?
So that's something we're working through now.
We're kind of looking at how it was managed prior from some of the things that we should
have done a little bit better and that's what we're working for at the moment.
I just want to make sure that they're open to the public as a prior they were only for
like leagues and so we were rather than a lot of residents
who wanted to play and they sure have the availability
to do it.
So our plan and the foundation is to be open to residents.
OK.
Great, thank you.
Here's a, I want to follow up on Ramon's question.
Do you know that the park, the park was, the field
a bit, the view was actually installed in the fall of the P23.
use them? Yes. And so, in fact, for the whole year of 2024, not used. Now, to me, it's ridiculous
that it's not used now. I mean, every time I walk by there, I say, this is, it's a fence
dog. Nobody goes on it. So, one of the couple of things, people used to just wander up there
and throw the ball right there. There's a big big stuff. They're organized games and not
organized games. So, I think it would make sense that it's just open. It's, you know, whoever's
staff open it at when they're there and then close it and leave so that we're protecting it and
there's people around. It's kind of embarrassing to look at it and see that nobody has used it for
not so year and a half. It was really 2023 to build it and you needed to sit through
ready at least of 2024. But is it locked? It's locked. It's locked. They didn't get into it.
The gates are a lot so the field itself is still not ready. We're looking to do that very,
very soon. The issue is that we have to make sure that, you know, we did, the city did
invest a lot of money into that field and if it's used at the, at the, at the,
two early of a stage, a lot of that gets torn out on you. It's to, what, in the air in
group, it did that. It said it needed to have, at least the spring of 2024. So we had to
to me, that the whole year, and it addresses and said, whoever's telling you that needs to,
I would like them to speak about that.
So the issue with the fence you're right, it is locked in the accesses in theory, unavailable.
That's not the case. People and kids have jumped the fence, played soccer, played games.
We've had to call the police to kind of come in and manage. We want to make sure that it is
frustrating to see a field and to see really no good reason why we can't use it.
We're working with our part maintenance staff and our DPW as well.
And we just want to make sure that when we do open it, it's something we can keep open.
What's the issue?
The issue is the knitting component.
It hasn't really sat uninterrupted.
It has been used as sporadically with kids after school and things like that.
every day just about. I don't see that. I never see a case over there. I stop it over there every day.
So 3 p.m. after school. Please take a stop. No. I stop it over there in the morning and
the afternoon daily. I use a go to the restaurant over there and I don't see anybody inside there.
And another thing followed up even the volleyball in the area. I mean, it is already. So I mean,
And ready for use, that's another thing, another question.
And when you mentioned about the soccer program, didn't start because of the school, I mean,
I don't get it either, because that's one of the largest programs that we have more than 300
keys registered every season and springing them for, and we have not only now the field,
We found the Franken, something to use.
I don't get a weird way for the school to decide for the field.
We have a meeting coming up with the school to talk about their proposed usage of that field.
So that's coming very soon.
As soon as we have all those components in place, then we will.
But we got it already for years in that program.
And it's spring and full.
And we stop up because the school is going to use it.
And I mean, I don't get it.
I mean, doesn't mean sense that.
So where is the soccer play on Torpeo on our field?
On Torpeo at the moment.
So the school district has to determine
how they're going to allow us to use the field, Torpeo?
The soccer, I don't know, the field and the new field and the
the new field and the new so I've expressed interest in wanting to
use the field for the soccer program.
We're working with them to try to come up with a schedule so that they can
use it, we can implement programs and things can roll out as they should.
So we will revisit this week and come up with an actual date of opening coming up soon.
I'm sorry John, I'm not sure.
The school season isn't fourth.
So I don't get it why we don't have this soccer program because in fourth we should have
and spring another one.
And usually, the CD program is running and frantic part, and sunshine and wood side feel on the school.
So that was what it was used before.
So now we got a feel, and we got it.
We still have frantic, and we don't have one of the largest programming.
I don't get it because we are waiting because the school is going to use it.
I mean, I don't know.
I mean, something like it's not.
So, why don't we include you in the meeting, we have upcoming, so that way we can get all
their questions answered.
I will be more than absolutely.
But otherwise, thank you for some very good stuff, but I hope to see that open, so people
can get in there and play and I've gotten to know a little bit about part of culture and I
was at the meetings where they told about putting the field and needing to let it sit through
spring up 2024 so it adequately did. That's my last word on there.
Did it need? It's getting there. So it hasn't. There are certain weak spots in the field.
And that's something that we're working with our parks. We need to adapt to try to avoid.
So that we don't have certain spots that are just getting worn. Some of that had to do with the sprinkler system.
There are all different components that we had to look at on the punch list for that project.
And so we just want to make sure that we're doing things properly.
Here.
And next.
The parking.
You should talk about the parking.
So it was brought to our attention.
So I gave you a presented a handout or a, of an overhead view of WP Park.
Basically, there was a concerns brought up by residents, particularly involving the events at Torpy Field
and the parking, after hours parking, and depue for those events.
So, you know, there's parking along Walnut Street there,
and then the overflow seems to spill into depue park, the second page of that handout,
has these specific parking spaces that are affected.
And so, obviously, there are time frames,
our opening closing is done to dusk.
Some of the events go into the late evening hours,
and so are one of the parks advisory board members met with district school district officials
and the police department to discuss the possible solutions for this, you know, for the issues
that face pedestrians and parking for the evenings and one of the possibilities was to provide
to link a chain across the two pillars at the Walnut Street entrance.
To close the park off? To close off, to chain off the areas to prevent cars from driving into the park at that second, and the parking spaces.
So can there be any cars from driving into the park that closes at death, so there should be no pedestrians, but then we wouldn't allow people to park to go to events that our school district is having on the Tory field?
Correct. That was some of the concerns that were brought up by residents. The issue with this, obviously, and the district is conveyed,
that they are directing people to park at the high school parking lot into walk.
Do any of the things that that's not the only entrance to the view park.
So you have the entrance on you need to have a new and rather drive, you have further down
Bay Street in the pool, you have on Hudson Avenue and Palmerway, you know it's not an easy
solution.
So I actually met with the police chief recently to discuss what was what happened and what
potential solutions and it's really just up for further discussion. There's really no easy
solution to it. But I do get the concern. We do see that the school district does acknowledge
that as well. We just want to make sure that residents are safe, that people are parking
in areas that are all out, and just want to work together.
How late do these things go? These events go?
of some of the football games and things maybe, you know, 839 o'clock, some are around their afterdark, and that's just kind of the concerns.
So they're proposing that you're going to close the entrances of the park until that time.
So the park?
So nobody can park there.
at specifically at the Walmed Street entrance.
At the Walmed Street.
And that would be just during events.
During those events held at Torby Fieldium.
I don't like that idea.
I don't need it right now.
You have a high school that's blocked away with a big park and lot.
There's two park and lots there.
Plus the park and lots actually there's three park and lots.
Because you got the park and lots across the administration building too.
That's not far.
So people can actually park their cars and just walk to the Pupi to a torpey field.
I feel like closing access to a public park like that.
It's just, I don't feel comfortable with that.
I know after customers will be in their anyway,
but I don't like these chains going across.
It's, it's self-or-regulated.
I know.
I agree.
We have to come up with a solution that I don't believe that that's it.
I mean, who's complaining again?
there were residents that were that brought forth this complaint
they what was the complaint though
there's too many people parking on that on wall not street and going out
to how that bothering and somehow I suppose that was parked on wall not street
could they have a place to park I mean I'm trying to be what they're for
it's from it's from residents who live on that street
I didn't complain let me just say
I don't mind that when there's a nice event
and there's people there for soccer or whatever
and the lights are on, I don't mind that they're actually,
how many times does this fright,
and I don't train times a year,
so I don't mind that they park right down at the end of the day.
I think the chances of somebody
forget to take the chain off is probably pretty good.
And also who's going to apply the chain?
Yeah, yeah.
And who's going to monitor it?
Yes, you know, we come up with these,
I mean, I just feel it's a bit extreme, and I'm not in favor of this, I know we're not
holding on this for nothing. I'm just saying my own opinion that it's kind of neat when
they've got the artificial field and the lighting. They can play a really good game at night,
and it's just very nice for the kids to experience that. Like you're in a big stadium or something
And if it has a little spill over there, and it's nice that the school district has a lot of stuff for us and we better than I can help just.
And even the football team in soccer team they have a good season, and they went more longer, like, almost like a championship and increase the public for BC tourism and local.
I mean, that's another thing, but I remember the, I think it's from 2000, the plan, the
DPU powerhouse for 2000, I don't know, I think I'll show you, they have some design in
around the fence for the totally field to expand the parking lot, and I don't know, I give
about to catty before that she lived because we used it for this question for the field.
And some point they mentioned, like there was a school property, so I don't know, I
don't know, I don't know, clear like if that's a peaceful property or it's a school they
should be properly around then.
So I think it's a good thing to encourage people visiting and going to the sporting
events at Torpea. I think it's a good thing for the community. We want to have these things.
And we do get that maybe there's some concerns that some residents have. You know, we
We do want to listen to, you know,
it was all the voices as possible.
In just one case, it sort of sounds like you're listening only
to the residents who are annoying.
Well, I mean, we do want to listen to their concerns
and kind of bring them to your attention.
But we do, obviously, we are a community-based city.
And so we kind of thrive in that involvement and engagement.
So part of our job is to communicate these to the council.
Yeah, OK, thank you.
increase the communication, maybe the sign, the school, maybe you have
provide more, more information where they had to park.
I know, I know that this is a high school parking lot.
There's three of them sitting right there and, you know, you can use those and direct them.
There's a part, put a sign up to the parking, but that's also close parking.
If you have family members coming from out of town and they're coming to the game, they
see a parking lot they're going to park.
Right, you know, I think it's, it's accessible because there's a walkway from the parking lot to the field.
It's almost a natural extension as you're driving into the, you know, if something is happening in the park, then that's another issue, but I'm parking is the least of our problem.
The, the issue also like a people parking legal place around the park in the grass area and that kind of end, maybe increase the signs and show like, I don't know,
for the more communication and for the service that would be and if somebody is up on the
grass and the police go by and give them a ticket, I hate to say, but you're not supposed
to park on the grass.
In this school, it should provide more information about the children and the visits of where
there's just a part.
Thank you.
Thanks, John.
Thanks.
Thank you, John.
I've been.
And lastly, one of the item I have here, talking about the purchase of a 40 passenger
bus for the to expand program accessibility. So the nutrition department is seeking approval to
purchase a 40 passenger bus to expand transportation services for the city of Beakskill.
It really will significantly enhance access to residents and participation in a wide range of city
programs, community services and events. So the cost of a school bus is upwards of $160,000.
We did find a lease purchase program where the monthly fee is approximately 2750.
That does include a use of a substitute bus when the purchased vehicle is in for maintenance or repairs.
So to give you an example, in this year's budget, $50,000 is allocated to bus rental for the camp programs.
However, the white WCA is overseeing day camp, and they are renting the buses for camp.
So what I'm proposing is we use some of those funds to really expand not just for six weeks
usage, but really for the entire year, and we can use that in a multitude of ways.
So that's one of the things I'm talking about.
What is that going to be as far as transportation to programs and services?
So for example, it would be so seniors that would also be used for youth for our teen travel
camp for any other community events.
We have it's nice to have their transportation, for at least for the senior population.
Part of the reason that we're so active in successful is because we do have transportation,
which is really, really nice.
So expanding this and this kind of transportation of that.
We do have some transportation, yes.
But going back a few years, we did have a large blue and white school bus, if you remember.
that because of COVID did not kind of make it through that time frame.
And so this is kind of a solution we're looking at.
We are seeing in more engagement and involvement than ever before.
Yes, this must have the list or whatever.
And we have to look.
We have to look.
I have some questions out with the company to see what options are available and what the price points are.
So this is an estimate, a very close estimate to what the cost would be.
So we're have to see what they come back with and what's the turns 2750 a month for how long for five years?
Well, I think you know
I don't know maybe it's just me, but I'm feeling
cautious about spending large capital spend expenditures right now until we sort of we're already spending the money on rentals
You're spending the money that much money 50 thousand rentals
together for a six-week period.
So we're talking about 180.
It's $2,700 a month, times 12, times 5, but we would only, whereas we saw in 50,000
dollars was six weeks to rent us.
And the fact that we have seniors who cannot go on the trips that are, because there's
not enough room.
Right.
I don't know if you want to give them numbers, but our senior figures have increased in that
program, the well over 100?
We have 600 active members in the A.O. program alone.
And so with one bus, they can't go on trips.
Right, correct.
So let's do provide the transportation VR shuttle.
We do have to limit once 24 passengers are reached,
which is on a fairly regular basis.
We're starting to implement different measures
doing multiple runs per day and those kind of things.
But we just want to be cautious as well with some of the assets
we have and not kind of overrun, you know, we want to maintain and be sure we can use those
responsibly. As we know in our monthly senior advisory meetings, this comes up every
every month. I know this will be used for all other things, which is great. So you have a bus,
I really believe we do need that 40 passenger bus. I feel it's important. Our senior program has
grown in leaps and bounds, and they're asking to go to more places, and there's not enough
just as the mayor was saying before we are really booming in our senior activities and stuff
like that.
I really feel it's a need.
I feel not only that, but you have it for all other activities what we can use it for.
They can't whatever else we need it for.
And I think it's an investment because of renting those bus other buses and stuff, I believe
it's better to have it in-house our own bus.
I think for this very reason, if you look at it, we're spending $50,000 for six weeks.
And we could only, for $33,000 a year, that's half of the cost for the period.
So I think we have to look at what is feasible financial.
When we rent the bus, it's only the bus, who is the driver?
So the bus company does provide the driver.
So when we do rent them, they do provide the driver.
When we rented that now, we're going to include a now that driver.
So we have several drivers on our staff that help us deliver and drive buses and things.
We would just talk them in as well with whatever it is we're doing with the activity.
But that has to be included.
What he's saying to us, we already have bus drivers on our payroll.
Yes, we do.
I already paid.
So it's not an additional cost.
We would just be having them instead of driving the smaller car or whatever they're delivering.
They'd be driving the bus.
So we're not adding any salary or any cost for employees because we already have them and already paid them.
And we're cutting the cost of the bus rental from 50,000 giving money away to rent it to owning it for $33,000 a year versus 50,000 dollars for six weeks.
Right, but when we're going to use that driver, I mean, had to be here if we're going to have like over time or something like that.
I mean, that would be another cost up to another 20, something thousand dollars because we already
have them already paying them.
So if there's some overtime, maybe, but we're already paying these drivers, they already
work for us.
It's just a maintenance include an overtime group of depreciation.
I mean, it's very, very, very huge need for this.
No, no.
I don't say, you know, I mean, I just mentioned, like, about even follow the, uh, uh,
I got the comment about the situation, I was like,
we had to be precaution like how we're going
to have moving in the spending because...
But you're already spending the money.
It is.
We're not spending enough of 10 million of the equals.
So we got to, no one had ahead of us.
So I say, I say, like, I would, you had to bring the entire map.
I mean, how would we because, like, a driver?
How would we because, man, didn't it?
How would we because the appreciation?
How would we because, insure him?
I mean, that would be something that we need to put in
And inside of them, not only like just 18,000 difference per year.
And we need to have a line for a nation.
It's not a year.
No, no, no, 50,000 years per year.
Since we're in the year, we spend 50,000.
Now, we're talking about reducing 32,000.
It's going to be 18,000 less.
But we have to include all the things,
insurance, depreciation, maintenance, all that kind of thing, and maybe have the inside of
them out.
So, because it is at least vehicle, the maintenance is included in the contract.
But more importantly, when the vehicle is in for maintenance, we're a priori.
The leasing company provides us a substitute bus, so we have no interruption of service.
The leasing, including, like, excited, embrace, and all that thing that does, as you say, the leasing to a correct, any student?
Insurance is an incremental amount, we can get the estimate, because we're already ensuring a fair number of vehicles through the city.
I would like to have a lint item for me, sure.
So we're showing you tonight, you're going to see in your package lots of talk about future
capital purchases.
We're talking about this specifically because we know that this is a tough time and we
want you to see all of the things that we've had in the capital plan.
So I think we will take your comments and come back to you with more information.
and we're interested in getting your feedback, Chris,
has a long list of equipment that he needs.
We've done a broad survey of all of the needed capital purchases.
So, because we know that we need to keep providing services,
but we need to have this conversation with you.
So, I would say that we'll come back to you
with more information this week.
Do you have a bus in mind have you scope that a bus we did we scope that a bus and that's what was based the cost is based off of
The bus that we're currently looking at is in stock and on the lock
So it's just obviously there's further discussion to be had, but that's where we look at it
Have you looked at that place on 202 that's that refurbishing electric buses?
I looked at it, I haven't sought any further information, but we can certainly reach out and see what they have to offer.
Okay, I said we would have a site.
Moving along.
Thank you, remember.
Thank you.
Okay Chris, I'd like to call you up a little early.
I'm sorry.
So finally, it's as Tony's going to start.
Go ahead, Tony, because you're going to talk about
good evening Mayor, City Council and City Manager.
Good evening, everybody.
So the first thing I have for you tonight is I'm requesting authorization that Council to amend the 2025 fiscal year budget.
The first amendment is for some emergency repairs to some public works equipment.
we have a plow and excavator and a truck that need emergency repairs and on this amendment you'll
see that we do have some available funds in our health insurance line because we did budget very
conservatively so there's a little extra available to transfer into some of the public works maintenance
lines so we would be moving $75,000 from health insurance and putting $25,000 in highway
$30,000 in the snow budget and $20,000 in the parks budget for those pieces of equipment.
And the next one is also from the Health Insurance line.
I have on here $54,000 and it's going into landscaping and tree replacement,
which is also a discussion you'll be having in a few minutes with Christopher Groves.
He may want to increase that to $60,000 based on some information he has to present to you on a little while.
So, depending on how you would like to move forward with that, I can adjust the amendment for the Resolution next week.
Question?
Would you replace Minus Good?
If you replace Minus Good.
And landscaping as well.
That's sort of needed.
I want you to, this is max out our debit or our credit that we currently have in health insurance or there's still money to play with.
We do still have a little bit of access there, not a lot, but there is a little person.
If we have any emergencies, we can add that to the contingency that we budget it.
Okay, great.
We do have a little access.
Thank you.
Anybody else?
Good point.
Thank you.
Okay, next I have the resolution seeking approval from the City Council.
to levy and collect the 2025 taxes that were approved on November 12, 2024.
This will include the Westchester County taxes in the amount of $5,857,664.
and MTA tax of $381,161 county solid waste in the amount of $900,945 county sewer, $3,545,105,105,
The City of Peac scale tax levy 20 million 20,538 dollars, the library fund 1,778,000 dollars,
the business improvement district in the amount of 100,000 dollars, and energized New York in the amount of 21,243 dollars.
The total is $32,607,656, and with you are approval, then we will bring a resolution
next week authorizing the collection of the taxes.
Questions?
Nobody's going to be with that.
I don't get it.
The energizer.
I must track of what that is again.
Energize, New York.
That was a special business district to me and people were able to purchase ether energy efficiency
or solar of not sure which I can find out more about the program and they were able to finance
it.
It's an annual line now that will be in the budget.
It's an annual revenue and expense equal to the same amount.
I already got my bill, so did you already get your bills, or did you have the same thing?
So I guess we'd better pass a resolution.
Right?
I just have one point of follow-up that I would love to get at some point is a breakdown of the library fund.
I just would like to see that broken out as to where the million seven goes.
Okay, how that gets spent?
I don't know if that could be a presentation in a cow,
just to with the memo would be fine is what library fund we just collect their assessed
tax their their tax bills for them right right so it's a levy amount they send over to us for their
by love to see with the budget no but we but their budget is public we'll get through their budget
that's on us yeah maybe we can get the copy of the budget for everyone and then we collect this
And we pay it for the library and four equal installments throughout the year.
So we don't also issue it all in one lump sum to them.
So my next proposal, our memo, I'm sorry.
The next one is for an amended bond resolution.
So on June 26th, 2023, the city council authorized the issuance of $14.3 million in aggregate principle.
to finance the cost of acquisition, construction, and reconstruction of water and sewer system improvements.
We are working with the environmental facilities corporation and they offer the city grants and long combination of those finances.
For water and sewer projects, they requested that we submit separate resolutions for water and sewer, so they each have their own resolutions.
So what you have in front of you now will be a resolution for next week for 10.4 million dollars.
And that will be just for the sewer system improvements.
So with your approval, then we'll bring the resolution next week for that.
So what about the water?
I believe he's finalizing some numbers on the water projects.
And then we can bring another one for those specific projects too.
So we actually haven't issued the 14.3 million on it.
Right, so we have authorization in place, but we would be
rescinding that with this resolution and reauthorizing
that specific sewer amount moving forward.
That's the rest of the resolution.
That's the question for most for legal.
That resolution it will be through the
Spain, like how it was approved and been 23 and now the
because he's going to be charming.
Who it just resents the resolution and re-approved a new resolution?
Right.
So it will be, say that.
And the resolution will state that.
At reference is the resolution number and the date that the original one was passed.
Go back to that.
Okay.
And the next one.
So this one is what the city manager mentioned a few minutes ago.
This is including a list for various departments.
So the vehicle that Jonathan's more of just mentioned.
And then we have a couple of separate memos as well for public works equipment.
There's a full listing here of trucks and excavators,
all different types of equipment that public works will be needing to purchase.
That is in the total of $2,490,000.
We also have a list of police equipment.
And that is a list of cars for $392,618.
And in combination with the bus and I believe water and sewer has a couple pieces of equipment.
So what we're looking to do, this is a total of 8.263 million dollars.
And these are items from the capital plan that we have from last year and we will be working
with again this year to bring it current and get everything included in it.
So we are looking for a resolution for a capital lease for a $3,663,000.
And I currently have some quotes from two leasing companies.
I have just recently reached out to a third one just so you'll have some other information
to compare the way between the three companies and way out what the best option is for that financing.
And also mentioned on this memo, we have the Nelson and James Street garages for $3.8 million.
These are repairs and improvements needed on the garages and police station improvements $1.4 million.
So we will be looking into the debt needed to finance those, that's $5.2 million for buildings and grounds improvements.
And the last item definitely not the least on your list on this memo is that the city just received a grant award letter for the momentum projects.
The grant is $10 million, there is a $10 million match required for that.
But the $3.8 million, we had just mentioned the city financing for the garages,
can be used toward the $10 million match.
So that is at least a portion of the match that would be in place.
So overall we will be looking at all of these capital projects
and determining what types of financing would be needed
and then bring that before the council to look at the options and make those decisions.
So the momentum we would need the entire $20 million to which includes the $3.8 million
to be put and Carol's going to bring that back to you, but we're trying to give you a broad
picture of all capital needs and all debt needs coming up in the near future so that you have
as much information to look at in one meeting.
So these are all of the projects that we've been working on,
but these needs are coming upon us.
And so the way I'm proposing that you look at these asks
is to first look at the lease number,
because what I would really like to do
is to sort of get a handle on what we need in operational equipment in order to keep the city
moving and responding on a daily basis with people who are employed by the city with the
right equipment so that they can keep the work going with the lease. And secondly, to let us
come back to you and talk about the biggest strategy of debt financing through bonds for all of
other items. And so that's what we're really trying to talk to you about tonight.
I know, you know, there's tough times we have to be careful with our spending and of course.
I just want to put out there and I don't know. I know there's in here it says,
replacement elevator for the neighborhood center is that repairs or actual
placement of that elevator in the neighborhood center.
Chris, Chris, I'll talk to you when he comes up.
I'll talk to you.
To focus on that when he's got his whole list.
Okay.
Thank you.
So Matt, you're going to break out the 3 million in leases in what that includes based on what we're doing
about tonight in terms of equipment.
Yeah.
And we're ready to scale back that.
But we do, we definitely need some of the majority of this stuff.
Now, you know, so this is stuff like the Leaf collection system, we're interested in getting that, we need additional trucks.
It was a long time ago that we put out the last lease for a major equipment buy.
That was in 2022, actually, is when we got that resolution and we're still waiting for one more thing.
So it took us until 2025 to get all of the pieces of that.
The good news is we got a great rate because we did that before rates really crazy
and we were able to...
And we're also paid up since 2023, I believe, when the police started getting paid down. So we've got years of payments made on that money that we borrowed, but we need to keep turning over and keep bringing in new capital equipment to replace capital equipment that's gone past its useful life.
And so Chris is going to talk to you about more, are you done telling you with your piece?
The other thing to mention with the momentum grant is that that does not work like the typical grants work,
where you can get work done, submit, get some cash back, and then continue that rotating process.
It's more of spending the whole thing completing the project, and then getting reimbursed.
So that's the other need, we need the other reason we need to look into the financing ahead of time and have cash available.
Carol has some chief Carol needs to talk to you about that entire plan because we've engaged a firm to help us with that process and there she's got some interesting tricks up her sleeve to help us make that work better.
that is not as bleak and as bad as what we're saying but it is a big project and you
need to know what front that's going to require resources and we're going to need to get that
started so we can keep moving through and my problem. First of all, what is the garbage AI camera?
Chris is going to talk about this.
Okay, and I'll find Chris.
Yeah, well.
Cool.
This is a really big list.
And it's really expensive.
And I'm feeling the question.
Have any guests talk about it?
I'm feeling quite cautious.
So it's a matter of fact.
We so Tony was away.
Last week, and she wanted to wait.
I said, no, we have to bring this up to talk to you about it.
Now, because I can't have fit weighed per two weeks.
And then another two weeks on top of that.
So we're bringing this to you now because we know it's a big list, you know there's a big crunch going on right now and we've got to think carefully but I will just remind you that the city has successfully paid down I think it was $13 million in debt over the last few years so the city has got it one of its lowest debt levels that it's ever had but we need to
I read up on some of the dead.
One of the things I worry about when I see all these trucks,
I mean, I know we need some of the stuff, right?
I'm not arguing at the point.
But do we need it all at the same time?
No, we're going to, Chris is going to talk to us about that too.
He's going to.
Because I think if you buy all the same time,
it's all going to go bust at the same time, five years down the road.
I can, especially after these last couple of years,
can promise you it won't come in over all at the same time.
So it took us two plus years to get everything here after we ended it three plus years ago.
So it took us three plus years to get.
It will be being purchased at different on different years.
It will be the same year of model.
It will be ordered all at one time but there would be.
And I think Chris is going to be able to show you what he can wait on versus.
That's something else?
I know you mentioned in about the intended depth that we have.
We're going to talk about that.
That's what you mentioned.
Yeah.
I remember that.
I don't know.
How many years that you have here?
Two, three.
You are in the city.
Two years?
Just about three.
Okay.
Yeah.
But there was showing us like the deficit, the entire debt, and when some of the bonds it was ended, I mean, I don't know if the plan that you having for including this is to see how many bonds it would be ending in keeping doing the same payment.
And I know that the school this way there is something similar for the capital
project.
They spend like 11 million dollars for the, for the, for the, the, the, the, the, I mean,
they finalized one upon and they took it and there was nothing need to increase the taxes and
anything.
So they keep in the same payment.
Right.
So I don't know if that would be something including this question more.
Well, that's kind of what Matt was saying as we paid down if you continue to
that plan to purchase new equipment, the new debt,
it kind of keeps that level debt
where you also keep all of your equipment up to date
and you don't end up with, you know,
huge repair costs down the road
or a lack of equipment to get services done.
Even that their level wouldn't be even,
I mean, they're in the payments.
I mean, it may not be equal.
I mean, what I can also do is I can provide the council
with that reducing debt schedule again
to see you can all see where we are
with the current existing debt.
And that would be a full financial, so we just finished the third quarter, so we're actually
I spoke to Matt last week to actually kind of put together where we are, not only looking
at the depth of kind of where we are financially right now, year to day, and kind of what
the projection is, and then also to look at our spending, how it's down, and how we move
forward with this capital plant, so we'll be one hope he's ditched.
And Tony's coming back two weeks from now to to a budget to actual for the first quarter in a projection.
So we just we went to take in all this information on just so that you kind of understand where we are out.
We're going to need not only just the level of debt but the actual payments now because the interest rates are going up.
And we will include where there's things, we'll take a look at all the capital stuff as what
our last year's payments were, and I think the payments are almost more important now
than the total amount of debt, just what is it going to cost us, and then what's the impact
on the budget, the 2026, and everything the mayor just asked for, it's all kind of come together
So we're clear before we do a major capital expense, I think.
And also including that to whatever is a fixed rate,
because a lot of some of that is fixed rate,
but it's not changing and what is variable,
and that kind of stuff when we're looking at the debt.
I mean, as far as all of the bond payments,
those are fixed schedules.
All the lease payments are fixed too, I would guess, right?
Right.
So everything we currently have is a fixed rate.
So thank God the interest rates are not going to be that, yes.
Thank god.
Okay. So. That's it for now. Yep, so Chris. I believe you're next, right?
Thank you. Thank you, Tony. Yeah, thank you.
You're being good evening, Mayor. Deputy Mayor,
Council members and sitting manager. For no to one to 19. We're going to one to one. No, for one to 19.
Okay, okay, so I have a few items on the agenda that I'd like to discuss with the council tonight and the first one being the list of equipment and some of those at the bottom as you saw are for the building main as the parliament as well.
So there's these are items that are needed by the DPW.
There is a total of 2,490,000.
So if you have any questions in particular about any of the equipment there,
I can answer that.
Just note.
So the first three items would not be delivered in 1226.
And so there is a, there is a way that the city could finance those in 2026, but order them now and pay for them through a lease in the future.
So those are all, those are all leaseable items.
Those are everything when has Chris's list here is feasible.
Well, except for capital lease.
Which except for which?
I guess there's nothing improvement.
Except for the building improvement items.
The cameras, the lighting improvements, the replacing the elevator, repairs to the elevator, storm ward, repairs those are not leaseable items.
I think we could get equipment, at least for those who will tell me we will.
You can lease anything with a life of a certain amount.
This is a finance thing tool.
It's not a, so it's not, it doesn't have to be strictly vehicle.
A useful life of a dump truck, sometimes those are bonded, I think, but I'm not saying
it's a good idea to do it, but everything else I'm seeing here, I think, I agree on this
at least.
Chris?
Okay.
I want to ask about the elevator in the neighborhood center.
Yes.
Is it saying replacement elevator for the neighborhood center $200,000 to replace it, not
repair it. So there's that line actually should say that it's going to cover the 200 will cover
both the nutrition center and also the courts, which is the place in the courts. Both elevators
are very, very old. They're very similar in making model and the issue that we're having with both
of those elevators is all about the controls. So 100,000 dollars each will cover the controls.
It's not going to be a replacement of the shaft or the car or any of those things.
It's going to be a big step.
The button.
And that's what's failing is the control.
That's correct.
So if all that other stuff doesn't have to be replaced.
That's right.
The shaft is selling good shape in the car and we'll let me be, you know, that's what we're going to do.
That's a plus then.
That's good.
That's good news because at one point I thought the whole thing had to be replaced.
That's good news.
That is good news.
I have other good news about it.
I'd, the planning department informed me today that there was a grant that's been a boarded
for 47,000 in regards to the elevator, so that, that, that, that, that will help cover
that.
That's $200.
Well, this goes through.
When would that elevator be replaced?
We can, we can award that pretty much right away.
I'd have to get a lead time, but it would be, at some point, this year.
But.
Yes. Thank you. Okay, so now what are our garbage AI cameras? Okay, so we are right now
there's a set of cameras that we're looking at. We're talking to a vendor. These are AI cameras.
They have the ability to learn what they're looking at. So if we want to target if we want the
to learn to pick up illegal garbage that's getting put out that the camera would
learn that and make notifications and then there's also some vehicle traffic
components to that as well. So that is something that we're just looking into at this
point. And that would be pretty reliable.
That's what they tell me and I think
to have to do some of our research and, you know, show that before.
That sounds like a great idea.
Chris, I've been having, as you know, a lot of garbage and litter on the second street
that I've afforded, and it's did get cleaned up, but I see a starting to build up again.
Very frustrating.
When we were.
Takes.
Just to put it bluntly.
Back to your list. The excavator with the trailer, the loader claw, the four and one bucket.
Yes.
As soon as all go together, the flailing, the fire, the attachment.
That all part of the, the flail more attachment can go with the excavator.
That is, that is a piece of equipment that we rent every year at this point.
And it kind of, you know, the growth builds up to a point.
We rent the machine and go around the whole entire city and including the riverfront.
So the loader, the loader claw goes with the excavator, the loader claw would go on the
Articulating loader, which is different than the exit.
Yes.
So the four and one bucket and the loader claw, those two items would go on the Articulating
loader, which we have two of those loaders already.
How often do we use a 10-wheel dump truck?
The 10-wheel dump truck is used every time that we pay.
So it's paving, it's for paving, the paving, the truck that we have right now, we have
two 10-wheel, if the truck's for paving, one of them is not usable at all because if you put
any paving in it, it would just fall out of the side. That's how rodded it is. And the other
one I was looking at this morning with our mechanic, and the frame is actually cracked in a
places so that is starting to become a safety issue and a lot of these are, that's why they're
on the left. Is there anything on this list you could do without? Just curious. There's nothing
that we can do without or could I think we can, would you longest lead potential to wait?
If we had, I could probably say there's a few items that we can, that we can push to next year
And then of course the first three items, you know, we'd be looking toward of them this year and we wouldn't receive them until next year and maybe even further.
What's a Falcon Hotbox?
the Falcon Hotbox is a Z, Z, Z, um, asshole.
That's great.
It's for asphalt.
Correct.
Could you ass fall?
Keep your ass down, Florida.
So why is it hotbox?
That's right, I'm falling.
All right, I'm falling.
You said that first.
I said that.
Okay.
Um, I hear might last questions.
What do we know?
The stormwater repairs to Hamilton Avenue.
What is that?
Those basins are
What's in the issue on Hamilton Avenue and we have done some work there?
And I'm going to say it's over a year ago at this point. That has, we ran one line. If you're going up the hill on the left and the left hand side, as soon as we got done with that repair, we started seeing that there was collapses further downstream in the underground piping. That's a, that's a 24 inch pipe. It's, it's corrugated metal pipe, which rocks from the bottom up.
Got it. Thank you.
Anybody else?
Yes.
I...
Well, let me follow the question.
Cathy, say about the...
You mentioned in the camera.
They have us on kind of AI.
But that would be like a mobile camera.
Like a...
Can you put in permanent one place or an open one?
Like, what is that idea for that to have a mobile
in different places,
it might have the ability to be moved, it would certainly need to be installed
wherever the chosen locations are.
But I think you have the ability to move afterwards and
reinstall it. And because I was talking about that, I mean, you weren't talking about the
of abandon to have that kind of equipment that we can follow people who dump with some kind of
camera. I mean, there will be need to have like an ordinance before to move forward with these
or like, well, you need an ordinance prohibiting illegal dumping of garbage. I'm talking about
for use of the camera as something for follow the people or not. I would think the camera could
We used, if we're for prosecutions, I don't see why not.
I don't know if you'd have to amend the ordinance
to say it can be prosecuted.
And we didn't like to lie someplace or something like that.
I'd have to look into it, but I'm a slip.
We use cameras to record violations on many different types
of different ordinances.
So I'm thinking that it could be used for enforcing
illegal dumping as well.
All right, if we have that a good identification and there's a way to, to definitely identify who did the dumping, then that would be appropriate, if it's just a license plate.
I don't know if you could go after the owner of a vehicle for having dumped the garbage.
That may require an ordinance.
That would be nice if we have a garbage.
That may require an ordinance amendment to say the owner of a vehicle, which is dumping it could be liable.
Because if you don't know who's actually driving the vehicle, that's the problem.
So, I know, but I said that because I mentioned that even in the police and the hard thing
it would be identified like the faces and recognize and then you will be no able to follow it.
It would have to be the honor of the vehicle and we probably have to do an amendment to the ordinance
to say a good evaluation could go against the honor of the vehicle who is shown to be dumping.
I like that, you know, it would be nice and the other thing about, well, we are talking
hear about least, but how is it going to be there, and I'm like for, because for the first one,
for the four rifles, no blow, there's 380,000, but that amount is like the least for a long,
and how it's going to be working. So the way this works, the last time we did this,
is we've got a list of all of the items that we're purchasing and we go over each item
and we talk about the useful life and they're all different.
They go from 3, 5, 7, 10 years, the most likely we'll be having of these time for these
amounts, these are put inside a life that we're going to use it, I don't know if we can
five years for that one. So we the turn the least term it's definitely less than
a useful life obviously everybody can see that because we've kept some trucks for
20. So not a least in a term like if we're least in a car and they'll give it back
that's not this we all own it. We want to say least term but we actually own. Okay.
Yeah it's a capital these it's a it's financing. I imagine that because when you
When you see that number three on the 80s, or for at least.
But no, you are on it.
Okay.
We are buying that.
And we had to spend that thing in 2020 season.
And you also, 2025 for this year, like it.
Because someone also was to do 1.57 million in 2025 and 920,000 in 2020, 2006.
Right.
So let me just ask you something.
with the first three items up here, these are items that you know that we definitely need.
I kind of get to feeling that this is not like a list that's stuff that we've looked at,
we know what it does, we know what it is, but this is kind of a list with a ballpark and numbers.
So when we get ready to kind of look at this stuff, I think the council would need to have a real
actual list of stuff that you've looked at that you want to buy and really know what the cost is
And when we would want to order it and kind of like in order of what we would need.
So you're telling us these first three things that are a priority at the top.
Is that correct?
These are priority.
The first three do happen to be the priority.
But that's just kind of a coincidence because those are three items that have really long
lead times.
We have looked at everything, a lot of these items, and it's not just me that's looking
in the foot reform and are looking at them, these items are safety items and particularly
the ones that I looked at this morning, so there are, there are some that we have in our
mind that we can push off to perhaps a year but we're still recommending that they get bored
if not this year, the next year.
But I'm not doubting that, that's not what I'm saying.
What the council needs is to know what the priority is for these aren'ting, and then what exactly do you do?
Councilwoman Talbot asks you about these AI cameras.
Councilwoman Fernandez asks you about, we need to know that you know exactly what these do,
and how they're going to fit into the city and what we need them for.
I think that will give people more of a feeling of how urgent it is for these things.
You tell us what the priority is for your department and why you kind of need them.
I mean, I mean, I have a wish list of, we all have a wish list.
Every department has a wish list of things that we need to know, what you really need first.
Right.
After looking at the lead times and how long you think it's going to be.
And then kind of how these are going to fit into your time frame of making sure that everyone is safe and has the equipment that they need to do the job that we want them to do.
you know. So that's not the question. I just think we need more information on the items.
Okay. Okay. All right. So let's the priorities which we, you know, I can present to you.
I'll do that with you. Priority. You know, what you need to order first because of time frames
and knowing that you're not going to get it for a year or two years, three years, type it
that. And then kind of what these items are and kind of be able to talk to somebody's questions
as the what they are and how they kind of fit into what we're doing in the city.
Okay, we'll put together a list with each item at a description and we'll give you a little purple description for each one and prioritize them and because I think we all know what a snow plow is and and it goes on the dump truck and stuff like that, but some of these other things we we we kind of need a little more what we would also be helpful to add the usable life to that map and making that list how long these
items are going to last us we'll give you and also the budget information like a
that's spending and per year how is going to be finance so how much you pay on the
lease. Yeah yeah you know to the prior talk priorities that he's going to show and tell
the ones like and if we have a budgeting or just going to be bombed or how is that going to be.
And the goal is to do this off in one so that it's one lease agreement right now.
But we don't want to keep going paying a finance fee because every group, so it's better for us to work together and get police vehicles, Jonathan's vehicles altogether and sort of have a plan.
So, probably we're going to...
It would be nice.
Sorry, yeah, I know it's allowed, but I...
To have a bit of a information on the thing, how we're going to be managed and it would be more clear.
Yeah, so this is strategic two weeks from now, you're going to see get a sense of where we were last year, although it's not for not done with the audit, but you're going to get a sense of you're going to know where we end at the quarter when you're going to get a projection of where we think the end of the year is going to be.
And then at that point, I'll ask Tony to add to a debt projection for the future.
And we usually do, so you'll get some projected numbers next year.
Next, Cal, at the next, Cal.
Any other questions?
Would you turn it up?
All right, now.
Okay.
When else you got birth?
Okay, so next item is in regards to the 2025 landscape and program.
And in the last Calvada that we presented where we requested
recommendations go out to bed, it was asked that we keep the
council updated on the time frame and the schedule.
So currently the package is on the streets.
It's out to bed.
We will be opening bids this Wednesday at 10 a.m.
We'll receive the bids open and read them publicly.
that the DW at that point will do a bit analysis, and we anticipate that we would be recommending
the most responsible, lowest bidder, and we'll bring that to the minicow next week on
April 14th.
Any questions?
I'm sorry.
So assuming that the council would pass that resolution, we will award the contract that would
about mid-April and planting would start in the beginning of May in the first two weeks of May.
You have a lot of people pick up on a business.
There was quite a number on Bidnet that picked up and then there was a handful of that picked
up locally, so I had not to say that Bidnet was not locally either, but so we have a few.
I don't know how many to, you know, I don't know how many beds to anticipate, but pretty quick turnaround for a bit, but hopefully it is, yeah, we're trying to get it for this year.
Yeah, we're trying to get it for this year.
We did have it out for the full 10 days, so that was good.
Are you what else?
Okay.
Lastly,
I would like to give an update on cleanup events in Toronto, which I give.
I want to give you an update on cleanup events that are hosted by the City of Peac scale.
So the City of Peac scale is inviting all individuals and members of the community to join the DPW
and scheduling cleanup days with your cleanup group with their cleanup group.
There is a file flyer and a link that will allow groups to sign up online.
So any group would provide your contact number online, I have many people are coming to the group which Saturday there's a number of Saturdays that are on that for options that they can choose and what type of cleanup they would like to be doing so in other words where in the city or which park if it's roadside cleanup what type of cleanup that they and their group would want to do.
Now, if there are individuals that want to do not have a group, but want to join a group,
we would try to incorporate them in a group so that they can be scheduled on one of those days.
There's also a number of other teams of events that are hosted by others.
We have Arbor Day, which is going to take place in a couple of Saturdays that's April 26,
with Jonathan's Moora and the Parks and Rec staff.
They'll be starting at 8 a.m. and going to 1130,
that starts at the next.
What's that, Dave?
Why do you throw up?
That's going to be April 26th in two Saturdays.
Eight o'clock to 1130.
Over the end, on the calendar.
That'll start at the depue parking and down at the roof from
the dog park community also has their cleanup day on the
20 seconds as well, the same day.
River keepers will have there and you'll clean up the ban and pick
peak skill clean routine also is planning on meeting regularly this is the
seat of them so. I have a request. It's not in anything you said but the
butterfly push has got decimated by our, okay, roaming people, and got cut right
to the ground. That's important. We have to grow them back and labeled, I mean, there was
a sign there, so I don't know what the problem was, but they were like levels. So I,
but I'm urging you to get them back up and running. Okay, that's a lot of contact. It may
about that. Okay, I have not heard about that, but yeah, let me look at that. This is the
I don't know, it's a butterfly.
Yeah.
The Monarch butterflies. I think there were little signs down there and everything. So I was sort of baffled when I saw it, but then I was trying to get a phone call, so thank you. I appreciate it. And by the way,
who knows on the food scraps, little.
Oh, yes.
Yeah.
Sheldon that they have for the whole job, very nice, Sheldon.
The D.B.W. staff, that's a great job.
Thank you.
Yeah, please, please, my.
OK.
OK, is that thank you, Chris?
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
That's nice.
There is a memo in here to about the police
vehicles, I don't know if I got scubbed.
Yes, so you see, so there's a memo added in.
Do you see that one?
Yes.
Those are the ones that were included in the capital plan.
That's normal every year purchase.
But we'll come back to you and talk to you more about that.
Go ahead, girl.
Also curious why it's a 2023 vehicle, because it's supposed to
do a new vehicle.
You could add that to your list to tell us later.
Should that be 2025?
Oh, okay.
So we'll explain the later.
I'm saving you money.
I'm a deeper.
Okay.
I don't believe you.
Is it out tires?
Yeah.
Just hearing well?
Okay girl.
Good evening.
Hi there.
This is mayor and council.
Marathon here.
We have three items from planning.
I want to first introduce the James Street Garage public interest
just to kind of explain why we're at this point even though, you know, we don't even have final designs or
have done anything really for the garage.
We have applied to the County HIF, the Housing Implementation Fund for Partial Funding for the James Street Garage in response to 41 North Division.
The County Planning Commission agreed to make a recommendation to the County Board of Legislators in May for $1.8 million to cover 22 spaces in the garage for 41 north division.
But for the Board of Legislators to act, they need us to have conducted environmental review.
And for us to conduct environmental review, we need to kind of take these steps that we're
proposing today of the first of which is the public interest determination and then the
second of which is to concur that the planning commission would be the lead for environmental
review purposes given that they have slight plan review, the most comprehensive review look
at the new garage, while we don't have, you know, final designs for the garage, we have
conceptual designs, we have, you know, work from our engineers to the, we can have an estimation
of the number of spaces and general designs that the garage would look like the height, et cetera.
And, Eric, I don't know if you would like to say a word about public interest determination for the
So, as I explained with respect to the solar floating solar facility, the James D. garage, even though there is an existing garage in that district, which I believe it's the C2 central commercial zoning district, apparently parking grudges are not permitted to use in that zone.
And so, in order to proceed, because, again, this is on city property, we had recommended
that the Council consider a public interest determination with respect to the garage.
Even though there is an existing garage, because it's an expansion, the existing garage
is probably considered a prior legal non-conforming use, but you cannot technically expand
a prior legal non-conforming use.
So this we thought was the best way to justify the exemption from or allowing the project
to go forward by exempting the expansion of the garage from zoning.
And again, in this case, certainly a garage for public parking, the public is clearly a public
purpose.
It is going to go through site plan and SQL review.
It is an existing garage there.
You're just expanding it.
I believe over relatively the same footprint.
I'm not sure how.
There's existing lot that will have the parking problem.
So there's existing...
Yeah.
There's existing paid lot that has the footprint.
You know, as we know, there's limited parking within peak skill,
so there's not, there aren't any really other areas,
which could be recommended for this type of expanded parking area.
So we're going to be presenting a resolution going through the nine factors under the county of Monroe Test,
which we believe are satisfied.
It satisfies the public interest determination given the factors I just ran through.
So that's really where we are and we'll be seeking that that's similar determination to what we talked about floating solar with respect to the James Greek or Raj.
Again, because it's on city property, it gives the city the authority to exempt it from certain zoning.
What's the timing on that, Eric?
When are we doing that? Next, we...
Yeah, we'll have a resolution for you next week.
But not something we would need to public hearing.
No, no public hearing required for that.
I mean, if somebody could challenge it within the four-month period,
they have for challenging legislative determinations.
So how many people want extra parking in town?
I don't think anybody's going to be challenging that.
I might be only.
And this is the public interest determination,
your county, Monroe, is something that's
used relatively frequently.
We've seen it used by municipalities that
own property with another mispality.
And they're seeking to do a public use in that other
municipality, even if it's not something that
that municipality wants.
And it's used in that case and, you know, like, for putting up a cell tower in another municipality that's opposed and that's one of the more famous cases is a municipality put up a cell tower in another municipality and it was challenged by that municipality and the courts said no, it meets the public interest.
There are examples on it, you don't have to follow the special permanent requirements or anything else, you're allowed to do it.
So it's a straightforward doctrine that's well accepted.
And I would say suffice it to say that there will be many other opportunities for review of this project, including the bid documents and our, you know, RFPs, the site plan review, there will be many other opportunities for public input and of course for council review.
Okay, everybody's good.
Good.
Thank you.
The next item we have is civic carbon connectivity project.
I'm sorry.
So the first step was this declaration.
I wonder that we adopt.
We'll go through this steps then so that planning commission will then get to see this.
Yes.
So the planning commission has already issued an intent to be lead agency.
So we would be asking the council to concur with that.
then it goes through, it would go through the site plan review just like it would, you know,
any other application, when we're ready for it, we're not ready for it right now because
we don't have detailed site plan review.
Thank you for bringing me up to speed last week.
It occurred to me that we didn't like the James Street garage.
Nobody likes it, I think, is that a fair description?
It's ugly and it's underused because it's ugly and there's trouble maintaining the elevator
So the idea of putting up another five story garage using the same elevator right next to it
Struck me is probably not a good idea at all
So what could you do to modify it to make it a better idea and I thought if you could get a commercial use
on the top floor, or something that would attract people that would be observing what the
conditions were in the garage, or a restaurant, or something like that. I think you could
avoid having the same problem with the new addition that we have with the current place.
So I think we need the thought of the design now a bit to get to that. I wouldn't mind
flopping a floor off it, either, just to bring something to height down and then possibly
putting a park on the top of the thing.
Whatever we're doing, we can't replicate what we've got now, to me, that's in practically
crazy.
I don't like the James Street Garage.
A lot of people won't use it, they keep saying, there's not enough parking because
they don't park in the range in James Street Garage.
It has a problem of height, the certain solar vehicles are limited in their ability to use it.
So now we're going to replicate that with the same floor plan and stuff like that.
I want to move ahead with what Carol is doing.
I want to get a momentum fund in.
I want to get the money from the carry to come into help us with the cost of it.
But I think we need a design that will not create the same problems that James Street Garage has.
If that's the way it goes forward, I'll just vote against it because I feel that strongly.
I think we need to design and we need to use beyond the parking that will keep a restaurant
on the roof or something like that.
If that could work, we'd help keep the place from being a dump.
I agree with some of what you're saying, but I don't agree with all of it because I think
one of the big problems that I've heard about with the Grasian that I have myself is
the that it's dark and the elevators are maybe less than clean and things like that.
So I think that's, you know, I don't think it's too tall necessarily,
but you know, I think
that we have to really pay attention to fixing that up in a way that brightens it up
and makes people feel safe and the elevator is really probably should be replaced.
Can I have just a word?
So the momentum funds project does include some of the repairs to the James Street garage
that I think get out a lot of the issues that people generally find with the garage.
Whether that's the lighting or the cleanliness or the elevators, I'd have to look more closely
at the scope that when that involves the replacement
and repair of the elevators.
You know, we also looked at the expense
of what would it be to have retail on the ground floor.
Now, I know those users are not going to the top,
but that's where you want your retail, right?
Because there's a lot of expense
in adding that kind of weight to the top of the grove.
But even the ground floor is quite expensive.
it is quite expensive too and it really would price us out of, I don't have the number of the top of my head because I didn't think we'd be discussing this this evening, but I can get back to you about the cost of that and then, but we also considered solar for the rooftop and that is something that absolutely could come.
But as far as working through the kind of design limitations of the existing garage, we are getting some real cost efficiencies in connecting the levels and not having to build a ramp.
your footprint is smaller, you can connect to the other existing garage that I would be afraid
that we would just not have a project at all if we were to start from scratch or to start from.
I don't think that's what you're saying, Councilmember, but I want to just take it one step at a time
And that is that we've got improvements that will be made to to the James
Street garage that are a part of momentum as well that we'll be taking on.
I'll have that.
Just get back to design and it's to help.
Does anybody think that my community and other James Street garage come in really mean?
I think that we need and you are out.
had a discussion on actually how we could do some minor things right now to really
screw up the graduate because it's not a fact that and Chiefs just explains to me that the
garage was actually full of the past couple of weeks, even a tough loss and he's kind of looking
at and trying to see who's parking it but the garage is actually being utilized. But we took
a tour of it and we do need to move the exercise so people can see them as they're going down,
need to paint the brick where it's going to paint a black to brighten it up and maybe paint
it a white. We need to paint it with a non graffiti type of paint so that that doesn't
adhere to it. We talk to Matt about how we have someone there in the stairwell in with the elevators
and cleaning up that area. Making sure that it's posted that we're people there.
All in an
I don't like how it's how we maintain it and what we haven't done to make it more inviting
And I think once we make it more inviting and give people, as you said, that they know it's safe and it's clean
That it will be utilized and so to build on that next door to it in an area where we definitely need parking
I would be in agreement with that with something underneath it, not just all parking but somehow
Kind of commercial type of thing underneath it, in that area, because, you know, as we're growing, there's a need for barking.
I mean, I, I, I use the barking, the barking, and, and the night time, the night time is almost empty.
Tell me as well and one other thing is and everybody mentioned have maintenance keep and clean
Water pressure may be clean or sometimes twice a year and lighting the stirs the elevator
There's something that we were talking for almost seven years like a signage like a they're not in signage
that the people know where they can barking or where they've heard me barking or something like that.
If I don't remember and it's all global people, they can use them in some point
overnight or for the time on theaters.
I mean, we need to have another kind of management
how we can use the parking. I think there are many, many, if I know Ron, the study that we
have a few years ago, show that we have enough parking, so it's not like we don't have it.
But I don't think there is no management and a good reform. If I know Ron, we participate
two years or three years ago, I think a chief, he was there, the barking enforcement, and
if I don't wrong, when you mentioned it, and the winged the parking, the police department
put it like a 5,000 flyers in the street to prevent the people.
But there was a lot of communication with a business owner in the area and the staff, but I
When we're talking about Chinese, now the program, remember that we mentioned that we need an
parking lot to have that kind of Chinese, and I don't see that yet. So we need that people who knows.
Do you remember, well, you can remember that you come with a strong war when we tried to
span the meter in the second level.
It took photos like the counselor that was asking for maybe
almost one year, and I remember that was your word to the
former city manager when they said, but we are talking to
the span the meters only one level.
And took photos like maybe almost one year to do that.
So I think we need to have something in the management and the signage and the maintenance
over there to see that I think that could be possible where some discussion that we
can have it.
I'm going to bring this back, I want you to carry this thing.
So to answer your question, Councilor Douglas, I think it's as everyone has said how we make
it better, but utilizing because of the apartments coming in, having to
to, with our parking in lieu of whatever the we need.
You know, I had this conversation with the chief.
We keep saying, oh, well, we can sell spaces in the James 3 Garage.
Well, you can't sell the same spaces over and over and over
if we're going to continue to develop and we're trying to figure out ways
for people to park in the developer, not get caught into having to do it
but can then use the parking.
So that will be some of the reason to have that as well.
There, those are all good ideas, but I think the history of the James Street Mirage is pretty much a bad one.
It goes back early to urban renewal days and it continues.
It was built in the 60s and 70s.
70s?
It must have been right about 1970.
Because the other one is 75.
I think the Nelson Avenue.
Anyways, it was built before I went working for the city.
But whenever you think it's a maintenance and management problem,
you have to step back and say, well, it's a design problem.
It's ugly.
And that's why maintenance and management is difficult.
Are you talking about the outside of it?
I'm talking about the entire inside and outside the whole thing.
So now I'm going to bring this back in.
I wouldn't really do that to some things that we have to do to make it more important.
Before we get too far down the road,
So I think the design of a new building that attaches to it needs to be thought out in such a way that it does not.
It somehow strengthens, improves, it does something to what's there.
And the idea of having something on the ground floor would help, I think, if you took lost some spaces, I think take it floor off.
So it isn't just, you know, straight across building it, you can put something on the roof or something to do something with it.
But it is a design issue. I haven't not seen anything that looked like a creative person was looking at this thing
and saying, I'm going to make a building here that's going to make the other one work
or the building I'm putting up now will be, will enhance the area
and with the other improvements we're talking about lighting and painting and other stuff like
just taking together would have an impact of making a better building period so I don't think
we've thought the design.
Well done.
Can I just interject that it's not been designed yet?
It's what I'm talking about.
I know.
So what are we doing now if we haven't even designed, do you have a conceptual plan?
We have a conceptual plan, that's, and the whole reason that we're doing this
environment at this point right now is so that we can go to the board of legislators and
get them to commit $1.8 million, then we have our momentum dollars, we have our dollars
for from the HIF, hopefully, but requires environmental review sign off from the city to do
that. And that is easy. That doesn't have anything to do with what the building looks like.
We're maxing out what we think we can do in that envelope.
That's exactly how we should approach an environmental review at this stage.
Given that we don't know the details.
We're not changing any of the curb cuts.
That's exactly what we should do right now because we don't know any of the details.
So we're assuming everything is almost like worst case is what you will.
So that we can have all of this money in the pocket and then go to a design phase.
And then we can, so I think I don't want to put the cart before the horse.
You know, we're trying to gather the money that we need to build it.
And then we can, at this point, after we get the HIF dollars, we can start to go into some design phases.
When we tell the county what we're doing, are we telling them we're building a five-story building that generates
X number of parking space?
We are, because that's the max that we could do in this location.
And for an environmental review purposes, it's an environmental review.
But now you're talking about the county looking at the project and saying they're going to give the money
to pass to the environmental review point.
They're only giving us space money for 22 spaces only.
I heard that part of it.
So that's all they'll consider, they won't go more than that, because they're giving it
for the specific project.
Anyone else?
You know, it's tough.
I mean, the one thing that we have to keep in mind when people say it is no parking, you
know, it would be, I just think it would be nice.
You know, it would be great to have some insight on who's saying that, because I was someone
coming from out of town.
Like let's say for example, I go to White Plains.
I'm already expecting to walk, correct?
But because of the city, it's a little city,
and it feels like a town.
And so people wanted, but it's technically, it is a city.
So I agree with you as far as the look of it,
but at the same time, there's a cultural thing.
the ship that people just have to just understand that we live in the city.
So, you know, if you go into the downtown, you know, if you can't find the spot, you know,
don't, it's so crazy, you know, we have the garage, you know, just like if you went to any other city.
Right, right.
It means the rush out and, you know, so far for so wide, you know, we're little, but technically it's a city.
So, you know, I'm, I'm for looking at how we can expand on this, but, you know, hopefully,
They're having this new structure here and we're going to probably do some really cool
interesting as far as the art and the colors, a lot of concern.
We can kind of help change people's understanding that you do live in the city.
That's growing.
And it's important to remember that the garage is intended to also support additional
housing in our downtown.
To fill have some of these just like 41 North Division adaptive reuse of properties.
in fill of properties that couldn't otherwise provide a parking, and you know to take to kind of,
and I think it is how you manage it, it's how you manage the parking as well, so not only, you know,
the cleanliness of the space and the actual physical maintenance, but how you manage the parking
that if we can have more shared parking that's thinking about, you know, different users in the downtown,
whether it's someone coming for the theater or someone who's going to park there for
because that's where their parking spot is and they live in on the downtown and they're
going to want two blocks to go to their home, you know, kind of, but he's somebody coming to the
theater or any business is only the two first level that people can use and the other one is
for me parking and the signage is, I mean, change and
management that the end that would be, that would be because I would
a day day day they can't park, I would agree with that.
I'm going to say what do you need for us on this part?
I don't, I need for us to approve our public interest determination and that the
planning commission would be the lead agency, those would be the two items that
we would bring forward to you in resolution next.
So we'll do it.
I'm okay with that.
Thank you.
And yep.
So I have two more items.
One is the Civic Hub connectivity project outreach.
So you know there was, you know, we presented the Civic Hub project, you know, had had
various feedback.
We've since been having lots of smaller conversations with some of our committee leaders,
And historic board, Arts Council, just to kind of get feedback and others, other people who were just interested in learning more about the project.
And I will say the vast majority of people once they understand it and have been able to hear more about it, you know, support the project and are excited about it.
There are people to be sure, yes, who have concerns and questions and it's not their taste.
That's that will always be the case.
I will say so what we're trying to do to make sure that we can express the full story
is we're creating a video with Jesse Gerola to kind of go over the project in a little more
detail just in a little longer time frame we have interviews with the designers as well as the
architect and ourselves that we're that will promote in social media so that's an important
thing that I think will give people more than a very poor image that's posted on a social
media page that we didn't even provide.
So we also want to have kind of what we're calling an open house, and that is that we
are committing to go out for Saturday and Sunday for some set timeframes in the gazebo
in Brown Plaza, April 26th and 27th, if it rains or something like that or something else happens
will find rain days where we will have stations and in general be able to have conversations
with people about the project and answer questions that have interactive boards where we're gathering
thoughts and opinions, how do you use the plaza, how do you how what makes you come to the civic hub
So those kinds of things should, it's stay shiny, it's a common question.
We are working to have that in Spanish language as well, and rain dates will be determined.
We want to have an online survey that kind of reflects those same open house questions.
It will be brief, we don't want it to be long, it needs to be brief, succinct to get to the point.
That's what we're committing to do right now for civic hub engagement, we'll come back to you with feedback in and what we're hearing as we go.
I have a question that little animated video that the architect or whoever is that going to be.
Will you sit in the video?
Because that made all the difference to me.
Yes.
And as I saw it in position and moving the camera, moving around it, it told the difference
in the area.
Yeah.
We would absolutely use that.
Carol, I just want to thank you for this effort.
I think the community engagement, although I feel it's a little late, I think it's a great
catch up.
And I think it will help our residents get on board with the project and understand it and take
ownership in it.
So I appreciate all the effort putting forward in this.
I think there's information to be shared in it, even if I remember the time that we presented it,
we didn't have Zoom, so we really couldn't even present the full story.
So now we can present the full story, get feedback.
There are design tweaks and things like that, you know, who knows, you know, we will have decisions
to be made at a later date.
Thank you.
Are there any other comments on that?
No.
There's no action resolution or anything like that, it's just, that's okay.
and purpose to move forward.
Thank you.
And our...
My final item is the waterfront to you, to you, speaker, consultant, RFP. So, as you know, we have three
sites, service parking lots at the waterfront that are we engaged in negotiations with developers
on. As we do that, go through that process, which I'll provide more update during executive
session on some of that. We need to, we recognize that we should start to bring on some
someone who can help us with the environmental review,
primarily so that we can start collecting traffic data.
So our approach to environmental review
for this project is kind of two-fold.
One is that the city is leading a conversation
and the work around the cumulative impacts
of development of the three sites together.
And we will look at things like traffic.
That's a clear, cumulative impact.
and others and other categories.
And then for each individual developer,
they will have to undertake their environmental review
for their site specific potential for impacts.
That could be historic shadows.
More detailed traffic because it's site specific.
That kind of thing.
All of the other categories that are in environmental.
But for us to get started on that,
We kind of need to get going now so that we can bring someone on board so we can do some basic data collection for specific intersections before school was out at the end of June, so this will give us time to do that.
We're proposing that the three developers pay for this citywide, a cumulative impact, and that they would, excuse me, provide a third of the costs towards it.
So what I'd like to do is to bring it back to you, for the resolution, next Monday with an authorization to release a request for a proposal.
proposals?
Questions?
So I'm okay with moving forward with that.
My question is when are we going to start presenting some of this publicly?
I think, well, we need to settle on terms, which need to come to you all first.
And I think ideally would be over the late spring and summer.
We would like to have some public engagement.
Our next council meeting, I want to bring forward to you another request for proposals
and that's for Urban Design.
Thank you, Council Member Douglas, for that suggestion.
For Urban Design, it would help us with telling the full story of the waterfront and that
would also engage the public in a conversation around some of the public realm improvements,
including railroad plaza.
So that could happen over the summer spring summer where we would be down at the waterfront
have a special session at the Lincoln Depot where we're having an open house, where we're
there with the developers.
We're presenting our vision, we're presenting the waterfront plan, we're presenting some
that design guidelines that we've provided to some of the developers, but you've seen
and get feedback from folks, but also have an engagement, a real engagement.
The developers are at different phases, right?
So some of them may be more open and asking questions.
Some of them are going to have design plans that they'll be more prepared for.
And in any case, want to be providing a leadership role in the public conversation
around the redevelopment of the waterfront.
So, thank you.
What else?
Go ahead.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Okay.
So, the next one is we have posted the points for the fire volunteer fire low sap for the pension.
They've been hosted for 30 days.
There's been no comments and we're ready to use those.
or if you're okay with that, we're gonna move forward.
I'm okay moving forward.
Thank you.
All right.
And then Eric has three items for you.
We need to go to our executive.
Okay, so the first item is opposed to amendment
to City of Peace,
kill, solid, waste, code, chapter, 485.
I provided you a memorandum on that
to allow the living of unpaid user fees for recycling,
served for certain waste collection,
and solid waste disposal services as taxes.
Right now that the chapter 45 does not include a method
for living those unpaid fees as taxes.
And speaking with the controller, I believe,
there have been some outstanding fees
have not been able to be collected. So I was asked to research and determine how to do that.
There is a local law. It's allowed, unfortunately, any fees that were incurred prior to the
amendment of that chapter to allow for the levying of those unpaid fees cannot be collected
as unpaid taxes. But going forward, we will have the ability to do that. So that is the proposed
The amendment will have a proposed local law, and we'll be asking you to set a public hearing
on that, for I believe, that 28th, I guess, or...
For the mayor.
For the council meeting in May for the public hearing.
No, I'm sorry.
We'll be on the 24th.
It would be to set a public hearing on the 28th on that local law.
So currently, for the water, we can do this.
for sewer, we can't see anything.
Yes, for, I believe you do have it for water action.
This is what we're doing.
Water and sewer.
I believe it has it for water and sewer.
We've got the sanitation, right?
This is just sanitation.
We already do it for water and sewer.
Those sanitation for...
So we have some contracts for some people.
So we've canceled those contracts as they hadn't paid us.
We can do that. I'll find out what the status of that is.
That is one, one, you know, one action that can be taken.
At this point.
But we have the contract with the private companies or
for the children buildings of the private contract.
There are certain parcels in the city that contract with us.
There are even certain parcels.
No, I believe they're all in the city, but there are certain parcels that contract with us, commercial, for commercial locations.
And this is a big issue to go down this road.
We're not getting...
We're just having...
Just for the future to have options.
Exactly.
We should help this anyway.
And it's pretty common that other municipalities have that ability.
Yep.
sort of a clean-up type of situation and then the next item I have on is we
spoken to you about this before the red light program in the city I provided the
procedures for how that gets adopted so we are prepared to come back to the
council to request the formal resolution asking the state legislature to pass
proposed legislation allowing a red light program in the city of peak skills, so we are
drafting the proposed legislation that need that would need to be adopted, but we need
a formal resolution for me to bring it to the state legislature, so that would be asking for
the meeting on the 14th. How quickly, because I know that the legislature is not
In session, that's what we'll injure.
Probably we'll not get it in June.
It won't not be done in June.
When did I pick back up against September?
I think it's the late fall, it's the next session.
But we have to, the city also has to find, you know, an entity to install the lights
and we'd have to go through that program of getting the actual program going.
and we're finding out how much it's going to cost the city, I'm assuming.
So, if we identified yet where we think these are going,
we've obtained the high-accident intersections.
So, we have that list of intersections.
I imagine that would include veins to some of my main straight.
That's where I say it.
Well, we're not going to get specific, because it's according to our level.
I won't say that everybody in the council should read this process.
It is quite lengthy, it's not just simply a matter of doing our resolution, it is a very lengthy process to get this down, so everyone should take a look at and read it and then as we get closer to it, whatever resolution you need for the next week to move it.
Everyone's in favor of moving forward with that.
Absolutely.
And then the final item, oh, is this one's a pretty straightforward one.
So dish network has an intent of system and equipment on one of the water towers, and apparently
there was a lease entered into with dish network.
After the lease was entered into, some of the equipment was moved, there was an exhibit.
We wanted to clean it up to show where the appropriate location is so we revised the exhibit.
There was some very minor amendments to the lease itself, but the exhibit had to be revised
in the location, you need to re-approve the the lease to show the new location of the equipment,
but there's no change, no substantive change to the lease other than the location of the equipment.
So just to clean up item basically.
Eric, the only question I have, and I don't know if this was the project that had happened on,
but we had an issue at one point having to move someone's equipment, and I just want to make sure
that provision is still in this agreement if it was in the prior, maybe it is, but I just
want to make sure that we're covered so we don't get into a situation.
I don't know if the disney work has that provision in it, it's on the, obviously, the
newer tower that's still functioning, you know, I mean, I could go back, is it possible
to add that to this amendment or is that we haven't, let me take a look at the disney
work, please, and see if it's in there that allows us to do it, we are still having
issue with T-Mobles, the other one, and that issue is still outstanding, but I hear you're
saying, I can look at the dish network one. It may be a separate amendment that wouldn't
be combined with this. We've got this one. When I came in, it was one of the items sitting
on the desk, and I kind of like to get this done. It's really just to clean up item, I don't
think I can use it as leverage for the dish network to say give us the ability to take your
equipment off if we need to paint the tower. If we can protect us a little bit, let me take
Let me take a look and see what's in there, and I will think about that, so thank you.
Yeah, it's a 10 year lease.
I don't know.
I don't have the debt.
I was just looking at it as a clean up item, so I can pull that out and take a look at it.
And next week I can come back to you and let you know what the situation is.
If we decide we want to try to address it, I'll let the council know off line.
Perfect.
Thank you.
Okay.
And so I'm going to ask that we dispense with Louise on reports because we do have executive session.
The executive session is for discussion of matters concerning the medical financial credit or employment history of a particular person.
The corporation or matters leading to the appointment.
Employment, promotion, emotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or remove of a particular person person's or corporation.
Motion. Motion to adjourn to executive session.
It's so moved, like a home favorite part, I think you so much have a good night, okay?