[0:13] I love you.

[0:28] » Good evening. Please stand. Hand over your heart. I pledge algiance

[0:34] to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it

[0:39] stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice

[0:44] for all. Please remain standing and join the board in a moment of silence as we

[0:48] honor our veterans, our first responders, our active military, and of

[0:52] course this week and next week leading up to the 25th anniversary of the events

[0:56] of September 11, 2001. Please keep all of those souls that lost their lives on

[1:01] that day and all those that have gone since then.

[1:10] Thank you.

[1:17] Good evening. I'll entertain a motion for approval of bills and payroll.

[1:22] » Motion. >> Motion by trustee Clark. Do I have a

[1:25] second? >> Second.

[1:26] » Second by trustee Saloski. All in favor? >> I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Mr.

[1:31] Rivera. >> Oh, okay. Before we get started with the

[1:36] work session, we are going to be in a need of an executive session. Can I

[1:40] please get a motion to go into executive session?

[1:43] » Motion by Trusty Clark, second by Deputy Mayor Soratori. All in favor?

[1:47] » I oppose. Motion carries. We'll be right back.

[5:56] It always looks like

[6:10] my apologies. We went into executive session to discuss a personnel matter

[6:14] and now we'll continue with our work session which will then be immediately

[6:18] followed by a public meeting. So with that um Mr. Rivera

[6:27] » good evening. >> Good evening.

[6:29] » Good evening. >> Resolve to approve the minutes of the

[6:31] meeting of the board of trustees of August 5th, 2026.

[6:35] » Motion. >> Motion by trustee Cassad. Do I have a

[6:38] second? >> Second. Second by Trusty Clark. All in

[6:40] favor? I oppose. Motion carries. >> Resolve to approve a request by the

[6:45] Minola School District for the use of Wilson Park for a 7th grade picnic on

[6:49] Friday, June 11th, 2027 from 8:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.

[6:53] » So, today was the first day of school and they're already scheduling for the

[6:56] last day of school. Uh, entertain a motion to approve.

[6:59] » Motion >> motion by Trusty Salowski, second by

[7:01] Trusty Cassado. All in favor? >> I. Any opposed? Motion carries.

[7:05] » And I have one personnel item. Motion to approve a $2 an hour uh merit increase

[7:11] for Ariana Halpern in the village justice court retroactive to June 1st.

[7:17] Uh we um inadvertently left Ariana off of last month's uh list of merit raises.

[7:24] So we would like to um recognize that. Now I'll entertain a motion.

[7:28] » Motion >> motion by deputy mayor. Second by trusty

[7:31] Cassado. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. Thank you Mr.

[7:36] Shone.

[7:43] » Good evening, Mayor. John G. How are you?

[7:46] » Good evening. >> Uh, I have one item resolved to approve

[7:48] a budget transfer in the Miniola Fire Department of Fiscal year 2627.

[7:54] » Okay. Entertain a motion. >> Motion.

[7:56] » Motion by Trusty Clark. Do I have a second? Second by Trusty Cassado. All in

[8:00] favor? Any oppos? Motion carries. >> Thank you.

[8:03] » Thank you, Mr. Chicone. Uh, Mr. Columbo.

[8:14] » Uh, good evening. >> Good evening.

[8:15] » Good evening. >> Uh, request a resolution authorizing the

[8:19] installation of a handicap reserve parking space in front of 101 Liberty

[8:24] Avenue. >> Okay, we have the documentation for it.

[8:26] I'll entertain a motion. >> Motion.

[8:28] » Motion by Deputy Mayor Story. Do I have a second?

[8:30] » Second. >> Second by Trusty Clark. All in favor? I.

[8:33] Any opposed? Motion carries. >> Uh request a resolution authorizing the

[8:37] installation of a handicap reserve parking space in front of 220 Lincoln

[8:42] Avenue. >> Okay, we have that in our backup as

[8:44] well. I'll entertain a motion. >> Motion.

[8:46] » Motion by Trusty Casado. Do I have a second?

[8:48] » Second. >> Second by Trusty Salas. All in favor?

[8:51] » Any opposed? Motion carries. >> Uh request a resolution authorizing the

[8:55] engineering services for the well number five electrical and mechanical upgrades.

[8:59] The engineers are DMBB engineers and architects DPC. The cost of $31,000

[9:06] and the funding will be from a 2627 water fund budget andor the water fund

[9:11] unreserved balance. >> And this is the well on the northeast

[9:15] corner of the building. >> Yes. On Rosel.

[9:17] » Yep. And send a motion. >> Motion.

[9:19] » Motion by Trusty Clark. Do you have a second?

[9:21] » Second. >> Second by Deputy Mayor Story. All in

[9:23] favor? >> Any opposed? Motion carries.

[9:27] uh request a resolution awarding a public bid and contract for general

[9:31] construction for a POS treatment at well 6. The contract is Philip Ross

[9:36] Industries. the the amount of 3,272,350

[9:42] and the funding will be from the 2026 2027 water fund budget and or the water

[9:48] fund unreserved balance and or the environmental facilities corporation

[9:52] grant and or the well number six project bond financing.

[9:57] » Okay, so this is for the well on Westbury Avenue by the pool. This is

[10:00] something that we approved a couple of years ago and trying to be proactive and

[10:05] stay ahead of it. Essentially, it's what we've done at well four, at well seven,

[10:09] at well one, and now it's well six's turn. So, entertain a motion to approve.

[10:14] » Motion. >> Motion by Trusty Saloski, second by

[10:17] trustee Casado. All in favor? >> Any opposed? Motion carries.

[10:21] » Uh request a resolution awarding a public bid and contract for plumbing for

[10:25] the Pos treatment at Well 6. The contractor's KG Electric motor and pump.

[10:31] The contract amount is for 2,728,000 and the funding will be the 2026 2027

[10:38] water fund budget and or the water fund unreserved balance, the environmental

[10:42] facilities corporation grant or the well six project bond financing.

[10:47] » Okay, so this is for the same well but the electrical entertain entertain a

[10:51] motion. >> Motion

[10:52] » motion by trusty Clark, second by trustee casado. All in favor?

[10:56] » Any opposed? Motion carries. and uh request a resolution awarding a public

[11:00] bid amount for the contract for electrical for the POS treatment of well

[11:05] 6. The contractor is Banner Electric Corp. The contract amount is 932,000

[11:11] and that will also be from the 2026 2027 water fund budget water fund on reserve

[11:17] balance environmental facilities corporation grant and the well six

[11:21] project bond financing. Okay. So again, these these three are all general

[11:27] construction, for plumbing, for electrical, all for well six adds up to

[11:31] about $7 million to come from these various sources. Something that we had

[11:36] planned for already. This is we're at the point of actually

[11:42] » entertain a motion. >> Motion

[11:43] » motion by deputy mayor. Do I have a second?

[11:46] » Second. >> Second by trusty Clark. All in favor?

[11:48] » I opposed. Motion car. And I have two personnel items. Uh reserve to resolve

[11:53] to authorize the hiring of Roger Padina as a laborer in the highway division of

[11:58] the Department of Public Works. The work days and hours are Monday through Friday

[12:02] 7:30 to 4 with the starting salary according to the collective bargaining

[12:06] agreement. >> A motion.

[12:08] » Motion. >> Motion by Depatory. Second by Trusty

[12:11] Cassado. In favor, >> I opposed.

[12:13] » Motion carries. And finally, uh, request a resolution appointing existing

[12:18] employee Mike Scallero, employee of the water and sewer division of the

[12:21] Department of Public Works to water service supervisor. The recommended

[12:25] salary increase is $5 per hour. >> Okay. We had someone who left and Mike

[12:30] is going to essentially move into that uh position. We're lucky to have him and

[12:35] uh hopefully he'll be here for a long time and it'll be part of the of the

[12:39] future um as we >> kind of prepare number two. So he'd be

[12:44] the supervisor under the water department. Uh super. It' be the second

[12:48] » second >> and and command in the water department.

[12:50] » Yeah. Correct. >> A motion.

[12:52] » Motion. >> Motion by trustee Salos. Do I have a

[12:54] second? >> Second.

[12:55] » Second by trustee Clark. All in favor? >> I post. Motion carries.

[12:59] » That's it. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Bl.

[13:01] » Okay, Mr. O'Keefe.

[13:13] Good evening everyone. >> Good evening.

[13:15] » Uh so during the month of August, uh the building department issued 76 permits

[13:19] and conducted 76 inspections. Um

[13:24] as many residents are aware, several high-rise construction projects are

[13:27] currently in progress throughout the village. The building department

[13:30] continues to monitor these projects, ensure compliance with all codes and

[13:33] approved plans on file. If you have any questions concerning or concerns

[13:39] regarding these projects, uh please do not hesitate to contact my department.

[13:44] Um property maintenance inspections were conducted throughout the village's

[13:48] commercial districts to ensure compliance with code. As a result of

[13:52] these inspections, summones were issued for properties with excessive weeds and

[13:55] for violations related to the improper storage and placement of garbage.

[14:00] Property owners are reminded that they are responsible for maintaining their

[14:03] properties in accordance with village code, including keeping weeds and

[14:07] overgrown vegetation under control. In addition, residents and businesses own

[14:12] business business owners are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the

[14:15] village's garbage collection schedule and regulations to ensure refuse is

[14:20] placed out for collection only on the designated days in a manner prescribed

[14:24] by the village. Uh we encourage commercial property

[14:28] owners to maintain their properties in accordance with village ordinance and to

[14:32] take the same pride in their properties that are v that our residential property

[14:36] owners demonstrate throughout the village. A clean and well-maintained

[14:39] community is a shared responsibility and benefits all who live and work and visit

[14:44] the village. Um recently we've also had a surge of non-compliant signage on

[14:50] commercial properties um throughout the village. This has been addressed with

[14:55] all the property owners and tenants. Please contact my department and we will

[14:59] explain the maximum sign dimensions and locations. That's all I have.

[15:04] » Okay. Um, if you don't mind just staying there for a second, Mr. O'Keefe, this

[15:08] has been a pet peeve of mine and you've heard from me just about every day for

[15:11] the last couple of weeks. And I do want to say this that I I just don't

[15:16] understand uh business owners or building because sometimes you have a

[15:20] tenant and you have the building owner. We obviously send the notice of

[15:24] violation in the summons to the building owner, but it it it boggles my mind how

[15:28] you want to operate a business in this village and you allow weeds to grow on

[15:33] the sidewalk or um in the joints of your building with the sidewalk and then

[15:39] we'll have people right next door that you could practically eat off their

[15:43] sidewalk and and they take pride in what they do. So sometimes uh people need to

[15:48] be reminded. We had some very upset business owners and and and property

[15:53] owners who called after they got a summon. Um, and frankly, I couldn't

[15:59] understand why they were surprised. And many of them don't live here, so they

[16:03] don't see it. But the property, but the the business owners do see it and and it

[16:08] is a pet peeve and our expectations should be high, including the county.

[16:13] So, we have county roads. We have a bridge that goes over the railroad that

[16:17] is owned by the county. Miller Boulevard and I had to we we tried the protocol.

[16:22] We went to the DPW. We went to the legislature and eventually I had to call

[16:25] the deputy uh county executive to get the weeds uh cut on the side of um

[16:31] Manila Boulevard over the Manila Boulevard bridge, which if you've driven

[16:35] over there um prior to last week, you had weeds that were definitely above 12

[16:41] in like 18 in high on either side. And and that's not acceptable. It's not

[16:46] acceptable for us as a municipality. It's not acceptable for the county and

[16:51] it's certainly not acceptable for uh business owners or building owners. Um

[16:56] just today I sent uh Mr. O'Keefe two more pictures as I was driving around.

[17:00] So when you do see something, don't assume that we're ignoring it. Uh we do

[17:05] um there is due process. However, you know, we give them a summon. They have a

[17:09] right to go to court and either pay it or fight it or go to trial. Uh what we

[17:13] want is compliance. I don't want the, you know, $100, $200 fine. What I'd like

[17:18] for them to do is to do what so many businesses along Jericho Turnpike and

[17:23] along Manila Boulevard do on their own, which is keep the front of their

[17:26] businesses clean, as they should. Um, but sometimes the message only gets

[17:32] through when you um issue something. So, how many how many how many 70

[17:37] » 87 >> 87 uh summones that we issued um just in

[17:42] the last two weeks. And again, it's not because we want I'd want to issue none.

[17:46] I don't want to issue any summones for things like that. We shouldn't have to

[17:49] because we're not talking about picking on them for having, you know, a 2-in

[17:53] weed on their We're talking about the things that we all see.

[17:57] » Yeah. Neglect. >> Neglect.

[17:59] » And I mean, unfortunately, the common issue is we hear from the property

[18:03] owners that, well, it's built into their lease that they're responsible for

[18:06] taking care of whatever tenants, but that's we don't enforce leases, right?

[18:09] We it falls on the property owner. So, >> right. or or I'll hear, "Well, you know,

[18:14] the these cups and stuff that are in front of my store, they're not from

[18:17] here. They blew down from down the block, but now they're in front of your

[18:20] property. Pick it up. Clean up. We we do our part. So, we expect that everyone

[18:26] does their part. And hopefully this will get better as the year goes on. Same

[18:31] thing with the signs. I get it that it's a tough economy for uh businesses to to

[18:36] compete in. Uh but that doesn't mean that this is going to turn into the

[18:40] Vegas strip and you know, and it's just a free-for-all with waving flags and

[18:45] signs hung up all over the place. It's a safety issue for first responders, for

[18:50] police officers, for firefighters to not to be able to see into businesses

[18:54] because the windows are covered. Uh so again, we have a building department, we

[19:00] have a code. Um what businesses should do is ask first before you go ahead and

[19:08] do something and then we have to be the the bad guy. And as residents again if

[19:13] you see something don't assume that we are not doing anything about it. Again

[19:18] call the building department call the village and we'll tell you yes a notice

[19:21] of violation has been issued. then they have a certain number of days to cure

[19:25] the issue and if they don't cure the issue then we give them a summon and

[19:29] they have a court date and then they can either pay the summons or they could

[19:32] come to court and fight it or they can go to trial and unfortunately that takes

[19:38] time. Um but hopefully we know that we're we're right and one way or another

[19:43] they're going to do it eventually. Sooner rather than later would be

[19:47] better. Um, but and and we're talking about big companies like CVS to mom and

[19:55] pop places. So, it's it runs the gamut of people who for whatever reason, maybe

[20:00] they don't see what I see. They don't see what you see when they walk in to

[20:05] their front door and you expect me to go into your business. I mean, what does

[20:10] that say about you if you don't have the pride to take care of of your property?

[20:16] So, um, been something that we've been trying to hammer home. Yeah.

[20:20] » This these last couple >> different tactics.

[20:21] » Yes. And we'll continue to do so. Anything else, Mr.

[20:24] » That's it. >> That's it. Thank you.

[20:26] » Um >> Mr. Gibbons,

[20:28] » no report. >> No report. Okay.

[20:30] » Thank you. We'll go right into our public meeting and I do want to

[20:33] apologize for the delay. We're 20 minutes behind uh schedule, but I will

[20:38] call you up. Um Oh, actually, we'll do a a report first or you know, we'll let

[20:43] them we'll let them speak and then we'll we'll do a report. There's a lot going

[20:47] on in the village. Um, let's do that first while we still have an audience

[20:52] because we may have an audience later. I'll try to make it very quick. Um, so

[20:56] this Friday, uh, September 4th, we have our, uh, last Sounds on Second, which,

[21:02] uh, is VHS, which is like an 80s9s cover band on Second Street right in front of

[21:08] the St. James. At 6:30, we're going to have a little uh celebration, if you

[21:14] will, uh that is being organized by the chamber and by the historical society

[21:19] for the villages 120th birthday. Our birthday is on September 20th, 1906 was

[21:26] when we were incorporated. So this year, not only did we celebrate 250 years of

[21:31] the United States, we get to celebrate 120 years of the village. So we'll have

[21:36] a little ceremony. I think there'll be some giveaways or some surprises. They

[21:40] told me they wouldn't tell me exactly what. And then followed by uh Alfresco

[21:45] dining and music. I think the weather is going to be great. So that is this

[21:48] Friday. Next Friday, which is of course September 11th, we are going to have our

[21:55] annual remembrance ceremony at Memorial Park. We hope that you can make it um

[22:00] new time uh because it is the first night of Russashana. rather than 7 p.m.,

[22:05] we're going to start at 6 pm. Uh keynote speaker is former New York State Senator

[22:10] and current president of Adelfi University, Michael Baloni, who was our

[22:14] state senator um back in uh 2001. So, he'll be our keynote speaker. If you've

[22:20] gone to our member ceremony in the past, it is uh a quick ceremony, but it is an

[22:27] important ceremony. It is poignant. our first responders are there, our scouts

[22:31] are there, our elected officials and our community is there, our veterans, etc.

[22:35] So, it's important that um we continue to uh remember because we did promise to

[22:41] not forget. So, that is on uh September 11th and I'll pass it over to Deputy

[22:45] Mayor. >> No report, Mayor. Um I hopely see

[22:49] everybody at the birthday celebration and at the um at the concert and we'll

[22:53] celebrate the end of summer, beginning of a new season. We have some fun stuff

[22:56] lined up for fall as well. Thank you. >> Trusty Cassada,

[23:00] » just hope to see you on September the 11th. You have to be there.

[23:05] » Okay. Trusty Clark, >> no report.

[23:07] » No report. Trusty Salowski, >> uh, just that tomorrow there'll be a

[23:10] tree lighting in front of the fire department headquarters for pediatric

[23:14] cancer at 6:30. I hope to see you there and I hope to see everyone at the 911

[23:20] memorial. >> Yes. And we've been doing that. So,

[23:23] you'll notice that the tree that usually we light up for Christmas throughout the

[23:28] month of September, it will be lit in gold, gold lighting. Um, and we've done

[23:33] this for probably five, six years at least. Um, um, so tomorrow we'll have a

[23:38] brief ceremony. The 12th, since nobody brought it up, the 12th of September,

[23:43] which is a Saturday, will be our last concert in the park. It is Decadia. uh

[23:48] 7:30 and it is the concert. Since we don't do fireworks at Memorial Park

[23:53] anymore because of the turf field that was installed at the middle school, uh

[23:57] we'll have a laser light show instead. So, we've had an amazing um concert

[24:03] series in the park this year and um on the 12th, a great way to finish off.

[24:09] » I have one more thing, too. Um there's garbage collection will change this week

[24:14] because it is a holiday. So, please check your schedules. If you're confused

[24:18] about it, please ask uh call Village Hall for details. The days are going to

[24:22] change because of the holiday. >> Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Stelato.

[24:37] » I feel like I'm a honorary board member. I've been here so much.

[24:41] » Always welcome. Um, I got your letter dated the 28th of

[24:48] September >> and no, August.

[24:51] » I'm sorry, August. I'm getting ahead. Um, and I think it crossed in the mail

[24:57] with a letter I got >> I sent out. U So, I just want to do two

[25:02] things. I I wrote another letter in response. I'm going to hand it out.

[25:06] But um >> sure.

[25:10] Um and then I wanted to ask for uh and when

[25:14] I'm done I'll ask what the construction schedule is going to be for Wellington.

[25:18] But oh, you know what? I got to take one of those back.

[25:21] » Here you go.

[25:27] So,

[25:31] so your letter described how engineers from the design firm evaluated the tree

[25:36] in front of our house and concluded that the tree must be removed as it's

[25:40] impacted the curb and gutter. By the way, this isn't the only this isn't only

[25:45] about this one tree, but all the trees will be impacted on Wellington. I have

[25:50] not seen the drawings, but I assume that DMB designed a standard roadway

[25:55] crosssection that could be used generically on any of our village

[25:59] streets. Applying this standard crosssection to our block without regard

[26:04] to our old grow trees would certainly result in their damage necessitating

[26:10] removal. In the letter in in our letter of August

[26:17] 24th, we questioned whether the MB scope of work had provisions to give priority

[26:24] to preserving these older trees and for them to design around them and their

[26:30] impacts to existing curbs and gutters. Also, whether such provisions were

[26:34] carried forward into the construction contract. This approach requires that

[26:39] the construction contractor exercises extra care and should not hinder full

[26:44] depth roadway replacement. It is up to the owner, the village, to

[26:49] write this guidance into both the design and construction contracts. I also

[26:53] offered to review the design with the village and DMB to see if there's

[26:57] anything in our experience that we could offer.

[27:04] So we ask that the village consider the above in lie of the standard cookie

[27:10] cutter one-sizefits-all approach. If there's no change in the design, then

[27:16] the trees on our block are doomed. So

[27:21] um so to answer your your first question, well, let me back up. I we've

[27:28] talked about 357 Wellington and I had a meeting with um another set of residents

[27:35] who live on a different street and when I visited 357 Wellington I wish that I

[27:41] was what I saw were different and when I visited the other street with the other

[27:47] um family that had made similar uh requests I had also wished that the

[27:54] situation were different and their situation is even worse than yours. But

[28:00] I think and I understand that everybody's watching and it's easy to

[28:04] say cut the trees, don't cut the trees. You know, why are we cutting down trees

[28:08] and cookie cutter and the cheapest way? I can assure you of one thing. This is

[28:13] by far not the cheapest way. The cheapest way is mill and pave and you'd

[28:18] get a pretty street for a year or two and then we'd be back to square one. um

[28:25] in two or three years. So the beauty of um Google Maps or Google Earth is you

[28:32] can look at a property, you can look at a tree in some cases going back 20

[28:36] years. So you can look at the same place what it looked like in 2007, 2013, 2019,

[28:42] 2025, whatever the latest one is. And I've done that with yours. I've visited

[28:48] right you see that the sidewalk is lifted right significantly. And that's

[28:53] not going to stop. um that we we see that we can't unsee it. That is a

[28:59] liability for us. That is a liability for you because just as you're here

[29:04] fighting for your tree, which I have no pro I wish I could save your tree. Do

[29:09] you think that I want or do you think that we want or need? The easy thing

[29:15] would be to say yes, absolutely we'll we'll save your trees. We also have a,

[29:19] as I explained to the to the other family, we have a fiscal responsibility

[29:23] to use your tax dollars in the most prudent way possible that will last the

[29:29] longest possible. The last time your road was paved was 1982 or something

[29:34] like that. I I in the back, but it was a long time ago. And we hope that it will

[29:38] be that long the next time that it has to be paved. And if we start taking

[29:43] shortcuts, and that's where the cheap part comes in. If we just do a mill and

[29:47] pave, if we don't, if we skip houses, if we skip certain sections of gutter,

[29:51] certain sections of curb, if we bump out here, bump out there, raise it up here,

[29:56] widen the road here, shorten the road there, that is going to be a recipe for

[30:01] for disaster. So your tree based on pictures that I saw on on uh Google

[30:08] Earth over the course of the last decade or so clearly is continuing to take over

[30:15] the curve and it's continuing to do that and there's nothing to believe that that

[30:19] wouldn't continue to happen. Right? So we're going to invest millions of

[30:24] dollars to build a new road to now in a year or two. And by the way, the the the

[30:30] changes are that quick because I've seen pictures of sidewalks, the other person

[30:35] that I'm talking about, where the sidewalk was raised and then you look at

[30:40] a picture three years later, clearly the homeowner redid their sidewalk, cut the

[30:43] roots on their side, and the sidewalk is lower and then fast forward to 2023, the

[30:48] the the sidewalk is back up again. Right? So, it's a continuing cycle. Um,

[30:54] as far as the timeline, your part of the job is the second phase. So, it wouldn't

[31:00] be uh cut this year. It would be sometime next year. We're doing the

[31:06] western portion. So, that would be like u up to Marcellis. So, from Buchanan,

[31:11] Seville, Harding, Bower to Marcelis. That's that would be this year. Next

[31:17] year would be Marcelus and Wellington. Um, that's not to say that we're and and

[31:23] we were supposed to have started already, right?

[31:27] We're supposed to have been underway. And the only reason why we haven't

[31:30] started is because I've asked um DMB and our uh DPW superintendent to hold off

[31:37] until we exhaust all possible um you know alternatives that are feasible,

[31:44] that are responsible, that are practical,

[31:47] and that's All all I can say I I mean short

[31:51] of you know and I think in your last letter you said 17 residents you and 17

[31:56] residents >> 17 households

[31:59] » 17 households so we're doing hundreds of households in this section

[32:07] unless I had a hundred people here who said hey I'd rather keep my tree than

[32:13] you pave my road we would pick up and go to another part of the village because

[32:18] trust There are a ton of people that would

[32:20] love to be in your situation and we would love to do everybody's road. You

[32:25] and your neighbors um were fortunate enough that this is your time to get a

[32:31] new road and you will get a tree. The other idea of we just cut down trees.

[32:35] We're not tree friendly. So this year alone, we'll plant close to 200 trees.

[32:41] Last year we planted over 100. Since 2021, we've planted well over 500 trees.

[32:46] That's over a 100 trees a year. More trees than we've cut down. So every tree

[32:51] that is going to come down as part of this job, it will re be replaced. Yes,

[32:55] it will not be replaced with a 60-year-old London plane aka Sycamore

[33:00] that probably shouldn't have been planted on a three foot wide utility

[33:05] strip to begin with. So I I wish I trust me I don't need the headache. We don't

[33:13] need the headache and we would love to say yes, but it comes a time where we

[33:19] need to make difficult decisions and the decision is safety and fiscal

[33:24] responsibility and knowing that these trees are creating an unsafe situation

[33:31] on the sidewalks, on the curbs, on the gutters. We can't in good conscience

[33:37] ignore that for aesthetics or for shade. And

[33:44] You know that that is where we are at. >> With all due respect,

[33:50] I've lived in that house for 40 years. That sidewalk was lifted when I moved

[33:54] in. Hasn't moved much. As for the curb, it has grown over the curb a bit,

[34:01] but it hasn't pushed the curb out much more than when I moved in 40 years ago.

[34:06] » And what I'm Please let me finish. What I've shown you and what I've proposed is

[34:13] that I do agree you can't push the curb out into the street. You just can't do

[34:18] that. However, you can cut the sidewalk around the roots of the tree that are

[34:23] there as they do. And I've shown you in Forest

[34:28] Hills, Queens, even on First Street, there's a tree where and even on

[34:32] Marcelus Road, there are several trees where the sidewalk is cut around the

[34:36] tree. So that's And I'm not proposing that we do a mill and pave that won't

[34:42] last for 30 years. What I'm saying is there's got to be a design where you

[34:46] could re you could replace the full depth of that roadway and work around

[34:51] the curbs that are pushed out and repair the sidewalks that are lifted. That's

[34:56] what I'm saying. So,

[34:59] » well, you know, and and I believe you you you state that you're an engineer.

[35:03] I'm not an engineer, but our engineers their professional advice to us taking

[35:10] into consideration what I just mentioned about safety and and and liability and

[35:14] cost etc. is that the trees in order for this to be safe to be prudent in terms

[35:22] of good use of our funds because this is not cheap. This is we're not going to

[35:27] come back next year or two years or five years from now uh to to fix it again. to

[35:32] do it once and to do it right. In their professional opinion, they are saying,

[35:37] and by the way, the two trees in front of you, well, in front of you and just

[35:41] north, they are not being removed, right? Because they are not pushing out

[35:46] the sidewall. They're not pushing out the curb. They're not pushing out the

[35:50] side pushing up the sidewalk. So, they're staying. So, it's not like we're

[35:53] just going to raise every tree on every block. Only the trees that have to come

[35:58] down. Um, now you said about your your um your curb and gutter not being pushed

[36:04] out. I noticed when I visited there that it looks like it was patched at some

[36:09] point. It was because it's different from the the remaining curb. It clearly

[36:14] I don't know if we did that or if you did that, but some somebody did that.

[36:18] » I think it was there when I moved in. >> Okay. So clearly there was at some point

[36:22] that did come out and then it was it was patched because clearly it's a different

[36:28] shade of cement. Um but this this is where we are. The the alternative is we

[36:35] don't do the road. So I'm I'm saying that there's a third

[36:41] alternative. You can do the road and you can replace the full depth road with

[36:45] extra care. And what I'm saying in this letter is has D&B been in their trust me

[36:52] I've written dozens of consulting engineers scopes of work for engineering

[36:57] agreements did they have conditions and precautions in their design to give some

[37:03] priority to the trees so that they could do their design around them

[37:08] » okay and and let's say that I go back and and they do that and they say okay

[37:12] taking that into consideration two things happen 30 of the 60 trees that we

[37:19] identified will be spared if we do this, but it won't be Mrs. Stellato. Mr.

[37:25] Stelato still doesn't meet the criteria. Would you be okay with it then? Or does

[37:29] your or does your tree have to survive at all costs? In other words, so let's

[37:34] say that they come back, they say, "Hey, after further review and if we do X, Y,

[37:37] and Z, as Mr. Stelato has indicated, you know, we could save this tree, this

[37:41] tree, and this tree, but we can't save 357.

[37:45] This is just about 357. >> As I've said, it's not just about the

[37:49] tree in front of my house. It's about all of the trees on our block. I'm not

[37:53] just I'm not just advocating for my

[37:57] particular tree. Although it would be nice to keep it

[38:00] » and I it would be nice for me to keep it. We we we wouldn't be talking if if I

[38:04] could just have come back and said, "Mr. Salado, good news. We're going to keep

[38:07] your tree and everybody's tree." That that was that's the easiest thing for me

[38:12] to say. Now, here's the second part of that. DB comes back to us and says,

[38:16] "Okay, after f further consideration, there is a way that we can do this,

[38:20] this, this, and that, but instead of $2 million, it's going to be $4 million."

[38:25] See, you know, we don't have $4 million budgeted for it. We have $2 million.

[38:30] Then I have to turn around and go to the people on Bower and say, "Hey, can't do

[38:33] Bower. We can only do Wellington and Marcelus because we ran out of money um

[38:39] to save X number of trees." >> Let me just let me just say something.

[38:43] here. I have never seen the mayor work so hard on such a project. He has given

[38:50] this particular tree so much attention and trying to accommodate you and the

[38:55] neighbors. And I think he's done an outstanding job to try and get there.

[38:58] And it's it's at the point now where we we have to pull the trigger one way or

[39:02] the other. But rest assured, he has worked extremely hard to meet all of

[39:07] your requests and to, you know, accommodate you so that you'd be happy.

[39:10] And sometimes it just doesn't break that way. I appreciate that. I do.

[39:15] » I do. I just >> And I hope you understand that it's it's

[39:18] not personal. I I went down last week again to the So I've had two um sets of

[39:28] people, residents, yourselves, and another that met with me privately. I

[39:33] met with them for an hour and a half. And the same thing I told him, I said,

[39:37] "If I can save it, we'll save it." And then I went to visit the location the

[39:41] next day with our DPW superintendent, with our deputy superintendent, with our

[39:45] clerk. And we walked it and I was there for half an hour, actually lightning and

[39:49] thundering. And I looked at it and I said, I mean, I'm no engineer, but

[39:53] there's no way that this can be saved. This is this is and I think most lay

[39:57] people, if you took what is it, the um family feud, you know, they they they

[40:03] interview 100 people and what do they say? I think most of them would say, "Oh

[40:06] yeah, this does not look safe." And just because a homeowner says, "Well, I like

[40:11] it. It's fine. It hasn't fallen ever, right? Still standing." Um, that's, you

[40:18] know, we don't cross our fingers and hope. And about bumping out, because in

[40:21] this case, they did bump out on their own. They cut like a circular thing.

[40:26] Then it becomes uh non-compliant to ADA. Like in other words, the sidewalk went

[40:31] from being 36 inches wide to being 18 inches wide where a wheelchair can't get

[40:36] down. So we we we also have to keep that in mind. And believe it or not, as

[40:42] passionate as you are about trees, we have people in this village who are also

[40:46] very passionate and and rightfully so, just as you're rightfully so. And I'm

[40:50] not taking any way. I'm pretty passionate about, you know, the

[40:53] environment as well. Passionate about raised sidewalks. I had residents who

[40:59] have walked every mile of this village, who have documented every place where

[41:03] there's a race sidewalk, and then they've sent me a letter like you did

[41:07] with all the addresses, including yours. Right now, we're on notice. Right? So,

[41:12] they're And so, how do I please that person? And how do I please you? How do

[41:18] I please the person who says that they have to walk in the street because they

[41:22] can't walk in the sidewalk because the sidewalks are raised? When the grandma

[41:25] takes my son out for a stroll on the stroller, they can't walk in the

[41:30] sidewalk because the sidewalks are are so lifted because of the trees. When are

[41:34] you going to fix this? When are you going to take care of this? And then we

[41:38] have people such as yourself who says, "Well, you know, it's not a big deal.

[41:42] I'm willing to live with a with an uprooted sidewalk to maintain the tree."

[41:47] And I get that argument. You live there, right? You enjoy the benefits of it. But

[41:51] we live in a community, in a society where people that there has to be

[41:55] compromise. There has to be give and take. We can't all get what we want all

[42:01] the time. That's and and I wish and and I wish

[42:06] that I had a better answer. And it doesn't end tonight. I'll go back to

[42:10] DMB. I'll ask them again. And and I want to hear it from them. I'll have them in

[42:16] for a meeting and explain to me exactly the process of how much do you cut the

[42:20] roots? What happens if we don't cut the roots? What happens if we cut the roots

[42:24] on one side and not the other side? What happens if this tree falls in a year?

[42:28] Are you liable because you made us keep it or are we liable because we knew that

[42:34] it had to come down and we didn't take it down?

[42:38] » You'd have to come up here. >> Yeah. Well, this is on Oh, then Mrs.

[42:43] Salado can say >> I just I don't think you understand.

[42:57] » Okay. So, I'm just going to repeat uh Mrs. Odon said that I don't understand

[43:01] the value of tree. I'm just repeating because people can't hear you. So, Mrs.

[43:05] Odin is saying that I don't understand the value of trees.

[43:13] » If we didn't understand and the value of trees.

[43:18] » If we didn't understand,

[43:26] » I'm sorry. You need to cut. This is the problem. This is a board meeting.

[43:31] » That's why I'm repeating what she's saying. That's that's I'm trying Miss

[43:35] Odin. I'm not I'm gonna have a conversation with you. I'm repeating so

[43:38] that the people at home can hear the question that you asked. So what Miss

[43:43] Odin said was that I don't understand the value of trees, that trees are good

[43:48] for the environment, that global warming is real. Um, that's basically the gist

[43:53] of your comments. So >> more important

[43:56] » and trees are more important than concrete. do not want to live anymore

[44:00] because people don't come here and speak up

[44:07] online.

[44:18] » Okay. So, Miss

[44:24] » Okay.

[44:29] Okay. Miss Odin stated,

[44:35] » "Okay." All right. Um,

[44:46] they create

[44:53] » I there is nothing that you said that I disagree with. There is nothing that you

[44:58] said that I disagree with. Tree. The only thing I disagree with is the first

[45:03] comment that you that you made which is that I don't understand the importance

[45:07] of trees. So I do understand the importance of trees. I do understand the

[45:11] importance of trees. I do believe that climate change is real. I do believe

[45:18] that we should have trees in our community. I do not want to turn the

[45:23] village of Minnola into a concrete jungle. I live here too. I've been here

[45:28] for 49 years and the insinuation that we don't believe in trees, we don't u like

[45:36] trees, I just said we are planting 200 trees this year.

[45:44] » Well, you know, the tree in front of your house at one point was not 35 ft

[45:49] tall. At one point it was a sapling. and and there's whe whether we cut it down

[45:55] or not, the tree is not going to last forever. At some point there will be a

[45:59] new tree there. So

[46:04] » or or I just and you said to the So first of all, and I've said this a bunch

[46:08] of times, if you want anything done, come here, call me. I meet with people

[46:14] all the time. As I did the other day, from 4 o'clock to 5:44 p.m. I sat here

[46:21] with a couple discussing exactly your issue. Where things don't get resolved

[46:28] is on on social media because that I don't look at it. I don't read it. I

[46:34] don't entertain it. People that come down here like you, I will listen to

[46:38] you. I will hear you out. I will try to help you and we'll work together. I

[46:43] don't know how many of those people even know where 357 Wellington is. How many

[46:47] of them have actually seen your tree? How many have actually been down there?

[46:51] How many of them understand the engineering as Mr. Stallato does? Maybe

[46:54] they do, maybe they don't. I don't know. But until they come here and they speak

[46:58] to us, it doesn't matter. Anybody can say anything at any time anywhere.

[47:06] But and and this is my point. 17. You said 17 homes on Wellington have signed

[47:13] a petition >> on our block

[47:15] » on on your block. Right.

[47:21] So where

[47:33] » I I'm going to tell you that complaining online is, you know, that's not that's

[47:38] not going to get my attention. people's

[47:44] matter. >> It does matter because I'll tell you

[47:46] that about two people. >> So So when we have hearings, come to the

[47:54] hearing. Come to the hearing. >> Right.

[47:59] » That's that's a good question. That's a good question. That's that's a question

[48:02] that I that I don't have an answer to. But you certainly you can't argue that

[48:08] we're not a welcoming board and we publicize our meetings. We meet three

[48:12] times uh uh a month. Our meetings are online. They're on YouTube. You know,

[48:18] there's not much more we can do other than go and grabbing people out of their

[48:22] house and and making them come down here. But just two years ago, this room

[48:26] was full of people from Wellington Road, south of Jericho. And you know what?

[48:31] They were here to get for us to pave their road. And guess what? Those 50

[48:36] people got their way because they didn't waste their time online. They came here.

[48:41] So your voice does matter. Not online, here. So if you had 50 people from

[48:47] Wellington here today and said, you know what, we don't want our road paved. We'd

[48:51] rather keep our trees. We would say absolutely.

[48:59] » They were notified of that. Yes. Everybody got a a letter that the trees

[49:03] are coming down >> and and I and I hate I I I don't want to

[49:08] speculate, but there may be people on your block in

[49:14] that part of the village that don't feel the same way as you do about or don't

[49:20] feel as strongly as you do about trees. That that's a possibility.

[49:25] » That's true.

[49:39] Well, we usually don't cut them for that reason, but okay.

[49:50] » No, they're eating my tomatoes instead.

[49:56] » Okay.

[50:11] I won't repeat that.

[50:15] » But but that's but that's the point. >> But Miss Holden, that's that's the point

[50:20] you're making. You're making my point for me that one size doesn't fit all and

[50:24] I can't please everybody, you know. So you have on the one hand we have people

[50:28] calling here

[50:33] » well like like I said I think we agree we agree more than we disagree. I can

[50:38] tell you that honestly I can tell you

[50:45] » you know I'm so sorry. I'm sorry when you I agree with so much of what you're

[50:50] saying. I really, really do. And I really wish that we were going to be

[50:52] able to say we could keep your tree, but when you say nothing's being done about

[50:57] it, the amount of energy and time that our mayor has put into your tree and all

[51:04] the trees, but your tree specifically, he has had hours of phone calls with our

[51:08] engineers. He has come to the site in the rain looking at your tree. All we

[51:13] wanted to do was save your tree as well as other trees. But there comes a time

[51:18] when we're unnoticed now. We now are aware of all the possible safety issues

[51:24] that could happen if we start leaving these trees. Trees falling down, curbs

[51:29] rising, people tripping, people who are ADA need ADA compliant sidewalks not

[51:34] having that. We are now on notice and we have to be responsible with our

[51:38] taxpayers money to do the right thing. and I am so sorry that your tree is

[51:43] getting affected by this, but unfortunately this is the situation

[51:46] we're at. So, it's either we do nothing and now we're all unnoticed and

[51:51] something bad happens or we do something that's going to benefit our village in

[51:56] the long run.

[52:00] storm

[52:04] soarely. >> It's besides that. If some, you know,

[52:06] the the sidewalks are lifting and there's a wheelchair or a person trips

[52:11] and falls, you're going to be sued as well as us.

[52:16] » I respect your opinion. I respect your opinion, but until we sit up here and

[52:20] say your tree is saved, you're not going to be happy. And I'm sorry for that.

[52:24] We're trying as much as we can. So, so listen,

[52:28] » look, I'm I'm going to call DMB again and we're going to see if there's yet

[52:34] anything else that we can do. >> Well, I'm not saying that we do

[52:38] something that's against ADA. What I am saying is that you could

[52:44] cut a swath around the tree and if there's not enough sidewalk left, you

[52:50] could cut into a lawn a little bit >> to give you the proper width.

[52:54] » Yeah. I don't I don't think we're allowed to do that because that mixes,

[52:58] you know, private property, >> but my property line is

[53:02] » up in the lawn. It's not even >> Yeah. Um so

[53:05] » so the village the village property extends into my lawn lawn,

[53:08] » right? This is where we're at right now. Um as I said, your tree is not coming

[53:14] down this month, not next month, not this year. Um at the very earliest it

[53:21] would be March or April of next year. Um, in the meantime,

[53:26] good news is you're phase two, so that does give us some time to see if there

[53:32] are other um alternatives or for you to rally your troops and say skip

[53:38] Wellington. >> Yeah, I appreciate your effort and the

[53:42] time you put in. I do. >> It's an important issue to us and I'm

[53:47] glad that you're addressing us too. And then just a totally different subject.

[53:54] You mentioned the 911 ceremony. I want to thank you for doing that. I worked in

[53:58] Tower One for most of my career. I wasn't there that day, but

[54:02] » And I and I read your your um your letter mentioned that you were

[54:07] responsible for planting trees, not in the plaza, but

[54:11] » on the street >> on the street. And

[54:14] » so I I read the letters. I get lots of communication. And this is to my point.

[54:18] You know what I don't read? Comments on Facebook. You know what I do read?

[54:22] People who take the time to do this because these people deserve my time,

[54:25] deserve our time, and deserve our um interest. And and and and certainly um

[54:33] so I I I do want to commend you for coming here repeatedly and for doing

[54:38] what others didn't do, won't do, don't want to do, don't care to do. Uh and I

[54:43] respect that. I respect that. Um and and again, if I can find a solution, if I

[54:49] could have found a solution already, we wouldn't be here. We'd be at your house,

[54:53] you know, drinking champagne. Um and and maybe that that will still happen.

[54:57] » I mean, I still offer if as if the village desires, I could meet with DNB.

[55:02] I mean, it's up to you guys. >> Well, I I think we I do appreciate that,

[55:06] but um I I will say this and not to to question your your credentials.

[55:12] oftentimes I when I meet with people, well, you know, I work in construction

[55:17] or I or I my cousin owns a tree company or you know, like everybody everyone's

[55:22] an expert. I'm not an expert. Um, you know, I'm not an engineer as I've said

[55:27] multiple times. So, I do appreciate that. I'll mention that to them, but

[55:32] understand that that opens up a a whole >> I understand

[55:35] » can of of worms. >> I understand. But I I do appreciate and

[55:40] I want to say that I I do appreciate the way that you have uh presented yourself,

[55:47] your decorum, your I think we've had a a respectful dialogue and that's the way

[55:53] it should be. I want to thank you for that. I appreciate um that that has

[55:58] happened and I'm glad that you came down and and this is what we have these

[56:02] meetings for. So to be continued. >> Okay.

[56:05] » Okay. >> Thank you.

[56:06] » Thank you. I just want to >> I I can u I can

[56:13] » I can understand your passion. I can I can feel your passion.

[56:16] » I respect your passion. >> I can feel your passion and you

[56:18] certainly um Miss Thai Matus.

[56:24] » Yep. Come on up. Okay. Uh is Miss Is it Mr. or Mrs.

[56:29] » Oh. Okay. So when she's done you you come out. Okay.

[56:36] » Hi Hi, mayor of Pereira, everyone. Uh, my

[56:40] name is Laura Rad. I'm uh um on Mamm Road and I just wanted to know, you

[56:44] know, so living in Minnola for 49 years for me it lately we've seen so many

[56:51] changes and of course as residents it's it's been upsetting buildings, trees,

[56:57] concrete change. Um, could you explain to us,

[57:04] you know, it it seems like there's so many trees that have been removed, but

[57:07] maybe it's just my eyes or maybe it's the section. Is there a certain rotation

[57:11] or or trees planted say every 20 or 30 years and then they all uh rip up

[57:17] concrete? Is there some type of rotation that we we know about that at least we

[57:21] have an understanding? >> Good good question. Um, and you class of

[57:26] 90 >> 94.

[57:28] » 94. Okay. So my first year teaching you were senior. Okay. Um very good because

[57:33] I remember the name. Um so for example last year we did

[57:39] Wellington Road and Garfield south of um Jericho Turnpike. So last year 25 this

[57:46] year in November, December we will plant because that's what you you plant the

[57:51] trees when they're dormant like leading up into the winter so that when the

[57:54] spring comes they've kind of established themselves and they should grow at that

[58:00] point. So that's how we do it. So two years ago we did Colonial down by

[58:05] Hampton Stadium and and um you know those dead ends uh Hampton Street,

[58:10] Plymouth, etc. And then we planted last year the trees. So it's so that's one

[58:16] year behind when we just cut trees because they're diseased because you

[58:21] know large branches came off or a resident uh requested for a variety of

[58:27] reasons bringing up the sidewalk in the sewer lines etc which it does happen.

[58:32] We'll cut down that tree. We'll let the um the stump usually dry like for about

[58:37] a year. come back, ground the the stump down. If the um utilities are nowhere

[58:45] near there, we'll usually plant the tree back relatively in the same spot. If

[58:50] some of these things grow into utilities, whether it's, you know, gas

[58:53] or water or or sewer, we'll will move the tree. Um so there isn't a um a a

[59:02] cycle per se of 20 or 30 years. We will I will say this that 50 60 years ago the

[59:09] village planted trees that we grew up with that probably should not have been

[59:13] planted oaks u you know uh sycamores etc. um that

[59:20] were way too big. So when those trees get cut down obviously you lose a big

[59:25] tree. We replace them with trees that will never get that big. And how long do

[59:31] you feel as though the trees that you're planting now, what is their lifespan?

[59:35] » Plenty.

[59:58] few years ago never

[1:00:01] » and and we do have and I'm sorry I should have asked Mr. plumber to come

[1:00:05] up. But what he said is that trees that we plant now grow to about 30 35 feet

[1:00:11] and that we may take them down. Sometimes there's diseases that go

[1:00:14] around. You may have seen and we got criticized. I remember um probably about

[1:00:19] 15 years ago where we trimmed back all the trees on Manila Boulevard between

[1:00:24] Jericho and the station. And for like a couple of months, it just looked like

[1:00:29] these sticks sticking up. And people thought that we were crazy. But that's

[1:00:32] actually how you make the tree healthier, right? Because it sprouts new

[1:00:36] growth. Those of us that own fig trees, that's kind of what you're supposed to

[1:00:40] do is you trim so that the tree doesn't get big so that that the strength uh

[1:00:44] kind of stays compact. Um so we do trim trees to keep them healthier, to keep

[1:00:50] them uh out of the wires, uh to keep them uh from overgrowing. And sometimes

[1:00:56] you know trees for example if they develop a branch like this I I don't

[1:01:00] want to I don't know if is it the crotch of the tree the crotch of the tree right

[1:01:04] so the crotch of the tree water gets there sits there and it begins to rot

[1:01:09] and then that's when a lot of times you'll see trees in in not such big

[1:01:13] storms they'll just snap like at that point. Um, so we trim them to try to

[1:01:18] avoid that situation or if we see that a tree is beginning to rot exactly that we

[1:01:24] may take it down preemptively. So to answer your question, we do have a

[1:01:29] system for replacing trees that we take down um as part of a road reconstruction

[1:01:34] project, usually the following year. We do have a a protocol for replacing trees

[1:01:40] that we take down when we just take down a tree here and a tree there. usually

[1:01:44] again the year after, but then things come up, you know, we have storms and

[1:01:49] trees fall or or there may be an emergency or maybe where somebody has to

[1:01:54] be to the to the top of the list. But again,

[1:01:58] if you go upstairs, we have for the last 40 or 50 years been designated Tree City

[1:02:03] USA. In order to do that, we have to plant a certain number of trees. We have

[1:02:07] to do a certain number of things and we do them. This year, we're going to plant

[1:02:11] 200 trees. 80 of them we're getting from the town, so it's not costing us

[1:02:15] anything and they're going to plant them. We're not going to plant them. Um,

[1:02:19] but they're going to plant them in the village. In Memorial Park, uh, we used

[1:02:22] to have some beautiful large trees. Last year, one of them was hit by lightning.

[1:02:27] I remember. Um, and we had to take it down, but we replaced it. Did we replace

[1:02:32] it with a 60oot tree? No, we didn't replace it with a 60oot tree because,

[1:02:37] you know, you're >> not doing that anymore. So,

[1:02:39] » well, that that's that. Thank you for the explanation because it clears things

[1:02:42] up. You know, I think people have this idea, you know, you're walking down the

[1:02:47] street and saying, "Hey, that's a smaller tree. That pavement's not, you

[1:02:50] know, ripped up. This tree seemed healthy." But I think maybe to explain

[1:02:56] what you just did, I know it cleared some of the the concerns I had. And I'm

[1:03:00] I'm >> I can't tell you how many times and and

[1:03:03] usually Mr. Palumbo and Mr. Ina before him was the the messenger where people

[1:03:11] ask with with the same passion that we just heard about saving trees. People

[1:03:16] come to us with the same passion to take down the trees from something as trivial

[1:03:20] as I don't like the color of the leaves falling on my car to a branch fell on it

[1:03:24] once, whatever. And you know what we tell them more often than not? No. We

[1:03:28] say no. Is it disease? No. Is it dangerous? No. Is it bumping out the

[1:03:33] curb? No. Is it raising the sidewalk? No. Is it in your water man? No. Is it

[1:03:36] in your sewer main? No. Yeah, perfectly healthy tree. Sorry. And then I get beat

[1:03:41] up on social media for that. So, you know, and then people,

[1:03:47] oh, I've been on the tree list for two years. So this year we used our uh

[1:03:52] concrete requirements contract to actually put into a contract to have an

[1:03:57] outside tree cutting place because the same people that cut down the trees are

[1:04:01] the same people who plow your snow, the same people who fill your potholes, the

[1:04:04] same people who cut the grass at the parks, the same people who get us ready

[1:04:08] for street fairs and parades. So, you know, everything happens, you know, the

[1:04:12] pool season, the spring cleaning season, the winter season, the leaf season. And

[1:04:17] these are the same 20 some odd guys who do all of this. Uh, so what we did is we

[1:04:23] put about $130,000, >> a little bit more into catching up on

[1:04:29] that tree list. We were about two or three years behind.

[1:04:36] » Oh, that's

[1:04:40] spread out, >> right? And so now what we hope is we

[1:04:44] caught up and now we'll just take down those trees that are diseased, that are,

[1:04:49] you know, dangerous for whatever reason they have to come down. So now we should

[1:04:53] be on a more, you know, even even pace, but yet replacing every single tree that

[1:05:00] we cut down. Uh, Miss Trusty Salowski was just telling me uh that there were

[1:05:05] people on Wellington who don't want a tree put back. They beg us to not put a

[1:05:10] tree back. Great. You cut this tree down and we hated it. We don't want one. And

[1:05:15] you know what we tell them? Too bad. You're getting one.

[1:05:19] So, >> it's got to be a happy medium. So, thank

[1:05:21] you. >> Thank you for the explanation.

[1:05:23] » Thank you, Mr. Matus. >> Am I pronouncing that correctly? That's

[1:05:27] right. Yep. Thank you.

[1:05:38] Sorry to keep you waiting. >> No, it's okay. Interesting.

[1:05:42] » I think so. >> Yeah. Um,

[1:05:45] uh, sorry. Good evening. My name's Ty. I'm a minola resident, a neighbor of,

[1:05:50] uh, Mr. Card. So, >> sorry about that.

[1:05:53] » No, he's he's great. Um, I'm here because uh some people on

[1:06:00] my street, Argo Road, we've become increasingly concerned about some

[1:06:04] dangerous driving on our street and some surrounding streets uh multiple times a

[1:06:09] day and at night. We we see cars coming down the block at high speeds. We've

[1:06:15] hear tires screeching and uh drivers regularly fail to stop at the stop sign.

[1:06:21] Um and several of our neighbors have noticed it and are as concern are as

[1:06:27] concerned as we are as well. Uh our street connects with Hillside Avenue and

[1:06:32] it's become apparent that drivers are being routed through these residential

[1:06:37] neighborhood streets as a shortcut whether it be Google Maps or Apple Maps

[1:06:41] or ways you know but we have children uh families walking kids on bikes and pets

[1:06:46] on this block and we're getting worried that you know a serious accident could

[1:06:50] happen. So, we were just going to ask if the village could look into this and

[1:06:55] consider a traffic safety study or um we're open to suggestions, but any kind

[1:07:00] of appropriate traffic calming measures, whether it be

[1:07:05] uh >> you know the signs that show the speed

[1:07:08] or um some kind of enforcement or just I'll look into it. I'm I'm open to

[1:07:12] suggestions. >> Okay. Um thank you. And this is also

[1:07:15] personal to me because my brother and my mother live on that block as well.

[1:07:19] » Okay. Um, so I am there a lot. >> Yeah.

[1:07:22] » Um, I try not to go in front of Mr. Casado's house. Um,

[1:07:26] » he's a great neighbor. >> Yeah, absolutely. He cuts everybody's

[1:07:29] grass and you know, or used to used to cut everybody's lawn.

[1:07:32] » I used to. Not anymore. >> Not anymore. Um, now my brother does it.

[1:07:37] Um, but I have noticed that and I do notice and you're absolutely right. It

[1:07:40] is somewhat of a cutthrough. Often times I also see people coming um out of

[1:07:46] Watkins. Yep. you know, and just like there's no stop sign there because it's

[1:07:50] kind of makes a turn. Um, we did have um a gentleman who was hit there while

[1:07:56] running, Mr. Coo, a couple about a year ago. We have it on video um the driver,

[1:08:02] » but a local person. So, a lot of times the people that are speeding are your

[1:08:07] neighbors. Yes. Okay. Uh I mean, not Mr. Casado. I've seen him drive. You can

[1:08:11] walk faster. Um but a lot of times it is people, kids, etc. And in this case, it

[1:08:16] was someone there who was on their phone and and hit this gentleman. I I actually

[1:08:21] saw the video and it was pretty scary. Thankfully, he popped right up and he he

[1:08:24] was fine. So, I am going to say that >> two things we're going to do.

[1:08:29] » Number one, my first thing tomorrow morning is we're going to call the

[1:08:32] police uh third precinct, have them put a little bit more attention there

[1:08:37] because often times it's about re-education and and people kind of,

[1:08:42] » okay, there's going to be a cop there. So, that's number one. Number two, I'm

[1:08:45] going to ask Mr. Palumbo. We do have those signs that we can take from one

[1:08:49] part of the village to the other that say how fast uh people are going and

[1:08:54] sometimes you need to be reminded. Sometimes you're not even, you know,

[1:08:56] you're distracted. You're like, "Oh my god, I'm going 38 miles an hour down the

[1:09:01] street." So, we'll do that. Um, and then beyond that, we we are looking at I've

[1:09:08] noticed in some in some areas where they actually write the word stop on the

[1:09:13] pavement. before the stop sign. >> Sometimes that's an additional, you

[1:09:18] know, reminder or things like rumble strips, like when you approach a toll

[1:09:24] booth, you know, that kind of reminds you to slow down. Um, so we're looking

[1:09:30] at different traffic coming devices. I know everyone would want a speed bump,

[1:09:33] but speed bumps bring up all other kinds of issues and problems and and liability

[1:09:39] and and um it just not as practical, especially on a street that short. But

[1:09:46] um absolutely um number one, we're going to call the third precinct yes tomorrow

[1:09:51] and ask them to focus for the next couple of weeks there. Maybe a little

[1:09:55] re-education. And number two, if we have one of those um cameras, we will uh post

[1:10:01] one there. Um and again, hopefully, and especially now because you do have a lot

[1:10:06] of kids on that block, school has started, school bus stops, you know, I

[1:10:10] see it. Um so it's certainly um it has not gone unnoticed for sure.

[1:10:16] » It's probably why I'm concerned. I have a one-year-old at home now, so um I

[1:10:21] don't think I was thinking about it before, but now he's starting to walk

[1:10:23] around. You start you start looking at the world differently. happen one 100%

[1:10:27] and as you should. So, uh thank you for bringing that to our attention and we'll

[1:10:32] uh we'll certainly try to do something to mitigate it.

[1:10:34] » I appreciate you. >> Thank you. Thank you.

[1:10:37] » See you in the morning.

[1:10:41] » U Mrs. Patton.

[1:10:54] » Hello. Uh Terry Patton, 213 Roosevelt Avenue. We have a situation on our block

[1:11:01] that is starting to get out of control. I am zoned R3. So two family houses can

[1:11:08] be built. There are now two houses that are up for

[1:11:12] being made two family homes that don't have the 75 by 100 space. There is a

[1:11:19] loophole in the code that is now being taken advantage of.

[1:11:29] This is only my second time ever coming to a meeting. The first time was to

[1:11:33] fight a two family house being built. That was denied because it was on a 50

[1:11:38] by 100 lot. Our block is super busy.

[1:11:42] » Had to have been before 2008. >> Nope. It was

[1:11:46] 2023. >> So not here though.

[1:11:49] » Not No Man. >> No. No. No. But not at this board.

[1:11:52] » No. No, I was at the zoning board. >> Oh, zoning board. Okay.

[1:11:56] » So, um, one of the houses already that's on 58 by 100 has already been turned

[1:12:02] into a two family with no variances required because of this loophole

[1:12:08] section B. Um, and the next house, which is on 50 by 100, wants to be a two

[1:12:15] family house. and because of this code that's in now um they are taking

[1:12:22] advantage of it. So basically I was told any house within our block can become a

[1:12:29] two family house without going for a variant. Obviously you'd have to go for

[1:12:33] the construction >> part. Um the very end of our block is

[1:12:38] commercially zoned so we have a lot of traffic that comes from there.

[1:12:42] » I'm sorry Pat. Are you between um the Roosevelt but between what? Jackson and

[1:12:48] » Jackson and Lincoln. No, Jackson and Clinton.

[1:12:51] » Clinton. Okay. >> Um basically all our houses are smaller

[1:12:56] regular houses. Now we have a little McMansion and now they're creeping down

[1:13:01] this way. Um I figured this would be a great place to come. How do we get this

[1:13:08] clause taken out of a billing? What is the procedure to get this clause

[1:13:13] removed? In fact, it you guys were all sent you all you guys you were all sent

[1:13:18] letters uh by my neighbor Barbara Bourne that talked about the two houses

[1:13:23] » that were by the same owner. Pat Kesler had both plots. So, it wasn't a

[1:13:29] subdivided plot. and now they're one of them is up for

[1:13:36] um no construction's happened yet because they haven't gone to the uh

[1:13:40] zoning meetings in the last two months. >> Okay.

[1:13:43] » Uh this is so as you correctly stated, we don't deal with with zoning. That's

[1:13:49] the board of zoning and appeals. Um and I presume that that's where they're

[1:13:54] going. Um so, >> you know, and Mr. Mr. I figured with the

[1:13:59] lawyer here, he might be able to say, "How do you go about getting this

[1:14:04] loophole changed because it's going to drastically change?"

[1:14:09] » But I would think I would think um so what I've been told for for many years

[1:14:14] that it's nearly impossible to change zoning. That's Mr. Gibbons will correct

[1:14:20] me if I'm if I'm wrong. Um, but even if we could change that wouldn't

[1:14:26] necessarily affect these applicants, these two applicants that you're talking

[1:14:31] about or is it two or is it one? >> Well, it's one one hasn't done their one

[1:14:35] hasn't touched the house yet. >> Okay. So, I I would presume that they

[1:14:39] would be like grandfathered in. So, your house is a one family house,

[1:14:43] » correct? >> On a 50 by 500 y. Um, I know the area

[1:14:47] and I know that it is R3 and I know that there is a significant number of two

[1:14:51] family houses there. I don't know what the percentage is, but I I do know that

[1:14:55] there are two family houses. So, Mr. Gibbons, do you do you have this thing?

[1:14:58] » I do. >> Okay. So, what what So, you're asking

[1:15:01] how do we change this, >> right? How do we how do we not have the

[1:15:04] loophole be taken advantage of where now we're going to have two family homes on

[1:15:09] 50 by 100 lots, >> right? I I think the genesis of that

[1:15:14] provision was 25 years ago or so when they upzone the area to require a

[1:15:21] extended frontage. People were up in arms saying, "Hey,

[1:15:26] listen. I have a property right now where I can put a two family in this R

[1:15:31] zone." and they put this provision in that if you were single and separate,

[1:15:36] you know, oc October 1990, that you don't lose that right to have a two

[1:15:42] family in the R3. >> No matter what size lot.

[1:15:48] » I I think it's I think it's 50, right? >> Five 5,000

[1:15:52] » 5,000 square feet. 50 by 100 by 100. >> Yeah.

[1:15:55] » Um so if I understand So I own a house before 1990.

[1:16:01] That's 50 by 100. Mr. Casado next door owns a house 50 by 100. It's in the R3.

[1:16:08] 30 years later, the person can build a two family on my law.

[1:16:14] » Yes. Subject to, you know, >> but what if the property was bought

[1:16:17] after 1990? >> I'm sorry.

[1:16:20] » If the property was purchased after 1990,

[1:16:24] » it doesn't apply. Correct. was under different ownership from that of

[1:16:28] » if it was single and separate, meaning it existed. It wasn't owned by

[1:16:34] the same individuals that they have the right

[1:16:38] » but the new owners have the right. >> The new owners have the right. Ownership

[1:16:42] ne ownership never matters in zoning. You know, it always runs with the land,

[1:16:46] not the individual, >> right?

[1:16:49] So if the person owned both lots >> then they would merge

[1:16:55] and they would not be single and separate.

[1:16:57] » Correct. >> Did they have a merge

[1:17:00] » houses next to each other? >> Yes.

[1:17:02] » And did they have a merge? >> It was the same homeowner.

[1:17:06] » But do they have a merge? >> And and that would I I would think that

[1:17:10] would be your subject at the zoning hearing. Has that been scheduled?

[1:17:14] » Um yes. But what is scheduled is not whether it can be a two family or not.

[1:17:20] What's only on the zoning is to make it they want to go bigger than what's

[1:17:25] allowed. >> Right. So what we did what we did to to

[1:17:29] your point is here we did pass um first floor area.

[1:17:35] » Yes. That I understand. So they're going they are going for

[1:17:38] » a variance to make it bigger than allowed. That I understand.

[1:17:41] » But is it a two family today? Okay. Well, that's the that's the

[1:17:46] argument I would pose then. >> But are there two families on that block

[1:17:51] on 50 by 100? >> No. Well, now there is on the 58 by 100

[1:17:55] » besides that one. There's no no other one.

[1:17:57] » No. >> You know that for sure.

[1:18:02] A and again I say this not having looked at anything

[1:18:05] » because I don't represent >> I'm just asking for things to get more

[1:18:09] looked into because if this has happened with one house already is now 58 by 100

[1:18:14] is now a two family with no variances. We were never notified. So there was a

[1:18:18] loophole there. >> Now it's the next house. Same owners

[1:18:24] family owners bought this one. That means every house on our block could

[1:18:29] become a two family. Where are we putting all these cars? Where are if if

[1:18:35] our block would be out of control? It's already so busy right now with the

[1:18:40] commercial that creeps up on our end. >> So, um

[1:18:45] » that's why I'm asking for help. My understanding my understanding and and

[1:18:48] I've never served on a board of zoning and appeals is what I've been told and

[1:18:54] understood is that things have to be in keeping with the character of the area.

[1:19:01] So in other words, let's say there are 13 houses on the block. If seven of them

[1:19:06] are two family, then that's relatively keeping within like I've heard this a

[1:19:10] lot is when we subdivide when when subdivisions have happened. So there was

[1:19:16] a 120 by 100 lot and some guy came in and made 340s by 100, right? And people

[1:19:22] are like up in arms. And then you go to find out that every other house on the

[1:19:26] block is 40 by 100. >> No, we have a mix of 75 by 100 and 50 by

[1:19:31] 100. The 75 by 100s are two families and then the 50 by 100s are single families.

[1:19:39] » Right. I I mean I I I know the neighborhood. I can't see

[1:19:43] » the houses, but >> is there a a way

[1:19:48] that this code doesn't get taken advantage of

[1:19:52] » from here on out? >> Well, the one house hasn't hasn't been

[1:19:55] approved for their to made bigger. So, I would love to see that stay a single

[1:19:59] family. Um, I just didn't know which where to go.

[1:20:03] » Mr. Gibbons, if we wanted to change 4B here, would we do this or

[1:20:09] » Yes, >> we do it. Okay. But I would think and

[1:20:12] again I I'm not an attorney that because they put in their application

[1:20:18] like we can't retroactively >> No, I no I understand that

[1:20:22] » what we can do is prevent >> you know anyone else because so this

[1:20:25] this board addressed what we saw with our eyes

[1:20:30] deputy mayor Sartorii speaking of Mr. The house next door to him

[1:20:35] » is a castle >> is tremendous.

[1:20:37] » It's a castle. >> I don't like it either. We didn't like

[1:20:40] it. We didn't know it. We didn't see it. That went to the BCA. But it was houses

[1:20:45] like that that prompted us to put in place the GFA the I understand which

[1:20:52] now. So I guess the question and again all this has to be in BCA and I don't

[1:20:57] want to step on their toes. They're the ones that that do this. Um, is is your

[1:21:03] issue with the size or with the fact that it's

[1:21:07] two family? >> If if Minola says that you can build if

[1:21:10] you have 50 by 100 lot and you can build up to 2500 square ft, great. Build that

[1:21:15] big. The house right now is 1,200 square feet.

[1:21:18] » So, it's doubling in size. So, already it's going to be made bigger. But that's

[1:21:21] the law, >> right?

[1:21:23] » If they want the varian, >> which by the way is much better than it

[1:21:25] was ago. >> 100%. And if they want to make it

[1:21:29] bigger, which they do, they'll go in front of the zoning board. They missed

[1:21:33] out for the last two months. They adjourned. Then the zoning board will

[1:21:38] either approve it. I'll be there saying, "I don't want it bigger than 2500 square

[1:21:41] foot." My issue is we don't need more two family homes on small lots. If you

[1:21:49] think of parking, >> you know, in front of your house, how

[1:21:52] many cars can you fit in front of your house? Well, now you have tenants. Now

[1:21:57] you have another set of cars already. The house next door that was approved

[1:22:02] without a variance because of this loophole.

[1:22:06] It's already built. There's nothing I can do about that. I would love to see

[1:22:10] something happen with this little house that it doesn't become a two family and

[1:22:15] I will be there at the meeting to address how big it is. Um, but with this

[1:22:22] in the code, apparently there's this loophole that people are going around

[1:22:27] the 75 by 100. >> I'm sorry. What they're what the

[1:22:31] application is that on the 50 by 100. Is it an application for just a larger home

[1:22:35] or for a two family? >> Oh, no. It's already been told to me

[1:22:38] that it will be a two family home. >> The application is for a two family.

[1:22:43] » Well, >> so if we change this, that application

[1:22:45] is already in as a two family. I don't know how it would become a two family

[1:22:48] home when it's it was a single family home. It's in Nassau County records as a

[1:22:53] single family home. >> But in the two family zone,

[1:22:55] » but it's in the two family zone. >> Right. So

[1:22:58] » that's where this wanted to um taint anything. But I I think that

[1:23:06] the question becomes, well, I'm in the two family zone. It's not like I'm

[1:23:11] trying to build a two family house >> in the one family zone,

[1:23:15] » right? I'm in the zone where this is permitted. Um, and to your point, maybe

[1:23:20] we do need to take a look at this, but you can't blame people for,

[1:23:24] » you know, using the the what's permitted. I I don't know why in 1990

[1:23:30] the board decided to do this. I I don't know what what the reasoning was. Uh,

[1:23:36] and and I don't anticipate that all of a sudden, you know, you you live there.

[1:23:41] You're not turning your house into a two family.

[1:23:45] » No, but who you know that's a that's a great selling point,

[1:23:48] » right? >> I want to sell my house. Listen, you can

[1:23:50] make it a two family, >> right?

[1:23:53] » So, where where does it stop is my question.

[1:23:56] » Well, it stops when you don't live in a two family zone,

[1:24:00] » but when it's always been you needed 75 by 100 to build a two family home.

[1:24:06] » I mean, I'm taking you at your word. I I don't know.

[1:24:09] » I mean, I've been there. I've been on my block 32 years. So I, you know, I'd like

[1:24:12] to study why they felt the need to put this in in 1990 or whenever it was.

[1:24:20] There had to have been a reason, >> right? So I my request is to be able to

[1:24:24] via a lawyer to look at that code a little more carefully, especially with

[1:24:29] the house that I'm talking about, um, and see what can be done because

[1:24:33] construction has not started on it. They have not been approved for anything yet.

[1:24:38] So, I'd rather see something happen before any construction happens.

[1:24:43] » I I do believe that we would have to notice and have a hearing or No.

[1:24:47] » Yes. It would be a local law to amend the code section.

[1:24:52] » Uh and you said when when is the hearing?

[1:24:54] » The end of September. >> Yeah. So, I I don't think that this

[1:24:59] board would be able to act >> that quickly. There's a process. we have

[1:25:04] to notice then we'd have to have a hearing and then we have to you know

[1:25:07] there's there's a pro what we could do is look at this and if we decide that we

[1:25:11] do want to uh close this loophole for future development I mean I think you

[1:25:18] know lose the battle to win the war kind of mentality. Um and that's that's what

[1:25:22] we did with the GFA like we couldn't go back and tell Mr. Casado's neighbor Mr.

[1:25:27] London's neighbor that, you know, hey, you know, cut the uh top off your house

[1:25:33] when he had already started. What we did and what we can do, and it's it's had

[1:25:39] some unintended consequences because there are not every person who wants to

[1:25:44] expand their house is a developer who's looking to flip it. You know, some

[1:25:48] people actually live in it. They are family. they they had a child, they had

[1:25:52] a second child, so they want to, you know, blow out the the cape or whatever

[1:25:56] it is. And we don't want to punish those people, right? But we also at the same

[1:26:00] time want to kind of uh rein in uh the people who are just in it

[1:26:06] » to make money, >> right? So, but but in this case,

[1:26:11] » you know what? I'll give them trees and I'll take zoning. Okay. And and on the

[1:26:17] tree note, I want to say um >> there was somebody from your block here

[1:26:20] talking about cutting down. They they argued about cutting down a tree. Was it

[1:26:24] your tree that was going into the sewer? No.

[1:26:25] » No. >> No.

[1:26:27] » We have little trees. Um that it is important to take care of your sidewalks

[1:26:31] as I'm a runner and I run on West Berry Avenue and in March I fractured both my

[1:26:36] arms from a lifted sidewalk. >> You should run on Wellington.

[1:26:40] » It's not my loop, but um I appreciate it. So, how um

[1:26:44] » Oh, well, we're going to talk and I mean, you just gave us this, so we're

[1:26:48] going to look. >> No, no, I didn't know if um

[1:26:50] » it's our board. >> Excellent. Yes. Thank you.

[1:26:54] » Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. To change the zoning is our board.

[1:26:57] » But to address that particular >> Oh, no. No. I'll be at the zoning

[1:27:00] meeting. >> That's not us. Thank you.

[1:27:02] » Okay. Thank you, Miss Patton. >> Anybody else wishes to speak? Okay. I'll

[1:27:07] entertain a motion to close uh the public meeting.

[1:27:10] » Motion. Motion by Deputy MR Choice, seconded by Trusty Cassado in favor. I

[1:27:15] opposed. Motion carries. >> Friday sounds on second.

[1:27:20] » Friday, September 11th, 6 o'clock at Memorial Park. Hope to see you there.

[1:27:24] Thank you. Have a great night, everyone.

[1:27:32] » It didn't record.

[1:27:36] » I know. suffer. Yeah.

September 2, 2026 Work Session/Public Meeting

Transcript