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Okay, I'd like to welcome everybody to
the uh September 3rd meeting of the town

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board of the town of Southeast. If we
could rise for the pledge of allegiance.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the

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republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and

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justice for all.

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» Thank you. If I can remind everybody of
the exits, there's two exits in the back

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of the room and one exit up here to the
left of of uh of us. Um, and with that,

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if everybody could either uh turn off
their cell phones or come on vibrate,

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that would be great. And I ask the clerk
for roll call.

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» Yes.
>> Councilman Cypress

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» here.
>> Councilman Larka

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» here.
>> Councilwoman Lewis

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» here. Councilman Mazada
>> here.

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» Supervisor Castellano
>> present. Thank you.

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» Thank you.
>> I'll make a motion to come out of

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executive session. No action was taken.
>> Second.

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» Thank you. All in favor?
>> I. Going on to our work session. We have

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a discussion tonight agricultural
districts and I'm turn it over to

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Councilman Marca.
>> Yeah. Um is Cassandra is that would you

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mind coming up or do you want me to just
go through a few things? Um so uh thank

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you for coming. Um we've had this on the
agenda a lot. There's been a lot of back

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and forth uh between us and the a board
and the county. Um the concerns all

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started we we get complaints about some
of the properties in the a district and

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um we were under the impression that we
couldn't do anything with those

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complaints. Um and we really don't have
a a say in the approval and then we kind

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of found out that we could do that. Um
our our ask was that neighboring

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properties be notified if an if a
property owner made an application to

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the egg district. So at least they would
be aware that um that property may get

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some protections. And throughout the
back and forth it seemed like there

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really aren't any protections. However,
they do have an escalation process as

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being part of the egg board where they
can um uh get uh the state to determine

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that one of our codes is unreasonable,
which would help them. Um in terms of

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the public notice process, it it I still
don't can't wrap my head around that

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answer, but what we uh it sounded like
the county didn't want to do it. The a

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board doesn't have to do it, but we sent
notification to those neighboring

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properties just as a heads up. um a
little bit later than I would have liked

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to have done that. Um so I'm I'm really
glad you came. There's a few questions

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uh because there is some confusion that
I'd like to ask. Um and so I'll just

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start with the first one. So can you
tell us a little bit about the a

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district a board soil water uh board and
what you guys do? And

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» that is perfect. So I was about to say
well I'm done here. You've answered

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everything for everybody and [laughter]
I'm going to go home. Um, so it's really

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also I have to say I'm used to
legislature meetings where executive

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session is never in the beginning and
always forever and uh anything soil and

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water and a is always last. So thank
you. Um not that that

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[clears throat and snorts] was done
intentionally but it is much

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appreciated.
>> Always intentional

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» super thankful for that. Um but uh yeah
and so again to the concerns that you've

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had and I think that's the broader
thing. Um you know we discussed there's

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been lots of emails and I I think the
town board was copied on them so whether

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you read through all of them it was a
lot. Um, and I think the basis of it is

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there's always been a misconception um,
you know, from municipalities and from

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land owners that like once you're an a
district, you can do anything you want

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to. Um, and and that would be terrible
because you guys have to deal with not

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only complaints about, you know,
agricultural properties, but you got to

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deal complaints about everything, right?
And so to hear, oh, we can't do anything

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about that. That obviously is not
something that, you know, a town would

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want to hear because how do you tell
your residents? Um, so that is a good

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point to clear up that you do have the
authority like the a district program.

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So I guess I'll start with that. The a
district program is supposed to create a

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mediation in between. So there's state
agriculture protections for agricultural

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practices. That doesn't mean if you're a
farm, you can do anything you want to.

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It is a case-byase review. If you're in
the a district, a municipality can reach

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out for a specific practice. Say
somebody comes to you and complains and

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says, "I don't like this." you or the
land owner or both could reach out. It's

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called a 305A review for the exact
practice on that exact farm for that

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exact instance and then the agon markets
would guide you and say reasonable

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unreasonable and they give you an idea
of like okay you want to do this does it

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impact public health and safety that is
the big thing where if it impacts public

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health and safety no farm wins right
that is across the board if it's in

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instances of certain fees certain
regulations certain things like that the

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state may say no they may say work with
them they may say different things but

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that's something that the state has
statuto criteria of what is permissible

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for a versus regular properties keeping
in mind there's a state constitutional

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right to farm and they kept that in mind
knowing there would be development

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pressures over the years which there
were um so it's not something that a lot

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of people think you get in and you can
do anything you want to you still and I

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cannot say this enough I've said it
everywhere they quoted in a paper

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finally it took years all farms must
follow all local laws all the time now

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the caveat to that is if you have
overburdensome laws on your books that

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are in controvention to the state
statute. That's where Agon markets would

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come in and say, "Hey, maybe you should
relook at this. Is there a way that you

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can come to an agreement?"
>> And Agon Markets is the state

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organization, not your board, right?
>> No. So the state, Agon Markets, right?

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They're the ones that are the decision
makers, the mediators, if there are

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concerns. Um, anybody whether they're in
the act district or not, like a town can

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solicit an opinion from Agon Markets on
anything. You can email them, you can

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call them, they'll ask you. They have
counsel. They have a number of people in

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their staffs. They can answer any
question. If you want a formal opinion,

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anybody can do that. Any member of the
public, any land owner, anybody. If

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you're in the A district, that's when
you can solicit a 305A review, which is

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on a specific agricultural practice at a
specific farm, and they go case by case.

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They talk to the town, they talk to the
landowner, and they work with you

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through there. So, that's only if you're
in the A district. The A district

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technically is a state program, but it
is administered locally by the counties.

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And the reason they did that was
counties can opt in or choose not to opt

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in. Putnham County back [clears throat]
in 1997 chose to I'm sorry, 2003 chose

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to opt in. Now, since 2003, I think from
2003 to probably 2015, everything was

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cool. Everybody was fine. There wasn't
any problems. Um and I think a part of

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it is we get to so [clears throat] the
county is who administers the a district

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program includes parcels or removes
parcels at the county level that keeps

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the component of home rule without it
being town by town right um but to that

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end you have a farmland protection board
so that is the um it's the a and

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farmland protection board that was
established before the districts in 1997

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that is an advisory board we can tell
the legislature all we want to they

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don't have to
Um so that is something where you saw

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the farm protection plan the last time
that was done was 2004 long time ago

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hasn't been updated. Um problem with
that is as an advisory board to the

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legislature we have no the a board has
no authority. Um I buy my role in soil

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and water which I'll get to in a second.
I have an ex official seat on the a

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board. So there is uh soil and water
there is the tax commissioner rail

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property and tax there is the planning
commissioner for the county a

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representative from Cornell and then it
is six uh practical farmers there's

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different breakdown of those that
doesn't matter I won't bore you with

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that but it's to give you a basis of
land use for planning for tax for you

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know different government seats there's
also a legislative representative to

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that board as well and that depends the
legislature appoints all of those people

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and that's what guides them in what do
we do how do we you know do educational

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programs. So there is in the farmland
protection plan from 2004 the a board

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was tasked with doing that. What I will
say is that uh try to happen a few times

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in the last few years and people were
removed from the board. Um and that's

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just the way it went. So a lot of people
just stopped answering emails because

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why would you answer an email and you
could get thrown off a volunteer board.

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Enter soil and water. Um so water
conservation district was established in

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1966 in Putham County. We were the
second to last uh county to get in. But

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we are an independent municipality.
Where that veered is in 1993. Um it

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ended up getting absorbed into county
government which meant that the soil and

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water district could no longer be
independent for conservation and its own

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independent voice. Our only role is soil
and water conservation. That's it. We're

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not any county policy. We do not speak
on behalf of the county. We speak on

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behalf of the science and the
conservation. That's why I'm here. I

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can't be thrown off the board. I can't
be thrown off the board. It is very

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specific in soil and water law. It is
I'm appointed by the legislature as our

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other board members are. There is a farm
bureau representative. There is a

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graange representative, a uh standard
land owner at large and two legislators.

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And then we are supposed to take on
conservation programs and education

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outreach. We do have a grant program
that you guys are all going to get

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emailed and I hope you talk about it.
Um, we'll probably send somebody else

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from our board next month uh to [snorts]
go over that because it's about $180,000

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in grants for not only municipalities
but lakes a and [snorts] uh conservation

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education assistance. So that's that's a
big chunk for the local community. Um we

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were never able to do that because we
were part of the county. We couldn't

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educate anybody and alleviate any of the
concerns because we were part of the

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county. Um so that is the role in it and
the way the act district process for

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inclusion works is it is a set time
frame. the process is established by the

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state. So, I know there was conversation
back and forth of we don't have enough

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time and and you know, how do we notify
people? It's the same time every year.

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April 1st to April 30th is the date
where people um can submit their

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applications to the ACT board. So, at
that point, you wouldn't really know

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what's happening. You don't know who's
applying. Then the month of May, if you

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ever wanted to watch the A board
meetings, you can certainly do that. You

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can come to the Aboard meetings. You'll
know who is being taken in. That is when

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the A board goes out and does site
visits. Um the A district can be an open

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vacant parcel that just aids in the
viability of agriculture and open space.

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Putnham County has chosen it must be a
farm. I don't love that, but I don't

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fight it. You know, if it's a farm, then
obviously that fits in the a district as

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as narrowly as Putnham County wants to
define it. So

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with that, you have April 1 to April 30.
You have May one to the end of May and

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then June it typically goes to physical
services which is the legislative

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committee. Once it comes out of there it
goes to the full

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» uh uh sorry if I can I interrupt you
along the way cuz I have a bunch of

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questions for the timeline. Um when does
the town I think we got a little bit

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late this year?
>> Not really. Um and that's the other

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thing. So technically under the state
law there's no requirement to do that

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besides the public hearing. The public
hearing is supposed to from, you know,

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the state's perspective be the time
where everybody finds out. It goes in

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00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:11,839
the local paper. It goes on the
legislative website. That is the mandate

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00:11:09,839 --> 00:11:14,800
for the notification.
>> And that public hearing is the same

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00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:17,040
night they voted.
>> Yes.

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00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:20,320
» Yeah. I mean, well, that I,
>> you know, but that is the way the

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statutory process is laid out. So, what
Putham County has done is reached out

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prior and said, "Hey, this is an FYI of
who's applying." Now, that has become a

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problem in the past because you have
certain [snorts] things where it's a

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00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:34,320
little bit unfair where if you say
you're just going to do something at

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your house versus you're going to apply
to the A district, somebody's now

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snooping through all of your stuff. Now,
it's not to say you can't enforce those

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things all year round. But if in the
month of April a properties get a bunch

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of violations, that seems a little
unfair and that could put, you know, a

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town in jeopardy of well, why did you do
this to me versus somebody else? So,

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there has been a concern on that. Now,
they do notify the towns and just say,

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"Hey, this is what's going on." At that
point, you talked to a markets council.

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They said, "You're free to do whatever
you wish. You can notify, you can choose

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not to notify. It's up to the county
>> for the for the town notification."

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Uh, I thought I thought, and maybe it's
the county or I'm not sure what was

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00:12:09,279 --> 00:12:13,839
required, but I thought we were supposed
to get around the beginning of May, but

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00:12:12,560 --> 00:12:16,720
we didn't get it till the middle of May.
And maybe that's not true, but when

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should we expect to get the
notification? That's not even required.

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00:12:19,680 --> 00:12:25,279
» But it it's not required, but it's
>> but PM County has chosen to do that. So

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traditionally
>> to do it. So when

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» the reason why is because the
applications can come in up until the

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last day of April, right? So I think
this year everybody got it May 8th.

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» So
>> I don't send those notifications. That

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is commissioner planning.
>> Okay. So, we as a town, [snorts] and I I

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00:12:40,399 --> 00:12:47,360
hear what you're saying that it's not,
you know, required by law, but we as a

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town should expect to get a notification
of applications sometime the beginning

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of May.
>> I don't even want to confidently say

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that because I don't make county policy.
They did that this year. I don't know.

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00:12:53,839 --> 00:12:57,120
that's not anywhere written in stone
that they have to

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00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:03,040
» so that we can
>> so I would say watch the a board meeting

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in April or in May and then you will
know who's applying unequivocally

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because right now it is not written
anywhere that anybody has to and the

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state's never going to mandate it. So if
you want to be aware I've told this to

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other towns it's April and it's May. Um
>> so are you saying that next year the

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town may not get the notification that
it got this year?

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» I'm not saying that. that I'm saying I
can't guarantee they will because it's

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nothing that's required in any statute.
>> And is it the and you may not know the

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answer and that's fine. But is it the
county who determines if that's required

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or not?
>> So that's the thing. The a board is the

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advisory board to the legislature. The
county makes the policy. Now from what I

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saw in the emails, and I'm not going to
speak on behalf of the county, but based

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on the emails, it was the county is
going to do their statutory obligation.

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Full stop. Um, not to say that the, you
know, Southeast or any town can't go and

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determine more and find out more. But,
you know, I can't speak on behalf of the

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county. I can just tell you what is
there. I know what is guaranteed and I

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know, you know, what has been a standard
practice, but I don't want to tell you

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to always expect that and then next year
it doesn't happen and you're like, what

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00:14:02,560 --> 00:14:06,399
did this lady say?
>> Yeah. And this isn't on you, but I'm

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just to the board real quick. It sounds
like

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» she's the only one who was willing to
engage with us.

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» Yeah. Thanks for
>> This is me every time. So, yep.

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» But for it sounds like the county is
doing us almost like a courtesy notice

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» and all we've asked for and this
>> is more notice

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» is just to tell the property neighbors
which we're told they can't do because

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it's not required but what they're doing
today is not required in their

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» right. I I never took it as they can't
and that was my issue with all that back

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and forth and I wish that our
legislators could have just responded

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when we asked a year ago but you know
this this we spend more in legal fees

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writing emails on both sides but um no
one argued that the county is not doing

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the minimum required by law. We just
said, "Hey, you just wanted more."

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» In transparency and participation, mail
a letter for us, you know.

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» Yeah.
>> And that's how and then it just got

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» I have a lot of things where if a lot of
things went differently, I wouldn't be

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here tonight. Um I wouldn't be the chair
of the soil and water district if things

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went the way they were supposed to go
all the time. Um so that was our hope. I

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mean, I'll tell you two years ago, I
didn't know what a soil water district

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was.
>> I had no idea. Now we've actually taken

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it out of the county, went independent.
We now have an $180,000 grant program in

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less than, you know, a year and a half.
um there is a a void of education and I

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think again I don't want to speak for
the county but my my assumption with

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that is you know with any government do
you want to say you're going to do

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something you're not responsible to do
and in case you mess it up is that on

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you you know that's a liability thing
that's something to again you spoke with

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00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:36,000
legislative council you spoke with a
markets council they said you you're

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welcome to do that um you know another
thing is the aboard has an email you

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could on May 1st email the a board and
say what are the southeast uh applicants

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00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:45,519
» okay
>> you Oh, and and again, I'm not saying

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you're right, wrong, and different, but
I'm saying standard practice is what it

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is, but prescribed practice is
completely different,

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00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:57,440
» right? And this is helpful. I appreciate
the, you know, conversation, but um I

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just have a few more questions. I cut
you off. Were you done? I I cut you off

251
00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:07,440
that question.
um the getting into the A district is

252
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separate and has different parameters
than um I don't know what it is but to

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get the A exemption on your taxes
>> totally different program

254
00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:19,839
» I understand that but I want to make
sure a lot of people think that they

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00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:25,920
apply for that to get tax benefit yeah
>> and the question that I've asked myself

256
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during this whole back and forth was
what is the benefit why would somebody

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apply to to the A board if it doesn't
I'm sorry to the A to become part of the

258
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A district if it doesn't provide any
protections or financial benefits.

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00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:44,800
» It provides you a mediator without
having to spend legal fees.

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» That really is what it is, you know. Um
and it's again not to say I can come in

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and do anything I want to, but
>> a regular standard farmer traditionally

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is just busy farming. They don't know,
you know, what things are allowed for a

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and what aren't. You know, they're just
going to go do permitting stuff. And the

264
00:16:57,519 --> 00:17:03,279
act district was created to give kind of
I don't want to say a voice but to give

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00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:06,640
representation to legitimate
agricultural practices which just

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because someone's in the district I need
to be very clear about this. Putting

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county chooses who gets in right and
they make that determination again they

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00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:19,120
could include vacant parcels of land
they don't. Bless you. Um they don't.

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But if it's a farm operation that is not
a legitimate robust farm operation or

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00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:28,720
their particular a practice isn't
something the Agon market says is an a

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00:17:25,360 --> 00:17:31,679
practice they'll tell the town go at it
you know do what you want.

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» So just getting in the a district
doesn't even mean that when they go up

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to a market and say I need help
>> that they will get that help. They may

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say you're you're not enough. So the
benefit for a for a farmer for farm

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operations to get the support where
there can be that intergovernment

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00:17:46,559 --> 00:17:52,400
without having to pay a lawyer to then
go why are you guys doing this to me is

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00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:56,080
this allowed and to you know get kind of
pushed out economically from the area.

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00:17:54,559 --> 00:17:59,440
You know, I've asked that question so
many times when I was on the legislature

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and I think this is the first time I've
actually gotten an answer on I know this

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is why I'm here. I appreciate that was I
I asked that question over and over.

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00:18:04,799 --> 00:18:09,600
» Like why would you want to,
>> right? But now I understand

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» and most farmers have no idea. Like I'll
tell you the farm that I work with um

283
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they had no idea when they applied what
the act district was. They thought it

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was like a USDA stamp. I mean look who
we are now. I'm the chair of the

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district. Um but it was because nobody
could answer the question of what is the

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00:18:21,679 --> 00:18:26,480
benefit. it there is eminent domain
protections. Um so that's a big thing

287
00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:31,039
for farmers because they can get
squeezed out pretty quickly. Um there

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00:18:28,799 --> 00:18:36,000
are you know just standard things that
it again if it's uh threatens public

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00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:40,960
health or safety game over.
>> What about Well, and this is more this

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00:18:39,039 --> 00:18:44,160
is a discussion about a district in
total like don't think that all of these

291
00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:46,000
questions are aimed at you or you have
to answer.

292
00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:50,559
» Yeah. No, I'm just the a district person
that says stuff so it's fine. Um,

293
00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:54,320
» I have zoning unless you're if you're
switching topics, I want to ask her a

294
00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:56,960
question. If you're not switching, we're
good.

295
00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:59,840
» Um, what topic were [laughter]
>> Well, she was talking about the zoning

296
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protection. So, I just want to say go
ahead. I've got [clears throat]

297
00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:07,760
» um and and at the end I'm going to ask
you a question that you might not be

298
00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:13,120
comfortable answering, but but bear with
me. So, at a recent county ledge

299
00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:17,120
meeting, multiple legislators said
multiple times, and you said something

300
00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:21,679
similar, that, you know, town should
just enforce all their their zoning

301
00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:26,799
codes. Um,
some property owners feel like they have

302
00:19:23,919 --> 00:19:30,960
built-in protection. Um, we've spoken to
consultants and some have said, "Maybe

303
00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:37,200
you should back off on this, maybe you
shouldn't." Like

304
00:19:33,679 --> 00:19:42,080
it feels like what you're saying is if
we think our zoning codes are good, we

305
00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:44,799
should enforce them and let them follow
the mediation procedure.

306
00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:48,160
» Y that's
>> Now there's another bonus that I'll

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00:19:46,559 --> 00:19:52,559
share with you is there is a grant
program. I think it's about $25,000 that

308
00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:57,679
Agon Markets um offers to municipalities
as a review of your local zoning um to

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00:19:55,440 --> 00:20:01,200
see is it is it going to pass muster?
Are you going to be doing mediations

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00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:03,679
with a markets all the time? um you know
that's an option that you can do but

311
00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:07,280
it's something that's a grant everybody
loves grants right um and it gives you

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00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:09,840
an ability to get a fresh set of eyes of
like okay here is and they're not going

313
00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:13,919
to tell you you can or can't do this you
hire an independent consultant um and

314
00:20:12,418 --> 00:20:16,720
[music] it is you know you got go
through with agon markets and and

315
00:20:15,360 --> 00:20:19,120
they're familiar with that so they can
say here's where you're going to have

316
00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:23,200
problems down the road you can choose to
keep whatever you want when someone is

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00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:25,679
in the district that is a difference now
standardly there's certain protections I

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00:20:24,799 --> 00:20:29,120
know there's certain towns that have
right to farm code and laws and things

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00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:32,640
like that and that's great um you know
it's your choice to enforce what you

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00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:35,679
would like to. And if you say, "Okay,
they're in the a district." You have a

321
00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:38,640
little bit more backup when a land owner
goes, "Well, why are you not doing it to

322
00:20:37,039 --> 00:20:42,799
them or like, okay, because a legitimate
a practice based on, you know, the

323
00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:45,760
Clinton County Agricultural District,
that doesn't mean that you can't do that

324
00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:50,720
to a regular farm that's not in the egg
district." There's a lot of farms that

325
00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:54,080
refuse to apply. And I get it. um you
know

326
00:20:51,120 --> 00:21:00,640
» I have I so the mediation process though
and here's where my mind goes it really

327
00:20:56,240 --> 00:21:04,819
is up to their interpretation of what
our code is. So if they

328
00:21:03,039 --> 00:21:08,960
» and on the practice itself
[clears throat]

329
00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:14,720
» yeah so that that could I think that may
be where that shade of gray lies. It

330
00:21:11,679 --> 00:21:19,520
really is. So, it, you know, they feel
like, well, you know, all of these codes

331
00:21:17,360 --> 00:21:22,159
are unreasonable, then it really is a
free-for-all.

332
00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:24,720
» Well, welcome to courts and lawyers,
right? Everybody reads the law a little

333
00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:30,400
bit differently. Um,
>> you know, if it if it's a a a noise

334
00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:32,480
violation, they can interpret that.
Well, you know,

335
00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:33,919
» well, it depends because, and again, I
don't want to go down the wormhole

336
00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:36,559
there,
>> right? I don't want to go down noise

337
00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:39,280
that is, you know, if you're operating
your tractor after standard hours,

338
00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,679
things like that. There are certain
things that you can look up for

339
00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:45,200
standard, you know, like
>> that is something that is a 305A review.

340
00:21:43,919 --> 00:21:47,919
That's something that is gray and so you
know what you should ask a markets

341
00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:51,679
because they're going to be the ones
instead of the tow making that decision.

342
00:21:49,919 --> 00:21:57,919
» Well, I think I see it as you know
here's here's like noise, odor, um,

343
00:21:55,120 --> 00:22:03,120
property maintenance standards. I it's
I'm of the opinion that we should not

344
00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:08,159
care, look, research or even acknowledge
whether a property is a farm or not if

345
00:22:05,679 --> 00:22:12,720
they're not following our zoning codes.
We treat them the same as we would my

346
00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:16,080
house or any other house in town.
>> Say, let's say we write up a property

347
00:22:14,559 --> 00:22:19,679
for property maintenance. You know,
they're not doing the right thing. Let's

348
00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:24,000
say my house and the house next to me
property maintenance. They're in the a

349
00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:28,400
district. I'm not um
>> I think they were in the district should

350
00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:31,280
have to go to the a board and you know
mediate, right? That's that's

351
00:22:29,679 --> 00:22:35,039
» well so they would have to go to a and
markets to mediate, right? And that's

352
00:22:33,120 --> 00:22:40,320
the thing. So that's your choice. You
can choose to have them do that. it it

353
00:22:37,360 --> 00:22:45,679
would almost seem um uh unequal
enforcement if we looked at that

354
00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:50,559
property special and right that's and if
we if that property is special then it

355
00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:55,760
should be the neighbors should be
notified specifically like they would a

356
00:22:52,880 --> 00:23:00,320
fence or shed because those people um
>> are directly impacted by like a zoning

357
00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:03,679
you know change or anything like that
and you know let me give an example

358
00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:08,559
again this is discussion don't think
it's directed at you but Star Ridge

359
00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:12,320
We've asked the county to have a public
notice sent to neighbors as part of any

360
00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:16,720
other zoning application that we get. I
know it's not a zoning change. Um we did

361
00:23:15,039 --> 00:23:20,720
that our on our own because we were
getting complaints. There was a farm on

362
00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:23,600
Star Ridge and I watched the public
hearing and everything and that person I

363
00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:28,480
think they hired an attorney who came
and they read all this stuff against it.

364
00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:32,480
Um and I believe, don't quote me on
this, but the owner of the property got

365
00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:36,320
up and said, "Hey, I want to work with
you. I wish we're having this discussion

366
00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:42,080
on our back porch instead of right here
right now. And if what we had asked for

367
00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:44,240
a year ago to send that letter in May
happened, they could have had that

368
00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:47,200
discussion
>> and we're back to not my role and talk

369
00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,881
to legislator.
>> Right. Right. I'm venting and and I

370
00:23:48,799 --> 00:23:53,039
think this is something we have to
[snorts] go to the county with. But

371
00:23:51,120 --> 00:23:57,120
that's a perfect example where those
neighbors, you know, could have broken

372
00:23:55,039 --> 00:24:00,159
bread and and uh not had an issue and
had an understanding. So

373
00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:03,840
» and five minutes later they voted. So
they couldn't even have an opportunity

374
00:24:02,559 --> 00:24:06,799
to work through it.
>> And I think in a education program, so

375
00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:09,840
you know, we had gone back and forth and
had said our district again because we

376
00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:13,120
have that ability, you know, we're going
to bring it to the A board and see if

377
00:24:11,360 --> 00:24:15,919
they want to, you know, sign on to it as
well. Our district's doing it no matter

378
00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:18,640
what because what happens is nobody says
anything and then everybody's hair's on

379
00:24:17,279 --> 00:24:22,159
fire and everybody's mad at everybody.
So our district is going to put together

380
00:24:20,559 --> 00:24:26,640
an act district program which is for
municipalities, which is for land owners

381
00:24:24,559 --> 00:24:30,720
as well. And you know, hopefully we can
get we give them food, right? people

382
00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:34,000
will show up hopefully to be able to
kind of dispel a lot of you know when

383
00:24:32,559 --> 00:24:36,720
they see that notification they're not
like oh my god you know like what's

384
00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:39,360
going to happen they're not changing
what they're doing they're doing what

385
00:24:37,919 --> 00:24:42,320
they were doing yesterday and that's
what we're going to be evaluating them

386
00:24:40,799 --> 00:24:46,240
on into getting into the act district
>> well I I think it changes a bit there

387
00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:50,799
and like let me read something I'm not
going to say who it was but this was on

388
00:24:48,159 --> 00:24:56,000
this was out recently and it's from a
farm and it says the problem has been

389
00:24:53,919 --> 00:25:00,159
neighbors and town officials thinking
our farm activities are against town

390
00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:03,679
code when in fact they are protected by
the state a law.

391
00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:07,520
» I am not going to weigh in on this in
the least. Uh I will go back to a

392
00:25:05,679 --> 00:25:11,679
assessments uh and why taxes are
different because again I again I do not

393
00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:15,840
that is not my role. I know to stay in
my lane

394
00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:18,640
» right but my point is not only you know
throughout this whole conversation I'm

395
00:25:17,360 --> 00:25:21,200
on town board so a lot of that was
directed at me and I was fighting it

396
00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:26,000
sounded very much like that
>> that uh I don't understand it the towns

397
00:25:23,919 --> 00:25:29,440
don't understand it. I don't think the
farmers understand it and I know

398
00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:33,200
» I think everybody has a different
understanding because it's a it's a

399
00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:37,360
different way to read a law and I think
the majority point here is you know you

400
00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:41,039
guys want the legislature to put out a
notice that they're not required to do.

401
00:25:39,039 --> 00:25:43,600
They're like hey you guys do whatever
you would like to do.

402
00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:46,320
» There's got to be compromise for
everybody. Right.

403
00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:49,600
» Yeah. There's two things that and now we
have a better understanding and I'm

404
00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:53,520
strongly of the opinion I'll say this
you know on the record if I get in

405
00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:59,279
trouble whatever but we have to do equal
enforcement and um whether it's in the

406
00:25:56,960 --> 00:26:04,480
district or not and the properties in
the district they apply to the district

407
00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:07,679
so that they have mediation support so
that they can escalate it and say hey

408
00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:11,840
this is this is preventing me from doing
what I want to do is it or is it not

409
00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:16,159
unreasonable if it's unreasonable they
would come back to us and say hey

410
00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:18,880
they're allowed to do this and then know
we've done what we can do.

411
00:26:17,279 --> 00:26:21,520
» Yeah. And I I I think that's fine. I
think like that's why you can choose to

412
00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:25,360
do the grant where you look over your
zoning and say, "How many 305 reviews do

413
00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:28,000
we want in Southeast?" You know, you can
choose to see how much paperwork you

414
00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:32,400
want. But
>> the complaints that we get, I think, are

415
00:26:30,159 --> 00:26:36,559
reasonable. If if my neighbor came in,
put a farm in, and then had roosters all

416
00:26:35,120 --> 00:26:40,159
night running their tractor, you know,
in the middle of the morning, you know,

417
00:26:38,159 --> 00:26:45,200
creating a nuisance for me as a property
owner, I'd be upset. Yeah, that's that's

418
00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:48,960
my concern. All I will say is again that
is a question for a and markets but

419
00:26:47,039 --> 00:26:51,840
those sound like events are one thing
right

420
00:26:49,679 --> 00:26:55,919
» but animals and agriculture if they have
a legitimate farm practice that is the

421
00:26:53,919 --> 00:27:00,640
reason for the a district to go okay
what can we reasonably talk about so

422
00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:03,840
» before going down that full I feel the
this is one guy this is a different guy

423
00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:08,000
that emailed and all of the angst I do
get that but that is I am not weighing

424
00:27:05,679 --> 00:27:12,559
in on that I have learned this uh from
day one knowing it's not in my lane I'm

425
00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:16,240
not doing it I will gladly what I will
say is I'm not going to go ear muffs.

426
00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:19,760
I'm not talking about anything. If you
have specific questions, you can reach

427
00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:22,480
out to the district. We can then find
out, you know, and be the intermaria for

428
00:27:21,360 --> 00:27:26,720
you guys. If you guys don't want to
reach out to Agon Markets, um you don't

429
00:27:24,559 --> 00:27:30,240
have to wait till it gets to 305A review
where it's a legitimate specific thing.

430
00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:35,039
You can call Agon Markets, you can call
Agon Markets Council, you can reach out

431
00:27:32,799 --> 00:27:40,880
to either the A board or soil and water
district and then we can reach out for

432
00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:44,799
you. Yeah, I I think the burden of uh
fighting it shouldn't be on the town,

433
00:27:43,039 --> 00:27:46,720
but um but anyway, that that's
>> But here we are, right?

434
00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:50,720
» Here we are.
>> Yeah. I you know, that's I I mean, we

435
00:27:49,039 --> 00:27:57,600
shouldn't have to do research to say hm
do we want to write up this violation or

436
00:27:53,440 --> 00:28:00,240
not based on its um um designation
um

437
00:27:57,919 --> 00:28:03,520
» on a assessment versus the other because
I will say some people think that people

438
00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:06,880
get into the A district because they
know of these protections. Half the

439
00:28:05,120 --> 00:28:09,520
people don't. Half the people don't.
Then everyone makes such a big deal of

440
00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:14,480
it. They're like, "Oh my god, I got
predictions." Um,

441
00:28:10,799 --> 00:28:19,919
» we had a property recently in town
um that got written up because they were

442
00:28:17,279 --> 00:28:21,919
they were farming had all this
>> they weren't within the town codes. I'll

443
00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:25,279
say that.
>> We are doing a specific thing again and

444
00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:28,640
I'm trying to get to taxes.
>> Oh, I'm sorry. What? I'm trying to not

445
00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:31,520
do the specific items because I
>> I thought you said that people um go get

446
00:28:30,799 --> 00:28:34,880
into it because
>> I said not all people go into the

447
00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:38,480
district even knowing what the district
is. So I wanted to clarify that there's

448
00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:43,120
a a conception that everyone who applies
to the district knows what the district

449
00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:47,039
is. Sometimes it's just I'm USDA. I
signed up with Cornell a district seems

450
00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:50,480
like the bonafites for my farm. Well,
what I was saying is in this town there

451
00:28:48,799 --> 00:28:54,880
have been people that got in trouble and
then they applied to the a district so

452
00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:58,159
they could do what they wanted to do and
not abide by our zoning

453
00:28:56,240 --> 00:29:00,480
» and then they'll take up a 305A review
of a markets and everything will sort

454
00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:04,159
itself out.
>> Um and that's again so just because

455
00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:07,919
you're in the a district does not mean
that a markets will protect every

456
00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:11,360
activity, every event, every sound,
every noise, every everything. But there

457
00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:15,440
are going to be certain things for
legitimate farming of, you know, hours

458
00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:19,679
of operation because, you know, farmers
have to farm a lot more and do a lot

459
00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:23,360
more longer work hours than the rest of
us. So, a assessment because I'm going

460
00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:28,399
to get out of this wormhole you're
putting me in. Um, a assessment versus

461
00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:32,000
the A district, completely unrelated.
You can be in the A district and never

462
00:29:29,919 --> 00:29:36,960
get a tax benefit. You can get a tax
benefit and never be in the A district.

463
00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:42,000
And it happens a lot. Um there is a
monetary threshold to be to get an a

464
00:29:40,159 --> 00:29:45,679
assessment in the state. There's a
monetary threshold. There's a minimum

465
00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:48,960
horse uh number that varies from
breeding to uh boarding to everything

466
00:29:47,679 --> 00:29:52,640
else. So I'm not going to go into that.
I'll let your tax person do that.

467
00:29:50,790 --> 00:29:56,640
[snorts] Um but there that is a
assessment. There is a minimum threshold

468
00:29:54,399 --> 00:29:59,520
of you know commercial uh sales you have
to have. [snorts] Um now again that

469
00:29:58,399 --> 00:30:02,720
doesn't mean you have to sell them all
on site. You could be selling to another

470
00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:08,000
farm. You you know breed livestock and
you sell them to other farms. So that is

471
00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:11,440
a specific thing that it gets uh the
soil district soil water conservation

472
00:30:09,919 --> 00:30:16,080
district creates your soil group
worksheet which then is what your um a

473
00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:20,720
assessment which is actually an
exemption. It's a reduction on your

474
00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:24,240
taxes is based upon u but again there is
a monetary threshold to get into the a

475
00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:27,360
district. There's not a monetary
threshold. Again we said it could be a

476
00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:31,200
vacant parcel of land. Putnham County
chooses not to do that. Putnham County

477
00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:35,679
wants to see that you are a you're
moving to a farm even if you're in your

478
00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:39,520
beginning phases that you have a plan.
Again, not necessary, but that's what

479
00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:43,679
Putnham County does. And it keeps it to
its very much just farms. So, totally

480
00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:46,720
different programs. And again, half the
people that even get into the A district

481
00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:53,279
don't even know what an a assessment is.
Um, so the A district gives farmers also

482
00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:55,919
a resource where I can go pull up the A
district list and this is who we're

483
00:30:54,559 --> 00:30:58,960
going to reach out to for, you know,
conservation, for technical assistance,

484
00:30:57,520 --> 00:31:03,360
for things like that. It's an easy grab
as a data point. Find every farm in the

485
00:31:01,679 --> 00:31:08,000
county. I mean, good luck,
>> you know. Um, so there are benefits to

486
00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:12,559
it in that different way and it also
impacts funding from the state. So the

487
00:31:10,799 --> 00:31:16,080
more farms that you know we enroll in an
agriculture environment management

488
00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:19,360
program. Again I pick a district parcels
first because I know that they're there

489
00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:22,960
then we go down the list. But that also
impacts state funding for conservation

490
00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:26,399
for environmental concerns. You know
everybody has concerns about you know

491
00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:29,279
agricultural practices and runoff and
things like that. And that's why there's

492
00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:34,480
groups like the district that's why
there's groups like uh east of Hudson

493
00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:37,600
watershed a council um funded by D to
make sure those things are mitigated and

494
00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:41,600
they're done in a way where it's not
regulatory. Uh so wonder district is not

495
00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:47,519
a regulatory body um and neither is
whack. It is because it is easier to

496
00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:52,320
incentivize uh cooperation than it is to
penalize it. Um that was the the purpose

497
00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:55,840
of our two bodies. And then again the a
board is just advisory. So when they

498
00:31:53,919 --> 00:31:59,840
don't answer you it's not cuz they don't
want to. Um but there's you know they

499
00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:04,080
are volunteers appointed to just be
advisory.

500
00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:06,559
» Peter did you thank you for coming
answering our questions.

501
00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:13,480
» Yes. Thank you very much. Thank you.
Peter, did you have a

502
00:32:09,679 --> 00:32:13,480
» Oh, okay.

503
00:32:13,679 --> 00:32:20,399
» And if anyone wants to make comment,
there's the the other three of you.

504
00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:23,919
» He's here every time that I [laughter]
feel so bad.

505
00:32:21,919 --> 00:32:26,720
» Uh, I'm Peter Bell. I'm the zoning
enforcement officer.

506
00:32:25,519 --> 00:32:31,760
» I rate the tickets.
>> Oh, good for you. [laughter]

507
00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:37,840
» So, here is my question. Is there a
procedure or could we put together a

508
00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:44,720
procedure for the zoning officer in our
town to email you, call you,

509
00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:51,600
show you something that's happening
within an a district property and get

510
00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:58,240
your opinion as to whether or not that
is an a district event.

511
00:32:55,840 --> 00:33:02,399
» What I would say is uh I would never
win. Yes, you can email us and we will

512
00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:05,840
get you the answer from the appropriate
authority and then provide it to you.

513
00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:07,919
Like we can do that so you're not having
to send extra emails. We have no problem

514
00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:13,120
doing that.
>> All right. The reason being is cuz if I

515
00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:16,399
go directly to a violation or a ticket,
>> then it's between the town and

516
00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:19,679
» the farmer.
>> Yep.

517
00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:24,240
» If I can get an opinion from you
>> saying, "Okay, listen. I've already gone

518
00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:29,120
to the egg board,
>> gotten their opinion, and this is what

519
00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:30,960
you're doing wrong." And you can't do
this.

520
00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:34,320
» Yeah, you could reach out to the soil
and water district or you could reach

521
00:33:32,559 --> 00:33:37,519
out directly. I can provide the contact
information for the person at Agon

522
00:33:35,919 --> 00:33:41,840
Markets who will off the cuff on a phone
call tell you um you know a generalized

523
00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:45,279
opinion. I can't tell you the amount of
times that I will call up and I go,

524
00:33:43,519 --> 00:33:48,960
"Hey, here's what's going on. What do
you think?" And they're like, "Needs to

525
00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:51,679
ripen." I hate that phrase. I hate that
phrase because then none of us know what

526
00:33:50,159 --> 00:33:55,519
we're doing until it ripens where
everybody's mad, right?

527
00:33:52,960 --> 00:34:00,080
» Um but it is something that I have
learned how to navigate through. Let it

528
00:33:57,279 --> 00:34:03,760
ripen to what will it ripen to? Um, so
we're happy to do that.

529
00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:09,040
» Okay. Because I I haven't even discussed
this with the board or my boss,

530
00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:11,919
» but it would make it a lot easier if I
knew that I'm going in by with strength.

531
00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:16,079
» Yeah.
>> Rather than fight for no reason. Yeah.

532
00:34:14,639 --> 00:34:21,679
» Correct.
>> It does make me nervous and we we could

533
00:34:18,240 --> 00:34:25,440
talk about that. Um, but everything I've
read, all the discussions that we've had

534
00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:30,800
and appreciate the cander and everything
has been they have no protections. So I

535
00:34:28,639 --> 00:34:35,440
think we need to enforce say that
>> what in black and white there.

536
00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:38,480
» No can everything could potentially go
to mediation.

537
00:34:36,079 --> 00:34:43,839
» Everything can go to mediation 100%. But
there's no automatic protections

538
00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:46,800
» and and thus I'm wrong and then we so we
need to enforce that. They get an NOV

539
00:34:45,839 --> 00:34:51,679
and they come and say, "Hey, we're
allowed to do this because XYZ." Then we

540
00:34:49,760 --> 00:34:55,280
assess it at that point. But I don't
think that we can drive down the road

541
00:34:53,119 --> 00:34:59,760
and say, "Oh, is this property in here?"
Because we know there's unless I'm

542
00:34:57,359 --> 00:35:04,880
unless I've read this wrong. It says,
um, there's no automatic protections.

543
00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:10,320
Agricultural inclusion can limit a
municipalities to ability to force local

544
00:35:07,119 --> 00:35:14,320
laws and regulations. Um, but there's no
automatic approvals. I don't think we

545
00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:17,359
could take that in consideration if
we're writing a violation.

546
00:35:15,359 --> 00:35:19,440
» What I'm trying to say is if somebody's
putting up a fence,

547
00:35:18,720 --> 00:35:21,280
» yep,
>> they need to get a permit.

548
00:35:20,560 --> 00:35:26,400
» Yeah.
>> If somebody is putting up a barn on an

549
00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:29,040
egg district, they do not need a permit.
>> Am I correct?

550
00:35:27,359 --> 00:35:32,160
» Oo, don't quote me this. What I tell
everyone is you go to your building

551
00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:35,440
department and you find out. Now, there
are certain allowances [clears throat]

552
00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:41,920
in fire and safety code if
people if you're putting up a shed on

553
00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:42,720
your property, we require a permit for
it.

554
00:35:42,320 --> 00:35:50,079
» Right?
>> What I'm saying is if there is something

555
00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:56,560
that is going on in a farm that we
consider not necessarily farmbbased.

556
00:35:54,720 --> 00:36:01,359
That's what I need an opinion on.
>> Yeah. Again, my my thought is people get

557
00:35:59,119 --> 00:36:04,880
scared of the word violation. All it is
is a letter that says, "Hey, we think

558
00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:07,680
you're not in compliance with this code.
Get 30 days." Right?

559
00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:11,280
» Well, I think they get really mad, too.
>> Well, you know, so that's up to you guys

560
00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:16,480
to govern your time as you see fit.
>> But it's a it's it's like, "Hey, 30

561
00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:19,359
days." And and that person can call and
then there's a documentation of it and

562
00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:23,760
say, "Hey, this is I I can do this
because of X Y and Z." Or you call the A

563
00:36:21,599 --> 00:36:26,560
board, reach out to the A board, and
they give some communication.

564
00:36:25,359 --> 00:36:28,000
» Don't reach out to the eye board. They
will never give you

565
00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:33,119
» soil and water.
>> Yes. Um, but then we have a paper trail.

566
00:36:31,200 --> 00:36:36,560
So when you know when you're gone or I'm
gone and the neighbor moves and they

567
00:36:34,720 --> 00:36:39,760
say, "Hey, what's going on here?" you
foil it and say, "Oh, this this was

568
00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:43,599
already addressed." And they're allowed
to do it. Um, but we could talk about

569
00:36:41,920 --> 00:36:48,400
the process. And I'm not trying to like
hurt farms at all, but we get

570
00:36:45,599 --> 00:36:52,720
complaints. How do we treat it? And what
I've learned now is we treat it the way

571
00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:57,119
we would any other property, but that
property owner gets the benefit of

572
00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:59,280
having resources to support them for
free.

573
00:36:58,079 --> 00:37:02,560
Yeah,
>> entirely up to you guys [clears throat]

574
00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:07,920
as a town board as elected people that
deal with all the complaints all the

575
00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:11,839
time. Um, in my experience is just uh
headed off with the past before you get

576
00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:15,359
to larger things. Everybody's more mad
and everybody's cranky and everybody's

577
00:37:13,520 --> 00:37:18,480
fighting and writing Facebook posts and
all that stuff. Yeah.

578
00:37:16,240 --> 00:37:21,200
» Right. Like I'm just here to say if you
would like a resource, if you would like

579
00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:23,520
a resource, anybody wants a resource and
wants an informal phone call and says,

580
00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:27,599
"Hey,
>> is this legit? Is it not legit?" I'm

581
00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:30,240
100% going to say, "Let me make a call."
I'm never going to give you an answer

582
00:37:28,720 --> 00:37:33,760
right off the bat unless it's something
wild, right? And I know it's completely

583
00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:37,920
nothing to do with farming, which you
know, then he would know and he wouldn't

584
00:37:35,119 --> 00:37:41,680
call, right? Um, so the resources there,
if you want it, you guys choose to do

585
00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:44,960
what you want. We've just found again
speaking to farmers, they get violation.

586
00:37:43,599 --> 00:37:48,480
Regular landowner gets a violation.
They're like panic. I'm going to prison,

587
00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:52,560
you know, and they're worried about it.
>> Um, so if there's any way, again, you

588
00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:57,280
can reach out before it gets to a formal
305A. can ask for an opinion in writing.

589
00:37:55,520 --> 00:38:00,400
So, you can put in your foil record, you
could write an email, you can make a

590
00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:04,000
phone call, or if you want to do none of
the above, we're you're happy to call us

591
00:38:02,240 --> 00:38:06,240
and we're okay with that.
>> Can I just ask a couple more questions?

592
00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:09,599
I'm sorry. Um,
>> sure. I'm so sorry. That guy in the

593
00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:14,880
back, I never remember your name.
>> Scott loves sits here for hours. He's

594
00:38:13,359 --> 00:38:18,000
like, it's going to be an hour. So, you
>> got a question. [laughter]

595
00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:21,760
» You if you guys want to ask a question,
we're trying to do that more. So, but

596
00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:27,839
» you could choose to leave.
>> I'm fine. No. [laughter] This is short.

597
00:38:25,119 --> 00:38:32,560
» Uh, couple questions I did have. Um, so
the legislature, we have to reach out to

598
00:38:29,599 --> 00:38:36,640
them to ask for mailings similar fashion
when we have a zoning board application

599
00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:41,040
where that applicant has to tell his
neighbors, "This is what I'm doing."

600
00:38:38,480 --> 00:38:44,240
We'd love to see uh the applicants into
the act district do that, but that's

601
00:38:43,040 --> 00:38:47,920
something that we could push on the
legislature. Has nothing to do with you

602
00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:50,720
guys. So I want to
>> and that went back and forth with

603
00:38:49,040 --> 00:38:53,599
legislative council already
>> and a markets council but God bless you

604
00:38:52,560 --> 00:38:57,040
do anything you would like.
>> I would love to see that happen. I don't

605
00:38:54,880 --> 00:39:01,359
know why it hasn't happened yet and
>> and I was on the legislature for 12

606
00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:02,960
years but it it never got to this point
until just recently.

607
00:39:02,400 --> 00:39:06,320
» I know
>> it just the last few years it's it just

608
00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:10,720
got heated. But one of the things that
used to always happen on the legislature

609
00:39:08,720 --> 00:39:15,119
and I always assumed it was a rule
because that's what I was told but I

610
00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:20,640
don't think it was is if a property has
outstanding violations or an open permit

611
00:39:18,160 --> 00:39:24,079
that couldn't go into the a district but
that was never a rule apparently

612
00:39:22,079 --> 00:39:27,280
» because it's not there there was a
long-standing and I from my

613
00:39:25,760 --> 00:39:31,520
understanding of what I've been told it
was it was a mechanism that was used to

614
00:39:29,599 --> 00:39:36,000
uh prohibit really bad actors back in
the day. Um I mean kind of a silly thing

615
00:39:34,079 --> 00:39:41,119
to do cuz you could just you know use
any of the other reasons uh of why that

616
00:39:38,560 --> 00:39:45,280
was a not great agricultural parcel. Uh
but they chose that that is something

617
00:39:43,599 --> 00:39:48,160
that you know the state has even gone on
to be like it's a little overburdensome

618
00:39:46,720 --> 00:39:52,320
where again if it's something completely
unrelated so we kept in there where if

619
00:39:49,760 --> 00:39:55,200
it's environmental degradation if it is
um you know something that's a

620
00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:59,440
long-standing administrative thing say
you didn't close at a permit on your

621
00:39:57,040 --> 00:40:02,800
your back stair or you know the building
inspector hadn't come out and done

622
00:40:00,800 --> 00:40:08,400
something it can't be a prohibitor but
it is taken into consideration. Um, so

623
00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:12,079
it's not to say you can do anything you
want, do whatever, but if the the A

624
00:40:10,079 --> 00:40:16,880
district isn't a change of use,
>> it's literally giving a um, you know,

625
00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:20,800
supportive county and state program to a
parcel. So that's why, you know, to my

626
00:40:18,880 --> 00:40:23,200
understanding, it was you're not
changing a use, you're not going for

627
00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:26,079
building permit because if you go for
building permit, you have open stuff,

628
00:40:24,480 --> 00:40:30,880
you can't get one, right?
>> There has been such a convolution on

629
00:40:28,079 --> 00:40:34,720
planning, site plan approval, variances,
things like that. And that is not the A

630
00:40:32,480 --> 00:40:37,680
district. the act district. It's just
you get some extra help maybe sometimes.

631
00:40:37,119 --> 00:40:41,839
Um
>> I always looked at it as you can't sell

632
00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:43,760
the property because you know you
haven't

633
00:40:42,320 --> 00:40:46,640
» that's a change of ownership.
>> That's a change of ownership. But I kind

634
00:40:45,119 --> 00:40:49,359
of feel like this is well
>> and that was the thing. It was change of

635
00:40:47,680 --> 00:40:53,440
use, change of ownership. This was none
of the above. Um but that and I get that

636
00:40:51,680 --> 00:40:55,920
that abrupt change would be like whoa.
Now it said if there was something that

637
00:40:54,560 --> 00:40:58,720
was 30 days prior that was something
that was environmental or things like

638
00:40:57,200 --> 00:41:01,680
that cuz that's why I think in the
beginning they originally put it in.

639
00:40:59,599 --> 00:41:04,640
There was lots of dumping and just crazy
stuff back in the day cuz nobody knew

640
00:41:03,359 --> 00:41:09,280
what the act district was.
>> Okay. Um and the last question very

641
00:41:07,119 --> 00:41:13,280
vague agro tourism
>> h completely

642
00:41:10,240 --> 00:41:18,960
» that is very uh very vague question. It
really depends. Um that is a very very

643
00:41:15,760 --> 00:41:22,800
nuanced thing. Um again agon markets uh
specifically and that's why they are

644
00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:27,599
your resource. We could be a resource to
go to them. It is literally case- by

645
00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:32,480
case basis. Like if you breed livestock
and you're uh socializing animals and

646
00:41:30,400 --> 00:41:37,119
that is part of what you do in order to
sell them, that is something that is

647
00:41:34,640 --> 00:41:39,839
protected. If you're just doing it for,
you know, hahas and there's different

648
00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:45,200
things and it's not really your farm
products. It's not necessary to your

649
00:41:41,520 --> 00:41:48,079
agricultural business. Different.
>> Okay.

650
00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:50,640
» I have one more question. I am so sorry.
>> No, you're good. I'm going to give you a

651
00:41:49,599 --> 00:41:54,079
a hypothetical.
>> Oh, good.

652
00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:59,520
I'm going to try I'm going to try not to
be specific, but I'm I'm more concerned

653
00:41:56,720 --> 00:42:04,800
about neighboring residents and their
protection. Um I understand all you know

654
00:42:02,880 --> 00:42:08,640
there's a shade of gray here, right? You
know, we're not going to give a a

655
00:42:06,800 --> 00:42:16,000
violation to somebody who's farming at
5:00 a.m. because it violates, you know,

656
00:42:11,680 --> 00:42:22,319
a noise code or whatever. Um,
if I want to put a shed for my animal or

657
00:42:19,599 --> 00:42:26,480
my animals right on my neighbor's
property line or right next to my

658
00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:34,319
neighbor's property line and that say
hypothetical Peter fits

659
00:42:29,760 --> 00:42:39,040
the a district rules or whatever,
>> how much protection does that neighbor

660
00:42:36,480 --> 00:42:44,800
have? that resident,
>> do they get to speak in the 305A review

661
00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:48,160
or do they have any
>> Yeah.

662
00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:52,079
» protections? Absolutely. Or if they were
to go to this, do can we encourage them

663
00:42:51,040 --> 00:42:54,160
to
>> be vocal?

664
00:42:52,880 --> 00:42:57,839
» They will be involved. So, if there's a
305 review, let's say on sound, I'm just

665
00:42:56,480 --> 00:43:00,240
going to say sound. I'm not going to
dedicate.

666
00:42:58,960 --> 00:43:04,160
» I'm speaking pure hypothetical.
hypothetically on sound. Um what would

667
00:43:02,560 --> 00:43:07,280
happen is then they would talk to the
land owner they would talk to uh the

668
00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:09,839
town board they would talk to any
neighbors who had those complaints

669
00:43:08,800 --> 00:43:13,520
» express concerns
>> and then they will take the full-fledged

670
00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:16,240
they will go out on site and say hey
what's going on honestly with setbacks

671
00:43:15,040 --> 00:43:21,920
and things like that I think he knows it
and there's certain things um but

672
00:43:19,520 --> 00:43:25,040
» again I think 305A is there right and
it's there for a properties you farms

673
00:43:23,839 --> 00:43:30,079
aren't in the district I'm sure he
complains about those right so I think I

674
00:43:27,839 --> 00:43:34,640
mean the better practice that I try to
you know go by every day be a better

675
00:43:31,920 --> 00:43:38,000
neighbor. um where you know to his point
is if you say hey this is something that

676
00:43:36,240 --> 00:43:40,800
has come up is there a way we can kind
of work together can you do something a

677
00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:45,520
little different maybe you know don't do
this just because they the actists you

678
00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:49,680
know with tractors let's say at certain
hours of the morning I guarantee you if

679
00:43:47,359 --> 00:43:52,640
you kindly go talk to a farmer you send
this nice man and say hey neighbors are

680
00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:54,800
coming mad can you start a little bit
later they're probably not going to give

681
00:43:53,520 --> 00:43:58,800
you a hard time you send them a
violation in the mail they're probably

682
00:43:55,920 --> 00:44:02,079
going to get for an attitude um so again
like there are there are protections for

683
00:44:00,560 --> 00:44:08,560
everybody but it's it's giving that
balance lands. So you can still survive

684
00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:12,720
in a a county that's made of rock,
frankly, right? Um so it's already hard

685
00:44:10,319 --> 00:44:16,319
for agriculture, but it gives them an
ability to, you know, sustain when there

686
00:44:14,640 --> 00:44:19,440
is uh surrounding pressures and
development, which I mean is is us.

687
00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:23,440
We're right outside of Westchester. It's
creeping in. Um so keeping that open

688
00:44:21,760 --> 00:44:26,400
space and open land, but not with a
disregard for neighbors. So 305A would

689
00:44:25,599 --> 00:44:28,000
include neighbors.
>> Okay.

690
00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:31,680
» Um everybody's got
>> want to make sure that they do have some

691
00:44:29,599 --> 00:44:34,640
protection and that they do have a say.
Yeah, because if it's somebody who's

692
00:44:32,880 --> 00:44:38,079
just like just flagrantly just being a
rude person, they're not going to go,

693
00:44:36,319 --> 00:44:40,640
"Oh, yeah, because you're a farm, you
get to do it." They're like, "All right,

694
00:44:39,440 --> 00:44:43,040
can you be more reasonable?" And they're
like, "Okay." And they go to the town,

695
00:44:41,680 --> 00:44:48,960
"Can you be more reasonable?" They go to
the neighbor and suddenly everybody's

696
00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:53,200
fine. Um there's only 11 times in all of
a district history that a markets issued

697
00:44:51,760 --> 00:44:57,040
an order because nobody would work
together. And that's, you know, since

698
00:44:54,880 --> 00:44:59,200
the 90s, so it's a good track record, I
think.

699
00:44:57,839 --> 00:45:01,440
» Okay. Thank you.
>> Thank you so much. Scott, did you have a

700
00:45:00,880 --> 00:45:04,880
question?
>> I got one more question.

701
00:45:02,720 --> 00:45:10,160
» Oh jeez, I'm so sorry. She's never
coming back. [laughter]

702
00:45:07,680 --> 00:45:16,880
» 2 hours.
>> Is there any difference in Agon Markets

703
00:45:13,760 --> 00:45:23,119
and in your organization
if it's a residential if it's a farm in

704
00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:28,240
a residential area zoning
>> or commercial zoning?

705
00:45:25,680 --> 00:45:34,000
» Uh on practice for us, we don't look at
zoning. You don't you don't care which

706
00:45:30,319 --> 00:45:41,839
one it is because with the town we have
different zoning codes and different

707
00:45:37,920 --> 00:45:44,319
um town codes for a residential district
than we do for commercial district.

708
00:45:43,040 --> 00:45:48,560
» I know like in certain towns there's
like a residential R4 zoning that

709
00:45:46,319 --> 00:45:52,560
includes farming, right? Um and it
includes small and large farms. So your

710
00:45:50,720 --> 00:45:55,599
your zoning still applies. I mean if
somebody goes to buy a parcel I would

711
00:45:54,000 --> 00:46:00,720
hope when they want to start a farm
they're like let me make sure I can this

712
00:45:57,280 --> 00:46:06,480
year. Well, it's more of a case of I
feel in my opinion that a farm in a

713
00:46:04,160 --> 00:46:10,560
commercial zone can do more things than
a farm in a residential zone.

714
00:46:08,640 --> 00:46:15,119
» Catch 22 though because a commercial
zone is generally somewhere where it

715
00:46:12,079 --> 00:46:18,560
isn't vast open swamps of open land,
right? And that's that's where the

716
00:46:16,720 --> 00:46:22,160
zoning thing kind of gets confusing
where it's you do your zoning to have

717
00:46:20,480 --> 00:46:26,720
uniformity and to have where it's not
just chaos like industrial building here

718
00:46:24,079 --> 00:46:30,960
and then you know tiny things there. It
is a commercial, you know, operation,

719
00:46:29,200 --> 00:46:34,000
but it's not, you wouldn't want it in
the middle of, you know, the city of

720
00:46:32,400 --> 00:46:38,160
White Plains, you know, in the middle of
the downtown. You want it in a more

721
00:46:36,319 --> 00:46:41,599
residential, suburban, urban zoning, but
your zoning is your zoning. Okay.

722
00:46:39,760 --> 00:46:44,640
» Um, and again, I think that grant I'll
definitely send you guys the

723
00:46:42,480 --> 00:46:47,920
information. It's a grant. You could do
it and then you can say, "Well, I don't

724
00:46:46,400 --> 00:46:53,680
agree with it." Throw it in the garbage.
Are you saying that um like it would be

725
00:46:50,400 --> 00:46:58,960
in our best interest to uh get this
grant, use it to adjust our code, put

726
00:46:56,240 --> 00:47:00,960
some provisions specific to farming that
are reasonable.

727
00:46:59,760 --> 00:47:04,240
» Adjust your code, but make it so that
you're not having a bunch of 305A

728
00:47:02,480 --> 00:47:08,000
reviews. You can kind of go through that
now and go, what are you guys

729
00:47:05,599 --> 00:47:12,079
comfortable with? What are you not? And
that way he doesn't have to call me as

730
00:47:09,680 --> 00:47:15,280
much. No offense, you can. Um, but
you're kind of heading off at the past

731
00:47:13,520 --> 00:47:18,960
and then you know right then when you go
through your whole zoning code, this is

732
00:47:17,520 --> 00:47:21,280
where we're going to get push back in an
a district parcel from the state and

733
00:47:20,560 --> 00:47:25,359
this is why.
>> Yeah. I'm wondering if if that's a good

734
00:47:23,440 --> 00:47:29,200
practice so we could say, hey, you can
farm and do these things, but you can't

735
00:47:27,040 --> 00:47:33,359
do these things. So it overall it's less
restrictive and there's better um

736
00:47:32,960 --> 00:47:37,599
» Yeah.
>> Yeah.

737
00:47:35,520 --> 00:47:39,119
» more teeth in certain things. Yeah.
>> But anyway, we can

738
00:47:38,720 --> 00:47:42,319
» Okay.
>> So, I'll definitely I'll send you guys

739
00:47:40,240 --> 00:47:47,040
the information on that because that is
something that no towns know about. Um I

740
00:47:45,119 --> 00:47:49,599
told PT Valley last year uh their new
town supervisor is going to be, you

741
00:47:48,400 --> 00:47:52,960
know, moving forward with that and the
grant is a grant. It's I think the match

742
00:47:50,880 --> 00:47:57,319
is in kind services. So, um something
that's super easy.

743
00:47:54,160 --> 00:47:57,319
» Thank you.

744
00:47:59,119 --> 00:48:03,680
» Yeah, it's been two or three years. I
remember bumping into her and I think it

745
00:48:02,240 --> 00:48:07,119
was Town of Patterson. She was there
with the farm. you were representing

746
00:48:05,599 --> 00:48:09,280
them when this first came up and that
was the very first time I heard about a

747
00:48:08,720 --> 00:48:12,960
districts.
>> Long way to go, huh?

748
00:48:10,480 --> 00:48:17,599
» Exactly. You're you're a prize has been
incredible, shall we say? Um I've been

749
00:48:15,920 --> 00:48:21,040
county meetings. I could just say this
is the best definition of agis I've ever

750
00:48:19,760 --> 00:48:23,040
heard anywhere.
>> Thank you.

751
00:48:21,440 --> 00:48:27,040
» So thank you for that. I mean the
clarification here and I think that farm

752
00:48:25,200 --> 00:48:29,440
at the time is their main reason was
going district was that's what Cornell

753
00:48:28,800 --> 00:48:32,160
told them to do.
>> Literally USDA.

754
00:48:30,800 --> 00:48:34,559
» They came up here learned to farm.
Cornell said hey this is how you farm.

755
00:48:33,440 --> 00:48:37,520
this is what you do and this is what you
do next. So they went to the a district

756
00:48:36,480 --> 00:48:41,599
and next thing you know they're standing
in front of the town of Patterson

757
00:48:38,880 --> 00:48:44,800
fighting with the board on a district.
So that's thank you for the information.

758
00:48:44,240 --> 00:48:49,280
It was nice.
>> Yeah. Second that this is you know lots

759
00:48:46,960 --> 00:48:51,040
of emails back and forth. It's very nice
for you to come and

760
00:48:50,559 --> 00:48:56,240
» No problem.
>> Provide some more clarity I think.

761
00:48:53,440 --> 00:49:00,160
» Am I [laughter]
kidding? Um Lynn Ehart, thank you for

762
00:48:58,400 --> 00:49:05,680
letting us ask. I only have one and I
think it'll be quick. is next year.

763
00:49:03,680 --> 00:49:10,800
» No, it's not. [laughter]
I answer those in my own head at home

764
00:49:07,599 --> 00:49:14,960
all the time. Um, next year is the full
review of all the districts. Can you

765
00:49:12,640 --> 00:49:19,839
explain how that works, please?
>> Oh god, I can explain how it is supposed

766
00:49:17,359 --> 00:49:24,559
to work. Um, I can explain uh 8 years
ago was the last time it happened. And

767
00:49:21,359 --> 00:49:28,319
so, you know, we'll see. Um the way that
Agon markets we just had a training in

768
00:49:26,160 --> 00:49:30,400
March where we're going to do more um
we're going to do some during the day

769
00:49:29,280 --> 00:49:34,720
and some in the evening so that
residents and people can come if they

770
00:49:32,000 --> 00:49:37,599
want to. Um the 8-year review is really
looking at um because it's the same

771
00:49:36,160 --> 00:49:41,359
thing that the two basic criteria is it
does it um add to the viability of

772
00:49:39,760 --> 00:49:44,480
agriculture in the county and is it in
the best in the public interest of the

773
00:49:42,880 --> 00:49:47,520
county. Those are the two main things to
get into the district. That's why it's

774
00:49:46,000 --> 00:49:53,680
so open and big. Putnham County has
narrowed it to farms. Um it is a review

775
00:49:50,480 --> 00:49:57,440
to see what parcels have turned into
non-farmms, right? because there's no

776
00:49:55,760 --> 00:50:02,960
reason to have let's say something that
used to be a farm today is now uh you

777
00:50:00,400 --> 00:50:07,040
know fivetory building uh in a you know
commercial zoning area like then you

778
00:50:04,559 --> 00:50:11,359
wouldn't need that in um so the way that
the a board has discussed it the way it

779
00:50:08,880 --> 00:50:17,440
has been done all years in the past for
all of the time since 2003 was a mailing

780
00:50:14,400 --> 00:50:22,640
um a mailing or contact goes out to the
a uh district uh parcels saying if you

781
00:50:20,480 --> 00:50:27,040
would like to be removed um please let
us know and then the a ward along with

782
00:50:25,440 --> 00:50:30,000
planning um and I think soil and water
will be doing that as well this year.

783
00:50:28,319 --> 00:50:33,760
Looks at kind of aerials and goes is
this still a farm is it not a farm and

784
00:50:31,920 --> 00:50:37,839
reaches out to land owners from there.
It is not a we go picking them all out.

785
00:50:35,760 --> 00:50:41,119
Um if you see any agon markets training
they show you this like little slope

786
00:50:39,280 --> 00:50:47,200
that has a tractor and it's just driving
downhill because the loss of farming and

787
00:50:44,079 --> 00:50:49,920
farmland in New York State is wild. I
mean it's more expensive to do

788
00:50:48,400 --> 00:50:52,319
everything here every day. Imagine you
have to put diesel in all of your

789
00:50:51,200 --> 00:50:56,720
tractors and everything else. It's just
it's abhorrent. Um, so it's not a

790
00:50:55,119 --> 00:51:00,800
pulling out of properties, but it's
looking at the properties. Uh, I think

791
00:50:58,160 --> 00:51:03,920
there's two years ago there's 157. I
want to say there's about 180 parcels in

792
00:51:02,559 --> 00:51:08,160
the district right now roughly. Do not
quote me on that exact number, but um,

793
00:51:06,240 --> 00:51:12,319
that is specifically going through and
saying um, you know, Tilly Foster Farm

794
00:51:11,119 --> 00:51:14,800
is in the A district. I always thought
that was a little bit redundant, but

795
00:51:13,520 --> 00:51:19,200
great. You know, the county doesn't need
protection from itself. Um, but looking

796
00:51:17,599 --> 00:51:21,680
at the different parcels and again some
of them are open space, some of them

797
00:51:20,480 --> 00:51:24,640
are, you know, some religious
institutions where it's it's open space

798
00:51:23,359 --> 00:51:27,920
and it protects it and I think that's
fine. They're never going to have a

799
00:51:25,760 --> 00:51:32,079
farming practice to do a 305A review on.
So, it really doesn't matter. Um, but

800
00:51:30,000 --> 00:51:36,000
again, it helps some state funding, but
it is uh a mailing. This is the way it's

801
00:51:34,400 --> 00:51:39,200
been done. So, a mailing has gone out to
all the parcels saying if you'd like to

802
00:51:37,359 --> 00:51:41,920
be removed, let us know. Um, and if
there's anything that is like

803
00:51:40,000 --> 00:51:45,359
egregiously not a farm or totally
industrially developed, that would be,

804
00:51:43,760 --> 00:51:48,319
you know, an indiv individual cont. But
you're not asking them to go back and

805
00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:51,200
reapply at all. God, that would be
>> So it's just if you want to be removed,

806
00:51:50,319 --> 00:51:54,640
send us a letter.
>> And there'll be a standard a inclusion

807
00:51:52,880 --> 00:51:58,079
process next year. So people can apply
next year, but it's when every years you

808
00:51:56,720 --> 00:52:01,520
just have to review and say, is this
still doing what the program intended in

809
00:52:00,400 --> 00:52:05,359
aiding in agriculture
>> and you guys could go in there if the

810
00:52:03,599 --> 00:52:09,440
person is non-compliant, doesn't respond
to you, and is not operating the farm

811
00:52:07,680 --> 00:52:12,880
anymore, you can pull them out.
>> Yeah. And that again, we write the

812
00:52:10,880 --> 00:52:17,040
recommendations to the legislature.
Sometimes the legislature listens.

813
00:52:14,480 --> 00:52:21,520
Sometimes they don't. Uh I do this every
meeting anyways. So, you know, we will

814
00:52:20,000 --> 00:52:24,720
give them the opinion. The board takes a
vote. We go through that. So, it is

815
00:52:23,119 --> 00:52:28,240
going to be a burdensome year next year.
Uh we're going to have to start pretty

816
00:52:26,000 --> 00:52:31,280
soon on on collecting all that data. But
it is really again because it's a

817
00:52:29,760 --> 00:52:35,119
voluntary program. It's a supportive
program. It's not really anything that's

818
00:52:33,440 --> 00:52:38,720
changing any use or changing ownership.
So, a lot of times if there's

819
00:52:36,720 --> 00:52:43,280
subdivisions, it's just the maps. Uh
some, you know, farms will subdivide a

820
00:52:40,480 --> 00:52:45,760
parcel, but it's still entirely a farm.
They just do it for generational

821
00:52:44,559 --> 00:52:49,200
planning, things like that, and then
it's just tax maps have to be updated.

822
00:52:47,680 --> 00:52:51,200
So,
>> another question,

823
00:52:50,000 --> 00:52:53,280
» two questions. I'm going to pretend
they're not hypothetical, but maybe. Oh,

824
00:52:52,720 --> 00:53:00,800
God. Okay.
>> Um, if if a farm becomes a

825
00:52:58,160 --> 00:53:05,440
» Well, one is
do farms if there's any ownership

826
00:53:02,559 --> 00:53:07,680
changes, does that impact the uh
designation or whether it's in a

827
00:53:06,880 --> 00:53:10,160
district? No.
>> No. So there's the

828
00:53:08,800 --> 00:53:13,119
» as long as they're you know they're in
the district that so the a district is

829
00:53:11,920 --> 00:53:15,040
based on parcel.
>> Okay.

830
00:53:13,440 --> 00:53:17,599
» So parcel number is what's in the
district and then if the ownership

831
00:53:16,240 --> 00:53:21,680
changes it still remains
>> and if there's a parcel that's in for

832
00:53:19,520 --> 00:53:26,000
three years let's say um in the fourth
year they stop doing something or they

833
00:53:23,920 --> 00:53:29,119
start doing things they shouldn't. It's
still tied to that 8-year time period.

834
00:53:27,839 --> 00:53:32,640
Nobody gets kicked out in the middle.
>> Nobody gets kicked out. And again, it's

835
00:53:30,880 --> 00:53:36,160
I would say it'd be very difficult to
justify cuz again, the county decides

836
00:53:34,720 --> 00:53:39,280
what it decides, right? And if it's
like, okay, I want to rip this parcel

837
00:53:37,440 --> 00:53:43,040
out, they're not farming enough. You
don't have to be a farm to be in the

838
00:53:40,960 --> 00:53:46,800
district. The big change of use is where
I would say that there may be parcels

839
00:53:44,480 --> 00:53:50,559
that get pulled out. Um, again, if
you're transitioning land to, you know,

840
00:53:48,960 --> 00:53:54,800
same thing kind of with a value
assessments, if you have, you know, a

841
00:53:53,280 --> 00:53:57,680
farm and you do farming operation and
all of a sudden you just build

842
00:53:56,079 --> 00:54:01,280
everything, there's concrete everywhere.
You've literally ruined the agriculture

843
00:53:59,200 --> 00:54:05,040
land. So, it has no value there anymore.
That's an instance I would say that gets

844
00:54:02,880 --> 00:54:08,079
pulled out. But if it's less farming or
whatever, again, that's for the county

845
00:54:06,800 --> 00:54:13,040
legislature to decide, but there's going
to be 180 plus parcels.

846
00:54:11,040 --> 00:54:17,440
I do not see anyone doing fine tooth
comb. Um, again, because if they're

847
00:54:15,119 --> 00:54:20,960
problematic parcels, maybe, you know,
um, that if, you know, the county's

848
00:54:18,960 --> 00:54:25,040
heard about for all time, but I don't
think it's anything, um, there was a

849
00:54:23,920 --> 00:54:28,000
question of like, well, can we pull
people out? It's like, well, in theory,

850
00:54:26,160 --> 00:54:31,200
you could, but you have to justify that.
the county has to justify why they're

851
00:54:29,599 --> 00:54:34,000
ripping that parcel out and then that'll
be a fight for the county if it's, you

852
00:54:32,880 --> 00:54:38,079
know, you're just, you have less
chickens today than you did five years

853
00:54:35,520 --> 00:54:41,040
ago. Um, so
>> that's how it worked in the past. Um,

854
00:54:40,240 --> 00:54:43,760
we'll see.
>> Thank you for coming out.

855
00:54:42,400 --> 00:54:45,359
» You had one more or no, you had another
hypothetical.

856
00:54:44,400 --> 00:54:49,200
» Come back in two weeks.
>> I got them both. Kick out and uh

857
00:54:48,240 --> 00:54:52,067
ownership.
>> Perfect. Thank you guys so much. Run

858
00:54:50,480 --> 00:54:55,040
while you can. Thank you. Okay.
[laughter]

859
00:54:53,359 --> 00:54:59,280
» Thank you.
>> Okay. Uh, I'll make a motion to go into

860
00:54:57,599 --> 00:55:00,720
our regular meeting. Do I have a second?
>> Second.

861
00:54:59,680 --> 00:55:04,319
» All in favor?
>> I.

862
00:55:01,920 --> 00:55:10,800
» Okay. Item number one on our uh regular
meeting is a a motion to set a public

863
00:55:07,520 --> 00:55:17,520
hearing for Thursday, September 17, 2026
to amend town code chapter 126 taxation

864
00:55:14,960 --> 00:55:22,559
for volunteer firefighters and am
workers and exemption for unmarried

865
00:55:20,800 --> 00:55:25,520
surviving spouses. I'll make that
motion. Do I have a second?

866
00:55:24,079 --> 00:55:29,280
» Second. All in favor?
>> I.

867
00:55:26,559 --> 00:55:34,160
» Thank you. Uh number two is a motion to
set a public hearing for Thursday,

868
00:55:30,800 --> 00:55:39,200
October 1st, 2026 to consider a proposal
of local law amending chapter 138 zoning

869
00:55:37,680 --> 00:55:46,880
article
uh 19 floating zoning district section

870
00:55:44,400 --> 00:55:52,160
138-104.
this multif family workforce housing

871
00:55:49,200 --> 00:55:58,640
district to implement provisions of the
New York State Division of Human Rights

872
00:55:55,119 --> 00:56:01,119
uh pre complaint settlement agreement.
I'll make that motion. Do I have a

873
00:56:00,160 --> 00:56:02,799
second?
>> Second.

874
00:56:01,839 --> 00:56:04,559
» All in favor?
>> I.

875
00:56:04,079 --> 00:56:07,760
» Thank you.
>> Good job with your Roman numerals.

876
00:56:06,480 --> 00:56:09,599
» Yeah, took [laughter] me a second there.
Right. 19.

877
00:56:08,960 --> 00:56:16,000
» Way back.
>> Yeah. Um Okay. Number three, uh is a

878
00:56:13,839 --> 00:56:19,680
resolution authorizing the supervisor to
sign a settlement agreement with New

879
00:56:17,599 --> 00:56:25,920
York State Division of Human Rights
nullifying the multifamily workforce

880
00:56:22,480 --> 00:56:31,119
housing district. So, uh with that, I'd
like to uh make make a motion resolve

881
00:56:29,119 --> 00:56:35,359
that the town board of the town of
Southeast is hereby accepts uh the

882
00:56:33,359 --> 00:56:39,359
provisions of the pre-complaint
resolution agreement with New York State

883
00:56:37,200 --> 00:56:45,359
Division of Human Rights. the agreement
and authorizes the town supervisor to

884
00:56:42,160 --> 00:56:48,720
execute implement such agreement forth
with I'll make that motion.

885
00:56:48,160 --> 00:56:53,240
» Second.
>> Thank you. All in favor? I

886
00:56:55,680 --> 00:57:05,440
» uh item number four on our agenda uh is
a motion to authorize the supervisor

887
00:57:02,799 --> 00:57:10,400
um to sign a memorandum of understanding
with Putinham County regarding the

888
00:57:07,359 --> 00:57:15,440
conveyance of certain inrem property to
to the town adjacent to the highway

889
00:57:12,319 --> 00:57:20,799
department on Palmer Road. So I'll make
this motion uh be it resolved that the

890
00:57:18,000 --> 00:57:25,839
town board of the town of southeast is
hereby authorized authorizes the

891
00:57:23,440 --> 00:57:30,480
supervisor to execute a memorandum of
understanding with county of Putinham

892
00:57:28,160 --> 00:57:36,400
regarding the proposed conveyance to the
town of a portion of a certain property

893
00:57:32,880 --> 00:57:44,000
known generally as 61
View Avenue and 63 Old View Avenue

894
00:57:38,960 --> 00:57:48,680
identified by a tax map number 67.12-2.
2-28 and 67.12-1-28

895
00:57:50,160 --> 00:57:57,839
respectfully. Um,
uh, which properties was previously

896
00:57:55,520 --> 00:58:06,880
obtained by the county in REM and
further resolved that the MOU is fully

897
00:58:02,559 --> 00:58:12,319
executed. The supervisor is authorized
to engage Terry Bergenhoff Collins

898
00:58:09,760 --> 00:58:18,799
licensed land surveyors for the purpose
of preparing the necessary subdivision

899
00:58:14,400 --> 00:58:22,880
lot line adjustment maps uh necessary to
affect the completion of conveyance.

900
00:58:21,599 --> 00:58:26,160
» Uh I'll
>> I'll make that motion.

901
00:58:24,559 --> 00:58:29,520
» Second for discussion. I'll be
abstaining on this vote. I have a family

902
00:58:27,760 --> 00:58:33,200
member whose property abuts this
property. Um so if we could do a roll

903
00:58:31,440 --> 00:58:37,839
call vote. Thank you. Any other
discussion on the matter?

904
00:58:35,760 --> 00:58:39,920
So, uh, put I'll put it to a roll call
vote.

905
00:58:38,559 --> 00:58:42,640
» Councilman Cypress,
>> yes.

906
00:58:40,720 --> 00:58:44,319
» Councilman Larka,
>> Councilwoman Lewis,

907
00:58:43,920 --> 00:58:46,400
» yes.
>> Councilman Mazada,

908
00:58:45,599 --> 00:58:49,680
» yes.
>> Supervisor Castellano,

909
00:58:47,920 --> 00:58:53,119
» yes.
>> Thank you. Uh item number five is a

910
00:58:51,520 --> 00:58:59,200
resolution to authorize the supervisor
sign a contract with stat locksmith for

911
00:58:56,880 --> 00:59:05,599
installation of handicap accessible
self-opening and closing doors and crash

912
00:59:02,319 --> 00:59:10,640
bars to certain doors in town hall and
Lake View Manor. I will make that

913
00:59:08,640 --> 00:59:17,440
motion. uh resolved that the town board
of the town of Southeast accepts the

914
00:59:12,559 --> 00:59:24,720
proposal of Stat Locksmith of 144 South
Parliament Road in Lraange, New York. Uh

915
00:59:20,720 --> 00:59:29,839
zip code is 12540.
uh to install a handicap automated

916
00:59:27,280 --> 00:59:34,480
closure device, replacement doors, push
bars, and associated hardware specific

917
00:59:32,480 --> 00:59:39,520
for the doors in Town Hall and Lake View
Manor, and hereby authorizes the

918
00:59:36,960 --> 00:59:45,040
supervisor to execute a contract with
Stat Locksmith for such services in

919
00:59:42,559 --> 00:59:50,880
accordance to with the proposals dated
July 1st, 2026 and July 7, 2026 for a

920
00:59:48,960 --> 00:59:54,640
total contract price not to exceed
$19,645.

921
00:59:53,119 --> 00:59:59,119
$5.
Uh be it resolved that the resolution

922
00:59:56,640 --> 01:00:02,160
take effect immediately. I'll make that
motion. Second. Second.

923
01:00:00,880 --> 01:00:05,920
» Thank you. All in favor?
>> I.

924
01:00:03,520 --> 01:00:12,799
» Great. Now we're at other uh new
business. Any board member have any new

925
01:00:09,280 --> 01:00:16,400
business they want to
>> works?

926
01:00:14,640 --> 01:00:22,359
Good. Uh being that there is none
recognition of public for public

927
01:00:18,240 --> 01:00:22,359
comment. Please come forward.

928
01:00:34,240 --> 01:00:41,200
Hi, thanks again and thanks for opening
up the um a districts to some questions.

929
01:00:39,359 --> 01:00:46,880
I think that was really helpful. So,
thank you. Um I have a question though

930
01:00:44,079 --> 01:00:52,079
on the on resolution number three. Was
there a financial settlement with that?

931
01:00:50,319 --> 01:00:57,359
When you say financial settlement, there
was there's no ex no expense of the town

932
01:00:54,720 --> 01:01:04,079
other than uh members of the planning
board and the town board are going to

933
01:00:59,200 --> 01:01:11,040
have to take a course on on the uh uh
uh workings of the human rights law.

934
01:01:06,960 --> 01:01:15,599
Okay. I'm annoyed because the entire way
through this process I was on the

935
01:01:13,040 --> 01:01:21,599
planning board. I still am. And I said
repeatedly that workforce housing in my

936
01:01:18,640 --> 01:01:25,680
opinion was discriminatory and it was
repeatedly ignored by everyone. And I

937
01:01:24,240 --> 01:01:29,760
just want to say I mean of course I'll
take the course gladly and I know I'll

938
01:01:27,359 --> 01:01:34,880
learn a lot that I don't know in it but
it's frustrating to me. Um

939
01:01:33,280 --> 01:01:38,480
it's very frustrating to me because I
couldn't see having been a realer years

940
01:01:36,559 --> 01:01:42,000
ago how it wouldn't be considered
discriminatory.

941
01:01:40,160 --> 01:01:48,079
Well, as as it was explained to me in
the discussions, uh it wasn't um de

942
01:01:46,160 --> 01:01:53,440
facto discriminatory. It was an
application that was discriminator

943
01:01:50,640 --> 01:01:59,119
discriminatory because it uh because it
specifically said it would pri

944
01:01:56,000 --> 01:02:06,559
prioritize persons that were in certain
industries locally. and the the state

945
01:02:03,280 --> 01:02:11,359
division uh and their analysts said that
if if it had been uh not limited to

946
01:02:09,599 --> 01:02:17,599
pieces persons in the town of Southeast,
it wouldn't have been discriminatory. So

947
01:02:13,119 --> 01:02:22,880
you can um so for example the new if the
new um garden street or whatever does

948
01:02:20,720 --> 01:02:27,040
want to use workforce housing in there
to a degree or anyone wants to in town

949
01:02:25,200 --> 01:02:31,520
as long as it's just just based what
you're telling me is if someone's a

950
01:02:28,640 --> 01:02:34,880
firefighter or someone's a teacher that
is all legal as long

951
01:02:33,680 --> 01:02:37,200
» street wouldn't have any this wouldn't
have any our zoning not the vill's

952
01:02:36,799 --> 01:02:39,743
zoning
>> right

953
01:02:37,839 --> 01:02:42,640
» why did you bring up garden street
[laughter]

954
01:02:41,040 --> 01:02:45,760
» just so everyone knows
But it was well in the same developer.

955
01:02:44,799 --> 01:02:52,319
So I'm just kidding.
>> Of course. I know. But no, but I want to

956
01:02:49,520 --> 01:02:55,359
be clear on this then. So if something's
in front of the planning board and they

957
01:02:53,599 --> 01:03:00,160
want workforce housing, and nothing is
right now, but if if it came in front of

958
01:02:57,200 --> 01:03:06,960
us, we if long as they say we want, oh,
maybe farmers, but we want uh teachers

959
01:03:03,119 --> 01:03:14,319
and um you know, and the list goes on.
as I understand it, if it's more broadly

960
01:03:10,160 --> 01:03:19,839
um advertised and open for not for
because of the the regional disparities

961
01:03:17,359 --> 01:03:31,160
of wealth is really the way it was
explained to me. Uh that is that

962
01:03:23,359 --> 01:03:31,160
somebody who was uh considered um uh a

963
01:03:31,440 --> 01:03:41,440
somebody who was who was a part of a
protected class from outside of this

964
01:03:37,039 --> 01:03:46,319
region could not have taken advantage of
those priorities.

965
01:03:43,520 --> 01:03:52,079
And it's really the the whole purpose of
of the human rights law and the and the

966
01:03:48,640 --> 01:03:58,720
housing protections is to protect those
that are of protected classes and

967
01:03:55,520 --> 01:04:03,359
teachers aren't a protected class. Um
>> none of the were any firefighters?

968
01:04:01,119 --> 01:04:04,720
» No, none of those are protected classes.
And and

969
01:04:03,920 --> 01:04:11,359
» okay,
>> and the reason why I think the reason

970
01:04:07,599 --> 01:04:15,760
that the division of human rights uh
took issue with this and they they they

971
01:04:13,359 --> 01:04:22,400
were very I mean they were not about to
file a uh a formal uh litigation

972
01:04:19,920 --> 01:04:28,640
complaint. they they worked with the uh
the Barrett Hill people and and one of

973
01:04:26,079 --> 01:04:35,760
the parties to this settlement is
Barrett Hill's um uh agent agency that

974
01:04:33,359 --> 01:04:41,920
they use to actually run the lotteryies
for for the uh priority housing which is

975
01:04:39,200 --> 01:04:48,480
you would think that agency would be
more um aware of of uh how the

976
01:04:46,000 --> 01:04:54,640
application of these of these uh
specific housing rights laws

977
01:04:50,960 --> 01:04:59,200
uh apply but they are you know they are
part of this as well because they were

978
01:04:56,799 --> 01:05:03,280
the ones uh running the lotteryies right
and uh

979
01:05:00,400 --> 01:05:07,520
» so will Barrett Hill now I guess I'm
still seeing it for me there's a

980
01:05:04,880 --> 01:05:14,480
disconnect and I apologize but for me
now at Barrett Hill they still have the

981
01:05:09,920 --> 01:05:20,720
10% that are um are more affordable okay
>> so is there still a requirement of any

982
01:05:17,920 --> 01:05:24,799
sort on that 10% other than income is my
question.

983
01:05:21,920 --> 01:05:31,200
» Um I guess there's a discussion
regarding we could still have uh 55 and

984
01:05:28,400 --> 01:05:33,440
older provided they get a waiver from
the division.

985
01:05:32,720 --> 01:05:37,119
» Okay. So
>> and they do that all the time. So they

986
01:05:35,200 --> 01:05:40,880
they've indicated that they will get
that waiver.

987
01:05:38,079 --> 01:05:45,440
» Okay. So but that would be the only
exception. No more veterans,

988
01:05:43,520 --> 01:05:47,920
firefighters. You can't have a you can't
have a priority for the for them

989
01:05:47,119 --> 01:05:52,160
» anybody else
>> because it would be discriminating to

990
01:05:50,079 --> 01:05:55,839
those who are outside the region.
>> So anyone who comes back in front of us

991
01:05:54,160 --> 01:05:59,920
with workforce housing.
>> No.

992
01:05:56,559 --> 01:06:03,200
» Well, if actually in the agenda that was
circulated there is there is a copy of

993
01:06:01,599 --> 01:06:06,079
the amendments to that section of the
law.

994
01:06:03,760 --> 01:06:09,440
» Right. That's what number it's already
been vetted by the division and they're

995
01:06:08,079 --> 01:06:12,480
they're good. Okay.
>> Okay. I think I get it. Thank you all.

996
01:06:12,079 --> 01:06:15,280
Thank you.
>> Thanks Lyn.

997
01:06:30,559 --> 01:06:36,799
Scott Seymtown Southeast. I'm also here
from the Brewster Board of Education.

998
01:06:35,200 --> 01:06:40,319
Um, as you've probably seen our yellow
buses on the road that schools are now

999
01:06:38,799 --> 01:06:45,680
open, so be careful when [snorts] you're
driving. Um, day two down. Hopefully

1000
01:06:44,000 --> 01:06:49,359
good. You know, we've had our minor
disaster for the year. So, hopefully

1001
01:06:47,119 --> 01:06:54,319
we're predestined and then we're good
from now on. Um, most of the capital

1002
01:06:52,400 --> 01:06:58,720
projects are resolved. There's some
minor things that are still going on.

1003
01:06:55,920 --> 01:07:03,359
The cafeterium should be done I believe
October. That's just some internal work.

1004
01:07:00,880 --> 01:07:08,000
A lot of it is related to machinery, uh,
heavy aluminum pieces. I mean, it just

1005
01:07:05,280 --> 01:07:11,359
there's a backlog in construction and uh
the PEK STEM lounge just getting

1006
01:07:10,240 --> 01:07:14,480
equipment in.
>> I saw it. It looks great.

1007
01:07:12,880 --> 01:07:16,640
» I got an early trip in there. Some of
these machines are

1008
01:07:15,920 --> 01:07:20,720
» incredible.
>> I saw it completely by mistake the other

1009
01:07:18,880 --> 01:07:25,039
day, but it was Yeah, it's awesome.
>> Right. I think we're waiting on the u

1010
01:07:22,799 --> 01:07:29,680
the air circulation or the withholding
system that so that it would take out

1011
01:07:27,200 --> 01:07:34,480
any dust through the air, the the zero
pressure room, all that is the only

1012
01:07:31,680 --> 01:07:39,680
pieces left. And of course outside the
sports they're still working on that. Um

1013
01:07:38,000 --> 01:07:45,599
I just wanted to point out that next
week on the 8th there is a

1014
01:07:44,160 --> 01:07:49,200
law enforcement representatives and
regional safety experts. We're having a

1015
01:07:47,200 --> 01:07:52,640
safety forum as we do every year to
point out what's going on in the

1016
01:07:50,400 --> 01:07:56,640
district, things we've done to make the
students and staff safe. And of course

1017
01:07:54,640 --> 01:08:02,079
we invite the general public to all come
or to send any questions resolved around

1018
01:07:58,720 --> 01:08:05,200
that. Um,
and as always, you know, we thank the

1019
01:08:03,680 --> 01:08:07,680
town for what you've done on behalf of
our students. Anything we can do, please

1020
01:08:06,640 --> 01:08:11,839
let us know.
>> Scott, this morning's delay for the

1021
01:08:09,200 --> 01:08:15,520
school remained at 2 hours and not every
Okay.

1022
01:08:12,640 --> 01:08:19,199
» And that, I believe 9:30 last night, a
night cleaner found water on the floor,

1023
01:08:17,600 --> 01:08:21,759
traced it back into a room, went in
there, and then the pipes exploded, and

1024
01:08:20,560 --> 01:08:25,759
then it [laughter] went steadily
downhill from there. But we have, you

1025
01:08:23,359 --> 01:08:28,719
know, great staff in the system and, uh,
a lot of great secondary help. You know,

1026
01:08:27,440 --> 01:08:32,239
they have contracts with certain
providers in the area and they swooped

1027
01:08:30,719 --> 01:08:34,319
in and were working on it all night
long, I think, up until we opened.

1028
01:08:33,920 --> 01:08:36,159
» Great.
>> So, but

1029
01:08:35,440 --> 01:08:39,520
» great job,
>> Scott. I I was waiting for my daughter

1030
01:08:37,839 --> 01:08:44,239
to get off the bus yesterday and I got
the mail and my tax bill was in the mail

1031
01:08:42,640 --> 01:08:47,440
and I opened it and I was like, "Ah."
And then my daughter got off the bus and

1032
01:08:46,319 --> 01:08:51,132
I was like, "How was your day?" She
goes, "10 out of 10."

1033
01:08:49,120 --> 01:08:54,560
» All right, I guess I'll pay this.
[laughter]

1034
01:08:52,960 --> 01:08:58,480
» So, I always have to get in Tony before
the bus tax bills come out. It was it

1035
01:08:56,799 --> 01:09:00,880
was perfect timing. It's [laughter]
going to have been better,

1036
01:08:59,279 --> 01:09:05,359
» right? And and that's what we hope to
see more of. So point of these items and

1037
01:09:03,520 --> 01:09:10,000
anything else, please let us know. I
know I did um speak to Dr. Gosh about

1038
01:09:07,759 --> 01:09:14,640
the project 250 that you know we're
trying to include and so we're trying to

1039
01:09:12,400 --> 01:09:17,679
get involved on that and I don't know if
um for your fireworks, I'm assuming

1040
01:09:16,560 --> 01:09:22,880
you're going to announce that this
weekend. Um if the kids that were

1041
01:09:20,400 --> 01:09:25,199
involved in it prior to the delays are
involved that I don't know. I haven't

1042
01:09:24,159 --> 01:09:28,400
heard but I would hope.
>> They weren't. Perfect.

1043
01:09:27,040 --> 01:09:30,719
» The timelines are tough on these.
>> I think we're going to cancel them

1044
01:09:29,359 --> 01:09:34,799
anyway.
>> Okay, that's [laughter] it.

1045
01:09:32,960 --> 01:09:37,440
» If you would like to join us, just let
us know. We're happy to have

1046
01:09:36,799 --> 01:09:39,359
» Thanks, Scott.
>> All right. Thanks.

1047
01:09:38,159 --> 01:09:43,199
» I'm just kidding. Thanks, Scott. We're
not cancelled. Who knows? Probably.

1048
01:09:41,199 --> 01:09:46,799
» Now you think about the weather.
>> It's probably going to rain.

1049
01:09:44,319 --> 01:09:49,759
» No, actually the weather looks good.
>> Beautiful.

1050
01:09:47,759 --> 01:09:52,960
» Yeah, weather looks beautiful for the
weekend.

1051
01:09:50,159 --> 01:09:55,280
» We said that for Fourth of July, too.
>> Well, it really does now.

1052
01:09:54,020 --> 01:10:01,199
[clears throat] Uh recognition of the
town board, town board comment. [snorts]

1053
01:09:57,840 --> 01:10:07,040
» One announcement. Um Sunday is um we do
an annual Zach attack at the volunteer

1054
01:10:03,679 --> 01:10:11,440
park honoring a um former Brewster
Little League player who uh died way too

1055
01:10:09,840 --> 01:10:17,280
young of leukemia.
>> And uh it's all day at volunteer

1056
01:10:14,239 --> 01:10:20,480
softball games, baseball games, food,
drink. Um it really is a great event.

1057
01:10:19,679 --> 01:10:25,600
» It's a great event.
>> So from a community perspective,

1058
01:10:22,000 --> 01:10:30,000
anyone's invited. Um, and it's um, it's
a great way for the community to come

1059
01:10:27,280 --> 01:10:35,520
together for a truly worthy cause. So,
>> it's great. And just to piggyback off

1060
01:10:31,679 --> 01:10:39,520
that, the varsity Zack Attack game is on
September 18th where they honor honor

1061
01:10:38,000 --> 01:10:41,120
Zach as well.
>> Yeah.

1062
01:10:40,000 --> 01:10:44,800
» Thank you.
>> Thank you.

1063
01:10:43,120 --> 01:10:46,320
» Fireworks.
>> Fireworks.

1064
01:10:45,520 --> 01:10:50,800
» Fireworks.
>> The fireworks are Sunday. Uh, [laughter]

1065
01:10:49,120 --> 01:10:53,440
they're going to go It starts at six
o'clock. They're We're gonna I have to

1066
01:10:52,159 --> 01:10:56,000
reply that later. We're going to shoot
them off as soon as it gets dark. So,

1067
01:10:54,960 --> 01:11:00,159
it'll be earlier this year.
>> The DJ is going to start at 5:00.

1068
01:10:57,920 --> 01:11:05,840
» Five. Yeah. 5 o'clock.
>> Yeah. That's why we were telling you to

1069
01:11:01,360 --> 01:11:08,400
do [laughter] I never mind. 5:00. Uh DJ
starts at 5:00

1070
01:11:06,960 --> 01:11:14,640
» and and rain or shine.
>> Rain or [laughter] shine, it's on. We We

1071
01:11:11,840 --> 01:11:19,280
did uh have the fire commissioner give
us the Okay. The site is ready to go.

1072
01:11:17,440 --> 01:11:23,679
Barring any tragedies, we're going to be
perfect. Uh, no. The weather looks great

1073
01:11:22,320 --> 01:11:28,000
and hopefully the fireworks are going to
go off about 7:30 because it'll be dark

1074
01:11:25,840 --> 01:11:30,080
a little earlier which will be great.
So,

1075
01:11:28,480 --> 01:11:33,360
» and we did double the amount this year.
>> Yeah.

1076
01:11:30,640 --> 01:11:34,719
» Big event. 250th anniversary of the
country.

1077
01:11:33,600 --> 01:11:37,760
» 250 fireworks.
>> No, it's 1,400.

1078
01:11:36,640 --> 01:11:42,719
» It was 700.
>> Actually, this aligns much better for my

1079
01:11:39,840 --> 01:11:46,880
bedtime. I have to say [laughter]
>> in July.

1080
01:11:44,400 --> 01:11:48,800
» So, you put those trucks
up.

1081
01:11:47,679 --> 01:11:52,400
» So much better for me.
>> Yeah. Looking forward to it. It's a

1082
01:11:50,080 --> 01:11:56,480
great event. A lot of lot of discussion
on social media about it. So, we're

1083
01:11:53,920 --> 01:11:57,920
hoping for a big crowd.
>> Anything else?

1084
01:11:57,600 --> 01:12:01,280
» Nope.
>> We've been handing flyers out to all

1085
01:11:59,520 --> 01:12:02,800
anybody coming in to pay their taxes.
So,

1086
01:12:02,320 --> 01:12:07,280
» Oh, thank you.
>> Excellent.

1087
01:12:03,679 --> 01:12:12,800
» That's awesome. All right.
>> I make a motion to go into executive

1088
01:12:09,360 --> 01:12:14,640
session to discuss um contractual and
legal matter.

1089
01:12:13,520 --> 01:12:17,840
» Thank you.
>> Second. All

1090
01:12:15,679 --> 01:12:20,400
» in favor? I
>> Thank you.