Three sewer issues
Town Engineer Dan Ciarcia discussed the following three sewer issues. For more details, check out the meeting video. Scroll to 1.02 on the video. The Hallocks Mill discussion comes after the Peekskill discussion.
https://yorktownny.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=1937
Creation of a new Peekskill O&M District
The plan is to “fix” a hodge podge of 11 sewer districts, some dating back to the 1960s, and to treat all sewered properties, in both the Peekskill districts and the town owned Hallocks Mill district, equitably.
The 11 separate sewer districts are part of the greater county owned and operated Peekskill Sanitary Sewer District. The plan is to consolidate the operation and maintenance costs for all11 districts, e.g., cleaning the sewer lines, operating pump stations, into one single O&M district with the total cost being shared by the 4,100 properties in the district. The seven districts that are still paying off the bond that financed the installation of their sewer lines will continue to exist – but their only expense would be their debt service.
For tax purposes, each single family house in the district would be assessed as one unit, with different unit charges for condominiums, multi family units and commercial properties. The Board will need to pass a resolution creating the new district before the May 1 deadline for the adoption of the 2025 Assessment Roll. Taxes for the new district would start in 2026.
As part of the discussion, the Board also considered whether to make changes in the “sewer rent” charge that all sewered properties, Peekskill and Hallocks Mill, pay as part of their water bill and which is based on their water consumption. Currently there are three different rates.
Hallocks Mill pump station upgrades (See Town Board February 18,2025.) Based on conversations with the town’s outside bond counsel, Supervisor Lachterman said that the town can borrow the $7.2 million needed to fund the project and use a line of credit from the state’s Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) to provide funds, as needed, to help pay for ongoing construction costs before the town could access the $5.8 million grant it has for the project. Bu using the EFC line of credit, the town would be able to minimize its interest expense.
Although the initial plan was for four pump stations in the Hallocks Mill District, the town will add in a fifth pump station, the Farm Walk station, that’s part of the Peekskill district and charge that expense to the proposed new Peekskill O&M district (see above.)
Supervisor Lachterman said he has asked the town engineer to work with the town’s outside engineering consultant to revise some of the 2021 upgrade plans. This may incur an additional planning expenditure.
Hallocks Mill sewer extension (See Town Board March 18, 2025)
Although the Engineering Department has not done any analysis yet as to how many streets/homes can be sewered with the available $13million in available outside funds, Supervisor Lachterman referenced the Sparkle Lake area. And, in an effort to reduce the cost of sewering the neighborhood – and making the $13 million go father, he wants the Engineering Department to look into a modified plan that would eliminate the need for costly low pressure pumps. The plan would require DEC approval to direct some of the sewage into an abutting wetland, an issue that was looked into in 2018/19 but was rejected.
Solar Law. In a brief comment, Councilwoman Siegel advised residents that the Board was still working on draft amendments to the current law. No specifics were given. She said she hoped the Board would take up the issue at its next meeting, April 8.
During the public comment portion of the agenda, several residents spoke up in opposition to grandfathering the applications currently before the Planning Board.
Mohegan Fire District Tax
Mohegan Fire Commissioner Brian Dee explained some of the reasons for the increase in the 2025 Mohegan Fire District Tax. The district, which covers 44 square miles, has both paid professional fire fighters and volunteers. Increased development in the district has led to an increase in the number of response calls.
- Increase costs for equipment, vehicle replacement, building maintenance and staff expenses, e.g., health benefits
- The need to hire four new paid fire fighters (for four shifts) due to a declining number of available volunteers
- Need to refund $300,000 to the JV Mall as a result of a tax certiorari settlement
Miscellaneous
Mark your calendar
- April 25: Arbor Day celebration, 5pm, Town Hall
- April 26: Battle of Yorktown. Help celebrate Earth Day by volunteering to pick up litter. For information on how you can participate, call the Refuse & Recycling Department, (914) 245-4438
Old Crompond Road
Highway Superintendent Paganelli advised residents that work to replace the culvert will begin shortly after the end of the trout spawning season in September.
Parking in fire zones. In response to a comment during Public Comment, residents were reminded that it was illegal to park in fire zones.
A video of the meeting is available at
https://yorktownny.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=1937