Town Board, September 10, 2024

Shrub Oak Pool.  The Board approved a resolution to hire Weston & Sampson, at  a cost of $72,000, to design a long term solution for the replacement of broken tiles at the pool. As part of the contract, the firm will also prepare the bid specs for the project and oversee the installation of the new material. The goal is to have the tiles replaced before next summer.  As part of the design phase, the firm will provide the Board with an evaluation of the cost effectiveness, safety and aesthetics of two replacement options: PVC, which has an estimated 10-15 year life span and is subject to deterioration over time and granite which has a 30 year life span with some, but less maintenance issues than PVC.  Although the ultimate estimated cost of the replacement will not be known until the engineering firm completes the design, the initial sense of the Board was to favor the long term solution.

Water Department.  Water Superintendent Paul Vasillo updated the Board on the status of both the testing of commercial meters and the installation of smart meters for residential properties.

Commercial meters: At a cost of approximately $15,000, the department will be purchasing the equipment necessary to test the town’s 360 commercial meters and the supplier will train staff on  how to use the equipment.  Mr. Vasillo said he expects the testing program to become operational by the end of October. The Board postponed any decision whether to charge the commerical property owners for the testing. (See below for background.)

Residential smart meter replacement program.   Of the town’s 10,100 customers, 585 residential property owners have not responded to letters asking them to make appointments to have the new meters installed.   The department will send  folow up letters to the owners by the end of the week; if they don’t respond, the department will phone them or knock on their door. I suggested that the letter include a deadline for making the appointment and explaining that if they didn’t, a charge would be added to their water bill (this approach was discussed months ago but never adopted) but the Board decided not to do that.

Paving: The Board approved a $1,250,000 budget transfer from the General Fund fund balance to the Highway Department for additional paving. Superintendent Paganelli said the additional paving would be done this fall. He anticipates with the additional funds, his department will be able to pave 7-8 miles of road.

Hunterbrook pump station. The Board okayed  the purchase of two new pumps at a cost of $ 70,000. (There are four pumps at the station.) Money for the pumps will come from the Hunterbrook Sewer District fund balance ($43,300) and $45,000 from the district’s  Infiltration/Inflow (I&I) budget line item that has not been spent.   In response to my comment about the long delayed need to address the I&I problem, Supervisor Lachterman said the issue would be addressed in the district’s 2025 budget.

Phone system.  The Board approved a $4,979 change order in the previously approved contract to update the town’s antiquated phone system.  The money was needed to provide additional cabling in the Capellini Community Center in order to accommodate the relocation of the Parks & Recreation Department into the building.    The change was needed as the department’s office in the trailer at Sparkle Lake is no longer habitable. 

Tree nursery and more. Keith Schepart of the Tree Conservation Advisory Commission presented a plan to purchase a shed for approximately $4,600 at the Willow Park tree nursery to house equipment used in the planting and maintenance of the trees.  The funds will come from the Tree Fund, the fund established by the Tree Law into which developers pay a mitigation fee for cutting down trees when new trees cannot be planted on the site as part of their development.  Once the trees reach the proper size, they will be transplanted to parks and other locations in town. The Board had no problem with the purchase but because the delivery of the prehab structure requires crossing the gas pipeline, Mr. Schepart will work with  Highway Superintendent Pagagelli to see if another route is possible. 

Mr. Schepart also unveiled a plan for new plantings at the park in front of the former Rexall Drug Store on Commerce Street. 

Pickelball. The Board authorized advertising for bids to install fencing at the pickleball courts at Granite Knolls as part of the rehabilitation of the courts. 

Police: The Board adopted a resolution urging the New York State Court System to pause its plan  that would require people arrested in Yorktown be transported down county for arraignment instead of the process taking place in Yorktown Town Court.  According to information provided by Police Chief Noble, transporting arrested individuals would increase costs for the town and could jeopardize the safety of Yorktown police officers. 

Liaisons to various town advisory boards. Supervisor Lachterman announced his appointments to these advisory  bodies.    

Background on commercial water meters

Although Town Code  has long required  the owners of commercial meters to test their meters for accuracy every three years, the meters have not been tested in over 30 years. (Meter accuracy typically decreases over time.) In March, 2020, the Board voted to put “teeth” into this requirement by adding a fine for non-compliance.  While some letters were sent out, the program came to halt with the onset of the pandemic.  Since then, the Water Department has learned that there is only one company that does this type of testing and that it’s located in New Jersey. As a result, the department has decided to purchase the equipment and do the testing itself.