Town Board - Regular Meeting

to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Please remain standing for a moment of silence. I'd ask that you keep your prayers brave servicemen and women serving our country both here and abroad.

Thank you. Please be seated. Would the clerk call the role? Councilman here. Councilman Martinez here. Councilman Gregory here. Supervisor Schaer

and I am here. Councilman is is excused for the meeting. So we have four present. We have a quarum. Uh welcome. This is the um January 14th uh Wednesday, January 14th meeting of the Bablin Town Board at 7 p.m. If you're here in person or if you're watching us on our YouTube channel live, um the meeting is divided up into three sections. The first dedicated to the public hearings. There are no public hearings scheduled for tonight. Uh second is dedicated to the agenda. Agendas are available on the table up front. So if you're interested in addressing the board on any of the items listed on the agenda for that, we ask you to fill out a card and file with our town clerk. And the third portion is the open portion when residents come forward and address the board on any matter concerning town government or town services that are not on tonight's agenda. Uh as I said, if you're watching us on our YouTube channel live on the 14th at 7 p.m., there's a link that'll take you to tonight's agenda. and send any one of us a message, question, comment, or concern. One of us will get back to you if you're watching us at a future date and time. That link is still live. You could utilize that and contact any one of us. So, with that, uh, I don't have any cards on the agenda, I think. Is this an agenda card or

not? Not an agenda. Okay. So, we'll go right into the agenda. So, the consensus resolution agenda. Uh, and are there any items that need to be removed from the consensus resolution? Negative. Negative. So, I'll uh take a motion. I make a motion to uh accept the consensus resolution agenda. Second. All those in favor. Consensus resolution agenda um approved as listed. Tonight's resolutions, resolution number 70. Motion to approve. Second. Would the clerk call the role? Councilman Metta? Yes. Councilman Martinez? Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaer? Yes. Resolutions approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 71. Make a motion to approve. Second. Would the clerk call the role? Councilman Monetta? Yes. Councilman Martinez?

Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaer? Yes. Resolution's approved. Four votes in favor. Uh, one absent. Resolution 72. I offer resolution 72. Second. Will the clerk call the role? Councilman Metta? Yes. Councilman Martinez? Yes. Councilman Gregory? Supervisor Schaer? Yes. Resolution's approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 73. Uh motion to approve. Second. Would the clerk call the role? Councilman Monetta. Yes. Councilman Martinez. Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaer? Yes. Resolution is approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 74. Make a motion to approve. Second. The clerk call the role. Councilman Metta? Yes. Councilman Martinez? Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaer?

Yes. Resolution's approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 75. I for 75. Second. Would the clerk call the role? Councilman Monetta. Yes. Councilman Martinez. Yes. Councilman Gregory. Yes. Supervisor Schaefer. Yes. Resolutions approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 76. Motion to approve. Second. Would the clerk call the role? Councilman Moneta? Yes. Councilman Martinez? Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaer? Yes. Resolution's approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 77. Make a motion to approve. Second. The clerk call the role. Councilman Manetta? Yes. Councilman Martinez? Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaefer? Yes. Resolution's approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 78. I go for 78. Second. Would the clerk call the role?

Councilman Monetta? Yes. Councilman Martinez? Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaer? Yes. Resolution's approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 79. Motion to approve. Second. Would the clerk call the role? Councilman Monetta? Yes. Councilman Martinez? Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaefer? Yes. Resolution's approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 80. Make a motion to approve. Second. The clerk call the role. Councilman Moneta? Yes. Councilman Martinez? Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaefer? Yes. Resolutions approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 81. I move for resolution 81. Second. All with call. Councilman Monetta. Yes. Councilman Martinez.

Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaer? Yes. Resolutions approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 82. Motion to approve. Second. Will the clerk call the role? Councilman Monetta? Yes. Councilman Martinez? Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaer? Yes. Resolution's approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 83. Make a motion to approve. Second. Will the clerk call the role? Councilman Moneta? Yes. Councilman Martinez? Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaer? Yes. Resolution's approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 84. I move resolution 84. Second. Would the clerk call the role? Councilman Monetta. Yes. Councilman Martinez. Yes. Councilman Gregory. Yes. Supervisor Schaefer.

Yes. Resolution's approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 85. Motion to approve. Second. Would the clerk call the role? Councilman Moneta? Yes. Councilman Martinez? Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaefer? Yes. Resolution's approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 86. Make a motion to approve. Second. Would the clerk call the role? Councilman Metta? Yes. Councilman Martinez? Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaer. Yes. Resolution's approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 87. I offer 87. Second. Would the clerk call the role? Councilman Monetta? Yes. Councilman Martinez? Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaefer? Yes. Resolution's approved. Four votes in favor, one absent. Resolution 88. Motion to approve. Second.

All in favor? Opposed? I. Resolutions approved. Resolution 89. Make a motion to approve. Second. All those in favor? I oppose. Resolution's approved. Resolution 90. I offer resolution 90. Second. Would the clerk call the role? Councilman Manetta? Yes. Councilman Martinez? Yes. Councilman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaeer? Yes. Resolution's approved. Four votes in favor. One absent. Resolution 91. Motion to approve. Second. Those in favor. Opposed. Resolution's approved. Tabled agenda for tonight. Resolution 809 of 25. Make a motion to approve. Second. All in favor? Post. Resolutions approve. And resolution 810 of 25. I offer resolution A10 of 2025. Second. Uh would the clerk call a role? Councilman Monetta.

Yes. Councilman Martinez. Yes. Councilman Gregory. Yes. Supervisor Schaper. Yes. Resolutions approve. Four votes in favor, one absent. That's it for the resolutions. We go to the open portion to the cards and MA. You are up, sir.

My name is My name is Mosha Aaron. Everybody just calls me ma. So, um I'm here to uh I don't know if this is the right venue. In a matter of fact, it may be the wrong venue with the exception of Mr. Schaefer and Mr. Gregory, both who are veterans. I'd like to just say a little bit about the 100% um the def uh deferment on property tax uh that uh that was passed actually by the assembly. It's been in it was proposed in 2019. It was buried by uh um by the assembly uh up until 200 and and in uh this year up until this this year it had been passed by the senate and it was not passed by the assembly until um June of this year and then for some reason um Governor Hokll put it on a desk and didn't sign it until December of this year 20 25th. So um since 2020 I spoke in front of this council actually at that time in reference to the same matter um and um I am with the uh tax assessor's office had already been approved 100% combat uh disabled veteran and and uh unemployable um and just uh for those I know I don't look like it but uh Um uh just a quick uh assessment. I have derm I have urticaria from radiation exposure. Um I uh during a uh a broken arrow combat incident a u firing pin drove through my left hand and I can't pick up a glass of water. Uh I I bounced four times on a five times on the on the tarmac like a basketball and severed the infasinated and superior span in both shoulders. I can't lift my

arms above my head. Matter of fact, to blow my nose, I have to sit down and put my head down. So, and I'm not even going to get into the problems with the legs. I'm I'm a I'm a veteran of four wars and uh 12 armed conflicts. Um my point is is is this. Um, my total income, my income is is 680 685 a month. My total income is $865 and change per month. Um, in case and and uh when I went to uh and I'm not the only one. I'm not a pariah here. Um, there are other veterans like myself. when I went to the to social services uh to apply for SNAP um they said to me um and I have it on the recording by the way they said I'm the wrong gender and I'm definitely the wrong color so I don't have SNAP and to further complicate things I'm a Shabas Jew and I keep kosher I get my food about a week later from the Sabbath uh from from some of the synagogues who have leftover food and u and as a matter of In fact, I don't have any hot water. I because I have electric problems and and I can't afford to pay the electric bill if not for the generosity of a higher member of the town of Babylon. And I'm not going to say his name because I don't have permission to do so. Um, who actually, as I understand, out of his own pocket pays my electric bill.

It it was paid this morning. So,

you're you're you are an a Medal of Honor winner, sir. Um um uh uh my point is this. Since 2020, I have already been um I didn't elect the senior citizen deferment on my property taxes. I took the 100% uh disabled veterans exemption. Um and I and and the unemployable un unemployable. Um um the thing is is that I would like to I I think I had this has to really go before the tax assessor I guess and and a and a and a bill has to be written up by the town attorney um

which is we're working on that now right and and then we'll have the public hearing to adopt um I right and that that happens through this committee here through the town board the town board okay so I am so to some degree I am speaking to the right people

so ma just just to explain further Further, each taxing jurisdiction must adopt it. So, for example, we can only adopt it for the town tax portion of your tax bill. The school board uh and you live in Amity Harbor or your school district is COPEG. So, your your COPG school board would have to adopt it. um Suffach County and I already know County Executive Roma and his staff are working on getting it adopted for the county portion of the tax bill. So those are the three main jurisdictions. So just for edific for clar further clarification. Um

um I was actually going to I'm going to just say something at the end when I asked this question. A major part of your property tax bill is the school taxes

and fortunately or unfortunately for people like me um Governor Hokll just uh awarded um the school districts in in New York um a half a billion. That's with a B. half a billion dollars um for undocumented uh uh uh um people who came across the border um the town of Babylon um or the school board whatever because in the total town of Babylon as I've been able to ask it's maybe about $147,000 all total to give the exemptions to the 100% disabled because there's a lot of guys are dis But it it specifically asked for 100.

So um um my question as you just mentioned this which further clarifies everything to to a degree. Um so that includes everything except school taxes. So the the cope school board for in your case you're in the copg school district. They would have to adopt it for the school tax portion of the bill. So I would have to go before them as correct them. What I would suggest you do is find out when their next meeting is and then attend one of their meetings to ask them on the record, are you going to adopt this? Okay. We're going to we're going to send a message to all of the superintendent. We have 11 school districts

that um cover either fully or partially the part of the town. So, we're going to send a message urging them to support that as well. Okay. I would f further ask um of of of the following that uh the board consider an exe um I don't know what you would call it a uh a retrograde exemption um for um because as the bill I'm sure you know how it's written u for the year for the tax years uh perhaps 24 but definitely for this tax year 25 um since the debacle in whatever else it is that's taking place.

Yeah, we've asked the attorney to give us um the um review of that and determine whether or not we can do that. As I understand, he's going tomorrow to to meet with the assessor. Um Mr. Vizario is uh Jorge. Yep. Is going tomorrow to meet with the assessor. Yep. And Don is our deputy. I didn't know if this was the right venue, but um so you were correct. I'm glad I got my two cents in and and thank you very much for being here tonight. And as far as I'm concerned, you are you are totally um and thank you for your service. Being a common sense uh Democrat, you're you're totally a man of honor. Thank you for your service. Ma James Shepard,

thank you. I'm going to reference a document and I just state your name and address. Yeah, sure. James Shepard. I'm at 107 Oak Beach Road in Oak Beach, New York. And I want to reference a document. I made a copy for every member of the board. Do you mind if I hand it to you? Sure. Just hand it up and hand it through the clerk. All right.

All right. Thanks. Thank you for allowing me to speak. Um, I'm speaking on a topic that uh probably the only topic uh that's brought me up to this microphone before, which is the Oak Beach water system. Uh, I know the members of of the board and you, Supervisor Schaefer, are very aware of uh this long project and the long history of the project and certainly uh the expense of the project. Um, it's been going on for well over a decade. Uh, lots of changes, lots of moving parts. Uh I've been the the vice president of the Barrier Beach Civic Association for many years along with my neighbor and friend uh Jed me. So I've been tasked with communicating to the members of Oak Beach the details uh about the project and it's been very difficult um to get information to get details because it's changed because it's been going on for for so long. Um but I want to make sure that the information that I'm giving my neighbors is correct. It's accurate. Um they ask me questions. often times I send them in letters to the town. Um, and often times I I do not receive an answer. Um, I've written at least four letters on the topic I'm going to broach tonight. I've never received an answer. Uh, both to the town attorney, Mr. Wilson, to you, Supervisor Schaefer. Um, I've even gone to your office, spoke with your secretary, was wondering if I can get a sit down, maybe five minutes to ask this question that I'm going to ask tonight. I received no response. So, I'm here tonight taking some time to see if maybe I could ask this question formally. Um, the first document you'll see is from November of 2022. Um, it does talk about the cost of the project and how it's going to be paid for. Um, I think it's notable to say in 2012 we received a letter from Joe Guino saying that the project was going to cost $2.8 million. Um, and he was very happy to report that he received a grant from the Environmental Facilities Corporation of New York, the Environmental Facilities Corporation of 1.8. It was a good chunk

of the of the project. Um, that number, which you can see here in front of you, has grown in at least in 2022, it was 16.84 million. um that breaks out when it's divided by the 56 homes are on the water system to 303,571 per home to build the water system. You mentioned that the residents of Oak Beach, the 56 people affected will be paying 2.5 million of that 16.84. And again, that's in 2022. I don't know if you're aware if that number has has increased in the the last four years now since 2022 because the project was just finished in 2025. Is that still the the the final number for the cost of that project?

What I would suggest you do is ask your questions and then we'll ask the attorney to get the answers for you. All right. I I don't I don't have any of that information in front of me now.

Okay. I would appreciate that. So, at the end of the letter, I highlighted the point that I want to make out. It says, "As you've been advised, the town of Babylon and the Suffach County Water Authority are doing all they can to limit the cost of the new system to each home." Uh, and it says that uh the distribution system to reduce connection have been capped at the assessment of $1,500 a year per home. So, am I correct in saying if it's $1,500 a year per home times 56 homes and you mention a number of $2.5 million, I've done the math. That equals 30 years. It's a 30-year term, right? 2.5 million is a 30-year term. All right. Because the question I'm asking today and that I have been asking for is is can we get the terms of this financial agreement in writing? Uh it's I believe I've been told that the 2.5 million represents the interest on bonds that the 56 residents are paying uh the interest on a loan, right? Right? And I know we've all taken out a loan before, but I don't think any of us have a loan without a a term agreement, a contract, something legal, something that says, "How much are you going to pay per year and how long is the term?" So, here it says in this letter that it's capped at 1500, and I love the word capped, but it is in uh it is not um uh the same thing that it said in the resolutions of the town board. I have two two resolutions here. Resolution 238. And if you would please just look at the second page where it's highlighted. Okay, it says that um the method of financing will be paid um through the aortment of cost. Sorry, I'm trying to get to the important part here. Okay, through a levy of taxes upon the area of the town outside of the villages. But it says here in each case without limit. So it will be taxes upon those in the benefited area. That's me and the 56 homeowners as well as a line item line line item on our tax bill town outside of villages in both cases without limit. And that is repeated

again in the next resolution. Same thing with the phrase in each case without limit. So I have a resolution that says that that amount there there's nowhere that says how many years but it says that the amount can increase without limit. There's a letter that says that it's capped. I'm going to assume that the resolution is is more of a legal document than a letter. And so what I'm asking is, is it possible to have a resolution that makes it very clear to the 56 homeowners, you know, who are very very much stakeholders in this water system at $2.5 million that we just simply have a document that lays out those terms. When does it start? I don't know if anybody on the board knows when that $1,500 started or what year it ends.

No. So we'll again we'll take your testimony and ask for the answers to be provided to you. Okay. And I appreciate it because and one more point in 27 years when that loan is up nobody is going to be here who entered into I I most likely will not be here and let's say on the 31st year the people maybe might children who own the house say this loan should be over now. And then somebody's going to point to it says well in each case without limit where does it say that it's 30 years we don't have that document. Okay. So, so I appreciate the time. Great. Thank you. Okay. Thanks very much. Okay. Take a motion to adjourn from Counciloman Menetta, second by Councilman Martinez. All those in favor? Opposed? He is ajourned. Thank you. All right.