Zoning Board of Appeals - Regular Meeting

Good evening. Have your attention, please. Please stand for the pledge. I aliance to the flag of the reps one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. [cough]

Good evening everybody. Welcome to the plan board meeting of November 13, 2025. You can see we have a packed house tonight. Uh I believe the most of the agenda will go relatively quickly. Please be uh very respectful respectful of the people speaking. Uh with that, I'll start the agenda so we can get things moving. First in the agenda is 100 Bucks Road self storage. Mike, I have no comments. It's on for seeker negative deck. And Rich,

so I I have a bunch of comments, but this is on for seeking egg deck, so we're good to go with that. Right. And um Pat is not here, but um he has an illness illness tonight, so he won't be coming. After we get to NE deck, uh they should get referred to ZBA. Right. Right. So we need a motion to adopt the NEG deck and also a motion to send to the ZBA. Uh Mr. Mr. Chairman, I'll offer the resolution of the planning board of the town of Carmel number 25-27 dated November 13, 2025 for tax map number 75.20-2-75 7677 and 78. I second. All in favor?

I motion to send to ZA. Mr. Chairman, I'll make a motion to send uh this uh property to the zoning board of appeals. Second. All in favor? All right. Thank you. Thank you. [clears throat]

Do we have the S? Okay. Good. Next on the agenda is Centennial Golf Course 185 John Simpson Road. This is for a resolution to the uh amended site plan. Chairman, you have to do the amended site plan first. I mean the uh lot line adjustment first. Sorry about that.

Four. All right. Well, we're going to move ahead to note four on the agenda. Centennial Golf Course 185 John Simpson Road lot line adjustment. Uh I don't believe Mike you had any comments nor Rich line. Some minor comments but the resolution go through. Do we have a motion to adopt the lot line resolution? Mr. Chairman, I'll make a motion to approve the final subdivision approval resolution of the planning board of the town of Carmel number 25-30, November 13, 2025, tax map number 44-2-2.1 and 44-2-4.2. Second. All in favor?

I. We have two other Centennials while we're at it. We've been working Centennial for several years now. I'll go back to Senate 10 golf course 185 John Simpson Road resolution for the amended site plan motion. I I'll make the motion.

Uh one one comment sir and I'm sorry Kevin Moses with Toll Brothers representing Centennial Golf Club and Toll Brothers. Um condition 22 I believe it is related to uh bat restriction for tree removals. We were wondering if we could just add one simple sentence directly after what is already in the resolution, and that is that tree removal can occur outside of this window if a qualified biologist confirms that Indiana bat habitat is not present within the development area. So, we're willing to accept the condition. We're just saying, hey, if we get a biologist out here and he says there's no bats present, we wouldn't be subject to the limited window of tree removal.

Mike, what do you think? Well, the DEC does do this. Um, correct.

So, as I was just saying to Joe and Mike, so typically we wouldn't allow this to happen. That's what Joe was going to say. What I wanted to say, what Kevin is asking for is something that the DEEC allows. What you have to do is uh what you may want to make the language read as such as bat habitat to be researched and to meet all New York State DEEC criteria, which would be having a biologist go out there. They have to sit there for three or four nights in a row to make sure that there's nothing there. So, as long as they meet New York State DEEC requirements, I believe, and if Joe's okay with it, the resolution can be amended to just include that uh language. Joe, anything to add to that?

Yeah, I I would just if the board is going to approve it, then they should do it subject to my approval of the language if they're going to make a change because otherwise we really should have known about this ahead of time. H happy to accept that, Joe. Thank you. Okay. Um and I believe the same condition exists in number 19 in the next resolution. So, we would just request the same language. So, same thing. So, subject to um um my review, uh I have no objection to that. Thank you very much. What about the other discussion we had about the work happening? I believe Pat uh had resolved that within the resolutions. Yeah. Just want to make sure because it's going to become a problem otherwise. I don't Yes, sir.

I think we can summarize this in a motion to adopt an amended site plan. Uh as long as you meet New York DEC requirements with review of our legal counsel. Someone make a motion for that. Yes. I'll make a motion for the resolution of the planning board of town of Caramel 25-29 November 13 2025 tax map number Oh, the other one I thought we were on two. That's number two. I thought is there an order? 2829.

Okay, so I'll do that. U so strike that. [snorts] I'll offer the resolution of the planning board of town of Caramel number 28 25- number 28 November 13 2025 for tax map 44 uh-2-2.1 and 44-2-4.2 subject to the language we discussed and subject to the approval of the planning board's attorney Mr. Sharpenho second.

All in favor? Okay. And we're going to have the same uh language in the next uh review of Centennial Centennial Golf Town Homes 185 Johnson Road amended site plan. Uh Mike and Rich do not have any comments and

so Mr. Chairman just the the applicant in both those last two have submitted the uh applicable permitting fees uh the engineering performance bond and engineering fees. uh they are still at will to have site plan changes at this I just want the board to be aware of it and Kevney knows this already I believe so if the D comes back and says we don't want any of these things they have to come back here to the town board just uh planning board to meet that so that's just FYI on that I don't think the DP is going to cause any grief they've already had preliminary discussions with them but you don't know that right so they may change something that might change the site plan that might have to have them come back here So just everybody is aware of that fact and I've spoken to Pat about that and Kevin you're aware of it

and Rich may be more optimistic on the D than I am but if in the event that they do have changes um we are obviously happy to come back and amend our performance bond and inspection fees accordingly any idea when you'll hear back from we have started liazing with D made our initial submissions have had our first round of comments uh are primed to resubmit listen I think it really varies with that organization but um my My hope is that we have their approval in three to four months. Okay. We need a motion.

So chairman, I'll make a [clears throat] uh make a motion for the resolution to the planning board of the town of Carmel number 25-29, November 13, 2025, tax map number 44-2-2.1 [clears throat] and 44-2-4.2 two subject to the language we discussed earlier and subject to approval of our attorney Mr. Sharon. Second. All in favor? On behalf of both Toll Brothers and Centennial, I wanted to say thank you. It's been a pleasure dealing with your board uh and your staff. So, thank you very much and we look forward to bringing this project to fruition. Likewise. Thank you.

Yes, sir. Next on the agenda, Liberty Bell Trucking 39 and 47 Old Route 6.

Good evening, Paul. Good evening, Mike. Yeah, they proposed to combine lots two and three of Merryweather Estates. It's an old subdivision from 70s, I believe it was. Um, there are two variances that are needed. Uh, three variances, I'm sorry. Um, lot area, sideyard, and required parking must be paved. They're showing unpaved parking. Uh, provide an easement for the access across lot one. They don't actually access the road through their own frontage and provide floor plans and elevations of the building.

Thank you, Mike and Rich. So, as Mike mentioned, it's a application proposal to combine two lots and three of Merryweather subdivision. They're constructing two buildings each at around 11,000 square foot at those addresses at a part of the application. Uh they've submitted a water and wastewater report which is under review. Uh there's about six or seven referrals and permits that are needed. So, you know, is their standard permits for this type of project. It's under an acre. They need to have a SWIP. Um this storm water maintenance agreement may be required. public uh performance bond, engineering fee probably required. And then there's standard detailed comments. The applicant did a good job on this because he's been in front of us before on projects on this road, but there's still a handful that needs to be looked at and addressed.

Thank you. Well, why don't you give us an overview of this project? I don't think we're too familiar with this. the the applicant is is looking to construct two buildings on what will be one single lot. When you take this lot and this lot and combine them together, um he's got enough space really to get the two buildings he needs. He already has a a tenant for this building and that's why this has got its own particular shape. And we're just looking to pave around the perimeter of the building for the frontage of both of them. Obviously, the driveway is going to get paved to come in. This driveway will continue on up into this lot number one. I'm working on sketch plans now for lot one. And in my opinion, it was best to just provide one driveway to access in essence all projects. Otherwise, you have a whole series of curb cuts. You've got a whole series of sewer and water tie-ins. And we can just simplify a lot of things by just having one driveway circ. What kind of business is proposed for that first building you mentioned?

This is more of a um fabrication type business where he'll be working on he'll have vehicles that come in and he'll he'll work on making modifications and that kind of stuff. So there's fabrication, um welding, that sort of stuff. The other building is is for the future and right now we're we're labeling it as just warehouse space. I'll open it up to the board. You said there's already a tenant for that one. Yes. And what kind of fabrication? I know you said welding, but what? Building materials or

No, steel. Steel work. Like um if you needed to have a winch put onto a truck or something and you you needed that to be welded on, he would do something of of that nature. Do they have a place somewhere else or is this their first No, they're they're they are in another location, but they need more space which they can't get where they're at. Yeah. Is there any um outdoor storage proposed? No.

Um and I know it's probably not the most best way to do this, but Pat has a comment here in his memo about the um driveway, and he he points out that the driveway uh rises about 10 ft in elevation. Um and he's wondering if having an elevation like that and trucks coming in and out if that's the wisest way to approach it. Oh, the the the slope when you look at the actual profile that's it's fine over the distance. It may raise 10. Well, his question really is he's wondering if it's going to be appropriate for large trucks. Yes, it will be. Yes, the answer is yes. I mean, I've worked.

So, Ray has to show it. There's ash ashetto requirements that are needed for commercial establishments. There are slopes that are required for it. You need to show those, Paul. That needs a response in order response to the board member. Uh and then we have our town code of what you have to meet with regards to where driveways are. So I I'd like to I know it's an industrial area, but I think the board would like to see some renderings of the buildings. Okay. Going to look like uh I don't think any of us have any idea of it yet. And we do play a role the architectural review also. Is [clears throat] this site adjacent to the walking trail? The walking trail is up here. Um, this was the Evans site over here

and then on this side is the Greenpoint Tree Service. Right. Right. Okay. And basically across the street is the um CND facility. And you got you have a car repair place here. Yeah. And with the hill on the driveway there, do you have sufficient sight lines? Oh, yes. hold. Okay. Any other questions? Paul, I think you need to come back with the renderings and then we'll Okay. We're not ready to move this to the ZBA until we have a better better view of it. That's fine. Thank you.

Thanks, Paul. Next on the agenda, Bunet subdivision 103 Pig Road sketch plan, two lots. Mike, you asked him to do a tree plan. I think that's what he submitted. And uh I was okay with everything else. And uh Rich,

same same here. He was asked to give a tree plan. This is still a sketch plan uh level right now. So it needs to have all the other acquaintments that you need for uh town code. Uh but there are you know comments that need to be addressed but I think that was a comment that was addressed last weekend. He last meeting with [snorts] the plantings with the tree cutting. So I think he's asking it get denied to the zoning eventually. Correct. Any comments from the board?

Do you want to explain the tree plan that you've come with? Well, it's it's not a we didn't prepare a tree planting or replanting plan. It's just we identified where all the trees are on the lot and showed which trees were going to get be cut down for, you know, based on this layout. Um,

and how many are you cutting down and how many are you replanting? about 20 about 27 coming down and then they can rellandscape. I think you should provide a landscaping plan to this in the future since we're taking down 27 trees. I don't know what the board's view is.

That would be fine. You mean post construction? Excuse me. Are you asking for post construction tree plant on a residential lot? Well, post free. I mean, I'd like to see what the plan is since he's taking down 27 trees. Well, are you going to be replanting any of those trees? Yeah. How many that are being taken down? You're replanting, you said? Yes. That could be a condition of your your approval because normally with a two lot, you do a subdivision, right? Here's a vacant lot. Somebody's going to buy it, right? They're going to come in and work within the envelope that they have to.

And they'll take down whatever trees they need to take down. If, you know, if they move the house from where I'm showing it, it's it's a you got moving parts, right? No buyers for any of the lot yet? No, because it hasn't there's no reason to advertise it because there's Okay, we're here. Okay, we have we without variances I I have no there's no project. I've been out to this property. I think we're most This has been around for a little while. Is everyone familiar with this? Okay. Does this need to go This doesn't need to go to the ZBA right now. It does.

It does. All right. We'll need a motion to send to the ZBA then. Mike, I'll make a motion to deny the applicant to the zoning board. Second. All in favor? Thank you. You're welcome. Thanks. You're welcome. Have a good night. Byebye.

Next on the agenda for a public hearing, TC Graphics 893 Route 6. Mike Rich and Pat, I don't believe you had any comments. has been around for a while also. I I have this is on for a public hearing tonight, right? So the it's the there's one thing that needs to be the com per part 15661 [clears throat] conformity and adequacy of on-site parking parking and loading facilities signs and number of employees just needs to be provided. But outside of that there's no objection to waving the site plan. Just provide some additional information. Is there anyone from the public that wishes to be heard on this application? We need a motion to close the public hearing.

Mr. Chairman, as there are no public comments and subject to the uh requirements that uh was set forth by Rich, um I [snorts] make a motion to close the public hearing. Second. All in favor? I. And a motion to grant the waiver of the site plan application. I'll make a motion to grant the waiver of the site plan application. Second. All in favor? All right. Thank you. So that's it. I just got to make my own signs. [laughter] Right. Yeah. You've been here for a while. Label parking spots. Is that what you said? You could call us tomorrow. We'll go over the whole thing. Yeah. There's there's standards to it.

Okay. Thanks.

Eighth on the agenda is 52 Craft Road. Michael Festo also for a public hearing. Uh Mike Rich, did you have any comments? I don't believe Pat did. I do not. No. So, finally, we got the report. Soil samples were collected. They were shown to be absent of any chemicals. So, the soil that it the old soil that was originally there, that was a question. And the new soil that was brought in is clean. So, that was the big question that we had going on. This can now move forward. for the board's reminder. This was an applicant that came forward with some fill, right? But there was some previous fill there that we asked him to verify that was okay. Evidently, he did. So, is there anyone from the public that wishes to be heard on this?

Okay. Uh, Mr. Chairman, as there are no public comments, I'll make a motion to close the public hearing. Second. All in favor? Jackie, I'll help Pat prepare a resolution. Thank you very much. Welcome. Next on the agenda is Greg Pelro, 381 East Lake Boulevard. It's a regrading application also for a public hearing. All engineering comments on this have been addressed. Jack provided a sufficient report that met the last set of criteria. Okay. And Mike, I don't believe you had any comments. I don't believe Pat did. Is there anyone from the audience that wishes to be heard on this applicant?

We need a motion to close the public hearing. Mr. Chairman, I'll make a motion to close the public hearing. Second. All in favor? I. And we'll have Pat prepare a resolution. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks for getting that work done. Next on the agenda is 11 Batista Drive Verie Batista also for public hearing residential site plan. Mike, I don't believe you've had any comments. No one Rich. No comments.

Yep. Anyone wish anyone from the public wish to be heard on this? This is another application that's been in front of us several times. If not, we need a motion to close the public hearing. Mr. Chairman, I'll make a motion to close the public hearing as there are no public comments at this time. I second. All in favor? I. And Joel will have papy prayer resolution for you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Nigel and happy Thanksgiving. Thank you.

[cough]

Okay. Last but not least, People USA. So, look, let's try to keep some balance to this meeting tonight. There's a signin sheet there. I'm going to go rowby row. Um, I want to tell you we are not making a decision on this tonight. This is a public hearing. We want to listen to you. We've received a lot of written in comments. We've received a lot of feedback from the public in the past. This is a permitted use for that location. That's why we're having the public hearing. We want to hear pros and cons. And we've gotten letters in support and letters against. Um, let's be courteous to each other. speak to the board during this meeting, not to each other. Uh we're going to limit you to three minutes. Uh try as best you can not to be repetitive. If we if we hear it once or twice or three times, that's plenty. Uh with that, I think People USA wanted to show a brief video to start. Is that the case?

Are you set to do that? Is Vinnie set working with you? Yeah, they can't hear in the back. Oh, they might have. Okay, Vinnie, are you ready to show the the video from People USA? And Vinnie, Vinnie, they're saying they can't hear us in the back.

Okay. Hi, welcome to the county stabilization center. I'm Dan. I'm a social worker here. How about we go inside so that I can show you around. But I'll tell you, people don't spend a lot of time in here. We like to get people in and looking at their services and what we could do for them as soon as possible. When it is busy, sometimes I have to go right into the assessment room and start engaging.

I think we have one of our peers in there right now. Maybe he can explain a little bit more about what we do when we get people into the assessment room.

Hi, I'm Patrick Woods. I'm the peer specialist here at the stabilization center. We usually like to bring people into here, our hope room or one of the other assessment rooms to make sure that they have a comfortable and safe place to speak with us. We like to make sure to emphasize comfort so people kind of know that we're here to make sure that they're in a safe place. We're here to talk with them. We usually have an open kind of free flowing conversation. Get them to know as a peer, you know, person to person. Come over here. I want to show you one of our other things. This is called the recovery room. When we're done giving services to people, sometimes there can be a little bit of a wait. Some chess in here. We got various board games around. Some books for people to read on the side. Now, I'm going to take you to the family room where we usually have the ability to assess children and families who are in crisis. It's one of my favorite rooms in the facility. So, I'm so excited to This is a much more colorful room with a beautiful mural on the wall. A lot of the times for kids, this could be their first time in any kind of mental health facility at all. We really want to make sure it's a positive impression. We have stuff like coloring supplies, blocks, games, and the guitar, which is my personal favorite. I find that music can be an amazing tool in therapy. I'm so happy that this agency supports me using it. We see kids of all different ages, and that's the reason why it's important to have all different types of tools and books in here. Kind of like the recovery room. The revitaliz room is a room that people can rest in while they're waiting for their brides or to treat. As you can There's actually somebody who's resting in the revitalizer, [clears throat] so we better give them some space and let them rest. Man, it's a busy day here at the stabilization center, right? Well, I should catch up on some notes. There's always notes to catch up on when I'm working my shift. And in the staff hub,

you can see my wonderful co-workers in here. These are all my colleagues hard at work. We've got peer staff here who engage with the guests, putting their own personal experiences, their lived experiences, putting those to work. We've got a case in this room who helps with substance use assessments and linkage to substance use treatment. And then folks like myself are clinicians, a social worker, and so I assess people on that mental health level. So we're sitting in our courtyard area behind the facility. A lot of our guests a [clears throat] nice view of out back here. I remember when I first started, all my shifts were on Saturday and Sunday. I commuted from New Jersey like a long time, you know, to make it to these [music] shifts. I remember driving home after a 16-hour shift, you know, it was like late at night, 11 o'clock at night. I was driving like two hours to get home, but I was just kind of buzzing because I felt so alive and excited to be really using my degree and my position for something that I knew was good. And I would say that's my favorite thing about this job if I had to say is

because it's a crisis center. I get to see in real time the relief that we provide to people. I do get people who are able to tell me at the end of it, hey, I feel so much better. Thank you so much. I'm feeling safer now. That feeling is the fuel that keeps me doing this. It's the gratification that really makes all the difference in doing this type of work. Thanks so much for coming to the stabilization center and seeing what we do here. It was a pleasure to have you. [applause] Okay. What we're going to do now is we're going to go row by row, giving everyone an opportunity to speak. Like I said, if it's already been said a couple times, that's enough. Uh we don't need to keep everyone here all night. If we need to be here all night though with new ideas, we will be uh first row from left to right and please sign in your name when you come up to the podium. Anyone wish to speak in the first row?

Can you tell them about the camera? Can you tell them? Yes. Is that okay? Yeah, I I can um Yeah, Vinnie, why don't we do this? Why don't we let this uh lady speak first? Yeah, he's got a Let's let this Excuse me, sir. Let's please let this lady speak first. And Vinnie, you you handle the camera. Yes. Okay. He said, "Okay, thank you. I appreciate that." Okay. So, just bear with me. I'm a little nervous. You sign in too when you get first name is fine. I I understand. Yes. Thank you. Thank you for understanding. So, I'm a little nervous. So, just bear with me.

I want to begin by clearly stating that I am not opposed to a stabilization center in Putnham County. Contrary to this week's article in the courier, I don't think anyone is questioning the need for mental health services. What I am here to ask the planning board is to seriously consider an alternative location. The Hamlet of Carmel is already playing its part in [clears throat] the fight against mental health and substance abuse. On Sunday morning, October 19th, I was the unfortunate victim of an assault. It was terrifying. I sincerely sincerely hope that no one in this room or their family member ever experiences what I did. I was chased, held down, and punched repeatedly by a male in his 30s. I covered my face and my neck as he struck the back of my head multiple times. When he tried to roll me over, I thought I was going to be raped or killed. I prepared to fight back. I screamed as loud as I could. Suddenly, he ran off, leaving me there in a tunnel. just 100 ft from a nursery school where he had been living. I ran for my life to Route 6, not knowing if he was still chasing me. I was lucky I got away. I suffered a concussion, a broken finger, cracked tooth, as well as injuries to my knees, arms, and hands. I have not been able to sleep since October 19th. I don't want to stand here as a victim, but as a voice for safety and reason in the hamlet of Carmel. My attacker had a criminal record, prior convictions for drugs and assault. I was told that local officials tried to place him in a shelter, but he refused and instead chose to live in a tent along the rail trail. Both the sheriff and Carmel PD were called about this man prior to the attack. Naively, we thought they could remove him until this happened. I didn't realize how limited law enforcement is in a situation like this. So, there he was living where we walk, run, and ride our bikes.

After the assault, he was arrested, issued a ticket, and released. This is not the fault of Carmel PD or Putnham County. This is the law. Now, regarding the proposed stabilization center, I learned that there was a public hearing on October 9th that many of us missed. I didn't want to make assumptions. So, I watched the 109 meeting, spoke with Sarah Cervado, the mental health and social services commissioner, and talked to a co-orker whose daughter used the stabilization center in Pikipsy. She said it was helpful. I have no doubt that it will help those in crisis. However, within just one mile of the ha in the hamlet of Carmel, we have a county jail, Cove Care Center, Armsacres inpatient and outpatient clinic, an addiction treatment center that distributes methadone. Allegedly, my attacker was a methadone patient. This meth clinic sits 100 ft from a rail trail and 500 ft from the most utilized plaza in the hamlet. Adding another facility that serves people in crisis so close to homes, local businesses, senior communities, and the rail trail is not appropriate. Some may say incidents like mine are rare, but now I am a statistic. In the article from this week's Courier, Sarah Servia was quoted saying, "Dangerous individuals will not be treated at the center and people will not be going to the center unless they desire to." I took the liberty of printing several copies of the 2023 bail reform amendment and have highlighted page three for you. The 2020 amendment added mandatory programming. The 2023 amendment further clarified the treatment to include mental health health and chemical dependent treatment as well as gave judges the option to refer people to crisis stabilization centers. This means that a judge may mandate a perpetrator to be treated at a crisis stabilization center. What happens when someone at the stabilization center refuses treatment

or placement and walks off just like my attacker did? They would be steps away from the retreat and residential neighborhoods. We now understand that the law enforcement's ability to act on this would be very limited. We can't keep saying that could never happen here. It has and it can again. Another quote from the same article says, "The county mental health department will have close oversight on the center. Apparently, the county issued my asalent a tent." Yes, they gave him a tent. Is this the kind of close oversight that should make us feel better? From my conversation with law enforcement, the current town supervisor, Mike Khazari, as well as members of the legisl legislature, these individuals told me that they were against this location. I am curious as to why town officials, including the town supervisor, were opposed to this location, yet the CH county chose to move forward. The disconnect is troubling. Sorry. Carmel has done its part. The Hamlet's shoulders are tired. I do not feel that my argument arguments are unsubstantiated in asking you to deny this application for location and find a safer, more balanced site for the stabilization center. Finally, I want to thank my family and my community, both Mayapac and Carmel. I graduated from Mayapac High School 1985. I love it here. For wrapping your arms around me. Thank you to the Carmel PD and the Sheriff's Office for your kindness and quick action. and for the K9 unit for finding my attackers so fast. Saber is my hero. Those dogs and the officers behind them are worth every penny. I am told the sheriff's office will patrol the trail more frequently and the county is working on installing cameras. Thank you, Kevin Burn, for those effort efforts. I hope they continue well after the election season. If you had hit me a little harder or a little longer or with a rock, tonight's discussion might not be about an

assault. It could be about a murder in Putnham County committed by a man who was allegedly a patient at a clinic placed in an unsuitable location and approved by a previous board. I'm not asking for sympathy, but for the planning board to consider the residents of the Hamlet of Carmel. Thank you for listening. [applause] [applause] [applause] Yeah. YEAH.

Thank you. You please three minutes, please.

Yes. Uh Mr. Chairman, members of the board, my name is Tony Bamante. I've been living here at the retreat for 14 years. uh our neighbors arm acres uh before we spent uh a large amount of money in putting up a fence. I myself plus some of my m some of my neighbors do were awaken in the middle of the night looking to see where the bus or the train to New York City was. I understand that people have to be treated. I understand that there's a lot of help that should be given out out there. Sir, please bring the microphone up to your mouth, please.

Okay. People not only hear but on a television have to hear. Okay. The mic that's much better.

So, what I'm what I'm trying to get across to you guys is that location is very important. I was looking at the TV, the one I think Duchess County. It looked to me like they had a great big property. They were all, you know, places to walk, to play, whatever. The place that they're looking at, our neighbors, is not correct. It's not the proper place. I think we will have an awful lot of problems. Not only us but the town, the police department, the fire department as it is right now at our anchors. Many, many times you see the lights coming up the road and I have to tell you, we are a senior citizens community and we don't need problems. We moved here because we were told it was a very nice safe town. We don't object. We pay our taxes. We don't object to anything in the town, but we object to this property. I think it's it's wrong and I think we will have a lot of problems with it. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Did you sign it? [applause] Anybody else in the first row? I thought this is a continuation of the first. Yes, it is. It is. Okay. Please uh sign and state your name.

Yes. Jack Adesso. Once uh I live at 75 Blair Heights, Carmel, New York. Tony's my neighbor. I live five houses from Arms Acres and we had a three-year battle with Arms Acres and we eventually had to put up a fence ourselves, 6-ft chainlink fence around the property to keep them out. You've heard this lady who was attacked and by the grace of God is here to talk about it. Talk about the handcuffs that are placed on the police in our ju judicial system. So you can't allow this place to be there because once it's there and people are there going into it, you can't do anything about it. In other words, they refuse to go to a shelter. The police are hamster. They can't do anything about it. They refuse to go to an emergency room. Police can't do anything about it. They wander around the community. And what a nice place it is. They have a McDonald's that's open 24 hours, a Wendy's, a Taco Bell, they have a uh uh a Carll in the shopping center. I mean, it's a very nice place to hang around. In fact, there was somebody, we have a photograph of it, who was sleeping in front of the Starbucks in broad daylight over here in the Plaza Shopping Center. This is what's going to happen if you allow it to go there. If you don't allow it to go there, the police don't have to worry about it. Okay? When these people came to our community four or five months ago to make a presentation, they told us how this supposedly works. People could walk in. That's not going to happen. Okay. The police, sheriff's department, Carmel Police will be able to take these people and transport them

over to this stabilization center and drop them off. Once they're dropped off, there's 23 hours. 23 hours that they have to turn this person around or find a place for this person to go. If they can't find a place for this person to go, if they can't turn it around, this person leaves. You can't stop them. Please wrap it up. I'm sorry to be rude. Wrap it up. Well, I'm going to give you some statistics. Okay. I think you should hear it. Well, I'm fine. I'm trying. There's a lot of people that need to speak.

Carmel has 20 at least. I did a Google search. 20 social help rehab facilities. Mayor Pac 5, Brewster 4, Pauling 2, Patterson none, Kent Nun, Lake Carmel, and Northeast None. The Carmel Hamlet has 3.6% of the size of Putinham County, yet has over 80% of the social service locations. You know what they are? Armsacres, the Cove, you go around Putinham Hospital. I got a list. This woman, Terry, wanted me to read it off. I don't have time to do it. But besides, I don't think legally it belongs there because they don't have adequate parking. I don't believe it's a permitted use in this zone.

It is a permitted use. Well, that's what you say. Okay. That's what you say, but we don't really know cuz we really haven't heard the evidence about it. I've looked through the use schedule. I looked through the definition. A stabilization center is a bunch of mumbly jumbly words. What does that mean? It's not even defined in our code. Look, these people are nice people. I'm sure it's a good project, but not here. You look at that exit onto Stonley Avenue, gas station right across the way, bank, a a factory. Everything comes into that little spot on Stonley Avenue. During rush hour, you can't get in and out of there.

Okay. Yeah. Please be cognizant of time so I'll just can speak. Who's had time? Okay. Thank you. Thank you. All right. I signed it. [applause]

Is there anyone in that little Cove area there that wishes to speak?

Please sign in and state your name. Good evening. My name is Kristen Kakal. I am a Brewster resident and I will keep my comments very short as there seems to be a lot of people who want to speak. Um I appreciate the comments that came before me. Um I stand here in support of the stabilization center. Um and I would say to the comment about these people, I would like people to remember that these people are also kids. And that's a piece that's really lacking in Putnham County. Our community needs to do better. The county needs to do better.

Please, people, let's listen to the speaker. Let's respect the speaker. You all have an opportunity to talk. If you need to conversation, go out in the hallway or outside. I'm sorry.

That's okay. I understand no one wants something in their backyard. I do get that and I hear the concerns and I appreciate them. But I do think we have an epidemic of mental illness among our children. And if no one has ever had to take a child to Putham County Hospital or Fors Hospital, consider yourself very lucky. It is the worst thing a parent can do. I would ask you to please really move forward with this project because our kids need it. The schools are struggling. It is a resource and it is it is a support. And for those families who are in crisis, the absolute last thing they need to do is figure out what to do. And too often they struggle silently. I would bet my money that some of the people brought to this center would mostly be kids, which is a very sad statement to make, but it's very telling about where our society is. So once again, I ask you to please move forth with the project. I respect the opposition and their concerns, but the county, the community, and most of all, our children really need it. Thank you.

Thank you. [applause]

Anyone else from Miss Cove wish to speak, please come in and state your name and sign in, please.

Hi, good evening everyone. My name is uh Dr. Todd Carlin. Um I'm a licensed psychologist. I work at Astra Services. Uh we have worked with the stabilization center in Duchess uh for many years and we provide crisis services in Putinham through our homebased crisis intervention program. To echo the thoughts of the last speaker, children are a major component and a massive use of the center. Um, I don't know what the experience we just had, I think, someone who has firsthand experience of what it's like to sit in an emergency room for days on end trying to get emergency services for your child. um especially in situations where you are mixed with an adult population where you cannot leave, you cannot go to work, you don't know what's going to happen next, and you have no real access to getting community supports and services and partnerships. The stabilization center fills a gap that no one else can provide and it is the evidence-based model for support um in the state and it is recognized as the best way to support kids in crisis. Um I'm not going to speak to every element of the concerns. I I understand what people and I I feel horrible for uh the woman who spoke earlier and what she went through. The only thing I can say is that these individuals are already in the community and they need support and they need help and so I would say that the stabilization center can provide that support. Thank you.

Thank you very much. You sign in. [applause]

I want to have the alco speak first in case they choose to leave afterwards since they're standing. [snorts] Good evening. Uh, my name is Karen Ael. I'm a lifelong resident of Carmel, New York. 54 years here. Um, I'm a little nervous myself, so bear with me. Um, Donna, what a brave person you are and brought me to tears earlier, and I can tell you that, please microphone.

Caramel is not the town that I grew up in. It is not the town that I'm proud of anymore. It's just it is it's just not the same. I have and, you know, speaking I'm I am I have two boys. I am so extremely grateful every day that I do not have that issue where I have to put my bring my kids to a center or try to find them help. But speaking of kids, we're here to protect our own kids as well. So you bring these people in who have these issues and now it presents more drug. There's already drugs, alcohol, we're up against a battle as parents. And now you bring this in and it gives them even more opportunity to get um you know to be affected further. Um so you know I'm here to protect my kids too. I'm also within a mile of walking distance from all of those places. I'm off of Seminary Hill. So I see the they now have security that stands outside of Arms Acres every day in a car. Why? So, I talked to residents that are across the street in Lindy Drive and they said that they were having people come in there. They're loitering. They're waiting. They're trying to get their last fix before they go into Armsacres and there's needles on the ground and they call the police and there's not much they can do. Well, so now they have a security guard and I drive past it to and from every day when I go go to and from my house. I got burglarized twice since I've lived here. Um, and one I was told by police allegedly that it was most likely a drug addict looking for a money money for a quick fix. So, I'm sorry. I'm nervous, but I have to voice my opinion, too. I'm I stand behind not putting it here. No one is saying that there aren't children in need or adults in need and everybody is entitled to have that help. And Putnham County, if we have to have one mandated for Putnham County, why can't it be in Brewster then? Why can't it be in May? Why can't it be in Phillips now? [applause] Do it.

Thank you, Caramel. It it we to Donna's point and whoever spoke earlier in opposition, Caramel has done it more than its fair share to support these people. Thank you. So bring it elsewhere and we hope they get their help. [applause] Please uh state your name, your address, and please uh sign in. I'm going to try to move along so everyone has an opportunity to speak.

Good evening. I'll be very brief. Uh my name is Ashley Brody. I'm a professional working in the field. Um I have uh lived in Brewster and Carmel and Mayipac um on and off for many years. have also uh worked in the area. I am here in support of this and I will say that the tragedy that occurred in October that was described quite painfully and poignantly at the beginning this evening is beyond tragic. If I thought for a moment based on my experience, based on what I've seen that the introduction of a stabilization center would increase the likelihood of that happening, I wouldn't be here this evening. I have no words of course to console the victim of that horrible assault. I just want to echo the sentiments of a couple of people who spoke before me that we are in the midst of a crisis of mental health that's afflicting this entire nation and this region is not exempt. Individuals who are struggling are already in this community. Those who have tried to access emergency services at Putinham Hospital um and no disrespect to Putinham Hospital but hospitals are not the best place to get emergency services have encountered difficulty time and again and especially young people. As you've learned the stabilization center serves as many young people, children, adolescence, our children, our adolescence who are struggling in a very humane, kind and caring way. [snorts] All of the evidence that exists to date suggests that a stabilization center of this type does not add crime to a neighborhood. It does not introduce more drugs, more blight. It does just the opposite. I understand the concern. I understand the opposition. I deeply respect it. This is people's homes and they want to be safe and I want the same. And I do believe that this would help to foster safety. Thank you very much.

Thank you. [applause] Anyone else in that area there? Please uh state your name and sign them when you're done.

Hello, my name is John KCO. I happen to lose a daughter 2015 through the system here. I've been a Mayapac resident since uh probably 50 years and I've lived firsthand of the services that we have here. children that come through these services. I'm not saying they don't help people and we already have arms acres, we already have the copes, we have these other st they can leave and come as they go. I remember my daughter saying I'll be out of here by the by the uh by the morning and things are done. So when this happens in this community when people are turned away and they're going to be on the street, you can't there's not just one program for all these people. You have you have the uh drug addiction people. We have we already have three programs here or more like the other folks said of uh uh services in this community. I just think you're oversaturating it. I think we should work better better what we have already instead of adding something else to the community that could backfire just as well. So that's my point. Thank you. Thank you. Please sign in. [applause] Anyone else from that area there wish to speak? I I ask you not to be rude, but just to hold the applause so we can get get everyone up there to speak. I understand the why the applause, but let's just move the meeting along as best we can.

Um, uh, good evening. My name is Angela. I'm a small business owner in the community. Um, I too I agree, um, that there is a need for a stabilization center, but I just asked that it not be in the hamlet of Caramel. Um, I've had two incidences um already with um individuals that were living um at my office property and the cops had to come and they were released um excuse me, [clears throat] one of them from the uh prison. So, I think that we've, you know, we've done our share of um having facilities in our community.

Thank you. [applause] State your name and address and please sign in. Good evening. My name is Anthony Falco and I think you guys know me. I've been in front of you guys a couple of times in the last few weeks. So, the responsibility of this board is to protect our community, correct? keep things in line, keep things going smoothly. This center has been open for how long? It's not open.

Okay, it's not open yet. And look at the problems we're already having. As you bring more people into a densely populated community, into a small space like the Hamlet of Caramel, Putnham Plaza, you think things are going to get better or worse? It's the wrong place. It's not the wrong situation. It's not the wrong scenario. It's the wrong place. [applause] Donna was lucky. The next person may not be. That'll be on the people that are in for this in for this in that community and that area. That'll be on your hands, not ours. [applause] Please sign in. Anybody else from that little co area right there?

Okay, we're going to go to the second row then, please. Anyone in the second row wish to speak? Go ahead. I know you've been anxious to get up there. Spencer,

please state your name and your address. My name is Spencer Tassler. I live at the retreat at Carmel for almost 17 years. I experienced many things because I became the first this gentleman is I think you all know who that is, right? We have the support of some people on the town council and he's so generous to stand by me. Um, as always, um, I was I was given the honor to be on the HOA board of PY, first resident to be on PY. I saw Mr. Coat many times on the planning board when he was assistant uh, chairman. Uh, and uh, we spoke. But when I became on uh the board, the two toughest things I had was one py two's arm acres. Arm acres was a terrible situation. Finding drugs in driveways, finding drugs in the lawns, as uh Tony mentioned, not only Tony, but other people knocks at the door at 2, three, 4 in the morning. It wasn't good. So, one thing PY did, all the wrong things they did, the one thing they did correctly is safety. And you're in charge of our safety as well as the towns. And what we did is we contacted the police chief at that time. It was uh I think it was Johnson. And he was so kind to put the meeting together with Armsacres in our clubhouse. And we talked it out and he helped us. He then brought in the assistant chief of police, who by the way, he's the town supervisor now. We have his support. He already turned it down to the county.

But anyway, the point is we spent money to put, as Jack mentioned, a fence, but prior to that, we tried everything. They tried security. We we we spent maybe $15,000 on about 500 trees to block it. Didn't work after a year and a half. So, assistant chief came back, got them together with us, and we built a fence. And by the way, it works. So, if this project goes forward, we're going to insist on a fence. We're a thousand feet away from this facility. You know, they they presented us a beautiful video. You look at the video, there's trees, there's a backyard. This site has nothing near it. It's all concrete. My question to you guys is, have you vetted them through other their of their facilities? What did the town say? What the other towns say? My biggest question is they have to stay there 23 hours, right? And then they have to leave. Where are they going to go? I'm going to go up the street. Terrorist is going to be taken over by the town. That's our main thoroughare. And that goes all around the mountain to another condo 55 and over Stonley Woods. You're opening this to a tremendous population that's going to hurt us. And truthfully, we're old. [laughter] We're scared. We want to be protected. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. [applause]

Anyone in the third row wish? Well, second row. Go ahead. Please state your name and address. Tom.

Tom Rosetti. I'm at 15 Dickensson Place which is in the retreat thousand ft away from the center. The first thing is that we are uh really not happy about the fact that it was considered to be an oversight when suddenly the meeting happens and it was all nice and cheery when the board met about it. We all came in here last week and we're told well get together and do it again. What you're seeing in this room right now is some of the political and organized sense that you now have found in this community because of the fact that Putnham has created a creative nuisance in the area of Carmel Hamlet. It's a three-mile area and 80% of all of the services for the comm uh the entire county are located within our area. That is an exorbitant amount and we have them lined up down the road. To have something else this close and to be a problem is not something that should be allowed and if it is not a zoning issue at this point, we will make it a zoning issue. We will go back and we will work with the town board to make this a created area that is not being dumped on, which is what is happening right now with all of these services that are happening. We have a nice video of unicorns and guitars. And this is not just for children. This is a 24-hour situation where you're going to have people release. I'm waiting for somebody who is in mental crisis to take that guitar and instead of play it, smash it. All right. We have people at the hospital who won't take them over there because they've attacked over there. You are taking people who are highly unstable at that point. That is the reason they are coming to this center and you're basically putting them in our backyards and releasing them there and that's something that's not going to

work. We are going to be organized and work it on this politically. The town board we ask do not accept this program where it is. It's fine to be somewhere within the county. It's going to be available to it. Pugsley areas like that where it's not right on top of all of the community with senior citizens. We're afraid we have people who will not go down to the walking path anymore. This has been one of the main things that people have and come into this community for and because of all of the issues that have been going on which you have heard from, we are now not safe to do this anymore. We hope that the town uh planning board will listen to the residents and look at all the people here because we'll be back again if this is not going to work that way.

Thank you. Thank you. [applause] [applause]

Uh, we're in the third row. Two. You're both in the third row. So, oh, my name's Jack Duncan. Um, one of Please sign in when you get done to tell us your address. Uh, I'm I live in Bruce now, but I grew up in Mahoak.

Okay. Uh I I left uh Mahopac when I joined the Marine Corps and basically worked my way back after 30 years back into uh Buttonham County. Um one of the reasons I I came up here about the uh the uh the center is veterans like myself. I'm 100% disabled veteran. Uh I did work for the uh I was the interim program coordinator for Putham Countyy's dry vet to vet and we would have loved to have this center somewhere in Putham County. Now I I understand what the people and I'm I that that are talking about because it's right in their backyard, but I know from when we were working when you had a not just a veteran but their family member in crisis very few places to go and something like this, you know, we talk we have Veterans Day, we have all this. When that veteran or their family member is in in crisis, this is the type of place they should be going. a phone call to the VA doesn't make it. Where this is situated, when I looked at it, I was, gee, it's it's an eighth of a mile from the VA uh clinic. It's a half a mile from uh the county uh uh veterans agency. You know, that was the positive. Now, the people that live there, God bless them that they're here and they're voicing their concerns, but I'm going to voice mine for the that we have to have this center somewhere and if it's going to be in Caramel, it's it it will save some lives in the veterans community.

Thank you. Sign in. Thank you. [applause] [cheering] [applause] We're still on the third row. Please state your name and your address and sign in. I'm sorry.

Hi, my name is Mary Jane Burillo. What is this? Okay. Uh I obviously Brewster. Okay. Now, I just want to start with I was raised in Yoners, but I grew up in Brewster. Okay. High school. And I want to start with in the mid80s John Caesar was voted mayor out of his ban. Okay, he was homeless. He was voted mayor and did wonderfully. And it's just for I take offense with well why can't Brewster or Mayor Packer? We've been doing this and taking care of the homeless and the ever since Wingdale got closed. We've been doing this and taking care and I have I've been helped by coare I got my section 8. I'm retired on my disability. I did demolition for 30 years of my life, you know, and that's fine. But it's just I'm I hear both sides right now. And I came here with one cracked mind and I'm listening, which is not something I normally do, but you know, we get stubborn. That's how we get. And I just uh it's just it's a community issue. And it's uh it's like everybody wants the situation to just evaporate. It's not going to happen. No matter where you go, there you are. And it's my sister was born deaf. Do you know what they did to back in the 17600s? Now that we have the medical uh backing and we know things more now, don't you think we should come together as a county and see what we can do? Because everybody knows somebody,

you know, just if it's over there in the corner, we don't see it. It's going to go away. It's not going to go away. I think we should address these issues as a community because everybody knows somebody. Thank you. Thank you. [applause]

Good evening. This is Dr. Mnet C. Thomas, 43 Blair Heights at the retreat. I'm a member of the board of directors for the HOA as well, and I've lived there for almost 16 years. When I was small, I was exposed to living up state in middle uh Slate Hill, which is near Middletown, New York on a farm. I loved it. But we lived in I grew up in Queens. I always said I was going to head for the hills. It took me a long time. I've been retired for more than 20 years, but I finally got to my hill, and I love it here. I've never been happier. In fact, we I think everybody in this room agrees there is a need for this kind of facility, but as you've heard, the county has been pushing all of these facilities to one little hamlet. My other concern is the road. Jack mentioned at the beginning of his talk at the end of his talk that this is a very busy intersection of two major roads. My concern is the entry to this facility that you that's being proposed is not a road. It's like a driveway. It is surrounded by 8 to 10 ft of grasses making it almost impossible to see to pull out onto Stonley Avenue. In addition to that, the lights are staggered. So if you're going from Route 6 onto Stonley, you get a green arrow before the root car is coming from Stonley onto Route 6. That causes a problem. Even now, I've had to avoid having accidents of people not realizing that. Oh, I want to go over to Taco Bells and they shoot across the road or they shoot back out onto the

road. I want to know what's going to happen. Has there been any studies about the flow of traffic if this facility is put where it is proposed to be? Thank you. We're still in the third row. Please state your name, address, and sign in when you get a chance, please.

Sure. My name is Carl Dimucci. I live at 10 Terrace Drive. My home is located approximately 100 yards from the site that is being proposed. Now, I understand the the need for this type of, you know, type of thing, but like everyone has been saying, I think partner uh Caramel, especially the the mile radius of where uh these units are, they're all every they're concentrated already, and I think it's oversaturated with with this with these type of facilities. having another one here, all it would do is pose additional security issues on top of what we already have there. Now, I live a 100 yards from this unit that they're proposing. Now, I understand that it might be for a lot of a lot of the kids might need need those services, but there certainly may be times where older people will also want to go. They're teenagers, kids in their 20s, 30s, and all it [clears throat] takes is one unstable person to act act out an issue. And me being a 100 yards from that facility, I think I'm in the firing line of any negative negativity that may come out of there. And again, like I like I'm stating, there are an an there are already two two of these units concentrated right around the retreat. uh complex to have a third one is just is just asking it just cuts down the odds of like well you know maybe something will happen maybe it won't happen but the more of these that you install in the same concentrated area obviously the odds are raised that something bad could happen and all it takes is one incident for you know for all it takes is one incident and I could be coming out of the front of my house

walking uh you know work working around the front of my house. I'm 100 yards from that unit. Someone could come out from from the uh from the woods that are over there or from from the side uh side street and cause who knows what problems. I'm not maybe it won't happen, but it can happen. And the issue is again you have two. So that the odds are whatever they are with two facilities. Now that you have three facilities, it just increases the odds. Again, Putnham County is a big county. like like they have people have stated before. Uh why are these units all concentrated in this in this in this section there? I'm sure there's got to be other more appropriate areas in Putinham County where where this facility can be can be located to cut down the odds of again any any negative issues.

Thank you. Thank you. [applause] We're still in the third row. State your name, address, please.

My name is John Rock. I live in Kent, uh, 33 Sky Court. I'm a member of the Putnham County Community Services Board, member of the National Alliance for Mental Illness. I had a father who was serious mentally ill. We I would wake up at night hearing my parents argue. Little did I know, he was becoming sick. My mother did not know what to do. She would deal with it until she got overwhelmed. She called the police. And many times the police came to my house, went upstairs, got my father, took him down the stairs, put him in handcuffs, and hold him out of the house. My mother would go after him, telling the police not to hurt him. If we had a center like this, maybe this wouldn't happened. The police would not have to get involved. So, I'm in support of this center. Uh people, there are people out there who need services, people that we don't even know about, and this would really help the community. Thank you.

Thank you. [applause] Hello, I'm Dr. Karen Sherman and I'm a psychologist. So, first I'd like to thank the board for having this meeting after that error that took place the last time with notifying us and I'd like to thank all of the people who are here from the stabilization center for the work that you do. That being said, our community, the retreat is now becoming destabilized. They are anxious. They are afraid. The comments that I am hearing from people [applause] is that as elderly people, they may not be able to run and protect themselves as much as Donna had. Nobody nobody is questioning the need for services. Nobody is questioning the need to help children. All we are asking for is to place it somewhere where it is not in our backyard and I know there's a term for that nimbies but given that there are so many other facilities in a one square mile in Caramel Hamlet and that this is so close to a senior citizen community. We beg you, we will help you. I will personally help you as a psychologist find another location so that we can service this these people but not so close to the retreat. Thank you. [applause] Good evening. My name is Paul Kabiotti. I'm a resident of Brewster, New York. I

grew up in Westchester County in Srmers. Um, spend a lot of time in Carmel. Very quick and to the point. Um, one thing everyone has pointed out is the need for this type of center. And, uh, I do agree and I stand in agreement that it should be here. The reason is exactly what everyone is saying. All of these places are in close proximity. Supportive services need supportive handoffs and it's very important that we keep that in mind. The key word is isolation. Everything that you guys mentioned has to do with isolation uh with the support of the community with a stabilization center and handoffs to the appropriate services. Everyone will benefit from this. So that's what I say.

Thank you. [applause] We're still in the third or anyone else in the third row wish to speak? If not, we'll go into the fourth row. Fourth row, please.

Hello, my name is Dawn and we have a small business at 1961 Route 6. It's a bakery and I have um personally on multiple occasions been approached by one uh patient of the methodone clinic. She came to the bakery on multiple times and I did have to call the caramel police and they did come out and they did assist me. They had to, you know, ask her to leave. She came back multiple times. the last time the officer told her that she couldn't come back because now she's trespassing and the landlord, the owner of the building, asked for her not to be there. She lived um in walking proximity to the bakery. She lived on Hoostead, which is I want to say within a half a mile or so of the bakery. and she would walk um to the clinic uh just off of Day Road where the methadone clinic is and then she would walk back and she would try to stop at the bakery looking for food. Um I did know who she was. She has since been uh killed because she was driving after leaving the clinic and uh she was up more towards Brewster area at the time. It was very early in the morning and she did um hit a tractor trailer and she did get killed. Um my biggest concern is because we do keep very late hours there at the bakery and we have very early morning hours as well that and we are an all female uh business. So it is concerning. We have

had very um good communication with the Carmel Police. they do come out um and they have patrolled the area which is very good for us. Um but I just feel as though because of the hours we keep and the um closeness to where this stabilization center is proposed is concerning to a small business as ours in the community. Um and I do have another one that was given to me from the Putinham Wines. Am I able to read that? Yeah, it's a different spokesperson.

It's a different one. And her name is Stephanie. And she asked that um I say that she has been a familyrun business proudly serving Carmel for 30 years. Her father Martin was the property manager and attorney for Putnham Plaza Shopping Center from 1993 until its sale uh which is now the Regency Center. Uh we have always prided ourselves in providing a great shopping experience with strict adherence to the law. While I cannot speak directly to the construction of a mental health facility, I appreciate the opportunity to acknowledge that our business as well as many neighboring businesses have been impacted by the increased presence of homeless people [clears throat] often struggling with mental health crisis and drug addiction. In the last two years, uh, she has witnessed individuals who have approached customers asking for money, followed young women without consent, loitering, uh, and with disorderly conduct, use of drugs openly, and alcohol as well. Um, um, spreading trash in the plaza and urinating outside of the storefront. Um, we have occasionally seen customers turn around instead of entering our store because they don't feel safe passing by the bus stop which is located adjacent. Uh, they're they stop right in front of Tops um and let the people off to shopping and then they wait right in front there. Um she sees the trailway attack as a culmination of these issues and hope is that sharing our experience with you will inspire constructive solutions for the community. It's important to remember that homeless also includes veterans which was spoken about

and first responders who have a duty to treat this issue with empathy and care. Lastly, we are grateful to the Carmel PD for being immediately responsive as well, she said to her calls, providing a regular presence in the plaza, which they do. Regency does not currently provide any security to the tenants of the plaza, but recent talks with management leave her optimistic that they will change this soon to help alleviate the burden of the police and the small businesses in the plaza. And she just said, "Thank you." you. Her name is Stephanie. Thank you. Thanks. [applause]

Please submit that letter to the board, the one you just read to the board. So for record. Thank you. Thanks, Don. Sure. We're in the fourth aisle. Anyone else wish to be heard in the fourth aisle? Fifth aisle? Lady here. [clears throat] Thanks.

Hi, I'm Brianna Pelgi. I'm here with my mom, Connie Keeler, Seminary Hill Road. I'm 27, born and raised in Carmel, New York, and I think I can speak firsthand for the resources we have here. As I grew up in foster care and I was four years old when I first started going to Cove Care and thankful for them, I am now an adult. I have two degrees. is I'm a registered nurse. I've never touched drugs in my life. So, I can see that there's a a picture being painted that there's all of these erratic people and that's true. But there are people in this community that do need help and we are those people and we're normal people, too. We just need extra help. And that's just my first point. My second point is right now the real reason we're here is to advocate for my 14-year-old sister who also is getting help through Cove Care. And when we have issues with her and it gets to a point where we need extra help, we need to go find it. And that seems to be Putinham Hospital. And when we get there, we'll sit for days in chairs that you guys are sitting in now waiting for help and waiting for beds. And these beds are in New York City in Albany. And my elderly parents are having to travel there to advocate for our sister. Not that you're not too old. [laughter]

Thank you. But but seriously, and I think the biggest point is that we don't want my sister to turn into a woman that's going to attack you on the trail. We want to get the help for her now to correct these things. And this crisis center is to help us help her do that. So, we really hope that you take this project seriously seriously wherever it lands in the location. We need it and we'll do whatever it takes to advocate for her and the future of our community. Thank you. Thank you. Please sign in. [cheering] [applause]

We're in the fifth row, I believe. I believe you want to speak.

Hi, my name is Lynn Stecker. Um, live in the hamlet of Caramel. Been a resident here since 1999. I absolutely support stabilization, but I don't support it here in the hamlet. We have a jail, we have arms acres, we have cove care, we have mental health services, and we have a methadone clinic, and we have a problem on the bike trail. Um, I did speak to the uh Cheryl Spencer Frost, the head of um, People USA. I spoke to Paul Tang, the director of Putnham County Mental Health, and I did watch a lot of the videos of people uh USA videos other than the ones we saw. And I know it's the goal to help people who are having drug or mental health crisis. If you watch the USA experience video, it definitely states that these stabiliz stabilization centers are many times alternative to individuals being admitted to hospitals or jails. It's not just kids coming in. Definitely not just children. I mean, we have a lot of resources for children. Like I said, we do have Cove Care and we have a lot of uh county social services, but this is more than just children coming in. You are going to be opening this up to all the county and probably outside of the county. Let's be honest. I'm sure anybody that's having a crisis will be coming to the stabilization center. not going to say, "Oh, you're not from Putnham County. You can't come." So, it's going to be bringing a lot of extra people here. Um, I'm sure that many people get help, and I'm and I hope that they do um within 24 hours, but I'm also not naive, and I do understand there's a real shortage of affordable housing and placement for people. Um, and that people are of their own free

will to walk out. I even asked Cheryl um the director of you People USA. I said, "What happens if someone refuses to go to a homeless shelter or if they refuse to go to a drug treatment center?" She said, "Well, we will always try to bring them back to where they came from, but if they want to leave, they are of their own free choice." So, you want to put this facility butdding up against a large 55 plus residential neighborhood in the Hamlet of Carmel within walking distance of the Caramel bike path when we already had a woman that got assaulted there. We do have a homeless problem rising here, which I don't understand, but we do. Um, and I think this is going to add to more problems. I just don't trust that everyone that goes to this center is a kid. I I think it's going to be a lot more people coming at 2 3 4:00 in the morning. Um and I don't think everybody's going to be willing to get help and I think some are going to walk out. I'm also disappointed to know that our county provides tents to individuals with criminal backgrounds and lets them live on the bike trail and a tapo citizens. [applause] So I listen I'm in if health department decides that we need a stabilization center let's find a place that is more conducive to all of Putnham County it's definitely not Caramel Mayapacts more closer to Philipstown and Putnham Valley um it needs to be in another place something more [applause]

[cheering]

Good evening. My name is Prakash Tari. I have PhD in toxicology. I work in healthcare industry for 30 years. So I understand the issue. I built my home on Stonley Avenue more than 25 years ago and my home is the nearest home on the same side of street where a 23hour 59minut shelter for drug addicts is proposed on 1017 Stley Avenue. Just a little further away there's a big senior citizen housing complex. You are well aware of the fact that you cannot treat or stabilize a drug addict in 23 hours 59 minutes and leave him on the street to find next high or a victim. Who will be waiting for them on the street? A drug dealer. This so-called crisis stabilization facility will certainly create a crisis for the seniors community in this area. This facility will create a marketing and sales opportunity for drug dealers in this area as drug dealers will be competing for new customers. We already have an increasing number of people in Caramel who do not belong to this town. Just a few weeks ago, my neighbor was assaulted on the trail. Recent months whenever I went for an hour walk on the same trail I have noticed at least two or three men who appear to be disoriented and intoxicated. We do not need more assaults in our town. I really appreciate what cops are doing in our community but they cannot be everywhere all the time. The proposed crisis stabilization facility will need more resources to keep crisis on Carmel Street under

control. We as a town cannot afford it. We know what happened to that man who assaulted my neighbor. He was released because we live in a criminal friendly state. Our hardworking cops can capture a criminal but cannot lock him away behind bars because they have to comply with no cash bail law. How can we expect that our senior citizen will be safe if we bring more drug addicts in this community? We do not need a crisis stabilization facility at 1017 Stonley Avenue. Thank you. [applause] Uh, fifth row. Anyone else in the fifth row? Sixth row.

Hi, my name is Donna Delisange. I live at 12 terrace tribe in Caramel in retreat. Um pretty much I have same opinion as everybody else. Uh the concerns of a 55 and older community um feel vulnerable. Um and some of them have their own health issues. They live alone. They have mobility challenges and uh this this facility uh can impose uh safety, comfort and overall peace of mind to the residents there. Um, I moved from Westchester a year ago with my husband for a nice quiet facility, which we have. It's beautiful up there. We love it up there. But this will be challenging. We'll have a lot of a lot more noise, safety, comfort, emergency vehicles. Uh, again, none of us are opposed to you having a facility to help people. It's a great thing, but I think it's very irresponsible for the board to approve this this type of stabilization unit when you have a plaza across the street. You have kids that go in that plaza to ice cream all [clears throat] all the the restaurants. You have the 55 and older community that go there. And then you want to put a facility like that in a a residential neighborhood. You have Toll Brothers coming 55 and older. I mean, you have tons and tons of land around here that you could put that someplace where it's welcomed and would be better better whatever word I'm looking for but certainly not in my backyard. Please take that consideration. [applause]

Yeah. Hi. Uh my name is John McDonald. Uh just sitting here listening. I just had some questions that popped up. Uh like the funding, this is a a nonprofit and Dyson is the biggest funer. I was just wondering if they changed their funding uh model, what happens uh w with the funding for the project. It's with the department of uh New York State Department of Mental Health. But if they fall off their funding, does it end up on the town, the county, the state, and this property is not on the tax roles? I just want you to consider all that those issues. And uh to look at Duchess County, uh just going through their website, the intake 2400 people, they say, uh a year, but they don't break it down by drug interventions, court interventions, mental health crisis interventions. You're not getting a read on that. And uh where do they come from? Inside their county, outside the county, are they being delivered? They have a mobile response teams that uh it says they service like 300 people a year. So I don't know why that business that why that model wasn't done here first. if they could use that mobile service and take them to the Duchess facility or to a a psychiatric center that could be funded through the through the mental health department. Uh and also it says the crisis stabilization team works with the courts. So would they be brought would they be brought there straight from the court or do the mobile services drive to the court with uh somebody in the court officer a clerk would be making an appointment to come pick them up bring them to the location and then they're just left there. So and then would only like who if the person's arrested in Putinham County but they say there are

Bronx residents where are they serviced like what would be the court uh recommendation to the locust? It's usually bring them to the closest facility that has availability. So, they'd be calling around and if this is a slow center, we'd be picking those people up. And uh when it comes to the children, somebody made a comment about that. Green Chimneys is a big facility that already is specializes in mental health for children with different kind of programs. Yes, I believe this would be a different type of program, but it might be a good facility. And another gentleman mentioned something about, you know, the handoff being close. Well, you know, uh you could get a a shuttle voucher that the state can pay and you could use our Putnham County uh taxis just to run them over there, run them back. They to be manageable without having to fund a new building and putting it right in the center of town. We should also hear from uh the Putinham County Sheriff. He should be speaking to the Duchess County Sheriff and get a report on what happened up at that facility, how many runs did they have there, what kind of runs they were, how many arrests they had, how many overdoses they had. You know, what are we really treating at these facilities? Uh I think that's about it. Thank you. Thank you. [applause] Good evening. Uh my name is Janet Green. I live in the retreat um adjacent to the property being discussed. I just want to thank People USA for the services you provide. My daughter also works with children in crisis. In addition to joining in the concern about the unimpeded easy access from the proposed location to the adjacent residential housing, I have a question. I worked in the National Health Service in the UK

and had experience with people targeting pharmacies. Given the fact that manyarmacies need to have additional security due to the high risk of robberies both daytime and nighttime as well as verbal and physical abuse by individuals with mental health challenges. Can you please tell us how CVS responded to the proposed location of the facility which is essentially adjacent to their pharmacy with no physical barriers in between for example? Do you did they see a need for additional security? Could you please address that subject? Thank you. [applause]

Thank you. [clears throat]

Good evening. My name is Anne Fenizing. I'm a resident of Carmel, New York. I had occasion to review the applicant's application to this board for this facility and I looked through all the papers, the site plans, the um SRA environmental assessment forms and I saw that there was a glaring omission at least in my not only in my opinion but In the opinion of the state environmental quality review, at no point in time did the applicant who submitted this application took into consideration the cumulative effect of his facility on this community. Not a word, not a single word appeared in any of the papers that I saw. There were no mitigation measures taken, none whatsoever. There was a lot of description of his program and so forth. I read the attorney's letter which had to do with adults by the way, not children. The children are in Duchess County in Pikipsy. Therefore, this board needs to do one thing and that is to take a very very hard look. According to SRA, according to the state environmental quality review on this project and this

evening, this board has been provided with ample evidence of the hard look that SRA requires. It requires that you take into consideration the cumulative effect of this project on the entire not only on the retreat but on Caramel itself. Thank you very much. [applause] [applause]

Good evening board. My name is Len Montilly. I live at 21 Walker Drive in the retreat uh for 14 years where I'm also honored to serve as a board member. Before I moved to Carmel, I served uh for 10 years on the planning board in Smers, including two years as a chairman. So I know a little bit about the challenges you face. In 1980s, we were tasked with convincing 15,000 people in Smers who already thought the town was too crowded that Heritage Hills was a good idea, including the 5,000 additional people that they were going to bring. However, we worked with the town, we worked with the applicant, we worked with the developer, and most importantly, we worked with the residents, and we got it done. And Heritage Hills has proved to be a blessing for Smers. My concern here is with the location, but also with the process that has been followed. [clears throat] One thing I learned in 10 years is that town planning entails a lot more than finding the available space and saying, "Let's put it here." Your job is to exercise good judgment on integrating the facility or retail store or housing into the community. I've heard it said that the burden of proof falls on the neighboring residents to show cause why the plan is a bad one. However, there's also a burden on the planners to satisfy the residents that the plan is in the best interests of the community, especially when that community has already demonstrated its acceptance in the past of similar facilities that could, and I say could,

not will, constitute a safety threat. Nowhere in the press have I seen any indication that this board has deliberated on that aspect or even mentioned it as an obstacle. Yes, I'm aware that you had the applicant present to the retreat at our facility seeking acceptance, but that was simply an act of deflecting your responsibility, in my opinion, to a third party. And a community of people who have invested life savings in order to enjoy a certain lifestyle deserve better. So, you did the easy part of your job. You located an available building and you said, "Okay, we're finished." And that's the saddest part. Thank you. [applause]

State your name and address, please.

My name is Kevin Stanger. I live at 981 Stonley Avenue and I have the honor of being Donna's husband and she is a phenomenal lady. [applause] I had a speech. I went back and forth. Do I say anything? Don't I say anything? And a lot of things are being repeated. But I've lived on Stone Avenue for 30 years. And I just want to say the character of that hub has changed drastically in the last five to seven years. I owned a business in town for 30 years. I know Carmel. I love Carmel. Coached football the whole nine yards. The amount of homeless people living on that bike path are unbelievable. Where they are, we don't know, but they're coming out of the woods every day. The harassment of the customers walking through the parking lot in Partn Plaza with people coming up to them asking them for money, saying rude things to them is also unbelievable. And the abuse that the business owners in that plaza are starting to take with people coming in wanting to use the restrooms, begging for food, asking for money, and looking for shelter should not be happening. Exhibitionists running up and down the trail. We never had that before, but now we have exhibitionists on the bike path. Obviously, the sick thing that occurred to my wife, people are now knocking on doors in the in the uh residences asking for money late at night. And I don't know, somebody comes up to my door at 9:00 at night who doesn't look that friendly asking for money. That's not the town I want to live in. It's not the town I moved to. Sleeping in front, like we said, and start in front of Starbucks and sleeping on the main street in Caramel. That's not the town that we that we that we want to create and these are not scenarios of what could happen. This is happening slowly. It's happening. And if you guys Thank you for opening up this meeting, but if you guys want to take a field trip with me and go to Puntton Plaza because I don't know if you guys ever go there, knock on my door. I'll hang out with you for three hours. You can see

what I'm talking about. We're not making this stuff up. It's what the town is turning into. And I don't think that that was your goal. In a nutshell, part of your job description dictates you preserve the quality of life for your residents. Placing yet another facility, a stabilization center, albeit unbelievably necessary, and it's a great thing, and I applaud you people for what you do. It's just the location. Placing yet another facility, the stabilization center, in an area already so populated with similar facilities and related issues with them is detrimental to the community. In a onem area, like people said, we have facility upon facility upon facility. Bunt County, 246 square miles. Why is everything in one square mile? Thank you. [applause] Anyone else wish to be heard? Please. Good evening. My name is Robin Simon Fay. I live in Caramel. Short and sweet, I read that in 2023, this facility was planned for Brewster. Due to outcry from the community and the fact that there was a daycare center there, it was scrubbed due to safety. Why is it that it's unsafe in one community and not in another? There is a

daycare across Route 6 from where they plan to put this. That's all I have to say. Thank you. Sign in, please. [applause]

Did you sign in? Thank you. Um, state your name, address, and please sign in when you're done.

Good evening. My name is Carrie. I live in Carmel. Well, in the area of Putinham County. I'd rather not give my full address to be very honest. Um, I I've worked in the behavioral health field for over 15 years and I've worked in Orange and Duchess and to be very frank with you, I had no intention of coming up here and speaking tonight, but I've heard a lot of fear-mongering and that's my concern. I've heard a lot of misinformation. I've heard a lot of emotional but inaccurate facts. So, I think the whole point of me coming up here tonight is, pardon me, I have terrible anxiety in social settings. Um, I've heard just so much fear and I think when we make decisions based off of fear, everyone loses. Everybody in the community loses. Everyone that we try to help loses. And I hear everyone's concern about the potential of what this can bring to the area, but the amount of times I've heard not in my backyard, the reality is it's already here. And the reality is the need is not being met. Caramel is a three- mile radius. That is actual that's that's correct. And a lot of the services are in the hamlet of Caramel because of transportation. So there's limits. And this is why this is an issue. Would we like more services? Yes. Do we want to get more people engaged? Yes. Do we want to help more? Yes. That's that's not the argument, I think, for anybody in this room. But the reality is it's already in the backyard. That's not going to change. And I keep hearing about all these things about about people, the homeless. The homeless exist. The home that's not going to change.

Excuse me. Excuse me. Please be respectful, the speaker. No one on the TV can hear comments from outside the of the podium.

Thank you. So my entire point is to just to bring light to the fact that we making decisions based off of fear messes everything up for everybody. The issue will get worse because it's not going to get better by not bringing in the stabilization center. I have worked very closely when I was working in Duchess County with People's USA with the stabilization center and even though it is a as I've heard 23 hour and 59 minute stay you can do a lot in 23 hours when you have somebody actually caring and not pushing you out the door. That's all I have to say. Thank you. [cheering] [applause] evening. Uh thank you for uh having this uh meeting tonight. Uh Scott Seaman, town of Southeast. Um first, you have to acknowledge fear is a real thing. Everybody's points are valid. We just have to learn to listen to each other and take that into consideration. But we keep talking about they uh these are our neighbors, our friends, our children, and we can wait another two years, put it someplace else, and that's two more years of weight, two more years of struggle, uh two more years of not knowing what to do with your children. Does Caramel necessarily deserve it? Of course not. But the transportation, as everyone knows, that is a very key point in uh Putnham County. That's why a lot of things tend to fall into certain quarters because that's where the transportation is. But more importantly, while anybody can come to the center and we are afraid of the dangerous people and the terrible things that have happened, this has been going on for years. There's been encampments in Brewster over the last 20 years. People are here now and the people need the resources and the people need the help. Um, you know, people talk about their children. I've been with my

children through COVID and struggle with their mental health and need to know where they're going to go and I didn't know and they didn't know. This is a center that could help. You know, I can't tell you how many wakes and funerals I've been to of people we've lost because they didn't know what to do. Uh my friend sent their son off to war. He came home. He was not the same person. He did not have this resource. He terribly took his life. Now, every face, everything that happens has a name to it, has a belonging, has a community. And these are just items that we need to help. If we wait too much longer, these are things that going to keep happening. Look at the police reports. Um, half the police reports are responding to a person of mental health doing a mental health visit. These people are here. They live here. These are our friends. Um, the Putnham County just released the coroner's reports. every couple of months there's suicide listed, there's natural death, there's mysterious deaths. These are things that are actually happening and these are why we need to have this today. If there's extra items of SEC security that is needed to help the community feel better about this, of course, those things need to be offered and that is the job of the planning board to set standards to set items that need to be done to help the community accept things and to allay their fears. And we do need to hear from the sheriff. We do need to hear from the Carmel Police Department on what's happened. Uh the earlier reading there was uh notice from uh the Duchess County and the Sheriff's Department there. They had nothing but sparkly things to say about the items. Are people going to have item responses there? Yes. Are police going to have to come to the center occasion occasionally, but right now they go to people's houses? They go to places of business. These are things we can help with. And the sooner we get to it, the better. And I would just, you know, the planning board has just put respectful moment on that and to take everybody's thoughts into consideration, but the sooner we do this item, the better it's going to be for everybody. I

thank you for your time. [applause]

Hi, my name is Lois Slaughter. Um, I don't think anyone has an argument with what this gentleman just said. Yes, these people need services. what we're what we're opposed to is the location. Um I'm at the retreat. It's right there. Um I I I just I can't even imagine coming home at night with this kind of a facility. They're they're only open at 9:00. Police can take people in at 9:00 at night and they have to sit and they have to wait till 9:00 the next morning to get services. That's wrong. If they need services, they need services immediately, not wait till 9:00 when you wake up. That's what was said. It's in black and white.

All right. Look, um, if you want, what I'm trying to say is if you want to give up and speak, you can. But this lady, most of the people that have been opposed to this location is Caramel residents. The only people that I've heard that have, "Oh yeah, we need it." is Brewster. But Brewster opposed it. [applause] Go to Brewster. That's all I got to say. [applause] Please uh please sign in if didn't Thank you. Hi, my name is Monica Marc. I'm a Hamlet resident for 29 years. Moved up.

Hamlet resident. 29 years. I have five children. I understand mental health. I understand the need for facilities. You have a master plan somewhere in this town of what was supposed to be allocated for the best for all of your residents. We have so many facilities that you've heard all night in such a tiny place. People that are opposed to it and saying that like well not opposed to it but that want it and saying that it should be in Caramel. Don't live in Caramel. Southeast person saying yes do it. Brewster person saying east yes [applause] do it. I grew up from the Bronx. If you were in the Bronx you're a Yankee fan. You didn't like Mets people. Caramel and Mayipac it's very similar. I find it stupid. It's one town, but at the same time, you can't negate the fact that everything is saturated in the hamlet. You can't help but be a Caramel resident and be resentful of other towns that are under your town of Caramel, but don't get burdened with what the hamlet does. You have a master plan. You were supposed to lay it out that it's supposed to be an even equitable distribution of businesses, of facilities, of services. We have more than done our share. We can't be browbeating. Nobody is saying that it's not a need. We do have young people in crisis for too many things. The point is where it is. The point is, is it going to serve even the people that are there? It's concrete. It's got nothing. And then you're throwing it out to people that are not happy that they're there. How is that a good conducive spot for anybody once they leave their 23 and 59 minutes? Got me? So please look around. We are a big community and Carmel, if anybody's ever been in crisis in Carmel, we stand for our people. We're all here

for Donna. We're here for our community. We want it to be a good cohesive where everybody came up here and we want to stay here. But we can't do it if you keep inundating us with these things. It's not fair. So help us out. [applause] Please sign in. [applause] Please state your name and address and please sign in when you're done.

Pastor Jennifer Boyd. Um pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, which is right on Brewster Carmel Edge. uh right off the bike path right off of Houston Road where some of the concerns have been lifted uh listed. Um but I also serve on the suicide uh prevention task force and involved with a number of the county agencies. Uh and I'm very concerned about that and I and I hear the concerns that the folks particularly um from those who live on on the hill have. But I think the crisis stabilization center will help to alleviate those fears because then there would be a place for people to go. The problem is that there's not a place to go and that they're not going to just be put on out on the street if they're going to be a danger to themselves or others that they can be taken care of. Duchess County has proven that. And so if and the people that we're talking about are not just some they are our friends, our neighbors, our children. People that you already know who go to school with your children, who live in your communities that you that you go to the grocery store with. Those are the people that we're talking about, not some other they out there, some enemy. Yes, are there other people who are living on our streets? That's a whole other issue. But that uh but that some folks are trying to help alleviate as well. Uh there's not a one solution and we can't force people to do things that would be help most healthy for them. But at the same time, the crisis stabilization center is someplace where people can go to be able to have the help in the moment at 2 o'clock in the morning when their choice is the hospital where they're not going to receive the best care that they can get when all the other agencies usually are then closed at that time. They don't run 24 hours a day and all these agencies that we do have, the crisis stabilization center would be open for them all. These are our friends. These are our family. These are our neighbors. And it's not them or they, it's all of us.

Would you like to speak? [clears throat]

Good evening. My name is Michelle Hicks. I've lived here Please speak into the microphone.

My name is Michelle Hicks. I've lived here for 62 years. My family came from Yonkers and I've seen things change in Karma, which is expected. Times change. However, one interesting point that I've heard tonight is that crisis center is needed because you can't get treated at the hospital. I find that very concerning and very alarming. If the hospital is not treating people that come in the door, why is conversation not taking place with the president and the hospital to find out why this is happening? I also want to clarify there was an article in the newspaper that indicated the seed was planted by the former county exec. I want to make something very clear. That seed that was planted by the prior county exec was very clear, full stop. This facility was to be managed through Putinham Hospital in the hospital or on the grounds, not in a facility. [applause] So when you do print things in the paper regarding quotes or past people, make sure you include the whole thing. The prior county exec allocated monies for this facility to be at the Putnham Hospital, not in an old vacant building medical facility in Carmel, just planted somewhere. That was not her intention and was very clear. Full stop the hospital. So I think Mr. Burn and the county and everyone else, Mr. Kazeri should be speaking to Putnham Hospital as to why when there's a crisis and a

parent is bringing that crisis to Putinham Hospital, that person is not treated promptly and attentively. Mental health is a serious issue. It's growing and growing all over the country. This is our town, Putnham County, Caramel, Mayap, wherever you're from. We we all know one another. We know faces. We know people since this big. This is not something that we're accustomed to. However, we need to deal with it. Putnham, Caramel, the Hamlet of Carmel, as been stated, we've had arms acres for years and years. Seminary Hill is becoming traffic up, down, police, we hear the constant sirens, etc. It's growing. We have arms acres. Cove Care. Cove Care came. Had no idea what it was all about. It just appeared. Then through everything happening, we said, "Oh, what's going on?" Then the methadone clinic comes in after cable vision comes out. That came in the middle of the night. We're not even spoken to about it. We see strangers in the Putinham Plaza. Who Who is that? Who's this? We're We're a local family. Everybody knows everybody. It's an issue. Correct. It's not going away. To add another facility to the area is going to be very difficult for everyone. The seniors that live up and wanted to have a peaceful existence, have their last, as my father says, last third quarter of the round. Now they're interrupted. They can't take their walk. They're frightened. Okay, that's what it is. But I do say we have

been saturated. We're not saying it's not something that's viable. My point is 100% full stop like the prior county exec at the hospital where it should be treated. [applause]

[applause] Mr. Did you sign in? Anyone else in the audience wish be heard tonight?

Good evening. My name is Todd Matthews. Um, I've been a resident in Brewster for about 20 years. Uh, a neighbor. Um, I also serve as a pastor. Can we just respect the speakers, please? Thank you.

Thank you. I also serve as a a pastor at uh First Baptist Church in Brewster where where many of our people uh live in in Carmel. And uh I I prepared a speech that I'm not going to read [clears throat] because it's getting late. Uh and I've heard a lot of the things uh but what I heard most tonight is a lot of ache in the community and division. And I just want to first say that our churches pray for that healing and unity to thrive in a different way and that we can come together around the issues. What's on my heart is in our capacity as churches, we serve as a safety net. We want to be the safe place for someone to come that says, "I'm not okay." But we can't fill the need in any way, shape, or form. and especially not 23 hours and 59 minutes a day. Uh I'm also up here because I've heard uh the term these people uh a lot tonight, which I understand, but I I'm one of these people um I'm one of the people also who has navigated families through systems that are broken. I'm one of the people who has a a child that has had needs that have not been met at 2, three, four o'clock in the morning multiple times for months in crisis and there's been no phone call that I could make other than the police to get to a hospital and no help was found there. These services with the stabilization center bridge a gap that is tearing our children and our families apart. I see it firsthand. I've lived it firsthand. I can appreciate the ache, but I just wanted to come and represent from a different lens our community to say how necessary having this crisis center is. Thank you.

Thank you. Hello, Jane Lee. Uh, Brewster. I have two. People, if you need to have a conversation, please step outside. We need to respect the speakers.

I have three children. Um, my ex-husband had a mental illness. I'm remarried. Um, when you have children, you don't think they're going to have problems. Um, you don't think they're going to be mentally ill. When you get married, you don't think they're going to be mentally ill. You don't think they're going to have problems. Um, not having a stabilization center. It's not going to do away with alcohol. It's not going to do away with drugs and needles. I haven't seen drugs and needles around Cove Care or around the other alcohol treatment center. I didn't know about the methodone place. Um I go to Putnham Plaza frequently. I don't see people hanging around. Um there's going to be homeless people everywhere. My daughter lives in Mount Kiscoco. Um they have problems there also and they're organized. Um, Westchester has a lot of programs and they help people. Um, there's Nam Nami and Westchester. They have more money than we do and they do a lot of services and training for people. Not that long ago, my son wasn't taking his medicine and I didn't know this and he became psychotic and talking about bizarre things that didn't make sense to me. What do you do? Um, I called I called Cove Care. I called the hospital. Um, they all recommended that you come in the morning. Um, so I stayed in his apartment and watched over him and he kept going

down, smoking, coming back up. He kept wandering the whole night and I got no sleep. Eventually, I went to the stabilization center up in Duchess County. Um, we need something here. We need something that is available 23 hours. You don't know if your neighbor is going to need help. If somebody else needs help, are you going to turn your back and say, "It's not my problem. It's not my family. Um, we need we need more services." The veterans have services. CO of Care give services, but those are people that get counseling. There's um programs where the the children get um I know three minutes.

That's okay. So, let's wrap it up, please. Um anyway, I understand people being fearful of other people and people probably when my son was in high school, he wore he was a skateboard person and somebody looked at him and said scary. Um you look at other people and you say scary, you you're labeling them already. They're people. If you could see yourself in another person, you might not be so fearful of them. Anyway, thank you. Thank you.

Anyone else?

My name is Steve Cerillo. I'm the president of the board at the retreat. [clears throat] Carmel, three square ms, arms acres, methodone clinic, Putinham Hospital, Cove Care. [clears throat] No one denies the need for what these the services that these people will provide. But why is it always us? We are a 55 and older community when right next door to us there's another. We are fearful. We are fearful of the unknown. I think that should be considered by you guys. That's all I have to say.

Thank you. [applause] [cough] Good evening. My name is Abby Kellock. I live up at at the retreat and we've been patiently listening to everyone's concerns. Yes, we do have concerns, but there is no hate. I really was offended by that. There's no hate for services, for people, for ourselves. But I am very fearful. There's a difference. The services that the people provide. I'm a nurse. You cannot care enough for people. That's their job. And they're wonderful at it, I'm quite sure. But we care for our town and our community. And when you have this much concentrated in one small area, we will have problems. We're already feeling the problems. I just want to make sure that everyone gets their fair share and I feel like we're not. Thank you. [applause] Anyone else here wish to be heard? So, what I'd like to do tonight is close the public hearing, but since this is such an important issue, we'll leave time open for written comments in case some of your colleagues were not able to get here tonight. I think it's important

enough for us to get feedback pro and con from everybody. So, we're going to close the public part of this hearing, but we'll leave the comment period, which in some ways is more important. It certainly is as important because we all read the comments. So, people will have another week to respond to the comments. Just mail your email your letters to Rose. You can speak to Rose in the planning board department. So, the comments will be only from the people, not from the outsiders. Anyone anyone in the anyone that's here tonight or or uh Mike, is that just the town of Comal? Uh Joe, no. Anybody can make a written comment and and we've got written comments. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. You asked a question. Let the the attorney answer it.

Anybody can make public comment. We've gotten written comments from people uh town residents in the town of Caramel, Mayapac, as well as outside. So, anybody can make a written comment. So, the only thing I would ask the board to do is to make a uh to offer a resolution closing the public hearing subject to uh keeping the public comment uh public written comment period open for whatever the board chooses.

So, we're going to keep the written comment period open for another week. Now, let me explain why we're here tonight with the public hearing is to hear input. We haven't made decisions yet. Decision has not been made. We are here listening for your input. Pro and con. This meeting has been very successful in doing that. If you I was rapping, but No, no, you can't speak from that. You need to come up to you can't you you need to microphone. No one No one can hear you. Never mind the people on TV.

I'm sorry. Uh, I didn't hear the the time of the public of the comment. Is that 10 days, a week, 7 days? One week. One week. Yeah. I'm just We're being nice. We're extending another week so that people can respond. I don't want to just close it today in case you're chatting with a neighbor and and someone else wants to respond. So, we're going to extend it another week for you. That's all. No, you're you're being you're being uh a public official, not nice. So, um, [applause] so everyone's clear that you have another week to respond.

And like I said, this is was a good forum tonight. I appreciate the respect you showed for all the speakers. Thank you. Do we uh Mr. Chairman, we need a motion. Mr. Chairman, I'll make close the public hearing. Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to close the public hearing but keep the comment period open for one week. Second. You second it. I second it. Just say all in favor.