Town Board - Regular Meeting

Are you looking for the agenda? You looking for the agenda right over there.

Good evening everybody. It is Wednesday, January 28th, 2026. The time is 6:30 p.m. like to call this Town of Dover regular board meeting to order by asking everybody to please stand and pledge to the flag.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. At this time, is there any public comments and/or questions on the agenda items only? If you have any questions or comments on the agenda items only, please come to the front at the podium. Seeing nobody approaching the podium at this time, we're going to have a presentation by our zoning update committee chair, Richard Renie Jr. update the related to the public comments received on the draft plan community zoning section. Rich, floor is yours.

Good evening and happy new year and I actually have a little bit more uh tonight than just the planned community. Uh we as a committee were able to pull the entire zoning update together. Uh so that's what we're presenting to the board uh this evening. Okay. And that'll be able to uh be sent on to the other boards and everybody that you determine that you'd like to review it and provide comment. The full 145. Can you go to the boards now?

Yes. The full 145. So what I'll do is I'll just run down through what we changed in 145 and talk about that a little bit. Uh we have the zoning map as well which is in essence the same uh land use map that was proposed within the comprehensive plan. Okay. Uh the last update of that and I noticed a typo on this on the way here or um tonight. Um so I'm going to update that quick when I get back to the office and we'll resend that out tomorrow morning. So, what I had emailed to the clerk's office earlier today, just hold on the map portion and I'll send that tomorrow and then it'll be the uh the proper map. But what you sent today has the typo. Yes, it has the typo.

All right.

Um so, as far as the the entire 145 zoning code update goes, um the committee looked at the entire zoning code and the entire zoning code itself is a pretty good zoning code. So, we didn't feel the need that we had to tear it apart and rewrite the whole thing. What we did was more or less strategically, surgically went through uh read every line and then fixed things that didn't make sense or fixed things like say in the hamlet and I'll get into that uh a little bit, but in the hamlet zones, we had identified in the comprehensive plan that the hamlet zones were the area where we wanted to see density increase. We wanted uh more housing. we wanted it to be more readily available in the hamlet zones. So when we looked at those densities, we increased the densities in the hamlet zones. So that's one example of what we did, but we didn't rewrite the hamlet zone. We just went in and and proposed new higher densities.

Okay.

Um and then also then within the the uses the there was a lot of outdated or lacking of terminology in 145. So we went through and tried to make things in a little bit more of a modern way or add things that are happening today that were maybe not happening 25 or 30 years ago back in the 90s. Uh so just kind of starting from the top, the establishment of the districts, we added the gateway commercial district which was recommended in the comprehensive plan. The allowable use table, the whole uh table was updated and we added things uh specific definition so it was very clear. the planning boards always had to struggle with unclear definitions or well what is this is this a service business does this fit here does this not fit here um and then that would bring in the code enforcement uh to have to come in and try to make interpretations so we tried to uh make many many definitions in there so some examples are adding art gallery convenience store back in the '90s uh a convenience store now is really a gas station but back in the '90s you had a gas station and then there were separate convenience stores, but now that terminology has changed around. So, we've added things like that. Outdoor tourism, fitness center, self- storage center, self- storage was something probably 25, 30 years ago, you didn't see many of the self- storage centers, but now they're all over the place. Uh, so we as a town need to define that and say where we want uses like that, because if we don't, it they could go anywhere. Um, then moving on to the density and dimensional regulations. uh the dimensional table was updated uh for things like adding the uh the gateway commercial section and then also in the hamlet areas uh making it a little bit easier to add that extra density because that's where we have the dimensions that's where it gives you your lot widths or your frontages and if the frontages were too wide say you wouldn't

be able to get the higher density of the lots in the hamlet areas. Uh so we reviewed that and updated that but like I said mainly that was in the HM and HR districts. Um the traditional uh we had the code had kind of talked about and it was recommended um traditional neighborhood design. So we've added a section but it never really described what that was. So we added a small section describing what that was. And then once again in the the Hamlet uh areas, we're recommending or pushing for traditional neighborhood design, which is making a walkable community, trying to hide uh parking areas in the rears of lots, keeping buildings out to the front of the street so that people would like to walk and use their sidewalks and and make the hamlet what it should be. Um then uh the there was a section in the current code the mixed juice in institutional conversion overlay district. We've completely removed that because we don't see a use in that. That was uh strictly at the time written to try to do something with the psychiatric center. Uh since it's been so many years and those developments never occurred and we know it's under different ownership, there's no need to have that code anymore. That's the one that they instituted for do nles.

Yes. Yes. That was Yes, that was the one which also seemed to cause a lot of confusion and problems. And when you read through it, it gives I it gives more of the the planning power to the town board rather than giving it to the planning board as well too. So, as a committee, that was something else that we didn't like. Um, and I think we were all around for those times and it just it was it did create a lot of confusion. Um so we see or we see that as something that that's changed that's that's a whole completely changed condition now. So rather than having that we in the land use map there's much more uh hamlet zone Hamlet mixed zone applied to that area which which will allow something to happen there but in a in a standard planning fashion where somebody can design something that's a traditional neighborhood. They can have businesses. They can have units that where you live above the businesses and create that into a nice downtown type area. Um or create that into a transit oriented area.

The oldfashioned lawyer is downstairs. He also lives upstairs. Yeah, could be. Okay.

Exactly. That's kind of our view of how to handle that. And we think that that would would probably uh be a smoother way of doing that. That was the other thing in the comprehensive plan uh that we were looking for ways for um things development certain key development good development to happen um in a in a more smooth way rather than creating a bunch of rules and laws that confuse everybody and then you can't get through them because there's always a lot of steps but if everybody's confused probably might not get anybody even interested in doing projects. Um so then the uh the standards for flexible subdivisions, we did a little bit of an update to that uh where we added density bonuses. So one of the other things in the comprehensive plan was to add incentives of somebody who wants to create good housing. So we've added a list of density bonuses in that section. Um then we added another uh section um in the open space area that is the conservation analysis. So now we're requiring um a conservation analysis when somebody does a flexible subdivision or um when they're doing something that's clustered. So the idea being that when when somebody first looks at the land instead of starting to carve it up and say I want to put houses here and this and and lay it out. First of all, take a look at it, identify all the sensitive lands and let's pull those off the table. Let's protect those. And then then you have the lands that are best suited to development identified and have people do that at the beginning of the process rather than having to go back and alter plans or make things fit because say the public came out afterwards and said, you know, there's a wetland here or there's steep slopes here or there might be habitat here. So what we're saying in the code now is do that first. And

so you're you're beating it to the punch by saying all a lot of that stuff's going to be asked in the process anyway. Yes. Down the road. Now you're doing it before you head down the road, right? Because that's another thing that that Yes, we're asking for it to be done in the beginning, right? Trying to get it get it out on the table right in the beginning and not waste anybody's time once again too. And then the the planning board can be part of that process. All right.

Um so that that's included. Um and then we've included some other detailed uh section areas that were just never addressed in the code. So for uh instance daycare nursery school facilities, it's never talked about, never never addressed. Um commercial wood processing, uh it was always allowed in the town, clearly allowed for commercial logging. We've always had sawmills and we've always had that type of industry, but never discussed, never talked about in the code at all. So we've added a section on that. Um something newer that's occurred over the last 30 years as well, too, short-term rentals. Uh that so that was that's a new condition of something that towns and zoning has to deal with. So we've added a section on short-term rentals. Um we've also added a section on food trucks. Food truck popularity is kind of over the top these days. Uh so we've added a section on that as well too. Um we also took a look at where when building permits are required. Uh a lot of the other towns around in Duchess County had a very good list of uh which which small repairs you can do to your house say uh that do not require a permit. Um town of Dover did not have that. So it always made it a little harder on the building department. So with the recommendations from the building inspector, we've added that uh list of exemptions. Um and then we also took and updated all of the definitions. So, definitions either need to be updated because they didn't make sense, definitions added because they were missing from the original 145, and then definitions added for these new pieces that we've added. And then, of course, the section that you've already read um and seen the draft of was the plan community. So, that's been added as well, too.

Okay. And that's all in the 145 document. And the plan community is the one I took off the table. We relooked at, right? Yes. Yes. We we had circulated that for comment. We received comments and then the committee worked on those comments. Okay.

And addressed so things in that code that were addressed. Um let's say it mentioned to try to dig down and clarify it mentioned an amphithe or amphitheaters were allowed. Well, we had a very good comment from a neighbor saying, "Well, how many amphitheaters? we wouldn't want to see multiple amphitheaters. So, we took that as a very good comment to say, "Oh, we have to we have to dig down and and clarify that that no, you get one if you're doing a project like that."

Um, and then we also um tightened up and we're a little stronger on in the plan community to say that whatever happens that we want that buffer all the way around because there was there was different comments that were received on that. Uh, but we wanted to be very strict on the fact of a full buffer. no build zone all the way around a community like that except for where you might enter uh in and off of a state or county road for that. And then uh we also limited there were some uh there there were some waivers that that were given to the planning board where we pulled those back and tightened them up. So say for the height waiver instead of it being an unlimited it's a maximum of 10 feet. Um, and then also added in uh a requirement where not just looking from uh public spaces, a visual assessment of a building that got a little bit taller, but also from neighboring uh residences as well too because we wanted to be sensitive to other neighboring residences.

So you took away the height, but they can go out more. Well, that if they do go up, they have to come into their project more. So we added a further setback, but we've also added in the requirement that they have to not only do a visual assessment from say a public road or say from a public vantage point, they have to identify where the uh the adjacent residents homes are and look at where those exact homes are and do a visual assessment as if you were at that person's home. Okay. Now, do you want this do you want that reviewed along with the the rest of 145 or do you want to keep it separate because now it's in it, you said, right? It's all in one document. So, I think it makes sense. The changes have been made and they're in the document now.

Yes. So, whoever's reviewing that section, it would be great to have everybody review the entire code and get get the full comments. All right. Because that was always the goal. It was never not to be a standalone section. As you can see by the list that I sent you, it falls into and it needs to work back and forth with everything else in one. It was always going to be added into 145, but it was something that we added. Exactly. That's why it was separate in the beginning. Exactly. kind of like how whenever it was I think it was maybe 10 12 years ago when they added in the country end standard I think that was pulled together it was circulated as itself and then it was inserted into 145

the shortterm now that's the B&B yes things like that right

yes and we uh took a a little um kind of a a take on that as um defining the owner occupied versus unowner occupied uh because we feel that there's a difference if somebody say has a cottage on their property that they're renting out but they actually are around to make sure everything's going okay as opposed to somebody who just bought a property and they're kind of the absentee owner um that we we change different requirements based on that and then any time that there's that there's more than one on a piece of property we're asking to require a planning board site plan so that there's even more um looked at and and things can be looked at as far as what what the neighbors might see, where parking might happen, where where are they going to keep the trash bins, stuff like that.

Okay. Well, thank you. Yes. Um Tommy, anything? Yeah, you Councilman Holmes, how's it? I'm I'm looking forward to looking at it. It looks good. Sounds good. Jackson, I do have one question about the density bonuses. What would that be? Just to let me know what that is. Oh, yeah. I can just an overview of to understand it.

Let me find that section. Okay. So, uh in the document that uh you'll receive in the PDF, it's on page 25 of 120 and uh it's listed as density bonuses. It's under 145-9, standards for flexible subdivisions. and that standards for flexible subdivisions was already there and we added in this section. So the density bonuses are uh as follows. There's three of them. If the applicant allows public access to the protected open space on the property and the planning board finds that such public access provides a significant recreational benefit to the town um such as a trail connector or access to an important natural area, a maximum of 25% increase you can receive. Uh the second one is if the applicant preserves at least 60% of the parcel as working farmland including the creation and preservation of new working farmland a maximum of 25%. So that goes to the comprehensive plan where we want to incentivize and protect farmland and give people more options on hey save your farm. We want to see it working, but we also see we also understand the need that to save those large tracks of property, you have to be able to uh make some sort of return on that property. Um, so then the third one is if the applicant preserves as permanent open

space more than the required amount of land a maximum density bonus of 10% per additional 5% of the parcel preserved as open space. So, uh, there's minimums in the the code if you're doing a project. Uh, so what we're saying is the planning board's going to require you to hit that minimum, but if you start doing more, if you come up with a creative project that does more, then you could get a higher uh density bonus for more. I mean, you mean by benefiting the town? Yes. Yeah. Which the whole goal of the comprehensive plan is to uh allow for development, but to preserve the open space. Great. Thank you for explaining that,

Deputy. Uh comment and a quick question. I'll go with the comment. Um short-term rentals. What is a short-term rental today in Today? It's if somebody's renting for less than 30 days. That's the basic definition. 30 days. Yes. And that that matches up with the building code where um things change on the use basically. uh if you're if if somebody's staying in at some place for 30 days or less, they're they're typically considered transient. And then if it's more than 30 days, then you're not transient anymore. Uh so that's where we follow that um to be on the 30-day.

Okay? But that's going to cover basically all of the Airbnbs and that sort of thing. Okay. And then just overall, I mean, you guys have done a great job. I mean, put a lot of time and effort into it. So, thank you. So, so we are okay to share this? Yes. With our planning board chair and zoning chair? Yes. And their members? Yes. And I think we're also going to share it with the consultants. Yes. Or both our legal as well as this ch as well as this town board. And that is it for now.

Yeah. And what I was going to say, um, I know at some point we'll want to share it with Duchess County Planning. So, I was planning on reaching out to them and explaining to them that we're at this point now and you know where in the because they're usually very good about helping us with the process as well. Okay. Are we okay to put it on our website? Uh yes, as soon as I send you the the revised map. So then everybody's looking at the We will be sharing it with the public as well. But yes, 100% receiving. Okay. Wanted to be sure.

And I think it might be good now if you want to talk about some sort of a time frame if we're going to put it out. um to for the board to think about how long do you want it out for the public, when you think you might want to ultimately have a public hearing on it. I know that's months down the road, but that's things that you could be thinking about. You don't have to decide tonight. Well, when are you going to reach out to the county? Um I was going to do it after now that the board has this, you know, figuring if you formally accept it, then I'll send it out or I'll give them a call. Tomorrow is Thursday. you're going to get us the change or the correction Thursday. Um, can we can we get it out Monday? Everybody,

the town has to officially submit it. So, we have to adopt a resolution for a a GML. Premature to do a formal Yeah. I think Rich is talking about an informal review by the county. the town will have to send a 28A referral to the planning uh to the county planning for their comment which will start a clock uh for comment for 60 days for the county but typically that's not done formally until all the boards have an opportunity to review seek comment there may very well be changes based on their so the county is going to want

I know they're very uh user friendly in Duchess so I don't have any problem with what Rich is saying about showing Duchess County the plan as it stands now, but the formal uh referral under 28 uh A of the town law would have to be done after we have what we deem as pretty much a final. So I could I could honest I could probably say we can review for the month of February and read the read the formal resolution at the 25th meeting. That would be a month in a week. I think what Tom was saying is let's set a time frame for the informal comments to come in. Correct. For the can be from the other boards and the public.

Then then then our committee can meet go through the comments and then send it. Right. And then we send it on. Okay. I'm sure there's going to be comments and I'm sure we'll make some adjustments. March. So March, we'll accept comments through mid-March. I think you probably want to accept comments. Yeah. Through no later, no more than the end of February. So then we can We only have one meeting with the planning board of the ZVA February. February. So they wouldn't be able to get comments back to you until March the March 2nd and 9th.

So what do you recommend, Madam Secretary? I don't if I If the board gets it this week, we have a meeting on Monday. It's going to take them two or three weeks to read through that. Okay. That's the February meeting. So, you need to have at least the March meeting. Yeah. March 15th. So, we'll set comments through March 15th. That sounds good. Yeah. If that gives it public and board the boards enough time and then Yeah, that should give the public enough time as well, too. Okay. Sure. And then we'll just emphasize these are the informal comments

because then it'll go to uh the county and then ultimately there is a formal public hearing. So that'd be correct. Just in case you're explaining that to anybody because sometimes people then if we have comments back by March 15th and the town board may be in position then at its March meeting at the end of the month to do a formal formal referral to the county and set a date for the public hearing for the April meeting. Correct. Need a motion for this? No.

Okay. So we will share it no later than Monday. And we will accept our boards town planning and zoning as well as public comment once it's posted to our website and they can review until March 15th. Yes, sounds like a plan. And then that'll give you all a couple weeks to review the comments ourselves to review the comments and then uh we'll discuss it at March's meeting. And what I I'll work with Maryland to we'll get a a a printed copy set up out in the the hall with the map so then anybody can come in and they can look at it too if they want to look at a paper version of it. Yep. Well, so they can come here and look at it and take it.

Yeah. In case somebody not everybody's computer savvy, but but a hard top or hard copy is nice for people. Everybody good with that? Yes, absolutely. Thank you. Thank you. We're good. Sounds good, Katie. Very good. So that's what we'll do. All right. Sounds good. Thank you. Good. I want you to thank the committee members for me and I'll try to stop into that meeting next week. Okay. As well as our consultants that we used and paid for. Yes. Oh, and that's the other thing. This it is important to note uh that this version this final version from the committee has been also sent out for a review and commented. Yeah. Yeah. From Barton and Ljudas from those planners who are reviewing who has been our professional assistants. Yeah. That was all paid for through a grant. So,

yes, Rich. Thanks again, Marilyn. Thank you very much. And please tell the members the same. And I'll try to stop in next week as well. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks. Thanks.

Okay. We have another presentation by the Duchess County Office of Veterans Affairs. And I will apologize if you can just state your names when you Okay. Thank you. Okay. All right. Good evening. I'm Beth Anne Cano. I am a retired Marine of 21 years. Um, thank you for your service.

Oh, it's my pleasure. I currently support veterans, families, and their caregivers working with Adam Roach, the director at the Office of Veterans Affairs for Duchess County. I'm here with my son, Jerome, too. He's a a military brat, meaning that he's traveled across this whole country numerous times on many different permanent contact station moves and part of the Marine Corps. So, he was anxious to see how what mom does now for a living outside of the Marine Corps. But yes, I am the veteran service officer and a veterans outreach coordinator and I have been traveling around all of Duchess County since September giving presentations to town boards like yourself and village boards uh just explaining our new outreach efforts for the office of veterans affairs of Duchess County. Um, additionally, I want to thank Katie for helping me set this up tonight, as well as for setting letting me use this hall so that I can meet with a veteran spouse tonight, which was amazing for her cuz her veteran husband passed away January 6th and she was not in the capacity to travel to Pleasant Valley. Hence why we're doing our outreach efforts so that we can bring our services to the communities. Additionally, I was thrilled to meet Mr. beyond Councilman Muda uh who is um the American Legion post 1949 commander. So I'm hoping to work with him in the future to set up a date and time where we can use the American Legion or this town hall to have a mobile outreach effort. And you'll hear about those mobile outreach efforts more as I go through the brief. Um with that, um let me begin my presentation. Um Duchess County Office of Veterans Affairs mission is to maximize what veterans have earned through service to their country. This simple but powerful statement sets the tone for all of our efforts in the office. It emphasizes that veterans, families, and their caregivers are not being granted favors, but are rightfully claiming benefits that are earned through their service. Our mission conveys accountability. The office positions itself to as a partner and advocates helping veterans navigate the

complex systems at federal, state, and county levels in order to obtain every available resource. Uh if you would open up those blue folders on the left side, you will see the presentation that I'm giving tonight and open up to page three. Additionally, would you like the supervisor to put it up? Did we have it? It should be on your desktop. I don't see it, Katie. Send it in an email.

Okay, Lizette was supposed to put it up to your desktop. Okay, hold on. Look at that. The 11:26 a.m. email. There you go. That one right there. Nope. It's from the end, actually. There it is. Two more down. Three down. There you go. There it is. Right there. Thank you.

As he's getting uh the presentation ready, you'll also see that I provided a copy of the latest Northern Duchess news. Additionally, two was in the Southern Duchess news about our operation mobile outreach. I'll speak about that more in the presentation, but you'll see a picture of our staff right there and from our Pleasant Valley office. So, all right, if you open up, there's our staff right there. That's page three. So, uh, our team at the Veterans Affairs, I I I believe that providing faces and names allows you, the, you know, the town board and and the community members right here to see who we are. Um, it's easier for veterans and their families and caregivers to walk in the office and know who they're going to meet. I want to underscore our office's dedication to personalized support. Uh, veterans, families, and caregivers are encouraged to seek guidance with assurances that we're going to listen, answer questions, and work actively to address their concerns. We have a duty to assist and a duty to inform, which are responsibilities that we don't take lightly. and we emphasize dignity and respect, vital in fostering trust among veterans who may feel alienated by the bureaucracy of all these complex systems. Our office is more than just an administrative center. It's a community hub for care and connection. And you'll hear more about that later on in the brief, too. And we act as a local bridge to federal VA benefits, New York State benefits, and county benefits. So, if you go to the next slide, please. There you see this section summarizes the breadth of federal VA benefits. It simply lists everything that we provide services for in our office for the federal veterans affairs benefits. Everything from healthcare, the PAC Act, disability compensation. We address wartime era periods because that has a lot to do with veterans pension and survivors pension. We uh help family and caregivers. Mainly our efforts are for the family members. Uh if caregivers come in, we can help them as well. uh burials and memorials, which is what I helped that veteran spouse with tonight. Education and training, careers, employment, housing, assistance, and

life insurance. Those are everything that we can provide support for in our office. By laying out these categories, we still want to reinforce our role as a guide through the complex system and the myriad of benefits. So, with that, uh, next slide, please. And if you have any questions, please let me know along the way. If not, I can entertain them at the end. Uh, beyond the federal programs, Duchess County, Office of Veterans Affairs also assists with New York State benefits as you see there, and county benefits. The New York State benefits we assist with are the property tax exemptions, uh, the blind annuity program, supplemental burial allowances, the New York State DMV assistance, and the New York State Veterans Homes, and reduced fee licenses. There with the the blue are links to all those sites. Uh you will see on that right side of the folder it's called an overout handout brief. I have that electronically Katie if and when you would like I can send you a copy and I have had other municipalities post that on their websites. So everything I'm telling them today at this town hall brief they can find in a more comprehensive brief that you can see on the right side there and click on those links and it brings them right to those benefits which makes it a little bit easier to manage rather than looking through you know the Google or the duck.go go web uh internet. Uh county specific programs include honor a vet, the favor program, go go veterans transportation, county purchase cemetery plots. Um we work with 12 cemeteries to provide that service and referrals to local housing and mental health programs, especially mental health America veterans programs, which is located right next door to us at the Veterans Onetop in Pleasant Valley. That's the community hub we're talking about. If veterans and or their families or caregivers come to us, we often walk them right over to MHA and there the veterans and to some extent some of the family members can receive peer-to-peer support. They can go down in the basement and have some quiet time at a gym. The the younger veterans like to

game, so that's down there. We have medical supplies, a food pantry, and a clothing pantry over there. Uh recently, we've launched Operation Mobile Outreach. You'll see that in that newspaper article right there. It's an initiative to meet veterans in the community. Um it's just taken off in January. So with the bad weather and the cold, uh we've had a few veterans attend, which is better than zero. Um so we have a we've had January planned, we've got February planned and March. If you go to the Duchess County Veteran Services calendar, you'll see all the events uh upcoming with the date, time, and location. We've been to Reinbeck. We've been to Pauling. Uh we provide services tonight here in Dover, which was which is just a test bed for me to see how it would work. Uh I'll be in Beacon all day on Friday. And my goal is to hit up every American Legion and VFW in the county and set up mobile outreach services prior to their meetings, which will allow me not only to test bed to see how many veterans or family members come, but expose those veterans to the American Legions, the VFWs, and the Marine Corps leans as well. Uh, Operation Mobile Outreach is exciting. There's more to come to it, and you'll see my call to action later and how I discuss it. Uh but um I'm excited to actually use Dover uh because Dover is actually centrally located between Pi Pine Plains um Amenia and then Dover appalling and then you got Stanford and Pine Plains. I mean Northeast already told me they could help me with transportation to get veterans down to do so. So that's a huge plus. Uh this is a great location here, the town hall or the Duchess I mean the do veterans memorial library just down the street a little bit. Uh next slide please. So this is our traction. What I mean by that is here's the services the office has provided since 2020 through 2025. Uh key metrics are showcased. It outlines the number of veterans and

families we have served, new clients enrolled, and services delivered. It also highlights top services such as disability compensation, pensions, and less utilized one like the New York State Gold Star Annuity, blind annuity, and supplemental burial benefits. These statistics prove impact and growth, reinforcing the office's credibility that we're busy every single day helping veterans. For instance, um by including wartime era breakdowns, the slide though also reveals trends. For instance, the prominence of Vietnam veterans compared to declining World War II and Korean War veterans can be seen here. You will note that for 2025 we served about 4,500 veterans either through walk office walk-ins or phone contacts or meeting them out in the community and about 2,200 family members while pro providing services to 300 new veterans. Overall, this data illustrates both success and continuing challenges as we need to reach the veterans and family members of both the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan wartime eras more. Those are our least amount of veterans served. These veterans represent what we call the younger veterans. They are transitioning from the military service and desperately trying to find their niche in a civilian world. It's hard, frustrating, and demoralizing for some. And we recognize that the younger veterans feels as if they cannot wrap their heads around the fact that these benefits exist for them, too. We need to reach them in your community. And we say this because we see these veterans out in the community. They often say, "Oh, I'm not sick. I'm not ill. I'm not injured. Another veteran deserves these benefits far more than I do." Which is that a myth. We want to dispel that myth. We want to break the stigma and have them talk to us. We encourage veterans to use the VA because if they don't, then the VA won't receive the money that the VA needs to provide care

to the veterans. So, hence is why we've launched Operation Mobile Outreach. Um if you look at um we did a deep dive into municip municipality data and we see that appro on average approximately 80% of veterans do not have a service connected compensation claim out there. That means only 20% do on or about I think there's a whole lot more out there who could probably get to our office or get to the VA to use those benefits. in Dover. Uh we are accounting for about 341 veterans in your community. That's about 2.5% of the Duchess County overall. Duchess County has about 13, uh 500 veterans, 11,000 of which are wartime era veterans. So, we know the veterans are out there in the community. They're just hiding somewhere because they're they're not connected to to us. And we're we're going to try to stop that. Next slide. So with that, we want to serve more veterans. We move from reporting to ambition. With 13,500 veterans, uh the office acknowledges that many remain unreached. Some barriers include lack of awareness, uh stigma, complexity of systems, geographic or mental health challenges, trust issues, and transition challenges. The consequences of these gaps are poverty, homelessness, and isolation, which makes our case for mobile outreach even more urgent. The discussion here is about responsibility as we recognize the stakes of inaction and we are positioning ourselves to tackle these barriers headon with your help. The benefits earned can mitigate those negative consequences. An outward collaborative approach to our outreach efforts demonstrates our unified commitment to serving our veterans, their families, and their caregivers. Next slide. So, we've often been asked, how are we going to do this? How are we going to close this gap? And our office pre presents a clearer strategy as it aims to reduce confusion, broaden communication, and simplify access.

Hence why I'll just send you that introductory brief or the overview brief for your veterans to look at and work with you uh Councilman Muda so that we can uh you know reach more. Target audience is target audience obviously include veterans, families, and caregivers, but also municipalities like yourselves, nonprofits, and community and veteran organizations throughout the county. Our outcomes are tangible with reducing poverty, improving quality of life, and combating loneliness. Importantly, it emphasizes meeting veterans where they are at, signaling flexibility and a proactive outreach mindset, demonstrating by our example that we mean what we say as our office aims to be out in your community often. as mobile outreach if a veteran or family caregiver obviously if they're injured or they're struggling walking. Um I I made an effort to go to Pauling about a week or two ago and I use it as an opportunity to broaden my outreach when I go visit a veteran and their and their family member to work their benefits. So I'll work with them or and then I'll take a ride to the local library or a resource center. I work up in the northeast re uh community resource center quite often or a farm market and I try to meet veterans there. So if I go visit a veteran, I try to make it an affair where I can meet more veterans. So um next slide, please. Now it's time to act. Let's move from service delivery to engagement. Our call to action encourages a deeper collaboration with municipalities, nonprofits, and veteran organizations, which we finally started this past January. The goal is to extend reach, create networks of awareness, and ensure consistent communication. We reinforce the message that veterans issues cannot be solved in isolation, but require collective effort. And right now, we're setting the stage for a partnership-based outreach approach with the American Legions, the VFWs, Marine

Corps Leagues, and a couple nonprofits that we work with. Next slide. our baseline call to action which will be the next slide please. Here we go. Here we lay out a practical action plan for municipalities and organizations. Some of these initiatives you're already doing. I see a board out there with veterans photos which is great. You're acknowledging their service and that makes them feel really really good about themselves and their service and their families can feel the same way. Hometown heroes banner is a huge effort as well. Soon we'll be um having microrant opportunities open up for Duchess County for 2026 in a couple of months. Uh the honor veteran program is also opening up. Those all mean something to veterans and their families and all the communities across the county have responded well to that. Further recommendations include designating veteran leaison with your town, promoting benefits through newsletters, which I hope to get out one from county by the end of the first quarter of this year, town hall veteran community bulletin board, an enhanced veteran landing page on your municipality website, housing outreach events, and supporting transportation initiatives. We want to stress integrating services and sharing success stories. Making retro veteran referrals routine or making it routine for veterans to come to one spot to find the resources they need within their community. So I hope to build that up for you here at town hall with more brochures and uh more u contact with you Katie or whomever you decide to be my veteran liaison. I have a a group of veteran leaison already created from other municipalities where I've been given town hall presentations. Next slide. So moving forward um to expand impact we propose innovative outreach strategies which probably won't happen anytime soon but hopefully in the summer after I I've uh you know assessed how operation mobile outreach has gone I can do more

uh in-depth initiatives or starting in the summertime. Some ideas include pop-up resource lounges at local venues, storytelling projects, mobile service days, we've already started those, and wellness passport incentives, which are explained in the brief. On the tech side, proposals include a veteran text alert system similar to what municipalities have on their website. You have a text alert system on your website. We hope to hopefully build that with the with county and communitydriven initiatives like business spotlights, faith partnerships, and youth mentorships are also included. There's a lot of veteranowned businesses in Duchess County, and I've just tapped into a handful of them, maybe about 12 to 15 of them, and I'm sure there's more out there, but we hope to spotlight the the success of veterans uh even after their service to our country and how they've transitioned, I think, would be a great story for all the newly transitioning veterans coming out. These creative approaches demonstrate adaptability and to meet veterans where they live, work and socialize as we recognize that the different errors of veterans enjoy different aspects of life. As such, our creative efforts have to hit all those aspects. I mean, it was mentioned before some people are not techsavvy. Well, we need to have efforts that that then hit them where they're at. And for the tech generation, we have uh we have some ideas in mind for that as well. Uh and next slide. Our summary uh we bring our discussion full circle now. Our office's mission is is to safeguard veterans rights and ensure timely access to benefits that they have earned. Uh we want to stress the urgency of filing claims quickly due to time time limits on some of those benefits. Unfortunately, some veterans do come in and they want to use education because they're finally able to use that benefit, but it's expired. Uh there's there's some benefits to education out there that veterans don't realize, especially those who served prior to 2001. That Montgomery GI Bill expires 10 years post their discharge. A lot of

veterans don't know about the post 911 GI Bill and the 15-year time limit on that benefit uh if they had been discharged prior to 2013. So, we want these veterans to come in sooner rather than later, which we know for the newly transitioned veterans, it's hard for them to do that. So, the first step is for them to make a call to our office. The veterans come to our office, they fill out a data sheet, a disclosure form. Uh we'll we'll brief them on brief them on any benefits they might have questions about and uh we'll just express that urgency and we'll never turn veterans away even if they walk in, even if they so unless we're super busy and we just don't have the time, but we always try to make the time to talk with them. So with that, uh, please recognize, uh, that my position as a Duchess County Office of Veteran Affairs Outreach Coordinator is to serve your community. Um, and so now that I given the brief, uh, please call me if you want me to set something up in your town. If Councilman Luda, you want me to come here and set up a day, I will. I already am working with the veteran leison on up in the Northeast sector. She's reached out to me, says, "Hey, I've got veterans saying they can't they can't make the drive for the favor card. Can you come out and do something?" I'm like, "Absolutely." Because then I can talk about more benefits while I'm there. So, I'll jump on an opportunity if you give it to me. All I need is a place for privacy and Wi-Fi connection is really the big thing. Um, if you have any questions, I'll be more than happy to entertain them right now. Or Adam, if you have anything you want to add, please feel free to do so. That concludes my brief.

Well, I want to first start by saying thank you. Yes. And thank you for your service once again. Sure. Um, I do have one question though because I was just reached out recently by a disabled vet and the state I believe passed a bill or whatever giving them certain or particular tax exemptions. I didn't know nothing about this. He caught me totally off guard. Bill right now is Senate Bill. Do me a favor. That way if anybody's viewing at home, they can hear you.

Yeah, absolutely. Uh good evening. Uh Adam Roach, director for Duchess County Office Veterans Affairs. Um the bill that you're talking about is the uh Senate Bill uh 1183 uh which is for uh the way it states is 100% service connected veterans um are completely um don't have to pay for the property tax and school tax. So there's a lot going on with that bill because it looks great when it comes up, but um there's a lot of end ends and ors that are not in the right place. So, I've been in personal contact with New York State uh Department of Veterans Affairs uh up in Albany with that. Uh they are working with a couple of senators and assembly members on clarifying this bill. Um because of what it states right now, it makes no sense whatsoever um with it. So, uh I've been on top of that and once uh 100% confirmation comes out, I will let you all know about that.

He literally he literally said, "I got to ask you a question." I said, "Well, go ahead, sir." says, "Why did you send me a tax bill? I'm a disabled veteran. They passed a law that I don't have to pay anymore." Mhm. And I'm like, "Okay, well, you're the first one to tell me this." Yeah. I can't give you an answer. Yeah. Sorry to say that, but cuz that's when supervisor that's that's the way it looks is they're posting it out there. It says 100% service connected. Don't have to pay for property tax or or or school tax. When you really get into the nitty-gritty, they're selling it. Oh, yeah. That's the thing. They're selling it that way. But it it that is not the case whatsoever. Okay. Well, then okay. Yeah. So, please you find the answer, please send it to me. And and again, just have him call our office too. We'd love to uh you know, explain the detail.

I'll reach out to him. I mean, and I've known him forever. But that was his question. How come I have a bill? No, we got from a school. We get the same thing. So, okay. Mhm. Perfect. New York. That's state. New state. it was going to be uh uh uh just uh an option for uh each municipality to uh uh if they wanted to uh uh to to do it. But um that's one of the amendments to it is is it's going to be mand mandatory. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. And I look forward to seeing that information and again for our veterans if if it's doable, I will do it. Absolutely. I appreciate it. Well, I'll bring it forward, I should say. I appreciate that. All right, Tommy. Oh, thank you for your time. very informative.

So your liaison will be Councilman Maluda. All right, that I'll make that official, our county commander and local commander of our Legion. So Yan will be the guy to contact and again the residence hall is your hall. You need it, we will find a time if and able. We will make it happen if and able. Okay. Thank you. And you get you give us enough notice and we can always work some things out. You've got this house here and I'm sure you can have the Legion. Yeah. The American Legion is located underneath the library. Um, and I'll and I will make that access, you know, we'll definitely I'll I'll email you and we'll set something up. Absolutely. And then also with the county as well. So, you'll be hearing from me. Thank you. Sounds good.

Councilwoman Jackson, thank you for your service. Jerome, thank you for your sacrifices and uh thanks for all you're doing because it's really great that you're coming because we know that there is travel issues for a lot of our people that need to have outreach like this is fantastic. Thank you, madam clerk. Anything? Great. Thank you very much, Deputy. Well, thank you for your service. Thank everybody for doing what they're doing. Great to to have a resource out there for them. They definitely need it. My only concern and I'll just it's for me because I have past family. It's the older generation that it's not techsavvy. So for you to touch on that little point that they don't have a phone,

that's going to be important for them. So the older generation is the greatest generation. There you go.

And Councilman, that's that's the thing. There's there's so much out there that they have no clue that they're eligible for. And especially for the spouses. Just recently um uh we had a a veteran um spouse come into our office called DIC dependent indemnity compensation. and uh we were able to work with her. Uh it it took a process, but we were able to get her $116,000 tax-free retropay back for the services of her husband who passed away because of Agent Orange exposure while he served in Vietnam. So, um you know, there's so much out there that they have no clue and that's the one we're just trying to get the word out to as many uh as many people honestly as we can. So, I encourage you if you know a veteran, uh if if you know anybody that serves or spouses of vets, have them call our number, the 845-4862060, uh because it really does uh uh take a community here to uh to get this out. So, I appreciate it.

We we we actually have that number on our board at the American Legion. So, thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much again. All right. Safe home.

Yeah. Thank you. That was good. I'll be good. You're welcome. Stay home now. And we're going to open this meeting. Correct. Public hearing, right?

Okay. Next on the agenda at this time, I'd like to make the motion to open a public hearing on the proposed 2026 town of Recreation fee schedules. Do I have a second? Second. Motion made by myself, seconded by Deputy Supervisor Murphy to open the public hearing on the recreation fee schedules for 2026. All in favor? I I. Any opposed? So carried. Good night everybody. Safe home. Thank you.

So public hearing is open to discuss the fee schedules from recreation. Do I have anybody that would make a comment or like to ask a question at the podium? Uh I've refuted it. I've reviewed it, I should say, and uh I think it it's fit. I think it's uh it's on point. Um Julie Julie and her staff as well as everybody else involved uh looked it over, looked at what other towns are doing as well and uh that's where we're at. Seeing nobody approaching to actually, sorry, any other discussion? Nope. Council, no.

Holmes. Mr. Holmes. Good. Okay. At this time, no further discussion from the board, nobody approaching the podium. I'll make the motion to close this public hearing on the 2026 proposed recreation fee schedule. Do I have a second? Second. Motion made by myself, seconded by Councilman Holmes to close the public hearing for the 2026 recreation fees. All in favor?

I. Any opposed? This hearing is closed. reports that a recreation director and highway superintendent and building department I'm going to start it with the building because I got it in front of me. Building department stats for 1228 25 through 128 to 26. Total permits were 44 for the sum of $34,000. CC's issued were 39. Co's issues were 10 and one violation was written respectfully submitted to Amy Burns, building department clerk. And we will go with the recreation department read by Deputy Murphy. Uh Julie couldn't be here tonight because she is running our youth basketball program. So she submitted a report. Okay. Julie's report. Senior update. senior program will be meeting tomorrow at the JHK Park community room from 9:00 am to 3 pm instead of the American Legion Hall. Held the first basketball games of the season this past week for kindergarten through 12th grade and it was a great start. I would like to thank our coaches, referees, parents, players for making an opening week such such such a success. Next basketball game are scheduled for Saturday, February 7th, which will also be picture day. We are also thrilled to have our recreational cheerleaders at the games, cheering on our players and adding for the ex uh extra excitement. Cheerleaders will be attending their first demonstration at cheerleading competition this weekend at Do High School. They have been working incredibly hard each week and preparing to begin competing later this year. And we are so proud of them. My staff and I have already been busy planning our programs for the balance of the year. Mark your calendars for the following. The Easter egg hunt will be held on March 28th at Boyce Park at 100 a.m.

Kite Day at Boyce Park, Saturday, April 11th. Do cleanup day, Saturday, April 25th. Let me know if this day works for everybody. I'm assuming that's for us. Yeah.

Um, do day camp Monday, July 6th through Friday, August 14th. Camp registration will begin February 9th of this year. Summer concert series, Saturdays, July 11th through August 29th at Boyce Park. Do community day will be held on Saturday, September 19th. Trunk or treat will be held on October 24th. And the Christmas tree lighting is scheduled for Saturday, December 5th. A big thank you for Shan and Paul for their hard work in digging us out so Paul and Dodie I can get to work. As always, thank you to Paula and Dodie for their dedication, long hours, and continued commitment to our programs and community. And finally, thank you for all the continued support for the Dober Recreation. We look forward to having a fun-filled and successful year ahead. That is Julie's report for January.

Thank you. I will reiterate with the the two guys on our grounds crew. Sean works mostly with highway in storms like this, but Paul was pretty much by himself handling the parking lots and the sidewalks. He did everything that he could. And you know what? It was more than enough. And we'll take up what he couldn't get to. But Paul did a hell of a job. And I'll say that publicly because he is by himself. He didn't ask for any help. We offered it, but he got done what he could get done and he he kept up with it. So, thank you, Paul. Thank you, Sean, and and the rest of the staff in the rec department. Yeah. Uh highway report. Yes.

Jason's report here. So far in the month of January, been busy with plowing, salting, and sanding the town roads. Team has been busy preparing, repairing our fleet of trucks for each storm. A few reminders. Please remember that cars should not be parked on town roads from October 15th to April 15th. Vehicles may be towed at owner's expense. Please do not leave garbage cans on town roads where they can be damaged by snowplow trucks and we will not be responsible for any damages. The town is not responsible for the snow at the end of your driveways or the snow around your mailboxes. It is your responsibility for clearing your own driveway and your own mailboxes of the snow. Page two. It is against the law to plow or snow blow the snow onto town roads, county roads, or state roads. If you use a snow plowing service, you are responsible to ensure that they don't plow or snowblow the snow onto roads as well. Putting the snow onto the roads creates hazardous conditions for everyone. If an accident occurs because of this, you, the homeowner, property owner, are liable. The town is not responsible for repairing or replacing mailboxes damaged by the impact of snow when plowing or damaged by any snow removal process. I would like to thank my whole team for all their hard work. Jason Sator, Town Dover Highway Superintendent.

Thank you, Tommy. Council board members reports. Councilman Holmes. Yes. Uh met with Jason pretty much all month on and off with the storms, impending storms, during the storms and after the storms. Uh few breakdowns. Uh things went well this last storm. They only had one breakdown which was great. And uh guys put in a lot of hours. And uh if you see these guys, tell them thank you. I don't think they hear it enough. They did a great job. Thank you, Jason. Councilman Muda.

Well, as you heard from the uh the presentation we had tonight, there's going to be a lot going on with the American Legion and the Veterans Affairs this year with uh especially with our 250th year anniversary. And um so I'm looking forward to that. Also, um I'd like to thank everybody. Um I really appreciate everybody that I was able to help out during this last snowstorm. You all know who you are. Um yeah, it was my pleasure. So again, thank you, Councilwoman Jackson. Um thank you, Yan.

Yes. Thanks. The Dover School District has completed another stage of their capital project reopening uh their middle school dining hall and the steam rooms which is science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. We are looking forward to the high school dining hall reopening which will be coming soon. Um the Dover Plains Library says if you're having cabin fever, there's a lot of activities going on. Give them a call. They have evening and daytime help and also tech help for anybody who needs help with computers and phones. Thank you. Deputy Supervisor Murphy.

So, Julie P laid out pretty much the entire year what we got going on at the recreation uh department. You know, it's a full schedule and everything in between that is added. So, there's tons and tons of recreational programs. Great job, Julie and her team. Fantastic. Uh small report from the planning board. There was a small meeting this year um this month for planning. Uh the next meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 2nd. Um again, agendas meeting uh meeting minutes will be posted. Um if you want to be involved, I say it almost every meeting. You want to be involved, take a look, attend, join, join the comments. All right, that's my report.

Thank you, Jay. So most of my uh report will be based on the storm. Um but I do have one thing I attended uh for for the first time in a long time actually. I attended the New York State Association of Towns event in Albany two weeks ago. Um it's mostly designed for newly elected officials. So I attended as well as Councilman Muda six years ago. But we had some stuff come down from Albany stating that they're looking at changing some procurement policy, some budgetary policies. Um, so I felt, you know what, it's always good to learn some new stuff, go up and get updated. And I'm glad I did. Um, I talked to a bunch of state officials up there and other electeds throughout the state and you get a good idea of what other towns do and uh, especially the larger towns, you know, but then you can bring it back home and and bring it back to your size, you know. But I'm glad I went up. So, I spent uh three days in Albany a couple weeks ago and came home into the storm before this one. So, that was pretty good. But the snow event and the aftermath, um I knocked the rust off my video updates because we felt it was needed. Um we knew this one was going to be the big one. Well, hopefully the only one of the year, but you never know. Um, but when I give my updates, I don't just give the weather report because I know everybody's got the weather channel for you critics out there. But what I did give you is I gave you every bit of county information and cancellations and reschedules, town information, local issues, buildings that we may have to use, and whatever else you needed. DMV information. Okay? So, I don't do it just to, you know, to to show who I am or announce who I am. I do it for you, the people, for So, for everybody out there that thanks me for it, you're

very, very welcome. For the few of you that don't care, don't watch it. So, please remember that we always push snow to the right side. the driveway comment earlier, the mailbox comment earlier, we do our best to to avoid any damage. It isn't always us hitting it, okay? Please remember that. And for those of you who call me and say, "You filled my driveway up again." Well, again, we have to clean the roads off as well, and our equipment pushes everything to the right. Okay? So, maybe you want to try to time it. If it's able, if you're able to time it, time your final cleanup after our final cleanup after the storm. All right, keep that in mind. Um, I will say that, um, it is illegal in New York State, which Tommy stressed, uh, to blow or plow snow into any road that's county, state, or town roads. It is a law in New York State. You are you will be liable if something happens. Uh, the county was kept up to date by all. It was mandated that we kept the county up to date with the situations throughout our town um through either email or phone calls. The EOC was open. Um I have that I have a little closer connection there because I work for the county. So I was able to talk to the commissioner himself as well as the executive. And then we ended the storm with a conference call Monday, sometime Monday, um to get the status and any needs that our towns needed. Um, there were a few towns that did have to go ahead and declare a state of emergency. We chose not to. We piggybacked it with the county if we needed to. And I have to say that Jason and his guys did a hell of a job and we didn't need to we didn't need to declare one. Okay. Um, they've been out moving snow around with the loader and getting rid of some snow due to the possibility of another storm this weekend, which it

looks like it may be in our favor, but I won't count the chickens before they hatch. So, they're doing what they can. They were able to get to the sidewalks, which is another hot topic. Sidewalks are the residents responsibility in front of their house or properties. 121-7 of the local law states you're responsible. So, when we get out there and we take care of it for you, it's because the time, the personnel, and the equipment allows us to. We're helping you. That's our job, and we will do it when we can. If we can't get to it due to breakdowns or because we're overwhelmed, ultimately by local law, it is your responsibility since 1988 and it has not changed. So, please keep that in mind. They got to the sidewalks the last couple days and I believe they're going to finish up tomorrow. So, again, we will continue to give you every bit of information we can. I've got to thank the JH Ketchum Host Company. They housed the ambulance service in station two in Wingdale throughout the storm because we all know they're stationed in Dover, but it's an outside storage. We were able to put them in the firehouse so they could stay out. They didn't get snowbound, I should say. And uh I believe Jason had to assist on two or three two or three emergency calls. Two of them being ambulance or three of them being ambulance. So we helped them out as well when we could. Our guys went ahead of them to make sure they can get into the road and into the entrance of the driveway. All right. To help that resident out. All right, that's all I have. Any questions? No. Council, anything? Okay. Again, thank you everybody that worked this weekend. On to resolutions. I didn't miss nothing. Right.

Resolution authorize and approve consent agenda items. Be it resolved that the town board of the town of Dover does hereby approve the following items for consideration and adoption on the January 28th, 2026 town board regular meeting consent agenda. Authorize the payment of abstract 1B of 2026 in the amount of $221,458.82. 82 cents. Accept the minutes of town board special meeting of January 7th, 2026. Approve the town clerk's report for December of 2025. Approve the town supervisor's monthly financial report for December of 2025. Authorize unanticipated revenue budget transfers, budget amendments, and payment of off abstract purchase orders as prepared and submitted by the town's bookkeeper. Authorize supervisor to submit a letter of support to Duchess County Transportation Council. I will entertain a motion.

So move. Second. Brought by Murphy, seconded by Maluda. Any discussion? The 1B is because it's the second meeting this morning. Okay. Any further discussion? Hearing no further discussion. All in favor? I.

Any opposed? So carried. Resolution authorizing the supervisor to execute Civic Plus website migration and upgrade. Be it resolved the town board of the town of Dober does hereby authorize the town supervisor to execute the Civic Plus website migration and upgrade agreement. And be it further resolved that a copy of the fully executed agreement with Civic Plus shall be kept on file in the office of the town clerk. I'll entertain a motion. So moved. Second brought by Maluda, seconded by Jackson. Discussion. Madam clerk, you got anything to say on this?

This is just a required upgrade by the Civic Plus folks who um host our website. So, it we haven't had it updated in like five or six years. So, they're moving it to a a more efficient platform and we have a committee that's actually following it. So, thank you. Anybody else? Hearing no further discussion. All in favor? I I any opposed? So carried.

Resolution to accept the 2025 Town of Dover Justice Court annual report and audits and filing with New York State Office of Court Administration, the OCA. Whereas the Town of Dover Justice Court has submitted its 2025 annual report to the town board. And whereas the town board of the town of Dover has reviewed the 2025 town of Dover Justice Court annual reports from Honorable R. Ren Abrams, Senior and Honorable R. Ren Abrams, Jr. Now therefore, be it resolved that the town board of the town of Dover hereby accepts the 2025 Town of Dober Justice Court's annual report. And be it further resolved that a copy of the 2025 Town of Dover Justice Court annual report shall be kept on file in the office of the town clerk. And be it further resolved that the town board authorizes and directs the filing of the 2025 annual justice court financial reports with the office of the court administration the OSA. I'll entertain a motion second

brought by Murphy seconded by Holmes. Discussion. Uh I did a full review on this along with the with the clerk madam clerk herself and I signed off on it. Okay. Any questions? All in favor?

I I Any opposed? So carried. Resolution to adopt town of Dover draft cyber security breach notification policy and procedure. Whereas, pursuant to New York State General Business Law 899-A and the Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Shield Act, municipalities are directed to develop a policy and if necessary to implement a procedure to report cyber security breach incidents to the New York Attorney General's databach reporting portal and to promptly notify affected individuals and state agencies. Be it resolved, the town board of the town of Dover does hereby adopt the draft town of Dover cyber security breach notification policy and procedure circulated to the town board for review. And be it further resolved that a copy of the fully executed policy shall be kept in the file in the office of the town clerk. I'll accept a motion.

So move second. Brought by Murphy, second by Muda. Discussion. Madam clerk, this is the one you worked on, correct? Right. just so that we have a policy in hand in case we do have a data breach. Any questions? Any further discussion? Hearing no further discussion. All in favor? I. Any opposed? So carried. At this time, um I need to recuse. Correct. Councel. Yes. Recuse or abstain? Recuse. Recuse.

Okay. At this time, I'm going to recuse from this mo from this resolution uh based on the fact that I am a member of the JH Ketchum hose company and I will benefit from this program. So, at this time, I'm going to ask Councilwoman Jackson to read it. Okay.

Resolution authorizing the 2000 2025 town of Dover Volunteer Firefighters Length of Service Award program, LOAP. Whereas the town of Dover adopted a length of service awards program, LOAP, for the members of the JH Ketchum Hose Company, which provides fire and emergency services to the town of Dover. Now therefore be it resolved that the town board of the town of Dover does hereby accept the annual length of service awards program LOAP reports for 2025 prepared by the JH Ketchum hose company incorporated as attached here too and made part here of this resolution for 2025 LOAP credits. The question of the adoption of the foregoing resolution was do put to a vote.

Do I have a motion? Second. Motion by Murphy, seconded by Muda Holmes. All in favor? One recused. Thank you. So carried. Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman.

My honor. Resolution adopting the 2026 Town of Dover Town and recreational fee schedule. Whereas chapter 73 of the town code in the town of Dover allows the town board of the town of Dover to adopt fees after a public hearing. And whereas on January 28th, 2026, a public hearing was held to seek public input for propo proposed town fees for 2026 in the town of Dover. Now therefore be it resolved the town board of the town of Dover does hereby adopt the 2026 Town of Dover Town fee schedule as attached hereto and made a part hereof and be it further resolved that a copy of the 2026 town fee schedule shall be kept on file in the office of the town clerk. I'll entertain a motion second

brought by Murphy, seconded by Holmes and Maluda. Any discussion? Uh, as stated in the public hearing, this was reviewed. I I feel it's more than fair. Anybody else? All good. Okay. Any further discussion? Hearing no further discussion. All in favor? I

I. Any opposed? So carried. Resolution acknowledging hiring of highway department worker. Whereas the town of Dover Highway Superintendent Jason Cerri has advised the town board of the town of Dover of the hiring of Dominic Sanchez to the position of laborer at the town of Dover Highway Department effective February 2nd, 2026. Now therefore, be it resolved that the town board of the town of Dover does hereby acknowledge the hiring of Dominic Sanchez to the position of labor in the town of Dover Highway Department effective February 2nd, 2026 at the rate set in the current IBT local 45 contract.

Alen 456, sorry, contract. I'll entertain a motion. So move second. Brought by Jackson, seconded by Maluda. Any discussion? Welcome aboard. Yep. Welcome aboard. Hearing no further discussion. All in favor?

I. Any opposed? So carried. So at this time further in the agenda, um any are there any public comments? Anybody has a comment, please approach the podium. Seeing nobody approaching the podium, uh upcoming meetings, I believe February 25th, Wednesday night. Um I encourage everybody to either attend or watch that meeting. That is a special night uh for a lot of us. I know for one particular she's looking forward to it. But uh I'll uh there will be some special things read that night as well as some recognition. So, I encourage everybody to watch or or or uh attend on February 25th, the regular board meeting. Um, with that, I will make a motion to go into an executive session to discuss litigation. Uh, do I have a second?

Second. Motion made by myself, seconded by Councilman Holmes to go into an executive session to discuss litigation. Uh, we will not be returning to the deis. All in favor? I. Any opposed? So carried. Good night. Be well. Stay safe everybody and stay warm. Thank you.