Town Board - Regular Meeting

All right, if we could all stand, take our hats off for the pledge. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Good job. Welcome to the uh Thursday night town of Southeast Town Hall meeting. Please take notice to the exits. There's one behind you on each side. There's one behind us over here. Uh, please put all electronic devices on vibrate. Kathy, can we get a roll call? Yes. Councilman Cypress here. Councilman Larka here.

Councilwoman Lewis here. Councilman Mazada here. Supervisor Duranti here. I'd like to make a motion to close the executive session with no action taken. Second. All in favor? I. All right. So, we can get right into our work session. And here we are again. Kind of funny, huh? All right. So, today what we're going to do is we have a proclamation for the Brewster Bruins 10U football team. Another undefeated season. Pretty pretty wild, guys. How does it feel? Good.

Awesome. All right. So, what what I'm going to do is this is this is a coach request. So, I'd like to start with a special note about the 10U team mom, Jen Newman. That's her over there in the corner. So, this year I myself stopped coaching hockey and I came to football and our team mom was excellent also and I know that it's a lot of work. Uh so the amount of time and effort she put into helping not only John and the other coaches uh put this team kept this team as a whole. It goes without saying she is amazing. A big part of the success that this team has had and hopefully continues to have. Just another great mom. Uh what what I've been told about this team. Now I'm going to talk about the team. Thank you, Jim. Uh what I've been told about this team for more than one person is that they play together as a team. It doesn't matter if they were a starter or a backup. They everyone cheers for everyone. They were all there were a handful of firstear players who exceeded all the expectations of the coach. Who were the first year guys?

Oh, that is a that is a good number. Excellent. YOU GUYS

and your coaches are very excited to see how you guys grow and what the future holds for you. So, keep it up. Uh, another coach said, "What truly sets them apart. What becomes obvious every single Sunday is they play for each other. They lift each other up. They protect each other. They defend each other. They celebrate each other. There is a selflessness in the way that each player takes to the field. Something you can't teach in a day, a week, or even a season. It comes from long hot summer practices, from wait uh late weekn night sessions after homework. That's always good. Make sure you do your homework or you can't play football. All right. Um uh he also said, uh great accomplishments don't happen overnight. They happen through process, through time, through commitment, through choosing cho choosing to show up again and again. And the formidable tenue bears are living proof of that. In fact, some might even argue that the difficult to defeat meaning of formid formidable bill doesn't go far enough as a description because for the past three years, I was wrong. I said two years uh last week. For the past three years, this group of young athletes hasn't just been tough to beat, they've been impossible to beat. Three years, three seasons, and not a single loss. That's pretty impressive, guys. Uh, so this year, who'd you beat in the championship?

S. I

now you can be sure I will be calling the s the s supervisor and tell them what we did tonight. All right. I I love to let them know where we stand. Uh I also understand you guys played at Metife. That's two years in a row. Congratulations. And I think at this point you could beat either the Jets or the Giants. So, keep it up.

So, uh, a little something for me. Sometimes during a season, things happen happen, especially when you're good. You don't always know why. They just happen. What makes you stronger is how you respond to those moments. And I'd say as an undefeated season, it's a really good response. Uh, you guys are putting Brewster back on the football map. Teams and towns are going to come after you. Uh, and sometimes it's tough tougher to be on the top. Uh, they're going to be looking for you. Stay together as a team. Remain coachable and keep having fun beating these other talents. All right. Thank you guys. Okay. So, I'm going to call your name. Please come on up and uh get your certificate from us. And if I mess up your name, just come back next year. I'll probably get it right. All right. So, uh, our first guy is, uh, Blake Snder.

All right. Blakey Frank Galapani,

ZACHARY FOX, SEBASTIAN LEO.

SORRY. NO, I I I messed up. We'll do her. It's okay. Um, Nathaniel Knight Night. Uh, Colton Chrisman,

Santa Claus, Mason Dumman,

DEALE. Congratulations Luke Morenza get it right Trevor GANT

Christopher Hulman Good job, Luke. CURLY.

Like that ring. Ronald Schmidt.

You're welcome. ROGERS. I don't know, Dean, you're awful big for a 10year-old. Run Armstrong,

Conor McGregor.

Good job. All right. All right. Uh Zachary Petri Petri

Enzo Chicatus. Look at that hair. That is a lovely head of hair. And so Connor Connor Hannenburg HANNIBBURG

Sto Castelli Sant was I was lucky enough to have his brother Luca on the team that I coached this year.

And uh um Donald Pandeia killing these names. Camil River Joseph Balt.

I was lucky enough to have his brother John on my team also. Aiden Aiden Aiden Blackwell. George.

Oh, last guy.

Brady Bam Bam Goate. Hey, uh I I really appreciate all you guys coming here. I know this might not seem like such a big deal to you, but it is. It's a It's a big deal to the people that are standing around you that bring you to practice all the time and listen to you cry and complain. Uh those are called your parents. You give them a big hug tonight and tell them thank you. All right. Uh so I'd like uh I'm sorry uh Jen uh we we had a proclamation for Jen. She was supposed to be first.

So uh you can do it. Jen Newman.

All right. So the head coach was head guys. Head coach was John Christristen.

We we had uh we sorry coaches we didn't make one for all of you. We made one for the team. Uh but I would like to say that Jeff Schneider was an assistant coach. Chris Rivera was an assistant coach. Mike Castella Castelli was an assistant coach. Luckily, I coached with Mike at the nine at the nineu level with his son, Luca. Uh, that was great. Uh, Curtis Mensah, John Curley, Frank Galpani, and Jamie. I'm going to mess it up. Those are the coaches. Thank you very much.

All right. So, I'm we're going to we're going to take a little break here, but when I break you guys, I would love for all of you to come up to the counter, turn around. We're going to get pictures with your coaches and us and yourselves. Okay. So, I'll make a motion to take a fiveminute recess. Second. All in favor? I. All right. Uh I'll make a motion to reopen the meeting. Second. All in favor? I

All right. So, we can get into our second discussion. It's the uh assessor's radius list label fees proposal for the 2026 uh full schedule uh fee review. So um Lori Bell and our assessor's office is looking to update her list a little bit and her radius list is now $44 and would like to make it 100. Uh she'd also like to charge a same day service of $25 because uh I guess lately a few people have been coming in and requesting the service the day of uh which is new. Um and then there's an unclaimed list label 30-day fee she'd like to charge for $25. So those were the only three from her. Um while we were looking at this, uh Kathy came to me. Uh she has a few she would like to change. Uh the top one on the clerk office list is the uh public hearing fee is 200. She'd like to make it 225. The other two are uh solid waste application fee is 150. She'd like to make it 200. The solid waste permit fee is 150 and would like to make it 200.

What is a solid waste fee? That's the in order to haul garbage, you um you have to pick up garbage, whether it's residential or commercial, they need to have a permit with us. So that's like suburban pay. Suburban. Yep. Um uh we should make it 300,000. So uh when we when you suggested to review this all uh we sent it to everyone and no one the department heads and no one reppponded with any more updates. So, I'm not sure if you guys had any other thoughts on any of them or I have a few. Would you guys mind if I go first?

Um, so I was didn't have much time uh to review this. Um, and hopefully someone could capture some of this cuz some of this is just brainstorming for us, but I pulled Caramel's fees and uh did a comparison on certain things. So, um, starting on the first page, there's certificate of occupancy and compliance. We charge $55. Um, Caramel charges 80 for residential and 150 for uh, commercial. So, I was thinking that we should, you know, same price or

I would I I I don't know what you guys think and it'd be interesting, you know, I think whatever we propose here, we should discuss with Mike or if you guys have separate opinions, but I was going to do 100 150 Um, and again, you know, we should review this with Mike. Next one was, uh, changes to approved plans. Caramel has that at 150. We have it at 100. A lot of the ones I'm going to talk about tonight, too, haven't been changed in years. I know we made some updates last year, but um, so I would increase that. I I'll I'll bring this to Mike tomorrow and just tell them this is what we're thinking. Are you okay with it?

Yeah. Um, you know, I don't want to kill anybody with these, but uh existing uh buildings and work requiring permit in addition to registration fees. Uh, I have that one increasing to 100. Um, so the next one, reinspection fees, no-show fees. We had discussed this one. I know Peter had some input on it. Um, last year we added the no-show for 50. Uh Caramel's charging 250 for that. I'm recommending 100. Um that we increase it to 100. The no-show or both? Derek. What's that? The no-show only or both? Both. Okay.

But on I printed this differently, but on the second page under gas and LP permits, there's a reinspection fee that's $75. So, um didn't make sense. There's reinspection fee for building was 50. No shows 50. This was 75. So I would make them all 100. I'm actually kind of curious what the reinspection fee for gas is if it wasn't done correctly the first time. Yeah, I guess so. And and you know, for some of these, you know, it'd be interesting to Mike gets my get Mike's feedback. Um, how much work is it when you have to go back and if you have to go back multiple times, is that per time?

Um, next one. Stop work order. that actually isn't in Caramels. Um, but it's a $100, but I I think we should raise that one to 250. Uh, in the stop work orders that I've seen, um, they're pretty egregious at times. Maybe I'm being a little aggressive there, but um, if you want to go like 125, but I would go I would go big on that one unless Mike has a different ask a question. Is that a fee to lift the stopwork order or is that if they issue a stop work order? Uh, wouldn't that be one and the same? Because if you issue it, you have to remove it.

Well, the issuing a stop work order is is a penal device to um you know to stop a violator, right, from doing what they do. And they if they then violate the stop work order, they are drawn into court one more time. Um, I I just don't I I don't know how what would be the process by which you would uh collect a fee when you're coming out of nowhere and saying stop work because you're violating the code out of it might be the it's in here for 100 bucks now. I know, but I've got a charge. Oh, I'll I'll ask Michael that question. I guess you said Caramel doesn't have one.

Uh, they don't have it listed in their fee schedule.

No. Um, so maybe that should fall under something else. But, um, I would think that going out, issuing a stop work order, all the work that's involved with that, um, would be laborious, but I don't know. Um, that one was fine. Municipal searches was fine. Okay. So, I'm not recommending a change here, but on the bottom of the page, there's accessory apartment renewal. That's 450 for 3 years. I know we changed that to two years. I I didn't have a chance to look up the fees that we changed it to. And then on the next page that continues, see rental occupancy and um the next line. So I think we have those fees established in our new rental registration code. They just weren't updated here. So we just need to get that updated. Um the on the second page the dog seizures I'm still unclear on that from kind of the last meeting but um I just think we should take a look at that.

I did raise it oh last year. Okay. Um and actually um I I spoke with the um uh punditing society and um they thought those were pretty good finds. Okay. All right. In comparison. Perfect. And I did speak to Caramel and they don't charge that, but Okay. fees, not fine. They're they're it's a fine. Well, it's a fine for having your dog seized. Oh, yeah. You got to pay to get them out of there. So, the under issues them a fine. Fines are issued. Okay. So, it's a fee. Should be considered a fee. Okay.

That's why I'm confused on this one. I think it just needs to be written differently because it says dog seizures first seizures empoundment impoundment. uh $35 plus $25 a day thereafter. So what that means is if they don't pick them up, you get charged additional fee for each day that they're there. And paid to us or paid to the It's paid It's paid to Well, it's paid to us. I mean, it's not paid to us directly. The the um Humane Society gets it and then they give it to us. They do get a portion of it, but they get they give it to us and it increases for the second. Correct. Um, you know, I I would raise defense.

Yeah, I would raise the second. Okay. I I it just isn't clear to me. So, I don't know if we maybe need to reward it a little bit different. I don't know. But, um, and then I Well, I'm not going to say it's the last one. Who knows? Uh, the return check fee is $40. I just had a return check at work. Crazy. It cost me like 30. It cost the company $39. So, um, check fee. return check fee. I don't know the time ahead. It doesn't have any limitations. I mean, if if we get charged uh an amount for a return check, it shouldn't be on us. Whatever that amount is should be passed along to the

Yeah. And and I would think the work that you know a bounce check requires work. So, I would if we can I would raise it to 15. I'd have to check I could have sworn that there was a a limit on what we could charge. Okay. But I can check on that. Um, there's one. There's something about paying your taxes late. Oh, delinquent tax notification fees. What pager? Uh, that's the last one, I think. Tax receivers's office. Delinquent tax notification. $2%. Oh. Oh, I see. Okay. Yeah. I don't know. Shouldn't Shouldn't that be more?

10 bucks. I I assume that requires a lot of work by the tax receivers's office and maybe you could ask Amarie if if we're even allowed to increase that. Um I would you know what she we talked about that one day because someone was complaining about the $2 cuz it wasn't Yeah, I'll talk to her about that. I mean it probably cost us more than $2 to charge $2. So I'd make it zero or raise it. Yeah. And and like is that a one-time thing? Is that you didn't pay your taxes, you get a notification? Like how many it's not like a monthly thing?

I think it's if they don't pay the taxes, she sends out a letter fee. Okay. And and I believe they also pay an amount for not being on time taxes. Yeah. That's it. That was all I had. Anybody else? No. All right. So, I'll talk to Mike and um Amory and if if they're good with what you're suggesting, I would just then we'll put it on the organizational meeting. Yep. Um and see if they have it. Well, you already asked if anyone

Yeah. So, he didn't like but if I ask him specifics, uh you know, I I'll get his answers. Okay.

Okay. So with that we go into our next discussion. Um and it is about the future of our town hall. Um I have been looking at this for some time. I'm not the best presenter. Uh, so I'm going to do my best here because this was um, you know, Tony started to try to save some money for this uh, because the village was a very strong possibility uh, at the time. So uh, I'm just trying to move forward a little bit.

I think if you hit this button, it should go full screen. this one here, I believe. So, okay, perfect. Oh, there you go.

Oh, I see I see something different. That's good. Okay. So, um I like I said, I I uh I wrote something out so I don't so I don't uh get long-winded and miss what I'm trying to say. So, um, we currently have an opportunity with a local developer who has offered the town the possibility of constructing a new town hall building at we at what we will hope uh will become the gateway of the town of Southeast and the village of Brewster. The proposed site is 1037 Route 22 in Brewster, the former barn bowling alley. Um, and if you are thinking to yourself and remember that you're just as old as I am, uh, it later became the OTB facility. The property is now stateowned and available for purchase at a significantly reduced price due to to the condition of the existing building. After discussions with the developer and will we would I would like to we would like to uh go towards an agreement of terms. Uh the general concept of those terms within making these conversations is the developer would acquire the property construct a building tailored to the town's needs as uh as the project and uh that would be no investment from the town. we would just basically have to agree to what his his terms are and he would have to agree to what our needs are and you know depending on what you guys feel today uh you know then will and I will start taking the next step and figuring out how we can approach that. Um, so as the project nears completion, the town would be given would begin paying a lease. Then in 2020 2030, uh, I'll tell you about 2030 in a

second. The town would purchase both the property and the new building at the price the developer invested. Um, he's he's he's looking to um, basically sell it to us for what he put into it. Uh so currently the the estimated the estimate the developer has gotten from people that he brought in to go through everything is short of 7 million. Uh do you want to your slides? Uh yeah this time I want to show you the last slide. Will you have some of these numbers on here?

Yeah, that's why I want to put them up. Uh yeah. So, so it says 8 million here, but um the reason I'm saying seven is because we have uh a couple of properties, but I'll get to that in a second. So, oh, here we are. Currently, our building at 1360 Route 22 requires numerous repairs, some more urgent than others. Our location at one Main Street also needs significant work when considering all required upgrades and necessary upgrades including plumbing, electricity, ADA compliance, parking, HVAC, security, communications, and other essential improvements. The estimated cost between the two buildings is is approaching 200,000. Uh since I've been here, both of our buildings have required operational repairs, uh which obviously increases our expenses. and consolidating into a single location would reduce costs, especially with a newer with newer, excuse me, with newer equipment, improved security, and uh fewer items requiring repairs. So, uh in the last slide here, these are main the main numbers. Um, we're we're kind of estimating uh this building and Main Street relatively moderate. I think 67 Main Street is is too high. Um, but we just put those numbers there to kind of give us a general idea of what the numbers were. So that that total if if we were to get those prices uh is 1 a.5 million. We have a 2,ion200,000 bond maturing in 27 and we have a2 million3,000 bond maturing in 2030.

Um, I haven't I was going to talk with Ron this week, but he had a a family emergency. Um, so he hasn't been here all week. Um, so I'm hoping I could talk to him on Friday about this because I'm not 100% sure of what the option is, but I would assume once it matures at the end of the year, um, we can we can basically rebond. Uh, so I was hoping that the when the 2027 bond is clear and if we have to start paying the lease towards the purchase price, we could use that money. Um, and then in 2030 when the other one uh matures, we can then try to make the purchase. Um, and in total, um, you know, we're we're we're at 7 million, and I don't think that we would need to raise any taxes. Uh, we have some, uh, some in our fund that Tony kind of, you know, tried to use uh, save for the main street building. Uh, so I'm hoping we could do it without having to raise any taxes or use any other monies from the residents.

I I don't want to jump ahead. No, I mean, even if your math works out and we have the money, you're still losing a few hundred,000 in interest, which is a 5% tax increase right there. So even if you spend the money, as you say, it's a tax increase because of the interest on the back end of our funds.

Um I would hope uh cuz cuz the developer is is very um he he's he's looking he's looking to to kind of agree to the deal that we can come up with. So, um would would if if we were to start paying a lease off or a lease to buy in 27 with that first matured uh for for the bonds. Bonds don't they're not like a home equity loan. It kind of sounded like that's what you were saying like they're the first bond is open space I think and second bond is related to the cap on the um what's it called? Landfill.

Landfill. And so those were projects that were uh reviewed, put together, estimated, then we went out to bond them. So when these expire, what you do you do get the benefit of is um debt replacement. So I think the payment for each of these is about 150 each. So yeah, 300,000, but you you don't necessarily have a bond. Is it you'd have to re Oh, you can't bond unless you have something to bond for. Um, so the project would have to be done for us to rebond that money. You'd finance buying the building and I think you're saying you would use that savings to do it, but I don't know that the math works out.

Yeah. And to do a bond if you I believe and I, you know, will or bond council can correct me. If you do a bond to purchase something, it's uh subject to referendum. If you do a bond to renovate or do work within what you already own, I think it's permissive referendum. I could be wrong. So, you could pay uh cash for the building, but you wouldn't be able to bond it. And you can't get any, you know, like you said, you can use the funds, the expenses that we have, and use that to uh pay the rent once they've expired. Uh, but I don't see how you can bond any of this unless you went to referendum.

Okay. So, so that like those are the big questions. I need to talk to Ron and because Will's also suggested a bond council. We have bond counsel when when we have a talking when we have a uh roadmap. We will bring on the bond council is is Barkley Damon. um we use them for our our our uh GEO bonds as well as our bond anticipation notes, things like that. And they would have the expertise to guide us as to how this kind of a transaction could be uh could be brought to reality. Excuse me. Yeah. I don't I mean I I don't

there's not enough. Yeah, this is numbers here. I'm throwing it out so that you guys can tell me what your thoughts are and because the the reason and I got a whole thing here. I'm not even going to go through it because I think we all know that you know this building is tough. It it is it is extremely tough and I I'm I'm kind of feeling it more now for some reason. But like it's tough for me to to break from here to get down to one name and you know when there's not eyes there. I I I get the but we're talking $10 million versus an inconvenience like we just need to do more math that's all. So and Nick I don't think I completely grasp what the deal would be with the builder. Can you just

Yeah. Yeah. I have questions on that. Yeah. I don't I didn't quite I think I just need a little clarification. What he would do is he would basically uh attain the property himself. So he would own the building. Yep. The the land. Okay. They'll tear the building down. Tear the building down. Um but we would contract with them. He would build the building to our specs and not until the building's almost completed. Would we need to start paying him? But we are we would be contracted that when it gets to that point, we have to start paying. Right. Well, two questions on that. Like why would a developer do this for a dollar profit,

right? I mean, that feels weird to me. The guy's going to spend $10 million to make a dollar. Like, that doesn't add up to me. And it feels like you're asking us to sign up for an unknown number. It's whatever his costs are plus a dollar. Well, I don't know what his costs are going to be. And how do we control his What is his motivation to save money on the project when we're paying whatever he spends?

Yeah. I can't speak for the uh for the developer, but I think that that particular piece of property has um uh opportunities that he would take advantage of, subdivide the property. the town would ultimately be end up with the uh the footprint plus all the parking that uh and the balance of the property that backs up to the highway I think would be his to develop as he could develop legal. Okay. And and so there is there is a you know nobody does anything for nothing. Correct. That a lot of property I guess

I've got a whole bunch of questions. Well, that's those questions. Uh, you know, that's why I said Will and I would have to figure out how to go about all that because we can't just agree to a phantom number. There has to be a very concrete number. I mean, there's, you know, so, and I'm sure Eric's going to touch on this in my last comment. I Well, maybe. Um, if we're leasing, we're paying taxes. So, that's right. This is not ours, right? So on talk to the assessor. Could you go to the next page? Oh yeah.

So the property cost is 1.5 million. So we would bear the full burden of that cost seam if the developer gets some of the land. Is that correct? Well, that's part of the the what we would have to talk to him about. I asked him those I asked him that question and uh he had talked about trying to hook the sewer up to the village and I says we can't pay for that cuz you're so yeah that's one of the questions I had on here was sewer. So, does, and I'm just asking questions about this right now, not give my opinion, but does this building require sewer to be built? First off, wait. Actually, well, actually, yeah. Does this require sewer? Uh, for our purposes, what's there would work.

Okay, we know that. I had investigated that. Well, does a property have to be annexed into the village to be part of it? Isn't that what happened to all view avenue? Oh, to use service. I believe they can because there are uh users of the of the village sewer. They're outside. Um my parents, what's that? My parents are they use the village sewer? Uh they well they use village water. Yeah, I thought sewer was different than water for some reason. Um, I think they can still, um, and I have to check this, but I I believe they can still run pipes through, uh, streets and, uh, service people outside of the village district, if you will.

Okay. But, um, and it with with the village of Brucer, it's very it's difficult because they're under the regulation of the D, right? and um and how much capacity they can uh sell if you will um would be probably under the scrutiny of the D. So I think the question is does that village does that property have to be annexed into the village to be serviced by the sewer? How does that impact every property along Route Six up to that point? Right. Are they going to dates have to be contiguous? You can't just randomly put a property in the village.

Yeah. Um the cost to develop is 8 million here. So is it 8 plus 1.5 8-ish? I know you said eight maybe on the high end, but no, I believe it's all in there. Uh the estimate from the from the construction company was six uh 6.2 maybe. Okay. So the 17,000 ft at 470 is 8 million. So that includes the purchase price. That's what I read that way. Yeah. No, it doesn't. You're right. But that's what I was led to believe. I'll have to clarify that for sure.

Okay. And then I think you said this, but the building there is 21,000 ft². So you're this is 17,000. So we're talking about knocking the entire building down, including the new section. Yeah. Okay. that the the three contractors that he uh inquired with all said that said if you're going to tear down that part just do it all so that it's all one thing kind of

um this is a 3 to five years are is the t like what is my question um are carrying costs incurred as part of that future purchase price. So in other words, if the tax is there 100 grand a year, one year one, year two, is that being um charged to us accured to what we'd end up paying? Yep. Um then rental rate, it says 20 to50 triple net and then it says 30 per month. So I assume it's 20 to $50 uh per square foot triple net. But what's 30$30 per month?

Yeah. What's 30 per month? I have to find that out. Jackie helped me. Actually, Jackie really put a lot of this together. Um, unless that's the base rent is the 20 to 25 and then the triple net will get you to the 30 possibly.

I was wondering if you did 25. Well, I'm not I think 25 times 17,000 divided by 12 maybe 30ish,000, but that needs to be clear. Um, Eric hit on this. So, uh, buyer amount, developer cost plus a dollar, but you know, who has oversight of that? And I assume the benefit of not doing it ourselves is not having to pay prevailing wage, but this could get out of control quickly. When we toured the building and when uh we had done some research that the county gave us, there was um possibility of a buried oil tank and there was that um water storage tank

that was there. Is that contemplated? Yeah, I believe so. in the demolition of the building because I made made it clear that there was something back there that they needed to address. So, they made a plug for environmental. I will make sure though. Do you have uh some detail on this on the estimates? Yeah, I do have that paperwork. I could forward that to all of you.

I Yeah, I think it'd be good to see that. Um uh now um and the reason I'm I'm presenting it this way is because like you said if if we do it it the the price tags bigger just yeah if we do prevailing wage yeah um but then we could sell the backlog well and that was but you know ideally you we spoke about some community benefit in this project Right. And that space was um you know you could be trading space that we talked about.

I think yeah that that would return to the community whether it be wreck space or you know I think there was some talk about a dog park or something. you know, we were just throwing ideas around, but I think ideally whatever space we're looking for, I would like to see some return to the community, whether it be through revenue or through, you know, whatever. Yeah. What whatever project that we could would be a community benefit, class space, you know, for for the wreck or something like that. So for me that tradeoff with the builder is just doesn't sit right with me. Give it away.

And part of the other reason I am bringing it all up is because we are basically running out of space. No. Yeah. No, we understand the benefits. I don't mean I don't mean in this building. I mean in southeast. Oh yeah. Southeast. you know, it's not like like, you know, and and I looked at other buildings that are available and, you know, some of them are just in incredibly uh expensive and there's no way um you know, and and to to start from dirt, I don't know. You know, I'm not I don't do that kind of

I think we're looking at a tremendous expense no matter what happens. Um I would just like to see some more benefits for the community if we're going to spend this kind of money. Nick, I the way I look at it is significant expense and I would want to know the enhanced value that we would deliver to our taxpayers

by moving and to such a location versus what we deliver from our locations now. So to invest that much I hope it would be a dramatic increase in the delivery of services which I would be shocked to say that it would because I think we deliver them pretty pretty well right now. So um that that would be my question and as a taxpayer as well I would ask that too like yeah how much more yeah I don't know if we could actually offer them more services. I just know that there are times where people need to go to both places. I know that that becomes an issue sometimes, but

that alone isn't is that gonna equate to this significant investment to to um you know manage that and I can speak the fact that uh our courts are heavily utilized and even though this is a beautiful courthouse and nicer than anyone in the area that I can think of, we have no capacity for parking.

Yeah. And uh when we have a court night uh twice a week um every other week um they have sometimes 110 to 120 uh defendants coming in on traffic nights and they're parked on Route 22 almost up to where Dylan's best used to be. Um that's a extraordinarily uh dangerous condition especially at this time of year where it gets dark early. I I I think the need is there. I just and I don't want to flush this idea. I just I want to keep an open mind for what we can deliver. Yeah.

In addition to the courts. I mean the parking is I agree there something has to be done. Um, I just I would just like to explore every option. This is like um, you know, because I can tell when I talk to you guys, when I get the look that stop talking or try to figure it out and that's what I wanted to do and I think you're all looking at me like, let's try to figure it out kind of thing. And

I think that's, you know, and you know, this gets shown to the public and stuff and it's just not I don't I don't it's not clear, right? Um, you know, and there's people in the back of the room that probably have um interest in the next slide at the bottom there. The the valuation on 67 Main Street being 550. I know you said you think it's high. I think it appraised and I think we were in contract for 100,000 and that was before the subdivision. My unprofessional opinion, the building's worth less without the land. I think the land was the value there. I know Will 100% disagrees with me on that, but um you know I like everyone else I don't see

point like how did we put five five it's like we're trying to justify this expense with numbers numbers and I don't know what the ask is like is what is what's your ask to the board right now? Do I do I keep going? Do I do I try to work the numbers better with Ron and talk to a bond council and and figure it out? Like would you guys be willing to to consider it more to to relocate? Were you going to say something? Yeah, but you you made grunts first. Uh I the way I see this

I haven't seen a floor plan or anything and if you have that chair but I don't see how anybody uh in the town benefits unless they're coming here to do business with the town and I don't um I don't know that that justifies the cost. Yeah, I think I mean I didn't really say it but they know how I feel. I mean, the four of us have all said we would only spend this kind of money if there was significant community benefit. And the the one possible benefit we saw when we went on the site visit, it looks like we're losing. So, I I think I'd be a hard sell, but we're all trying to keep an open mind and

you need to give us a lot more numbers. Like, we got to know yearbyear what you're thinking this is going to cost and we're not even close to that. Um, you know, and and two, if if this is something that we can't get, you know, then we have the option of fixing the building. We just might lose one main at some point total and that could be Well, we would it would be our decision to lose it. We're not in We could rent it. Yeah. Okay. All right. So, I'll I'll start digging a little deeper. I won't um you know I'm a believer of if things were meant to happen they'll happen. So I won't you know

I think the other thing too is I didn't when we last discussed this we weren't knocking the whole building down. Yes, I know that. Yeah, I know that. Um but you know the the the guys were very uh convincing like you know if you try to keep half of it and you don't realize there's something in that wall kind of thing you know. Oh I get it. I mean, the building was very concerning. It just when we were there, you were throwing out numbers like a million, $2 million, and now we're up to eight. So, you know, I'm scared. I I will keep my leash on. I promise. Uh, okay. Good. All right. So, I will uh make a motion to open the regular meeting. Second. Second.

All in favor? I We have a couple of resolutions tonight. I know I have them. Here they are. The first one's a uh a bond uh a bond recommendation. Now therefore, be it resolved that the bond amount shall be established for the project set forth 20 brush hollow site improvements 329,000 erosion and sediment 13,000. And be it further resolved that a certified copy of this resolution shall be transmitted by the town clerk to the planning board secretary and building inspector forthwith. So moved. Second. Second. All in favor?

I.

Our second resolution is a bond release. Now therefore, be be it resolved that the bond amount is hereby established for the project set forth below Stateline Restaurant Depot $35,000 uh reduce it to zero and be it further resolved the town clerk be and hereby is duly authorized to cancel and return the bond or other security instruments here to for established in connection with this project. And be it further resolved that a certified copy of this resolution shall be transmitted by the town clerk to the applicant, planning board secretary and building inspector forth with. So moved.

Second. All in favor? I Okay. So we could uh go into any new business that anyone has. I probably should have sent an email on this. It just popped in my mind on the way over here. Wendy, I know you're uh working with special districts doing the quarterly updates. Um I Yeah, thank you. The I'm just so concerned about these PFOA reports that come out. There's a few districts on there that keep seeing like what's the trigger um for us to email them or or send them a letter or something. So, send the res

the residents. Um I think they get notified by um VRI once it I can't remember what the threshold is but they do get notified and I think I think it was two districts that hit those numbers. Yeah. Spring house spring house and peaceable is actually yeah they have a they have a threat I think it's a moving target threshold but there's a threshold where those letter they have to be notified. Yeah it's four parts per trillion. I think it's repeated, but we I remember when we sent them out to Birch and Star Ridge and it was, you know, they they weren't well written. I'll say the and we sent them out. Um, so

has VRI VR has sent them? Not yet. Oh, no. I'm sorry. When those were sent, VRI wasn't here. These were like years ago. I don't know if you were on the board. So, do I can connect with uh Joe tomorrow and see if anything is going to go out? Like I can I can connect with him. The concerning part is we send the letter out and then what's our solution? We don't have a plan. We didn't even know that it went out and then and it said you know carcinogens and you know don't you know lots of stuff in there. Um so let I I have a question because you know I'm you have a lot more history with this. I know we have two districts with a project currently in I did ask Bruce about that

play right we that there was a good plan for now these two that came in were two additional districts so here's how I un and we we have they were right that's what I understood here's how I understand it that there's there's a threshold it used to be like 12 parts per trillion now it's lower right um if you exceed that amount a a consecutively a certain number of quarters or whatever it is, there's a flag. Let's say it's like four quarters. Okay, they've exceeded it. Now you're in a district that's considered infected by this or whatever and they need a solution and then we communicated to them and there was this whole thing.

Um my question is like I I I'm pretty sure I've seen these on there three or four times. Maybe they there was a gap, but what's the trigger for us to officially say that it's, you know, you're a problem, right? You're a problem and now we have to come up with a solution. So, let me contact VRI tomorrow and um, you know, ask what what next steps are. Yeah. For them and, you know, would similar projects that are being planned for and engineered right now, would they translate to those? And it'd be good to

I don't know. Maybe I get myself in trouble with this, but I think we all agreed, you know, the more we can communicate the better. But like say, hey, it this isn't official yet, but you you guys have tested beyond this. And I think maybe come, you know, if it continues, this is what's going to happen, right? We need to see. Well, that's the kind of thing, too, that would be communicated in these quarterly meetings. Look, we're going to start, you're on the radar now, you know, we need to start, you know, planning for this and whatever, budgeting for this. So, we're we're it's going to be tough on especially those those are the three worst. I mean, every district's bad, but those are Yeah, it's tough. Yep. All right. Thank you.

But yeah, I can reach out tomorrow and um and see what next steps are because I I did remember that those were two new ones, it seemed. Yeah. Yeah. When I see those, I really don't want to open them, but Yeah. such a problem. I think pretty I think eventually it'll be just you know everybody's going to get flagged but uh any other new business? Nope. So uh if anyone from the public would like to come up and make a comment. Scotty. Scotty. Are are your ears still ringing from all those young little men sucking down lollipops at 7 o'clock at night?

My kids have always All those kids loaded up on sugar and you sent them home. That was a good move. Very good. Uh Scott Sean Town of Southeast here from the Brewster Board of Education. Um holiday season's in full swing. I believe tonight there's a concert going on over at the high school. There's another one next week. And then of course, I'm sure all the little schools are going to have all the little things with all the little kids. And I'm sure if you haven't, you're going to be at these things. So please enjoy. Um, the big thing that we're working on now, actually been working on since I want to say 2018 is there's going to be a change to the scheduling at the high school. Oh, I heard about it from Wyatt last night.

There was um a presentation I want to see the yesterday, the day before in the parent portal and we had a presentation at a meeting uh last month. Um the big thing is it's going I think from eight classes a day to six. So it's extended time with the students and the teachers. So there's more interaction and there's more one-on-one learning for bluntly. And a big core of that is there's now going to be one lunch period. And if anybody who's had a kid in school or been to the school, lunch was anywhere from 10:00 in the morning till 1:00 in the afternoon depending upon you're lucky and my son always got the one o'clock lunch. Um that is a big core to the change and and to be honest that is the most complicated piece is feeding a thousand people a thousand children at one time

and do you have the space in to house supposedly okay

that is that is really I think the longest part of it they've talked about the scheduling uh that we had a couple years we had to rework the contracts with the teachers to allow these changes to the teaching schedules uh the other thing is going to be the um it's going to be a lot of grab to go options other things uh But but putting it in the middle of the day also does it gives a standardized time for let's say the teachers to have office hours for clubs to meet because a lot of the students can't participate because after school they have sports they have other items. So this can bring things into the middle of the day hopefully open up more options to the students. Also study periods other um special needs or if there's a kid that needs additional reading or some other pipes. These are options that would be available in the middle of the day. Um it's coming next year and I'm sure they're breaking it to the students. Um and good way to sell the students is well if you have less classes every day technically you have less homework. So that's the one way you know we have to look at it. So, Scott, are they losing anything like study halls or is there anything being lost in their day that

they looked at the schedules of like the seniors and I think they said 80% of the seniors have at least two if not three study halls. That's crazy. You know, by you get to senior, you've done all your stuff and like they've they've taken everything. So, I mean, there will still be the option for study halls. Okay. But we're hoping it also brings in more options for other classes, other types of learning available to the students. Does it take any senior benefits away? Like, you know, they were talking about what kind of senior benefits do we really have? I know. I know.

You know, that's the thing. Um like things like the student senior lounge and other items which will tie to the construction project. So once we finish then the STEM steam lodge will be will be finished in a year or two and that'll roll into you know expanded residences for the NJOTC. So there will be some benefits to doing this whole concept and like I said I believe this started in either 17 or 18

and they were getting ready to roll it out and then you know COVID came and so now it had to be rethunk redone over and once again I said you have to meet with all the bargaining groups because it changes everyone's schedules. You also have to take into account all the cafeteria workers. Now, their schedules were laid out over the course of a day. Now, it's all going to be concentrated. You want to make sure you don't impact anybody financially when you're making these changes because any changes, you know, they have to agree to still think the most complicated part will be the feeding a thousand people at one time. Mhm.

But other schools have done this, you know, for over a decade. And I think I mean I if I remember down in Ry, we had one period for lunch. So it really man your setup. There's going to be kids in the hallway. I'm assuming they're going to come up with high tops. It's going to be a whole kind of different motif, but it's coming. Okay.

So, we're just trying to get out and get the word out, especially the people that have students in the high school or will have next year. So, it's not a surprise. And I haven't heard the numbers yet from the uh roll out last night, but I'm assuming it was relatively low based upon uh other items, but we just want to get it out. And um as always, you know, we thank the uh the town for all the work you do for the community, hence you're helping our students. And um if there's anything we can do, please let us know. We are right now in the process of gathering data on the 121 intersection. We have received your letter. I'll bring it up at the next meeting on what transportation is able to put together. And I've also started to hear from other groups in other areas such as you know on 121 all the hobs all those additional streets have people that are really interested and concerned because you know your traffic flow pattern isn't really going to take into account all the changes that have already happened. So there's got to be some way to include hops includes all these other streets which are already seeing the changes in volume. You know that's just a fact of the way it is. I I just want to say uh for anyone watching because I did get an email last week why we pulled that discussion off today. We just we want to make sure we're getting as much info before we we get it to the traffic board. Um it we didn't

it was really my fault. Well, I figured that he was sick. I wasn't going to point fingers. It was sick. Thank you.

Yeah. But like I said, I think hopefully then if with this extended period, we can provide more information and um maybe down the road as we've done as you've done on the other side of town where this paving of dirt roads you, you know, invite the community in. I don't want to put more on your plate, but maybe that is an option to focus the efforts of the people instead of them all just getting mad at you or at the state and sending letters all over the place. We can focus better. You know, I've seen some uh presentations from Assemblyman Slater. He's been putting together packets of people in certain areas that want paving and search and sort of putting together things for them. So maybe that's something, you know, that he can offer for us as well. But, you know, we will get whatever we can and you know, we appreciate your work and happy holidays.

Hope things go well. Thanks, Scott. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Does anybody from the board have a comment? I do not. I'll make a motion to close the meeting. Second. All in favor? Hi. Thank you.