The Peekskill Common Council’s morning meeting at the Neighborhood Center on Monday, Aug. 18, was a jam packed marathon filled with a healthy agenda, presentations and passionate comments from residents.

One of the 19 resolutions passed at the meeting was a letter of support to the Peekskill Housing Authority’s request to dispose of the non-dwelling property known as the Kiley Youth Center. The resolution also authorized the city manager or designee to sign an environmental review for the project.

The action brings the Housing Authority a step closer toward selling or leasing the center on Main Street and converting it into a non-federal assisted property owned by a New York nonprofit entity in order to receive a $4 million grant from Westchester county.

Janneyn Phalen, executive director of the Peekskill Housing Authority, told the Peekskill Herald that the Housing Authority will retain ownership of the center through a nonprofit under the authority’s umbrella, but not an outside nonprofit. No programs have been selected to operate within it yet.

The idea of the center being transformed into a Boys & Girls Club is still in play, according to City Manager Matthew Alexander at the Aug. 18 meeting. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America is a national organization with over 5,000 club locations.

Several residents discussed the prospect of such a conversion in a conversation that touched on race, gentrification, lawsuits regarding sexual misconduct settled by the Boys & Girls Club, and the importance of public input.

Mayor Vivian McKenzie said regardless of what service takes over, it’ll be a new building that doesn’t have holes in the wall, rodents running around, no water fountains, no air conditioning, or a safe place for children to play.

“Anything that’s going to bring an opportunity for our children of color, that brings education and so forth, we are really going to look into deeply and make sure it’s the right program for our children,” McKenzie said. “And we’re going to make sure that our children have an opportunity, so that they can leave poverty, so that they have the opportunity to do the things that anybody else does.”

Resident Martin McDonald said he believed that money would be better spent fixing up the Peekskill Youth Bureau. His wife Tuesday McDonald is the executive director and is currently suing the city for alleged discrimination.

“The City of Peekskill’s Youth Bureau is this gem,” McDonald said. “…It’s a diamond there. It’s thriving. It’s bright, it’s vibrant. It’s serving the community in so many ways, and yet I think we’re almost bordering on oversaturating our community with services where we already have things that can be done.” 

According to Alexander, there would be a requirement for public engagement for any prospective provider of youth services for the city.

“I think it’s at least a year before we get the $6 million worth of renovations accomplished at the Kiley Center, which can only happen after the Kiley Center is delisted as a non-housing asset,” Alexander said.

Marketing firm unveils four city logo brands

After conducting several interviews with local stakeholders and surveys, the marketing firm hired to create the City of Peekskill’s logo has come up with four designs.  

Trajectory Brands Inc., a Toronto firm, was approved on Jan. 27 by the Common Council to design a new logo and brand as part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) state grant awarded to Peekskill in August 2019.

A survey regarding the four designs will be launched, not to select a winner, but rather refine the designs that were presented, said Director of Planning Carol Samol.

“This is intended to intentionally put a small selection, a small range of options in front of people that have very different feels and allow people to respond to different aspects of some visual identities, and then that will then inform a sort of vital round of updating and refinement and division making,” said Trajectory Brand’s Stephen Wair.

Paul Hodgins of Trajectory Brands presented a preview of the four logos, which included word marks and colors to reflect the nature of Peekskill, its creativity, and a celebration of the industrial heritage of the city.

While the presentation did not have a Q&A or public comment, one person in attendance spoke out to say she believed the four designs did not preserve the charm of the city. The designs have received less than favorable reception on social media. The survey will be an opportunity to voice such opinions.

The survey has not been launched as of this publication. Samol said the survey will be broadcasted over social media, online, and likely posted on fliers. 

Council authorizes garage improvements, soccer center, grievance

Of 19 resolutions voted on, all passed unanimously except one that saw Councilman Ramon Fernandez abstaining. 

That resolution authorized the filing of a grievance with the Attorney Grievance Committee for the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, against a former city employee.

Fernandez told the council he abstained because he believed that the resolution lacked transparency and that other people should be held accountable.

“I’ve been demanding accountability, since day one on Sept. 18, 2023 even though the current leadership agrees to a settlement to pay a million dollars without any investigation or consequence,” Fernandez said. “I honestly don’t see how taxpayers could be compensated when another multi-million dollar payment is already looming for the city.”

The council also passed resolutions authorizing the city manager to enter into professional service contracts with WSP for structural improvement designs for two city-owned parking garages, as part of its $20 million Momentum housing-related projects.

In addition, resolutions were passed to issue a special use permit for an indoor soccer training center at 1 Highland Industrial Park Drive; refer a special permit to construct a five-story residential building at 400 Main St. to the Planning Commission, and to declare the Common Council as lead agency for the coordinated environmental review of the Civic Hub and Connectivity Project.

The next council meeting on Sept. 8 will be a busy meeting as members scheduled five public hearings.

Those include hearings on a proposed local law to create a payment in lieu of parking program, the annual Section 8 program plan, amendments to the city’s code on the “Civilian Complaint Review Board” and “Tree Preservation,” and on a proposed cannabis microbusiness at 710 Washington St.

The council also scheduled a public hearing with the Planning Commission on a special use application to construct a five story residential building at 400 Main St. on Oct. 16 and two hearings on the proposed adoption of the 2026 City of Peekskill budget on Oct. 27 and Nov. 10.

Other resolutions passed by the Council include:

• Approving the reappointment of Robert Morin to the position of city assessor commencing on Oct. 1, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2031.
• Authorizing the amendment of a contract with Custom Marine, Inc., by for the Charles Point Park and Fleischmann Pier construction project to adjust costs for concrete, permitting, signage, fencing and electrical.

The Council also passed resolutions that authorize the city manager to:

• Prepare and submit a grant application to the Westchester County Complete Streets Municipal Assistance program
• Execute a fourth amendment to license agreement with Trinity Cruises Company LLC, regarding the berthing and operation of fall excursions for the “Nellie Bly” from the Fleischmann Pier floating docks from the date of the floating docks availability through Nov. 30, 2025.
• Execute an assignment and assumption agreement for the Hollowbrook Dam project assigning the contract for repairs to the Hollowbrook Dam to Scape-Tech Landscape Technology, Inc. D/B/A Con-tech Construction, Inc.
• Enter into a new agreement with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to provide care and shelter for homeless and stray cats and dogs seized by animal control officers, police officers and other agents of the city.
• Enter into an inter-municipal agreement with Westchester County to participate in the mutual aid and rapid response plan commencing July 31, 2025 through July 30, 2030.
• Execute a letter of endorsement for the Town of Pelham’s effort and plan to obtain permanent operating authority for basic and advanced life support emergency medical services in Westchester County.