It was, mostly, business as usual at the Work Session and Common Council meeting on Monday—the first on this summer’s abbreviated schedule. The evening’s jam-packed agenda also saw three public hearings, the swearing-in of fire department Lt. Patrick MacLennan, and the passage of 19 resolutions.
One of the three hearings was devoted to Peekskill’s proposed abandoned shopping cart law. Following an earlier hearing in June, the council asked that the drafted penalties be reassessed and written to be more in line with Peekskill’s existing littering law.
Under the law’s current iteration, a first offense nets a fine between $150 and $250, a second violation increases the penalty to $250-$500, and a third offense leads to a fine between $500 and $1000, and any other violation in the same three year period carries a fine of $1000 or 15 days in jail.
There was debate around an emailed public comment for the shopping cart ordinance. Councilman Ramon Fernandez questioned why the statement wouldn’t be read during the hearing. The city’s Corporation Council, Timothy Kramer, clarified that the council is defaulting back to a pre-Covid practice of just entering written comments into the record, to Fernandez’s disapproval.
The city clerk shared the email from resident DHenry with the Herald. HIs comments invoked the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, among other observations around the shopping cart proposed ordinance.
Two resolutions aimed at the youth passed on Monday. The first allowed the city to accept a $80,000 grant, facilitated by Senator Peter Harckham, which would establish a “Youth Court” and a Community Media Center. The court, according to the Common Council, “[creates] a supportive and educational environment that empowers youth to take responsibility for their actions, make amends, learn restorative justice principles, and develop essential life skills.” The media center will offer photography, graphic design, and editing training.
The council also earmarked $50,000 for anti-violence and workforce development programs for at-risk youth. Organized by Lead by Example Reverse the Trend, a nonprofit specializing in violence prevention and mentoring. The program will provide mental health help along with culinary and safe food handling training.
As part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, the City of Peekskill allocated $174,000 for branding and marketing consultants. The Weinrib & Connor agency of Mount Kisco was chosen out of 15 proposals. A subcontract for diversity, equity, and inclusion services was also awarded to Aero-Ba-Soul, owned by Kecia Palmer-Cousins who serves as a volunteer on the Peekskill Planning Commission. The entirety of the $174,000 will be reimbursed to the city by a grant from the New York State Department of State.
The City Manager can now appoint a hearing officer for any disciplinary hearings involving the Peekskill Volunteer Fire Department following the passage of the second to last resolution at the meeting. Robert J. Ponzini, Esq of the law firm Gaines, Novick, Ponzini, Cossu & Venditti, LLP, will be retained as needed. He was previously special counsel and hearing officer for Westchester County.
All resolutions passed unanimously except for one, which would close a stretch of First Street, between South Division Street and Union Avenue, for two days during the Assumption International Food Festival.
At first, the vote was 4-3 against, as Mayor Vivian McKenzie voiced concerns over Assumption Church not amending their request to provide a shuttle bus and traffic control for residents of that stretch of First Street. After the City Manager clarified that these would be sorted out in the permitting process, a motion to reconsider was made. On the second round of voting, the resolution passed with a 5-2 vote, with Councilmembers Talbot and Fassett in opposition.
A homeowner who lives on Maple Avenue, Richard DioGuardi and Joe Rowan who lives at Chapel Hill, asked the Common Council to address reckless speeding on Maple Avenue. DioGuardi says the issue stems from the stop sign where Hudson Avenue meets Maple Avenue. He sees that stretch of road as a “drag strip” and estimates that cars go up to 60 mph. While Maple Avenue extends into the Town of Cortlandt, Mayor McKenzie said the chief of police would be in touch with DioGuardi.
Other resolutions the Common Council passed include:
- Modifying the budget for emergency air conditioning repairs in the Police Department Building and the Paramount Theater
- Entering into a contract to provide hot lunch meals to seniors
- Authorizing a grant application for the hook and ladder firehouse
- Accepting a grant to start the 2023 Summer Youth Employment Program
- Issuing a permit for the Taconic Road Runner Club’s Peekskill Brewery Mile Race
- Scheduling a public hearing on the Section 8 annual and 5-year plan for Sept 11, 2023
- Providing translation services for the Section 8 program
- Allowing the City Manager to sign all necessary documents so Con Edison can remediate Parking Lot K
- Waiving the facilities fee at Riverfront Green Gazebo for the Peekskill Volunteer Fire Dept.
- Writing a letter of support for the Kearny Realty Group’s momentum fund grant application
- Allowing the Terra Dolce bakery to set up outdoor dining on a portion of city-owned property at 1070 Park Street.
- Submitting grant applications to the state for water and sewer system improvements
- Submitting a grant application for $10 million, with a $10 million match from Peekskill, to build public infrastructure
