COMMITTEE ON BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS
MINUTES
May 15, 2000
ATTENDANCE:
B & A MEMBERS: Wishnie, Carsky, Stewart-Cousins, Swanson, Young, Abinanti, Noto, LaMotte, Kaplowitz
OTHERS: Budget Dept.: Kate Carrano, CBAC: Barbara Strauss, George Hosey; C.E’s: Office: Bill Randolph, Ingrid Bent, Sal Carrera BOL: Chris Chang, Robert Boland, Sally Schecter, Peter Neglia, Tara Bernard Planning: Gina DeAgroso, Fran Mclaughlin, Suzanne Nolan Law: Alan Scheinkman, David Vutera
Chairman Wishnie called the meeting to order at 10:35 a.m.
Discussion: (There is a tape on file for more information)
On motion of Legislator Kaplowitz, seconded by Legislator Carsky, the minutes of August 23, 1999 were approved by a 4-0 vote. (Legislators Abinanti, Noto, Swanson, LaMotte and Stewart-Cousin were out fore the vote)
AGENDA ITEMS:
Chairman Wishnie asked if the Administration was ready to have someone present item number A5 to the Committee. Mr. Randolph responded by requesting that they be placed at the end of the Agenda. The Chairman of the Committee accepted Mr. Randolph’s request.
A3. New Investment Policy: George Hosey, Chair of The Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, asked if the Budget and Appropriations Committee would postpone this item for discussion for one more week so that the CBAC could analyze it further.
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A15. Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act Fund: Gina D’Agrosa was introduced to discuss the item. Ms. D’Agrosa stated that the item was a resolution endorsing certain grant application that were made last October to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for four projects seeking funding out of the Hudson River Estuary Program. Two of the projects were submitted out of the County Planning Department and two were submitted by the County Parks Department. The Two from planning include a Croton Point Estuary Feasibility Study, which would provide funding to study the implementation of an educational facility at Croton Point Park that would allow for hands on interaction with the water resources that are present. The Second project from Planning is for the Hudson River Access brochure, which is a document that would educate people about the access points to the Hudson River.
The two projects from the Parks Department are for an interpretive center, which would re-use an existing building at Croton Point Park to house the Nature Center and a Biodiversity Study. The DEC will be making their decision in the next few weeks to determine the recipients of those Grants and hopefully Westchester County will be among them.
Legislator Carsky asked if there would be matching funds. Mr. Wishnie directed Legislator Carsky to the back of the hand out where there is a schedule of the matching funds. Legislator Carsky asked if there would be enough personnel to handle the grant program and still be able to handle the department regular tasks. Ms. DeAgroso said that there would be enough personnel to handle both tasks due to the timing of the rants. Ursula supported Legislator Carsky’s concern and refereed to the numerous complaints that she has received about inadequate maintenance at the golf courses, which might be attributed to inadequate personnel. Ms. DeAgroso assured the legislators that these programs would not take up that much staff time. Gina went on to say that these projects would not be like Woods Hole; it’s a much more hands on interactive project. Legislator Swanson wondered why the County has a required match
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of $151,000 for all listed projects while the state match is only $78,000. Ms. D’Agrosa stated that three of the grant applications are a fifty/fifty split but the Croton Point Biodiversity study has a much larger County share in the over all project. Legislator Wishnie suggested that the Committee wait to act until all the facts are known. Legislator Carsky requested a copy of Westchester’s grant application.
A2. Budget Amendment: Water District #4 Katie presented a budget amendment for water district #4 that would take $18,000 from fund balance and move it into contractual services so that we could move forward with an update of the feasibility study done by Black and Veach to determine the ability of the acquisition of American Water Works of Greenwich for Water District #4.
On motion of Legislator Noto, seconded by Legislator Young, the motion to approve this item was carried by a vote of 9-0
A1. Lease of the former Habrishaw Club Suzanne Nolan from the Department of Planning spoke on this item. The proposed legislation presented to the Committee was to lease the Habrishaw Building to the City Yonkers for recreational and educational purposes. This action will then allow the City to sub-lease it to the BESAC Environmental Center. The land was acquired for park purposes and the building was acquired for general municipal purposes. In the lease there is a section that requires the City to spend $300,000 to rehabilitate the building for BESAC’s use.
Legislator LaMotte asked about the County’s liability. Mr. Vutera said that the City will have to indemnify the County for everything and they will have to prove insurance of the building.
Legislator Kaplowitz wanted to make certain that the total expenditure would be $550,000
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Legislator Swanson asked if BESAC was going to pay rent to the City of Yonkers.
Legislator Kaplowitz asked why the terms of the agreement is for eleven years. Mr. Vutera stated that the City wanted to tack on an extra year to take the design phase into consideration so that the useful life of the building will be a full ten years. Ms. Nolan noted that the County wouldn’t let the City sign the lease until the City’s budget was approved.
On motion by Legislator Stewart Cousins, seconded by legislator LaMotte the motion approve the item was carried by a 9-0 vote
A5. G&S Port Chester Lease The County Attorney opened the discussion by introducing Greg Wasser, who is the principle in G&S and his counsel Mark Weingarten. The Village of Port Chester is looking to conduct a major urban renovation and G&S was the low bidder for the urban renewal project. The County piece is in connection with some public improvements as part of this revitalization effort in the way of a public pram anode that will run along the Byram River as well as the construction of a marina. The County will utilize the tax increment financing, which is essentially the use of the anticipated enhanced tax revenues that will flow from this project to support the leasehold. The County would have no obligation in the event that the tax revenue does not reach the anticipated levels. So the County’s pledge to provide support for the leasing is strictly a portion of the anticipated tax revenues. Mr. Scheinkman stated that he believed that the County is well leveraged here. The existing tax revenue from this particular site in terms of the County piece consists of about $150,000 a year in real property taxes as well as about $115,000 being generated in sales taxes. The anticipated PILOT will be just for the real property portion will be about $287,000 and that the sales tax revenue that the County would receive would approximate at least $5,000,000 a year. The County would be committing to pay $840,000 a year, $70,000 a month, for
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twenty years to help finance the cost of these public improvements. If the $840,000 does not materialize then the County has no obligation to pay it. So essentially the County is pledging the first $840,000 of additional tax revenue from the site. Mr. Weingarten stated that the County would receive their base in sales tax revenue, which has been estimated at $150,000, and then the additional profit will go towards paying G&S. Mr. Weingarten noted that G&S, at no cost to the County, would be constructing parking for the area. Mark also wanted the Committee to be aware that there is a relocation aspect to this project, in which they are very much involved in to make certain that the people being relocated are taken care of. In phase I of the project, the phase involving Costco and the Waterfront, Costco doesn’t get its CO until the Waterfront is finished.
On motion by Legislator Noto and seconded by Legislator Young the motion was carried by a (9-0) vote
A&C Agenda Mr. Wishnie notified the members of the Committee to ask Bob Boland or Chris Chang if they had any question and or comments regarding the Acquisition and Contract Agenda.
Communications A4. On motion by Legislator Carsky and seconded by Legislator Swanson item #4 was received and filed.
On motion by Legislator Carsky, seconded by Legislator Swanson the Committee was adjourned at 12:00 PM