COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION/LABOR

MINUTES: - June 4, 2001

 

LEGISLATION

MEMBERS:        Stewart-Cousins, Chair, Abinanti, Mosiello, Bronz, Ryan, Oros, Maisano and Latimer

 

LABOR

MEMBERS:       Mosiello, Oros, Ryan

 

BOL:                    Bass, Giordano, Carsky, Swanson, Wishnie

 

GUESTS:            Jim Robertson, Ralph Butler, Linda Trentacoste, Stacey Dolgin Kmetz, Bill Randolph, Charlene Indelicato, Liz Salvi (Law), David Spector (Law), Detective Dolph Tutoni (Westchester Co. Police), Louis D’Aliso (Westchester Co. Police, Dept. of Public Safety), William Rehm (Department of Public Information)

 

 

The Chair, Andrea-Stewart Cousins called the meeting to order at 1:15 pm

 

Chairwoman Andrea Stewart-Cousins opened the meeting with the Home Rule request from two Westchester County Corrections Officers who failed to make a timely election into the 25-year plan in December, 1990 to now opt into the retirement benefit plan.  After some discussion, a motion was made by Ryan to move it out for all purposes.  It was seconded by Bronz. 

 

Ralph Butler from the Department of Public Works and the CountyAttorney discussed the Professional Prequalification Board which is a five-member board of non-County employees made up of 2 architects, 2 engineers, and a land surveyor.  They can serve a maximum of eight consecutive years and a non-consecutive term of eleven years. Their role is to advise the County on the hiring of appropriate outside professionals for jobs which fall outside of county capabilities.  The Board usually generates a list of about ten or fifteen firms they feel, in their review, are most qualified to do a given

 

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project.  The selection decision is made by the county’s Professional Selection Board, and finally, the contract is approved by the Board of Acquisition and Contract.  The focus of today’s discussion is the Administration’s request to end term limits for members, extend the length of time someone may serve as Chair of the Board, and expand the number of individuals on the board.  Mr. Butler advised that the request to end term limits is due to the difficulty faced in finding eligible individuals to serve.  The legislation limits membership to those architects, engineers, and surveyors who do not do business with the county.  Last year the terms of three board members expired and, according to Mr. Butler it has been difficult to replace those members.

 

In justifying the need for one additional member, Mr. Butler advised that the five-member board works from a master file of 500 consultants and typically meets four times a year.  The quorum for the board is three people.  Six members, he feels, would allow the work to go on even if half of the members are unable to attend.

 

Several questions arose, including, whether there was ever compensation for the members of the board, recruitment efforts, board diversity, and results. 

 

We were advised that a newsletter announces board openings, and resumes are collected and screened.  The pros and cons of term limits were discussed at length.

 

Chairwoman Stewart-Cousins thanked Mr. Butler for his presentation and noted the discussion would continue with the involvement of other committees at a future date.

 

The next item of discussion was Racial Profiling and the desire to avoid having a “Racial Profiling” situation in Westchester. 

 

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It was expressed and agreed by all that Westchester County Police have not been accused of Racial Profiling and these discussions were a preemptive strike on a situation which has gained national attention. 

 

Legislators discussed the definition at length and asked questions about what currently transpires when a CountyPolice Officer makes traffic stops.  The proposed legislation would require the police officer to observe and record information, including what kind of traffic stop was made, noting race and age for purposes of statistical evaluation.  Persons stopped are not asked these questions. The report will be generated on a monthly basis and provided to the Board of Legislators and the CountyExecutive. 

 

After a lengthy discussion, CountyAttorney, Charlene Indelicato asked the board if they would like to change the language.  It was decided that the “conduct” should be eliminated and that “solely” be replaced with “in addition to”.   Ms. Indelicato agreed to return with changes and for further discussion.

 

The third discussion was regarding the case of Detective Paul Weather.  Chairwoman Stewart-Cousins introduced Mr. Tutoni who is here for Len Spano to discuss Detective Paul Weather.  This legislation would grant Mr. Weather police service credit into the twenty-year retirement plan.  He served as a public safety officer for the Department of Public Safety from January 1986 through June 1987.  This bill would grant him service into the twenty-year plan, as it has for all other Public Safety Officers who joined the department as police officers after the merger of the Westchester County Parkway Police and the Westchester County Sheriff’s Department in 1979. 

After some discussion, on motions of Chairman Latimer and Legislator Ryan it was moved from this committee, and it will be sent to BA.

 

 

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On motions of Mosiello and Latimer, the following items were Received and Filed:

 

#5  Revaluation/Reassessment

#51  Gun Free School Zone

#103  Sale of Tobacco Products to Minors

#110  Right of First Refusal on State and CountyLand

#129  Weapon-free School Zones

#130  Board of Legislators’ Reform

#132  Mandatory Helmets for children on Scooters

#136  Correction Officers Disability Retirement

#146  Voting Reform

#147  Redistricting

#148  Redistricting

 

Minutes of April 2, 2001 were read.  Bronz made a motion to accept the minutes as read and it was seconded by Maisano.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 2:43 p.m. by motions of Oros and Abinanti.