PRESENT: Chair: Ryan. Members: Mosiello, Wishnie, Kaplowitz, and Swanson.

ALSO PRESENT: Mr. Broderick, Mrs. Keating

Chair Ryan called the meeting to order at 12:40 p.m. On the motion of Mr. Mosiello, seconded by Mr. Kaplowitz, the minutes of May 4 were approved as amended, by a vote of 4-0. Mrs. Swanson was out for the vote.

Chair Ryan briefed the Committee on the May 12 meeting that he and Mrs. Swanson had with officials of the Hawthorne and Valhalla Fire Districts. A major issue is the amount of money being spent by those departments for additional equipment needed to fight fires at the Medical Center and RTI. These two departments have been asked to provide the Committee with a list of additional and special equipment they carry to handle their responsibility for the Grasslands Reservation.

Mrs. Swanson stated that Valhalla gets a stipend for running fire drills at the Reservation. Both Valhalla and Hawthorne are all volunteer departments. False alarms on the reservation are a major concern. Hawthorne needs a longer ladder to reach the buildings. Valhalla responds to the labs and research units where chemicals are involved. Responding to the reservation calls is a great strain on both departments. Financing the operation is a burden on the taxpayers of these two local fire districts and not on the taxpayers of the County as a whole.

Chair Ryan thanked Mrs. Swanson for the update.

*For more details, a tape is on file.

Box Cutter Legislation: Chair Ryan asked the Committee to consider the box cutter amendments being put forth by Mr. Mosiello. Mr. Mosiello explained the differences between the proposed amendments and current law. The first amendment was proposed by the District Attorney to include a clause to prohibit anyone under 22 years of age to possess box cutters while on school premises. The second amendment defines what school premises are. Fines and penalties are increased from $50 and $100 and/or 15 days in jail, to up to $1,000 and/or one year in jail. A violation would now be a Class A Misdeameanor. This legislation mirrors New York City in penalties and types of violations. The County Attorney’s office drafted the new legislation.

Mr. Kaplowitz asked why 18 years of age was not used throughout the amendment. If we use an age for "possession" that is different from the "purchase" age, do we weaken our position on the enforcement end? Mr. Mosiello stated that he went on the recommendation of the District Attorney.

On motion of Mr. Mosiello, seconded by Mr. Kaplowitz, the legislation to ban Box Cutters was moved 5-0.

Chair Ryan presented his laser-pointing device legislation. The proposed local law would prohibit the sale of laser pointing devises to minors. Violation would be a Class A Misdemeanor with a penalty of up to $1,000 and/or one year in jail.

On motion of Chair Ryan, seconded by Mr. Wishnie, the legislation was signed out 5-0.

On motion of Mr. Kaplowitz, seconded by Mr. Wishnie, the meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m.