PRESENT: Chair: Ryan. Members: Carsky, Kaplowitz, Mosiello, and Wishnie. Staff: Hoch, Vita.

ALSO PRESENT: John Coughlin, Chairman-Arson Task Force; William Lynch, Member-Arson Task Force.

Mr. Ryan called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m.

Mr. Ryan asked the members to refer to the final version of the amended point of sale notification law and to review it before entertaining a motion to adopt the amended law.

Mr. Hoch outlined the main changes which differed from the original draft.

These changes were recommended at the request of a food industry association representing merchants in the County. Fines were set according to the recommendations of Department of Consumer Affairs.

Several questions were raised relating to the enforcement and compliance of lettering, fines, and the cost and printing of the signs. All will be monitored by the Department of Consumer Affairs, according to Mr. Hoch.

Mr. Mosiello expressed concern with the severity of enforcement of the box cutter version of the law vs. the other violations included under the same law. He was also concerned that the penalties were adequate to cover all prohibited acts. Mr. Hoch assured Mr. Mosiello that penalties were accurately and equally applied to violations of the law by merchants.

On the motion of Legislation Wishnie, seconded by Legislator Mosiello, the Local Law was reported out of Committee for all purposes. All in favor, none opposed, motion carried 5-0.

*For additional details, a tape is on file.

As Mr. Ryan mentioned at the last meeting, he invited the Chairman of the Westchester County Arson Task, John Coughlin to discuss concerns as well as the function and activities of the task force and how this committee can assist them.

Mr. Coughlin thanked Mr. Ryan for the opportunity to speak before the Committee noting the timing was perfect. Recently, he spoke with Board Chairman Latimer and mentioned the lack of action and leadership within the Task Force.

Mr. Coughlin gave a brief background of the task force, which it is made up of a group of business people and fire and police organizations. He has been active in the independent insurance business for fifty years and took interest in arson after a related personal experience. He has been a member since its inception and was impartially selected because he was not directly involved with either fire or police services. Over the last 19 years he has seen the organization build itself up from nothing to a fine, well organized task force, mainly due to the assistance of Robert Maccarone and former Legislator Richard Flynn.

Throughout the years Mr. Coughlin said the Task Force has provided training and education programs for at least 100 to 250 representatives from various fire and police services. Sessions have been held at the County Medical Center and Laboratories. Programs were put on at the New York Medical Hospital exploring serious problems in cause and origin. Five fire zones were organized, each headed with a well trained coordinator with 80 hours of experience. Quarterly reports were prepared and reported to the Task Force and the County Executive.

Since Mr. Maccarone left the County, Mr. Coughlin was told that all papers and documents were forwarded to Mr. Groden at 60 Control. In June, the two met with the effort to reorganize the committee and contact the other members to update their interests in the organization. They agreed to have a follow up meeting and write to the new County Executive to inform him of their intentions.

Several weeks passed, two letters were prepared and still no response from Mr. Groden. On several occasions, Mr. Coughlin related his concerns to Chairman Latimer and shortly after, he was called to attend this meeting. On Friday, January 29^th, Mr. Groden’s office called to schedule an Arson Task Force meeting.

Mr. Mosiello asked whether the charge of the Arson Task Force is to investigate arson or to be pro active in the prevention of arson. Mr. Coughlin said both -- prevention is the reason for training and education. If a fire is determined suspicious, they take that information to the local law enforcement agency to follow through, then a Cause and Origin Team is requested for investigation. Currently there is no leadership and Mr. Coughlin, as well as other members of the Task Force are concerned with any type of tragedy happening and its prevention.

Mr. Wishnie clarified that the Cause and Origin Teams are still in effect as required, but the oversight Board has been neglected and has not be reported to, similar to the number of problems connected with 60 Control.

Mr. William Lynch, a member of the Arson Task Force who served 31 years on the Fire Advisory Board and past president of the County Volunteer and paid Fire Chiefs Association, agreed with most of Mr. Coughlin’s statements. He, too, has not been satisfied with the way the Task Force has been handled. He feels Mr. Groden was given this job without consent of the Arson Task Force Executive Board. As the County Fire Coordinator, he is limited in his duties; being in charge of training and administering the State and County Mutual Aid system. Mr. Groden himself stated to the Arson Task Force that he will be representing the County Executive on the Executive Board. There has been no formal communication to back up his statement. There is also no supervision. Investigators are in need of equipment and seek it through the Fire Coordinator and can not seem to get through. Cameras were requested, the wrong items were delivered, and the quantity was not sufficient. Applications for membership have been received and without a meeting of the Executive Board, they can not be reviewed and appointed.

Mr. Lynch said the southern district has not had a coordinator in over a year. Mr. Groden is aware of these problems, but does not know how to resolve them. The task force is asking for someone to supervise, call the meetings, keep records and keep the County Executive abreast of the status in the County.

Mr. Lynch extended an invitation to the committee an invitation to a scheduled Task Force meeting on Tuesday, February 3^rd at the Fire Training Center.

Mr. Coughlin asked if the task force can be put back in the District Attorney’s office, under the leadership of Mr. Maccarone. Another concern is the four boxes of files that are at the Fire Training Center.

Mr. Wishnie mentioned that County Executive Spano called a special meeting of the Fire Advisory Board and the 60 Control Task Force, for today at 3 p.m. and said maybe the outcome will put things back into perspective.

Mr. Ryan will relay these concerns to the County Executive when he meets this afternoon. He said this Committee supports the continuing efforts of the Arson Task Force and today’s meeting proved to be enlightening. He would like the task force to achieve their goals and this Committee has the ability to assist and focus on need for leadership and re-establish any resources committed to continue operations. He said major changes will be taking place, especially educating people to give them a better understanding of the proper function of fire services in the County.

Mr. Ryan requested a follow up meeting with other members of the Executive Board of the Task Force and the Administration to discuss the problems that have been discussed today.

Mr. Ryan introduced Mr. Ralph Purdy, President of the Federation of Police and Security Officers of Westchester, noting his concern with the Westchester County Police Act.

Mr. Purdy was concerned with the hiring by the County’s Department of Public Safety of former police officers from the Town of Cortlandt. His organization was their collective bargaining agent until the officers resigned on December 24, 1998, with the understanding they were going to be hired by Westchester County. Four have been hired and the fifth is under "consideration". The fifth officer is a 15 year veteran in the Town of Cortlandt and he does not understand the reasoning for this review.

Mr. Purdy feels this is an unfair situation for the officer because he resigned his position with Cortland, knowing there was an agreement to be hired by the County.

Mr. Ryan said he was aware of this situation and immediately brought it to the attention of the Administration, which who will review the matter quickly and report back to him.

On the motion of Legislator Carsky, seconded by Legislator Mosiello the committee moved into Executive Session at 10:05 a.m., for the purpose of personnel reasons. All in favor, none opposed, motion carried 5-0.

On the motion of Legislator Kaplowitz, seconded by Legislator Carsky, the committee moved out of Executive Session and adjourned at 10:10 a.m.