Workshop Minutes

City of Beacon Council Workshop Meeting

August 13, 2007

 

WORKSHOP MEETING

 

The City of Beacon Council Workshop Meeting, which was presided over by Council Member Gold, began at 7:00 p.m. at the Municipal Building at One Municipal Plaza in Beacon, New York.

 

In attendance were:

In the absence of Mayor Clara Lou Gould, the meeting was presided by Council Member Steve Gold.

 

Council Members:  Lee Kyriacou (Time of arrival:  7:55 p.m.), Elizabeth Foster, Charles Kelly, Phil Shea, Steve Gold and Eleanor Thompson.

 

Excused:  Mayor Clara Lou Gould

 

Also in attendance were:  City Administrator Joseph Braun and Attorney Gerard Pisanelli.

 

Agenda

 

Cherry Street

Water Line – J. Pisnaelli

 

City Attorney, Pisanelli: As I recall this was discussed at the last workshop. There was an estimate on how much this would cost.  If it were a city street that does not have services, it will fall under a section of the law.  It is a prescription street.  Currently there is a water line 

City Administrator, Joseph Braun:  The cost would be approximately $16,000.00.  As City Attorney, Pisanelli: said, it is by prescription and is grandfathered in.  There is a consideration because it is a prescription street and there may be fire code issues.

Council Member Thompson:  Would this property come under the new law that we passed?  City Attorney, Pisanelli: said no. 

City Attorney, Pisanelli:  The council might say that they want to update the water line. 

Council Member Gold:  Does anyone pay taxes?   Technically, half of the streets are not owned by anyone. 

City Attorney, Pisanelli:  If we take it over, it would be very expensive. 

It is a street by prescription, which means the city must provide services. 

City Administrator, Joseph Braun:  What would be required is something like the developer would be required to put in what is required.  A local law that was passed a few years ago states that the city would pay 50% of the cost.  We are obligated to do what we have done in the past.  If the council says that we are going to take it over and make it a city street then the city can do such things as making the street wider and putting in a new water lines.

City Attorney, Pisanelli:  The issue is whether you come up reason that would justify the city paying for it.  On the safety issue, where they have driveways and three or four houses on that driveway that is serviced by a substandard line, they should agree to do what needs to be done.

Council Member Gold:  asked City Attorney, Pisanelli if he can see if we are breaking any laws.

Council Member Thompson:  We have to make sure everything is balanced so we do not open up a can of worms. 

Randy Casale was asked to speak from the audience:  Put the waterline in and assess the people a small amount because it is a safety issue.  If everyone does not agree, some of the residents will suffer by not getting services.

Council Member Gold:  We should follow up and see how many other streets there are like that.

 

Real Estate Taxes

 

Agreements regarding Enforcement and Foreclosure of delinquent Real Estate Taxes for the Years 2004 and 2005.

 

Council Member Thompson:  We would have him do this individually.  Is this his job?

City Administrator, Joseph Braun:  The original discussion is that if City Attorney, Pisanelli: did it he would be the one to answer.  It depends on the scope.  It is not a part of the description of City Attorney Pisanelli’s job.  Title searching etc. is not necessarily his activities.

Council Member Thompson:  I feel that we should add this to the attorney’s job description.  I would like it gotten out sooner.  We should not have to pay extra for this service. 

Council Member Kelly:  If it is more effective for the city attorney to do it, we should have him do it rather hiring another person.  Maybe Joseph Braun can survey other communities such as Newburgh and Poughkeepsie to see how they do it.

Council Member Gold:  There are different facets to these foreclosures.  I think we agreed to pay City Attorney, Pisanelli: additional fees to do this work.  This is in excess of what his job is and he should get compensation for it. 

Council Member Kelly:  I feel that this is a regular function and it should be included in his job description.  The other problem is that No. 10 seems to be an open-ended issue.  It should be clarified.

 

Council Member Kyriacou:  Arrival Time:  7:55 p.m.

 

Council Member Kelly:  Summarized 1.  It is proposed that we include this in your job title with extra compensation.  2.  I had a question in No. 10 being open-ended.  3.  We asked City Administrator, Joseph Braun: to do a survey with Newburgh, Poughkeepsie and Peekskill.

City Attorney, Pisanelli:  It is hardly worth it to start this process.  I know we discussed this some time ago.  I think I can do it more efficiently because I did it one time.  It does take a lot of time.  Some of the bills are under a hundred dollars. What happen is as time goes by, 2001,2002, 2003 there were very few properties that were in default.

Council Member Gold:  We can work out an agreement.  It seems like the line is drawn as to whether we go forward with the foreclosure or not.  Each one is different.  The real issue is the amount.  There are other ways to try to enforce rather than foreclosure.  There are cases where the owner cannot be located.  Mortgage companies lose their investment because taxes take priority. Beacon has their own procedures.

Council Member Shea:  Original question:  Would it be hard for you to make a contract with the city? 

City Attorney, Pisanelli:  I can try to put together the list of outstanding taxes.  1, 2, and 3 would be done under one court proceeding.  They will be done as a unit. 

Council Member Gold:  It seems to me that this is a pretty good system now.

Council Member Kelly:  On the letters that went out.  Do we have a list of those who have not responded?

City Attorney, Pisanelli:  If the people know they will send in the money.

 

A resolution will go on the next council meeting.

 

Restore New York State Grant

 

Expression of Interest in Applying.  Matt Rudikoff letter dated August 8, 2007 regarding Long Dock.  Also had been suggested as possible open space funding for University Settlement camp. – See Attached Documentation.

 

Clara Lou Gould, Mayor and Members of the Council City of Beacon 1 Municipal Plaza Beacon, NY 12508

 

RE:       Notice of Intent to File Application

NYS Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) Restore NY Grant Program

 

Dear Mayor Gould and Members of the Council:

A new grant opportunity has recently been issued by the NYS Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC). The grant is known as the Restore NY Program, details of which are posted at: (http://www.nvlovesbiz.com/pdf/restoreNYX This funding is in addition to the effort underway regarding LDB funding through the DC1DA issuance of Special Bonds for Municipal Improvements in support of Economic Development.

 

The new grant program allows Cities with fewer than 40,000 residents to submit one (1) application for up to $2.5 million for urban revitalization projects, which can leverage commercial investment. The only immediate requirement is that the City submit a nonbinding form by August 20. 2007 advising ESDC of its intent to apply for a grant

 

It is requested that the City of Beacon submit the Notice of Intent form identifying LDB as the project. A completed Intent Form is attached to this letter for your use. There are some unanswered questions regarding eligibility, which we have asked ESDC and to which we are awaiting responses.  However, we do know that the City of Beacon is not located in an ESDC "high distress category."

 

We would welcome an opportunity of meeting with the City's grants person to discuss this funding opportunity.

 

Thank you for your continuing support. Sincerely,

Matthew Rudikoff, Member FOSS GROUP BEACON, LLC

Steve Rosenberg /S/

Steve Rosenberg. Executive Director

THE SCENIC HUDSON LAND TRUST, INC.

Enc.

cc: Joseph Braun, City Administrator Gerard J. Pisanelli, City Attorney Ned Foss

Margery Groten

 

Council Member Gold read letter.

The mayor should be asked to sign agreement.  The city has to sign a letter of intent.  We need the non-binding form by August 20.  Council Member Gold asked City Attorney if we should have a consensus vote of letter of intent. 

City Attorney, Pisanelli:  Yes

Council Member Gold:  Since we do not have any other projects, tonight we are looking at this for the first time, we should ask the Mayor to sign a letter.  Mayor will be back after the 20th of August. 

City Attorney, Pisanelli:  We may have to have a special meeting.

City Administrator, Joseph Braun:  There is no obligation.  It is just a notice of intent.  It is my belief that the Mayor can sign a letter of intent without council.  After we look after all the details. 

Council Member Thompson:  We are looking at ways of increasing our tax revenue and have been asked by the residents of Beacon to look into the purchasing the high school to bring commercial entities to Beacon.  We need a special meeting after we have had time to digest this thoroughly. 

Council Member Kelly:  How did we discover this? 

Council Member Foster:  I would like to meet with Susan pronto so we can discuss this as soon as we can.

Council Member Gold:  I don’t think we have time to do this with Bulldog Studios.  I would want to confer with Susan before we send a letter.  I don’t think it is wise to have a special meeting just for Bulldog Studios.

City Administrator, Joseph Braun:  This should not be looked at like this is the last time the state of New York will do something like this.  By next Monday, there is no way that we can come up with enough information to make a decision.  I would support going forward with this project.  I don’t think we should penalize Long Dock.  I think we should support the letter of intent.

Council Member Kelly:  I don’t think we fit into this category.  I think this money is for communities that are in desperate straits.  Will they give money to Beacon or give it to a city that is in hopeless despair?

Council Member Gold:  Consensus about asking Council Member Foster to contact the Mayor for a letter of intent and contact Susan Brown to check to be sure they do not have a problem with a council member signing the letter of intent. 

City Attorney, Pisanelli:  After what I heard, I think we should have a consensus Vote:  All voted yes.  Council Member Gold:  For the record that was not a vote but a consensus see if

 

Old Beacon High School

 

Letter addressed to Council Member Shea as 3rd Ward Councilman suggesting the city buy the building for a variety of uses, from Howland Library Board current tenants, Green Teens, etc. etc.

 

SUMMARY:

Form a coalition including city and non-profits to buy the old Beacon High School as a community resource center. Possible tenants would include:

Rowland Public Library

Beacon Studios

Green Teen Community Gardening Program

Beacon Community Center

Beacon Historical Society

Beacon Recreation

See Yorktown Community and Cultural Center in Yorktown Heights as successful model of re-purposed high school building:

 

Monday, August 6, 2007 Dear Phil Shea,

 

We are an ad hoc coalition of non-profit organizations, homeowners, business owners and current tenants of Beacon Studios, who have come together to urge the city to consider purchase of the old Beacon High School [BHS] building at 211 Fishkill Avenue in the Third Ward. We are asking you, as the City of Beacon Councilperson representing this district, to present this issue to the City Council as a whole.

 

The old High School, well known to many Beaconites as their alma mater, provides a unique opportunity to satisfy in one building many of the pressing needs currently facing the Beacon community. With its solid brick construction, 123,000 square feet distributed over three stories, high quality interior detailing, and wide variety of multi-purpose spaces, it is a one-of-a-kind building that would be impossible to duplicate affordably today.

 

One of the most obvious needs in Beacon is for a new home for the Howland Public Library, the deficiencies of the current structure on Main Street having been well documented. An architectural study done several years ago to look at the possibility of moving the library into the old high school found that the total amount for purchase and renovation of 30,000 square feet of space, including moving costs, would come to about two million dollars. Even if costs have increased 50% since then, at three million dollars it would still be only a third of the cost of the new construction voted down last year. While at their last meeting the School Board gave the impression that discussions with the library had gone nowhere, the library board and administration has in fact very recently indicated strong support for the idea. The old BHS building is located in the geographical center of the school district, as well as the City of Beacon, and serves the same expanded tax base as the school district.

 

If Beacon is to continue to deserve its reputation as a community supportive of the arts the City Council could do no better than to demonstrate support for the artists' studios program at the old high school (recently renamed "Beacon Studios" by the current tenants). The artists and tenants at Beacon Studios provide local residents with cultural and educational opportunities as well as support small business owners by contributing to the local economy. Moreover, having an artists' studios program in the building creates a cultural destination that brings additional visitors to Beacon who in turn further support local businesses. As a cultural center, the building will provide our community with space for educational activities, art exhibitions and performances. In letters to the School Superintendent both the Beacon Arts Community Association and the Dutchess County Arts Council have expressed strong support for the continued presence of Beacon Studios at the old BHS.

 

During the community planning sessions held earlier this year by the Master Plan Advisory Committee, there was widespread recognition of the need for a community center in Beacon. Currently approximately one third of the building, or 41,000 square feet, is rented out, mostly as artists' studios. If the library were to occupy another 30,000 square feet this would still leave 40% of the building available. A new library at the old high school could be configured to serve some of the functions of a community center. In addition the existing spaces at the old school; including two gyms, a library, an auditorium, and a cafeteria, among others; could potentially be used to house a wide range of programs: a community art school, after school tutoring, community theater productions, film series, etc.

 

A current tenant that would like to stay in the building is the Green Teen Community Gardening Program sponsored by the Cornell University Cooperative Extension, Dutchess County. This is an excellent educational opportunity for high school students to learn gardening, nutrition, and entrepreneurial skills. The Beacon Historical Society, the Beacon Community Center, and Beacon Recreation have likewise expressed interest in having space in the building. A local model of a successfully re-purposed high school is the Yorktown Community and Cultural Center in Yorktown Heights. Details can be found at:

The urgency of this issue cannot be overstated. The School Board might understandably see it as their mission to sell the property as soon as possible to the first interested buyer, but they do so at the neglect of any input from the community of taxpayers that supports the School District. With a broad-based diversity of stakeholders and the inclusion of non-profit organizations in partnership with the city, the coalition would be well-positioned to apply for a wide range of private and government sponsored educational, arts-related, and community development grants. We ask that the City Council act swiftly before the opportunity to secure this irreplaceable asset is lost

Sincerely,

 

Marcia Frahman, President, Howland Public Library Board of Trustees

Phyllis Keaton, Director Howland Public Library

Susan Magnus, Beacon Studios, Tenant Representative

Helanna Bratman, Program Coordinator, Green Teen Community Gardening Program, Beacon

Michelle Rhone – Collins, Executive Director, Beacon Community Center

Steven Evans, Assistant Director for Dia:Beacon

Karlos Carcamo, Go North Gallery

Jessica Reisman, Homespun Foods

Jill Reynolds, JR Fine Art Studio

 

Council Member Shea read the letter.  This is a good idea but it needs a lot of research.  We have to have a lot more information.  We need to know how much the city pays for the library and the community center, etc. 

Council Member Kelly:  I would like to look at this more.  It is a great idea.  A lot of these services are not profit making services.  There is a place in Yorktown Heights.  It would be a good idea to have someone check into this.  I would like to have a partnership with the school.  We could use some of the space ourselves – the local government.  If we could really partner the various institutions as well as these non-profit groups, this could be a great opportunity for Beacon.  This is not a unique issue for Beacon.  Other towns do this.

Council Member Kyriacou:  We are in an amazing position.  People want to come here.  The other non-profit is Clearwater.  They are looking at getting their entire organization to look at this.  If we do some planning, this could be successful.  We will need someone to do it some of the work.

Council Member Thompson volunteered to do the extra work that is needed.

Council Member Gold:  Perhaps we can ask the Mayor to set up a meeting with the school board and the library and they can offer their ideas.

Council Member Thompson:  We also need to include the group out of Westchester.

Council Member Gold:  Perhaps Susan Brown should be involved.

Council Member Thompson:  The school board should agree and work with us.

 

Motion to go into executive session at 8:20 p.m.:  Council Member Kelly.  Seconded:  Council Member

Kyriacou.

 

Motion to end Executive Session at 8:35 p.m.:  Council Member Thompson.  Seconded:  Council Member Kelly.  All voted in favor.  Motion carried.

 

Workshop ended at 8:35 p.m.

 

 

Submitted by Lucy M. Cullinan