July 12, 2007

Highlights Of Actions Taken By The County Board Of Legislators At Its July 9th Meeting

Legislation Approved---Bond Acts (two-thirds majority required for passage):

Ossining Affordable Housing
The County Board approved $867,000 in funding to purchase a nationally-registered landmark building at 135-139 Main Street in the Village of Ossining. The 4,312 square feet space will be developed into 12 one-and-two bedroom affordable condominium apartments. The units will offer homeownership opportunities to families at or below 80% of Westchester’s median income. (No: Oros, Burrows and Swanson Absent: LaMotte) The County Board approved an additional $476,000 to fund related infrastructure improvements to the property. (No: Burrows, Swanson; Absent LaMotte).

County Jail Improvements (15-0 Absent, Maisano, LaMotte)
Three year capital improvement plan to renovate the existing jail built in 1932 followed determination that renovation was a more cost effective alternative to building a replacement facility. The Board approved bond acts), as follows:

• $1.725 million to construct an Emergency Services Command Center at the jail, including installing a closed circuit television console to monitor movement and activity throughout the correctional complex;
• $2.2 million to install life saving systems, including smoke detectors, fire alarm and public address systems and an automatic sprinkler system;
• $6.43 million for renovations, including architectural and structural repairs and mechanical, plumbing and electrical renovations; $470,000 to design phase two;
• $1.5 million for infrastructure improvements at the facility, such as the replacement and rehabilitation of elevators in the jail, penitentiary and jail annex, and the continuation of the exterior waterproofing project.

County Parks (15-0, Absent, LaMotte, Maisano)

• $300,000 to study and redesign Rye Playland’s 735,000 square foot parking lot to improve pedestrian safety by re-routing incoming traffic away from the amusement park’s pedestrian entrances and improve traffic circulation;
• $700,000 to replace heavy vehicles used throughout the county park system.
  

Additional Actions Taken

Appointment To Westchester Medical Center Board Of Directors
The County Board appointed Herman Geist, a former chairman of the Board of Legislators, as a voting director of the governing body of the Westchester Health Care Corporation.

New, Simpler Financial Disclosure Form Approved For County Volunteers
The Board unanimously approved the use of a shorter, more streamlined, 3-page financial disclosure form for the limited purpose of screening volunteers serving on certain county citizen advisory boards to determine if a conflict of interest exists. Paid and elected county officials will continue to be required to fill out the more comprehensive, 17-page financial disclosure form.

Contracts Renewed With Westchester Medical Center For The Following Services:

• To enhance system to detect and monitor public health threats and outbreaks (no cost contract);
• To review the medical status of correction employees to determine their fitness for duty through Dec 31, 1010 at a cost of approximately $30,000 per year.

Public Hearings Scheduled for August 6 at 7:30 PM

• Proposed 2007-08 Westchester Community College Budget.
• Proposal to add the parcel at 1767 Jacob Road in Yorktown to the Peekskill Sanitary Sewer District.
• Proposed “Portable/Inflatable Swimming Pool Advisory” legislation that would require advising consumers about the serious dangers of drowning that can be posed by inflatable pools.