County Board of Legislators Meeting: October 22, 2007 Highlights of Actions Taken

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 23, 2007

Local Law Passed
County Board passed a local law that amends current home contractor licensing laws by strengthening the enforcement efforts against unlicensed home improvement contractors. The law allows the Consumer Protection Department to seize and impound any vehicle, tool or other implement being used in connection with unlicensed home improvement contracting. The law also provides for the imposition of increased civil penalties of up to $10,000 for a third violation. (Leg) (17-0)

Bond Acts Approved

• Airport Improvements: $3.3 million to finance various operations, equipment, staffing and improvements at Westchester County Airport; offset by correlated increase in airport revenues. (B&A; PWTLP) (16-0; Abinanti, out)
• Roadwork for Park: $900,000 for asphalt resurfacing of Saxon Woods Park's parking areas, pathways and the entrance road. (B&A; PWTLP) (17-0)
• Bronx River Pkwy Repairs: $2.2 million to repair two 1924-era bridges that carry the Bronx River Parkway over the Bronx River and the MTA Metro-North Railroad at Crane Road near the Greenburgh/Scarsdale border. (B&A; PWTLP) (17-0)

Mt. Airy Road Affordable Housing/Croton-on-Hudson

• $408,000 approved for the county to purchase and subsequently convey approximately 4.089 acres of real property in the Village of Croton-on-Hudson for the purpose of providing 11 affordable rental units for persons aged 55 and older that will remain affordable for a minimum of 50 years. (B&A; HPGO) (16-1; Oros, no)
• $383,000 from the Housing Implementation Fund to provide public improvements to the site of Mount Airy Road affordable housing units. (B&A; HPGO) (17-0)

Other Actions Taken (17-0)

• Surplus property New Rochelle: Declared an approximate 0.56 acres of county-owned real property located along Flandreau Avenue between Webster Avenue and Clove Road in the City of New Rochelle as surplus property. Parcel is no longer needed for county purposes. Plan is to sell the parcel back to the City of New Rochelle for one dollar; in return, the city will develop a park on the parcel. (B&A)
• Workforce Investment: Authorized the county to enter into a partnership with other municipalities in the region to develop Vocational English as a Second Language (VESL) programs using NYS Workforce Investment Board funds to help non-English speakers gain the language proficiency needed to fill positions in high growth industries. (B&A; PWTL&P)
• Prevention Program in Tuckahoe: Authorized the county, through its Social Services Department, to partner with the Tuckahoe Union Free School District to run a Community Optional Preventive Services Plan (COPS). The state has approved a grant of $86,450 to help fund the program's $133,000 total cost. Through workshops, classroom experiences as well as a social worker or psychologist to provide home/school outreach, referral services, parenting counseling and academic support, the drug and alcohol prevention program relies upon early identification of and help for students at greater risk of abuse. (B&A; FHHS)

Public Hearing/s Scheduled for December 5 at 7:00 P.M. in the Legislative Chamber

Public Hearing set on the Proposed 2008 Westchester County Budget for Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 7:00 PM in the Chambers of the Board of Legislators.

Agenda Items Overed (action not taken)

• Outside counsel in lawsuit: Would increase to $410,000, from the previous limit of $160,000, the amount that may be paid to Epstein, Becker and Greene for serving "of counsel" to the county attorney in the lawsuit filed under the False Claims Act entitled United States of America, ex rel, Anti Discrimination Center of Metro New York, Inc. v. Westchester County, New York; the county is defending a claim by the federal government that the county made false representations to the US government in connection with applications for federal funding, including Community Development Block Grants and Housing Opportunity Made Equal funds. (B&A) (Overed by Abinanti)

If you would like additional information on any of the agenda items, please contact Betsy DeSoye at (914) 995-3277.