Meeting Overview

 TOWN OF ORANGETOWN
WORKSHOP
TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017

This Workshop Meeting was opened at 8:00 p.m. Supervisor Stewart presided and the Deputy Clerk called the roll.

Present were: Councilman Denis Troy
Councilman Thomas Diviny
Councilman Paul Valentine
Councilman Gerald Bottari
Supervisor Andrew Stewart

Also present: Geraldine Orlik, Deputy Clerk
John Edwards, Town Attorney
Teresa M. Kenny, Deputy Town Attorney
Jeff Bencik, Director of Finance
James Dean, Superintendent of Highways
Joseph Moran, Commissioner of DEME
Aric Gorton, Superintendent of Parks, Recreation & Building Maint.
Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was led by the Town Board.
James Dean, Superintendent of Highways, explained that the preliminary design of the North Middletown Road Pedestrian Safety Sidewalk Project is based on comments, from the residents and a traffic study. The County and the NY Department of Transportation has to approve the design, because Middletown Road and Central Avenue are both County roads. The Town has been awarded $1.9 million in grant money, for this project.
John Ballston and Jack Gordon, Hudson Valley Engineering Associates, are formerly DOT engineers. The focus of this project is in the area from, E. Central Ave to just pass King Kone (Middletown Rd). The goal is to make pedestrian safety a priority. They plan to implement flashing beacons, reducing the road throat, right on red with a full stop, pedestrian signalization, left hand turn lanes, square-off intersections, and road access controls. The expected start date is March 2018 and be completed by the end of 2018.

Brian Quinn, Attorney, and Robert Foley, outside engineer, spoke about the proposed data and conference center (RPC campus). Their client will be buying, doing mediation and developing 60 acres of the land. A large building about 150,000 square feet will be constructed in the center of the parcel. There will be landscaped buffer zones, high paying tech jobs and a small number of employees. A final site plan could be approved by June 15th, demolition of about 40 existing buildings would take place in July and construction would begin in November.

Aric Gorton, Superintendent of Parks, Recreation & Building Maint., a new program, Memorial Bench Program, has been implemented, in the Parks & Recreation Department, because I was approached by residents, regarding donating a Memorial Bench. Parks and Recreation staff will make final approval on the style, material, color, the content of the message on the plaque and the location. The Town will not be responsible for the replacement of the bench or plaque, due to vandalism or natural acts, but has the right to remove it.
RESOLUTION NO. 67 ENTERED WORKSHOP MEETING

Supervisor Stewart offered the following resolution, which was seconded by Councilman Diviny and was unanimously adopted:

RESOLVED, at 8:00 p.m., the Town Board entered the Workshop to discuss and review Agenda items, 1 thru 38.

Ayes: Supervisor Stewart
Councilpersons Diviny, Troy, Valentine, Bottari
Noes: None
* * *

RESOLUTION NO. 68 ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION TAX RECEIVER’S AUDIT

In attendance, at this Executive Session, were Supervisor Stewart, Councilpersons Troy, Diviny, Valentine and Bottari, John Edwards, Teresa Kenny, and Jeff Bencik.

Supervisor Stewart offered the following resolution, which was seconded by Councilman Bottari and was unanimously adopted:

RESOLVED, at 9:18 p.m. the Town Board entered Executive Session to discuss the Tax Receiver’s Audit. Supervisor Stewart said no further votes will be taken.

Ayes: Supervisor Stewart
Councilpersons Bottari, Troy, Diviny, Valentine
Noes: None
***
RESOLUTION NO. 69 RE-ENTERED WORKSHOP/ADJOURNED

Supervisor Stewart offered the following resolution, which was seconded by Councilman Troy and was unanimously adopted:

RESOLVED, at 9:57 pm, the Town Board re-entered the Workshop and adjourned.

Ayes: Supervisor Stewart
Councilpersons Troy, Diviny, Valentine, Bottari
Noes: None
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Charlotte Madigan, Town Clerk