When the current group of three Democrats leaves their positions on the Village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees at the end of this term, meetings may become a lot less contentious as new members get acclimated to their posts.
At last night’s meeting, the usual verbal jousting between Mayor Norman Rosenblum and Trustee John Hofstetter punctuated the comments of several items of business. At one point, during the Village Clerk-Treasurer’s Report, the two talked over each other non-stop for around 10 seconds, sounding like two radios tuned to different stations.
But if a presentation from Democratic candidate for the board Andres Bermudez Hallstrom is any indication, he could very well inherit Hofstetter’s iconoclastic mantle, were he to win a seat.
The issue being discussed involved the demolition and possible replacement of a circa 1930’s brick storage shed in . Used to store parks department equipment, the structure is too dangerous to occupy and repairs are too expensive to shoulder. The board instructed Rich Slingerland, village manager, to find another place to store the equipment and to look into the potential cost of replacing the structure with a prefabricated building.
Hallstrom expressed concern about the condition of all village-owned structures and questioned if building a prefabricated structure to replace the old garage represented a wise use of taxpayer dollars. He also took issue with the village’s “short-sighted” budgets, which may not address current or future maintenance needs. The park’s recreation building near the beach has a leaky roof that requires repair, but there is no provision for the work.
“Why aren’t we repairing it?” he asked.
Then Hofstetter jumped in, contending that there are too many structures in the park. Slingerland asked where the vehicles and equipment now stored in the condemned shed would go. The Mayor interjected, saying that the situation represented an “immediate liability” that had to be acted upon. Hofstetter replied that, with park vehicles on the premises, the board should take a “holistic approach” to liability issues.
The board voted 3 to 1 to demolish the structure (Trustee Sid Albert did not attend the meeting).
Water remains a difficult issue. The Board is considering passing a detailed water regulation law and anticipates increased costs associated with the new filtration plant being built near the county jail and a tunnel to deliver water to New York City.
Responding to questions about high water bills, the Mayor said that investigations found that irrigation systems remained the main culprit and that high bills could signal a leak in the system. The board may seek to license irrigation contractors. Currently, anyone can install an irrigation system and poorly constructed sprinklers and drainage can result in water loss, and, even dangerous conditions if backflow valves are neglected or don’t work properly.
Hofstetter and the Mayor sparred over legal issues surrounding Pine Street (which has cost the village $20,000 so far to defend itself from motions filed by residents.)
They also battled over the village’s intention to buy a Goose Poop Vacuum and the acceptance of a gift of 11 trees valued at $1,180 from Almstead Tree & Shrub Care Company. Hofstetter claimed a conflict of interest, since the company was expected to bid on village contracts in the future, saying, “it doesn’t pass the smell test.”
Trustee Louis Santoro said the arrangement was nothing new, to which Hofstetter replied that “doesn’t mean it’s right.”
Editor's Note: A previous version of this article stated that the board voted, 3 to 1, to replace the structure; the board actually voted to demolish the structure. Additional information has also been added regarding the board's decision to obtain price quotes for prefabricated buildings to store equipment.
The Capital Expenditure section of the budget starts on page 225. You are right that this appears to be a wish list with no guarantee that work will be done. Also on the list is also $7,000,000.00 for the tennis courts, $60,000 for the famous MMenzi Mucker ( remember tht blast from the past!), money for the Heithaus Walkway renovation (haven't they been talking about this one for 10 years or so?) and the wish list goes on from there. I believe you are right, being on the list doesn't mean that infrastructure repairs get done, other things take priority, like buying expensive pooper scooters.
Being that you are the Chairman of the Democratic Party maybe you can answer this question. How long has Hallstrom lived in the Village of Mamaroneck?
As Chairman of the Democratic party and spouting about budget numbers, is it your and the Democratic platform to continue to sue the Village of Mamaroneck and cost the Village of Mamaroneck taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars because you keep losing in court and can’t accept what is best foe the Village?” So far Your hand picked candidates Leon Potek and Andre Halstrom appear to be following your lead with positions counter to the benefit of the taxpayers and residents with erroneous claims at the BOT meetings You must be proud that you most recently have cost the taxpayers $ 20,000 defending, in my opinion, your petulant claim of ownership of Pine Street Great platform for your candidates to support “To the Hell with the Public… WE will sue !!!”
Where in the current year's budget is the money for fixing the Beach Pavilion roof? Maybe Trustee Santoro can tell us where he found it. He said it, so it must be true. Drip, drip, drip! Still waiting.
Or is it perhaps you, Stuart and the three “Hofstetter clones” are too busy at planning more suits and costs against the Village???? Village of Mamaroneck Capital Budget Page 195 Public Buildings $925,000 Page 196 Buildings & Equipment Harbor Island Park Pavillion – Roof Replacement $90,000
You are correct! There is 90k in the 2012-2013 Budget for Pavilion roof repair. That is great! There was also 90k in the 2011-2012 budget for Pavilion roof repairs. Ooops There was also 90k in the 2010-2011 budget for Pavilion roof repairs. Double ooops! So Lou was just a little bit right, There is money, but the question has to be when will it be spent. Hallstrom's questions were spot on, Who is watching the store? Are Lou and the village going to let the Paviliion roof continue to leak and damage the structure until it is so bad it needs to be torn down? Will we loose another historic building only to have it replaced by a sheet metal pre-fab?
Why do you have your knickers in a twist over Hallstram? Is there some kind of residency requirement to run for Mayor in the Village? Why would you question anyone who is interested in trying to improve your community? God knows the VOM needs to change something on your dysfunctional board and replacing your bully of a mayor would be a good start.
So what do you find flawed in Hallstrom's presentation? The roof leaks, and the Village has made no plans to fix it beyond putting it on a capital spending schedule that is consistently ignored. Who's uninformed, Hallstrom or Santoro? Of course, now that Hallstrom raised the issue, I would expect that an RFP will be issued in the next month or two. Thank you, Mr. Hallstrom. We'll finally get the roof repaired.
Mary Too is a good example of the old saying "Often wrong, seldom in doubt" The HCZM made no decision last night, if you watch the meeting you will understand why. Hallstrom was there. This law change will have little impact on Mr. Hallstrom's neighbors but a negative impact on the all taxpayers.
As far as his public service, he joined the Flood Mitigation Committee in February. Mary Too, you're right that's honorable but not impressive by itself. What is impressive is that he's been an active volunteer in his community for many years not just a few short months. See his bio on the Democratic candidates website at mamaroneckdems.org. We're fortunate that this young man has chosen to make our Village his home. Voters will have to decide whether he will bring mature, good judgment and an open mind to the position of Trustee, or will he simply follow the wishes and whims of the Mayor, for better or for worse for the Village. That'll be the choice.
To clarify a few things, I was being sarcastic about the "A" list and not getting the memo. From what I've seen Mr. Hallstom is informed and has been more active in a short time than many lifelong residents of the village. Your assessment of the HCZMC and the BOT above is inaccurate. When you learn what the HCZMC' s responsibility, duty and role in this village is then please tell us. If those who were summoned to last night's meeting by a supposed email blast attended the June meeting they would know where things stood with this new law. I find it sad that the room was full of ill prepared uninformed flood "victims" who while speaking seemed not understand the details of the law change. If the email blast rumor is true, then these people were victimized again- but this time used as a tool for political gain on a new law's passage. Maybe those "victims" will learn to help themselves rather than listening to much misinformation I heard from village officials wishing to just "keep them in Mamaroneck" last night. Here's a link to what's coming down the pike, it may significantly change what happens with their flood insurance situation and rates in the future. http://www.ksefocus.com/billdatabase/clientfiles/172/4/1583.pdf
Your rhetoric about despicable people scaring them out of the village is bogus. Does any new local law that this village puts in place absent new mandates coming down from NFIP/FEMA (flood insurance) really help them stay? It all boils down to dollars, cents and common sense as far as I'm concerned. When people can arm themselves with accurate information -what the NFIP and FEMA's future in the floodplain holds for them, they can make informed choices. What's wrong about people having the facts and helping themselves, rather than politicizing for a false sense of security providing only part of a full story?
In which community was it that he was an active volunteer "FOR MANY YEARS"? Was it Hartsdale, where he resided until at least December of 2009??????
It requires a bit of googling to figure out where Hallstrom has been volunteering, so let me help you. His bio at mamaroneckdems.org states that "he served as a volunteer with the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service and was deployed during the 2007 Nor’Easter flooding." So google Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service and find out that "RACES volunteer operators are: (a) Licensed Radio Amateurs (b) Certified by a civil defense agency (c) Able to communicate on Amateur Radio frequencies during drills, exercises and emergencies, and (d) Activated by local, county and state jurisdictions and are the only Amateur Radio operators authorized to transmit during declared emergencies when the President of the United States specifically invokes the War Powers Act." That sounds like a regional organization, rather than Hartsdale only, and that's how he ended up deployed in the Village during the 2007 flooding. He also has volunteered with "the Civil Air Patrol and now serves as a Captain and Commander of the Lt. Anthony L. Willsea Cadet Squadron in Harrison." Here's the link where you can learn more about the Civil Air Patrol: http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/about/civil_air_patrols_three_primary_missions/emergency-services/ Again, he's serving an area that includes the Village of Mamaroneck. While in college at Carnegie Mellon he volunteered with the Emergency Medical Service, where he reached the rank of Operations Manager. An impressive list of community service!
Since you are so good at Googling, how is it that you missed the fact that he is an ordained minister? Isn't that an honorable thing? Why isn't that in his bio? Please get to work on that and get back with your report. I'd like to know a little more about his church.