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By Joyce Farrell

At the beginning of Pelham Manor’s Board of Trustee meeting on February 7, Mayor Jennifer Monachino Lapey congratulated Trustee Daniel (DJ) McLaughlin on the birth of his daughter, Teresa Rose. She then announced a personal loss, the passing of her father, Jeffrey Monachino, who died on February 2. He was a graduate of Pelham High School’s class of 1959 and had been a fan of all things Pelham. She also mentioned that it was most fitting that the firefighters being sworn in and added to the Village “team” were from families that he held in the highest regard. 

The first of the firefighters to be sworn in was Alfonso (AJ) Migliarini, whose family has been residents of Pelham Manor since 1970. During his senior year at the Valley Forge Military Academy, he was selected to be the cadet battalion commander for his class. After graduating in 2019, he began working for his family’s local construction company. While working there, he enrolled in Louisiana State University’s online program to earn a degree in construction management from which he is scheduled to graduate next year. For six years, in his spare time, he has helped to raise more than $10,000 for ALS research.

The second firefighter sworn in by Mayor Lapey was Nicholas Senerchia,  whose family has resided in Pelham Manor for 50 years. He graduated from Pelham Memorial High School in 2020, where he was the captain of both the football and baseball teams and earned All-League honors in back-to-back years. During his free time, he volunteered and coached at various Pelham Recreation events and also worked at his family’s electrical company. He played four years of Division 1 football at Bryant University and will be graduating in May with a Bachelor of Science degree in behavioral health sciences and a minor in business management. 

During the Public Comment part of the meeting, a resident asked about the status of the flood remediation projects. According to Village Manager Lindsey Luft, the Village is working with engineers on the water mitigation projects, which are in various stages. Trustee Maurice Owen-Michaane, who is also the DPW Commissioner, mentioned that several ongoing parallel projects are going on at the same time. In Watershed 1, the State needs to dredge the Hutch, the Village has contacted the school district to get easier access to pipes, and regarding Watershed 3, the area around I-95, the New York City Parks Department and the NYC Thruway Association, have work to do before the Village can have some of the work done that it needs to do.

Village Manager Luft also stated that the plans for flood remediation have not gone out for design yet as the Village is awaiting official word on the award determinations of some grants. If the Village were to start the engineering design phase and extend funds that could potentially be reimbursed without the awards having been announced, the Village would not be able to get those funds reimbursed. The Village Manager then reported that New York City is working on an analysis of the parks to have a better understanding of where all the water goes, and the DEP involved in that analysis. Also, the City of New Rochelle is very actively going after improvements for their Whitewood Avenue section, and she is in contact with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Army Corp of Engineers regarding the Hutchinson River. Trustee Owen-Michaane added that the Village has been working with other municipalities, working on interim mitigation efforts, and has been doing work constantly.

At the beginning of the Board of Trustees meeting on February 26, Mayor Lapey announced another sad passing, that of Mary Gallagher, a long-time Pelham resident, accomplished educator, and the wife of former Pelham Manor Mayor Brian Gallagher. She was involved in the community and active in not-for-profits, including the Manor Club. 

Also, Project Community, Inc., a local not-for-profit organization headed by healthcare professionals which, for over 39 years, has provided programs to service children, teens, and adults, was granted permission by the Board to hold its Eighth Annual Color Run in Pelham Manor. The event, which will begin at Westward Lane and end at the Siwanoy Playground, will take place on May 19, beginning at 10:00 a.m., and last for approximately two hours.

Additionally, because there has not been an increase since 2012 in funding from the Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM) Program, which plays a critical role in funding essential municipal services for cities and villages across New York State, the Board approved the adoption of the New York Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) resolution seeking an increase in AIM Funding. The resolution urges Governor Kathy Hochul to work with the New York State Senate and Assembly to increase AIM funding in the 2024-2025 adopted State Budget.