Police Officer Sworn in at Pelham Manor BOT Meeting
By Joyce Farrell
At the Village of Pelham Manor’s Board of Trustees meeting on September 26, Village Manager Lindsey Luft reported on several safety meetings that happened in recent weeks, which included School Safety Meetings that, as it’s the beginning of the school year, addressed school drop-offs, school sporting events, etc. Additionally, since it’s Emergency Preparedness Month, the Village Manager, Police Chief Atkins, Fire Chief Greco, and Lieutenant Sancho, attended Emergency Operation Center Training, hosted by the Westchester County Office of Emergency Management and conducted by Texas A&M Extension, about how to properly handle all types of emergencies.
Mayor Jennifer Monachino Lapey was pleased to swear in a new Pelham police officer, Daniel Suspiro, who was recently an officer in Mount Vernon.
Police Chief Thomas Atkins reported that larcenies have increased, especially in Home Goods and Shop Rite in the Post Road Plaza. The police were able to apprehend perpetrators several times because they were called and arrived while the crimes were in progress. He also reported that special police details have been able to deter the drag racing occurring on the weekends in the area, and it seems to have stopped. Additionally, there have been burglaries at Dave & Busters, which occurred because the suspects hid at closing time. The detectives were able to determine who the suspects were and put out a bulletin to patrol. The suspects returned ten days later and were apprehended by patrol.
Additional patrols were assigned during scavenger hunts by kids in the area who banged on residents’ doors, ran away, and also entered residents’ properties. Their actions frightened some of the residents, but the patrols seemed to have quelled the kids’ actions. Chief Atkins and Village Manager Luft have been in contact with the school district and asked that they be notified when the district knows that such activities may occur. Finally, Chief Atkins reminded residents and the public to call the police at 914-738-1000 if they see something that doesn’t look right as they’d rather investigate at the time than investigate it after the fact.
The Village Manager read the Village Treasurer’s report on behalf of Kyle Booth. The report stated that Village’s Opening Fund Balance for the month of August was just over $16 million, the significant revenues received in August were all more than $30,000, and the majority of the Department Income Police fees were from Con Edison reimbursements for Police Officer flagging. The Village has now collected 99% of the Real Estate tax levy for the entire fiscal year ending 2024 and is due to receive a grant from DASNY, the NYS construction and finance authority, which is a reimbursement for the village’s installation of Village Hall’s elevator.
Before the DPW Report was given by Village Manager Luft, Trustee Michael Owen-Michaane updated the board about the work to address watershed problems, including the ongoing collaborative efforts and talks with the Pelham Bay Parks Administration on Watershed No. 3 in the I-95 Zone and with the City of New Rochelle Public Works on Watershed No. 5 in the area of Mount Tom, as well as discussions with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation about the Hutchinson River. For details, visit www.vimeo.com/868520299. Additionally, to help with stormwater efforts, 48 new native species trees have been ordered to maintain the canopy throughout the village, which will help with groundwater absorption. The trees are expected to arrive in October and will be planted by the DPW.
Village Manager Luft then gave the DPW Report, which stated that of the 327 tons of materials the DPW collected during August, about 45% was recycled materials, segments of sidewalk trip hazards were mitigated, traffic lines and crosswalks were drawn, trees were pruned, and streetlights were repaired. She also reminded everyone that leaf collection at the roadway begins on October 15.
Finally, Proposed Local Law One of 2023, which authorized red light cameras in both directions at Four Corners, was approved. The cameras went live and started ticketing on October 1.