Agreement Reached with Archdiocese of New York Regarding Municipal Parking Facility
By Stephen E. Lipken
Mayor Yadira Ramos-Herbert convened her first City Council Meeting on January 16th, with 2024 appointments of Councilmember Matthew A. Stern as Deputy Mayor and Councilmember David Peters to the Citizens’ Police Partnership Board.
Next, City Manager Kathleen Gill discussed a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a license agreement with Archdiocese of New York regarding 24 Shea Place for a municipal parking facility. The lot would be used for Sunday morning Services and City’s sharing revenue with the Archdiocese will defray expenses needed for improvements.
Consent Agenda items included permitting right turns on red on North Avenue northbound onto Lovell Road except from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., school days and Lovell Road West, right onto North Avenue, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., school days, as well as a $22,100 grant from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee as part of the New York State Police Traffic Services Program.
The intent is to use these funds to participate in a directed enforcement to encourage and boost seat belt usage and scale down unsafe driving practices.
A Memorandum from Edward Ritter, Finance Commissioner recommends an increase in Appropriated Fund Balance of $325,000, encompassing a $70,000 increase for Hope Parkside; Harbor Lights, $100,000; Salary Fulltime, (Development), $102,835; Benefits, $59,726; Salary Fulltime (City Clerk), $28,592; Benefits, $3,847; Salary Part Time decrease: $40,000.
Then a Historical Figure Petition from the Huguenot and New Rochelle Historical Association and Thomas Paine National Association to the Historical and Landmarks Review Board (HLRB) requested June 8th to be designated “Thomas Paine Day.”
Finally, with February officially designated Black History Month, City received a proposal from Kingdom Community Consultants to host Music of the African Diaspora: A Black History Month Celebration. The proposed event would occur on Saturday, February 24th at Generations Church, 592 Main Street with $25,000 earmarked from City Budget to cover costs of the event.