[ Common Council Special Meeting/Work Session on December 29, 2025]
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GOOD EVENING . I CALL THIS MEETING OF THE WHITE PLAINS COMMON COUNCIL FOR DECEMBER 29 , 2025 TO ORDER , MADAM CLERK , WOULD YOU PLEASE C ALL THE ROLL . MR . BRASH HERE , MR . FRY PEARSON , MR. MARTIN , MR. PAYNE .MS. PRESSER , HERE , MRS . PUHA , HERE , MR. M AYOR, HER E .
UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT PRESSER, DO YOU HAVE, UH , I, I BELIEVE I DO NOT HAVE A , UH, A CONSENT AGENDA . OK . NO, NO, BUT, UH, WHA T IS IT , IS THIS FOR YOU . OH .
OK . UH, I WOULD L IKE TO SUBSTITUTE ITEMS 12 AND 13 . TH E ENVIRONME NT ENVIRONMENTAL RESOLUTION AND THE SITE PLAN A ND SPE CIAL PERMIT APPROVAL RESOLUTION FOR ITEMS 90 THROUGH 114 WESTMORELAND AVENUE WITH ITEM 12S AND 1 3S TO CLARIFY THAT WHILE A PORTION OF THE F LOOR AREA OF THE EXISTING BUI LDING WILL BE REUSED . THE HISTORICAL FACADE IS BEI NG REPLICATED .
SECOND , THEN MOVED AND SECONDED , UM .
ALL RIGHT , THE FIRST T IME ON OUR AGENDA IS A RESOLUTION , UH, COMM UNICATION FROM THE COMMISSIONER OF BUILDING IN RELATION TO AN APPLICATION SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF FISHER HILL OWNER LLC AND FISHER H ILL 90 WESTMORELAN D LLC FOR SIT E PLAN AND SPECIAL PERMI T APPROVAL FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF PROPERT Y KNOWN AS 90-114 WESTMO RELAND AVENUE . I ' LL MOVE THE COMMUNICA TION BE FILED AND SPREAD AND FULL UPON THE MINUTES. SEC OND.
ALL IN FAVOR ? ALL POSED , CARRIED, AND , UH, COUNCILOR MA RTIN, WOULD YOU MOVE THE REST OF THE BALANCE OF THE COMMUNICATIO NS? ABS OLUTELY. I MOVE THAT THE COMMUNICATI ONS FROM THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD, COMMISSIONER PLA NNING, WHITE PLAIN 'S PLANNING BOARD, CO MMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS , DEPUTY COMMISSIONE R OF PAR KING, TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION , COMMISSIONER OF P ARKING, WESTCH ESTER COUNTY PLANNIN G BOARD , AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER , BE FILED AND SPREAD IN FULL UPON THE MINUTES . THANK YOU .
MOVED AND S ECONDED . ALL IN FAVOR ? AYE . OPPOSED .
CARRIED . ITEM 12 IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL FINDI NGS RESOLUTION ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTI ON. SECOND , ALL IN F AVOR? HI HOSTS CARRIED AND ITEM 13 IS RESOLUT ION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL O F THE CITY OF WHITE P LAINS APP ROVING AN APPLICATION SUBMITT ED BY FISHER HI LL OWNER LLC AND FISHER HIL L 90 WESTM ORELAND LLC FOR S ITE PLAN AND SPECIAL PERMIT APPR OVAL FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF PROPE RTY KNOWN AS 90-114 WESTMORELAND AVENUE . MOVE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION . SECOND , ANY D ISCUSSION WE LL, I DON ' T THINK ANY DISCUS SION, BUT I THINK IT , UH, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THA T THE THIS PRO JECT UH IN AND OF ITSELF W ILL BRING A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ALL AFF ORDABLE UNI TS , UH, TO T HE SITE AS OPPOSED TO UH COMPLIANT MERELY COM PLYING WITH O UR AFF ORDABLE HOUSING ORDINANCE .
I THOUGHT THAT WAS WORTH NOTING AND
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, AND I AGREE, AND ANOTHER THING THAT T HAT IS OF NOTE IS THAT UM BACK WHEN A LOT OF THIS ALL STARTED WE HAD UH STORAGE UH . PLACE T HAT WAS BUILT ON WEST MORELAND AND I , AND THERE WAS ANOTH ER APPLICATI ONS COMING IN, PARTICULARLY FOR THE SWACHAMMER PROPERTY , AND WE CHAN GED THE ZONING AND WE DIDN 'T ALLOW STO RAGE IN T HE NEIGHBORHOOD WIT H THE IDEA T HAT WE COULD HAVE A HIGHER AND BE TTER USE FOR THE AREA AND CE RTAINLY HOUSING IS THAT IT BRINGS IT IT BRINGS PEOPLE , WHICH IS , WHICH IS A GOOD THING . AND UM AND SO IT ' S, IT 'S, IT 'S HEARTENING T O SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD . UM SO ALL I N FAVOR , OPPOSED CARRIED , AND O UR FINAL ITEM IS , UH, AN ITEM FOR DISCUSSIO N. ITEM 14, I PROPOSED , THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE OF FEES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF REC REATION AND PARKS AND, UH COMMISSION ER BETH BRICKER IS HERE TO P RESENT I THANK YOU ALL. I W ISH YOU A HAPPY , SORRY.HAPPY AND HEA LTHY NEW YEAR I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME AND A SPECIAL MEETING TO APPROVE IT.
THANK YOU. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU.
GOOD E VENING, EVERYONE HELLO . GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. I GUESS IT IS AFTERN OON, REALLY. UM , DOES ANYBODY NEED A C OPY OF THIS , A HARD COPY OF T HE FEE SCHEDULE ? OK. I JUST WANT TO SAY , UM, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO M EET WITH US THIS EVENING . I 'M J OINED BY OUR DEPUTY CO MMISSIONER, DARREN VAL DEZ , AND OUR NEW LY HIRED , FAIRLY NEWLY HIRED WRECK ADMINISTRATOR , NOEL CAMIO . SO I JUST WANTE D TO INTRODUCE THEM AS WEL L. UM , ONE OF THE THINGS THA T WE , U M, I THINK PRIDE OUR SELVES ON AS A DEPARTMENT AND AS A C ITY I S KEEPING PRICES AFFORDABLE SO AS WE GO THROUGH THIS FEE SCHEDU LE, WHAT YOU 'LL NOTICE IS THERE AREN 'T A WHO LE LOT OF CH ANGES. WE LIKE TO KEEP O UR FEES , UM, PRETTY EVEN K EEL AND MA KE CHANGES WHERE MAYBE IT 'S BEEN , UM, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF YEARS . SO JUST AS WE GO THROU GH THIS , UM, YOU 'LL NOTICE THAT THE GRE EN HIG HLIGHTED, IF Y OU HAVE IT IN COLOR , THE GREEN, DO YOU WANT A COLOR COPY? ARE Y OU GOOD ? I 'M GOOD. I 'VE SEEN IT. OK, OK . YOU HAV E SEEN IT. UM, IF YOU NEED A COLOR COPY , NOEL HAS COLOR COPY.
SHE CAN P ROVIDE YOU WITH. UM , SO THE FIRST ONE IS , UM, FIELD RENTALS ON GARDELLA AND BATTLE HILL . U M, WE RAISED THAT RESIDENT THE N ON FOR PROFIT OR FEE RENTAL TO $11 0 ON THAT FIRST PAGE . YOU 'LL ALSO SEE THAT NON -RESIDENT RATE FOR , UM, EBERSOLT ICE RINK RENTALS ALSO WENT TO 385 , AND THE R ECREATION ROOMS FOR BOTH , UM, B ATTLE HILL AND GILLEY WENT TO $85 FROM $75 AND COMMUNITY CENTER TO 110 .
AND THOSE JUST HADN 'T BEEN RAISE D IN A , YOU KNOW, ONE WAS 2010 , 2011 IS THE LAST TIME THAT HAD BEEN RAISED . SO WE UPPED THOSE P RICES ON , UM , BOTH OF THO SE ROOM RENTALS .
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT T HE FIRST PA GE? OK UM AND THEN NOTHING ON , UM, PE RMITS OR , UM, CONCESSIONS . SO THE T WO THINGS T HAT YOU 'LL SEE, THE THREE THINGS YOU ' LL SEE ON CONCESSION S IS THAT 19,000 CHANGE FOR TENNIS CONCESSION .
THAT 'S IN THEIR CONTRACT. SO THAT IS JUS T THE , UM, NEXT COMING YEAR CONTRACT PRICES THEY 'LL PAY . SO THAT 'S S ET BY THE CONTRACT STA NDARD, NOT THE REC DEPARTMENT . UM , WE 'RE ADDING THE ATM FEE HAS BEEN SOMETHING THA T HAS BEEN AT THE RANK AND WE JUS T ADDED IT I N OUR FEE SCHEDULE F OR THIS YEAR .
AND THEN LIVE BARN IS A NEW STREAMING SERVI CE THAT WE ADDED TO EVERSO WHERE PAREN TS CAN LIVE STREAM GAMES , PARENTS, GRAN DPARENTS , ANYBODY CAN WATCH THE GAME FROM H OME AND LIV E STREAM, S O WE WILL GET A CONC ESSION FEE ON THAT . WE 'RE ANTICIPATING RIGHT NOW ABOUT $100 BECAUSE IT IS BASED ON H OW MANY PEOPLE SIGN UP TO USE THE SERVICE SPECIFICALLY FOR EBERSOL . SO THAT W ILL BE A NEW FEE FOR US A ND OUR FEE SCHEDULE .
UM , ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE , YOU WILL SEE , YES, WE CAN KEEP GOING A LONG HERE .
UM PASSES , SO THIS ADDITION TO PASSES IS UM THE DAY PASSED , SO WE HEARD FROM T HE PUBLIC A LOT ABOU T HOW , UM, EVEN THOUGH OUR FEES ARE LOW FOR , UM, OUR PASSES , $25 FOR YOUTH AND SENIOR S AND $35 F OR AN ADULT . IF YOU HAVE A FAMIL Y OF 4 OR 5 , THAT CAN BE KIND OF PRICEY . S O WE HEARD A LOT FROM THE PUBLIC , SO WE ARE ESTABLISHING THIS DAY RIGHT PASS WHERE YOU C AN BUY A DAY RIGHT PASS FOR $6 AND YOU CAN ALSO BUY THIS ON-SITE AT TH E POOL.
SO IN THE PAST, I F YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO GET A MEMBERSHIP CARD DURING THE WEEKDAY . YOU UNFORTUNATELY WEREN 'T ABLE TO SWIM ON W EEKENDS. WE DIDN 'T SELL MEMBERSHIPS AT THE POOL . SO THIS ALLOWS YOU TO SHOW UP ON A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY OR AFTER HOURS AND BY A D AY RATE PASS FOR THE POOL . SO IS THAT FOR ANY RES
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IDENT OF WH ITE PLAINS? THA T 'S FOR ANY RESIDENT OF WHITE PLAINS . YOU CAN JUST SHO W UP, YEP .YEAH , SO I T 'S A NICE ADDIT ION TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS OUR P OOLS AT ANY TIME .
AND THEN UM , ON THE NEXT PAGE , YOU 'LL JUST SEE THE NEW FEE IS ADDED FOR ATTEND DANCE CLASSES . WE ALSO HEARD THAT 1 2 SESSION S WERE A LOT FOR DANCE , UM, COMING FOR 12 WEEKS . SO WE JUST SCALED IT BAC K TO 10 FOR DANCE , AND WE JUST TOOK THAT , THAT AMOU NT IS JUST BASED ON PER CLAS S. SO THAT NEW FEE FOR 10 DANCE CLASSES I S BASED ON THE 12 FOR, UM , A DAILY RAT E . I MEAN, UH, UH, A DAY RATE FOR THE 12 FOR THE 10 , U M, DANCE CLASSES .
AN D THEN WE KEEP GOING . TO UM , ADULT P ROGRAMMING . YOU WILL SEE FOR SOFTBAL L . WE JUST HAVE N 'T RAISED THAT FEE SINCE 2017 , 2018 . SO WE WENT UP TO 85 FOR THE FALL SOFTBALL LEAGUE THERE .
AND THEN CAMPS FOR SUMMER CAMP , THIS I S ONE AREA WHERE WE MAY SEE ON A REGULAR BASIS , UM, INCREASING COSTS JUST BECAUSE OUR INCREASING COST OF CAMP , UM , WILL GO UP EACH YEAR , UH, WITH , YOU KNOW , BUS TRANSPORTATION WITH STAFFING COSTS, WIT H SERVICES , RIGHT? THERE 'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO OUR CAMPS AS FOR OUR SERVICE S COST WITH TRIPS AND BRING ING IN ENTERTAINERS .
SO WE WENT FROM THE 1375 TO THE 1425 FOR THE REGULAR DAY CAMP. NOW THAT IS THE 3 CAMPS THAT UM , BAS ICALLY A TRADITIONAL DAY CAMP. SO THE Y STAY ON SITE AT ONE O F THE LOCAL SCH OOLS AND THEN THEY 'LL TAKE OCCAS IONAL TRIP S OUT OF CAMP AND HAVE SPECIALTIES COME IN, UM, INTO THE CAMPS . THEY DO SWIMMING , THEY DO DANCE , THEY DO , UM, ARTS AND CRAFT S, VERY TRADITIONAL SPORTS CAMP , AND THEN YOU ' LL SEE OUR TRAVEL CAMP, WHICH IS ALSO 6 WEE KS . THA T WENT TO 1990 , AND THAT ' S A CAMP THAT ACTUALLY NOW WE 'RE TRAVELING 4 DAYS A WEEK, SO TH EY ARE OUT A ND ABOUT DOING DIFFERENT TRIPS 4 DAYS A WEEK , AN D THEY ARE ON SITE S OMEWHERE FOR ONE DAY . T YPICALLY, I THINK IT 'S FRIDAYS . THEY BASICALLY SPEND FRIDA YS AT WHATEVER LOCATION WE ARE ASSIGNED TO FOR THE SUMMER .
ALL RIGHT AND THEN I THINK WE 'RE JUST GOING TO BE , WE REORGAN IZED OUR THINGS SO I THI NK YOU 'LL SEE A LOT OF THE SAME CROSS-REFER ENCE .
FEES BACK IN EBERSOL , DIFFE RING ABILIT IES , WHICH IS OUR SPE CIAL NEEDS PROGRAM , AND THEN OUR SENIOR PROGRAM , WE HAVEN 'T TOUCHED THOSE PRICES IN YEARS , AND WE 'RE J UST GOING TO LEAVE TH EM THE SAME FOR THIS YEAR AS WE LL , UM, SO I THINK AS F AR AS ANY, OH , I 'M SORRY, HOCKEY UM, ON P AGE 10 , THE TRYOUT PRICE FOR HOCKEY WENT UP TO 105 , AND THAT WAS A REQUE ST FROM THE PLAINSMEN. T HEY WANTED TO ADD A , UM, TRYOUT JERSEY TO THEIR FOR THE TRYOUT. SO YOU HAVE TO PAY FO R TRYOUTS BECAUSE W E PAY FOR EVALUATORS . THERE ARE DIFFERENT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRYOUT S ITSELF . AND THE PLAINSMEN HAVE BEEN REQUESTING FOR THE PAST COU PLE OF YEARS A JERSEY THAT KIDS WILL GET WHEN TH EY DO TRYOU TS. SO THIS INCREASED C OSTS WILL COVER, HE LP COVER THE COS T FOR A TRYOUT JER SEY FOR THE PLAINSMAN .
SO THAT 'S AN AN INCREASE AS WELL .
AND THEN I BELIEVE THAT IS IT AS FAR AS O UR INCREASES . AGAIN, SENIOR PROGRAMMING IS THE LAST PAGE AND WE ARE NOT INCREASING ANYTHING FOR OUR SENIOR PROGRAMMING .
THANK YOU. U H, THANK YOU , COMMISSIONER AND DEPUTY COMMISSIONER N OEL FOR BEI NG HERE TODAY . I 'VE BEEN CHAIR O F THE RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR T HE LAST SEVERAL YEARS THAT I ' VE BEEN ON THE COUN CIL, AND THERE 'S SUC H A GREAT DEAL OF WORK THAT GOES INTO PUTTING TOGET HER THIS FEE SCHEDULE. SO THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING C ONSIDERATE , FOR COMPARIN G PRICING , UM, AMO NG OTHER MUN ICIPALITIES , WHAT I 'VE FOUN D AS A MOM WHOSE CHILDREN DO ATTEND THE SUMMER CAMPS I N WHITE PLAINS . IT 'S PRETTY AMAZING THAT AT THE COST THAT WE 'RE SEEING ALSO INCLUDES TRANSPORTATION , ALSO INCLUDES T RIPS, ALSO INCLUDES FOOD . AND SO WHEN YOU TAKE ALL THAT INTO CONSI DERATION , YOU 'RE, THERE 'S A TREMENDOUS VALUE THERE. UM , I JUST WANTED TO THAN K YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK . AND I WANTED TO G IVE A SPE CIAL PLUG TO N OELLE , BECAUSE OF THIS BEAUTIFUL REORGANIZED REVAM PED SCHEDULE , UM , AND I REALLY APPRECIATE SEEING IT IN SUCH A PRETTY WAY AND TO ALL OF OUR RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS , INCLUDING COUNCILWOMAN-ELECT , EVELYN SANTIAGO , WHO 'S HERE TODAY . UM, THERE ' S JUST A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF W ORK THAT GOES INTO THIS AND IT DOESN 'T GO UNNOTICED. SO T HANK YOU FOR ALSO CONSIDERING THE BUDGETS OF PEOPLE IN OUR COM MUNITY AND WHAT THEY 'RE ABLE TO , WHERE WE CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS , ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE RISING COST I N , UM, STAFFING AND IN TRANSPORTATION AND ALL OF THAT . SO A PPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS. I A PPRECIATE THE WORK I ' VE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH ALL OF YOU . AND THANK YOU SO M UCH. THA NK YOU, COUNCILOR . I APPRECIATE YOU
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.YEAH, I 'LL JUST THR OW IN, UM FOR T HE SIZE OF THE S TAFF THAT THEY HAVE . THINK ABOUT THE , THE , THE, THE BREADTH AND THE VARIE TY OF PROGRAMS THAT, THAT OUR REC DEPARTMEN T OFFERS EVERY HOCK, W E HAVE HOCKEY , WE HAVE DANCE . W E, UH , WE , WE HAVE EVENTS , UM, TREE LIGHTINGS , HAL LOWEEN EVENTS , UM , IT 'S JUST REMARKA BLE , UH, THAT HOW MUCH GETS DONE AND IT 'S BECAUSE WE HAVE PROFESSIONALS IN THE DEPARTMENT , UM, THAT UNDERSTA ND AND LEARN AND KNOW WHAT, WHA T, UH, WHAT ARE GOOD , UH, UH, PROGRAMS TO BRING TO OUR CITY . AND I THINK EVERYBODY BENEFITS FROM THAT. AND THIS YEAR, THE WE H OSTED THE , UH, THE ANNUAL ME ETING OF ALL THE R EC AND PARKS PROFESS IONALS FROM AROUND THE S TATE. SO THAT WAS A FUN GROUP TO BE AROUND TOO AND UM AND IT WAS LIKE THE VENDOR DISPLAYS WERE A LOT MORE INTERESTING THAN WHA T I SEE AS MAYOR , SO , SO IT 'S , YOU KNOW, PR ETTY COOL, BUT THANK YOU YOU ALL DO A G REAT JOB AND WE APPRECIATE IT. THA NK YOU. YEAH , WE HOSTED THE NATIONAL RECREATION , I 'M SORRY, THE NEW YORK STATE RECREATION AND PARK SOCIETY ANNUAL CONFERENCE HERE IN WESTCHESTER AND WE HADN ' T HAD IT IN WESTCHESTER SINCE 2004 . SO THI S, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO IT IN 2020 AND YOU CAN , YOU KNO W, WHAT HAPPENED IN 2020 . SO WE GOT TO REDEEM OURSELVES AND HOLD IT H ERE RIGHT AT THIS NEST IN W HITE PLAINS, WHICH WAS REALLY GREAT TO BRING IT, YOU KNOW, LOCALLY TO US. SO IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE A COUPLE 100 PERKS FOR PARKS AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS RIG HT IN OUR BACKYARD. SO , THANK YOU . ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SCHEDULE ? THANK Y OU . LET ME JUST VERY MUCH THANK YOU . I APPRECIATE IT.
MRJACK ALL RIGHT, WELL , THAT C ONCLUDES OUR WORK FOR THIS EVENING .
IS THERE A MOTION TO DON 'T F ORGET DON 'T , BUT DON 'T FORGET TO INVITE PEOPLE TO COME OUT O N NEW YEAR 'S EVE , MAYOR .
THE 7 PEOPLE WATCHING . I WILL TELL Y OU . ALL OF YOU . NO , UH, COU NCILMAN BRASH MAKES A GREAT P OINT.
WE 'RE ALL GONNA BE OUT HERE ON NEW YEAR 'S EVE , DOWNTOWN WHITE PLAINS , THE MUSIC STARTS AT 10:10 P.M.
, 10 P.M., UH , WE GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS .
AND T HEN
THE LIVE BAND GOES ON AT 11 AND ,
UM, WE DROPP ED THE BALL AT MIDNIGHT AND YES, WE A CTUALLY
DO A HOLID AY EVENT ON THE HOLIDAY . SO , UH, IT ' S A GREAT
FAMILY EVENT AND IT ' S EASY TO COME TO AND EASY TO GO H OME
FROM . SO
I W OULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO JOIN US SO, U H, WE M OVE , WE MOVE THE SECONDED , ALL IN FAVOR? I OPPOSED . THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED. T HANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.