[Citizens to Be Heard on August 3, 2026.] [00:04:32] GOOD EVENING. I CALL THIS MEETING OF THE WHITE PLAINS COMMON COUNCIL''S CITIZENS TO BE HEARD SESSION TO ORDER. I UNDERSTAND WE WILL HAVE A FEW PEOPLE TESTIFYING. YOU HAVE TO PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, AND, OF COURSE, PLEASE ADDRESS US WITH THE DIGNITY AND RESPECT THAT WE WILL BE TREATING YOU WITH. UH, MADAM CLERK. JEFFREY KLEIN. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. UM, [00:05:04] FIRST OF ALL, I''D LIKE TO. OH, JEFFREY KLEIN, 25 ROCKLEDGE AVENUE. THANK YOU. UH, FIRST OF ALL, I''D LIKE TO THANK THIS ADMINISTRATION FOR DOING WHAT THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATION DECLINED TO DO. UM, I''M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE TAXI INDUSTRY IN WHITE PLAINS. THE OPERATORS AND THE OWNERS AND THE FLEET OWNERS. DISPATCH PEOPLE. THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATION RECEIVED INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT THE TAXI PEOPLE WERE HAVING. THEY WERE JUST NOT MAKING ANY MONEY, AND THEY''RE BARELY SCRAPING BY. THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS HEARD THE REQUESTS. AND THIS EVENING I SEE ON LINE NUMBERS 24 AND 25 THAT THERE APPEARS TO BE FORWARD MOTION. AND ON THEIR BEHALF, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK. YOU, IN ADDITION, THERE ARE SOME MORE THINGS BEING DISCUSSED WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY PEOPLE. THE IDEA OF LEASING MEDALLIONS, WHICH ARE UP TO NOW, HAS NOT BEEN PERMITTED. UM, THERE IS A A REQUEST FOR A PERMANENT RATHER THAN SIMPLY A GETTING SURCHARGE INCREASE IN THE FARES. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS, AND I HOPE THAT WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY WILL FEEL THAT IT''S APPROPRIATE TO SEND YOU ANOTHER COMMUNICATION AND THAT YOU WILL ACT FAVORABLY ON IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ADAM GRANT. GOOD EVENING, I''M ADAM GRANT, 80 BEVERLY ROAD AND WHITE PLAINS. UM, NICE TO SEE EVERYONE AGAIN, MR. MAYOR. YOU, UM. ONCE AGAIN, I''M HERE TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY CATS. THOSE THAT WE CALL FERALS. UH, AT MY PROPERTY NEXT DOOR TO ME, THERE ARE NOW AT LEAST 15 CATS. MY WIFE THINKS IT''S MORE LIKE 25 THAT ARE BEING FED BY MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR. THEY ROAM AROUND THE PROPERTY. THEY LIVE OUTSIDE. THE POPULATION IS EVEN GROWING. THE CATS ROAM OUR PROPERTY. THEY CLIMB ON OUR CARS. THEY VOMIT ON OUR DRIVEWAY, AND THEY DEFECATE IN OUR FLOWERBEDS. THE CLEANUP OF FECES FROM THE FROM THE FLOWERBEDS IS AN ONGOING EXPENSE, A HEALTH HAZARD AND AN ANNOYANCE. I''M GRATEFUL THAT THE CITY HAS, UH, RENEWED THE CONTRACT WITH THE CAT PROTECTION COUNCIL OF WESTCHESTER TO CONTINUE THE TRAP, NEUTER, VACCINATE, AND RETURN PROGRAM. BUT THERE''S A PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IF THE FEEDER, IN THIS CASE, MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, DECLINES TO PARTICIPATE OR REFUSES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, THEN THERE''S NO CONTROL OF THE POPULATION THAT THAT FEEDER IS. THAT THAT THAT FEEDER IS IS IS SUPPORTING. SO YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT LAST TIME OR TWO MONTHS AGO, I HANDED OUT A LITTLE PAPER ABOUT FROM FROM NEW YORK CITY. THEIR ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT OF CAT OWNERS TO A PARDON ME OUTDOOR CAT OWNERS TO HAVE THOSE CATS NEUTERED AND VACCINATED. UM, I''M HOPING THAT WHITE PLAINS CAN. LOOK AT THAT CODE, ADAPT IT, AND EXECUTE AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM SO THAT FEEDERS SUCH AS MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR WILL BE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE POPULATION OF OF THE CATS THAT THEY FEED. SIMPLE THING MAY NOT BE A SIMPLE THING. I''M HOPING IT''S SIMPLE. I HAVE A SECOND THING UNRELATED TO CATS. UM, JUST WANTED TO ASK IF WHITE PLAINS CURRENTLY HAS A CONTRACT WITH A COMPANY CALLED FLOCK FOR THEIR SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS. UM, THE FLOCK CAMERAS. GET YOUR LICENSE PLATE, THE MAKE OF YOUR CAR COLOR, SCRATCHES, DENTS, GOES INTO A DATABASE THAT IS SEARCHABLE AND CAN BE ACCESSED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES WITHOUT A WARRANT. IF WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH FLOCK, I''M URGING YOU TO CANCEL IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. RUSS, STOP. TURKEY. SO DOES HE GET HIS END? THIS QUESTION ANSWERED. DO WE? [00:10:02] IN GENERAL, WE DO NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS DURING CITIZENS TO BE HEARD. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. HI, MY NAME IS RUSSELL STARKEY. I LIVE ON 11 LAKE STREET. UH, I THINK MY FIRST POINT, YOU COULD WE COULD. ALL SEE RIGHT HERE THIS, UH, AMERICA 250 THAT''S PAINTED ON THE STREET. I THINK WE WOULD ALL BE AMAZED IF WE KNEW HOW MUCH IT COST TO PAINT THE AMERICA 250 ON OUR STREETS. I REALLY, I THINK JUST FOR FUN, YOU GUYS SHOULD ADD UP. HOW MANY EMPLOYEES, HOW MANY DAYS, HOW MANY TRUCKS WERE RUNNING FOR HOURS? BECAUSE I DON''T THINK YOU COULD POSSIBLY GUESS HOW HIGH THIS NUMBER IS. IT''S IT''S ASTONISHING. UM, AND NEXT I''LL COME EVERY MEETING AND HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS WILL HAVE AN ANSWER FROM ME ON THAT ONE. THE NEXT CONCERN IS THE SCARIEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME WAS ALMOST BEING HIT BY A SHOPPING CART FROM THIS GARAGE RIGHT HERE, WHERE THEY LEAVE. ON AVERAGE, I''VE DONE ALL THE RECONNAISSANCE ON AVERAGE, 85 SHOPPING CARTS ARE JUST SCATTERED THROUGH THAT BUILDING EVERY NIGHT, AND THE TEENAGERS, AFTER THEY DO THEIR DRINKING AND THROWING UP ON OUR STREETS, THEY GO TO THEIR CARS, WHICH THEY PARK THERE SO THEY DON''T GET A DWI FROM THE COPS. AND THEN THEY GRAB SHOPPING CARTS AND THROW THEM ALL. NOW I HAVE A PICTURE ON MY PHONE. THEY JUST DID A CHAMPIONSHIP ONE. THEY THREW A SHOPPING CART THAT WENT OVER THE ENTIRE ALLEYWAY AND ONTO THE ROOF OF THE NEXT BUILDING. NOW HOW MANY GUYS DOES IT TAKE TO THROW ONE OF THOSE HEAVY SHOPPING CARTS? AND THERE''S NEVER A CAMERA. THERE''S NEVER ANYTHING HAPPENING. SO PLEASE, PLEASE, BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED, LET''S TAKE CARE OF THE SHOPPING CART PROBLEM THEY''RE THROWING ON AVERAGE, 30 TO 50 SHOPPING CARTS OFF THE ROOF EVERY YEAR. PLEASE. I WAS ALMOST HIT. I LOVE WAVE PLANES. UM, FOR GENERATIONS. I TOLD THEM MY GRANDFATHER DELIVERED MILK BY HORSE AND CARRIAGE HERE. MY MY BUSINESS HAS THIS CITY IN THE LOGO. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO SOMETHING. THE LAST ADMINISTRATION. NOTHING HAPPENED. AND THE SHOPPING CARTS ARE STILL FALLING. NOW. I''M SORRY IF I CAME OFF ANGRY THERE, BUT I LOVE WHITE PLAINS. I LOVE THE STREET. I LIVE ON LAKE STREET AND WE HAVE A PROBLEM ON LAKE STREET. THERE''S A PARKING LOT THAT NO ONE''S ALLOWED TO USE ALL DAY LONG. THERE''S 20 PARKING SPOTS THAT ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE USED. THERE''S NO METERS. IT''S ONLY A PERMIT PARKING ONLY LOT. THERE''S LIKE 35 SPOTS. SO ALL DAY LONG I WATCH CARS DRIVE IN AND THEY REALIZE, OH, I CAN''T PARK HERE. IT''S A WONDERFUL PARKING LOT FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS. IT''S THE SAFEST PLACE TO PARK. GO DOWN LAKE STREET, PARK ON LAKE OR KENSICO, OR IN THE THE KENSICO. YOU WOULD LOVE TO PARK IN THE HALL AVENUE PARKING LOT. AND RIGHT THERE THERE''S A DISPENSARY NOW AND ALL OF THEIR CUSTOMERS PULL INTO THIS PARKING LOT WITH 35 PARKING SPOTS, AND THEY''RE NOT ALLOWED TO PARK IN ANY OF THEM. SO PLEASE, LET''S HELP MY NEIGHBORHOOD. MY MOTHER, 85 YEARS OLD, HAS TO HAVE A THREE HOUR HAIR APPOINTMENT. AND SHE IT''S HARD FOR HER TO WALK BACK UP THE HILL. I WOULD LOVE FOR HER TO BE ABLE TO PARK IN THE HALL AVENUE PARKING LOT, GET HER HAIR DONE, AND BE ABLE TO WALK UP THE STREET. SO PLEASE. THE NAME IS THE WHOLE AVENUE. METERS PLEASE. METERS IN THE HALL AVENUE PARKING LOT. PLEASE DON''T LET ME BE KILLED BY A SHOPPING CART. AND PLEASE WATCH OUT FOR THESE. WE ALL KNOW THAT YOU KNOW WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK FOR THE CITY THAT DO AS LITTLE AS THEY CAN AND AND MAKE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE TWO. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I THINK OUR CITY EMPLOYEES WORK VERY HARD. BUT I HAVE I HAVE HOURS OF VIDEO. AND YOUR CITY EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DO? THEY CURSE AT ME AND THE POLICE. THEY CURSE AT ME BECAUSE I''M VIDEOTAPING THEM. THEY DON''T LIKE THAT. I''M VIDEOTAPING THEM DOING SOMETHING WRONG THERE. SO I. YOU KNOW, IT WORKS BOTH WAYS. I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT EMPLOYEES, BUT I''M JUST SAYING, WHEN YOU FIND OUT HOW MUCH MONEY WE SPENT TO PUT 250 ON THE GROUND, YOU''RE GOING TO BE AMAZED. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. AND I''M SORRY. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO BE HEARD? PLEASE COME UP. UH, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. WE''D ASK YOU TO GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. AND YOU MISSED THE INTRODUCTION, WHICH IS? WE TREAT YOU WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT. WE WOULD APPRECIATE THE SAME. ABSOLUTELY. APOLOGIZE. I THOUGHT IT''S 730 ONLINE. HI. CHRISTOPHER MAGLIANO, UH, WHITE PLAINS RESIDENT. I LIVE AT 68 ALEXANDER AVENUE, BATTLE HILL. UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TIME TO SPEAK TODAY. UH, I''D LIKE TO SAY, UM, I APPRECIATE THE CITY IS CURRENTLY STUDYING [00:15:04] FOR AN INTERGENERATIONAL COMMUNITY CENTER. UM, BEFORE COMMITTING TO A SITE FOR CONSTRUCTION, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THE COMPLETED FEASIBILITY STUDY BE PUBLISHED AND CLEARLY IDENTIFY THE RECOMMENDED LOCATION. UM, ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST, ANNUAL OPERATING COSTS, PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION PLAN PROGRAM, AND PROPOSED FUNDING SOURCES. I ALSO ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO DEVELOP A LONG TERM PLAN FOR. RINK. EBERSOL IS A UNIQUE PUBLIC FACILITY THAT SERVES GENERATIONS OF WHITE PLAINS FAMILIES. YOUTH HOCKEY. SKATING PROGRAMS, AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY IN GENERAL. CURRENT REPAIRS SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY A TRANSPARENT ASSESSMENT OF THE RINKS ROOF. MECHANICAL REFRIGERATION. SYSTEMS, ACCESSIBILITY, CONCESSIONS, LOCKER ROOMS, FUTURE OPERATING AND FUTURE OPERATING COSTS. THE CITY SHOULD ALSO EXPLORE APPROPRIATE YEAR ROUND RECREATION USES WHILE PROTECTING AEROSOLES PRIMARY ROLE AS A PUBLIC RINK. I SUPPORT STUDYING A PUBLIC SKATE PARK AT DELFINO AND EBERSOL AREA. THE PROCESS SHOULD INVOLVE LOCAL RIDERS, YOUNG PEOPLE AND PARENTS. DESIGNS SHOULD BE FOR EBERSOL PARK WITHOUT ELIMINATING EXISTING FIELDS OR PLAYGROUNDS. THERE''S AN ENTIRE HIDDEN PARK WITHIN EBERSOL. I DON''T KNOW IF ANYBODY REALIZES THAT''S LOCKED OFF THAT NOBODY CAN GET TO BEHIND THE TENNIS COURTS AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE STREET. UM, AND MORE BROADLY, I ASK THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER A TEN YEAR PARKS AND RECREATION ASSET PLAN ACCOUNT FOR EVERY FIELD, PLAYGROUND, POOL, RINK AND RECREATION BUILDING. THEY SHOULD HAVE PUBLIC CONDITION SCORES, ANTICIPATED REPLACEMENT DATES, PROJECT BUDGET STATUSES. RESIDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT IS BEING IMPROVED, WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN AND AND WHAT IT WILL COST. UM, WE''RE IN A PERIOD OF OF GREAT GROWTH IN THIS CITY, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR CHILDREN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REAP THOSE BENEFITS THROUGH SPORTS AND THROUGH OUR FACILITIES. THEY''RE VERY IMPORTANT TO TO THE FAMILIES, TO THE CHILDREN. UM, I MEAN, SOCCER IS OVER $2,000 WITH UNIFORMS. I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOWER THAT FOR THE CITY PROGRAMS. HOCKEY. I MEAN, YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT COSTS. AND THEN WE''RE HAVING TO PAY FOR EXTRA RINK TIME AT IN YONKERS IN CONNECTICUT, BECAUSE OUR RINK DOESN''T OPEN EARLY ENOUGH. IT DOESN''T HAVE WALLS. SO THIS IS ALL MONEY THAT''S COMING OUT OF PARENTS POCKETS, AS WELL AS PAINTING THE INSIDE OF THE LOCKER ROOMS, UM, THROUGH PARENTAL DONATIONS OF PAINT AND TIME AND LABOR ON OUR OWN TO KEEP THAT PLACE RUNNING. UH, AND ONE OTHER ITEM JUST FOR TRANSPARENCY, THERE IS A, UM, RECREATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. I CAN''T FIND ANY MEETING MINUTES PRIOR OR POST 2024 ONLINE, SO I''D JUST LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY''RE DOING, HOW I CAN SUPPORT THAT IN ANY WAY. AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE CAN SUPPORT ANY IDEAS THEY HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU. JUST SO THAT, YOU KNOW, I DID RECEIVE YOUR EMAIL AND I AM WORKING ON A RESPONSE, AND I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE CERTAINLY IN OUR PLANS TO DO A RENOVATION SLASH REHABILITATION OF THE EVERSOLE RINK. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT OBVIOUSLY I''VE BEEN IN OFFICE AND MOST OF US HAVE BEEN IN OFFICE FOR ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS. OH, ABSOLUTELY. AND THESE ARE LONG TERM PROJECTS. BUT YOU KNOW, AND DO YOU KNOW, AND I''M SURE YOU DO KNOW JUST ABOUT RECREATION THAT WE DO RENOVATE ONE PLAYGROUND EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND THAT THEY HAVE THE MOST UP TO DATE AND SAFEST EQUIPMENT. AND OF COURSE, WE''LL. BE LOOKING AT IN BATTLE TOO. AND THAT''S BEEN GREATLY APPRECIATED AND USED. BY THE COMMUNITY. SO IT''S ON ALL OF OUR RADAR AND WE''RE WORKING HARD AND WE HAVE MANY OTHER IDEAS. BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. SO THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT FOR YOUR CONCERN. WE APPRECIATE IT. THIS IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT''S IMPORTANT TO US AS OUR CITY GROWS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I''M HERE AT YOUR DISPOSAL TO YOU NEED YOU CAN REACH OUT. THANK YOU. AS WELL SEEING THAT AS WE HAVE NO OTHER SPEAKERS, WE WILL ADJOURN THIS SESSION OF CITIZENS TO BE HEARD. OUR REGULAR STATED MEETING WILL BEGIN AT 730. OUR CLOCK HERE IS NOT EXACTLY CORRECT, BUT WE WILL BE MEETING IN ABOUT 15 * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.