Town of Pelham Board Update
January 2023
Dear Pelham Friends and Neighbors:
The Board of the Town of Pelham would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year!
The Pelham Town Board has been very busy since the start of the New Year. The Annual Organizational Meeting took place on January 9, 2023, at which the Board announced the following appointments for 2023:
- RECREATION BOARD APPOINTMENTS: Aisling Bier, Kevin Fee, Daniel Green, Rosa Polenzani and John Boyce.
- TOWN ATTORNEY: Thomas Kleinberger
- TOWN ENGINEER: James Vassalotti
- COMPTROLLER: Samantha Losurdo
- TOWN POLICE CONSTABLES: Steven Conte, Chief; Anthony Camardella, Lieutenant; Michael Farley, Robert Iaboni, and Christopher Williams, Sergeants; and Vylinda Adorno-Marrero, Anthony Bonilla, Carlos Dos Santos, Jose Llamas, Richard Iaboni, Harrin Platzner, Eugene Pope, Dallas Ramirez-Gillison, Nicholas Florio, and John Zocolillo, Town Police Constables.
- CUSTODIAN OF ELECTIONS: Molly Girolamo
- CARETAKER: Felix Anderson and Philip DeSimone
- COURT CLERK: Deanna Depierro and Eileen Gregware
- PART-TIME CLERICAL ASSISTANTS: Lisa Vassalotti and Harold Engstrom
- MARRIAGE OFFICER: Joseph Durnin
- DEPUTY RECEIVER OF TAXES: Darlene Paolercio
- DEPUTY TOWN CLERK: Molly Girolamo
- CONFIDENTIAL SECRETARY: Ruthann DeSimone
- TOWN HISTORIAN: Arthur Scinta
- DEPUTY SUPERVISOR: Rae Szymanski
- COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
- TOWN HALL FACILITIES Supervisor McLaughlin
- FINANCE Supervisor McLaughlin
- PELHAM TOGETHER Councilwoman McLoughlin
- RECREATION Councilwoman McLoughlin
- LEGAL AFFAIRS/ASSESS Councilwoman Burke
- LIBRARY Councilwoman Curtin
- SENIOR CITIZENS Councilwoman McLoughlin
- INSURANCE Supervisor McLaughlin
- INTERGOVERNMENTAL LIAISON:
- Village of Pelham Manor, Councilwoman McLoughlin
- Village of Pelham, Deputy Supervisor Szymanski
- School Board, Supervisor McLaughlin
- FIELDS AND GROUNDS Councilwoman McLoughlin
- SUPERVISOR’S REPORT Supervisor McLaughlin
- OFFICE PERSONNEL Deputy Supervisor Szymanski
- SPECIAL EVENTS / CELEBRATIONS Deputy Supervisor Szymanski
- COURT LIAISON/ CONSTABLES Councilwoman Burke
- WEBSITE/PUBLICITY Councilwoman Curtin
In addition, new Pelham Library Trustee Amie Hughes—with an impressive background in journalism and public relations—was sworn in by Supervisor Dan McLaughlin, alongside Town Board Library liaison Maura Curtin.
In other important news:
- The RFP for the Town’s ambulance services closed on 1/24, with five applicants. The Town committee is currently reviewing the applications and expects to make a determination in the coming weeks.
- The Town was awarded a $280,0000 SAM grant from former State Senator Biaggi prior to her term ending for capital improvements to the Daronco Townhouse. Some of the projected improvements include upgrading to the kitchen area for the addition of a large refrigerator for use by the Senior Citizens and others who may use the Townhouse. The Town Board voted on January 9th to release the funds to front the cost of the renovations that will be reimbursed by the grant.
- The Town introduced proposed Local Law No. 1 of 2023, which would amend Local Law No. 1 of 2007 to increase the maximum income limits for qualifying seniors to receive the senior citizen real property tax exemption pursuant to New York State Real Property Tax Law § 467. A public hearing and vote will take place at the next Board meeting on February 6th.
- The Town approved a new Code of Conduct for all of its employees as a part of the Town Employee Handbook.
Other Town Updates
Recreation: Winter 2022-2023
- Youth and Adult Recreation Programs
Youth and adult recreation programs are in full swing! K- 3rd basketball clinics have started as well as the league for 4th grade and up. Afterschool and weekend programming including dance, art, karate, tennis, soccer and indoor running are all in progress. Over 500 children are participating across all of the programs. More information, including how to sign-up, can be found on the recreation website.
- Senior Citizens Activities
The Senior Citizens Club continues to meet weekly, with a full list of activities, including exercise classes, yoga, arts and crafts, bingo and cards. Club membership is free. Trip transportation is sponsored by the Recreation Department. Last month, the senior van transported seniors on 33 trips to doctors and other important appointments.
- Senior Citizen Club Meeting(Main Room)
Monday / 1:00PM – 4:00PM
- Senior Exercise(Main Room)
Tuesdays and Thursdays / 10:00AM – 11:00AM
This type of class consists of various forms of stretching, random motion, isometric and low impact aerobics. All levels welcome/sit or stand
- Senior Cards(Main Room)
Wednesdays and Fridays / 1:00PM – 4:00PM
Come socialize and enjoy playing various card games, bridge, poker, Mahjong. Coffee and Tea served.
- Yoga (Main Room)
Friday: 10:00AM – 11:00AM
This class consists of various forms of yoga exercises designed for Seniors.
Town of Pelham Library
The Town of Pelham Public Library continues its robust programming, with outdoor story time, author talks, book clubs, JLP story time and crafts, and coding for tweens. Please check out the website and calendar of events at https://www.pelhamlibrary.org/
The Pelham Public Library celebrated Martin Luther King Day by asking community members to contribute to our “I Have a Dream Board” from January 9- 21. The topic on hand: “What can people do to make their community a better place?”
And finally, the Town of Pelham Public Library Board of Trustees has initiated a master planning process to prepare for a new chapter in the Library’s service to the community. The planning process will consider the evolving composition and needs of the Town of Pelham and offer suggested options for improvements to the Library’s facilities to help shape this essential community asset for a generation to come. The Board has engaged the services of HMA2 + Plan A Advisors, architecture and planning firms, to facilitate the process and develop a Master Plan. The study is being funded by generous donations from patrons and is expected to be completed by early summer.
Courts
The Town of Pelham Justice Courts are fully open, hearing Vehicle and Traffic cases on Tuesday mornings and criminal cases Thursday evenings. The Town would like to congratulate long-time clerk Patricia Tobin on her retirement from the courts. We wish her the best of luck. The Town would also like to congratulate Pelham Village resident Eileen Gregware, who became full-time clerk on January 1, 2023.
Pelham Fly Car
The average response time for the units backing up the fly car was 9:33. That time was slightly elevated due to a response on the Hutchinson River Parkway that the units had issues locating. Overall volume in the Pelham’s was higher than normal this past month.
Calls in Village of Pelham: 52
Calls in Village of Pelham Manor: 50
Calls on Hutchinson River Parkway: 9
Calls on I-95: 4
Clerk’s Office
Some of the services available at the Clerk’s Office include:
- Disabled parking permits, available for Village of Pelham residents.
- Dog Licenses, available for Village of Pelham residents.
Further information, including applications for disabled parking and dog licenses, can be found on the Clerk’s website. Village of Pelham Manor residents must go to Village of Pelham Manor Village Clerk at 4 Penfield Place to acquire a Disabled permit and Dog license.
Next Town Board Meeting
Our next Town Board meeting will take place on Monday February 6, 2023 at 7pm at Town Hall. Please see our Town website for all updates.
Sincerely,
Dan McLaughlin, Supervisor
Rae Szymanski, Deputy Supervisor
Kristen Burke, Councilwoman
Maura Curtin, Councilwoman
Kara McLoughlin, Councilwoman