COMMITTEE ON HOUSING, PLANNING AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS JOINT MEETING WITH COMMITTEE ON BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS
MINUTES: JULY 10, 2006
BUDGET & APPROPRIATIONS MEMBERS: Chair (acting as): Martin Rogowsky; Legislators: Thomas Abinanti, Jose Alvarado, William Burton, Ursula LaMotte, Vito Pinto, Bernice Spreckman, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Suzanne Swanson, William Ryan.
PUBLIC SAFETY & SECURITY MEMBERS: Chair: William Burton; Legislators: Vito Pinto, Bernice Spreckman. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Suzanne Swanson.
PUBLIC WORKS, TRANSPORTATION, LABOR & PARKS MEMBERS: Chair: Jose Alvarado; Legislators: William Burton, Judith Myers, Vito Pinto, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Suzanne Swanson
HOUSING, PLANNING, AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS MEMBERS: Chair: Lois Bronz; Legislators: William Burton, Vito Pinto, Bernice Spreckman, Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
IN ATTENDANCE: Law Dept: Lori Alesio, Shannon Brady; CEO: Sal Carrera, William Randolph; DPW: Ralph Butler; Budget: Kate Carrano, Arthur Vietro; Planning: Dave Kvinge, Fran McLaughlin, Deb DeLong, Jerry Mulligan; BOL: Barbara Dodds, HANAC: John Katteris, Rich Comerford; LWVW: Barbara Strauss; Bethel: James Hoklin Jr., Bruce Bradigan, Anastasia Mortopoulo; Community Preservation Corp.: Sadie McKeown; Westchester Community College: Rich DelGuidice, Pamela Geraghty, Susan Stanton, Dr. Joseph Hankin, Jeffrey Conte; Oxman, Tulis, Kirkpatrick, Whyatt & Geiger: John Kirkpatrick
Meeting called to order at 10:40 by acting chair Martin Rogowsky.
JOINT with HOUSING, PLANNING & GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
Item 10
C68(WCC77) - $6.5 million in bonds - Westchester Community College’s
Information Systems Upgrade. Leg. Bronz called to order the Committee on Housing, Planning and Government Operations (HPGO).
C68: A bond act to authorize an information systems upgrade in the PeopleSoft software at WCC. (Continued discussion from a former meeting) $6.5 million is covering Phase II. Phase I was accounting, payroll, human resources. Phase II is student registration, financial aid and related items. $950,00 is for actual hardware, $1.2 million for a one time licensing fee to get the system. Paid extra to get fast track because WCC was only given 6 months before losing the County system. Conversions, installation modules and customization because of gpvernment requirements.
County chargebacks are included in this fee. The WCC annual operating budget over five years will handle maintenance costs. The total cost of the whole project is $10,585,381.
Leg. Burton asked if there are any savings as a result. Old code could no longer be maintained. Leg. Bronz noted that we would have efficiencies we would not have otherwise.
Phase 1 was paid out of reserves. Budget Director Carrano said in 1998 County approved setting up a reserve to pay for this expense. Until bond authorization is given, the college can’t move forward. This act only authorizes them to incur the liability so that it does not have to be cashed up in one fell swoop.
The system is deteriorating and putting off phase II would only add cost to the upgrade. There is also a risk of failure of the system. The college owns the hardware and has already paid the license fee.
Leg. Abinanti asked for clarification of the County’s commitment. The County will float the bond for the College and will pay the annual cost as part of WCC budget and $6.5 million will be paid over next five years at about $1.4 million a year from whatever sources the college gets. For the Budget Committee, Legislator LaMotte moved approval and seconded by Legislator Pinto. For the Housing, Planning & Government Operations Committee, approval moved by Legislator Stewart-Cousins and seconded by Legislator Burton. Passed by both committees.
Item 9
A13: Act conveying County property for construction of affordable senior rental housing—White Plains. Discussion ensued about changing the item from sale to lease that had been in the Committee. Leg. Pinto recalled that Leg. Burton originally brought the idea of leasing the property instead of selling it and at the last meeting it was agreed to ask HANAC to get back to the Committee. Leg. Rogowsky added that the project has been on the agenda in the Committee and changing the sale to a lease is part of the Committee’s work.
Mr. Mulligan: This legislation is a consolidated effort to respond to all the issues raised in many meetings. The package includes a local law authorizing the County to enter into the lease with the developer team HANAC/Bluestone that would be for 65 years with three options to renew for 10 years each allowing the lease to go up to 95 years. Also, the charter needs to be amended with a local law to allow for the lease to be put in place. Lease cannot be entered into for 60 days.
Discussion on affordable housing for seniors. The purchase price of $1.56 million remains the same and would be paid up front by the development team, the $1 million to be set aside for the reserve fund will also be paid by the development team.
For HPGO Committee: .Moved by Leg. Stewart-Cousins and seconded by Leg. Spreckman; for Budget Committee: Moved by Leg. Ryan, seconded by Leg. Alvarado. Passed by both committees.
Item 8
A20: Act authorizing change in income limits for housing units at The Pines at
Narragansett, Ossining. Because there are services other than building maintenance, Bethel is losing money with the limited income population. Request is to raise income limits and market to a broader audience.
After substantive discussion on assistive housing for seniors, Leg. Bronz noted that this proposal is an opportunity to fill the unfilled units at the Pines. Lender says that if there is no solution she will have to foreclose on the project and the County will own the building.
Motion made for HPGO Committee by Leg. Burton and seconded by Leg. Stewart-Cousins. For Budget Committee, motion to approve made by Leg. Alvarado and seconded by Leg. Spreckman. Passed by both committees with one negative vote.
Both committees adjourned at 12:30.
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