Orangetown Council Changes Meeting Day, Supports Prescription Drug Legislation

The Orangetown Council began a busy night with its monthly Police Commission before Thursday's meeting.

The board wasn't done even after the police report and its regular agenda, passing three more resolutions under new business.

One resolution approved spending up to $26,000 on advertising for Blue Hill Golf Course and Broadacres Golf Course. 

The council also voted to change the dates of its next workshop from May 10 to May 8 and its next regular meeting from May 17 to May 15. This is part of the process of moving the town's meeting dates back to Tuesday nights. They had been moved to Thursdays earlier this year.

Supervisor Andy Stewart brought the issue up for discussion and Councilman Denis Troy made the motion to move back to Tuesdays. The council is expected to vote on a meeting calendar for the rest of 2012 May 15. 

The third item was a resolution in support of Bill No. A08320, also known as I-Stop, which is currently under consideration by the New York State Assembly but not the Senate. The bill would create a system for tracking the prescription and dispensation of controlled substances and help put a stop to over prescription.

At the April 19 town workshop, _Ann Marie Hahr spoke for the Orangetown Substance Abuse Committee_ in asking the town board to pass a resolution supporting the bill.

Troy, who is the council's liaison to the substance abuse committee, proposed the resolution. One of the goals is to get the bill into the Senate as well.

"It is entirely in the bounds of our interest to advocate for other people to do things that would make it better here," Stewart said. "If the state law or proposed legislation relates to human need we have here, I think it is entirely appropriate to pass a memorializing resolution on such issues."

The town board also approved another bump in the allowed spending for legal fees related to ongoing negotiations with the PBA and CSEA, which could drag well into the summer, raising the number to $70,000.

Councilman Tom Diviny argued that things were close enough to a settlement with the PBA that it may be time to stop spending on legal representation on the matter.

The increase passed, though Stewart said that the town board members should meet to discuss the ongoing union negotiations. The town sent out a notice Friday that the Orangetown Council will meet in executive session 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 1 to discuss contract negotiations.

The Town Council also approved new members and confirmed existing members on the Blue Hill Golf Course Committee, Bureau of Fire Prevention, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Committee, Orangetown Environmental Committee, Orangetown Parks Advisory Development committee, Shade Tree Commission, Senior Citizen Advisory Committee, Substance Abuse Committee, Traffic Advisory Board, Youth Recreation Assessment Advisory Committee, Rockland Riverfront Communities Council, Board of Assessment Review and Historic Areas Board of Review.

The vote on members of the Volunteer Health Advisory Committee was put aside as Troy looks into the membership of that group.

Most of the appointments followed the agenda, which is attached to this report. Steve Sweeney was added to the Orangetown Parks Advisory Development Committee. Town Clerk Charlotte Madigan asked to be added to the CDBG Committee along with Sister Jude DePalma and Sister Peggy Scarano and was included in that resolution.

The town also appointed Sean Walsh and Hugh O'Brien as members of the newly created Broadacres Golf Task Force.

The Town Board confirmed the following liaisons for land use boards and committees:

• ABACOR - Councilman Denis Troy
• Blue Hill Golf Course Advisory Committee - Councilman Paul Valentine
• Board of Assessment Review - Councilman Tom Diviny
• Board of Ethics - Deputy Supervisor Alan Ryff
• Bureau of Fire Prevention - Diviny and Councilman Tom Morr
• Environmental Committee - Supervisor Andy Stewart
• HABOR - Morr
• Orangetown Housing Authority - Troy
• Orangetown Emergency Management Commission - Diviny
• OPDAC - Stewart
• Planning Board - Morr
• Project Review Committee - Valentine
• Shade Tree Commission - Stewart
• Senior Citizen Advisory Committee - Troy
• Traffic Advisory Board - Troy
• Volunteer Health Advisory Committee - Morr
• Youth Recreation Assessment Advisory Committee - Diviny
• Zoning Board of Appeals - Diviny

Among other matters the board addressed Thursday were:

• Accepted the retirements of three members of the Orangetown Police Department -- Sgt. Henry Reynolds effective March 31, 2012; officer Clifton Bullock effective April 30, 2012 and Officer Susan Lanoce effective April 19, 2012. 
• Approved a resolution changing the definition of floor area in the town code to comply with state regulations. There was a public hearing on the matter, but no residents spoke.
• Announced that National Police Week is May 13-19, 2012.
• Announced that National Public Works Week is May 20-26, 2012.
• Announced the Orangetown Highway Department Open House is Saturday, May 19 from 10 a.m. to noon.
• Approved a resolution that Stewart is authorized to sign a contract with Rockland County providing reimbursement to the town of $169,674 for one Orangetown Police Officer's participation in the Rockland County Narcotics Task Force.
• Accepted $4,500 from the Blauvelt Lions Club to pay for 21 trees to be planted at Blue Hill Golf Course. This is part of the Lions Club International initiative to plant three million trees annually.