17 March Update from Supervisor Meyers on New Windsor precautions in response to the Coronavirus Pandemic March 17, 2020 By Patrick Mangan General 0 Based on the recommendation of New York State that local governments have 50% of employees working remotely due to the spread of COVID-19, Supervisor Meyers is taking action for the health and safety of our employees and ensuring our government continues to function for New Windsor residents. Town Departments are having employees work from home or in split shifts where possible without affecting services to the public. The New Windsor Police and New Windsor Ambulance are taking extra precautions to protect their officers and staff. Additional precautions are being taken with our highway, water and sewer departments to ensure staff availability to run critical town infrastructure. Town Hall is still open to the public for the time being, however the Town is encouraging the public not to come to Town Hall or our Recreation department unless it absolutely necessary. Please conduct business via phone, email, online or via US mail where possible. New Windsor offers online utility bill payments, court fines and fees payments, online FOIL requests, online mapping, and more on our website at newwindsor-ny.gov. Above all, Supervisor Meyers would like to assure the public that even if Town Hall does close to the public, the New Windsor government will continue to function and provide all critical services to our residents. We will continue to provide residents and businesses with information as it becomes available. Related Articles Supervisor Meyers announces cancellations due to ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic PRESS RELEASE In light of recent developments with the coronavirus pandemic and the public health emergency in New York State, Supervisor George Meyers is taking the following actions to limit exposure to town employees and the public. These protective measures are being taken to assure the operation of local government in the safest manner possible for the public and our employees during this public health crisis. All Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals meetings, public hearings and workshops are canceled until further notice. Justice Court appearances and hearings before Justice Meyers (Tuesdays) and Justice Calderin (Thursdays) are canceled until further notice. The Court will notify you of a new appearance date once the coronavirus pandemic passes. All Recreation programs and activities are canceled until further notice, including the town’s annual Easter Egg hunt. Supervisor Meyers is requesting anyone having business with the Town of New Windsor use the telephone, email, online services, or US Mail to conduct business and avoid coming into Town Hall or the Recreation Offices. New Windsor offers online utility bill payments, court fines and fees payments, online FOIL requests, online mapping, and more on our website at newwindsor-ny.gov. New Windsor Police and New Windsor Ambulance have instituted health safety protocols to protect their members and provide uninterrupted service to our residents and the general public. Please check the Town website, Facebook page, and register for text notifications on our website at newwindsor-ny.gov for updated information. Notice Public Hearing: Comprehensive Master Plan Update March 10, 2021 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR LOCAL LAW AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 300 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR ENTITLED “ZONING” AND AMENDMENT OF ZONING MAP IN FURTHERANCE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TOWN’S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Town Board of the Town of New Windsor will hold a public hearing at a Special Town Board Meeting on the 10th day of March, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. in Town Hall, 555 Union Avenue, New Windsor, New York, to consider a Local Law entitled “A Local Law Amending Chapter 300 of the Code of the Town of New Windsor entitled “Zoning” and to Amend the Zoning Map in Furtherance of the Implementation of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan Update.” Said proposed Local Law furthers recommendations made in the Town’s draft Comprehensive Plan Update, includes modifications to its AP, CL-2, PI and R-1 bulk tables, and anticipates rezoning the following parcels within the Town of New Windsor: Town tax map parcels identified as 56-1-22.32 and 56-1-20 shall be rezoned so they are fully within the R-1 zone; Town tax map parcels 26-1-1.1, 26-1-1.2, 40-2-8 and 44-1-14 shall be rezoned from R-5 to R-4; Tax map parcels 29-1-20.31, 29-1-20.32, 29-1-91.22, 29-1-92.22, 29-1-93, 31-3-1, 31-3-2, 31-3-3, 31-3-4.2, 31-3-7, 31-3-8, 31-3-9, 31-3-10, 31-4-1, 31-4-2, 31-4-3, 31-4-4, 31-4-5, 31-4-6, 31-4-7, 31-4-8, 31-4-9, 31-4-10, 31-4-11, 31-4-12, 31-4-13 and 31-4-14 shall be rezoned from OLI to R-1 Town tax map parcels 4-1-31.22 and 4-1-26.2 shall be rezoned from R-5 to R-4; Town tax map parcels 100-1-1, 100-1-2, 100-1-3, 100-1-4, 100-1-5, 100-1-6, 100-1-7, 100-1-32, 100-1-33, 100-1-34, 100-1-35, 100-1-36, 100-1-37, 100-1-38, 100-1-39, 100-1-40, 100-1-41, 100-1-42, 100-1-43, 100-1-44, 100-1-45, 100-1-46, 100-1-47, 100-1-48, 100-1-49, 100-1-50, 100-1-51, 100-1-52, 100-1-53, 100-1-54, 100-1-55, 100-1-56, 100-1-57, 100-1-58, 100-1-59, 100-1-60, 100-1-61, 100-1-62, 100-1-63, 100-1-64, 100-1-65, 100-1-66, 100-1-90, 100-1-92, 100-1-93, 100-1-94 and 100-1-96.2 shall be rezoned to CL-2; and Town tax parcel 95-1-21 shall be rezoned from R-3 to Parks. The hearing will be held on March 10, 2021 at 7:00 p.m., however, due to public health and safety concerns related to COVID-19 and in accord with Executive Orders issued by the Governor of the State of New York, the Town intends to conduct this hearing remotely, with board members participating via videoconferencing technology from various locations. Please check the Town’s website and Facebook page prior to the Public Hearing for updates, which may be necessary due to a lifting of the Governor’s Executive Orders. If conducted remotely, the public will be able to view the hearing on the Town’s official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/NewWindsorNY/) or listen by telephone. Information on how to listen by telephone will be posted before the meeting on the Town’s website at http://newwindsor-ny.gov/New-Windsor-Connect/Online-Meetings (a link to this page can also be found on the top right hand side of the Town’s homepage at http://newwindsor-ny.gov/). Every effort will also be made to give the public the opportunity to participate in the hearing via videoconference. Instructions on how to participate will be posted before the hearing on the Town’s Facebook page and on the Town’s website, at the web address listed above. Any member of the public that wishes to be heard may email questions or comments, before or during the hearing, to questions@newwindsor-ny.gov. Further comments will also be accepted via this email address for up to 10 days after the close of the March 10, 2021 public hearing. A copy of the proposed Local Law is available at the Town of New Windsor Town Clerk’s Office, 555 Union Avenue, New Windsor, NY and can be found on the homepage of the Town’s website at http://newwindsor-ny.gov/ BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR KELLY ALLEGRA, TOWN CLERK Update from Supervisor Meyers: NWPD Bike Patrol, Dog Park & New K9 Officer From Supervisor Meyers: We are introducing a few new additions for New Windsor that have been in planning stages for a couple of months. Beginning tomorrow, July 6, a police bicycle patrol will begin in our housing developments. We have had six of our officers in training for this detail. I think it is important for our officers to interact with our residents on a regular basis. My belief is that this type of patrol will be helpful in accomplishing that goal. The officers assigned to this detail are anxious to get started. There is a schedule of the dates and locations of these patrols and all our housing developments are included. Lieutenant Fred Fayo will provide oversight of this unit. The bikes will be rack mounted on a marked police vehicle and the officer will determine when and how long to patrol on the bike. I have heard repeatedly from our residents that they do not know any of the police officers, and I hope that this will create positive interaction for our residents with our officers. I have been discussing a town dog park for New Windsor for a number of weeks and the park is now a reality. The park is located at our San G Park on Union Ave across from Heritage school. There are two sections for different size dogs and both have shade structures and water bowl filling stations. The gate key required for use of the dog park will be available at the town clerk’s office starting on Thursday, July 8. In addition, as of this past Friday, we have a new K-9 unit assigned to our police patrol unit. Officer Joe Bell and his partner Duke graduated after months of training and will now be on patrol helping to keep New Windsor a safe place for all of us. 30 Day Public Notice Review and Comment Update Hazard Mitigation Plan TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR TOWN BOARD NOTICE OF THIRTY (30) DAY PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE ADOPTION OF AN UPDATE TO TOWN-WIDE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN The Town of New Windsor is preparing an update of their previously adopted 2016 Hazard Mitigation Plan. This update to the Plan allows the Town to remain eligible for future Federal and New York State mitigation and disaster funding. Public notice is hereby given that the Town of New Windsor Town Board is soliciting public review and comment on its Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan for a period of thirty (30) days commencing on January 15, 2021 and continuing through February 15, 2021. The Town Board has therefore directed the Town Clerk to post a complete copy of the Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan on the Town of New Windsor’s website at: www.newwindsor-ny.gov for public review and comment. In addition, a complete copy of the Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan is on file and available for inspection in the Town Clerk’s Office located at the Town of New Windsor Town Hall, 555 Union Avenue, New Windsor, New York 12553. Current Town Hall business hours are, by appointment only, Monday through Friday, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Town of New Windsor Town Board is holding a public hearing on the draft Plan at its March 3, 2021 Town Board Meeting at 555 Union Avenue, New Windsor, New York 12553, at 7:00 p.m. Due to public health and safety concerns related to COVID-19 and in accordance with Executive Orders issued by the Governor of the State of New York, the Town intends to conduct this hearing remotely. Please check the Town’s website and Facebook page prior to the Public Hearing for updates, which may be necessary due to a lifting of the Governor’s Executive Order. If conducted remotely, the public can view the hearing on the Town’s official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/NewWindsorNY/) or listen by telephone. Information on how to listen by telephone will be posted before the meeting on the Town’s website at http://newwindsor-ny.gov/New-Windsor-Connect/Online-Meetings (a link to this page can also be found on the top right hand side of the Town’s homepage at http://newwindsor-ny.gov/). Any member of the public that wants to be heard regarding the Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan may email questions or comments, before or during the hearing, to hmpc@newwindsor-ny.gov. Every effort will also be made to give the public the opportunity to participate in the hearing via videoconference. Instructions on how to participate will be posted before the hearing on the Town’s Facebook page and on the Town’s website, at the web address listed above. The Town Board and the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee are inviting input on the Plan from surrounding municipalities and all interested parties. All persons wishing to be heard will be given the opportunity to speak at the public hearing, in accordance with above protocols, or may submit written comments to: hmpc@newwindsor-ny.gov on or before March 3, 2021. Supervisor Meyers contacting state and county officials regarding COVID-19 vaccine location in New Windsor Supervisor Meyers is contacting New York State and Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus in regards to setting up a COVID-19 vaccination location at the Town Hall Complex. New Windsor Emergency Services has two Registered Nurses on staff who would administer the vaccine to eligible residents. All New York State guidelines would be followed. Supervisor Meyers would like to make it easier for eligible New Windsor residents to receive the vaccine. The town will announce any plans as soon as it has more information from the state and county. Message from Supervisor Meyers Regarding Town Finances From Supervisor Meyers: I want to give a quick synopsis of where the Town of New Windsor is heading next year as it relates to the town’s finances/taxes. The town, as is the case with many businesses and residents, is not in great financial condition. The town comptroller has cautioned me a number of times regarding his concerns as it relates to the town’s fiscal condition going forward next year. Two huge issues/problems facing the town are the economy and our union contracts with our unionized employees. These contracts were negotiated a couple of years ago during different economic times. An attempt was made to seek some concessions from the PBA and the CSEA - to no avail as of this time. Many of our businesses and residents are struggling (nationally 25% of businesses have gone out of business and are not coming back). I have been told many times recently by owners and residents: “I don’t know how I am going to pay my taxes.” We cannot continue going forward as if nothing is wrong. I will update our taxpayers over the coming weeks as to what steps I am going to propose to the Town Board to address this situation. To me, raising taxes is not an option. Comments are closed.