Here's a recap of what happened at Tuesday's Sleepy Hollow Board of Trustees meeting:

Public Hearing on the Budget Receives One Comment

A continuation of a public hearing on the village budget was met with only one question from the public.

Regular meeting attender Mario Belanich asked trustees what the final tax rate would be for homestead and non-homestead this year.

Trustees responded that the budget was not yet finished, but that a homestead property tax increase of just under 2 percent is expected, with some significant cuts expected across the board.

Trustees later closed the the public hearing due to lack of participation. Talks will continue next Tuesday, with numbers that will closely resemble the final budget. That meeting is open to the public.

Belanich Wants Personnel Matters Made Public

Belanich also asked trustees why they didn't publish a letter of resignation that was handed to them by former Village Treasurer Diane Jacobson. Jacobson abruptly resigned last month, but no official explanation was given.

Trustees told Belanich that all personnel matters are dealt with in executive sessions that are closed to the public - a practice that is all but universal for municipalities around the country.

Trustees told Belanich if he was really interested in reading the letter he could FOIL (Freedom of Information Law request) for it.

Village to Buy Pre-Fabricated Pump House for Water Security

The village's main source of water, the Catskill Aqueduct, will be shut down for repairs by the New York City DEP in October through April 2011, leaving the Croton Aqueduct as the sole source of water for the village while it is shut down.

"We have to find a second source of water supply," said Dolph Rotfeld, an engineering consultant. "The evaluation was made by Rich Gross (Department of Public Work General Foreman) and myself to get a new pump station installed."

To access the water the village needs an additional pump to reach the Croton Aqueduct which is farther below the surface than the Catskill Aqueduct. The village has opted for a prefabricated pump station that will cost $478,811. The village bonded $1 million form the project last year.

Rotfeld said they would try to get at least $91,000 of expenses reimbursed by New York, but said that getting money from the municipality was often very difficult.

The new pump station will be delivered in two to three months.

Warrants Approved, One Trustee Still Bitter

Trustee Tom Capossela again voted against giving a $45,000 settlement to New York law firm Bond, Schoeneck & King.

In the past, the firm was being paid by the village for labor counsel, but sometime in 2007, the law firm was released from their contract with the agreement they would continue to be paid a retainer for services. Apparently, the payments were stopped and the law firm sued for back payments, saying they would settle for $60,000.

"I wouldn't give them anything, I sure as hell don't want to give them $45,000," Capossela said.

Some trustees felt the village shouldn't settle the lawsuit because Bond, Schoeneck & King had not performed their services under the retainer agreement. However, the rest of the trustees agreed to the settlement on the basis that dragging out the dispute could cost the village more in the long run.

Trustees to Ax Architectural Review Board

Trustees opted to hold a public hearing on April 27, 2010, regarding the elimination of the Architectural Review Board.

"There was a growing sense that the ARB has outlived its purpose," Wray said.

The ARB is tasked with reviewing the aesthetic and architectural design of projects as they relate to the immediate area within the Village. The construction, reconstruction or alteration of any building, structure, fence, wall or sign that affects the exterior appearance of a building or structure or is visible from any public street in the Village of Sleepy Hollow must be approved by the ARB prior to obtaining a Building Permit.

Trustees did not reappoint members to the ARB at last week's organizational meeting. Trustees said some of the board's responsibilities would be handed over to the Planning Board.

Village Reports

• Mayor Ken Wray said that meetings are ongoing with GM. The village hosted four conference calls with the company last month and has another one scheduled today to try to get the property sold and back on the tax rolls.
• Trustee David Schroedel said that the village needed to host a work session on a proposed water storage tank. He said the board, and the public, need to be brought up to date on the efforts to replace the old, insufficient water reservoir. 
• Trustee Barbara Carr said that the Friends of Douglas Park have had several meetings in the last two weeks in preparation for a presentation to the board about the redesign of Douglas Park. They have found three companies to bid on the redesign to make the park a natural playground, and are also planning to hold a clean-up day in the park. 
• Trustee Bruce Campbell said that the Community Relations Committee has been working to brand the village. So far, he said members of the committee have agreed the village should "own" Halloween. He said the group wants to "bring in all kinds of stake holders to make Halloween a thing for the village, more than just the haunted hay ride."
• Trustee Evelyn Stupel said that she had received many calls about the abject state of the landscaping around the Headless Horesman sculpture on N Broadway. She said "The shrubbery around it is poor, I would like to see something done to it, even minimally."

Wompa Wants Village to Consider Land Purchase

Trustee Karin Wompa wants the the village to consider purchasing the empty lot at 68 Beekman Ave. which has just gone on the market.

"It might be a good idea for the village to entertain purchasing the lot for additional parking for Beekman Ave.," Wompa said. "It would also open up parking behind other stores."

Village Administrator Anthony Giaccio agreed.

"This would give the village an opportunity to control a critical area, which is something we need to think about," he said.

Wichmann Just Wants to Leave Sleepy Hollow

Manor resident Paul Wichmann has been involved with the village's Building Department in a dispute over the reconstruction of his driveway. Apparently the building department has been inundated with complaints from Wichmann's neighbors about his driveway which was built without approval. The complaints are making it hard for him to obtain a certificate of occupancy which will allow him to sell his house to move away.

"Presently I am in the midst of moving, I'm planning a move to Connecticut," Wichmann said. "The bottom line is I am moving, I want to get out of this town, I don't want to pay taxes anymore, I don't want to jump through hoops anymore. I don't want to deal with my driveway, I don't want to deal with my neighbors, I just want to get out."

Trustees promised to look into the situation.