Gregory Becker

The meeting commenced with a dedication in memory of resident Theodore "Ted the Great" Schultz. Key reports included acknowledgments for Highway and Parks employees following Winter Storm Fern, and announcements regarding upcoming Streetscape public input sessions scheduled for February 10 and 24. The Board discussed the annual Clean Up event in April and a PAL bingo night in February. Actions taken included the approval of several Purchase Orders for the Buildings & Grounds and Sewer Departments, and the Audit of Bills for various town funds. A major focus was the public hearing and subsequent adoption of Local Law No. 1 of 2026, which extended the moratorium on the construction of large single-family detached homes (over 6,000 sq. ft.) and new residences on pre-existing nonconforming lots to allow for zoning amendments. Further authorizations included executing an agreement for the Ramapo Police Firing Range use, going out to bid for Plant Protectants & Fertilizers, approving the surplus of two vehicles, authorizing the Golf Course Superintendent to attend a national conference, and authorizing the Town Engineer to prepare design and bid documents for a Patriot Hills Golf Club irrigation project. The Board also approved budget modifications and held an executive session to discuss financial history with a town business.

The meeting focused on a Town Board code referral concerning a proposed local law to amend Chapter 215 of the Stony Point Town Code, specifically addressing concerns about excessively large homes being proposed in established neighborhoods by reviewing and potentially adjusting Floor Area Ratios (FARs). Initial discussion involved proposing a conditional use permit process for exceeding certain FAR or size standards, but concerns were raised regarding the cost implications for simple applications. The strategy is evolving to reconsider FAR standards, possibly extending a current moratorium for four months while a permanent fix, potentially tied to a comprehensive plan update, is developed. The board members discussed the complexity of applying uniform standards across different R1 and RR zoning districts due to variations in lot sizes and infrastructure (water/sewer). Members expressed a desire for greater oversight through Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals review for oversized homes, contrasting this with the difficulty of not having public input on projects approved without referral. The meeting concluded with suggestions for simplifying residential site plan requirements to potentially mitigate applicant costs, although clarification was made that consultant fees for single-family homes are typically paid by the Town, not the homeowner.

The Town Board convened for its first regular session of 2026. Key discussions included the Supervisor's report detailing upcoming streetscaping projects, the 250th anniversary plans, and a future 'Coffee with the Supervisor' event. The Police Department presented its December 2025 report, noting 757 calls for service and 22 arrests, and the board approved associated time and overtime/sick leave reports. The Highway Superintendent provided updates on snow plow routes, sewer easement clearing, and park maintenance. The Board approved numerous purchase orders for Buildings & Grounds, Golf Course Maintenance, and the Highway Department. A significant portion of the meeting involved the audit and approval of bills across various funds, including General, Highway, and Sewer funds. The board approved a donation to Keep Rockland Beautiful, set the 2026 regular meeting schedule (with modifications for summer and December), and re-appointed members to the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Architectural Review Board, and Board of Assessment Review. Other actions included approving the Gran Fondo New York bike event, renewing energy contracts (Electricity, Street Lights, Natural Gas), accepting engineering services for the WWTP, ratifying an inter-municipal agreement for sidewalk construction, approving budget modifications, authorizing an agreement with Rockland Paramedic Services, approving a bond reduction for Ba-Mar Mobile Home Park, exercising property maintenance law provisions for several addresses, renewing the CommunityPass agreement, approving an employee payout, setting a public hearing for a sewer extension, approving a service plan with Rockland Web Systems, and approving the engagement letter for auditing services. The session concluded with an Executive Session to discuss personnel matters and legal counsel.

The primary discussion centered on a minor lot line change application filed by Lewis and Boesch concerning Lots 9 and 13, designed to rectify confusing and historic property boundaries dating back to 1929. The Planning staff confirmed that this is a Type II action not subject to SEQR. Due to the proximity to a county road (Blanchard), review by the Rockland County Planning Department is required. The Board agreed to refer the GML review for Lewis and Boesch first, delaying the GML review for a subsequent application (Lewis and Lewis) until the following month to manage the workload for the County review. The Board also waived the public hearing for the Lewis and Boesch application.

The reorganization meeting involved several key administrative actions. These included setting the regular monthly meeting schedule for 2026, designating Webster Bank and NYCLASS as official depositories, and naming the Rockland County Times as the official newspaper, with the Journal News as alternate. The Board authorized the use of a facsimile signature stamp for Supervisor Monaghan on checks under $10,000. Key appointments were made, including Mark Johnson as Chairman of the Planning Board, Dan O'Kane as Chairman of the Architectural Review Board, Thomas Wright as Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals, Bradley Conklin as Town Historian, Jake Cataldo as Supervisor's Confidential Assistant, and Catherine Murray as Finance Director. Councilman Keith Williams was appointed Deputy Supervisor. Furthermore, the Board approved salaries for elected officials for 2026, established standard workday definitions for full-time and part-time elected and appointed officials for retirement system reporting, and adopted Resolution No. 3 of 2026 regarding the Town Procurement Policy.