The Greenburgh Town Board unanimously approved partial tax exemptions for members of volunteer fire departments and ambulance companies. The exemptions are authorized by the NY State Legislature. The exemptions were designed to help all volunteer departments recruit and keep volunteers. A number of communities around the state have adopted similar laws. The current New YorkStatelaw is not fair. The NYS Legislature did not authorize the town to grant exemptions to volunteers who volunteer at paid departments such as Fairview, Greenvilleor Hartsdale. A volunteer is a volunteer – I am contacting State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assemblyman Richard Brodsky and am requesting that they propose an amendment to the law so that all volunteers (even those volunteering at departments with paid members) be entitled to partial tax relief. Volunteers are on call 24 hours a day and night and save the town taxpayers millions of dollars. Last night the Greenburgh Town Board designated 15 Adams Placeas a Historic landmark. Famed photographer Gordon Parks lived at 15 Adams. Many other nationally recognized leaders also maintained residency in the ParkwayGardenssection of town – during the 1950s and 1960s. We were honored to have Mr. Parks son at our meeting. The Board also authorized the Commissioner of Public Works to issue an RFP for an independent study to determine the causes of flooding on East Hartsdale Aveand at other sections of the town –that experience flooding problems. We will ask the consultant we hire to develop recommendations. We need a plan- short term and long term. East Hartsdale Ave is starting to come back. We must work hard to figure out a way to avoid a repeat of the flood of 2007. PAUL FEINER
GreenburghTownSupervisor