Traffic Calming Measures – Speed Humps
One of the most significant issues for our community is traffic with speeding and other dangerous driving being of greatest concern. The Town Board and the staff have been working to identify and address these issues. Part of the means of addressing it is through the work of the Traffic Safety Work Group which comprised of staff and residents considers problems brought to our attention and possible solutions.
One traffic calming measure is the use of speed humps. I am very much open to considering speed humps. They work. They slow down traffic and make our street safer. Of course they are not suitable on every road where requested. When the Town Board decided to install speed humps on Cherry Street, I recall one resident expressing concern that we were creating a precedent that would lead to requests all over town. I replied that the Town should consider such requests on a case by case and where appropriate move ahead and install them. As to a campaign for them, it should start with the community letting us know especially those on the street where they would be installed. Talk to the homeowners on Church and on Babbitt. See what they think. How would they feel if they have a speed hump in front of their house (bearing in mind that they are noisy when drivers speed over them)?
We need to involve our Town staff to consider what might be appropriate locations. I'm happy to discuss - just send me an e-mail at
supervisor@bedfordny.gov
or give a call at 666-6530.
Evaluating Solar Panels for Town Facilities
The cost of solar cells, panels and installation has declined over the last several years and coupled with New York State incentives to municipalities, we are working to identify cost effective and appropriate sites. As way of background, the plans for the Police Station had long included carports to extend the life of police vehicles and reduce police officer time in making them ready for operation in inclement weather. We initially reasonably believed the carports would be financed through third party solar developers. Due to a change in tax and state incentive programs through the Public Service Commission, the financial viability for such third-party, tax advantaged projects in NYSEG service area disappeared. As a result, the Town proceeded with the carports at a total cost of $302,436. If the Town had elected to proceed with carports without solar panels, the cost would have been approximately $250,000 or about $52,000 less. It should be noted, however, that the Town will receive a credit estimated at $18,067.50 from NYSERDA reducing the difference to about $34,400. It is estimated that the solar panels will generate over 60% of the electricity needs of the station.
The status of the carport project is as follows:
- The carport structure requires a 10 to 12 week manufacturing window, which from the time of the order puts delivery between October 1 and October 15.
- Once the contractor has a firm shipping schedule, they will coordinate with Chief Padilla on a staging area for the installation work.
- The contractor will commence the installation work immediately after the steel arrives. We anticipate 3 weeks to erect the carports and another 1 week for the solar array installation and 1 week for lighting, electrical interconnection, punch list and final commissioning.
- If the steel arrives by October 15, we expect to done and ready to "flip the switch" before Thanksgiving.
In addition, the roof to the salt shed (which is a large structure) at the Adams Street Highway Yard was specifically designed (weight load, pitch and orientation) to accommodate solar panels. We also will be considering the maintenance building at the Highway Yard. The contractor for the solar carport at the Police Station believes that the salt shed is a good site and the maintenance building may be as well.
The firm is reviewing plans for the maintenance building and, I anticipate, will be providing feedback. As with the carport, we would bid out the project.
Master Wireless Plan
The Town Board is acting upon the recommendations of the Wireless Facilities Working Group (WFWG) to enter into an agreement with CityScape Consultants, Inc. for the “Study and Report of Emergency Service and Wireless Telecommunications Infrastructure Master Plan for the Town of Bedford”.
By way of background, following the adoption on December 18, 2018 of the new Wireless Telecommunications Facility Law (which was adopted for the purpose, among others, to establish uniform standards for the siting, design, permitting, maintenance, and use of wireless telecommunication facilities in the Town), the Town Board this past January appointed the WFWG.
The mission of the WFWG is to assist the Town Board in addressing cell service deficiencies which may exist in certain areas in the Town which could potentially affect public safety including the ability of the Town’s Police Department, Fire Departments, Volunteer Ambulance Corps and other emergency responders to communicate in the most effective manner with one another and with those who need emergency aid and for those who need emergency aid to communicate with emergency services.
The WFWG also was asked to develop a consolidated, comprehensive and cost effective approach to the wireless telecommunications needs of the Town and its residents through the creation of a wireless master plan.
____________________________________________________
Renewable Sourced Electricity –
Petitioning the Public Service Commission
The Town long has promoted low cost electricity from renewable energy sources. Our objective is shared throughout Westchester County which led to the establishment of Community Choice Aggregation, known as Westchester Power. While CCA is a good model, it needs work.
I am asking the Town Board to consider the adoption of a resolution calling upon PSC to combine billing for Community Solar with the regular electric bill. By way of background the PSC on June 18, 2019 issued its “Notice Seeking Comments Regarding Consolidated Billing for Community Distributed Generation” (Case No. 19-M-0463). As a member of Sustainable Westchester, the Town of Bedford is one of the leaders in New York State to promote renewal energy which would include Community Solar as a community distributed generation (CDG) project and has a direct interest in the outcome of any PSC action with regard to community distributed generation. We also anticipate that Sustainable Westchester, under the CCA program will seek the option to offer Community Solar on an opt-out basis. Community Solar will further the goals of New York State, Westchester County and the Town of Bedford in reducing greenhouse gas emissions while also saving electricity customers money on their utility bills. Under present PSC rules, an electric utility customer participating in Community Solar is confronted with a complicated system of separate bills and payment requirements which discourages Community Solar. Consolidating billing into a single billing statement among all electricity providers and distributors would reduce uncertainty, lower cost and open a vast market for local renewable energy, all of which directly supports New York State, Westchester County and Town of Bedford renewable energy goals. For these reasons, the proposed resolution strongly urges the PSC to take action to consolidate billing among all electricity providers and distributors.
There are other actions which the PSC can take. I am working with other Westchester County elected officials to petition the Public Service Commission for changes in regulations.
The following is a letter to the PSC which North Salem Supervisor Warren Lucas and I are asking other elected officials to sign:
We write to ask for your support in rectifying Public Service Commission regulations and, to the extent needed, statutory authority with respect to Community Choice Aggregation and Community Solar. As Mayors and Supervisors in Westchester County, we strongly support the Governor’s Reforming the Energy Vision and his recently announced accelerated Clean Energy Targets. We intend to do our part in helping achieve such goals. We are concerned, however, that the certain PSC regulations as well as opaque utility company pricing are harming the CCA program, hampering participation and unnecessarily resulting in “opt outs”. We hope that you will give serious consideration to the following proposals:
1. Transparent Utility Company Pricing
CCAs have immense potential to help meet NYS REV goals, however, the lack of transparency in utility energy pricing and hedging strategies impedes the success of CCAs. New Jersey municipalities have the ability to offer CCA programs that guarantee savings against the utility rate. Under NJ utility regulation, monthly changes in utility pricing are transparent and published ahead of time, thereby enabling ESCOs to adjust their pricing depending on the utility’s benchmarks. In New York, ESCOs have no way to guarantee savings because they lack this information. Just as we insist on transparency in government, we need transparency in utility pricing.
2. Modify and Eliminate Switch Letters
Our residents are understandably confused and upset to receive switch letters, which assert that they have affirmatively chosen a new ESCO as their supplier. New participants in the CCA should receive a modified switch letter that is CCA-specific. Additionally, when our respective municipalities renew our CCA participation with Sustainable Westchester and an ESCO supplying electricity, residents should not receive a switch letter. While the ESCO may differ between contracts, residents’ participation in the program has not changed. The confusion resulting from the unnecessary switch letter to CCA participants leads to lack of credibility for the CCA program and prompts opt outs. The switch letter doesn’t make sense between CCA contracts and should be eliminated.
3.
Enrollment for CCA Needs to Be Simplified
The DPS requires the same opt-in enrollment process for CCA as other ESCOs. This is inappropriate. The opt-in enrollment for CCA should be simplified and easy. A simple and efficient opt-in process will grow the CCA program and thereby support New York’s sustainability and renewable energy goals.
4.
Removing ZEC charges from Community Solar
CCA can be an extremely effective vehicle for facilitating new solar installations at much accelerated rates, in particular, through community solar projects. As currently implemented, the financials for these projects require the RECs to be sold to third parties. Despite the huge impact of bringing new renewables online, ZEC charges are still assessed. We ask that NYS consider removing the ZEC charges for each watt we create in recognition of the importance of achieving NYS REV goals and the development of local renewables. This would allow us to move full force into solar projects and it might be an effective model for the entire State.
5.
Identify CCA as Supplier Name
When residents see a change in ESCO supplier name on their bill, even if it is pursuant to a CCA renewal, they often think they have been dropped out of the program or targeted by slamming, leading to opt outs. There is no need for this. We propose that the CCA be identified on the bill as the supplier to avoid this confusion.
We look forward to working with you and your Department in moving us ahead toward our common goals.
________________________________________________________
Traffic Calming Measures
Speed Humps
One of the most significant issues for our community is traffic with speeding and other dangerous driving being of greatest concern. The Town Board and the staff have been working to identify and address these issues. Part of the means of addressing it is through the work of the Traffic Safety Work Group which comprised of staff and residents considers problems brought to our attention and possible solutions.
One traffic calming measure is the use of speed humps. I am very much open to considering speed humps. They work. They slow down traffic and make our street safer. Of course they are not suitable on every road where requested. When the Town Board decided to install speed humps on Cherry Street, I recall one resident expressing concern that we were creating a precedent that would lead to requests all over town. I replied that the Town should consider such requests on a case by case and where appropriate move ahead and install them.
As to a campaign for them, it should start with the community letting us know especially those on the street where they would be installed. Talk to the homeowners on Church and on Babbitt. See what they think. How would they feel if they have a speed hump in front of their house (bearing in mind that they are noisy when drivers speed over them)?
We need to involve our Town staff to consider what might be appropriate locations.
______________________________________________________
Evaluating Solar Panels for Town Facilities
The cost of solar cells, panels and installation has declined over the last several years and coupled with New York State incentives to municipalities, we are working to identify cost effective and appropriate sites. As way of background, the plans for the Police Station had long included carports to extend the life of police vehicles and reduce police officer time in making them ready for operation in inclement weather. We initially reasonably believed the carports would be financed through third party solar developers.
Due to a change in tax and state incentive programs through the Public Service Commission, the financial viability for such third-party, tax advantaged projects in NYSEG service area disappeared. As a result, the Town proceeded with the carports at a total cost of $302,436. If the Town had elected to proceed with carports without solar panels, the cost would have been approximately $250,000 or about $52,000 less.
It should be noted, however, that the Town will receive a credit estimated at $18,067.50 from NYSERDA reducing the difference to about $34,400. It is estimated that the solar panels will generate over 60% of the electricity needs of the station. The status of the carport project is as follows:
- The carport structure requires a 10 to 12 week manufacturing window, which from the time of the order puts delivery between October 1 and October 15.
- Once the contractor has a firm shipping schedule, they will coordinate with Chief Padilla on a staging area for the installation work.
- The contractor will commence the installation work immediately after the steel arrives. We anticipate 3 weeks to erect the carports and another 1 week for the solar array installation and 1 week for lighting, electrical interconnection, punch list and final commissioning.
- If the steel arrives by October 15, we expect to done and ready to "flip the switch" before Thanksgiving.
In addition, the roof to the salt shed (which is a large structure) at the Adams Street Highway Yard was specifically designed (weight load, pitch and orientation) to accommodate solar panels. We also will be considering the maintenance building at the Highway Yard. The contractor for the solar carport at the Police Station believes that the salt shed is a good site and the maintenance building may be as well.
The firm is reviewing plans for the maintenance building and, I anticipate, will be providing feedback. As with the carport, we would bid out the project.
______________________________________________________
Tree Maintenance and Planting Program
Why we’re taking action:
To recognize and appreciate that trees produce oxygen, capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, provide air purification, prevent soil erosion, control flooding, assist in water purification, contribute to the quality of life by providing cooling shade, provide habitat for wildlife, reduce noise levels, and aesthetically enhance the landscape.
-Inspiring words from the Town of Greenwich
We are moving ahead with the Town’s ambitious tree maintenance and planting program based on a plan which was funded by a grant from NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. The Town, following Conservation Board study and recommendation, selected the Davey Resource Group (DRG) to carry out the one year study of trees and potential tree planting sites on certain Town properties, including the hamlet parks, other Town green spaces and Town rights of way along Town roads. DRG issued a comprehensive Tree Maintenance and Planting Plan, which the Town has adopted resulting in the largest tree maintenance and planting program in the Town’s history. I know of no municipality in New York with as ambitious a program on a per capita basis. Under the Town’s Capital Plan we are funding $65,000 per year for each of 2019, 2020 and 2021 for maintenance and planting.
The Town’s Recreation & Parks Department for the most part will carry out DRG’s maintenance plan for Town parks and green spaces, though some outside contractors will be used. The Town’s Public Works Department, also for the most part, will be implementing the maintenance plan for the Town’s rights of way along Town roads, and will be utilizing Town contractors more extensively for take-downs and pruning.
I met on Thursday with the group to discuss the planting plan. The tentative plan is to plant as many as 30 trees this Fall. The Parks Department aims to plant 10 and 20 would be planted by a contractor selected by the Town. The group will be carefully selecting species and size of each tree, hand picking each one, and also carefully choosing the corresponding planting location from the 561 potential locations which the DRG Tree Maintenance and Planting Plan identified, and other appropriate sites.
My thanks to the committee comprised of Heather Langham of the Tree Advisory Board, Linda Merrill of the Bedford Garden Club member, Virginia Maybank of the Bedford Garden Club, Simon Skolnik, chairman of the Conservation Board, Susan Roos of the Conservation Board, Public Works Commissioner Kevin Winn, Deputy Superintendent of Recreation & Parks Kim O’Brien, Comptroller Abraham Zambrano, Parks Foreman Tom Megna and Park Arborist John Goodman.
