Mount Vernon council holds executive session for personnel interviews; reviews agenda of resurfacing, events and police equipment purchases

Council President Danielle Brown said the City Council held an executive session for personnel interviews during its April 21 work session and later returned to open session with a unanimous roll call.

The work session focused on a committee-led tally sheet of proposed ordinances and resolutions to place on the council’s next public meeting agenda, including street resurfacing, a drug-and-alcohol testing contract to comply with U.S. Department of Transportation regulations, the acceptance of donated trees, several recreation events (an HIV/AIDS awareness walk, Juneteenth activities, Cityfest and a summer concert series), and public-safety items including acceptance of 12 parking spaces from Montefiore Health System and the proposed purchase of equipment for the Department of Public Safety.

Why it matters: the session set which items the council will consider at its upcoming public meeting and flagged several items for further confirmation from city departments or additional procedural steps. Several agenda items were marked “agenda pending” until departments such as the fire department, police department and Department of Public Works provide responses; one crossed-out item will be returned as a resolution after county and planning board review.

The council first moved into executive session for personnel interviews; the motion and second were made on the record and a roll call recorded ayes by Councilman…