Port Jervis council approves grant agreement, multiple hires and event permits; authorizes online tax payments

The Port Jervis Common Council approved a $1,874,266 drinking-water service-line inventory grant agreement and a package of personnel, finance and event actions at its March 10 meeting in the council chambers.

The council voted to accept a DWBILSLR funding award and to authorize execution of the NYSEFC project finance agreement that will fund Project 19627, a citywide inventory of drinking-water service lines. Council members also approved hiring Robin Hendershot as a part-time human resources director, seasonal recreation laborers and lifeguards, authorized the clerk’s office to pay recent bills and to go live with online tax payments through Tyler Technologies, and approved several community events and a construction bid advertisement.

The grant award to inventory service-line materials — described in the meeting record as a DWBILSLR funding award letter dated March 29, 2024 — was presented as funding of up to $1,874,266. The council passed a resolution authorizing the mayor or deputy mayor to execute the NYSEFC project finance agreement and directed the clerk-treasurer to prepare any required city financial documents to close the agreement. The resolution passed on a voice vote with no roll-call tally recorded on the transcript.

Council members moved and approved several personnel actions. The council hired Robin Hendershot as a part-time human resources director at $31 per hour, effective March 17, 2025. The council also approved hiring seasonal recreation laborers (Aidan McBride, CJ Ross, Tishawn Featherstone and Pat Water) to begin on or after May 1, 2025, and approved lifeguard hires contingent on completion of lifeguard and CPR/AED/first-aid certifications; the listed lifeguards include Brandon Ross, Mike Hamato, Brianna Jumchak, Ryan Ross and Charlie Cook, with Nico Jumchak listed as a substitute and a start date on or after June 20, 2025.

On finance items, the council authorized the clerk’s office to pay outstanding bills for the previous two weeks and approved launching online tax payments in the Tyler Technology system. The clerk’s office will publish detailed bill totals separately, the council said.

The council approved notice to advertise bids for the Glass Street retaining wall project; bids will be accepted at the city clerk’s office until 2 p.m. local time on April 22, 2025, and opened publicly at that time. The meeting record also shows approvals for multiple community events: the Soapbox Derby (practice and event dates in May and June), the Fabulous Fifties event at Riverside Park on June 1, the Bella Norte Italian Festival at Orange Square on Aug. 9, and a Cars in the Park show at Riverside Park on May 25 with a rain date of May 31. All event applications were noted as reviewed and approved by department heads.

The council heard committee reports and department updates, including a DPW report on a splash pad and new pavilion under construction at Church Street Park and notices about normal garbage and recycling schedules. The council set future committee meeting dates and reviewed planning and code items, including discussion of a proposed tri-state overlay district (identified as local law number 4 of 02/2025) and a proposed no-camping law (identified as local law number 5 of 02/2025) to be brought forward for public hearing at a later meeting.

Votes at a glance: • Enter executive session for contractual items and personnel — Passed (voice vote). • Approve minutes of the Feb. 24, 2025 meeting — Motion by Jeffrey Rhodes; second by Colin O'Connell — Passed (voice vote). • Hire Robin Hendershot as part-time human resources director at $31 per hour, starting March 17, 2025 — Motion by Jeffrey Rhodes; second by Stan Siegel — Passed (voice vote). • Hire seasonal recreation laborers (Aidan McBride, CJ Ross, Tishawn Featherstone, Pat Water), start on/after May 1, 2025 — Motion by Colin O'Connell — Passed (voice vote). • Approve lifeguard hires contingent on certification (Brandon Ross, Mike Hamato, Brianna Jumchak, Ryan Ross, Charlie Cook; Nico Jumchak as substitute), start on/after June 20, 2025 — Second recorded as “councilman O'Honey” in the transcript — Passed (voice vote). • Authorize clerk’s office to pay bills for the prior two weeks — Motion by Misty Fuller; second by Jeffrey Rhodes — Passed (voice vote). • Authorize clerk’s office to enable online tax payments in Tyler Technologies — Motion recorded and second by Colin O'Connell — Passed (voice vote). • Approve resolution to accept DWBILSLR grant award (up to $1,874,266) and authorize execution of NYSEFC project finance agreement — Second recorded as “councilman Aine” in the transcript — Passed (voice vote). • Advertise bids for Glass Street retaining wall project (bid opening 04/22/2025 at 2 p.m.) — Motion seconded by Jeffrey Rhodes — Passed (voice vote). • Approve Soapbox Derby, Fabulous Fifties (June 1), Bella Norte Italian Festival (Aug. 9), Cars in the Park (May 25; rain date May 31) — All passed (voice votes).

The meeting record does not include roll-call tallies for the listed votes; approvals are recorded as voice votes with the clerk stating that the motions carried.

What the record does and does not show: the transcript records the resolution language and the grant amount stated above. The record identifies NYSEFC as the project finance counterparty and references a DWBILSLR funding award letter dated March 29, 2024; the transcript does not provide the full statutory name or a copy of the grant documents, nor does it show a detailed funding breakdown beyond the maximum award amount. Several committee updates and department reports were presented but did not result in formal council action beyond scheduling future meetings or event approvals.

The council adjourned at 7:21 p.m.