Elmsford trustees approve appointments, set multiple public hearings and join joint action over Con Edison rate increase

The Elmsford Village Board voted unanimously at its March meeting to approve a mayoral appointment to the volunteer fire department, accept community donations, set several public hearings for April 15, 2025, and join other municipalities in retaining counsel to oppose a Con Edison rate increase.

Board action matters because the appointment and donations affect local emergency and community services, the hearings set the timetable for potential changes to local law, the village budget and solar permitting, and joining a multijurisdictional legal effort commits the village to a shared legal expense.

The board approved the mayor’s contingent appointment of Matthew D’Souza as a volunteer firefighter. A roll call after the motion recorded Ayes from Trustee Henry; Trustee Coffey; Trustee Evans; Trustee Lopez; Claire Winn; and Mayor Williams. The appointment will take effect subject to any required onboarding or background checks.

Trustees also voted to accept several donations the mayor described during the meeting: $100 from the Scribe School toward police and fire-related public functions, $200 from architect Amelia Escalades for public-safety purposes, and an offer from Frank Acosta to pay for the senior center’s monthly birthday cake. The board approved acceptance by roll call.

The board unanimously adopted a resolution to establish a public hearing on April 15, 2025, for a proposed local law described at the meeting as “relative to the General Municipal Law section 3-c.” The board also set a public hearing for April 15, 2025, on the village budget covering the period described at the meeting (text in the record: budget “from 05/31/2026”), and a public hearing on April 15, 2025, for a proposal to move solar-application approval from the board to the building department. Each of those resolutions passed on roll call votes with all trustees recorded as Aye.

Separately, the board approved a resolution to join other municipalities in hiring outside counsel to challenge a Con Edison rate increase. The mayor said the initial contribution is $5,000 per community, with the per-community amount possibly falling if additional jurisdictions join. The motion passed on a unanimous roll call.

The meeting also included routine approvals, including approval of board minutes and a resolution authorizing payment of claims; both motions passed on unanimous roll calls recorded in the minutes.

After concluding public business, the board moved into an executive session on one personnel matter by unanimous voice vote.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the meeting): - Mayoral contingent appointment — Matthew D’Souza, volunteer firefighter — Outcome: Approved (Ayes recorded: Trustee Henry; Trustee Coffey; Trustee Evans; Trustee Lopez; Claire Winn; Mayor Williams). - Resolution authorizing payment of claims — Outcome: Approved (Ayes recorded: Trustee Henry; Walter Coffey; Trustee Evans; Trustee Lopez; Mayor Williams). - Acceptance of donations (Scribe School $100; Amelia Escalades $200; Frank Acosta — senior cake) — Outcome: Approved (Ayes recorded by roll call). - Resolution establishing public hearing on proposed local law (GML §3-c) for 04/15/2025 — Outcome: Approved (unanimous roll call). - Resolution establishing public hearing on the village budget (hearing set 04/15/2025; budget period referenced as beginning 05/31/2026 in the record) — Outcome: Approved (unanimous roll call). - Resolution establishing public hearing on moving solar application approval to the building department (hearing set 04/15/2025) — Outcome: Approved (unanimous roll call). - Resolution to join other communities to retain counsel to challenge a Con Edison rate increase (initial per-community contribution stated at $5,000) — Outcome: Approved (unanimous roll call).

No votes recorded in the transcript were shown as defeated, tabled, or amended. The board adjourned to an executive session on one personnel matter.