Dobbs Ferry trustees approve grants, fireworks contract and flood‑study engagement

At its meeting the Dobbs Ferry Board of Trustees approved a series of grants, contracts and appointments covering parks, cultural programming, public safety systems and a flood‑mitigation study.

The board accepted a 2026 community grant from the Greater Irvington Land Trust to plant a red oak and install an educational sign at the corner of Asheford Avenue and Shady Lane. Trustees also approved acceptance of an $1,800 community grant for the Chanty Park Mini Forest project after removing a paragraph in the resolution that had implied village funding; staff said the award would cover roughly half the project and future matching could be considered.

The board authorized the village administrator to enter into a contract with Legion Fireworks for a July 4, 2026 fireworks display for an amount not to exceed $20,000, and trustees noted a companion license agreement for access to private property will be considered at a future meeting.

Trustees voted to authorize engagement with Rosan Solutions for a benefit‑cost analysis for the Gold Park/Petra Place flood mitigation project for up to $19,500. Staff explained the benefit‑cost ratio is required by state and federal grant programs and must be included in applications. As one trustee put it, "we have to spend another $20,000 on a superfluous study in order to capture a much larger amount of grant," reflecting concern about additional study costs despite existing data. Staff responded that the county and grantors require the specific analysis as part of the application process; "the benefit cost ratio is part of state and federal grant requirements," a staff member said.

Other approvals included a $10,000 agreement supporting the Dobbs Ferry Historical Society’s programming, an $8,000 public‑private partnership with Jazz Forum Arts for the waterfront summer music series, and a contract to host a free More Dance performance at Waterfront Park on July 18, 2026 (the organization will waive its fee and assume staffing responsibilities). The board adopted a park bench and tree dedication policy and renewed the TRACKS (traffic and criminal software) agreement with Westchester County Department of Public Safety and the New York State Police at no cost.

Financial housekeeping passed as well: trustees approved fire‑department budget line transfers, several departmental budget amendments and a salary adjustment for the assistant camp director to improve recruitment prospects. The board also unanimously waived use fees for the Embassy Center as inclement‑weather contingency for the River Arts Music Tour on June 6.

Where motions and seconds were recorded in the minutes, trustees moved and seconded the listed items, and votes were taken by recorded voice with unanimous "all in favor" confirmations in the meeting record. Several trustees pressed staff for contract terms and for clear documentation of vendor fees and proposals; staff said final contracts and the associated terms would be returned for execution.

The board also accepted the resignation of long‑serving Zoning Board of Appeals member Bruce Gambos and appointed Stuart Saxs to fill the unexpired term; Saxs was sworn in during the meeting.

The board did not commit village matching funds to a separate Wickers Creek study (an item was pulled after staff advised that property ownership is split among county, school district and private owners and state funding would not cover the match); staff said they would continue to pursue county and other partners.

Trustees indicated follow‑up items for future meetings: contract language and execution for fireworks and consultant work, potential matching funds for park projects, and a capital plan tied to the fire department’s equipment-replacement timeline.

Votes were recorded by voice; the transcript records "all in favor" for the motions described but does not list individual roll‑call tallies in the packet.