New Windsor board adopts 2025 sewer assessment roll, overrides tax‑levy cap and approves hires, grants

Supervisor Verdetti presided over the Town of New Windsor board meeting on Sept. 3, 2025, where the board adopted the town’s 2025 sewer assessment roll, approved a local law to override the New York State tax‑levy limit for fiscal year 2026, and approved a slate of hires and grants.

The town opened a public hearing on the sewer assessment roll and heard a presentation from Assessor Ted Wyland, who explained the assessments are calculated by sewer district charges rather than assessed property values and urged residents this was the final opportunity to raise objections before adoption. "Tonight is the final opportunity for a taxpayer" to challenge charges, Wyland said. After the hearing the board moved, held a roll call and adopted the 2025 sewer assessment roll, directing the town clerk to publish the determination as required by law.

The board also opened and closed a public hearing on a proposed local law to override the tax‑levy limit established in New York State General Municipal Law Section 3‑c and voted to adopt the local law to permit the town to exceed the statutory levy limit for the fiscal year beginning Jan. 1, 2026. The board directed the clerk to publish the adopted local law.

Board members approved several personnel actions. The board authorized the hiring of Mandy L. Maldonado as a full‑time police inspector, effective Sept. 6, 2025; Supervisor Verdetti publicly disclosed he abstained from that vote because "Mandy Maldonado has a maiden name of Bettetti. She happens to be my daughter," and the abstention was recorded. The board also approved hiring Tina M. Martinez as a full‑time police inspector (effective Sept. 27, 2025) and two police dispatchers (start dates later in September).

On grants and equipment, the board accepted a New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety grant for $24,450 for Oct. 1, 2025–Sept. 30, 2026 to support traffic enforcement and safety programs. The town received and filed a $93,000 grant agreement from the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York to purchase police equipment, including a planned K‑9 vehicle, and also received a $59,000 dormitory authority grant for ADA renovations at Town Hall. The board authorized the New Windsor Police Justice Court to apply for a JCAP grant of up to $30,000 in the February 2026 cycle.

The board introduced two local laws aimed at land development controls: amendments to the town subdivision law (chapter 257) and to the zoning/site‑plan chapter (chapter 300). For the subdivision local law the board declared the action unlisted under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and scheduled a public hearing for Oct. 1, 2025 at 7 p.m. For the zoning/site‑plan local law the board declared the action a Type I under SEQRA, forwarded the environmental assessment and proposed law to the Orange County Department of Planning and the Town Planning Board, and scheduled a hearing for Nov. 5, 2025 at 7 p.m.

The board authorized the appointment of Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services LLC as the town’s insurance broker and authorized the supervisor to execute related agreements, and authorized the supervisor to execute an agreement with MHA Engineering for design, bidding, grant administration and construction‑phase services for the Resetti Park Activity Building and site improvements.

Other administrative items received and filed by the board included a one‑year residential lease for 93 Union Avenue, a petition for review of a special franchise assessment (Cablevision), license agreement No. 906 from Central Hudson for temporary decorative attachments to utility poles, and monthly department reports for August 2025.

During public comment County Legislator Joe Munoz and Supervisor Verdetti recognized New Windsor participants in the Orange County internship program; Munoz said 54 interns were selected countywide from more than 400 applicants and presented certificates to local participants. "Fifty‑four were selected to work, and then we put this out to other… I think it’s been a great opportunity for people to gain experience," Munoz said.

The meeting closed after a brief public forum in which the supervisor reminded residents that the first day of school was the following day and urged caution around bus stops. The board adjourned at about 7:28 p.m.

Votes at a glance - Adopt 2025 sewer assessment roll: approved on roll call (motion passed). (Introduced: SEG 079; concluded: SEG 100) - Adopt local law to override GML §3‑c for fiscal 2026: approved on roll call (Introduced: SEG 126; concluded: SEG 156) - Appoint Arthur J. Gallagher as insurance broker: approved (Introduced: SEG 445; concluded: SEG 456) - Authorize MHA Engineering for Resetti Park design/construction services: approved (Introduced: SEG 487; concluded: SEG 505) - Authorize inspection/report for building at 122 John Street: approved (Introduced: SEG 519; concluded: SEG 526) - Hire Mandy L. Maldonado, police inspector (effective 09/06/2025): approved; Supervisor Verdetti abstained and disclosed family relationship (Introduced: SEG 545; concluded: SEG 563) - Hire Tina M. Martinez, police inspector (effective 09/27/2025): approved (Introduced: SEG 573; concluded: SEG 579) - Hire two police dispatchers (transfers): approved (Introduced: SEG 591; concluded: SEG 606) - Accept NY Governor’s Traffic Safety grant $24,450: approved (Introduced: SEG 610; concluded: SEG 642) - Authorize JCAP grant application up to $30,000 (Police Justice Court): approved (Introduced: SEG 647; concluded: SEG 670) - Approve outdoor amusement permit for Jim Moroney’s event (Sept. 2025): approved (Introduced: SEG 672; concluded: SEG 696) - Receive and file Dormitory Authority grant $93,000 (police equipment): received and filed (Introduced: SEG 701; concluded: SEG 716) - Receive and file Dormitory Authority grant $59,000 (ADA renovations): received and filed (Introduced: SEG 721; concluded: SEG 730) - Receive and file Orange County youth development funding $10,000: received and filed (Introduced: SEG 731; concluded: SEG 737)

(For each listed item the meeting transcript contains the motion, roll call and directive to file or publish as recorded in the meeting minutes.)