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Resident questions invoices as board approves audit and retention of H2M for sewer and flood projects
Summary
At the Dec. 8 meeting a resident raised questions about consultant invoices and contract terms, including a $41,000 engineering payment tied to a dam study; trustees discussed responsibility with Westchester Joint Water Works, approved the audit after minor corrections, and authorized H2M for construction management for sewer and Jefferson Wood flood mitigation projects amid staff concerns about invoice backup.
A resident raised detailed questions about consultant contracts and invoice payments at the Village Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 8, prompting trustees and staff to promise additional review even as the board approved the audit and authorized a new construction manager.
Stuart Jeager (speaker 9), a member of the public, asked whether an earlier contract awarded in June to a firm identified in the transcript as KCSJ was executed and later terminated, and queried whether estimated construction durations had changed between an earlier proposal that described a six‑month construction duration and a new proposal that uses a different basis for estimating time and hourly charges for services beyond four months. "Has the estimated duration of the work been changed?" Jeager asked, adding that contract language should protect taxpayers if work extends beyond initial estimates.
Jeager also flagged a $41,000 payment listed in the audit to "Ramble America's engineering" for an engineering assessment of the dam, saying the work was performed 2½ years earlier and questioning why village residents should shoulder the bill when the dam is owned and maintained in large part by the Westchester Joint Water Works. "Why are village residents being solely saddled with this expense?" Jeager asked, urging the board to withdraw the payment from the audit until responsibility could be clarified.
A trustee (speaker 2) said the issue would be brought back to the Westchester Joint Water Works as part of a larger conversation, and staff noted DEC enforcement and flood concerns had previously required village action. "This will be brought back to Westchester Joint Water Works as part of a larger conversation, but we don't have answers to that yet," the trustee said. Staff and trustees agreed that avoiding DEC violations and addressing emergent flood risks meant the village had sometimes proceeded with work and would later clarify cost sharing with the waterworks.
Separately, staff (Kathleen, speaker 11) reported finding invoices processed without proper backup following the departure of the village engineer and recommended a change of consultant on ongoing sewer and Jefferson Wood flood mitigation projects. Trustees authorized retention of H2M for construction management services related to those projects; the motion was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.
Trustees reviewed audited vouchers and the auditor's report; the village treasurer (Laura, speaker 12) said she would remove an invoice that included taxes, reducing the abstract total to $516,540.17. After discussion and clarification, the board voted to approve the audit.
No final decisions were recorded on reallocating the disputed dam invoice at the Dec. 8 meeting — trustees said they would pursue further inquiry with the Westchester Joint Water Works and follow up as part of ongoing fiscal oversight.
