Residents press Pleasantville council on Superfund cleanup and alleged missing PILOT dollars; staff to follow up

Pleasantville — Several residents used the public‑comment portion of the July 6 council meeting to press elected officials for action on environmental and fiscal concerns, asking the city to investigate federal cleanup plans and to produce records about payments‑in‑lieu‑of‑taxes.

Harold Hill opened public comment with praise for recent community events and the city’s new Main Street lighting. Later a resident (Resident (Tim)) told council members he has heard that the Environmental Protection Agency is planning to stop the Superfund cleanup at a long‑running contaminated site and asked the city to gather information and lend support. “I keep hearing things about the EPA plan to stop the Superfund cleanup site,” the resident said, urging the city to seek clarity and not allow remediation work to be cut short.

In a separate, lengthier comment, resident Dale Archie pressed the council about the city’s PILOT agreements and records he said were submitted in December 2025 but remain unanswered. Archie said the city has “been missing money for years” and estimated the shortfall at about $2,700,000 over a 10‑year period, and he asked the council to bring in a specialist or forensic attorney to review agreements and recover funds if appropriate. “We’ve been missing money for years... $2,700,000. 10 years,” Archie said.

City staff responded that specific answers will require records under the Open Public Records Act and that some questions cannot be answered verbally at the meeting. The clerk (Clerk) said she had previously shared a link to documents and offered to resend it; staff and the CFO agreed to work with the resident to clarify questions and provide relevant documents or a follow‑up meeting. “Because the Open Public Records Act… I can only give you records,” the clerk said during the exchange.

Council members did not resolve the claims at the meeting and directed staff to compile the requested documents and meet with residents and the CFO to review the PILOT agreements. The clerk and finance staff said they will provide records or links and arrange a follow‑up conversation.

The public‑comment segment also included requests for better enforcement of solicitors at street corners and for mailed, printed guidance on trash and pickup schedules for residents without reliable internet access.

Next steps: staff committed to providing the requested records and to meeting with residents and department heads to clarify PILOT terms; any forensic review or legal engagement would be a separate action requiring council approval.