On Tap For Tonight's City Council Workshop: Cannabis & Loitering; Drought Emergency Plan; Highway Department; CSEA
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The City of Beacon has posted their Agenda items for tonight’s City Council Workshop Meeting. This meeting is open for the public to view/attend, but the public cannot speak. It is an opportunity for the lawmakers to meeting with the City Attorney to debate what laws they are about to enact, or money they are about to spend.
The meeting can be watched live on Zoom or at their YouTube channel.
1. Proposed Local Law Concerning the Drought Emergency Plan
Recent years have seen increases in drought conditions in the State of New York, Dutchess County and the City of Beacon (the “City”), with 2024 being a particularly dry year. In 2024, the City saw the enactment of several burn bans and a drought emergency declaration. The City acquires its potable water from three (3) reservoirs and three (3) water wells, which except for one (1) well, are all owned and operated by the City. Hence, to safeguard the general welfare, health, and safety of residents and businesses, Chapter 24 of the Beacon City Code, entitled “Drought Emergency Plan,” sets forth three (3) stages of drought emergencies for when the City’s reservoirs and/or water wells reach critical thresholds and accordingly provides restrictions on water usage which escalate with the drought’s severity.
2. Proposed Local Law Concerning Loitering
The State of New York legalized the possession and recreational sale and use of cannabis for adults over the age of 21 and also determined that adults may use cannabis in most public places where it is also legal to use tobacco products. As such, the possession and use of cannabis is largely preempted under New York State Law, meaning municipalities may not adopt more stringent laws concerning the lawful sale, use, and possession of cannabis than what is set forth under State law.
Section 145-3(C) currently provides “a person is guilty of loitering when he or she loiters or remains in a public place for the purpose of possessing or using marijuana or a controlled substance.” Therefore, the proposed local law amends Chapter 145 of the City Code to bring the City’s loitering law in conformance with State law concerning the consumption of cannabis in public places.
3. Proposed Amendments to the 2025 Budget
Amend the 2025 General Fund Highway Budget for the accumulated and unused time payout or one employee retirement Amend the 2025 General, Water and Sewer Fund Budgets for the cost-of-living increases in the CSEA Collective Bargaining Agreement (and Administration staff), which was not approved until after the 2025 Budget presentation. Amounts were accounted for in the contingency lines and will be transferred accordingly. Below is the proposed budget amendment. Proposed are transfers to the Salary and Payroll tax lines from the Contingency Fund.
Announcement of Next Meeting: May 19, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
