A REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF THE MOUNT VERNON CITY COUNCIL
HELD ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2025.
Scheduled for 7:00 pm in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, Mount Vernon, New York.
*** This meeting was held in the City Council Chambers, with virtual participation via ZOOM and
CMVNY Facebook. The meeting was not closed to the public.***
Danielle Browne, President
PRESIDING:
OTHERS:
Nicole Bonilla, Deputy City Clerk; Antoinette Anderson, Legislative Aide; Johan
Powell, Deputy Corporation Counsel.
CALL TO ORDER / PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Lead by Deputy Corporation Counsel Johan Powell
Council President Danielle Browne called the meeting to order and provided general house-keeping
rules, including encouraging citizens to share the meeting on social media and what to do “in case of
emergency”. Council President Gleason explained the 3-minute-plus-1 public comment rule. She then
asked a Councilperson to lead the council in the Pledge of Allegiance. Council President then proceeded
to the Public Speakers session of the evening (listed below as public comment).
PUBLIC COMMENT
7:09 pm Wilma Frank, Mount Vernon, NY
Discussed tax burden on homeowners and the elected official raises.
Councilman Boxhill - arrived late did not catch the speakers comments
Councilman Poteat - spoke on taxes juxtapose with pilots and the lack of economic development for the
city.
Councilman Gleason - agree with the speaker on not continuing to over tax the taxpayer. Council is
partnering with the administration on economic development updates
Councilman Thompson - all council members are tax payers, we are not happy with increases either, we
work very hard. We all must work together.
7:13 pm Gabriel Thompson, Mount Vernon, NY
Over a year since any info on what will be done about me and my neighbors flooding. Also, approval of
ezone for low income housing project that will require 10’s of millions of dollars in PILOTS-council is
effectively approving PILOTS in advance, whether they want to claim otherwise or not.
Councilman Boxhill - residents are due an update and offered speaker to reach out to him directly.
Spoke on pilots and low income housing and the saturation of those projects in Mount Vernon and
suggested that they should be spread out throughout Westchester.
Councilman Poteat - we have to answer to the residence in the community on second avenue and the
dilapidated eyesore rodent ridden building.
Councilman Gleason - Agree that an update is needed. Contacted Department of Public Works.
Councilman Thompson - pilots are not under council, they are under the Industrial Development
Agency (IDA). Spoke in past history with business receiving pilots. Do not agree with pilots. Spoke on
the hard work that the Council does to do the best of the city.
REFERRAL SESSION
