The Mount Vernon City Summit On Friday February 24, 2017 at 7:30PM, a group of concerned clergy persons from the City of Mount Vernon convened a meeting with Mayor Richard Thomas, City Council Persons, Appuzzo, Edwards, Griffiths, Copeland and Wallace, and City Comptroller Maureen Walker. In attendance was also Westchester County Board of Legislators, Lyndon Williams,,, ‘The meeting was held at the Greater Centennial AME Zion Church, and was conducted as a response to the level of dysfunction that somehow seem to have become commonplace within the Mount Vernon City Government. ‘The goal of the meeting was to create an atmosphere of civility where various issues could be addressed in the hopes that we could arrive at some agreement on how to move the city forward in good governance. It is the belief of this clergy team that, the efforts discussed and progress made at this meeting is a demonstration of the seeds of unification of the City of Mount Vernon. All attendees came on their own volition and are to be applauded for their collective commitment to seeing a turnaround in the overall governance of our city. Asa result of the discussion, the following 7 commitments were made. 1. Public Perception Commitment ‘The Mayor, the City Council and the Comptroller commits... * To refrain from addressing their disputes in the various social media. * To work asa team. = To work to unite the City of Mount Vernon - Cable Contract Commitment ‘The Mayor agreed to have Spectrum meet with the City Council, and the Cable Contract Advisory Board in the next month. The Mayor and the City Council agree that we can have a cable contract potentially ready to be executed in 2 to 3 months. 3. Memorial Field Tennis Center Commitment The City Council agrees to obtain a second opinion regarding the plan to fix the Tennis Center. Both the Mayor and the City Council agree that we can have this, completed within 5 months. > Memorial Field Environmental Plan Commitment ‘The Mayor agrees to talk to the DEC informing them that we have some new commitinents in the City to resolve the issues associated with the fine. The Mayor agrees to request that the DEC meet with the City Council to discuss the resolution. February 24,2017The Mount Vernon City Summit 5. Memorial Field Commitment ‘The City Council agrees to review the Mayor's emerging plan for Memorial Field, This will run as a parallel process to commitments #3 and #4, 6. Public Safety Commitment ‘The Mayor and the City Council agree to increase the Police Commissioner salary toa level that is commensurate with the market rate and the unique needs of our community. This level will be determined by the Board of Estimates. Furthermore, the Mayor agrees to hire a new Police Commissioner within 4 months, 7. The Press Conference Inan effort to solidify these agreements, the concerned clergy team will be convening a press conference (at time to be determined), which will entail a public statement outlining the aforementioned agreements. It is further agreed that the Mayor and all the members of the City Council will stand with the concerned clergy at this press conference. Since the Comptroller had to be excused due to a prior commitment, she will be apprised of all that was discussed in her absence and also invited to stand with the team at the press conference. ‘The meeting ended with a blessing upon the great City of Mount Vernon and its leadership at 10:30PM, Respectfully submitted by concerned clergy of the City of Mount Vernon Rev. Dr. Stephen W. Pogue Rev. Melvin E. Wilson Rev Edward Mulraine Rev. William Mizell Rev Darren M, Morton Rev. Lowes Moore Bishop Errol O'Savio Rev. Judith O'Savio Rev. Louis Modeste Rev, Donna Modeste Rev. Gwen Wilson Rev. Arthur Rose Rev. Hugh B. Marriott February 24, 2017