Village Issues Stop Work Order on Barry Road and Will Accept Credit Card Payment of Village Fees

The original home at 21 Barry Road.At the first meeting of the newly elected Board of Trustees on April 14, 2026, Mayor Justin Arest welcomed both the new and returning trustees. In his opening comments he addressed a range of matters.

Congressman Eliot Engel

Arest remembered Congressman Eliot Engel who represented the 16th Congressional District for seven years. Arest said, “We lost Eliot Engel on April 10th. He was 79 years old. Congressman Engel represented Scarsdale as part of New York's 16th Congressional District from 2013 until 2021, following a redistricting that brought our community into his district. Over his 32-year congressional career, he served as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and left a record of achievement in foreign policy and human rights that earned him respect across the aisle. He devoted more than 44 years to public service, and that is a legacy worth pausing to recognize.

Our condolences go to his family and to all who knew and worked with him. May his memory be a blessing.”

21 Barry Road

Arest offered the following information on construction activity at 21 Barry Road. In September 2025, the Committee for Historic Preservation granted permission for a partial demolition of the home, as Architectural Historian Andrew Dolkart had recommended that the house be preserved. AS a compromised, the CHP required the applicant, Christopher Knopp, to demolish less than 50% of the exterior of the home– and more than 50% of the interior.

However, neighbors reported that the demolition appeared to exceed those parameters and the Village of Scarsdale took action.

Arest said, “The Village has commenced a legal action in Westchester Supreme Court to enforce our Historic Preservation Code in connection with unauthorized alterations to a residence on Barry Road. In addition, the Village has pursued zoning enforcement in connection with this matter, and a Stop Work Order has been issued. I want to assure residents that the Village takes both its Historic Preservation Code and its zoning code seriously, and we will use the tools available to us to enforce them.21 Barry Road now

We have heard from members of the community who expressed concern about this matter, and I want to acknowledge that. Until today, it was not appropriate for us to make any public comment, and out of fairness to the process, we were also not in a position to discuss the matter individually with residents who reached out while staff was actively reviewing the situation and consulting with the Village Attorney. We appreciate the community's patience and understanding, and we are grateful to those who took the time to reach out. Resident input always matters to us, and I want to remind the community that the most effective way to reach us on any matter is directly, by email or by calling the appropriate department or the Village Manager's office at Village Hall. That is the channel that ensures your concern gets to the right people promptly, and we are always listening.

As this matter is now in active litigation, there is a limit to what I am able to share publicly tonight. More information will be made available to the community as circumstances permit, and I would ask for the public's continued patience and trust that the Board is engaged and that the Village is taking appropriate action.”

Holiday Observances

Arest recognized recent observances. He said,

Turning to the month, April has already brought several meaningful observances, and more lie ahead.

As the month began, many in our community observed Passover, which ran from the evening of April 1st through April 9th (or 8th). To all those who gathered around the Seder table, Chag Sameach. I hope it was a time of meaning, reflection, and connection with family and loved ones.

Easter Sunday was April 5, and Orthodox Easter was celebrated just this past Sunday, April 12. To all those who marked either of these holidays, warmest wishes for a joyful and peaceful season.

Today was Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this very day, communities around the world are pausing to honor the six million Jewish lives lost in the Holocaust. We reaffirm our commitment to the words "never again" in all that they demand of us. I would like to invite everyone to join me in a moment of silence in their memory.

April is Autism Acceptance Month, a time to affirm our commitment to a community that is genuinely welcoming and inclusive for everyone.

Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22. Scarsdale has long taken its environmental responsibilities seriously, and Earth Day is a fitting moment to recommit to the work of protecting what we value most about this place.

And that spirit carries right into Arbor Day on Friday, April 24, when we will be planting a tree at Aspen Park at 9:30 in the morning. I hope residents will join us.

Resolutions:

Village to Accept Payment by Credit Card

The Board of Trustees found it to be in the public interest to “accept various forms of payment for certain charges, and authorized the Village Manager to enter into agreements with one or more financing agencies or card issuers to provide for the acceptance of credit cards, as a means of payment of fines, civil penalties, rent, rates, taxes, fees, charges, revenue, financial obligations or other amounts, including penalties, special assessments and interest owed to the Village of Scarsdale; 

They found it to be in the public interest “to accept payment of penalties, rents, rates, taxes, fees, charges, revenue, financial obligations or other amounts, including penalties, special assessments or interest via the Village’s official website and/or the website of a third-party vendor contracted with the Village and therefore authorized the Village Manager to arrange for online payments of such penalties, rents, rates, taxes, fees, charges, revenue, financial obligations or other amounts, including penalties, special assessments or interest thereof, as the Village Manager deems appropriate and in furtherance of the public interest served by the convenience of internet payments.”

Attorney Retained to Monitor Con Edison Electric and Gas Rate Plan

Joel R. Dichter of Dichter Law LLC was retained to monitor Con Ed electric and gas rates. The resolution says,” Joel R. Dichter has demonstrated the necessary experience and expertise to represent the interests of the participating municipalities and has submitted a proposal dated April 2, 2026, to represent participating municipalities in the ongoing monitoring of Con Edison over the next 3 years, terminating December 31, 2028; now, therefore, be it resolved, that the Village Board of Trustees of the Village of Scarsdale hereby authorizes the hiring of Joel R. Dichter of Dichter Law LLC as special counsel to represent participating Westchester municipalities in the monitoring of Con Edison’s three-year rate plan at the rate of $1,250 per annum; and, be it further resolved , the Village Board of Trustees authorizes the Village Manager to execute all necessary agreements and related documents in accordance with this resolution.”