At its June 17 meeting, the Board of Estimate and Contracts approved several assessment corrections and settlements, created a custodial account tied to a private development project and authorized partial payment to a sewer-cleaning contractor.

The board approved forgiveness of penalties tied to an exemption-processing error for Westchester Muslim Center Inc., 22 Brookfield Road, saying the organization is tax-exempt and one year’s exemption had not been processed. City officials said the action effects only the year affected by that administrative error and that associated penalties are being forgiven.

Separately, the board authorized correction of delinquent taxes and interest for Tanya Hirston of 40 North Tenth Avenue after staff determined the property had been taxed as commercial rather than residential. The city adjusted the assessment classification and approved correction for the relevant years.

The board also authorized establishment of a custodial (escrow) account for a property development project at 55 Pond Field Parkway; officials said the escrow will allow environmental studies and land surveys required by the planning and zoning processes to be paid at the owner’s expense. A council member asked the clerk to place that clarification on the record to reduce future public inquiries.

Financial actions also included approving partial payment No. 13 to National Water Main Cleaning Company for sewer-system cleaning and televising (phase 1), and recording tax-settlement resolutions: SMQ LLC ($47,096.60) and Fort Pretorian Mandeville LLC ($6,341.49). The board approved a $5,000 settlement in the lawsuit Jacqueline Smith v. Blue Rio LLC and the City of Mount Vernon.

All of the listed items were approved by roll call: Comptroller Morton — aye; Council President Brown — aye; Mayor Patterson Howard — aye.

City staff did not provide detailed breakdowns of how the partial payment amount affects remaining contract balances during the meeting. Council members noted the custodial account is intended to ensure required studies are completed at the developer’s expense.