Trustees Adopt Tax Exemptions for Military, Police Surviving Spouses, and Low-Income Seniors; Award $702,000 Paving Project Funded by Rescued Federal Earmark

The Croton Board of Trustees adopted new property tax exemptions and advanced the village's largest paving project in recent memory at its May 6 meeting, a session that also included updates on a range of infrastructure and development projects.

Tax exemptions for military, first responders, and seniors The board unanimously adopted Local Law No. 6 of 2026, which adds two new property tax exemptions and expands two existing ones. The law came in response to state legislation signed last year. New exemptions include a 25 percent reduction in assessed value for active-duty military members deployed in combat zones, and a 50 percent reduction for surviving spouses of police officers killed in the line of duty. The law also expands an existing exemption for surviving spouses of volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers killed in the line of duty, extending it to those whose spouses served between two and five years and increasing the exemption from 10 percent to 50 percent. For low-income senior citizens, the law introduces a sliding scale. Previously, anyone earning under $50,000 received a flat 50 percent exemption. Under the new structure, income below $47,000 qualifies for a 65 percent exemption, below $48,000 for 60 percent, and below $49,000 for 55 percent. The public hearing opened and closed without comment. Cleveland Drive paving project The lone resolution of the evening authorized a $702,461.48 contract with ELQ Industries of New Rochelle to pave Cleveland Drive from Gottwoldt Circle to Gerstein Street, along with portions of Old Post Road South, Wood Road, and Gerstein Street. Seven bids were submitted, and ELQ was the lowest responsible bidder. The state DOT concurred with the recommendation of Superintendent of Public Works Frank Balbi. The project is funded almost entirely by a federal earmark from former Congressman John Hall dating to 2009. The money was originally designated for raising the train station parking lot, but the village completed that project on its own, leaving the earmark stranded. Congress later eliminated earmarks entirely, then reinstated them. When the state DOT reached out to say the money was still available, the village applied to repurpose it for paving. The federal share is $699,000, leaving the village responsible for roughly $2,000 of the total cost. Village Manager Bryan Healy credited Balbi and consulting firm AKRF for navigating the complex federal requirements. Healy said prep work — replacing storm grates and upgrading sidewalk ramps to ADA compliance — was already underway, and that the contractor expects to complete milling and paving in about a week, with construction starting four to six weeks after the contract award. Infrastructure and development updates

Healy provided updates on several major projects: The 100-unit affordable home ownership project at 1 Croton Point Avenue has provisionally secured its AHOP funding, and site development plans for stormwater drainage have been finalized with Metro-North, the village, and the state DOT. The property sale closing is expected this summer. The Quaker Bridge replacement project received a progress report: the memorandum of agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers is advancing, with the construction permit to follow once it is signed. No timeline was available, as the agreement requires signatures from three federal agencies. The special permit application for 325 South Riverside Avenue is expected to return to the Planning Board at the end of May after being paused while the village adopted Local Law 5, the code cleanup law. On the train station solar array, Con Edison is still reviewing updated as-built design drawings. The current and former property owners, Altus and Arrivon, are hoping for permission to operate by the end of May. For the Half Moon Bay Bridge project, advanced detailed design plans have been submitted to the state DOT, and utility agreements have gone to Verizon, Con Edison, and Metro-North. The village must obtain authorization to proceed to construction by August 31 to meet federal fiscal year deadlines. Dog park hours draw public comment Three residents spoke during public comment on non-agenda items in support of extending Black Rock Dog Park's weekend hours from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Judy Lewis of the Friends of Croton Parks, reading from a letter by Judy Rayer, cited declining membership since 2020 and pointed out that Cedar Lane Park, which has no hour restrictions, lights, and amenities, has drawn Croton dog owners away. Margaret Connor called for the park to be open from dawn to dusk like other village parks. John Corwin suggested seasonal hours and noted that noise from a damaged weir on the river already exceeds anything dogs would produce. Trustee Stacey Nachtaler acknowledged the volume of public interest in the topic but confirmed that park hours are set by the village manager, not the board, per village code. Kaplan's Pond dam safety

John Corwin also raised concerns about Kaplan's Pond dam, which he said shows signs of distress including bulges, slides, overgrown vegetation, and a log blocking the spillway. He said the earthen dam, over 80 years old, should be classified as a Class C dam requiring state safety inspections. Trustee Nora Nicholson said she toured the pond with Corwin and confirmed the need to clear the spillway and remove a log blocking it. Nachtaler thanked Corwin for his research and said there is space for a broader public discussion about the pond's condition. Trustee reports highlighted a range of community events and activities. Simon reported on a meeting with Rockland County officials about Maple Commons, sustainability committee discussions on EV chargers and food scrap recycling, the third annual Croton Comic Con, and planning for the Rotary Club's DPW appreciation event on May 20. Nachtaler raised concerns about e-bike safety on the Riverwalk as new rental bikes were installed at Senasqua, and about the expected surge in visitors to the Croton Dam viewing area. Slippen praised the library's annual meeting format as a model for village communication and said she looked forward to a DPW report on the leaf blower ban.