🏛️ Board Of Trustees
Croton Trustees Waive Snow Tickets, Renew Optimum Franchise
The Croton Board of Trustees renewed Cablevision's cable franchise agreement and set public hearings for a potential property tax cap override and creation of a Village Auditor position, both on February 4. The board also approved $11,010 in budget transfers for police uniforms ($6,600) and an AED for Black Rock Park ($4,410), and waived snow parking summonses from a surprise weekend storm.
◆ Key Actions & Decisions
- **Resolutions Passed**
- **Voucher Approval**: Claims #26004083-26004282 totaling $168,855.36 (General Fund: $101,884.71; Water Fund: $23,653.40; Sewer Fund: $25,724.85; Capital Fund: $17,592.40). 3-0 vote.
- **Resolution #4-2026**: Renewed cable franchise agreement with Cablevision of Wappingers Falls, Inc. for another 10-year term. 3-0 vote.
- **Resolution #5-2026**: Set public hearing for February 4, 2026, at 7:00 PM on Local Law Introductory No. 1 of 2026 to override the state property tax cap (set at 2.63% this year). No decision made to actually override; hearing is a procedural safeguard. 3-0 vote.
- **Resolution #6-2026**: Set public hearing for February 4, 2026, at 7:00 PM on Local Law Introductory No. 2 of 2026 to establish the office of Village Auditor (Chapter 9 of Village Code). 3-0 vote.
- **Resolution #7-2026**: Transferred $6,600 from Contingency Account A1990.4000 to Police Department–Uniforms account A3120.4260 due to insufficient budget funds for contractually required uniform allowances. 3-0 vote.
- **Resolution #8-2026**: Transferred $4,410 from Contingency Account A1990.4000 to Parks-Equipment account A7110.2000 to purchase an AED for Black Rock Park, per Recreation Advisory Committee recommendation. 3-0 vote.
- **Resolution #9-2026**: Authorized Deputy Mayor to sign NY Conference of Mayors AIM Letter; filed for the record recommendations regarding the John "Rifle Jack" Peterson memorial. 3-0 vote.
- **Resolution #10-2026**: Authorized Chief of Police to execute an MOU with Yorktown and Briarcliff Manor Police Departments to apply for a NYS Local Government Efficiency Grant for a shared Motorola CAD system. Does not commit village funds. 3-0 vote.
- **Snow Summons Waiver**: Waived snow parking summonses issued during the surprise Saturday snow event, one-time only. 3-0 vote.
- **Board Appointments**: Shiloh Shea (Conservation Advisory Council, term ending 12/26); Dana Nicholson (Bicycle Pedestrian Committee, term ending 12/28); Seyed Hosseini (Alternate Member, Planning Board, term ending 12/26); Adriana Zavala (IDEA Committee, term ending 12/26). 3-0 vote.
- **Minutes Approved**: Regular Meeting (Jan 7), Work Session (Jan 14), Executive Session (Jan 14). All 3-0 votes.
- **Resolutions Failed**: None.
- **Applications Reviewed**: None.
- **Public Comments**
- Ed Riely (110 Truesdale Drive): Spoke during the cable franchise public hearing about subscriber declines, taxes on internet portions, and utility pole responsibilities. Also spoke during agenda comment period to praise outgoing ZBA Chair Christine Wagner and support the American Legion's proposal for a John "Rifle Jack" Peterson plaque opposite the Veterans Memorial. Spoke during non-agenda comment period about state budget corruption, a March for Life bus from Briarcliff Manor, and a CVS boycott.
- **Reports**
- **Village Manager Bryan Healy**: Detailed snow event regulations (2-inch trigger, parking prohibitions, hardship permits, sidewalk clearing within 12 hours, specific streets excluded from permit parking). Explained cable franchise renewal terms including PEG Grant funds of $0.50 per subscriber per quarter for broadcasting equipment upgrades. Confirmed an audit found Cablevision's franchise fees were in order. Noted the village continues to advocate for FIOS service.
- **Trustee Nachtaler**: Thanked Christine Wagner for ZBA service; congratulated Jim Tuman as new ZBA Chair and welcomed new member Ethan Lewis; thanked DPW for snow removal; urged deadlines for the Rifle Jack Peterson memorial project.
- **Trustee Simon**: Thanked Wagner and DPW; reported attending meetings with Congressman Lawler, Westchester Municipal Officials, Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee (Project Mover expansion, red light cameras), Sustainability Committee (EV chargers at train station, diesel program, solar canopy), and County Executive Ken Jenkins; noted Fire Inspector Jim Ferguson's presentation to seniors; announced a Winnie-the-Pooh reading at By the Dam Books; noted the passing of Jeanette Gingold on January 10.
- **Mayor Pugh**: Requested one-time waiver of Saturday's snow parking summonses; stated the village continues advocating for FIOS.
- **Ceremony**: Key to the Village presented to former ZBA Chair Christine Wagner.
=== HEADLINE ===
Board waives snow tickets after surprise weekend storm
=== SUMMARY ===
Croton trustees waived parking tickets from a surprise January snowstorm, renewed Optimum's cable franchise for another decade, and honored retiring Zoning Board of Appeals chair Christine Wagner with a key to the village.
=== EXECUTIVE BRIEF ===
• Approved $225,057.76 in voucher payments across four funds
• Presented key to the village and multiple awards to retiring ZBA Chair Christine Wagner
• Held public hearing and renewed cable franchise agreement with Cablevision/Optimum for 10 years
• Waived all snow parking tickets issued Saturday and Sunday, January 18-19
• Authorized police chief to sign MOU with Yorktown and Briarcliffe Manor for joint CAD system grant application
=== ARTICLE ===
Trustee Leonard Simon got a compliment once from a zoning applicant who mistook Christine Wagner for his daughter. That story drew laughs at Tuesday's board meeting as Wagner received a key to the village after 14 years chairing the Zoning Board of Appeals — a role Mayor Brian Pugh called "the very hardest cases of all" in municipal government.
Wagner also collected awards from county legislators, the state assembly, and state senator. Wednesday was declared Christine Wagner Day in Westchester County, with her name running in lights at the county center.
Then the board turned to a cable franchise renewal with Optimum — and nobody from the public showed up to comment on a deal worth thousands in village revenue. The irony was thick, given that Ed Riley of Trousdale Drive had just delivered a lengthy monologue about cable industry corruption dating back to the Reagan era during an earlier comment period.
Under the new 10-year agreement, Optimum will pay 50 cents per subscriber per quarter into a PEG grant fund for public broadcasting equipment upgrades. Village Manager Janine King confirmed cable subscribers have declined over the past decade and that the agreement covers only cable television — not internet service, which has no franchise requirement.
Trustee Sherry Nachteller offered a useful reminder: state law requires Optimum to credit customers for outages lasting four or more hours, but you have to call and request it. It's not automatic.
The evening's most practical moment came when Pugh proposed waiving snow parking tickets from last weekend, when a heavier-than-forecast band dropped two inches unexpectedly Saturday afternoon. Police began ticketing at 2 PM after an alert went out at 1:15.
"I would like to propose that we waive, on a one-time-only basis, the snow parking tickets that were issued," Pugh said, "and then emphasize to everyone that this is a long-standing law."
Simon seconded, calling it "both fair and compassionate." The waiver covers Saturday and Sunday only.
King reminded residents that when the two-inch rule is triggered, time limits in municipal lots are suspended — anyone can park there, permit or not. Cars must be moved within 12 hours after snow ends so DPW can clear the lots.
DPW crews worked from 5 AM Saturday through late evening and returned Sunday. They're brining roads Friday ahead of another storm expected Saturday night into Monday. Watch for alerts on the village website, Facebook, and the Everbridge system for potential parking restrictions and sanitation pickup changes.
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