The Croton-on-Hudson Board of Trustees kicked off its new term Monday night with an annual organizational meeting that saw Mayor Brian Pugh and Trustees Nora Nicholson and Stacey Nachtaler sworn into office, followed by a flurry of unanimous housekeeping resolutions. Past Mayor Robert Elliott administered the oaths of office to the three officials at the Stanley Kellerhouse Municipal Building, with local Girl Scouts leading the Pledge of Allegiance and resident Bo Balaban performing "God Bless America." Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg also addressed the board, praising the community's robust voter turnout in the recent election. While organizational meetings are typically procedural, the board took a notable step by formally codifying three volunteer committees that had been operating without official resolutions. The Bicycle Pedestrian Committee and the Sustainability Committee were formally established with mandates of five to nine members serving staggered three-year terms. The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Advisory Committee was also restructured, expanding from one-year terms to staggered two-year terms and instituting a nine-member cap. All three committees are now required to post their meeting minutes to the Village website. Perhaps the most consequential policy change of the evening was the passage of Resolution #285-2025, which amended the Village's Social Media and Email Blast Policy. The board voted to stop accepting public comments on its official social media accounts—a change discussed at a November 12 work session. Residents will still be able to reach out to the Village via private direct messages, phone, email, and the Village website. The board also approved a new Conference and Travel Policy delegating training approval to the Village Manager, set official bond levels at $500,000 for financial and court officers, and locked in the IRS standard rate for employee mileage reimbursement. Contracts for outside professional services were greenlit for Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC for legal counsel, along with Nelson Pope Voorhis and AKRF, Inc. for planning and environmental consulting. Trustee Len Simon was appointed Deputy Mayor, and Mayor Pugh outlined a full slate of liaison assignments connecting trustees to various advisory boards. Residents should note that starting in January 2026, regular Village Board meetings will shift to the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 7:00 PM. *The Gazette* remains the Village's official designated newspaper.