Documents › Board Of Trustees, 2026-01-21

minutes 8 pages

Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, NY, held on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, in the Georgianna Grant Meeting Room at the Stanley Kellerhouse Municipal Building, Van Wyck Street, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520. 1. Mayor Pugh called the regular meeting to order at 7:00pm and led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance. Trustee Simon made a motion to approve the following Fiscal Year Vouchers, Claims numbered 26003855-26004082. The Motion was seconded by Trustee Nicholson and approved with a 5-0 Vote. $443,335.62 Water Fund $56,798.07 Sewer Fund $981.33 Capital Fund $43,244.09 Trust Fund $780.00 3. RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY EMAIL - None 4. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS: Ed Riely, 110 Truesdale Drive, Croton on Hudson, asked for more information on the diesel initiative, congratulated the Conservation Advisory Council on all their accomplishments, and asked for more information on the Half Moon Bay Bridge project. Judy Rayer, 3 Gerstein Street, Croton on Hudson, stated that she is happy to see that the dog park hours are being extended till 6pm. Ms. Rayer asked if guests of Croton residents would be allowed to take a resident’s dog to the dog park as well as allowing a guest to bring their dog to the dog park if they brought proof of the dog’s vaccination records. John Sasso, 87 Morningside Drive, Croton on Hudson, stated that barking dogs are not an issue at the dog park, we have not seen more than four to five dogs at the park at one time, people who use the dog park are very committed to working with the residents and he is happy for the extended hours. January 7, 2026 5. REPORT FROM THE VILLAGE MANAGER: Village Manager Healy advised that the Village will be switching over all DPW vehicles to renewable diesel, the Village expects to see an annual reduction of approximately 186 metric tons of CO2 per year which accounts for roughly 12.5% of the Village’s total carbon footprint, we will be allocating funds from the lease of the DPW solar canopy and we do not foresee a fiscal impact on the budget. Village Manager Healy thanked Lindsay Audin from the Sustainability Committee for developing this initiative and Frank Balbi and John Bouchard from the Dept. of Public Works for implementing it. Village Manager Healy advised that residents with a Park Identification Card are entitled to bring guests to the parks, but the current rules for the Dog Park do not allow out-of-town dogs; dog sitters or a guest of a resident would also not be able to take a dog to the Dog Park. Village Manager Healy emphasized that the Half Moon Bridge is structurally sound but it is forty years old and is showing normal wear and tear. Village Manager Healy emphasized that the bridge is not being replaced and directed everyone to the video on the Village’s website of the meeting held last Monday. Village Manager Healy thanked the Water Department for all their hard work during several water main breaks, reminded everyone that alarm permits are due to be renewed and that the offices will be closed in recognition of Martin Luther King Day. Mayor Pugh advised that the Petition regarding the adjoining property next to Half Moon Bay was withdrawn and the lease for the use of the property has been extended an additional five years. 6. CONSENT AGENDA: On Motion by Trustee Simon and seconded by Trustee Nicholson the Board approved the Consent Agenda. Motion was approved with a 5-0 Vote. Trustee Nachtaler asked for some context on why the Dog Park hours were till 4pm and will residents have an opportunity to comment on the proposed changes. Village Manager Healy advised that the Dog Park hours were set after a long period of deliberations between Dog Park users and the neighbors of Quakerbridge Road and the compromise was to have longer hours on Village Board of Trustees January 7, 2026 weekdays and shorter hours on weekends. Village Manager Healy stated that we are not voting on it this evening and the Board will have an opportunity to continue to discuss it during a future work session. Trustee Slippen stated that when she was on the Recreation Advisory Council part of the compromise was expanding the hours of the Dog Park but limiting the scope of who would be allowed to use the park. Trustee Slippen stated that the Dog Park is the only Village Park that school district residents do not have access to and she looks forward to discussing this at our work session. The Board expressed their gratitude for all the hard work of the Conservation Advisory Council in bringing forward many positive initiatives for the community and thanked outgoing Chair, John Ealer, for his exceptional leadership. 1. Email from John Delaney, Fire Council Secretary, requesting permission for the Croton-on-Hudson Fire Department to conduct the annual Big Bucks raffle fundraiser. https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2026- 01/62a6e1df9f2b27eec0d6bf0c26424800c292d4f7.pdf 2. Memo from Village Manager Bryan Healy regarding recommendations received from the Recreation Advisory Committee. https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2026- 01/19655d9e494ed5a40cfa4b040cb5c5be7a0d1d06.pdf 3. Memo from Village Manager Bryan Healy regarding the renewable diesel initiative for the Village's vehicle fleet. https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2026- 01/f6d449480072fec8e502bedc4405ca22cc9e5b47.pdf 4. Annual report from the Conservation Advisory Council. https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2026- 01/afcfd1abf19f518f1fd8974c14368bd80408774e.pdf b. RESOLUTIONS: January 7, 2026 Resolution #1-2026 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE NICHOLSON, the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, New York with a 5-0 vote. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: that the Village Board of Trustees hereby undertakes the following actions: 1. Approving the Croton-on-Hudson Fire Department’s request to hold the annual Big Bucks raffle fundraiser. 2. Filing for the record the annual report of the Conservation Advisory Council. 3. Filing for the record the recommendations from the Recreation Advisory Committee as presented by Village Manager Bryan Healy. 4. Filing for the record the memo from Village Manager Bryan Healy on the renewable diesel initiative for the Village’s vehicle fleet. Motion to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting held on December 17, 2025, was made by Trustee Simon. The motion was seconded by Trustee Nicholson and approved with a 5-0 vote. Resolution #2-2026 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE NICHOLSON, the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, New York with a 5-0 vote. WHEREAS the Village of Croton-on-Hudson assumed the ownership of and maintenance requirements for the Half Moon Bay Bridge over the Metro-North Railroad tracks in 1996, and WHEREAS in order to address past safety issues and the proper maintenance of the bridge, the Village is moving ahead with the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Half Moon Bay Bridge, and Village Board of Trustees January 7, 2026 WHEREAS on February 7, 2024, the Village Board of Trustees adopted Resolution 29- 2024 to accept the proposal from Tectonic Engineering of Rocky Hill, Connecticut, to provide consulting and engineering design services for the project, and WHEREAS Tectonic has provided a proposal to cover an additional scope of work related to the pier cam beam repair needed for the bridge and the completion of state requirements for coastal assessment in the amount of $41,540, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: that the Village Board hereby authorizes the Village Manager to accept the proposal from Tectonic Engineering for the above scope of work, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: that funding for such work is available in account H5110.2106.15287. Trustee Simon explained that some of this has to do with alterations they needed to make since there is certain work that cannot be done with an active railroad underneath; additional information on the project can be found on the Village’s website. Resolution #3-2026 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE NICHOLSON, the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, New York with a 5-0 vote. WHEREAS Local Law Introductory No. 14 of 2025 has been drafted to permit the Village Board of Trustees to appoint an alternate member to the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals for the term of one official year, and WHEREAS on September 24, 2025, the Village Board of Trustees declared itself Lead Agency for SEQRA purposes, and WHEREAS on December 17, 2025, the Village Board of Trustees undertook the process and review described in detail in Parts 2 and 3 of the Short EAF “Determination of Significance” attached hereto, and WHEREAS the Village Board held a public hearing to consider Local Law Introductory No. 14 of 2025, which was opened and closed on December 17, 2025, and Village Board of Trustees January 7, 2026 WHEREAS the Village Board has received a recommendation of consistency from the Waterfront Advisory Committee with the Village’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, and WHEREAS the Village Board must make its own determination of consistency with the LWRP policy standards and conditions, and WHEREAS on December 17, 2025, the Village Board reviewed the LWRP policy standards and conditions, NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED as follows: The Village Board of Trustees determines that, after reviewing the LWRP policy standards and conditions, none were found to be applicable for the Proposed Action, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that based upon the above, the Village Board of Trustees confirms its determination that the Proposed Action, the adoption of a local law to appoint an alternate member to the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals for the term of one official year, complies with the policy standards and conditions set forth in the Village’s LWRP, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Village Board of Trustees hereby issues and adopts the EAF Parts 2 and 3 Determination of Significance attached hereto and adopts a Negative Declaration in connection with this action, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Village Board of Trustees hereby adopts Local Law Introductory No. 14 of 2025 to amend Chapter 230, Zoning, to appoint an alternate member to the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals for the term of one official year, which upon adoption becomes Local Law No. 1 of 2026. Village Manager Healy emphasized that this law does not require the Board to appoint alternative members, it just gives the Board the option if there is a sudden absence or if a member has a conflict of interest. Trustee Slippen asked if a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals or the Planning Board has a conflict with a particular project could they just opt out of that particular project, and participate in other projects. Village Attorney Subin responded yes. January 7, 2026 8. PUBLIC COMMENT – NON-AGENDA ITEMS: Ed Riely, 110 Truesdale Drive, Croton on Hudson, stated that he objects to legalizing assisted suicide in New York State; thanked Village Manager Healy for his cooperation regarding the efforts to recognize John Patterson (1746- 1850), a local Revolutionary War hero, we have also located other Revolutionary War Veterans buried in Croton thanks to the work of our local Historian. Judy Rayer, 3 Gerstein Street, Croton on Hudson, stated that she is getting more involved in the arts in Croton, and would like to see better signage in the Village so people know when exhibits are being held. Village Manager Healy suggested having a banner hung at the train station similar to what other organizations do to promote their event. Trustee Simon stated that we are also looking at ways to enhance our community calendar. 9. REPORTS: Trustee Slippen stated that the Village has engaged a communications firm to look at how the Village communicates with residents, we are just at the beginning of the process but there are a lot of opportunities to make improvements in this area, attended the Arts and Humanities Advisory Committee meeting last night and a representative from the ABC talked about the possibility of the Village engaging with the ABC so that our committees would be able to have access to their marketing, congratulated three Croton scouts who earned their Eagle Scout Badge, Luca Camillieri, Alden Hou, Hunter Szkodzinski, and thanked the Water Department and Department of Public Works for all their efforts during our many water main breaks. Trustee Nachtaler stated that Shoprite had been supportive and gracious in the past in supporting our local groups but she has heard that there seems to be a reduction in their sponsorship and would like to discuss this further. Village Manager Healy stated that there has been some managerial changes at Shoprite and explained that the Village is not allowed to solicit for donations or gifts and we would not be able to approach Shoprite. Trustee Nicholson advised that she attended the installation of the new Fire Department officers, the new EMS facility is amazing and thanked our DPW for Village Board of Trustees January 7, 2026 all their hard work and their continued efforts with dealing with the recent snow events. Trustee Simon stated that he is pleased to advise that our Newsletter will now include a video feature, on December 19th he and Village Manager Healy met with members of Welcome Wagon and talked about assisting in recruiting new members, attended the installation of the incoming Fire Department officers, on January 2nd he met with the Project Mover Regional Director and toured Croton for possible new locations, this past Sunday he attended the EMS installation, and on Sunday, he along with the Mayor and Trustee Slippen attended the swearing in of Town of Cortlandt Officers. Mayor Pugh stated that he had the honor of swearing in the new EMS officers and presenting Certificates of Appreciation to the outgoing officers. On Motion by Trustee Simon and seconded by Trustee Nicholson the Board of Trustees approved the following Mayoral appointments. Motion was approved with a 5-0 vote. Steven Krisky Planning Board December 2030 Steven Krisky Planning Board Representative to the WAC December 2026 James Tuman Zoning Board of Appeals December 2030 Cristina Alvarez Arnold IDEA Committee December 2027 Vanessa Valenti IDEA Committee December 2026 Faith Rivers IDEA Committee, Chair December 2026 Mayor Pugh asked for a moment of silence to remember Jesse Beller; Mr. Beller served on the Croton Board from 1985 to 1991; he was a true Renaissance-man and will be missed. There being no further business to come before the Board, a motion to close the meeting was made by Trustee Simon. Motion was seconded by Trustee Nicholson and approved with a 5-0. Meeting adjourned at 8:16pm. --- Editorial note (croton.news): name spelling(s) in this copy were corrected against official records: ‘Cristina Alvarez Arnold’ corrected to ‘Cristina Alvarez Arnold’. The original document, as issued, is available from the Village; see croton.news/editorial-policy for our corrections policy.