Documents

minutes 22 pages

Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, NY, held on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, 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 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 23244190 through 23244827. The Motion was seconded by Trustee Murtaugh and approved with a 5-0 Vote. $260,986.21 Water Fund $27,090.66 Sewer Fund $7,240.47 Capital Fund $100,396.20 Trust Fund - 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS: Public Hearing on Local Law Introductory No. 2 of 2024 to increase the real property tax exemption for qualifying Cold War Veterans and to provide exemption for Gold Star parents. A motion was made by Trustee Murtaugh and seconded by Trustee Nicholson to open a Public Hearing on Local Law Introductory No. 2 of 2024 to increase the real property tax exemption for qualifying Cold War Veterans and to provide exemption for Gold Star parents. The motion was approved with a 5-0 vote. COMMENTS: Ed Riely, 110 Truesdale Drive, Croton on Hudson, stated that the government provides many services for Veterans and believes that local communities should not get involved in Veteran’s business unless it is for death, injury, and mental illness. February 28, 2024 There being no comments to come before the Board, a motion to close the Public Hearing was made by Trustee Politi. Motion was seconded by Trustee Murtaugh and approved with a 5-0 vote. Resolution #30 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE POLITI, 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 would like to amend provisions of Chapter 204, Taxation, of the Code of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson to increase the real property tax exemption for qualifying Cold War veterans and to amend the alternative veterans tax exemption to provide for an exemption for Gold Star parents, and WHEREAS Local Law Introductory No. 2 of 2024 was drafted for such purposes, and WHEREAS the Village Board held a public hearing to consider Local Law Introductory No. 2 of 2024, which was opened and closed on February 28, 2024, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Board of Trustees hereby adopts Local Law Introductory No. 2 of 2024, amending provisions of Chapter 204, Taxation, of the Code of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson to increase the real property tax exemption for qualifying Cold War veterans and to amend the alternative veterans tax exemption to provide for an exemption for Gold Star parents, which upon adoption becomes Local Law No. 3 of 2024. Trustee Simon stated that there is widespread support for this in the community, the utilization of this program will vary depending on different categories and believes it will help even out our approach on this issue. Village Manager Healy advised that there are sixteen residents that currently receive the Cold War Veterans Tax Exemption, because this is tied to our Equalization Rate which has been decreasing overtime, the amount of the exemption five years ago compared to now is actually less even though we will be increasing the amount of the exemption. Village Manager Healy advised that we currently do not have any Gold Star parents per the Fox- Eklof American Legion Post. Trustee Politi stated that this is a nice gesture on the part of the Village for those families that have been impacted from serving in our military, even if they were not in combat. February 28, 2024 Mayor Pugh stated that we are not here to draw distinctions between combat and non- combat, and he is reminded of the banner that hangs in the Firehouse that states, “a firefighter is a hero, not just because of what he does but what he is prepared to do” and he feels the same when it comes to our Veterans. Public Hearing on Local Law Introductory No. 4 of 2024 to override the “Property Tax Cap” law enacted by the State Legislature. A motion was made by Trustee Murtaugh and seconded by Trustee Simon to open a Public Hearing on Local Law Introductory No. 4 of 2024, to override the “Property Tax Cap” law enacted by the State Legislature. Motion was approved with a 5-0 vote. Sarah Boyce, 140 Benedict Blvd, Croton on Hudson, asked what the ramifications are for overriding the Tax Cap. Mayor Pugh explained that this is a procedural matter to prepare in advance of the Budget and it is something that we have done every year since the enactment of the New York State Property Tax Cap Law. Mayor Pugh stated that our intention is not to exceed the Tax Cap, but we want to be prepared if any unforeseen circumstances arise during the budget process. Trustee Murtaugh explained that if the Board does not pass this and we find that we have to exceed the Tax Cap, the Village would be subject to a penalty, this is a precautionary move on the part of the Village, last year the Village had a zero percent tax increase. Ed Riely, 110 Truesdale Drive, Croton on Hudson, stated that the Board should reject any proposal to increase taxes above the Tax Cap and we should use our reserves to keep the taxes down. Trustee Simon reminded everyone that this is something we have done since this law was enacted twelve years ago and only breached the Tax Cap once during that twelve- year period. Mayor Pugh explained that many of our reserves are attributable to revenues that are very volatile, and we have to be careful how we appropriate them and emphasized that our intent is to stay under the Tax Cap and there is no reason at this time to believe that we will exceed it. WRITTIN COMMENT: February 28, 2024 Bernard Yozwiak, 64 Sunset Drive, Croton on Hudson, begged the Board to not override the New York State Tax Cap. There being no comments to come before the Board, a motion to close the Public Hearing was made by Trustee Politi. Motion was seconded by Trustee Murtaugh and approved with a 5-0 vote. Resolution #31 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE NICHOLSON, seconded by TRUSTEE MURTAUGH, 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 State Legislature and the Governor enacted legislation that establishes a “property tax cap” on the amount that a local government’s property tax levy can increase each year, and WHEREAS under this law, the total amount to be raised through property taxes charged on the municipality’s taxable assessed value of property, will be capped at 2% or the rate of inflation, whichever is less, with some exceptions, and WHEREAS the state legislation provides for local governments to override the cap to protect the Village from unforeseen financial circumstances, and WHEREAS state legislation requires that in the event that an override is necessary, the law enabling it must already have been adopted by the Board of Trustees, and WHEREAS Local Law Introductory No. 4 of 2024 has been drafted to override the “property tax cap” law enacted by State Legislature if necessary, and WHEREAS a Public Hearing was opened and closed on February 28, 2024, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Board of Trustees hereby adopts Local Law Introductory No. 4 of 2024 to override the “property tax cap” law enacted by State Legislature if necessary, which upon adoption will become Local Law No. 4 of 2024. 4. RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY EMAIL Signe Bergstrom, 228 Hessian Hills Road, Croton on Hudson, asked if Committees other than the Waterfront Advisory Committee, such as the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and the Advisory Board on the Visual Environment have an official role in reviewing and providing feedback Village Board of Trustees February 28, 2024 regarding Local Law Introductory No. 5 of 2024 updating Chapter 206, Telecommunications Towers. Village Attorney Whitehead stated that because this law is not going into the Zoning Code, it is only referred to the Waterfront Advisory Committee for a Consistency Determination and then a recommendation to the Village Board. Trustee Simon stated that the draft law does incorporate certain powers to the Planning Board for site plan review and they will have a key role in any future telecommunications infrastructure in the Village. 5. CORRESPONDENCE: a. Letter from the Recreation Advisory Committee regarding recommendations for outdoor recreational activities and permitting dogs on leash at Gouveia Park. 02/83a71341680135bde7448afb43fd6910961b1cd7.pdf b. Notice from Baked by Susan, Inc, 379 South Riverside Avenue of intent to apply for a Liquor License Class Change through the New York State Liquor Authority. 03/e96561cca333d82aa8b32dd623261d35b4af6b06.pdf c. Public Hearing Notice from the Village of Buchanan to review site plans and related documents for a proposed multi-family residential community to be built on the east side of Route 9A south of Craft Lane on approximately 5.96 acres. 02/2217f2a8f2a2c7819a25d6e3a638d73549eae6ef.pdf 6. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS: Leo Wiegman, 100 Bennedict Blvd, Croton on Hudson, commended the Village on adjusting the existing Solar Law for the next wave of solar funding, and for preparing the Village well for future development of solar installations. February 28, 2024 Ed Riely, 110 Truesdale Drive, Croton on Hudson, stated that he feels that the Board does not represent Croton but rather represents some type of ideology with respect to housing and energy. Tony Granger, Half Moon Bay, Croton on Hudson, addressed some of the health issues with respect to 5G and thanked Village Manager Healy for the December survey which indicated that the one single item of concern was the health and safety with respect to this technology. George Ivanoff, 233 Hessian Hills, Croton on Hudson, thanked the Telecommunications Advisory Committee for developing a new code, but a majority of committee members consider their work unfinished and have expressed their concerns to the Board. Mr. Ivanoff asked why the rush to push through what he believes is a flawed law and directed the Board to the section where the Village is in essence exempting itself from Zoning Codes by permitting them on property owned by the Village. Local Law No. 5 – Chapter 206 https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2024- 02/ca3ef8aa62c7ee9e3530ef11eaaf8ebf8f347e83.pdf R. Aaron Lamar, 228 Hessian Hills Road, Croton on Hudson, stated that seven out of the eight members of the Telecommunications Advisory Committee sent a letter to the Board expressing significant concerns with the law, the fundamental flaw in the law is that it effectively prioritizes the building of new wireless towers on two Village owned properties, if the top priority is to solve the coverage problem in Croton, then the law should treat all permitted tower locations equally so that site selection is based primarily on studies that demonstrate that the proposed site will have the most beneficial impact on cell phone coverage. . Signe Bergstrom, 228 Hessian Hills Road, Croton on Hudson, stated that addressing the concerns raised by the TAC will require fundamental changes to the draft law and asked the Board to listen to the concerns expressed by the committee and vote no to advance this law at this time. Village Manager Healy advised that the potential developers are required to submit a report indicating which sites would have the most beneficial impact on cell coverage. February 28, 2024 Resolution #32-2024 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON seconded by TRUSTEE MURTAUGH, 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 would like to update Chapter 206, Telecommunications Towers, of the Village Code to provide for the regulation of wireless facilities in the Village of Croton- on-Hudson, and WHEREAS the Village Board is considering taking an action to adopt Local Law Introductory No. 5 of 2024 which has been drafted for such purposes, and WHEREAS the Village has completed Part 1 of a Short Environmental Assessment Form (EAF) and a Coastal Assessment Form (CAF), NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS: 1. The Village Board hereby determines that the Proposed Action is an Unlisted Action. 2. The Village Board hereby declares itself to be the Lead Agency for SEQRA purposes in connection with the Proposed Action. 3. The Village Board hereby issues the EAF and CAF which it has before it in connection with the Proposed Action. 4. The Village Board hereby refers the Draft Law, the EAF and the CAF to the Village Waterfront Advisory Committee for a recommendation back to the Village Board in accordance with Village Law. 5. The Village Board hereby directs Village staff to make any other circulations and notifications regarding the Proposed Action as may be required by law. Trustee Murtaugh stated that since he is new to the Board and did not fully understand the scope of what the members on the TAC were referring to and since digging more deeply into the law he is considering potential changes to strengthen it and asked if we adjusted the language would we have to restart the process. Village Manager Healy explained that changes can be made, and depending on what those changes are it would determine if we had to restart the process. February 28, 2024 Trustee Simon thanked the committee for all their hard work, the Code gives us certain powers and authority as we work through the procurement process with any proposed telecommunication company and as we begin the process, we are certainly open to enhancements as we go forward, the Board will be meeting with members of the committee and looks forward to going through some of the language in the law with them. Trustee Nicholson thanked the committee for the countless hours they put into this, we all know it is important to have something on the books to protect us since Federal Laws do take precedence over our laws. Trustee Nicholson stated that she understands that the locations seem to be the tough part, but we do want the best location selected by the companies that are going to build these towers. Mayor Pugh stated that he appreciates the time and effort the committee members put into this process, this process began in the summer of 2022 when we received the proposal from Homeland Towers and the next step was the taskforce which was created last summer, and we are now on to the new step which is to review this draft law. Village Attorney Whitehead stated that a lot of changes have already been made during the review process that addresses some of the comments that have been made and we look forward to working with Board if the Board chooses to refine the law within the guidelines set by Federal Law. Resolution 33-2024 On motion of TRUSTEE POLITI, seconded by TRUSTEE MURTAUGH, 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 has received a request from Camp Nabby of Mohegan Lake, New York, to use a portion of Lot A at the Croton-Harmon Train Station Parking Lot for pick-up and drop-off of campers, and WHEREAS Camp Nabby has agreed to pay $30 per day, or $1,170 for the camp season, for use of the parking lot, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Board of Trustees hereby authorizes the Village Manager to execute the agreement with Camp Nabby to authorize the use of a portion of Lot A at the Croton-Harmon Train Station Parking Lot in the amount of $1,170 for the period beginning June 27, 2024, through August 22, 2024. Resolution #34-2024 Village Board of Trustees February 28, 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE MURTAUGH, 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 Board of Trustees has introduced Local Law Introductory No. 22 of 2023 to amend Chapter 230, Zoning, of the Village Code to update the provisions related to solar energy systems and establish provisions related to battery energy storage systems, and WHEREAS on December 20, 2023, the Village Board of Trustees declared itself Lead Agency for SEQRA purposes; and WHEREAS, on February 7, 2024, the Village Board of Trustees undertook the process and review described in detail in Parts 2 and 3 of the Full EAF “Determination of Significance” attached hereto, and WHEREAS the Village Board held a public hearing to consider Local Law Introductory No. 22 of 2023, which was opened and closed on February 7, 2024, and 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 February 7, 2024, the Village Board reviewed the LWRP Policy’s standards and conditions, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED as follows: The Village Board of Trustees makes the following findings regarding the applicability of the LWRP policies and the consistency of the Proposed Action with those policies and conditions of the LWRP which it found applicable: Policy 1A: Existing planning and zoning documents should be reviewed and amended where necessary to ensure development within the community is consistent with adopted goals and policies. Policy 6A: To expedite permit procedures, the Village shall coordinate all relevant local laws into a development package for applicants and/or make all local laws available to applicants proposing development activities. POLICY 25: Protect, restore or enhance natural and man-made resources which are not identified as being of statewide significance, but which contribute to the overall scenic quality of the coastal area. February 28, 2024 POLICY 37B: Control of the development of hilltops and steep slopes should be exerted in order to prevent erosion and minimize runoff and flooding from new construction. POLICY 39: The transport. storage, treatment and disposal of solid wastes, particularly hazardous wastes, within coastal areas will be conducted in such a manner so as to protect groundwater and surface water supplies, significant fish and wildlife habitats, recreation areas, important agricultural lands and scenic resources. The remaining policies and conditions of the LWRP not specifically discussed above, were reviewed and found not to be applicable, 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 Local Law Introductory No. 22 of 2023 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. 22 of 2023 to amend Chapter 230, Zoning, of the Village Code to update the provisions related to solar energy systems and establish provisions related to battery energy storage systems, which upon adoption becomes Local Law No. 5 of 2024. Resolution #35-2024 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 Board of Trustees supports efforts to cut its municipal carbon footprint, and WHEREAS the Village has been an active participant in New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)’s past grant funding programs, and WHEREAS the Village plans to take the necessary steps in NYSERDA's Clean Energy Community (CEC) program competition to qualify to receive grants that do not require matching or other funds from the Village, and Village Board of Trustees February 28, 2024 WHEREAS analyses by the Village's Sustainability Committee have determined that installing heat pumps, solar arrays, electric vehicle (EV) chargers, and EVs in Croton would comply with CEC grant funding requirements, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees hereby authorizes Mayor Brian Pugh to sign the necessary Letter of Commitment indicating support for those efforts and that such grant funds received by the Village will be used as indicated in that letter. Resolution #36 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE MURTAUGH, 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 Town of Cortlandt has presented an Inter-Municipal Agreement to the Village to allow the inclusion of the Village when advertising for bids, and WHEREAS the Village has utilized the Town’s purchasing services over the years by using Town bids to purchase supplies and materials, and WHEREAS the Village would like to extend this Inter-Municipal Agreement for another year, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Manager is hereby authorized to sign the Inter-Municipal Agreement with the Town of Cortlandt for purchasing services, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the term of this agreement shall be from January 1, 2024, until December 31, 2024. Resolution #37 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE MURTAUGH, seconded by TRUSTEE SIMON, 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 Fire Department provides fire protection service to the Town of Cortlandt (“the Town”) for the Mount Airy/Quaker Bridge Fire Protection District on a contract basis each year, and WHEREAS the Town has provided the Village with the 2024 Quaker Bridge Fire District Agreement between the Town and the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, Village Board of Trustees February 28, 2024 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Manager is hereby authorized to execute the 2024 agreement for fire protection services with the Town, and AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Town shall pay the Village the sum of $260,973, with $52,195 paid directly to the Fire Council of the Village of Croton- on- Hudson and the balance of $208,778 paid to the Village, for providing fire protection services within the Mount Airy/Quaker Bridge Fire Protection District during the period from January 1, 2024, until December 31, 2024. Resolution #38 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE POLITI, 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 Emergency Medical Services Department provides EMS service to the Town of Cortlandt for the Mount Airy/Quaker Bridge Fire Protection District on a contract basis each year, and WHEREAS the Town has provided the Village with the 2024 Ambulance Inter-Municipal Agreement between the Town and the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Manager is hereby authorized to sign the 2024 Inter-Municipal Agreement with the Town of Cortlandt for Emergency Medical Services, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Town shall pay the Village the sum of $211,315 for providing EMS services within the Mount Airy/Quaker Bridge Fire Protection District during the period from January 1, 2024, until December 31, 2024. Resolution #39 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE MURTAUGH, 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 Town of Cortlandt has presented an Inter-Municipal Agreement to the Village to permit the sharing of equipment and vehicles among various municipalities, and WHEREAS the Village has shared or loaned equipment and vehicles over the years with the City of Peekskill, Towns of Cortlandt and Philipstown and Village of Buchanan, and Village Board of Trustees February 28, 2024 WHEREAS such an agreement allows the Village to save on costs that would occur from the purchase and/or rental of equipment and vehicles, and WHEREAS the Village would like to extend this Inter-Municipal Agreement for another year, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Manager is hereby authorized to sign the Inter-Municipal Agreement with the Town of Cortlandt for shared equipment and vehicles, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the term of this agreement shall be from January 1, 2024, until December 31, 2024. Resolution #40 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE MURTAUGH, 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 No. 3 of 2003 was approved at a regular Village Board Meeting held on October 7, 2003, and WHEREAS this Local Law called for the setting of Village fees through Board Resolutions, and WHEREAS the Village would like to update the summer camp fees and canoe/kayak fees for the upcoming season, and WHEREAS the Village would also like to set a new fee for food trucks participating in Summerfest, and WHEREAS a fee for the vacant property registry must be set following the adoption of Local Law 2 of 2024, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Board of Trustees hereby amends the 2023-2024 Master Fee Schedule as follows: Recreation Department Village Day Camp Village Resident Rates: Old New §122-4 Session I ~ 1st child $370.00 $380.00 §122-4 Session I ~ Sibling discount $350.00 $360.00 §122-4 Session II or III - 1st child $395.00 $405.00 Village Board of Trustees February 28, 2024 §122-4 Session II or III - Sibling discount $375.00 $385.00 §122-4 Full Season ~ 1st child $970.00 $995.00 §122-4 Full Season ~ Sibling discount $915.00 $940.00 Non-Resident Rates: §122-4 Session I ~ 1st child $445.00 $455.00 §122-4 Session I ~ Sibling discount $435.00 $445.00 §122-4 Session II or III - 1st child $470.00 $480.00 §122-4 Session II or III - Sibling discount $460.00 $470.00 §122-4 Full Season ~ 1st child $1,110.00 $1,135.00 §122-4 Full Season ~ Sibling discount $1,070.00 $1,095.00 Tiny Tots - Half Day Village Resident Rates: §122-4 Session I ~ 1st child $230.00 $235.00 §122-4 Session I ~ Sibling discount $220.00 $225.00 §122-4 Session II or III - 1st child $255.00 $260.00 §122-4 Session II or III - Sibling discount $245.00 $250.00 §122-4 Full Season ~ 1st child $555.00 $560.00 §122-4 Full Season ~ Sibling discount $530.00 $535.00 Non-Resident Rates: §122-4 Session I ~ 1st child $295.00 $300.00 §122-4 Session I ~ Sibling discount $275.00 $280.00 §122-4 Session II or III - 1st child $310.00 $315.00 §122-4 Session II or III - Sibling discount $300.00 $305.00 §122-4 Full Season ~ 1st child $660.00 $665.00 §122-4 Full Season ~ Sibling discount $625.00 $630.00 Old New Canoe/Kayak (April to October) §168-7 Non-Village Residents $375.00 $400.00 Events Fees Summerfest §122-4 Food Truck – Early Bird (until May 1) $300.00 §122-4 Food Truck – Regular (after May 1) $350.00 Engineering Vacant Property Registry §179-6 First Year $300.00 §179-6 Second Year $600.00 §179-6 Third Year and subsequent years $900.00 Resolution #41 of 2024 Village Board of Trustees February 28, 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE NICHOLSON, seconded by TRUSTEE SIMON, 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 began using Tyler Technologies’ Munis Utility Billing in 2005 for the purpose of billing for Water and Wastewater services, and WHEREAS the current billing software is becoming obsolete and unable to communicate with other updated technologies such as newer water meters, and WHEREAS Tyler Technologies has provided a quote for an updated software product and its implementation in the amount of $30,575, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Treasurer is authorized to make the following budget amendment to the 2023-2024 Water and Sewer Fund budgets as follows: WATER & SEWER EXPENSES Decrease Account # Account Name Amount F1990.4000 Contingency Contractual $15,287.50 G1990.4000 Contingency Contractual $15,287.50 Increase F8310.4000 Water Administration- Contractual $15,287.50 G8120.4000 Sewer-Contractual $15,287.50 Resolution #42 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE MURTAUGH, 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 Department of Public Works would like to perform some investigatory work to identify any inflow or infiltration entering the sanitary sewer system in the Nordica Drive Pump Station service area, and WHEREAS this work includes smoke testing the sewer main in the immediate area, and WHEREAS the Department of Public Works has received a proposal to perform the testing in the amount of $7,600, and WHEREAS as this work was unforeseen, funding for this expense was not included in the 2023-2024 Sewer Fund budget, Village Board of Trustees February 28, 2024 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Board authorizes the Village Treasurer to transfer $7,600 from Contingency Account #G1990.4000 to the following account: G8120.4000 – Sanitary Sewers – Contractual: $7,600 Resolution #43 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE POLITI, 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 Croton100 is an all-volunteer environmental organization that seeks to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Croton-on-Hudson, NY to net zero, and WHEREAS Croton100 was formally inaugurated on February 29, 2020, during a community-wide event at the Croton Harmon High School, marking its symbolic leap into the future on Leap Day, and WHEREAS Leap Day 2024 holds special significance as it marks the fourth anniversary of Croton 100's founding, and WHEREAS over the past four years, Croton100 has diligently endeavored to establish a local platform for educating the community about the climate crisis and advocating for the adoption of local solutions, and WHEREAS operating as an all-volunteer grassroots organization, Croton100 has persisted in its efforts despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly impacted community engagement shortly after its establishment, and WHEREAS Croton100 has demonstrated leadership by providing carbon literacy education through its unique Carbon Tracker and related digital tools, conducting public presentations on the climate crisis and the impact of local actions, promoting policy solutions, mentoring climate advocates, hosting Electric Vehicle Shows, and advocating for electric school buses, among other significant initiatives, and WHEREAS Croton100 has embarked on an ambitious project known as the Climate Action Quilt, weaving together decarbonizing solutions implemented throughout Croton, to be unveiled on Earth Day, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village of Croton-on-Hudson hereby designates Thursday, February 29 as "Croton100 Day" to commemorate the Village Board of Trustees February 28, 2024 establishment of Croton100 as a prominent advocate for climate stability and to celebrate its numerous contributions to our Village, our region, and the planet. A motion to invite the President of Croton100 to speak on this matter was made by Trustee Murtaugh and seconded by Trustee Simon. The motion was approved with a 5-0 vote. Leo Weigman stated that they will be celebrating this by presenting a Carbon Tracker at Pace University College of Law at the Federated Conservationists of Westchester County Symposium on March 1st. Resolution #44 of 2024 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 would like to repeal Chapter 66, Adult Entertainment Use Businesses, of the Code of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson and to amend Chapter 230, Zoning, to provide for the administration and regulation of adult entertainment use businesses, and WHEREAS Local Law Introductory No. 3 of 2024 was drafted for such purposes, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Board of Trustees hereby schedules a Public Hearing on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 7:00 PM in the Georgianna Grant Meeting Room of the Stanley H. Kellerhouse Municipal Building to consider Local Law Introductory No. 3 of 2024 to provide for the administration and regulation of adult entertainment use businesses. Resolution #45 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE MURTUAGH, 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 property at 2 Cleveland Drive, designated on the tax maps as Section 79.13, Block 004, Lot 032, has been the subject of numerous complaints by neighboring residents, and WHEREAS the complaints are generated by the condition of the building and property area, and Village Board of Trustees February 28, 2024 WHEREAS the Village’s Code Enforcement Officer has issued two Orders to Remedy Violations, dated December 13, 2023, and January 19, 2024, which were sent by certified mail, and WHEREAS Article I of Chapter 179, Property Maintenance, of the Village Code requires property to be maintained and, upon failure of the property owner to maintain the property, provides for Village cleanup, after proper notice to the property owner, with the cost of the cleanup being assessed against the property, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Board of Trustees finds that there are ongoing violations of the Village Law as indicated above and that these violations must be abated to protect the health, safety and welfare of the Village residents; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the total costs of removing all weeds, brush, refuse, rubbish, and other materials will be added to the Village tax bill for 2 Cleveland Drive. Trustee Nicholson asked why this is before the Village Board rather than the Village Court. Village Attorney Whitehead explained that the Court cannot force a clean-up, they can only enforce a fine, and because efforts have been unsuccessful in the past, the Village has the authority to do the work and then charge the cost back through a lien on the taxes which can only be done by the Village Board. Resolution #46 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE POLITI, 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 would like to amend Section 230, Zoning, of the Village Code to provide for the administration and regulation of geothermal energy systems, and WHEREAS the Village Board is considering taking an action to adopt Local Law Introductory No. 1 of 2024 which has been drafted for such purposes, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Board of Trustees hereby schedules a Public Hearing on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 7:00 PM in the Georgianna Grant Meeting Room of the Stanley H. Kellerhouse Municipal Building to consider Local Law Introductory No. 1 of 2024 to amend Section 230, Zoning, of the Village Code to provide for the administration and regulation of geothermal energy systems. February 28, 2024 Resolution #47 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE POLITI, seconded by TRUSTEE MURTAUGH, 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 a retaining wall currently exists on the lower side of Grand Street along the properties of 25 Grand Street and 33 Grand Street, and WHEREAS the wall is in need of replacement as it contains cracks and a portion of it is leaning towards the street, and WHEREAS Westchester County, in cooperation and agreement with the Village of Croton- on-Hudson, has been awarded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding in the amount of $59,076 for the replacement of the retaining wall, and WHEREAS on January 18, 2024, the Village advertised for invitations to bid on these improvements (Bid #01-2024), and WHEREAS twenty sealed bids were received at the bid opening held on February 8, 2024, and WHEREAS the lowest apparent bidder was unresponsive to requests to provide a statement of bidder qualifications, and WHEREAS the recommendation to award the bid to the second-lowest bidder, Catalyst Construction, LLC, of Middletown, New York, has been made by Suzette Lopane, Principal Planner at the Westchester Department of Planning, in the amount of $236,565.30, NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Board authorizes the Village Manager to award the contract to Catalyst Construction, LLC in the amount of $236,565.30. Village Manager Healy stated that we are hopeful we can reallocate the $250,000 we received for the purchase of a new tower ladder truck to cover some of the costs for the wall. 8. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS: Sarah Boyce, 140 Benedict Blvd, Croton on Hudson, asked the Board to put a moratorium on multi dwelling construction in the Village. Ms. Boyce also addressed the rent control issue that was recently put upon dwellings with 6 or Village Board of Trustees February 28, 2024 more units, several landlords presented valuable information for the Board’s consideration, but it seemed that the Board had already made up their mind, expressed her concerns about the cost of illegal immigration on taxpayers in this country and its effects on our schools and asked why we are a Sanctuary Village, she is also concerned about the “Green New Deal” the Village has signed onto. Tony Granger, Half Moon Bay, Croton on Hudson, addressed his concerns regarding the sale of the Finkelstein property and believes there is a lack of transparency on the part of the Village regarding discussions that were held with the Engineering Department, he also referred to a watermain break in December 2023 and addressed his concerns about the Village’s crumbling infrastructure. Ed Riely, 110 Truesdale Drive, Croton on Hudson, addressed issues regarding the Democratic Party that is controlling the State and County and objects to Westchester County moving their elections from odd years to even years, expressed his disappointment that during the Lorraine Hansberry event at the Library, the League of Women Voters attacked the Republican Party during their presentation, believes developing clean energy is good but we must find a way to audit these programs to make sure they are financially beneficial. 9. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion to approve the minutes as amended of the Regular Meeting held on February 7, 2024, was made by Trustee Nicholson. The motion was seconded by Trustee Simon and approved with a 5-0 vote. 10. REPORTS: Trustee Nicholson stated that this is our first public meeting since the passing of Ann Gallelli, she was such a generous, kind soul who gave so much to this Village and thirty-five years of service listening to the public, and making things better for all of us was truly incredible. Trustee Nicholson addressed a comment regarding the Board’s vote on the rent stabilization law and while some Board members may have had an idea of how they wanted to vote, what she heard that evening from the landlords did change her vote. Trustee Nicholson also addressed the comment regarding the Lorraine Hansberry event, the Board was not aware of that slide presentation and thanked Mr. Riely for bringing it to their attention, the Lorraine Hansberry chairs have agreed to reach out to the League of Women Voters, they said it Village Board of Trustees February 28, 2024 was not intentional and they were trying to make the event as non-partisan as possible. Trustee Simon stated that it was amazing to see this room filled during Ann Gallelli’s memorial service, she was a teacher, a mentor, a friend and an example of how to do this job right. Trustee Simon advised that we officially thanked the 125th Anniversary Committee on February 10th, recognizing all their efforts in putting together so many amazing events, on February 8th he attended the raising of the Merchant Marine flag at Veterans Corner, on Saturday, May 4th the Village will be sponsoring a “Croton Comic Com” at the Croton Middle School, https://happeningnext.com/event/croton-comic-con-eid3a0b5jb2fa, attended Sustainable Westchester’s annual meeting last week, met with the Fire Counsil last night, met with the Bennett Conservatory of Music along with the chair of our IDEA Committee to talk about ways the Village can assist them in the upcoming Juneteenth celebrations, gave a shout out to Kristi Godek of Nella’s Nutri Bar who reached out to us to encourage the community to vote for Croton businesses who have been nominated by the “Best of Westchester” program. Trustee Murtaugh recognized Ann Gallelli’s long service to the Village, it is unfortunate that he is taking her place on the Board but will make every effort to work as hard as Ann did for so many years. Trustee Murtaugh reassured everyone that the 25 South Riverside Avenue project has third party safety inspectors on site insuring compliance with all regulations, as well as our Village Engineer who is checking the site regularly, fencing will be installed to protect the site as well, stated that he was not aware that the Village declared itself a Sanctuary Village, what he does know is that when the Police Department encounters someone they do not ask about their immigration status, and they treat that person as they would anyone else. Trustee Politi advised that the IDEA Advisory Committee’s goal is to make our Village inclusive and accessible to everyone, an AAPI event is being planned for May, working on getting the schools involved in various Village events, planning on launching the “All Welcome” campaign at Summerfest, and looking into launching the “Croton Connector” at the end of April that would assist people getting around the Village without having to use cars. Mayor Pugh thanked everyone for reaching out and sharing their thoughts on Ann Gallelli during her memorial service. February 28, 2024 Mayor Pugh stated that they had a very productive discussion with the Sustainability Committee and looks forward to what they will be doing next, this weekend the Conservation Advisory Council will be holding a “Clean Initiative”. Mayor Pugh responded to comments made regarding housing, and explained that the Village has a long standing commitment to affordable housing as detailed in our Comprehensive Plan that was adopted in 2017, we now have to use our land more efficiently to meet the needs of the community and this is primarily but not exclusively multi-family housing, and while he understands some of the concerns about the environmental impact of construction, it is also important to understand that people need housing and they have to be built somewhere and multi-family development is the most environmentally friendly way to meet the housing needs of our community. To hear more of Mayor Pugh’s comments, you may log onto the following: https://play.champds.com/crotononhudsonny/event/929, (Section 02.14.25). Mayor Pugh stated that the Village never declared itself a Sanctuary Village, the Croton Police Department’s policy is not to inquire about a person’s immigration status unless it is important to a criminal investigation, and they are not authorized to detain anyone based on their immigration status. Mayor Pugh advised that he received a copy of a letter from the Croton Republican Party to the League of Women Voters thanking them for their apology with respect to the controversial slide show and for the content of their presentation. A motion to enter into an Executive Session to discuss matters that could impact public Safety was made by Trustee Nicholson. Motion was seconded by Trustee Politi and approved with a 5-0 vote. There being no further business to come before the Board a motion to close the meeting was made by Trustee Nicholson. The motion was seconded by Trustee Politi and approved with a 5-0 vote. The meeting was adjourned at 9:45pm.