The Croton-on-Hudson Board of Trustees meeting on March 11 opened with a celebration of local environmental stewardship, but the evening ended with the indefinite postponement of a contentious proposal regarding the village's justice court. The meeting featured the unveiling of a collaborative quilt by the group Croton 100, which documents the village's grassroots climate action. However, the procedural highlight was the Board's decision to vote down a resolution that would have funded a study to explore the operations of the Village Justice Court. A Fabric of Community Action The board room was crowded with residents eager to see the unveiling of the third quilt created by Croton 100, a local climate action group. Mayor Brian Pugh invited the members to the front of the room to reveal the artwork.
Former Village Attorney Joshua Subin and Deputy Mayor Len Simon during discussion of the Sustainability Quilt at the Board Of Trustees meeting.
Former Village Attorney Joshua Subin and Deputy Mayor Len Simon during discussion of the Sustainability Quilt at the Board Of Trustees meeting.
"Shrouded behind me is a quilt prepared by the members of Croton 100. It is a beautiful artistic demonstration of grassroots climate action," said Mayor Brian Pugh. 1:43▶ Patti Buchanan of Croton 100 explained that the quilt chronicles sustainability efforts across four "pillars" of the community: municipal government, businesses, public facilities, and households. Notably, the quilt highlights the school district's installation of solar panels and electric school buses. "The four corners of the quilt are extraordinary fabric applique creations that illustrate our school buildings with solar on the roofs with a very accurate representation of the solar on our three buildings," Buchanan said. 8:34▶ The quilt also features contributions from local businesses and specific squares representing 12 different household actions, such as composting and switching to electric heat pumps. "We have a legend that explains what these 12 household items are... things like electric vehicles, heat pumps, clean electricity," Buchanan said. 11:53▶ In an emotional moment, Buchanan revealed that the border fabric was made from silk saris that belonged to her late mother-in-law, repurposed to symbolize global connections. Court Study Proposal Voted Down Following the quilt presentation, the meeting shifted to a more divisive topic: the future of the Village Justice Court. The Board was set to consider a resolution to hire a consultant for $19,750 to review the court's operations, a move many residents viewed as a prelude to consolidation with the Town of Cortlandt. In a rare unanimous rejection, all five members of the Board voted against the resolution. The vote was 5-0 against, with Trustee Simon, Trustee Nicholson, Trustee Nachtaler, Trustee Slippen, and Mayor Pugh all voting Nay. Trustee Simon stated that the Board's intent was to set the matter aside and that there was no proposal for studying the court's operations at this time, though he noted that all organizations should be subject to periodic review. Trustee Nachtaler said she was "never in favor of court consolidation" but emphasized her duty as a Trustee to ensure departments operate efficiently. She added she was "proud that the Board has listened to our residents." Mayor Pugh stated that since the preference of the community is not for consolidation of the court, he does not foresee proposing any study in the future. Residents Sound Off During the public comment period, residents criticized the lack of transparency surrounding the study and the potential closure of the court. Joel Gingold argued the study would not account for the extra expenses residents and police officers would incur traveling to and from the Town of Cortlandt, and urged the Board not to spend money on the study. Casey Raskob, the Village Prosecutor, emphasized that state regulations dictate court operations regardless of location, questioning the validity of a study meant to find cost savings. "No consultant will be able to change this fashion to get a different result," Raskob stated, noting that the Village Court runs well and has an excellent reputation in the legal community. Village Justice Sam R. Watkins, who has served for twenty years, stated he does not believe moving the court to the Town of Cortlandt will save money and does not believe the Town court would show the same compassion as the local Village Court. Resident Lewis Montana did not support moving the court and believes it could be a slippery slope in removing more of Croton's essential services. Paul Doyle suggested that if the Board insists on moving forward, the study should be subject to a Permissive Referendum. Financials In other business, the Board approved the payment of bills: $216,684.13 from the general fund, $10,301.07 from the water fund, $5,437.69 from the sewer fund, and $33,712.37 from the capital fund. The Board also authorized the purchase of a new Seagrave Marauder pumper to replace Engine 119 at a cost of $1,789,929, approved an $8,000 upgrade to the Village website through CivicPlus, and declared the proposed rehabilitation of the Half Moon Bay Bridge consistent with the Village's Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. The quilt will be displayed in the Municipal Building for the public to view. The future of the court study remains uncertain, with Mayor Pugh indicating he does not foresee proposing any study in the future.