Board Of Trustees
Alright. Good evening, and welcome to our July 1 regular meeting of the Croton on Hudson Board of Trustees. I'm mayor Brian Pugh. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance.
Alright. Our first item of business will be the approval of vouchers treasurer.
Hi. Good evening. For the general fund, we have $1,088,060.88. The water fund is a $185,219.22. The sewer fund is $24,336.30. The capital fund, have $28001.46.09. Trust fund is for $2,160 even.
Motion by trustee Simon, second by trustee Nachtaler. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Responses to questions submitted via email. No questions, mayor. Alright. Public comment on agenda items. Anyone wishing to speak on an agenda item, this is your opportunity. You have five minutes a person. Please state your name and address.
For those who are on Zoom that wish to comment, you can use the raise hand feature.
a lot different, from where I live, and I know you're ready for the emergencies that go with heat in the Croton River, etcetera, etcetera. So I was looking at two things on here, item a three, which is a new sign structure along Route 9. I think this has come up in the past, but one, we have too many signs in Croton, here's a guy talking about just putting two signs in over near the cemetery. But we should really review how many signs we have. They're all over the place, and some signs block other signs. But in that vein, signs and pictures, the village has done a good job, I think, in using in what we call public art, I guess you call it, solicited many times voluntarily, for instance, at Sanascot and other places. And I think the same thing would apply to that area where the sign is going in, especially on that bridge. You probably have to get the state who can't get themselves out of paper bag for permission of that, but
I would like to encourage that sign, pictures, whatever, relative to that item in the in the immediate area. Regarding battery power equipment, this came up in the case of gasoline versus battery powered lead blowers. And right now, the village itself uses gasoline powered lead blowers, both the big ones, the big circular jobs, and and the backpacks. And I actually invited my the guy that does my lawn. I did my lawn for seventy odd years seventy five years. Now a guy does my lawn for the last two years. It will directly impact him in the price of what he does. I think part of the problem is is when you have two leaf blowers going at the same time with both gasoline powered, it can get pretty loud. But do they do the job quicker? So I asked him as he had to take off his earphones and take his mask down, unlike, as portrayed elsewhere in a previous meeting. These guys are prepared for the sound
and the smoke and volume and dust that go goes with this. And I really can't see that less dust will be created by a electronically blower than will be by gasoline leaf blower and still get the job done. But, that remains to be seen, and I urge the village to do a test, actually do a test with that equipment. And then, as you're doing, and I commend you for this, inviting inviting these landscapers in to tell and to state what the effect and the efficiency of that proposed law will be. It'll certainly have an effect on the village in terms of price, and we'll certainly have them in terms of electric electric availability and other things. The last item, which I'm very concerned about, were the seven a. In this village, historically, when you invite high school kids, maybe even college kids who are commuting to be on these boards, etcetera, obviously, you take on an added burden of having a juvenile
person under 18 years old on your body and so forth. And I think and sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad. Historically, in this town, it's used to be promote some of the wildest progressive causes. Right? And so I would like to appeal to people of more conservative nature, whether they be conservative Democrats being pushed out of their own party or Republicans or independents or whatever. In a historically, we have said government's not damn good. You know, they're always oppressing you, blah blah. Well, that doesn't exactly encourage your kid to go into public service, does it? And we need people in public service. And the the people on this board have demonstrated in many ways. It's mixed it's mixed motives, I'm sure, but a spirit of public service and volunteerism that most people are afraid to take on. I commend you for that. So I would urge the village of Croton and these committees
to cast a wider net and encourage, kids of all backgrounds and all political persuasions to join these boards, and that the boards specifically go out and solicit them just like they encourage the high school to go out and solicit conservative groups to come in and organize committees in the high school and not leave it to the left. Thank you.
Anyone else wishing to speak on an agenda item? Okay. Seeing no one else wishing to speak, we proceed to the report from the manager.
Sorry. Was just checking to make sure we had no hands. No hands. Okay. Alright. Thank you, mayor. So, first item on the, actually, I'll just address the one of the things that was said under the public comment, with regards to the sign, that New York State is soliciting feedback on, it's not a new sign. Well, it is a new sign, but it's replacing a sign that's already there. So this is the overpass sign for the municipal place exit on Route 9. So they're gonna take the existing sign down and and put up a new sign. So that's that is what, is being, asked for feedback. So as as we all know, we just start we just finished day one of our five day heat wave. An extreme heat warning is currently in effect until 09:00 on Friday. The Corn Free Library is serving as our cooling center for tomorrow and Friday during their normal hours. And starting tomorrow at 05:00, we will also have 5PM. We'll also have the community room at the municipal building open as a cooling center, and that will be open twenty four seven until the heat wave ends.
I have waived the daily fees at Silver Lake through Friday due to the extreme heat warning. You do still need to show your park's ID card for entrance. There's also a chance for severe weather on Friday and Saturday, so should power outages occur due to the heat or thunderstorms. Additional information will be shared through our emergency alert system, social media, and website. The Cleveland Drive repaving. The repaving project along Cleveland Drive is scheduled to begin July 13. The project came in significantly underbid, so we are working with the contractor to see if we can include Cleveland Drive from Gerstein Street to Jacoby Street in addition to the previously announced areas. So once the paving list is finalized, information will be shared with the community at large as in regards to the schedule. The reconstruction of the Farrington Road steps began yesterday. The steps are closed for the summer while the work is underway.
The project is likely going to take place in two phases due to the need to have the steps open for the school year. So, you know, more to come on that. We'll see exactly how much they can get finished by the end of August. As shared with the community yesterday, Westchester County is set to begin the replacement of the Quaker Bridge on July 7. The work is anticipated to take ten months to complete. Updates will be provided as we receive them from the county. Con Edison continues to undertake gas main work along Old Post Road North. This project is expected to continue until August, at which point they will shift to Brook Street. The work along Brook Street is not expected to be as intense, which will allow them to complete their work there by mid September. Con has also started a pole replacement project along Old Post Road South. Con Edison did not notify the village, the school district, or emergency services prior to the start of this project, which constituted numerous
violations of the permit issued to them, and we will be seeking penalties accordingly. Our offices are closed on Friday for Independence Day. Recycling is being picked up village wide tomorrow, July 2. And I just would like to thank some of the member, Levenberg, for providing, both us at the municipal building and the library pocket copies of the declaration of independence and the constitution. So we have those not those not those specific copies, but we have other we have ones from assemblywoman Levenberg in our office. So people are free to come and take a free copy. The detectives, recently arrested a Maine woman for identity theft of a local resident. We put out a press release, earlier this evening about this, You know, just really impressive police work. The department worked closely with neighboring departments to solve the case. And, you know, really, the the case hinged on, a license plate reader being able to identify the vehicle that was used,
and the Westchester County Police were able to detain her until our police department could respond to take custody. So just impressive work. So I thank the detectives for, you know, for working on that case and the many other cases that they work on every every day. And then lastly, you know, I met with the fire council last night. I'm sure trustee Simon will talk more about that, but one of the things that I brought up, was helping to recruit for the fire department. You know, our department is a 100% volunteer and in need of new members. And so I just wanna thank, trustee for helping us design a banner, which I will get up on the screen so that we can look at it. Just give me one moment here. But we're going to be putting a banner at the, train station on the at the entrance to the train station that will help with some recruitment efforts. And in addition, we also talked about at the meeting having,
a recruitment video. There was an a neighboring department in, in Westchester that recently did, like, a three minute long recruitment video that they interviewed different members of the department. You know, some members who had been there for one year, other members who had been there for fifty years, right, and just kinda getting their perspective. And, you know, I I thought it was a the video resonated really well. And so I sent it to the Chiefs, and, you know, they seemed to like the idea until we talked about it last night at the fire council meeting. And, hopefully hopefully, they'll be able to get some volunteers to, to do that. So Great idea. Alright. So if you could just refresh, Janette. That on the social? Yes. That would be that would be the idea. Yeah. Where did it go? Okay. And just maybe zoom out just a little bit. Is that? Oh, that's the zoom. Nice. One more? Yeah. No. I think that should be good. Close
out of that. Thank you, my bad. Alright. Standby. That's alright. There we go. There we go. Perfect. Perfect. Yeah. So yeah. So we'll have that have that or something very similar to that at the at the train station, hopefully, in the near future. So Thank you. Yep. Okay. That's all I had for my report.
Fantastic. Thank you, manager. Yep. Alright. We proceed to the consent agenda. Do I have a motion on the consent agenda?
I'll just I'll I'll point out just to you know, I wanna thank the Lions Club and and K Electric for the scoreboard donation for Dobbs. As everybody's aware, we've we've invested a significant amount into Dobbs in you know, over the the course of the past year, and the scoreboard was one aspect that was still in need of attention. And so, you know, we appreciate the Yes. The donation to get that up and running again.
That's great. And on the second resolution, consider determining the site work at Govea Park to be a type two action under SECRA. I know that we're now operating under the new SECRA reforms. And, before the reforms, this would have been considered, an unlisted action. Correct. So if you can just share with the public, you know, what why it's a type two, which means it's exempt from secret, would be great. Because Sure. I don't wanna misspeak on anything. Thank
you. It's a project in a park Mhmm. That doesn't include a large venue Yeah. Concert hall or amphitheater, and it's it's also a previously disturbed area. So therefore, you're doing upgrades and renovations, and therefore, the new amendments add this exact kind of project to the type the new type two list. So therefore, the SECRA review, it it would not be subject to SECRA review. It's still subject to all the local reviews and processes and procurement and bidding and all of the necessary local procedural aspects. It just doesn't need an independent environmental review that would meet the constrictors of CCRA. An unlisted action as it stood, would have required you to identify potentially significant impacts, and I I believe, after some discussions with the planner that the current, project, which is upgrading drainage, loop road, fixing parking, adding handicap parking, would not rise to the level of a significant adverse
impact. So in her opinion, it would have resulted in negative declaration. This just saves the two months it would have taken for you to reach that conclusion.
Thank you. And the the way we're defining the project does not include the the reconstruction
of the house. Correct. The house is not included in this. This is only the No. This is only the site that the board had previously approved and and funded. Correct. Yep. Thank you. Yep. Just wanted to explain that. No. It's very helpful.
Yeah. So, so this is the local law on the changes to the animal code. Right? So, you know, the based on our last work session discussion, we've drafted the law which is in the backup, and it's available for public public review. And, you know, there's been some further board input that, you know, I think the board members will either discuss now or or in their reports. You know? I think and probably now just Sure. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. And those comments would be incorporated
And I I would just say, manager, and thank you for the for the lead in just in terms of some of our discussions. And I I thought the, the draft of local law 10 was was excellent. What I've what I've interested in seeing added in there is is some some reference or articulation of the enforcement that that goes along with the provisions. And, you know, they they can that, from my perspective, that can be either reference to an existing enforcement regime that we have in our our zoning code or something more specific to this. But I I think it's important that we that we have some some form of enforcement showing up within within the local law or at least some some guide to enforcement showing up in local law. And then secondly, we'd also talked about making sure that it was clear that that there was to be no grandfathering and that to the extent that anything had to be remedied based on on on what what would
be the case should we adopt this law that that would be clear, that there would there would there would have to be some adjustments based on on on what was necessary to comply with with the law. So grandfathering or no grandfathering language. And then and then very specifically, we talked about ensuring that that those those particular species that are not allowed to be on the grounds are not allowed also to be within the home. Just to just make that clear. And there's there's language that I'm confident that our our you and our attorney will divine for for that. So Mhmm. Those We'll make all those edits based on the board's direction. And we had talked about in terms of the grandfathering,
we had talked about and you had suggested a date certain for this to become applicable and right now you're looking at 01/01/2027 as being the date that this becomes effective. That seemed to be a consensus in providing people with the opportunity to rehome or find sanctuary or relocate or in terms of a valuable animal to find a purchaser. So that will be added as well. We will be adding the cross referencing that that mister Simon had discussed, and that would be just to the code provisions that are in place. There'd be no additional enforcement that would be stricter than that which is an enforcement across the board in your zoning code. So we'll be adding that. And we also had addressed a comment and a question about making sure it was apparent that we're talking about the female gender of chickens because we wanted to make sure apparently a young male chicken is called a cockerel so we'll be adding roosters
and cockerel to the list of the not permitted. So all of those changes will be made in the draft and I'll work with your manager and your planner to be sure that's incorporated before you'll be making the referrals.
Can you talk a little bit about the process? Because sitting here on July 1, January 1 seems far away. Can you just talk a little bit about what's exactly what's gonna happen next and sort of the path that this is gonna take that gets us to January 1? Sure. And and,
Brian, you can certainly chime in. But, generally, a zoning code text amendment takes a minimum of sixty days because of the requirement in New York State law that you must refer this to the county planning. And also in your local code, there are referrals necessary and you need to meet the meeting schedules of the referring, local boards and agencies to be sure. So we would be talking, likely
September. Conservative. September before you would be able to actually adopt a law once it's finalized. And then, there's usually a ten day lag once you send the law up to the Department of State for for, filing because it's required to be filed, usually at ten days before you receive that receipt. So it would be September. So, really, we're talking October, November, December. It's really a three month Right. Phase in. So the the distance between,
now and January 1 seems longer, but because we we know we've got Perceived. A couple of months of Yeah. Of legislating that we have to do. I mean, the the
earliest just running through the calendar in my head. Right? The the earliest that you would be able to adopt the law is the second meeting in September. Correct. So because you're gonna need, you're gonna refer this tonight to the WAC and the planning board. We already know that the planning board is not meeting on July 14. Their meeting was canceled. So they're not gonna review this until the end of July, then you're gonna get their comments back. You're gonna schedule the public hearing potentially at your August 19 meeting. You schedule that for your first meeting in September. Yep. You have the public hearing. You do the Seeker and the LWRP review, and then you could adopt adopt the neg deck, the statement of consistency and the law at your second meeting in September. And I'll get that's the fastest you could do it. Right? I mean, you could get comments back that give you pause and and you wanna make changes or something like that, you know. So but at the the quickest would be the second meeting in September. Seems Right. No changes. That assumes no changes.
Correct. Yeah. And it's I think it's helpful to have that January 1 date rather than, say, doing it ninety days from when we enact the Correct. The code Yeah. Rather that rather than doing that, we end up with a shorter period likely Yeah. If we Right. If we go with January 1. Right. I had suggested a date certain just so there was no confusion to the public
Yep. When they're looking at this and certainly explaining that it takes, sixty days at least. And, for a zoning again, you know, the zoning code is sacrosancted. There are certain requirements you have to do. So I just had advised to date certain in the proposed law would be helpful to people in order to make plans or to understand when something happens or not happens. So that's why that came up. And just to be clear, the comments from the county planning office, you either have to wait thirty days or you have to receive comments back. And, again, those don't always arrive concurrent with a meeting you have scheduled or an agenda you have scheduled. So you wanna make sure you provide enough time and opportunity to see what those, comments might be, if any, and also to get the comments back from your referring boards. And to be sensitive to the fact that you'll end up scheduling a public hearing and there'll be comments available from your public hearing after
you have a a law that that has addressed the comments in some way Mhmm. And at the consensus of your board.
Can you also talk a little bit about the enforcement piece and how that's gonna be in this new law pointing to existing language in the code? Yes. You just
There describe are the standard enforcement provisions in your zoning code. And again, it it's not intended that you make stricter enforcement requirements just for this law. That basically, it's a sort of an equal protection thing that you all, all the enforcement goes to those provisions and all of the potential penalties and deadlines go to the same provisions. So we'll have referred directly, and I apologize. I don't have your code memorized yet. That section in particular exists and there's no provision in this introductory local law to either make it stricter or to, to revise those provisions that already exist.
But the text of the revised law will just say enforcement of these provisions shall be subject to that? In accordance with yes. Yeah. And then it will have a link to section two thirty dash whatever it is. See, you don't know either. I don't know either. Thank you. I don't have the number memorized, but it's it is in there. But we have we have the we have the code. We have the enforcement tools, and and we have the enforcement team on the top side. Be there? Yeah. So, again,
no no intent to punish anybody above and beyond. No intent, to to forgive anybody above and beyond. It's all in accordance with what already exists.
I mean, I guess I guess it does, but I think that, you know, we obviously we know we have a lot of interested parties on this topic. So I just wanna make sure that and and, you know, I I guess I don't know exactly where this live this doesn't live on the projects page. There's a there's a separate page for proposed local laws. Okay. And so all this information would be there and it's gonna be updated after tonight's meeting? Correct. And we can be specific about directing people to that section of the code about the enforcement so that Yeah. That would be part of their comments throughout the rest of this six month process that we're undertaking now. We can get specific comments on the enforcement if that's where questions
are. Yes. Yes. Okay. And I I just want to thank the attorney, the manager, and and our planner who's not here, but for great work in getting us to this point. And we got some more work to do, but I think we're in a good place. We're
we're moving along. Yeah. Yeah. And and to the and to the board for, you know, working working through it last week because Yeah. It was difficult. We spent a lot of time on it. So Yeah. And I appreciate your insight and your Yeah.
Your honesty. And and the comments I've received thus far appear to be very knowledgeable, and and it's helpful to have an engaged board in this way. Yeah. So thank you. And an engaged public. I was just gonna say. Yeah. Right.
We got a lot of we got a tremendous amount of feedback on this topic Mhmm. From people all across the village, which have brought us to this point.
And then, just comment on the battery energy storage system. That is number four, b four.
Oh, sorry. Yeah. That's for Did we have one here to approve the No. We did. No. We did that. Alright. Yeah. No. I also and what Marie and I had this conversation earlier. The amount was so similar to the RFP sum that I I also thought it would And the b would have been best, but yes. Okay. Sorry. This is this is for batteries for electric leaf blowers for DPW. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you.
Yep. Yeah. I think I think we all thought this was what we discussed, the RFP for services that we discussed at the work or I did, anyway. I got confused. Sorry sorry for the confusion. Yeah.
Further discussion? All in favor? Aye. Aye. Alright. We proceed to proposed resolutions.
Whereas from time to time, students have served in an official or unofficial role on the advisory committees in the village of Hudson, and whereas the village board of trustees is desirous of establishing guidelines for students to officially participate on advisory committees. And whereas the topic was discussed at a work session held by the village board on 06/24/2026, Now therefore be it resolved that the village board of trustees hereby adopts the following guidelines for student members on advisory committees. Student members shall be permitted to serve on the arts and humanities advisory council, bicycle and pedestrian committee, conservation advisory council, art committee, idea advisory committee, police advisory committee, recreation advisory committee, and sustainability committee. No more than one student member for committees authorized to have seven or less members, and no more than two student members for other advisory committees.
Student members shall serve as nonvoting members of the advisory committees. Student members shall be juniors or seniors in high school to be appointed. Student members shall reside within the village of Cordonan Hudson to be appointed. Student members shall be recommended by their guidance counselor or other school official and have parental permission to be appointed. Student member term shall be for one year and run from September 1 to August 31. Student members shall adhere to the community guidelines adopted by the commit I should say, committee guidelines adopted by the village board, including attendance requirements.
Second. Motion motion by trustee Slipin, second by, trustee Nochteller. Discussion?
Well, thank you trustee Simon for volleying me the the ability to make the motion on this since this has been project that I've been working on for about a year. We originally got a request from the high school last year to the arts and humanities committee to have student to have student participation on that committee, which then started a year long process, which makes the six month process for the for the law maybe for the for the animal law maybe seem shorter. So there was a lot of discussion back and forth about what's the best way to engage students in this process, how to make it work for the committee members, how to make it work for the students. And the first part of this process was really fixing and updating the guidelines for the committees, which is where we started, which was also a long process, which then once we had guidelines, then it brought us to here. I just I I know that we don't usually in this portion of the meeting address
comments by the public, but I, you know, I know that there were some questions in the in the public comment about this. My one of my daughters participated as a student member on a committee when it before it was formalized. It was a very positive experience for her. She was able to use her science research project to participate with the conservation advisory committee. She was able to bring her research to a committee that had expertise on the topic and also share the information that she was working on at school. It was overall incredibly positive. But, you know, as was suggested, engaging student members in things is not necessarily, you know, that it could get complicated. So I think that we've laid this out in a way that's going to make sense. I've spoken with, at least one committee chair this week because it was on the agenda, but others previously, you know, about some of the things, you know, how we're gonna navigate this.
How how are we gonna make sure it's working out well for both parties? And I think that's what everybody's intent is, that the students will have a great experience and the committee members will have a great experience. I think that this is a great way to get the ball rolling. We may have to make some adjustments once we see what this looks like in practice. But I'm actually excited to get it to get it moving. I also have been in touch with the principal and one of the assistant principals at the high school, which is where the request originally came from. And they are looking forward to discussing this over the summer so that when the students return in September, we'll be able to, you know, have a, you know, have a process for how that's gonna look. And in terms of the students who are, you know, make up the committees, it's gonna be based on certainly not on political ideology. It's gonna be based on there's a wide variety of of interests here. We already have robust participation
with the police department through some students. So this is gonna be another way for kids who maybe don't wanna be or students who maybe don't wanna be cadets to be involved with that. And the explanation goes on and on. You know, actual kids who are riding their bikes to school will or walking to school will be able to participate in the bike pad committee. I think this is gonna be really an incredible opportunity for the committees and the students. So I will stop going and on about it, but I am really excited about this, you know, both as a board member, but also as a parent of a student who was able to participate in this. I'm excited to bring it to the rest of to to many more students in the village and also to the committees because I think it was, you know, Janet Monahan when she was the chair of the conservation advisory committee was willing to host my daughter. And I think I know that it was a positive experience for her too. So thank you to my colleagues for enduring this
and thank you in advance to the school for working with us. They're, you know, I I think that the opportunity for the school and the village to work together, sometimes we're not you know, that working relationship is complicated. I think this is a way to really find a nice way to make a solid line between the two institutions, for both for both parties. So thank you everyone. Thank you.
Whereas the village of Cournot Hudson has many permanent records that date back to the village's incorporation in 1898. And whereas over the years, these records have been preserved through various media, including on microfilm. Whereas the machine which reads the microfilm has reached end of life and microfilm is no longer a preferred way to retain records due to its ability to degrade over time. And whereas deputy village clerk Miguel Mara has been working with Coffin to develop a proposal to digitize the permanent records currently on microfilm. And whereas a proposal to undertake this work has been submitted at a cost of $11,534, now therefore be it resolved that the village manager is hereby authorized to accept the proposal from Coffin to digitize existing microfilm records at a cost of $11,534 and be it further resolved that the village board hereby authorizes the village treasurer to make the following budget transfer in the twenty twenty six twenty twenty seven general fund budget. General expenses increased a $14.10 dot 4,000, village clerk contractual $11,534,
decrease a $19.90 dot 4,000 contingency $11,534.
Yeah. So as it says, this is something that we've been working on for a little while. You know, our treasurer our treasurer happens and she's gonna appreciate it. She's the one who uses the microfilm records the most currently because a lot of our payroll records from the seventies, eighties and nineties are on microfilm. And as people go to retire, we get know, they they try to claim, oh, I was a camp counselor for two years and they want that added to their pension. Right? So then we have to go back in the records and look to see if that's true or not. Right? So but as it says, the machine that we have is is quite old and,
you know, this this is something that we really just need to do and it will make everyone's life a lot easier. Well, I I heartily endorse this, and I and I do so as a member of the microfilm generation. You know, because I can't tell you how many hundreds of hours in the Springbrook library, now the Gordon Willis library in Yonkers, I would take out the the the spools of microfilm from old newspapers or magazines and that's and just, you know, read white printing on a black background in college as well. So it's but it's it's time. Yeah. Mean Is
this the first time the village is doing this? Or No. We've done we've done other things. Like, all of our board minutes, by and large, are already digitized.
Yep. Planning board, zoning board, and village board are all are all digitized. But there were these other records, like I said, primarily payroll records, but some tax records, you know, they we had this we had this, representative from Coffin come in, met with Miguel and with Paula, and they went through the all the different spools that we have, you know, identified which the records that were on each spool and then cross checked that with what we already have because some were duplicates, and so we don't, you know, we don't need them. And there were other things that might have been bless you. That might have been digitized thirty years ago, but are now no longer they they're retained the time you have to retain them Retention schedules. Retention schedules. Yeah. They're we no longer need them, so we can just dispose Does of this come out of? This is coming from contingency. Okay. Yeah. So,
and so this is going to be a two a two step process. Right? So the sec after this is done, the next phase is to preserve our ledger books because we have a lot of our vital records, birth and death certificates, are in large ledger books, which are deteriorating. Mhmm. And so but we're hoping that we're gonna get a grant for that through the New York State Archives. So this work is just not it doesn't there's not it's not enough to go for a grant, really. But the the preservation of the books will be will be able to deal. Yeah. We'll be able to seek a grant for for that.
So The National Endowment for the Yep. Humanities actually does a lot of digital conversion grants, but but you're right. It's gotta be up at a certain level. Yeah.
Thank you. Is there any thought that this is like, this is the best technology for this at the time, but there is is there any thought that these records will at some point become stored in some type of cloud based storage? That they this is where they're going. This is cloud based? Yes. Okay. Yep. And once they're digitized this way, it's easy to move them around a lot easier than
They're gonna go on to our new laser fish program, which we moved from software based to cloud based last year. Yeah.
And this and what were the other you said that already the planning and zoning have already moved over to our planning zoning and,
village board minutes, are on on the laser fish in the, you know, in they're already digitized. Okay. So, yep, I think I mean, there were there were other things that were digitized too. I think at some point, all of the personnel records, you know, from all previous employees were digitized. So, yeah, at different at different points, different things have been, but the stuff that was on microfilm has just kind of been Mhmm. Has been hanging out there. Mhmm. So.
That's a that's a good question. You know, I would imagine that they can go into some type of shredding shredding machine. Mhmm. That's how we you know, we have the shredder truck come from the county once a year, and we dispose all our records that have are now able to be disposed go go into that truck. Thank you. Yep.
Alright. All in favor? Aye. Did I do a motion? You did. Yes. Okay. Alright. Very good. Yes. No. That's how we got to the discussion.
Okay. Very good. Whereas, Westchester County has provided endpoint detection and response services to the village of Croton on Hudson and other county municipalities through a shared services agreement, whereas these services are now being offered at no cost by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. And whereas New York State DHSES has provided an agreement outlining the terms and conditions of the services to be offered. Now therefore be it resolved that the village board of trustees hereby authorizes the village manager to execute the agreement with New York State DHSES for endpoint detection and response services.
Manager, for for those that you might be, wondering or may maybe, maybe they're not, but in case they are, this is cybersecurity.
Correct. Right. And that's why it's it's important. Yeah. And so West like it says, Westchester County has been providing us this for a little while and now New York State is part of their you know, I'm guessing that Westchester County, not all counties in the state were offering this. So now the state has decided to offer it statewide.
And and we are here in Westchester County, our forty forty seven municipalities and and really every every local government in the country is a target on Yeah. Probably, as we speak, of some kind of ransomware attack of some form or another. So anything that we can do to strengthen our approach, and, not pay for it is a is a pretty pretty good deal. Yep. Thank you.
Whereas pursuant to section one fourteen in the agriculture and market laws of the state of New York, each municipality that issues dog licenses shall establish and maintain a shelter for dogs or may contract with an agency to provide such service. And whereas the village of Croton-on- Hudson desires to enter into a contract with SPCA of Westchester of Briarcliffe Manor, New York to provide such service at a cost of $4,400 and whereas determined the agreement is 07/01/2026 through 05/31/2027. Now therefore be it resolved that the village board of trustees hereby authorizes the village manager to execute the agreement with the SPCA of Westchester Of Briarcliff Manor, New York to provide shelter services to the village for seized and stray dogs at a cost $4,400 for the period of 07/01/2026 through 05/31/2027, and via further resolve of the village board hereby authorizes the village treasurer to make the following budget transfer in the twenty twenty six twenty twenty seven general fund budget. General expenses increased a $35.10 dot 4,000, animal control contractual,
$2,900, decrease a $19.90 dot 4,000 contingency, $2,900.
So, I mean, as it says, you know, this is a requirement that we have a contract with a shelter. You know, we chose not to renew the agreement that we had with the existing, shelter for various reasons. And so we've previously contracted with SPCA, you know, the I I we came to a nice agreement, I think, where their their cost is more it's what we're paying now in 2026 is less than what we were paying in 2019. So,
yeah, which is probably very unusual. Yeah. Right. You know, manager going Yeah. Going into the past of say two weeks ago. Is it this this connects up to what our our partnership with Buchanan on?
Sort of. Right? I mean, so Buchanan, we are serving as the dog control officer for So we if Buchanan has a stray dog We would our guys would go and pick it up Into and then we would take it to the shelter. Yes. Yep.
and the attorney can correct me if I'm wrong, but there is as far as I know, there's no law that prohibits cats from being at large. No. Yeah. It's just dogs. Yeah. Yeah. So if there you know, you if there's a cat walking around, that's not illegal. So kind of funny to say, but, yes, it's not illegal. So yeah. So it's just general generally, it's just dogs. But if there was a you know, hypothetically, if a cat was injured by a vehicle or a bike or something like that, we could then pick up the cat and bring it to the Yeah. Yeah. They have a clinic. Are in part of this agreement. This is the agreement that I reviewed Correct. Yes. With you. Yes. And, yeah, there is part of that that allows the, the clinic the use of the clinic for injured stray of any kind. Yep. Thank you. You're welcome.
K. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Fantastic. Alright. We proceed to public comment on non agenda items. Anyone wishing to comment on anything? This is your opportunity. Please state your name and address. Everyone has five minutes.
And, again, for those on Zoom, if you would like to comment, just use the raise hand feature. Thank you so much.
Good evening. Cristian Meyer, Brook Street. Thank you to the board for your service. I'm a, twenty two year resident of the village, the last five years on, Brook Street. I'm here because of, deep community concern about the poor level of village coordination, management, and oversight of the Con Edison gas main project on Old Post Road the last several weeks. According to an email I received from village manager, Bryan Healy on June 30, he says this is not a village project. Let me let me explain how the impacts of this project on our community have, disrupted our lives over the past few weeks, and I'll get into, six specifics. I've handed out some illustrations, some photos that my my neighbors and I have taken. Number one, safety and noise from improperly installed steel plates. On the evening of June 23, my neighbors and I had a sleepless night from the loud thumping noise from the steel plates
that were improperly installed causing an excessively loud noise. My wife and I were up all night. My phone exploded with text messages from my neighbors. By coincidence, the following morning at about 05:45, I saw my neighbor, mayor Pugh, walking his dog. We looked at the plate together, and his reaction put it best. Unbelievable. Is it reasonable to expect the village to check and coordinate on work being performed on village roadways? Again, the village manager's email, this is not a village project. Item number two, resident parking spaces taken without community notice for contractor staging area. Residents on Brook Street, many with no garages or the luxury of having a a a private designated spot in the municipal building parking lot, these are renters. This is a community made up a diverse community, people who are, disabled on on that street, people, with low economic means that don't have a a parking lot.
They're competing with the auto body shop for parking on Brook Brook Street. Is it reasonable, board, for the village to advise residents that valuable parking spaces will be lost? Again, to the village manager's email, this is not a village project. Item number three, village contractors parking in and blocking resident driveways. I think the photos speak for themselves. Board, is it reasonable for the village to advise and remind contractors not to park in resident driveways? This is not a village project. Item number four, environmental issues from excessive idling by contractor trucks early in the morning, and they were not loading and or unloading. Is it is the village exempt from its own code? We're told that these complaints were passed on to Con Edison by the village. This has happened for at least three days in a row now. What actions can the village take? Again, this is not a village
project. Number five, contractor materials placed against historic stone wall and private property. How are decisions made and how does the village advise local homeowners? This is not a village project. Number six, outdated village information about this project on the village website. Why can't residents get accurate information about projects in the community with schedules and milestones? Mister village manager, I hate to break it to you, but this is a village project. And Croton PD has an excellent job has done an excellent job with traffic control. We need village management to address the issues I've outlined tonight. We look to village management to advocate for us, and and our experience over the last few weeks was was was not the case. Why? I proudly wear this t shirt because I love Croton. For me, it's a damn good town. If we can work through these concerns and village performance issues,
I'd like to one day say Croton is a damn greaTeatown. Thank you. Happy Independence Day, and God bless America. Thank you. Thank you.
Hello, everybody. I'm, Ned Rust of Morningside Drive, and I'm here to speak on the exciting topic of gas powered leaf blowers. I am just gonna give a little context here. There's a lot of facts out there, and I think they're accessible, and the case is pretty clear. But I just think we need to move on. We moved past the burning of piles of leaves in our yards back in the nineteen seventies. We gave up smoking tobacco in this very room in all government buildings in around the turn of the millennium. That asbestos filled coal fired plant over in Haverstraw got shut down in the aughts. We banned smoking in village parks in 2018, I believe. That last reactor up in Indian Point in Buchanan, I believe it got decommissioned in 2021. And now, we need to, deal with another cancer causing relic from the twentieth century, the, gas powered leaf blower. So I just encourage us all to just do this. We
evolve. We move forward as a people, and these things these decisions just have to be made. It's just for the common good. So thank you. Appreciate all you do. Thank you, Matt. You.
Hi. Dave Farrington Road. First good news is DPW chooses less pollution for Croton. All of our lungs, especially our kids' lungs. Thank you. Now let's have some fun, a little thought experiment. How many gas leaf blowers do you think are working in a typical day in Croton? 10? 20? 40? Let's say 20. I think it's more, but this is for fun. Right? How many hours a day do you think each one's being used? Let's say seven. So 20 toxic machines at seven hours a day is a hundred and forty hours run time. You would have to drive a car roughly a 140,000 miles to equal that level of hydrocarbon emissions. A 140,000 miles is almost six times around the earth at the Equator. A 140,000 miles worth of c o two, PM two point five and ten, formaldehyde, and benzene. That's just one very conservative estimate for a typical day in Croton. Westchester already has poor air quality due to landscaping equipment emissions,
and this is how much cancer causing pollution you could have stopped daily by not waiting. Not to mention the noise pollution, stress, damage to topsoil, and microclimates. You wanna take one car off the road for an ebike with project mover? You can take 300 cars off the road for each gas leaf blower. You wanna do something progressive for the public? Stop this unnecessary fossil fuel pollution. Regarding the 12 items you sent to the CAC, I've done a lot of research, and some of these are straight out of the big business fossil fuel playbook. I'll call them what they are, delay tactics. For example, why are you asking cost for landscapers versus quality of life? The landscaping industry's profit margin is not more important than our kids' health, our health, our right to cancer free air, period. Why are you asking large property owners and landscapers to shape public health policy? Because that's the real issue here, public health.
Do restaurants do large restaurants have less lesser health department regulations than smaller restaurants? No. Because basing public health policy on property size is ridiculous. I also noticed you missed some stakeholders on your list. You didn't ask to hear from children who have to breathe this cancer air. Pregnant women weren't asked for their opinion. You didn't include elderly residents at Skyview. You didn't include immune compromised citizens. You didn't ask for cancer patients' opinions. You didn't ask residents at Half Moon Bay who don't get a choice because Half Moon Bay's exemption status. How many of your family members suffer from asthma, cancer, or allergies? Did you ask them how they feel about breathing this trash air? Aren't these people stakeholders that should be heard from? No. You just want to hear from big business and big money landholders. Shame on you. What do you do when you're on your porch and three or four gas leaf blowers fire up next door? That's right. Just like everyone else, you go inside.
Because if you read the manual that I gave you last time, you'll see that you they should not be operated within 50 feet of another person because they cause hearing damage and they're cancerous, toxic. Tree canopy versus public health, you've gotta be kidding me. Like, there's no trees in Irvington, Dobbs Ferry, Rye, Larchmont, White Plains, New York City, Montclair, Maplewood, New Jersey? Do our kids' lungs care how much tree canopy there is in Croton? You gave local landscapers less than six months to get up to speed when you voted in the seasonal ban in 2022. Put that in your recommendation. Tell that to the CAC. Six months. The phase and time should be equal to or shorter than that. The equipment is purchased and being used. The homework and the research is done. It's up to you now to stop stalling and put public health first in Croton. Voters are watching this. Landscapers have adapted all over Westchester,
and they will adapt here. We're asking for a year round ban on gasoline powered leaf blowers with no exemptions and strict enforcement. Please muster the courage to put public health at the forefront in Croton. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
You.
Name is Ed Riely from Drive. First comment I'd like to make is on the idea committee's presentation in the theater over in the center of town on June Juneteenth. And I I wanted to cry a tendency from that idea committee to be negative about history, to be negative that everybody's being persecuted. In meeting after meeting, I've heard about rampant racism in Croton. And then when you get a chance to get a really deal well with an historical topic, which needs to be deal with dealt with, which is slavery in New York City or slavery in New York State. It it was it was a mediocre operation. Yeah. I know the guy got a Tony, but I think I know why, because of his connections. And to allow a teenager, immature, to deal with a topic that you wanna be dealt with professionally and thoroughly by a real historian is a is a it's a shame. It's a damn shame. It's the kind of thing that should be dealt with a professional like Gates,
or some of the Harvard historians because it was a big New York City, especially was a big motivator in the slave trade. And I was really shocked because anybody and and and, actually, the student on that, committee said it best, is they knew about this. They knew this this was the only person who was shocked was the guy who put the the show together. He was shocked about the history of slavery in New York State. They've done a pretty good job in this state in the last twenty years to talk about the the the history of slavery in the state of New York, and it and it needs to be talked about some more. So I was shocked that no mention of Sojourner Truth. You hear about hub Harriet Tubman, who really wasn't a New Yorker, but she lived here for a while. But Sojourner Sojourner Truth was the best example of slavery in New York. She lived in Duchess she lived in, Orange County and Ulster County, went through hell,
was incredibly forgiving person, and so outstanding that they even named a sloop after. Unfortunately, that sloop slank out here in Havascar Bank Road. But did mention that didn't mention that the last captain executed for slavery in the slave trade was executed in New York City, and was financed by New York financiers. And that's why you can't let amateurs do this who are so, oh, man. I never knew this before. Yeah. Well, why don't you get somebody who knows what they're really doing? Because it should be dealt with. Evidently, adults don't don't know much about this. So I was sort of disappointed. Emmy Emmy be damned. You know, some Emmys and some some some awards are earned because of connections, and I know particularly know their family. Secondly, I wanted to talk about the development of the property across from ShopRite about the great concern that people in that neighborhood of Young Avenue, which is
Young Avenue has the most attacked neighborhood in all of Croton and Hudson. Maybe because there are more Republicans on Young Avenue than anywhere else in Croton. Not that there are that many of them. But I'm being facetious. That hill and the erosion of that hill is a more dangerous proposition than what was faced at the bottom Van Wyke Street, and that was a fiasco to begin with. Lastly, the the boycott of CVS Pharmacy in Croton, one of the biggest abortion proponents of pharmaceutical abortions, pretty soon to be the a death dealer in drugs to kill old people, sometimes when they wanna be, sometimes when they're not, like in New York state, with COVID. And, with that regard, I draw your attention to a case that happened. A military case that happened, was just adjudicated on the twenty fourth of this of June in Fort Lewis McCord, Washington State. A classic case of an army captain who
shacked up with an enlisted woman, who you're not supposed to, that's called fraternization, had a seemingly good relationship with her, impregnated her with and and had a had a child growing in her womb by her, and then secretly salted her breakfast with r u forty six. And as I've pointed out to you numerous times, the injury rate and incidents of this are underreported and not reported in The United States because this state, especially this the state and the news media, is at the beck and call of the abortion industry so much so that we don't even report the malpractice cases involving forty six. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Sure. I want to well, I guess, first what I'll do is I wanna comment on two of the comments that came from audience members. I am living through this project also. I live on Michael's Lane. I have not documented it nearly as well as you have, but all of a lot of the things you're describing, I we have been enduring on Michael's Lane also. I don't know what the answer is, but I I it it has been, I'm looking forward to it being over, because it has been described as, you know, it's a necessary Con Ed project. But the parking, the sound, the inability like, I don't know which direction the road's gonna be closed in when I pull out of Michael's Lane every day. So I sympathize with your complaints. I don't, trustees don't have control over what is happening with the with the project, but I do just wanna acknowledge that this is well documented and and wait. But I'm but thank you for and I I think that the manager knows this, because I think my you've heard from my neighbors too. Anyway, it's I think it's almost done. Is it almost done?
We've got about two months to go. Okay. So, I mean, I guess, you know, there were a lot of I was hearing from a lot of people when they were going back and forth to school because sometimes you would have to if especially if you were coming from the nor more northern end of town, you wouldn't in order to get to school, you had to it was a different route every day. And for me leaving town, it was the same thing. It's not I I guess it will be beneficial when it's over, but it is, well, now it's hot enough that my windows are closed. So I'm hearing it less. But I I mean, I'm I feel badly, but I sympathize because everything, as I said I mean, I've driven you know, sometimes I drive past everything you're seeing here. I can't back out of my driveway. I can't get up Loudounsbury. All the things, you know, we go in slight you know, we're going in slightly different ways, but the same things that you're describing on Brook Street
are happening on Michaels Lane. I have a driveway, so I that I can't back out of, but a lot of my neighbors don't have driveways. They have on street parking that you know, it's not the workers' fault. They're putting a car where they can put it, but then it's it's causing major disruptions. So I don't know what the solution is, but I mean, I I guess if there's a way for us to have a conversation about it and maybe put together the complaints, because I do I I don't know if you've been hearing from other people. I think a lot of my neighbors are just yelling at the flag guy or gal as it's going. But you know, it I just wanna acknowledge that it is a situation. But I guess a necessary one because it is this infrastructure project that we're undertaking. Then I also just wanna talk about the leave blowers for one minute, inundated. Like, so many emails, so many people with such big opinions on both sides.
The process is I mean, as we've said over and over about so much of the things that we're undertaking, it's slow, but, it is we're really getting a lot of community input from people. I'm glad the CAC is going to undertake it. What's the timeline for when they're gonna make a referral back to us? I just don't remember.
Was a question we asked them. We asked them to respond to us with an approximate how long they thought that was gonna take. Okay. So because I do think people people have big feelings about this.
I don't hear the leaf blowers right now because my windows are closed, But they are and I know that there has been enforcement, but there still are I'm witnessing with my own eyeballs on your street, gas leaf blowers. So, it's going on, but I do think that we're engaging in a great community process of hearing from people. So I appreciate the input. I look forward to continuing the conversation and making the right decision for the community. I am guilty of not responding to every email that I have gotten on it because some days it's 10 emails. On both sides, but it's there's a lot of people who have who have feelings about it. So thank you for continuing to come to the meeting and the conversation because I don't, you know, I don't think we have the answer now, but we're hearing from people, which is important. I'll be quick with the rest of my update. Thank you to the village historian for ceremony that was today and the one that was yesterday. Unfortunately,
they happened during the the during the middle of the day. So I know that my colleagues, some were able or maybe all were able to attend. So they'll have way better details, but I do appreciate the fact that these celebrations of history in Croton are happening. I do wish that I could be at them, but I work a lot of times during the day. As far as the sign, mister Riley brought up the fact that maybe there could be some public art incorporated in signs. The Arts and Humanities Committee actually talks about this at their meetings every month, and there are a lot of, suggestions in the works about some public art that they would like to install in the village. So I do think that there are gonna be some some things happening, but it takes a lot of time. And a lot of times artists don't do it for free, which I don't expect them to, but there is a fee associated with a lot of this work. The other
thank you for the cooling center that's gonna be open twenty four seven. I know there was some question about that. And thank you for waiving the fee at Silver Lake. I just wanna make sure that the only place you can get an ID if you don't have one is going to the
rep department and get it at Silver Lake. No. So you can apply online. Okay. And then
it will either be mailed to you, which I mean won't help you for now. But if you you could do it tonight online and come pick it up tomorrow. Okay. Or you can just come in. If you've never had one and need to have your picture taken, you can just come in and they'll do it for you. Right? Because I just saw the like, saw the flyer that went out today and it just wasn't super specific. I just wasn't sure if the last time I got an idea, was at the village. It was at the rec department, but I wasn't sure if our you know, how that works. I know that, like, at Cook Pool, I think you can get an ID right on the spot maybe. I don't we're not Silver Lake is not Cook Pool. No. But, you know We don't have Internet down there. Right. I know. So thank you for doing all that. There was an arboretum trail that has been closed for a while because a tree was down. I just want to applaud the arboretum committee for now they cleared the the tree, the path the trail is now open, the trails there look amazing.
It's it's an amazing it's the arboretum is an amazing place that is really maintained well by the committee. So I just want to applaud them for making that happen. And then finally, I feel like you've brushed by it in your in your report to the point where I had to ask trustee if you even said it, Quaker Bridge. This is, like, huge news. I mean Well, I mean, we did I didn't we sent out an email about it, so I figured most people already know about social media? Because I saw that the county put an announcement on social media, But I think that some people got our emails, some people like, I I want people to know because this was, you know, something I've been talking about for a long time. People ask about it all the time. The bad news is it's not gonna be done for a very long time. So, you know, the Well, what's the New Year? Summer twenty twenty seven. Spring twenty twenty But it's gonna start on Monday. So I feel like that is huge news. I wish you led with it. I would like people I just people are people are interested. Yeah. So I think that that is really good news,
really frustrating the whole process to get here, but it is gonna start on Monday, which is great. So thank you for I will I will get it. We'll schedule it for social media. There there's just been a lot that we've been putting out there, and we're trying not, we try to space things out so that it doesn't get lost in the yeah. So we'll get it out there. But when I as I said, when I saw that Westchester County put it out, I know people here are particularly and maybe even have the school district send it out. I just think it is something that people talked about. Well, people did talk about it a lot and then there it was stagnant for so long that the talking They gave up hope. Right. But so hope renewed this week. Mhmm. Anyway, July 4. Happy two hundred and fiftieth anniversary or birthday America.
Everybody have a great holiday. I didn't mention this, but we have the America Two Fifty flags up. Yes. So That's you can can check we have one here at the building at Dobbs Park and Cortlandt Landing and Senasqua. Thank you. Great. And there are a lot of signs around there there are a lot of signs around town. Yes. I actually have one on my house from a from a resident Yeah. Celebrating the two fiftieth. So thank you. And she gave yeah. She gave some to us to use here too, which So was very
Thank you to the Dikemans for, you know, seeing know, have it feeling passionately about that and and getting involved across the village to bring that to people. So okay. I'm done. Thank you. I'm very generous of of them. Thank you.
Thank you. So, Cristian, my heart goes out to thank you for bringing this to our attention. I'm driven by it, but I don't live on the road, so I was unaware of the magnitude of this. I can't tell you how frustrated this makes me because if I add up all the households that are dealing with this plus the households that are dealing with Metro North noise, most recently, Metro North 3AM at least a few times a week. In the middle of the night, they're pouring gravel and having a a truck backup beeping, and it goes on for hours. So, you know, between Con Ed and Metro North And and now I'm not really sure what's gonna happen with the Quaker Bridge and how that project is gonna flow, but we potentially have three entities or three big things happening in our community that are completely out of the control of the village. And I just wanna say that my heart goes out to people affected, impacted, who can't sleep or,
you know, who are dealing with this. And it frustrates me because I'm a problem solver and being able to say this is out of my control is not in my DNA at all. And I know it's not yours either. I know that you get stuff done and this village gets stuff done. You know? But I think we we care about residents, and I would love to, you know, be able to talk about how we can hold entities like this a little bit more accountable. I know that there are things at play on some of these cases, and I appreciate that. But we've got we've got a bunch of big issues going on in our village with entities that are really don't have accountability to us. So I hope we can change that. I know we're we're trying. So thank you. I do want to say today's event, the Patriot where we had a beautiful marker unveiling our ceremony. Thank you, manager, for getting this signed and mister Riley for your help, and all the people involved in this.
I I think it it it looks fantastic. It's it's very moving to know that we have rev American Revolutionary War patriots from Croton On Hudson, you know, and that we are, honoring them and their families. And so this was a a beautiful event today. And I know tomorrow, we have another event where the historian will be sharing the history, right, of the American Revolution, here in Croton. There are more events I'm sure the mayor or deputy mayor will will talk about. But this one was fantastic. So thank you to all who put that together. I wanna thank the manager for working with the seniors club and DPW, with right, with Lynn, and myself in getting a new rail in the back of the municipal building. So that's, I know, a big deal because it was rusting, and now they they have a new one, which I haven't yet seen, but it's very exciting. So thank you for that. Thank really, you, Rusty Nachtella, for bringing it, you know,
bringing it as a concern because Yeah. You know, it hadn't been something that we had really had on our radar. So but then when we looked at it, we said, oh, this really needs Yeah. This needs some upgrading. So thank you. Yeah. Well, thank you so much for that.
So, yeah, that's that's my update. I've just been doing a lot of listening to to residents who are, you know, frustrated by entities that are out of our control, and I you know, so we'll continue, you know, discussion around that. But
thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So just a few things here. Our Westchester Municipal Officials Organization met on June 18, the executive committee. It was the first meeting since the legislature had wrapped up in Albany, and we spent a good amount of time talking about the SECRA reforms, the changes in the climate leadership act, changing some the deadlines, the funding that's available to municipalities in the in the new budget, and and, of course, a big concern, data centers, and still no indication yet whether the governor is going to, to sign the one year ban that was included in the, in the budget bill. So we'll keep an eye on that. On, June 18, our bicycle and pedestrian committee met, and, there's we had, almost one of everything. They're very intense and and substantive meeting. We had some interesting sidewalk proposals that were brought to us. We had delegation of folks from the Beekman and Maple areas concerned about, you know, some of the access to PVC for their kids and had a good conversation with them. Of course, we we up updated on project mover. And then
the chairman, Matt Arnold, began the process of of what eventually will be a master plan update. So there's gonna be some good work coming out of that committee as always, but particularly the master plan sometime in the next year. On on Juneteenth, I was just delighted to be in the morning at the Bennett Conservatory of Music. The mayor was there as well for just a wonderful concert that they had on all of the June 10 themes, both adults and and kids, which is, of course, what you'd expect from from the Bennett conservatory. Just a great asset here in in Croton. And with respect to the idea committee, you know, it's the old saying is if you ask five people for an opinion about a movie, you'll get eight eight different opinions. You know? So I I actually thought that it was it was pretty good as an effort. So I I kinda applaud the directed to. Yeah. Applaud you know, I applaud the idea committee. And I'll I'll say, you know, I don't
again, I I don't I'm not a moviemaker, but I know a little bit about movies. And I'm not a historian, but I know a little bit about history. And I thought it was a it was it was a, you know, pretty good basic approach. Are there better ones out there? Probably. You know? And maybe the idea committee will will bring that to us. But as a as a graduate of p s eighty five in The Bronx, p s thirty one in Yonkers, Walt Whitman Junior High School, and Roosevelt High School in Yonkers, there's some stuff there that we were we were never exposed to. So I was I I hope some lots of folks get to see that. So on June 23, mayor and I were honored to be at the library as one of our wonderful residents, Ali Fraes, Alana Frays, got the an award from senator Harkom for pride month for all of the work that she does in our community and including heading up for a number of years our Croton welcome wagon. So I wanted to give her a shout out and congratulate her again.
Our planning board met on June 23 and had, you know, some interesting things on the agenda, some some end of the project things with at the Hudson, which had to had to go before the planning board, but were were well taken care of and and including location of EV chargers and and signage, and then some of the landscaping issues connected to the Mirage mirror business on at 04:25. Our sustainability committee met on June 28, and, gosh, we this past Sunday, mayor and I were there, talked about just about everything in their jurisdiction, future NYSERDA funding coming out of the budget, train station solar, train station EV chargers, the battery energy storage system, RFP that we talked about last week, updates on our food scrap recycling program, and the potential solar activity new solar activity at the DPW Canopy. As the manager mentioned last night, we were at the fire council, and I think we've talked about the recruitment.
And but they gave a report on on their very vigorous participation in in Summerfest, and that'll lead to eventually the doing similar work on our national night out, which I think is August August 2, I think it is. But but certainly a very those first couple of days in August, so they'll be participating in that. So we touched on a lot of issues there. And this morning's ceremony, both for for John Peterson and and mister Tompkins, worthy honors for them. It was a real real pleasure to be there with with so many folks from and and we we thank our Fox Eichelof, American Legion Post five zero five, as well as the Pomeroy Foundation for helping to make that possible. I personally am just a very big advocate of historical markers, and so I hope everyone that wasn't there, trustee, and the mayor, and I were there with the manager. Anyone that wasn't there, I hope you get a chance to I I don't often say this, but I said, I hope you'll get a chance to go to Bethel Cemetery. Right. But just for just to see the sign, of course, you can pay your respects see. It's a motherfucker. You get you
get to go home. But I'm a I'm a big you know, both for the historical markers, both for reminding us of our history, but also, frankly, and we've talked about this from time to time, economic development and tourism. I think people people have people like to see those, and it might might be a draw. So hopefully, we can work with a historian on on those in some other places because, actually, George Washington was in Croton. You know, we ought to we ought to have at least at least that. So but and speaking of the historian as the trustee Nackela and trustee slip and said, that's gonna be tomorrow at at the community room. No change there, manager, because of the heat. Right? So from from one to 02:30. And if you've never seen our historian give one of his great talks. You know, not only is it great when when he's giving the talk, but you can tell he's put so much energy and real research into into what's what ends up as the talk. So he's gonna talk about
very specifically Croton and the revolutionary war, which I think is something we can all learn from. And just last but not least, you know, in today's loha.com, if you just if you just go on to lohud.com, you'll see a very nice comprehensive story on the importance of the Hudson Valley region to to the revolution. So it's it's worth taking a look at. So happy fourth, everyone. Be safe and hydrate. Yes. That's it for me.
Alright. Thank you. I wanna thank, you know, everyone who's helped with some of our, wonderful public events, whether that be the Juneteenth celebrations organized by IDEA or, by the conservatory. I also wanna thank the American Legion, for their help in the two hundred fiftieth commemoration in getting the Pomeroy signs here in time and, of course, to our village historian Mark Cheshire, who also serves on the board of Westchester Revolutionary two fifty, which has been helping to educate residents here and across the county and highlight the return of our Revolutionary War showcase on August 1 that will be taking place at historic Hudson Valley with local favorite, Dwayne Jackson, our neighbor to the north, who's done a presentation for the last few years, and every year it gets better. So really looking forward to that. And in the spirit of appreciation for public service, I want to, share in advance my appreciation for,
the following individuals who have bravely stepped forward, to that. So we have to appoint to the arts and humanities committee, Vanessa McCritic, to the planning board, Thomas Hague Hannigan, excuse me, to the bicycle and pedestrian committee, Gary Eichelberger, and to the idea committee, Millie Varastugui. Excuse me. Varastugui. Do I have a motion to appoint? Mayor, before it, I just wanna clarify. The appointment for the planning board is the alternate. Yes. To the alternate. Yes. Correct. Yep. Thank you.
Motion. Motion by trustee Simon, second by trustee Nachtaler. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. Thank you very much. And, as my colleagues have also stated, with regards to Con Edison, I mean, yes, I was an eyewitness to some of their, misdeeds. You know, in instances of acute failure by Con Edison, I think we've responded promptly and sought to have those defects corrected. A lot of the other challenges that we're facing with them, as we acknowledged earlier today in the manager's report, are kind of the consequences of entrusting, so much of our utility infrastructure to a for profit monopoly. Now in theory, it is a regulated monopoly. In practice, it is the case of the, closing the barn door in so many cases after the horses escaped. There was a spirited debate in the first portion of the twentieth century about regulated utilities versus public ownership. And I think if you compare, let's say, the conduct and performance
of our DPW or indeed the private contractors when they are serving as agents of the village versus the agents of the private monopoly, it's pretty clear, I think, the advantages of public ownership and democratic accountability. Mhmm. That debate what has been settled for a long time, but I am very happy to reopen it. And within the confines of the system that we have, we will be in touch with the Public Service Commission in an attempt to hold utility responsible. But it is a very challenging position. At the end of the day, we have extensive, fossil fuel, networks that run throughout most of the village. Those do need to be maintained, and they're being maintained by an entity that prioritizes the value to its shareholders rather than value to our residents. And, you know, at every turn where they have the option of their interest versus the public interest, it probably does not fall to the public interest, but we will do what we do what we can. Thank you. Yeah.
Alright. With that, I wish everyone a very happy and safe safe fourth of July holiday. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Alright. Do I have a motion to close? So moved. Second. Motion by, trustee Simon, second by trustee Nachtaler. All in favor? Aye. Thank