Dear neighbor, Here is the 365th installment of Decoding Village Agendas to keep Croton residents informed of the actions of the Village Board at their meetings. I continue to add recipients to this email update on agendas so you may be receiving it for the first time. I enjoy getting your feedback and hope to continue to hear from you. If you do not wish to receive these periodic email updates from me, please reply to this email and your name will be removed from the email list.
Ann Gallelli

Decoding Village Agendas – April 17, 2017
Regular Meeting of the Village Board
7:30:00 pm
(Open to Public – Televised)

NOTE: As indicated below, the Board will meet at 7:30 for a Special Session for the purpose of adopting the 2017/2018 Budget.

Village Board to consider adoption of the budget for the fiscal year commencing June 1, 2017 and ending May 31, 2018. Following multiple work sessions at which the Board reviewed the tentative budget proposed by the Village Manager in March, the budgets for the General Fund, Water Fund, Sewer fund and Debt Service will be considered for adoption. The budget can be viewed from the Village website. Overall, it calls for $11,474,942.57 to be raised by property taxes on an overall budget of $19,026,760. This represents a 0.75% increase over the prior year’s taxes or an increase of $1.913/$1000 of assessed valuation. The Capital Fund budget will be finalized and voted on in May or June.
To add the past due receivables to the tax bills for the fiscal year June 1, 2017 through May 31, 2018.
To authorize the Mayor to sign the Tax Warrant for the collection of taxes for the period commencing June 1, 2017 through May 31, 2018.
To set the Village fees for the fiscal year 2017-2018. The new Master Fee schedule is available with the budget on the Village’s website. It includes some increases in recreation, parking and building department fees.

Regular Meeting Agenda

PUBLIC HEARING: Public Hearing to consider Local Law Introductory No. 1 of 2017, which would transition the Village’s water billing from biannually to quarterly.

CORRESPONDENCE:
Lindsay Audin, Chair, Sustainability Committee; re: Request that the Village Board allow the committee to roceed with producing a draft grant application for review by the Board of Trustees and submission to NYSERDA. The grant application to NYSERDA proposes to convert the interior lights in the Municipal Building to LED at potentially no net cost to the Village. The committee has met with the Board in a work session to discuss this application. If granted, it would use the building as a “living lighting laboratory’ that would display alternative lighting strategies and educate others on energy efficient options. The building currently has 977 fluorescent lights which would be replaced.
PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS:
Authorizing the Village Manager to amend the bid award resolution for the Elliott Way Improvement project to reflect funding allocation to the appropriate Water Fund capital account. This is an amendment to a previously approved resolution in March for funding of the Elliott Way project. It corrects the allocation of the portion of the project for the new water line to the appropriate Water Fund account.
Authorizing the Village Manager to sign three Inter-Municipal Agreements with the Town of Cortlandt for shared services including the removal of appliances containing Freon, purchasing and shared equipment. These agreements are extensions of previous existing agreements between Buchanan and the Town and the Village. They result in cost savings for all involved.
Authorizing the Village Treasurer to transfer $6,500 within the General fund to cover expenses related to the purchase of a fleet management software. This software enables DPW staff to efficiently manage the maintenance and operations of fleet vehicles utilized by the Village. The software will help the village DPW in tracking its vehicles with regard to all aspects involved with their usage and maintenance.
Authorizing the Village Manager to enter into agreement with Trillium Invasive Species Management, Inc. of Esopus, New York to treat the infestation of phragmites and knotweed at Duck Pond, Kaplan’s Pond, Senasqua Park, Croton Landing, Black Rock Park and Gouveia Park for the spring 2017 cutting period ending May 31, 2017 in the amount of $5,350. Both phragmites and knotweed have become prevalent in some Village parks and are posing a threat to the natural environment in these areas, which has necessitated the need for an invasive species management plan. Trillium provided these services to the Village in 2016 as well. This year Gouveia and Black Rock parks have been included.
Authorizing the Mayor to sign the 2016 Sponsor Approval Form for the Volunteer Fire Department Service Award Program. Article 11-Aof the New York State General Municipal Law requires that a list of members of the Fire Department is developed which indicates those who earned a year of service credit during the calendar year, those who did not earn a year of credit, and those who waived participation. This list must be certified under oath by the Fire Department, approved by the Village Board, posted for 30 days, and then approved by the Mayor. The list of volunteers receiving credits was reviewed by the Board in February and has been sworn to by the Fire Department. This is the last step in the yearly process of identifying those who will receive service credit for their volunteer work during the past year. The Service Award program was first authorized by a referendum in 2003.
Authorizing the Village Manager to award the bid for the Lawn Maintenance Program at selected Village parks, fields and other properties to Errico Landscaping Corp. of Hartsdale, NY in the amount of $46,400. Four bids were received for this contract with the DPW Superintendent recommending Errico. The work includes regular lawn maintenance at specified Village locations as well as spring and fall cleanup.
The Board of Trustees refers the special use permit request to operate a two childhood education classrooms at 362 South Riverside Avenue to the Village Planning Board for comment back to the Board of Trustees. Since the proposed action is under 4,000 square feet, SEQRA is not required. The owner of Happy Hearts is proposing two classrooms for about 8 children each be created at the location. It is the former auto dealership of Croton Dodge and the classrooms would be in the front of the building. The Planning Board will review it and make a recommendation back to the Village Board.
Authorizing the Village Manager to approve the proposal from Dvirka & Bartilucci in an amount not to exceed $24,000 for design, permitting and bidding services for the High Street Drainage Project. The project involves the replacement of a drainage structure located on Riverside Avenue, the replacement of the existing drainage system located on High street, and the replacement of curbs and sidewalks within the work area. A portion of this work in within the New York State right-of-way an requires a permit from the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). The objective for this project is to increase the capacity of the existing drainage system, as well as remove sanitary sewer odors leaching through cracks and voids within the infrastructure. Dvirka & Bartilucci has provided the initial 30% design work for this project in 2015 but the work was not completed due to funding constraints. This would authorize the completion of the design work as well as the permitting and bidding documents.
Authorizing the Village Manager to approve the proposal from Site Design of Yorktown Heights, NY for construction administration services relating to the Elliott Way Improvement Project at a rate not to exceed $53,040. Site Design was hired by the Village in 2012 for the design work for this project. This resolution would authorize them to provide oversight while the project is being constructed.