Dear neighbor, Here is the 474th 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 – January 6, 2020

Regular Meeting of the Village Board

8:00 pm

(Open to Public – Televised)

 

 

NOTE:  This Regular meeting will be preceded, at 7:30 pm, by a Work Session.

 

Work Session Agenda

1. Further discussion of a potential spring event in the Upper Village.  The Board will discuss the parameters for a Spring Jazz event in the upper village including day of the week, actual dates, logistical requirements and overtime costs.

 

 

Regular Meeting Agenda

 

 

PUBLIC HEARINGS:

1. Public Hearing to amend Chapter 197 of the Village Code, Streets and Sidewalks, to reduce the number of hours provided to property owners to clear their sidewalks of snow and ice and to revise the list of sidewalks cleared by the Village.  Existing code requires clearing of sidewalks within 18 hours of the end of snowfall.  The revision would require clearing within 12 hours of the end of snowfall.

 

 

CORRESPONENCE:

1. Letter from Janet Calano, representing Mr. & Mrs. S. Grilli of 93 Lexington Drive, requesting a refund of Zoning Board of Appeals fees.  Due to unusual circumstances regarding past construction at this residence, documentation for which was not immediately available due to the length of time passed (circa 1936) and unavailability of records, the Grilli’s needed to obtain a variance from the ZBA and also a Certificate of Occupancy.  The Village Engineer recommends returning the variance fee but not the CO fee.  Alternatively, he suggests retaining a small portion of the variance fee due to the office work that was involved.
2. Letter from Janine King, Village Manager, regarding her date of retirement and the transition to a new Manager for the Village.  Village Manager King informs the Board of her intention to retire as of July 6, 2020.
3. Letter from John Petronella, Acting Regional Director of the NYS DEC, regarding state efforts at the Croton River Gorge Unique Area.  A request from the Friends of Croton Gorge Unique Area  for a funding contribution for an stewardship program at the DEC controlled Unique area be considered.  The NY/NJ Stewardship program has agreed to train stewards for onsite work at the Unique area (located in the Town of Cortlandt on the South side of the Croton River).  The cost of the program for the upcoming season would be $36,000.  Over $8,000 has been raised to date with an additional contribution of $10,000 from the Town of Cortlandt.  It is hope that the DEC will also provide funding as well as the Town of Ossining.   Currently the Village provides police patrols on the Croton River and maintains a boat for that purpose.

 

 

PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS:

2024. Consider ratification of the Croton Police Association Memorandum of Agreement and authorizing the Village Manager to execute the agreement.  This authorizes the Manager to move ahead with finalizing a contract with the Police Association.  The length of the agreement covers 5 years, ending on May 31, 2024.
2025. Consider the appointment of Edwin Jandres to the position of Police Officer effective January 7, 2020, pending approval of the Westchester County Department of Human Resources, at a salary of $63,048.28, pending ratification of the new Croton Police Association collective bargaining agreement. After extensive search and interviewing Chief Harper is recommending the hiring of Mr. Jandres for the one unfilled position in the Croton Police Dept..  He currently serves as an police officer in the City of Newburgh and has completed the training program.
2026. Consider authorizing the Village Treasurer to amend the 2019-2020 General Fund Budget in the amount of $1,277.61 for monies received from insurance recovery. The recovery money is from storm damage to a fence and equipment at Sunset Park.
2027. Consider authorizing the Village Treasurer to establish a capital account for the purpose of holding funds for opportunities to reduce the Village’s greenhouse gas emissions. In recognizing the irreparable harm of climate change to our community, nation and planet. The Village is creating a Capital fund dedicated to funding opportunities that will reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions.  O that end, 50% of the income from the solar installation at the DPW site will be dedicated to this fund annually.
2028. Consider scheduling a public hearing for Tuesday, January 21, at 8 p.m. in the Georgianna Grant Meeting Room of the Stanley H. Kellerhouse Municipal Building to consider adoption of Local Law Introductory No. 1 of 2020 to override the property tax cap. Since 2012, when the Tax Levy Cap legislation passed in NYS, it has been necessary for taxing entities to pass an override law to cover the eventuality of not meeting the NYS Tax Levy Cap.  Each year the Village has done so.  However, the Village has always met the Tax Cap requirement. The Tax Cap requirement is that the levy increase be no more than 2% or the rate of inflation, whichever is less.  At budget time, assuming the Village meets the cap requirements again, this legislation will be rescinded.