Dear neighbor, Here is the 605th 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 – December 19, 2022

Regular Board Meeting of the Village Board

7:00 pm

Georgianna Grant Room

Municipal Building

PUBLIC HEARING:

Public hearing on the special permit renewal application for the operation of a day care center at 114 Grand Street at the Holy Name of Mary Church.  This is a renewal application.  The Planning Board has reviewed it and recommends approval.

CORRESPONDENCE:

a.      Letter from Ingrid Haeckel, NYS DEC Conservation and Land Use Specialist, regarding the Town of Cortlandt and Village of Croton-on-Hudson’s application to the Natural Resources Inventory Technical Assistance Project.   The Town and Village is notified that their application to be part of this project was not accepted.

b.      Email from John Munson, President of the Croton Fire Council, regarding the results of the annual election of Fire Chiefs for the Croton Volunteer Fire Department.   John Munson was elected Chief, Josh Karpoff was elected as 1^st Assistant Chief and Chris Colombo was elected as 2^nd Assistant Chief.

PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS:

a.      Consider scheduling a public hearing on January 9, 2022 to consider the renewal of a special permit for the operation of a day care center at 10 Old Post Road South.  This would schedule a Public Hearing for the renewal of the Special Permit for Happy Hearts on the Hudson.

b.      Consider scheduling a public hearing on January 9, 2022 to consider the issuance of a special permit to convert the existing mixed-use building at 193-195 Grand Street, a nonconforming use, to an all-residential building with three one-bedroom apartments, another nonconforming use. This is the location of the former Grand Stand business. The Planning Board has reviewed this application favorably.

c.       Consider scheduling a public hearing on January 23, 2022 to consider Local Law Introductory No. 18 to update and clarify certain provisions of the Village Code.    Following a review of Croton’s Code by General Code, Inc., a number of rewordings and clarifications are recommended.  A Public Hearing is needed prior to the proposed updates to the Code.

d.      Consider accepting the Draft Local Waterfront Revitalization Program Amendment as complete and ready to be submitted to the New York State Department of State for State, federal and regional agencies’ review.   After several years of review in coordination with the NYS Dept. of State, the updated Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) for the Village is ready to be submitted for final approval.

e.       Consider expanding the membership capacity and residency requirements for the Arts & Humanities Advisory Council.    The intent of this Council is to support increased public awareness and appreciation for the arts, the integration of art into our public spaces, and to recognize and celebrate the achievements of our local arts community.  This resolution would increase the Council from 7 to 9  members and allow up to 3 members to  live elsewhere in Westchester County.

f.        Consider authorizing the Village Manager to accept the proposal from AKRF, Inc. in the amount of $12,000 for assistance in developing an RFP for the redevelopment of Lot A.The Village is interested in soliciting interest and future redevelopment proposals for the approximately 1.2-acre Village-owned parking lot known as “Lot A”, located on the north side of Croton Point Avenue at the intersection of Veterans Plaza that was recently rezoned. AKRF will provide assistance in developing a request for proposals (RFP) for the site;

g.      Consider authorizing the Village Manager to award the contract for RFP #03-2022, Emergency Generator System Maintenance, to Gentech Ltd. of New Windsor, New York, in the amount of $10,880.  The Village owns and maintains emergency generator systems at various buildings and facilities and wishes to have regularly scheduled preventive maintenance performed on them.  Four responses were returned from the RFP with Gentech Ltd. being the lowest responder.

h.      Consider authorizing the Village Manager to accept an estimate in the amount of $39,866 from JC Ironwork and Steel Fabrication of Poughkeepsie, New York, for the emergency replacement of the front gate at the DPW facility.  In November, 2022, the front gate at the DPW building was damaged by a passing vehicle, leaving the building accessible during non-working hours.  

Dear Neighbors:

At Monday’s work session, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson reviewed our 2022 Audit Report by PKF O’Connor Davies.

The audit report covered the financial statements for the fiscal year that ended on May 31, 2022. We received a “clean” audit. Our independent auditor found that “the accompanying financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the respective financial position of the governmental activities.”

Despite the pandemic and its economic consequences, the Village ended the fiscal year with more money and less debt.  The audit found a decrease in serial bonds of $2,134,990 from the prior year.  The Village ended the year with an unassigned general fund balance of $5,862,360–an increase from the prior year of $2,054,982.

The Village  reaped the benefit of refinancing some of its debt at lower interest rates – shortly before those interest rates began their climb. Finally, our auditor told us that Croton’s “rainy day fund,” the unassigned fund balance, was strong and a high percentage of overall expenditures.

As we look ahead to 2023, we must use this fiscal strength wisely. We have received our final infusion of federal aid under the American Rescue Plan Act. Borrowing costs have increased significantly due to rising interest rates. Our Village government has not been immune to the rising prices, especially in energy, that have burdened so many households.

Based on our experience to date, I’m confident that our Board, with the leadership of our Village Manager & the guidance of our Village Treasurer, can navigate these challenges.  

Sincerely,

Brian Pugh, Mayor

December 15, 2022

Dear neighbor, Here is the 604th 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 – December 12,  2022

Work Session of the Village Board

7:00 pm

Georgianna Grant Room

Municipal Building

1.      Review of 2022 Audit Report by PKF O’Connor Davies.

A representative from O’Connor Davies will present the overview to the Board.

2.      Presentation by the 125th Anniversary Committee on Proposed Events and Projects.  The Committee will present a Power point presentation with their plans and proposed events for the 2023 125^th Anniversary year.  The Power point is available from the Village website under Meetings and Agendas as well.

3.      Review Chapter 50 of the Village Code Regarding Residency Requirements for Members of the Arts & Humanities Advisory Council.   Currently all standing committee and board members are required to be Village residents except one member of the Visual Environment Board and the Village Historian.

4.      Discussion on the New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation Draft East of Hudson (EOH) Unit Management Plan.  The NYS DEC has released a draft plan for management of 6,000+ acres they control in Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess and Rockland counties.  The Croton Gorge Unique Area is part of this proposal.  Two trail options are proposed for the area which is detailed starting on page 64 of the 197 page report.  The full report is available from the Village website under Meetings and Agendas.

Dear neighbor, Here is the 603rd 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 –  December 4, 2022

Meeting of the Village Board

7:00 pm

Georgianna Grant Room

Municipal Building

NOTE: The Village Board Organizational Meeting will be followed by a Regular Meeting of the Village Board.

ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING:

1.      Appointment of Village Officers and Board/Committee Members

            The oath of office will be administered to Trustees Ann Gallelli and Len Simon.

2.    Adoption of Board Policies.  The policies to be adopted include: Fund Balance, Procurement, Breach Notification, Sexual Harassment, Debt, Investment and Work Place Violence Prevention. Policies,

3.      Setting of Meeting Times and Places   The dates for Village Board meetings for the coming year will be established.

The following are work place policies that are adopted annually:

4.      Designation of Official Newspapers

5.      Naming of Official Depositories

6.      Setting of Standard Work Day Hours for Employees

7.      Setting of Employee Bond Levels

8.      Adoption of Rules of Procedure for Board of Trustees

9.      Setting of Standard Work Day for Elected and Appointed Officials

10.  Adoption of Mileage Reimbursement Rate

11.  Advance Approval of Claims

12.  Adoption of Conference & Travel Policy

REGULAR MEETING:

Public Hearing on Local Law Introductory No. 17 of 2022, amending Chapter 20 of the Village Code, Code of Ethics.   The Village’s Code of ethics has not been updated in many years. This updated version follows the guidelines of the NY Conference of Mayors (NYCOM).

CORRESPONDENCE:

a.    Email from John Munson, President of the Croton Fire Council, regarding membership changes in the Croton Fire Department.  Chief Munson provides an update on membership changes in the Fire Department.

b.   Information from the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission on upcoming public hearings regarding the court-ordered New York State Assembly redistricting plan.  A draft redistricting plan for the State Assembly is being submitted for public review and comment in accordance with the order of Justice Laurence Love of the Supreme Court of New York County in his opinion of September 29, 2022.  Twelve public hearings will be held in the State.  The closest to Croton is at Pace University Law School on January 30 at 4 pm.

c.    Letter from the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services confirming the receipt of the Village Police Department’s application and participation agreement for the NYS Law Enforcement Accreditation Program.  The Croton Police department has been accepted into the NYS program to become accredited.

d.   Invitation to the 2022 Pearl Harbor Day Ceremony, which will take place at 235 Tate Avenue in the Village of Buchanan.  The ceremony will be at noon.  It is co-sponsored by the Village of Croton and the Town of Cortlandt, and the City of Peekskill.

e.    Letter from Daniel O’Connor, Village Engineer, requesting a building permit extension for 150 Grand Street. The permit is for a rear building extension which has been partially completed.  A 6-month extension is requested.

PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS:

a.    Consider authorizing the Village Manager to execute all documents necessary in connection with the closing of the sale of the 41-51 Maple Street Property to Westchester County subject to the Village Attorney’s final approval.  The closing on the property, which the Village has owned since 2008, will be later this week. The sale price is $2 million.  As a result of the financing arrangement the developer has with Westchester County an additional step is required whereby the Village first transfer it to the County and then the County transfers it to Regan Development Corp. This resolution authorizes the Village Manager to execute these steps.

b.   Acknowledge receipt of a special permit application from the property owner of 193-195 Grand Street to convert the existing mixed-use building, a nonconforming use, to an all-residential building with three one-bedroom apartments, another nonconforming use, and referring the necessary documents to the Village Planning Board as required by law, as well as the Westchester County Planning Board.  The Village Code allows a change from one non-conforming use to another provided the Board considers it either less restrictive in its nature or the same.

c.    Acknowledge receipt of a special permit application from Dish Wireless LLC to collocate new transmission equipment on the existing wireless tower near the Croton-Harmon Train Station, and consider determining that the Proposed Action is an Unlisted Action under SEQRA, declaring the Village Board’s intent to be Lead Agency under SEQRA, and referring the necessary documents to the Village Planning Board as required by law, as well as the Westchester County Planning Board.  As Sprint has merged with T-Mobile, there is now an open spot on the tower at the railroad station which Dish Wireless proposes to take over. 

D.   Acknowledge receipt of a special permit renewal application from   Happy Hearts on the Hudson for a day care center at 10 Old Post Road South and consider referring the necessary documents to the Village Planning Board as required by law.  This is a renewal application for a previously authorized permit.

E.   Consider scheduling a public hearing on the special permit renewal application for the operation of a day care center at 114 Grand Street at the Holy Name of Mary Church for December 19, 2022, at 7 p.m.  This application for a renewal was previously reviewed by the Planning Board which recommended its approval. 

f.     Consider reestablishing the Croton Trails Committee as a sub-committee of Croton Conservation Advisory Council.  The existing Trails Committee was established in 1992 as a sub committee of the CAC before becoming a stand-alone committee.  The CAC has recommended that the committee return to being a subcommittee of the CAC.

g.    Consider authorizing the Village Manager to accept the proposal from DTS Provident Design Engineering to conduct a traffic study related to lowering of the Village-wide speed limit at a cost of $4,400 and authorizing the Village Treasurer to make an interfund transfer in the same amount.  NYS has recently allowed municipalities to establish 25 mph speed limits.  The law requires that a traffic study be performed prior to taking this action.  The Village’s Bicycle Pedestrian Committee has studied the NYS provisions and favors establishing the lower speed limit.

h.   Consider authorizing the Village Treasurer to make an interfund transfer in the 2022-2023 General Fund budget in the amount of $7,000 to cover increased overtime expenses connected with seasonal events. Various seasonal events that were not held during COVID are now occurring again, requiring more employee involvement.

i.     Consider authorizing the Village Treasurer to make interfund transfers in the 2022-2023 General Fund and Sewer Fund budgets in the amount of $190,955.90 to allocate funds for various Department of Public Works-based services.  This moves the funds to the actual account where the expenses occurred from the main General and Sewer fund accounts established at budget approval time.