[0:12] Excellent.
[0:13] All right, good evening and welcome to the
regular meeting of the Cortland Hudson
[0:16] Board of Trustees. I'm Mayor Brian Pugh.
Please join me in the Pledge of
[0:19] Please join me in the Pledge of
Allegiance.
[0:19] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of
[0:25] America. And to the Republic for which it
stands,
[0:29] one nation under God, indivisible,
[0:33] with liberty and justice for all.
[0:36] All right, now we proceed
[0:40] to our approval of
[0:43] vouchers.
[0:45] General fund, $394,132.30.
[0:52] Water fund, $357,979.80.
[0:57] Sewer fund, $25,038.16.
[1:02] Capital fund, $145,837.38.
[1:08] And the trust fund, $11,750. Do I have a
motion? So moved.
[1:13] Second.
[1:14] Motion by Trustee Simon, second by Trustee
Nicholson. All in favor?
[1:18] Aye.
[1:18] Okay, very good. Now we proceed to our
feature presentation,
[1:24] a presentation of certificates of
recognition from the New York Conference
[1:32] of Mayors to John Spada in recognition of
25 years of service and to John
[1:39] Nikitopoulos in recognition of 40 years of
service. Oh yeah, there he is.
[1:47] All right, now I would like to invite the
board to come Come join me in
[1:54] presenting the— So again,
[1:56] the first one is for John from our Water
Department.
[2:01] He is continuing a family tradition of
service to our village.
[2:08] So I want to, on behalf of the board,
[2:11] extend our deep thanks to him for his
service and look forward to years of
[2:19] continued work for our village. Thank you,
John.
[2:24] Thank you.
[2:31] And Chief Nikitopoulos, a true lifetime
dedicated to our village.
[2:39] Thank you. Down here, and we'll just have
everyone stand over here.
[2:47] Yeah, members of the family, come on down
if you want to stand up.
[2:51] Join members of the board.
[3:11] Yeah, right. Ready, everyone? Perfect.
Okay.
[3:18] All right, and for the folks that were
here for
[3:25] that presentation, you want to stay,
[3:30] you're welcome to stay.
[3:34] You want to take this opportunity to
leave,
[3:40] please do so. Okay, great. Great.
[3:45] Okay, now we have 3 public hearings of the
evening.
[3:53] The first will be on Local Law Number 10
of, uh,
[4:00] Draft Local Law Number 10 of 2026 to amend
Chapter
[4:08] 230, Zoning, of the Village Code to update
[4:14] provisions related to domestic animals and
farm
[4:21] animals. Do I have a motion?
[4:25] So moved.
[4:27] So moved.
[4:27] Second.
[4:28] Motion by Trustee Simon, second by Trustee
Nicholson. Discussion?
[4:32] Yes, Mayor, if I could, I just wanted to
make a couple of quick comments.
[4:38] I want to say first and foremost that the
Village Board of Trustees has worked hard
[4:43] on Local Law Introductory Number 10,
[4:46] the purpose of which is to amend our
zoning provisions on domestic animals and
[4:52] zoning provisions on domestic animals and
farm
[4:52] animals. If anyone had told us one year
ago that in 2026 we would be spending
[4:57] substantial amount of time on this topic,
we would likely not have believed them.
[5:03] But things change, and events cause that
change to occur.
[5:07] So a number of developments in the village
made it clear that our existing zoning
[5:13] provisions regarding animals and fowl were
insufficient.
[5:17] With the help of our manager, our village
attorney, our planner and engineer,
[5:22] this Board of Trustees has made a sincere
effort to craft legislative language to
[5:28] address the inadequacies of our existing
code. Is it perfect? Of course not.
[5:34] Are we finished? Also, of course not.
[5:36] The great congressional giant John
Dingell, 59 years and 21 days in the U.S.
[5:42] House of Representatives would regularly
say, often when I was in the room, quote,
[5:47] nothing is agreed to until everything is
agreed to, so you guys need to go to work.
[5:53] That was good advice when it was told to
us by Chairman Dingell,
[5:58] and it's good advice today.
[6:00] As we've seen in recent weeks,
[6:02] there is a significant divide within the
community on a number of issues related to
[6:08] the current draft of Local Law
Introductory Number 10.
[6:12] The job of the Board of Trustees in the
weeks ahead is to continue to work hard on
[6:18] this bill, but to do so in a way that
bridges that divide.
[6:22] That's hard work, and it must be done
seriously and without distractions that
[6:27] seriously and without distractions that
would
[6:27] tend to divert this board from its main
mission of finishing its work in an able
[6:33] manner. Some have said that as we go
forward with our work,
[6:37] That I should recuse myself from further
involvement in the drafting of Local Law
[6:43] Introductory Number 10.
[6:45] They say I should do so because I live
next door to a family that now lives next
[6:50] door to a flock of racing pigeons. I
appreciate suggestions that I recuse
[6:56] appreciate suggestions that I recuse
myself.
[6:56] In fact, before a single letter was ever
written or any other communication on that
[7:02] issue, I raised that question myself back
in May when we first began considering
[7:08] these issues. I was told then by our
village attorney, Mr.
[7:12] Subban at the time, that it was not
necessary for me to do so.
[7:16] However, I did subsequently recuse myself
from a zoning board advice of counsel
[7:22] session, again relying on our village
attorney who felt it was appropriate in
[7:27] attorney who felt it was appropriate in
that
[7:28] instance since the zoning board was
dealing with a specific interpretation of
[7:33] dealing with a specific interpretation of
the
[7:33] zoning code impacting 2 homes.
[7:36] I was grateful for his guidance and, of
course, did so recuse myself.
[7:40] Soon after this hearing date was
established and we received specific
[7:45] established and we received specific
questions on
[7:46] recusal, I have been guided by our very
capable village attorney to my right, Ms.
[7:52] Dixon. She advised me that anytime I feel
I cannot be objective as we go forward,
[7:58] I should recuse myself.
[7:59] Today, I feel as objective as I've always
been on the issues surrounding Local Law
[8:05] Introductory Number 10.
[8:07] My goal in this and other legislative
endeavors on the part of our board is to
[8:12] endeavors on the part of our board is to
get
[8:13] to where House Speaker Tip O'Neill always
advised us to be, quote,
[8:17] the most good for the most people. In
other words, I'm trying to be helpful
[8:23] other words, I'm trying to be helpful
here.
[8:23] When I see a problem or one is presented
to me,
[8:26] I don't measure the distance of that
problem from my house.
[8:31] I just try to find a solution.
[8:33] That's how I approached all of our work
here in Croton since I joined the board.
[8:38] And this is not a unique trait of mine. I
believe all of my colleagues do the same.
[8:44] That's what this job is all about.
[8:47] I never want to look at a neighbor who
feels distressed by a village law or
[8:52] feels distressed by a village law or
problem
[8:52] or even a legislative draft and say,
sorry, I can't help you.
[8:57] You live too close to me.
[8:59] On the other hand, as I said a moment ago,
[9:02] this work is too important to be put at
risk by any distractions.
[9:06] And most importantly,
[9:08] I have great faith in the talent and
abilities of my 4 colleagues,
[9:12] assisted by the manager, by our planner,
by our engineer, and our attorney,
[9:18] to devise a final version of Local Law
Introductory Number 10 that meets Speaker
[9:23] O'Neill's standard. Quote, the most good
for the most people.
[9:28] And I believe they share my view that our
obligation is to solve the problem and
[9:33] that doing nothing in this instance is not
a good option for Croton.
[9:38] So to remove any potential distractions as
this board goes forward,
[9:43] I will recuse myself from any further
involvement with Local Law Introductory
[9:49] involvement with Local Law Introductory
Number
[9:49] 10. I wish you all the best as this
hearing and any subsequent action on this
[9:54] measure proceeds. I thank everyone for
coming out tonight and sharing your
[10:00] coming out tonight and sharing your
thoughts
[10:00] with the board. And now, until this
specific hearing is concluded,
[10:05] I will relinquish my seat on this board
and happily join the people. Thank you.
[10:11] Thank you. And before we proceed to the
public hearing, uh, Manager,
[10:15] do you have any background information
you'd like to present? For sure.
[10:21] How far back do you want me to start?
[10:23] Anything that you think is relevant.
[10:25] No, thank you, Mayor.
[10:27] Um, so, um, as Trustee Simon kind of gave
a brief synopsis on the law,
[10:32] I'll just say that, um, you know,
[10:34] the board has had numerous discussions on
this law.
[10:37] Um, much of the information is included in
the backup Uh,
[10:41] documentation that is available on the
village website as part of the agenda.
[10:47] Um, for those who are interested,
[10:49] we have received comments from our
Waterfront Advisory Committee,
[10:54] we have received comments from our Village
Planning Board,
[10:58] we have received comments from the
Westchester County Planning Board.
[11:02] All that information is available on the
village website.
[11:06] Um, you know, this is just, as was said, a
public hearing.
[11:10] Um, you know, the board Can, after they've
heard comments from the public,
[11:16] can choose to close the public hearing or
leave it open.
[11:19] There's no requirement that it be voted on
this evening.
[11:23] You know, if the board wants to take the
feedback that it's received both through
[11:29] email and through the public commentary to
come and go back to a work session,
[11:34] get further guidance from our attorney,
[11:37] those are all options that you have
available. You know, to do so.
[11:42] You know, I think that is—
[11:44] Manager, thank you. I, I just want to make
sure I understood.
[11:49] So Deputy Mayor Simon has recused himself
from—
[11:54] Yes, correct.
[11:56] Going forward from considering the law and
any revisions from that will come from
[12:02] your hearing.
[12:04] Okay.
[12:05] Thank you. And I just want to say that I'm
grateful for all the residents who came
[12:11] out tonight. I'm sure you're here for
various reasons,
[12:15] but I'm grateful that you're all here.
[12:18] And I'm grateful for the people who
submitted letters concerning Local Law 10,
[12:24] the proposed law, that is, including ways
that it can be more clear.
[12:29] I really respect the amount of engagement
the community has shown around this law,
[12:36] and it will only help us strengthen it and
make it better. So thank you.
[12:41] Well said. And out of respect for that
engagement and those contributions,
[12:47] we will not be voting on this law tonight.
[12:50] We will be taking it back for a work
session for further review to be informed
[12:55] session for further review to be informed
by
[12:56] the comments from our respective, you
know, formal referral bodies,
[13:00] but also from what we hear tonight and
over the preceding and coming days via
[13:06] over the preceding and coming days via
email.
[13:06] Okay. All in favor? Aye. All right, the
floor is open.
[13:10] Everyone has— please state your name,
address. You have up to 5 minutes to
[13:16] address. You have up to 5 minutes to
speak.
[13:16] And just to clarify, this is the public
hearing for the law. So the—
[13:22] Yeah.
[13:22] Yes.
[13:22] There will be 3 public— well, 2 more
public hearings,
[13:25] then public comment on agenda items,
[13:27] then public comment on non-agenda items
towards the end of the meeting.
[13:31] So don't start that clock.
[13:33] Okay.
[13:33] Debbie Braddock, 23 Young Avenue.
[13:36] Um, to me, this became quite confusing
about someone having, um,
[13:42] I believe it was pigeons,
[13:44] and my husband's father had homing pigeons
for years and lived in Croton.
[13:51] It wasn't a problem, you know, it just—
[13:55] life happens.
[13:55] I personally feel that it would be
detrimental not to have that,
[14:01] not to continue that legacy for someone
else,
[14:04] and to be concerned about people who might
want to have chickens.
[14:10] Because if we say birds, we could then
move to chickens.
[14:13] Are we going to say a specific number?
[14:16] I think we need to gracefully meet again
and discuss what this is going to do to
[14:21] someone who bought a house and has a hobby
and wants—
[14:25] and I do not know this person, but I want
them to have every opportunity we had.
[14:30] Thank you.
[14:31] Thank you.
[14:32] Thank you.
[14:45] Uh, thank you to the mayor, trustees,
[14:47] and manager for considering protecting our
neighbors and village by banning pigeons
[14:51] without grandfathering,
[14:53] as many municipalities have done in the
face of residential flock operations.
[14:57] The facts and documented impact show the
greater good this ban would bring to our
[15:01] community and the village-wide risks of
not taking swift action.
[15:04] I'm among 7 of the 8 closest households on
the same block as the pigeon operation at
[15:09] 148 Old Post Road North And that's
excluding the member of the Board of
[15:13] excluding the member of the Board of
Trustees,
[15:13] uh, who have expressed support urging an
immediate pigeon ban with no
[15:17] grandfathering. I'm uniquely able to
provide details of our lived experiences
[15:21] provide details of our lived experiences
of the
[15:22] havoc caused by this flock on our property
and our quality of life.
[15:25] This board has reviewed some of the visual
evidence shared by our neighborhood,
[15:29] like the examples of pigeons on the board
over here that perch for upwards of a
[15:34] couple hours on our roofs, gutters, garden
beds, and other outdoor spaces.
[15:38] It is unreasonable to allow dozens of kept
pigeons, or any neighbor's animal,
[15:42] to occupy other people's properties.
[15:44] They cohabitate on neighbors' properties,
causing health, safety, quality of life,
[15:48] and financial impacts, which include
defecation on our houses, cars, lawns,
[15:52] driveways, patios, and furniture. A
predator killed bird that fell on our
[15:56] predator killed bird that fell on our
property.
[15:57] Noise disturbances from the large flock
routinely wake us up at 4 AM.
[16:00] Very low flight path that first runs
directly over our property at peak outdoor
[16:05] times, with pigeons shedding debris,
feathers, particles, and poop overhead.
[16:09] A diminished ability to use our outdoor
spaces due to the mess and constant
[16:13] spaces due to the mess and constant
repeated
[16:13] flights. Village officials have been told
that the majority of the pigeons in the
[16:18] condo are young. It takes just 20 days for
eggs to hatch and about another month for
[16:22] pigeons to become fully grown. By 6
months, they begin reproducing.
[16:26] As shown here on the board, in low-end
controlled breeding,
[16:29] a flock of 24 pigeons can easily multiply
to 120 in just 1 year,
[16:32] according to the NIH and other reports.
[16:34] It's easy to see how quickly this becomes
impossible to manage and regulate and how
[16:39] the nuisance exponentially grows.
[16:41] A flock of pigeons, 24 pigeons poop about
1,000 times a day.
[16:44] On the low end, that's 50 to 75 times an
hour as they fly overhead or remain
[16:48] hour as they fly overhead or remain
perched
[16:48] on neighboring homes and properties.
[16:50] Their droppings are corrosive and cause
damage to homes and cars.
[16:54] A flock of 100 pigeons produces 4,800
pounds of poop per year.
[16:57] More exposure and higher quantities means
higher risk of infectious diseases and a
[17:02] greater nuisance to neighbors.
[17:03] Free from these impacts is the flock
operator who does not live in that home,
[17:07] yet constructed this massive pigeon condo
along his elderly neighbor's property line
[17:12] backing up to their vegetable garden.
[17:14] Well-established property line trees have
also been removed or disturbed,
[17:18] increasing flight lines and sight lines.
[17:20] It's not feasible for the village to
regulate or accurately count this pigeon
[17:24] operation, which can be swiftly relocated
or released like has occurred over this
[17:29] past week. This board is also aware of
instances of code and rule circumvention
[17:33] instances of code and rule circumvention
at
[17:33] 148, which leaves future compliance in
doubt.
[17:35] There is not enough space or distance from
neighbors for this type of operation,
[17:40] and there's no realistic way to prevent
these animals from congregating on and
[17:44] damaging neighboring properties. Our block
is not unique in Croton.
[17:47] Much of our village is comprised of small
lots and closely built homes.
[17:51] Everyone should be able to enjoy their own
homes without worrying that neighbors'
[17:56] animals will be treating their houses or
lawns like toilets.
[17:59] There— these are some of the same reasons
why other municipalities in Westchester,
[18:03] The City of Chicago and beyond do not
permit pigeons in residential areas.
[18:07] This board is aware of the range of
binding state and federal case law that,
[18:11] for good reason, supports an immediate
municipal ban with no grandfathering.
[18:15] A wide sampling of verified residents in
neighborhoods across the village agree
[18:20] neighborhoods across the village agree
that
[18:20] Croton should not become a beacon for
pigeon flock operations.
[18:23] They cite already budding ecological
concerns about the pigeons found or
[18:27] photographed this summer around the
village.
[18:30] Pigeons are large, non-migratory,
[18:31] and do not behave as our native songbirds
or backyard chickens do.
[18:35] Homing pigeons attract more invasive wild
pigeons and doves,
[18:38] which they're known to mate with, to our
neighborhood,
[18:41] pushing out songbirds that we've enjoyed
over the years.
[18:44] As a resident biologist recently shared
with the board,
[18:47] there is a real concern that wider
biodiversity in Croton's neighborhoods and
[18:51] biodiversity in Croton's neighborhoods and
parks
[18:51] could continue to dwindle as the pigeon
population grows and crowds out other
[18:56] species. Beyond that, pigeons attract
rats, other pests,
[18:59] and predators to neighborhoods.
[19:00] They pose health risks, especially to
those who are immunocompromised,
[19:04] to senior citizens, and to children,
including histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis,
[19:08] psittacosis, salmonellosis, and bird
mites.
[19:11] Dogs and cats are particularly susceptible
to cryptococcosis,
[19:14] a fungus that is found in bird droppings,
notably in pigeons.
[19:17] These are the primary reasons I am not
alone in urging you to act tonight on the
[19:21] board's previously stated consensus intent
to adopt a pigeon ban without
[19:25] grandfathering to protect neighbors, pets,
properties and our environment.
[19:29] Thank you.
[19:30] Thank you. Thank you.
[19:31] Hi, good evening. Can everyone hear me?
[19:38] Yes.
[19:39] Um, good evening, members of the board,
Mayor Pugh.
[19:43] My name is Erica Loudon Corwin,
[19:45] and I live at the dead end of Penfield
Avenue in the house where I grew up.
[19:51] I'm speaking tonight because I,
[19:54] I have some concerns and questions
regarding the establishment of Erasing
[19:59] regarding the establishment of Erasing
pigeon
[20:00] loft on Old Post Road. I'd like to just
point out that pigeons are not fowl.
[20:06] By the way, what is the definition of
fowl? No, not all birds are considered
[20:12] fowl? No, not all birds are considered
fowl.
[20:12] While bird applies to any feathered,
warm-blooded vertebrate,
[20:17] the entire scientific class Avis,
[20:20] fowl is a much narrower term used in both
biology and the law.
[20:24] In simple terms, all fowl are birds, but
not all birds are fowl.
[20:29] Biologically, the term fowl refers almost
exclusively to 2 specific orders of birds:
[20:36] Galliformes, landfowl, heavy-bodied
ground-feeding birds such as chickens,
[20:42] ground-feeding birds such as chickens,
turkeys,
[20:42] pheasants, quails, grouse, and peacocks.
[20:46] And Seraforms, waterfowl, like swimming
birds such as ducks, geese, and swans.
[20:52] Because pigeons are often not defined as
fowl in standard municipal dictionaries,
[20:58] towns often regulate them under general
public nuisance ordinances like noise,
[21:04] public nuisance ordinances like noise,
odor,
[21:05] property damage, acid waste, livestock or
animal limits,
[21:09] Or specific building codes for outdoor
structures and lofts rather than just bird
[21:15] laws alone. While pigeon racing may have a
rich tradition,
[21:20] it belongs really on expansive
agricultural land or designated urban
[21:25] agricultural land or designated urban
rooftop
[21:26] facilities. I don't think—
[21:28] I think we all know it doesn't belong
jammed into single-family suburban
[21:33] neighborhoods where the footprint directly
impacts adjacent homeowners.
[21:39] Often pigeon racing enthusiasts view their
birds as highly trained athletes and
[21:45] become completely blind to the reality of
the nuisance they create.
[21:50] The hobby has deep roots in dense urban
environments like rooftop coops in the
[21:57] environments like rooftop coops in the
Bronx
[21:57] or Manhattan, or expansive rural areas
like upstate New York,
[22:02] but it translates terribly to small lot
suburban neighborhoods.
[22:07] I also have some questions that I think
would be helpful.
[22:11] Why did this homeowner specifically choose
a house that wouldn't be a good fit for
[22:18] racing pigeons? Why did this homeowner
target Croton?
[22:22] Why should other residents have to allow
his racing pigeons to disrupt and
[22:28] his racing pigeons to disrupt and
vandalize
[22:28] their property with dropping and corrosive
pigeon poop?
[22:33] What does he have to prevent reproduction?
Is he eating the eggs?
[22:38] Is he selling the eggs? Does he pay taxes
on betting when he's racing the pigeons?
[22:44] How are the pigeons tagged?
[22:46] How does a pigeon qualify to receive a
band on their leg?
[22:51] I just think those are some questions that
would be helpful to know.
[22:56] Thank you so much.
[22:57] Thank you.
[22:58] Hi, good evening. My name is Nicole
Shapiro.
[23:01] Um, my husband and I live diagonally
across the street from Tony,
[23:05] and therefore we have a pretty good
perspective on whether Tony's pigeons are
[23:09] creating a problem for the neighborhood.
They are not.
[23:12] With Tony's permission, we looked at the
coop ourselves.
[23:16] The coop is clean and well-maintained.
[23:18] It is set well back from the neighboring
property lines and is a substantial
[23:22] distance from other houses. The birds were
quietly cooing.
[23:26] There was no offensive smell.
[23:27] We saw no rats, no droppings outside the
coop,
[23:30] nothing that struck us struck us as dirty
or unsanitary.
[23:33] What we saw bore very little resemblance
to the picture painted by many of the
[23:38] allegations being used to justify a ban.
These are not feral street pigeons.
[23:43] They're tagged racing pigeons.
[23:44] They're individually identifiable,
[23:46] domesticated birds that are bred and
trained to return to their home loft.
[23:51] Our understanding is also that Tony has
had the birds vaccinated.
[23:54] In other words, this is a managed flock of
birds being cared for by an owner.
[23:59] Where's the evidence that Tony's pigeons
have caused a rat problem?
[24:03] Where's the evidence that anyone has
incurred pest control expenses because of
[24:08] incurred pest control expenses because of
these
[24:08] birds? Where's the evidence of a fire
hazard?
[24:10] Has anyone contracted any illness
associated with the pigeons?
[24:14] Has testing revealed dangerous airborne
pathogens?
[24:17] Is there evidence of damage to neighboring
property from these particular birds?
[24:22] We are not aware of any such evidence.
[24:24] There's obviously a difference between
something that theoretically could happen
[24:29] something that theoretically could happen
and
[24:29] something that is actually happening.
[24:31] We don't think Croton should prohibit an
activity throughout the entire village
[24:36] based primarily on hypothetical and
generally unwarranted concerns.
[24:40] If the concern is that improperly stored
pigeon food might attract rodents,
[24:44] require pigeon food to be stored in
sealed, rodent-resistant containers.
[24:48] If a coop becomes unsanitary, require the
owner to clean it.
[24:52] If there's an offensive odor, regulate it.
[24:54] If the village believes coops should be a
dis— a certain distance from property,
[24:59] from property lines or neighboring homes
establish a reasonable setback.
[25:03] These are sensible regulations.
[25:05] What we do not understand is why the
solution needs to be a complete ban.
[25:09] There's also the issue of fundamental
fairness to Tony.
[25:13] Our understanding is that Tony
specifically checked with the village
[25:17] specifically checked with the village
before
[25:17] purchasing his house to make sure he would
be able to keep his pigeons.
[25:21] He subsequently constructed the coop with
the village approval.
[25:25] and its compliance with applicable
building requirements.
[25:28] He relied on what he was told and spent
money building to, uh, to build the coop.
[25:33] It's difficult to see how it is fair for
the village to tell a resident that
[25:37] something is permitted,
[25:39] allow him to rely on the representation
and make an investment,
[25:42] and then change the law after the fact
specifically to prohibit what he was told
[25:47] specifically to prohibit what he was told
he
[25:47] could do. There are potentially serious
legal issues associated with this as well.
[25:52] Given that Tony was already keeping the
birds, consulted with the village,
[25:56] and constructed his coop with village
approval,
[25:59] it seems obvious that an attempt to force
him to eliminate the existing use could
[26:04] result in litigation.
[26:05] That means Croton taxpayers could end up
paying for attorneys to defend a lawsuit
[26:10] over a clean pigeon coop that could have
been avoided by simply adopting reasonable
[26:15] regulations or grandfathering an existing
use.
[26:18] There's a straightforward compromise
available here.
[26:21] If the village believes pigeon keeping
needs additional regulation,
[26:25] establish reasonable limits on the number
of birds, establish setbacks,
[26:29] require the birds to be properly housed,
[26:31] require feed to be kept in
rodent-resistant containers,
[26:34] require the coop to be maintained in a
clean and sanitary condition,
[26:38] address unreasonable odor or noise.
[26:40] The village could even require the pigeons
to be banded or otherwise identifiable.
[26:45] if it believes that the— that that would
be useful,
[26:48] then enforce those rules when someone
actually violates them.
[26:52] That approach would address virtually
every legitimate concern that has been
[26:56] every legitimate concern that has been
raised
[26:57] without prohibiting responsible pigeon
keeping.
[26:59] If the board ultimately decides that it
does not want new pigeon coops in Croton,
[27:04] we believe Tony's existing coop and flock
should unquestionably be grandfathered.
[27:09] We respectfully ask the board not to enact
a blanket prohibition on keeping pigeons.
[27:14] If reasonable regulations are needed,
adopt them.
[27:17] If an actual nuisance develops, address
it.
[27:19] But please do not impose a village-wide
ban based on problems that,
[27:23] as far as we can see, have not actually
occurred.
[27:26] And if the board nevertheless decides to
prohibit new pigeon keeping,
[27:30] at an absolute minimum,
[27:31] Tony's existing village-approved coop and
flock should be grandfathered. Thank you.
[27:36] Thank you.
[27:44] Hi, my name is Andrea Fury. I live at 14
Morningside.
[27:48] I don't have that much to add to what
Nicole just said. She was so thorough.
[27:54] But I would like to bring up one aspect of
this whole story that we haven't really
[28:00] talked about, and that is the importance
of pets in people's lives today.
[28:05] My daughter is working at the VA hospital
in Washington, D.C.
[28:09] as a clinical psychologist.
[28:11] And she told me just a couple of nights
ago that one of the biggest issues that
[28:17] ago that one of the biggest issues that
they
[28:17] are facing is that for a lot of these
veterans,
[28:21] their closest companion is their pet. It's
their animal.
[28:25] In this case, as has been ascertained,
these are Tony's pets.
[28:29] So it's not just an issue of outlawing
birds that fly around like, like wild
[28:35] birds that fly around like, like wild
birds.
[28:35] These are his pets. I also would like to
add that I did hear a lot of what if,
[28:41] what if, what if. Um, I don't think that
really stands,
[28:45] but mostly I would like to thank the board
for extending this conversation and, uh,
[28:51] not voting on it tonight. Thank you very
much. Thank you.
[28:55] Hello, uh, my name is Jean Clearfield, and
I was raised in the same town where my—
[29:01] the same house where my father grew up and
where my grandmother still lives,
[29:07] 90 Truesdale Drive. And I would like to
speak as someone who hosts Project
[29:12] FeederWatch, a citizen science project
created by Cornell Ornithology Lab.
[29:17] And I routinely work in my job with many
birds, especially mourning doves,
[29:23] which are biologically almost identical to
pigeons.
[29:26] I would like to say that I've heard a lot
about infectious diseases,
[29:31] and I want to say from an ornithological
point of view that pigeons do not pose a
[29:37] unique threat of illness compared to any
other species of bird.
[29:42] Okay, we are not dealing with, as you may
have heard them called, unfortunately,
[29:48] like rats of the sky.
[29:49] That is an unfortunate situation in which,
of course, pigeons,
[29:54] as we associate them with cities and
metropolitan areas, are essentially—
[29:59] they were released en masse before, and
they were kept as pets,
[30:04] and now basically are sequestered to
eating garbage in cities.
[30:08] So that is not up to— that's not integral
in the nature of pigeons.
[30:13] And when they are kept, they are just as
clean, just as safe, as any other pet.
[30:19] Okay, so I would really like to quench
this rumor that pigeons are somehow
[30:24] this rumor that pigeons are somehow
dirtier
[30:25] or more, you know, illness-producing than
any other bird,
[30:29] any other pet that we have.
[30:31] Okay, all these concerns,
[30:33] all these illnesses that we're hearing
named are not unique to pigeons.
[30:38] I would also like to say that, you know,
it really does generally seem that,
[30:43] you know, we live in the natural world.
[30:46] And if you were worried about
biodiversity,
[30:49] reducing the amount of songbirds in this
town,
[30:53] reducing the amount of species of birds in
this town— I'm an avid bird watcher,
[30:58] and all I'm going to say is that I think
it's kind of interesting that that
[31:04] it's kind of interesting that that
interest
[31:04] has not popped up at any other time.
[31:07] So I think if you're interested in things
like biodiversity,
[31:11] interested in things like reducing
illness, interested in things like you
[31:17] illness, interested in things like you
know,
[31:17] helping the immunocompromised.
[31:19] I wish that would— that concern would
emerge at other moments as well,
[31:24] as someone who is genuinely concerned
about those topics and expresses my
[31:30] about those topics and expresses my
concern
[31:30] for biodiversity, for the natural world in
my work and in everything that I do.
[31:36] And I'm generally concerned that something
which seems to be inconvenient to very
[31:42] few people is now going to limit the
freedoms of the town which,
[31:46] which I've come to love and which I know
that, that many, many birds have,
[31:52] have come to love. So, so thank you so
much, and, uh, I hope you vote, um,
[31:57] much, and, uh, I hope you vote, um,
nicely.
[31:58] Thank you.
[31:59] Thank you.
[31:59] Good evening, how are you?
[32:05] My name is Elio. I'm the president of New
Rochelle Pigeon Club.
[32:09] Tony's a member, he's the newest, youngest
member of that club.
[32:13] Our club was established in 1943.
[32:15] So, you know, like through the years, you
know, like we have so many people,
[32:20] you know, like doctors, businessmen,
lawyers, you name it.
[32:25] Currently our club has 32 members and
they're all spread out through
[32:29] they're all spread out through
Westchester.
[32:31] Some of them are Greenwich, Connecticut
also, Rye.
[32:34] So, you know, like that somebody make a
comment about one-family house coops,
[32:38] you know, like that doesn't exist. I live
in one-family house.
[32:43] And I have a coop over there.
[32:44] My neighbor loves the pigeons and all
that.
[32:47] I've been raising pigeons since I was
probably 5, 6 years old, as I can
[32:51] probably 5, 6 years old, as I can
remember.
[32:52] And another thing that I want, you know,
like to, you know,
[32:56] agree with the lady is that about the
disease, you know,
[33:00] like we take care of our pigeons like we
take care of our babies.
[33:04] My daughter tells me,
[33:05] you treat your pigeons as your babies and
you treat ours as your pigeons, you know.
[33:09] So, you know, like Also, you know, like my
son is in a spectrum and it's like, uh,
[33:13] he's a relaxing thing, I would say.
[33:15] You know, like when he gets tantrums, you
know,
[33:18] like the only thing I can chill him off is
bring him to the pigeon coop and relax
[33:22] with him over there for an hour or 2.
[33:25] If that would pose any, uh, danger or any,
you know, disease for him,
[33:28] I would never bring him over there. So,
you know, like it's not in, uh,
[33:32] you know, like it's not in, uh,
questioning.
[33:33] Uh, I mean, you know,
[33:34] like somebody wanted to know about how we
tag them and all that,
[33:38] the eggs and all that.
[33:39] And it's a very simple process, you know,
[33:41] like they can go to Benzin Live and see
how we tag the pigeons, you know,
[33:45] like they have the band, they have the
chip.
[33:48] We have expensive equipment that we trace
pigeons and all that.
[33:51] And also, you know, like there is a way
that, you know,
[33:54] like we separate the boys from girls, I
would say, you know,
[33:58] like after the breeding season.
[33:59] And there's no eggs or anything in the
coop that we eat or we break or whatever
[34:04] coop that we eat or we break or whatever
we
[34:04] do with them. Another thing is that, you
know,
[34:06] like we take care of them about the
diseases, you know, like right Today, you
[34:11] diseases, you know, like right Today, you
know,
[34:11] like I order a very expensive testing kit
that I want to send to Texas by certified,
[34:16] you know, like, and, you know, mail to
check for any disease that might have.
[34:20] You know, I check the droppings, I check
everything.
[34:23] You know, like we are vets basically, the
pigeon flyers, they are vets.
[34:27] You know, like all the flyers that are in
our club, you know,
[34:30] like I'm the youngest one and they made me
the president just because, you know,
[34:35] like there are a lot of old people and
they don't know how to deal with You know,
[34:39] like the the clocking system and the
computers and all that.
[34:42] By the way, I'm the director of IT
department for the city of Peekskill.
[34:47] So that's why I'm the president.
[34:50] They they made me over there to to to take
care of all this kind of stuff.
[34:54] But you know, like we have generations of
people over there.
[34:57] Like the guy is eighty years old and he's
telling me his grandfather had pigeons.
[35:02] So you know, like it's it's a lovely
tradition.
[35:05] You know, like and it's a hobby that.
[35:07] I guess, you know, it's like a horse race,
you know.
[35:10] I don't know, you know, like, I love my
pigeons, and pigeons are keeping me alive,
[35:14] to be honest with you guys, with what I'm
going through in my house.
[35:18] So, you know, like, it's— I'm sorry.
[35:20] It's okay.
[35:27] And there's no rats. Another thing is
about the mice and all that stuff, you
[35:31] about the mice and all that stuff, you
know.
[35:31] Keep in mind, if one mice enter in the
coop, the pigeons are gone.
[35:34] He's going to kill all of them.
[35:36] They're all going to be dead.
[35:37] So there's no, you know, like no way rats
would be in that coop.
[35:41] Or, you know, like if they attract rats,
you know,
[35:44] like we take care of them in many ways.
[35:47] But, you know, like there's—
[35:49] what can I say, guys? You know, like we
take care of— we love our pigeons.
[35:54] We love our hobby, you know, like and all
that, you know,
[35:57] like we don't want anybody to, you know,
like lose its pleasure in life or,
[36:02] you know, hobbies because of somebody
else.
[36:04] I don't know what it is, whatever it is,
but as I say, you know, like, we, we,
[36:09] we have the pigeons here as part of our
life. We have in our blood.
[36:14] Like many people have, like, other
hobbies, you know, like pigeons are our
[36:19] hobbies, you know, like pigeons are our
life.
[36:19] I mean, anybody has any question, you
know, like how we test them and
[36:24] know, like how we test them and
everything,
[36:25] I can go through all of that.
[36:27] But I assure you guys that there is
nothing cleaner than a pigeon coop in a
[36:33] nothing cleaner than a pigeon coop in a
pigeon
[36:34] fancier's yard.
[36:36] I've been having pigeons in my house for
probably 11 years right now,
[36:42] when I moved over there.
[36:44] And the only complaint I got, it's, uh,
[36:47] it was this old guy named Anthony That,
uh,
[36:51] why do you lock your pigeon in wintertime?
[36:55] Because he liked to see the pigeon flying
every single day.
[36:59] And the reason why we lock them in
wintertime is because of the hawks.
[37:02] We don't want our pigeon to get hit by
hawks during the winter because hawks tend
[37:06] hawks during the winter because hawks tend
to
[37:07] hit the pigeons, you know, like when the,
the leaves of the, the trees—
[37:10] Time has expired, sir.
[37:11] I'm sorry?
[37:12] Time has expired, sir. All right, I'm
sorry. Thank you, guys.
[37:23] Good evening. I'm Jennifer Pauley.
[37:25] I live at 146 Old Post Road North, right
next door to Tony,
[37:29] and I've lived there with my husband Andy
Simmons for over 20 years.
[37:34] And before I say anything else,
[37:36] I just want to thank all of you for being
on the board,
[37:39] for your commitment to public service and
the public good,
[37:43] and appreciate your having this discussion
today.
[37:47] I would like to add, too, that I am home
most of the time. I work from home.
[37:52] I usually am not going into the office.
[37:54] I garden, and we have 2 dogs, and my
husband is a senior citizen.
[37:59] Sorry, I had to put that in.
[38:01] He's gonna kill me.
[38:02] But in any case, both of us are outside in
our yard a lot,
[38:06] and we are very aware of what goes on in
the neighborhood.
[38:10] And I rarely see Tony's pigeons.
[38:12] I think his coop is closer to my property
than to anybody else's,
[38:17] but I rarely see them unless I walk near
the coop,
[38:20] which is where they seem to spend the vast
majority of their time.
[38:25] When I have seen them flying,
[38:27] they do a few swoops over our house and a
couple of others,
[38:31] and then they return to their coop. Their
sound is a very muted, gentle cooing.
[38:36] Tony keeps the coop very clean. There's no
odor coming from it.
[38:41] And as a cursory look at public health
literature will confirm,
[38:45] there is no public health hazard from
domestic pigeons.
[38:49] There's certainly no more risk from them
than from wild birds flying all over
[38:54] Croton. Have these pigeons ever pooped on
my patio? Maybe.
[38:59] Have they ever sat on top of my house?
Perhaps.
[39:02] But so has every other bird in Croton.
[39:04] It's important to note too, as Tony has
told me,
[39:08] that he received village approval before
he built his coop.
[39:12] And Tony doesn't live in his house
full-time because he is renovating it,
[39:17] but he will be moving into the house and
living there full-time with the pigeons.
[39:23] He has followed all the rules. He got all
the necessary permits. He built the coop.
[39:29] He moved his pigeons in.
[39:30] To tell him now that his approximately 20
pigeons have to go is outrageously unfair
[39:36] and unjust. I know other neighbors have
complained to the board about the pigeons.
[39:42] We've heard some tonight.
[39:44] They have also called the police multiple
times to report that the pigeons are
[39:49] flying over their house.
[39:51] Somebody, I don't know who,
[39:53] even called the fire department once
claiming that the coop was on fire.
[39:58] Every time one of these calls is made, as
you know,
[40:01] it requires that the police or
firefighters come to the house to
[40:06] firefighters come to the house to
investigate.
[40:07] Is this really the best use of our taxes,
[40:09] to send first responders into the middle
of a dispute between neighbors,
[40:14] taking them away from real emergencies?
[40:17] If you support this ban,
[40:19] please consider that you will be aligning
yourself with a campaign of harassment
[40:24] against Tony, who is a new Croton
resident.
[40:27] I also have to say, I find it hypocritical
to consider a ban on pigeons when we
[40:33] still allow gas-powered leaf blowers.
[40:36] As we know, gas-powered leaf blowers are
so loud they can damage hearing.
[40:41] In our house, we have to spend the best
weather months of the year with all the
[40:46] windows shut tight so that we don't have
to listen as,
[40:50] as much to the daily roar of leaf blowers.
[40:53] Gas-powered leaf blowers spew carcinogens
and toxic emissions into the air.
[40:58] This is a well-documented fact.
[41:00] They kill beneficial insects and they
destroy pollinator habitats.
[41:05] And people wonder all the time— I see it
on Facebook— where are all the bees?
[41:10] Where are all the fireflies? Where are all
the butterflies?
[41:15] And yet we allow gas-powered leaf blowers,
but we're considering banning pigeons.
[41:20] I'll remind you that pigeons, unlike leaf
blowers, don't cause cancer,
[41:25] they don't destroy the environment, and
they don't ruin your hearing.
[41:30] I think we as a community need to focus
more on issues of real importance and
[41:35] more on issues of real importance and
worry
[41:36] less about people's pets. Thank you for
the chance to speak.
[41:40] And thank you for your service to the
community. It's truly appreciated.
[41:45] Thank you. Good evening. Jim Miller, 18
Wolf Road.
[41:50] I've followed the discussions the previous
weeks about this quite a bit.
[41:57] Read the pretext for this statue of
concerns about health related to bird
[42:04] droppings, related to seed that is used to
feed the birds, attracting rodents,
[42:11] and other health-related concerns that
have been caused by apparently We have one
[42:19] pigeon coop in the village, 20 pigeons.
[42:23] And what really struck me today is I
walked out my front door,
[42:28] and I have a couple of birdseed feeders
hanging from my tree.
[42:34] And as I walked out, there was a flock of
perhaps 100 starlings on my front lawn.
[42:42] Nothing unusual. It's fall migration this
time of year.
[42:47] I'm sorry?
[42:48] Also, the feed is there for them to eat,
and they come.
[42:52] And when I startled them, they flew across
the street,
[42:56] half of them landing on my neighbor's
roof,
[42:59] the other half landing in the tree next to
their house.
[43:03] And the other thing that I noticed was,
[43:06] not only have I attracted these birds that
are going to be pooping all over the
[43:12] place and causing disease, But also I've
attracted rodents.
[43:17] I, I saw squirrels running all over the
place.
[43:21] And, uh, what, what I wonder is,
[43:24] have we considered banning bird feeders in
Croton?
[43:28] Because whatever dangers you feel arise
from a pigeon coop,
[43:34] the same dangers arise from bird feeders.
[43:38] And I'm here to say, like, well,
[43:41] maybe first you came for Tony's pigeon
coop.
[43:45] Next, you may come for my bird feeders.
Please don't. Thank you.
[43:51] Thank you. Thank you. Excuse me.
[43:54] Um, Gary Eisinger, Cleveland Drive.
[43:57] Uh, good evening, members of the board and
neighbors.
[44:00] I wanted to take these few minutes to talk
about NIMBYism.
[44:04] It's been quite a few years now that many
of us in the village have been attacked
[44:10] with this word. We went from being
neighbors to being NIMBYists,
[44:14] the word utilized against us,
[44:16] slandering us with implications of our
utter horridness as human beings.
[44:21] While allowing ADUs on the smallest lots
in Croton,
[44:25] built right up to and looming over
longstanding property setback
[44:29] longstanding property setback
requirements,
[44:30] you shot us NIMBYists down, favoring, it
seems,
[44:34] the shadows taking away gardens and
hard-earned little slices of paradise.
[44:39] With absolutely zero neighbor input
allowed.
[44:42] With Lot A, our neighbors on Wayne Street
brought up the obstructed views they would
[44:48] have from this 5-plus-story structure,
[44:50] and those neighbors were also written off
as nimbyists,
[44:54] obstructionists in the Hochul to Harkham
to Pugh slam dunk to take away neighbors'
[45:00] right to voice grievances on the impact
your progress and your preferred changes
[45:05] your progress and your preferred changes
to
[45:06] the village impact our daily lives.
[45:08] With 425 Riverside, we have neighbors—
dare we label them NIMBYs as well—
[45:13] who have grave concerns of a slope
collapse in their own literal backyards.
[45:18] At Gottwald Circle, an unnecessary
elongation of the xeriscape garden curbs
[45:23] elongation of the xeriscape garden curbs
were
[45:24] designed such that parking spots were
removed from in front of these neighbors'
[45:29] houses, impacting their businesses and
daily life.
[45:33] In this case, a redesign could have
pleased all sides,
[45:36] but our mayor and deputy mayor,
[45:39] with less concern for other neighbors'
backyards or street front in this case,
[45:44] ignored their pleas.
[45:45] And with Kathy Hochul's Let Them Build
package,
[45:49] we have exempted large-scale projects like
425 Riverside and soon the Green Growler
[45:54] building from SEQR, which enabled public
input into projects that quite literally
[46:00] impact our backyards, our front yards, and
our quality of life.
[46:04] So now we come to the subject of this
diatribe: our own Deputy Mayor's backyard.
[46:10] It seems to have now gotten personal.
[46:13] I mean, absolutely no one likes bird shit
in their backyard,
[46:17] and since we are now holding a public
hearing on what ostensibly boils down to
[46:22] hearing on what ostensibly boils down to
where
[46:23] we draw the line on pigeon shit in what
seems to be the wrong neighbor's backyard.
[46:28] And by wrong neighbor,
[46:30] I find it quite amusing that it is
Croton's own godfather of anti-NIMBYism
[46:35] Croton's own godfather of anti-NIMBYism
who now
[46:35] apparently having reached his own
come-to-NIMBY moment.
[46:39] So now that you've had this epiphany that
our backyards can really matter to us,
[46:45] would you please consider joining the
voice of community Uh, excuse me,
[46:50] the voice of Croton Community Group.
[46:52] Um, and with our community group behind
you,
[46:55] we can help you fight the power of Hochul
to Harkham to Pugh and reclaim the joy and
[47:01] dignity of your little slice of paradise
we call the backyard.
[47:06] And on a more serious side regarding the
chickens,
[47:09] I really think your proposed setbacks are
way too big.
[47:13] So odd that you champion a 10-foot setback
for an 800-square-foot ADU but ask for 5
[47:19] times that for a 60-square-foot chicken
coop?
[47:22] Please make that difference make sense to
me in the coming weeks. Thank you.
[47:27] Thank you.
[47:28] Hello, my name is Doug Simmons.
[47:33] I live on Finney Farm Road.
[47:37] And I'm here to advocate for my neighbor
[47:44] Tony and his pigeons and doves.
[47:50] Tony is a good neighbor.
[47:51] He's a nice guy.
[47:53] When you talk to him, as I have on a
number of occasions, I've gotten to know
[47:57] number of occasions, I've gotten to know
him,
[47:57] you realize you're in the presence of a
gentleman.
[48:01] Please know that he's suffering from this
proposed legislation.
[48:05] I think you saw some emotion tonight from
one of his, I guess,
[48:09] colleagues.
[48:10] I didn't, I didn't know that gentleman.
[48:11] Tony's fearful. He's not a guy looking to
fight City Hall.
[48:16] You know, he, he, uh, he doesn't have a
lawyer at ready.
[48:20] This is, uh, this is, uh, really caught
him, uh, unexpected.
[48:25] Um, he moved here because he sensed a
loving and tolerant community,
[48:30] and he's been treated so poorly. It's
really shameful.
[48:35] I understand the May 29th petition,
[48:37] which has 41 signatures was circulated
among parents at the school bus stop in
[48:43] among parents at the school bus stop in
front
[48:44] of my home. It's directly across from
Jennifer and Andy's and Antoni's.
[48:49] No one knocked on my door and asked me to
sign.
[48:54] I had no idea this petition even existed
until a few weeks ago.
[48:58] The petition is alarmist in tone and out
of touch with reality.
[49:03] Let me address 2 specific objections.
[49:05] Pigeons, coops, excrement, and feed
attract rats and other pests.
[49:11] These create health issues and costly
control burdens.
[49:15] This was obviously written before we got
to know— before I got to know Tony,
[49:22] and it's a gross exaggeration.
[49:24] Tony's coop is immaculate,
[49:26] and anyone with a bird feeder knows that
seed has to be properly stored or rats
[49:33] seed has to be properly stored or rats
will
[49:33] become a problem. 2, 2 of the 6.
[49:36] I'll only do the 2 of this petition, May
29th petition.
[49:41] Sizable coops— it's not that big, by the
way—
[49:44] sizable coops are known to be a fire
hazard.
[49:49] This is an irresponsible allegation,
[49:51] and our fire department was indeed
summoned to Tony's home with the report
[49:55] summoned to Tony's home with the report
that the
[49:56] coop was on fire. There was indeed a smoke
condition.
[49:59] And it came from a barbecue grill in the
yard behind Tony's home.
[50:04] Our volunteer firefighters showed up for
no reason.
[50:07] Along the same lines,
[50:09] I also understand that the police have
been called in response to complaints that
[50:14] Tony's birds have been defecating on their
property. Seriously?
[50:19] Another call was made to a local business
to remove a dead pigeon from a yard.
[50:24] I'm not sure which one.
[50:26] Was it Tony's? His pets are banded with
identification.
[50:31] Imagine if a deceased dog or cat wearing a
collar had been discarded without
[50:36] attempting to reach the owner.
[50:39] No one attempted to get in touch with Tony
about that bird.
[50:43] This is harassment. This is abusive. It
really has to stop.
[50:47] It's like picking on a newcomer.
[50:50] Circumstances have changed since the
circulation of the May 29th petition.
[50:55] The coop is built. His beloved birds are
acclimated to their new home.
[51:01] It takes a while for pigeons to get
settled into a home, and they,
[51:05] they will fly around. They're homing
pigeons.
[51:09] They gotta figure out where their home is.
[51:12] It's another reason why it'd be really
cruel to uproot them again.
[51:16] Other neighbors like myself and friends on
Old Post Road have come to admire Tony's
[51:22] doves.
[51:24] These neighbors include Andy and Jennifer,
who live across the street.
[51:26] They're the closest—I measured by my
footsteps—they're the closest to the coop.
[51:32] Their bird is the closest neighbor. Their
home is the closest neighbor to the coop.
[51:37] They love the birds.
[51:38] I love the birds.
[51:41] A new petition started on August 21st,
just a few weeks ago.
[51:45] It's since been circulated. It says here
190.
[51:48] 196 signatures, but since I wrote this, I
think it's gone over to 200.
[51:52] That quick, that many people rallied to
this petition.
[51:56] And that includes my immediate neighbors
in 3 households to the south of me on Old
[52:01] Post Road.
[52:01] The new petition is rational and fair,
[52:06] and it concludes that we ask the board—
[52:11] the petition— and I ask the board to
reject a ban grandfather existing
[52:18] keepers, and protect the rights of
responsible pet owners in Croton.
[52:24] Thank you for this opportunity.
[52:27] Good evening, Pete Panzica, 110 Old Post
Road.
[52:33] Um, I'm sure Tony's a nice guy.
[52:35] I don't know him, but I would not be happy
if this statute which allowed Tony to
[52:39] enter neighborhood under this pretext of
owning pigeons were allowed to stand,
[52:43] because you need to put yourselves in the
neighbor's shoes.
[52:47] And I know there's some neighbors who
testified tonight that the pigeons don't
[52:51] bother them, but those pictures don't lie.
[52:55] There are birds on the house. I'm sure
there's poop in the house.
[52:58] Your windows are open.
[52:59] I'm sure there's cooing, and that becomes
annoying after a while.
[53:03] Dogs are legal, but if a dog went into
your front lawn and tore up the neighbor's
[53:08] flowers, they would call the police.
[53:10] If dog was incessantly barking all night,
you would call the police.
[53:14] And if a dog was pooping on your lawn, you
would call the police.
[53:18] I just wish that the neighbors who are
inconvenienced by this would be given that
[53:23] same consideration because they're—
[53:25] this is their lived experience and they
are suffering from this.
[53:29] And if it was me and somebody moved next
to me because this law was in place,
[53:34] I would be very unhappy. I can understand
chickens.
[53:37] They are contained in a, in an area. They
don't fly around.
[53:41] Bird feeders, you're inviting the birds to
your property.
[53:44] I am a physician. Toxoplasmosis and
histoplasmosis are real
[53:50] diseases that people do get. So I've seen
it.
[53:54] Please, Sarah, Sarah, please,
conversation.
[53:58] I mean, the comment came to me.
[54:01] So Um, so that's all I really have to say.
[54:05] Um, I would not, you know, and I love
animals, but if animals are an annoyance,
[54:10] they shouldn't allow to be annoying, you
know, people in the town of Croton.
[54:14] Thank you.
[54:15] Thank you. Thank you.
[54:21] Thank you.
[54:22] Good evening, I'm Carrie Andrews, 20
Hunter Street here in Croton.
[54:29] And I just think this is an issue looking
for a problem.
[54:34] And I really support Tony being able to
have his pigeons.
[54:40] The thing is, pigeons are already here.
[54:44] I keep eBird accounts, which is, you know,
[54:48] I track the birds that are in my backyard
almost daily and elsewhere.
[54:55] Thank you.
[54:56] And I've had pigeons, they're called rock
pigeons, feral pigeons.
[55:02] I've had them for years now. They're in
Croton, they're here.
[55:06] So I don't think that that is such an
issue that they have, that the pigeons,
[55:12] you know, that are confined, it's only 20
of them.
[55:16] It seems like a reasonable thing to have.
[55:19] And in terms of the illness caused, I'm a
PA, retired PA.
[55:23] And I used to park in the Bronx in a
garage that was so full of pigeons that
[55:29] feathers were everywhere, poop was
everywhere.
[55:32] And I would get out and I would— I was
actually a little nervous about it,
[55:38] to be quite honest, when I first started
parking there.
[55:42] But by the own admission of the review of
the records with the— that—
[55:47] Brian Healy presented, the risk of those
illnesses,
[55:51] psittacosis and toxoplasmosis and all of
those, is extremely rare.
[55:56] And so I don't really think it is a health
hazard.
[55:59] And I just think that it's really,
[56:02] really unfair for this person who has
gotten a permit,
[56:06] moved here because he thought he could
have his pigeons,
[56:10] and then all of a sudden we're like
pulling the wool from under him.
[56:15] Thank you.
[56:15] you know, the rug from under him.
[56:18] I don't think it's quite the hazard that
is being presented,
[56:22] and I really think he ought to be able to
allow— and we shouldn't have this ban.
[56:27] It seems like it's something that came up
after a situation came up that I don't
[56:32] really think is well thought out. Thank
you.
[56:35] Thank you. Good evening, everyone. I'm
Tony. Uh, you all know me.
[56:42] Thank you so much for your support.
[56:45] So I heard a lot of concerns tonight and a
lot of support,
[56:51] and I really appreciate for all your
support.
[56:57] Uh, the concerns they have that if I
wanted to get eggs and eat eggs,
[57:01] that I would keep chickens so I don't have
to keep pigeons because they have way
[57:06] smaller eggs. And the other con—
[57:08] the other Their concern is that every
single bird contains same disease if they
[57:14] single bird contains same disease if they
get
[57:14] it. So on Croton, we have 380 different
species birds.
[57:18] None of them have been vaccinated.
[57:22] None of them have been treated.
[57:23] None of them have been cleaned. Mine are
every single day.
[57:27] Their water has been cleaned every single
day.
[57:30] I don't leave the same can on the same day
for 2, 3 days. I cleaned it.
[57:35] I feed them only for what they need to
eat. I don't leave feed on the feeder.
[57:40] I don't. I, I wanted—
[57:42] I love them.
[57:42] I don't want to risk killing none of them.
[57:46] As per mites and rats, um, as my president
of the club, our club, mentioned it,
[57:54] um, if a single mice or rat gets in my
coop for them is like a poison.
[58:00] In 24 hours, they would die.
[58:03] So that is my first concern,
[58:06] to keep them clean and not allow any
single rats or rats coming in there.
[58:13] Al, Nora, and Stacy, they've been to my
coop. They've seen it, how I keep it.
[58:21] I have everything secured.
[58:23] There is no way they could get mice or
rats in there.
[58:27] So that about that concern, mice and rats,
that, that, that just can't happen.
[58:32] And the other thing is, oh, on Croton you
guys been having pigeons forever.
[58:38] My question is, how many people got sick
from them?
[58:41] Because for what I heard, none of them
got.
[58:44] So if that's all your concerns, you had
that concern here a while ago,
[58:49] and I don't understand Why police haven't
been called for any wild pigeons or doves,
[58:55] which they fly every single day in my
house,
[58:58] and they've been flying before I brought
the pigeons on my house.
[59:03] I have pictures and videos way before I
brought them because I knew this was
[59:08] brought them because I knew this was
coming.
[59:09] So doves been here, they flying on top of
my roof,
[59:12] the neighbor's roof, anybody's roof,
[59:15] and different birds are flying there.
[59:18] They're pooping all over.
[59:19] Is that the same poop or is that, that's a
different poop?
[59:23] So I'm, I'm so, I'm so— yeah, it's so
confusing.
[59:27] And then, uh, there was another question,
[59:30] another concern which I can't actually
remember exactly,
[59:33] but have they flied on the people's
houses?
[59:36] Yes, they have. Have I mentioned it here
the first time I was here that they could
[59:42] be flying the first week they come out of
the coop, the young, young ones?
[59:48] Yes, they do, because they're afraid from
predators.
[59:51] Their wings are not strong enough to fly
up in the air.
[59:55] So what they do, they fly around the
houses to scan the property, get used to
[1:00:01] houses to scan the property, get used to
it,
[1:00:01] to the, to the area. Then they won't be
doing that anymore.
[1:00:06] Well, I heard they ripped a neighbor's
cushions.
[1:00:09] They don't, they don't have that strength.
They both seen the feeder plastic bag.
[1:00:15] I have it on the coop. with the pigeons.
[1:00:18] If they, they had that strength, that bag
would have been ripped a long time ago.
[1:00:24] So the cushions, I'm guessing it's way
stronger than a plastic bag is.
[1:00:29] So if these ones are all the concerns, and
if there is any other concerns,
[1:00:34] I would be more than happy to answer.
That's all I had. Thank you. Good evening.
[1:00:40] Ed Riley from Truesdale Drive.
[1:00:42] When I heard the gentleman speak last
week, I was very sympathetic.
[1:00:47] It may, may still be. I'm not sure.
[1:00:50] Croton's had serious problems with pigeons
in the past.
[1:00:54] I grew up on Van Wyck Street down here.
Spent 21 years there.
[1:00:58] And pigeons populated the entire Riverside
Avenue, Brook Street area,
[1:01:03] the train tracks, you know, the train
station.
[1:01:06] And then as changes were made in the
Village, they migrated up.
[1:01:11] And they hung around 2-story and 3-story
buildings. They created an incredible
[1:01:17] buildings. They created an incredible
mess.
[1:01:17] As a matter of fact,
[1:01:19] my neighbors used to hire us to get with
pellet guns and BB guns to shoot them off
[1:01:25] their drains because you'd have this
phosphorescent white streak down the sides
[1:01:30] phosphorescent white streak down the sides
of
[1:01:30] these houses. And they were dirty and they
were filthy. They were an unwanted pest.
[1:01:36] I don't know how Croton got rid of them,
but Croton did get rid of them.
[1:01:42] Now, if these pigeons— and,
[1:01:44] and I'm surprised the board didn't ask the
gentleman from New Rochelle,
[1:01:49] or the last gentleman, a lot of questions.
[1:01:52] Hopefully he'll do that in, um, in work
session.
[1:01:55] You know, on this pigeon issue,
[1:01:58] I thought that maybe these pigeons go with
the urbanization of Croton.
[1:02:03] You know, you need— if Croton's going to
be an urban environment with a lot of
[1:02:08] apartment houses, maybe you need the
pigeons and the squirrels and the, you
[1:02:14] pigeons and the squirrels and the, you
know,
[1:02:14] feeding things in the park.
[1:02:16] I think what people are afraid of is if
you want a, um, a, a visual, uh,
[1:02:22] in-your-face representation of what pigeon
mania could look like if these pigeons
[1:02:27] are not controlled is if you go to
Tuckahoe Road and Central Avenue,
[1:02:32] there's a Dunkin' Donuts there. It used to
be a bank.
[1:02:36] It's right next to the, uh— Tuckahoe Road
Post Office.
[1:02:40] If you look at the pigeons and the crap
and the filth in that whole corner, and,
[1:02:46] and it comes from the fact that people
feed those pigeons.
[1:02:50] They attract those pigeons to that area.
[1:02:53] Now, if these pigeons are well-trained
pigeons— actually, World War I, a pigeon,
[1:02:59] a passenger pigeon for New York Division
got a Medal of Honor because he helped
[1:03:05] got a Medal of Honor because he helped
save
[1:03:05] this Lost Battalion.
[1:03:06] Now, if his pigeons are so well trained
that they don't bother your neighbor—
[1:03:12] that's always a big violation.
[1:03:14] If your pigeons on a regular basis bother
your neighbors and create filth in your
[1:03:20] neighbor's house, you are violating
neighborliness.
[1:03:24] And then if you have a complaint against
that neighbor,
[1:03:28] the first thing is not to go to the
Village Board or the Police Department,
[1:03:33] it's to go to your neighbor and confront
them about that.
[1:03:38] But if these pigeons are so well trained
that they go—
[1:03:41] they can go to the Ringling Brothers show
and after, you know,
[1:03:46] 1 or 2 errant trips to the neighbor's
house,
[1:03:49] they will always return and they're
numbered.
[1:03:52] Remember, you regulate the number of
chickens in somebody's yard.
[1:03:57] You don't allow chickens to go in somebody
else's yard and you regulate the number.
[1:04:03] If this gentleman— I have great sympathy
for Because it's—
[1:04:07] maybe we ought to call in Marlon Brando
here as a witness.
[1:04:12] But if, um, if he, if he can regulate the
number, he has bans on everyone, uh,
[1:04:17] they will not bother the neighbors' houses
and poop all over their houses, uh,
[1:04:23] they're not like wild birds, they are like
starlings, um, that, that's great.
[1:04:29] But it should be, um, grandfathered.
[1:04:31] Thank you.
[1:04:32] Because I find it hard to believe that,
you know, like in every household,
[1:04:37] a couple of pigeons get together and say,
hey, you know,
[1:04:40] let's go over the wall and set up shop,
you know,
[1:04:44] down the street or someplace like that.
[1:04:46] But if that's the case, if these can be
controlled, they're so well disciplined,
[1:04:51] etc., I think you should grandfather this
gentleman because he could come in here
[1:04:56] and ask permission to have these.
Remember, we've had this problem before.
[1:05:01] And I don't know whether they're fish or
fowl, but remember the geese problem?
[1:05:06] Everybody used to love geese, right? Now
everybody hates geese. Why?
[1:05:10] Because they poop all over the place.
[1:05:12] That's what pigeons do if they're not
regimented.
[1:05:15] Now maybe he has a regiment that's well
regulated. God bless him.
[1:05:20] But you missed your chance,
[1:05:21] and hopefully you'll do this in a work
session where you can ask back and forth,
[1:05:26] or people can submit questions to you. And
you can get the full story.
[1:05:31] Your pigeons will never escape.
[1:05:33] If you leave town, you'll take every one
of them with you, etc.
[1:05:37] But in the dark past of Croton's
industrial era,
[1:05:40] we had thousands and thousands of pigeons,
and they were a plague. Thank you.
[1:05:45] Thank you. Thank you.
[1:05:46] Hello, Matt Angelini, Cleveland Drive.
[1:05:52] Thank you, uh, for everybody on the board
for hearing us all out tonight.
[1:05:57] It's really impressive that you've let
everybody take up all of your time.
[1:06:02] I just have 2 quick things to add.
[1:06:05] Uh, one on the public health issue that
we've heard so much about tonight.
[1:06:10] I think it's interesting to add in some
data to the argument when we're talking
[1:06:15] about Cryptococcus and other diseases that
are spread by pigeons.
[1:06:19] The CDC cites the per capita rate on those
diseases as something like 1 in 100,000
[1:06:25] cases. And then when you're talking about
New York State and something like Lyme
[1:06:30] disease, you're talking about 200 times
that rate, something like 200 per 100,000.
[1:06:36] So I think if we're talking about public
health as being one of the reasons for
[1:06:41] putting this local law into effect,
[1:06:44] and we're not also comparing the effects
of deer on the village of Croton,
[1:06:49] then we're not really passing the purple
face test there when it comes to public
[1:06:54] health. And the second thing that I wanted
to address, um,
[1:06:58] I think one other commenter addressed it
tonight, but changing the setbacks on
[1:07:03] tonight, but changing the setbacks on
fowl,
[1:07:03] uh, coops and homes from 15 feet to 50
feet is a massive change to the village,
[1:07:09] and I believe would ban most of R-9 and
R-5 from being able to put a coop anywhere
[1:07:14] on their property. And I think that that's
something that a lot of chicken owners in
[1:07:20] Croton would be against as well. So again,
thank you for your time. I appreciate it.
[1:07:26] Thank you.
[1:07:30] Hi, Nora Odland, Van Wyck Street.
[1:07:32] You guys have heard a lot from me on this,
so I'm gonna just keep it brief.
[1:07:37] And I just wanted to refute one point that
I heard brought up here,
[1:07:41] which was about dogs you know,
[1:07:43] if there was a dog that was constantly
going into a neighbor's yard, you know,
[1:07:48] you would do something about it.
[1:07:50] You probably would, but the thing that I
don't think you would do is ban dogs
[1:07:55] village-wide. And that's where my
particular— I have been organizing around
[1:08:00] particular— I have been organizing around
this,
[1:08:00] but my particular issue with this is that
I do feel that a ban is a really,
[1:08:05] really big reaction to something that
Probably doesn't.
[1:08:08] You know, like now if somebody else wanted
to ever keep pigeons,
[1:08:13] we're never going to allow that because of
a neighbor dispute.
[1:08:17] And whether that's fair or like, I don't
know,
[1:08:20] that's just where I have an issue with it.
So I wanted to add that into the record.
[1:08:25] And everyone really spoke really
eloquently.
[1:08:28] I thank you all for listening to this and
all of your service about this.
[1:08:33] So thanks so much.
[1:08:34] Thank you. Good evening, everyone.
[1:08:37] Nigel Rovella, 167 North Riverside.
[1:08:41] I am one of the, uh, neighbors, uh,
[1:08:45] within the 7 closest to, uh, this pigeon
coop.
[1:08:51] I have sent the Board of Trustees
pictures,
[1:08:54] and I think there was one video, um, of
the change in my property,
[1:08:59] um, from these pigeons.
[1:09:03] The moment that I guess they, they were
put in,
[1:09:06] I started noticing poop going up my steps.
[1:09:09] So now when I walk up my steps,
[1:09:11] I have to carry my dog so she doesn't step
on the poop,
[1:09:14] so then I have to clean her paws when I go
inside the house.
[1:09:19] I had a pigeon on top of my car. I had
poop near my car.
[1:09:22] Now I can't park my car underneath the
tree.
[1:09:25] Trees in front of my house because I have
some pigeons in my trees.
[1:09:30] One day my dog came out and ran towards
one of my flower beds because there were 2
[1:09:35] pigeons there that did not scatter once my
dog got there about a foot away from
[1:09:41] eating them. Why didn't the pigeons move?
[1:09:43] Now, many people have said, well, we've
always had pigeons,
[1:09:47] these could be wild pigeons.
[1:09:49] Yeah, for sure. But you know what?
[1:09:51] I've lived there for many years. I've
never seen pigeons in my trees.
[1:09:56] They've never been in my flower beds.
[1:09:57] They've never been on top of my car.
[1:09:59] There's never been pigeon poop going up my
steps, on my driveway, on my deck.
[1:10:05] I walk on Wolf Street 3 times, sometimes 2
to 3 times a day with my dog.
[1:10:12] I've never seen so many pigeons on the
pole lines on Wolf Street,
[1:10:15] on people's rooftops.
[1:10:17] So there is a change.
[1:10:18] There's absolutely a change,
[1:10:20] and that is something that we need to
consider While making this
[1:10:24] decision, yes, it's only one coop right
now.
[1:10:27] But if we pass this law and it's
unregulated, and as the gentleman said
[1:10:32] unregulated, and as the gentleman said
earlier,
[1:10:33] where we don't have something in place to
ensure that the amount of pigeons that are
[1:10:38] allowed to be in a property don't expand,
[1:10:41] that's that can create a very big problem
with the pigeon population,
[1:10:46] just like chickens.
[1:10:47] they can overpopulate if we're not
regulating them, right?
[1:10:51] So there's also the questions of, oh,
we're saying a lot of what-ifs.
[1:10:56] Well, when we're making decisions, we have
to use what-if,
[1:10:59] and we have to use scenarios of worst case
to best case.
[1:11:03] Because if you don't take into account
those what-ifs, what are you going to do?
[1:11:08] Wait to ban something after something
actually happens?
[1:11:12] So if there's a possibility, a 1% chance
of somebody being able to get Sick,
[1:11:17] or 1% chance of just damage to your
property, or in the nuisance because of
[1:11:22] property, or in the nuisance because of
noise,
[1:11:22] right? I do hear the cooling noise at 5
o'clock in the morning for quite a long
[1:11:27] period of time.
[1:11:30] It's disturbing.
[1:11:31] So, um, as I said before, I've sent
videos, I've sent images,
[1:11:36] so there is proof in a visual aspect.
[1:11:39] There's many people here that are
sympathetic.
[1:11:42] I'm sympathetic to our new neighbor.
[1:11:44] I haven't met him, haven't gone to his
house, he hasn't come to my house.
[1:11:48] He also didn't do that prior to building
his coop and informing all of us, hey,
[1:11:53] what do you guys think if I'm doing this?
[1:11:55] I don't know, if I were somebody that was
building something to, let's say,
[1:12:00] house ducks, I'm going to ask my
neighbors, hey,
[1:12:03] what do you think if I start doing this?
[1:12:05] I need to take into consideration what my
neighborhood is going to think about.
[1:12:10] Many things get done in neighborhoods and
different cities and towns and villages
[1:12:15] without taking into consideration what the
other might think. We can't be selfish.
[1:12:20] I can't sit here and be selfish about what
another neighbor is trying to do with
[1:12:25] pigeons, with chickens, with crocodiles,
or whatever, right?
[1:12:29] But I can only be adamant about what's
happening in my property right now,
[1:12:33] and I can only be sympathetic to what's
happening in other another neighbor's
[1:12:38] property. And I'm also here speaking,
[1:12:40] also thinking in the broad aspect of what
might happen within our village and
[1:12:45] surrounding villages if this pigeon
situation gets out of control.
[1:12:49] So there's a what-if for you.
[1:12:52] There are other villages and towns in
Westchester County and in the surrounding
[1:12:56] counties and in other states that have
passed a ban.
[1:12:59] Why did they do that?
[1:13:01] There had to be something behind it.
[1:13:04] So I ask that you take into consideration
all of the pros and all of the cons and
[1:13:09] all of the information that the public and
the neighbors have given to make a wise
[1:13:14] decision. I've doubted while I was sitting
here and listening to everybody and all
[1:13:20] the new information that I received about
me asking you to please put this ban in,
[1:13:25] but it's been reinforced for me to ask you
to put this ban in and not grandfather
[1:13:31] this situation. And I'm not asking this
because of anger that I have to walk in
[1:13:36] because of anger that I have to walk in
and
[1:13:36] go up my steps with pigeon poop on there.
[1:13:39] I'm asking you because of concern in the
greater view of the village. Thank you.
[1:13:44] Thank you.
[1:13:45] Thank you.
[1:13:59] Does anyone wish to comment on Local Law
Number 10?
[1:14:01] Mayor, I'll just note for the record that
we received a
[1:14:06] number of written comments which are
posted to the
[1:14:10] agenda.
[1:14:10] Okay. All right. Well, with that, uh,
[1:14:13] do I have a motion to close the public
hearing?
[1:14:16] So moved.
[1:14:18] Motion by Trustee Nochtaler, second by
Trustee, uh, Slippen. All in favor?
[1:14:24] Aye. Aye.
[1:14:25] All right, we proceed to our second, uh,
[1:14:28] public hearing of the evening concerning
Local Law Number 11 of 2026 to amend
[1:14:33] Chapter 204. I'll give folks who want to
leave this opportunity to head out now.
[1:14:39] Actually, we don't have a date for the
work
[1:14:43] session where we're going to discuss this
yet,
[1:14:47] do we?
[1:14:48] No.
[1:14:51] Hopefully sometime in October. Okay. Yeah.
[1:14:53] Well, so, quick clarification.
[1:14:55] If we do make revisions in the work
session to Local Law 10,
[1:14:59] can we reopen the public hearing?
[1:15:01] Yes. You have to notice a new one.
[1:15:04] Yeah, correct.
[1:15:05] Do we close it? We just, we just closed
it. Oh, okay. Sorry. You made the motion.
[1:15:10] I know. I was just so excited to be able
to make the motion.
[1:15:13] Substantive changes, then you really need
to have another public hearing.
[1:15:17] Okay.
[1:15:18] But I do think it was clear to everybody
that what are
[1:15:24] the next steps we were going to do,
[1:15:27] which is why otherwise we would have left
it open,
[1:15:32] I guess. Yeah. Okay.
[1:15:40] For those that are leaving,
[1:15:47] please proceed on your way
[1:15:53] out.
[1:15:54] Please leave.
[1:15:56] If you're staying, please regain your
seat.
[1:16:02] All right, do I have a motion to, uh,
[1:16:08] on opening a public hearing on Local Law
Number
[1:16:16] 11 of 2026?
[1:16:17] So moved.
[1:16:19] Do I have a second?
[1:16:21] Second.
[1:16:23] Motion by Trustee Nicholson, second by
Trustee Slippen. Discussion?
[1:16:31] Give a brief—
[1:16:31] Yeah, yeah.
[1:16:33] So the Village Board had discussed this
local law at a public— at a work session.
[1:16:39] I believe that was in July.
[1:16:41] This is a change in the law related to the
Senior Citizen Rental Income Exemption
[1:16:48] and the Disabled Person Rental Income
Exemption program.
[1:16:52] It applies to properties that are already
covered under the Emergency Tenant
[1:16:58] Protection Act. So in the village,
[1:17:01] there are 5 properties that are covered
under that program.
[1:17:05] And though the existing village code
already has a provision, it's Chapter
[1:17:11] already has a provision, it's Chapter
204-30B,
[1:17:12] that provides for the automatic adjustment
of the limits based on the action of the
[1:17:18] state legislature. So this is really just
housekeeping item to, um, update our, uh,
[1:17:25] code so that if people do look at it, they
know what the actual limits are.
[1:17:30] Sorry.
[1:17:31] Yep. Very good.
[1:17:33] Thank you.
[1:17:33] Thank you.
[1:17:34] All in favor?
[1:17:35] Aye.
[1:17:37] All right, uh, the public hearing on Local
Law Number
[1:17:43] 11 of 2026 is open. Anyone wishing to
speak,
[1:17:48] this is your opportunity.
[1:17:51] Okay, seeing no one wishing to speak,
[1:17:55] do I have a motion to close the public
hearing?
[1:18:01] So moved.
[1:18:02] Uh, motion by Trustee Nicholson. Do I have
a second?
[1:18:05] Second.
[1:18:07] Uh, second by Trustee Simon. All in favor?
[1:18:09] Aye.
[1:18:09] Aye.
[1:18:15] Whereas the New York State budget for
2026-2027 included legislation that
[1:18:19] 2026-2027 included legislation that
increased
[1:18:19] the income limits for the Senior Citizen
Rental Income Exemption and Disabled
[1:18:24] Persons Rental Income Exemption programs
from $50,000 to $75,000,
[1:18:27] and whereas these changes were discussed
at a work session held on July 22nd, 2026,
[1:18:32] and whereas Local Law Introductory Number
11 of 2026 has been drafted to increase
[1:18:36] the statutory limits in the Village Code,
[1:18:38] and whereas the public hearing was opened
and closed on September 2nd, 2026,
[1:18:42] Now therefore be it resolved that the
Village Board of Trustees hereby adopts
[1:18:46] Village Board of Trustees hereby adopts
Local
[1:18:47] Law Introductory Number 11 of 2026 to
amend Chapter 204, Taxation,
[1:18:50] of the Village Code to update the limits
for the Senior Citizen Rental Income
[1:18:54] Exemption and Disabled Persons Rental
Income Exemption programs,
[1:18:58] which upon adoption becomes Local Law
Number 10 of 2026.
[1:19:01] Do I have a motion? So moved.
[1:19:05] Second.
[1:19:06] Motion by Trustee Simon, second by Trustee
Nicholson. Discussion?
[1:19:11] Just a point that, you know, when we
talked about this at the work session,
[1:19:15] I think we asked the question of any— if
any renters has taken advantage of this,
[1:19:20] um, and the answer was no. So I think with
the, um, change— is that right?
[1:19:24] No, there are— we do have— there's,
there's, I believe,
[1:19:28] 2 people from Barry Manor that, that have
taken— that, that are,
[1:19:31] that are currently receiving it. Yeah,
qualifying or receiving. Correct. Yeah.
[1:19:36] Okay, I just want to, you know, this is a
significant increase, so, um, there,
[1:19:40] there may be more people that are
eligible.
[1:19:42] So just getting the word out that this is
something that people can take advantage
[1:19:47] of, um, would be great.
[1:19:48] And should we adopt it, I think we likely
will,
[1:19:51] we'll start with the seniors meeting on
Friday and brief them on that.
[1:19:55] And hopefully if there are folks that can
make this applicable to them, great.
[1:20:00] If not, if they can be telling some of
their friends Yeah,
[1:20:04] I think we had discussed at the work
session, it's a,
[1:20:07] it's a relatively small number.
[1:20:09] I, I forget, I think it's about 130 units
total that are covered.
[1:20:13] So it's, it's feasible to just send a
mailing directly to those.
[1:20:17] That'd be great.
[1:20:18] Yeah, to those people. So yeah, we'll
just, we'll pull something together.
[1:20:21] There's probably stuff on online on the
state website that we can,
[1:20:25] that we could send.
[1:20:26] That'd be great. Very good.
[1:20:27] Yep.
[1:20:29] Further discussion? All in favor?
[1:20:32] Aye.
[1:20:33] Fantastic. Thank you.
[1:20:34] All right, we proceed to Local Law, uh,
[1:20:37] Intro Number 12 of 2026 to amend Chapter
197, Streets and Sidewalks, uh,
[1:20:42] to update the list of sidewalks exempt
from the duty to clear or make safe.
[1:20:47] Do I have a motion?
[1:20:49] So moved.
[1:20:51] Second.
[1:20:52] Uh, Motion by Trustee Nocktally, second by
Trustee Simon.
[1:20:56] That's fine.
[1:20:56] Discussion?
[1:20:58] So, um, this local law came out of a work
session that was held in June where we
[1:21:04] discussed, uh, the impacts and the, uh,
requested, uh,
[1:21:08] changes from the winter of 2025-2026,
right?
[1:21:12] So, uh, we had multiple large snowstorms
Right, which taxed our DPW.
[1:21:17] And, uh, you know, after meeting with them
to do a recap of the,
[1:21:22] of the winter season, we went through the
sidewalk list that, um, you know,
[1:21:28] the list of sidewalks that are maintained
by the DPW.
[1:21:32] And so we made a number of adjustments,
um, or recommended a number of
[1:21:38] um, or recommended a number of
adjustments,
[1:21:39] made a number of adjustments for those
areas that, that we could.
[1:21:44] Um, and in this law specifically, what we
are looking to do is, um,
[1:21:49] remove a portion of the sidewalk on Old
Post Road South, basically across—
[1:21:55] I'm sorry, Rachel, can you scroll up to
the— up? Yeah, sorry. Yeah, thank you.
[1:22:01] So we're looking to remove a section of
the sidewalk, um,
[1:22:06] on Old Post Road South as well as the tiny
section of sidewalk on Radnor from the
[1:22:12] law. The sidewalk on Radnor is adjacent to
village-owned property,
[1:22:18] so we have to maintain that regardless, so
it doesn't need to be listed in the law.
[1:22:24] And then there are 2 parcels on Old Post
Road South that, you know,
[1:22:30] front onto Old Post Road South,
[1:22:32] and so there's no reason why the village
needs to be clearing those sidewalks.
[1:22:38] Um, you know, most homeowners in the
village are responsible for,
[1:22:43] for clearing their own sidewalks.
[1:22:46] So, um, so we're asking to have the law
amended to address that.
[1:22:51] And then secondly, if you want to scroll
to the next picture there, on Farrington,
[1:22:58] there's 2 areas. Um, uh, one,
[1:23:00] the southern side of Farrington involves
the property that is part of the Faribank
[1:23:06] affordable condominiums at the end of Bank
Street.
[1:23:10] There's no access from that property onto
the sidewalk on Farrington,
[1:23:16] and it's a similar story for the homes
that have Palmer addresses that back down
[1:23:22] onto Farrington. So at the last board
meeting—
[1:23:26] this graphic is not updated from the last
board meeting, from the last work session—
[1:23:33] Um, but the board did agree to extend, um,
[1:23:36] the area that DPW will be responsible for
to include those 2 houses on Palmer.
[1:23:42] And the law that's part of the backup
tonight reflects those, those changes.
[1:23:48] Thank you.
[1:23:50] Great, thank you.
[1:23:50] Thank you. Okay, all in favor of the
public hearing?
[1:23:56] Aye. All right.
[1:23:59] The floor is open on Local Law 12 of 2026.
Hi.
[1:24:04] Hi, Dave from Farrington Road.
[1:24:07] My question is more so on the southern
side,
[1:24:11] because the northern side has a wall.
[1:24:15] But in the, in the winter, I understand
clearing.
[1:24:20] But in the summer, after things have grown
weeds, ivy, sometimes poison ivy,
[1:24:27] and you want to walk your dogs up and down
the street?
[1:24:33] Is that also included in this bill?
[1:24:37] Because it basically overgrows the
sidewalk. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[1:24:45] So this law only covers snow and ice
removal.
[1:24:49] So during the other times of the year,
[1:24:52] the property owners are still responsible
for maintaining vegetation.
[1:25:01] So— And if that is not happening, how
would a resident who's experiencing an
[1:25:05] would a resident who's experiencing an
issue—
[1:25:06] what's the course of action for that
person?
[1:25:08] Contact the engineering department and
code enforcement will inspect it.
[1:25:12] Thank you.
[1:25:13] Yep.
[1:25:16] All right. Anyone else wishing to comment
on Local Law 12-2026?
[1:25:20] All right, seeing no one else wishing to
comment, uh,
[1:25:24] do I have a motion to close the public
hearing?
[1:25:27] So moved.
[1:25:29] Second.
[1:25:30] Motion by Trustee Nicholson, second by
Trustee Simon. All in favor?
[1:25:34] Aye.
[1:25:35] Okay, whereas the Village Code requires
that property owners clear their sidewalks
[1:25:39] of snow and ice within 12 hours after the
end of a snow event,
[1:25:42] And whereas the Village Code also provides
an exemption for certain areas where
[1:25:46] geographical limitations put an undue
burden on the property owner.
[1:25:50] And whereas following the winter of
2025-2026,
[1:25:52] the Village Manager and Department of
Public Works reviewed the list of existing
[1:25:56] exemptions and requests for new exemptions
and developed proposed changes.
[1:26:00] And whereas these changes were discussed
at a work session held on June 24th, 2026.
[1:26:04] And whereas Local Law Introductory Number
12 of 2026 has been drafted to reflect
[1:26:09] these changes. And whereas a public
hearing was opened and closed on September
[1:26:13] hearing was opened and closed on September
2nd,
[1:26:13] 2026, now therefore be it resolved that
the Village Board of Trustees hereby
[1:26:17] the Village Board of Trustees hereby
adopts
[1:26:17] Local Law Introductory Number 12 of 2026
to amend Chapter 197,
[1:26:20] Streets and Sidewalks,
[1:26:22] of the Village Code to update the list of
sidewalks exempt from the duty to clear or
[1:26:26] make safe, which upon adoption becomes
Local Law Number 11 of 2026.
[1:26:30] Do I have a motion?
[1:26:32] So moved. Second.
[1:26:35] Motion by Trustee Nicholson, second by
Trustee Simon. Discussion?
[1:26:41] All right, all in favor? Aye.
[1:26:44] All right, we proceed to responses to
questions submitted via email.
[1:26:50] No questions, Mayor.
[1:26:51] All right, very good. We proceed to public
comment on agenda items.
[1:26:57] Anyone wishing to comment on any agenda
item, this is your opportunity.
[1:27:02] Ed Riley from Truesdale Drive.
[1:27:05] First comment is that in spite of my
pleas, you cannot read your agenda.
[1:27:10] We can see your maps sometimes, most of
the time, but we can't read your agenda.
[1:27:17] And you need either new screens or you
need larger typeface.
[1:27:22] So you can talk about something, show it
up here, and nobody can read it.
[1:27:27] Thank you.
[1:27:28] Except maybe I sit in here. Just a general
comment.
[1:27:31] Um, you know, after I— in terms of pigeons
or anything else, dogs, whatever, bats,
[1:27:37] whatever you keep, whatever kind of pet
you keep,
[1:27:40] listening to the last gentleman speak, if,
if I had a neighbor who let his dog,
[1:27:46] you name the pet, wander into my yard and
mess up my yard on a repeated basis,
[1:27:51] so it's filth and inconvenient for me just
to walk into my door,
[1:27:56] I would be over at my neighbor's house
apologizing profusely the next day.
[1:28:01] And some of the people on this board have
done this for me.
[1:28:05] I would be right there the next day
apologizing, you know, my birds, my dog,
[1:28:10] what can I do? Now, maybe you have a crazy
dog,
[1:28:14] and so once every 3 months the dog gets
out and does the same thing,
[1:28:18] eats your daisies. But if that happens
like 2 or 3, 4 times,
[1:28:23] it's time to deal with it with the dog.
[1:28:25] And maybe it's time the village starts
issuing some summonses, you know?
[1:28:30] Right.
[1:28:31] So, so if that's the case that's
happening, if I were the pigeon owner,
[1:28:37] happening, if I were the pigeon owner,
one,
[1:28:37] when you talk to him and sympathetically,
yeah,
[1:28:41] I know your father was in his business,
[1:28:44] get your ass over the neighbor's house and
start apologizing to your neighbor.
[1:28:50] That's the first thing, the rule of
neighborliness.
[1:28:54] So, and I think you should take that into
consideration.
[1:28:58] My stance, I'm very sympathetic with the
gentleman.
[1:29:02] He's got a history of doing these things,
raising.
[1:29:06] But if he can't guarantee, you know, he
can't, you know,
[1:29:11] reach minimum standards of not polluting
the area, you know, he's got a problem.
[1:29:17] Maybe he ought to go in a different sport
or sell his pigeons.
[1:29:22] Um, you know, that's tough love, I guess.
I'd like to comment on item 3.
[1:29:27] The, the firemen in Ash— volunteer
firemen— I just can't say enough about
[1:29:33] firemen— I just can't say enough about
them.
[1:29:34] You really need better medals and campaign
ribbons and whatever it is for them.
[1:29:40] Um, the number of events that they respond
to in a year,
[1:29:44] given by some of the awards you've given
these first responders in the past.
[1:29:50] It's just mind-boggling.
[1:29:52] That's why people don't join stuff
because, oh,
[1:29:56] I got to go to a meeting once a month.
[1:29:59] These guys go out there like 30 times a
month.
[1:30:02] So my hat's off to Spada and everybody in
this fire department, past and present.
[1:30:09] They're really heroic people and really
self-sacrificing people.
[1:30:14] And it goes for their family.
[1:30:16] Because they get ripped away from family
events with their children.
[1:30:21] And so it's a— it's like being in the
service. It's really a sacrifice.
[1:30:27] And my hat's off to them.
[1:30:29] So the— I want my— I was attracted to
Resolution B, Item 2, Emergency Health
[1:30:35] Resolution B, Item 2, Emergency Health
Plan,
[1:30:35] which brings us back to some of the
commentary on national and state level.
[1:30:41] We know that the national health plan for
the state of New York and the federal
[1:30:47] government under the CDC, National
Institutes of Health,
[1:30:52] and so forth was a disaster with COVID And
thankfully, for the most part,
[1:30:58] this village did not implement draconian
measures when this health crisis came up.
[1:31:04] But there was some really outlandish crap,
[1:31:07] and a lot of vendors and businesses
catered to their worst customers who are
[1:31:13] catered to their worst customers who are
afraid
[1:31:14] of dirt any day. They're still wearing
masks for that matter.
[1:31:19] So, and the terrible,
[1:31:20] the terrible health advice from the
highest health department authorities in
[1:31:26] highest health department authorities in
the
[1:31:26] state of New York to kill 13,000 to 15,000
people in our nursing homes.
[1:31:32] When, by the way, 50% of the nursing home
in this state today can't pass a federal
[1:31:39] or state inspection.
[1:31:40] And they forced those people to stay in
those nursing homes, away from their—
[1:31:46] and died without their friends and
relatives.
[1:31:50] And then denied where it came from,
censored everybody,
[1:31:54] and then prevented them from using drugs
that could have, if administered early,
[1:32:00] could have prevented serious illness.
COVID complications for those individuals.
[1:32:07] What a disgraceful history.
[1:32:09] So that's the atmosphere of distrust that
you're proposing for health emergency
[1:32:15] plans, and please keep that in mind. Thank
you. Thank you. Thank you.
[1:32:20] Does anyone else wish to comment on any
agenda items?
[1:32:25] All right, seeing no one else wishing to
comment,
[1:32:28] we proceed to the report from the village
manager.
[1:32:32] Okay, thank you, Mayor. Okay, so, uh, just
some quick updates on things.
[1:32:40] The DPW today was working on Old Post Road
South.
[1:32:44] This is going to be the start of what I
hope will be a nice beautification
[1:32:52] project in the Upper Village.
[1:32:55] They replaced the stamped concrete,
[1:32:58] which is more colloquially known as the
fake brick,
[1:33:03] in the Upper Village between Maple Street
street and the entrance to the
[1:33:10] Merwin Oak parking lot. So it had crumbled
over time.
[1:33:16] And so this is the first in basically a
maintenance project.
[1:33:22] So they had no sooner gotten the final
stamp done than the skies opened
[1:33:29] up. And, you know, thanks to Scott and his
crew for getting everything
[1:33:36] covered quickly.
[1:33:37] The tarp.
[1:33:38] Yeah, and get— and getting it, getting it
done. So they did it.
[1:33:43] They did a great job today, as, as usual.
[1:33:46] Um, also, I wanted to thank, um, give a
really big thank you to, um, Ben Ling, um,
[1:33:53] who is a Croton resident and a grad
student.
[1:33:56] And he has been, uh, volunteering with the
engineering department all summer,
[1:34:02] basically, to help, uh, digitize a lot of
their old plans as part of the, you know,
[1:34:08] renovation and reorganization of that
office.
[1:34:12] It was thought to try to get as much of
the records as we could digitized and then
[1:34:18] hopefully save on some of the space.
[1:34:21] And so there is a closet full of maps and
plans from, you know,
[1:34:26] eons ago that have just been kept in paper
format.
[1:34:30] And so, you know, we have now digitized
all of, all of those, hundreds of them.
[1:34:36] And so, you know, now we'll be deciding if
we need to keep the originals or if we
[1:34:42] can now dispose of those,
[1:34:44] or maybe there might be some that the
Historical Society may want or something
[1:34:50] Historical Society may want or something
like
[1:34:50] that. But just— Ben was a big help. His
last day was last Thursday.
[1:34:55] before school started again.
[1:34:57] And so just really wanted to thank him for
all his efforts this summer.
[1:35:03] And then speaking of the engineering
office,
[1:35:06] they will be closed to the public on
Friday.
[1:35:10] We'll send out an email tomorrow just
letting everyone know,
[1:35:14] as the office staff is going to be moving
from their current office to the new
[1:35:20] section of the office that has been
renovated this summer.
[1:35:25] So they're going to be moving on Friday,
[1:35:28] and then they'll reopen Tuesday in their
new spot,
[1:35:32] and then DPW is going to start work on
the—
[1:35:35] their old spot that they're in right now.
[1:35:38] Um, Monday we're closed for the Labor Day
holiday,
[1:35:42] as I'm sure most people will know.
[1:35:44] Garbage pickup will be a day late for
those who normally get it on Monday,
[1:35:50] and our summer office hours are coming to
an end this Friday.
[1:35:55] We will be back to our regular 8:30 to
4:00 Monday through Friday next week.
[1:36:01] So let's see, I'm sure the mayor and/or
Trustee Simon will have more to say about
[1:36:07] New York Forward and their reports, but we
do have a meeting tomorrow night,
[1:36:13] so hopefully people will be able to come.
[1:36:16] Also, the Farrington Steps, I'm sure, will
be talked about,
[1:36:20] but they are now reopened. after a nice
ribbon cutting yesterday— or sorry,
[1:36:26] ribbon cutting yesterday— or sorry,
Monday.
[1:36:27] Our retaining wall out around this—
[1:36:29] around the municipal building on Brook
Street and Old Post Road North,
[1:36:35] they're going— our contractor is going to
start work on that project hopefully next
[1:36:41] week, weather permitting.
[1:36:43] As anyone who has walked around the
building knows,
[1:36:47] there are some areas that are in need of
some attention.
[1:36:51] Some of the plaster has fallen off, you
know,
[1:36:55] so we're going to get those repairs done
and have the wall repainted.
[1:37:00] Yeah, so just based on where they're
working and the time of day,
[1:37:05] there may be some temporary sidewalk
closures, so just be cognizant of that.
[1:37:11] And then I wrote this on the top.
[1:37:13] I don't know if I— we issued 4 leaf blower
violations between—
[1:37:18] from the last meeting until yesterday.
[1:37:21] Yesterday, the ban, the seasonal ban, is
over as of yesterday.
[1:37:26] So those would be the— those 4 are the
last that were issued.
[1:37:31] So I will— I'll have a final report at the
next meeting of exactly how many
[1:37:36] violations there were and what the outcome
of those were. And that is it.
[1:37:42] Thank you.
[1:37:43] Any questions?
[1:37:44] Thank you.
[1:37:45] Thank you, Manager.
[1:37:46] You're welcome.
[1:37:47] All right, we proceed to the consent
agenda.
[1:37:51] Do I have a motion on the consent agenda?
[1:37:54] So moved.
[1:37:55] Second.
[1:37:56] Motion by Trustee Simon, second by Trustee
Nicholson. Discussion?
[1:38:01] Manager, since it was brought up in the
public comment,
[1:38:05] would you like to briefly summarize at a
very high level some of the changes to
[1:38:12] the Village's emergency health plan?
[1:38:14] Sure. So the plan was last updated in
2023.
[1:38:18] Since that time, there has been some
revised guidance specifically from the CDC
[1:38:24] about how infectious diseases and
communicable diseases should be handled.
[1:38:31] So there is a redlined version that is on
the website as part of the agenda so that
[1:38:37] if there are people at home who are
interested, you can look and see.
[1:38:43] But it generally updates some of the
language that's in here.
[1:38:48] In 2023, we were just exiting the
pandemic, right?
[1:38:52] I mean, it was pretty much coming to an
end at that point.
[1:38:57] But there was some language here, right?
[1:39:00] Like, you know, in the planning
assumptions, which is on page 5,
[1:39:05] it talks about the current coronavirus
pandemic.
[1:39:09] So we were just— we just changed a lot of
the language to reflect the fact that,
[1:39:16] you know, there was a pandemic in 2020
and, you know,
[1:39:20] some of the guidance has changed.
[1:39:23] There were also— the plan is specific to
the village, right?
[1:39:28] So each municipality has to have a plan
that's specific to them.
[1:39:33] So we have titles that are identified as
essential.
[1:39:37] Those, those specific employees have tasks
that are assigned to them.
[1:39:43] So as the needs of the village change in
terms of staffing and what goes on, we—
[1:39:50] the plan should be updated accordingly.
[1:39:53] So, you know, for example,
[1:39:55] the Treasurer's Office no longer has
senior account clerks.
[1:40:00] They have new people in different titles,
so that's been updated to reflect that.
[1:40:07] You know, just things that have changed in
the past 3 years that are new—
[1:40:17] And Manager, I presume the employees have
been involved in the development of these
[1:40:22] updates?
[1:40:22] Yeah, so I work with the Village Clerk on
these updates as our human resources
[1:40:28] contact, and then we are required by law
to share the proposed changes with our
[1:40:33] unions. And, you know, the Teamsters wrote
back and said thank you,
[1:40:38] they didn't have any concerns.
[1:40:40] Um, I did not receive a response from the
Police Association.
[1:40:45] Um, so, but, you know, we're just, we're
just required to notify them.
[1:40:50] We don't have to, um, we don't have to do
anything further than that.
[1:40:55] So, um, so that's been done.
[1:40:57] Great. Thank you. Manager, um,
[1:40:59] I know you had a very good explanation for
8, uh, item number 7.
[1:41:05] The authorizing village manager to execute
an amendment to the license
[1:41:12] agreement with the county for the running
of electrical wires over
[1:41:18] village property. So I thought the, the
public might—
[1:41:22] Sure.
[1:41:23] Appreciate— Yeah, so the reason for that—
[1:41:27] so the county came to us last year and
asked if we would be willing to entertain
[1:41:32] allowing them to have Con Edison run an
electrical wire across our— the well
[1:41:38] electrical wire across our— the well
fields,
[1:41:38] um, to the caretaker's house in Croton
Gorge Park.
[1:41:42] Um, you know, we have electrical poles
that are in the well fields, right,
[1:41:47] to power the different things that we have
down there.
[1:41:51] Um, it did require the addition of one new
pole, uh,
[1:41:55] to basically bridge the area between our
property and the county property,
[1:42:00] which the Yeah, the county had— they paid
to have it put up at their expense.
[1:42:05] Um, and in agreement for allowing this,
the county assumed, uh,
[1:42:10] 50% responsibility for any future, uh,
costs associated with our private poles.
[1:42:16] Um, so if there were— a tree came down and
damaged the pole,
[1:42:20] or if it needed to be replaced for
whatever reason,
[1:42:23] the county would now split those costs
with us.
[1:42:27] Um, so I mean, the board already approved
the license agreement in 2025.
[1:42:32] Um, the term of the agreement ends
September 30th of this year.
[1:42:36] The county is asking for a 3-month
extension just to find—
[1:42:41] they haven't been able to finalize the
paperwork, so they're, you know,
[1:42:46] they need a couple more months to do that.
[1:42:49] Thank you.
[1:42:50] Yep. Further discussion? All in favor?
[1:42:58] Aye.
[1:42:59] All right, we proceed to proposed
resolutions.
[1:43:02] First resolution is in the proposal for a
revised capital—
[1:43:07] a revision to the capital plan for
'26-'31.
[1:43:10] Thank you, Mayor. Whereas the Village
Board of Trustees adopted the 2026-2031
[1:43:15] capital budget plan on April 22nd, 2026,
[1:43:17] And whereas since that time it has been
necessary to add additional funding for
[1:43:22] necessary to add additional funding for
the
[1:43:22] Half Moon Bay Bridge and Brook Street
draining—
[1:43:25] drainage project to the capital plan.
[1:43:27] And whereas the revised capital plan
reduces the debt issuance for this current
[1:43:32] fiscal year by $420,520, a 9% decrease.
[1:43:34] And whereas this decrease has been made
possible due to an additional $1,715,000
[1:43:39] possible due to an additional $1,715,000
in
[1:43:39] grant funding for various projects.
[1:43:41] Now therefore, be it resolved that the
Village Board of Trustees adopts the
[1:43:46] Village Board of Trustees adopts the
revised
[1:43:46] capital budget plan for the years 2026
through 2031.
[1:43:50] Do I have a motion?
[1:43:53] So moved.
[1:43:54] Second.
[1:43:55] Motion by Trustee Nicholson,
[1:43:58] second by Trustee Simon. Discussion?
[1:44:02] All in favor?
[1:44:03] Good news. It's always good when it goes
in that direction.
[1:44:07] Yeah, it's always good to have it.
[1:44:08] Happy to reconsider any budget anytime we
get new revenues
[1:44:13] there. Very good. Now the next few ones
won't be as easy.
[1:44:17] No, unfortunately not.
[1:44:19] Any more money coming?
[1:44:21] No, we just, we have to readopt the
bottom.
[1:44:25] This is a greatest hits, you know, kind of
thing.
[1:44:28] So, um, just bear with me on this. I, I
think they did.
[1:44:34] You did? Yep. So I'm only,
[1:44:36] as long as the attorney agrees to this,
um,
[1:44:41] I'm only going to read the abstract.
[1:44:44] Thank you.
[1:44:45] Okay, and then—
[1:44:46] It isn't necessary because this is just a
readopting and a revision based upon,
[1:44:51] and you can explain it.
[1:44:52] Yeah, do the whole air conditioning one.
That was always my favorite.
[1:44:56] So I think we've been here long enough
already.
[1:44:59] Okay, um, so Resolution 210, a resolution
authorizing,
[1:45:03] subject to permissive referendum,
[1:45:05] the upgrade of the air conditioning system
in the Department of Public Works garage
[1:45:10] for the Village of Croton-on-Hudson,
Westchester County, New York,
[1:45:14] at a maximum estimated cost of $117,875,
[1:45:17] and authorizing the issuance of $117,875
serial bonds of said village to pay the
[1:45:22] cost thereof.
[1:45:23] Do I have a motion? So moved.
[1:45:26] Second.
[1:45:27] Motion by Trustee Simon, second by Trustee
Nicholson. So we have to do a roll call.
[1:45:32] Yep.
[1:45:32] Votes for these. So Trustee Slippen.
[1:45:34] Aye.
[1:45:34] Trustee Knacktaler?
[1:45:35] Aye.
[1:45:35] Trustee Nicholson?
[1:45:36] Aye.
[1:45:37] Trustee Simon?
[1:45:37] Aye.
[1:45:38] Mayor Fio?
[1:45:38] Aye.
[1:45:41] Resolution 211, a resolution authorizing,
subject to permissive referendum,
[1:45:47] the Brook Street Drainage Project in and
for the Village of Croton-on-Hudson,
[1:45:52] Westchester County, New York, at a maximum
estimated cost of $1,519,525,
[1:45:57] and authorizing the issuance of $1,519,525
serial bonds of said village to pay the
[1:46:03] costs thereof.
[1:46:04] May I have a motion? So moved.
[1:46:07] Second.
[1:46:07] Motion by Trustee Simon, second by Trustee
Nicholson.
[1:46:12] Trustee Sullivan?
[1:46:12] Aye.
[1:46:13] Trustee Nochteller?
[1:46:13] Aye.
[1:46:14] Trustee Nicholson?
[1:46:15] Aye.
[1:46:15] Trustee Simon?
[1:46:16] Aye.
[1:46:16] Mayor Pio?
[1:46:17] Aye.
[1:46:18] Resolution 212, a resolution authorizing,
subject to permissive referendum,
[1:46:23] the issuance of $92,250 bonds of the
Village of Cortlandt-on-the-Hudson,
[1:46:26] Westchester County, New York,
[1:46:28] to pay the cost of the purchase of a
command car replacement for the fire
[1:46:32] command car replacement for the fire
department
[1:46:33] in Enforced Village.
[1:46:34] Do I have a motion? So moved.
[1:46:37] Second.
[1:46:38] Motion by Trustee Simon, second by Trustee
Nicholson.
[1:46:40] Trustee Slobin?
[1:46:42] Aye.
[1:46:42] Trustee Knoktoller?
[1:46:43] Aye.
[1:46:43] Trustee Nicholson?
[1:46:44] Aye.
[1:46:44] Trustee Simon?
[1:46:45] Aye.
[1:46:45] Mayor Pugh?
[1:46:46] Aye.
[1:46:46] Bond Resolution 213, a resolution
authorizing, subject to permissive
[1:46:51] authorizing, subject to permissive
referendum,
[1:46:52] the purchase of police communication and
tech equipment for the Village of
[1:46:57] Croton-on-Hudson, Westchester County, New
York,
[1:47:00] and a maximum estimated cost of $512—
sorry, $712,623,
[1:47:04] and authorizing the issuance of $712,623
serial bonds of said village to pay the
[1:47:09] cost thereof.
[1:47:10] Do I have a motion?
[1:47:12] So moved.
[1:47:14] Second.
[1:47:15] Motion by Trustee Nicholson, second by
Trustee Simon. Discussion?
[1:47:19] Or rather, uh, Vote. Yeah, let's go.
[1:47:22] Trustee Sullivan?
[1:47:23] Aye.
[1:47:23] Trustee Nochtaler?
[1:47:24] Aye.
[1:47:24] Trustee Nicholson?
[1:47:25] Aye.
[1:47:25] Trustee Simon?
[1:47:26] Aye.
[1:47:26] Mayor Pugh?
[1:47:27] Aye.
[1:47:27] Bond Resolution 214, a resolution
authorizing, subject to permissive
[1:47:32] authorizing, subject to permissive
referendum,
[1:47:32] improvements to fire stations in and for
the Village of Cortlandt Hudson,
[1:47:37] Westchester County, New York, at a maximum
estimated cost of $558,113,
[1:47:42] and authorizing the issuance of $558,113
serial bonds of said village to pay the
[1:47:47] cost thereof.
[1:47:48] Do I have a motion? So moved.
[1:47:51] Second.
[1:47:51] Motion by Trustee Simon, second by Trustee
Nicholson.
[1:47:54] Trustee Slippen?
[1:47:55] Aye.
[1:47:56] Trustee Nachdahl?
[1:47:56] Aye.
[1:47:56] Trustee Nicholson?
[1:47:57] Aye.
[1:47:57] Trustee Simon?
[1:47:58] Aye.
[1:47:59] Mary Pio?
[1:47:59] Aye.
[1:47:59] Bond Resolution 215, a resolution
authorizing, subject to permissive
[1:48:04] authorizing, subject to permissive
referendum,
[1:48:04] the issuance of $128,125 bonds of the
Village of Cortlandt Hudson,
[1:48:09] Westchester County, New York,
[1:48:11] to pay the cost of the reconstruction of
the Farrington Road steps Do I have a
[1:48:16] motion?
[1:48:16] So moved.
[1:48:17] Second.
[1:48:18] Motion by Trustee Nicholson, second by
Trustee Simon.
[1:48:21] Trustee Slippin?
[1:48:23] Aye.
[1:48:23] Trustee Nochteller?
[1:48:24] Aye.
[1:48:24] Trustee Nicholson?
[1:48:25] Aye.
[1:48:25] Trustee Simon?
[1:48:26] Aye.
[1:48:26] Mayor Pugh?
[1:48:27] Aye.
[1:48:27] Bond Resolution 216, a resolution
authorizing, subject to permissive
[1:48:31] authorizing, subject to permissive
referendum,
[1:48:32] the purchase of a firefighting vehicle,
equipment,
[1:48:35] and apparatus for the Village of
Cortlandt, Hudson, Westchester County, New
[1:48:40] Cortlandt, Hudson, Westchester County, New
York,
[1:48:40] at a maximum estimated cost of $219,350
and authorizing the issuance of $219,350
[1:48:45] serial bonds of said village to pay the
cost thereof.
[1:48:48] Do I have a motion?
[1:48:50] So moved. Second.
[1:48:52] Motion by Trustee Simon, second by Trustee
Nicholson.
[1:48:55] Trustee Slubin?
[1:48:57] Aye.
[1:48:58] Trustee Knoktaler?
[1:48:59] Aye.
[1:48:59] Trustee Nicholson?
[1:49:00] Aye. Trustee Simon? Aye.
[1:49:01] Mayor Piehl?
[1:49:02] Aye.
[1:49:04] Upon Resolution 217, a resolution
authorizing, subject to permissive
[1:49:08] authorizing, subject to permissive
referendum,
[1:49:08] municipal building improvements for the
engineering department office for the
[1:49:12] Village of Cortlandt-Hudson, Westchester
County, New York,
[1:49:15] at a maximum estimated cost of $84,050,
[1:49:17] and authorizing the issuance of $84,050
serial bonds of said village to pay the
[1:49:21] serial bonds of said village to pay the
cost
[1:49:21] thereof.
[1:49:21] Do I have a motion?
[1:49:23] So moved.
[1:49:24] Second. Motion by Trustee Nicholson,
second by Trustee Simon.
[1:49:29] Trustee Slippen?
[1:49:30] Aye.
[1:49:31] Trustee Nochteller?
[1:49:31] Aye.
[1:49:32] Trustee Nicholson?
[1:49:32] Aye.
[1:49:33] Trustee Simon?
[1:49:33] Aye.
[1:49:34] Mayor Pugh?
[1:49:34] Aye.
[1:49:36] Bond Resolution 218, a resolution
authorizing, subject to permissive
[1:49:40] authorizing, subject to permissive
referendum,
[1:49:41] improvements to park security in and for
the Village of Cortlandt-Hudson,
[1:49:45] Westchester County, New York, at a maximum
estimated cost of $101,250,
[1:49:49] and authorizing the issuance of $51,250
serial bonds of said village to pay part
[1:49:54] serial bonds of said village to pay part
of
[1:49:54] the cost thereof.
[1:49:55] Do I have a motion?
[1:49:57] So moved. Second.
[1:50:01] Motion by Trustee Nicholson, second by
Trustee Simon.
[1:50:04] Trustee Slibban?
[1:50:05] Aye.
[1:50:05] Trustee Knackteller?
[1:50:05] Aye.
[1:50:06] Trustee Nicholson?
[1:50:06] Aye.
[1:50:07] Trustee Simon?
[1:50:07] Aye.
[1:50:08] Mayor Pio?
[1:50:08] Aye.
[1:50:10] On Resolution 219, a resolution
authorizing, subject to permissive
[1:50:13] authorizing, subject to permissive
referendum,
[1:50:14] the purchase of Department of Public Works
equipment for the Village of
[1:50:18] Cortlandt-Hudson, Westchester County, New
York,
[1:50:21] at a maximum estimated cost of $492,000,
[1:50:23] and authorizing the issuance of $492,000
serial bonds of said village to pay the
[1:50:27] cost thereof.
[1:50:29] Do I have a motion? So moved.
[1:50:30] Second.
[1:50:32] Motion by Trustee Nicholson, second by
Trustee Simon.
[1:50:35] Trustee Slibban?
[1:50:36] Aye.
[1:50:37] Trustee Knopfeller?
[1:50:37] Aye.
[1:50:38] Trustee Nicholson?
[1:50:38] Aye.
[1:50:39] Trustee Simon?
[1:50:40] Aye.
[1:50:40] Mayor Pugh?
[1:50:41] Aye.
[1:50:41] On Resolution 220, a resolution
authorizing, subject to permissive
[1:50:45] authorizing, subject to permissive
referendum,
[1:50:46] the reconstruction of roads throughout and
in and for the village of
[1:50:50] Cornell-on-Hudson, Westchester County, New
York,
[1:50:53] at a maximum estimated cost of $857,500,
[1:50:55] and authorizing the issuance of $857,500
serial bonds of said village to pay the
[1:51:00] cost thereof.
[1:51:01] Do I have a motion?
[1:51:02] So moved.
[1:51:04] Second.
[1:51:04] Motion by Trustee Nicholson, second by
Trustee Simon.
[1:51:07] Trustee Slippen?
[1:51:09] Aye.
[1:51:09] Trustee Knacktaler?
[1:51:10] Aye.
[1:51:10] Trustee Nicholson?
[1:51:11] Aye.
[1:51:11] Trustee Simon?
[1:51:12] Aye.
[1:51:12] Mayor Piehl?
[1:51:13] Aye.
[1:51:13] Bond Resolution 221, a resolution
authorizing, subject to permissive
[1:51:17] authorizing, subject to permissive
referendum,
[1:51:18] construction of sidewalk improvements at
Municipal Place and South Riverside,
[1:51:23] and pedestrian and safety improvements in
and for the Village of Cortlandt Hudson,
[1:51:28] Westchester County, New York, at a maximum
estimated cost of $779,246,
[1:51:32] and authorizing the issuance of $779,246
serial bonds of said village to pay the
[1:51:37] cost thereof.
[1:51:38] Do I have a motion?
[1:51:40] So moved.
[1:51:40] Second? Motion by Trustee Nicholson,
second by Trustee Simon. Trustee Slubin?
[1:51:45] Aye.
[1:51:46] Trustee Knacktaler?
[1:51:47] Aye.
[1:51:47] Trustee Nicholson?
[1:51:48] Aye.
[1:51:48] Trustee Simon?
[1:51:49] Aye.
[1:51:49] Mayor Pugh?
[1:51:50] Aye.
[1:51:50] Last one, Bond Resolution 222, a
resolution authorizing,
[1:51:54] subject to permissive referendum,
[1:51:56] construction of traffic safety
improvements in and for the Village of
[1:52:00] Cortlandt-on-Hudson, Westchester County,
New York,
[1:52:03] at a maximum estimated cost of $138,375,
[1:52:05] and authorizing the issuance of $138,375
serial bonds of said village to pay the
[1:52:10] cost thereof.
[1:52:11] Do I have a motion?
[1:52:12] So moved.
[1:52:13] Second?
[1:52:15] Motion by, uh, Trustee Nicholson, second
by Trustee Simon.
[1:52:18] Trustee Slippin?
[1:52:19] Aye.
[1:52:19] Trustee Knacktaler?
[1:52:20] Aye.
[1:52:20] Trustee Nicholson?
[1:52:21] Aye.
[1:52:21] Trustee Simon?
[1:52:22] Aye.
[1:52:23] Mayor Pugh?
[1:52:23] Aye.
[1:52:24] Okay, moving right along.
[1:52:26] All right, uh, next is Resolution C
concerning, uh, a bid award.
[1:52:33] Whereas the Village issued an invitation
to bid on July 23rd,
[1:52:36] 2026 for maintenance services on the
Village's various HVAC equipment,
[1:52:40] and whereas 3 bids were submitted by the
deadline of August 13th, 2026,
[1:52:43] whereas the lowest bid received was from
HVAC Now, Inc.
[1:52:46] of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the amount
of $49,375, whereas Frank Balbi,
[1:52:50] Superintendent of Public Works, has
recommended moving forward with the low
[1:52:53] recommended moving forward with the low
bidder.
[1:52:54] Now therefore be it resolved that the
Village Manager is hereby authorized to
[1:52:57] Village Manager is hereby authorized to
award
[1:52:58] bid number 8 of 2026 to HVAC Now, Inc.
[1:53:00] of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the amount
of $49,375.
[1:53:02] Do I have a motion?
[1:53:06] So moved. Second.
[1:53:08] Motion by Trustee Nicholson, second by
Trustee Simon.
[1:53:12] Oh, we're not doing the— No, this is not
discussion.
[1:53:16] Discussion. Regular order.
[1:53:18] We're not doing the roll call anymore.
[1:53:20] No.
[1:53:20] Well, I appreciate the superintendent, you
know,
[1:53:23] working hard to get a range of bids and—
[1:53:26] There was a range, yes.
[1:53:27] Yeah.
[1:53:28] Yeah.
[1:53:28] It was an incredible range.
[1:53:30] It's just, you wonder, you know, about
some of the higher ones.
[1:53:33] Yeah.
[1:53:35] It is what it is. We got the right one.
[1:53:36] Yeah, this is a, this is a good example.
[1:53:40] This is a service that we haven't really
had to bid before, but in recent years,
[1:53:46] as the cost of things have continued to
increase and the state has not taken any
[1:53:53] action to increase the bid limits in the
law,
[1:53:56] things that used to cost $25,000 or
$30,000 and we didn't have to bid are now
[1:54:03] costing $40,000 or $50,000 and now are
subject to bidding.
[1:54:08] So it's just more work for us, more bids
that we have to do, unfortunately,
[1:54:14] because of what the law is. So.
[1:54:16] I remember raising the bid thresholds was
an ICOM legislative
[1:54:22] priority over a decade ago. They're still
where they were.
[1:54:28] Yeah.
[1:54:28] Yep.
[1:54:31] Okay, all in favor?
[1:54:32] Aye.
[1:54:32] Aye.
[1:54:33] Whereas the village issued an invitation
to bid on August 6th,
[1:54:37] 2026 for the annual street resurfacing
program,
[1:54:39] and whereas 6 bids were submitted by the
deadline of August 27th, 2026,
[1:54:43] whereas the lowest bid received was from
Louis Rinaldi Inc.
[1:54:47] of Ossining, New York in the amount of
$790,900, whereas Frank Balbi,
[1:54:50] Superintendent of Public Works, has
recommended moving forward with the low
[1:54:55] recommended moving forward with the low
bidder.
[1:54:55] Now therefore be it resolved that the
Village Manager is hereby authorized to
[1:54:59] Village Manager is hereby authorized to
award
[1:55:00] bid number 9 of 2026 to Louis Rinaldi,
Inc.
[1:55:02] of Ossining, New York, in the amount of
$790,900.
[1:55:05] Do I have a motion?
[1:55:07] So moved. Second.
[1:55:08] Motion by Trustee Nicholson, second by
Trustee Simon. Discussion?
[1:55:12] Well, Mayor, it's, uh, I,
[1:55:13] I think it's nice when the lowest bidder
is also the one that you've worked with in
[1:55:18] the past and has a great reputation,
[1:55:20] so Glad we'll be able to do some more of
that this year.
[1:55:23] So we will have, um,
[1:55:24] probably by the next meeting we'll have a
list of the areas that are being repaved.
[1:55:30] So, um, you know, due to the board's
support for infrastructure improvements in
[1:55:36] support for infrastructure improvements in
the
[1:55:37] capital budget, uh, you know, we received—
[1:55:40] we were able to include many more streets
than we have in the past.
[1:55:45] So Um, you know, I think there'll be a lot
of areas that will see some attention
[1:55:51] this year.
[1:55:52] That's great.
[1:55:52] Yep.
[1:55:53] What's the time frame?
[1:55:55] Uh, later this fall. I don't, I don't know
what the exact time frame is.
[1:55:59] Um, you know, it's going to depend on what
other areas they are working in as well.
[1:56:03] So, but we'll, like I said,
[1:56:05] by the next meeting we should have an idea
of what the schedule is and what the
[1:56:09] streets are.
[1:56:10] Great. Yep.
[1:56:11] Thank you.
[1:56:13] Very good. Okay, all in favor?
[1:56:15] Aye.
[1:56:16] All right, we proceed to public comment on
non-agenda items.
[1:56:22] Anyone wishing to comment on anything,
this is your opportunity.
[1:56:28] Please state your name and address. 5
minutes a person.
[1:56:34] Hi, Dave from Farrington Road.
[1:56:37] I just want to say that this is number 10
for me in non-agenda.
[1:56:42] Comments. Here we go again. Rabbit season.
[1:56:45] Duck season?
[1:56:46] No. Pollution season. Unnecessary hearing
damage season.
[1:56:51] Clouds of unburned fossil fuels into my
open windows season.
[1:56:55] I was going to give you another study and
more science about how toxic gas leaf
[1:57:01] blowers are, but I think the case has been
made.
[1:57:05] Like I said last time, Over and over and
for years.
[1:57:09] So instead, just read the Sinai letter you
got last week. Mount Sinai.
[1:57:16] This is not a popularity contest.
[1:57:19] It's real people's health and well-being.
[1:57:22] We are losing the war on cancer and
ignorance is the
[1:57:27] main culprit.
[1:57:29] Please stop poisoning us.
[1:57:32] Bring us in line with other Westchester
and New Jersey towns that care about their
[1:57:37] citizens' health.
[1:57:39] Irvington, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, White
Plains,
[1:57:43] and since I first came to talk to you last
year,
[1:57:46] Dobbs Ferry and Rye have passed full-year
ordinances.
[1:57:50] In New Jersey, there's Maplewood and
Montclair.
[1:57:53] There's big towns, there's small towns.
[1:57:56] Croton is No, has fallen behind.
[1:57:59] You remember the bad air quality from last
month's wildfires?
[1:58:05] That's PM2.5. That's nitrogen dioxide.
[1:58:09] That's carbon monoxide, which mixes with
sunlight to create ground-level ozone.
[1:58:14] And the village sends air quality warning
emails to residents.
[1:58:19] But does the village put out warning
emails about dangerous air quality and
[1:58:23] literally deafening sound levels?
[1:58:25] No.
[1:58:26] while gasoline-powered leaf blowers are
allowed?
[1:58:29] Because it's the same stuff.
[1:58:32] This is an easy fix, but you have to value
public health.
[1:58:37] So do you?
[1:58:39] It's time for a change. Thanks.
[1:58:41] Thank you.
[1:58:58] Ed Riley from Truesdale Drive.
[1:59:00] Just to make a comment on some issues
which I don't think are critical issues,
[1:59:06] but I think they're brought up here again
and again every week,
[1:59:11] is if a person's making an argument You
don't have to use hyperbole,
[1:59:16] especially in the environmental area where
so much of the hyperbole has proven
[1:59:22] false. Just take the electricity plans,
[1:59:25] the alternate electricity plans for New
York,
[1:59:28] for Westchester County and New York State.
[1:59:31] So I recommend all speakers when they
talk, address the point.
[1:59:36] I can't sleep at night, I can't hear,
whatever it is. As opposed to hyperbole.
[1:59:42] You know, the whole world's going to end
if this doesn't happen.
[1:59:46] Perhaps some of the trustees would address
this before I get to my principal topic.
[1:59:53] It's up to them. One, I think the assist—
that the village manager—
[1:59:58] I don't know who he does— has doing these
jobs now,
[2:00:01] but if he doesn't have an assistant now or
somebody who's doing the job without the
[2:00:07] title He's like one of these Indian,
Indian gods with 8 hands, right?
[2:00:13] Hats off to him for that.
[2:00:14] Item 2, item number 7 on page 2 brings up
a licensing agreement about electrical
[2:00:20] wires. The original proposal for power
lines,
[2:00:24] not the ones that went down the center of
the river. All right.
[2:00:28] We could talk about that.
[2:00:30] But the one that was supposed to go down
by the railroad tracks and cross Croton
[2:00:36] Point, maybe we'd get an update on that.
[2:00:39] You know, maybe I missed something, but I
haven't heard about it lately.
[2:00:45] Hopefully it went the way of a Hudson
River walkway from New York City in the
[2:00:50] River walkway from New York City in the
Bronx
[2:00:51] to Poughkeepsie, hopefully.
[2:00:53] And when, when you're dealing with street
repaving,
[2:00:57] this village has done an excellent job.
[2:00:59] with repaving and potholes get fixed
really quick.
[2:01:03] I wish you would share your intelligence
and your knowledge and your drive with the
[2:01:09] state of New York, which sucks at this.
[2:01:12] They could have fixed from the Croton
Bridge to Hawthorne Circle.
[2:01:17] He stopped halfway. It must have been
somebody's assembly district that ended
[2:01:23] somebody's assembly district that ended
there.
[2:01:23] And 129 is a trip. I ought to charge the
state for the alignment on my car.
[2:01:29] Right.
[2:01:29] Which goes out every 3 years because the
state can't fix roads.
[2:01:34] The basic— one of the basic functions of
state government.
[2:01:39] And then on tax receipts, you transferred
tax assessments to the town of Cortland.
[2:01:45] I would love to know what the actual—
[2:01:48] what actually happened in terms of income
to the village and the number of taxes
[2:01:54] that went up by how much and how much went
down.
[2:01:57] and whether it came out the way people
thought it would.
[2:02:01] Now I'd like to address the most serious
issue.
[2:02:05] We have had a boycott on an individual
basis of CVS,
[2:02:09] which is a terrible corporation.
[2:02:11] Nice people work here, but their
corporation is the worst. They really
[2:02:17] corporation is the worst. They really
suck.
[2:02:17] And they've had a series of terrible CEOs.
[2:02:20] They fired the one that started selling
abortion drugs.
[2:02:24] and advocated a threat to the United
States and then ran her company into the
[2:02:30] ground. They fired her. Now she's running
for political office where she belongs.
[2:02:36] And I'll give to your clerk what this
RU-46, this plethora of mailing RU-46,
[2:02:42] stockpiling it, giving it to anybody,
[2:02:45] especially state physicians from New York
who are protected by the state government,
[2:02:51] give it to everybody out of state.
[2:02:54] So this is a case in North Carolina where
they went to Virginia and these 2 young
[2:03:00] people got RU-486, aborted their
31-week-old child into a toilet bowl,
[2:03:05] and if it wasn't for another older person
calling 911, This 31-week-old child,
[2:03:11] that's a 95% survival when you're born at
31 weeks. The child would be dead today.
[2:03:17] It also says something to our ethics
education.
[2:03:21] The other item, which I promise you, which
is the history,
[2:03:25] the European history of RU-486,
[2:03:27] it is as ugly and as destructive and as
manipulative and as lying And we don't
[2:03:33] manipulative and as lying And we don't
give
[2:03:34] a crap about women, as it has happened in
the United States.
[2:03:38] I gave you the one on Clinton adopting—
are you—
[2:03:42] how he did it politically in the United
States. And I can give you some examples.
[2:03:48] I have personal experience with this about
where their test sites was.
[2:03:53] Like, one of them was in Dobbs Ferry.
[2:03:56] So I'll read this to you next time, but
I'll give it to you for your review now.
[2:04:02] Thank you.
[2:04:10] Thank you.
[2:04:18] Thank you.
[2:04:33] All right, uh, public comment continues.
Does anyone else wish to comment?
[2:04:38] Seeing no one else wishing to comment, we
proceed to reports.
[2:04:43] Trustee Slippen.
[2:04:44] Thank you. Um, I just want to start by
thanking all of the residents that came
[2:04:49] thanking all of the residents that came
out
[2:04:50] to speak tonight. It is so great to see a
full room of people.
[2:04:54] Um, I'm glad that we are going to be able
to have another conversation,
[2:04:59] a further conversation regarding Local Law
10, because—
[2:05:03] and I'm just glad that we're going to be
able to have some further conversation
[2:05:08] about it. And because I still have a lot
of questions about where we are with what
[2:05:14] we're doing and how we're going to deal
with enforcement.
[2:05:18] and, um, what that's all going to look
like. But mainly, thank you.
[2:05:23] It's, you know, the last week of summer,
and a lot of people came out, um,
[2:05:28] and a lot of people have written to us
also.
[2:05:31] Uh, you know, this is one of those topics
where we— I—
[2:05:35] it's not many topics where we get as much
in, you know, um,
[2:05:39] commentary from residents as we did on
this.
[2:05:42] Um, so thank you to everyone, everyone who
came out tonight.
[2:05:46] Um, Thank you to Dave from Farrington for
his persistence.
[2:05:51] Um, what is the timing for waiting for—
[2:05:53] we're waiting to get something back still
from the— see,
[2:05:57] can you remind me where we are?
[2:05:59] We've referred something to the CAC, it's
coming back to us. What's happening?
[2:06:05] Where are we?
[2:06:06] We basically— we did refer— we referred a
memo with some information to the CAC.
[2:06:11] Okay, they have been working on that, as
far as I'm aware.
[2:06:15] You know, one of the things the board did
ask was for them to respond back with an
[2:06:20] estimated timeline. Okay. Right. You have
not received that back.
[2:06:24] So could we just follow up? Because I am—
I am—
[2:06:27] Well, they, they, they, like most of the
other committees,
[2:06:30] took off the month of August. So their
schedule—
[2:06:33] But it feels like it's been— this has been
a while, right? When did we refer it?
[2:06:38] It's a good amount of time.
[2:06:40] Yeah, maybe a couple months, maybe. It's
been maybe a couple months.
[2:06:43] But I mean, I guess just even if there's
some type of update about a timeline for
[2:06:46] when we think we're going to hear from
them, that would be great.
[2:06:49] Yep.
[2:06:49] I do sort of question the number of
summonses that are being written.
[2:06:55] I mean, I know that we're out of the quiet
period or whatever you call it.
[2:07:00] But it's hard for me to believe there are
only 4 since the last meeting because I
[2:07:07] hear a lot of gas leaf blowers.
[2:07:09] So I'm, you know, interested to keep that
ball moving down the field.
[2:07:15] I just want to say welcome back to all the
students. Schools opened this week.
[2:07:21] Congrats on opening day to our colleagues
on the school board.
[2:07:25] I was disappointed that I could not be at
the Farrington Steps ribbon cutting.
[2:07:31] I'm sure my colleagues who were there
We'll talk about that, but you know,
[2:07:37] half the kids in the village, maybe more.
[2:07:40] I think it's more than half the kids in
the village do not get a bus to school
[2:07:47] the village do not get a bus to school
after
[2:07:47] they leave CET. My children were included
in that.
[2:07:51] So the more safe pathways to school we can
have for the students, the better.
[2:07:57] And those steps look fabulous. So thank
you to the DPW.
[2:08:01] I know we've been asking a lot of the DPW.
[2:08:04] Always, but especially lately, which leads
me to my next item,
[2:08:09] which is the incredible art installation
that is now completed at the Riverwalk.
[2:08:15] I can't— it's a harmonic— what's the name?
[2:08:19] Harmonic Landing.
[2:08:20] Harmonic Landing. It's amazing.
[2:08:22] It's a piece of really impressive art that
has that is—
[2:08:26] was with a little bit of financial support
from the village, basically gifted to us.
[2:08:33] Um, you know, the DPW did a tremendous
amount of work.
[2:08:37] Um, Bruce Allend was at the Arts and
Humanities Committee meeting last night,
[2:08:43] just kind of giving that committee an
update on what's happening.
[2:08:48] Lots of photos, lots of interest from
people.
[2:08:51] Arts and Humanities is going to work on a
ceremony to open it, dedicate it,
[2:08:57] get the word out about it. It's just
spectacular.
[2:09:01] Good.
[2:09:01] I'm so thrilled that Croton now has this
piece of art.
[2:09:05] So thank you to everyone who made that
happen.
[2:09:09] And especially Bruce couldn't say enough
about the DPW and how amazing they were to
[2:09:15] work with, which really just is across the
board.
[2:09:19] Everything DPW touches, it's just really
magic.
[2:09:22] So, but this is another great example of
that.
[2:09:26] And then finally, the manager and I and
the chief of police and the chair of PAC
[2:09:32] have spent some time working on getting an
RFP, getting a committee,
[2:09:37] a company that's going to do the police
survey.
[2:09:40] And that project is really moving along.
We got a lot of proposals.
[2:09:46] We did some interviews this week.
[2:09:48] It seems like sometime next week we're
going to be able to narrow it down.
[2:09:54] You know, another department in the
village that does unbelievable work for us
[2:10:00] village that does unbelievable work for us
is
[2:10:00] the police department,
[2:10:01] and I am anxious to get that study so that
we can make sure that we're we understand
[2:10:08] how the department is working better, we
can be addressing what they need from us,
[2:10:14] um, and how, you know, how that's all
going to look.
[2:10:18] So I'm excited for that work to begin.
[2:10:21] Um, it takes a long time to go through the
proposals and do the interviews, and, um,
[2:10:27] Carolyn Whiting, the chair of the Police
Advisory Committee, is just,
[2:10:32] just doing so much tremendous work there.
So I would like to thank her.
[2:10:38] And then also just mention that the PAC is
going to be doing another community
[2:10:44] survey that we've been working on.
[2:10:46] I think it's going to be rolled out
sometime in October.
[2:10:50] October.
[2:10:51] So I'm looking forward to that.
[2:10:52] It's all— all of this is kind of related,
[2:10:54] but there's a lot of good work happening
there.
[2:10:57] So thank you to all the people who are
involved with making that happen.
[2:11:00] And then I just wondered what the update
on the website is.
[2:11:05] It was supposed to launch yesterday.
[2:11:07] Okay, I wasn't sure. That was what I
thought you said.
[2:11:09] Yes, it did not launch yesterday.
[2:11:12] There's just a couple more things that we
need to do.
[2:11:15] So I'm just looking forward to our new
website. I think it will be fantastic.
[2:11:20] That's the new date.
[2:11:22] Thank you.
[2:11:24] I am done, sorry. Because you mentioned
the police study,
[2:11:29] thank you for your work on that.
[2:11:32] What is the process, or, you know, kind of
timeline for bringing—
[2:11:38] what's the process for bringing it to the
Board of Trustees?
[2:11:43] Is it the study that is going— you
mentioned you're already interviewing.
[2:11:50] This is just for the— to do— it's so—
[2:11:53] This is to select the consultant, right?
So we did an RFP. Okay.
[2:11:58] And Um, we got a number of responses, 12
or 13 responses.
[2:12:02] Um, you know, I put together a small
working group of myself, the chief,
[2:12:08] the lieutenant, uh, Carolyn Whiting, the
chair of the PAC,
[2:12:12] and Trustee Slippen as the PAC liaison.
[2:12:15] Yep.
[2:12:16] And we— everybody in the group reviewed
all the proposals that we received.
[2:12:21] Uh, we met to go over them.
[2:12:23] We came up with, uh, consensus on the, the
top 3 that we wanted to interview.
[2:12:28] So we've done those interviews now this
week.
[2:12:31] We're going to meet next week to see if we
have a consensus on what our
[2:12:35] recommendation would be.
[2:12:37] And then at that point,
[2:12:39] I think we would bring it back to the full
board for discussion and consideration.
[2:12:44] Okay. And that would include what it is
we're looking to study?
[2:12:48] Yeah, well, that— I mean, that's in the
Sorry, that's in the, um,
[2:12:53] that was in the RFP, right? So it's just,
it's a staffing study.
[2:12:58] So we're looking to analyze and evaluate
the current staffing structure of the
[2:13:03] department, whether we have too many, too
few, just right.
[2:13:08] Okay, you know, are they assigned
correctly to the right divisions?
[2:13:12] You know, all that sort of stuff.
[2:13:15] And especially in light of things like the
population of the village changing,
[2:13:19] the addition of body cams, things like
that that might impact the—
[2:13:22] is the number we have correct now?
[2:13:24] And Carolyn has actually been really great
about making sure to ask these questions.
[2:13:29] We're not just asking about currently
what's happening and the current number we
[2:13:33] have, but in the future, we can't predict
exactly what's going to happen.
[2:13:37] But as we look forward, how will—
[2:13:38] how can we use the information we gather
to make sure that we continue to serve the
[2:13:43] needs of— that the police department
continues to serve the,
[2:13:46] the changing needs of the village.
[2:13:48] That's great.
[2:13:48] Yeah, and, um, they're also going to look
at civilians as well,
[2:13:53] not just sworn officers,
[2:13:55] seeing whether or not there might be an
opportunity to bring in a civilian
[2:14:00] opportunity to bring in a civilian
employee
[2:14:01] who may be able to take some of the—
[2:14:04] Right.
[2:14:05] Non-essential—
[2:14:06] Administrative tasks.
[2:14:06] The administrative, yeah.
[2:14:08] And then that way that frees up an officer
to do other officer
[2:14:12] things. Yeah. So, okay. Thank you. Yep.
[2:14:17] Okay. Well, on August 25th,
[2:14:19] as a member of the Waterfront Advisory
Committee meeting,
[2:14:24] I attended the August 25th meeting with
Deputy Mayor Simon.
[2:14:29] We reviewed the major Metro-North Railroad
project for consistency with our local
[2:14:35] waterfront revitalization program
policies.
[2:14:39] And at my request, which was supported by
the board and Manager Healy,
[2:14:45] for more comprehensive information— thank
you, Manager,
[2:14:49] for getting Metro North representatives to
come and present at the WAC,
[2:14:55] which I know was, I guess, a first.
[2:14:58] So I don't know, it might— it could be, I
guess. I don't know.
[2:15:03] First, I guess, is you, manager.
[2:15:05] Yes, probably the first person in the last
6 years.
[2:15:08] Yeah, it's amazing that, you know, that
you got someone's attention, actually.
[2:15:14] Yeah, no, that's great because they came,
uh,
[2:15:17] the WAC had very good questions for them,
and, you know,
[2:15:21] they answered what they could, um, and
they're coming back for the second, uh,
[2:15:27] round of questions. So You know, we—
[2:15:30] it's not like we know we can't stop this
project.
[2:15:33] We all want reliable, you know, train
service,
[2:15:37] but it's just providing more complete
information so that the WAC could make
[2:15:43] determinations against the policies.
[2:15:45] And it also adds more transparency to the
public on what it is that they're doing.
[2:15:51] For example, we learned at the WAC that
when we knew the project will replace the
[2:15:57] existing signal system with a
high-capacity capacity vital cab signaling
[2:16:03] high-capacity capacity vital cab signaling
system.
[2:16:03] The work will span from Croton-on-Hudson
to Poughkeepsie within active rail
[2:16:09] to Poughkeepsie within active rail
corridor
[2:16:10] adjacent to the Croton and Hudson Rivers.
[2:16:13] Visually, it— the project will introduce
new fencing and new structures,
[2:16:18] some of them up to 25 feet tall.
[2:16:20] And we're trying to understand how many,
where, you know,
[2:16:25] because we have to answer questions on the
WAC,
[2:16:28] like how will this project affect
sightlines?
[2:16:31] And also, there'll be some in-water
construction to place platform footings.
[2:16:37] So we know that, you know,
[2:16:39] residents fish and children play in the
fields along the riverfront.
[2:16:44] So, you know, we're just trying to get
more information.
[2:16:48] So, and, and they've been pretty
forthcoming. coming. So appreciate that.
[2:16:54] On Wednesday, August 26th, I was informed,
like the rest of the board,
[2:16:59] that a senior member of our community was
crossing the street,
[2:17:04] and just a few feet from making it to the
curb, she was struck by a bicyclist.
[2:17:10] It was, you know, an accident,
[2:17:12] but unfortunately she was taken to the
hospital and had staples in her head and I
[2:17:18] think, well, manager,
[2:17:19] I know I've noticed like an increase in
the bicycle safety videos that are out,
[2:17:25] which I think are great.
[2:17:27] But I know, you know, I welcome the
opportunity to elevate safety, you know,
[2:17:33] discussions and, you know, education with
kids.
[2:17:36] And, you know, I know there'll be like a
bike ped committee meeting.
[2:17:41] Um, And I'm sure you're going to discuss
that.
[2:17:45] But I, I think the more we can do—
[2:17:47] I think Trustee Nicholson had a good idea
with maybe, you know,
[2:17:52] exploring whether one of our hardworking
detectives or police chiefs, I don't know,
[2:17:58] could come and talk to kids about bike
safety.
[2:18:02] But anyway, I just welcome more, you know,
more we could do around that.
[2:18:07] Can can only help. On August 28th,
[2:18:10] I attended the annual Croton Seniors Club
barbecue at Senosqua Park,
[2:18:15] which was so well attended. There must
have been 80 people there.
[2:18:20] It was a gorgeous day.
[2:18:21] Special thank you to John McKeon and Bob
Anderson for their senior club leadership,
[2:18:27] Joanna Straub from our rec department and
her fabulous planning,
[2:18:32] and to our DPW barbecue chefs, Raz, Bobby,
and John.
[2:18:36] The food was, you know, I know funded by
the seniors club, but it was, it was,
[2:18:42] it was, yeah, it was a great afternoon.
[2:18:45] And then on September 1st, I attended the
May—
[2:18:48] with the mayor and Trustee Nicholson and
the manager,
[2:18:52] the reopening of the Farrington Steps. So
I know that work was a long time coming.
[2:18:58] Coming. It was just really well done and
beautifully done.
[2:19:03] And I know DPW is looking forward to
continuing the rest of the job.
[2:19:08] And also the neighbors were really
supportive and kind while the work was
[2:19:13] supportive and kind while the work was
taking
[2:19:14] place. I know, like, I'm sure there were
some, you know, pains, but they were,
[2:19:19] they were great. And then last,
[2:19:22] just because the public interest around
425 South Riverside on the planning board,
[2:19:28] I just Wanted to say that this application
will not be on the next planning board
[2:19:34] meeting agenda, September 8th.
[2:19:36] Um, the meeting after September 8th is
September 22nd.
[2:19:40] So anyway, for those folks interested in
that subject or application, um, you know,
[2:19:46] the next meeting after the 8th is the
22nd.
[2:19:50] Don't know if it will be on then, but just
wanted to share that.
[2:19:54] Thanks.
[2:19:55] Thank you.
[2:19:55] I'll just— if I can just add on to that,
um,
[2:19:58] anyone who's interested in that,
[2:20:00] just sign up for the planning board
agendas on the website and you'll—
[2:20:04] That's a good idea.
[2:20:05] Yeah, you'll get notified if it is on.
[2:20:07] Yeah.
[2:20:07] Yeah. Okay.
[2:20:08] Thank you. There have been no submissions
received since, uh,
[2:20:12] we had our initial planning board meeting.
[2:20:15] Yeah.
[2:20:16] Yeah. Okay. Thank you.
[2:20:17] Um, so I just want to note that the fall
recreation programming is up and available
[2:20:23] registration. And I also want to just
highlight the fact that we are offering 3
[2:20:29] programs for teens. So from 5th to 8th
grade, there is a— Well done,
[2:20:35] Trustee Nicholson. You've been fighting
this for a while.
[2:20:39] That's a first.
[2:20:40] And very well done to—
[2:20:41] Working collaboratively.
[2:20:43] Working collaboratively with the
organization. I'm impressed. Thank you.
[2:20:48] Will my 13-year-old attend one of these?
[2:20:50] My kids missed out, but I'm glad it's
there.
[2:20:53] Up for debate, but it was very, very nice
to see.
[2:20:56] You know, this is the first teen
programming that, you know, trip-wise,
[2:21:01] they're going to be going to a couple
different destinations,
[2:21:05] which is really exciting, including the
movies.
[2:21:08] So really exciting for that age group to
kind of get out of Croton and see the
[2:21:14] world, which is, which is really exciting.
[2:21:17] Lorraine Hansberry Coalition will be
hosting a discussion display of materials
[2:21:22] hosting a discussion display of materials
at
[2:21:22] the library. So more to come on that and
the exact dates,
[2:21:26] but it's in the next couple of weeks.
[2:21:29] I just want to reiterate my appreciation
for the folks that came out this evening
[2:21:34] for Local Law 10. I, you know,
[2:21:36] I'm surprised more folks are not talking
about chickens because I think there are
[2:21:42] more chicken coops in this village, um,
[2:21:44] that could be impacted by the passage of
this proposed law. So— As it's written
[2:21:50] this proposed law. So— As it's written
now.
[2:21:50] As it's written currently.
[2:21:52] So, um, as we dive in, um, at our work
session,
[2:21:56] I would like to talk about that a little
bit further.
[2:22:00] Um, also, we've gotten some emails
regarding domestic caged animals inside
[2:22:06] regarding domestic caged animals inside
people's
[2:22:06] houses. So people are confused about the
language there.
[2:22:11] So there's some more to dig into with
Local Law 10 than just the pigeon issue.
[2:22:17] So I just wanted to highlight those
things.
[2:22:21] Many thanks to the DPW with the Farrington
steps.
[2:22:24] And, you know, it's really wonderful to
see.
[2:22:28] And then just a quick update,
[2:22:30] we are working on the FAQ around the
cameras in the village.
[2:22:35] So that is pending, but, um, the village
manager is working diligently on that.
[2:22:41] Um, and we hope to have that out soon.
[2:22:44] Great. Oh, nice going on the teens.
[2:22:47] Um, I'd like to offer, uh,
[2:22:48] the FDR Museum and Library because if I
could take the seniors and the teens there
[2:22:54] in the same year, I think that would be—
that would be an accomplishment.
[2:22:58] So let's just—
[2:22:59] Multi-generational.
[2:23:01] Yeah, let them, let them.
[2:23:02] I can't guarantee my own team.
[2:23:03] Plenty, plenty of stuff there for the
young people.
[2:23:07] Anyway, just taking us back to where we
began this evening,
[2:23:11] I just want to say a couple more words
about Chief Nikotopoulos and John Spada.
[2:23:17] And just when you think of— and
congratulate them— 40 years for Chief
[2:23:22] congratulate them— 40 years for Chief
Nikotopoulos.
[2:23:23] When you think about the changes in
policing,
[2:23:26] whether it's computer technology or
investigative techniques,
[2:23:30] And if you take this all the way back to
1986, DNA as a use of investigations,
[2:23:36] that was really at its infancy. Increased
diversity.
[2:23:40] What hasn't changed in those 40 years is
John Nikotopoulos.
[2:23:44] You know, we've had the consistency and
leadership of him all these years as kind
[2:23:50] leadership of him all these years as kind
of
[2:23:50] a hometown hero. So I'm just kind of just
so grateful that he's been with us for 4
[2:23:56] decades. And also John Spada for 25 years.
[2:23:59] When you look at the complexity of what it
takes, you know, we—
[2:24:03] most people think the water comes from the
faucet, but it doesn't.
[2:24:08] And the treatment that has to go in there,
[2:24:11] and particularly the federal and state
regulatory requirements that have changed
[2:24:17] regulatory requirements that have changed
so
[2:24:17] drastically over the last 25 years,
whether it's PFAS or lead and copper,
[2:24:22] whether it's PFAS or lead and copper,
arsenic,
[2:24:22] cryptosporidium, you name it.
[2:24:25] And on top of the Homeland Security
requirements that we've had to use to
[2:24:30] requirements that we've had to use to
protect
[2:24:30] our water supplies coincidentally in the
same 25 years that John has been here.
[2:24:36] So I just wanted to thank both of them for
their incredible service.
[2:24:41] Let's see, tomorrow night we hope to fill
this room again with our New York Forward
[2:24:47] Forum. New York Forward, for those of you
out there,
[2:24:50] is a 4.5 million-dollar program that helps
you reimagine different sections of your
[2:24:56] commercial areas, retail areas,
[2:24:59] whether it be streetscapes or improved
transportation corridors or just helping
[2:25:04] transportation corridors or just helping
our
[2:25:04] local business folks, you know, to do a
better job with capital.
[2:25:09] So we're going to talk about some ideas
that have been developed through our
[2:25:14] planner, through our our departmental
teams here,
[2:25:18] through some of our board members here,
[2:25:21] and particularly Trustee Nackteller's had
some great ideas that have been
[2:25:26] forthcoming in the last couple of weeks on
New York Forward.
[2:25:30] So we'll have a chance to talk all of
those through and get some good public
[2:25:36] feedback on what some of those are, as
well as some good ideas from the public.
[2:25:41] But in addition to that,
[2:25:43] we're very gratified that that Mayor
Marjorie Hsu from Sleepy Hollow is going
[2:25:48] Marjorie Hsu from Sleepy Hollow is going
to
[2:25:49] join us for our whole, our entire meeting.
[2:25:52] When it's a competitive state program like
New York Forward,
[2:25:56] you want to take a close look at those who
have been successful in getting the grant
[2:26:02] previously in your region, and that's
definitely Sleepy Hollow.
[2:26:06] So Mayor Hsu will be coming in to talk
about what Sleepy Hollow initially was
[2:26:12] about what Sleepy Hollow initially was
trying
[2:26:12] to accomplish with their New York Forward,
[2:26:15] how it's gone since they actually won the
$4.5 million 4 years ago,
[2:26:20] and what it's been like working with New
York State in implementing that.
[2:26:25] So hopefully we can get some good
inspiration from,
[2:26:29] from her experience that will go into our,
our approach and our application,
[2:26:34] which probably is going to due sometime in
January.
[2:26:38] Earlier, actually last week,
[2:26:40] the manager and I attended the Fire
Council and got a good update on what all
[2:26:45] Council and got a good update on what all
the,
[2:26:46] all the 3 houses are up to.
[2:26:48] Very specifically for calendar updates, I
just want everyone to circle Sunday,
[2:26:53] October 4th. That's Fire Fair.
[2:26:55] The theme for Fire Fair this year is
Charge into Fire Safety.
[2:27:00] Safe charging is a superpower,
[2:27:02] emphasizing the safe charging habits for
all the different devices that are powered
[2:27:08] by lithium-ion batteries, such as our
telephones, our tablets, our laptops,
[2:27:13] our bicycles, our scooters, power tools, a
lot of toys.
[2:27:17] So you're going to have a lot of good
lessons.
[2:27:20] So Fire Fair every year is just great for
families and kids and everyone involved.
[2:27:26] Back to the WAC meeting for a second,
[2:27:29] I did want to thank Trustee Nackteller for
the innovation,
[2:27:33] and she's described it in full, but it was
an innovative approach.
[2:27:38] And I've been on the WAC now for almost 6
years.
[2:27:41] It's the first time we actually brought in
someone from the outside to try to
[2:27:47] enlighten us, and they didn't quite get
there, but we invited them to come back.
[2:27:52] So, you know, they had some information,
but they owe us— They owe us.
[2:27:57] They are willing to return.
[2:27:59] They owe— and they should because they owe
us some more information.
[2:28:04] So I was very grateful for that session.
[2:28:07] And in addition, in that WAC meeting, we
also had under consideration,
[2:28:12] which we'll see at a subsequent board
meeting here,
[2:28:16] the draft laws that we've put together
with the help of our planner,
[2:28:20] Valerie Manastra. And I should mention, by
the way, Valerie, of course,
[2:28:26] will be part of our New York Forward
meeting tomorrow night.
[2:28:30] But on the WAC meeting,
[2:28:31] Valerie and our attorneys have put
together draft legislation to buttress and
[2:28:37] enhance our planning approach in light of
some of the changes that have been brought
[2:28:43] about by the SEQR reforms that came out of
the state legislature and the governor.
[2:28:49] So we'll—
[2:28:49] The planning board will be taking up the
site development Part of the enhancement
[2:28:54] site development Part of the enhancement
at
[2:28:55] their meeting on the 8th.
[2:28:56] Very good. Perfect. Perfect to know.
[2:28:59] That's part of the zoning code, so the
planning board will be talking about that.
[2:29:05] Absolutely. Perfectly stated.
[2:29:07] Another calendar item,
[2:29:08] just because we haven't had a chance to
talk about it much this year,
[2:29:13] but our annual Rotary car show is Sunday,
September 27th, from 11 to 3.
[2:29:18] So circle the calendars for that.
[2:29:21] Rotary is hard at work on that,
[2:29:23] getting getting the great cars and the
sponsors and the food trucks and all that.
[2:29:29] So hopefully the weather helps and
participates and cooperates.
[2:29:34] And so we'll have a great afternoon that
Sunday.
[2:29:37] Let's see, Trustee Slippen mentioned the
start of the school year.
[2:29:42] I just wanted to thank the manager and DPW
and police and everyone involved in
[2:29:47] improving the approach that we have on
safety for the Maple and Wells
[2:29:52] safety for the Maple and Wells
intersection.
[2:29:53] We're going to get an RRFB there, rapid
reflecting flashing beacon,
[2:29:58] which really puts the teeth into our
crosswalks. It's coming soon.
[2:30:03] You know, the manager is working very
effectively with our state partners.
[2:30:08] But until we get that, which hopefully, as
I say will be very soon.
[2:30:13] We have temporarily there one of our
police speed lights so that people that
[2:30:19] police speed lights so that people that
are
[2:30:19] coming to the crosswalk will understand,
you know, how fast they're going.
[2:30:24] But we've also put up one of the
temporary—
[2:30:27] you'll see it in the middle of the
crosswalk, just someone standing there,
[2:30:33] cardboard person standing there saying,
yield to pedestrians.
[2:30:37] So anything that we can do.
[2:30:39] to strengthen that crosswalk until we get
the RFP is very much appreciated.
[2:30:45] So I think it was great that we had all of
this— these improvements,
[2:30:49] temporary improvements in place on the
first day of school.
[2:30:54] And last but not least,
[2:30:55] on our housing preference for first
responders and medical personnel,
[2:31:00] not only is it, I think, a triumph of good
policy,
[2:31:04] but it's also been a triumph of good
communications because the article—
[2:31:09] articles in the entire New York region
have been focusing on that.
[2:31:14] If you just put in Croton-on-Hudson
housing preference for first responders
[2:31:19] housing preference for first responders
and
[2:31:20] medical personnel, you'll see that way,
way to our north,
[2:31:24] our press release was picked up and run.
[2:31:27] So I think we're getting appropriate
recognition for that.
[2:31:31] And hopefully, you know, others will we'll
consider it as well.
[2:31:35] But I think it just, it just goes to show,
you know,
[2:31:39] what the good results we can get when we
make sure to tell our own story in our own
[2:31:45] way. That's it. Thank you. All right, very
good.
[2:31:49] I think most of the major points have been
covered.
[2:31:52] I do want to note our 9/11 ceremony next
week will be done jointly with our
[2:31:58] neighboring communities.
[2:32:00] Buchanan is the formal host, but of
course, physically,
[2:32:04] it will be in our village at our 9/11
Memorial. That's Friday at 4:00.
[2:32:09] And if it is, in the event of rain, it
will be relocated to the Harmon Firehouse.
[2:32:14] But hopefully, those that are available
can come and join us and remember the 25th
[2:32:20] anniversary, which is kind of remarkable
to think about.
[2:32:24] Yes.
[2:32:27] I also want to, uh, congratulate, uh,
[2:32:30] 3 individuals on their exciting new
adventures in public service.
[2:32:34] Uh, I will be appointing Kai Sheng, with
the consent of—
[2:32:39] advice and consent of the Village Board.
[2:32:42] I will be appointing Kai Sheng, um, excuse
me, uh, and Anne Rizzoli,
[2:32:47] and to the Village— to the VEB, Visual
Environment Board.
[2:32:51] And then also Gabriella Mirabelli.
[2:32:53] to the planning board as a planning board
alternate. Wonderful. All right.
[2:32:59] So do I have a motion?
[2:33:00] So moved.
[2:33:01] I have a second. Motion by Trustee Simon,
second by Trustee Nicholson. All in favor?
[2:33:09] Aye. All right. And that— before we motion
to close,
[2:33:14] I'd like to have a brief moment of silence
for Rhoda Stevens,
[2:33:19] who served our village for many, many,
[2:33:22] many years on the Zoning Board of Appeals
from 1982 to 2017,
[2:33:28] serving as chair from 2015 to 2017, and
was also one of our—
[2:33:33] is also part of the Westchester County
Senior Hall of Fame.
[2:33:39] Hopefully we all have opportunities to
serve our community as she did. Thank you.
[2:33:46] Do I have a motion to close?
[2:33:48] Mayor, before we close, could I just add
one thing about the, uh, 9/11 ceremony?
[2:33:52] Yes.
[2:33:52] Um, for— we'll have 3, uh, new names from
village residents who passed away from,
[2:33:59] uh, 9/11 disease be recognized at this
year's ceremony.
[2:34:03] So, um, you know, we, uh,
[2:34:05] we'll have the new plaques put on the
monument down there.
[2:34:09] So fortunately, we are still losing people
as a result of that day.
[2:34:14] So just wanted to highlight that.
[2:34:17] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Madam
Chair. All in favor? Aye.
[2:34:21] I, I don't think you actually got the
motion. I— yeah.
[2:34:24] So moved. Second. Motion by Trustee Simon,
second by Trustee Nicholson.
[2:34:28] All in favor? Aye. Aye. Thank you.