[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.

[1:17:34] 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.

[1:18:15] 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.

[1:54:33] 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.

Regular Meeting

Transcript