AGENDA, WORK SESSION, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ANOTHER EXECUTIVE SESSION (LOT A???); ASSORTED BUDGET ITEMS

BOARD OF TRUSTEES WORK SESSION AGENDA--THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2024 AT 6:00 PM

1. Consider a request from the Village Manager to enter into an Executive Session to discuss the proposed acquisition, sale or lease of real property when publicity would substantially affect the value thereof.
2. Review of the EMS Budget

   7:00 - 7:20 PM

   Tentative Budget FY 2024-2025
   
3. Review of the Fire Department Budget

   7:20 - 7:50 PM

   Tentative Budget FY 2024-2025
   
4. Review of the Police Department Budget

   7:50 - 8:20 PM

   Tentative Budget FY 2024-2025  

AT THE MAILBOX, THE KATZ REGAN HOUSING PROJECT-----'MAPLE COMMONS'

The blog continues to receive many comments and/or questions about the Regan/Katz Housing project on Maple.  And sadly, there are still some Croton residents who mistakenly believe that these apartments are reserved for village residents.   In part, this belief has been---and is still---encouraged by the public statements of local officials. 

Please note---at a recent "information session" for this site--it had been reported that OVER 4,000 applications have been made for the 33 apartments.  Let it suffice to say that the likelihood of any Croton residents obtaining an apartment is......slim.

You may also have an interest in this Croton Chronicle article.  At the time the article was written---1,500 applications had been received.  

THE NEW EVERYTHING CROTON: THE CROTON CHRONICLE--INFO SESSION ON MAPLE COMMONS (KATZ-REGAN) CONFIRMS THERE IS LITTLE CHANCE CROTON PEOPLE WILL GET THOSE APARTMENTS

REMINDER---TOWN OF CORTLANDT ARTISTS CHOOSE ARTISTS OPEN CALL

Welcome to The New Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses of worship-----in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

Artists Choose Artists Open Call----Release Date: March 26, 2024--Cortlandt Artists are invited to pair with a fellow artist in their community or network, to jointly create submissions---MORE INFO AT THE NEW EVERYTHING CROTON: TOWN OF CORTLANDT ARTISTS CHOOSE ARTISTS OPEN CALL

NEW FROM THE CROTON CHRONICLE: LOWEST PAID WORKERS IN CROTON-HARMON SCHOOLS HOPE FOR A BETTER DEAL AS NEGOTIATIONS FOR A NEW CONTRACT BEGIN

Welcome to The New Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses of worship-----in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

[Note: The salaries of government workers in New York state are public information]

NEW FROM THE CROTON CHRONICLE: Lowest paid workers in Croton-Harmon schools hope for a better deal as negotiations for a new contract begin

Teacher Aides and Food Service workers get just over minimum wage and no benefits even after many years of service. Superintendent Walker promises a “fair” agreement.

MICHAEL BALTER
APRIL 4, 2024

Note: This post is free to all readers, but not all stories are or can be. The Croton Chronicle publishes information you can find nowhere else. To support local journalism, please consider taking out a paid subscription. See details below.

Jean Giordano has worked for the Croton-Harmon school district for 18 years. She is also president of the Aides of Croton United (ACU), the collective bargaining unit for Teacher Aides, Lunch Monitors, and Food Service Helpers in the district’s three schools. She and others organized the ACU eight years ago to represent the lowest paid workers in Croton’s school system, a group of nearly 60 employees. The current contract with the district went into effect July 1, 2021. It expires this coming June 30.

Last year, Giordano went to the district three times asking for financial help for the ACU’s members, “because we were all struggling.” She says the district said no, telling the union that it would have to wait for the next contract negotiations. At times, members of the union, along with supportive teachers and other colleagues, had to take up collections for employees who were financially strapped and were often working other jobs to make ends meet.

Croton is a relatively well-off community, but its Teacher Aides and food service workers are among the lowest paid in Westchester County. Over the time of the contract, about 60 members of the bargaining unit have left for other jobs, a very high turnover that could hardly be good for the students nor the teachers who rely heavily on Teacher Aides for help in the classroom.  READ MORE AT Lowest paid workers in Croton-Harmon schools hope for a better deal as negotiations for a new contract begin (substack.com)

NEW AT FEED THE BIRDS! EVERYONE'S FAVORITE STONE AGGREGATE BIRD BATHS

Welcome to The New Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses of worship--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

JUST ARRIVED AT FEED THE BIRDS! From Grand Rapids, MI---, everyone’s favorite stone aggregate bird baths. (Click on the photo.) Three styles, in two heights.

Backyard Birding and Nature Store – Feed the Birds! (feedthebirdscroton.com)

326 S. RIVERSIDE AVENUE, CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NY 10520

(914) 862-4700

EXCAVATION HALTED ON UNAPPROVED APARTMENT TOWER, "SENIOR HOUSING", YONKERS

FOR THOSE following this issue--YONKERS LEDGER--Excavation Halted on Unapproved Apartment Tower Across from Untermyer Gardens

Mark Parolisi---April 2, 2024

Just weeks after the City Council approved a zone change to allow apartments to be built upon a vacant lot on North Broadway, heavy machinery began clearing the land in preparation for a heretofore unapproved senior housing development. However, vigilant neighbors contacted the building department who soon halted the work over lack of approvals.

The proposal and the pushback

The vacant lot at 900 N. Broadway, nestled amidst a bustling northwest corridor across from Untermyer Gardens, has become a focal point for proposed residential development. The initial plan outlined the construction of 60 market-rate senior housing units spread across a four-story building. However, neighbors raised concerns regarding the reduced amount of parking. While a typical residential building requires at least one space per unit, this proposal only includes 31 spaces. READ MORE AT Excavation Work Halted on Unapproved Apartment Tower (theyonkersledger.com)