7 Goals for 2007

By Leo Wiegman

Gallelli, Odland, & Wiegman outline 7 proactive goals for 2007 across a range of interconnected issues for Croton.

1. Finance and Economic Development
2. Resolve 1A Croton Pt. Ave. Litigation
3. Join Cool Communities-Living Economies
4. Green Map of Croton Area
5. Hold "State of the Village Summit
6. Start Commuter-Parking Lot Study Group
7. Implement Croton River Compact

See our action plan details below.
1. Establish a Finance and Economic Development Advisory Committee. The new Finance and Economic Developmment Advisory Committee (FEDAC) will be composed of village residents with expertise in financial and economic development matters. FEDAC will advise the Village on matters concerning both the cost and revenue side of operating the Village and on how the Village might seek the best economic development opportunities in harmony with the overall goals and budgets.

2. Resolve 1A Croton Point Avenue litigation. In the event that numerous litigations over this land use issue take a negative turn for the village, we need an alternate method of resolving this dispute to protect the health, safety and welfare of the village residents. Just last week, a federal "judge"< http://www.crotononhudson-ny.gov/Public_Documents/CrotonHudsonNY_Board/00DAFD5D-000F8513> in the "Bergen"<http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MDgxNDc2JnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg> (NJ) case ruled that regulation of a railroad's waste transfer facility was preempted by federal law and that New Jersey had no authority to regulate the facilities or to fine the railroad. In the face of such a negative litigation environment, it is critical to have a fall back plan for the village to retain as much local control over the transfer station site as possible without relying solely on the unpredictable outcome of a court ruling.

3. Embrace Cool Communities Initiatives. The Cool Communities/Living Economies Initiative at Sustainable Hudson Valley is an excellent effort to help local communities move toward more sustainable economies. Croton has long been in the forefront on green practices. The Village already has taken numerous steps for its own buildings to reduce future energy use. We wil establish a "Cool Communities Advisory Group" of 10-12 area residents to flesh out recommendations for the Village to consider. These ideas could and should be quite wide ranging.

4. Green Map of Croton Area to Highlight Local Attractions. The Village is frequently visited by folks new to the area or who come for a local event, such as the Clearwater Festival, who may want to know what the local attractions might be. A simple step toward highlighting local attractions would be a "green map" of the Village and surrounding area. The map would show points of interest that include historically significant sites, recreation sites, water access points, parks, areas of commercial establishments, parking lots, public transportation routes, and more. The resulting Green Map would posted on the Village website and be available in printed form at public places or events.

5. Hold first annual "State of the Village Summit." The Village has many excellent and essential volunteer boards and committees. The range of topics the Village tackles can often be masked by the topic du jour. Hence, in order to give all our residents and volunteers a big picture and to allow the indvidual volunteers to see what other commitees are up to, we will hold a State of the Village Summit, most likely in June at the start of each fiscal year. This summit would be open to all. The Village's respective boards and committees would each present a very brief summary of their accomplishments and future priorities. At present, this summit would include the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Water Control Commission, Visual Environment Board, Comprehensive Plan Committee, Recreation Advisory Committee, Waterfront Advisory Committee. It would also include the Fire Council and short updates from each of the Village's Department heads (Engineer, Treasurer, Public Works, Recreation, Police).

6. Commuter/Parking Hub Study Group. We have 3 major projects at the Croton Harmon Train Station Commuter Lot: (1) the 2004 Transit Oriented District Study of our 2,500 automobile parking lot at the Croton Harmon train station that should be reopened; (2) the ongoing engineering study from Dvirka & Bartilucci on mitigating the occassional flooding at the train station commuter lot needs citizen input; (3) the completed plans from Cherbuliez & Munz on improving the traffic flow, enhancing pedestrian and bicycle safety and relocating the bus and taxi stands at the train station need to be reopened. Given the importance of mass transit in the region and the key role the Croton-Harmon Station plays for Metro North, County buses, Amtrak, and local commuters, we must develop a long term plan for the whole transit area at Croton Point Ave.

7. Croton River Watershed Compact. With the County's imminent release of the Indian Brook-Croton Gorge Watershed Conservation Action Plan, we have a crucial role to play in helping all the 5 communities who share this watershed to begin implementing the local recommendations in this study. The next 6 months will be critical in setting in motion actual revised policies and in spreading the word. We are fortunate that Croton has many knowledgeable volunteers and officials who can lead this intermuncipal effort. Charlie Kane is the de-facto liaison to the County on this matter. The goal is a unified, coordinated set of protections for this source of driinking water and site water based recreation. # # #