Hello Town of Crawford Residents,

Many of you signed a petition to form a coterminous town-village in the Town of Crawford. The Town Board has approved this petition, and we are asking registered voters to vote on this referendum on December 12, 2023, between 8am and 9pm at the Crawford Community Center, 115 St. Rt 302, Pine Bush. We believe this move is in keeping with the Master Plan formed in 2014 and adopted on May 18, 2017. At that time, town residents, business owners, town officials and others came together to form a comprehensive plan for the Town of Crawford. Surveys were sent out to all residents, and public Community Visioning sessions were held to determine what we all wanted for our town. Part of the Mission Statement that was formulated included the following:

We pledge to work in partnership with our residents to foster community pride, to develop a vibrant, diversified economy, to plan for the future, to support the health and well-being of all residents and to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of our environment through strong relationships between residents, the Town, businesses, educators, non-profits, and our faith-based community. The Town of Crawford will facilitate a forward-looking, people-friendly community that champions our community’s diversity and results in a better place to live, work, play and raise families.

We believe that forming a coterminous town-village strongly supports the vision of Town of Crawford’s future that we all shared. Many of you have asked questions about what this actually means for our town and residents. We hope the following information answers these questions for you.

What is the petition asking for? The petition is a request by Town residents to transform Crawford from a town to a consolidated or coterminous town-village. Coterminous means having a shared border. The new village would take up the Town of Crawford entirely. This means that no other villages could be formed within our town. At the time of this writing, this is still possible. The residents who signed the petition want to keep the Town of Crawford as it is, without any other villages being formed within our town limits.

What would happen if another village were formed within the Town of Crawford? If another village were formed within the Town of Crawford, they could form their own municipal government, enact their own laws, and create their own highway department and ambulance services. This could, and probably would, result in additional expenses and overlapping taxes for Town of Crawford residents.

If the petition passes, will it prevent other villages being formed within the Town of Crawford? Yes, if the petition passes, it will prevent other villages being created within Town of Crawford borders. We would form a coterminous village which means the village would be the exact same size as the Town of Crawford with the same borders. We would then immediately form the village back into a town called the Consolidated Town of Crawford, but we expect that it will informally continue to be referred to as the Town of Crawford.

Why would we transform the village to a town? Reverting back to a town format would enable us to keep everything in town exactly the way it is: the same highway department, ambulance services, utilities and water service, Town Board, Town Supervisor, Town Clerk and Tax Collector format. It would be the same Town of Crawford we now know, only now we can be sure that no other villages will be formed within our borders.

When do we vote on this proposal? On December 12^th, you will have the opportunity to vote on this proposal. It will be a “combined referendum,” because it will ask you to vote on two things: (1) forming a coterminous (sharing the same boundaries with the Town of Crawford) village and (2) transforming that village back into a town.

What exactly will we be voting on? Two yes/no questions will be posed to eligible voters as follows:

1. Should the Village of Crawford be incorporated pursuant to the elector-initiated petition? NEED TO VOTE YES TO PASS
2. Should the newly-incorporated Village of Crawford be immediately consolidated with the existing Town of Crawford to create the Town-Village of Crawford? NEED TO VOTE YES TO PASS

Why should I vote yes for each referendum? The existence of a village prevents other villages from incorporating within the same borders. The creation of a town-village within the Town of Crawford’s existing borders will prevent any other villages from incorporating in the Town of Crawford.

What happens if I vote yes to one referendum and no to the other? If you vote yes to one referendum and no to the other, your vote will count as a NO. In order for your vote to count as a YES, you need to vote yes to both items in the referendum: (1) yes to forming a coterminous village and (2) yes to transforming that village to a consolidated town.

What changes will be made to the existing Town Board and Supervisor powers if the petition passes? No changes will be made. The Town Supervisor and each Town Board member will retain the same abilities.

Will there be any extra steps or changes in the process of applying for building permits? No, the procedure will not cause any extra steps or changes in the building-permit application process.

Will there be any changes in our current zoning laws?

No, the procedure itself will not cause any changes to the current zoning laws.

Will this change result in any type of new taxes for the new town-village? No, there will be no impact on taxes for the new town-village.

Will it be necessary to re-assess all the properties in the new town-village? No, there is no need to impose a reassessment of properties within the new town-village.

Will this in any way affect our current school district boundaries? No, the school district boundaries are not affected by this procedure.

What is required for this petition to pass? In order for the petition to pass, a majority of residents have to vote yes to BOTH items in the referendum.

What happens if the petition doesn’t pass? If either referendum fails, the reorganization will not take place, and the process cannot be reinitiated for at least four years. During that time, other villages could be formed within the Town of Crawford. This is why it’s important to vote yes to both items so that we will become a consolidated town and no other villages can be formed within our borders.

Are absentee ballots permitted? Absentee ballots are prohibited for incorporation referendums, so they would not be allowed in this vote.

The Town Supervisor and Town Board strongly encourage all to vote yes to both questions in the dual-referendum to keep our town whole and undivided. If you have any questions or concerns about this vote, feel free to stop in to Town Hall and see the Town Supervisor or Town Clerk or call 845-744-2020.

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TOWN OF CRAWFORD

NOTICE OF REFERENDUM ON

THE CONSOLIDATED TOWN OF CRAWFORD

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on December 12, 2023, a combined election (also called a referendum) will be held at which the registered voters of the Town of Crawford are entitled to vote to determine whether the following referendum measures are approved or rejected:

Shall the Village of Crawford Be Incorporated Pursuant to the Elector-Initiated Petition?

Shall the Newly Incorporated Village of Crawford Be Simultaneously Consolidated With the Existing Town of Crawford To Create the Consolidated Town of Crawford Pursuant to the Elector-Initiated Petition?

The Elector-Initiated Petition states that its purpose is to consolidate the Town with a Village to be incorporated to give the Town greater flexibility and authority to provide services to its residents, and to allow greater economy and efficiency, while protecting against the wasteful proliferation of overlapping governments by authorizing the Town to exercise the powers of a village while continuing to operate as a town. The Petition is a combined petition as it seeks to form a village only with the simultaneous consolidation with the Town of Crawford. Non-consolidation would defeat the purpose of the Petition by creating an overlapping and redundant government. Because a single government will continue to exist if the referendum is approved, the Petition states that consolidation will prevent future financial burdens to the Town and its taxpayers that would occur if a new government were incorporated without consolidation.

If the referendum is approved, the incorporated village will be known as the Village of Crawford, having the same boundaries as the Town of Crawford, which will be simultaneously consolidated with the existing Town of Crawford to form the Consolidated Town of Crawford, which will have the same boundaries as the existing Town of Crawford.

The referendum election will be held on December 12, 2023, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM, at the Town of Crawford Senior and Community Center, 115 State Route 302, Pine Bush, New York 12566.

The Combined Petition for a Consolidated Town of Crawford may be examined at the Town Clerk’s office, Town Hall, 121 State Route 302, Pine Bush, New York 12566, during normal business hours. The Town Clerk may be contacted by email at [email protected] or telephone (845) 744-2020. Frequently Asked Questions and other information is also available on the Town’s website at www.townofcrawford.org.

Dated: November 16, 2023

 

BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD

JESSICA KEMPTER, TOWN CLERK

 

 

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10/26/2023

Town of Crawford Supervisor Charles E. Carnes is pleased to announce his 2024 budget to be presented to the Town Board. For 2024 the general portion of the budget will show an increase of 1.984%. This amounts to a $21.16 increase for a house with a market value of $300,000.00. Rateables increased from 347,810,615 to 352,020,907 an increase of 4.2 million which helped lighted the tax increase.  The largest cost increases include insurance, police services, senior and youth services and the new paid ambulance services. Once again, we are under the New York State property tax cap as we have every year since it was started. Despite record inflation and unfunded cost increases passed down to us we remain fiscally strong. Conservative budgeting and expense control have enabled us to hold taxes down. My goal is and has been to keep our taxes as reasonable as possible so our residents can afford to live in our community.  

2023 projects include a new Crawford square area in Pine Bush to support our business owners and provide a place for our community events to be held. In addition, we installed new green sand filters and are currently working on a new water source for our water supply. Also new sidewalks and a senior and community exercise area off of Holland Avenue which will also connect to the Boniface Road area for pedestrians. For 2024 we are looking to expand the walking trail and construct a new garage behind Town Hall and possibly construct a small building for our summer camp for inclement weather days.

A District general   2023-8.455 per thousand/ 2024- 9.1518 per thousand
DA District Highway 2023-6.11 per thousand/ 2024-5.70 per thousand
PK Parking 2023-.1138 per thousand/ 2024-.1169 per thousand
SS Sewer 2023 -11.515 per unit/ 2024 11.881 per unit
SW Water 2023-12.486 per unit/ 2024 13.289 per unit
Usage Rate for 2023 was 7.00 per thousand/ 2024 to be set

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Click Here to View the Town of Crawford's October 2023 Newsletter

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TOWN OF CRAWFORD TOWN BOARD
RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE RELOCATION OF
MIGRANTS AND ASYLUM SEEKERS AND
AUTHORIZING COMMENCEMENT OF LEGAL ACTION

            WHEREAS, there is a national immigration crisis at the border between the United States and Mexico in that unprecedented and overwhelming numbers of migrants and asylum seekers are crossing over the border of the United States; and

            WHEREAS, the Federal government has failed or refused to anticipate and react to the exigent and emergent circumstances, resulting in thousands of migrants and asylum seekers crossing the U.S. border; and

            WHEREAS, the Mayor of New York City has failed to adequately address the needs of said migrants and asylum seekers transferred to or otherwise arrived in New York City, and has recently undertaken to relocate hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers to locations in the Hudson Valley and to use local hotels as shelters or dormitory facilities for housing them; and

            WHEREAS, the City of New York has not communicated any plan for supervising, processing, and/or providing services to the migrants and asylum seekers who are being transported to Hudson Valley hotels; and

            WHEREAS, the use of such hotels by the City of New York as migrant shelters or dormitory facilities is of unknown and indeterminate length, and may last for months or longer; and

            WHEREAS, the City of New York has not provided, nor offered to provide, any funds or assistance to the Hudson Valley communities where migrants and asylum seekers are being sent to defray the additional service costs those communities will incur due to the use of local hotels as shelters or dormitory facilities, such as costs related to police and fire protection, emergency services, medical facilities and other services and needs; and

            WHEREAS, the Town of Crawford lacks the facilities, services capacity, and funds to provide adequate shelter, assistance, and basic necessities to dependent migrants and asylum seekers  that the City of New York is transferring to the Hudson Valley; and

            WHEREAS, the Town of Crawford has enacted a zoning code to protect and preserve the health, safety, and welfare of the Town's residents and property owners; and

            WHEREAS, the Town's zoning code does not allow the use of hotels or other temporary residence facilities, including camps, for use as long-term residential housing such as shelters or dormitories; and

            WHEREAS, New York City's transportation of migrants and asylum seekers to the Town for that purpose is illegal; and

            WHEREAS, violation of the Town of Crawford Zoning Code is illegal activity which subjects the offender to both criminal prosecution and civil liability; and

            WHEREAS, migrants and asylum seekers could face refusal or eviction from such illegal hotels and short-term residential facilities by the owners thereof, resulting in homelessness for these migrants and asylum seekers.

            NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor, the Town Building Inspector, and the Town's attorneys to commence civil and/or criminal actions against any property owner and operator who illegally uses property as a shelter or dormitory facility.

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor and the Town's attorneys to commence a civil action against the City of New York in the event that it undertakes to illegally utilize hotels or other facilities in the Town of Crawford as illegal shelters or dormitory facilities.

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this Resolution, along with a letter demanding action to put a stop to New York City's illegal transportation and housing of migrants and asylum seekers in the Hudson Valley, shall be sent to the Mayor of the City of New York, the Town's representatives in the New York State Legislature, and to Governor Kathy Hochul.

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this Resolution shall be sent to every hotel and temporary residence facility in the Town of Crawford, along with a letter advising the hotel or other facility owners that use of their facilities as a shelter or dormitory facility is illegal and will subject them to criminal prosecution and civil liability.

            On the motion of Council Member Michael Menendez seconded by Council Member Angelina Jadrossich the foregoing resolution was adopted on a vote of 5 Ayes, 0 Nays.

Dated:  May 18, 2023

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Real Property Data Collector

The Town of Crawford is seeking a part-time Real Data Collector 1 day per week (Thursday's) and possible additional days as needed.

Work Duties Include: Inspecting, verifying and recording details of commercial and residential properties required for property valuation. Verifying measurements & information of new construction, additions, and existing structures. Review building plans. Check validity of all data and record changes. Enter sketches of building into our computer program.

Must have a valid NYS driver’s license. No experience necessary, just dependability and willingness to learn and be customer-service oriented.

Submit resume to: The Town of Crawford Supervisor’s Office, 121 State Route 302, Pine Bush, NY 12566 or email resume to: [email protected].

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Click Here to View the Town of Crawford's April 2023 Newsletter

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Attached: FAQ Regarding the Proposed Combined Petition for Incorporation and Consolidation

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NYS Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative
Reform Report Download