FROM THE CROTON CARING COMMITTEE: AN OPEN LETTER TO TOUGHMAN ORGANIZER DR. RICHARD IZZO

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

As many of you know, the mayor, as well as other officials have made claims about how much money the Toughman competition brings to your local business community. That myth has been now been thoroughly debunked thanks to an engaged citizenry and Mr. Dick Nagle. You can read more about that here http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/09/dick-nagles-92-statement-b4-board-on.html 

Now as to the charitable contributions brought to our village...see the following letter from the Croton Caring Committee below.

An Open Letter to Toughman organizer Dr. Richard Izzo:

In our local newspaper, The Gazette, Week of August 28 through September 3, referring to your application for an extended agreement with the Village of Croton to host the triathlons for the next five years, we read, “Almost $1 million has been raised to benefit more than 70 not-for-profit causes, with local recipients ranging from the Girl Scouts to the Croton Caring Committee, which aids the elderly and handicapped.”

Our records indicate that we received a contribution of $200 in 2009, and having raised $130,000 in 2010, we received a check for $100. We have no record of any contributions for the years 2011, 2012, or 2013 which raised $291,000.

We would expect that as the host village, the Croton Caring Committee, which is a not-for-profit organization, working within the village, would be a recipient every year.

May we hear from you please.

Sincerely,

Anne V. Kennedy, Executive Director,

Croton Caring Committee

REMEMBERING CROTON'S ALLEN FUNT OF CANDID CAMERA (& MT. AIRY!) FAME

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

Allen Albert Funt--who died this date in 1999--was an American television producer, director, writer and TV personality best known as the creator and host of Candid Camera. Mr. Funt also lived right here in Croton on Mt. Airy Road.  (You will also sometimes find his name incorrectly spelled as "Allan" and "Alan").

The Independent had an excellent tribute/obituary piece at  https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-allen-funt-1117146.html

Click on the image above to read an article from 1963, then on the links below to see some EverythingCroton postings:

--1969, FUNT ON PLANE HIJACKED TO CUBA http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/07/1969-crotons-allen-funt-on-plane.html
--1950, FUNT CATCHES CROTON, JACK SLATTERY & GEORGE BARTON STAR http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/04/july-1950-candid-camera-catches-croton.html
--COURTESY OF THE CROTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2012/06/smile-youre-on-candid-camera-courtesy.html

WINNERS OF THE 1979 CROTON FIRE DEPARTMENT SAFETY POSTER/ESSAY CONTEST

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

AND NOW THE WINNERS OF THE 1979 CROTON FIRE DEPARTMENT SAFETY POSTER/ESSAY CONTEST; click on the images below--courtesy of the outstanding archives maintained by The Croton Historical Society.

You may also have an interest in
--FIREMAN SAVE MY CHILD, EARLY 1970'S http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2013/09/early-1970s-croton-free-library-exhibit.html

DICK NAGLE'S 9/2 STATEMENT B4 THE CROTON BOARD ON THE TOUGHMAN CONTRACT, ALLEGED ECONOMIC BENEFITS, SAFETY, ETC.

As you may know, thanks to an engaged citizenry, the ongoing efforts of Croton United's Virginia Calcutti, former EMS director Richard Nagle, our volunteer firefighters, local business owners, Mr. Bob Riekert of Ossining, and many others too numerous to mention, the village board has been stopped from entering into a five year contract with the Toughman.They are however, looking at a two year contract. More details will follow soon. 

Mr. Nagle's 9/2 statement before the board follows below. As to the mayor's very public assertions about the Toughman's alleged economic benefits to our local business community, please note that a response was received TODAY to a foil request for the documentation upon which the mayor has based those statements. The response was:

"NO DOCUMENTS EXIST" 

Mr. Nagle's statement:

Good evening. My name is Dick Nagle, 88 Radnor Ave., Croton.

Mr. Mayor and members of the Board of Trustees, it should come as no surprise that I am here to speak out against the proposed 5 year agreement with the organizers of the Tough Man Enterprises Corporation.

Let me preface by saying that my opposition to this event had no bearing whatsoever on my recent resignation as Director of Emergency Management for the Village of Croton.  May I also say that I have nothing personal against Dr. Richard Izzo, the founder of the event. In fact I admire his organizational abilities and his marketing skills. If anyone could sell ice boxes to the Eskimos it is Dr. Izzo.

What I fail to understand is how our Mayor and Board of Trustees could so easily be taken in by Dr. Izzo’s claims that this event is somehow good for Croton. I see absolutely no benefit in it at all for the citizens and businesses of our village.

I continue to be of the opinion that the event is dangerous to the participants as well as the very few spectators scattered along our streets who, I might add, are not shopping at our local merchants, while waiting for the fun to start.

It is more than just my opinion that the event is incredibly disruptive to the people of our village. An activity as simple as going to church in Ossining on the day of the race becomes a challenge.  And never mind the folks wanting to pass through our village to points south and have found themselves lost on the back roads leading to the Taconic State Parkway. How the Mayor and Board can see this as a good thing for the Village of Croton is beyond me. I challenge the members of the Board, as I did last year, to ask drivers lost and stuck in traffic what they think of Croton now!

As for Dr. Izzo’s remark last December that a “marketing survey” claimed that the 2013 race generated $3.2 million dollars in income for Westchester County, I would love to see the methodology employed to come up with that figure and how accurate it truly is.  What is accurate is that the manager of Giovanni’s on Croton Point Ave. told me personally that if it had not been for the $240 the Croton Police Department  spent on lunch on the day of the race they might as well have stayed home. Indeed, 13 other local merchants from Shop Rite, the Gulf gas station and the delis in Harmon revealed to me, without exception, that the event had a negative impact on business or no impact at all. I don’t know where the $3.2 million dollars went but it sure did not come to Croton.  

It is also interesting to note that the DeCicco Family Market, a food chain operating throughout Westchester and Rockland (but not in Croton) is advertised as providing food in the park for the event.

Finally, I agree with Trustee Gallelli that the village cannot abrogate its responsibility to serve and protect the public by refusing to provide police and other services for the event.  However, I was pleased to see that Trustee Levitt asked for an increase in the fee the village will charge for these services from $14,000 to $15,000, which will barely cover the cost of overtime for the Croton Police Department.

While I am not so naive as to believe that this year’s event will be cancelled I would urge the Board to require Dr. Izzo to return each year and petition the Board of Trustees for an agreement in order to permit a meaningful discussion of the impact on the village and to determine the real, and no doubt, escalating, costs to the taxpayers. I urge this despite Dr. Izzo’s protestations that he needs a 5 year agreement to get a firmer handle on what his overhead costs will be. Let him come back each year and the village will tell him what the cost will be in Croton. If you sign the requested agreement we will not be having this discussion again for 5 years.

In closing, as far as Dr. Izzo’s claim that his organization supports local charities, I will give you one example, the Croton Caring Committee, a god-send to many people in our village. According to my information in 2009 Dr. Izzo donated $200 to the Croton Caring Committee. In 2010 he donated $100. Since then he gave nothing.

Let him come back again next year and tell us then how much he did for the Village of Croton.

Thank you.

******************
Editor's note: Croton Caring Committee letter here http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/09/from-croton-caring-committee-open.html

UPDATED - YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE--SOMEWHAT: TOUGHMAN 5 YEAR CONTRACT DOA

EverythingCroton would like to thank those residents (and non-residents too) who have said enough is enough to The Toughman all these years. Thanks to an engaged citizenry, the ongoing efforts of Croton United's Virginia Calcutti (https://www.facebook.com/crotonunited), former EMS director Richard Nagle, our volunteer firefighters, local business owners, Mr. Bob Riekert of Ossining, and many others too numerous to mention, the village board has been stopped from entering into a five year contract. They are however, looking at a two year contract. More details will follow soon.

Everything Croton joins all those who have written overnight to thank Mr. Nagle for his statement before the board on 9/2/14.  (Mr. Nagle's statement now online at http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/09/dick-nagles-92-statement-b4-board-on.html)

Among the Toughman issues addressed by Mr. Nagle, were first and foremost public safety, as well as the alleged non-existent--or near zero--economic benefit to our business community. You will recall that as recently as the last work session, the mayor continued to promote this alleged benefit. Please note that a response was received TODAY to a foil request for the documentation upon which the mayor has based his public assertions. The response was NO DOCUMENTS EXIST. Is anyone really surprised?).

You are encouraged to watch the meeting on the village website when it is available. 

It is unfortunate that getting this board's attention so often requires enormous amounts of citizen time and effort--not to mention freedom of information requests--on just about everything. Don't you deserve better?

You may also have an interest in: http://www.everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/09/toughman-issues-important-92-letter.html

And more from the Croton United FB page: https://www.facebook.com/crotonunited/notes

UPDATED: MR. NAGLE'S STATEMENT TO THE BD. http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/09/dick-nagles-92-statement-b4-board-on.html

THIS MONTH IN CROTON 1979: SEPTEMBER 1979 - PART 2

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

By special request and for the duration of 2014--a new year--THIS MONTH IN CROTON 1979: SEPTEMBER 1979 - PART 2. Click on the images below. Stay tuned for more. Courtesy of the outstanding archives maintained by the volunteers of The Croton Historical Society. 

SEE PART 1 here: http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/09/this-month-in-croton-1979-september.html

TOUGHMAN 2014 ISSUES: AN IMPORTANT 9/2 LETTER FROM BOB RIEKERT TO EVERYTHING CROTON

UPDATED: http://www.everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/09/dick-nagles-92-statement-b4-board-on.html

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

As many of you know, the village is about to sign a 5 year contract with the Toughman despite massive local and area opposition; see meetings, letters to the editor, etc. going back many years. Bob Riekert of Ossining, an articulate critic of the Toughman and the traffic, public safety and other issues it has raised year after year, has sent a letter to EverythingCroton; it is printed below.  Following this letter will be a number of related links you may have an interest in.

***

To the editor:

DON'T CLOSE THE 9/9A BRIDGE!

For 3 years I have been writing to the Toughman Committee, the 4 mayors, local legislators, and now the NYS Department of Transportation, trying to convince them that they don't need to close the 9/9A bridge to run their race.

Their initial response was that the DOT didn't want the traffic lane crossing over the bike lane, which is a clear indication that they had no idea that the lanes don't cross, and can be easily separated by closing the center lane.

The excellent article in last week's Gazette told the confusion, anger and frustration that motorists undergo when they arrive in Croton, and find they have to back track to the Taconic or Rt. 100 to continue south to Ossining.

And the article printed the Toughman Committee's erroneous description of the detour from 9A to Furnace Dock to Mt. Airy to Rt. 129 South which most of us know would put the motorist right back to the closed bridge!

Even though the Committee brags about raising a million dollars for charity, they are unwilling to install the concrete barriers separating the two lanes as the DOT requires.

I suggested that using school buses or other vehicles in the center lane would be just as safe, and more affordable, but no one seems to want to consider any alternative to the creation of mass confusion caused by the closing of the bridge.

Since it is not obvious that the bridge would be closed as well as Rts. 9 and 9A in the digital signs warning motorists, I asked the DOT to add the words "& Bridge" to the signs.

This should be easy and is the least they can do so that motorists can take I84, Bear Mountain Expressway, or Rt. 202 to the Taconic or Rt. 100.  But there has not been any positive response to this request either.

Unfortunately, there is no way to place enough detour or other warning signs for motorists from all over the north when you close down the entire western half of Westchester.

And it looks like the Village of Croton will have to undergo much vehement cursing annually for the next 5 years.

Bob Riekert, Ossining 

ADDITIONAL LINKS YOU MAY HAVE AN INTEREST IN FOLLOW:

--TOUGHMAN 2014, A WRAP-UP OF PROBLEMS, LETTERS ETC. http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/08/toughman-2014.html
--RICHARD NAGLE, DIRECTOR OF EMS HAS RESIGNED http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/08/richard-nagle-resigns-as-director-of.html
--AN IMPORTANT LETTER FROM CROTON UNITED'S VIRGINIA CALCUTTI http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/09/82814-virginia-calcutti-gazette-letter.html

1966 CYMBELINE, CROTON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

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

BY SPECIAL REQUEST: THE PROGRAM FROM THE 1966 CROTON SHAKESPEARE PRODUCTION OF CYMBELINE. Courtesy of the outstanding archives maintained by the volunteers of THE CROTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY. Click on the images below.

You may also have an interest in
MORE 1966 CROTON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/06/more-croton-shakespeare-festival-1966.html

AND SPEAKING OF 1966, WE FOUND THIS PROMO FOR THE AUGUST 1966 BEATLES TOUR http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-beatles-august-1966-tour-found-2014.html

CROTON FIRE DEPARTMENT: SAYING FAREWELL TO CHARLIE O'CONNOR

Includes more photos, ephemera, etc. Click on the link: http://www.crotonfd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=172

THE BEATLES AUG. 1966 TOUR, FOUND @ THE 2014 ASBURY METHODIST SPRING TAG SALE

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

Have been meaning to share this but it just kept getting pushed aside. Well not today! Check out this great advertisement for the August 1966 Beatles Tour; it was tucked away in a big album of old recipes found at the 2014 Spring Tag Sale at Asbury Methodist--truly one of the best sales around!  Click on the images below. Enjoy! PS: If you'd like to see more from this year's sale, click on the link http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/04/some-photos-from-2014-asbury-methodist.html

Note: All content on this blog is Copyright (c) by Maria Cudequest and by the posters who have contributed specific content. All material is for your personal use only. No content or photos may be republished or sold, without prior written from your editor and the individual who contributed the content in question. For permissions or questions about this policy, please contact the editor.

THIS MONTH IN CROTON 1979: SEPTEMBER 1979 - PART 1

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

By special request and for the duration of 2014--a new year--THIS MONTH IN CROTON 1979: SEPTEMBER 1979 - PART 1. Click on the images below. Stay tuned for more. Courtesy of the outstanding archives maintained by the volunteers of The Croton Historical Society.

SEE AUGUST 1979 HERE http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/08/part-5-this-month-in-croton-1979-august.html