VILLAGE OF CORNWALL-ON-HUDSON

INTRODUCTORY LOCAL LAW NO. 2 OF 2025

A LOCAL LAW ENTITLED “EXTENDING THE TERM LENGTHS OF VILLAGE TRUSTEES AND AMENDING CHAPTER 15 OF THE VILLAGE CODE

ADDING ARTICLE III GOVERNING TERMS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS”

Be it enacted by the Village Board of the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson, County of Orange, State of New York, as follows:

Section 1.        Title.

 

This Local Law shall be referred to as:

 

“A Local Law Extending the Term Lengths of Village Trustees and Amending Chapter 15 of the Village Code Adding Article III Governing Terms of Elected Officials.”

 

Section 2.        Authority.

 

This Local Law is enacted pursuant to Section 10 of the New York State Municipal Home Rule Law, Section 23 of the New York State Municipal Home Rule Law, Article 9 of the New York State Village Law and Section 3-302(5) of the New York State Village Law.

Section 3.        Purpose and Intent.

 

The purpose of the proposed local law extending the terms length of the Village Trustees is to promote continuity and stability in local governance, by allowing trustees more time to implement and oversee policies effectively. By lengthening their terms of office, the Village Board seeks to enhance the ability of trustees to develop long-term strategies, strengthen community relationships, and execute initiatives that benefit the village’s residents and infrastructure. This extension also aims to reduce the frequency and administrative costs associated with elections, thereby easing the burden on village resources and ensuring that trustees can focus more on serving the community.

 

Upon a majority vote of the electorate in a referendum pursuant to Section 3-302(5) of the Village Law, the length of office for Village Trustees shall be extended from two years to four years. If this local law becomes effective, the new term lengths will commence at the beginning of the official year following the next general village election, pursuant to New York State Village Law Section 3-302. Thus, this law shall apply to all elected Village trustees with terms beginning on or after the first Monday in April of 2026. Trustees elected in March of 2025 for terms beginning on the first Monday in April of 2025 will serve a two-year term.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 4.        Amendments.

 

 Chapter 15 of the Village Code of the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson, Entitled “Officers and Employees,” is hereby amended to add Article III, entitled “Term Lengths for Elected Officials” and will state as follows:

 

Article III Term Lengths for Elected Officials.

 

§15-6             Mayor.

The term of office of the Mayor shall be two years.

 

§15-7.1         Board of Trustees.

The term of office of each Village Trustee shall be four years, effective for all terms beginning on or after the first Monday in April of 2026. Those elected at the March 2025 General Village Election for Village Trustee positions will remain two-year terms as required by New York Village Law § 3-302.

 

Section 5.        Referendum.

The proposition that this chapter be adopted shall, pursuant to Municipal Home Rule Law Section 23 and Article 9 of the New York State Village Law, be submitted to the electors of the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, at the General Village Election of the qualified electors to be held in said Village on the 18^th day of March, 2025 between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. of said day, and this chapter shall become effective if approved by a majority of the electors of the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson who vote on the proposition at said election.

 

Section 6.

The following question shall be submitted to the electors to consider the approval of this amendment:

 

“Shall Local Law No. ____ of 2025 entitled ‘Extending the Term Lengths of Village Trustees and Amending Chapter 15 of the Village Code Adding Article III Governing the Terms of Office for Elected Village Officers’ be approved extending the term of office for Village Trustees from two years to four years?”

 

Section 7.        Effective Date.

This chapter shall take effect and become operative only if approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the qualified electors of the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson voting upon the proposition as provided in the General Municipal Home Rule Law.

 

All other text contained in Chapter 15 shall continue in full force and effect.

 

 

Section 8.        Severability.

If any part or provision of this Local Law or the application thereof to any person or circumstance be adjudged invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such judgment shall be confined in its operation to the part or provision or application directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered and shall not affect or impair the validity of the remainder of this Local Law or the application thereof to other persons or circumstances, and the Village Board of the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson hereby declares that it would have passed this Local Law or the remainder thereof had such invalid application or invalid provision been apparent.

Section 9.    Repeal.

All ordinances, local laws and parts thereof inconsistent with this Local Law are hereby repealed.

Section 10.      Authority.

This Local Law is enacted pursuant to the Municipal Home Rule Law and the Village Law.  This Local Law shall supersede the provisions of Village Law to the extent it is inconsistent with the same, and to the extent permitted by the New York State Constitution, the Municipal Home Rule Law, or any other applicable statute.

Section 11.      Effective Date.

This law shall become effective upon filing with the office of the New York State Secretary of State in accordance with Section 27 of the Municipal Home Rule Law.