The Westchester County Board of Legislators met on Monday, May 18, 2026, at 7:00 PM (reconvened at 7:51 PM after a recess for an Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration). The meeting included public hearings, consideration of numerous bond acts, capital projects, intermunicipal agreements, appointments, and memorial resolutions. All votes were unanimous (16-0) unless noted.
And Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Tonight, we recognize the lasting impact of AAPI residents that have had lasting impact on our communities across Westchester. Generations of AAPI leadership and culture has strengthened our neighborhoods, schools, and public institutions. We are proud to welcome two outstanding honorees whose work speaks to the AAI AAPI spirit of service. Keiko Nicolini is an environmental leader, community advocate, and sustainable systems designer. And Dr. Vikas Argawal is a neurologist and dedicated volunteer and also in Ardsley Board of Education Trustee. Their efforts demonstrate a deep commitment to helping others and building stronger communities. They also reflect this year's AAPI Heritage Month theme of power in unity and the importance of working together to create a more inclusive future. Thank you all for being here. Good evening. Good evening, good evening, and happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. I'm so glad, yes. I'm so glad to see Westchester County continue with these heritage celebrations as different forces throughout the country try to take us backward, try to deny the contributions of different diverse communities to our nation. In Westchester County, we recognize each of the individual communities that makes us strong, that makes us beautiful, that makes us interesting. And tonight we honor our Asian American and Pacific Islander community members. This evening, I am proud to honor Croton's own Keiko Nicolini, who is sitting right here, an environmental justice change maker and sustainability expert. Keiko is proudly both the daughter and granddaughter of Japanese immigrants on her father's side, while her mother's maternal family has lived in the Hudson Valley for many generations with roots tracing back to the 1700s. She was raised in a family of activists, artists, educators, and environmental stewards. Keiko's family helped found the Orange County Land Trust. Her grandmother was a painter, designer, and social justice advocate. And her grandfather's work in environmental protection included key roles in the New York City Department of Sanitation and then in the development of New York State environmental laws. Together, these influences instilled in Keiko a deep belief that local action, environmental stewardship, and civic responsibility are inseparable. Her environmental commitment began at a very early age, at seven years old during a school trip aboard the Clearwater Sloop, where she experienced firsthand the power of environmental education and advocacy. That early experience sparked a lifelong passion for ensuring that all communities have a meaningful access to sustainability and environmental leadership. By age eight, Keiko was already engaged in public advocacy, working alongside her grandmother to bridge cultural barriers and mobilize members of the local Chinatown community in support of what became the full renovation of Sarah D. Roosevelt Park with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Throughout her career, Keiko has provided guidance to governments and corporations on sustainable infrastructure and policy. Her work has included municipal reuse systems, greenhouse gas inventories, electric bus initiatives, and clean energy projects. In Croton on Hudson, our hometown, she led the certification process for the New York State Climate Smart Communities Program, helping the village earn a number three statewide ranking. Our little village of Croton, third in the entire state. In 2023, Keiko also helped launch the Village of Croton Residential Food Scrap Recycling Program. In its first year alone, the program diverted more than 16 tons of waste. Keiko also serves as chair of the NAACP Peakskill Environmental Justice Committee and sits on its executive committee. A graduate of Bard College, just like her county legislator, she remains engaged with its sustainability MBA program and continues to build pathways toward a more just resilient and sustainable future for all communities. It is a privilege to celebrate Keiku Nicolini this evening, who is quite literally a force of nature in our community. We honor Keiko for her advocacy and her proven ability to unite people for the sake of our planet. From her hands on stewardship of residential food scrap recycling programs to her work advising local governments. She has dedicated her life to ensuring a greener future for all. Keiko's heritage of activism is a powerful reminder of how Asian American leaders are shaping a greener and more inclusive Westchester. Thank you, Keiko, for all you've done. I'm so honored to know you. Good evening. However, I think that the greater recognition belongs to the County of Westchester. When so many are abandoning their DEI commitments, this county has held the line, and this award is proof of that. And I thank you. This is AAPI Heritage Month, a time to honor the generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who built this country, who serve it, who contribute the wisdom of our culture to the fabric of America. I was going to tell you a story about being a little girl and spending so much time in my dad's Kendo Dojo at Martial Arts Studio. But I feel like it's a much more sobering moment than to tell a little story like that. The Supreme Court has now finished what it started more than a decade ago with Shelby County versus Holder.