Where's the Money for Sleepy Hollow Statue?

The Headless Horseman statue on Route 9 has commemorated the Sleepy Hollow legend for several years. That hasn't stopped some residents from questioning its cost or calling for an improvement in its appearance.

“I think it’s a disgrace the way it looks,” Donald Caetano told the Board of Trustees at their June 14 meeting. Caetano takes issue with the statue’s base, which is constructed of plywood and a green felt-like material. He said he would like to see something “a little more decorative.” Caetano suggested a shrubbery, stone or concrete foundation.

Sleepy Hollow resident Mario Belanich, who was also at the meeting, followed Caetano’s comments noting that the village was still owed hundreds of thousands of dollars for that statue, after the committee behind it promised to pay for it all with donations—and then failed to do so.

Belanich asked the board if the village had recouped the money for the statue, to which Mayor Ken Wray said, “No we did not.”

Wray confirmed that the statue, which was erected during the previous administration, was supposed to be built entirely through donations. Since the donations didn’t come close to covering the cost, the village ended up footing a substantial part of the statue’s bill.

Wray said the village continues to review the situation. As for Caetano’s comments, Wray said that the village wouldn’t “spend additional money on trying to make it look better when we’re still owned money for getting it” built in the first place.

“Those folks who pledged their resources or pledged their efforts to raise the money for the statue haven’t come through with what they said they would do, and we encourage them to do so,” he said.

Trustee Bruce Campbell echoed Wray’s statements, suggesting that they contact the members of the committee and ask them how they intended to raise the money. “I’d like to see us redouble our efforts to get that money back for the village,” he said.

What do you think of the statue? Tell us in comments below.

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