I am very “Ossining Proud” of our many accomplishments in 2024, which were made possible by the collective efforts of our staff, volunteers, community stakeholders, and the Board of Trustees. As we bring another year to an end and look forward to 2025, I would like to give a special thanks to Deputy Mayor Lopez, Trustees White and Fritsche, and a big shout out and gratitude to outgoing Trustee Quezada, who has served in this role for more than a dozen years. His tremendous knowledge of local politics, his community activism, his infrastructure expertise, and his watchful eyes on the financial bottom line have helped our community in innumerable ways. In 2025, we will welcome Trustee Pat Yost, who officially takes office on January 1st—welcome Pat! However, before we welcome in what I am certain will be another productive year in our community, please join me in taking a moment to look back-- below is my Mayoral Year-end review as my final weekly newsletter of 2024. | |
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In 2024, we completed significant infrastructure improvements Village-wide, including upgrading the Historic Five Corners Intersection, major renovations to the Joseph G. Caputo Community Center’s pool and locker rooms, and street scaping on James Street.
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We also got started on several major projects, such as the Multi-Modal Transportation Hub, which will feature a parking garage, community park space, and e-bike stations, which are being thoughtfully planned to revolutionize our community's transportation options. The largest project, the Indian Brook Water Treatment Plant, broke ground this year, underscoring Ossining's commitment to clean drinking water.
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Community programs flourished, with the launch of the Military Banner Program honoring veterans and the first-ever 'Haunted Kill Spooktacular' event, which was a major success and brought our community together in a fun and engaging way.
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The Youth Bureau expanded its programs to benefit over 400 young people, reflecting a substantial investment in the community's future. Sustainable transportation also progressed with the success of Project MOVER, the e-bike initiative encouraging fossil-fuel-free travel.
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Ossining’s beautification efforts were evident through the planting of native trees, the creation of pollinator gardens, and the addition of vibrant globe planters at the Historic Five Corners. On the housing front, the Section 8 office worked diligently to ensure affordable housing for residents, while the Building Department maintained its commitment to housing safety and code compliance. Additionally, the all-volunteer Ossining Fire Department, the largest in New York State, saw leadership transitions and received funding for capital improvements to our firehouses.
| More than ever, we continued to build strong bridges and relationships with various government officials at the county, state, and federal levels. |
- Breaking ground on a new Multi-Modal Transportation Hub.
- Renovations to the Joseph G. Caputo Community Center and implementation of the Route 9 Road Diet – narrowing a one-mile-long segment of Route 9 to one lane of traffic each way, for greater vehicular and pedestrian safety, with added parking to support local businesses.
- Continued investments in parks with more trees and improved, inclusive playgrounds.
- Wilder Balter Partners will break ground at 30 Water Street to build an all-affordable, mixed-use development with 109 rental housing units, a community room, retail space, and a linear park that will complete the Sing Sing Greenway;
- MacQuesten Development will start work on a mixed-use senior affordable project with 74 units of rental housing and ground-floor retail on Croton Avenue.
- Continued investment in the police department, fire department, and municipal buildings.
- Continued investment in the growing Youth Bureau.
- Streetscaping by Water Street and the waterfront, areas that have been overlooked in past decades.
- Enforce the newly created rental registry to better monitor houses that have converted or added rental units.
- Addition of digital signage to increase communication venues.
| Photo credit: AnneMarie Leone | As the holiday season fills our hearts with warmth and joy, I want to thank you for making Ossining a remarkable community of resilience, kindness, and unity. This year has brought challenges and achievements, and together, we’ve grown stronger. As we celebrate, let’s reflect on our blessings and look ahead to a bright new year filled with opportunities. Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season and a meaningful New Year. | |
Village of Ossining | www.villageofossining.org | | | | |
