News and Events for Larchmont Residents |
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From the Mayor
Dear Fellow Larchmonters,
Happy Belated New Year! 2021 got off to a rather rough start, to say the least, but with two COVID-19 vaccines already being administered and several more in the pipeline and the possibility for additional federal aid – there is hope on the horizon. And after 11 months of this altered existence that certainly feels nice.
Of course, COVID continues to surge and with the new, more transmissible variants (UK is known to be present in Westchester), we must renew our commitment to doing what we know works – wearing masks whenever you are in a public space, keeping social distance from others not in your household or COVID “pod” and washing hands frequently. The graph below shows monthly positive COVID tests for Village of Larchmont residents since March. As you can see, our numbers locally, while still a small percentage of our population, have increased substantially over the past three months. Let’s slow the spread while we wait for all of us to be vaccinated!
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Speaking of vaccinations – right now NYS is vaccinating people in the 1a and 1b Phase. To see who is included visit the NYS website. If you want to see if you are eligible and to book an appointment, you should visit Am I Eligible?. It has been difficult to get appointments, but as vaccine supply increases, more appointment slots and vaccination locations are expected to be added to the site, so you should check back frequently. The vaccination process is handled by NYS and residents can receive their vaccine at any location within New York. Locally, some pharmacies on the state distribution list (Larchmont Pharmacy is one) have created waiting lists for scheduling appointments based on the number of doses they expect to receive. If you are currently eligible, you can call the pharmacies listed on the NYS website (link above) to inquire about availability. I have reached out to my NYS contact about creating a government run distribution site in Larchmont. Although that is not possible at this time, it may become feasible as supplies increase.
The final COVID-related news for today is an update on the Village’s budget. At a recent meeting, Kimberly Gutwein (Village Treasurer) presented budget year-to-date actuals through December 2020 and projections to year end (May 31, 2021). Currently, the Village’s revenue is projected to be down $414,000 for the fiscal year. The good news is that expenses are also down. This is due primarily to unfilled vacancies, postponed cash-to-capital projects and a reduction in costs related to events and services which have been altered due to COVID. Of course, while there is no expectation that un-realized revenues will meaningfully rebound in the next five months, there is always the potential for expenses to rise – generally through overtime costs necessitated by weather events or personnel absences. The Board and Village staff will continue to monitor the budget carefully so we may close out the fiscal year in the best possible circumstances, while still providing a high level of service to the community.
In other news…
The Larchmont Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative, created in response to the Governor’s Executive Order 203, has been meeting (via zoom) to work on a plan for the Village. Volunteers have created sub-committees to look at Community Policing, Data Collection, Transparency, Policies and Training. We expect to have a draft plan for community review in early March. The final plan needs to be adopted by resolution of the Village Board no later than April 1. If you have not already taken the PRRC community survey, please consider doing so before it is closed on February 9.
Larchmont’s downtown has seen some changes in the past few months! Dining igloos and greenhouses have sprung up, allowing families and “pods” to enjoy and support our restaurants safely. Thank you to One Larchmont and their donors for helping to create this amazing transformation, which is certain to have a ripple effect on the vitality of all of our downtown businesses. If you are interested, read the safety protocols for igloos and greenhouses.
Another change that will be a revitalizing force is the construction of two multi-family/retail buildings in the Palmer area downtown. One is the replacement for the building at 1912 Palmer that burned down in November of 2016. After several delays, work has ramped up - the foundation is done and the ground floor steel is in place and cement has been poured. The second is Centro, a 14-unit mixed use building, at 108-114 Chatsworth Avenue. The owner recently demolished the existing buildings and is expected to start foundation work very soon. These new buildings will increase foot traffic, provide new modern retail space, and improve the aesthetics of our downtown.
Finally, Larchmont is in the process of implementing paid parking in the Palmer and Post downtown districts. The project is guided by a 2018 comprehensive parking study done by BFJ Planning. Parking is an important asset in any town, but in downtowns like Larchmont's the management of this asset is especially important. As has been stated in several Village parking studies dating back to the 1960’s, paid parking is the most effective tool we can use for creating turnover and business-supportive use of parking while insuring that resident permit holders have adequate space to park. At our December 21, 2020 meeting, the Board approved a borrowing resolution in the amount of $625,000 for the purchase of multi-space pay stations, a license plate reader, new signage and other related items. The pay stations, most of which are solar-powered, should be installed on sidewalks and in parking lots beginning in early March. We have contracted for the Passport parking app, which makes paying easier and alleviates aesthetic concerns by reducing the number of pay stations needed. Recognizing the significance of this change to Larchmont, the Village Board has decided to create a Special Revenue Fund through which all revenues and expenses related to this new “parking franchise” will run. We intend to set a policy that this fund will be used primarily to finance capital improvements related to transportation, such as, but not limited to, parking lot redesigns and improvements, road paving, sidewalk repair and pedestrian access. This will ensure that the Village can address some long-standing infrastructure needs and make an investment in our downtowns, all without affecting the general operating fund. We are committed to this approach – so much so that we included the cost of an engineering redesign of the Gilder Street parking lot in the recent bond so that we can be ready to roll with our first capital improvement as soon as the fund is able to finance the cost.
Stay well,
Mayor Lorraine Walsh
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Village Notes
Trustee News: Malcolm Frouman will be resigning from the Board of Trustees. We would like to thank Malcolm for his 5 years of dedicated service on Larchmont's Board and wish him well! He will be greatly missed. When circumstances allow, Malcolm will be fêted in an appropriate way!
Mayor Walsh will be appointing Brigid Brennan to fulfill the rest of his term. Ms. Brennan, a 22+ year resident, has a long history of serving our community. In addition to 13 years on the Village Recreation Committee, Brigid has also served in leadership roles as a member of the Flint Park Conservancy, Junior League, Newcomer's Club, St. Augustine's Parish and Mamaroneck PTA. In November Ms. Brennan intends to run for a full term as a Village Trustee. We all welcome Brigid and look forward to serving with her.
Sanitation: The L-M Sanitation Commission has permanently changed collection operation to be Curbside pickup only. Please be sure to abide by the L-M Sanitation Commission rules and place all trash in bins or cans to prevent spreading by animals (no loose trash bags are allowed). Trash and recycling may be placed at the curb either the evening before your scheduled pickup or before 6AM the morning of your pickup. Inquiries about over-70 and disability exemptions should be sent to Steve Altieri at [email protected].
Dog Waste: As a reminder, Village law requires that individuals pick up after their dogs. Dog waste should be thrown either in your own trash or in Village trash bins. Please do not leave the waste on the sidewalk or throw it in other residents' bins.
Village App: The Village has been working over the past two years with Joe Liberti and his students at Mamaroneck High School, who are part of the Original Civics Research and Action (OCRA) Program. The OCRA Team has created a new App as another way for residents to access Village news and information. Please click the HERE below to explore and download the app. A short 2 minute walk-through video can be viewed HERE.
Snow Removal: As a reminder, Village law requires that residents remove the snow from their sidewalks within 24 hours after the snowfall has ended.
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Committee and Department Updates |
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Volunteers Needed to Join the Larchmont Parks & Trees Committee!
Interested in giving back to your community? Consider if the Parks & Trees Committee might be a good fit for you!
If your children play in Willow or Pine Brook Park Playgrounds, if you walk your dog through the leafy streets of Larchmont, if you play tennis at Flint Park or take a moment to sit on the benches in the new Constitution Park, you are already familiar with some of the activities that Parks and Trees Committee volunteers undertake each year. In addition to being involved in future efforts to ensure that our parks are great spaces for everyone who uses them, the P&T also identifies locations and species for new street tree plantings, helping Larchmont maintain its over 30-year status as a “Tree City USA”.
To find out more, please contact P&T trustee liaison Carol Casazza Herman at [email protected].
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Larchmont Police Department
On October 12, 1976 Larchmont Patrolman Arthur Dematte was brutally murdered in the line of duty. Officer Dematte served the Larchmont community for 20 years and was also a resident of Larchmont.
Officer Arthur Dematte was shot and killed while attempting to remove a transient from the New Haven Railroad tracks. The suspect was able to gain control of Officer Dematte’s service weapon and then used it against him. Officer Dematte fled after being injured but was pursued and executed.
His assailant, Anthony Curtis Blanks, was convicted of murder and sentenced to 25 years to life on February 2, 1978. Officer Dematte was, and still is, survived by his wife and four children. Anthony Curtis Blanks will receive a parole hearing this March 2021 to determine if he is eligible for release from prison.
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Help For Our Local Businesses
A huge thank you One Larchmont for helping our local business through the pandemic. They hosted a dinner last week for those donors who helped to sponsor the domes!
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Please remember to eat and shop local to help our local businesses and ensure that we continue to have a vibrant downtown. Check out the One Larchmont website HERE to see how you can help today.
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Larchmont Library
The Library onsite services are open on a limited basis. Please check the Library website for details.
If you need help with managing your account or anything else, Reference staff is ready to assist you. Email any time at [email protected]. If you want a real live person, call 914-734-5362 any weekday between 10am and 4pm.
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Village Calendar
2/1 Planning Board Special Meeting
2/2 Traffic Commission Meeting
2/3 Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting
2/4 Larchmont Environmental Committee Meeting
2/8 Board of Trustees work session
2/15 Presidents' Day - Village Hall Closed
2/16 Board of Trustees Meeting and Planning Board Meeting
2/22 Board of Trustees Work Session
2/24 Architecture Review Board Meeting
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