Mayor's Weekly Update

July 16, 2024

MAYOR'S UPDATE

From the desk of Mayor Rika Levin

Saturday’s shooting serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of political polarization and access to military-style guns. I pray for the victims and their families and urge all Americans to come together and reject all political violence. Individuals running for elected offices are participating in the democratic process. People seeking elected offices at all levels of government should be able to do so safely, regardless of their political leanings. I encourage you to speak your mind by voting for your preferred team without vitriol or violence.

Westchester County Clerk's Community Outreach Mobile Office is coming to Ossining on Wednesday, July 17^th, from 11AM to 1PM at the Community Center.

Let The Westchester County's Mobile Outreach Visit to Ossining Help You!

Apply for a Passport
Obtain Notary Services In-person notary services will be available free of charge.

The Village of Ossining recognizes that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activity are catalyzing profound climate change, the consequences of which pose substantial risks to the future health, well-being, and prosperity of our community and our planet.

Local government can play an important role in reducing GHG emissions and making our community more sustainable and resilient to climate change. Through proactive measures such as smart land use planning, alternative transportation, improved energy efficiency, and green building, the Village of Ossining can significantly reduce energy use and GHG emissions.

Please take a moment to review the Village of Ossining's Local Government Operations Climate Action Plan (https://bit.ly/462Ad0J) and submit any comments, questions, or ideas on the Village's Climate Action Plan to Plan@villageofossining.org with the subject line "Village CAP Feedback" no later than July 31, 2024.

Over the past several years, Ossining has been working on various solar and sustainable energy projects. The train station parking lot, along with other locations, had been identified as a good location for a solar canopy.

Recognizing the impact that the construction of this project would have on commuters during the construction phase we strived to time the project during the summer months to minimize any inconvenience.

We were informed last week that the company responsible for installing the Solar Canopy on the east side of the Train Station Parking Lot will not be able to start next week as planned. Rather than postpone the project, the Village is now working with the New York Power Authority to identify alternative sites for solar array installation.

Please disregard all previous communication regarding temporary parking disruptions at the Train Station. Parking will remain undisturbed.

We remain committed to increasing Ossining’s renewable energy resources and will keep the community apprised of future solarization plans.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Village Manager’s office at 914-941-3554 or email the Board of Trustees at bot@villageofossining.org with any questions or concerns.

The Ossining School District continues to strive towards creating a more inclusive, respectful, and affirming school environment. They are pleased to announce an exciting series aimed to engage our entire community in meaningful dialogue and action in response to the bias language and actions that are plaguing our nation and our own community.

They will be sharing public service announcements (PSAs) created to raise awareness and promote discussion across our communities. These PSAs will serve as powerful tools to educate, inspire, and encourage us to reflect on important social issues.

The PSAs were produced by the Ossining High School Communications Club and in collaboration with local leaders and community partners, including:

Village of Ossining Historian Joyce Sharrock Cole
Cantor Margot Goldberg
MAANGO: Westchester Young Asian American/Pacific Islanders
Center Lane for LGTBQ+ Youth
Neighbors Link

The if for these PSAs to inform and inspire the dialogue necessary to create a more cohesive community.

You are invited to actively participate in this series by:

Watching the PSAs: Each announcement will be shared on our school’s website, social media channels, and via O-Blast. Your engagement is crucial.
Discussing the Content: Use these videos as a starting point for conversations at home and in the classroom.
Taking Action: Consider how you can contribute to social justice efforts in your daily life. Small actions can lead to significant changes.

Plastic Free July: Be Part of the Solution

Plastic Free July^® is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to reducing single-use plastics – so we can conserve our natural resources, fight climate change, and have cleaner lands, waters, and communities. The movement has inspired 100+ million participants in 190 countries to start making small changes that will last a lifetime. 87% of Plastic Free July participants make changes that become habits! It's easy to join the movement of people worldwide and get started.

How to take small steps that make a big difference during Plastic Free July (PFJ) and beyond:

Take the Plastic Free July Challenge. Make a commitment to create positive change- identify whether you will cultivate change at home, work, school, or other areas of your community. When you sign up for the challenge, you will receive motivating tips throughout July.
Take the Pesky Plastics Quiz. Contribute to data collection worldwide about the types of single-use plastics being used.
Review tips and ideas about where you can make changes.
Get Inspired or inspire others to get involved with plastic waste solutions by creating your own event at work, school, or out in the community.

This week’s Legislative Meeting will occur at 7:30PM on Wednesday, July 17^th, at the Court House.

Some items of note:

The Board will begin with resolutions to call for (6) Public Hearings, as follows:

Section 8’s Five-Year Plan
A proposed local law updating various definitions use group classifications, zoning district requirements bulk requirements, and parking regulations in the Zoning Code (Chapter 270)
A proposed local law making amendments to Village Code Chapter 91 re: the window of time applicants have to protest consultant billing, as well as the requirement to replenish escrow before a resolution can be released
A proposed local law making amendments to Village Code Chapter 247 re: minimum standards for permit approval and fingerprinting requirements to reference NY Correction Law
A proposed local law to enact the Indian Brook/ Croton Gorge Intermunicipal Watershed Protection Overlay District by amending Chapter 270 (Zoning Code)
A public hearing on the Village’s (4) CDBG projects, as required by law

The Board will also have (2) local laws to adopt:

Updates to Chapters 162 and 195, and the addition of Chapter 92, all related to Housing & Property Maintenance in alignment with the NYS code sections
The rental registry program

The BOT will have a resolution re-appointing McCullough Goldberger and Staudt as land use counsel and authorizing the Village Manager to sign a 3-year retainer agreement with them as well as a resolution to authorize legal action against Lothrop for their work on the Caputo Center Swimming Pool job.

The Board will then have (2) resolutions approving revisions to the Significant Sites and Structures Guide (James Robinson House) and to the Architectural Design Guidelines (Awnings, Ramps, and Solar Panels), as recommended by the HPC and co-signed by the Board of Architectural Review/ Planning.

Finally, under New Business, we will be adding a resolution to join the purchasing consortium Equalis, which has been vetted by the Treasurer’s Office as being aligned with our procurement standards, and will enable us to purchase supplies and equipment as required.

Village of Ossining | www.villageofossining.org