Town of Bedford
March 18, 2022
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Dear Bedford,
St. Patrick’s Day made me feel lucky in so many ways. Lucky that COVID-19 seems to be at bay for now and we are seeing each other again. Lucky to live in and work for this beautiful town with so many kind and caring people.
We also feel lucky to be preparing for spring/summer in the Recreation and Parks Department. Within the next couple of weeks pool passes and program and camp registration will begin. Park preparation will be in full swing and trail markers are going up for hiking. Read below about the new Living A Creative Life classes - priority registration for seniors continues through March 22.
At the recent Town Board meeting we set several public hearings for April 5 to amend the town code to raise the limits on the Veterans tax exemption, amend the fence law and the keeping of animals code to allow for the temporary use of goats and sheep for targeted vegetation management, and to amend the noise ordinance to further restrict the use of gas powered leaf blowers. More info about these and other town happenings below - including some concrete plans for new sidewalks!
Women’s History Month continues as we commemorate, educate, and encourage the celebration of the vital role of women in history. In that spirit we invited Robi Schlaff, Director of the Westchester County Office of Women, and Licia Sanberg, Senior Director of the Sexual Assault and Crime Victims Advocacy Program at Westchester Medical Center, to our recent Town Board meeting to talk about programs that address domestic violence in Westchester County. Their trailblazing work is truly saving lives. We are proud that Bedford was one of the first police departments to be trained in the “Lethality Assessment Program” and that our PD is retraining to use this tool to help potential high risk victims. If you know someone who may be at risk of domestic violence, please check out this list of resources for information that may help.
Further on our Women’s History month adventure, we visited with the women of our oldest local women’s clubs, the Bedford HIlls Women’s Club and the Katonah Women’s Civic Club (and their thrift shop!), and find these clubs are still going strong.
I hope to see you around town. And please feel free to reach out, I am always happy to hear from you.
Be well,
Ellen
Town Supervisor
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Bedford Celebrates Local Women's Groups |
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As Women's history month continues, the Town of Bedford has chosen to highlight two outstanding women’s groups within the town that have been serving the community for a century: The Women's Civic Club of Katonah and the Bedford Hills Woman's Club.
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You Don’t Have to be Jewish to Bake Challah Bread!
by Phyllis Pacifico-Cohen
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Last week, I accepted an invitation from a dear friend who moved away to join her at the
Challah-Bake Women’s Night Out at the Chabad
of Bedford.
Although my last name might suggest otherwise, I’m not Jewish. But the prospect of baking bread AND catching up with my friend sounded like the perfect night out (and a first for me, a COVID worrier). Driving there, I pictured myself standing at a long table with a few women in a kitchen and going home with baked bread at the end.
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Thanks to many advocates and Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney for the Harris/Babbitt intersection and safety grant!
In the Senate appropriations bill that passed last week, $650,000 was approved to improve safety at the three-way Harris/Babbitt intersection and build a sidewalk from Babbitt Rd. to the prison along Harris Rd. in Bedford Hills. We deeply appreciate Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney for earmarking this funding to benefit Bedford. READ MORE
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Veterans Tax Exemption Increase
Westchester County amended their local law last fall to increase certain Veteran’s property tax exemptions to the maximum amounts allowed by law. My colleagues and I on the Town Board will consider the proposed change to our local law to do the same and set a public hearing on the law for April 5. READ MORE
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Bedford Hills, Bedford Village, Huntville, and New St Sidewalk Upgrades in 2022-2023
At the Town Board's request, DPW Commissioner Kevin Winn and Planning Director Jesica Youngblood performed a review and analysis of existing sidewalks frequently used along busy local roads and made the following recommendations which will be implemented over the next few years: READ MORE
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Noise Ordinance / Leaf Blowers
The Town Board has called for a public hearing on the latest version of the proposed noise ordinance. On April 5 at 6:10pm we will hear comments on the proposed changes to the noise ordinance that does not impose a full ban on gas powered leaf blowers but will severely restrict their use. READ MORE
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Seniors Celebrate St Patrick's Day |
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This Wednesday, the seniors of Bedford celebrated St Patrick's Day with a corned beef and cabbage lunch at the Bedford Hills Community House! Our thanks to Jim Whiting, Sue Carpentier, Angie Brown, and the entire Recreation & Parks Department for organizing this festive event, and to Chief Padilla, Lieutenants McGraw, and Gulick for helping to serve! |
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Creative Alliance Project Presents: Living A Creative Life
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HEALTH FAIR COMMITTEE FORMING
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS for the formation of a committee to hold a Health Fair - a free event for community members and employees to learn about resources in the area that support community health and wellness.
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Metro-North Railroad Announces New Train Schedules Now Available Online |
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This week, the Metro-North Railroad announced new train schedules taking effect on Sunday, March 27. New schedules are now available online here.
The schedule changes include the addition of 66 weekday trains to Metro-North's three East of Hudson lines. The addition of more weekday trains brings the railroad’s weekday service to 89% of its pre-pandemic levels and restores pre-pandemic express service at several stations.
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Curbside Compost recovers 7,000 pounds of food scraps each day - the equivalent of avoiding 5,040 pounds of CO2 per day.
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Up to 75 Bedford residents per year will have the opportunity to enter into a reduced-rate contract for weekly food scrap pickup. Residents in the pilot program will receive 50% off the contract price for their first year.
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Leaf Blowers are Back
The law has not yet been changed. Gas powered leaf blowers are allowed everywhere from (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm and Saturdays and holidays 10am-4pm) until May 15 when gas powered blowers are banned in the hamlet zones until September 15. To see if you live in a hamlet zone, click here.
Please bear with our town employees who are following the current rules and doing the big job of preparing our properties and parks for the spring/summer season. The Town of Bedford Parks Department will be using gas powered leaf blowers for certain tasks in the parks and on public property this spring to remove gravel, sand and salt from the lawns, clean out of catch basins and storm drains, and for some general maintenance. Electric equipment will be used as much as possible and we are committed to transitioning to fully electric equipment in the future, but we are not there yet.
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Free Mulch and Dog Park Peace
Town Board members heard from DPW Commissioner Winn about the organic compost facility on Beaver Dam Road and the tremendous value it provides to the town. Additionally, residents use this facility - free of charge - to dispose of yard waste and to pick up compost and mulch (M-F 7:30-3). However, the dust and noise causing disruption at the neighboring Dog Park needs to be addressed. Commissioner Winn has been working with the compost operator to create a plan to install screens on the equipment and move machinery to the far side of the piles from the Dog Park to reduce dust and noise. Trees will be planted in the spring to create a screen between the Dog Park and the operation. We will continue to work with the operators of the facility to make improvements and aim for these two operations to peacefully coexist.
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GOT PERMITS?
Did you know that replacing a fence, building a pool, taking down trees, building a shed.....requires a permit? Check out our Fee Schedule.
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Seasonal Employment Opportunities |
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Bedford Recreation and Parks Department |
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The Bedford Recreation & Parks Department in now accepting applications for summer 2022 jobs! The department will be hiring for day camp, pool and seasonal park maintenance positions. If interested, please submit an “Application for Seasonal Employment.” Feel free to contact our office by phone at 914-666-7004 or by e-mail at recreation@bedfordny.gov with any questions.
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Town of Bedford is also seeking college students to intern in the Town offices this summer. Qualified candidates please email your resume and letter of interest to rsurace@bedfordny.gov. |
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Below is a list of committees
that either have vacancies or have members with expiring terms
through June 30.
We will aim to conduct interviews for these prior to April 1st.
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Conservation Board: We are seeking to fill a two year term, board position preferably someone who will take minutes at meetings.
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LAST CHANCE Planning Board: There is one position for a five year term, and is open to any resident of the Town of Bedford.
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Senior Advisory Committee: Seeking members of any age to fill 4 vacant positions for 3-year terms. The Committee meets on an “as needed” basis.
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Veterans Advisory Committee: 3 year term, 4 open seats. The committee works with veterans to navigate the local, state, Federal and many non-profit organizations which provide benefits and assistance.
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Bedford Hills Free Library presents
Fiesta with Flor Bromley
March 19 @11 AM
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Bedford Audubon Society presents
Nature Walk to Explore Vernal Pools with Paul Lewis
March 19 @1 PM
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Caramoor presents
A Recital from Pianist Michelle Cann
March 20 @ 3 PM
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St Luke's Episcopal Church presents
The Canticum Novum Singers Performance of Choral Movements from Bach’s Cantatas
March 20 @ 3 PM
Purchase tickets at the door.
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Katonah Village Library presents
Story Seekers with Jason Reynolds
March 22 @ 4:30 pm
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Katonah Village Library presents
Author Caitlin Barasch – A Novel Obsession
March 24 @ 7:00 pm
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Bedford Hills Free Library presents
Westchester Breathes: Increase Your Resilience, Lower Your Stress
March 25 @9 AM
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Katonah Chamber of Commerce presents
13th Annual Katonah Chili Cook-off
March 25 @6PM at the Harvey School
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Katonah Museum of Art presents
Elena Grajek: Overdramatic
March 13 - June 26, 2022
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The Bedford Presbyterian Church has put out their food collection tent and requesting donations from the community. Donations will be split between the Community Center of Northern Westchester and the Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry. |
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Families in Bedford, Pound Ridge, and our surrounding towns stand in solidarity with Ukrainian families being displaced by the threat of war.
As this humanitarian crisis continues, we hope you will donate to our community fundraiser for the International Rescue Committee (IRC).
IRC is providing critical aid to children, parents, and other civilians fleeing their homes.
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Hosted by the Pound Ridge Human Rights Advisory Committee and with support from Idea committee of Bedford NY, the community fundraiser will also feature a candlelight vigil* in Scotts Corners at 7:00 pm on Monday, March 7 (at the corner of Westchester Avenue and Trinity Pass) during which residents can gather to stand in solidarity and also drop off donations of humanitarian supplies. Supplies will be donated to the Yonkers-based Afya Foundation to ship to the frontlines.
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Past Supervisor newsletters:
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