March 14, 2023
MAYOR'S UPDATE
From the desk of Mayor Rika Levin
In March of 2021, the Village Board unanimously voted that the 2nd Saturday of March would be the COVID-19 Remembrance Day in the Village of Ossining. This gesture is important to memorialize history as it happens not retroactively. This past weekend marks that important date, and I am optimistic that the world is in a better place than where we were in 2020. Our community came together to ensure our neighbors didn’t go hungry and received appropriate healthcare while we did as much as we could to support local merchants.
 
We completed the work on this memorial in the heart of Nelson sitting park in the Spring of 2022. Each time I visit the memorial, it warms my heart that so many people use this space to reflect on the past three years – and that it brings hope for a happy and healthier future.
We have a new restaurant coming to Ossining’s Main Street, officially opening on March 21st! I had the pleasure of joining the celebration, food tasting, and ribbon cutting with Richie and his family, along with Trustee Dana White and Legislature Catherine Borgia. Richie’s Kitchen is located at 147 Main Street Ossining.
On the environmental front: Last week, the Westchester County Board of Legislators unanimously passed a law aimed at further reducing the amount of plastics in the County’s waste stream.
The law states that:
  • No food service establishment shall provide single-use food ware or condiment packets to any dine-in or take-away customer unless specifically requested;
  • Any single-use plastic beverage stirrers or single-use plastic beverage “splash sticks” are no longer permitted. Retail food stores may sell packages or boxes of single-use plastic beverage stirrers or single-use plastic beverage splash sticks to their customers;
  • Lastly, when requested, single-use food ware items or condiment packets must be provided individually and not in a package containing multiple items.
There are so many benefits to reducing waste. It saves energy, reduces greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to global climate change, and of course, helps to sustain the environment for future generations.
This is a friendly reminder that our favorite "café," the Green Ossining Repair Café, will be at the Community Center again this Saturday, March 18, from 11am-3:00pm.

Where else can you have your lamps fixed, watch batteries replaced, as well as Christmas ornaments, earrings, and purses from days gone by, repaired and revived?
Did you know that the Town of Ossining's Historian has a blog that addresses Ossining’s History? This month it’s all about Ossining's women as part of Women’s History Month. Click here to read about Dr. Ruth Murray Underhill and subscribe: https://ossininghistoryontherun.com/2023/03/01/dr-ruth-murray-underhill-ossining-anthropologist/
This week’s Legislative Meeting will occur on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at 16 Croton at 7:30PM.
Some items of note:
  • The Board has 2 resolutions to accept donations: one is for the donation of sporting goods and games from Flaghouse, Inc., and the other is $500 for Rec program scholarships from Gullotta House.
  • The Board will be asked to call for a public hearing on the proposed amendments to Chapter 96 of the Village Code re: Open burn.
  • The Board then has a resolution to amend the 2023 Fee Schedule to include the revised Escrow Fees, as were part of the local law regarding the same.
  • The Board then has resolutions to approve (2) local laws—one memorializing the changes regarding the escrow fees and the other instituting the changes “Taxation” code section re: the volunteer firefighter and ambulance worker exemption.
  • While the Village is not at the point of issuing, the Board will be asked to approve a resolution to authorize the circulation of an RFP for detailed design services for the Route 9 Road.
  • The Ossining Arts Project (OAP) committee has primarily been defunct for some time—the Board will have a resolution to disband the OAP while we work on enacting a committee for placemaking and beautification that will take its place.
  • There will be a resolution to authorize the Village Manager to sign an agreement for design services for the James Street project.
  • Finally, the Board will be asked to call for a Public Hearing to make changes to Chapter 216 of the code re: sidewalk cafes/ Parklets (taking out the months permitted so the Board can update without this local law change in the future and change the agent who issues the permit FROM the Building Inspector TO the Village Clerk).
Village of Ossining | www.villageofossining.org