July 23, 2024

We thank our first responders, our Department of Public Works and Parks Department crews for a speedy recovery after our last storm. A significant amount of Village time and resources have been directed towards storm clean-up; some of our local parks (particularly Richard Wishnie Park on Pleasantville Road, and the Sing Sing Kill Greenway) sustained a great deal of damage, and have required intermittent closure over the past few days. Our staff and contracted tree service are doing their best to restore conditions to their pre-storm summer beauty-- thank you for your patience with us in doing so!

As storms like this become more the norm, make sure to plan ahead: consider downloading the Con Edison mobile app on your smartphone to report outages and see restoration estimates in real time. Alternatively, don't forget to report any outages to 1-800-75-CONED to ensure your neighborhood is in the restoration queue.

I had the best time ever last week reading with our kids. Thank you to all the volunteers, school, and the Family Services Society for providing this amazing reading programs to these students during the summer and year-round. 

In January 2024, the Village Board voted to adopt Local Law 1-2024, which amended Chapter 226 (Special Events, Parades, and Public Gatherings) of the Village of Ossining Code. The amendments included:

·        Event Level 4 is determined based on the anticipated attendance of participants, staff volunteers, and others, which exceeds 500, and/or if the event involves street closures, multiple sites, and the need for additional Village resources and support staff. The Event Level is decided by the Superintendent of Recreation and Parks or designee in consultation with other Village departments, where necessary.

·        Any Level 1 event that is more than 6 hours in duration from event setup to breakdown will be considered a Level 2 event requiring approval of the Special Events Advisory Committee.

·        It's important to note that late applications will not be considered for special event permits and will be rejected. This underscores the need for timely submissions.

·        All event sponsors and vendors are required to submit insurance, indemnification, and other requirements in advance of the event no less than 30 days in advance.

·        Prohibition of Sunday events on Village property.

·        Events shall not run past 10 pm on any day of the week.

While the Village is committed to supporting events that provide public benefits and enrich our community, the taxpayer cost associated with Village staff time required to support and manage Special Events is considerable. Certain large-scale events, processions, and other types of public gatherings require significantly more staff to ensure safety, adequate sanitation, effective traffic management, and public order than is typically required for most Ossining Village Special Events. For these events, flat fees associated with additional staff have also been included in the 2024 Fee Schedule.

The second installment of the Village of Ossining Taxes are due on Wednesday, July 31st. In-person payments can be made at Village Hall until 6 PM on Wednesday, July 31st.

Click here to pay your Village taxes online: https://wipp.edmundsassoc.com/Wipp/?wippid=OSNV

Summer is in full swing, and so is free outdoor entertainment in Ossining! Did you know that, in addition to the Friday night concert series at the Engel Park stage, there are free concerts on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights as well? Check out our Monday night jazz at Gourdine Park, Acoustic Wednesday nights in Market Square, and Family Summer Entertainment in a neighborhood park near you!

Don't forget to tell a friend about SummerzCool Jam at the Engel Park Stage on Tuesday, August 6th for a fun night out with a Jimmy Buffet Tribute Band, food trucks, games and more!

This week’s Work Session will occur at 7:30PM on Wednesday, July 24^th, at 16 Croton Avenue.

Topics of discussion will include the following:

• The Board will hear from the new owner of 209-2015 Main Street on their plans for the site, which includes access through a Village-owned municipal lot.

• For the past few months, the BOT has been working on a proposed local law governing the placement and use of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations. The most recent iteration will be discussed and staff will recommend referral to the Planning Board.

• The Village's Placemaking Committee is seeking Board approval on a proposal to add colorful planters to the 5 Corners Intersection.

• Two additional proposed local laws will be presented to the Board of Trustees: one that contemplates additional updates to Chapter 162 of the Village Code (Housing/ Property Maintenance and Building Code Administration), and one that revises the Village's procedures to levy unpaid administrative charges (like snow removal and landscaping) onto Village property tax bills.

• Finally, the BOT will be asked to consider setting a fee for the issuance of Foundation Permits by the Village Building Department.

Village of Ossining | www.villageofossining.org