The Board of Trustees and I are using the tools from our community engagement events to make the work of the Village more effective. Building relationships and hosting conversational opportunities is leading to so many opportunities that set us up for greater capacity.

Thank you to everyone that joined us this past weekend for our Farmer's Market Community Engagement Series. I was joined by Village Manager Karen D'Attore and Assistant Village Manager Maddi Zachacz. 

Tonight's Ossining Recreation FREE Family Summer Entertainment Series at Louis Engel Waterfront Park, featuring a visit from The Little Mermen: The Ultimate Disney Tribute Band, is POSTPONED due to the forecasted weather.

As Elsa would say ...

Let it go, let it go

Can't hold it back anymore

Let the storm rage on

The rain never bothered me anyway

Let it go, let it go

Good news, we have rescheduled this event for next Tuesday, August 22nd. Food trucks, fun, & activities will begin @ 5:00 PM, with the band starting @ 7:00 PM.

So, dress up in your favorite Disney costume and get ready to sing along! We can't wait to see you there!

There are two upcoming opportunities to learn and share with your representatives! This week, on Thursday, August 17^th, @ 5:30 PM, members of the Board will host another walking tour. The tour will start at the Community Center, head to Route 9 & 200 Main, onto the Market Square & Post Office Lots, down Main Street to Station Plaza & 30 Water Street, and back to the Community Center via the Sing Sing Kill Greenway. During the tour, you can expect to learn about the Village's ongoing projects and ask questions along the way! This is your opportunity to be a part of the process and start your own dialogue with us - I welcome everyone to attend.

In our continuing efforts for increased open dialogue and community engagement, some members of the Village Board will also be at the Farmer's Market to meet with the public. Enjoy your time at the Farmer’s Market and share your thoughts with us on Saturday, August 19, from 9 am to 12 pm.

Parking updates in our community are essential to support our growing community. Adding paid parking and time limits in areas where we have yet to have them before encourages customer and visitor turnover. That being said, effective Monday, August 28^th, there will be new restrictions for day and evening parking at the 16 Croton Avenue Parking lot (also known as Village Hall): Municipal overnight parking permits will be required in the evenings, during the day on Sundays are free.

Day and Night Municipal Parking Permits can be purchased here: https://bit.ly/3vrz02A

Metered Parking can be paid for hourly via quarters or through the Passport Parking App: https://bit.ly/ParkOssining

Did you know that July of 2023 was the hottest month in recorded history … worldwide? We in Ossining are committed to looking at every development, infrastructure improvement, and legislative solutions through the lens of environmental enhancements and support efforts to decrease global warming --- one neighborhood at a time if necessary. We have made significant strides in this process under this administration and plan to continue being diligent.

How timely that last week, Senator Pete Harckham announced $2.1 Million in grants for local municipal electrification projects. Senator Harckham said that as chair of the Senate's Environmental Conservation Committee, he would prioritize municipal grant applications that support projects such as:

As a municipality in the 40th Senate District, the Village of Ossining is eligible for up to $100,000 in grants, which are part of the State Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability, and Technology Program (CREST) funding. As Mayor, I am thankful for this opportunity to have our Village be a contributor to meet New York State’s CLCPA’s requirement to achieve a carbon-free electricity system by 2040 – all while working toward the goal of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 40% from 1990 levels by 2030, and 85% by 2050!

This week’s Special Meeting will occur at 9:00AM on Wednesday, August 16^th, 2023, at 16 Croton, including two short topics.

We will be meeting to pay bills and vote on one additional resolution approving the Honorary Street Re-Naming for Sandy Galef.

The next Village Board meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 5^th.

There won’t be a Mayor’s Message next week. Have a great week, and I look forward to providing you with an update on August 29^th.