Mayor's Weekly Update

January 12, 2021

MAYOR'S UPDATE

From the desk of Mayor Rika Levin

What's New This Week

Our police department continues to find ways to improve communications with the community. Yesterday they published a new social media profile. Policia de Ossining, which is a fully Spanish-language Facebook page managed by the police department. That page will be managed by a different group than the officers who manage the English language pages. For that reason, the information on that page will sometimes differ from the English language page. Based on feedback that they have received, there will be additional information focused on education and the role of police departments. This is a work in progress, so feel free to check out the welcome video and give it a “Like.”

New York State has authorized the COVID vaccine for all educators and first responders and all people over the age of 65. If you are eligible, please register and schedule your vaccine through the State website at ny.gov/vaccine. The COVID vaccine is safe and effective. It's been studied rigorously by scientific and medical experts and has already been safely administered to millions of people. Vaccination is the only way for our community and nation to overcome the COVID crisis and recover fully. If you're eligible, please get your vaccine.

Upcoming Board Meeting

As for Wednesday night’s agenda, here is a short selection of what will be before the Board:

The Board will be resuming a conversation about the potential update of the Village seal, as discussed in the final 2020 Legislative Session.

We will also be circling back with an updated presentation to the Special Events Policy. While the BOT closed the Public Hearing on Local Law #8 of 2020, it was requested that the processes and procedures be brought back to the BOT for review. The BOT will also be asked to weigh in on the proposed fees in hopes of a resolution to add them (or an edited version) to the 2021 fee schedule, which currently reflects them as “TBD.”

Ossining is one of the few municipalities that contracts every year with the local SPCA. We also have an Animal Control officer on staff in the Police Department who provides care and shelter for homeless and stray animals caught by Animal Control officers. The 2021 agreement is practically identical to the 2020 agreement in substance and cost ($2860.91 per month= $34,330.94 per year, plus the a la carte feral cat services). 2020 was a challenging year as the SPCA has been going under renovation in the middle of a pandemic and in 2021 will continue to operate out of their Cortland Manor site until roughly June, at which time they plan to be in their brand new space on the old campus in Briarcliff on North State Road.

The agenda for the meeting can be found here.

Zoom info is as follows:

Members of the public can view the meeting via computer or mobile app: https://zoom.us/j/92937130467

Webinar ID: 929 3713 0467

Members of the public can listen to the meeting by dialing in via phone:

+1 929 205 6099

Service Spotlight

I am excited to announce that the Villages of Ossining and Briarcliff and the Town of Ossining continue their long-standing relationship with Sustainable Westchester by launching EnergySmart Homes Ossining-Briarcliff later this month. This is a Sustainable Westchester program (and Green Ossining's third as a community partner), aiming to get homes off of fossil fuel usage by switching to geothermal or air source heat pumps. More detailed information will be sent out over the next few weeks.