March 23, 2021
MAYOR'S UPDATE
From the desk of Mayor Rika Levin
Last week we launched an online survey to get your thoughts on changing the Village Seal. In recent years, indigenous persons' use as mascots and seals has come under scrutiny in the United States. Ossining’s Village Seal was introduced in the early 1950s, a time when 'Indians' were popular symbols for schools and other institutions. Former Mayor Victoria Gearity raised this issue last year, and I, along with the Board of Trustees, am following through with a public survey to address this issue. We understand that many Village residents feel an attachment to the current government seal, while many others feel that it is time to reevaluate this representative symbol of our Village. We encourage you to participate in the survey. We value your input as we consider this a meaningful decision.
I often highlight major initiatives in this update. Truthfully, some of the most enjoyable moments for me are the personal stories that unfold every day in our community. This past Sunday, I was joined by friends, family, neighbors, OVAC, our police department, Veteran’s association, and Supervisor Levenberg in celebrating Jay Beverly (Bev) Opie’s 100th birthday! He is an inspiration to us all, especially during this time of a pandemic that has been especially cruel to our senior population. Town Supervisor Dana Levenberg and I presented Mr. Opie with proclamations from the Village and Town, and our first responders honored him with a motor parade past his home. Mr. Opie, a decorated World War II veteran, was born and raised in Ossining and is a graduate of Ossining High School, receiving his GED at the age of 80. Mr. Opie worked at the General Motors Company in Tarrytown and was head usher at the First Baptist Church, where he also served on the Board.
Hate crimes have increased at an alarming rate over the past four years. I thank Westchester County Executive George Latimer and Westchester District Attorney Mimi Roach for launching a new campaign titled #SpeakUpWestchester, whose mission is to encourage those who are the victim of or witness a hate crime bias or hate incident to report it. The full press release about this campaign can be found here. The Village Board, its staff, and the police department will continue our work on this and other initiatives to make Ossining a safe and wonderful place to live and work.
What’s in front of the Board

This Wednesday, we will begin with a Special Meeting of the Village Board, including a resolution to adopt the Village’s final Plan, pursuant to Executive Order 203, New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative. The Board of Trustees with the PRRC Working Committee has dedicated countless hours of hard work meeting with members of our Police Department, community stakeholders, and thoughtful input from residents to finalize a Plan that will be submitted to the Governor’s office by April 1. By Village Code, visitors shall be accorded one (1) four (4) minute opportunity to address this resolution.

Upon completion of the Special Meeting, we will adjourn into our regularly scheduled Work Session, which includes presentations regarding several legislative items, including:


  • Proposed Local Law 3-2021: Sidewalk Cafes, Outdoor Dining, and Sidewalk Sales: As the current special provisions for outdoor dining are contained within an Emergency Order, they will need to be added to the Village Code in order to continue in the absence of the Emergency Order. In preparation, the proposed local law contemplates using parking spaces and other "open spaces" for outdoor dining rather than using only the sidewalks themselves. Among other administrative changes prompted by lessons learned in 2020, it also makes provisions for sidewalk sales. Part of this discussion is related to the fees that the Village will charge for the use of parking spaces by private businesses. The Board will be asked to adopt these fees as an addition to the current fee schedule during the 4/7 Legislative Meeting. Doing this will give our local businesses some certainty as they prepare for the May 1 rollout of the seasonal outdoor dining program.

  • Proposed Local Law 4-2021 - Towing: This local law update largely “tunes up” local tow truck company regulations, rotations, permissible charges, conditions under which vehicles can be lawfully towed, and conditions of release. Chief Sylvester will join Corporation Council Stuart Kahan for this discussion. 

Zoom info is as follows:
Members of the public can view the meeting via computer or mobile app:
Webinar ID: 929 3713 0467
Members of the public can listen to the meeting by dialing in via phone: +1 929 205 6099
As we welcome a long-awaited spring, I want to make sure you are aware of the many programs that we are offering through our Recreation Center for youth and adults. These include Summer Camp, sports, arts and crafts, and other programs designed to keep us active and engaged now that the warmer months are here. Click here to view programming information.
The Village and town are happy to participate with Green Ossining week long events. As we rush to plan for a post-pandemic recovery, I encourage all Ossining residents and businesses to participate in the many events the week of April 17 – 25th. The risks faced by ignoring the threats of environmental destruction must be understood and addressed. The week long Earth Day events will educate and entice us to become citizen scientists and active green participants. 

The Board and I wish all in the community who celebrate the upcoming holidays a meaningful Passover and a joyful Easter.
Village of Ossining | www.villageofossining.org