Connecting Virtually
Virtual meetings are part of our a new reality. Last week I had the pleasure of participating in a couple that were especially inspiring.
Thank you to Ms. O'Brien from Park School for inviting me to visit her Summer Explore & Learn students to talk about kindness. We talked about how wearing masks is an act of kindness, as well as the generosity we have seen by so many to donate books and to make sure that no Ossining family goes hungry during this the COVID crisis. The students each came up with their own projects for spreading kindness through the community including baking cookies, writing cards, and painting rocks to share with first responders and neighbors.
Thank you also to the Federated Conservationists of Westchester County who invited me to offer opening remarks at their event last week which focused on food insecurity, climate change and agriculture. It was an opportunity for me to illustrate the critical role a local government can play in reducing our carbon footprint, and highlight some of Ossining's success on this front. Beyond being an enthusiastic cheerleader for our community, programs like these are a terrific way for me to connect with environmental leaders to learn more about additional opportunities for achieving our sustainability goals.
There was no Village Board meeting last week. We all enjoyed a fifth Wednesday off.
Open Office Hours on Tuesday; Live Update on Thursday
If you'd like to speak with me one-on-one, join me for
Open Office Hours
on Tuesdays from 10am-12noon at 16 Croton Avenue. To enter the building you must wear a mask, you'll be asked a few questions and have your temperature taken. When the attendant asks if you have an appointment, let her know that you are attending the Mayor's Open Office Hours. If someone is with me already, you'll be asked to take a seat.
On Thursday join me virtually for live update at 11am on Facebook. This is an opportunity for me to recap highlights from the meeting the previous night and address some of the questions I'm hearing from residents this week. Even if you are not on Facebook, you can find my updates anytime on
the Village YouTube channel
.
To reach out by email:
- Mayor Victoria Gearity (gearity@villageofossining.org);
- Board of Trustees (bot@villageofossining.org); or
- Village Manager Karen D'Attore (kdattore@villageofossining.org).
Meeting Virtually on Wednesday
This week we will meet again virtually. Meanwhile, our staff is installing technology in the Joseph G. Caputo Community Center that will allow us to support hybrid meetings in the near future. We have several proposed local laws that are awaiting public hearings. Ideally those public hearings will allow the maximum amount of access and participation by having in-person and live online comments available for community members. We anticipate we will call for the first round of public hearings to happen in just a few weeks.
Meanwhile, we have a full agenda this week and we will open with a special presentation celebrating the 80th anniversary of naming Duers Circle. Following up on the recent presentation about Reverend Henry E. Duers, Village Historian Joyce Sharrock Cole discovered the original language of the resolution passed by the Village Board on August 6, 1940. Ms. Sharrock Cole has been hard at work creating a video highlighting the life of Rev Duers that will premier on Thursday, Reverend Henry E. Duers Day in the Village of Ossining.
Click here for the full meeting agenda and link to attend virtually on Wednesday
.
With Regards,
