This past Friday marked one of the most exciting events of an Ossining summer—the Ossining Fire Department’s Annual Firefighters Parade! The OFD’s men and women in uniform, as well as all the apparatus, were looking fine, the band sounded great—and even better, a night predicted to be rainy ended up being clear and dry (at least, until after the parade ended!) We in Ossining are incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated, responsive and engaged all-volunteer fire department that is the envy of many throughout New York State. Hats off to our Chiefs for another great parade, and many thanks to the other Departments who traveled from all over the Hudson Valley to march in Ossining.

Wonderful weekend in Ossining celebrating Sankofa. I, along with representatives from the Village, Town, County and State government, were honored to recognize five pillars of our community on Saturday. Did you know that every few years former and current members of the Ossining African American community have a weekend-long reunion to honor their past and plan for the future? It's a beautiful tribute to our Ossining community.

Last week, I led a walking tour of the Village for our team from the Ossining Youth Bureau and some of Ossining’s young people from the Youth Advisory Board (YAB). Between our community’s rich history and our big plans for the future, we have a lot to be proud of in Ossining, and a walking tour really allows long-time residents and visitors alike to see the Village through a fresh lens. It was my great pleasure to talk with some of our youngest residents about what the Ossining may look like in the near future, and hear from them what would make Ossining a place they would want stay and raise their own families one day. Please stay tuned to learn about more walking tours with me, a Trustee, or staff members during which we will review the many enhancements planned for the downtown. 

I encourage everyone in the community to be on the lookout and read all the upcoming Village communications regarding the work being done at our Community Center -- specifically for the pool and locker rooms. There will be lots of construction beginning in September and continuing through the end of the year, including some closures, as we proceed to upgrade, enhance, enlarge, and reshape our beloved and much used public facility. Thank you in advance for your patience—we are sure you will agree that the wait was worth it once you see the finished product!

As part of our continued efforts for increased open dialogue and community engagement, some members of the Village Board will be at the Farmer's Market to meet with the public this Saturday. We will be on hand to meet community members to discuss our projects in the pipeline and listen to any other concerns you might have. Enjoy your time at the Farmer’s Market and share your thoughts with us on Saturday, August 12, from 9 am to 12 pm.

This week’s Work Session will take place in person at 16 Croton Avenue, starting at 7:30PM on Wednesday, August 9. The agenda will include only two agenda items: