Supervisor's Update - Thursday July 2, 2020

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Last Updated: 02 July 2020 02 July 2020

 

Tomorrow we are celebrating a holiday across the country, recognizing the United States declaring its independence from England. Each year, Independence Day is an opportunity to celebrate the United States’ promise of liberty, equality, and justice for all as enshrined in the Declaration of Independence. The events of this year have given us pause, forcing us to reckon with the fact that these promises have not been extended equally “for all” throughout our country’s history. This year, we think it is important we recognize Independence Day as a humbling experience, and definitely a call to action that we can all do better in the future. Our Town offices will be closed tomorrow, July 3, in observance of the holiday. We will be back on Monday, July 6, ready to continue all our hard work on behalf of you, our constituents!

 

We know many people were disappointed to hear that the Town will not be hosting our annual fireworks show this year. We certainly miss seeing everyone in person, but we cannot justify bringing thousands of people together during this pandemic, as mentioned at our meetings and in past updates. Our annual celebration has drawn close to 4,000 attendees in the past, far beyond the gatherings of 25 currently allowed by New York State. As your Town government, we recognize we need to be a leader on this issue and do whatever we can to prevent large gatherings of people, continue to contain the spread of COVID-19, and protect public health. We know this event is a community favorite, so please rest assured you can mark your calendars for a great 2021 fireworks show.

 

To celebrate, we have adjusted our Summer Concert Series to a virtual show each Friday in July, and we may possibly extend into August, depending on how popular they are. The Zoom concerts will be streamed on Facebook live starting tomorrow, with Mike Risko as our emcee! The line-up will feature super talented musicians performing from their own homes so there will be no in-person viewing of the shows.

 

 

 

You are NOT going to want to miss this Friday’s concert, featuring Marc Von Em, starting at 6pm on Facebook Live via the Town’s Facebook Page. Marc is not only a veteran performer from our Waterfront Summer Concert Series, but he has toured with Rob Thomas and performed with Santana! We are so grateful he has agreed to join us this week to officially kick off our Virtual Concert Series. If you just cannot wait, check out our page for a surprise dress rehearsal featuring Marc from yesterday afternoon – trust me, it will just leave you wanting more!

 

 

We encourage the community to support our local restaurants during these virtual concerts. We will be highlighting some of the amazing local dishes available, so instead of getting jealous, get yourself some take-out before the show starts and keep track of all the amazing food choices you have available right here in your own backyard. We have been sharing a restaurants list since the PAUSE orders started in March. As you probably noticed by now, the list changes color every time there is a new addition. There are two new restaurants on the list this week, and we are happy to have them back.

 

 

The Town and Village will also be co-hosting a patriotic House Decorating Contest. Register here for your house to be considered! The deadline for participating has been extended to Sunday, July 5. We can’t wait to see creative Ossining on display this weekend! We hope this will be a small, but impactful way to remind us all that even if we cannot be together in person, we are certainly all in this together.

 

 

Before we jump into some of the other great events happening around town (and virtually) I would like to remind everyone that Ossining is currently on track to enter Phase 4 on Tuesday. Ossining is part of the Mid-Hudson region, which had a slight rise in cases due to a graduation related event in a nearby town. It is important to recognize that we are not in the clear yet. Phase 4 is not a full return to normal. As we see other states deal with increasing cases we must remain vigilant in our hand washing, mask wearing, and social distancing. We have come so far, we do not want to go backward! The spikes in cases across the country have largely been tied back to unsafe gatherings in various settings from Memorial Day weekend. As we look at another long weekend, please remember lives are at stake when we let down our safety guard. It is not just “you” at risk, but many, many others.

 

Phase 4 will allow gatherings of up to 50 and the reopening of aquariums, zoos, and botanical gardens with limited capacity. Religious institutions can resume operation with limited capacity as well. Many people hoped malls, gyms, and movie theaters would reopen with Phase 4, but the Governor has indicated we are not quite there yet. There is no Phase 5, 6, 7 etc. but the NYS Health Department will continue to issue guidance regarding reopening procedures. As a reminder, we are still in Phase 3.

 

 

We have also heard that people who have been contacted by contact tracers have not been honest and/or if exposed to COVID-19, have not been isolating according to safety protocols. Again, this is not just one’s self at risk, but tens, hundreds, then thousands of others if you do not comply. Be smart, be safe, be considerate. If you receive a call from NYS Contact Tracing please pick up the phone. The calls are being made by individuals trained to contact you if you have been exposed to the virus. They can help you get food, manage childcare/eldercare responsibilities, and connect you with healthcare experts. They can also get you the necessary paperwork for your employer to allow you time off. As cases rise in other states, New York is expecting clusters to surface. You can prevent the spread by picking up the phone.

 

 

A lot of people are skeptical of callers asking for personal information – as we all should be these days. Here is some helpful information to help everyone stay safe. Official contact tracers will ONLY call you from the official state Caller ID “NYS Contact Tracing”. If your phone does not allow caller ID features, the call will come from (518) 387-9993.

 

 

For anyone who owns a business, I would like to remind you that the Town and Village have cloth masks available if you need them. The masks are washable and reusable. We do not want businesses to have to delay opening because they may not have the masks they need. Masks can be requested by calling (914) 762-6002, emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or filling out our easy-access google form in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

 

 

We have been bombarded with calls about our parks facilities and have been working round the clock to get them ready for Phases 3 and 4. We believe everything is in place for the Spray Park at Louis Engel to open on Monday, 7/6 from 12-7. Here are the protocols that will be in place so please read and share and be prepared!

 

 

We have also gotten a lot of questions about our Dog Park. Our Park’s team has been working to get the final touches finished on some updates. The park is not quite ready yet, but we hope to have an opening date to announce for you soon.

 

Right now, we believe our baseball and softball fields will be open for organized team play starting next week. Our very, very busy Parks department has been getting them ready, so, as long as there are no further restrictions announced, they should be operating for team sports next week.

 

We will also be accepting permit applications again for our pavilions and picnic areas starting July 11^th. Gatherings are still limited and masks are required when you cannot maintain 6 foot distancing, but these open air venues might be just the thing for a safe, small party as long as you can, actually, maintain it.

 

 

Largely, the burden is on all of us to look out for each other. If you see something, say something. Feel free to call our community partners and enforcement agency, the Ossining Police Department, at 941-4099, if you believe there are unsafe practices in our Public Spaces. If you wait to get home or post to Facebook, it will be difficult to help with enforcement. This is a challenging time for us to ask our Police to “be tough on crime,” especially mask enforcement or safety protocols. Nevertheless, they will certainly come to check on unsafe activities and remind people about the rules.

 

 

I know businesses have been asked to take on a lot during these past few months. Westchester County has made grants available for small businesses and small not-for-profit corporations up to $10,000 for acquiring personal protective equipment, or installing equipment necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19. No interest loans are available through the County of Westchester's Industrial Development Agency (IDA), for small businesses and small not-for-profit corporations in an amount up to $25,000. The full loan amount being considered is $500,000. Businesses interested in the grants or loans should contact Bridget Gibbons at 914-995-2952 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

Here is your weekly reminder to complete your Census. I know this information looks familiar (we share it every week) but we’re still not reaching everyone. Help us get the word out! It only takes about 10 minutes to complete. You can fill it out online or by phone, in your preferred language. The specific links and numbers for some of the languages are copied below. If you know someone who probably hasn’t filled out the Census (grandma? Great Aunt Sally? Cousin Luke?) help us get this information out to them.

English: https://my2020census.gov/ or 844-330-2020
TDD (Telephone Display Device): 844-467-2020
Portuguese: https://2020census.gov/pt.html or 844-474-2020 
Spanish: https://my2020census.gov/ or 844-468-2020
Chinese: https://2020census.gov/zh-hans.html or 844-391-2020 (Mandarin) 844-398-2020 (Cantonese) 
Vietnamese: https://2020census.gov/vi.html or 844-461-2020
Korean: https://2020census.gov/ko.html or 844-392-2020
Russian: https://2020census.gov/ru.html or 844-417-2020
Arabic: https://2020census.gov/ar.html or 844-416-2020
Tagalog: https://2020census.gov/tl.html or 844-478-2020 
Polish: https://2020census.gov/pl.html or 844-479-2020 
French: https://2020census.gov/fr.html or 844-494-2020 
Haitian Creole: https://2020census.gov/ht.html or 844-477-2020 
Japanese: https://2020census.gov/ja.html or 844-460-2020

For more language options, visit the US 2020 Census website’s language center: https://2020census.gov/en/languages.html. The Census is a new concept for many people. Remember: it is a count of each resident and is completely confidential by law. 

 

Due to the Independence Day holiday, curbside sales of kits and compostable bags for the Food Scrap Recycling program will not be available tomorrow, Friday, July 3 or Saturday, July 4. Any kits ordered during this timeframe will be available for pick-up on Monday, July 6. Please also stay tuned for an exciting new addition to this program – kit pick-ups and a secondary collection site at the Ossining Farmers Market! Thanks to volunteers from Green Ossining and help from our friends at Teatown Lake Reservation, we hope to begin this new offering as early as July 11^th. You can sign up for the Food Scraps mailing list at the Ossining Composts website.

 

Now for some events – some near, some far, and most virtual!

 

After the virtual concert tomorrow you will probably be in a very musical mindset. If you have Disney+ you can celebrate Independence Day with a lesson in US History. The streaming service is airing the Tony award winning play Hamilton on July 3. The release date for this event was originally scheduled for 2021 but was moved up as fireworks and other crowd-based celebrations were cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The performance was filmed in 2016 with the original cast. My family and I (and yes, my staff too!) have been singing these songs for a few years now, so we definitely cannot wait!

 

 

On July 4, we hope you take advantage of the holiday and enjoy your time off. Please do not set off fireworks on your own, as they can cause serious injury. Our healthcare workers have a lot on their plates right now and we do not want to see an unnecessary rise in emergency room visits. Also, remember that unplanned firework events of any kind can be triggering for Veterans suffering from PTSD, who are not expecting the displays, not to mention the stress the noise can place on some of your furry friends as well. For anyone who absolutely cannot celebrate 4^th of July without fireworks, I am excited to share Macy’s fireworks show will air on television from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. EST on July 4. New York City has specifically stated that it will not share the location the fireworks will be launched from that night, so please do not visit the city in an attempt to watch them live.

 

 

Early morning on Sunday, July 5 the USS Slater will pass Ossining on its way from Albany to a repair dock in Staten Island. The USS Slater is a floating museum now, but was used in WWII as a destroyer to combat U-boats (submarines). The exact time the ship will pass Ossining will depend on a lot of factors that morning, so you can keep tabs on the projected times on the ship’s Facebook page.

 

At 11am on Sunday, July 5, Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church will host a parking lot service with the sermon airing over FM radio and streamed online. Members and guests should sign up in advance on the church website. All attendees will stay in their cars for the entirety of the one hour Park and Praise service. We are pleased to see that our houses of worship are finding innovative ways to observe. Star has been an excellent partner in helping provide food to families in need, we are grateful for their community partnership.

 

 

Additionally, on Saturday, July 18 from 9am - 3pm, Star of Bethlehem Church is partnering with Open Door Medical Center to provide free COVID-19 testing in the church parking lot at 304 Spring Street in Ossining. Walk-ups are welcome but making an appointment is encouraged. No insurance is required to get tested and the event is not limited to parishioners. You can sign up for an appointment at www.starbethbc.org under the events tab. 

 

 

Books on the brain? Ossining students can request “book bundles” as part of an innovative solution to these trying times. Students or guardians can fill out the book bundle application to get a head start on their summer reading – and their new favorite stories.

 

 

If your child borrowed a book before student were sent home in March it is important to return it. Books should be brought back to your child’s school. Call the school building for drop off times.

 

 

Did you miss the Members Show from the Ossining Art’s Council? Check out their Virtual Gallery and learn more about the pieces and their creators.

 

 

 

Our Cedar Lane Arts Center is getting ready to reopen its doors. Health guidelines for New York State have made our popular classes even more exclusive so sign up now to get a spot! More detailed class descriptions are available on the Ossining Parks and Recreation website.

 

 

Information about what’s available right now to help people is included in our easy-to-access COVID-19 Resources Document. This is a joint effort by the Town and Village to organize information during this hectic time. The document lists information on legal assistance, WiFi access, services for seniors, and much more. If you cannot find what you need in this doc, you are welcome to reach out to the Town offices. Our Town staff is responding to all calls and emails.

 

 

Food distribution has continued throughout the Ossining, though it may change locations in the upcoming week so continue to look carefully. Check out the schedule below for the upcoming week. The food distributed is done in collaboration with multiple local agencies, so please see below for all those working hard to feed Ossining.

 

 

The Ossining Food Pantry offers food and gift cards to the Ossining Farmers Market. The Pantry is expanding their list of recipients, providing fresh produce, and delivering meals and gift cards to residents who need an extra hand. You can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to apply or for more information. As a reminder, all food distribution programs are for Briarcliff residents too.

 

 

I would like to take this moment to congratulate the staff of the Ossining Public Library for their awards as the “Best Library” and “Best Children’s Library” in Westchester Magazine’s Best of Westchester. These vote-driven merits show how much residents love our library. It is also a testament to the dedication of the library’s staff. Please join me in congratulating them! To see some of the amazing programs they have continued, adapted, or rolled out for us during these past few months, visit the Ossining Public Library website.

 

 

Historic Hudson River Towns and all its member communities, which include the Villages of Briarcliff, Ossining, and the Town of Ossining, worked with the company Travel Story to develop a driving tour of communities along the Hudson, north of the Mario Cuomo Bridge. The tour app is available for free via the TravelStorys app. Big shout out to Dana White and Scott Craven, Town and Village of Ossining Historians for their hard work writing and in some cases recording copy for our special local sites. We are excited to be a part of this program and hopefully with more families planning road trips this summer, we can highlight all the best Ossining has to offer virtually.

I hope everyone has a chance to enjoy the holiday weekend. I know this year is atypical, but there is a silver lining to all dark clouds. I am happy to see so many families introducing themselves to our beautiful parks. The Town has over 130 acres of parks, walking trails, and nature preserve space. Due to the increased use of our parks, we are maintaining the carry-in-carry-out policy to reduce garbage left behind. Our Parks team has worked tirelessly to keep everything in ship-shape. If you see garbage carried out of cans by the wind or night-time animals, please do not kick it into waterways or sewers.

 

 

Please continue to be safe out there and I hope you enjoy a restful Independence Day weekend!

 

--Dana

 

If your business, non-profit, or community group has an event that you would like to submit to be a part of the Supervisor's Update, please e-mail a flyer and brief description to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We are happy to pass along events that provide a benefit to the community and support our local economy. Thank you for helping us to highlight all the best Ossining has to offer!

Supervisor's Update - Friday, June 26, 2020

Details

Last Updated: 26 June 2020 26 June 2020

 

This week was Primary Day across the state. Many votes came in by absentee ballot, but a lot of people also came out to vote in person. We know the safety practices put in place made voting a bit challenging this year. Thank you to everyone who took part in this vital democratic tradition. This was likely a dry-run for the November election, but we will await more direction from the State in the coming months. I am sure the Board of Elections is discussing adjustments that can be made to make the process happen more smoothly. Our Town Clerk, Sue Donnelly, serves as the liaison to the Board of Elections for all local, state, and federal elections, so we will keep you apprised of any updates she learns of in the coming months.

 

 

Ossining, and the Mid-Hudson region, entered Phase 3 this week. We are moving through the phases at a steady pace because so far, case numbers have remained low. There is a relatively common misunderstanding that Phase 4 will be a full return to normal. Unfortunately, we are not quite there yet. The phases introduced by the Governor offered guidance so businesses could prepare, however they do not include all businesses – as many have noticed. Phase 3 brought personal care services like nail salons and tattoo parlors. It also allowed for limited capacity indoor dining at restaurants. Phase 4 will hopefully start in early July. We do not currently have guidance from the state on how the re-opening will continue after Phase 4. The Governor announced this week (as some upstate regions entered Phase 4), that gyms, movie theaters, bowling alleys, and casinos remain closed at the start of Phase 4. Most business will still have occupancy limits. Guidance is now available for all four phases on the New York Forward website.

 

 

Phase 3 has also brought some lifted restrictions on municipal operations. As we have shared, most non-essential Town staff members have been working from home since mid-March. For most departments, phones were being answered from home with staff making limited trips to the office to open mail, process payments or applications, and I am so proud of the level of customer service we have been able to provide during this extremely difficult time. This week, all Town departments have shifted main office functions back to the office, with some employees working from home on a staggered basis to still keep the capacity in our offices down. However, we are still not really allowing members of the public to enter our building for in-person service. This past week, we worked closely with our partners in the Village of Ossining to put the necessary protocols in place to allow for in-person service to resume. We will be sending out a joint notice early next week to share more details on re-opening. We greatly appreciate all of your patience as we navigate these uncharted waters. We hope all will recognize the hard work and consideration that have gone into establishing our re-opening protocols. Also, please note we do not anticipate re-starting in person Town Board meetings or volunteer board meetings any time soon, as long as Governor Cuomo continues to renew an Executive Order allowing meetings to be held via videoconferencing.

 

 

We have also been receiving many questions about our park offerings. At this time, the Spray Park at Louis Engel Park remains closed - we are working to get all that is necessary in place for a safe opening and hope that by early next week we can announce an opening date. All other playgrounds will officially reopen starting tomorrow! Permits for our park pavilions will be available starting on July 11^th. Ballfields will re-open on July 6^th. We are working closely with our Superintendent of Recreation, Bill Garrison, alongside our top notch Parks Department, led by Parks Foreman Mario Velardo, to be sure we do all we can to ensure the public’s safety while enjoying our parks. That being said, we are stressing that spending time in our parks, enjoying the amenities available, should all be done at your own risk. It would be simply impossible for playgrounds to be disinfected after each use. Parents and caregivers should remain vigilant, wear masks, and follow the recommended guidance from the CDC for visiting parks. We are also happy to share that bathrooms at Engel Park are now open – and look swankier than you might remember! Here are some pictures of them, outfitted with touchless fixtures and even door openers you use with your foot. We are hoping for touchless soap dispensers to arrive soon to replace these other ones. Our other comfort stations at Gerlach and Ryder which were also being upgraded should be complete in the next few weeks.

 

 

I am excited to see many of our businesses and restaurants have been allowed to reopen based on the State’s guidelines. I would like to remind everyone to be patient as businesses adapt to the new safety procedures. Businesses are run by people currently working under enormous stress. Be nice! We are all in this together. Although restaurants and food service establishments are allowed to re-open indoor dining, some have chosen not to quite yet. If you notice a business has chosen not to allow indoor dining yet, remember that they have their own families they are worried about too. Please continue to support local businesses.

 

 

New York’s case numbers are some of the best in the nation, so as other states infection numbers continue to rise, it is important for New Yorkers to stay vigilant. Wear your mask. Wash your hands. Social distance. We have come so far – we do not want to take any steps backward. It is stressful to keep track of all the guidance and news as it rolls in. I remind you that physical health is not the only type of health we need to maintain. Take some time every day to check in on your mental health and emotional health as well. New York State extended health insurance registration until July 15^th. Hotlines have been created for emotional support and general COVID information. A line has been created for healthcare workers too.

 

 

The Community Equity Task Force met on Monday this week for a virtual gallery walk on the history of racism in United States policy and leadership. The Task Force is creating a survey to help residents share their ideas for how to improve equity in our community. We understand these issues will not be fixed overnight, but we will continue to work together to dismantle biases ingrained in our institutions and organizations. For many, we know the past few weeks have been eye-opening and upsetting. We appreciate that so many are willing to press forward toward progress even though the topics may be uncomfortable. We are happy to announce our cross-generational Task Force Co-Chairs:  Catherine Boozang-Hill and Sandy McAllister. If you would like more information about the Task Force or if you are interested in participating, contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

 

This week has been a tad bittersweet for all of us in Town and Village government, as we say goodbye to our Town Comptroller/Village Treasurer Thomas Warren. Tom recently announced that he would be retiring from this position starting July 1. Tom has served the Ossining community in this shared role since 2008, guiding us through some uncertain financial terrain, including the Great Recession, start of the Property Tax Cap era, and of course the COVID-19 Pandemic, among others. With Tom’s guidance, the Town also achieved a credit rating upgrade to Aa1 from Moody’s Investor Service just this past December. We are so appreciative of Tom’s guidance throughout the years, which he gives always with a little touch of humor! We are going to miss Tom, but he probably will not miss us too, too much, as he will be joining his wife Diane and cutest-dog-in-the-whole-world Hobe in Arizona for what will be a well-deserved, restful next chapter for their family. Tom joined us for our Town Board meeting Tuesday night and we “presented” him with a virtual proclamation over Zoom!

 

 

But don’t worry, Tom stopped up to the 3^rd Floor for his proclamation in person yesterday – socially distanced of course.

 

 

We are also excited to share that Tom’s deputy, Dale Brennan, will be stepping up into the role of Town Comptroller and Village Treasurer. Dale has been Tom’s right hand woman for quite some time, so we are confident this is going to be a seamless transition. Congratulations to both Tom and Dale!

 

 

Tom and Dale have taught us not to miss out on any opportunity for funding, SO as a reminder, resources available to municipalities are often funded based on Census results! The data is used to allocate money for schools, highways, social service programs, and many other local necessities. Give Tom the best retirement gift by filling out the Census and getting the Town and Village of Ossining the money we deserve! Census responses are also used every ten years to redistribute all 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Starting soon, census workers will begin ringing doorbells and knocking doors. Avoid that hassle by answering today - it only takes about 10 minutes. Use the links below to complete the census in your preferred language. You can also complete the census over the phone in different languages as well.

 

English: https://my2020census.gov/ or 844-330-2020
TDD (Telephone Display Device): 844-467-2020
Portuguese: https://2020census.gov/pt.html or 844-474-2020 
Spanish: https://my2020census.gov/ or 844-468-2020
Chinese: https://2020census.gov/zh-hans.html or 844-391-2020 (Mandarin) 844-398-2020 (Cantonese) 
Vietnamese: https://2020census.gov/vi.html or 844-461-2020
Korean: https://2020census.gov/ko.html or 844-392-2020
Russian: https://2020census.gov/ru.html or 844-417-2020
Arabic: https://2020census.gov/ar.html or 844-416-2020
Tagalog: https://2020census.gov/tl.html or 844-478-2020 
Polish: https://2020census.gov/pl.html or 844-479-2020 
French: https://2020census.gov/fr.html or 844-494-2020 
Haitian Creole: https://2020census.gov/ht.html or 844-477-2020 
Japanese: https://2020census.gov/ja.html or 844-460-2020

 

For more language options, visit the US 2020 Census website’s language center: https://2020census.gov/en/languages.html. The Census is a new concept for many people. Remember: it is a count of each resident and is completely confidential by law. 

 

 

We know many people were disappointed to hear that the Town will not be hosting our annual fireworks show this year. While we certainly miss seeing everyone in person, we simply cannot justify bringing thousands of people together during this pandemic. As many of you are aware, we get nearly 4,000 attendees annually at our Independence Day fireworks celebration. We have been closely following Governor Cuomo’s Executive Orders, and gatherings of over 25 are still not allowed through Phase 3.  And even as we get to Phase 4, likely on July 7, that number only goes up to 50. As your Town government, we recognize we need to be a leader on this issue and do whatever we can to prevent large gatherings of people, continue to contain the spread of COVID-19, and protect public health. We recognize this is an important holiday when the Ossining community gathers together annually, some of us having done so for decades! I know I will definitely miss enjoying the early summer evening with my friends and family and food trucks! We know there is no true alternative to our amazing fireworks display, but we could all probably use some celebration as a community right now!

 

 

The Town and Village will be co-hosting a patriotic House Decorating Contest. Register here for your house to be considered!  We hope this will be a small, but impactful way to remind us all that even if we cannot be together in person, we are certainly all in this together.  We are hoping we will be able to gather next year, so mark your calendars for Independence Day 2021 – we will make sure that will be the best fireworks celebration to date!

 

 

That will be followed up with the launch of our virtual Friday Night Concert Series on Friday, July 3^rd, featuring Marc Von Em, a favorite from last year’s waterfront concerts. We will announce winners of the House Decorating contest at the top of the show. The concert series is adapting to Coronavirus times, which means we'll have virtual concerts for July. Order from your favorite local restaurant, find a comfortable place to listen, and sign in to join us every Friday in July. Mike Risko will emcee the kickoff performance of singer and guitarist Marc Von Em. With influences from a mix of blues, folk & funk, Marc’s show is one you won’t want to miss. Mark your calendars now: 6pm of July 3rd and 7pm for all other July concerts!

 

Then, if you have the opportunity, I heard there’s a Hamilton watch party for those with Disney Plus, starting at 7pm on Friday, July 3^rd, so you have lots of opportunities for safe celebration with your loved ones.

 

 

For anyone who owns a business, I would like to remind you that the Town and Village have cloth masks available if you need them. The masks are washable and reusable. We do not want businesses to have to delay opening because they may not have the masks they need. Masks can be requested by calling (914) 762-6002, emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or filling out our easy-access google form in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

 

 

The Ossining Public Library has announced the start of the Summer Reading season. Check out what they’ve got prepped for us by visiting their website.

 

 

Books on the brain? Ossining students can request “book bundles” as part of an innovative solution to these trying times. Students or guardians can fill out the book bundle application to get a head start on their summer reading – and their new favorite stories.

 

 

If your child borrowed a book in March it is important to return it. Books should be brought back to your child’s school. Call the school building for drop off times.

 

 

We are happy to see events coming back into the Update. Tomorrow night, June 27 at 8pm, Westchester Collaborative Theatre is performing a series of vignettes about the effects of COVID-19 on different aspects of our lives. I admit, one of the playwrights is someone I know well. See if you can figure out which one! The live-streamed production begins at 8. Send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to get the live stream link.

 

 

The Crossover Yoga Project and Sing Sing Kill Brewery are collaborating on Poses 2 Pints, a fundraiser happening Sunday, June 28^th at 11:30 am via Zoom. They are such an amazing organization, plus they are great yogis.  I have participated in many of their live versions, and this one looks like it will be “virtually” as wonderful. Check it out!

 

 

Neighbor’s Link is hosting a DACA clinic via Zoom on Monday, June 29 from 2pm to 8pm. They are also hosting a Virtual Citizenship Clinic Thursday, July 2, from 9am to 4pm. Please call 914-502-3377 to schedule an appointment for either event.

 

 

On June 30^th, join Riverkeeper in celebrating the 2020 Fishermen’s Ball Honorees. Learn about their work to stop toxic PFAS pollution in waterways in the Hudson Valley and across the country. This year’s Honorees are Newburg’s Ophra Wolf, who organized a community to fight against contamination of the City’s drinking water supply, Rob Bilott, the lawyer who famously took on DuPont Chemical in West Virginia. Mark Ruffalo, who portrayed Rob Bilott in the movie Dark Waters will make a cameo during the virtual event. Register on the Riverkeeper website.

Did you miss the Members Show from the Ossining Art’s Council? Check out their Virtual Gallery and learn more about the pieces and their creators.

 

 

Our Cedar Lane Arts Center is getting ready to reopen its doors. Health guidelines for New York State have made our popular classes even more exclusive so sign up now to get a spot! More detailed class descriptions are available on the Ossining Parks and Recreation website.

 

 

Information about what’s available right now to help people is included in our handy-dandy COVID-19. Need info on legal assistance, WiFi access, or services for seniors? Check the doc. How about info on programs for Veterans or locations for hot meals? We’ve got that too. If you cannot find what you need in this doc, you are welcome to reach out to the Town offices. Our Town staff is responding to all calls and emails.

 

 

 

Food distribution has continued throughout the Ossining, though it may change locations in the upcoming week so continue to look carefully. Check out the schedule below for the upcoming week. The food distributed is done in collaboration with multiple local agencies, so please see below for all those working hard to feed Ossining.

 

 

 

The Ossining Food Pantry offers food and gift cards to the Ossining Farmers Market. The Pantry is expanding their list of recipients, providing fresh produce, and delivering meals and gift cards to residents who need an extra hand. You can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to apply or for more information. As a reminder, all food distribution programs are for Briarcliff residents too.

 

 

For more fun, theater-related activities, check out the Life is a Cabaret virtual musical theater program launched by the Mike Risko Music School.

The Ossining Farmer’s Market is helping keep you out of long lines in the heat by allowing pre-ordering! Fill up a virtual shopping list by Thursday each week and pick-up on Saturday.

 

 

Historic Hudson River Towns and all its member communities, which includes the Villages of Briarcliff, Ossining, and the Town of Ossining, worked with the company Travel Story to develop a driving tour of communities along the Hudson, north of the Mario Cuomo Bridge. The tour app is available for free via the TravelStorys app. We are excited to be a part of this program and hopefully with more families planning road trips this summer, we can highlight all the best Ossining has to offer virtually.

 

 

Please continue to be safe out there and have a great week!  Remember, there will be no Town Board meeting next Tuesday, as Tuesday, June 30 is a fifth Tuesday in the month of June. 

 

 --Dana

If your business, non-profit, or community group has an event that you would like to submit to be a part of the Supervisor's Update, please e-mail a flyer and brief description to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We are happy to pass along events that provide a benefit to the community and support our local economy. Thank you for helping us to highlight all the best Ossining has to offer!

Planning Board Meeting - Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Details

Last Updated: 25 June 2020 25 June 2020

A meeting of the Planning Board of the Town of Ossining will be held on:

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

 

7:30 P.M.

 

THIS MEETING WILL BE HELD VIA VIDEO CONFERENCING

Pursuant to Governor’s Executive Order 202.1 dated March 12, 2020

Members of the public can join the meeting via computer or mobile app:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83136365218

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

Meeting ID: 831 3636 5218

(929) 205-6099

**Please note that by dialing in, your phone number will be visible to the host, participants, and attendees of the meeting.**

     

 

Preliminary Agenda

 

• John Marricco, 125 Morningside Drive, New Single-Family Residence Architectural Review – PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED

 

• Bruce Fiorito, 39 Old Albany Post Road, New Duplex, Architectural Review  - PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED

 

• Sunrise Solar Solutions, LLC, Club Fit Briarcliff, 584 North State Rd., Site Plan Amendment – PUBLIC HEARING

 

 

Miscellaneous

 

• MGM Subdivision – Request for Extension, Resolution of Subdivision Approval

 

Please visit the Planning Board Projects Page to view PDF copies of documents pertaining to the Agenda for July 1.