Supervisor's Update – Friday, June 4, 2021

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Last Updated: 04 June 2021 04 June 2021

It’s gonna be a hot time in the ole Town tomorrow night, with heat rising to near 90 degrees according to the weather predictors. We know everyone is starting to think about summer fun! Last year, pandemic restrictions forced us to cancel many of our favorite events. I am excited to share that our annual Summer Concert Series and Food Truck Fridays will return starting Friday, July 2^nd. In an effort to support local businesses, we are working with the Greater Ossining Chamber of Commerce and Sing Sing Kill Brewery to feature local restaurants and New York craft beverages each week. Mike and Miriam Risko have once again carefully selected the lineup of wonderful local musicians. We will be sharing more details about these events very soon!

 

Our regular fireworks display will be a bit different this year. Our show is usually scheduled to coincide with Independence Day celebrations, but we are pushing it a little further for 2021 so our community has more time to get vaccinated before such a large gathering. The fireworks can attract crowds between four and six thousand people. To fully enjoy the benefit of this great chance for the community to gather, please mark your calendars for the Friday of Labor Day weekend (September 3^rd)! The end of summer date will give us a bit more time for residents to get vaccinated, including teens who only recently became eligible, and younger children who will hopefully be eligible by September. And it will certainly be an opportunity to recognize our workers who have been on the front lines, including teachers, as they prepare to go back for what we all hope to be a much more “normal” looking school year.

 

The Town of Ossining hosted its very first Compost Give Back Day today. If you missed out, you have another chance to pick up compost tomorrow! From 9am to noon at Cedar Lane Park, participants in our Food Scrap Recycling program can fill a bucket (up to 6 gallons) with compost. Sustainable Materials Management, Inc. in Cortlandt Manor, is supplying the compost – created from food scraps collected from our program and those of neighboring municipalities. Learn more about Food Scrap Recycling and the Ossining Composts program here.

 

 

This morning I joined the Ossining LGBTQ Alliance to raise the Pride flag at Market Square. June is Pride Month, a chance to recognize and celebrate the achievements of the LGBTQ+ community. The event was shared here.

 

 

Later today, I visited Dale Cemetery to celebrate restoration of the Superintendent’s Cottage. Work on this planned project was overseen by a local architecture firm and contractor, Stephen Tilly, Architect and Clemco Construction, Inc. Dale Cemetery is a non-denominational, non-sectarian public cemetery established in 1851 and still in use today. The Ossining Historic Cemeteries Conservancy (OHCC) joined us for today’s ribbon cutting.

 

 

On Tuesday this week the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) opened to receive applications. This program was created by New York State to support households that are behind on their rent, have experienced financial hardship, are at risk of homelessness or housing instability, and that earn at or below 80 percent of area median income. Once approved, eligible households will receive up to 12 months of past due rent. Those eligible could also receive up to 3 months of additional rental assistance, if the household spends 30 percent or more of its gross monthly income on rent. The program also will provide up to 12 months of utility arrears for eligible applicants. Apply through the NYS website.

 

On Wednesday, the Juneteenth Council of Ossining led a flag raising at Market Square with Town and Village officials. This is the first time in our history that this flag will fly in Ossining in an official capacity. The Juneteenth holiday celebrates the day in 1865 when Union soldiers reached Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. This was nearly two years after the document was signed, but the Civil War delayed freedom for thousands of Black Americans. Juneteenth is celebrated on June 19^th around the country and it was declared an official State holiday in New York last year. 

 

 

Ossining has been recognized by Sustainable Westchester for our commitment to clean energy as part of our participation in the Westchester Power Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Program. Sustainable Westchester is a nonprofit consortium of Westchester County local governments that connects residents with renewable energy options. CCA is a community-based energy purchasing program intended to control costs and increase the use of renewable energy across Westchester County. Through Ossining’s participation in this exciting program, 775,000 fewer metric tons of carbon dioxide were added to our atmosphere.

With sustainability in mind, we directed our Parks Department to use low-carbon concrete for two projects this week. This concrete is more durable and requires less energy to create than traditional Portland cement. Thanks to Parks Foreman, Mario Velardo’s creativity, the concrete was poured and then stamped (by our Parks and Highway crews) to appear as wooden planks and slate tiles. These are the first Town projects to incorporate this material, and the first stamped concrete projects as well (but probably not the last, as they look so great and they are not even quite done!) You can see sustainability in action at Engel Park at the base for the new kayak pad (on the left) and at Dale Cemetery’s Superintendent’s Cottage walkway (right).

 

 

Permits are required for launching watercraft from the Bryan Johnson Boat Ramp at Louis Engel Park. Daily and seasonal passes are available for purchase online at www.buymypermit.com/ossining/. With a seasonal pass, you will be mailed a sticker for your trailer and your license plate will be permitted for parking in the trailer parking spaces near where you can launch your boat. Please note daily permit holders are not allowed to park in the trailer spaces. We are working on getting updated signage installed at Louis Engel Park, so save yourself time by getting your pass now.

 

 

The Briarcliff’s Dog Park Committee is curating a list of residents’ requests related to creating a dog park – everything from location to potential amenities. If you have ideas to share, reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. While on the subject of dogs, here is a reminder that all our furry friends over 4 months old need to be licensed with the Briarcliff or Ossining Clerk’s Office.

 

 

Looking for summer work? Playland is hiring! Check out their online job board for retail, office, custodial, and specialized jobs. Candidates are encouraged to apply to their top three job choices and interviews begin as early as tomorrow. The park will open to the public on Saturday, June 26.

 

 

Wildflower Island is a two-acre refuge within the greater Teatown preserve, home to roughly 280 species of wildflowers, trees, shrubs, ferns, grasses, and rushes. Join experienced guides on weekends in June to explore this natural paradise. New dates have been added! Sign up on the Teatown website.

 

 

Ossining Innovates and WEDC are launching Cohort 3 of their Inclusive Entrepreneurship Accelerator. This program is designed for residents considering opening their own business or non-profit. The free, year-long program includes 20 weeks of entrepreneurship training (Thursday evenings 6-9pm) as well as coaching, mentoring, and community support. Seats are limited, so fill out an application sooner rather than later. Learn more at ossininginnovates.com

The inaugural Hudson Valley New Voices (HVNV) Festival continues at the Westchester Collaborative Theater. This weekend, HVNV will showcase Vintage Voices, featuring dramatic works by seniors. The festival concludes June 18 – 20 with Voices of Color, featuring original plays by writers who identify as People of Color. All tickets are $15 and can be purchased online or by calling (914) 263-4953.

 

 

The Ossining Fire Department Venturing Crew 467 will be hosting Propane Tank Drop-Off Day this Sunday, June 6^th, from noon to 3. If you have some old empty propane tanks sitting around that cannot be refilled or exchanged, here’s your chance to safely get rid of them.

 

 

The AMD PTA is holding a Food Truck Friday Fundraiser on Friday, June 11, 2021 from 6-8 pm. Featured food trucks include Wanna Empanada, Gyro Uno, SDF Café, and Mister Softee Ice Cream (the El Patio truck on the poster is no longer available to participate). All of the food trucks will be giving a portion of the evening's proceeds to AMD PTA. You can sign up for the event here.

 

 

The Ossining Arts Council 2021 Members’ Exhibit is now on display at the Ossining Public Library. The show will run until June 27^th. The OAC Virtual Reception will be held on Zoom this year, on June 18.

 

 

The Westchester Pollinator Garden Tour is looking to add Ossining yards to celebrate. Gardens do not need to be fancy or elaborate. Gardens with (some) native species, grown without pesticides and chemical fertilizers are welcome to join. These properties will be featured in the Westchester-wide pollinator garden tour on June 13. Learn more on the Healthy Yards website.

 

 

The Greater Ossining Chamber of Commerce holds Chamber Chats once a month. These one-hour open forums are a chance for small business owners to connect and share ideas. The next meeting is June 17th. Hear from other owners and employees about the challenges and successes small businesses are facing. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for the Zoom link.

Stop by OVAC on June 18 for a blood drive. Our area is facing a blood shortage, a critical resource for hospitals. You can schedule your donation appointment here.

 

 

The Paramount Hudson Valley Theater will host its first live performance in over a year on June 18^th and then again on the 20^th. Classical/rock violinist Daisy Jopling teams up with award-winning director and visual maestro Daniel Flannery (creator of legendary Olympic Ceremonies, World Stages, TV, Film, Expo & Theme Parks), and acclaimed writer, Ossining resident Sarah Bracey White in the world premiere of their show Transcendence. Tickets are available now.

 

 

Our own Mind, Body, Spirit – Ossining program brings free wellness classes to our parks and open spaces. A Trauma Conscious Yoga Class will be held on the stage at the waterfront on June 19 at 9am. After the year we have had, I think we can all use some trauma-conscious healing. Mark your calendars now! This class will be taught by Crossover Yoga Project, register through Community Pass. If your small business is interested in hosting an outdoor class, please contact my office at 914-762-6001 or by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

Artis Senior Living of Briarcliff Manor is holding Shred it Day on June 19th, a chance for residents to protect sensitive, printed information from ending up in the wrong hands. There is a suggested $10 donation to participate with proceeds supporting the Alzheimer’s Association. RSVP online or by calling 914-223-7195.

 

 

The Ossining Public Library is leading a book discussion group that focuses on the literary works of African-American, African, and Afro-Caribbean authors. All discussions will take place virtually. If you are interested in being a part of this book club, email facilitator Barbara Robinson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for the zoom details.

 

 

The Juneteenth Council of Ossining will host a Juneteenth celebration on Saturday, June 19 at Louis Engel Park at the Ossining waterfront. More details will be available soon!

 

 

The next Historic Sparta Walking Tour is scheduled for June 20 at 1pm. Join Dr. Alan M. Stahl, Sparta historian, resident, and vice-president of The Jug Tavern of Sparta, Inc., for the fascinating 200 year history of The Jug Tavern as well as Sparta's homes and residents. The tours are outdoors, masked, and socially distanced. Sign up for the June tour here.

 

 

The next Town of Ossining Board Meeting will be a Legislative Session on Tuesday, June 8 at 7:30pm on Zoom. Join us with Meeting ID 897 6573 3973 and passcode 244499. Read the Meeting Agenda here.  We will have Departmental Reports from our Recreation Superintendent Bill Garrison and Assessor Fernando Gonzalez at our meeting this Tuesday.  Property owners should have received change of assessment notices in the mail last week, as our Assessor filed the Tentative Roll for 2021.  I know these notices have prompted questions among some property owners, so please join our meeting on Tuesday to learn more about the assessment process from our Assessor and how to grieve your assessment if you feel the value is inaccurate.  Meetings are recorded and uploaded to Facebook and YouTube every week.

 

Stay cool this weekend, and enjoy!

 

--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!

Town Board Regular Meeting - Tuesday, June 8, 2021

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Last Updated: 04 June 2021 04 June 2021

Town Board Regular Meeting

Tuesday, June 8, 2021, 7:30pm

THIS MEETING WILL BE HELD VIA VIDEO CONFERENCING ONLY

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

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

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89765733973?pwd=VWd6YWtSSDhlM1A5KzF1bXN2MzJzUT09

Please note password for this meeting: 244499

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

Meeting ID: 897 6573 3973

(929) 205-6099

 

Meeting Agenda: pdf 06 08 21 Regular Meeting (290 KB)

 

pdf Town of Ossining Voucher Detail 06082021 (34 KB)

 

CANCELLED - Planning Board Meeting - Wednesday, June 2, 2021

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Last Updated: 02 June 2021 02 June 2021

The Planning Board Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, June 2, 2021 has been CANCELLED. 

 

The next Planning Board Meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.