January 25, , 2022
MAYOR'S UPDATE
From the desk of Mayor Rika Levin
I am excited to update you on the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI). This DRI, awarded to the Village in November of 2021 by Governor Kathy Hochul, moved to the first step of the process last week. Together with Village staff, Trustee White and I welcomed a visit from our DRI Core Team members: Representatives from the Department of State (DOS), Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), Empire State Development (ESD), The Business Council of Westchester, along with VBH Planning, Karp Strategies Urban Planning Advisors, WXY, and planning firm Nelson Pope Voorhis. We gathered in the Community Center (one of the proposed DRI projects) to watch the video submission, answered some questions, and then embarked on a walking tour of the DRI area. We stopped at each of the proposed projects from our winning Round 5 DRI Application. There is nothing like seeing things in person to truly understand the scope of our proposed projects and get a natural feel for our Village. This is an exciting initiative in our community – and I look forward to sharing more updates and engaging the public as we move forward to improve our Village.
I am super proud of this community's work over the past two years as we have adjusted our lives to a global pandemic. Yesterday I joined the County Executive in his weekly public update. I took the opportunity to highlight some of the wonderful initiatives happening in Ossining despite a global pandemic. In short, the herculean accomplishments of our first responders, staff, police, fire departments, and elected officials who are all working in unison. I also shared a special shout-out to OVAC (Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps).
Did you know that…?
  • OVAC has completed 11,000 vaccinations since last April. FREE of charge.
  • 1500 supplied by the County. The rest paid for other government sources.
  • 8,000 tests were administered in the past few weeks—MOSTLY FREE OF CHARGE— 900 of which were allocated by the County and 4500 from the State
  • The school and local government (Town and Village) have kept the public informed by sharing weekly updated information through all our channels so that everyone in the community can stay as healthy as possible. We continue to encourage folks to vaccinate for the health and safety of our community and our children.
Additionally, yesterday the County Health Department announced it would offer free COVID-19 vaccines in Yonkers and White Plains and COVID-19 PCR tests at the County Center through the end of February. First and second doses and booster shots are available at both locations, with special schedules for ages 5 and 12 and over. COVID-19 tests will be available at the County Center through February (www.westchestergov.com/health). Keep checking back, as new appointments will be added every three days.
Are you interested in making a difference in your community? Why not join one of the Village’s local volunteer boards or commissions? The Board of Trustees has opened the online application for various positions on our many volunteer Boards, Commissions, and Committees. Participation can help make positive changes in our community by working towards a common goal together. Residents outside of the Village can also apply for the Board of Ethics. Our staff is available to help you identify what best suits your interests. Please click here for more information on the different Boards, Commissions, and Committees. I welcome you to complete the online application (click here). I thank the residents of the Village of Ossining for their dedication and commitment to service.
On a different yet related note, I want to inform the public that we are instituting two new volunteer councils/boards for the first time in many years. In January, I appointed members to a newly constructed council: Police Reform Advisory Council. Soon, we will be establishing a new council for our newly established Ossining Youth Bureau – a much-needed and long-awaited initiative. I am grateful to all members of our community that take their valuable time to serve Ossining as volunteers.
This week’s Work Session will be held on Wednesday, January 26th, @ 7:30 PM. Some selected items that might be of interest:
  • For our first Volunteer Board/Committee Presentation of 2022, Mike Risko from the Ossining Arts Project will present their current State of affairs and plans for 2022.
  • We are getting a brief review of 2022 Capital Projects and an update on the 5-Way intersection project, which this BOT has prioritized for 2022.
  • Trustee White will update the Board on the Village Seal project.
The full agenda for this week’s Work Session can be found here: Work Session - Jan 26 2022

Members of the public can view the meeting via computer or mobile app:
Webinar ID: 883 1973 0651

Members of the public can listen to the meeting by dialing in via phone: +1 929 205 6099
Village of Ossining | www.villageofossining.org