MAYOR'S UPDATE
From the desk of Mayor Rika Levin
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Women’s History Month is upon us – and today is International Women’s Day. As a longtime feminist, it’s one of my favorite months. I always like to take some time to learn something new about how women have influenced our society. Like me there are many women in Ossining who have spent much of their adult life advocating for women’s causes. One that comes to mind is State Assemblywoman Sandy Galef. A true example of strong, steadfast, and empathetic leadership, Assemblywoman Galef is serving her last year of an illustrious 20-plus year political career. Still, her legacy continues as the women she mentored continue their journey. Here, she is wearing a vintage sash for women’s suffrage once owned by Elizabeth Sutton Underhill (1882-1982), president of the Ossining Suffrage Association in the early 20th century. Underhill was the daughter of a prominent local family; Underhill Avenue is named for them. In 1912, she was traveling through Europe with her family. Her father booked passage home on the Titanic, but he changed their plans at the last minute. Seeing her close call with destiny, Elizabeth resolved to make the most of her life. She became a lawyer, a bank president, and a political mover and shaker. Let’s take this month to celebrate all women in Ossining! |
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Please join us tonight, where the community can learn more about the DRI program and share your input! We will be hosting a Community Meeting, beginning at 6 PM over Zoom. Here, you will find out what comes next for the Village since we were awarded $10 million from NYS for the DRI.
At the meeting, we will discuss the following topics:
- Timeline for the DRI Planning Process
- A Look at the Ossining Downtown Area
We want your feedback regarding:
- Vision and Goals for the Ossining Downtown Area
- Revitalization Themes, Issues, and Opportunities
- Potential DRI Projects
Click here to join the discussion: https://bit.ly/ossiningdri (Spanish translation services are available at this evening’s meeting).
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In an effort to hear more directly from our constituents on various topics of interest, I am excited to invite you to attend the first of four Village of Ossining’s Village Hall Forums being held in 2022. This virtual meeting will be held on March 30th from 7:30 PM-9:00 PM.
The goal of the Village Hall is to encourage direct and transparent dialogue between the Board of Trustees and the Ossining community. We are interested in hearing from our constituents. Our first community conversation is centered on Cannabis zoning.
At the March 30th Village Hall Forum, we will be discussing Village codes relating to zoning as a means of ensuring that the community's land uses are compatibly located and used for the health, safety, and general welfare of the community. For those who are not available on that date or don't feel comfortable participating in a live conversation, feel free to submit your questions to the Board at bot@villageofossining.org with the subject line Cannabis Legislation Village Hall Question/Comment.
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The Village of Ossining and its project lead, EIT InnoEnergy, was recently selected for a Phase One grant through the New York Clean Transportation Prizes program. As one of 17 projects announced Project MOVER through Phase One of the competition. This is al in line with my belief that Ossining will be the greenest village in the country. Together with support from transportation planning experts Nelson\Nygaard and electric micromobility provider ACTON, plans for Project MOVER will be further developed in the Village of Ossining as part of a multi-community incubator to test and replicate implementation in neighboring Rivertowns. The system will be designed collaboratively with the community and will ensure that the system is barrier-free.
Navigating the Village of Ossining can be made more challenging without the use of a car, and we have long been in search of strategies to secure alternative forms of mobility for our residents. We are enthusiastic about this chance to deliver on a decades-long promise: introducing an affordable, accessible, and zero-emission option for commuting to and from work, school, childcare, and community activities will be transformative for the residents and business owners of Ossining. We look forward to being an "A" student and providing a turnkey example for our Rivertown neighbors to follow suit. I am excited by the prospect of bringing us ever closer to being the greenest Village in the country and am proud of the work being conducted by our Village staff in pursuing this opportunity without costing even a single dollar to our taxpayers.
Project MOVER intends to put electric bikes in reach of every Ossining resident and visitor, providing a viable mobility option that will benefit people who don’t wish to drive, don’t find it economical to drive, or need a quick and fun way to get around the Village. In addition, underserved community members and low-income people in Ossining have identified a lack of access to direct and frequent transit as a key hindrance to accessing services and economic opportunities. For many, the Village’s topography further amplifies the already challenging prospect of accessing services, job opportunities, family care, and transit without a car.
Project MOVER received a Phase One award package of up to $200,000, including a $100,000 planning grant for further proposal development, up to $50,000 in funding for community partners, and up to $50,000 in in-kind support from technical experts. Project MOVER will be able to compete for a final grand prize in the Electric Mobility Challenge. Up to three $7 million grand prizes will be awarded through Phase Two to projects that demonstrate electric mobility options that solve underserved community needs. We know it’s a long shot but we are willing and happy to put the work into yet another sustainability and social justice initiative.
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Our Work Session this week is comprised of the following items:
We have been researching Big Belly solar trash compactors for a small-scale deployment in Downtown, as well as in Nelson Park. Assistant Village Manager Maddi Zachacz will be presenting some examples of what the product looks like and some of the safety features it offers.
There will be a presentation regarding the contract documents from DOS for the Firehouse Consolidation Grant.
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
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Village of Ossining | www.villageofossining.org
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