January 18, 2022
MAYOR'S UPDATE
From the desk of Mayor Rika Levin
This past weekend, we remembered Dr. King for his leadership of the modern civil rights movement and his position as one of the greatest advocates of nonviolent protest in history. Dr. King used powerful imagery from biblical and natural sources to galvanize people into action. This eventually resulted in legal equality for black Americans.

Additionally, some of us in the community celebrated the Jewish holiday of  Tu B’Shevat – A holiday symbolizing The New Year of Trees – by planting trees and advocating for environmental justice. As Dr. King said: "No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until 'justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” Together, Martin Luther King Day and Tu B’Shevat inspire us to advocate for a more just and sustainable world and the intersection of political and social justice.
I would also like to encourage all in the community to sign up for our environmentally friendly and efficient Recycle Right app. You can find information here: https://www.villageofossining.org/public-works/pages/recycle-right-calendar.
Last week I discussed examples of some big picture multiyear initiatives we have on our plate for 2022. This week I would like to recommit ourselves to listening to our community about quality of life issues. Some that have come to light that need our collective attention are: road quality (especially as it relates to the work conducted by ConEd), ADA improvements, increasing issues with bars/entertainment venues and good neighbor policies, abandoned properties and properties that lack upkeep and care, code enforcement regarding unsafe housing, and our much-used parks that need more attention. Some of our grants will give us the financial lift that we need to improve these situations, and some will come from legislation and improvements in enforcement. We will continue to work with staff on the ever-changing landscape we experience due to the pandemic and press forward on the issues that hit home every day, be it in our community center, parks, summer camps, staff work environments, etc.
In this week’s Legislative Meeting, I will be appointing a number of individuals to our various volunteer boards. These boards are essential to the well-being of a democratic government. The Board of Trustees and I fully appreciate the hard work and many hours our appointed volunteers commit to these boards or councils. The Board also has requests for cabaret licenses by various bars and entertainment venues in front of it. If time permits, the Board will also discuss reopening the parklets we created to promote outdoor dining in support of our Village's restaurants and entrepreneurs.
The agenda for this week’s Legislative Meeting can be found here:

Zoom Info: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83856020234
Members of the public can view the meeting via computer or mobile app:
Webinar ID: 838 5602 0234

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