Today I am honored to have finally, after 2 years of Covid, hosted the unveiling of the Mary Ann Roberts Entrance Hall at 16 Croton Avenue. This space is named in honor of Mary Ann’s distinguished public service to the Village and Town of Ossining. Mary Ann has been an inspiration and mentor to generations of public servants and was the first woman to serve as Mayor of Ossining. Upon her retirement in 2019, the Ossining Village Board, with the enthusiastic support of Ossining Town Council, resolved that the entryway to Village Hall will forever be known as Mary Ann Roberts Entrance Hall.

More than 200 firefighters, community members, and elected officials were at the Annual 2022 Inspection by our beautiful waterfront. I am always grateful to have an opportunity to thank our volunteers for all they do for the community.

I am thrilled to inform the public that the final Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) projects are being submitted to the State. The Ossining Local Planning Committee (LPC) meeting was held this past Tuesday to discuss the top priority projects, which will move forward to the state level for completion of their approval process. After six months of thoughtful discussions and analysis, the LPC has decided on a slate of ten DRI projects to be submitted to the State for funding consideration. As a reminder, the LPC is comprised of representatives from small businesses, developers, historians, land use board members, longtime members of our downtown residential community, the Mayor, and a Trustee, and was co-chaired by Dr. Marcia Gordon of the Business Council of Westchester. The 10 projects include:

What’s next?

Our website will be updated as information becomes available so that the community can see progress as it is being made and learn about each project in greater detail. Each of these projects is significant in size and scope for a village our size, and we are excited to begin 2023 with much change and improvements -- from the waterfront throughout the downtown. Members of the LPC, along with representatives and consultants who are experienced with other DRIs in other communities, feel very good about the progress made in Ossining. We think the 10 projects listed benefit almost everyone in our community: All socio-economic levels, children, adults and seniors, businesses, visitors, the arts, the Town, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and commuters. Included in the project slate is maintaining regional integrity, which would be coordinated with the Village of Haverstraw, our neighbor across the Hudson (who also received a 2021 DRI grant).

The total DRI funding requested above totals $13,092,000.00. While the State will ultimately allocate $9,700,000.00, the additional requests provide some flexibility should any project be deemed not viable or should any project be withdrawn for any reason. Now that the slate of projects to be submitted for funding has been identified, we will be working with the consultants and the State to develop a Strategic Investment Plan. The Strategic Investment Plan will also serve as a guiding document for planning and development beyond DRI-funded projects since all of the projects identified through this process can be incorporated into the plan. This will help seek additional funds for the five adjacent important projects that made it through the process but are not quite to the finish line. The Strategic Investment Plan will be submitted in July, and we should anticipate hearing back from the State with their final funding decision by the end of 2022. Project contracts will be awarded in 2023, and we can move forward with project implementation! Stay tuned… Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions.

Under New York’s new climate law, state agencies will invest billions of dollars in communities that are on the front line of the climate crisis. 45% of communities on the proposed list in the Hudson Valley area will receive this funding because they meet the draft criteria as a disadvantaged community.

Our community is one of them.  Make sure the most vulnerable communities in the Hudson Valley equitably receive the fullest possible benefits from the climate law. This investment is an important step towards climate and environmental justice.

HOW Join the virtual Hudson Valley public hearing

WHEN Wednesday, June 29, noon-3 p.m. To register, click here.

SPEAK OUT To ensure all communities benefit equitably from NY’s historic transition to cleaner, greener energy.

TAKE ACTION If you can't attend, submit written comments by July 7.

Lend your voice and show your support!

This past weekend, Village Historian Joyce Sharrock-Cole, with the help of the Ossining Recreation Department and Ossining Youth Bureau, launched the first Historic Scavenger Hunt in Downtown Ossining. I am so pleased that so many local families and friends spent their day solving riddles and puzzles and – and of course, exploring. If you missed it – you can download copies and search on your own – happy hunting! Click here

I am looking forward to future scavenger hunts that the Village will be hosting.

Fun fun fun and a super Happy Summer, Ossining! Did you know there is FREE live entertainment in Ossining every week this summer?

Starting this weekend, we have the Ossining RiverJam featuring PABLITO Y SU LATIN SHOW – and our annual Independence Day Fireworks at our Louis Engel Waterfront Park. Friday nights on the Hudson River waterfront with family, friends, fine food, fine craft beer & wine, and live music— that's what Summer good times are all about!

This week is a "Fifth" Wednesday of the month – as a result, the Village Board of Trustees will not have a meeting. We look forward to seeing you at our first Legislative Meeting in July, scheduled for July 6^th, 2022. You can expect my next Mayor's Message on the morning of Wednesday, July 6th as well! Have a wonderful holiday weekend.