Appointment of New Historian
Last week I appointed Joyce Sharrock Cole to be the new Village Historian. Her first project was an inspiring presentation about Reverend Henry Duers, the namesake for the intersection where we recently added safety improvements including two new stop signs and new ADA crosswalks. Henry Duers was born into slavery in North Carolina. He ran away and enlisted in the Union Army. As a Civil War veteran, he came to the Village of Sing Sing where, as Reverend Duers, he founded the Centennial Star of Bethlehem Colored Baptist Church.
Click here to read the full statement about last week's program and the appointment of Joyce Sharrock Cole
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Last week's Village Board meeting opened with a special presentation to our outgoing Village Historian Dana White and a welcome to our new Historian. Dana shared highlights from her tenure as Historian and thanked some of the many people who supported her work. Joyce shared insights into how she will serve as Village Historian.
We also got an update on public works projects, including the design for the new Indian Brook Water Treatment Facility. And there was a presentation from Wilder Balter, the preferred developer for a mixed-use mixed-income project proposed at the Village owned property at the corner of Central Avenue and Water Street.
Click here to view the full agenda and video link
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Open Office Hours on Tuesday; Live Update on Thursday
If you'd like to speak with me one-on-one, join me for
Open Office Hours
, happening again on Tuesdays from 10am-12noon at 16 Croton Avenue. To enter the building you must wear a mask, you'll be asked a few questions and have your temperature taken. When the attendant asks if you have an appointment, let her know that you are attending the Mayor's Open Office Hours. If someone is with me already, you'll be asked to take a seat.
I'll continue to provide a Thursday live update at 11am on Facebook. This is an opportunity for me to recap highlights from the meeting the previous night and address some of the questions I'm hearing from residents this week. Even if you are not on Facebook, you can find my updates anytime on
the Village YouTube channel
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To reach out by email:
- Mayor Victoria Gearity (gearity@villageofossining.org);
- Board of Trustees (bot@villageofossining.org); or
- Village Manager Karen D'Attore (kdattore@villageofossining.org).
No Meeting on Wednesday
This week is a fifth Wednesday, so there is no Village Board meeting. Our plan for the August 5 meeting is that we will meet in person. Virtual public meetings have been permitted by Executive Order during COVID. Unless the Governor extends his Order, we must revert to the existing open meetings laws. Now that we've had experience with virtual meetings my colleagues and I have found there are a number of benefits including greater opportunities to have experts attend our meetings, slide presentations are easier to view particularly at home, and residents are able to attend who might otherwise not be able to leave their homes. Ideally our meetings would be a combination of in-person and virtual. We are attempting to figure out the technical logistics of a hybrid meeting for the first Wednesday in August. I'll share more details next week.
This hot weather can be dangerous. Stay hydrated, check on neighbors who may need help, and be especially mindful of pets and young people. The Community Center can accommodate people needing a cooling center most days of the week. Call 914-941-3189 to confirm hours.
With Regards,
