SHARE:  

March 24, 2023

Dear Residents –


Last weekend was an exciting one for Orangetown. Starting on Friday night with a big win for the Tappan Zee High School boys basketball team, followed up with an even bigger win on Saturday, rendering them the Class A NYS Champions. But there is more to come. This Saturday, March 25th, they will face off against Albany Academy in the NYS Federation Basketball championships. Keep it going Dutchmen!

 

And the excitement continued into Sunday when, despite the cold and wind, a sea of green could be seen along the route of the annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in Pearl River. Shamrocks, green ties, tiny hats, and more. It was really wonderful to see so many people of all ages and from all over Rockland (and beyond), enjoying themselves. Thanks to everyone who made the parade a success, including the Orangetown Police Department, who work hard every year to keep everyone safe, and the Orangetown Highway Department, who were on hand for setup and cleanup.   

 

This week I received some good news from the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation that landscaping work at the Route 304 and Middletown Road exit ramp (the site of the former solar panels) will be starting soon. And, better yet, that they will be planting wildflower seeds to allow the location to serve as a pollinator site. So, not only will it be beautiful, but it will help bees, insects, butterflies and birds to thrive in and around the area. So maybe, even after all the solar panel drama, all’s well that ends well!        

 

On Saturday, April 15th from 8 am to 11 am, the Orangetown Town Clerk, Rosanna Sfraga, will again be hosting her semi-annual Shredding Day. Click here for further details.

 

If you happen to know of any teenagers looking for a summer job, the Orangetown Parks and Recreation Department is still interviewing candidates. Anyone interested should check their webpage for details, but be advised the deadline to apply is Friday, March 31, 2023.

 

Unfortunately, the weather is not looking very promising for tomorrow, with rain expected to start in the late morning and continue through most of the day. So, plan accordingly and stay safe.  



Regards, 

Teresa M. Kenny

Town Supervisor

Town of Orangetown

26 Orangeburg Road

Orangeburg, New York 10962

(845) 359-5100 x 2293

Town of Orangetown

 "Rich in History"

For all future Town Board meetings, please click here.




Camp Shanks Museum - Winter Hours


  • Saturday, March 25, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
  • Saturday, April 22, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm


April 11 - Public Hearing:



  • To consider adopting the Orangetown Comprehensive Plan Update (continued from March 7th) (Find update here)


April 25 - Public Hearing:



  • Proposed aquisition of a permanent property interest, 334 Route 9W, Orangetown - HNA Training Center (continued from March 21st)



Class A State Champions - Tappan Zee Dutchmen!

Led by Pearl River's own, George Gaine, Tappan Zee Boys Basketball team are Class A State Champions! Congratulations!

Saint Patrick's Day in Pearl River! Great day celebrating with everyone on the Avenue!

Supervisor Kenny being presented with a map of Sligo from the County Council of Sligo.

From left to right: Pauric Brennan, Leas Cathaoirleach Councillor Marie Casserly, Chief Executive Martin Lydon, Supervisor Kenny, Cathaoirleach Councillor Michael Clarke, Councillor Rosaleen O'Grady and proprietor of Gerry's Place, Gerry McGywne.

Look who turned 100 - Dorothy Scarpa!

Supervisor Kenny attended a birthday party for Dorothy Scarpa, in honor of her 100th birthday! The party was attended by her family and friends of the Pearl River B Senior Citizens club. Congratulations Dorothy!

Supervisor Kenny attend the kick off event for the Nyack 2030 Climate Action Plan.


The Nyack 2030 Climate Action Plan will lay out how the Village government will reduce emissions in its operations and help households, businesses and organizations plan similar actions in their own settings.  


Those who attended the meeting on Wednesday, March 22nd learned about the project and share ideas about the broad range of topics the plan will address – renewable energy, electrification, transportation, materials management, natural resources, and adaptation.  


To learn more about the Nyack 2030 Climate Action Plan, please click here.

Public Service Announcement


Office of Emergency Management

CSX Investments and Policy Enhancements

Drive Multi-year Safety Improvement Trend

 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – March 6, 2023 – CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) has achieved record safety performance in recent years through a rigorous and comprehensive approach that includes investments in infrastructure and technology; a growing workforce; fluid network operations; and a safety culture that emphasizes employee training and coaching.

 

“CSX understands that safety is the foundation of our business, which depends upon our ability to work collaboratively as a ONE CSX team to deliver customers’ freight safely, reliably and sustainably,” said Joe Hinrichs, president and chief executive officer. “Everything we do at our company is centered around our recognition that the safety of our employees and the communities where we operate is paramount.”

 

Since CSX began transforming its operating model in 2017, the company has achieved new levels of safety and operating performance. It is the leader among Class I railroads with the fewest train accidents and the lowest average rate of Federal Railroad Administration injuries since 2019. At the same time, CSX has established itself as the industry leader in service performance metrics, affirming that network fluidity and safety go hand in hand.

 

CSX’s rise as the industry’s safety and service leader has been driven by multiple factors, including:

 

Investments in technology and infrastructure

 

  • CSX has consistently increased its annual investment on core infrastructure and will spend $1.7 billion out of a total $2.3 billion capital budget on track, bridge and signal projects in 2023. Over the five-year period from 2017 through 2022, the company spent $500 million more on core infrastructure than in the previous five-year period.
  • CSX has already updated all hot bearing detectors (HBDs) across its rail network to second-generation technology that is more effective in detecting overheated rail car wheel bearings, and consistently inspects the units every two weeks to ensure optimal performance. The HBDs are deployed every 15.1 miles along key routes and 16.2 miles along all CSX routes. The company is proactively preparing to install 53 additional detectors over the course of the 2023, extending coverage to ensure that HBDs are in place every 14.3 miles along its key routes and 14.9 miles along all CSX routes.
  • CSX has been updating its acoustic bearing detectors (ABDs) over the past several years to second-generation technology to assist with safety inspections. The railroad currently has nine units in place and is in the process of installing 19 additional ABDs, which analyze the acoustic signature of vibration inside the axle and help identify potential issues that could be missed by visual inspections.
  • CSX has installed three automated train inspection portals (TIPs) on high-volume main lines to perform 360-degrees inspections on moving trains using high-resolution imaging technology and advanced image analysis. TIPs are able to detect defects that are invisible to the human eye.
  • CSX uses autonomous track assessment cars (ATACs) to gather critical data on track conditions and send the data in near real-time for assessment and, if necessary, expedited track repair. ATACs are constantly travelling in revenue trains across the entire network.
  • CSX has an extensive drone safety program that uses unmanned aerial vehicles to perform a wide range of tasks, including aerial mapping of yards, facility inspection, storm response, accident investigation and law enforcement.


Growing the workforce and improving quality of life for train crews

 

  • CSX has successfully conducted a recruitment and hiring campaign for train crew members. Last year, the company hired more than 2,000 conductors and continues to onboard new employees to meet increasing demand for rail services.
  • CSX led the industry in implementing several changes to improve quality of life for operations employees, including updated attendance policies that are less punitive and more flexible, and agreements with rail labor unions on paid sick leave.


Safety-focused policies and practices

 

  • CSX uses an industry-leading best practice for monitoring the condition of hot bearings and actively participates with other major carriers in sharing best practices on standards for tracking and analyzing trends in bearing condition. CSX currently tracks and analyzes trends in bearing condition by commodity, with warm bearing analysis inputs adjusted for greater sensitivity on high-density hazmat routes to further enhance safety. CSX established its best-in-class method of analysis in 2007, and has continually honed the approach over time. The practice has helped the railroad significantly reduce incidents. CSX incurred only one minor bearing-related incident in 2022.
  • CSX utilizes advanced risk assessment technology annually to determine the shortest and safest routes to transport goods categorized as hazardous.
  • CSX holds hazardous materials training events for first responders, contractors and local government officials. In 2022, the company conducted 40 training events attended by more than 3,600 individuals.
  • CSX will participate in the FRA Confidential Close Call Reporting System and already has multiple well-established company initiatives to encourage safe behaviors and reporting of safety issues. The programs offer various options for submitting information to make it convenient for employees, including email, voicemail and web forms.


As CSX continues to prioritize the safe transport of critical freight across the nation, the company is committed to maintaining its focus on proactively taking measures to protect its employees, communities and customers.

Many thanks to our Superintendant of Parks and Recreation, Aric Gorton and his staff, the Shade Tree Commission and the Orangetown Highway Department, for their hard work in having Orangetown recognized as a 2022 Tree City USA. Great job everyone!

Upcoming Events