June 11, 2024

The Ossining Aquatic Center is officially open! If you haven’t yet gotten the chance to stop by the Joseph G. Caputo Community Center, you are in for a treat when you do. Our Olympic-sized pool has been resurfaced, and we have completely renovated our locker room and added LED fixtures throughout the pool area. It was a much-needed refresh, and more to come as the planning continues for renovations throughout the Community Center in the coming year. Special thanks again to our former Assemblywoman Sandy Galef who secured the DASNY funds that helped make this major job possible—we celebrated with her at Wednesday’s Ribbon Cutting event, where Deputy Mayor Lopez, Trustee White and I were also joined by Ossining Town Councilman Manicchio for the occasion.

Also on Wednesday, we gathered to celebrate the annual Pride Flag raising at Market Square, which will be flown through the month of June. I am always honored to join the Ossining LGBTQ Alliance and participate in the creative and educational events they organize for our community.

Thank you to the many community members who stopped by Here Coffee + Beer last week for our “pop up” workshops to discuss the future of the Station Plaza neighborhood. We discussed a variety of topics, including potential new zoning options for the Station Plaza North (SP-N) zoning district, the timing of the project construction at 30 Water Street, the installation of the Train Station Solar Canopy upon which work will begin in July (more on that later), and our next steps for Project MOVER, the Village’s grant-funded e-bike initiative. Over the two sessions, we had over 70 people stop in and see us—thank you again to the Here Coffee + Beer folks for graciously hosting!

Multi-Modal Transportation Hub - Community Input Session - We want to hear from you!

The Village of Ossining is now in the design phase for a Multi-Modal Transportation Hub (MMTH) that will be used for parking, e-bike charging, and rentals. It will be located in the Brandreth parking lot.

Your input matters. Please join us for a presentation by THA CONSULTING to learn more about this linchpin parking structure. We will be hosting two dates times at the Community Center:

·        Monday, June 17 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM

·        Saturday, June 22 from 10 AM - noon

There will be ample time for community questions & comments.

This July, the Village of Ossining will be expanding our community solar program!

We are thrilled to announce that a solar canopy will be installed in the parking lot located on the east side of the train station this summer. Unlike traditional solar panels located on private property, this innovative project will benefit the entire community by making solar energy accessible to all, including households who cannot install solar panels where they live. This model significantly increases access to clean energy, offering a unique opportunity for our community to actively contribute to a greener future and enjoy the benefits of sustainable living while saving money in the process.

Construction is expected to begin in mid-July and is expected to impact Commuter Parking at the Train Station through mid-September. In the coming weeks, you can expect to hear from us via the Mayor's Message, the Clerk's Office, the Weekly Web Blast, and social media regarding parking alternatives for Commuter Permit holders and daily parkers, providing updates on construction, and explaining how low-to-moderate income residents can save money on their electric bills through this program.

Updates on all of our projects are regularly available on the Village's Story Map, which can be found here: https://bit.ly/3KA4Dxk. 

As a travel enthusiast, I am particularly eager to share information on the Tappan Zee Loop Path, which will create some exciting connections between Ossining and other local areas. Be on the lookout for new and impressive wayfinding signage.

Prepare for an adventure! You can hike, walk, run, or ride your bike from the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail to the Ossining Train Station. From there, embark on the Haverstraw/Ossining Ferry and follow the Haverstraw River trail to the Mario Cuomo Bridge Shared Use Path. Once you cross the Bridge, you'll be reconnected with the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail - where you'll explore all the exciting stops in between on your way back to Ossining.

This week’s meeting will be held at 16 Croton and will begin at 7:30PM on Wednesday, June 12^th, 2024. The Work Session Agenda will be as follows:

• We will then be joined by Dan Welsh and Nick Tedrow from Sustainable Westchester, who will be discussing the upcoming expiration of the Westchester Power contract (Community Choice Aggregation, or CCA). The Village is being asked to sign onto the MOU for the next contract, which is anticipated to go to bid this summer.

• Water Superintendent Andy Tiess will join to discuss next steps for the ongoing water main replacement project along the 9A corridor.

• We will discuss proposed fees for (4) recent legislative actions, all of which must be added to the 2024 Fee Schedule:
• Driveway Paving Permit
• Rental Registry
• Vacant Storefront
• Special Events

• Finally, Corporation Counsel will present an update on the license/ site agreements for the e-bike docking stations, which is the next stage in preparing for the Project MOVER e-bike pilot launch later this summer.

Please note that in observance of Juneteenth, we will be hosting our Legislative Meeting on Tuesday, June 18^th, at the Birdsall-Fagan Police Court Facility instead of Wednesday, as our offices will be closed on June 19^th.

Village of Ossining | www.villageofossining.org