Tarrytown hosted a kayak crossing on September 17 as part of the month-long Hudson River Ramble. TEAC organized the event, and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Tarrytown Fire Department and the Westchester Police ensured the safety of the kayakers. Thanks to all involved for a beautiful morning crossing. The event was the perfect inaugural gathering at the new kayak dock installed at the kayak launch site at the end of Lot G. The dock was installed to improve the safety for kayakers who use the Tarrytown launch and will be removed from service during the cold weather months.

Report from the Board of Trustees Meeting on 9.18.23

ICYMI, you can watch Village Board meetings online.

• Greenhouse Gas Inventory for Government Operations: Dean Gallea, Co-Chair of the Tarrytown Environmental Advisory Council (TEAC) presented the inventory report of greenhouse gas emissions associated with Village government operations. The report marks the first phase of the Climate Action Planning Institute, a program in which the Village is participating in cooperation with Westchester County and eight area municipalities. The program is funded by a Climate Smart Communities grant originally awarded in 2019. Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was delayed in its initiation. The next phase will be to take the data gathered for the inventory report, and us it to identify emission-reducing and money-saving opportunities in Village facilities and operations. If any Village residents would like to participate in a task force for th next phase of the Climate Action Planning Institute, please reach out to administrator@tarrytownny.gov.

• Public Hearing on Local Law to Require Maintenance of Private Roads: The Board of Trustees continued the public hearing considering the adoption of a local law to require maintenance of private roads. Property owners are required to maintain curbs and sidewalks in front of their properties. If the Local Law is adopted, property owners will be required to maintain private roads for which they are responsible in the interest of public health and safety. The law gives the Village authority to address a health and safety issue on a private road and charge the cost back to the property owner if the issue is not first addressed by the property owner. The full text of the local law can be found at the end of the September 18 agenda. The public hearing on the proposed local law will continue at the October 2nd meeting.

• Public Hearing on Curb-side Plantings: The Board scheduled a public hearing for October 2nd to consider a local law that would allow for plantings other than grass in the nature strips between curb and sidewalk, as long as the plantings are lower than 6inches and do not cause a tripping or entanglement hazard. The amendment would help diversify permitted plantings while maintaining safe and accessible public pathways. The full text of the local law under consideration can be found at the end of the September 18 agenda.

• Public Hearing on Zoning Code Amendment to be held on October 2nd: Residents should have received notice in the mail of a public hearing to be held on October 2nd to to consider amendments to the zoning code that would reduce the cost and procedural burden for property improvements by residents and businesses. The proposed local law would amend Chapter 305 (Zoning) to 1) allow certain mechanical equipment for heating and cooling and non-habitable structures including sheds, playhouses, and stairs to be located within the setback areas but still no less than 3ft away from side and rear yard lot lines; and 2) prevent applicants required to pay in lieu of parking by the Planning Board from having to also go to the Zoning Board of Appeals to request a parking variance. More information about the proposed amendments and a full draft of the local law can be found online at: https://www.tarrytownny.gov/October-2-2023.

• Contract Awarded for Water System Improvements: Following a competitive bidding process, the Village awarded the contract to complete Phase VIIB of water system improvements to the lowest responsible bidder, Montesano Brothers, for the amount of $2,325,550. The project will replace water system pipes along Martling Road and Rt. 119 that are too small and aging to improve water flow, quality, and pressure. In addition, system redundancy will be added along Rt. 119 to ensure continuous water flow between the northern and southern sections of the Village in the case of a system issue. The funds for the project have been borrowed, but the Village has also applied for a grant from the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation which if awarded would cover up to 60% of net project costs.

• Additional Repairs to H-Bridge: Phase 1 of repairs to the H-Bridge has been completed with assistance from a Bridge NY grant covering 90% of project costs. The State Department of Transportation requires additional repairs be completed in the next two years. The Board authorized the Village Administrator to commit to make the repairs by December 31, 2025. The second phase of repairs will be completed with financial assistance from New York State thanks to a $500,000 grant authorized by NYS House Speaker Carl Heastie and Assembly Member MaryJane Shimsky.

Coming up:

The Board of Trustees will hold its next Work Session on Wednesday, September 27 at 6pm. The agenda for the Work Session can be found here.

Want to learn what's on the docket for the Board of Trustees? You can sign up to receive agendas in your inbox here.

Interested in what is currently before the Land Use Boards? Sign up to receive agendas in your inbox, or find them posted on the website, three days before the scheduled meeting.

Current applications before the Planning and Zoning Boards can be viewed online:

Planning

Zoning Board of Appeals

Thanks to the Hackley Lakekeepers for cleaning up our lakes.

Their first clean-up of the academic year was held on September 16th. Let's all do our part and keep our beautiful trails litter-free.

RECREATION RUNDOWN

For information about all of the upcoming events and programs organized by the Recreation Department, click here, or sign up to get the news straight to your inbox every other week.

Con Edison Updates

Castle Heights: Service connections to remaining residences will be completed next week.

Union Avenue: Con Ed will back fill the trench on Union Avenue next week.

Grove Street from Neperan to Elizabeth: Con Ed will be working on service connections to residences on Grove Street for the next two to three weeks.

Lower Main Street to Cortland and White Street to Franklin: Beginning the week of October 2nd, gas main replacement will begin on Lower Main Street and White Street. Please expect parking disruptions and intermittent traffic issues.

Paving Program: Prospect Ave., Sawyer Ave., Sheldon Ave.

Village of Tarrytown Annual Paving Program

Scheduled Dates of Work: (weather permitting) Sept. 25 – Oct. 6, 2023

PROSPECT AVENUE

SAWYER AVENUE

SHELDON AVENUE

• Avoid travel in the vicinity of these roads.
• Motorists will encounter rough road conditions in preparation for the new pavement.
• Be advised of intermittent traffic disruptions.
• Roads may be temporarily closed during the paving work.
• Access in/out of driveways and side streets could experience slight delays.
• Detours and traffic flow to be controlled by contractor flag persons.
• Street parking will be prohibited in the work zone.

We appreciate your cooperation and patience and apologize for any inconvenience. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the Village of Tarrytown Department of Public Works at:

Office Phone: (914) 631-0356

email: DPW@tarrytowngov.com

COVID-19 Boosters Available

From the CDC:

• CDC recommends the 2023–2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines.
• Everyone aged 5 years and older should get 1 dose of the updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19.
• People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get additional doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine.
• Children aged 6 months–4 years need multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines to be up to date, including at least 1 dose of updated COVID-19 vaccine.
• COVID-19 vaccine recommendations will be updated as needed.

FDA fact sheets for recipients and caregivers on each vaccine are available: Pfizer; Moderna; Novavax.

COVID vaccines are widely available at pharmacies, local health departments, clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers and other locations across the state. 

To find a vaccination location near you: https://www.vaccines.gov/

Blood Drive on Thursday

Two great reasons to donate blood on Thursday, September 28 at the Senior Center:

1. There is a national blood shortage with the national blood supply down by 25% since August, and Type O donors in particular demand.
2. There will be free Baskin Robbins coupons given out to every donor - a pint for a pint!

You can sign up for an appointment online: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=Tarrytown

This Red Cross video tells a story of why one person chooses to donate blood:

Mobile Shredder Coming to Tarrytown on Saturday October 7, 2023 from 10:00-1:00 at the Green Street Parking Lot.

For more information about how it works what you can bring, click here.

Test of the Emergency Alert System on October 4

Notice from FEMA:

FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) this fall.

This test will consist of two portions, testing both WEA and EAS capabilities. Both tests are scheduled to begin at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 4. In case the Oct. 4 test is postponed due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the back-up testing date is Oct. 11. 

The WEA portion of the test will be directed to all consumer cell phones. The EAS portion of the test will be sent to radios and televisions.

FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with EAS participants, wireless providers, emergency managers and other stakeholders in preparation for this national test to minimize confusion and to maximize the public safety value of the test.

The following can be expected from the nationwide WEA test:

·         Beginning at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET, cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message. 

·         All wireless phones should receive the message only once.

·         For consumers, the message that appears on their phones will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

·         Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”

The following can be expected from the nationwide EAS test:

·         The EAS portion of the test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and will be conducted with the participation of radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers and wireline video providers.

·         The test message will be similar to the regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar. It will state: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”

Halloween Parade: Three Things to Know This Month

1) The Parade Committee is looking for volunteers to help on the day of the event. Get involved and help make this the great event it is for Tarrytown. The best parade in the County!

2) Sign up for a float! Get your costume ready! There are cash prizes at stake:

• Best Adult -$100
• Best Overall -$250
• Best Neighborhood Float- $500
• Best Group - $100
• Best Child - $50
• Best Float -$250

3) Support the Halloween Parade. The Parade Committee is hosting a fundraiser at the Set Back Inn on Thursday, September 28. $25 at the door. Enjoy food from local restaurants.

More info: https://www.tarrytownhalloweenparade.com/

Open Streets Tarrytown Postponed to September 30

Due to the weather forecast, the Open Streets Tarrytown event celebrating Hispanic Heritage month has been postponed to Saturday, September 30. Please join us for dining, shopping, and live music downtown to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month next Saturday.

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)

Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining"!

Find the latest TEAC Newsletter here:

Other Volunteer Opportunities

Village Committees are not the only way to give back to your community. There are lots of civic groups in Tarrytown doing important work. Like TEAC, the Friends of the Riverwalk are looking for volunteers to help maintain the plantings on the waterfront. Many more organizations are listed in the Volunteer Directory that has been assembled by the Community Coalition and Kids Club of the Tarrytowns.

TravelStorys - an App for Visitors to the Tarrytowns

Check out the free audio tours of historical sites in our area. Have guests coming to visit this summer? It's a great way to help them get to know the area. Information in Tarrytown has been translated into Spanish.

Haunted House in Sleepy Hollow Seeking Volunteers

Psycho Clan is looking for many actors that know how to make people scream! For the first time since 2019 there's a haunted attraction back in Sleepy Hollow in the form of "The Horsemen: Terror Lies in Chaos". We call what we do an "immersive horror experience" because it is more than just hiding behind walls and jumping out at people. There's a level of theatricality that we embrace. Venue, located in Sleepy Hollow, NY at the Kathryn W. Davis RiverWalk Center in Kingsland Point Park located at 266 Palmer Avenue. Just steps away from the Philipse Manor Metro North train station. Email us at sleepyhollowhaunt@gmail.com your headshot and/or resume. Rehearsals are 10/4 and 10/5, and it runs Thursdays-Sundays (with added 10/30 and 31) with work hours generally 5:30 pm - 1:30 am.  

We are also looking for front-of-house help as well, so if this is something you'd be interested in, do the same thing as above and indicate such.

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)

Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining"!

62 Main Street Apartments for Seniors 55+ - Applications Open

Applications for the affordable rental units in the new construction at 62 Main Street where the YMCA used to be are open until October 24, 2023. The lottery for the units will take place on November 7, 2023. Income restrictions apply. At least 80% of the units must have one household member who is aged 55+. For more information, go to https://affordablewestchester.org/affordable-rentals/

Click here for the brochure

Click here for the application.

The brochure is also posted below.

Call for Poets: Seeking Westchester County Poet Laureate 2024-2026

ArtsWestchester has initiated a call for proposals to help them find and appoint the next Westchester County Poet Laureate. The Poet Laureate program embraces both written and spoken poetic traditions and aims to promote poetry as an artistic medium that can “serve underrepresented voices and offer a space for personal reflection and healing.”

The Laureate will engage and connect with the local community and other local poets through front-facing programs and readings throughout their three-year tenure. Required programming includes at least two public readings each year, the presentation of an original poem at a County event each year, three community events per year, during which community members have the opportunity to write and/or share their own poems, and the development of a “humanities project” that brings poetry into the lives of Westchester County residents and visitors. A stipend of $30,000 over the three-year term will be awarded.

A selection panel will make a recommendation to the County based on the applications and subsequent interviews initiated by the panel, which may include professional poets, County representatives, and members of ArtsWestchester’s staff or board. The selection of the Poet Laureate will then be approved by the County.

The deadline for submissions is October 2.

Bicycle Sundays Return September 10

Head back out to the Bronx River Parkway with us for more Bicycle Sundays, as the event returns, Sunday, Sept. 10 and will run through Oct. 1 for the season!

The last Sundays of the season in which Bicycle Sundays will take place are Sept. 10, 17 and 24 and Oct. 1. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said, “September Bicycle Sundays are a special time as it feels like an extended summer. I’m delighted to welcome cyclists, joggers and families back to the Bronx River Parkway for the fall installment of the 2023 series.”

Westchester County Parks Commissioner Kathy O'Connor said, “Just because summer’s over doesn’t mean it’s time to put away our bikes or running shoes. I encourage folks to get out and ride or jog the Bronx River Parkway to keep moving well into the fall.”

Chairperson of the Westchester Parks Foundation (WPF), Seth Mandelbaum said, “Bicycle Sundays embodies the WPF mission to invest, advocate, and enhance all 50 Westchester County Parks. We thank NewYork-Presbyterian and Con Edison for their continued support of this iconic program and look forward to seeing everyone along the Bronx River Parkway this Fall.”

During Bicycle Sundays, a portion of the Bronx River Parkway is closed to cars from for the exclusive use of bicyclists, joggers, walkers, scooters and strollers. The course runs from the Westchester County Center in White Plains, south to Scarsdale Road in Yonkers, a round-trip of 13.1 miles. There are many points of entry and exit along the way.

Bicycle Sundays is presented by Westchester County Parks and sponsored by Westchester Parks Foundation and its partners, through generous donations from co-presenting sponsors NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester and Con Edison, with Jen’s Cycles in Yonkers as the official Bicycle Sponsor.

Did you know?

Local businesses can find resources, classes and other opportunities on the Westchester Catalyst website:

https://westchestercatalyst.com/events/

Tuition Reimbursement Program for EMS AND Fire Volunteers

Citizen volunteers are often called on to respond to emergency situations in Westchester County. Due to a variety of factors, local volunteer fire departments and volunteer Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies are currently experiencing a critical need to recruit and retain members.

As an incentive for local residents to serve at volunteer fire departments and EMS agencies the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services (DES), has developed a program of recruitment and retention incentives for volunteer emergency services agencies. The program is designed to provide tuition or student loan reimbursement to volunteers for their service in the County.

For more info: https://emergencyservices.westchestergov.com/contact-us/h-e-r-r-o