Happy Friday! Hope everyone has found some time to rest, reflect, and spend time with loved ones as the holiday season comes to a close. 

It is hard to believe that this is the last weekly update I will send as Town Supervisor! Serving as your Town Supervisor has been such an incredible honor, privilege, and pleasure and truly the best job I have had to date.  Every challenge has been an opportunity to do more and do better and I thank you for trusting me and our entire team. 

Team Town and I have accomplished a lot together in seven years as your Town Supervisor. I always say that my mission as a public servant is to build healthy communities - environmentally healthy, economically healthy, physically and mentally healthy, all through the lens of equity. I have taken every opportunity to pursue that mission, and I am so grateful for the tremendous team that has helped me make it all happen on behalf of our constituents, businesses and our world. 

Environmentally, we made strong commitments to cut carbon emissions, joining CURE 100, earning Clean Energy Community status, and making progress toward the Climate Smart Communities designation. We’ve accelerated the Town’s transition away from fossil fuels in a number of ways, including adding electric vehicles to the Town’s fleet. The most recent addition came two days ago: an electric bus for the Senior Nutrition Program! 

We put together a “highlight reel” detailing the work Team Town and I have done over the past few years; click here to view it!

I am so proud of the work we’ve done to make the Town a healthier community. I feel confident that Ossining will continue to get better and better with the foundation we have laid since 2016, and I will do my utmost to support Ossining, Briarcliff and all of the communities of the 95th Assembly District in my new role. 

During my last Town Board meeting on Tuesday, before passing a number of resolutions to close out 2022, we took a few moments to honor retiring Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, who has done so much for the Town during her long and distinguished career as a legislator. We have also declared January 1, 2023 Sandy Galef Day in the Town of Ossining!

She leaves big shoes to fill, and I am grateful for her support and mentorship as I step into the role. I am also grateful to her for physically swearing me in to begin my service as your Assemblywoman! Please join the Town and Village for Inauguration on Sunday, January 1, 2023, where our new Supervisor, Liz Feldman, will be sworn in along with State Senator Pete Harckham, myself, newly elected Town Board Member Jennifer Fields-Tawil, and the recently re-elected Village officials, Mayor Rika Levin and Trustees Manuel Quezada and Dana White. 

And save the date for a 95th Assembly District-wide inauguration ceremony, to take place on Friday, January 20 at Cortlandt Town Hall. Click here to RSVP. 

My departure and the appointment of Liz Feldman to Supervisor will leave a vacancy on the Board. The Town is now seeking letters of interest for a one-year appointment to the Town Board, to end effective December 31, 2023. Please note the seat will be up for election in November of 2023 for a four year term beginning January 1, 2024.  You can learn more about the election process and how to run for office at the Westchester County Board of Elections website.

While all residents of the Town of Ossining are welcome to apply, the Board will be giving special consideration to those who live in the Unincorporated area of the Town of Ossining. Residents of the Unincorporated Town currently have just one representative on the Board, newly elected Councilwoman Jennifer Fields-Tawil, and we would ideally like to increase this representation. Of course, that will not be the only consideration. All interested parties should submit a letter of interest and resume to Martha Quituisaca in the Office of the Town Supervisor () by noon on Friday, January 6, 2023. 

The Supervisor’s Office is also looking for a part time Confidential Secretary to assist the incoming Supervisor. Click here to review the job description and learn how to apply. 

In other news, as winter continues, one last reminder that help is available for heating costs for eligible households. The New York Public Service Commission expects heating costs to rise by at least 20% this winter. If you are anticipating difficulty with paying your heating costs, check out the New York State Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). HEAP can help eligible households with assistance to pay their energy bills this winter.  Learn more about this program and other ways to reduce your heating costs by visiting www.ny.gov/heat. If you are low-income and behind on your bills, you can learn more about the Electric and Gas Debt Relief program here. The deadline to enroll is December 31st, 2022.

County Executive George Latimer reminds all residents to check their energy bills and make sure you are not being charged Westchester County sales tax for your home energy costs. The County has suspended sales tax collection on home energy costs this winter to help combat the effects of rising costs on our households. If you see that you were charged County sales tax on home heating fuels after December 1, contact the County right away at (914) 995-2900. 

That’s all from me as your Town Supervisor! For upcoming events and more, keep scrolling. Town offices will be closed on Monday, January 2 in observance of the New Year holiday. Be sure to check the waste and recycling calendar for changes to your pickup schedule - or, better yet, download the Recycle Right app if you have not already done so. It’s the easiest way to stay current with waste and recycling schedules. Click here to download for Android and here for iOS.

My nascent Assembly office has set up my new communications channels so they will be ready to go starting in January. Click here to opt in to email updates from me as your new state legislator. My official government social media handle will be @AMDanaLevenberg on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter; like and follow to stay up to date with important information from around the district and the state legislature!

We will see you soon, in my new office (still at 2 Church Street, still with the land line number (914) 941-1111)! Till then, be safe and healthy, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

--Dana

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