Hope everyone is staying warm, safe and dry! A few words on safety before our regular administrative updates: temperatures are expected to drop sharply this evening, potentially creating icy conditions on wet roads. Please avoid travel if at all possible this evening into Saturday morning. The Town posted a weather advisory yesterday on our Facebook and Instagram pages; click through for more details. Click here for storm preparation information from Con Edison and here for information from Westchester County. 

It’s been another busy week in the Town! At this week’s Board meeting, we officially appointed Deputy Supervisor Liz Feldman to complete the remaining year of my unexpired term, beginning January 1, 2023. Soon-to-be Supervisor Feldman has already served the Town well during her seven years on the Board, including a previous and current stint as Deputy. I am sure she will do a great job as Supervisor and continue moving the Town forward, sustainably. 

Our Deputy Supervisor has been pinch-hitting for me quite a bit this week, as I tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday and have been isolating per CDC and State guidelines, though thankfully I do not have any symptoms. She attended the Menorah Lighting in Market Square on Tuesday evening prior to the Board meeting. Thanks to Rabbi Dovid Labkowski for organizing the event and to Ossining Police Chief Kevin Sylvester for lighting the menorah. 

She also attended this week’s meeting of the Westchester-Putnam Association of Town Supervisors along with Victoria Cafarelli, our Budget Director and Administrative Assistant. 

Please join the Town and Village for Inauguration on Sunday, January 1, 2023, where our new Supervisor will be sworn in along with State Senator Pete Harckham, myself as Assemblywoman, 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. 

This Supervisor appointment 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. 

Speaking of transitions, this week and next week’s messages will be my last Supervisor’s Updates! My nascent Assembly office is setting 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!

In other news, I’m happy to report that last weekend’s food drive with Senator Pete Harckham was well-attended and fruitful. Senator Harckham and I were joined by Deputy Supervisor Feldman, staff members from the Town and the State Senate offices, volunteers from the Ossining Food Pantry, as well as students from Yorktown High School’s Civic Internship class. We collected more than 1000 donations with an estimated value of almost $2700!

Thanks to everyone who brought food and good cheer to this drive, and to all who generously donated to this year’s various donation drives for our neighbors in need. 

As temperatures plunge today into tomorrow, a 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 for this week! For upcoming events and more, keep scrolling. Merry Christmas to all who will be celebrating this Sunday, continued Happy Hanukkah for those celebrating, and Happy Kwanzaa to those observing that holiday starting Monday. If you’re doing some last-minute shopping for the holidays, be sure to do it locally and #ShopSmall! And click here for some tips from the New York League of Conservation Voters for making gift wrapping a little more environmentally friendly. 

Town offices will be closed on Monday, December 26. 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.

We will see you soon - till then, be safe and healthy!

--Dana

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