I want to start this e-mail by once again thanking Sunnyside Federal S&L for hosting the Harvest Hayride. My family and I had a great evening of country music, snacks, hot cider and a hayride that, although my son said was not scary, gave him a “little bit of a bad dream.” The feedback I received from others that attended was equally positive, many calling it “the best hayride ever.” It was certainly the perfect way to start off the Halloween season. I think our namesake Washington Irving would be proud. I look forward to seeing everyone Sunday at the Halloween Parade sponsored by the Irvington Fire Company. Please arrive at the Immaculate Conception Church parking lot at 1:45pm for a prompt 2pm parade kickoff.
Cannot Stop Talking About Leaves
It seems that I have been writing about leaves a lot this fall, mostly praising the work of Irvington Green Policy Task Force’s work with the “Love ‘Em and Leave ‘Em” program. This time, I want to remind residents that in June 2010, the Village Board adopted a local law, similar to those in nearly every other community in Westchester, that requires property owners to maintain the right-of-way area adjacent to their property. Of course, everyone’s property boundaries are different, but for most people there is an area between your yard and the edge of the roadway. Within the right-of-way is often a sidewalk or grassy area. This past winter marked the first season during which residents were required to clear snow and ice from the adjacent sidewalks. However, just as important is the maintenance of the grassy area in the right-of-way, including the mulching (or removal) of leaves and other debris.
This time of year, when the leaves fall in the right-of-way, if they are not picked up or mulched, they often find their way to the side of the road. From there, they are often washed into or on to storm drains, clogging the drains and causing unnecessary flooding. The same thing applies to small branches and litter. So if you see any type of debris in the right-of-way adjacent to your property, please remove it and dispose of it properly or if it is just leaves, please mulch them and leave them there to feed the grass all winter.
Loan Modifications on the Spot
I know this might sound like a bad “junk-mail” headline, but please read on if you have a mortgage held by JP Morgan Chase and are having difficulty making the monthly payments. A local non-profit agency, Community Housing Innovations, has arranged for representatives of JP Morgan Chase to meet with their mortgage customers. These representatives have the authority to make on-the-spot decisions as to eligibility for loan modifications. The meetings will be held on October 25, 26, and 27 between 9am and 5pm each day at 190 E. Post Road, 3rd Floor, White Plains, NY. You must make an appointment ahead of time by calling 1-877-483-2686. If you have questions, you can contact Connie Elkinson at celkinson@communityhousing.org.
Tappan Zee Bridge
A series of public meetings will be held this week regarding the Tappan Zee Hudson River Crossing Project. The Project has been in the headlines recently as it was selected by the federal government as one of only a few projects around the nation for a “fast track” approval process. The meetings will be held on October 25, 2011 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Tarrytown and October 27, 2011 at the Palisades Mall in Rockland County. Both meetings will be held between 4pm and 9pm with presentations conducted at 5pm and repeated at 7pm. Please consider attending either of these sessions if you are interested in this important regional project. More information is available at www.tzbsite.com.
Have a great week.
Brian Smith, Mayor
bsmith@irvingtonny.gov
(646) 265-3950 (Cell)