Fourth of July Fireworks, Priorities, Volunteers...
Fourth of July Fireworks
It’s hard to believe that something so cold can turn into something so HOT! I’m thinking about those of us who took the plunge into the Hudson River on that cold March day. Some of the money raised from that wonderful event is being used to pay for the fireworks that we will all enjoy on the Fourth of July in Matthiessen Park. Of course, the fireworks display will happen when it gets dark, but there will be plenty to do in the park starting at 5:00 p.m.: Games, music, lots of great food, and those never ending views of the Hudson River! Park permits are free but they are required to enter Matthiessen Park. Please stop by or call the Irvington Recreation Department at 591-7736 for more information.
Parking will be extremely limited, so please plan to walk if at all possible. If you must drive, please carpool. Very little parking will be available on the west side of the railroad tracks, so plan to park in the Metro-North parking lot at the Irvington Station or up the hill at the Main Street School or Immaculate Conception Church. It’s just a short stroll through our Main Street business district. Feel free to make a stop or two at one of our fine merchants along the way!
Priorities
Each year, for the past several years, the Village Board has set their priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. Our year begins on June 1 and we have, once again, developed our priorities. This year, we have taken a slightly different approach to organizing our priorities. We have identified five major areas of focus. These are the areas that my colleagues and I feel warrant the most focus in the upcoming year. Those areas are (in no particular order): (1) Preserve and improve the quality of life in the Village; (2) Provide affordable housing options to our residents and the region; (3) Improve the economic vitality of our downtown area; (4) Deliver services to our residents efficiently while maintaining a solid financial footing for the Village; and (5) Become more sustainable as a community.
Our priorities are posted online and they include more details about how we plan to address these areas of focus.
Volunteers
Here’s a quick quiz for you. What do Fourth of July Fireworks and the Village Board’s Priorities have in common? Answer: There will be a table located in Matthiessen Park on the Fourth of July specifically dedicated to recruiting volunteers for our many boards and committees. The Board feels strongly that one of the keys to preserving and improving our quality of life is to enhance our citizens’ role in its local government. Please take the time to stop by our volunteer booth when you come down to enjoy the fireworks.
As always, please contact me with any question or comments about things going on in the Village and please have a safe and enjoyable summer.
Brian C. Smith, Mayor
bsmith@irvingtonny.gov
P.S. As I mentioned above, the fireworks start at dark: sometime around 9:00 pm. Please do not call the Police Department to ask what time the fireworks will start.