Mayor Thomas Weekly Report — December 2, 2017

While we all struggle for answers that may never come, we must use this time to lean into the Lord and pray for the Hawthorne family. Losing Lowell deals a devastating blow to the heart of our business and Carribbean community. The shock of this heavy situation must motivate us to be mindful of each other’s well being (especially during the holiday season) and prepare us to do more to uplift each other. This tragedy is the latest test to our faith in the future, and my ask to the Hawthorne family and all those impacted is to hold onto hope. Mount Vernon will be there for you and with you as we work to find the way forward through this dark moment.

2018 Budget Forum

On Monday, December 4, 2017, at 7 pm at Mount Vernon High School, Mayor Richard Thomas will host the second in a series of public forums on the 2018 Budget proposal. Mayor Thomas will discuss the threat Mount Vernon is facing from the Trump tax plan and the consequences of continued inaction by the City Council and the Comptroller’s office when it comes to complying with federal mandates.

Mount Vernon should rise, property values should rise, and quality of life and job opportunities should rise. The outgoing comptroller’s and council members’ budget does nothing to address the serious challenges facing Mount Vernon from the Departments of Justice and Housing and Urban Development. The DOJ told Mount Vernon they expect the city to properly fund the Department of Public Works, the Law Department, and the Buildings Department and their budget fails those expectations. Join us Monday, December 4th, at 7:00 pm, at Mount Vernon High School to discuss how the lame duck decision to leave Mount Vernon with a budgetary bag of coal is unacceptable!

2017 Mount Vernon Tree Lighting Ceremony

This year, we once again welcome the holiday season with our annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Tuesday, December 5, 2017, from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm at City Hall Plaza. Join us form horse & carriage rides, a variety of carols & musical performances, as well as Christmas tree and wreath raffle! This year’s trees and decorations are sponsored by one of Mount Vernon’s star businesses: American Christmas, now MK Illumination. Don’t miss this magical annual event!

Mount Vernon Weekly Public Safety Video — Holiday Edition

It’s a special edition of our MVPD weekly updates as Deputy Chief Roy Hastings takes us through someholiday tips to keep you and your presents safe from grinches! DC Hastings gives advice on how to secure your home, vehicle, and person so you can enjoy the holidays safely.

Here’s a cheat sheet of Deputy Chief Roy Hastings’ Holiday Safety Tips:

• If you’re planning to travel, set your lights on a timer, so it looks like someone is home. Also, ask aneighbor or friend to pick up your mail.
• If you’re out for a night on the town, remember to lock your doors and windows.
• Make sure not to leaves packages or gifts out or visible through the window of your home
• When doing holiday shopping, be aware of your surroundings, and park your car in a well-lit area.
• If you’re out of town, ask a neighbor to secure your packages, and using tracking info to be notified when the packages are delivered.
• Check with your employer to see if you can have your packages delivered to your work address so they will be more secure.
• Be careful not to throw away packaging that could alert a criminal that you have valuables inside your house. Break-down the boxes of high-end expensive items and place them in bags or pails.
• Lastly, use the holidays to stay close to family and friends, and reach out to someone less fortunate and give a helping hand.

Mount Vernon Fire Department Promotion and Graduation Ceremony

On Friday, December 1st, the Mount Vernon Fire Department held a promotion and graduation ceremony. The 11 probationary firefighters were recognized for graduating the Mount Vernon Fire Academy. Firefighters Mike Dilegge and Gerald Johnson III were promoted to Lieutenant, Lieutenant Robert Trippodo was promoted to Captain, and Captain Ricky Montana was promoted to Deputy Fire Chief. In addition, retired Deputy Chief Michael Corrado and retired Lieutenant Douglas Beale received commendations for their dedication to public service throughout their long, exemplary careers with the Mount Vernon Fire Department. Congratulations to the retirees and good luck in this new chapter, to the newly-promoted officers, and to Mount Vernon’s newest and bravest, congratulations and thank you for keeping our city safe.

Public Safety Inspection on 257 W 1st Street

Keeping Mount Vernon safe is the most important responsibility of our administration. Fire Commissioner Teddy Beale received an anonymous tip of an illegal social club one late Friday afternoon. He, along with fire and police officials, quickly responded to the call. Here’s what they found.

Second Canal Village Industrial Zone Meeting

This week, members of the Thomas Administration met with a group of business owners from Mount Vernon’s industrial zone to address concerns. Fire Commissioner Theodore “Ted” Beale, Chief of Police Richton Ziadie, and Deputy Director of the IDA Sean McIntyre discussed property taxes, streetlights, and parking issues.

The business owners were encouraged to hear about the city’s active involvement in resolving these issues. Maurice Rached, who has been hired by the city to conduct a traffic and parking study, spoke about some of the plans and analysis his firm is performing in order to facilitate new parking solutions. If your business organization would like to host a Commissioners roundtable, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at MayorThomas@cmvny.com or call us 914–665–2361.

Regional Plan Association Release 4th Regional Plan

On Thursday, November 30, 2017, Mayor Richard Thomas joined the Regional Plan Association at their unveiling of the 4th Regional Plan. Mayor Thomas had a chance to catch up with RPA Chairman and RXR Realty CEO and Chairman Scott Rechler and thank him for recognizing the key role Mount Vernon is playing in addressing long-term development in the New York City region. Many of the plans recommendations are those shared by the Thomas Administration including cover highways and railways the divided communities such as our #coverthecut initiative.

Mayor Thomas and First Lady Cherish Celetti Read to the Boys and Girls Club

First Lady Cherish Celetti read to young people at the Boys and Girls Club’ annual holiday gathering for Girl Scouts. The event was supported by the Mount Vernon Department of Recreation. Studies show that reading to children helps them develop their vocabulary, exercise their brain, and helps them unlock their imagination. This holiday season, we encourage you to share some quality reading time with the little ones in your life or to donate to organizations like the Boys and Girls Club or a local school.

Listen to us live:

Every week, Mayor Thomas speaks to Yonkers Tribune radio with host Hezi Aris: Catch his interviews here for an unvarnished look at what’s happening in Mount Vernon: Mayor Thomas also hosts Mount Vernon Moving Forward every Friday on WVOX, from 5pm to 6pm. You can listen to this week’s show here for an in-depth discussion about the what’s going on in Mount Vernon. On the Internet, tune in to Future 98.9 every Wednesday at 8:30am to listen to Mayor Thomas and Minister P. Tyson. You can find last week’s interview here. On Tuesdays at 8am, you can hear Mayor Thomas on 101.5 Linkage Radio. Catch last week’s discussion here.

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