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Update on Pedestrian Safety Measures Being Planned for Glover Field Access

By Joyce Farrell

On September 9 at the Town of Pelham Board Meeting, Deputy Supervisor Rae Szymanski mentioned in giving the EMS report that during August there were more EMS calls than usual, which included flooding incidents. 

Councilwoman Kara McLoughlin reported that the summer camps went very well and that the clinics were well attended. She stated that fall activities, including games and clinics, started on September 14, and after-school and Saturday programs have begun.

She also informed the Board that Hutchinson Elementary School has a pilot program that is more geared toward engineering and science, rather than sports, that Dr Cheryl H. Champ, the Superintendent of the Pelham Public Schools, and the school district asked the Recreation Department to run. If it’s successful, it will be rolled out to more participants.

Reporting on the Senior Citizens Club, Councilwoman McLoughlin told the Board that they had recently had a trip to Saxon Woods for a barbecue. During the fall, they will enjoy a civic-sponsored luncheon, arts & crafts, and a trip to Arthur Ave for shopping and lunch, Pizza Day, and Sandwich Day. Arts, bingo, exercise, and yoga will continue. McLoughlin noted that anyone 55 and over may join. 

Councilwoman Kristen Burke reported that the courts were closed for the last two weeks of August, which resulted in a bit of a backlog according to Town Justice Adam Kagan who suggested that next summer it may be better to stagger the weeks that the courts are closed rather than for them to be closed for two weeks in a row.

Councilwoman Burke also gave an update on Glover Field. She stated that the Town and the Village of Pelham Manor have been holding weekly meetings with the NY Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) to put together improvement and safety plans in the corridor that stretches from in front of the school where the library is at Wolfs Lane and Colonial Avenue, stretching to Memorial Field. They will be bringing the Village of Pelham in on the plan as well. The NYMTC is gathering drawings and pictures of what the plan will look like, which include a pedestrian walk path on the Memorial Field side of the street so that pedestrians don’t have to walk past the Hutchinson River Parkway. There will eventually be a storybook about the plan on the town’s website. After the Town vets the plans, it will present them to the community. The plan’s final report will then be used to apply for grant money. Burke also mentioned that the NYMTC reported that the City of Mount Vernon is cooperating with them. 

Burke then informed the Board that the Town received $30,000 in grant money to be spent on the Town’s sustainability work such as installing electric vehicle charging stations, planting trees, or installing LED lighting. She mentioned that the Town, which is part of the Hudson Valley Regional Council, has already done a greenhouse inventory and will be doing a climate action plan. She is still searching for another community volunteer and has also been working on obtaining additional grants for the Town.

Councilwoman Maura Curtin told the Board that she got word that the $287,000 grant for the Townhouse project was executed, and they can now move forward with that project. Town Supervisor Dan McLaughlin also spoke of other grants that the Town will be receiving.

At the end of the meeting, Mark House was reappointed to the Board of Assessment for a term of five years.