Peekskill Landing Park Our Latest Jewel on the

WWW.CITYOFPEEKSKILL.COM CHANNEL 78 on CableVision TV / CHANNEL 28 on FIOS
Volume 1, Issue 1
Spring 2010
Peekskill Landing Park
Our Latest Jewel on the Hudson
Special Points
of Interest
 City-wide
Spring Clean Up
 Going on Staycation?
 Our New Peekskill
Landing Park
 Community and City
Calendar of Events
 Youth Bureau Celebrates
16th Year Anniversary
By Thomas Marotta,
Asst. Planner - Department of
Planning & Development
boardwalk, kayak docks and a new pedestrian bridge over the railroad
tracks.
T
The National Maritime Historical Society (NMHS) has expressed interest in
constructing a 10,000 to 14,000
square foot maritime center that will
house NMHS administration offices,
library, conference and educational
space, an interpretive center, and
wooden boat building program.
he City of Peekskill, in coordination with Scenic Hudson and the
Department of Environmental Conservation, is building a new waterfront park at Peekskill Landing.
It is located to the north of Riverfront Green past the gazebo and
playground. Currently, the City is
completing the environmental cleanup process on the site and has already begun the final park design.
Once complete the park will include
a number of amenities including a
Peekskill Landing will join Charles
Point Park, Riverfront Green and Annsville Creek Preserve as another magnificent addition to the Hudson River
waterfront park system in the City of
Peekskill.
This document was prepared for the City of Peekskill and the New York State Department
of State with funds provided under the Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund.
Inside this issue:
City-Wide Spring Clean-up
2
New Hires at City Hall
3
Is Peekskill Safe? Yes!
4
Peekskill Fire Department
and Memorial
5
Paramount Hosting
Air Force Concert
5
Sept. 11th Memorial
at Riverfront Green
5
Community Calendar
6
Peekskill Youth
Bureau Events
7
Field Library
Summer Programs
7
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V O LU M E 1 , I S S U E 1
DPW Spring Clean Up
“Composting offers the obvious
benefits of resource efficiency and
By Howard Wessells, Deputy Director, Department of Public Works
creating a useful product from
Now that the snow is gone and the flowers are blooming, it is time to organic waste that would otherwise
clean up the leaves and litter.
The City of Peekskill is committed to keep our city CLEAN. Our crews will
be out cleaning up our right-of-ways and City-owned properties. Our
street sweeper will be out daily sweeping our streets and parking lots, but
we can’t do it alone.
have been landfilled.”
www.EPA.gov
We need the help of all of our home owners, tenants and property owners. We need you to get out, pitch
in, get involved to make Peekskill a cleaner place to live. Don’t wait until you receive a letter from the
code enforcement officers, start now.
Here are a few things that can be done:

Home owners can band together and hold a street cleanup day, community groups can adopt a vacant
lot or an area of the city or individuals can just clean up their own front yard.

For group clean ups, a simple phone call to the Department of City Services is all you need to arrange
to have the collected debris picked up and disposed of. The City will also supply your group with a limited number of garbage bags.

Keep in mind that leaves and grass clippings, organic kitchen scraps (including eggshells and coffee
grounds) can be composted. Composting takes very little room and very little effort on your part. Set
up a small fenced in area in the corner of the yard, add leaves and grass
clippings, turn over occasionally and after a few weeks compost will be
created.
By combining vegetable scraps, coffee grinds, egg shells and some shredded paper along with a few earth worms in a aerated plastic box you will
have the makings of a mini-compost bin.
Start now: clean up, reduce, reuse and recycle
Peekskill’s New Water Filtration Plant
By Thomas Marotta, Asst. Planner, Department of Planning &
Development and Edward Khuns, Water Superintendent,
Peekskill Water Department
Would you live in a home with a hundred year-old
plumbing system? Of course not! Then why would
you live in a city with a hundred year-old water filtration
plant?
Luckily, the citizens of Peekskill no longer live in such a
city. A new water filtration
plant was completed this
Spring, the first upgrade to
our water-cleansing infrastructure in over a century.
It is the most expensive capital project undertaken
in Peekskill, costing over $37 million, much of
which was financed with low-interest loans from
New York State.
The plant incorporates high-tech air scrubbers and
chemical disinfecting techniques making this new facility much more efficient than our last filter plant.
This will result in less waste and less
electrical usage per gallon of filtered
water produced as well as healthier
and better-tasting water.
New Water Filtration Plant at
Camp Field Reservoir
So now you have no reason not to
enjoy Peekskill’s tap water: it’s clean,
delicious and, when compared to bottled water, very inexpensive.
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PAGE 3
Two Quick Questions For Homeowners STAYCATIONS
By Victor Pizzella, Building Inspector Building Department
Are you thinking of a building project such as a deck, pool, or an addition?
Will it be constructed this spring, early summer, or anytime within 2010? If
the answer to either of these questions is yes, you may want to file for your
permit(s) now.
They will be reviewed for both zoning and state code compliance and when
approved, the permit will be issued and is good for one (1) year. Traditionally, the spring and summer are the department’s busiest times for plan review and permitting. This will allow you to begin construction when you are
ready and not be delayed by our back log.
Are you thinking of selling your home? As of January 1, 2006, the City of
Peekskill has required an updated Certificate of Occupancy be issued within
sixty (60) days of a closing.
It is strongly recommended that an application be submitted and an inspection be conducted at the time of putting your property on the market. After
we complete our inspection, the application will be placed into our file and
will not be processed until you or your representative advises us that you are
ready.
Our applications, forms, instructions, and fee schedule are available at City
Hall or they can be down loaded from the city’s website
www.cityofpeekskill.com.
The department can be contacted by calling
(914) 734-4140 or stop by Monday through Friday between the hours of
9:00am and 5:00pm.
City Hall Retirements and New Hires
By Lynn Swansen, Director, Department of Human Resources
The City of Peekskill congratulates Lieutenant Gary Dasecke, Detectives
Stephen Capriglione and Kurt Buck, Sergeant Anthony Taccariello, and
Police Officers Joseph Rizzi and Jeffrey Buring on their retirement from the
Police Department.
Also, Sharon Heitman, Secretary to the City Manager and a 34 year employee retires on June 1. Finally, Thomas Marotta, Assistant Planner, Department of Planning & Development leaves in June to begin his career as
a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. State Department.
Congratulations are extended to our newly hired Police Officers – Michael
Agovino, John Marchioni, Joseph Gorman and Brandon Kruithoff. Patrolman Agovino graduated from the Westchester County Police Academy in
December, Patrolman Marchioni is currently attending the Police Academy,
and Patrolmen Gorman and Kruithoff are transfers from the Wallkill Police
Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department respectively.
The City is also proud to announce the hiring of two Career Firefighters –
Patrick MacLennan and Kevin Ferris. They are attending the Fire Academy
in Montour Falls, New York, and will graduate in May 2010.
Finally, City Hall welcomes Janet Insardi, Assistant Corporation Counsel.
Ms. Insardi will provide legal counsel to the Mayor and Common Council
and various city boards and commissions.
By Fran Brunelle,
Director of Human Services
As more and more people are
forced to adapt to these tough
economic times the idea of
"staycations" have become
increasingly popular.
People are looking for affordable and enjoyable activities
that their whole family can
participate in without having
to go far from home.
Fortunately, Peekskill Recreation Department provides
these exact opportunities for
our residents.
As summer approaches,
residents of all ages can
look forward to the opening of Veterans Memorial
Pool, free summer concerts
every Wednesday in July
and the first Wednesday in
August, and free children
shows every Monday in
July all of which are held at
the
beautiful
Riverfront
Green Park.
There are tennis lessons for all
age groups, summer camps
including a Creative Arts Camp
and a Teen Travel camp. We
also have an extensive Senior
Citizens Program which ensures that our seniors are provided with meaningful and enjoyable activities.
If you are looking to provide
your entire family with a positive, meaningful and active
experience without going far
from home you need to look
no further than the Peekskill
Recreation Department.
For information on all of our
programming, please call our
recreation hotline 24 hrs a day
7 days a week at
(914) 734-4228.
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Is Peekskill Safe? Very!
By Eugene Tumolo, Chief,
Peekskill Police Department
Is Peekskill safe? The
answer is Yes, Peekskill
is very safe, and the
mistaken negative perceptions
that linger, are based on past
events when we, endured years
of decline, empty business districts, closed factories, lost
jobs, deteriorating housing
stock and increased crime.
That era has long past and
Peekskill like so many other
communities is being reborn
and redefined.
Contemporary policing plays an
integral role in this process,
and our police department has
been instrumental in the progress we are enjoying today in
Peekskill.
“Peekskill is being reborn and
redefined in a very positive
way. Business are returning,
new trendy, upscale restaurants are opening, nightlife
abounds, new entertainment
venues have arrived and incredible shows are offered almost nightly at the restored
Paramount Theatre.”
Eugene Tumolo, Chief
Peekskill Police Department
And for this reason, I would like
to take a few sentences to describe
the
department. Peekskill Police Department has been inexistence for
over one century. Its rich tradition is reflected in the storied
history of the City, but the
overarching principle of service
to the public has never
changed and remains an unwavering commitment of the
department.
Today, the department is comprised of 62 two sworn officers
and 25 civilian personnel filling
various positions from Civilian
Service Officers to records
clerks.
We are a full service department and our officers are
among the best trained and
equipped in the State.
For over one decade, the philosophies of community police
have been the guiding principle
by which the department has
been directed and its resources
focused. But regardless of the
mission or issue, we individualize every call we receive.
Supervisors and I review every
report and monitor the response to each very closely to
ensure every person who has
asked for our assistance has
been provided the personal service they deserve.
The dedicated and hard work of
our officers has paid high dividends for the City in terms of
making our streets safer, reducing disorder in our schools,
decreasing drug activity, and
tangibly improving the overall
quality of life for everyone in
the community.
The recently released New York
State Department of Criminal
Justice crime statistics for 2009
that disclosed Peekskill’s violent
crimes have decreased by
37%, a fact that underscores
the safety of our community
and efficiency of the Police Department.
Yes Peekskill is a safe, and a
great place to live, work or
visit, and the invitation is
always open to stop by.
“Our newest citizens often say
that upon arriving in Peekskill,
they immediately see the intrinsic value of living in our
City rather than in one of the
communities offering little in
the way of culture, diversity or
public services.”
Eugene Tumolo, Chief
Peekskill Police Department
Amanda’s Law
By Victor Pizzella, Building
Inspector, Building Department
“Amanda’s Law” – Requirements for the installation of
Carbon Monoxide Alarms. This
law was adopted by New York
State effective on February 22,
2010.
A Full version of the law may
be viewed on the State’s website at www.dos.state.ny.us/
code/coalarm.htm
The law applies to all new and
existing dwelling units.
The Carbon Monoxide Alarm(s)
shall be installed within each
dwelling unit located on the lowest story having a sleeping area,
(i.e. bedroom).
They can be hard wired, plug-in,
or battery operated for existing
dwelling units.
Exception – Carbon
Detectors are not
where:
Monoxide
required
There is not a source of carbon
monoxide such as; fuel fired
equipment, appliances, fireplace,
garage, etc.
This small device
may save your life.
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PAGE 5
Peekskill Fire Department
By Lenny Varella, Jr., Fire Chief, Peekskill Fire Department
The City of Peekskill Fire Department is a combination department,
comprised of both Career and Volunteer firefighters. There are 25
Career firefighters and approximately 130 active Volunteers.
Currently, there are six volunteer
companies, Columbian Engine Co. 1,
Cortlandt Hook & Ladder Co. 1, Columbian Hose Co. 1, Washington
Engine Co. 2, Centennial Hose Co. 4
and the Peekskill Fire Patrol. These
companies are housed in five buildings, four of which are owned by the
City. A study was recently completed to determine the best course
of action for bringing the depart-
ment’s facilities up to current code
and industry standards. The public
will have a chance to listen to the
presentation at several public
hearings across the city in the
coming weeks.
Donations to the Memorial can
be sent to: Sam Oitice Memorial
P.O. Box 294
Peekskill, NY 10566
On July 24, 2010, the department will proudly dedicate the
September 11 memorial at the
Riverfront Green.
This memorial remembers Peekskill resident and volunteer firefighter, and FDNY firefighter Sam
Oitice, as well as the other victims
of September 11, especially our
fallen brethren in the FDNY, NYPD
and PAPD.
The final phase of construction will
begin in the next few weeks.
Sept. 11th Memorial Sculpture by
Artist Andrea Grimsley
Free Concert at the Paramount by the
United States Air Force Band of Liberty on May 13th
Thursday May 13th at 7pm at the
Paramount Center for the Arts in
Peekskill, the United States Air
Force Band of Liberty will present
an unforgettable evening of FREE
musical entertainment.
With a mix of dazzling vocalists and
instrumental soloists, this is a show
you won’t want to miss.
A celebration suitable for the entire
family, this performance is a highenergy extravaganza guaranteed to
leave you on the edge of your seat.
Tickets are free and available at
the Paramount Center for the
Performing Arts box office.
This outstanding group of professional musicians comes from
Hanscom Air Force Base just outside Boston and tours throughout
New England, New York, and New
Jersey.
No matter what your musical
tastes, from the classics to pop,
from Broadway to swing, the Band
of Liberty will certainly delight
and entertain. The concert will be
a homecoming for one of the
band’s featured vocalists and outstanding clarinetists, Peekskill
native Master Sergeant Jennifer
Dashnaw.
braska, the US Air Forces in Europe
Band in Germany and was with the
US Air Force Band in Washington
DC prior to joining the Air Force
Band of Liberty in 2008.
The United States Air Force Band of
Liberty is a select group of profesMSgt. Dashnaw will be performing sional musicians who support the
a tribute to the great jazz vocalist global Air Force mission by providDiana Krall as well as a stirring ing outstanding musical products
arrangement of Amazing
and services for
Grace.
official military, recruiting, and comA 1987 graduate of Walmunity
relations
ter Panas High School,
events, and by fosMSgt Dashnaw (pictured)
tering
America’s
went on to earn a bacherich national herilors of music degree at
tage. It has been
SUNY-Purchase and also
performing for miliattended Mannes College
tary and civilian
of Music and the Manhataudiences throughtan School of Music in
out the northeastNew York.
ern United States
for more than 25
Master
Sergeant
Dashnaw joined the Air
years.
Jennifer
Dashnaw
Force band program in
1995 and has served as
concert master with the Air Force
Heartland of America Band in NeJoin us for this spectacular event!
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City and Community Web Links
Common Council Calendar
Common Council Meetings can be seen
on Ch. 78 on CableVision and Ch. 28
on FIOS and are streamed on the
city’s website.
City of Peekskill
www.cityofpeekskill.com
Peekskill Board of Education
www.peekskillcsd.org/home
Peekskill Celebration
www.peekskillcelebration.com
Peekskill Museum
www.peekskillmuseum.org
Field Library
www.peekskill.org
Lincoln Society in Peekskill
www.lincolnsociety.com
Monday May 17 at 6:30pm
Committee of the
Whole Work Session
Peekskill Fire Department
www.peekskillfiredepartment.com
Peekskill Arts Council
www.peekskillartscouncil.org
Monday, May 24 at 7:30pm
Common Council Meeting
Peekskill Business
Improvement District
www.downtownpeekskill.com
Peekskill Community Garden
rootsofpeekskill.wordpress.com
Monday, June 7 at 6:30pm
Committee of the
Whole Work Session
Please do you and your
community a favor and
pick up after your pet.
Peekskill loves dogs but
no one likes what they
leave behind.
Don’t forget to clean up
after your dog! It’s the
law, it’s sanitary and your
sneakers will thank you.
Hudson Valley
Gateway Chamber
www.hvgatewaychamber.com
The Peekskill Dog Park
www.peekskilldogpark.com
The Peekskill Youth Bureau
www.cityofpeekskill.com/youthbureau
Monday, June 14 at 7:30pm
Common Council Meeting
Monday, June 21 at 6:30pm
Committee of the
Whole Work Session
Monday, June 28 at 7:30pm
Common Council Meeting
Community Calendar of Events
MAY
JUNE
May 22 Saturday 10:00am
June 5 Saturday
12:00pm to 12:00am
City Wide Tag Sale
(May 27-May 31)
Peekskill Celebration Memorial
Day Carnival Weekend at the
Riverfront Green:
May 27 Thursday
2010 Relay For Life
of Peekskill NY at Depew Park
Attic Treasures Flea Market
Every Sunday Apr-Nov
8:00am-4:00pm Bank Street
5:00pm to 10:00pm
May 28 Friday
5:00pm to 11:00pm
May 29-30 Saturday/Sunday
12:00pm to 11:00pm
May 31 Monday
12:00pm to 6:00pm
June 5 Saturday/
June 6 Sunday
Peekskill’s Open Studios
June 19 Saturday
7:00am to 7:00pm
Birds in the Park
at the Riverfront Green
JULY
Farmer’s Market
Every Saturday
8:00am to 4:00pm
June 12th through October 30th
July 7 Wednesday at 7:00pm
Riverfront Concert Series
Back to the Garden 1969
July 12 Monday 7:00-8:00pm
Riverfront Children’s Special
Mario the Magician
Rain site: Ford Admin. Bldg
July 14 Wednesday at 7:00pm
Riverfront Concert Series
OC Blues Xpress
July 19 Monday 7:00-8:00pm
Riverfront Children’s Special
Natural Wonder Band
Rain site: Ford Admin. Bldg
July 21 Wednesday 6:00pm
Riverfront Green:
National Maritime Historical Society
Revolutionary Period
Long Boat Demonstration
July 21 Wednesday at 7:00pm
Riverfront Concert Series
Singer Songwriter Showcase
Scott Seltzer, Fred Gillen and Friends
July 26 Monday 7:00-8:00pm
Riverfront Children’s Special
Java John & the Incredible
Talking Tiki
Rain site: Ford Admin. Bldg
Mark Your Calendar
Peekskill Celebration
August 6th to August 8th
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Peekskill’s Youth Bureau Celebrates 16 Years
By Valerie Swan, Executive Director,
Peekskill Youth Bureau
The City of Peekskill Youth Bureau
is proud to celebrate its 16th year
of service to the community’s
youth and families.
For the last 16 years, the Youth
Bureau has provided a safe haven
for the youth of Peekskill in the
form of development programs
which provide opportunities for
today's youth to apply their positive energy and skills to life situations and their goals. This enables
them to believe in their futures
and themselves.
Programs offer a safe place to go
after school, during school and
summer vacations. Supervision is
provided by
positive role models who facilitate
structured activities to engage
youth interests, challenge their
skills, provide an opportunity for
community service and promote
educational success. Our programs
follow the Youth Development
model, which enhances youth
competencies that will ensure our
youth are successful in all of their
endeavors.
The Youth Development helps
build strong communities, youth
and families by emphasizing positive prevention and intervention
programs.
The Youth Bureau has been funded
for over ten years through the
generosity of local organizations
such as the Peekskill Rotary Club,
public and private grants and the
City of Peekskill.
PAGE 7
The City of Peekskill Youth
Bureau’s Summer Schedule
The Youth Bureau has several
events planned for the coming
months.
These events include:
May 12 Prayer Breakfast
June 3 Rapid Food Distribution
at the Kiley Center
June 19 Community Health Fair
To learn more about the City of
Peekskill Youth Bureau and to
be involved, please contact
Valerie Swan – Director at
(914) 734-4149.
www.cityofpeekskill.com/youthbureau
Field Library Live Summer Programs
Our dates this summer are: July
program (Reading is Fundamental) to
By Sybil Canaan, Director, Field Library
8, 22, and 29, August 12, and
add even more enrichment to some of
“Library Live” is a fun series of
August 19. Starting at 6:30pm,
these evenings.
family entertainment and enrichment
these programs are free to children,
programs held on Thursday evenings
parents, caregivers, and all adults.
in July and August.
And we’ve teamed up with the RIF
On RIF nights, kids get to take
home two free books to read and
cherish for their very own!
The Field Library unveiled two mural projects in April. The murals were part of the Creative Aging in Our Communities: The Westchester Libraries Project and was funded by the Helen Andrus Benedict Foundation. Pictured left
to right are Maura O’Malley, president/CEO, Life Time Arts, Inc. , Mary F. Foster, Mayor, City of Peekskill, Larry
D’Amico, president, Peekskill Arts Council, Sone Tower, instructor, Peekskill Artist, Terry Kirchner, executive director, Westchester Library System, Sybil Canaan, director, Field Library. Photo Credit: Anthony Volpe
City of Peekskill
840 Main Street
Peekskill, NY 10566
PRSRT STD
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WHITE PLAINS
NEW YORK 10610
The Honorable Mary F. Foster
Deputy Mayor Donald Bennett, Jr.
Councilwoman Drew Claxton
Councilwoman Marybeth McGowan
Councilwoman Patricia Riley
Councilman Joseph Schuder
Councilman Andrew Torres
Richard M. Finn, City Manager
Brian Havranek, Assistant City Manager
POSTAL PATRON
Pamela Beach, City Clerk
PLEASE
Return Your
Census Forms
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Newsletter Editor: Leah Quinn
Graphic Design & Photography:
Leah Quinn, DesignsAnything.com
Celebrating City of Peekskill’s 70th Anniversary
By Pamela Beach, City Clerk, City Clerk’s Office
In 2010, the City of Peekskill is celebrating its 70th Anniversary as a city, and we have designed a sturdy, attractive
tote bag to commemorate this occasion.
Peekskill is committed to a cleaner environment, and these
bags emphasis the 3R’s of the Environment: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
You will show your pride in Peekskill while avoiding the use
of plastic bags that may end up in a landfill. The tote bags
measure 19” x 15” and are made in the U.S.A. They may
be purchased in the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall for
$7.00. If you would like to order one by mail, please include an additional $2.50 for postage and send your request to: City Clerk’s Office,
840 Main Street, Peekskill, NY 10566. Checks should be made payable to the City of
Peekskill.
The bags are also available on our website at www.cityofpeekskill.com.