I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Pace University student, Ricky Harris. Ricky, a former Harrison High School student, was recently named the Northeast 10s male freshman runner of the week. At the St. Joseph’s College Invitational, he finished 40th out of 168 runners with an 8K course time of time of 30:05.2. Congratulations on this wonderful recognition.
Recently, the annual Purchase Fire Department Inspection and Dinner was held, and I am happy to report that the condition of all fire department apparatus is outstanding. The department should be commended for their commitment to excellence. The dinner, following the inspection, was wonderful and I would like to congratulate the following award winners: Chief’s Award: Ray Zimlin; Captain’s Award: Charlie Nielsen Jr.; Firefighter of the Year: Ira Bornstein; Performance Awards: Nick Pennella, Rick Redlon and Matt Mancini; Peter Dott Award: Bob Makowski; Unit Citations for the SUNY Purchase dorm fire on Sept. 4: Lt. Sam Bornstein, Mike Zeffiro, Bob Makowski, Dylan Symonette, Matt Mancini, Rex Rohde, and Evan Sundquist. It was a memorable evening and an honor to be included.
I’m happy to report that in September, Avalon Developers began the planning process for the downtown MTA development by offering a pre-submission of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, DEIS, to the town planning staff for completeness review. The town planner has reviewed the preliminary document and has responded with comments that will be incorporated into the DEIS for submission in the near future. The document will be posted on the town/village’s website and a hard copy will be available at the Harrison libraries and the town clerk’s office. After the upcoming submission of the DEIS, the Planning Board will vote on whether to accept the DEIS as complete.
At a future date, the Planning Board will hold a public hearing to entertain comments from the community, which all residents and members of the public are invited to attend. Comments and suggestions are encouraged to assist the Planning Board in their review of the application. Once the public hearing is closed, Avalon will begin work on the Final Environmental Impact Statement, FEIS, which will incorporate responses to all comments raised in review of the DEIS. I’m encouraged that the process is moving ahead and I look forward to seeing progress once the aforementioned steps are met.
In other news from our Planning Department, the plans for a new rental apartment complex on Halstead Avenue (at the lumberyard site) have been approved and the project is under construction. There will be approximately 30 residential apartment units, offered at market rate, and a parking garage below. On Harrison Avenue (at the old Balmoral Kennel site), a subdivision for six homes has been approved and is underway. I am excited to see this continued interest in development taking place and am pleased to see that developers are committed to investing in our municipality. With the momentum we are currently experiencing, I am confident that qualified developers will continue to be part of the future vision for Harrison.
In closing, I would like to once again remind all residents that as Halloween approaches, please be mindful of the following safety tips: Attach reflective strips to all costumes. Don’t allow young children to trick-or-treat alone, have them go with a parent or trusted adult. Parents, or accompanying adults, should carry flashlights or lanterns. Make sure costumes and masks fit properly to avoid obstruction of vision and trip hazards. Be aware of traffic, use sidewalks when possible, and look both ways before crossing streets. Avoid walking near lit candles or luminaries. Whenever possible, costumes should be made out of flame-resistant materials. Parents should inspect all candy and treats.
