A Big Win for Sustainable Westchester

Very proud of my future colleagues at Sustainable Westchester, who secured a highly-competitive $5.65m federal grant to lead decarbonization efforts at dozens of nonprofits across New York State.  Sustainable Westchester is one of just nine awardees nationwide and the only one in the northeast.  A real tribute to Sustainable Westchester’s outstanding team and evidence of their outsized impact on our region.  Here’s more about the program and about Sustainable Westchester’s award.

New Rochelle Takes the Bronze (Which is Good)

Receiving the Bronze with Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Kevin Kain, Noam Bramson, Basil Seggos, Sara Kaye, Nick Sioufas, and George Latimer

Thanks to a wide range of local environmental actions, New Rochelle has attained Bronze Certification under New York’s Climate Smart Communities program.  NYS DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos visited Westchester to confer this distinction on our community and several others.  Silver next!

Climate Ready Webinar on September 21

New Rochelle is tackling the challenges of climate change head on. Join us for a webinar on September 21 from 7:00pm to 8:30pm to learn about Climate Ready NR, an ongoing assessment of our community’s climate vulnerabilities and opportunities to improve resilience.  Please also take this survey to help ensure your perspective and experience inform our city’s climate strategies.

Help New Rochelle Become Climate Ready

The torrential rains that severely impacted the Hudson Valley this past weekend are only the latest of many, many examples of how climate change is reshaping our world and region.  Every city needs to analyze its vulnerabilities, with an eye toward building resilience.  That’s why New Rochelle has launched Climate Ready NR

Now we need to hear from a broad spectrum of residents and stakeholders, so that local climate solutions reflect the needs, experiences, and opportunities of our highly diverse community. 

Please take this digital survey to let the us know how climate hazards impact New Rochelle’s residents, workers, businesses, visitors, and neighborhoods. The survey will be open throughout the summer. 

For a more in-depth experience, on July 13, from 7:00pm to 8:30pm, the City will host a virtual session for residents to learn more about Climate Ready NR, provide perspectives, and ask questions. You can register here.

And for ongoing news and updates, visit www.newrochelleny.com/GreeNR.

What’s Next for Me

Thrilled to share some good news about my professional plans: starting January 1, I will join Sustainable Westchester as its new Executive Director.

I could not be more excited.  Sustainable Westchester is among the most impactful public interest organizations in our region, with a dedicated, highly-capable staff, a record of meaningful accomplishment, and a vital, growing role in helping localities, the County, and all of New York achieve ambitious climate and environmental goals.  It will be a privilege to advance such an important mission, while working alongside colleagues, both in and out of government, whom I respect deeply.

In addition to thanking Sustainable Westchester’s Board of Directors for their confidence, let me also express special appreciation to Interim Executive Director Jim Kuster, whose willingness to remain in his post through the end of this year permits me to complete my full mayoral term. This is no small matter.  Having served New Rochelle for nearly three decades, I feel duty-bound to provide for an orderly succession at City Hall, and I intend to “run through the tape,” applying myself to the fullest during my remaining months in office, even as I transition to new responsibilities.

A final word of heartfelt gratitude for the sage advice of the many friends who helped me think through the next chapter of professional life.  It has been quite a process to consider post-mayoral careers — more interesting than I had hoped, less terrifying than I had feared — and now concluding on the happiest possible note, with a rewarding opportunity well-matched to my skills, interests, and values.

More in this press release.  Onward.

 

Arbor Day in New Ro

Great to join youngsters, teachers, environmental leaders, and members of our City team, as we planted two saplings by the twin lakes at New Rochelle High School in honor of Arbor Day.  Trees provide wide-ranging benefits: beauty, cooling shade, flood mitigation, and carbon absorption, among others.  Lots of important reasons to care for our urban forestry.