Mayor Of Rye Releases COVID-19 Update For November 10, 2020

Press release from the City of Rye:

November 10 2020

[If you don't get these messages directly and would like to, please go to https://www.ryeny.gov/services/email-notifications, scroll down and select "City of Rye News and Information."]

A group of middle-schoolers shared with me their imaginative idea of delivering face masks by drone to those who, like me, forget every now and then to cover up when roaming in peopled places. A new City service? Well, it's not in the budget, yet, but let's hold the thought.

We have all heard that the uptick in positive tests and the related infection rate continue throughout Westchester. Our friends and neighbors in Port Chester and parts of Rye Brook have been tagged as in a "yellow - precautionary zone." This means that "micro-cluster" levels are being reached, but at the lowest point on the yellow/orange/red scale that the State is using. As a result, our neighbors will have greater restrictions on attendance at houses of worship, gatherings indoor or out will be limited to 25 persons, restaurants will not be able to seat parties larger than four and there will be ramped up testing in the schools. Not a shut-down, by any means, but certainly not a direction anyone wants to take.

In Rye, we continue to see new "active" cases, but, with a current number of 17, we find ourselves in slightly better shape than when I last wrote. Which is not to say that we are not feeling the effect of the Coronavirus: Rye Middle School, for example, has just had to declare itself entirely virtual for two weeks. As much as we may doubt that virtual education is an effective substitute for classroom experience, and as much as home-schooling imposes on over-stressed parents, imagine where we would be were the virtual option not available. Three cheers for our old friend the internet!

Speaking of virtual, Veterans Day is this Wednesday and there is much to do, some in shades of virtual. The American Legion Veterans Day celebration will be available on Rye TV at 11 a.m. It will be introduced by Fred de Barros and feature Tim Moynihan and Dave Ball, with song by Robin Latimer, and supporting roles carried by Kate Malin, George Latimer and me. The Rye Free Reading Room will have its annual spelling bee outdoors on the Village Green at 11. Yes, scholarship $$ to be awarded. Rye Middle and High School students are invited to sign up here. Rye Youth Council's Rainbow Fun Run will follow. Please go to ryeyouthcouncil.org to register. Whatever you choose to do on Wednesday, please take a moment to appreciate all that our vets have done and continue to do for us all.

COVID has had an effect of course on City services and budget. With some careful thought and belt-tightening over the last nine months, it now looks as if we are steering into a deficit-free 2020 result. Again, we don't know what the effects of the pandemic may be on our 2021 budget, but as proposed and under review by the City Council, we are looking at a 2021 financial plan that will enable the City to continue to provide high quality services and progress its long-awaited infrastructure renewal. Rather than proposing a reduced budget, as reported elsewhere, the Council is contemplating a budget that segregates additional funds to the capital reserve that we have been building over recent years. Please see below for a basic proposed budget fact sheet, prepared by City staff. The complete Proposed Budget, along with the Comptroller’s presentation, can be found on the City’s website here.

Before we lose ourselves in dreamy contemplation of municipal financial possibility, please muse with me on what the City drone might whisper (with Harry Potteresque accent) as it tactfully hovers by your ear: "Have a mask, won't you? Mind your distance. Many thanks!"

Mayor Josh Cohn

Useful Contacts:

• People under self-quarantine or exposure to known case, call (866) 588-0195 or 2-1-1 to self-report
• NYS Department of Health COVID-19 Hotline (888) 364-3065
• Westchester County COVID-19 Information Call 211
• COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline at 1-844-863-9314 for mental health counseling.

CDC

https://www.cdc.gov/media/dpk/diseases-and-conditions/coronavirus/coronavirus-2020.html

NY Dept of Health Coronavirus Update

https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home

NY Dept of Health Contacts

https://health.ny.gov/contact/contact_information/

County COVID Updates

https://health.westchestergov.com/2019-novel-coronavirus

2021 Tentative Budget

Quick Fact Sheet

For a complete review of the proposed 2021 Budget please refer to the City Comptroller presentation of November 4, 2021, along with the Tentative Budget. These may be found on the City’s website.

Key Dates:

• November 17 City Council Workshop (open to the public via zoom)
• November 23 City Council Workshop (open to the public via zoom)
• December 2 City Council Meeting (Public Hearing on Budget)
• December 16 City Council Meeting-Vote on 2021 Budget

• The proposed 2021 Property Tax Rate is $187.60 per $1,000 assessed valuation (4.19% increase over the 2020).

• The Tentative Budget provides a property tax levy increase of $1,099,156 ($47,096 under the NY State Tax Cap).

• Property Taxes are budgeted to be $26,516,114, or 4.32% over the 2020 budget.

• Other Revenues (consisting of non-Property taxes, permits, fines etc.) are budgeted to be $12.86 million or 3.57% less than the 2020 Budget.

• Total General Fund Operating Expenses (excluding capital) are budgeted to be $39.2 million (1.15% over 2020).

• The proposed 2021 budget includes the use of $1.2 million of unassigned General Fund Balance for capital expenditures, miscellaneous equipment purchases and contingency costs.

• For 2021, $1.65 million will be dedicated to Street Resurfacing through a combination of taxes, State aide, permit revenues and fund balances.

• The projected year end 2020 General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance is estimated to be $4.05 million, or 10.07% of Total 2020 Expenditures. The Capital Reserve account is projected to be $5.5 million.

This press release was produced by the City of Rye.The views expressed here are the author’s own.