Comprehensive Plan Being Updated for Town

By Stephen E. Lipken

Mamaroneck Town Supervisor Jaine Elkind Eney opened the Wednesday, September 7th Town Board Work Session, referring to the Wednesday, June 22nd Work Session presentation from Recognizing Enslaved African Americans of Larchmont-Mamaroneck (REALM), who want to develop a Memorial for the Town’s enslaved people on Town Center’s Retaining Wall.

“I thought about the size of it, the style of it, that they want to use it as a kind of outdoor classroom,” Eney noted.  “I think that it is a very good idea,” Councilwoman Sabrina Fiddelman added.  “This specific project has taken on a life larger than itself; it primarily about the size.  The retaining wall and monument appeared to be quite dense, when they showed us the mockups.”

Councilwoman Abby Katz mentioned that enslavement was only a small event of the Town’s 350-year history that included Revolutionary War heroes, “more people than the enslaved people.”  Councilwoman Robin Nichinsky averred that it was “too much of a presence, not a good place for educational activities because of the traffic.”

Eney recapped the consensus that the proposed memorial was too big and overpowering and should be smaller and more subdued.

At the Regular Meeting, Eney stated that the Comprehensive Plan is being updated, a vision of the long-term future of the Town, based on resident input.  She relayed the good news from Moody’s Investor Services that the Town maintained its AAA Bond Rating, enabling it to borrow at lower interest rates. “We heard from the Government Financial Officers Association that the Town received a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for 2022, the highest form of recognition in government budgeting.”

The OpenGov Software Agreement, mostly befitting the Building Department was deferred.  Next, the Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant endeavors to get revitalization of the I-95 area and Roundabout, with goal of no accidents, injuries or fatalities by 2035.

Finally, Ilana Bronheim was appointed to the Traffic Committee.