Guest Column: Mayor Keith T. Pierce

“We're moving forward”

ODESSA, Dec. 24 -- I would like to take this opportunity to pass along Christmas wishes from your Village Government. I also wanted to let you all know of some promising developments of late in our Village.

First of all, we received some outstanding news this week. The Village has received a grant for $50,000 for Main Street improvements from the New York State Office of Community Renewal. These funds are available to Main Street businesses that have specific plans to renovate their businesses. This is a huge first step in the revitalization of our business district. These funds were only possible because of the fine work your Village Board has done in the past few years in regards to completing a comprehensive plan for the future of our Village.

We have received this past week our completed wastewater treatment study that has been ongoing for several months. Hunt engineers presented the final plan at our Village Board meeting. This plan will also help us to find funding opportunities to move this plan forward in the not-too-distant future.

We were also part of a meeting with County officials last week with regards to the replacement of the Mill Street bridge. The plan as of now is to close the bridge around the first of April; it will be closed for approximately three months. The plan calls for temporary changes to the end of McDowell Road, in order for fire apparatus and large truck traffic to access that side of town.

The last development I wanted to inform you about is the progress our Village DPW has made in the creation of our Railroad Ave./viaduct park. If you have a chance, I encourage you all to drive by and see the amazing progress that has taken place. They have cleared the brush and dead trees from a large area with help from the Monterey Shock camp. Our next step is to apply for the proper permits that will allow us to continue with the next phase of this project, which will include removing fallen trees within the creek itself.

So as you can see, things continue to move forward in our little Village. In our fast-paced lives, it's nice to stop and see the little things that happen every day to improve our lives just a little. It's always this time of year that I find myself thinking how truly lucky I am to live where I live, and with the events of the past week fresh in all our minds, we should all remember how wonderfully blessed we all are.

From all of us involved in your Odessa Village Government, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Keith T. Pierce
Mayor of Odessa

Village Board members

Pictured below, from left: Mayor Keith Pierce and Village Board Trustees Robin Thoman, Shawn Crane, Thomas Letteer Jr. and Sally Hill.

Mayor: Keith Pierce

Trustees: Robin Thoman, Shawn Crane, Thomas Letteer, Sally Hill

Village Clerk: Kristi Pierce, 300 E. Main St., Odessa, 594-2100

Department of Public Works: Steven Siptrott

Village Justice: Ronald Goossen

Municipal Building: 300 E. Main St., Odessa, 594-2100, e-mail villageofodessa@stny.rr.com

Dutton S. Peterson Memorial Library: 106 First St., Odessa, 594-2791

Schuyler County Officials

Legislature Members:

Top row (from left): Thomas Gifford, Dennis Fagan, Doris Karius, Glenn Larison

Bottom row: Michael A. Yuhasz, Barbara Halpin, Phil Barnes, Stewart Field

Legislature Chairman

Dennis Fagan, Tyrone

Legislature Members:

Michael A. Yuhasz, 535-4967

Doris L. Karius, 546-5544

Barbara Halpin, 594-3683

Glenn R. Larison, 594-3385

Thomas Gifford, Montour Falls

Phil Barnes, Watkins Glen

Stewart Field, Reading Center

County Clerk: Linda Compton, 535-8133

Sheriff: William Yessman, 535-8222

Undersheriff: Breck Spaulding, 535-8222

County Treasurer: Margaret Starbuck, 535-8181

District Attorney: Joseph Fazzary, 535-8383

State, Federal Officials for Schuyler County

Sen. Charles E. Schumer

United States Senate
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-3201
DC Phone: 202-224-6542
DC Fax: 202-228-3027
Email Address: http://schumer.senate.gov/webform.html

Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand

United States Senate
478 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
DC Phone: 202-224-4451
Website: http://gillibrand.senate.gov/

U.S. Rep. Tom Reed

United States House of Representatives
1208 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
DC Phone: 202-225-3161
DC Fax: 202-226-6599

State Senator Tom O'Mara -- Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, Yates, western Tompkins, Enfield, Ithaca (Town and City), Newfield, Ulysses(Trumansburg)

Room 415, Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: (518) 455-2091
Fax: (518) 426-6976
www.senate.nyssenate53.com

Assemblyman Christopher Friend -- Chemung, Schuyler, Tioga
Room 720, Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248
Phone: (518) 455-4538
Website: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=137