It was great seeing those who attended the Annual Meeting yesterday evening, and congratulations again to Monica Sganga on receiving the Silver Bowl this year. As I reflect upon the work of the Edgemont Community Council over the past year, it is with pride and gratitude I present this year’s President’s Report. Our collective efforts have focused on advancing public safety, fostering community engagement and belonging, and strengthening the internal operations of the organization for the years to come. I am grateful for the opportunity to highlight our collective achievements and initiatives, which have been instrumental in enhancing the quality of life for all Edgemont residents.
Traffic and Public Safety Initiative
This fall the ECC completed phase one of a comprehensive traffic and public safety initiative in response to longstanding community concerns. This first phase, led by former Director Lucas Cioffi, lasted eleven months and involved 12 interactive, neighborhood-specific online workshops and 5 surveys with 632 total responses from residents. Through data collection, including surveys and community forums, the ECC Public Safety Committee identified key areas of concern, notably Fort Hill Road, Old Army Road, and Ardsley Road. After reviewing all of the feedback, the Public Safety Committee drafted detailed reports and recommendations for safety improvements for these three key roads.
The ECC then actively engaged with our partners in government, including the Greenburgh Town Board and staff, Westchester County officials, and our state representatives, to advocate for the community’s priorities. Our collaborative efforts have since led to tangible outcomes, including:
- – Advocacy to the County for safety improvements for Ardsley Road (County Route 78), resulting in the inclusion of ECC priorities in the Westchester County capital budget.
- – The designation of Old Army Road from Central Park Avenue to White Oak Lane as a new school zone, which reduces the posted maximum speed limit from 25mph to 20mph from 7am to 6pm on school days, following advocacy efforts and collaboration with the Greenburgh Town Board and the Greenburgh Police Department. Additionally, new signage has been installed throughout Edgemont due to the collaborative efforts of the ECC and Greenburgh Police Department Traffic and Safety Unit Sgt. Benjamin Fontanelles.
- – Cooperation with the Greenburgh Town Board and Greenburgh Planning Commissioner Garrett Duquesne on the submission of a TAP (Transportation Alternative Program) Grant application for the design and construction of a series of pedestrian improvements, including approximately 4,200 linear feet of sidewalk, crosswalks, ADA curb ramps, and pavement markings, which would be constructed along Old Army Road.
- – Greenburgh Town Board approval of supplemental survey services in connection with an Ardsley Road/Fort Hill Road Intersection Traffic Signal Project and approval of the issuance of a request for proposals for surveying services related to a potential future sidewalk and infrastructure projects on Mt. Joy Avenue (Old Army to Fort Hill Road) and Fort Hill Road (Underhill to Longview).
- – Partnership with Assemblywoman Amy Paulin for the implementation of traffic light timing changes at the Underhill Road/Central Park Avenue and Old Army Road/Central Park Avenue inspections, addressing congestion issues during school drop-off and pick-up times.
- – The appointment of ECC President Dylan Pyne to the Westchester County Traffic Safety Board, enhancing the ECC’s ability to advocate for traffic safety measures and initiatives at the county level.
Looking forward, next year the Public Safety Committee will be led by Director Thomas Leung, and in addition to continuing to advocate on the priorities identified in our October 2023 report, the committee will be releasing additional recommendations for safety improvements, based on the feedback from the surveying conducted last fall, beyond those already identified for Old Army Road, Fort Hill Road, and Ardsley Road.
Community Engagement and Programming
Over my past two years as ECC President, the ECC has renewed its commitment to community engagement and has invested in efforts to create a sense of belonging for all residents. After hearing from countless residents who were disappointed when the original Edgemont Newcomers Club folded in June 2022, the ECC began conversations last year about developing a ‘new to Edgemont’ outreach strategy and ultimately stepped in and relaunched the Edgemont Newcomers Club in October 2023, under the leadership of Director Andrea West and with the assistance of Director Nali Misra. Since its relaunch, the ECC Newcomers Club has had an immediate impact, providing a warm welcome to new residents and creating opportunities for new residents to get to know each other and build lasting relationships. I’m grateful for Andrea West’s continued leadership of the Newcomers Committee next year.
When the ECC learned that annual Old Edgemont traditions, which in recent years had become popular and well-attended traditions for all of Edgemont, were at risk of being discontinued, the ECC stepped in as the new sponsors of the Crane’s Pond Halloween Parade, the Crane’s Pond Tree Lighting, and the Crane’s Pond Carol Sing. Thank you to Greenville Fire Volunteer Company #1 for their assistance with the Halloween Parade, and thank you to Edgemont’s own Girl Scout Troop 1573 for assisting with the Tree Lighting. The ECC also started a new Edgemont holiday tradition this year, hosting for the first time the Crane’s Pond Menorah Lighting. The ECC is grateful for the partnership of the Old Edgemont Association and is committed to the preservation of these traditions and any other community traditions that become at risk.
This February, the ECC was honored to be invited by the Edgemont Chinese Association to co-sponsor for the first time the Edgemont Lunar New Year Celebration. Over 400 residents and their families gathered together in the Greenville Gym to celebrate the Year of the Dragon and enjoy amazing performances, delicious Dim Sum, and fun family games. I would like to thank ECA President Helen Bi, ECC Director and former ECA President Eliane Lu, ECC Member Hila Gotthelf, and ECC Treasurer Jen Frain for establishing the ECC/ECA partnership and assisting in the planning and implementation of the day’s activities. The ECC also thanks County Executive George Latimer, Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins, State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, and Greenburgh Councilwomen Joy Haber and Ellen Hendrickx who joined us at the celebration. We are already looking forward to an even bigger Year of the Snake celebration next year and involving more of the community in the festivities.
The ECC was also proud to continue for its third year its community service initiative, again under the leadership of Director Laura Wilker. In the fall, we partnered with The Sharing Shelf, and the community together raised over $3,000 to support the mission of The Sharing Shelf and community volunteers made 500 hygiene kits, packed over 10,000 diapers, created 400 detergent packs, made 400 underwear sets, made over 100 period kits, and sorted a full pallet containing over 250 toys. This spring, we partnered with the AFYA Foundation and raised more than $1,100 to support the Afya Foundation in continuing to pursue their mission, and community volunteers sorted and packed 1,200 pounds of medical supplies – giving these valuable goods a second life, keeping them out of landfills, and helping 12,000 people around the world. Look out for information later this summer about next fall’s community service partnership.
Looking forward, next year the Programming Committee will be led by Director Eliana Weissman. Any community group or group of residents that would like to partner with the ECC on an event, or anyone who is interested in getting involved and helping out, please reach out to Eliana or myself.
Internal Reform
At the last ECC Annual Meeting, the membership voted to establish an SBNC Rules and Procedures Revision Committee for the first time since 1994 to review and recommend updates to the SBNC Rules and Procedures. At the following ECC Board of Directors meeting in May 2023, the board voted to establish an ECC Bylaws Review Committee. I would like to thank ECC Director David Stern for serving as Chair of the SBNC Rules and Procedures Revision Committee, and ECC First Vice President Pamela Montgomery for serving as Chair of the ECC Bylaws Review Committee and thank the members of both committees for their work and dedication over the past year. The work of these committees might not be the most exciting to some, but it is essential to the continued effectiveness of the ECC.
Additionally, the ECC has continued to provide greater support to our active member organizations by offering communication and financial backend support to the remaining neighborhood civic associations. Currently, four neighborhood civic associations, the Longview Association, the Old Edgemont Association, the Southern Greenville Association, and most recently, the Greenridge Association under the leadership of Ross Vinograd and Nathan Bernstein, have partnered with the ECC for financial backend support services. Additionally, through this partnership these associations have the ability to create a page on our website, and utilize our robust email list, which has the ability to be segmented to just their neighborhood, to get their messages out easier and to a larger audience.
By partnering with the ECC, these associations benefit from greater exposure, eases continuity during leadership changes, provides their members and the community at large greater transparency into the finances of these organizations by being included on the ECC monthly treasurer’s report, and enables the civic association to take advantage of efficiencies so their remaining busy volunteers can use their energy directly towards providing greater value to their members and neighborhood through programming and engagement.
Looking forward, we remain committed to supporting these associations and our other remaining active member associations however we can and however they need.
Gratitude
In closing, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who plays a role in the success of the Edgemont Community Council. Thank you to the entire Board of Directors for their hard work, dedication, and engagement month in and month out, especially Logan Clark, David Stern, and Laura Wilker, who will be departing the ECC Board this June. Thank you to the School Board Nominating Committee for another successful year and smooth process, thank you to Lauren Lappen for doing an amazing job in her first year as Chair of the SBNC, thank you to the five nominees who interviewed, and congratulations to Josefine Teneback Cays and Ami Patel Song for being recommended to serve on the School Board. Thank you to the ECC Nominating Committee who through their hard work prepared a slate that for the first time in recent memory, has every single directorship filled, including all eight neighborhood directors. I can’t wait to see what we are able to accomplish next year together with a a full board and a revitalized committee system. Most important, thank you to our members. I’m excited to announce that for the first time in at least 10 years, our membership has exceeded 200 households. As of Tuesday, we were at 212 households. This was made possible in large part because of Directors Jen Frain and Sharyn Lewis who led our membership committee this year. Lastly, I would like to thank my wife Jenny Findel-Pyne, who is unbelievably forgiving and understanding about all the nights I am at meetings and events.
We are always looking to get more people involved. If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to me or incoming ECC Nominating Committee Chair Nali Misra at NomCom@EdgemontECC.org.
It has been an honor to serve Edgemont as President of the ECC over the past two years, and as I enter what I intend to be my final year as President of the ECC, I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve a community that has given so much to me.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dylan Pyne
President, The Edgemont Community Council
