September 8, 2021

 

Dear Cornwall-on-Hudson residents, neighbors, and friends:

As we rapidly approach our nation’s somber observance of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, thought it important to mention a few things.

Firstly, I have directed that all American flags attached to poles and located on Village properties (Village Hall, the Bandstand, Donahue Memorial Park, at our water facilities, and in front of SKE2 firehouse) be lowered to half-mast beginning on Friday morning, September 10^th, and are to remain in this position until Monday morning, September 13^th. This will honor the nearly 3,000 Americans who perished on that fateful morning – and the scores of first responders in New York City (403 in total) who died while attempting to save others’ lives. It is also a solemn acknowledgement of the scores who have died of 9/11-related illnesses. I have friends and coworkers (two FBI colleagues) who perished when the Towers toppled. I have friends and colleagues who have expired from 9/11-related illnesses and maladies. And I have teammates and fellow servicemembers who have died in far off lands, while taking the fight to the terrorists.

All of us of age have poignant stories of where we were when our world was shattered that still September morning in 2001. Some of us have vivid recollections of the sights, sounds, and horrors we witnessed and experienced that clear, blue-sky morning in Lower Manhattan. I was not privileged to know 10-year FDNY veteran firefighter Kenneth Kumpel of Ladder 10. But our paths may have crossed, unbeknownst to either of us, that morning near the World Trade Center, before Ken made the ultimate sacrifice while attempting to save others. A member of the Cornwall Fire Department, Ken and his wife Nancy have two wonderful sons, Greg and Carl. As was chronicled in a recent New York Post piece on the FDNY’s 9/11 legacies, both sons are now firefighters with the FDNY. https://nypost.com/2021/09/06/firefighters-honor-legacy-of-their-fdny-parents-killed-on-9-11/ We are proud to call the Kumpel family – Cornwall’s own. We shall never forget Ken’s heroism and sacrifice.

If able to, please attend the memorial service at the traffic circle in Town at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday evening, September 11^th. Let’s never forget the significance of this day and never ever forget the sacrifice of our brave and selfless 9/11 heroes and heroines.

 

On behalf of the Village Board,

James A. “Jimmy” Gagliano

Mayor

September 7, 2021   ***IMPORTANT MESSAGE***

 

Dear Cornwall-on-Hudson residents, neighbors, and friends:

I trust that this message finds everyone safe and healthy in the wake of Tropical Storm Ida’s flood-inducing rainfall. Please know that Village Public Works employees, along with SKE2 volunteers, have been working relentlessly to ensure that clogged culverts, storm drains have been cleared, basements have had floodwaters pumped out and waters redirected, and yard debris continues to be removed. We owe them all a debt of gratitude.

I also just conferred with Town Supervisor Dick Randazzo and followed up with a telephone call to the Manager of Orange County’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Emergency Planner, Dominick Greene. Mr. Greene advises that there may be funds available for “individual assistance” from FEMA. He encouraged us to manage expectations, as there will be “needs based” assessments. This translates to the construct that bases relief monies on your household income level, as well as your existing insurance coverage. Items such as structural damage, loss of furnace, or electrical panel compromise are considered priorities. Other appliances, say a second refrigerator in your basement are obviously lower-priority losses. FEMA allows 22 days from disaster event for the County to submit a list of residents’ claims. Keep in mind, any individual claim may or may not be entertained. But we would be derelict in not compiling a list for submission and ascertaining what, if anything, can/may be replaced by FEMA.

With this in mind. I must have said list turned over to Orange County NLT Monday, September 20^th, 2021. Therefore, any resident interested in submitting for potential claim consideration MUST have the below information emailed to the Village Hall Clerk at [email protected] NLT COB (4:30 p.m.) on Friday, September 17^th, 2021.

Residents who sustained damage to their property, please provide ONLY the following general information:

Name, address, email address, telephone number and a brief description of the damages you have incurred.  Please include a general description of flood damage; location such as basement, first floor, second floor; and types of damage and loss, i.e. electrical, furnace, finished basement, personal property, etc. 

The state of emergency for the Village of COH was lifted this morning. Thank you for your patience during our response to this weather event.

Stay safe and healthy.

Very respectfully,

James A. “Jimmy” Gagliano

September 2, 2021

 

Dear Cornwall-on-Hudson residents, neighbors, and friends:

 

This is a weather emergency, State-of-the-Village edition of my usual update messages. The tropical depression known as Ida certainly did not impact us as destructively as it did the Gulf Coast and even parts of New York City and Long Island. But the record amounts of rainfall have led to serious flooding in places and washed out portions of local roadways. Some of our water facilities – especially the Taylor Road wellfields – continue to remain submerged and subject to flooding. Blessedly, there were no reported power outages and though some storm drains in our roadways were overwhelmed by the volume of rainwater, we seem to be in “okay” shape infrastructure-wise. We have power and safe, clean drinking water. Some of our neighbors in the Town of Cornwall and surrounding communities did not fare so well.

New York State has declared a state of emergency that includes Orange County. This is important for us, as it makes us eligible for reimbursement from NYS and/or FEMA for any necessary municipal road or facilities repairs caused by storm damage.

With this in mind, and because a state of emergency need be declared, locally, in order to issue any necessary emergency orders for public safety, I have issued a DECLARATION OF A LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY, which is attached. In doing so, I have consulted with the Attorney for the Village, the Village Clerk, and the Village Board. I have also interfaced with DPW and Water Superintendents Halvorsen and Trainor. Most importantly, I have crafted this declaration with specific guidance from Cornwall OEM Emergency Manager and Deputy EMS Coordinator for Orange County, NY, the Village’s own Kurt Hahn. We will continue to coordinate with all appropriate local, state, and federal officials, in order to identify any potential forthcoming hazards and mitigate storm damage.    

It is times like this that we should appreciate our Village employees from the Department of Public Works, as well as the Water and Police Departments. Next time you see one, make certain to thank them for their 24/7 availability to help keep us all safe and efforts to ensure we all maintain Village services in the wake of natural disasters such as Ida.

Stay safe and healthy.

Very respectfully,

James A. “Jimmy” Gagliano