TOWN OF OGDEN 2024 SPRING/SUMMMER NEWSLETTER
Ogden residents,
I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful spring weather and looking forward to the gorgeous summer days that lie ahead. We have had an extremely productive start to the year at town hall and I am excited to share just a few of those things within this letter.
We kicked off the year attending the Association of Towns (AOT) Annual Meeting and Training School in NYC. I joined Supervisors and Board Members from across the state as we learned about a wide range of topics from policies and procedures to federal and state funding to economic development and environmental conservation. We have been able to bring a lot of the things we learned back to the town, specifically in the areas of policy creation and enhancement. We’ve got some great work ahead of us and are already in the process of bringing these great initiatives to fruition.
One of the central themes of this training was the importance of a strategic plan, known in town government as the Comprehensive Plan, for obtaining grants, building infrastructure and garnering community support. It was reassuring to hear them speak so highly of the plan as we recently adopted our new 2024 Comprehensive Plan, outlining a long-term vision and achievable goals for the community. Developed by residents and for residents, it was crafted with input from a steering committee and community feedback from various platforms such as open houses, online forums, and public meetings. This plan now serves as a roadmap for our team, aligning with community-established initiatives.
With a solid plan in place, we are excited to continue moving forward with momentum by implementing the action items that directly enhance our community and make a difference to our residents. These initiatives encompass enhancing amenities in parks such as Pineway Ponds and Heritage as well as laying the groundwork for a new park on Buffalo Road. Additional items include infrastructure studies, preservation of open spaces/farmland, grant writing, Town Hall campus improvements and more. Visit our town website to review our new plan and learn about the exciting future ahead for our town.
I am immensely proud of the visionary direction set by our town board. However, this vision wouldn't materialize without the exceptional leadership of our department heads. Our dedicated team is deeply committed to enhancing the quality of life for Ogden's residents, and I am incredibly grateful for their unwavering dedication.
I hope you’ll read on to learn more about the tremendous progress we are making in 2024. We will continue sharing updates throughout the year on our town website and on Facebook @MikeZaleOgdenTownSupervisor and @Town of Ogden.
TOWN BOARD: 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 7:00pm
PLANNING BOARD: 2nd Thursday at 7:00pm
ZONING BOARD: 1st Thursday at 7:00pm
CONSERVATION BOARD: 1st Tuesday at 7:00pm
Mike Zale Town Supervisor
Aaron Baker Councilman
Sal Gerbino Councilman
Josh Hinman Councilman
Steve Toms Councilman
What's Happening In
ADVOCATING FOR CHIPS FUNDING
Ogden officials were proud to join Assemblyman Josh Jensen and other local and state representatives at the Ogden Highway facility for a press conference advocating for CHIPS funding in the 2024-25 state budget CHIPS is the state’s primary source of funding for local roads, bridges and culverts, and funding shortages would force localities like Ogden to absorb the cost It was great to have so much support for this critical funding
RECOGNIZING THE OGDEN FARMERS’ LIBRARY
Members of the Ogden Town Board presented a proclamation to representatives from the Ogden Farmers’ Library in recognition of National Library Week (April 7-13, 2024). With an array of programs for kids, teens and adults, there is something for everyone at our local library. I especially enjoy participating in story time with Children’s Services Librarian Steve Shon each month. I’m always so impressed with his ability to keep the kids engaged through song, dance and reading. Stop by the Ogden Farmers’ Library today to explore all it has to offer!
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GROUP
Our Town of Ogden Emergency Preparedness Group has convened several times this year to prepare for potential emergency situations that could arise in our community We have participated in critical exercises that allow the group to run through the town’s response to specific emergencies
INCREASED EXEMPTIONS FOR LOCAL HEROES
The town board approved measures aimed at extending real property exemptions to volunteer firefighters, EMS workers and their spouses Additionally, we voted to greatly expand exemptions for veterans residing in our community, with the aim of offering further financial support to these courageous individuals and their families There is nothing we can do to repay the sacrifices made by our veterans and first responders, but these exemptions will provide extra financial relief to them and their families
Our Neighborhood
VISITING THE OGDEN SENIOR CENTER
Visiting the Ogden Senior Center is always a highlight for me It provides a valuable opportunity to connect with local residents, listen to their concerns and address any questions they may have about town initiatives I want to extend my sincere appreciation to all the staff and volunteers at the senior center for their outstanding dedication to serving and supporting our local senior community.
UPDATE FROM THE OGDEN POLICE DEPARTMENT
The OPD continues its exemplary work in community safety and engagement The Explorer Program, launched last fall, attracted 12 students from grades 9-12 interested in law enforcement careers, while our new Animal Control Officer, Ariel Ambrose, has introduced a popular "Pet of the Month" contest We would also like to welcome our new officer, Officer Carlos Ortiz Speed to the police department, as well as Officers Joshua Drake and David Booher who were sworn in as members of the Special Police Force in January Follow the OPD on FB @TownOfOgdenPoliceDepartment for more information.
2ND ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING EVENT
Our 2023 Christmas Tree Lighting event exceeded all expectations! We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us in celebrating the holiday season together With such a high turnout and incredible participation, we ' re thrilled to announce plans for a larger event at Pineway Ponds Park later this year! Stay tuned for exciting updates
CELEBRATING NEW BUSINESSES IN TOWN
There are some wonderful new businesses here in town, including Brew School of Music and the Pirate Toy Fund. Both businesses held grand opening/ribbon-cutting events in January. It’s a pleasure to welcome new businesses to our town, especially those that provide such valuable services and resources to our community. Congratulations to both businesses. We hope you enjoy success in Ogden for many years to come.
ADDRESSING THE GILLETT ROAD BRIDGE CLOSURE
Since the Gillett Road Bridge closed indefinitely in December 2023, we contacted local, state and federal officials for assistance We then hosted a press conference at the Ogden Town Hall alongside various government officials as well as local fire, EMS and police representatives calling for swift action to be taken by CSX and other involved stakeholders to resolve this issue immediately, so this crucial bridge can reopen to the public
NEW SPLASH PAD TO BE INSTALLED AT PINEWAY PONDS PARK
We're excited to announce the upcoming replacement of our aging splash pad at Pineway Ponds Park, originally installed in 2006, with groundbreaking set to begin later this year. While we aim to keep the current splash pad operational through the summer, there's a possibility of early closure to allow for the installation of the new equipment. Stay tuned for information about the grand opening of the new splash pad in 2025!
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT UPDATE
The WNYVSA 41st Annual Equipment Show was held at our highway facility in April I am grateful to Highway Superintendent Dan Wolf and his crew for all the work they put in to host this spectacular event In other news, our Ogden highway crew is working on their spring street sweeping cleanup and has been diligently clearing debris from roadways in town, investing significant time in maintaining the cleanliness and beauty of our community Coming up on June 8th, our highway department will also host a Household Hazardous Waste Collection, Electronics Recycling and Document Shredding event Call our highway office to schedule an appointment and visit their website for more information about all the valuable services they provide
MOBILE DMV SERVICES AVAILABLE AT TOWN HALL
We recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of the return of the Mobile DMV Unit at Ogden Town Hall We are delighted that our advocacy has paid off, and for the past year, we have proudly hosted this convenient resource for Ogden and neighboring communities on the west side of Rochester The Mobile DMV is open at the town hall on the third Wednesday of every month from 10 a m - 3:30 p m
Town of Ogden
Important Phone Numbers
Animal Control: 617-6190
Assessor: 617-6107
Building Department: 617-6195
Fire Marshal: 617-6194
Highway Department: 617-6160
Historian: 617-6124
Justice Court: 617-6118
Ogden Farmers’ Library: 617-6181
Ogden Senior Center: 617-6126
Ogden Police Department: 617-6131
Emergency: 911
Parks and Recreation: 617-6174
Supervisor: 617-6128
Town Clerk: 617-6111
