LEWISBORO, N.Y. - Lewisboro Town Supervisor Tony Gonçalves and members of the Town Board were among the approximately 200 people who attended the ceremony marking the first anniversary of the October 7 massacre in Israel – and their support was one of the recurring themes during the board’s Tuesday, Oct. 15 bimonthly meeting.
The interfaith ceremony took place at Lewisboro Town Park on the evening of Oct. 7 and commemorated the events of October 7, 2023 – during which more than 1,200 people perished at the hands of Hamas and other armed groups and initiated the current Israel-Hamas war. That death toll included 46 American citizens and people from more than 30 other nations. In addition, militants abducted 251 people from Israel, 97 of whom remain in captivity in Gaza.
“I want to thank the members of the Town board who attended,” noted Kevin Uretsky of Goldens Bridge. “I’m even a little jealous because I had to work and I couldn’t be there and I know how much hard work went into it from the organizers, so thank you and thank you again for waving the fee.”
“I was honored and privileged to be there October 7,” noted Councilman Rich Sklarin. “It was the best of what our community has to offer: It was unifying, it was positive, it was inclusive, and it was very meaningful. There was such a terrific turnout from people all across the community.”
Several residents commented on the police presence at the event – as well as private security hired by its organizers – as part of fear on the part of attendees. They pointed to comments on Councilman Dan Welsh’s Facebook page, made by an out-of-state resident, that have labeled people who support Israel as murderers and racists. The speakers repeated calls for Welsh to better moderate the discussion on his page and, at a minimum, to clarify that his page is private and does not reflect his position as an elected official.
“This is not just about politics – this is about safety, this is about public perception,” noted Cathy Deutsch of Vista.
“It is always good to build a sense of community,” said Deputy Town Supervisor Mary Shah. “I’d just like to try and encourage people – including those sitting at this table – to think before they speak or to think before they post. There’s a big difference between intent and impact. We have to work together, live together, and take care of each other.”
Uretsky noted that with the town’s employee handbook under revision, the board has an opportunity to incorporate stricter social-media guidelines. “I think this is of the utmost urgency,” he said. “I know you tabled it couple of meetings ago. Get it done immediately. Post it on the town website for everybody to see – so everybody knows what the rules are and then we can all move forward.”
During the business portion of the meeting, the board approved two board appointments. Matt Juda was named to the Town Pool Advisory Committee. His term expires December 31, 2026. Larry Mango was appointed to the Housing Committee for a term expiring December 31, 2025. The board also approved a resolution to renew the cabaret license for the Le Chateau event space in South Salem, for one year.
The Town Board members also welcomed Annie Burnham, the Town of Lewisboro’s new comptroller. Burnham replaced Sara DiGiacomo, who moved out of the area.
The board tabled decision-making on a resolution approving a proposal from Kellard Sessions Cermele Johannessen (KSCJ) Consulting. “This is for the Bridge New York RFQ [request for quotes] for the Oscaleta Culvert,” noted Gonçalves. “We’re waiting for them to develop the the bid specifications, which will go out to the consultants that the state recommends for doing the design work for the the culvert replacement. So, hopefully, we’ll have that soon and we can go ahead and move that forward.”
“Will they be able to start construction before the end of this year?” asked Sklarin.
“Probably in the spring I would say,” Gonçalves replied, noting that the work relates to a grant the town received through the state’s Bridge New York transportation-funding program.
On another transportation matter, Gonçalves noted that the town’s Highway Department is currently working on elements of repaving Brundage Drive in Goldens Bridge. “Some of the folks there have been reaching out to me saying they want their roads paved – and that it’s been years and it’s never been repaved,” said Gonçalves. “So one of the things that we need to do before we pave is fix the stuff underneath that needs to be fixed.”
New storm drains, piping, and catch basins are now being installed. “We’ll be in a position to be able to pave a good section of that road,” said Gonçalves.
In a related topic, Councilman Welsh suggested the board needs to consider soliciting proposals from traffic-engineering firms for additional work necessary in Goldens Bridge, Cross River, and Vista. He also said the board needs to be proactive about financing that future work. Some of this relates to the county’s Complete Streets program, which aims to include neighborhood walkability in any future roadwork projects.
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