From Mount Vernon Mayor, Richard Thomas.

POP-UP BEACH AND FIREWORKS ADVANCE  MOUNT VERNON'S ECONOMIC RISE Sandz Concert and Fireworks Implement Mount Vernon's Arts & Culture Plans Two large events this month are designed to enhance Mount Vernon as a destination for arts and entertainment. One includes a pop-up beach and the other fireworks. These events are part of a sequence of plans to drive $1 billion in new economic activity along the Hutchinson River. The Sandz Caribbean Music Festival on Sunday, June 16, from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. is expected to attract up to 5,000 partiers. Expected artists include DJ Calli B. In preparation for the Sandz event, the promoters have spread up to 500 tons of clean, safe, premium sand on the field to create a beach environment. After the event the sand will be donated to the City to be used for public works and to level Hutchinson Field. "The economic vision is real," said Mayor Richard Thomas. "Mount Vernon is a destination for economic development and the proof is in the growth of our entertainment industry." Special considerations for the Sandz event include extra security and requiring the promoter to turn the speakers towards Mount Vernon's industrial corridor and away from residential neighborhoods and adjacent municipalities. The Sandz transformation of Hutchinson Field will give the public a glimpse of Mayor Thomas' vision for Mount Vernon Shores, an artificial beach he has proposed next to the Hutchinson River after the City relocates a public works yard that has polluted the river. The Sandz event is the latest effort to raise the profile of Hutchinson Field, which already hosts a dome for summer and winter sports. For the past three years the UniverSoul Circus had a residency at Hutchinson Field, and after the Sandz event the field will resume youth sports events and other entertainment events. Mount Vernon's annual fireworks show is scheduled for June 22 at Memorial Field and the show will honor Tommy Deagan, owner of Lou's Hot Dogs truck. Construction at Mount Vernon High School has forced the move to Memorial Field and the public will be invited to watch the show from a safe distance at the Best Buy parking deck. Garden Avenue will be reserved for food trucks and pedestrians The June 22 date for fireworks is intended to make Mount Vernon the first City in the region to hold an Independence Day-related event. Mount Vernon's police and fire officials have determined that a fireworks show at Memorial Field is safe and poses no threat to the public. Spectators will not be allowed on to Memorial Field; they will be relegated to the Best Buy parking lot. Both the Sandz event and the fireworks advance the Canal Village Revitalization Plan, the Mayor's Arts & Culture Plan and the NYU Tourism Plan for Mount Vernon, all of which are intended to drive $1 billion in new economy activity. By hosting events like Sandz and UniverSoul Circus, visitors from throughout the metropolitan area are exposed to dining, shopping and entertainment options in Mount Vernon. "It's all about fun and funds," said Mayor Thomas. "For visitors a good time and for residents, funds to drive down property taxes. The more responsible, safe fun-the more responsible and reliable tax dollars for jobs and growth."

STAY CONNECTED:  ‌  ‌  ‌ THE MATH ADDS UP — MV SHOULD LEASE NEW GARBAGE TRUCKS READ MORE HERE ACCOMPLISHMENTS GALORE: The Real Narrative Continued Mount Vernon 2019 Fireworks Spectacular! Don't Miss It!!! Mayor Thomas Congratulates 19 Graduates from the Inaugural Mount Vernon Entrepreneurship Training Program Last Thursday, we graduated 19 Mount Vernon entrepreneurs who completed the Women’s Enterprise Development Center 60-hour Entrepreneur Training program. This was the inaugural class of the Mount Vernon Entrepreneurial Training Program, part of the Mayor’s Healthy Homes Initiative. The goal of the program is to provide high quality business training and advisory services to residents looking to realize their American Dream in the city of Mount Vernon. Since the class began in February, the students met every Thursday to learn about small business fundamentals from book keeping, marketing, cash management to how to put together a successful business plan. It was an emotional night for many of the graduates who were joined by friends and family. “First, I want to congratulate all the entrepreneurs here tonight,” said Mayor Thomas. “This is the first time we’ve offered this program in our city, and I’m proud of the 19 entrepreneurs that are here tonight graduating. Investing in our small business community has been a major priority for my administration. I want to thank the Women’s Enterprise Development Center for partnering with the City of Mount Vernon to bring this program to our city. I hope be able to visit your business soon.” Redina Hembree, owner of King’s Southern Delight Restaurant located at 284 E. 3rdStreet in Mount Vernon, gave the opening remarks. As an alumni and board member of Women’s Enterprise Development Center (WEDC), she talked about her first-hand experience with starting a business in Mount Vernon. “A small business is like a new born child. You have to nurture it in order to make it grow, she said. “You will also have unexpected situations that you must overcome to succeed. By completing this course, you have acquired some of the skills necessary to succeed.” 10 years ago Ms. Hembree completed a similar WEDC entrepreneur training. Class representative Maalkah Francis, owner of the Zest for Life juice company, thanked Mayor Thomas on behalf of the class for his vision to bring this program to Mount Vernon. The Thomas Administration has worked with WEDC on access to capital and many other small business seminars over the past two years. Funding for the program was provided by the City of Mount Vernon Community Development Grant Program. For more information on WEDC’s entrepreneur training programs, please visit wedcbiz.org. Mayor Thomas Wishes the US Army a Happy 244th Birthday WATCH HERE Family & Fun at the Superintendent's Reading Challenge Carnival Congratulations to all our hard working students that are making a change for their future. #1MountVernon WATCH HERE Mayor Richard Thomas gives a Proclamation to Mom's Demand Action. For more info about #WearOrange visit: wearorange.com@momsdemand Crime is also down. Serious crimes fell from a reported 1,207 incidents in 2012 to 708 in 2018, a 42% decline. This is a sampling of what’s been done for the people. The fact is we can do even more with cooperation over confrontation. Let’s elevate and keep Mount Vernon moving forward. WATCH HERE Rama Saleh our 9th grader at the Mount Vernon S.T.E.A.M. Academy teaches us about Infrastructure Repairs for Potholes and Sidewalks #Expo WATCH HERE Saturdays with Shah #MountVernonMountVernon Saturday's With Shah is headed to 5th Avenue! Meet us there at 10am on 5th Ave between 3rd Street & Sandford blvd this Saturday as we #cleanmv. 🗑💪 Transportation is available on the Stevens Ave side of City Hall at 9:30am. Parking is also available in Lot #1 behind City Hall. WATCH HERE Vendors Wanted: Mayor Richard Thomas Presents: Mount Vernon Farmers Market Every Thursday from 9am to 3pm from June 6, 2019 to November 21, 2019. Please call the Planning Department at 914.699.7230 for more information. Safe Haven Summer Day Program Mayor Richard Thomas & @youthbureaumv Presents: Safe Haven Summer Day Program. @youthbureaumv is still accepting applications & also extended the deadline to June 21st. #1MountVernon Mayor Richard Thomas calls in to 98.9 FM and Speaks with Father Gassie about Everything Mount Vernon Listen Live Every Friday at 8:30 AM on Future FM 98.7 or on Facebook at facebook.com/MayorRichardThomas  ‌  ‌  ‌  ‌

Update from Mount Vernon Mayor, Richard Thomas.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS GALORE:  The Real Narrative Continued Tired of the same old story? Let me enlighten you about our Mount Vernon GREATNESS. Sure, there are struggles, but none we have not or cannot address with your support and full force. Here is the real deal, what's good about our beautiful City and people, from college scholarships, police accreditation and a much-needed review of the City Charter to expediting the permit application process and much more. The progress under my administration has been so great that one article can't contain all our successes, so allow me to focus on the triumphs we've celebrated just this year alone. One of our proudest achievements is the re-accreditation of the Mount Vernon Police Department in March. The New York Division of Criminal Justice Services gave the department accreditation in acknowledgement of the implementation of policies that are conceptually sound and operationally effective. It's an affirmation of all the steps taken to change the culture of the police department, implement 21st-century policing and build trust on both sides of the badge. Those who invest in our City are celebrating a reorganization of the Planning Department designed to speed up the plan-reviewing process for developers. The restructuring includes appointing a liaison to work with applicants to resolve issues before their cases reach the City's land-use boards; pre-application conferences with developers; and greater feedback to developers prior to their submission of applications. Essentially, we recognized that the former processes were a maze that slowed or obstructed our City's rebirth. I've given more power to the people by recently establishing a Charter Review Commission charged with bringing outdated rules in our City Charter into the 21 st century. The independent Charter Review Commission will meet with the public this summer to receive feedback on how our City government must change to become more efficient. After the commission is done hearing from the public, it will propose changes to our City government that will be voted upon by a public referendum. Through the Mayor's Healthy Home Initiative, we've offered several programs designed to uplift our residents. In March and April Dr. Michael C. Grayson of the Credit and Debt Management Institute offered credit score and bad debt seminars to the public and to city workers at One-Stop Career Center. The Mayor's Healthy Home Initiative targeted our City's youth in February by inviting actor Michael K. Williams to speak with teens about his documentary "Raised in the System." In the documentary, the Emmy-nominated Williams serves as a correspondent as he goes on a personal journey to expose the root of the American mass incarceration crisis: the juvenile justice system. I don't think anyone left that event untouched by the personal tales of redemption offered by Williams and his nephew, who made a terrible mistake when he was young that led to years in prison. We gave our youth a hand up. On April 29th, students from the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau's STRONG Program enrolled into the Westchester Barber Academy's (WBA) Introduction to Barbering program. During the five-week program, the 15 youths received technical and clinical training in barbering. The environment has been a priority under my administration. I put actions to words by having Mount Vernon join Sustainable Westchester, a collaboration of Westchester County local governments that empowers municipal leaders, concerned citizens, businesses and local organizations to partner in the development of sustainability initiatives. The partnership with Sustainable Westchester will complement my administration's Mount Vernon Clean & Green Initiative, an effort to repair the City's polluting sewers and transform contaminated areas into environmental assets like parks and green spaces. My accomplishments didn't just focus on public services. We managed to have a little fun along the way. The second annual Mount Vernon Restaurant Week in March attracted more participating restaurants to an event that is designed to promote our local economy. Our Restaurant Week's timing at the end of the Hudson Valley Restaurant Week allowed diners outside our City to discover some of the flavors offered in Mount Vernon. In May hundreds of people came to Mount Vernon City Hall Plaza for Mount Vernon Rising, an extravaganza that promoted a film about Mount Vernon's future. Attendees enjoyed performances by the UniverSoul Circus, Force MD's and The Mount Vernon Performing and Visual Arts Magnet Program Choir. All these efforts represent a holistic approach to elevating Mount Vernon. For decades our City suffered from so much neglect that my administration faced a monumental task when I took office in 2016. I'm proud to report that little by little, we are correcting the injustices of the past and preparing Mount Vernon for 21st-century glory. STILL WE RISE!

Update from Mount Vernon Mayor, Democrat, Richard Thomas.

Call Governor Cuomo & Keep Mount Vernon Clean, Beautiful! Dear Mount Vernonite: I believe in a clean, smart, and beautiful Mount Vernon. The City Council and Comptroller simply don't. They are showing their lack of love for the City by their decision to NOT meet and resolve vital quality of life issues, particularly garbage pickup. Call Governor Cuomo & Keep Mount Vernon Clean, Beautiful Our beloved city needs your voice to express our shared outrage on the City Council and Comptroller not funding trash collection. Please call Governor Andrew Cuomo at 518-474-8390 and let him know that Mount Vernon needs him to deal with these obstructionists imperiling our health, safety, and local economy. EMERGENCY POWERS & CITY CHARTER OBLIGATIONS Mount Vernon's City Charter is clear, if there is an emergency the Mayor has the authority to take-action to solve the crisis. Then the City Charter requires the City Council and Comptroller to take the Mayor's emergency paperwork and process it in two parts. First the City Council must vote to support the steps taken and at the same time direct the Comptroller to pay the bill. Second, the Comptroller then works with the Mayor to make sure the emergency bill is paid.   GARBAGE PILING UP IS AN EMERGENCY It is common sense that a threat to sanitation is an emergency due to the awful odors, rats, bugs, and the diseases they bring with them. Yet, 113 days have passed and still NO action from the City Council or Comptroller on fulfilling their obligations to the people under the Charter. This is why I need you to JOIN ME IN CALLING GOVERNOR CUOMO at 518-474-8390 and urge him to demand the City Council and Comptroller JUST DO THE RIGHT THING AND FUND SANITATION! NO CASH FOR GARBAGE TRUCKS = NO GARBAGE PICK UP If payments are NOT made for six emergency garbage truck rentals, then they will be repossessed as early as June 10. I have presented numerous cost-effective options for the City Council and Comptroller to embrace, yet they refuse to consider any options. Moreover, I have secured monies for your street to be repaved and sidewalks leveled. Those monies, like garbage truck monies, are held hostage by them. MAYOR CONVENED DIVERSE GROUPS TO GET COUNCIL & COMPTROLLER TO ACT The back and forth is ridiculous! The deliberate sabotage serves old guard agendas to try and get me out of office. Understand that over the past four years I have fought back in professional ways by convening thought leaders from major universities, clergy, businesses, and community stakeholders to assist in breaking unnecessary gridlock. No matter the policy resolution, Mount Vernon enemies only want political war on me because I serve YOU, the people! IT'S TIME TO FIGHT FOR WHATS RIGHT - A CLEAN, SMART, BEAUTIFUL MOUNT VERNON! No matter what happens, I will fight for every progressive inch and remain resilient in protecting the people! Join us in urging the City Council to have some common sense and fund trash collection. Join us in urging them to hold the Comptroller accountable as required by our City Charter. Join us in calling Governor Andrew Cuomo at 518-474-8390 and get his help to end the obstruction and prevent another garbage nightmare on our streets. Join us in fighting for a clean, smart, and beautiful Mount Vernon! Your Warrior & Chief - Mayor Richard Thomas

News from Mount Vernon Mayor, Richard Thomas.

Mount Vernon has a rich arts history  In 2018, Mayor Thomas released the Mount Vernon Arts, Culture and Heritage Master Plan.   The vision for this plan came from community stakeholders who wish to support and celebrate our local artist community.  In support of this vision, we have organized the Mount Vernon Arts Week from June 15th  through June 23rd.  We will support our local arts scene by promoting arts events happening in the City.   As a preview of what is to come during Mount Vernon Arts Week, we invite you to join us this weekend at Thornton High School for The Mount Vernon Performing and Visual Arts Magnet Program's premier of  The Wiz, Friday, June 7 at 6:00 pm.     They will do this in grand style by performing in the newly renovated John Woods Auditorium at Thornton High School.   Please join the Mount Vernon Community as we celebrate the students representing the best that Mount Vernon has to offer - our local talent today and the stars of tomorrow.   We would like to thank Dr. Evelyn Collins, Founder and Principal of the Mount Vernon Performing and Visual Arts Magnet Program for bringing her vision to Mount Vernon.  This is a nationally recognized arts program that has produced many wonderful plays and musicals.    We encourage you to get your tickets for one of the three performances running June 7th-June 9th: https://pvam.brownpapertickets.com/   Stay tuned for upcoming arts events throughout the City.  If you would like to add your arts event to the official Mount Vernon Arts Week Calendar, please contact us at 914-840-4039 or email mmolina@cmvny.com.