Message from the Mayor: Water Tower Survey, Harvest Moon Ball, Historical Society, Election, Vets Day

Peter Swiderski
Fellow Residents;
 
A couple of items worth mentioning heading into the weekend:
 
Water Tower Surveys
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Our mailing vendor has sent out the water tower surveys and they should be arriving in your mail about now. We used a post office mailing list that includes most people who get mail in the village. In the interest of broad participation, we did not rely on a registered voters list (many hundreds aren’t registered or can’t vote) and didn’t think a mailing of a single survey to each household would be fair since a household may have a split of opinions on this topic. However, the list will be imperfect and so not everyone will be on it and, conversely, some households may get more surveys than those who currently live there.  If you don’t get a mailing from the village by the Friday of this week, and would like to participate on the issue of the water tower’s fate, come to the Village Clerk’s office to get a replacement survey. (First door to your left when you enter the Municipal Building.)  If you received excess surveys, just mail one, thanks. 
 
The survey poses a simple choice. Either A) tear down the water tower or B) choose to save it for the future and we will later to determine whether to save it or replace it with something new. There is a small annual expense associated with saving the tower of about $5.50 a household that would continue until the Village decided to replace it or it was rebuilt.  Check off your choice on the stamped postcard and drop it in the mail by Friday, November 17, 2017
 
Harvest Moon Ball Tonight
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This annual tradition is a fun night of jazz, song and dance featuring the HHS Jazz Band and the Madrigal singing group. It’s tonight, Saturday, from 7-9:30pm. Its $10 for students and seniors an $15 for adults and includes soft drinks and lite refreshments.
 
Hastings Historical Society Exhibit Opens
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The next phase of the Historical Society’s comprehensive survey of Hastings’ history opens tomorrow, Sunday, November 5th from 2PM to 4PM.  Entitled “Growing Hastings: the Neighborhoods Emerge”, it describes the growth of the Village in this century. The previous exhibit had fascinating snapshots from early Hasting’s history (and even horrifying, when it touched on slavery in our village).  This is likely to intrigue as well. Come by and learn something about where you live. Free.
 
Election
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Elections are this Tuesday, November 7th.  The position of County Executive, judgeships, and various referenda are on the ballot. Polls are open from 6AM to 9PM, vote where you do for any general election such as the Presidential. If you don’t know where that is, go HERE 
 
Veterans’ Day
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Veteran’s Day falls on the anniversary of the WWI armistice (signed, and you will now remember this forever, at the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month), and we celebrate here at the VFW Plaza with a quiet and dignified ceremony next Saturday (11/11 11:00AM, if I was not clear) held by our village’s vets.  We also have unveiled the Purple Heart Village signs that will grace four locations where current Veteran memorials now stand. Please come.  
 
We are now in the literal fall part of Fall. The leaves come down, but they don’t have to be raked by you and then removed by our DPW. An ecologically sound alternative is to keep them on your property where the nutrients recirculate into the soil. This can involve raking them into a wooded area (like I do), or mulching them in, or, well, just read more about it here at a neighboring village’s thoughtful webpage on this topic (HERE).  It is also mating season for the deer in our village. This means they are more likely to bound across the roadway in their mating frolics and land up on your hood. Careful at dusk and dawn, and where there’s one, there’s likely more. 
 
Enjoy this fine fall weather and see you about.
 
Sincerely,
 
Peter Swiderski