Message from Green Island Mayor Ellen M. McNulty-Ryan

Due to predicted high heat and possible rain, tonight’s concert with “The Accents” will be held under the Collar City Bridge on Hudson Avenue. This will ensure that we can provide shade and still maintain social distancing for all concert goers. Please remember that masks are required. Food and drinks will be served. Please note that Hudson Avenue between Market and Clinton Streets will be closed to all traffic to allow seating in the roadway. Thank you for your cooperation and we hope to see you at tonight’s concert.

The Park will open to GREEN ISLAND RESIDENTS on Monday, July 6^th at 11:00am.  The Paine Street Park is a great place for children and families.  The Recreation Department has devised a plan to reopen in a safe manner.  The summer program will operate differently this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Please be patient and cooperative.  All visitors will be required to complete a registration form. The registration form will assist the Park Staff in the event there is a need for contact tracing.  One registration form can be completed for each household.  Registration forms for visitors under the age of 18 must be signed by a parent/guardian.  Registration forms will also be available at the Park starting on Monday, July 6^th. You can also download one HERE.

Park hours will be as follows:
Monday, July 6th, 11am-6pm
Starting Tuesday, July 7th, 10-am-6pm daily.
CLOSED Saturday and Sunday
*The schedule will be evaluated as needed

Hudson Avenue Sewer Project contractors from Luizzi Brothers will be working on “punch list” items, repair of curbing or sidewalks disturbed during the process, in areas between Lafayette Street (the “Point”) and Arch Street from Thursday, June 25th through Tuesday, June 30th. Areas that they are working on will be marked with paint, orange cones and signs and most of the work will occur in the Right of Way (ROW) and sidewalk areas. We ask that you don’t park vehicles in those locations during that time and please read signs to be sure your vehicle will not be blocking access. Please contact Sean Ward at seanw@villageofgreenisland.com if you have any questions. Thank you.

Albany Avenue from Saratoga Street to 25th Street will be closed to all traffic from 9 am until approximately 3 pm on Wednesday and 3 pm to approximately 8 pm on Thursday so that contractors can work in that area. Please use other routes.

In addition, water service will be shut off to Albany Mechanical and Island Plaza on Thursday from approximately 6 to 8 pm. The owners have been notified already. Thank you for your patience.

We at the Village of Green Island encourage everyone to celebrate our independence on the 4th of July. However, the use of illegal fireworks have started earlier this year and your safety is more important than anything. This is why Mayor Ellen McNulty-Ryan, Police Chief Christopher Parker and Acting Fire Chief Matt Lansing want you to know what is legal and what is not. A change in New York State Penal Law and Albany County Law a few years ago now allows for the sale and use of only a specific category of consumer fireworks known as Sparkling Devices. All other fireworks are still illegal in New York State. Sparkling Devices are ground based or handheld devices that produce a shower of colored sparks and or a colored flame, audible crackling or whistling noise and smoke. The law limits the type, size and construction of Sparkling Devices and requires that these devices must be hand held or mounted on a base or spike and be limited in sizes that range from 1 to 500 grams of pyrotechnic composition. Sale and use of Sparkling Devices are legal only in counties and cities that have enacted a local law pursuant to section 405.00 of the Penal Law of NY. Albany County has enacted this law. There is still danger involved and precautions needed with legal sparkler devices. Please read below for further information.

SAFETY TIPS:

• Always follow the directions located on the packaging

• All sparklers are for outdoor use only, never use indoors

• Always wear eye protection when using sparklers

• Never light more than one sparkler at a time

• Never point a sparkler tube towards anyone or any part of your body

• Keep sparklers and novelty devices in a safe secure location when not in use

• Never use sparklers when under the influence of alcohol or drugs

• Always keep an approved fire extinguisher nearby during a display

• Never try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks.

• Douse malfunctioning and spent devices with water before discarding to prevent a fire

• Purchase sparklers and novelty devices from NY State registered retailers

FACTS:

• Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 F

• It is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to buy or use sparklers in NY State

• In 2013 there were 8 deaths and 11,400 reported injuries in the United States related to fireworks. Sparklers accounted for 31% of these injuries. Many of these injuries were to people under the age of 18.

• Sparklers and certain novelty devices are the only consumer fireworks that are legal in certain parts of NY State. Learn more at: www.dhses.ny.gov/ofpc/news/sparklingdevices.cfm

Please follow the law and use common sense so that nobody gets hurt. Happy Fourth of July!

Veterans Memorial Stadium will be locked and closed to the general public on Thursday, June 25th, Friday, June 26th and Saturday, June 27th so that preparations can be made for the Heatly School graduation events. We thank you for your understanding. Please note that due to COVID-19 restrictions, the graduation ceremony will not be open to the general public. Tickets will be required for entry to the stadium and additional parking tickets will be needed for parking area near the Little League. Those in that area will not be allowed to sit or stand outside of vehicles or otherwise congregate. Please cooperate so that our graduates and their immediate families can enjoy the ceremony. Congratulations to the Class of 2020!

The Green Island Power Authority meeting will be held on Monday, June 15th at 6 pm via live stream.

The Village of Green Island Board of Trustees will meet immediately afterward.

DUE TO THE COVID-19 SITUATION, THIS MEETINGS WILL BE CLOSED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.   THEY CAN BE VIEWED VIA “LIVE STREAM” AT WWW.VILLAGEOFGREENISLAND.COM or click HERE

WHEN: Sunday, June 7, 2020 starting at 2:30 pm

In anticipation of the very large crowd expected, the Green Island Bridge will be closed to pedestrian and vehicle traffic starting at 2:30 pm on Sunday afternoon due to a planned rally in the City of Troy. The bridge will re-open after traffic subsides. The area surrounding the Green Island Bridge, including the south end of George Street, Albany Avenue and Lower Hudson Avenue may be affected with closures, delays and parking restrictions throughout the day.

Motorists or pedestrians not participating are advised to avoid the area from Exit 8 of I-787 to the Green Island Bridge including Lower Hudson Avenue, Albany Avenue and the south end of George Street on Green Island. Traffic delays and road closures are probable during this time. Participants are also reminded that they are to only park in legal parking spaces and watch for any other parking restrictions as well. Parking on the Green Island Bridge is prohibited. ########################################################

There is a planned rally in the City of Troy scheduled for Sunday, June 7th starting at 2 p.m. We always respect the right to protest. However, there have been instances all over the Country where the events themselves have been very peaceful and meaningful, but are then followed by looting, vandalizing and causing injury. It has been reported that these actions are historically caused by groups not associated with the original protests. Out of an abundance of caution, Mayor Ellen M. McNulty-Ryan has declared a State of Emergency followed by an Emergency Order declaring a curfew for Sunday night. Text is below and signed copies can be found by clicking on links at bottom of page.

STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION

A State of Emergency is hereby declared in the Village of Green Island effective immediately.

This State of Emergency has been declared due to the threat of civil disturbance to the community.

This situation threatens the public safety of our community.

This State of Emergency will remain in effect until Monday, June 30, 2020 unless extended or rescinded by a subsequent order.

As the Chief Executive of the Village of Green Island, I, Mayor Ellen M. McNulty-Ryan exercise the authority given me under Section 24 of the New York State Executive Law, to preserve the public safety and hereby render all required and available assistance vital to the security, well-being, and health of the citizens of our municipality.

I hereby direct all departments and agencies of the Village of Green Island to take whatever steps necessary to protect life and property, public infrastructure, and provide such emergency assistance deemed necessary.

EMERGENCY ORDER

Local Emergency Order for: Village of Green Island

I, Mayor Ellen M. McNulty-Ryan, the Chief Executive of the Village of Green Island, in accordance with a declaration of a State of Emergency issued on June 5, 2020, and pursuant to Article 2-B Section 24 of the New York State Executive Law, do hereby order:

A curfew for the Village of Green Island commencing on Sunday, June 7, 2020 at 9:00 p.m. and ending on Monday, June 8, 2020 at 6 a.m. or until removed by order of the Chief Executive. This order may also be renewed in (5) five-day increments.

The curfew applies to the entire Village of Green Island.

The Mayor and Chief of Police ask all residents and visitors to voluntarily abide by the curfew. The Village intends to enforce the curfew. Violations that result in public health or safety threats including fires, property damage and violence will be prosecuted.

Citizens should remain in their residence and adhere to the curfew to help protect the safety of our community and yourself. You should not travel on any public streets, alley or roadways or to any public place. The curfew is necessary to prevent fires, property damage and violence in the Village and is being imposed to protect Green Island residents.

Citizens may still travel to go to work, consistent with the terms of applicable COVID-19 Executive Orders.

Citizens can seek emergency and urgent medical care during the curfew.

The curfew does not apply to law enforcement, fire fighters, military personnel, emergency personnel, Village and Government officials with valid identification, or members of the news media authorized in advance by the Chief of Police or his designee.

Do not take matters into your own hands, such as patrolling to protect your business, please stay home and abide by the curfew. Connect with your neighbors via call or text. Please be aware of your surroundings and call 911 for any emergency.

Failure to obey this order is a criminal offense, punishable by law under New York State Executive Law §24(5).

Signed this the 5th day of June, 2020, at 2:20 p.m. o’clock, in Green Island, New York.

Emergency Order

State of Emergency Declaration

The Village of Green Island adopted a Right of Way policy to allow the continued use, occupancy, maintenance, repair and replacement (on the same footprint) of encroachments of stairs, porches and overhangs protruding into the Village Right-of-Way (ROW) as they existed prior to the adoption of the Village Zoning Law in 1978 but only so long as said encroachments do not interfere or prevent the maintenance, repair, replacement or installation of necessary utilities and road improvements.

The ROW is the area between the curb and generally about 13’ inward from the curb. The area of the ROW varies street by street with some streets (Albany Avenue is one) having a larger ROW. Sometimes ROW is misunderstood because the Village owns the ROW but the homeowner is responsible for its maintenance (including sidewalks). Residents are prohibited from putting any structures, including but not limited to porches, fences, planters, flower boxes, trees, etc. in the Village ROW.  If you have any plans of putting anything in or near the ROW, including replacing existing fixtures/structures, please contact the Building Department at 273-2201 to make sure you are in compliance before the project is started.