A Message from the Mayor

Dear Follow Neighbors:

With humility and appreciation, I thank the residents of Old Westbury for placing their confidence in me by electing me Mayor of our historic Village.

Though we face significant challenges, perhaps unprecedented in our lifetimes, it is important to recognize that the Village is a safe harbor for our residents. Here within the eight- and one-half square miles of our borders, we are fortunate beyond compare to have the opportunity to live in an unparalleled environment evoking both the pastoral and urbane.

Our Village has a multitude of assets to craft a life well lived: school systems rated best in the nation, the Long Island campus of the New York Institute of Technology’s life sciences and cybersecurity research facility, Old Westbury Gardens (recognized as one of the three best public gardens in the world), two premiere golf clubs, our own New York State accredited Police Department to keep us safe, our own independent water system (whose potable purity is the best on Long Island if not in the State), our own Public Works Department, and a New York State award-winning Building Department.      

 For the past five years, the Village has strived to fast-track the restoration of our infrastructure and prepare for a future of growth and development; this has now been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has caused terrible mortal impact, for which we have deep empathy.  It has also created economic impacts that will last for many years.  These impacts will reach into every community throughout the State, which will introduce challenges even to Old Westbury.   However, as proper stewards, the Village Board of Trustees had been positioning and preparing for the unknown even before it arrived.  While we will need to continue to be measured and restrained during these times, we are prepared to weather this period. So, as we approach the 100th year of Old Westbury’s 1924 incorporation, we look forward with optimism to what lies ahead. Thank you for all your support.

 

Edward M. Novick

Mayor