Greg’s Grist: City Manager on Boat, Phone, Playland, Dogs Biting, Drones (and the Mayor on His Replacement)
Greg’s Grist is an occasional feature on MyRye.com. At most City Council meetings, Rye’s City Manager Greg Usry delivers a brief update of the work of city staff, and other newsworthy items from around town.
At the Wednesday, January 29, 2025 City Council meeting, Usry’s update included:
- Boat. The City introduced a new police boat last week (see Rye PD Unveils New $587K Patrol Boat, also see the video on the MyRye.com Instagram account)
- Phone. On Wednesday, the City turned on a new phone system, replacing a 12 year old system. The new system will save $20-25K/year.
- Playland. The City has no special knowledge but is following the issue (Standard Amusements is attempting to cancel its 30 year management contract with Westchester County to run Playland) closely, especially given the City provides emergency services to Playland (see our most recent Playland reporting)
- Dogs. He provided a briefing to Council on leash laws after discussions of dog biting issues at the January 8th Council meeting (see Aggressive Off Leash Dogs Spark Resident Concerns). Additional dog biting concerns were raised by residents on Wednesday evening.
- Drones. Some residents have expressed concerns about drones (see Reality TV Star Chases Drone in Rye (while in Her Pajamas)). Drones are not prohibited in the City. The Rye PD is working with the FBI and the County when there are reports of drones flying over sensitive areas such as the Con Ed property, City Hall and Public Works. The FAA does not regulate airspace under 500 feet.
Cohn on Usry
- The New Usry. Rye Mayor Josh Cohn finished Usry’s report by reminding residents Usry is leaving at the end of March (see Rye City Manager Greg Usry Announces Retirement)
- Search Firm. City Council is close to choosing a recruiter to run the process, and has been speaking with City staff to seek input and identify any internal candidates.
Watch the full update (05:41 minutes):
