Hope you all had a great week as we start to see the first signs of spring with the blossoming of some of our most beautiful trees.

A couple of thoughts this week, in no particular order:

1. Send Us Your First Friday Events!
I want to congratulate both the Pride Center and the Nyack Art Collective for putting together two terrific events on “First Friday” this past weekend. As you may know, “First Friday in Nyack” has traditionally been a special event featuring uniquely Nyack programs, including poetry slams, art exhibitions, music, and more. This tradition faded during COVID, but we’re working to bring it back! A great start was this past Friday’s “Night Market” at the Pride Center and the monthly art exhibition by members of the Nyack Art Collective at the Burger Loft.

We’re always looking for more ideas for First Friday events—anything from musical performances in our bars and restaurants to special events throughout Nyack. If you have an idea, email me at joerand@nyack.gov, and we’ll try to include it in our calendar. Don’t forget to make a recurring appointment on the first Friday of each month for “First Friday in Nyack”!

2. It’s Budget Season!
It's budget season in the Village of Nyack! The budget process requires careful planning and resource allocation to meet the needs of our community, which includes reviewing revenue sources, setting priorities for public services, and ensuring fiscal responsibility. We need to finalize the budget by the end of the month, but we’re in good shape as the draft is already balanced and just needs some fine-tuning.

Here’s what you need to know about the budget:

• A public hearing on the budget will take place at this Thursday’s Village Board meeting at 7:30 PM in Village Hall.

• Find a review a copy of my marked-up version of the budget here.

• Read my memo about the budget process here.

• Learn about our general approach to budgeting here.

• Review some graphs showing the budget’s changes over time here.

All the 2025-26 budget documents are available at: www.nyack.link/budget2526.
You can also read my memos in blog form:

• Overview of the Budget Process

• Three Observations about the Budget

Again, we will be discussing the budget at this week’s meeting, and you’re encouraged to attend.

3. Business Council Meeting – Thursday at 5:15 PM – Discussing Summer Weekend Promenades on Main Street
Every month, the Nyack Business Council holds an open meeting at Village Hall before the Village Board meeting to discuss issues affecting our local businesses. This Thursday at 5:15 PM, we’ll be having a serious discussion about creating a pedestrian walkway on weekend nights along Main Street between Broadway and Cedar (possibly extending further west). This would involve closing the streets to traffic to allow restaurants and shops to expand into the streets, creating a festive “promenade” atmosphere.

If you're a business owner in Nyack, I encourage you to attend. If you know a business owner, please invite them. You can read more about the proposal on the We Love Nyack blog or review the original proposal memo here. Remember, this is just a proposal at this stage, and we’re seeking constructive feedback to determine if we should move forward with it.

4. Good Luck to the Flower Market in Veterans-Easter Square on Saturday!
Best of luck to the new Nyack Flower Market, which will have its first market this Saturday, April 12, at Hezekiah Easter Veteran’s Square. There will be flowers, plants, seedlings, antique garden furniture, botanical art, and more. Come out and support this wonderful addition to our local calendar!

5. Street Fair Next Sunday – Coheed and Cambria Day!
Our first street fair of the season is this Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM. This will be a special event, as the internationally renowned rock band Coheed and Cambria, featuring vocalist and Nyack High School alumnus Claudio Sanchez, will perform a short acoustic set. They will also receive a “Key to the Village,” which will be interesting since we don’t actually have a physical key—and we’re trying to figure out how to get one! A big thank you to the Chamber of Commerce for putting together this event. You can get more information here.

Have a great week, everyone!

JR

Newsletter Spotlight: Paul Adler, Esq. – A Lifetime of Leadership & Advocacy

Paul Adler, Esq. has spent his life embodying the motto instilled in him as a child: “Don’t just be a joiner, be a doer.” A lifelong Rockland County resident, Paul has dedicated his career and volunteer efforts to civic engagement and community improvement.

As Chair of the Civic Engagement Committee for the NAACP – Nyack Branch, Paul has championed voter rights, legislative advocacy, and education reform. He has led efforts to help incarcerated individuals exercise their right to vote and played a key role in pushing for state intervention in a disadvantaged school district, rallying students, clergy, and educators to demand change in Albany.

When not working to improve his community, Paul treasures time with his wife, five children, and four grandchildren. His dedication to Rockland County continues to inspire and uplift those around him and he will be honored Friday, April 11, 2025. Details below.

Upcoming Meetings

• Planning Board, Monday, April 7, Village Hall. View the agenda here.
• Parking Authority: Thursday, April 10, 7:00 PM, Village Hall
• Nyack Village Board of Trustees: Thursday, April 10, 7:30 PM, Village Hall.
  • Village Board and Parking Meetings will be live streamed on Village of Nyack YouTube Channel