Mount Kisco, NY - New York State Senator Pete Harckham announced today that $2.1 million in state grant funding is heading to local municipalities to help complete important projects and upgrades related to public safety. Each municipality in the 40th Senate District is receiving $100,000 in grants, and the funding can be used at the discretion of local officials, whether it be equipment for first responders, emergency communications systems, infrastructure upgrades or pedestrian safety.

Harckham’s announcement came at a press conference held at Mount Kisco Village Hall and was hosted by Mount Kisco Mayor Michael Cindrich. Joining Harckham was a bipartisan group of 13 local leaders who spoke about how they plan to use the grant funding for projects in their municipalities.

“Public safety is Job Number One for every elected official,” said Harckham. “Knowing that too often state grants are competitive, with many municipalities left out of the queue, I am pleased to be able to fund some of the public safety projects and initiatives that are ongoing or being lined up around Senate District 40. These grants will make a real difference for these municipalities while also helping to ease the property tax burdens as well.”

To see a video of the press conference, click here.

Last year, Harckham delivered $2.1 in grant funding for projects related to public spaces from the state’s Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability, and Technology (CREST) program for municipalities to enhance public spaces. In 2023, the state senator earmarked $2.1 million in grants to use on electrification projects. 

To date, Harckham has secured more than $40 million in capital grants for the towns, cities, villages and community organizations across SD40 through CREST, the Local Community Assistance Program (LOCAP) and State Aid to Municipalities (SAM) grants since taking office in 2019. That includes over $15 million just for local governments and over $11 million-plus for first responders—local police and fire departments, EMTs, ambulance corps, public safety professionals.

Added Harckham, “Our local officials face a number of competing challenges and priorities, which is why our partnerships with them are so vital. This funding shows that I am willing to work with all the communities and local leaders as they move forward with important projects that will benefit their communities.”

Mount Kisco Mayor J. Michael Cindrich said, “I thank Senator Harckham for his unwavering support for the people of Mount Kisco. We obviously benefit from his financial support, but equally important is his knowledge of our community that translates to legislation that enhances our way of life.”

Cortlandt Town Supervisor Dr. Richard Becker said, “The Town of Cortlandt will utilize the funding to complete a new garage for our stand-alone Paramedics program. We have two fly-cars that were obtained by a generous donation from Curry Automotive. We need to garage these vehicles, both to prolong their lifespans, but also to protect sensitive medications and equipment from the effects of summer heat and winter cold. This grant will cover the design and building of this important addition to our Paramedics program and improve response time and public safety. We are grateful to Senator Harckham for making this funding available to Cortlandt.”

Village of Brewster Mayor James J. Schoenig said, “We want to thank Senator Harckham for including the Village of Brewster in this year’s funding initiative. With this grant, the Village expects to use its $100,000 allocation to help offset the cost of replacing our outdated fire hydrants with new ones. This investment will strengthen our fire protection infrastructure and better serve our residents and first responders. We appreciate Senator Harckham’s partnership and his continued commitment to our community.”

Peekskill City Manager Matthew Alexander said, “We are grateful to Senator Pete Harckham for once again securing critical funding for the municipalities he represents. This $100,000 allocation will help the City of Peekskill continue investing in public safety initiatives that protect our residents and enhance the quality of life throughout our community. We appreciate Senator Harckham's continued partnership and commitment to supporting local governments.”

Lewisboro Town Supervisor Tony Gonçalves said, “The Town of Lewisboro is very grateful to Senator Harckham for securing funding for public safety initiatives. We are in the process of designing a new Police Headquarters and these funds will defray some of the costs of the new facility. Specifically, we would like this building to be as energy efficient as possible and have as low as possible carbon footprint, therefore we will target the funds specially to the planned geothermal system.”

Village of Croton-on-Hudson Deputy Mayor Len Simon said, “By bringing one of our highest priority public safety projects one-step closer to reality, Senator Pete Harckham has hit a home run for Croton-on-Hudson. The $100,000 in CREST funds he has secured for us will be dedicated to a new roof for the Harmon Fire House, replacing the 1998 roof now beyond its intended operable lifespan. This building, which houses two of our fire companies and our EMS, is central to Croton’s public safety. We are grateful, but not surprised, because helping Croton achieve progress year in and out has always been a hallmark of Senator Hackham’s leadership.” 

Kent Town Supervisor Jamie McGlasson said, “We are incredibly grateful to Senator Harckham for his continued support of our communities and for recognizing the importance of investing in public safety. This funding will help the Town of Kent purchase a new police vehicle, providing our officers with the reliable equipment they need to better serve and protect our residents.”

Stony Point Town Supervisor Amy Stamm said, “I want to thank Senator Harckham for securing this funding to help strengthen public safety in Stony Point. These funds will allow us to replace the Police Department's 46-year-old emergency generator, which has reached the end of its service life and become increasingly costly to maintain. A reliable backup power source is essential to ensure our Police Department can continue operating without interruption during emergencies and power outages. This investment will help protect our officers, our residents, and maintain critical public safety services.”

Ossining Mayor Rika Levin said, “I am incredibly grateful to Senator Peter Harckham for once again delivering for the Village of Ossining. This additional $100,000 grant will allow us to make important investments in public safety projects that help protect our residents, strengthen our emergency response capabilities, and enhance the quality of life in our community. Senator Harckham has been a steadfast partner, consistently securing critical funding that enables us to make meaningful improvements without placing additional burdens on local taxpayers. We sincerely thank him for his continued commitment to Ossining and the safety and well-being of everyone who calls our village home.”

Town of Carmel Police Chief Anthony Hoffman said, “The Town of Carmel and the Carmel Police Department once again commend Senator Harckham for his work in assisting us in acquiring two vehicles for the police department through the CREST program. These vehicles, to be utilized by Camel Police Detectives and Patrol Officers in the areas of Extreme Risk Protective Order and Domestic Violence investigations, as well as our response and follow up to persons in mental health crises show Senator Harckham’s commitment to aiding the municipalities in his district with the vital, yet specialized tools to accomplish our mission, provide effective police services, and continue to keep our communities safe. We thank Senator Harckham for recognizing our efforts and our needs for resources in these vital areas that we use to serve the Town of Carmel every day.”

Briarcliff Manor Mayor Steven Vescio said, “These funds will help enhance public safety services to our residents in a meaningful way. We are grateful to Senator Harckham for his continued successful efforts to bring money back into our district and look forward to working together on future initiatives.”

Patterson Town Supervisor Richard Williams said, “Thank you, Senator Harckham for providing this critical funding, which will be used to enhance traffic safety and our Town EMS service. Without Senator Harckham’s continued support, these public safety improvements would not be possible.”