Port Jervis wins $1.5M for water filtration plant

At the Nov. 25 Port Jervis Common Council meeting, Mayor Dominic Cicalese announced that Port Jervis received a $1.5 million Community Development Block Grant to be used toward improvements at the water filtration plant. The city applied for the grant earlier this year. Phase one of the upgrades and expansion is planned to begin in summer 2025 and more grant funding will be sought. Cicalese acknowledged Steven Duryea of the Department of Public Works and others for working diligently on this project.

The Mayor recognized Darla Schields, the retiring Human Resources director, for her hard work in the development of the Human Resources Department. Her replacement, Michael Washington, has a tentative start date of December 3. A part-time police dispatcher was scheduled to begin work on November 26.

Cicalese also announced the Orange County Household Hazardous Waste and Operation Safe Scripts drop off scheduled for December 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Port Jervis High School.

Councilman at Large Michael Hockenberry reminded residents that the holiday schedule for garbage, cardboard, and paper pickup can be found on the Port Jervis website. Leaf pickup is scheduled for the week of December 2.

Ward 3 Councilman Gerald Oney reported that the sixth annual Port Polar Plunge will take place at 9 a.m. on January 11 at West End Beach. The event is a fundraiser for the Special Operations Team of the Port Jervis Fire Department. There is a $25 registration fee. Fire pits and warmed changing areas will be available. Oney also mentioned a limited number of seats left for the January 18 bus trip to see the New Jersey Devils versus the Philadelphia Flyers at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ; $140 covers the cost of the bus and the game ticket.