Ossining Loses Village Manager

OSSINING, NY — Ossining Village Manager Deborah McDonnell is leaving her position, according to Mayor Victoria Gearity.

McDonnell was appointed 20 months ago to replace Abraham Zambrano, who held the post for a year replacing Richard Liens, who held the job for six years.

“As we wish Debbie the best in what’s next for her, we are grateful to have experienced leadership in our department heads and staff," Gearity said in a statement to the community. "Ossining residents can be confident that the services they rely on will continue uninterrupted.”

The Village Board is expected to appoint Village Engineer Paul Fraioli as the Acting Village Manager until a permanent replacement is hired.

Fraioli has worked in Ossining village government for nearly 18 years, and had served for about a year as acting village manager (2016-17) after Zambrano left.

Top initiatives now underway will keep on track with already-hired consultants, Gearity said. Rose Noonan of the Housing Action Council has been contracted to lead the process of seeking a developer for a mixed-use mixed-income project on a village-owned lot in the waterfront district. And consultants from the Pace Land Use Law Center have been engaged to facilitate community outreach for the update of the Village’s Comprehensive Plan.

Gearity said she would provide an update on the plan for hiring a new Village Manager once the path forward is clear.