09/08/2026
Back to School - A Message from Mayor Mullen
September 7, 2026
Dear neighbors,
I hope you’ve enjoyed a relaxing and energizing summer. I write to share a few updates as we jump back into a new school year.
Pedestrian Safety and Traffic Enforcement
Pedestrian Safety is a key priority for the Village this year, and it’s particularly front-of-mind as our kids head back to school tomorrow.
If you’re planning to drive your child to school, please give yourself enough time to get there without rushing. Our speed limit is 25 mph village-wide, and the speed limit in our school zones is 15 mph. Please use the drop-off and pick-up zones the way they’re meant to be used, and clear out of the area once your child’s out of the car so the next parent in line can do the same.
If your kids are walking to school, please remind them to stay off their phones while they walk, and whenever possible, they should cross the street at intersections with school crossing guards. Drivers tend to be more distracted and less predictable at the start of the school year as we all try to adjust to the new traffic patterns. Please encourage your child to stay alert.
There will be increased traffic enforcement this year, even when school is not in session, so please do your part to ensure a safe and orderly return to school.
A Busy Summer for the DPW
As I’m sure you’ve noticed, our Department of Public Works has been incredibly busy this summer repairing roads and sidewalks, cleaning our storm drains, maintaining our parks, and keeping up with the everyday work of the Village. The numbers alone tell the story:
+ 2,772 tons of asphalt placed as part of the annual paving program
+ 120 cubic yards of concrete poured for new sidewalk construction
+ 3 catch basins and 4 roadway sinkholes repaired
+ 16 tons of street sweeping debris collected and hauled away
+ 120 gallons of traffic paint applied to refresh crosswalks and pavement markings, just in time for school
It all adds up to an impressive amount of work done by our DPW crews to keep our village running at its best. My sincerest thanks to DPW Foreman Bobby Giustino for his leadership this summer.
Most exciting to me is the progress we’ve made on our road paving program. Three years ago, we contracted Pavement Management Group to study our roads and give us data-driven guidance on how to improve them over time. They score roadway health on a simple 0-to-100 scale, and they recommended we set a 5-year goal of achieving an average score of 70 across all of our roadways, a standard that keeps our roads in strong shape without chasing a perfect score at an unreasonable cost. Back in 2023, the Village came in at 63, but our score has climbed five points since then, thanks in large part to the additional funding allocated in this year’s budget. We are now right on track to hit our 5-year goal.
If you want the full picture, the 2026 Roadway Conditions Report and interactive dashboard are available on the Village website.
A Final Concert
Our Sunset Concert Series, organized by volunteers on the Village of Pelham Council on the Arts, brought residents and visitors out to the park all summer long — blankets and lawn chairs on the grass, kids running around while the music played, neighbors catching up as the sun went down. It’s exactly the kind of downtown vibrancy we’ve been working to build — and a great reminder of what small-town life is all about.
Fortunately, they’ve lined up one more concert before we wave farewell to summer on Saturday, September 26th at 6:00 pm, featuring two bands: Pepper Fox and Ceylon Sailor. It’s a back-to-school celebration, starting an hour earlier than usual so families can make a full evening of it. DaniLee’s Helping Hands will offer free activities for the kids; teens can grab a game of ping pong or bocce, and we can all unwind with live music as the sun sets over the park.
Thank you to the volunteers who put this year’s series together. I hope to see you there.
Wishing you and your families well as we head into the fall…
Best,
Chance
Dear neighbors,I hope you’ve enjoyed a relaxing and energizing summer. I write to share a few updates as we jump back into a new school year.Pedestrian Safety and Traffic Enforcement Pedest
