Rye City Council to Tackle Deer Management, Police Policies, and Veterans’ Day Plans

RYE, NY (October 5, 2025) — The Rye City Council will convene Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall to address a packed agenda, including updates on deer management, proposed police department policies, and preparations for Veterans’ Day observances.

The meeting will begin with a possible executive session at 6:01 p.m. to discuss potential litigation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. The council will review draft minutes from its September 17, 2025, meeting and hear public comments on matters not listed on the agenda.

Ryan Fitzpatrick will present an update on the City of Rye Deer Management Committee’s work, focusing on new protocols for community engagement and data-driven approaches to managing the local deer population. The committee is exploring multiple methods to assess herd size and forest health, with observed deer numbers in the greater Rye area ranging from 135 to 229 across properties like Con Edison, Marshlands, and the Rye Nature Center.

The council will consider adopting five proposed additions to the Rye Police Department’s Rules and Regulations, as recommended by Public Safety Commissioner Michael Kopy. These include:

• Policy 337: Guidelines for operating public safety video surveillance systems to deter crime and enhance security in public areas while protecting privacy.
• Policy 339: Procedures to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act for individuals using service animals.
• Policy 340: Protocols for protecting Native American graves and cultural items under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.
• Policy 343: Procedures for applying and serving extreme risk protection orders to restrict firearm access for individuals deemed a risk.
• Policy 401: A commitment to fair and objective policing, prohibiting bias-based policing.

“These policies are in the best interest of public safety in the City of Rye,” Kopy stated in a memo to Interim City Manager Brian Shea.

The council will also vote on a resolution authorizing Kopy to execute an intermunicipal agreement with Westchester County for mutual aid and rapid response planning. The agreement, effective from July 31, 2025, to July 30, 2030, allows Rye to access county police resources during emergencies. “This mutual aid plan will allow for the City to rapidly receive resources in the event of an emergency,” Kopy wrote.

Additionally, the council will consider setting a public hearing to amend Chapter 141 of the city code, adding sections to prohibit public urination or defecation, with fines up to $2,000 or 15 days imprisonment for repeat offenses. The Rye Police Department would enforce these provisions.

Appointments to the Boat Basin Commission, including Christian Magliano, John Moschetti, Laura Labriola, and Stephen Monaldo for three-year terms starting January 1, 2026, are also on the agenda. The council will vote to approve John Colangelo as the Village of Port Chester’s representative on the Emergency Medical Services Committee for a three-year term that began July 1, 2025.

Under the consent agenda, the council will review a request from American Legion Post 128 to hold its Veterans’ Day observance on November 11, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on the Village Green, with City Hall as a backup location in case of rain. “Rye American Legion Post 128 requests to conduct the Rye Veterans Day observance on Tuesday, November 11, 2025,” wrote Post Adjutant Timothy Moynihan, requesting a speaker stand, PA system, seating, and restroom access.

The meeting will conclude with discussions on old and new business and is scheduled to adjourn thereafter. The next regular meeting is set for October 22, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are broadcast live on Cablevision Channel 75, Verizon Channel 39, and the city’s website at www.ryeny.gov under “RyeTV Live.”

This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.