Rye's City Council unanimously authorized Mayor Josh Nathan to write the city's congressional delegation about the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) denial of disaster aid for a February blizzard.

The vote was one of several actions at the council's Wednesday, Oct. 21 meeting.

Council Member Emily Baldwin made the motion, seconded by Council Member Ward, according to meeting minutes posted by the city. The letter will press federal lawmakers on FEMA's refusal to grant New York a major disaster declaration for the Feb. 22-23 blizzard, which caused an estimated $168 million in damages statewide.

FEMA denied the state's appeal in early September, as reported by Westfair Online. Gov. Kathy Hochul had requested public assistance for several downstate counties and snow assistance for Westchester and other counties. The blizzard produced winds at tropical-storm force, snowfall rates up to four inches per hour and coastal flooding across downstate New York, according to Westfair's reporting.

Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins called the denial "political games again by the Trump administration" in a statement reported by Westfair. Rep. George Latimer, a Democrat representing New York's 16th Congressional District, told Westfair's Westchester County Business Journal that disaster aid should not depend on a state's political leanings.

"All of us in the federal government, Democrats and Republicans, unite in providing the federal assistance that Floridians and Texans deserve," Latimer said.

The council also opened a public hearing on new left-turn restrictions near Rye schools. The proposed amendment to the city's traffic code would ban left turns from Apawamis Avenue onto Milton Road from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. when school is in session. It would also prohibit left turns from the high school parking lot exit onto Milton Road during the morning window.

The restrictions would expand existing afternoon-only limits to cover morning drop-off. Council Member Cunningham made the motion to open the hearing, seconded by Mayor Nathan. The vote was unanimous.

In other business, City Manager Brian Shea presented on flooding events, communications and ongoing flood-mitigation projects in Rye. The minutes do not detail the presentation's contents, but a flood workshop is listed among future agenda items.

The council also adopted an amendment to the city's leaf-blower and construction-noise rules, creating an exemption for emergency activities. The measure passed 7-0 on a roll-call vote, with Council Members Anderson, Baldwin, Cunningham, Kesavan, Jensen and Ward all voting yes alongside Mayor Nathan. The public hearing on the amendment was opened and closed the same evening.

Christine Siller presented an update on naming opportunities for the Friends of Rye Nature Center's capital campaign. The council unanimously approved the organization's gift acceptance policy.

The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m. The next regular City Council meeting is Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 6:30 p.m. for executive session and 7 p.m. for the public session at City Hall.