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Former Mayor Al Del Vecchio considering run for the Repubican Nomination

Two dozen approach him about possibility of challenging to become GOP standard-bearer once more.

Republican leadership does not know if Mayor Delfino will run.

Interview with Mayor Del Vecchio By John F. Bailey

CityLine: February 12, 2001: Del Vecchio Residence

Former Mayor of White Plains Alfred B. Del Vecchio is seriously considering running for the Republican Mayoral Nomination in a September primary.

The man who was a Common Council member for 4 years and Mayor of the city for 18 years confirmed to WPCNR today he has been asked to run:

"The truth of the matter is that many people have approached me to see if I was interested because they seem to be very unhappy. I haven't made up my mind."

Asked if he was in the process of setting up an organization to get the thousand signatures to go on the ballot in November as an Independent candidate, the Mayor said that because he would be seeking the Republican nomination for Mayor. He did not say if he would run as an Independent candidate, if he did not win the Republican nomination.

WPNCR asked Del Vecchio what was motivating him to consider coming out of retirement to run the city again, and he gave the Tishman Speyer Town Center matter as his primary motivation:

"I was very upset with the Tishman negotiations," he told us, "the negotiations were not proceeding properly. I told them (the Council and the Mayor's Office) that. I told them they had no memorandum of understanding. They changed zoning. They deeded urban renewal properties. They moved to condemn properties. They authorized $10 million then $23 million to build a new garage. Now they haven't rescinded the $23 million provision, and Tishman Speyer is using that $23 million as an equity stake for buyers of the property. They bungled terribly. I told them to be careful."

Asked who had approached him to run, Del Vecchio said they were persons from all walks of life, including a person who wanted to run for Mayor as well, whom Mr. Del Vecchio declined to identify, "People told me, 'you should run again.' "

The former leader said the groundswell of discontent he is encountering among the persons who have approached him is not simply with the Delfino Administration. "The displeasure is with the whole council. I'm 77 years old. I feel great. I can't honestly say I'm taking these suggestions (that I run) seriously. My concern is to get a good Republican candidate for Mayor."

Del Vecchio said he had met informally over lunch with Frank Cantatore, White Plains Republican Party Chairman about the matter and with other possible candidates for Mayor and Council, whom he declined to identify to discuss the candidacy. Del Vecchio said Cantatore was reviewing possibilities the party could take in seeking Mayoral and council seat candidates, since Mayor Joseph Delfino, the incumbent Republican Mayor has not officially informed Cantatore whether he, Delfino, will run for Mayor again.

City officials contacted over the weekend said the incumbent Mayor had given them no indication he was undecided about running for reelection, and the idea of the Mayor not running had never occurred to them. George Gretsas, Executive Officer for the Mayor, said he was definitely running. Michael Graessle, Commissioner of Planning, said he had no indication from the Mayor that the Mayor was considering withdrawing from the race.

Asked what issues concerned him most, Mr. Del Vecchio said "I cannot stand much more of the decisions going on over the last eight years. "

He said he was very concerned about the way the revised City Master Plan created in 1997 was being followed as "a legal document," at the expense of the zoning codes already in place. ("What we've done is to reduce the protection that we have.")

Asked about the upcoming Executive Session with New York Presbyterian Hospital, Del Vecchio said executive session council meetings bothered him. He listed the Common Council tendency to negotiate with developers in executive session.

"I negotiated things in private. But, by the same token, actual council votes on issues were only taken in public."

Del Vecchio said there was a fine line on this matter, saying when the council meets privately to negotiate, that is proper, but, he sees many executive sessions where the council conducts business and indicates how they will vote on a matter, he views as "illegal."

On other issues, he commented to WPCNR that the Bank Street Commons development slated for the "Hole in the Ground," changed zoning capacity, increasing it 70% over the urban renewal requirements, and he feels that Bank Street will not be able to handle the increased traffic.

"Developers, " Del Vecchio said, "are taking advantage of the city and in my opinion it's giving away the store."

Regarding the Mayor's Phase II Revitalization Plan calling for substantial setback high rise residential apartments along Mamaroneck Avenue, the former Mayor said a very similar plan had already been suggested in 1985, when the Council would not go along with the concept, even after $70,000 had been paid a consultant to devise the plan. He characterized the Mayor's Phase I Revitalization Plan as "a failure."

Del Vecchio closed the interview by saying he was going to make a decision by May or early June, and that he hoped somebody else would be coming forward to run for Mayor, and that "good candidates" would run for Council on the Republican side.

WPCNR learned of Mr. Del Vecchio's intentions from sources who knew of talks Mr. Cantatore, the head of the Republican Party, had held with the former Mayor. Reasons for the talks could not be confirmed by WPCNR, despite several calls to Mr. Cantatore.

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