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School district/City agree to moving Youth Bureau to Eastview, awaiting contract.
Youth Bureau to occupy Eastview ground floor pending state approval.
Bureau's chief Frank Williams enthusiastic about new venue.
Director says program reaches all children.
By John F. Bailey
CityLine: December 5 - Youth Bureau
Frank Williams, Director of the city's Youth Bureau expressed great enthusiasm today about his Youth Bureau move to Eastview school planned for September, 2001.
An agreement between the White Plains City School District and the City of White Plains to lease unused space on the ground floor at Eastview Middle School for the Administrative Offices of the bureau was announced this week.
Drawing up of plans and specifications is the next step in the move, according to the district Assistant Superintendent for Business, Richard Lasselle, in order to receive New York State Department of Education approval of the renovations to begin construction in the spring.
Youth Bureau moved to more user-friendly environment.
The moving of the Youth Bureau is brought about by the city's Supermarket plan approved last June, scheduled to begin in January. The plan begins with construction of a new Department of Public Works garage on property owned by Bianco & Pepe' at 3 Brockway Place. Once the new garage opens, the former DPW facility where the Youth Bureau currently operates on South Kensico would be demolished, with the Youth Bureau reopening in larger, newly refurbished facilities an the ground floor of Eastview.
Mayor Joseph Delfino, in remarks at the White Plains Common Council Monday, described the Eastview location as "the absolute best place for the Youth Bureau to go in the city," and praised the school district for working out the plan with the city to allow the Youth Bureau to move to Eastview.
City expected to rent Eastview for five years. City bankrolls $400,000 renovation of ground floor.
Michelle Schoenfeld, Board of Education spokesperson, said the city will rent the Eastview facilities from the school district. The "rent" will consist of the Department of Public Works providing the school district with 1,000 hours of services design work and "contract administration" to be determined by the school district needs. As part of the lease, the city will pay $30,000 a year, Ms. Schoenfeld said, to fund entirely the Saturday Academy program which provides academic assistance to fourth and fifth graders on Saturday mornings through the school year. Previously, the school district paid for this program.
She said the Board of Education had not yet formally approved the arrangement, but that it was discussed in executive session since it was a real estate matter. A formal contract has not been prepared yet between the district and the city. She said she did not expect the approval to be on the Board of Education agenda next week without a contract.
Richard Lasselle said the renovation construction would be handled by the city and that it was expected to begin in the spring. He said the space is on the Amherst Place side of Eastview and that the Youth Bureau would occupy the ground floor of the school, utilizing space the school is not using while school is in session. He said he expected the city lease would be for five years.
Teen Lounge Program to come to Eastview.
In a telephone interview, Frank Williams, Director of the Youth Bureau, told WPCNR that the proposed move would house the administrative offices of the bureau and that Eastview school's gymnasium would be available for bureau programs after school. He said one of the Bureau Teen Lounge programs now operating from 2:30 PM to 8:30 PM Monday through Friday currently out of 111 South Kensico, would be staged at Eastview. He described this as a "sound recreation program" where young teens can "go to hang out," in an environment supervised by bureau staff. He estimates that on average about 40 children visit the South Kenisco Lounge each day Monday thorugh Friday.
Two other Teen Lounge programs are also hosted by the Youth Bureau Monday through Friday. They take place at the Thomas Slater Center, and at 86 DeKalb. Williams said the Bureau also runs a Weekend Teen Lounge at the Battle Hill Condominium.
Richard Lasselle, Assistant Superintendent for Business, said his understanding was that the Teen Lounge program would be conducted in the ground floor section Eastview is leasing out. A school gymnasium on the ground floor will also be made available for bureau use.
Williams assures community on character of young persons bureau serves.
Williams says the bureau serves over 5,000 White Plains children citywide at many locations around the city.
This reporter who has a daughter who attends Eastview, asked Williams about the impression that the Youth Bureau serves a majority of youth on probation. Williams said that, unfortunately, the community at large has the same impression but that this simply is simply was not true.
He told WPCNR the Youth Bureau does deal with children doing community service as a result of getting in trouble with the law, but actually work with very few. He said less than 1% of the children the Bureau serves fit that profile.
He reports delivering a mix of services, in addition to the Teen Lounge program and athletic recreation, that he and his counseling staff provide.
"We work with all types of children. Some are doing very well. Some kids need help. Some are kids looking for jobs. Others for help with family and behavior issues. We provide social counseling, dropout counseling and counsel teenage pregnancies. We help kids manage various social behaviors and school responsibilities. We even arrange college tours. Education is our main focus. For kids to be successful, they must have a basic educational structure so they can focus in, and we help them develop that."
A recent employee of the Youth Bureau, George Avenaut, was awarded White Plains Employee of the Month for his work in counseling youth very successfully in school and community relationships.
Williams said the move was only a short distance from where the Youth Bureau where the South Kenisco Teen Lounge program were presently staged, just across the Eastview field from South Kensico avenue.
He felt the school location would encourage more young people to take advantage of the Bureau Teen Lounge program and take advantage of the services his youth team offers. He expressed enthusiasm that the program would be benefited by larger quarters and facilities and the use of one of the Eastview gymnasiums.
City to renovate ground floor to School District standards
Richard Lasselle told WPCNR that the school district had endorsed the proposed move of the Youth Bureau, and the next step is to draw up plans and specifications for submission to the state Department of Education which must approve all school site construction.
The city will pay for the entire cost of the project: $400,000 towards the renovation process.
He said the city would select all contractors for the remodeling, with the school district closely monitoring the construction so there would be absolutely no interference with the school's daily program. Work is anticipated to be completed by September 1.
Lasselle expected work to begin in the spring once state approval is received. Lasselle said the ground floor would be sealed off from the school occupied portions of Eastview, allowing preliminary renovation work to begin in the late spring. He anticipated that the move of the Youth Bureau would happen regardless of whether or not Bianco and Pepe' began construction of the new city Department of Public Works garage as scheduled, but that was up to the city to decide. According to preliminary planning, the new Youth Bureau quarters would have separate entrances and would not allow access to the school-occupied floors of Eastview.
Lasselle complimented the city ability to execute projects very satisfactorily and in a timely manner when cooperating with the school district in the past. He pointed out the parking lot renovation at Post Road School and the recent preparation of the George Washington School field as examples.
For information on Youth Bureau activities, recreation and counseling programs, WPCNR recommends contacting Frank Williams at (914) 422-1378.
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