WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. Special to WPCNR. April 26, 2007: Mayor Joseph Delfino rebuked Council President Rita Malmud’s statement appearing in the White Plains Times Thursday, in which Ms. Malmud criticized the evolving details of the new LCOR “Bank Street Deal” (that would bring 107 units of affordable housing in two 29 story apartment buildings to be built on the present municipal parking lot). The council set the public hearing on the Bank Street Project for May 7.

Malmud was the only council person cool to the proposal when LCOR sprung a surprise request for a PILOT on the council three weeks ago.

If you recall this project was first presented as a project to be built on the commuter parking lot sold to LCOR at a reduced price ($21 Million cut to $15.5 Million). Then LCOR asked for the Urban Renewal Agency to finance the project for the entire $260 Million project as a PILOT-less project, through revenue bonds. Then  three weeks LCOR changed its mind and said it needed a PILOT. This week a bare bones offer (to be possibly implemented if the PILOT fell through) emerged in the Urban Renewal Agency legislation designating LCOR as the developer of the commuter parking lot that allowed half the project to be condominium, and lowered affordable housing to 16 units down from 107.

Malmud was quoted in today’s White Plains Times as saying  “it is difficult to find language strong enough to express my disappointment and frustration over the lack of effective and efficient planning, the abysmal result of secret negotiations, and the isolation of the Common Council from the true state of facts until a time crunch has arrived.”

The city needs the $8 Million to balance its budget due to bungled land sales on Railside Avenue, sewer expenses at that site and the need to replace fund balance.

According to Councilman Arnold Bernstein describing the events of the evening to WPCNR, “Rita must have misunderstood the details of the project. The Mayor refuted her unfortunate comments. Let’s not try to derail this project. This is just the usual nonsense. The usual politics.”

Bernstein said it was not clear at this time whether the PILOT (the amount of which has not been stated in the Urban Renewal Legislation proposed for LCOR on the project), would be made possible through the Westchester County Industrial Development Agency or whether the home rule legislation the city is seeking from the state legislature, would be rushed through in time for the Urban Renewal Agency acting as IDA to undertake the $260 Million  funding of the project (through revenue bonds to be paid by LCOR).

In legislation approved by the Urban Renewal Agency Wednesday,  it was disclosed that LCOR has negotiated an alternative plan allowing condominiums on the site and a lower price on the land, if the Westchester County Industrial Development Agency  or the Urban Renewal Agency does not undertake the project with the proposed PILOT, providing no taxes on the residential towers for 12 years (from the date the towers open). LCOR would pay the city $250,000 annually “for the life of the project.”

The alternative is described thusly in the Urban Renewal Agency legislation:

In the event the foregoing abatement  (PILOT) cannot be obtained, the terms of the transaction  would change as follows:  The purchase price (of the commuter parking lot) would be reduced to $8 Million (from $15.5 Million); with $6 Million payable on or before June 30, 2007, and $2 Million payable on or before June 30, 2008. The physical characteristics of, and the preliminary plans for, the Developmengt would remain essentially the same, but one tower could, at the election of LCOR, contain units for sale, in which event, the other tower would be rental. (Under this alternative) Only 6% of the total units (16) (all in the rental tower) would be affordable as described in and according to the City’s Affordable Housing Program, and, while the Development , would be required to continue to provide commuter parking spaces for at least 250 stacked vehicles or 200 self-parked vehicles, the annual $250,000 fee to the City would not be required to be paid.”

LCOR would also be relieved of having to execute a number of onsite improvements, resulting in more savings to the developer.

Cappelli takes over the Ginsberg-Rotundi Corner.

Bruce Berg, Mr. Bernstein said, came in and made a brief presentation, stating that Cappelli Enterprises has decided to build the 8-story building that Martin Ginsberg was proposing to build for Cappelli Enterprises. Cappelli Enterprises would build on the Corner Nook site.  Bernstein said that the building would contain affordable units meeting Mr. Cappelli’s obligation he owes  the city as part of the Ritz-Carlton project.  Bernstein quoted Mr. Berg as saying the bulding will contain affordable and market rate units.

Asked if this was the end of The Pinnacle, Bernstein said “not at all, we will have a building there (on The Pinnacle site), either Ginsberg will build it, Rotundi will build it, or Cappelli will.”

Firemen’s Overtime

Over $90,000 in overtime charges for the fire bureau was approved by the Council Bernstein reported.

Parking.

In the presentation to the council by the Parking Department, Bernstein said the council did not come to a consensus as to whether the parking rates would rise to $1 a hour. That was still in the air, Bernstein said.

 

 

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. April 25, 2007: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has arrived in Westchester and is working with Westchester County government to help local residents apply for federal aid to recover from the storm.

Thursday, the agency will open its first Disaster Recovery Center at the Senior Nutrition Community Center at the Mamaroneck Town Center, 740 W. Boston Post Road. The center will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., 7 days a week.

            Storm victims can get help filling out applications at the centers and work with representatives of FEMA and the Small Business Administration to get information about disaster aid. Representatives from state agencies as well as county departments – Department of Social Services, Community Mental Health, Senior Services and others – will also be at the centers to help residents apply for food stamps, fill out forms, get counseling referrals or receive any other assistance. FEMA will open other centers in Westchester within the next few days in other hard hit areas of the county.

“We are working with FEMA in a massive outreach effort to help people apply for recovery aid and get services they so desperately need to get back on their feet,’’ said County Executive Andy Spano. “We are also helping FEMA to spread the word through local governments, non-profits, faith based organizations and other community organizations.’’

Individuals and businesses that are in need of aid are being encouraged to apply for aid on-line or by phone. To register with FEMA, call 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362) (hearing/speech impaired ONLY- call TTY: 1-800-462-7585) between the hours of 8 am to 8 p.m. or go to FEMA’s web site at www.fema.gov.  If you need additional help, you can visit the Disaster Recovery Center in your area, but you do not have to go to a center to apply for aid.

 

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WPCNR THE SEWER REPORT. By John F. Bailey. April 25, 2007: According to the Commissioner of Environmental Facilities for Westchester County,  the sewage backups in the White Plains Beverly Road/Gedney area were caused by a  20-inch diameter White Plains local sewer pipe draining into a smaller 16-18 inch county sewer trunkline in the vicinity of Beverly Road.  

Anthony Landi told WPCNR the City of White Plains was aware of this condition for some time before the April 15 sewerage backup on Beverly Road and  that White Plains was in the process of looking at the pipe disparity with the county to correct  the step-down in diameter condition prior to the April 15 deluge.  On that day, White Plains  was inundated with 7-1/2 inches of rain in less than 24 hours.   

Landi blamed sewerage backups on illegal cross-connections to the county sanitary sewer  within municipalities jurisdictions. 

 

Landi said the county Mamaroneck West Branch Sanitary Sewer Trunk Line did not backup sewage into the Beverly area, and blamed the change in diameter from the White Plains sanitary sewer to the county sanitary sewer for causing the condition.  Landi said he did not know definitely, if there was a backup into Beverly homes, because his men said their line was functioning.

Landi said the number one cause of sewerage backups  were  illegal or “cross-connections” to the sanitary sewers within municipalities in the county which he alleged condone illegal connections of catch basins and storm drains.  Connecting storm drains to sanitary sewers is not permitted, Landi, said and he blamed local municipalities for failure to supervise and inspect for illegal storm drain connections.

Landi said the Mamaroneck West Branch county sanitary  sewerage treatment plant experienced double and triple their ordinary rate of flows April 15, which he attributed to illegal connections and broken  pipes within municipalities connecting to the county sanitary sewer line, possibly through municipality-owned sanitary sewer lines.

Here is WPCNR’s interview with Mr. Landi:

WPCNR: Did you have any reports of sewerage backups in communities below White Plains or above White Plains?

Anthony Landi:  No, we haven’t.   We had our guys out there looking at our sanitary sewer lines.  Our lines actually worked out pretty good.

That situation there at Beverly happens to be a unique situation where The city of White Plains has a rather large pipe connecting to ours which is a smaller diameter pipe. So we’re in contact with Bud Nicoletti and his group to see what they are going to do about that. But we didn’t have a backup. We did not.

Our line (in the Beverly Road area)  did not look like it had exceeded its capacity. I think what happened that it was a larger White Plains line coming into a smaller diameter pipe. Someone said they have a 20 inch line going into 16 or 18 inch county sewer. That’s what my men told me was going on out there. He (Commissioner Nicoletti  of White Plains) was looking at that intersection before the storm.  He had contacted my men to see if something could be done about that.

WPCNR: How did the county sewer trunk lines perform? Any backups you know of?

Landi:  We did not overflow any sewage. We did not have backup.  All pump stations and electrical plants all functioned. The only problem we had was in Mamaroneck when we lost purchased power from Con Edison. We went on emergency generation for four days. We were fully operational. “

 

WPCNR: Did the Mamaroneck (or Yonkers)  treatment plants stop functioning at any time?

 

 Landi: They ran like clockwork.  We had very high flows.  I don’t want to misrepresent anything.  We doubled and in some places tripled the amount of flow that usually comes in through our facilities.

 

WPCNR: That was all sewage? That was the sanitary sewer correct?

Landi: Well, yeah It should have been just sewers. But, quite honestly, John, what’s happening, and you can realize there must be cross-connections, there must be broken pipes within the local systems that’s contributory  to our trunk (sanitary) sewers that’s increased the flow.

We know  a lot of it falls back on the local municipalities. They have their catch basins or whatever attached to the sanitary sewer. When you start getting those increased flows (through the  sanitary sewer), it’s coming from other than sewage obviously. 

There’s a lot of ground water runoff  so somehow there are cross connections someplace.

WPCNR:  So you agree with White Plains Commissioner Nicoletti  that there are illegal connections?

Landi:  Or cross connections. That’s when you have a catch basin, a storm drain catch basin tied into the sanitary sewer.

WPCNR: Who would possibly do this?

Landi: We don’t run the storm drain system. That’s not usually county jurisdiction. That’s a local problem.

WPCNR: Will there be any attempts to address this problem on the local level, dictated by the county.

Landi: That’s up to the locals to address  their situation. We’ve made them aware of it. This (storm) was a good wakeup call  for some of these municipalities that maybe they need to take a look at their systems.

WPCNR: Mr. Nicoletti suggested that  there were some connections upstream, a lot of new development up in Harrison, Rye Brook, Valhalla. The county does not inspect the storm drains on new developments?

Landi: The county usually doesn’t get involved with that. That’s usually the local municipalities that issue the building permits. They’re  the ones that check out the design and they should be checking during the building process that the pipes are connected to the right place.”

As far as that Beverly goes, that’s almost the beginning of the line for us, there isn’t much else connected just above that line, it’s called the West Branch, part of the Mamaroneck county sewer district. So there isn’t much above that. It’s a local (White Plains) issue. They issue the building permits and even their sanitary sewers are making connections to the county trunk sewer line.

WPCNR: Were there any reports of sewerage backup out of the county trunk line going to Yonkers?

Landi: No. We handled everything on the trunk line going to Yonkers.

WPCNR: The reports of sewerage backup (not the E Hartdale Avenue area)  in Greenburgh you attribute to the same cross-connection problem?

Landi: It’s probably a local problem, they’ve got some illegal connections. Illegal hookup, soil runoff.”

WPCNR: Do you feel we need to expand the county sanitary sewer system?

Landi: If you are to look at the county sanitary sewer system,  it has ample capacity for handling sewerage. What happens is when you have what we have, where it’s no longer the sewerage coming into it, then that’s when you have your problems with the pipe structure loading up.

But if you just handle sewerage , the pump stations, the sewerage plants, and the trunk sewer lines have ample capacity. Take out the cross connections, our systems have ample capacity to handle it.

WPCNR: This flooding conference, is the county going to address this cross connection problem.

Landi: I can’t answer for the County Executive. In the past we have, back in 1998, we went out to local municipalities and did some studies, found some problems and tried to take those I.I’s out . We did pretty good we were able to handle some of the smaller storms. This was a unique storm. The county has taken  the position we are in favor of reducing I.I. (Infiltration Inflow).

WPCNR: Would you say the illegal connections would be mostly in White Plains or up the line?

Landi: I think if you look at any municipality, you’re  going to find illegal connections, John. It’s just not limited to White Plains or Harrison. You can find them all over.

WPCNR: So you agree with Mr. Nicoletti’s assessment (blaming illegal connections) ?

Landi: Yes, it should be addressed on a local basis.  All municipalities need to go in and check their systems out and take care of business.

WPCNR: Would you say storm drains do not have enough capacity?

Landi: I don’t know about the local storm drain systems.

WPCNR: How close to capacity is the county sanitary sewer system?

Landi: Just handling sanitary, we have ample capacity, even to handle additional development on the sanitary sewer side. The pump stations are designed to handle additional flow. The treatment plants are.  The sewers can certainly handle it. The problem comes when we get involved with the storms. You have any complaints today? No.

 

 

 

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. April 24, 2007: 

President Bush has declared Westchester County along with Rockland and Orange counties as a federal  disaster area following last week’s storm, meaning that local residents and businesses can start applying for the federal aid that is so badly needed to begin rebuilding.
             The declaration at this point applies to only individuals and businesses that suffered damage from the storm. County officials have been told that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is still reviewing damage to public facilities – including governments and schools — to determine if they qualify for a federal disaster declaration.

             For individuals who have experienced damage from the storm of April 15-16, these are the steps you need to take to apply for aid:

             The declaration at this point applies to only individuals and businesses that suffered damage from the storm. County officials have been told that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is still reviewing damage to public facilities – including governments and schools — to determine if they qualify for a federal disaster declaration.

 

           “That’s great news,’’ said County Executive Andy Spano. “So many of our residents and businesses are in dire need of immediate help.” He added that he remains very optimistic that a similar declaration will be forthcoming that will cover damage suffered by municipalities and school districts. 

To apply for aid, storm victims will need to take the following steps:

 

1) Contact your insurance company: If you are NOT covered for the storm damage by your insurance company, you may be eligible for federal aid. You will need to obtain a letter from your insurance company saying you are not covered for damage from the storm.

 

2) Apply for FEMA aid: As part of the aid process, FEMA will set up Disaster Recovery Centers where victims may apply for aid or get information about disaster assistance programs. Those centers have not been designated as yet, but information will be forthcoming

    Residents can also register for aid online at www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362) (hearing/speech impaired ONLY- call TTY: 1-800-462-7585).

                                                                 

In addition to having a pen and paper, please have the following information ready to give to the person who takes your call:

 

• Your Social Security number.

 

• A description of your losses that were caused by the disaster.

 

• Insurance information.

 

• Directions to your damaged property.

                 

• A telephone number where you can be contacted.

After you apply here is what will happen:

 

               Inspection:  If an inspection is required to process your application, an inspector will contact you to make an appointment to visit your property and assess the damage about 10 days after you have applied for help. 

   Decision. Within about 10 days of the inspector’s visit, you will receive a letter from FEMA informing you of the decision on your request for help.

• If you are eligible for help, the letter will be followed by a U.S. Treasury/State check or there will be a transfer of cash to your bank account. The letter will explain what the money can be used to pay for. You should use the money given to you as explained in the letter.

• If you are not eligible for help, the letter will give the reason for the deci­sion. You will be informed of your appeal rights in the letter from FEMA.

• If you were referred to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for help from the SBA Disaster Assistance Program, you will receive a SBA application.

For the latest update, visit www.westchestergov.com  or visit www.fema.gov for more information about applying for aid.

            Westchester County is working with local non-profit agencies to set up a charitable fund for storm victims as well.  In addition, the county’s Department of Social Services will be in Mamaroneck on Monday, April 30 and Tuesday, May 1 at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church at 168 W. Boston Post Road between 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. to help families apply for emergency aid.

 The county will also again open three waste transfer stations and its refuse-to-energy plant in Peekskill on Saturday to accommodate more trash pick-ups. 
                                                           

Five local communities – Mamaroneck (town and village), Larchmont, New Rochelle and Pelham Manor – scheduled extra pick ups on both Saturdays to take advantage of this special opening.  Residents in participating communities put out carpet and base padding, furniture, clothing, bedding including mattresses and regular garbage curbside for removal.  A total of 10,000 tons were picked up during the week in the storm aftermath and 800 tons were picked up last Saturday.

 People affected by the storm who need help should call the following agencies:

Coordinating agency

United Way of Larchmont & Mamaroneck

230 Larchmont Ave

Larchmont, NY 10538
834-7018

Organizations which provide financial assistance to flood victims

Hispanic Resource Center – Emergency Fund (memo)

P.O. Box 312, Mamaroneck, N.Y. 10543
835-1512
HOURS: M-F,  8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturdays 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

 

Washingtonville Housing Alliance – Flood Relief Fund (Memo)

136 Library Lane, Mamaroneck, N.Y. 10543

698-4299

Assistance with Home Repairs

Habitat for Humanity

529 Main Street

New Rochelle, NY 10801
636-8335

 

Organizations providing food, furniture and other necessities, such as clothing

Community Action Program

 

Furniture Sharehouse

To donate or to accept use furniture.

834-1294

 

Food Pantry

134 Center Avenue

Mamaroneck, NY 10543
698-7140

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WPCNR THE SEWER REPORT. By John F. Bailey and the County Board of Legislators Press Office. April 24, 2007: Thomas Abinanti today proposed the county create a Storm Water Management System in view of the four major floods occurring in the county over the last nine months.

In a related development, Commissioner of Environmental Facilities, Anthony Landi of Westchester County told WPCNR, discussing sanitary sewer backups in the Beverly Road and Gedney sections of White Plains  that there were no failures in the county sanitary sewer system in the storm of  April 15. He attributed backups, as did White Plains Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti, were caused by illegal connections to the sanitary sewer line in local communities which issue the building permits for storm water drain connections.

Greenburgh County Legislator Thomas Abinanti, proposed the county involve itself in regulating and constructing a county wide storm drain system. The County Board of Legislators Press Office released this statement from Legislator Abinanti:

“No one is in charge  — someone must take charge, ” said Westchester County Legislator Tom Abinanti (Greenburgh, D, WF, I), as he announced that he will introduce legislation to set up a county storm water management district to deal with the recurrent flooding impacting Westchester County.

 

 “Storm water flooding has become a regional problem with regional causes requiring regional solutions,” explained Abinanti, Chair of the Westchester Legislature’s Environment and Energy Committee. “There is no countywide storm drain system. Local storm drain systems are largely insufficient and don’t even exist in large parts of the county.”

 

Abinanti’s legislation will create a Westchester County Storm Water Management District to: (1) map and assess existing storm drain systems; (2) plan a coordinated storm drain system to alleviate present and prevent future flooding; and (3) finance and construct the system.

 

“The cost will probably be astronomical — but not nearly as much as the cost of doing nothing,” noted Abinanti. “Homes and businesses are being washed away. Our environment is being damaged — trees and greenery uprooted, wildlife displaced and waterways clogged and polluted. And predictions are for more and more severe storms.” Abinanti expects that the County will have to seek state and federal funding assistance.

 

“Communities can no longer go it alone,” said the Greenburgh Legislator. “Communities are literally over their heads when it comes to storm water. They need a regional government to bail them out.”