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WPCNR THE PLANNING NEWS. By John F. Bailey. September 15, 2005. UPDATED 2:15 P.M. E.D.T. Clarifications and Details. UPDATED 5:40 P.M. With Pollitzer Interview: After intense questioning by Black Activist, Ron Jackson, on the Comprehensive Planning Review Committee’s endorsement of Post Road and Lexington Avenue rezoning for rehabilitation and development, and use of “Urban Renewal Tools,” such as eminent domain,  Susan Habel, Commissioner of Planning told the Comprehensive Planning Review Committee, in front of fifteen witnesses and 12 of 14 members  of the Comprehensive Plan Committee, there would be no development of the North Side of East  Post Road (the Winbrook side of East Post Road) by White Plains Hospital as part of the yet-to-be-unveiled rehabilitation plan that has been rumored targeted for that area.

 

 In a conference call this afternoon with Ted Lawson, Susan Habel and Paul Wood, City Executive officer,  WPCNR  was corrected by Ms. Habel and Mr. Wood, noting that her comment about no development North of Post Road applied only to White Plains Hospital developing that area.

 

Ms. Habel and Mr. Wood also clarified there is no plan to develop the Lexington Avenue Post Road that exists at this time, saying this would be developed by working with the residents and the merchants of the area working together after the Common Council approves the Comprehensive Plan Review. The group mentioned it might involve street ambiance and facades, but that would only be developed working with the residents and merchants and property owners. The trio also pointed out what they said were errors in WPCNR’s synopsis of the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee Report. The group specifically denied that Avalon Communities was considering developing the area.

 

Asked if the city had been doing recent appraisals of property in that area, Wood said the city is always doing appraisals. Asked if any appraisals of the Lexington Avenue Post Road area were done recently, Wood only repeated that the city regularly appraises properties. 

Dennis Power Finds Committee Review Process Flawed. Photo by WPCNR News.

 

 

In the other highlight of the meeting, Dennis Power, Democrat for Mayor of White Plains blasted the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee report as being unobjective and reflecting the administration’s vision for the city. He called for continuing and amplifying  the process after the presentation of the committee’s final report to the Common Council, saying,

 

“ — the work of the Review Committee has been unduly influenced by City officials, which raises serious questions about the independence of the Committee – and, consequently, the value of the conclusions and recommendations. Too little opportunity existed for committee members to seriously entertain alternative ideas, analyses or suggestions,” Power said.

Power called for holding a televised hearing on the two draft reports in October and after Common Council review to start the process anew after the November 8^th elections.

 

You’re doing a great job, committee.

 

Power’s remarks were challenged by his running mate, Tom Roach, President of the Common Council who commended the committee for the detail of their report and how objective they were.

 

Roach assured the public there was going to be another public hearing after the council approved the documents with time for the public to comment further. “This is not over,” he said.  

 

(Referring to lack of attendance at public meetings of the committee), Roach added  people did not come out on issues that did not affect their particular neighborhood  Roach said the Report of the Committee was “a broad picture.”  

 

Asked later by WPCNR, if he agreed with Mr. Power that the Committee had not been objective, Roach said “No.”

 

When WPCNR pointed out to Mr. Roach that the Committee had not spelled out much detail at all on what zoning changes, uses or kind of development should be made in the Post Road area, for example,  Roach told WPCNR it was not the purpose of the committee’s report, or the Comprehensive Plan that the Comprehensive Plan was “just a land-use document” and that the Common Council decided what would be built in the city.

 

Winbrook can breathe a sigh of relief. 

 

On the controversial Committee endorsement of Lexington Avenue-Post Road, it was made clear by Planning Commissioner Susan Habel that any development involving expansion of  White Plains Hospital Center for an as yet unspecified purpose, would be on West Post Road, towards Scarsdale,  now occupied by car dealerships.  The Planning Commissioner said the development on South Lexington Avenue would extend along the West side of S. Lexington Avenue from Quaroppas Street  to Dennison Street,  but did not provide further details of what kind of development was envisioned or the density.  (Again, Ms. Habel and Mr. Wood said there is no plan that exists at this time.)

 

Details of this sketchy plan have not been revealed by the Mayor’s Office, despite repeated queries of the Mayor and his Planning Department by Mr. Jackson and inquiring news media. Today city hall squashed the Plan rumor once and for all saying “There is no plan.”

 

The Comprehensive Plan Review Committee last night. Photo by WPCNR News

 

Mr. Jackson was assured by the spokesperson that the Mayor intended to meet with the residents of Winbrook, merchants, and owners to receive their input on the Rehabiliation Project. A Commissioner of the city familiar with the plans affoot had told WPCNR it involved the housing developer, Avalon Communities, the builders of Avalon-on-the-Sound in New Rochelle. However, today Ms. Habel and Mr. Wood denied Avalon was in any way being considered or consulted, because there is no plan.

 

No details of the Post Road/Lexington Avenue makover/rehab were spelled out in the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee Report. But, WPCNR has been told today in the conference call that was not the Committee’s job and furthermore there is no such plan that exists according to information given WPCNR in the telephone conference today.  The Committee did recommend the council consider zoning changes (not specified) allowing rehabilitation of the Lexington Avenue Post Road area, as follows:

 

“The Committee finds that the 1997 Plan statement with respect to the creation of revitalization areas is appropriate and supports the City’s objective of establishing a Neighborhood Strategy Area for the post Road and S. Lexington area in 2005-2006

 

The report recommends the Common Council consider rezoning that area of the city as follows:

 

Possible modifications to zoning densities and uses within the Post Road/S. Lexington Urban Renewal Project Area, including possible zoning district changes, to facilitate redevelopment plans that may emerge from joint City/community review and development of revitalization plans for this area…

 

Possible modifications to zoning densities and uses for properties located between Post Road and Maple Avenue to the west of White Plains Hospital, including possible zoning district changes, to permit uses which support this important community health care facility.

 

 

 

The CPRC went over their extensive new recommendations, the highlights of which include, and clarified by the WPCNR conference with City Hall today:

 

• Endorsement of five year financial plans for the city.

  The city said WPCNR’s report they did not project beyond one year is not true that the city projects at least five years ahead in terms of capital expenditures, and sales tax. The Comprehensive Plan Committee report actually states “Under recent State funding requirements, the City will be implementing a three (3) year financial planning process. This Committee supports this financial practice and further recommends that the process be extended to five (5) years, consistent with the five (5) year Capital Improvement Program. This will enable the city to better prioritize capital spending and determine its impact on the tax payer, resulting in a more informed decision-making process. 

•  An indoor sports arena (without specifying where);
  
• Upgrading hospital zoning from R1-12.5 to R1-30 (three-quarters of an acre).

In the conference with City Hall today, it was pointed out to WPCNR this is wrong, and does not apply to New York Presbyterian Hospital and White Plains Hospital Center, and only applied to hospital properties in the outlying areas of the city. The Report reads: The Committee recommends that the Planning Department examine the following possible additional zoning district changes to implement 1997 Plan strategies and proposed revised strategies recommended by this Committee and prepare a report to the Common Council:

 

1.) appropriateness of mapping certain additional Outer Area properties as R1-30, such as hospital properties

 

• Strongly supporting “judicious use of Urban Renewal powers, including eminent domain, by the City and Urban Renewal Agency in areas appropriately designated”
  
• Elimination of tax abatements for developers.

The Telephone Conference said WPCNR is wrong on this saying the report does not call for elimination of tax abatements. The Report reads: The Committee sees no need to authorize tax abatements for commercial and industrial projects at this time.

 

• Pursuit of the City’s own Industrial Development Agency.

          The Telephone Conference with Mr. Wood, Mr. Lawson, and Ms. Habel told WPCNR that the Mayor has for two years been pursuing the formation of the city’s own IDA. WPCNR acknowledges this, and regrets the impression given by this statement that this is a new idea of the Committee. The Committee report reads: The Committee strongly supports the City’s effors to obtain authorization for its own IDA and recommends that the City continue to pursue this objective. Athough the City has worked cooperatively with the Westchester County Industrial Development Agency, the City, like its sister cities of Yonkers, New Rochelle and Mt. Vernon, should have its own Industrial Development Agency.

 

• Keeping the present City Hall and rehabilitating the present structure.
  
• Assessment of affordable housing buildings at lower rates.

In the telephone conference, WPCNR was informed that the city is not currently allowed to access affordable housing differently. The Committee recommends in their report: The Committee supports new State legislation which permits the municipality’s Assessor to recognize affordable housing in the assessment of residential real estate.

 

• Strongly supports city contributions to Community Development Funds (being cut every year under the present federal administration).
  
• Endorsement of present city financial policies, with no criticism of present budget practice.

 

 

After the presentation of the plan, Co-Chairperson John Martin opened the public hearing for comment from the public at 8:26 P.M.

 

Peter Katz was first up suggesting that the city had to plan for the eventual rehabilitation of the aging Winbrook buildings; look into grant funding for the White Plains Public Library; analyze the future impact of the city continuing to pay over 50% of the costs of operating the White Plains Performing Arts Center, and requested more detail on the development of the sports facility, and suggested more interim updates of the Comprehensive Plan. He recommended more detail on how the city IDA would be staffed, whether by Mayoral appointee or public representatives. He warned against the urban renewal powers recommendation, seeing it as “setting up a weapon for excessive arm-twisting” for use against the Common Council or a property owner.

 

Glen Hockley (Democrat running for  Common Council) took the podium and took the Committee to task for not taking a stronger stance on creating affordable housing, demanding a 15% to 20% set-aside in any development for affordable apartments. He strongly urged the committee to “take it seriously.” Hockley also warned that pursuing an IDA from the state might result in loss of the city ½% sales tax.

 

John Carlson (Republican running for Common Council) suggested the Committee take a closer look at crime statistics, suggesting that case investigations are up according to the White Plains Department of Public Safety website.

 

Carlson  advised the committee not to accept the set-aside payment-in-lieu-of units policy the Common Council has approved for condominium builders. Carlson said the payments received are not high enough because the city cannot build comparable numbers of housing units with the monies.

 

Carlson raised the issue of whether White Plains has received the payments-in-lieu already approved or whether they are deferred as indicated, he said in the recent JPI agreement approved September 6. He also cautioned the committee to take a closer look at the trend of commercial properties paying less taxes and residents paying more. Currently he said commercial properties account for 45% of city tax revenues and residential owners, 38%.

 

Dennis Power, Democrat candidate for Mayor took the podium and in a prepared statement charging that the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee “failed to adequately involve the public. I also have major concerns about the lack of objectivity in the review process.”

 

Pointing out the review began eight years after the adoption of the plan, Power charged the review was only undertaken when the White Plains Citizens Comprehensive Plan Committee prepared their own, embarrassing the city into starting the process.

 

Power said there was no real communication plan to “meaningfully involve the public,” charging lack of “significant outreach,” “insufficient notification.”

 

Power pointed out the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee appointed by the Mayor and Common Council had “no flexibility, no independent staff and no separate funding.”

 

“I regret these (your) efforts have not essentially involved anyone outside the Committee, with the exception of City officials, and no citizen task forces were established to involve other White Plains residents actively in their work.”

 

Power mocked the process: “How do you expect to make an objective analysis with your staff, the City staff, cannot be objective? No, you don’t perform an objective analysis without bringing in some objective expertise. And, you don’t do it without flexibility to look honestly at the problems, freedom to involve the citizens completely, and funding to accomplish those goals.”

 

He charged “the work of the Review Committee has been unduly influenced by City officials, which raises serious questions about the independence of the Committee – and, consequently, the value of the conclusions and recommendations. Too little opportunity existed for committee members to seriously entertain alternative ideas, analyses or suggestions.”

 

Power called on the Committee to look at “our declining tax base, our soaring downtown, our tax-fatigued schools, our tax-burdened citizens, our physical as well as human infrastructure, our escalating traffic, open space, housing, public safety and ALL those other issues like the St. Agnes Hospital grounds and New York Presbyterian Hospital and let’s not be afraid to ask independent experts to give us honest analyses and let all our interested citizens have an opportunity to participate.”

 

 

 

    Marc Pollitzer addressing the Committee.

Photo by WPCNR News.

 

Marc Pollitzer, the veteran city activist from the Southend scorched the committee for its faith in the city’s financial acumen and analysis of budget policies presented  by the City Assessor, Budget Department and Finance Director. Pollitzer said he was at that meeting where the budgeters justified their policies and said “The fiscal irresponsibility was disgusting.” He rejected the Committee’s finding that the “fund balance had been preserved.” Pollitzer said “the fund balance must be maintained and this isn’t the way to do it, dipping into it (the fund balance) for the 4^th year in a row, or the 5^th.” The city tape recording, City Hall says shows Mr. Pollitzer did not actually say this, and further points out Pollitzer mentioned the fund balance was not apparently “dipped into” last year due to the surplus of $1.4 Million announced officially by the Mayor Tuesday night at the CNA meeting.They are getting a transcript. WPCNR will also check with Mr. Pollitzer.  Wood called the statement “libelous.”

 

Mr. Pollitzer talking to WPCNR Thursday afternoon said he did not remember saying “The fiscal irresponsibility was disgusting,” and clarified his remarks:

 

“What I did refer to was the evening they had the three members of staff discuss the financial situation of the city. There were real questions that arose then, that were not really asked properly or responded to by the committee members. One member asked a question more than once about understanding the explanation given. There was a look on the faces of the committee that they really didn’t understand what was going on.

 

I think there really has to be a greater review of the financial matters. I didn’t say that the sense of fiscal irresponsibility was digusting, frankly that’s not a term I would use. I did question whether the information they got was really reflective of what the city’s financial condition is.

 

I did refer to the fund balance. I referred to the 97 plan which referred to the fact that it should be preserved. There was no mention of how it should be, nor does anyone else have an idea. I think that has to be included in the recommendations of this Committee that there are some specific ways of doing that that has to be budgeted. I’m not capable of telling them how to do it, but I think that outside expert opinions might be helpful, or just refer to it as being necessary.”

 

 

Pollitzer objected to locking the city into the present City Hall site which could be a key to a better way to develop the center of the downtown. He suggested merging the City School District with the City to provide a better way of financing public education, and to look at the issue of financing city schools. He warned against designating New York Presbyterian Hospital as a state historic site and called for the Committee to recommend using Eminent Domain on New York Presbyterian Hospital. Pollitzer said today Thursday that he felt the Hospital’s designation as an historic site could be reviewed if the city goes to Albany with New York Presbyterian Hospital and requests that that designation be removed, that would give greater flexibility to the hospital and therefore the city in planning for that property for the future.

 

On the dipping quotation…Pollitzer remembers saying “dipping into it for probably a fifth year,” but not the portion “that’s not the way to do it.”

 

‘You’re largely correct, but I don’t use words like disgusting.”

 

When the city supplies the transcript, WPCNR will be pleased to print the actual text of Mr. Pollitzer’s remarks for the record.

 

The Man Who Started It All: Robert Levine, original member of the Citizens Plan Committee whose action prodded the city into starting their own review of the Comprehensive Plan three years late. Neither Levine nor his two other associates, Robert Stackpole and Michael Graessle were invited on the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee. Photo by WPCNR News.

 

Robert Levine one of the founders of the Citizens Plan Committee, (which WPCNR in the first edition of this article described as “defunct” in error), spoke in favor of more frequent planning intervals; demanded the Committee get better answers on availability of natural gas and electricity emergency supply in the future; and commented that the city has no design review process with any real influence, which he felt should be addressed.

 

Ted Peluso rose to suggest the city was right in keeping city hall where it is (255 Main Street)

 

Tom Roach rose to congratulate the committee on a fine job. Congratulated them on the reports, saying he was “impressed by the detail.” He said the process is “not over” and the public could comment again after the Common Council considers and renders its final version of the report for public comment.

 

John Martin and Mary Cavallero, Co-Chairs of the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee, closed the meeting saying the Committee would meet one more time to review the evening’s public comments and then submit their report to the Common Council.

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WPCNR News Commentary. By John F. Bailey. September 12, 2005: Will the Democratic Candidate for Mayor of White Plains ever start to campaign?

 

 Is the Democratic Party of White Plains taking the campaign off?

 

Are two of the Republican Candidates for Common Council cooperating by laying low to allow the usual suspect Democrats to ease back into their do-nothing-but-say-yes slots?

 

Is Mayor Delfino so happy with his current Democratic Council (with the exception of Larry Delgado), that he is not campaigning for his Republican running mates? Of course, the Mayor has no coattails, he proved that in 2001.

 

Dennis Power  has sent out five press releases in three months, allowing the Mayor the first reaction before he sent out three of them. He has called no news conferences. He has only spoken out at two Council meetings. He is nowhere. Sending out faxed news releases is not campaigning.

 

However, a strong campaign against Delfino could win.

 

Consider the possibility of anti-Republican feeling due to the pragmatic, heartless response to Hurricane Katrina by the “Bush Crime Family” (Mike Mulloy’s line, not mine). Thanks to Mr. Bush’s demonstrated lack of humanity and compassion, Mr. Power, the Democratic candidate for Mayor  — the Ticket Position no big name Dem wanted – could actually steal the election.

 

But, hey, he has to want to.

 

But, hey, he has to campaign.

 

He has to fight for truth, justice and the American way.  Nobody seems to want to do that in either party  at any level of government these days.

 

The lack of a campaign, the lack of money tendered Mr. Power in two fundraisers,  with a third coming up tells this suspicious observer that Mr. Power is not supposed to win against Mayor Joseph Delfino and nobody wants him to win either.

 

It’s not the script.

 

It’s going too well for the developers, the state hierarchy, the medical establishment with Mayor Delfino greasing the skids for developers, finetuning  the city zoning code in 2002, and customizing it to whatever developers, medical facilities, and community connected want.

 

But this column is not about Mr. Delfino, he is just doing what he is told. He is very good at doing that.

 

This is about one-party government.

 

Government of the well-connected. King and Prince-making. And the pecking order.

 

Last spring Bill Ryan conducted a poll to assay his chances of defeating Joseph Delfino.

 

 Mr. Ryan told me himself that he wound up in a dead-heat with Mayor Delfino, 42% to 42%. Given the twenty or so issues a smart, informed, relentless candidate could raise against Delfino, (clearly articulated in this column last spring),  it was reasonable to expect that Mr. Ryan could have put up an excellent battle against the Mayor.

 

However, did  Ryan have too much to lose?  Did he see a clear, noncompetitive path to becoming County Executive in four years after Andy Spano disposed of the Republican candidate, Rob Astorino, running against him? The White Plains Mayoral Race would be a hard fought campaign and cost a lot of money, and who knows what dirt the Delfino Boys would dig up?

 

Was Ryan promised the County Executive plum in turn for not running? Of course not, this is not Tammany Hall.

 

So Ryan opted not to run, too much unfinished business at the county level, Ryan told me. 

 

Now, that left Adam Bradley, the  charismatic champion of election law sanctity, Glen Hockley’s Darrow, whose rapier-like campaign slash and burn tactics ousted Naomi Matusow with six relentless months of campaigning that Matusow was totally unprepared for.  Bradley: Energetic. A native son, an almost spotless record of being right on the issues people care about, and a man who actually knows how to campaign. He would have beaten Delfino in a walk.

 

He perhaps had a better shot than Bill Ryan at beating Delfino because he had a popular White Plains following, a solid track record in Albany for one term. Bradley told me he was not interested in becoming Mayor because he felt he could do more at the state level. Sound familiar?

 

Are we beginning to see a pattern here?

 

So with the two Democratic Dobermans leaving the White Plains porch, that left a lineup of the usual suspects: Rita Malmud, Benjamin Boykin, Jr., Glen Hockley and Thomas Roach as possible Mayoral candidates.

 

In interviews with the Democratic City Committee Nominating Committee they all said they were not interested in running. Roach, the strongest candidate of the four, declined, too. Roach, the token opposition to the Mayor on several issues, notably the condominium affordable housing buy-out issue, could have mounted a campaign if he had wished. He could not be criticized for being one of “The Six Blind Mice,” as former Mayor Alfred Del Vecchio refers to the Common Council.

 

But Roach decided not to express an interest in running for Mayor.

 

So the Democratic Nominating Committee reported that they did not recommend any candidate for Mayor last May.

 

Mayor Delfino was scheduled to run unopposed. Then Ron Jackson, an African-American, a community activist said he would run for Mayor. He volunteered.

 

Well! The City Democrats could not have that.

 

A rambunctious, hard-hitting, wheel-chair bound handicapped person running for Mayor, talking street talk who actually spoke out on issues when he saw them and particularly a Black person at that. Good God, no! How embarrassing to the Democratic Party?

 

So they said they would interview Mr. Jackson, and Dennis Power was talked into running. Power even resigned his job with the Hudson River Museum so he would have time, as he put it to run a campaign. (Considering the campaign he’s running, he could have kept his job.)

 

The Nominating Committee interviewed Mr. Jackson and Mr. Power on a Sunday, June 5 but Mr. Power in a bungle sent out a letter to district leaders asking for their support for Mayor  June 3 before he was chosen, received by leaders before Mr. Power was officially announced. That means that Mr. Jackson was being patronized.

 

Then Mr. Power announced his campaign twice in early June and in late June, but has not hit the Mayor hard on any issues of substance in three months. Finances? Not a word. Affordable Housing, an absence of proposals, and a mere call for a task force to be formed.  Taxes? not a word. Future Planning of the City? Not an explicit word except for statements at community meetings that all the community needs to be involved . Certioraris? Not a word.

 

 We do not know what Mr. Power stands for or what he would do on the twenty issues facing the city the CitizeNetReporter outlined in the spring.

 

His latest news release criticized the Mayor on the renewal of the New York Presbyterian Hospital Site Plan, accusing the Mayor of hiding the hospital’s intention to renew their proton accelerator site plan that expired August 5, and indicating that the site plan permit should not be renewed because they had not applied for it. It also promoted Rita Malmud as exposing the lateness of the intent to renew letter.

 

Why is Mr. Power promoting Rita Malmud? He should stake out a position on the issue! What are the Democratic Council Candidates doing for Dennis?

 

He did make the point that the proton accelerator site plan renewal issue has been swept under the rug. But his running mates: Malmud, Roach and Hockley have not raised the hospital site plan renewal issue either. It is a head-banger issue that could gather votes.

 

But, what is Mr. Power’s position on the New York Presbyterian Hospital?

 

Is he in favor of the St. Agnes development by North Street Community, the $250 Million to $300 Million minimum money maker aimed at that property that threatens to develop the entire 100 acres with custom zoning. Marc Pollitzer’s comment on the dangers of custom zoning that property on request  at the Common Council meeting September 5 was thoughtful.

 

Mr. Power should be hammering that. How about no rezoning of the property until the proton accelerator issue and medical commercial rezoning is resolved would be an interesting position, don’t you think?

 

Well, the intent to renew was not late and had not expired in any way. It is a quibble not a shot across the bow.

 

In another press release, Mr. Power did not do his homework. He admitted to WPCNR September 6 that the organization attempting to get Mayor Delfino to sign an agreement seeking to limit greenhouse warming, had not sent the letter to Mayor Delfino asking him to sign it.

 

Power had sent out a release taking Mayor Delfino to task for not signing a letter the Mayor was never sent. This is a gaffe. Mr. Power is getting very bad advice that is sabotaging him rather than helping him.

 

 Mr. Power alleged in his release that the letter was not date-stamped, raising the question that it was delivered September 6, and backdated to August 1. (Why not tie this to the suppression of the Bud Nicoletti sewer overrun memo that was suppressed from the Common Council in September 2001? That’s how you campaign – build a history of behind-the-back dealings. He did mention the suppression of the bond rating information in the Spring of 2004 – but the charge is “government in secret”.)

 

 A knowledgeable source close to city policy makers told WPCNR Friday that if a developer writes signifying they wish to renew a site plan at the time of renewal that that is evidence they wish to renew, even though the site plan paperwork is not in yet.

 

 Could some of Mr. Power’s council running mates have told him that?  Despite Rita Malmud’s support of the Intent to Renew Letter  release, he was misinformed and misses the real issue: The Mayor considers the Common Council a lot like the College of Cardinals: to be seen and not heard, great for blessings, but policy — forget about it.

 

Power, instead of campaigning for himself is actually promoting Rita Malmud as the feisty little watchdog of the Common Council, instead of himself. This is the same Rita Malmud who approved the City Center Development, and somehow failed to read Mr. Nicoletti’s statement warning about “catastrophic backups” if the Main Street Sewer problem was not addressed. Nicoletti’s  comment was in the City Center approving legislation. The council did one bad job on that whole sewer issue by not publicly censuring the Mayor and the individual who suppressed the Nicoletti memo for negligence.

 

How about the unexplainable absence of  Mr. Power last week on the New Orleans issue?

 

Dennis Power is identified with housing for the homeless. Homelessness, serving the handicapped is his background. He had two weeks after the New Orleans disaster to stake out his humanitarian credentials before the Mayor did with the Mayor’s rent-free apartments for New Orleans victims news conference last week.

 

Mr. Power appears to have deliberately held back an excellent headline maker and identifier (calling on developers and empty apartments to be opened to New Orleans victims) which might have jumpstarted his non-campaign. Instead, by his inaction, he gives it the Mayor. Nice handoff, Dennis. He did this on the Galleria killing, too, allowing the Mayor to have the first shot.

 

It is this reporter’s opinion that the Democrats’ job is to make sure Mr. Power loses, while giving the impression the Democrats were trying to unseat Mr. Delfino.  Power’s reward for this Quixote Quest (so far)  – well who knows? Is it a county job, in addition to being appointed to poor Robert Greer’s Council seat when the time comes?

 

Why would you quit your job to run a campaign and then not run to win?

 

Mr. Power can walk the city in the Glen Hockley School of Grassroots Campaigning to drum up votes. He has to do that.

 

He has squandered three months of conciousness-raising time. As of today he has 60 days before the election. A lot of catchup ball to play.

What this says to me is that we have one-party government in White Plains.

 

However, the running of Power and the overrunning of Lake Pontchartrain one week ago today have scared the Mayor into running a poll, measuring his popularity against Mr. Power.

 

Mr. Delfino, though, is bereft of any kind of political organization. I mean how many Republicans in White Plains are there who believe enough in the party to make phone calls to get out the vote?

 

The thrust of the questions of the telephone poll conducted among Democratic voters  by Mr. Delfino is to ascertain how Democrats feel about him, to assure himself he will get that old Democrat crossover. The pollster contacting one Democratic voter, Candyce Corcoran, actually told Ms. Corcoran, “this guy Delfino is doing well.”

 

However, Delfino need not worry. The Democrats have to get out a vote for Mr. Power and have to get started campaigning. The footdragging and fumbling of the issues is incredible.

 

There is no money for Mr. Power. I see no signs. No bumper stickers. No radio appearances. No interest in the Journal News in his candidacy. (I mean Power may as well be running on the Republican ticket for all the ink The Journal News is giving him.)

 

The most campaigning against Delfino has been done by John Carlson, a Republican Candidate for Common Council who has taken the Mayor to task for financial management. Larry Delgado, the other Republican Councilman is not campaigning to speak of.  I have not heard from the third Republican Council Candidate.

 

The converse appears to be true. Other than Carlson, the other two Republican Candidates appear to be doing little to unseat the other “Five Blind Mice.”

 

Meanwhile no Democrat Councilperson has said a word or campaigned for Dennis Power. That should be interesting at the genteel League of Women Voters debates to watch that interplay.

 

Bottom line folks, this smells like a contrived election scenario, well worth investigation by Tony Castro, or Janet DiFiori, whoever wins the County D.A. post, or Eliot Spitzer, or the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Weak candidates put up against strong incumbents  has happened too often. That it is happening in White Plains is a disgrace.

 

Predictions: Adam Bradley is looking to run for Representive Nita Lowey’s seat in 2006 if she retires or for  Suzi Oppenheimer’s State Senate seat.

 

However, you never know what is going to happen.

 

If Winbrook voted in November, they could give the election to Dennis Power, especially after the White Plains Housing Authority fiasco. Especially after the city refuses to involve Winbrook before the election on their secret plans to develop the West Side, Post Road and Lexington Avenue neighborhood. (We hear that Avalon, the New Rochelle developer, has the inside track to develop that West Side neighborhood.) And especially after the Bush performance in New Orleans.

 

Ironically though Mayor Delfino has delivered the Digital Divide Computer Labs to Winbrook and other public housing apartments in the city – perhaps the single most humanitarian achievement of his administration. I salute the Mayor for that and his work in getting the city back to growing, apparently.

 

Power should be running vans in a nonstop stream from Winbrook, DeKalb and Battle Hill to get the vote out in November.

 

The Democratic Party is acting as if Dennis Power their “standard bearer” is running on a minority party ticket. Will they work the phones like they have in the past for Mr. Power? Will Andy Spano open his war chest to Mr. Power and give him the money to make a case against Mayor Delfino? It does not look like it at this time, folks.

 

Why would you not want to win the Mayor’s seat in White Plains? There’s so much juicy patronage in the city. All those commissionerships. The opportunity to put in a massive press office.

 

For those who predict the future and try and establish a political succession order nothing is certain.

 

Suppose there should suddenly become a vacancy in the Mayor’s office?  Then the next Common Council President becomes the Mayor. And Adam Bradley if he ever wanted to run for Mayor would be at the mercy of the interim Mayor’s performance. Suppose Mayor Delfino wanted to run for County Executive, (at age 76) then Mr. Ryan would be faced with a formidable popular opponent who shows more energy than politicians half his age.

 

The responsibility of the party not in power is to critique, highlight shortcomings, and raise issues when they campaign against an incumbent Mayor in hopes of improving the Mayor’s performance and sensitivity even in a losing effort.

 

The Democratic Party to their shame and disgrace did not put up their best candidate for Mayor, they all bailed out, and were not going to run anyone.

 

Now they are not running a campaign.

 

Do they care where the city is going?

 

Do they have a clue?

 

It does not look like they do.

 

Otherwise they would be campaigning.

 

They are giving the election away.

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. September 12, 2005: Paul Wood, City Executive Officer, clarified the city’s effort to help house victims of the New Orleans hurricane strike, saying that the city was open to other donations of apartments from landlords and homeowners. He said any White Plains  residents or other rental or condominium owners who wished to step up and offer housing for the disenfranchised homeless of New Orleans should contact Melisa Lopez in the Mayor’s Office. Other White Plains citizens wishing to donate clothing, furnishings, and other services should also contact the Mayor’s Office

Wood said Dionne Lewin, the city Section VIII officer is in Houston attempting to locate six families to come to White Plains and live in the 6 – two-bedroom apartments, two located in Bank Street Commons, two in Clayton Park (Eastview), and two in One City Place at the City Center. Asked if  the corporations owning those six apartments were entitled to tax deductions for the donactions, Wood said, “I think so.”

Asked how the donation of the apartments might effect the benefits the families receive from the Federal Government, Wood said the city had spoken to FEMA, which told them that benefits would be balanced against donations and other aid, “on a case-by-case basis,” according to Wood.

Melisa Lopez may be reached at 422-1411.

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. September 10, 2005, UPDATED 12:35 P.M.September 11, with MORE PIX : The Tigers marched on down the field the first time they had the ball on this sweltering Saturday afternoon at Mount Vernon’s picturesque Memorial Field, held Mount Vernon to no first downs in the First Half, and used the double running threat of Mickey Morrello and Jamaine “Do It” Hewitt mixed with Conor Gilmartin-Donohue’s short-medium-long passing game to win their 2005 season debut, 21-12, presenting new football coach Mike “Skip” Stevens his first win as a Head Coach. Offensive play was innovative, contained a lot of surprises and was successful overland and in the air. Defense was top drawer.

Mickey Morrello sets up Tigers First TD of the season in the First Quarter, dragging Mount Vernon tacklers with him to the 8 yard line. on a 29 yard bull-em, drag ’em, dodge ’em on a third and 8 from the MV 37. Morrello was first stopped at the 30, dodged and dumped four or five would be Tiger-Stoppers in the 20’s broke to the 15 and dragged his way to the 8. It set the tone.  Morrello, obscured is carrying two Knights on his back. Photo by WPCNR Sports.

TouchDOWN! TouchDOWN! Via Conor-Airlines. It’s Third Down and Goal after Morello’s run, and Conor Gilmartin-Donohue hits “Mr. Lee,” Thomas Lee Number 21 A-LONE Far left of your picture, under the left upright for the first touchdown of the season. Lee caught it untouched in the belly facing Conor, who threaded the needle. Gilmartin-Donohue is at far right second from the left on the right side of your picture. Ian Jackson booted the first of three powerful Extra Points to give the Tigers a 7-0 Lead. Photo by WPCNR Sports.

Do-It Hewitt kept doing it all day long: Jamaine Hewitt, far right, takes a pitch from QB Conor Gilmartin-Donhoue (17), on the way to a sweep. Hewitt rushed for 147 yards officially, clipping off about 10 yards a carry  and scoring two touchdowns, as the Tiger line consistently blew off the Knights, engineering thruways through the Knights secondary.  Hewitt’s explosive running starts consistently got him deep into the Knights secondary in seconds.  Hewitt said the defensive play of the Tigers was the key to the game. The Knights never got going offensively due to the posse pursuit of the speedy defensive line. Photo by WPCNR Sports

White Plains pushed, punished and pummeled  Mount Vernon around all afternoon in this Opening Day Game. The score fails to reflect how dominant the Tigers were from the opening series. Knight scores came in virtual second half garbage time, when the Tigers, like any big cats were playing with their food, bouncing the Knights from paw to paw.

 

 

Coach Stevens Drilling the Offense in Pregame Warmups for the First Time as Head Coach:  It was the debut game any first-time Head Coach dreams of. Coach Mike Stevens said as much, “I’m just so happy they played so well. That they were so focused. I’ll never forget it.” Photo by WPCNR Sports

 

After stopping Mount Vernon cold on the first four plays of the game, with quick, fast pursuit and gang-tackles, White Plains took over at their own 37 and marched 63 yards in 9 plays.

 

An offside penalty by Mount Vernon after an incomplete pass gave the Tigers a second and five on their own 42 and Conor Gilmartin-Donohue handed off to fullback Mickey Morello who broke into sunlight, rambling up the middle, brushing Mount Vernons aside to the Vernon 42 for a first down.

 

 Conor threw a swing pass to  Ed Oliva on the sideline who scampered to the 38. Jermaine Hewitt found little or no yardage and it was 3^rd and 5 on the Knights 38. On a delay, possibly a draw play, Gilmartin-Donohue carried off the deception flawlessly giving the ball to Mickey Morrello in full rumble. Picking his way with finesse, whirling and bonking, and boinking off defenders, Morello cruised and created havoc in the secondary, exploding down the middle. The Mick was finally dragged down by the last two Knights at the 8 yard line, a 30 yard ramble.

 

On first and goal, Jamaine Hewitt picked his way to the 5. Conor swung a swing pass into the endzone to a wideopen Morello, but Mickey could not hang on, and it was 3^rd and goal at the 5. Conor stepped back, rolling slight to his left and throw a strike to “Mr. Lee,” ( Thomas Lee)  under the left goal post in a traffic square out between two Knight defenders for his first touchdown pass of the season. Ian Jackson, the Tiger kicker this season, drilled the PAT and the Tigers lead 7-0 midway through the First Quarter.

 

Unrelenting Aggression.

 

On Mount Vernon’s next possession, with second and 5 from the Knight 36 Matt Robles picked off a hideous pass in the right flat and returned it to the Mount Vernon 48.  White Plains converted a 4^th and 2 on the Vernon 41 when a fake punt with Tom Lee taking the snap, but gave it back on an interception on first down, when Conor, in the grasp threw the ball up for a pick.

 

Still the Knights went four and out, with Thomas Lee knocking down a 3^rd and 17 pass attempt, barely missing a interception. White Plains took over from their 40 after a punt and moved to the Mount Vernon 23 where the Knights held. Again the gangtackling and swift pursuit of the Tiger line contained the Knights. I tell you, the White Plains linebackers and defensive line can move and are quick.

 

“The Hewitt-zer Takes Over.”

 

White Plains took over on their own 42, midway in the second quarter after an outstanding punt of 35 yards from scrimmage aided by the parched Memorial Field gridiron (hard as concrete).

 

Now Jamaine Hewitt took over the game. The Mount Vernon line was consistently pushed aside as if White Plains was playing the Junior Varsity, opening up huge holes for the swiftly accelerating Hewitt, who has that “scatback” quality to get loose, but, the strength to challenge tacklers, according to Coach Stevens.

 

On 1^st from the Tiger 42, Hewitt burst 16 yards up the middle to the Knights 44, scorching the already-parched earth. It was Hewitt again on the next play to the 37. On 3^rd and 2, Hewitt swept behind a convoy of blockers around left end to the Knight 27.

 

 

THE HEWITT-ZER SETS UP TD 2:  Conor took a direct snap and pitched the ball to Jamine running to the right, the opposite direction and the entire Mount Vernon club watched Hewitt ramble to the 5 yard line on the slant-run to the red zone. Hewitt (28) Center is at the center of the picture at the 10 on his 22-yard jaunt. Then he lugged the ball up the gut to the 1 then reamed it in for his first touchdown of the season. Jackson converted and it was 14-0 with 4 minutes to go in the half. The Tigers had gone 58 yards in 6 plays for a 14-0 lead. Photo by WPCNR Sports.

 

Mount Vernon did not have a first down in the first half. The Tigers had a 14-0 lead at the half.

 

Second Half – Long Reliefers  Hold The Lead

 

In the third quarter, White Plains continued to move the ball on the opening series from their  32 yard line, until Conor underthrew a pass to the deep right sideline and it was picked off by  Eugene Cooper who returned the ball to the Knight 23. No harm was done, because the Tigers pushed the Knights back to their 5 yard line on three plays. A punt set the Tigers up in business on the Mount Vernon 48. They promptly cruised to the Knight 28 on a 19 yard run by Hewitt, but a fumble on a handoff was picked up by Vernon’s Steve Sandoval, a 270 pound lineman  (according to the program), with nothing but daylight.

 

Joseph Henry of White Plains caught up with Sandoval and saved a touchdown, tackling him from behind at the Tiger 45.

 

With 3^rd and 7 on the Tiger 37 Mike Connelly caught Tyree Stevenson behind the secondary at the 15 yard line who turned, caught the pass and rolled to coffin corner and was tackled at the 1 by Jeffy Charles. It was the second first down the Knights had made all afternoon. They had made one before the first half ended.

 

 Connelly scored a touchdown on a sneak on the next play to make it 14-6. Next the Mount Vernon coach made an odd decision. After the conversion was made after an offside penalty, the Tigers were called for roughing the kicker. Rick Wright, the MV coach elected to take the PAT already made off the board and try a two-point conversion.  The Tigers sniffed it out and turned Connelly aside in the backfield. It meant the best the Knights could do on a second score was tie, and needed two touchdowns to win. Very odd decision. Basically it sealed the game right then and there.

 

After the Tigers were held on downs for the first time all day, Mount Vernon got the ball back on their on 23 at the start of the 4^th quarter.

 

On second and 6 from the 31, Mount Vernon almost got a 5^th down, but as Coach Stevens explained it, a play did not count in the sequence.

 

Pop Up Punt Equals Insurance Runs.

 

On that fateful 4^th down at the Knight 31, the Knight punter who had calmly punted out of trouble the whole day, shanked it high in the air and White Plains took over on the Knight 41. A 10 yard punt. Not what you wanted there.

 

“The Hewitt-zer” took over again. Conor handed off to Jamaine Hewitt for 11 yards around end to the Knight 28. On 3^rd and 7 from the 25, Conor hit on a key 3^rd down conversion, connecting with the graceful Ed Oliva again in the right flat who rambled inside the 9 for a 1^st and goal.

 

Hewitt plowed ahead to the 1 on the next play then went off tackle to score his second touchdown. Jackson drilled the PAT and it was 21-6, White Plains with half the quarter left.

 

Mount Vernon added a meaningless touchdown in the waning moments of the game.

 

Strong Defense. Secondary on Point.

 

White Plains showed very disciplined play today. They were penalized for approximately 50 yards, but no penalities hurt drives, and there were no motion penalties and only one offside on a PAT. 

 

 

Coach Stevens with Quarterback Conor Gilmartin-Donohue  (center) and his TD receiver, Thomas Lee, left. Conor,  quarterbacking in his first start ever was a poised leader. He handed off flawlessly, knew the plays, never demonstrated any confusion and completed three key 3^rd down conversion passes in traffic to Tommie Lee for a Touchdown, Ian Jackson and Ed Oliva to keep drives alive.  Photo by WPCNR Sports

 

Coach Stevens told WPCNR that it is White Plains plan to throw the ball more because it opens up the running game. Today they did not need it. The Tigers showed more weapons than just Mr. Hewitt. Mickey Morrello has that Mel Triplett feel at fullback, and was he hard to bring down today! Hewitt carried the ball for 147 yards officially, and combines speed with toughness. (No such thing as a Tiger who is not tough.)

 

In a group interview, Joseph Henry, Justin Lee, and Mr. Hewitt all speaking at once and not even out of breath said the defense was awesome, the secondary “on point.” They said they were not tired at all through the game, while Mount Vernon was. They said they were angry about the lack of respect for the team coming into the season by the football prognosticators who have picked Mount Vernon, Gorton and New Rochelle as the cream of the conference this season.

 

The team was strong. That is  a testimony to the three-a-day practices in 95 degree heat the Tigers have been laboring through the last three weeks. A game day must seem like a fun day for them, considering what they go through to prepare for it.

 

A final word, the Tigers were very well prepared for this game. Routes were crisp. Blocking was overpowering, swift and sure. The poise when mistakes were made was on display.

 

It was a great debut for the Tigers who play Roosevelt next Saturday at Parker Stadium.

 

 

WHITE PLAINS CHEERLEADERS at the game. Photo, WPCNR Sports

 

 

Gridiron Closing Handshakes. Photo, WPCNR Sports.

 

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. September 9, 2005: Paul Wood, City Executive Officer, announced that Albert Moroni, Parking Director of the White Plains Department of Parking, has been suspended from duties for one week without pay. Moroni has also been asked to go to the city Employee Asssitance Program for “evaluation,” which Wood indicated Mr. Moroni has agreed to do. Mr. Moroni has also been relieved of his city car, which Mr. Moroni was driving, when White Plains Police stopped early last Sunday morning (1 A.M.) at Westchester and Pauling Avenues, at a Police checkpoint and charged with with Driving While Intoxicated.

Asked if the city was contemplating replacing Mr. Moroni, Wood said, “No. He’s a 25 year old employee. We are awaiting outcome of the court case. He’s only charged at this point.”

Wood said not all Commissioners have cars, just those who might be on call to manage and emergency situation. Asked how many Commissioners and employees did, Wood did not have those figures available. Wood, upon questioning, said the city is reviewing and considering new guidelines for Commissioners and employees’ use of city cars.

Wood said employees and commissioners given city cars were responsible for filling up their own gas tanks at their expense. Wood did not elaborate on the details of whether the city cars were allowed to be used for personal matters, and under what circumstances. Wood said Moroni was not on city business at the time of his arrest, “but had been in his office (Parking Department) early Saturday.”

Asked if the city was potentially liable for accidents incurred by Commissioners driving city owned cars, Wood said “Yes.”