Westco Creates Tomorrow’s Actors Today in ROOTS TO RAP at Slater Center

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Westco Productions. February 10, 2007: Westco Productions, Westchester County’s vibrant and growing multi-media impresarios will present a musical performance of an original show called “From Roots To Rap” at Thomas H. Slater Center in White Plains February 22  at 7 PM featuring 23 children ages 8-13 from low-income families in White Plains.  The performance is the culmination of eight weeks of preparation and rehearsal.  It is part of Westco’s ‘Page To Stage’ program, an after-school cultural arts/literacy assistance workshop for disadvantaged children. The program’s intent is to aid children in learning words, reading, memorization, and self-confidence through the vehicle of theater.

 

“From Roots To Rap,” traces music history from early African rhythms to present day popular music.  During the course of rehearsals, the children learned about various writers and artists, their biographies and the techniques they used.  They also read and learned about the relevance of music during the time of slavery and how rhythm and blues influenced the American music scene during the 20’s and 30’s.   Diane Hadley is the Director with Musical Direction by Rev. Frozine Smith and Choreography by Min. Virginia Young.  Stage Manager/Historian is Dr. Alvin Pulliam.

 

The performance will take place on Thursday, February 22, 2007 at 7:00 pm at The Thomas H. Slater Center, 2 Fisher Court, White Plains and is free to the public.

 

The program is made possible through grants from The Edith Glick Shoolman Children’s Foundation and The Paul & Harriet Weissman Family Foundation.  For  information on Page To Stage or any of Westco’s other programs call 914-761-7463 or visit their website at www.westcoproductions.org.

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Purchase Senior Artists Showcase at annual Spring Arts Show March 12 April 4

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WPCNR GALLERIES, GLITZ GUESTS & GLAMOUR. From Ann Brady, Purchase College. March 10, 2007: The Purchase College School of the Arts, School of Art+Design presents the BFA Thesis Exhibition Series 2007, rotating exhibitions showcasing the diverse talents of its undergraduate students, beginning this Monday,  March 12 through May 4, 9AM-5PM, Monday-Friday.  The weekly exhibitions will be on view in various spaces and galleries in the Art+Design Building. The series is free and open to the public. For more information, call 914-251-6750. Each exhibition will highlight the work of graduating seniors in the areas of painting, drawing, sculpture, video, sound, photography, printmaking, graphic design and installation. Purchase College, State University of New York, is located at 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, N.Y.


 

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Ryan to Schedule Major Discussion on Hardcore Homeless w/city/town Leaders

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WPCNR’S THE HOMELESS NEWS. By John F. Bailey. February 9, 2007: Chair of the County Board of Legislators White Plains’ William Ryan (District 5), reacting to the County Executive Andy Spano’s scrapping the plan to build a new facility for the hardcore homeless at the Westchester County Police Headquarter in face of angry opposition,  told WPCNR Thursday he would move to involve county Mayors, Supervisors and leaders of the Westchester towns, villages and cities in “substantial discussion” of  “equitable distribution around the county of those who choose to live on the streets and not take advantage of Department of Social Services programs.”



Ryan Calls on Municipal leaders to Address  the Hardcore Homeless Distribution Problem. Would Work with Mayor Delfino towards a leaders summit on equitable housing and distribution of the street people. Photo, WPCNR  News ARCHIVE


He said it was his intention to make the hardcore homes “a major topic” at the next meeting of the Westchester Municipal Officials Association, which convenes the chief executives of county towns and cities to deal with major issues. 


“It’s time to look at Westchester in its entirety as to how to serve the homeless street people in Westchester,” Ryan said.


Asked if he would reach out to Mayor Joseph Delfino of White Plains, who has for the last year advocated for such a countywide discussion, Ryan said he would be willing to team with the Mayor in presenting the situation to county leaders. 


Ryan said, (noting recent rhetoric over housing hardcore street people) suggested leaders needed to “relax, take a deep breath, stop thinking politically and bring to the table a reasonable understanding of what the (hardcore homeless) situation is.”


Wednesday evening, Mayor Delfino, told WPCNR that since White Plains had the 85 Court Street shelter and was seeking to have it removed, and that he had taken the stance that all the homeless there would be returned to White Plains anyway even it the shelter had been moved, he was in an awkward position asking other municipalities to take the homeless.  He said he advocated a county wide discussion among leaders on devising a system where homeless persons from individual communities were cared for by those communities.


Ryan said some certain communities housed more than their fair share of the homeless, naming White Plains as one of them. He said the County Department of Social Services and the county’s community leaders needed to address the distribution problem as a team: “It’s needed now. It has to happen.”


Asked why County Executive Andy Spano had backed off the Police Headquarters placement of the new “hardcore homeless shelter,” Ryan said the County Executive was committed to closing the 85 Court Street shelter: “He made the decision to close 85 Court Street. A mistake was made.  Mount Pleasant threatened to sue. He probably consulted with the county attorney, and decided they would lose the suit based on the agreement.” Ryan suggested other locations are being considered.


 

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Connors Confirms Court Order. Amount Owed, Appeal Option Under Review by Legal

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. February 8, 2007: As first reported last night by WPCNR, the school district has lost a lawsuit in U.S. District Court,  filed by the Travelers Casualty and Surety Company, seeking payment as part of its assuming responsibilities of the Trataros Construction Company, original contractor for the $28 Million White Plains High School renovation completed in 2003.


 


According to Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors speaking to WPCNR this morning, the district is subject to a court order directing the district to pay $2 Million to the Travelers Casualty and Surety Company. Mr. Connors indicated this afternoon that there is no further payment the district would face other than this payment, saying “The only payment we have here is the court order. There is nothing else out there to my knowledge.”


 


Connors also said there was $800,000 in funds left  in the high school project, for the district to draw on to pay the court order sum,  but that he did not know what the exact amount the district would have to pay “until our lawyers advise us.” 


Asked if $2 million was the maximum possible amount the district faced stemming from the oft-delayed high school construction, Connors said, “our attorneys are reviewing it to see what the actual cost is.”  Asked if the reported $6 Million other contractors had sued the district for in 2004, were still owed money from the project, Connors said “Some of that is part of this order,” (the $2 Million court order), but he emphatically said, “there is nothing else out there.”


 


 


WPCNR asked Mr. Connors this morning  if the district was going to appeal the ruling. Connors said the district was to meet with their attorneys to see what its options were, had not ruled out an appeal, and to review the $2 Million payment, mentioning there were some “offsets,” but did not explain.


 


 


WPCNR has asked a follow up question to Mr. Connors this afternoon,  whether the $28 Million project, completed in 2003, considering this court order and the district claim of $7 Million from the Travelers Casualty being thrown out means the actual cost of the high school project was $37 Million, and was not “under budget” as glowingly reported by the district at its conclusion. Mr. Connors said he could not answer that question because he did not know what I was referring, but he would give a final total.


 


No full disclosure


 


The Court Order is a surprise because the existence of the suit and detailed circumstances and disputed dollar amounts of this on going legal action involving the school district with Travelers Casualty, and other contractors was not disclosed publicly by the Board of Education at any public meeting since the completion of the high school project.


 


The suit was not disclosed or addressed publicly by the board when Kaeyer, Garment & Davidson was under consideration as the artchitect to conduct the District facilities review and estimates for facility improvements. The school district used KG & D estimates as the basis for developing the scope of its $69.6 Million capital project.


 


The existence of  the court order the district faces was not disclosed to the Annual Budget Committee which met for the first time Tuesday evening to review the proposed $174.5 Million budget.


 


 Mr. Connors is at the Strategic Plan Core Committee meeting at the Crowne Plaza Hotel through Friday.


 


 


 

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Mayor Connects with West Side in Lex Makeover Meeting. Cooperation Ideas Flow

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WPCNR West Side Story. By John F. Bailey. February 8, 2007: Mayor Joseph Delfino, four of his commissioners, the Executive Director of the BID, and members of the Mayor’s staff  made an earnest and positive start to the “renaissance of South Lexington Avenue” last night.   The energetic Mr. Delfino, in a virtuoso peformance, acted more as emcee of the meeting, taking questions for 3 hours as he and his staff sought the ideas and dreams that Winbrook residents, merchants and property owners have for their East Post Road and Lexington Avenue neighborhood.


The Mayor did not ruleout eminent domain to achieve cooperation among business owners, but held out hope that compromise and negotiation would make eminent domain unnecessary. The Mayor also said another meeting would be held with the neighbors after the BID vote had been taken. The Mayor said a mix-use of affordable housing on Lexington Avenue was the city’s idea on how to revitalize, but said only if the neighborhood agreed with him.


Mack Carter, Executive Director of the White Plains Housing Authority, galvanized the community with an earnest declaration that the residents needed to express their vision for the kind of face they wanted their neighborhood to have, and to create for their children the atmosphere that would help their children fulfill their potential. Carter criticised the present establishments landlords rented to along the Lexington Avenue across from Winbrook, saying that had to change to change the neighborhood.


Carter said many of the stores were much higher priced than stores elsewhere in the city for food goods and that the food was not good food for the residents, being of the fast food nature. He also criticised the multiple liquor stores on the Lex stretch. Carter’s talk which I have just sketched here galvanized the audience who agreed with encouraging comments that Carter was right on the money.


Mayor Delfino started the meeting telling the residents that “Winbrook is here to stay,” imploring the residents to contribute their ideas how how they wish the west side of South Lexington Avenue to look. He had his Commissioner of Planning, Susan Habel, and Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti explain the street scape designs scheduled to be installed on South Lexington Avenue this summer, beginning at Main Street and working South towards East Post Road. The Mayor announced a $1 Million grant secured by Senator Hillary Clinton for the street facelift. A more precise explanation of the grant is expected from City Hall Thursday morning.


About twenty speakers came to the podium and spoke on concerns and visions. Topics that the residents said needed to be addressed to make the neighborhood prosper was the need for jobs for young people 14 to 25. One speaker said the youth unemployment rate in the neighborhood was 45%.


At least seven persons spoke on the need to improve the Thomas H. Slater Center. The Mayor said he was waiting input from the ministers of the area and anyone else who wished to give the city their ideas for upgrading the center.


There were a few comments about the need for affordable housing in the area, but they were far outweighed by complaints of residents about parking, fears that Albert Moroni (Commissioner of Parking) was going to install meters along Winbrook curbs.


There were about five persons who stressed the need for more minorities and minority contractors to be hired on jobs in the future Lexington Avenue rebuilding. The mayor responded by agreeing at Mack Carter’s suggestion to create a Directory of Minority Contractors to provide to contractors as the rennaissance hit Lexington Avenue.


The Mayor said that beyond the streetscapes the character of the neighborhood would depend on what the neighborhood, the property owners on Lex and East and West Post Road would envision it to be. Later in the meeting the Mayor said his vision was to build more affordable housing and said he would work to rezone to make the Lex stretch multi-use zoning (mix of residential and retail) which the Mayor said would enhance the value of property owners’ parcels.


The Mayor said affordable housing was the city’s vision of what would uplift the Lexington Avenue neighborhood but hastened to make it clear to the residents that if that was not what they wanted, the city would not force it.


Asked by one property owner if the city  would use eminent domain to acquire properties, the Mayor said the city and the Common Council had not used eminient domain in the past and was reluctant to use it. He said he hoped to negotiate with property owners to convince them to bring about the new businesses that could revitalize the stretch. One resident suggested a large supermarket with better prices. The Mayor explained he did not think that was possible because of the parking requirements most large supermarkets required for viability.


The Executive Director of the Downtown Business Improvement District, Rick Ammirato, explained the benefits the BID would bring to the area, and said that a meeting would be held in March to explain all the BID could do to business owners in the Lex corridor, to be followed by a vote. He said that if 51% of the business owners or 51% of the largest property owners voted against joining the BID, he would attempted to assemble businesses on an individual basis to join the BID. He noted that The Galleria is in the district and is currently not in the BID.


Mayor Delfino told WPCNR that after the BID decision was made, he would hold another meeting with the neighborhood just as he did tonight to encourage them and draw out from them more reaction and to articulate more of their vision.


The neighborhood support for the renaissance coming to Lexington Avenue was there.

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County Installs Virtual Fence Around HPN. Pilot ID Swipe Card Gate System Coming

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS CLIPPER. By John F. Bailey. February 8, 2007: County Executive Andrew Spano, Commissioner of Transportation Larry Sallee and Director of Intelligence for the County Harold Rosenthal, introduced a $5 Million software driven camera and sensory system that maintains surveillance of the Westchester County Airport Perimeter 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To date the system has confirmed positively that coyotes exist in Westchester county in and about the White Plains area and are prowling near the airport. One breached the “virtual fence” recently, was spotted instantly and airport security alerted.


Rosenthal told reporters human intruders attempting to breach the airport fenced perimeter gates or at any point would be observed within 4 seconds by on duty observer of the multiple screen system. A total of 17  Surveillance officers are rotated every two hours to avert fatigue and maintain fresh vigilance at the multiple screens. 


Rosenthal declined for security reasons to say how fast airport security personnel could reach any intruders at any point along the perimeter. The Director of Intelligence, (previously was in charge of security for West Point Military Academy), said the response time would vary depending on the nature and location of the incursion. He also said the close integration of the surveillance officer and the airport operations officer on duty enabled the airport authorities to respond cohesively, and make informed security deployment decisions to meet any penetration of the airport perimeter.  


Rosenthal also reported that private pilots maintaining  their own aircraft at Westchester County Airport would soon have their personal keys to the locked gates at the airport replaced with an identity swipe card system. Rosenthal said it was impossible to visualize every threat, and that having individual officers identify pilots at each of the 20 gate entry checkpoints was prohibitive from a cost standpoint with present staff. Rosenthal added that he and the airport security personnel are also examining biological systems such as finger print, iris identification and other systems to identify staff and other personnel, perhaps even pilots.


County Executive Spano noted that the $5 Million system was not paid for by taxpayer dollars but instead by Federal Aviation Administration funds and the airport budget.


That not-so-wiley coyote? Rosenthal reported that the unfortunate renegade sprinted across the airport entered Runway 34 into the path of a rolling jet on takeoff run which terminated the coyote threat before security personnel could intervene to apprehend the perpetrator.

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School District Sued by Former High School Contractor. $2M PLUS PAYOUT?

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. February 8, 2007 UPDATED 10 A.M. UPDATED February 9, 2007: WPCNR has learned from two sources that the City School District has been ordered to pay a settlement to a former contractor on the high school addition project completed in 2003.  The school district had withheld payment from a contractor over certain matters, and the contractor sued the district. Calls to the district business office, the clerk to the school board and the Superintendent of Schools have been made by  WPCNR for details on the case. The possible payout to the bondholding company, Travelers Casualty and other contractors could be, according to court papers received by WPCNR may be  $2,000,000 plus. The amount is being determined, and whether or not the district will appeal is being examined by district lawyers at this time.  


The case developed out of the delay-plagued $28 Million high school addition, begun in summer 2000, predicted by its architects, Kaeyer, Garment & Davidson, to be completed in a year and a half (fall 2002). However the project was not completed until the close of 2003, a full 3 years plus. The Class of 2004 of White Plains High went to high school for all four years with construction going on during their school day.


During the construction there were disputes at the outset which lost 17 consecutive days of labor in summer 2000 due to a mix of non-union and union contractors. The district, according to one highly placed source, withheld payment from the contractor, which has had a history of contract disputes with  eventually terminated the lead contractor and sued the insurance company, Travelers Insurance Company for $2 Million. Other contractors on the project sued the district for $6 Million because of delays.


The attorney on the case Charles Goldberger appeared at an executive session last week, but it could not be determined that he was reporting on this particular matter.  


Kaeyer Garment & Davidson has been awarded another major project by the district to design and supervise the $69.6 Million capital improvements project now under way in the school district. This  includes the building of a new Post Road School for $39 Million, two synthetic turf football stadiums for $9.6 Million and $15 Million of infrastructure repairs to the high school, elementary schools and middle school and other district buildings. Kaeyer Garment & Davidson will be paid approximately $6 Million in commission for the entire project, expected to be completed in three years.   


 

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The Spano Boys Measure Distance Wrong — Won’t Build Shelter at County Police HQ

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WPCNR THE HOMELESS NEWS. February 7, 2007: The County Executive’s plan to build a new $1.2 Million Homeless shelter at Westchester County Police Headquarters  and close 85 Court Street in White Plains to move the hardcare homeless  there has been withdrawn.


The reason, according to the County Executive Andy Spano is that the county official’s responsible for checking something out misinterpreted the county’s own agreement with the Town of Greenburgh.


The announcement of the shelter project that was told to White Plains Councilpersons and County Legislator Bill Ryan Saturday and was leaked to The Journal News in order that a story could appear Monday before the official news release sent to other media.


The quck kill of the project was just as mysteriously leaked yesterday, obviously coincidentally following a snarling chorus of public reaction against the new shelter location from the Town of Mount Pleasant. The County Executive or his spokespersons apparently called in their buddies at The Journal News  to  tell them that constructing the new facility on the Westchester County Police Headquarters violated a county promise to the Town of Greenburgh that there would be no building of more shelter facilities within two miles of the center of the Grasslands complex.


Executive Spano said the distance measurement was made in error from the Westhelp facility 2.05 miles from the Police Headquarters site, and not from the center of the campus which is 1.74 miles from the Police Headquarters.


The Journal News did not disclose in its report how the county executive suddenly discovered this mistake.


 Going strictly on the timing, the “mistake” was discovered (blamed on an inaccurate measurement)  after the Town of Mount Pleasant Supervisor Robert Swanson and County Legislator Suzanne Swanson held a news conference denouncing the new shelter location and vowing to fight it, after an angry denunciation of it appeared in The Journal News Tuesday morning..


The County Executive said he might ask Paul Feiner, Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh to waive the ban, however Mr. Feiner is quoted as saying  he’d be reluctant to do that because it would mean people could not trust the government to live up to its aggreements.


To WPCNR knowledge no other media were notified by the county on the whole scenario except The Journal News.


WPCNR has asked the Department of Communications how this measuring mistake was made, who was responsible for it, and how it was discovered a full 72 hours after it was agreed upon with County Legislator Bill Ryan, Councilpersons Rita Malmud, Tom Roach and Benjamin Boykin.


As of 3:15 P.M no official press release was issued describing this abrupt change in plan by the County Executive.

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The Great Burdette Leaves Mound for the Last Time

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WPCNR’S VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. By Baseball Bailey. February 7, 2007: The Milwaukee Braves workhorse righthander, Lew Burdette died at age 80 yesterday. The alleged master of the spitball, the slider, and incomparable pitch selection and impeccable control won three games in the 1957 series to lead the Milwaukee Braves to their only World Series win over the New York Yankees.


 



No. 33 00 Selva Lewis Burdette of the Milwaukee Braves early 1950s


He and Warren Spahn were the most feared National League 1-2 pitching duo who kept the Braves contending for eight years from 1955 through 1963. I saw Lew Burdette pitch in the 1957 Series and his offspeed pitches and control kept the Yankee free-swingers off-balance. Lew pitched a perfect game against the Phillies. He won 203 games in the bigs with 144 losses, a winning percentage of .585. He won twenty games twice and completed 158 of his 373 starts (more than half). I loved his snakey, smooth leisurely pitching motion. Lew Burdette was a “money pitcher.”  Here is an ode to Lew and his buddy, Warren Spahn.


Spahn and Burdette and Forget


By Baseball Bailey


 


Over sixteen years the Bravos Duo discoursed,


Throwing off the high red mounds of rolling greenswards


In friendly confines of ball’s legendary yards


Baseball Sidekicks, Spahnie the Southpaw and Lou the workhorse.


(More)





Lou the kid righty, joined the wily lefty


Took their starts in front of the jurybox faithful


Off the windy Charles in empty stands


Then going west, grew and gave joy to Milwaukee fans.


 


The mighty Brooklyns: Duke Jackie and Gil


The Redlegs’ Big Klu, Frank,Wally and Bell


Flailed at Spahnie’s hooks with flair


Beat into dirt Lou’s dropping doozies


Belt to knee out of midair.


 


Warren the Elegant and Burdette the Fidget,


Pranksters of clubhouse and fast friend


Swashbuckled the distance, disdaining gadget


No pitch counts for them, always there at game’s end.


 


Inseparable slayers of Bronx Bombers


Bringing joy to burghers on Wisconsin Avenue


In Yankee Stadium’s grandstand shadow those faithful Octobers


The wily Burdette, taking Spahn’s turn, New Yorkers would not forget


 


After Covington’s miracle backhand catch in foul line sun


 Of Little Bobby Shantz’s shot, Lou’s lanky, herky jerky finesse


Quieted Bomber bats in blue haze shadow foretelling the Yanks were done


Lou’s snake arm, slow stretch, induced grounder & pop and Casey was helpless.


 



The Burdette fadeway delivery.


 


Into Game 5 before County Stadium faithful’s enthrall


Into the breech Burdette the Magician cast his spell


On Enos, Gil, Moose andYogi. Adcock’s 6th frame single beat Ford’s best


1-0  in the Wisconsin sun. Bombers beat into dirt, Lou’s pitches blessed.


 


With his  pitching mate felled by flu and fate


Once more in Game 7, the redheaded workhorse kept his date with fate.


Taking Stadium mound in the House that Ruth Built on 2 days rest


Once more improbably, no Bomber touched plate, he shut out the best.


 


 



Burdette, Yankee Killer, of lazy stretch and leisurely leg kick


Had matched Brecheen of Cardinal lore and Coveleskie the Indian


Winning three games in the Fall Classic


Bringing joy to Milwaukee hearts and Yankee dynasty to oblivion.


 


Looking down through the blue cigar haze in the upper deck of memory,


I see his broad-stooped shoulders still — red bill on blue cap


His Calvary Captain eyes squint into the shadows of the plate, leaning for Del’s sign


His giant figure unwinding in the dazzle of the autumn rays of history


In hue of blue smoke, bending in sweeping stretch and snakearm snap.


 


Returning to mound he fidgets, licks fingertips, adjusts cap and bends again to toil


Slider, spitter, sinker catching corner or knee yelled by Conlon or Shylak


Bombers beating grounders  to Johnny, Eddie and  Red,


Pops to Wes, Hank and Andy.


 White zeros sliding in place on scoreboard black.


Innings dwindling down as the great Burdette bows his back.


 


Then to another night in the distance in Milwaukee when


The Workhorse and  hapless Haddix matched 13 straight Innings


Of scoreless ball. Til Adcock’s homer broke up The Kitten’s 36-in-a-row gem.


Described by some as the greatest game ever pitched of the Millenium.


 


Ye throwers of today: look back to the Diamonds Gone By


Days when the offerings of  Spahn, Burdette and forget


Haunted the sluggers of the golden 50s with guile, guts and style


When Spahnie and Lou stalked from the mound without regret.


 


The wily Burdette has left the mound for the last time in this mortal dance


Joining Spahnie on the Lord’s Staff, with Carl and Walter, Early and Matty


We keepers of the game watching in the stadium of remembrance yet


 See him pitching still in the shadows of autumn when


 It was Spahn and Burdette and Forget.


 


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Citizen Planners: Schools Strategic Planning Must Consider Data, Cost, Infrastr

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. February 6, 2007: On the eve before the City School District Core Planning Committee meets for  three-days in its Strategic Planning Retreat at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, a group of distinguished citizens have challenged the way the planning is being approached.


 


 In a letter signed by former Mayor Alfred Del Vecchio, former Planning Commissioner Michael Graessle,  historian Jack Harrington, professional planner and architect Robert Levine, activist  Marc Pollitzer, bond expert, Robert Stackpole and former Superintendent of Schools Saul Yanofsky,  the letter calls on the district to include significant data analysis of long term trends, racial balance issues, building deterioration, adult education  and cost savings as key areas calling for intense analysis and thought.


 


Here is the text of that letter delivered to the Board of Education Tuesday morning:  


February 5, 2007                                                                                                         1 of 2


 


To: Board of Education    White Plains Public Schools


From: Citizens’ Plan Committee


 


As the School District moves ahead in its Strategic Planning effort, The Citizens’ Plan Committee is writing to once again emphasize the importance of basing this effort on  clear, objective collection and analyses of data regarding long-term trends in the School District and in the City as a whole. We write out of particular concern that, among the individuals selected for the “Goals Committee,” there appears to be no one from the City administration, County government, or a college/university base who can provide an informed planning perspective on demographic, financial and other trends that extend beyond the data normally collected by school district personnel.


 


We are disappointed that the Board and the administration decided not to go very far beyond the School District “family” when selecting participants for this important committee.


 


We believe that the planning consultants, if so instructed by the Board and District administration, have an obligation to establish the overall study context and to bring to this committee data and analyses that could serve as the starting points for the committee’s discussion.  In the absence of such information, we fear that the committee’s discussions could simply turn out to be groundless and uninformed – with conclusions based primarily on individuals’ experiences, observations and personal preferences.  Such an outcome, in our opinion, would be a waste of both the participants’ time and the taxpayers’ money.


 


We encourage you, the leaders of our School District, to direct the consultants to make sure that appropriate data are collected and distributed in a timely manner in order that rigorous analyses can be undertaken in response to questions of major concern including, but not limited to, the following:


 


1.            Long-range demographics concerning student enrollment:  careful analyses of immigration patterns and future housing possibilities in White Plains as major predictors of enrollments, not just projecting from existing grade-level cohorts.  What will be the likely make-up of the student population in the years (decades?) to come and what will their instructional needs be?


 


2.            Long-term expenditure projections:  what are the budget projections over time, and what are the assumptions behind them?  In particular, what assumptions should be made about increases in staff salaries, class sizes, supplementary and enrichment programs, facility improvements and/or replacement, tax certioraris, etc?  What are some possible ways to reduce costs in each of these areas?


  


3.         Long-term revenue projections:  what is the basis for your revenue projections? Are there any viable alternatives to the current reliance on the property tax?  To what extent will the City government consider the sharing of revenues or other resources with the School District?  Is it possible for the School District to share in proceeds from the County sales tax, as non-city districts in the County do? What about prospects for State aid? To the extent that money from property taxes will continue to constitute the bulk of the District’s revenues, what are the trend lines for the City’s tax base over the next decade or two?


 


4.         Organization and grade configuration: is the existing utilization of District facilities and the current organization of grade levels the best way of providing efficient and effective education in the future? Does existing research clearly indicate that K-5, 6-8, 9-12 is the most beneficial and optimum grade configuration to provide quality instruction? Is the current Parent Choice program the best way to assign students to elementary schools, given the changes in demographics (assuming that a change in this method isn’t forced by subsequent court decisions)?


 


Beyond the decision to replace the Post Road School, will other buildings need replacement over the next few decades?  What parcels of land in White Plains are available (or might become available over the next decade or two) for the construction of new, possibly consolidated, school buildings? Given the enrollment trends, will all the current facilities be necessary?  If  Pre-K -12 enrollment continues to increase, should the district continue to allocate space for non-required Adult Education programs? Will increased use of technology, the growth of on-line and distance learning programs, trends in home schooling, and other factors reduce the need for classrooms over time?


 


5.         Cost-saving possibilities:  What are some possible areas for collaboration (and consequent cost savings) with other branches of government, or with private sector and non-governmental organizations? For example, does the City of White Plains compensate the School District adequately for their extensive use of school facilities?  Could increased collaborations with other governmental and non-profit institutions yield grant funds that could support existing or additional district activities? With more aggressive marketing, could the variety of attractive and functional school facilities (auditoriums, theaters, cafeterias, gymnasiums, outdoor tennis courts and playing fields, etc.) be rented more frequently to other organizations for higher rental rates?


 


We urge the Board and District administration to make every effort to insure that the considerable investment of time and resources devoted to this planning process will be worthwhile, both to the school district and, more generally, to all the residents of White Plains.


 


 


     (for the) CITIZENS’ PLAN COMMITTEE


     A. DelVecchio, M. Graessle,  J. Harrington,  R. Levine, M. Pollitzer,  R.Stackpole. S. Yanofsky


 


 

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