Residents Transcenter Meter Permits on Sale Nov 15. Parking Officers on Bikes.

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WPCNR THE PARKING NEWS. October 25, 2006: The White Plains Department of Parking, acting on the suggestions of residents that long lines to purchase the annual TransCenter Resident Meter Parking Permits at the White Plains Metro North Station, force applicants to stand outside in cold inclement December weather has announced the coveted permits will go on sale November 15 at the TransCenter Office, beginning at 7:15 A.M.


The permits allow White Plains residents to park at metered slots in the TransCenter after 10 A.M., and are meant for residents who do not commute regularly on the Metro North line but find the need to park at the TransCenter to make infrequent trips by train. The permit costs $5.


Mounted P.E.O.’s On Bikes


In another innovation, the Department of Parking has confirmed, (after a Parking Enforcement Officer was reported to WPCNR as riding a bicyle this week on his rounds), that White Plains now has  mounted five Parking Enforcement Officers on Bikes


The new “mounted Parking Enforcement Officers,” charged with awarding $15 tickets to unfortunate motorists who lose track of the time, are patrolling  for parking violations in White Plains from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. There is also one  P.E.O. who patrosl on bike from 4 P.M. to midnight. The bicylces have been purchased by the Department of Parking, according to a department spokesperson. Asked if this mounted innitiative had resulted in an increase in parking tickets, the Department of Parking spokesperson said it was too soon to tell, but that the bicycling ticket hawks liked the mobility; the bicycles did not block traffic in double-parks, as their white parking patrol vehicles do, and the bikes save their legs.


The P.E.O.s on Bikes are in radio communication with the Department of Public Safety and were trained in the operation of the bikes by the Department of Public Safety.

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BOARD OF REGENTS PROPOSES MAJOR REFORM IN STATE AID TO SCHOOLS

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From NY State Education Department. October 24, 2006  UPDATED 10/25/06 3:30 P.M. EDT: The Board of Regents today recommended a $1.48 billion increase in State Aid to schools for 2007-2008. Most of this funding would go to school districts educating the State’s neediest children.


According to John Burman, spokesperson for the State Education Department, the Foundation Formula proposed by the Regents would not penalize a district such as White Plains which spends more money per pupil.  Burman reports to WPCNR that the proposal includes a guaranteed increase of 2% in Foundation Aid for all school districts to help them meet rising costs.


             The Regents propose an increase in State Aid to schools that is designed to link funding to the cost of a successful education. Like last year’s proposal, the proposal this year features a simple Foundation Formula that would replace 31 separate aid categories. The Formula:


 


 


                                                              State Aid= 


                                   [Foundation Cost X Pupil Need


                                                    X Regional Cost Index] 


                                                   – Expected Local Share.


– –                                                


            This $1.48 billion increase is based on data available now. However, new information will become available after November 15, and this amount will likely change.  Historically, four aids in particular have experienced significant increases as schools report their expenditures: Building, Transportation, Public Excess Cost (special education) and BOCES aids.  As a result, the Regents eventual recommendation may vary by as much as $200 million. An update will be available in December.   


    “Student achievement has been improving, but we have far to go,” Regents Chancellor Robert M. Bennett said. “To accelerate this progress, we must invest the funds our neediest children deserve so they can all get a good education. The Regents are urging full access to pre-kindergarten for all four year olds. Our total State Aid proposal offers a fair and sustainable solution to one of New York’s most critical issues.”


 “New York and the nation face intense competition from other countries that are moving quickly to raise the educational level of all their children,” State Education Commissioner Richard Mills said. “We need an integrated approach, from pre-kindergarten through college graduation, and fixing State Aid is a key part of that. Now is the time to reform the State Aid system to ensure that all children get an equal opportunity to reach high standards.”


            Here is what makes up a District’s State Aid provided under the Foundation Formula:                        

Foundation Cost: This is the cost of educating the average student to the learning standards, based on a study of successful school districts, using instructional costs and controlling for regional cost differences and the number of needy pupils.  


Pupil Need: High need students require more help, so the Regents proposed a weighting that increases State assistance for them.    


            Regional Cost Index: Additional funds would go to schools in areas where wages and the cost of living are higher.


            Expected Local Contribution:  Funding is a State and local partnership. The expected local contribution is based on the district tax base multiplied by the expected local tax rate. The district tax base is the total property value of the district. The expected local tax rate is based on local ability to pay, as measured by the district property value and income per child. Lower income communities would be expected to contribute less. Higher income communities would be expected to contribute more. However, the expected local contribution is not mandatory.  


 


Will Not Affect Construction, Transporation, Books, ESOL, Special Ed, Pre-K, BOCES


            The Foundation Formula includes most of the State funding of schools, but not all. Important categorical aids that are still kept separate include aid for school construction, transportation, textbooks, limited English proficient students, special education students, universal pre-K and BOCES.  The Regents proposal includes a guaranteed increase of two percent in Foundation Aid for all school districts to help them meet rising costs. 


            The Regents propose an increase of $1.48 billion for 2007-2008 from all State Aid. Of that, 51.4 percent would go to New York City.


 


Special Ed


             The Regents propose other changes in State Aid: the most significant of these relate to special education and early childhood education.  With regard to special education, the Regents recommend a simplification of the financing formula.  They propose that funding be generated from the same foundation formula for each school district, although an additional weight will be applied to reflect the greater cost of educating children with special needs. 


            Although the special education formula builds upon the foundation amount approach, the general and special education funding streams will remain separate.  The Regents proposal guarantees all school districts against loss on a per pupil basis in the move to the new special education funding formula. The Regents further recommend that the city school districts of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers be given authority to contract with BOCES for educational services such as arts and cultural programs and career and technical education.  


PRe-K Statewide


In terms of State Aid for pre-kindergarten education, the Regents propose an increase of $108 million to provide full access to high quality education for all four-year-olds.  Funding for the four-year old pre-K student population will not be consolidated in the foundation amount, but will remain a separately funded program. The Regents propose planning grants for school districts that do not operate full-day kindergarten programs, with funding to phase-in full-day kindergarten programs over the subsequent three years. 


White Plains City Schools Implemented Pre-K across the district three years ago, anticipating this policy.

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Board of Ed Ratifies New Ref Tally. Voting Machines Not Opened and Checked.

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. October 23, 2006: The city Board of Education ratified Michele Schoenfeld’s second, corrected canvas of the $69.6 Million Referendum proposition election Monday evening.  The vote was held in White Plains last Tuesday, with the final vote total being as reported by WPCNR Friday, 1,050 in favor, and 934 against. Board members, Michele Trataros, Peter Bassano, Terry McGuire and Rosemarie Eller voted in favor, with Donna McLaughlin, Rick Tompkins and Bill Pollak not present for the vote. Mr. Pollak arrived late.


 


Ms. Schoenfeld reported to WPCNR that the voting machines were not reopened to verify their election night counts reported by the election inspectors, employed by the City School District, most of whom are trained by the County Board of Elections.






Ms. Schoenfeld told the Board that the 10-vote swing in the Yes votes (down from 1,060, as first reported), was caught when it was noticed on the voting sheets that the number of voters did not match the number of votes (being 10 more). Upon inspection of the tally sheets, she said, it was discovered that a 9 (in the 10s column) had been read instead of an “8” on the vote total at District 4, The Middle School,  leading to a 10-votes in the Yes total. Instead of 283, the sheet had been read as 293, Schoenfeld said, leading to the revision downward of 10 votes in the Yes category.


 


Schoenfeld said this was a very smooth election. “This was one of the smoothest elections ever. There were no machine malfunctions. No problems with voters and no one did not show up.”


 


After the Board vote, WPCNR asked Ms. Schoenfeld if she and her assistants had opened the voting machines to validate the machine counts. Ms. Schoenfeld said, “We didn’t open the machines,” that the inspectors opened and read the totals on the counters visible in the back of the machine on Referendum Night and locked up the machines.  Schoenfeld said the reading of the counters on Referendum Night was the only time the machines were read.


 


Asked why the machines were not reopened to check the readouts, Schoenfeld said three inspectors read the counts on each machine. Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors told WPCNR when asked why a recount machine-by-machine had not been undertaken, said “It was not that close.”


 


No recount is planned.


 


The final numbers approved Monday night show 1,845 machine voters; 122 absentee ballots and 17 Affidavits for a total of 1,984 votes. The totals by District:


 


 


 



 


The Absentee Ballot Count, (included in the above YES-No Totals)  for the record provided by the City School District Friday to WPCNR:


 


District 1: Fire House  —   2 Ballots    — 1 YES  1 NO


 


District 2: Church Street School —  16 Ballots – 10 YES,  6 NO  (2 Machines)


 


District 3: Rochambeau School – 64 Ballots – 57 YES, 7 NO


 


District 4: Highlands (Middle Sch)   11 BALLOTS   7 YES, 4 NO   (2 Machines)


 


District 5: Mamaroneck  Av  — 8 Ballots —  7 YES    1   NO


 


District 6: Ridgeway School – 21 Ballots – 14 YES  7  NOs


 


 


                                     Absentee Ballot Totals – 96 YES 26 NO


 


Affidavit Ballot Counts


 


Station 1 :     Zero


 


Station 2:    1  YES, 1  NO


 


Station 3:     1 YES,


 


Station 4:     3 YES, 3 NO


 


Station 5:     2 YES 1 NO


 


Station 6:     3 YES, 2  NO


 


         Affidavit Ballots:   10 YES, 7 NO


 


 



 


The Voter Count. Source: Michele Schoenfeld, WP City School District.

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White Plains Million Dollar Baby Gets Shot at the WBCTitle

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WPCNR RINGSIDE. From Team Saccurato. October 23, 2006:  Ann Marie Saccurato (11-1-2) of White Plains, New York, will replace the injured Eliza Olson and face Jelena Mrdjenovich (18-1-0) for the WBC lightweight title on November 4 at the Shaw Conference Center in Edmonton, Alberta. 


 


This fight is the main event of “A Ring of Their Own’s” “Border War” which also features two other world title bouts and will be telecast on iNDemand Pay per view beginning November 17th.  This fight will be promoting breast cancer awareness.



 


Ann-Marie, at her County Center debut in 2005,  was born in Eastchester, NY and trains out of New York Boxing gym in White Plains and Gleason’s in Brooklyn.  Her senior trainer is the legendary Hector Rocca, and her other trainers include New Rochelle police sergeant Luigi Olsece.



Ann-Marie has overcome tremendous odds just to be walking today.  In 1995 she was a passenger in a devastating car wreck returning from a volleyball competition at the Empire State Games.  The driver of the vehicle was killed and Ann-Marie suffered a punctured lung, broken pelvis, hip, 2 broken legs, a shattered arm, broken ribs, and severe nerve damage.  She was not expected to live the night, let alone ever walk again.  Being ever the determined athlete, she proved everyone wrong and immediately took up an aggressive rehabilitation program knowing in her heart she would play sports again.  In 1999 she entered her first boxing gym stronger than ever.


 


Ann-Marie is known for her boxing skill, athleticism, footwork and knockout power.  This is the first time she will fight for a world title.  She has fought many times in the Westchester County Center and in New York.  


 



Hurricane Saccurato tearing Tanya Gallegos apart in her last fight at “The Centa.” Ann-Marie is 11-1-2, and is getting her “shot.” Photo, WPCNR Sports.


In a previous interview with WPCNR last year, Ann-Marie told how she got into “the sweet science,”:


 


“I’ve been a competitor all my life. I’ve been an athlete, and I’ve always been looking for more, to push myself harder, and I  found more of that edge in boxing. I actually started in martial arts, and TKD (Tae Kwan Do) for about a year or so. A friend sent me a flyer for the New York Golden Gloves, and I ignorantly, and very naively entered. I did a crash course on boxing and ended up getting a bye into the finals. Lost in the finals, but that ended up propelling my boxing career. I fell in love with the sport. It’s pushed me harder more than anything I’ve done in my life.”


 


For all the information on the November “Border War” and other news about “A Ring of Their Own”, visit the website, www.aringoftheirown.com. For the tale of the tape on Ann-Marie go to the boxer’s website, www.teamsaccurato.com


 

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Battle of White Plains Recognized at Battle Hill

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WPCNR Battle Hill Continental. October 23, 2006: An autumn celebration held to unveil a new sign marking the Battle of White Plains was held at Battle Hill’s Whitney Park Sunday afternoon. Neighbors, politicians and White Plainsians gathered to recornize the upcoming 230th anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of White Plains which lasted from October 28-30th, 1776, and is recognized as a stalemate. Battle Hill and Chatterton Hill were redoubts for the colonist Continental Forces which repulsed the British troops attacking up the two hills from the “White” Plains below.



 


The White Plains Historical Society continues Battle of White Plains recognition this coming weekend when they open the Jacob Purdy House, George Washington’s Headquarters during the Battle, now located at Park Circle in White Plains will be open to the public next Sunday from 1 to 3 P.M.

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Photograph of the Day

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WPCNR Photograph of the Day. By the WPCNR Roving Photographer. October 23, 2006: Today’s photograph highlights a seldom seen minority group seen along the Playland Parkway in Westchester County on a Sunday stroll, sauntering about, giving proof that the County is home to many a clandestine visitor. The group: wild turkeys who are clandestine, very hard to hunt, and from the appearances of these confident birds: upwardly mobile and well-fed. It could not be determined whether they were Rye turkeys, Larchmont turkeys or White Plains turkeys on a tour.



Westchester Turkeys. Playland Parkway. Photo by The WPCNR Roving Photographer.


 

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City Events Encourage Healthy Non-violent Lifestyle for Youth.

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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. From The Mayor’s Office. October 23, 2006: The city is promoting the Red Ribbon Campaign all week, designed to encourage healthy, drug-free and violence-free lifestyles among youth.   

 


Red Ribbon is a national event honoring Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, a Drug Enforcement Administration special agent who was killed in 1985 by drug traffickers. Parent groups embraced the campaign, and in 1988, Congress proclaimed the first U.S. Red Ribbon Campaign.


 


This year the City of White Plains Youth Bureau is partnering with the White Plains School District and the White Plains Community That Cares Coalition to support the hopes and beliefs that fuel the grassroots effort to keep children drug-free. The events:









 



Oct 24 – 28



  • White Plains Youth Bureau after-school program youth will be planting red

 tulips at various sites across the city of White Plains.  Scheduled to bloom in


April in time for “Alcohol Awareness” month.


 



  • The Student Assistance Counselors at the White Plains middle schools and

high school will be celebrating this week with a variety of prevention activities.


 


Saturday, Oct. 28th, 2:00 – 4:00 pm


·        White Plains youth bureau participants are organizing a “YOUTH DAY” as a


culmination of the week long activities.  The event will feature games, music,


dance, karaoke, and food and will be held at 11 Amherst Place. 


All White Plains youth are invited to join.


 


 


For more information please contact the White Plains Youth Bureau at 914- 422-1378.

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Mitchell’s 3 TDs–Robles Saving Stop — Lick Lincoln, 24-21

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. October 21, 2006 UPDATED WITH PIX-DETAIL: White Plains contained Lincoln High School in the 4th Quarter bleeding off 5-and a half minutes of 4th quarter time to deny a Lancer comeback for their second win of the season Saturday afternoon.


The key defensive stop of the game happened with 9 Minutes to go in the football game with Lincoln fired up driving for a 4th and 1 on  the way for  the go-ahead touchdown.


After Bobby Thompson slowed the Lancers’ No 8, Ryan Marshall down in the backfield, Marshall was about to turn up field at the corner for the first when Matt Robles came out of nowhere to open-field tackle him on the 45 and let all the air out of the Lancer comeback.


The Robles Stop turned the momentum around and preserved a 24-21 White Plains lead built on a 200 yard rushing — 3 touchdown day by “Sugar Ray” Mitchell, so dubbed because he poured through the Lincoln defenders like sugar.



And he’s Gone! Joe Petit, (Center of Picture) turning the corner at the Lincoln 10 and down the sideline for a 36 yard touchdown run and a 6-0 lead capping Tigers 70 yard drive in 9 plays to begin the game.Photo by WPCNR Sports


The Robles “redirection” preserved a lead that had been built by “Sugar Ray” Mitchell’s third and last touchdown burst into the end zone in the third quarter to give the Tigers a 24-13 lead. With 5:30 to go, the Tigers Paul Labarbera, back at the helm executed a time-eating drive handing the ball off to Sugar Ray six straight times (eating up 5 yards a carry  to run out the time to the 1:09 mark).



Ray had his best day ever as a Tiger rushing for unofficially 200 yards on about 25 carries. Joe Petit ran around right end 36 yards for the Tigers’ first touchdown of the game. Mitchell burst through the middle for a 63 yard touchdown run in the first half and and a 5 yard TD in the second quarter to put White Plains ahead 18-13 at the half.



This game was reminiscent of the old American Football League touchdown a minute  Dallas Texans-New York Titans shoot-outs, with the Tigers scoring the first three times they had the ball, and Lincoln scoring on their first two possessions. There were no “stops” until 4 minutes remained in the first half.




Shifty Pulls in Key 3rd Down Pass on First Drive. Photo, WPCNR Sports


 


The Tigers received the opening kickoff at their 30 and went 70 yards in 9 plays. After a 5 yard penalty,  Robles carried 10 yards for a first down on the 47. Mitchell on second down carried 5 yards for a first down on the Lincoln 42. A hold pushed the Tigers back to midfield. But, Paul Labarbera back at the helm at quarterback connected with Savaughn Greene for a 19 yard cross field strike for a first down on the Lincoln 31. “Shifty” was perefectly positioned for that reception — just over the yardage needed for the first down.


 


After a penalty cost 5 yards Labarbera pitched back to Joe Petit on the JetSweep and angling to the far sideline, Petit swept past the Lancer secondary in pursuit and tightroped into the endzone for a 6-0 Tiger strike at 6:34.


 


Oops!


 


On the Tiger kickoff, Darius Ramsey muffed the kick on the nearside at the 20 and the ball squirted to the near sideline as the kickoff coverage shifted to the farside. Ramsey had his blockers to his left while the coverage swept to Ramsey’s left and behind him and he was gone 80 yards for the tying touchdown. It was 6-6 at 6:23. A kick made it 7-6, Lincoln.


 


Take That!



“Sugar Ray” Mitchell Cruises 63 Yards for 6. Photo, WPCNR Sports.


 


 


The Tigers started from their own 20, and Ray Mitchell’s big day began. He ran for 5 yards. He ran for another 5 yards. A false start pushed the Tigers back to their 25. Mitchell got that back with a 10 yard off-tackle burst. On third and 2, the Tiger offensive line tore a huge hole in the Lancer line and Mitchell battered on through, broke into the clear, split the linebackers, the corners were caught split and Mitchell went all the way – 63 yards for an electrifying 6!  The Tiger attempt for PAT failed and it was 12-7 with 2:55 to go in the first quarter.


 


Kickoff Squib


 


The Tigers,  (with the wind howling on this brisk fall day at a good 20 knots at them), tried a low kick, but it did not travel 10 yards. Lincoln recovered in good field position at their 44. Matt Robles saved a touchdown by stopping Ramsey cold with nothing but daylight at the Tiger 48. On 4th and 1 at the Tiger 48, Lincoln’s Ryan Marshall burst off tackle for 27 yards with Joe Petit saving a touchdown at the Tiger 21.  Marshal put a spin move on the Tiger linebackers for 8 yards and a first down on the Tiger 11. Angelo Devita plunged in for a 1 yard TD dive at the  10:33 mark of the second quarter to make it 13-12, Lincoln. The 2-point conversion failed. The Lancers drive had gone 56 yards in 11 plays.


 


Bobby Breaks It. Mitchell on Fire.


 


The offensive fireworks continued as the Tigers took back the lead. Bobby Thompson took the kickoff at his 20 and returned it 47 yards to the Lancer 33. On third an short at the Lincoln 24, Ray Mitchell burst to the 18. Then Mitchell for 6 to the 11. It was Mitchell for 10 more yards to the 5. Then Mitchell for 5 more for the Touch DOWN. The Tigers had retaken the lead at 18-13 with 6:29 to go.


 



 


The Mitchell Express to the Endzone. Ray Mitchell seconds after plunging into the endzone for a 5 yard touchdown run to retake the lead, 18-13 in the second quarter. Photo, WPCNR Sports.  


Can anyone here make a stop?


 


The Tigers restored normalcy to this wild offensive display, finally stopping Lincoln  at their 45 at the 3:52 mark. The last 4 minutes of the half were spent in a comedy of penalties, confusion  and discussion on the part of the officials with a series of marchoffs that frustrated a White Plains drive and the half mercifully closed with the Tigers with the lead 18-13.


 


LaBarbera to Thompson Sets Up Winner


 


Lincoln took the second half kickoff and the Tigers stopped them on 3 and out. A short punt set the Orange and Black up in business on the Lincoln 47. On second and 9 on the Lancer 46, LaBabera rolled slight to his right and threw cross field to coffin corner leading Bobby Thompson perfectly over Bobby’s right shoulder and he hauled it in just behind the defender for a first down on the Lancer 17.


 



Thompson gathering in a 30 yard pass from Paul LaBarbera at the 22 to set up the last Tiger Touchdown. Photo by WPCNR Sports. 


Labarbera called on the Mitchell Express. Ray took it for 5 to the 12, another Mitchell pitch and roll and rip set up first and goal on the 5. And again the call for Mr. Mitchell who ground it to the 1 and scampered in for the TD at 4:56. The time killing drive took 5 minutes off the clock. 47 yards, 8 plays. The kick failed and the Tigers had a 24-13 lead.


 


Oh those kickoffs!


 


Once again a Tiger squib kick due to the cross wind was fielded at the 50 by Omar Rivera who knocked it down like a third basemen and scampered past the momentum of the Tiger coverage, getting down to the Tiger 36.


 


On 4th and 3 from the White Plains 28, Ryan Marshal rolled around left end for the first down on the 25. Two plays gained no yardage. Then the Tiger secondary got burned on a big play. Devita the quarterback threw over the corner hitting  Henry Bugos all A-LONE on the 5 and he loped into the endzone. An almost identical play converted a 2-point conversion. With 40 seconds to go in the Third Quarter, Lincoln could smell the lead, it was 24-21 White Plains.


 


Robles to the Rescue.


 


The Tigers were stopped 3 and 0ut to begin the fourth quarter, with the potential for instant disaster staring them down on 4th and 20 on the Tiger 18. Punting with the wind, John Perez, standing on his own 5 yard line got off a 43-yard punt in the air. Lincoln took over at the 50.


 


Lincoln was fired up.  Marshal ran the ball to the 45. It was Marshal again to the 42. On 3rd down, Marshal lost yardage. On 4th and 4, Marshal spun away from Thompson, ran straight for the sideline and turned up field and BOOM! Matt Robles took him low and stopped him cold. The drive was stopped.


 


A key holding penalty stopped the next Tiger series and again it was 4th down and 21 from the 50 yard stripe. Enter John Perez. Calmly he got his foot into the punt and boomed it to the Lincoln 20. Perez’s two punts were pressure kicks and contributed greatly to taking the spirit out of Lincoln’s comeback.


 


Two passes failed, then   Number 66 Paris Young sacked  quarterback Devita on the Lincoln 15 forcing a punt with 4:22 to go in the game.


 


Mitchell Express runs down the clock.


 


The coaching decisions were easy for Coach Skip Stevens. He put the ball on the Mitchell Express. Ray Mitchell ran to the 42. The 32. The 25, and by that time Lincoln was down to its last 1:50, and out of timeouts.


 



Grinding Out  the Sands of Time in the Long Shadows: Paul LaBarbera (12) has just handed off to Ray Mitchell (33) on route to the killer first down on the Lincoln 25 wit 3 minutes to. Mitchell had a career day and carried 3 times for 5 yards or more on the time-killing drive in the 4th quarter. Photo, WPCNR Sports


 


Two desperation passes failed. Then the quarterback got confused and spiked the ball on 4th down to kill the clock. The Tigers took over and had notched their second win of the season.


 


White Plains awaits a Section match-up football game next weekend.


 



The Tiger Line that Lubricated the Mitchell Express and had its best game of the season: Kneeling, Savaughn Greene(83), Bobby Thompson(13) and Alexaander Trataros(18). And The Beef: George Don Pierre (64), Matt Conveney(60), Conner Spellman(72), John Kornblit(51) and Mr. 66, Paris Young. Photo, WPCNR Sports.



The Go-To Guys: Bobby Thompson (13), Matt Robles (26), Quarterback Paul LaBarbera 912) and Ray Mitchell (33)  Photo, WPCNR Sports.


 



And There’s That Band Again! The White Plains High School Traveling Band supplying pep. Photo, WPCNR Sports


 

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Referendum Passes by 5%. 139Absentee/Affidavit Ballots Create “Last Hour Rush”

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS  By John F. Bailey. October 21, 2006: There will be a second session  of the Board of Education to “recertify”  the referendum canvas ratified Wednesday evening by the White Plains Board of Education due to a “clerical error” after the first recanvas Wednesday morning, according to the Clerk to the Board of Education, Michele Schoenfeld. Ms. Schoenfeld reported the second “final” canvas results to WPCNR late Friday afternoon showing the dramatic increase in votes over the last hours of the Tuesday to be the result of the counting of 139 unopened Absentee and Affidavit by District-employed Board of Elections inspectors when polls closed.


 


WPCNR learned Thursday that the City School District conducts, records and reports its budget votes and special elections independent of any outside, neutral oversight and has for years. WPCNR has a call into the State Education Department to ascertain whether the School District has the legal ability to engage the Westchester Board of Elections legally to run and report every aspect of school elections to prevent such reporting gliches in the future.



The tally released Friday morning to the media, finds the $69.6 Million Capital Project Referendum carrying by 1050 votes to 934. That count, Schoenfeld said, includes 122 Absentee Ballots and 17 Affidavit Ballots. Of the 122 Absentee Ballots, 96 were “yes” votes and 26 were “no” votes. Of the Affidavit Votes there were 10 “Yes” Votes and 7 “No” Votes.


 


However, if all absentee and affidavit votes were thrown out, the referendum would still carry on the voting machine count, 944 to 901,  a 43-vote margin, and a 5% plurality, the margin carries by 4.56 per cent of the vote.


 


A Clerical Error: “9” was an “8”


 


Ms Schoenfeld said  the “clerical error  occurred when an “8” was incorrectly interpreted as a “9” on a recording sheet that reduced the “Yes” total by 10 votes. This was apparently discovered Thursday by the School District after the first recanvas was supposed to have been executed Friday presumably before the Board of Education ratified the vote Wednesday eveing. Ms. Schoenfeld did not say when the error was discovered but it would be presumably discovered Thursday after the “ratification.”.


 


Ms. Schoenfeld says this 8 instead of a 9 misread was the only error found in transcribing. She did not say whether she personally checked the “count wheels” in the machines, but every routine Board of Elections canvas does that, and does it before they “certify,” so naturally Ms. Schoenfeld and her two-person team would be expected to do that, too, or should have.


 


Invisible Voter Mobs were Actually Pieces of Paper


 


The perception on the part of three letter writers that there had to have been mobs of last minute voters that were not there at their three polling places Tuesday evening: Rochambeau, Highlands and Church Street would not have been perceived had the absentee ballot totals been presented Tuesday evening broken down by the School Voting Districts which they were not.  The first four Results were also chalked up on the blacboard at City School District Headquarters at Education House,  very early about 10 minutes at the most past 9 P.M., which is unprecendented, and the final two districts, the largest, were written on the big chalk board at about 9:15 P.M. Inspectors had closed the polls at 9 P.M., opened the machines, recorded to votes off the counters in the machines, and then opened all 139 paper ballots and phoned in the results to Ms. Schoenfeld by 9:15 to 9:20 P.M.


 


Ms. Schoenfeld told me that absentee ballots were delivered unopened to the six school election districts during the day presumably at the start of the polls. The School District issues Absentee Ballots on request from voters. The Board of Election does not. In order to get an Absentee Ballot, voters had to call Ms. Schoenfeld.


 


Counting Procedure


 


When the polls close, Schoenfeld said, inspectors record the voting totals within each voting machine and match the counts to the number of voters signed in. She said they then after 9 P.M., open and count the Absentee and Affidavit Ballots assigned their district and match the names to the polling sign-ins to make sure no one votes twice and that they are registered voters.


 


 


Board of Election Gets Absentees from Nursing Home


 


Commissioner of the Westchester County Board of Elections Reginald Lafayette told WPCNR that the Board of Elections sells the voter poll lists and signature sign-in books to the Board, and collects absentee ballots from nursing homes where over 25 “White Plains residents” reside within the city.


 


He said the Board of Elections assigned a Republican and a Democrat representative to go to one nursing home in White Plains the Schnurmacher Nursing Home, 12 Tibbetts Avenue, White Plains. Lafayette told WPCNR the School District requests the Board of Elections to execute acquisition of Absentee Ballots from the Schnurmacher residents.  The Board of Elections collected 64 Absentee Ballots from the Schnurmacher home in this election, accounting for the discrepancy a letter writer pointed out when they voted at the Rochambeau School and noticed about 65 more persons would have had to have voted between about 7:15 and 9 P.M. to make up the final count after they had voted.   The same is true of Church Street School and the Highlands.


 


That is unclear though, because Schoenfeld told WPCNR that the Schnurmacher residents are classified as “permanently sick and disabled” and at every election those residents have requested the Board of elections to bring them absentee ballots.


 


Schoenfeld said the City School District does not request the Board of Elections to collect absentees at each election. She said the Board of Elections has this program that persons can sign and at every election the Board will come and collect their absentee ballots and deliver then sealed to the City School District.


 


The Absentee Ballot Count, for the record provided by the City School District Friday:


 


District 1: Fire House  —   2 Ballots    — 1 YES  1 NO


 


District 2: Church Street School —  16 Ballots – 10 YES,  6 NO  (2 Machines)


 


District 3: Rochambeau School – 64 Ballots – 57 YES, 7 NO


 


District 4: Highlands (Middle Sch)   11 BALLOTS   7 YES, 4 NO   (2 Machines)


 


District 5: Mamaroneck  Av  — 8 Ballots —  7 YES    1   NO


 


District 6: Ridgeway School – 21 Ballots – 14 YES  7  NOs


 


 


                                     Absentee Ballot Totals – 96 YES 26 NO


Affidavit Ballot Counts


 


Station 1 :     Zero


 


Station 2:    1  YES, 1  NO


 


Station 3:     1 YES,


 


Station 4:     3 YES, 3 NO


 


Station 5:     2 YES 1 NO


 


Station 6:     3 YES, 2  NO


 


         Affidavit Ballots:   10 YES, 7 NO


 


 


 


This confusion on where the extra voters came from would not have occurred if these Absentee and Affidavit Ballot Breakdowns  had been included with the vote breakdown provided Tuesday evening.  The “concern” by voters would not have surfaced because WPCNR would have reported them. Ms. Schoenfeld said Tuesday night that absentee ballots had been included in the counts, and Friday’s “corrected count” appears to confirm that.

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