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

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. July 18, 2006: Dennis Power, the Democratic City Committee Choice to run in a Special Election for the late Robert Greer’s council seat, is the expected choice of a majority of the Common Council to fill that seat until the end of year, according to Council President Rita Malmud.

Malmud, speaking to WPCNR this morning, said the majority of the Council, she expects will appoint Mr. Power at Thursday evening’s work session of the Common Council. Alexis Greer, Mr. Greer’s daughter, was the candidate preferred by Mayor Delfino, but according to Malmud, does not have the votes.

Meanwhile, WPCNR speaking to Mr. Power this morning via telephone at the County Office of Economic Development, asked Mr. Power how he would handle the “conflict of interest” issue raised by the Mayor’s Executive Officer, Paul Wood, last week. Power told WPCNR he would be glad to speak to that issue, but he had to attend a meeting. He said he would call WPCNR back to speak to that issue later today.

Power did say he did not work for County Industrial Development Agency, that he worked for the Office of Economic Development, reporting to Sal Carrera. WPCNR asked the IDA in fact reports to Mr. Carrera. Power said Carrera did oversee the agency, but that Terry Waiveda was the Director of the IDA.

WPCNR asked Mr. Power, (if he was on the Common Council), and the County Office of Economic Development say should support a hypothetical development, like say a deal with a China computer company to build a 70 story headquarters on a county owned or privately owned site in the White Plains downtown, how he could represent the city interests on the Common Council or if he would recuse himself.. Power said “Yes,”  (he could represent city interests), and would be glad to discuss that question, and would call WPCNR back to answer the question after his meeting today.

A spokesperson for the Mayor’s office,  informed of the Malmud “straw poll” said they still expected to take up the council vacancy Thursday evening.

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WPCNR Backroom Bulletin. By John F. Bailey. July 14, 2006: In the intriguing fog shrouding the process unfolding as the city considers a successor to deceased Councilman Robert Greer, two new developments surfaced from the murk Thursday.

Paul Wood, White Plains Executive Officer. January, 2005. Photo, WPCNR News Archive

Paul Wood, City Executive Officer, announced that Cass Cibelli, the White Plains Planning Board member and unsuccessful candidate for County Legislator, has turned in his petitions to the County Board of Elections in a bid to be placed on the November “Special Election” Ballot for the remaining year of Councilman Greer’s term. Wood also said Alexis Greer, Mayor Delfino’s choice to fill Mr. Greer’s term for the next five months through December 31, met eligibility requirements according to the City Charter.  (Greer died of ALS disease June 27, triggering the process by which a special election in November is required by the Charter.)

Wood confirmed the eligibility of Alexis Greer, the deceased Councilman’s daughter, to take her father’s place for the next five months on the Council was in order, saying she was a legal resident of the city for the amount of time required by the Charter, having been a resident for years when she lived with her parents. Wood added Ms. Greer did not have to be a registered voter to be appointed to the Common Council.

Wood  noted that Ms. Greer did not have as much baggage as Mr. Power, whom Wood said had “a clear conflict of interest” if he were placed on the council, or ultimately elected to the Council.

 Mr. Power is currently employed by the Westchester County Industrial Developent Agency as an aid to its Director, Sal Carrera. The IDA often does business with the city, and its developers, most notably, Louis Cappelli, the IDA having very quietly granted Mr. Cappelli a $27 Million loan on the construction of the City Center parking garage, without announcing it or sending out a press release.

Wood told WPCNR the city would challenge Power’s selection to the council either on an interim basis, and should Mr. Power (with a strong Democrat majority in registered voters), wins the November Special Election against Mr. Cibelli, the city would also challenge any election of Mr. Power on the same conflict of interest issues.

Wood said the challenge would be brought to the Ethics Board and through the courts based on the alleged conflict of interest, due to Mr. Power’s conflict  of allegiance to the county in conflict with the needs of the city. (The city is particularly interested in developing its own Industrial Development Agency, and may seek an increase in sales tax, issues in direct conflict with Mr. Power’s duties on the IDA – bringing businesses to Westchester County.)

 Wood said that though the City Charter does not spell out the circumstances of Mr. Power’s serving as a conflict of interest, the city Ethics Board had more stringent guidelines that he declined to elaborate upon. Wood saw a scenario where Mr. Power, should he be elected would be declared ineligible to serve on the basis of the conflict and Mr. Cibelli securing the seat by default, even if Cibbelli  should lose the election.

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Allan Gruet. July 12, 2006: Thursday night, Westchester Broadwayt Theatre opens its summer show, the sizzling “HOT MIKADO” is a 1940’s swing-time, gospel-infused version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s  most popular operetta, “The Mikado.” The show will feature a multi-media effect never-before-seen at the premier Westchester venue: giant video screens of the rock concert variety that will repackage the live sensory experience.

The Leads.  Sarah Darling as Yum-Yum, Jay Russell as Ko-Ko,
       and Adam Zelasko as Nanki-Poo

Photo, Courtesy, Westchester Broadway Theatre  By John Vecchiola

“Hot Mikado” is a hilariously funny story about Nanki-Poo, a wandering minstrel (who now plays the trumpet) and his beautiful little sweetheart, Yum-Yum. Yum-Yum, however is engaged to the town executioner, and there is another lady, an aging torch singer named Katisha who is on the trail of boyfriend Nanki-Poo.

The love triangle and all of the complications are what set the tone for this hilariously funny, upbeat production. Try to imagine “Three Little Maids” sung in the style of the Andrew Sisters, or “Alone  and Yet Alive” performed as a torch song, or “Katisha’s Warning” as a gospel number. Comedy and high energy dance numbers are the main features of this modern adaptation.

Director/choreographer David Bell has included many different styles of dance, including jitterbug, tap, swing, and a number of other modern and contemporary dance styles. High-stepping gentlemen take to the stage wearing brightly colored Zoot suits. Gilbert and Sullivan’s nonsensical plot hasn’t changed too much, but the music is definitely updated by Rob Bowman, who is responsible for the musical adaptation and arrangements. The show is a funny and irreverent production that takes nothing seriously, including itself!

“Hot Mikado” offers high-energy entertainment!

The Westchester Broadway Theatre production will star Ted Levy as The Mikado, Jay Russell as Ko-Ko , Michael James Leslie as Pooh-Bah, BJ Crosby as Katisha, Adam Zelasko as Nanki-Poo, Sarah Darling as Yum-Yum, Stephanie Youell as Pitti-Sing, and Kia Lee as Peep-Bo. The entire production is Choreographed and directed by David Bell, with Musical Direction by Joel Gelpe, Costume design by Brian Hemeseth, Set design is by George Puello & Steve Loftus, Lighting design by Andrew Gmoser, and Sound design by Jon Hatton.

For ticket information, contact 914-592-2222, 10 A.M. through the evening, 7 days a week.

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WPCNR WEATHER SCOOP. From National Weather Service. July 12, 2006: After passing to the North of White Plains the tornado reported by the National Weather Service has moved out of the White Plains area and the Tornado Warning has been cancelled. Readers should monitor radio, The Weather Channel, News 12, and of course, WPCNR for the latest conditions during these unstable weather conditions. A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 8 P.M. E.D.T.

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WPCNR Stage Door. July 12, 2006:   The White Plains Performing Arts Center had a cumulative deficit of $330,689 as of June 30, 2005, according to a document released by the Internal Revenue Service. The document is the non-profit organization’s Form 990 return which was filed with the IRS in February, 2006. The WPPAC officer signing the report was Theodore Peluso, treasurer of the organization.

According to the document, the Performing Arts Center owed developer Louis Cappelli $100,000 as of the end of the fiscal year. It began the year with loans from Cappelli in the amount of $40,000. By the end of the fiscal year, the loan amount had grown to $100,000. In addition, WPPAC had other loans and a line of credit totaling $171,565 at the end of the fiscal year. A loan from the City of White Plains was for $24,565.

The Form 990 shows that WPPAC spent $6,875 on conferences, conventions and meetings, and that Anthony Stimac, who is listed as being the “executive producer,” was paid $72,837.

WPPAC lost $850 when it conducted a fundraising activity in connection with Kathie Lee Gifford’s off-Broadway show “Under The Bridge.” However, it made $36,253 on its gala (a “Best of Broadway” fashion and performing extravaganza held in the Spring of 2005) and another $21,786 on a golf outing.

City contributes tax payer dollars.

Although the Form 990 does not provide a specific listing or details of the amounts contributed to WPPAC by the City of White Plains, it does report that the organization received $193,000 in donated services and use of facilities. If the $193,000 in services and use of facilities all came from the city, and you add the $100,000 cash payment appropriated by the Common Council towards WPPAC’s expenses, along with Community Development funds (if any), it is likely that the city would have provided between $300,000 and $400,000 for WPPAC during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005. Previously, officials of WPPAC have declined to provide line-by-line details of WPPAC’s expenses and revenues to WPCNR.   

Tony Stimac in presenting to the Common Council in November 2005, requested the Common Council contribute an additional $100,000, and that Mr. Cappelli would match it with a like sum of $100,000, plus other pledges totaling $300,000, which Mr. Stimac said would have the WPPAC breaking even in 2005-2006.

Since no report on 2005-2006 has yet been filed, it cannot be determined at this time if the WPPAC is still carrying the $330,689 deficit it had accrued by the beginning of the 2005-2006 year.

Based on Mr. Stimac’s positive financial prognosis, the City of White Plains Common Council voted in November 27 of 2005 to contribute that $100,000, and on July 5 (last week), approved Mr. Stimac as Executive Producer for the theatre for one more year.  Salary was not disclosed.

According to documents obtained by WPCNR the White Plains Performing Arts Center was burdened through the first 29 months of its existence by paying half the salaries of the managerial staff of the Helen Hayes Theatre Company.