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 QUILL & EYESHADE. News Comment by John F. Bailey. June 15, 2006: The city published its 2005-2010 Consolidated Plan 2006-2007 Annual Action Plan Recommendations  in the Legal Notices last week, a candid, blunt snapshot of the city’s priorities and how it is going to proceed with spending. Herewith, WPCNR looks at the spending in dollars and cents detail on how federal and city funds will be spent on housing, infrastructure, city assets and public programs.

 

Mr. and Mrs. White Plains will have an opportunity to comment on the City Consolidated Plan at a public hearing June 20 at 7 P.M. in the Common Council Chambers at 255 Main Street.

Let’s take a look at spending:

 

On 2006-2007 the city is budgeted to spend $34,247,131 in the Action Plan.  Of that total, $30,827,638 is city money either through bonds, fees, or cash, and $3,419,493, or 10% is derived from other sources. A total of $3,279,535 is spent on public service organizations, and $6,465,583 on housing initiatives.

 

 Approximately 28% of the $34.2 Million Action Expenditures is devoted to public service organizations and housing initiatives ($3.3 Million to Public Service Organizations and $6.5Million to housing initiatives.)

 

According to figures taken from the Action Plan figures, of that $3.4 Million in funds from sources outside the city,  $2,598,843 consists of Community Development Block Grants, $100,000 from Fannie Mae, $250,000 from the New York State Department of Transportation, $425,000 from NYS CHIPS, and $45,650 from the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmentally Disabled.

 

Housing.

 

The city proposes a five-year strategy that aims at developing more affordable housing for a “broader range” of income groups, both building new units and rehabilitating existing units.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

 

The city will distribute $1,459,600 in Community Development Block Grant funds for housing rehabilitation (Administration of those programs is included in the $1.4 Million, and costs $530,000). A total of $108,485 in City Funds go to senior citizen rent subsidies, and the city has eliminated funds for 1^st Time Homebuyer Subsidies.

 

The city will spend an additional $4,897.498 on housing  efforts, including $866,000 on code enforcement, made up of $275,000 of city funds and $591,428 of Community Development Block Grant money, and $151,635 on Fair Housing/Human Rights. There is an Affordable Housing Fund (funded by developers) totaling $2,586,000 for construction of new affordable housing commitments.

 

 

Economic Development.

 

The city will spend $11, 350,000 in Economic Development projects a big boost in spending that includes $250,000 in New York State Department of Transportation Money for a Trolley System Study. A sum of $100,000 of Community Development Block Grant money will be spent on “Commercial Rehabilitation” for storefronts and other businesses.

 

The big bite of $11 Million of city money (in lending) will be spent on building the Longview Avenue garage for the benefit of the city, White Plains Hospital Center and the Sunrise Senior Living facility.

 

Infrastructure

 

The Department of Public Works will spend $4,255,935 in Infrastructure improvements all but $250,000 city funded.

 

The Department of Parking will invest $2.67 Million in rehabbing garages, breaking down as follows: $200G for Municipal Parking, $200,000 on Galleria East and West Sprinklers; $2,050,000 for Galleria East & West Improvements, and $250,000 for a sprinkler system in the Library garage.

 

Communication Technology

 

Many citizens have been saying, including this reporter, that the city should communicate with its citizens better. You will be happy to know the city is spending $935,000 of city money to do just that.

 

They will spend $75,000 to enhance their metropolitan network; $75,000 to replace hardware; $100,000 for Emergency Power systems; $100,000 for Information Systems Security (obviously to stop leaks to the lurking press), $200,000 for Redundant Fiber Routing; $200,000 for a City Phone System Upgrade described as “Second phase of a project to replace the City’s phone system with a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) System. VoIP will route internal phone calls over the City’s fiber optic network, resulting in a reduction of outside line charges, as well as increase functionality.”  

 

Last but not least, $185,000 for a Computer Room Upgrade. Perhaps this will get the budget figures out in a more timely manner – or maybe it is to slow it down. Budget figures out of city hall could not be issued at a slower pace. It is great to see they are replacing the abacuses.

 

$300,000 to Move Traffic.

 

The Department of Traffic is going to spend a mere $300,000 of city money to make traffic flow smoother by upgrading Mamaroneck Avenue Signalization and Enhanced Video Monitoring.

 

Public Safety: The Perpetual Upgrade

 

Now this brings us to Public Safety, which never met a gizmo, a system, a data display, it did not have to have. The White Plains Police do a great job – but they are running out of pockets, buttonholes, beltspace and clip loops on their uniforms  to hold all the gadgets. They have more stuff on them than Batman and Robin have in their utillty belts. There are more gizmos coming.

 

Public Safety will spend $2,660,970 in city funds for systems and technological aids, including $1,000,000 for a Radio System upgrade; $1,043,565 in Fire Prevention Services, $207,675 for a Crime Prevention Services; $120,000 for Records Management enhancements; $100,000 for Mobile Data Terminals; $90,000 for Emergency Generators, and $39,730 for Emergency Generators.

 

City Buildings

 

The City will dedicate $1,933, 593 of its own money to maintain its buildings. Here are the lucky beneficiaries: The library will receive $475,000 of renovations to its interior, and $600,000 for a new roof. This on top of the $2 Million plus Trove that opened last year.

 

The decrepit City Hall Annex, a relic from Mayberry will be redesigned at a cost of $400,000. Why redesign it? Move. The Public Safety Building will spend $200,000 to improve its Access Control. Entrance to the Police HQ is confusing to say the least.

 

 Slater Center maintenance will cost $62,872.

 

In a most curious item, the White Plains Performing Arts Center, a new building just three years ago is budgeted for $195,721 in City Building Expense. What are they putting in there? WPCNR checked with Paul Wood, the City Executive Officer and Wood said this was for salaries and “maintenance,”

 

Winbrook will be outfitted with $370,000 in Rehabilitation and Security services from sources outside the city.

 

Recreation and Parks.

 

In Recreation and Parks, the city has mapped out a modest $505,000 in improvements to its facilities, by far the largest expenditure is a $125,000 of city money investment in the three year old $7,000,000 Renaissance Plaza Fountain to install a new electrical system.

 

The reason given for this “upgrade” after three years is the design of the original electrical system according to Jospeh Nicoletti, Commissioner of Public Works, was not waterproof at its contact points, which has caused short-circuits in control of the spray nozzles. 

 

Nicoletti also said in a work session that the city would replace the natural grass square in the Renaissance Plaza Fountain area with artificial turf because the chlorine-treated water mists from the fountain was killing the natural grass.

 

Some White Plains parks will be augmented with modest increments of cash, all city funded — $40,000 to Delfino Park; $25,000 for the chronicly unhearable Ebersole Ice Rink Public Address System, hopefully; $75,000 for the Kittrell & Turnure Restrooms (you cannot beat those White Plains amenities); $125,000 for the Chatterton Avenue Playground; plus $50,000 in Tibbetts Park Rehabilitation; $25,000 to spruce up the Battle Hill Recreation Room (located in a private condominium); $40,000 for the Mitchell Place Tot Lot.

 

 

Public Service Organizations – 11 Organizations Not Funded.

 

Now we come to Community Development Funds for Public Service Organizations. The Plan notes that it will no longer fund the following programs: Slater Outreach Worker, Slater Center Invest In Kids, Westco Productions (previously granted about $13,000 per year for putting on shows at Slater), Wolverines Football, Family Services of Westchester, Human Development Services, White Plains Community Action Program,  Universal  GoJu Way of Life,White Plains YMCA, Legal Services of Hudson Valley and the Music Conservatory of Westchester.

 

Public Service Organizations Funded.

 

The city will, however,  fund the following programs in part with a total of $126,108 in Community Development Block Grants:

 

* Centro Hispano, $42,080 (double the money of 2004-2005),

 

* $5,000 for the Developmentally Disabled;

 

* $13,600 to the Bits N Pieces Day Camp serving 110 youths (Bits N Pieces also receives $57,424 in city funds in addition to its Community Development Funds);

 

*$12,000 in Day Camp Scholarships (350 persons);

 

* $16,900 to After School Centers (which also receive an additional $198,181 in City Funds and $554,457 in fees paid by the city);

* $4,000 to College Careers (apparently new this year—did not appear in 2004-05);

 

* $30,000 in salaries to Slater Center Staff (a $6,883 increase over 2004-2005);

 

*$11,500 to Westchester Residential Opportunities Counseling – a pparently a $32,565 cut from 2004-2005;

 

* $13,600 in WRO 1^st Time Homebuyer Housing;

 

 

* $12,500 to Meals on Wheels;

 

* $13,000 to the Food Pantry (a cut of $6,000 from 2004-2005);

 

* $6,800 to the Grace Church Community Center; 

 

 * $4,000 to the Westchester Coalition for the Homeless, and

 

* $2,000 to the Salvation Army.

 

Funded with City Money

 

The city spends an additional $3,153,427 in City funded programs, of which $79,063 is covered by grants, and  $600,267 is covered by fees, and $45,650 by New York State.

 

Here’s the breakdown: 

 

* Senior Citizen Services, $546,914 city funded, with $54,545 in grants and $22,500 in fees; Service Office,$94,208; Youth Bureau, $301,269 city-funded, plus $24,518 in grants; 

 

* After School Centers serving  420 children a week, cost the city $198,181 and $554,457 in fees;

 

* Youth Employment costs $558,275 of city funds and counsels  3,500 youth;

 

* The city spends $420,384 on Teen Centers and Computer Centers around town used by 400 children a week;

 

* The Bits N Pieces Day Camp is funded with $57,424 in city money and serves 110 children, plus $10,735 in fees;

 

* Slater Center Programs cost the city $201,792.

 

* Day Camp Scholarships are given to 50 children and are covered by $50,000 in donations (from The Mayor’s fund).

 

* Programs for the disabled cost $12,575 in fees and receive $45,650 from the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmentally Disabled.

 

The bottom lines reveal the city will spend in 2006-2007 approximately $34 Million divided as follows:

 

Housing Rehab– $1.7 M

 

Housing Aid-        $7.5M (Including “Developer’s Contribution to Affordable Housing”

 

Economic Development:  $11.350 M (Including Longview Ave. Garage)

 

Infrastructure — $4.256 M

 

Communications —  $935,000

 

Traffic — $300,000

 

Public Safety — $2.661 M

 

City Buildings — $1.934 M

 

Recreation and Parks — $505,000

 

Public Service Organizations — $3,279 M.

 

Total Action Spending: $34.2 M Approximate

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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From White Plains Department of Public Safety. June 12, 2006: Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety Daniel Jackson reported to WPCNR today that White Plains Police have arrested and charged Desmond Horton, 21 of 11 Fischer Avenue, White Plains,  where he was staying with his girl friend and charged Mr. Horton in the commission of six crimes. Commissioner Jackson also reports Mr. Horton is wanted in Virginia on two warrants, as well. He has been in the area for a year or two.

Mr. Horton is accused of committing three purse-snatchings during lunchtime hours and on Thursday evening,  Jackson said, the police received a report of a robbery “which appeared to be at gunpoint on Grand Street of a male Hispanic, and we took that report, and on Friday night we put on a special patrol specifically because of that (Thursday) incident. We had two issues, here  one was the daytime purse-snatches, and having this robbery we were watching the Post Road corridor because of this robbery, supposedly at gunpoint, which was disturbing to us.”

Police efforts paid off just before midnight Friday night. “Our officer observed a subject engaging in a fight with a male Hispanic. As it turned out this was our guy. He was attempting to do another robbery. The officer grabbed him Friday night, and he was identified by the victim in Friday night’s robbery, and  the victim and the witness in Thursday night’s robbery. Here’s the key issue, the victim from Thursday night’s robbery told us the story of one his friends or relatives who had also been a victim of this guy. We wound up charging this guy (Horton) with three robberies which happened to be at gunpoint. It turns out the gun was a BB gun, as well as the three purse snatches.”

Jackson said the alleged crimes were not gang-related. Mr. Horton is charged with three counts of Robbery in the First Degree, a B Felony. In each of the three robberies, Mr. Horton is accused of getting into a fight with the victims and in one case, was reported to have pistol-whipped the victim. Mr. Horton was described by Commissioner Jackson as a person with “a propensity for violence.”

Jackson asked persons who perhaps were victimized by Mr. Horton, and who have not reported it for whatever reason to call the Communications Department. Contact 422-6111.

 

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WPCNR GOOD NEWS. June 11, 2006: Mr. and Mrs. Who’s Who of White Plains saluted Sonny Katz, the City Marshall for 35 years, on Mr. Katz’s 85th birthday Sunday at Fenimore’s, the swank restaurant at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Through their generous contributions, over 150 guests endowed two Sonny Katz Performing Arts Scholarships of $1,000 annually to be awarded beginning next year to two students planning to major in the performing arts from White Plains High School and Port Chester High School, Sonny’s alma mater — the first ever scholarships for Performing Arts Students at WPHS and PCHS.

 

“After all that, I’m the only one who doesn’t get an introduction,” the dapper Sonny Katz, City Marshall, still on the job after 35 years,  addresses throng of well-wishers at his 85th birthday party at the Crowne Plaza Sunday. Photo, WPCNR News.

 

Mr. Katz, thanking the persons who came out to honor him said, the scholarships which will be awarded by Westco Productions, Westchester’s premier independent theatre production company, of which Mr. Katz is the Founding Director and are being established to help two students in the performing arts every year in the future, so they would not have to forgo a life’s dream.

 

A guest list of over 150 persons of court dignitaries, city luminaries, politicians, and citizens and Mr. Katz’s childen, grandchildren, nieces and nephews turned out to celebrate the man who in one of the city’s toughest jobs, has done so much good for thousands of people from all walks of life through his kindness, his advice, and his ever sharp sense of humor.

Mr. Katz exemplifies the ideal public servant, who does his job not from a position of power, but from a position of empathy, humanity and common sense. One of the touching stories told by one of a parade of well-wishers who reminisced for the multitude, was how Mr. Katz in executing an eviction on her, turned around the life of a young woman by his compassion, his advice, and his wisdom. (Mr. Katz executes over 300 evictions a year in White Plains and through his ability to network, cajole, persuade and make sense, and mediate ends up evicting just 2% — thanks to the way he goes beyond his job to help people.) That’s his day job.

 

 

The festivities presented by Westco Productions was a complete sellout at the swank Fenimore’s Restaurant at the Crowne Plaza Hotel where wall-to-wall brunch was served, and as befitting a gathering where Sonny Katz is present, laughter, wisdom, and the best side of humanity bubbled like the champagne.

 

There was humor. Lots of It.

 

 

 

Mayor Alfred Del Vecchio, (Mayor of White Plains from 1976 to 1993, under whom Mr. Katz served for 18 of his 35 years, said Mr. Katz actually solved most of the city’s problems when the Mayor asked Mr. Katz what he thought about things over bagels three days a week.  Mayor Del Vecchio showed he has a career waiting in standup comedy, telling a joke set in the future where Mr. Katz is with a friend in a 140 story mall in White Plains with valet helicopter parking and Mr. Katz and his friend’s wives have wandered off. Mr. Katz asks his friend “What does your wife look like?” The friend says, “she’s blonde, about 42-24-36.” The friend says, “What does your wife look like?” Mr. Katz says, “Let’s search for yours.”  Mr. Katz is a far left, seated, as Susan Katz, his daughter, founder of Westco Productions listens to the Mayor. Photo, WPCNR News.

 

There were celebrities. Plenty of them.  

 

Each took turns alternately roasting Mr. Katz, and toasting him for the way he does his job, the brightness he brings into their lives.  Paul Bergins, Corporation Counsel during the Del Vecchio administration, praised Mr. Katz as doing his job with innate sense and “empathy.” 

 

 

 

 

Assemblyman Adam Bradley related a story of when he was a young man about 19, growing up in White Plains,  he had to pay a series of parking tickets at police headquarters and after having done so, had received another parking ticket (parking tickets are apparently a tradition in White Plains),  while parked to pay the ticket. Bradley’s resulting being detained at the police station eventually wound up being mediated by Mr. Katz who was able to resolve the dispute between Mr. Bradley and the police to the satisfaction of both parties.  Could this twist of fate  have set Mr. Bradley straight on his road to the New York State Legislature? Photo, WPCNR News

 

Judge Les Adler, speaking for Mr. Katz’s friend, Dolf Rockfeld, who could not be present, recounted Mr. Katz’s early days at the Hebrew Institute in White Plains, and subsequent love of horseracing, basketball, boxing, as “investments.” Judge Adler described Mr. Katz as “a mensch,” a person “of character and dignity, resolute who always does the right thing, a man you can always count on to look out for you.”

 

Susan Katz, Sonny Katz, Steven Sledzik, President of the Westco Productions Board of Directors with Assemblyman Adam Bradley. Mr. Sledzik presented Mr. Katz with an award for establishing the Scholarhips, and Mr. Bradley presented Governor George Pataki’s proclamation recognizing Mr. Katz’s contributions to the city. Photo, WPCNR News.

 

 

County Legislator Tom Abinanti read a proclamation proclaiming June 11 Sonny Katz Day in Westchester County, and said how Mr. Katz had helped him grasp how things worked in the courts when he was a beginning lawyer in White Plains. “He taught me so much,” Abinanti said.  Towards the end of the genial and entertaining series of roasters, Assemblyman Adam Bradley read a proclamation from Governor George Pataki in recognition of Mr. Katz’s service. Lois Bronz and Assemblywoman Amy Pauling also dropped by to congratulate Mr. Katz.

 

 

Judge Joann Friia of White Plains City Court and members of “The City Court Player” provided the live entertainment for the festivities singing the following parody of Glenn Miller’s In the Mood that delighted the well-wishers. Photo, WPCNR News.

 

We have come together cause we love you that’s why

 

No one can compare to you. You’re our kind of guy

 

Finding humor in the bleakest state of affairs

 

People say that sonny has a heart and he cares

 

Just look around the room, the faces you’ll see

 

Are people loving you unconditionally.

 

 

(Chorus)

 

Sonny Katz …an army sergeant

 

Did you know ….he had his own band

 

And he owned a little restaurant

 

The things you’ve accomplished and you’re still going.

 

SONNY KATZ … An office holder

 

SONNY KATZ…. A maitre’d D and

 

SONNY KATZ… The city marshall.

 

 

 

A husband, a father, you’re so worth knowing.

 

 

You never see m to lose that little glimmer of youth

 

The young boy that’s inside you lives and that is the truth

 

Now they’re saying something and we mean it sincere

 

You keep getting better looking every year

 

85 and always landing straight on your feet

 

Hey hey baba reba, to the boogie beat

 

SONNY KATZ…a great grandfather

 

SONNY KATZ…one you can truly count on

 

SONNY KATZ…a truly great mensch

 

You know that our love for you keeps on growing

 

The things you’ve accomplished, you’re so worth knowing

 

You’re just like the rabbit, you keep on going.

 

SONNY KATZ  YOU ROCK!

 

 

     The affair was punctuated by laughter and reminisces of family members, city officials, court personalities, and we heard stories of the rapier like wit of Mr. Katz, the donuts in his office, the sign on his desk (Lack of planning on your part, does not constitute an emergency on my part), and the way Mr. Katz always brightens the days of persons who come in contact with him.

 

Sample: Mr. Katz once went to execute an eviction. The party being evicted said, “I’m hungry. I have no money. And I grew up in a poor neighborhood.”

 

Mr. Katz on the other side of the door, master psychologist,  replied, “I was hungry. I used to have no money, and I lived in a bad neighborhood.”

 

The party replied, “I’m from Port Chester. Where are you from?”

 

Mr. Katz who lived in Port Chester, said he was from Port Chester, too.

 

The party said, “What street?”

 

Mr. Katz told him. The party said, “THAT  is a bad neighborhood.”

 

Mr. Katz’s ability to connect with persons in the dangerous, unpredictable world of the City Marshall,  came through again and again Sunday afternoon.

 

In his remarks, Mr. Katz began with the best laugh of the day. His words: “All that, and I’m the only one not to get an introduction. (cascades of laughter, then the kicker). “I’m unhappy about that.” (Rim-Shot missing.)

 

 

It was vintage Sonny Katz, the master of the deadpan line. Another example told by the keeper of the City Court Calendar, “Sonny once told me he had not spoken to Connie (his wife) in three days. I asked what’s wrong. Sonny said, “I was listening.”

Connie Katz, (Mrs. Sonny Katz), suprised her husband, revealing that when she asked Mr. Katz to the Port Chester High prom, her girlfriends said, “Are you crazy?” Photo, WPCNR News.

 

Katz thanked all who had attended, whose contributions had established the two performing arts scholarships, saying that the scholarships came from his one big disappointment in life. He recalled that in 1939 he wanted to play the part of  Sheridan Whiteside in The Man Who Came to Dinner in the school play at Port Chester. He could not audition because he had to work. This has haunted him for years. He said the scholarships which will require auditions, are being established so that young persons of talent in the performing arts would not have to forgo their dreams as he did. Katz’s advice:  “A smile is what it’s all about. Keep smiling in White Plains, you keep happiness with you.

 

Judging for the 120 “friends” who came out to give it up for Mr. Katz, he played a much greater role for thousands of people the last 35 years, than any stage role he could ever have played.

 

He was a veteran, serving in the Pacific in World War II, proprietor of Sonny’s Luncheonette on Main Street, philosopher and over-the-counter  therapist to untold thousands. He married his high school sweetheart before World War II. He joined the City of White Plains as Shelter Officer in 1967, responsible for 127 shelters throughout the city. In 1971, he was appointed to the office of City Marshall by Mayor Richard S. Hendey and the then Common Council of Carl J. Delfino, Lester E. Johnson, Hugh D. Leslie, Monroe A Felfer, Michael J. Keating and Harold E. Masback. Jr.  Mr. Katz is still City Marshall.

 

He does the best  Sonny Katz ever.

 

 

An emotional Mr. Katz center blowing out the candles on his 85th birthday cake with his grandchildren. Photo, WPCNR News.

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS WEEK NEWS. June 9, 2006: This is Walk to D’feet ALS Weekend in White Plains, when North Fork Bank and the ALS Association stage a walk at Tibbetts Brook Park at 11 A.M. Sunday to raise money and awareness for this horrible disease which is afflicting White Plains beloved Common Councilperson, Robert Greer.

 

To raise awareness of the low profile the medical establishment has assigned this disease, White Plains Week, the City News Roundup Show on White Plains Public Access TV (WPPA-TV, “The Spirit of 76” on Channel 76 on your cable console), will interview Bill Monti of South Salem, New York on Monday evening’s show at 7:00 P.M.  Photo by RKO Keith, White Plains Week, WPPA-TV

Mr. Monti is appearing to focus attention on this Sunday’s ALS Walk. For information on how you can walk, form a team, and make a donation, contact 800-672-8857

Mr. Monti’s son Bill died of Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Arterial Lateral Sclerosis, at 32 years of age, and Mr. Monti’s daughter-in-law works in the White Plains schools. Mr. Monti, former director of Indian Point retired from that position in 1997, and devoted his time to caring for his son. Now since Bill’s death devotes his time to speaking about this hideous disease. Monday, John Bailey, the CitizeNetReporter, talks with Mr. Monti about ALS, how you know you have it, what it is like to have it, and who is most likely to get it. The show is quite disturbing and is not for the faint of heart. Mr. Bailey thinks it is one of the most important interviews he has ever done.

Mr. Monti is appearing to focus attention on this Sunday’s ALS Walk. For information on how you can walk, form a team, and make a donation, contact 800-672-8857

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METHANE GAS RISES FROM CITY COMPOST AT GEDNEY DUMP? The issue of possible environmental problems in the White Plains City dump was raised by White Plains resident Carl Albanese at the Monday evening Common Council meeting. On live television, Mr. Albanese addressed his concern to know what environmental standards the Common Council would be incorporating and amending into of the 1997 City Comprehensive Plan. Albanese showed pictures of the Gedney dump, showing methane gas clouds rising from the composting area. The blue clouds of methane are seen in center of this photo. Photo by Carl Albanese.

WPCNR’s The Environmental Epitaph. By John F. Bailey. June 7, 2006. (c) 2006, The White Plains CitizeNetReporter. All Rights Reserved.: WPCNR has learned the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is negotiating with the city to correct detected groundwater contamination at the Gedney Way City Dump. DEC testing of the dump conditions is being contemplated according to a DEC spokesperson.

 

In response to DEC concerns, the city has also hired a consultant to recommend possible solutions to the composting operation problems at the dump.

 

The consultant is working on how to create conditions that would allow the city to either continue composting operations at the dump or move it elsewhere, a spokesperson for the DEC told WPCNR Wednesday. The city would not confirm this to WPCNR or return calls for comment.

 

The spokesperson said the DEC has also directed the City of White Plains to close its landfill at Gedney Way where extensive composting continues daily. According to Wendy Rosenblatt, spokesperson for the DEC, “The landfill in there was supposed to be closed a long time ago, this just, I guess never was done. They are going to have to submit a plan on how they are going to do that (close the dump).”

 

 

 

The DEC contacted WPCNR in response to questions WPCNR asked of DEC officials raised by White Plains resident  Carl Albanese at the Common Council meeting this week. Albanese showed pictures on the live telecast the Council meeting of the city landfill and composting pile showing methane gas rising from the heap, and pictures of refuse in the tributaries of the West Branch of the Mamaroneck River.

 

Pipe from under the Gedney Dump Landfill City Compost Pile drains waters into the various streams of the old West Branch of the Mamaroneck River. Photographed March, 2006. Photo by Carl Albanese.

 

 

Carl Albanese addressing the Common Council Monday June 5. Albanese asked the Common Council to look into what he called the alleged pollution created by the City Dump, the hazardous waste release of methane gas into surrounding the city’s 55-acre dump, impacting the communities on Railside, Commerce, the Greenway and Stepinac School. Albanese said the Comprehensive Plan Review and amendments now under consideration by the Common Council needed to update White Plains environmental policies, regulations and guidelines to follow and implement for the future safety of those neighborhoods.  Photo Capture of White Plains Government Access Telecast by WPCNR News.

 

 

 

Stream leads out of the city dump into Mamaroneck River and out to Long Island Sound. Photographed March, 2006. Photo by Carl Albanese.

 

Clean Up Possibility.

 

Asked if this meant the city was going to have to clean up the 55-acre site, currently used for composting by the city, Rosenbach said, “It’s hard to say, we’re kind of looking into that now. They should be able to close the dump. They would have to submit plans to us for that (closing).”

 

WPCNR asked Rosenbach  if the dump was contaminated. Rosenbach said it was a possibility: “There is some potential of that.  There was supposedly some drums that were found there. At this point we’re not sure they have to do some more tests on that.”

 

WPCNR asked when the tests were going to be done. “I don’t have a time frame on that,” Rosenbach said. “We’re working with the City of White Plains to try to continue doing the composting, whether it’s there or somewhere else.”

 

Truck filled with grass clippings pauses at City Dump Check Point Wednesday afternoon. The Department of Public Works confirmed that composting service with valid permit were still open and dumpings of compostable material were still being accepted. Photo by WPCNR News.

 

Pickup Truck filled with Grass clippings pauses for clearance Wednesday afternoon. Photo by WPCNR News.

 

WPCNR asked, if technically the city was not supposed to be composting now. (trucks were delivering composting waste to the City Dump today.)

 

Rosenbach said the DEC was cutting White Plains some leeway on the issue of composting:

 

“We were saying that (to stop the composting) But at this point we got an application for the permit which we’re looking over now and we’re meeting with them, looking at other alternatives for composting. Composting may possibly be able to be continued there but that has not been decided yet.”

 

Asked when the composting, and dump closing procedure might be resolved Rosenbach said, “I have no time frame on that.”

 

Rosenbach  said no tests had been conducted yet.  This reporter asked what the DEC would be testing for. Rosenbach gave this insight: “I don’t know if they are actually going to be doing tests per se. I think it’s more looking back at the history of that landfill. This is pretty early on the process at this point. It just came up recently.”

 

Pool in city dump that feeds into Mamaroneck River. Photographed in March, 2006. Photo by Carl Albanese.

 

DEC Brass Meet With City on Dumping.

 

WPCNR has learned the DEC addressed this issue with the city in early May.

 

The inquiry into the City Dump is being overseen by the DEC. “What happens is any kind of plan (to close) that they have. The City has a consultant that would work for them. They would submit that (plan) to us, and then we would have to approve any sorts of plans.”

 

Rosenbach confirmed the City is working with a consultant to come up with a closing or reopening plan for the composting pile.

 

Pipe leading out of the dump draining to Mamaroneck River.  Photographed March, 2006.

More Drainage out from under the Compost Pile. Photographed March, 2006 Photos by Carl Albanese.

 

Silence from City Hall

 

The Mayor’s Office did not respond to WPCNR questions left Tuesday morning with David Maloney, a Mayor’s Office Spokesperson and again Wednesday afternoon on the Executive Officer’s answering machine. WPCNR asked who the consultant was, and whether there were any cleanup costs involved, or whether the city planned to move the composting operation, though as Ms. Rosenbach confirmed today the city has reapplied for the permit.

 

Wood in May: Nothing is Wrong.

Closing, Pollution of Landfill Denied.

 

Last month, Paul Wood, the City Executive Officer told this reporter in front of associates there was no plan to close the dump, and no remediation or expensive cleanup was necessary or even being contemplated.   Wood said the Department of Public Works forgot to reapply for the expired composting permit. Wood confirmed the city was holding “a couple of meetings” with the DEC on how to reopen the compost (which has actually never closed).

 

In May, Wood assured WPCNR there were no questionable conditions, no pollution issues surrounding the condition of the compost or the condition of the dump, and said there was no possibility the dump would close. He said the flap was simply on a failure to get paperwork in to the DEC.

 

The city also sold land on the Railside Avenue side of the dump, assuring purchasers the land was safe and there was no pollution issues.

 

 

Council Told Little.

 

WPCNR asked Rita Malmud, Common Council President,  if the Common Council was familiar with the consultant being hired to develop a closing plan for the dump.

 

Malmud said this evening that Mr. Wood had told the Common Council that  “I gathered there was some kind of change of personnel at DEC, and certain things we had done in the past were not being handled in the same way and there was no indication we would be closing. That’s really all I can tell you, I don’t have any details. I don’t recall any expenditure of funds for that.”

 

WPCNR told Malmud of the press officer’s comments. Malmud said, “We do do a lot of composting there. It may be a matter of semantics there. We don’t use it as a final resting place for garbage. We send our garbage to Peekskill. I have very, very, very very little information. I did have a discussion with Paul Wood, I was left with the impression that the landfill would not be closing that the city would work out whatever issues there were with the DEC.”

 

Malmud:  Landfill Cleaner.

 

Malmud said it was her impression the landfill was cleaner than it had been in the past: “There are monitoring wells. Those monitoring wells have shown that many years ago there was something dumped there but years have gone by and the presence of that substance has diminished over time so that is a positive sign rather than a negative sigh.”

 

Ms. Malmud had no idea what that substance was. “We have done some kind of monitoring over the years to ascertain what the status of that is.”

 

Groundwater Contamination?

 

WPCNR learned last month from a source at the DEC in New Paltz  that the landfill has a “solid waste problem,” regarding the way the landfill was used in the past, and that source repeated that to WPCNR Wednesday morning. Then Ms. Ronsebach officially confirmed the present efforts to find solutions for the landfill problem.

 

The city was notified by the DEC, according to spokesperson Rosenbach that the composting operation should stop, however composting has continued to this day, apparently with DEC blessing.

 

It was not until Wednesday afternoon that anyone from the Department of Environmental Conservation responded to WPCNR inquiries about the project.

 

WPCNR made two rounds of telephone calls to confirm what Mr. Wood told us last month. WPCNR left messages with six DEC officials referred as being familiar with the issue two weeks ago and none returned calls. I contacted four of the six again Wednesday morning, and they also did not return calls, however Ms. Ronsenbach did  acquaint WPCNR with the current dump situation.

 

The quiet way the DEC and the City of White Plains are handling this is reminiscent of the quiet way the six week raw sewage pollution in Silver Lake was handled last August when the public was not informed for six weeks of the toxicity of the sewage-polluted waters.

 

A Dark Past.

 

The city dump was used after World War II as a dumping place for ashes from the city incinerator. In the 1950s, according to Jack Harrington of the White Plains Historical Society,  it was the home to a bakery and a fleet of delivery trucks and a maintenance garage, where Harrington said there was a lot of dumping of motor vehicle waste on the site.

 

This reporter on summer nights when umpiring Little League games has inhaled and smelled the somewhat dizzying odors that drift over the Gedney fields along Ridgeway Avenue, the odors being a mixture of chemical and organic in scent. It is not pleasant to smell.

 

Neighbors have written WPCNR expressing concern over the stench that blankets the neighborhood periodically.

 

The probe of the last month is the first effort by the Department of Environmental Conservation to require the City of White Plains to pay attention to this condition that this reporter can determine.