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Board of Ed Cools on Building New Post Road School. Renos, Fields On Table.

Posted on February 27, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. February 27, 2006: On the eve of the first of three meetings around town to discuss infrastructure and capital improvements proposals with the public, the Board of Education indicated they were not prepared to move ahead with the proposal to build a new Post Road School for $36 Million (more than half of the $67 Million capital projects proposal under consideration), without having a strategic plan created for the School District going out 5 to 10 years.

Board of Education members Peter Bassano, Bill Pollak, Terry McGuire, Michelle

Tratoros and Rosemarie Eller all voiced reservations about endorsing the new school proposed project to the public in the round of public meetings beginning tomorrow evening at Ridgeway School at 8 P.M.. Board Member, Rick Tompkins was not in attendance.

Peter Bassano said demographic trends and migration patterns were not studied in preparing the architect’s recommendations, that projections were based solely on birth rates. He called for a strategic plan for the district to address those specific factors, budget trends, and the possible need for a new middle school. Timothy Connors, Superintendent of Schools, disagreed with Mr. Bassano, declaring that birth rates had been “the most reliable” method of determining facility capacities and needs. Connors warned that not providing for facilties now held out the possibility of not being able to accept students in the future.

The board decided they would present the new Post Road School proposal and the renovation of the present Post Road School as presented by the architects to the public as what the district architect had recommended, and that the board themselves does not have enough information to make a decision on how to handle Post Road School needs at this time.

Board of Education President Donna McLaughlin told WPCNR after the meeting that she did not know when a Post Road decision, to build a new school or renovate, could or would be made. Ms. McLaughlin told WPCNR she did not think the middle school facility was that critical at this time because the district still has room at Eastview School now that the Youth Bureau is moving out of that building.

In addition, the board made clear that the infrastructure improvements totaling approximately $21 Million would be explained to the public in the upcoming series of meetings, and the artificial turfing and improvement of the stands of the two football fields, Parker Stadium and Loucks Field at a cost of $10 Million was still on the table as a possibility for next year.

The Board at the close of the meeting agreed to consider hiring a consultant (The Cambridge Group) to prepare a 10-year strategic plan for the district at the approximate cost of $15 to $18,000 a year to the district. Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors noted that such a plan would not tell the Board whether the Post Road School project was feasible, nor would it analyze the validity of the architectural firm’s recommendations.

Timothy Connors said that such a strategic plan would not be effective unless there was what he called “an action plan” to implement the plan recommendations. He said that would involve hiring a facilitator to keep the recommendations of such a plan on track, and make sure they were done.

Donna McLaughlin said she felt the Board had to put the proposals out to the public to get their input on the projects.

A third meeting of the Annual Budget Committee was scheduled for March 15, in addition to the meeting slated for March 8.

The meetings in which the public is invited to hear the capital projects proposals are tomorrow evening, Tuesday, February 28, at Ridgeway School, 8 P.M.; March 7 at Post Road School, 8 P.M.; March 14 at Mamaroneck Avenue School, 8 P.M.; and March 20, a public hearing at Education House, 7:30 P.M.

Bill Pollak, asked by WPCNR when this strategic plan idea surfaced, said it evolved over the last week and that over the last few weeks it became clear that members of the board did not have enough information on the Post Road School and “it had to be stopped.”

The renovations for the nine district buildings to improve their infrastructure and the proposal to build new stands and install artificial turn at Loucks Field (at White Plains High School), and Parker Stadium appear still to be possibilities for bonding next year, and could be decided upon March 27,

Joseph Casbarro, School District Problem-Solver, Retires.

Posted on February 25, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. February 25, 2006: The Board of Education has announced the retirement of Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services, the dignified, tireless, meticulously articulate and forthright Joseph Casbarro, whose reasonable approach to policy making and fitting special needs and disabled students to outside services has had a knack for benefiting both student and district.

Joseph Casbarro. Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services, at a recent School Board Meeting. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

Casbarro’s steady and rational approach to forming difficult policies ranging from code of conduct and discipline procedures will be missed. Mr. Casbarro had major input into summer school procedures, the Newcomers Center, BOCES resources and budget refinement, maintaining the vital balance between paying for outside services and selecting services that provide adequately for special needs children.

Mr. Casbarro is the last veteran member of the former School Suprintendent Saul Yanofsky’s cabinet remaining presently on Superintendent of Schools Tim Connors’ staff .Casbarro has been with Mr. Connors for the four years Connors has been Superintendent of Schools. After July 1, when Mr. Casbarro leaves, the district will be going into the critical 2007-2008 School Budget Year with a new Assistant Superintendents for Business and Pupil Services .

Skyliners Wrap Up Successful Week at Synchro Nationals.

Posted on February 25, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR PRESS BOX. February 25, 2006: The Tri-State Skyliners Synchronized Skating Team finished a splendid week at the USFS Synchronized Team Skating Championships in Grand Rapids, Michigan with the Novice Team winning the 4th Place nationally in a field of 7 teams; the Junior team placed sixth of thirteen teams nationally, finishing less than 3 points away from 4th place, and the Junvenile team finishing 9th of 12 teams. The camaraderie, the high level of competition, and the splendid skating created memories for a long time.

WPPAC Tickets for March 20 THREE PHANTOMS performance. Greer, Feder Feted

Posted on February 23, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR STAGE DOOR. February 23, 2006: The invitations have gone out for The Three Phantoms Gala for the benefit of the White Plains Performing Arts Center, as it begins life on its own without the multidollar drain of the now defunct Helen Hayes Theatre as a handicap.

The gala will honor the stricken Councilman, Robert Greer for his many years of service to White Plains and Robert Feder, the principal of the law firm of Cuddy & Feder, Dan Tearno of Heineken, USA and Harumitsu Inouye of Shinnyo-En Foundation in White Plains and Bishop Iaso Ito of the Bridge of Friendship Foundation, Inc.

The Gala features three actors who have played the charismatic “Phantom” in Phantom of the Opera on Broadway: Cris Groenendaal, Ted Keegan and the local favorite, Craig Schulman.

Tickets for the presentation of The Three Phantoms range from $150 for an individual ticket to $25,000. Deadline for advertisements in the Gala Journal is March 1, 2006. The event takes place Monday, March 20, 2006 at the White Plains Performing Arts Center. For more information call 914-328-1600, Ext. 17.

Board of Education Sets Bond Tour

Posted on February 23, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. February 23, 2006: The City School District has announced a series of public information meetings to inform parents and residents about the $67 Million Capital Improvement Plan for the city schools, which include renovation or construction of a new Post Road School, upgrading of elementary schools and expansion of classrooms, and synthetic turfing of Parker Stadium and Loucks Field. Each meeting will focus on that particlar school and expand to discuss of the more ambitious construction projects. The Board of Education has not at present made a decision on whether to proceed with the capital improvements that will be presented.

The first meeting will be at Ridgeway School February 28 at 8 P.M. The second will be March 7 at Post Road School; the third will be on March 14 at Mamaroneck Avenue School, and the final meeting wll be a Public Hearing on the Capital Improvements Projects March 20 at Education House at 7 P.M.

Assembly Passes Wetlands Bill BUT —

Posted on February 23, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR ENVIRONMENTALIST. From Emmett Pepper. (Edited) February 23, 2006: Conservation groups cheered last week as the New York State Assembly passed, by an overwhelming bi-partisan vote, legislation – the Clean Water Protection/Flood Prevention Act (A.2048) – to expand protection of New York’s wetlands. The Assembly action proposes to protect wetlands under New York State law that are now unprotected as a result of rollbacks at the federal level. (1) Environmental groups and citizens statewide overwhelmingly support passage of the Clean Water Protection/Flood Prevention Act and call on the Senate to pass S.2081 in 2006.

WPCNR learned by following and exposing the White Plains Silver Lake pollution coverup last August by Harrison and White Plains officials, that neither the Department of Environmental Conservation nor the Department of Health (in Westchester County) do not monitor tributaries on a coordinated regular schedule. The Mamaroneck River outletting from Silver Lake, is shown here as it looked in mid September, 2005, at the height of the raw sewage pollution dumped into the Lake July 19. The tributary, one of hundreds is not monitored on a conscientious basis, only according to a lax schedule prepared by the state, meaning that on-going dumping into tributaries can go long periods of time, polluting wetlands without being detected. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

“Friends of the Bay applauds the New York State Assembly for their prompt consideration and passage of this significant environmental legislation,” said Friends of the Bay Executive Director Kyle Rabin. “Now the Senate must take action. As an organization on Long Island, we know how important wetlands are to protecting our drinking water and cleaning up the polluted runoff that threatens our bays and estuaries.”

Under current state law, the NY Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) can only regulate development and other activities that threaten wetlands when the wetlands are included on New York’s Freshwater Wetlands Maps.

New York law directs DEC to map only those wetlands that are 12.4 acres and larger, or that are determined to be of “unusual local importance.” In practice, very few wetlands of “unusual local importance” have been included on the maps. By comparing the state maps with maps produced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Sierra Club determined that the USFWS shows 281,216 wetlands in New York, while DEC reports that it regulates 15,625 wetlands. (2) This leaves hundreds of thousands of wetlands in the State subject to federal protection alone. On this score, federal records demonstrate that, since the rollback began in 2001, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), the primary federal agency that regulates wetlands, has not applied federal protections to hundreds of New York State’s wetlands. Currently DEC gets no warning when ACOE determines that a wetland is not subject to federal regulation.

“New York clearly cannot rely on ACOE to protect important smaller wetlands,” said Leila Goldmark, Staff Attorney for Riverkeeper, Inc. “The New York State Attorney General’s Office recently reviewed all wetland permit determinations available from 2001-2004. The AG’s Office has stated that fully 45 % (562) of the applications received were found to be non-jurisdictional by ACOE. Of those, only one application was found that qualified for regulation under state law. All of those wetlands went unregulated and were destroyed.”

Last year, the Assembly passed A.2048 and the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee released S.2081 with a nearly unanimous 11 to 1 recommendation, but the Senate leadership refused to allow the measure to go to the floor of the Senate for a vote.

“Every year we delay results in additional wetlands going under buildings, malls and parking lots, resulting in increased non-point source pollution, increased flooding and poorer habitat,” said Don Riepe, Director of the NE Chapter of the American Littoral Society. “It’s time for the Senate to end the delay and stand with the Assembly and Governor in taking responsibility for protecting our most vital resource.”

Wetlands perform important functions in natural drainage systems. By capturing and holding water runoff from rain-storms and snow melt, they filter out contaminants and reduce potential for flooding. Water held in wetlands is then released slowly to streams, rivers and groundwater. In this way, wetlands purify the surface waters that many public water supplies rely on as a source of drinking water and provide steady flows of the cool clean water that fish and other aquatic animals rely on. Due to the critical nature of these functions, every other northeastern state regulates activities that threaten wetlands much more comprehensively than New York State’s current law allows. (3)

“New York has a long tradition of leadership on environmental issues that is even more critical today given that the federal government has abandoned any pretense of protecting the nation’s environment for all Americans,” said Brad Sewell, Senior Attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “On wetlands, New York is far from the leader, and we ask that the state catch up – our smallest wetlands are frequently our most valuable, and they are being destroyed as we speak.”

“The public understands and appreciates the value of protecting New York’s remaining wetlands,” stated Dereth Glance, program director with Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE). “We continue to find overwelming public support for urgent legislative action–this session–to protect New York’s vulnerable wetlands.”

“Fish and many wildlife and waterfowl live in wetlands, and their protection is critical,” stated Wally John, Legislative Vice-President, New York State Conservation Council.

Governor Pataki’s budget this year included, in addition to measures intended to address this loss of federal wetlands protection, funding for much needed staff in the state wetland protection program run by DEC.

“We appreciate Governor Pataki’s proposal to increase DEC staff dedicated to wetland protection and to expand the reach of New York’s wetland protection program. The Assembly has taken the first step in moving a regulatory proposal. We call on the Senate to now follow their lead. It is critical that both members of the Senate and members of the Assembly insist that expanded wetland protection measures be achieved in the budget process for fiscal year 2006/2007 and in passage of the Clean Water Protection/Flood Prevention Act,” said John Stouffer, Legislative Director for Sierra Club – Atlantic Chapter.

Pataki Vetos Bradley Consultant Disclosure Bill.

Posted on February 22, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. By Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley. February 22, 2006: In an on-going effort to reform Albany, I sponsored legislation that recently passed the Assembly to provide greater public disclosure and review of state government contracts with private consulting services (A.9421). In 2005, I also sponsored similar legislation which unanimously passed both houses of the legislature – unfortunately it was vetoed by the governor (Veto 114 of 2005).

There’s no reason why we shouldn’t hold state agencies accountable when they hire consultants. The public demands accountability and they absolutely deserve it. After all, their hard-earned tax dollars ultimately pay for these contracts.

The legislation would:

· require an annual report by the Department of Civil Service to reveal the number of employees hired contractually to perform services for state agencies;

· expand the types of contracts for consulting services that are required to be reported and to include information about the number of employees hired under those contracts; and

· call for more reporting and public disclosure of information for other contract services.

State agencies often contract out consulting services involving millions of dollars of public funds each year – with little public disclosure or oversight. Since the governor took office, the state has awarded over 10,000 separate consultant contracts, totaling at least $6 billion between 1995 and 2004, according to the New York State Comptroller’s Office.

While the state’s workforce has been reduced by more than 20,000 positions during the course of his tenure, the governor has increasingly sought to outsource those jobs previously held by the state’s professional civil service staff to expensive private contractors. In fact, it would be less expensive to hire state workers to do the same work in-house and New York taxpayers could save up to $500 million a year by stopping the practice of hiring certain consultants, according to a 2005 study by the Fiscal Policy Institute.

Once again, I have introduced and the Assembly has passed measures that reform state government and safeguard taxpayers’ money. I invite the Senate to join the Assembly and pass this important legislation and I call on the governor to protect the taxpayers of this state by signing it into law. New Yorkers rightfully deserve accountability in state government.

Adam T. Bradley

George Washington: The Peerless Leader

Posted on February 22, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR NEWS & COMMENT. By John F. Bailey. February 22, 2006: It is the birthday of our first President, George Washington, the father of our nation. One cannot help be reminded of the snowy winter at Valley Forge, when the bedraggled, poorly equipped rebel army suffered but held together, and attacked the Hessians in Trenton on Christmas Eve, 1776, crossing the Delaware River at night. What kind of man was he that George Washington could inspire his troops against all odds?

Washington was a man of tremendous character. Where did he get this character? He specialized in self-control at an early age.

Reenacters Marching to Raise Old Glory at Purdy House Sunday in Honor of George Washington’s Birthday. Photo, WPCNR News.

According to The American President, Washington, at sixteen, had formed a code of conduct. He had written a book of etiquette with 110 “maxims” to guide his conduct in matters. In this etiquette book he had written, Every action done in company ought to be done with a sign of respect to those who are not present. Sleep not when others speak; sit not whwn others stand; speak not when you should hold your peace; walk not when others stop;…Let your countenance be pleasant but in serious matters somewhat grave…Undertake not what you cannot perform but be careful to keep your promise.

According to the character sketch provided by the authors of The American President, this personal “rulebook” was a book that Washington wrote over the years and referred to it often, “for self-control, to avoid temptation, to elude greed, to control his temper. Reputation was everything to him. It had to do with his strength, his size, his courage, his horsemanship, his precise dress, his thorough mind, his manners, his compassion. He protected that reputation at any cost.”

Honor Guard Strikes the Colors Sunday to a Drum Roll. Photo, WPCNR News.

Earning respect by example. Quelling rebellion with a few words.

Washington inspired by example. He lived with his troops. He shared hardships with them, and so much was there respect for him that he was able to talk them out of armed rebellion at the end of the American Revolution. Washington had been asked by the army to join them to over throw the Continental Congress, and make himself King.

Washington had been asked by one of the officers of the rebels to join them, and he wrote them,

You could not have found a person to whom your schemes are more disagreeable. Banish these thoughts from your mind.

Hearing that the rebels who were planning insurrection against the new country due to not having been paid by the Continental Congress, Washington rode to Newburgh, New York, on March 15, 1783, to meet with the dissident insurgents. Washington spoke to the rebellious group, saying,

“Gentlemen, as I was among the first who embarked in the cause of our common Country; as I never left your side one moment, but when called from you on public duty; as I have been the constant companion and witness of your Distresses…it can scarcely be supposed …that I am indifferent to your interests. But…this dreadful alternative, of either deserting our Country in the extremest hour of her distress, or turning our Arms against it…has something so shocking in it that humanity revolts from the idea…I spurn it, as every Man who regards liberty…undoubtedly must.”

The would-be rebels fell silent, digesting what he had said. Then Washington withdrew a letter from Congress, but could not read the text, withdrawing some eyeglasses from his tunic, remarking,

“Gentlemen, you will permit me to put on my spectacles for I have not only grown gray but almost blind in the service of my country.”

The men present were reported to have tears in their eyes at this gesture of Washington’s and abandoned their plot out of respect for their leader.

Washington retired from the military, surprising the entire new country. His action surprised King George III of England, who was astonished that Washington had refused to hold on to his military authority and use it for political or financial gain. The defeated King of England, remarked, “If true, then he is the greatest man in the world.”

Members of Common Council: Tom Roach, Rita Malmud, Benjamin Boykin and Glen Hockley, (center of Picture) and observers of the ceremony salute the Colors. Photo, WPCNR News.

Seeker of Diverse Views

As President, George Washington invented the Presidential Cabinet, whom he referred to as “the first Characters,” persons who possessed the best reputations in fields and areas of the jobs he was filling. Washington said on political appointments, “My political conduct and nominations must be exceedingly circumspect. No slip into partiality will pass unnoticed…”

Washington tolerated the relentless clashes between Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State, and Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, but lectured them on the necessity for tolerance and moving beyond partisanship: “I believe the view of both of you are pure, and well meant. Why then, when some of the best Citizens in the United States, Men…who have no sinister view to promote, are to be found, some on one side, some on the other…should either of you be so tenacious of your opinions as to make no allowances for those of the other? I have great esteem for you both, and ardently wish that some line could be marked out by which both of you could walk.”

The Constitution Should be Protected

When George Washington left office after two terms, he made a farewell address which warned future generations of Americans about foreign entanglements and partisanship in the republic:

I shall carry to my grave the hope that your Union and brotherly affection may be perpetual; that the Constitution may be sacredly maintained; and that free government…the ever favorite object of my heart…will be the happy reward of our mutual cares, labors and dangers.”

Washington died in 1800, three years after leaving office in 1797. He was saluted on the floor of congress as being “First in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen.”

The Jacob Purdy House Sunday, where George Washington planned strategy at the Battle of White Plains, was scene of a gathering in honor of President Washington Sunday, hosted by the White Plains Historical Society. Photo, WPCNR News.

Note: The American President By Philip B. Kunhardt, Jr., Philip B. Kunhardt III, and Peter W. Kunhardt (Riverhead Books. Penguin-Putnam, Inc.,1999) is the source for this information on George Washington.

This article originally appeared in The CitizeNetReporter in 2003.

County Executive Calls for Uniform School Attendance Reporting Policy Statewide

Posted on February 21, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. February 21, 2006: County Executive Andy Spano has called on the state’s Education Commissioner to come up with a uniform policy for reporting illegal absences from school in an effort to help detect child abuse in the home.

“Right now there is no consistent policy for reporting these absences to Child Protective Services so there are delays in following up on what might be a clue to child abuse in the home,’’ said Spano. “In some cases, schools wait until the end of the school year to report these absences, making it difficult for CPS to follow up on the information.’’

In a letter to State Education Commissioner Richard Mills, Spano pointed to the recent high-profile child death case of Nixzmary Brown as evidence that more must be done to improve the sharing of information between schools and CPS. The seven-year-old girl, who was allegedly beaten to death by her step-father, had 20 unexplained absences from school which were never reported to the NYC Administration for Children’s Services.

Spano added that sometimes a school’s report of unexplained absences can be used by CPS as additional evidence to convince a judge to force uncooperative parents to comply with a CPS investigation.

“We understand that many cases of unexplained absences, especially with older children, will not lead to a finding of neglect, but there is certainly a chance that in some cases, a tragedy might be averted,’’ said Spano. “We need the cooperation of school officials to ensure the health, safety and well being of Westchester County’s children.’’

Forming Downtown Residents Assoc., First meeting will be in February

Posted on February 19, 2006 by John Bailey

As a resident of 30 Lake Street (a building that has never been part of any neighborhood/ neighborhood association), I am looking for volunteers to Step Up to create a neighborhood Association within the downtown area.

Our first meeting is scheduled for “late February” at a downtown restaurant or diner location.

Sign up below for our mailing list or further info.
Our goals will be to have a voice in the city and the C.N.A., creating a neighborhood crime watch, creating fun activities and events [co-sponsered by neighborhood restaurants and companies], creating better sidewalks [there are many broken sidewalks around the Lake Street area]; improving our parks, parking issues, creating lecture series with downtown colleges, creating more arts and art events downtown, addressing the county in skirting Megan’s Law, housing sex offenders [in any secure site] THEN dropping them off unsupervised within blocks of downtown schools and daycare centers; working on safe, logical solutions to the “White Plains Homeless” population [creating a liason for our City and County government agencies]. Also working with the city and dept. stores to improve our safety in parking lots and parking garages.

***All condo and co-op board members are encouraged to join***

Our rough neighborhood borders will be from [West] The Bronx River Parkway, to [North] Route 119/ Main St. and Lake St., to [East] I-287, and south to Maple Avenue (then to S. Lexington Ave. to Bank Street).

We would very much appreciate help from our neighboring associations: Battle Hill, Fisher Hill, Carhart, The Highlands, and The North Broadway Associations.

In a nutshell this will be about information, quality of life issues, promoting safety, creating fun events, and lobbying our leaders so we too “have a voice”.
Soon we will have a website available.
To get on our new mailing list, please contact:
Rob Tamboia 428-4477
30 Lake Street, WP 10603 or
rob@championlife.com SUBJT: Downtown Assoc. thank you for your help!