Mayor Asks Housing Authority to Back Off, Study Alternatives to HQ Site

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WPCNR Evening City Star Reporter. June 27, 2002. 10:30 PM E.D.T.: City Hall is reporting tonight that Mayor Joseph Delfino has personally asked the White Plains Housing Authority to back off their call for the Common Council to vote on their proposed Winbrook site for a new headquarters.
Mayor Delfino has asked the Housing Authority for more time before the Common Council formally votes on a proposal to build a new administrative office building on the grounds of the Winbrook Housing Complex. The Mayor has asked for the postponement in an effort to reexamine alternatives and options to the Housing Authority’s current proposal.

“Before this issue is voted on, I want to be comfortable that all reasonable options have been considered,” Mayor Delfino said. ” I appreciate the housing authority’s willingness to postpone this action”.

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Yanofsky’s contract extended to July 15.

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WPCNR NewsReel. June 27, 2002. The Board of Education has voted to extend Dr. Saul Yanofsky’s contract as Superintendent of Schools for two more weeks beyond the expiration of his current contract June 30. Dr. Yanofsky will be serving the district until July 15, when new Superintendent of Schools, Timothy Connors comes on board. No further details are available.

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Little League Field Scoreboard Vandalized

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WPCNR NewsReel. From WP Little League.June 27, 2002. The White Plains Little League reports the electronic scoreboard at the new Gedney Field was vandalized sometime over the weekend.

According to the Little League’s report, when the scorebard activated Monday evening, it would not operate. Harvey Sommer, White Plains licensed electrician was called by Little League to investigate.

Sommer identified the problem: someone had cut the main power wires to the scoreboard in the center field area. An official police report was filed.

Anyone with information on who cut the wires is asked to contact the White Plains Police Department.

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Thunder-Boomers Predicted Again for Thursday PM

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WPCNR WEATHERSCOOP. From National Weather Service. June 27, 2002. 11:30 A.M. E.D.T.: “Weather Central” is again warning the White Plains area to expect strong thunderstorms this afternoon. The 6-hour thunder-front that deluged White Plains with one inch of rain last evening may be back for an encore.
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
905 AM EDT THU JUN 27 2002

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS PLACED PART OF THE TRI-STATE AREA IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR LATER TODAY.

A VERY WARM AND HUMID AIRMASS CONTINUES ACROSS THE REGION. AN APPROACHING DISTURBANCE…PLENTY OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL SET THE STAGE FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BEGINNING LATE THIS AFTERNOON.

SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE…PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND OR DAMAGING WINDS. THERE WILL ALSO BE THE THREAT OF TORRENTIAL RAINS WITH SOME OF THESE STORMS WHICH COULD PRODUCE LOCALIZED FLOODING.

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Council Interviews Police Commish.

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WPCNR Police Gazzette. June 25, 2002. 8:00 AM. Dr. Frank Straub, the Mayor’s nominee to become the next White Plains Commissioner of Public Safety was interview by the Common Council in Executive Session Monday afternoon.
Dr. Straub was seen leaving City Hall at about 7:10 PM, and Council President Benjamin Boykin told WPCNR that he found Dr. Straub “very impressive.” Councilman Boykin said he could not comment further about the directions of the Executive Session interview with the NYPD Assisstant Commissioner, but Dr. Straub’s appointment would be on the agenda for next Monday’s Common Council meeting.

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Not Enough in FEIS:Boykin. Gerrard Advises Set Guidelines in Findings

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WPCNR Morning Sun. By John F. Bailey. June 25, 2002. 8:00 AM E.D.T. Prior to voting to accept the New York Presbyterian Hospital draft Final Environmental Impact Statement early this morning, Councilpersons Benjamin Boykin and Rita Malmud were strong in their assertion that not enough clarity had been provided by the hospital in their supplmental information provided last Thursday.
Prior to entering into historic Executive Session, Common Council President Benjamin Boykin and Councilperson Rita Malmud said the hospital supplemental information on the nature of research and the number of trees to be destroyed on Site 8 was not detailed enough.

Boykin was blunt, commenting on Section 2 of the supplemental information on the business structure: “I was very clear. I said I wanted to know what it was to be done and who it was to be done with. To be quite frank about it, this doesn’t get the job done. I don’t know what it means. I don’t think this (the FEIS) provides the appropriate information I need.”

Gerrard says detail not needed in FEIS for it to be accepted.

Michael Gerrard, of Arnold & Porter, the environmental law advisor agreed, saying – “This (the Section 2 answer) is not quite adequate.”

However, Gerrard said it was not enough reason to reject the FEIS as incomplete. He suggested instead that it gave the city cause to create “a procedure for the city to review the research,” as the hospital developed potential research projects for the biomedical complex. “This is not needed to be in the FEIS,” Gerrard concluded.

When Councilman Glen Hockley asked for clarification, Gerrard said, that as part of the Findings statement,

“The Common Council shouls set guidelines for what ancillary means, and what research you will allow to go forward.”

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Marathon Exec Session Drones Into Sultry Night. Council Accepts FEIS, 6-1

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WPCNR City Evening Star Reporter. By John F. Bailey. June 25, 2002. 12:15 A.M. E.D.T.: The Common Council started deliberating in Executive Session with their environmental attorney, Michael Gerrard, Monday evening at 8:40 PM and at midnight were still at, wrangling over their options. As of midnight, no public vote had been called on the resolution as to whether the Council would accept the New York Presbyterian Hospital Final Environmental Impact Statement.

At 12:10 AM, Tuesday morning, George Gretsas, the Mayor’s Executive Officer, reported to WPCNR that the Common Council had accepted the Final Environmental Impact Statement as complete by a vote of 6 to 1, with Councilman William King abstaining.



FEIS BUSTERS: The usual suspects gather nervously in the Mayor’s Conference Chamber Monday evening to consider with Michael Gerrard the implications and consequences of accepting the New York Presbyterian Hospital draft Final Environmental Impact Statement.
All Photos by WPCNR

In what was billed as the final session of the “Gerrard Talks,” the council got under way with Mr. Gerrard at 7:27 PM, and adjourned to Executive Session at 8:40 PM to get into the hot and heavy issues.

Based on the concerns expressed repeatedly over the first five sessions of the “Gerrard Talks,” WPCNR speculates they were discussing specifically how they could demand more information on the FEIS, and how they could limit the scope and execution of the New York Presbyterian Hospital project, or perhaps deny it all together in their eventual Findings Statement. Obviously after three hours in seclusion with Michael Gerrard, the Council feels comfortable with their options.

Resolution Drawn Up for Public Voting.

The Common Council was required by the Department of Environmental Conservation State Environmental Quality Review regulations to accept as complete or deny as incomplete the Final Environmental Impact Statement by Thursday, June 27. Consequently a 4-page resolution had been drawn up for Council action at the conclusion of the Executive Session for the Council to vote on which they approved at slightly past midnight.

The Resolution concludes, “the Common Council finds that the Final Environmental Impact Statement is adequate and accurate and responds to comments received regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement,”

The Resolution continues, acknowledging that the Council “accepts the FEIS for consideration in making environmental findings.”

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White Plains Week Discusses Corcoran Bid, Police Commish, Hospital FEIS

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WPCNR White Plains Variety. By John F. Bailey. June 24, 2002. 12 Noon E.D.T.: The city news roundup show, White Plains Week televised on Cable Channel 71 this evening, will wrap up the Police Commissioner Story and evaluate the surprise Republican invitation to Candyce Corcoran to run for the New York State Assembly in the 89th District this evening.
Host John Bailey with reporters Jim Benerofe, the “Eric Severeid of White Plains” of Suburban Street.com and Alex Philippidis, the Editor of Westchester County Business Journal wrap up last week’s news shockers and shakers beginning at 7 PM on Channel 71.

On tap tonight will be exclusive photos of the Fortunoff Ground-Breaking, the location of the new soccer field in Saxon Woods Park, as well as a preview of the final round of the New York Presbyterian Hospital “Gerrard Talks VI.”

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City Hall Organizing Common Council Tour of Indian Point

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WPCNR NOON NEWS. Special from the Mayor’s Office. June 24, 2002. 11:45 A.M. E.D.T.: The Mayor’s Office is organizing a Common Council tour of the Entergy Nuclear Station at Indian Point, WPCNR has learned. Actual date of the visit has not been determined, however the trip is a “do.” Arrangements for media to accompany the Common Council at the fact-finding trip will be available.

The trip to the Indian Point facility is a serious Council effort to make an informed decision on whether or not to consider a resolution calling for the decommissioning of the plant.

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2002 Independence Day Celebration KaBOOMS July 3

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WPCNR NOON NEWS. From Dept. of Recreation & Parks. June 24, 2002. 11:30 A.M. E.D.T.: White Plains Recreation announced this morning that the 2002 traditional White Plains fireworks will be held Wednesday evening, July 3 at White Plains High School.
The festivities will begin at 6:30 PM and continue to 8:30 PM, featuring live music by the White Plains Pops Band, children’s performers and a visit from Ronald McDonald, with refreshments provided by the White Plains Parent Teacher Association. The Pops Band will perform beginning at 7 PM, and at 9 PM Independence Day Ceremonies will begin, followed by the traditional fireworks under the stars on the High School grounds.

The extravaganza regularly attracts upwards of 10,000 persons. Parking is free.

The fireworks this year are being co-sponsored by Hudson United Bank, Heineken USA and the New York Power Authority.

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