High School Looking for More Good Principal Candidates

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Friday Night Getaway Gazette, by John F. Bailey, Filed 3/22/02, 5 PM EST: The Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for the City School District, reported today to WPCNR that the search for a new Principal for White Plains High School to replace William Colavito beginning in July, is continuing, and that the District is going to “re-search,” placing a new advertisement to “recanvas” potential principal candidates.
Dr. Linda Ochser, told WPCNR “We’re repening our search. We did not do as well as we had hoped. We have some attractive candidates, but have made no offers yet. We are still interviewing.”
Ochser said they were placing an advertisement and she expected to conduct new interviews in mid-April.

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Board of Education Selects Final 3 for Superintendent; Names Community Committee

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Friday Getaway Gazette, By John F. Bailey, Filed 3/22/02, 4:30 PM EST: The President of the Board of Education informed WPCNR Friday that the Board has reviewed candidates for the soon-to-be-vacant (in June) Superintendent of Schools position and has selected three “finalists” for the position.
Donna McLaughlin, President, reports that in executive session held we believe Thursday evening, that the Board has selected three finalists to present to a Community Committee of citizens in approximately two weeks, who will be interviewing the three finalists for Superintendent.

Screening Committee from the Community

McLaughlin said that the “Final 3” will be interviewed by a 7-member screening committee from the community. The committee will offer representation of three District labor unions: Jerry Gorski, President of the White Plains Teachers Association, Hugh McKiernan, President of the Association of School Administrators, and Natalie Arone, President of the Civil Service Employees Association.

Representing the community will be former White Plains Councilperson, Pauline Oliva, Nancy Smith, Co-President of the White Plains PTA Council, Judith Aucar, representing Centro Hispano, and Dr. Linda Ochser, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, representing the School District.

Three Finalists a mix

The finalists are both male and female, McLaughlin said, and not all are from the Northeast or immediate geographic area. She said she was “very excited” about the selected finalists. She said the committee was “a great addition to the selection process.” Mrs. McLaughlin added that she had “always been optimistic” about attracting top candidates because White Plains was “a great district.”

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Fisher Hill Committee Seeks facts About JBFCS Group Home. JBFCS Responds.

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WPCNR Afternoon Tribune by John F. Bailey & Correspondents, filed 3/20/02, 1:00 PM EST:Residents of Fisher Hill met with Mayor Joseph Delfino Tuesday evening and learned the city not been able to develop a clear picture of the types of Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services clients who they propose to house at 139 Walworth Avenue. A WPCNR interview with a JBFCS spokesman sheds light.


139 Walworth Avenue: Site of planned group home for formerly neglected and abused youth under the care of Jewish Board of Family and Children’ Services.
Photo by WPCNR


Residents attending the meeting told WPCNR that a citizens information committee had been formed to approach the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services and meet with the organization to get clarification of the plans.

Cynthia Ryan has agreed to head a committee of Fisher Hill residents who hope to meet with a Leonard Rodriguez, of JBFCS, who was described by the Mayor’s Office as the coordinator for the Westchester JBFCS operations. Claire Orlando, of the Fisher Hill Association said the Mayor had advised that the city had not been able to get much more information from JBFCS from contacts they had made.
JBFCS Spokesperson Clarifies Clientele

WPCNR interviewed Mindy Liss, Director of Marketing Communications for the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services, who gave us details about the young persons who are anticipated to occupy the group home at 139 Walworth Avenue.

Ms. Liss said the home is intended to house 10 children between the ages of 15 to 19, whom she described as “foster home care children, who have a history of being abused and neglected.” They are not mentally disabled. She said these children have been selected because they have “done very well,” and are considered stabilized.

She said the home residents will have 24 hour-a-day supervision, and their whereabouts will be accounted for at all times. They will be either at school or at work, she said, in closely supervised programs or when out of the home, in a supervised situation.

Ms. Liss said she is eager to meet with the Fisher Hill neighbors and explain the program, and took the number of Ms. Ryan to attempt to get in touch with her.

No date has been set for occupancy at 139 Walworth, because renovations are still on-going. She added that a group home had been run in the Eastview section of White Plains for twenty years by JBFCS, before it was closed to make room for the Clayton park apartment complex.

“White Plains Links,” the service compiled exclusively by WPCNR, tells you more about the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Service. CLICK ON “White Plains Links” in upper lefthand corner of this site, then CLICK ON the “Personal Health and Services Section,” to find the link to the JBFCS website.

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King Komments:Aggressive Cleanup of Bronx River, Hale Ave, Mamaroneck Riv

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King Komments By White Plains City Councilman William King, Updated 03/19/02: Councilman William King, the “One Man Environmental protection Agency” on the Common Council, has been discovering to his horror, the shabby state of Westchester County-owned parklands in the city of White Plains. He’s also calling for city annexation of two Hale Avenue lots for parks and extensive cleanup of the Mamaroneck River within the city on April 6. Here are his latest observations with a call to action as Earth Day approaches.
We really have to put some fences up across the streams and stormwater flowages into the Bronx River from White Plains. Greenburgh and North Castle should too.

I just walked the river banks north of the County Center again over the weekend and the litter and trash on the banks is atrocious. Too much litter is flowing into the Bronx River. We have to catch it before it gets into the river. The river is being seriously affected by “non point source pollution.”

Calls for “Litter Catchers.”

We could have volunteer litter cleanups every other weekend all year long and we would not be able to catch up with the new litter floating in.

I will try to sponsor as many volunteer litter cleanups this year in the Bronx River as possible but I need some immediate action by the municipalities that they will do their civic duty in installing the fences and then starting having regular “litter catcher” cleanouts (at least once a week). We should install tight mesh screen fences that go below the water line and several feet above that would be several feet in front of every storm drain that pours directly into the Bronx River or into one of its tributaries. These Litter Catchers will catch the “floatables” before they wash further downstream.

Squatters Noted.

I noticed many birds nesting in this area but it must be so lousy for them nesting amongst all the trash. Needless to say, all the litter in the river and along its banks and tributaries makes it totally uninviting to people, save for a few squatters here and there that I have noticed evidence of, and puts the whole Bronx River area in the “loser” category.

We’ve got to get serious and get on top of this lousy situation.

Storm Drain Mesh Covers Urged

We should also install new steel mesh covers over some of our existing storm drains which we know from cleaning out are in the more problematic litter areas. I noticed such covers recently over the manholes in Norwalk, Ct. which also has a riverfront area they are way ahead of us in reclaiming.

The whole Bronx River Parkway Reservation could be so much nicer and more pristine – otherwise, why have it?

The city of White Plains and the towns of Greenburgh and North Castle have to get more proactive about helping keep this county parkland cleaner. We all have to jump on this one – right now.

City should Annex Hale Avenue Trash Sites
I would also like to mention that there is a really strong argument for the city acquiring the vacant, overgrown lots on each side of the north end of Hale Ave. next to Fortunoff’s and across from the Westchester Pavilion for a neighborhood playground and extra open space/parking space.

The lots have just sat there for years and years and all kinds of trash have been dumped on them and not picked up by the owners, totally blighting the neighborhood. I picked up all the tires there and stacked them along with other major pieces of trash. This can’t be happening in our city while we are on the watch.

“Outdoor Junkyard” in Mamaroneck River

I was checking out this stream that runs behind the 2 lower income apt. buildings on the east side of Lake St and the County DOT garage in Harrison, just below Silver Lake. Just north of the northern building in the little woods there I noticed a big metal desk and other items that make it look like some kind of “outdoor junkyard office” or it could even be used for some kind of rudimentary outdoor sleeping accomodations.

I think this is City land. Can we (the city) check this out and, if on city property, clean this area out? Per the Rec Master Plan, I want to have some Boy Scouts and other volunteers clean out the stream along Delfino Park, from the I-287 bridge north to the Silver Lake dam. But if this big mess in the woods is there, the scouts and volunteers will feel their efforts will be in vain.

I would like to do the stream cleanup on Sat., April 6. Can the (Department of Public Works) guys get that desk and other big junk out there? I also think we need to cut back the dense overgrowth there by the stream so people can get to it and use it and so we can get the litter and trash out of there. Do we have such a crew?

Thanks, Bill King

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School Board Impressed with first set of 5 Superintendent Candidates;

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WPCNR Morning Edition, by John F. Bailey, 3/18/02, 11:00 AM EST: The President of the Board of Education reported to WPCNR Monday that Saturday’s opening round of talks with candidates for the vacant Superintendent of Schools position went “very well.” Tonight, the public is invited to the first presentation of the 2002-03 school budget at Education House at 8 PM.

Hazard, Young and Attea, the superintendent research consultants, said they would deliver between 3 and 6 candidates for White Plains to consider and they have done that.

Donna McLaughlin, President of the Board, delivered a report on the first round of superintendent interviews which commenced Saturday morning in Rye Brook, at a secluded local hotel.

Two Sessions.

McLaughlin said the full board interviewed the first set of candidates for two hours each Saturday morning, and are planning to bring in another set of candidates Wednesday evening.

McLaughlin described the interviews as having gone “very well, I’m very excited. We still have more to go, John. We only did the first set, we have another set coming up. It’s hard to say until I get the whole picture.”

WPCNR asked if she was impressed with the slate, her comment: “So far.”

Screening Committee Will Quiz 2 or 3 Finalists

McLaughlin disclosed that five candidates are being interviewed, with the second set coming in Wednesday evening: “We’re going to weed them down to two or three, then bring them back in in a couple of weeks. At that time we’re going to bring in another committee to join us (in the finalist interviews).”

McLaughlin said this screening committee would be made up of the Presidents of the 3 unions (White Plains Teachers Association, Civil Service Employees Association, and Administrators and Supervisors Association), a citizen at large, a representative from Centro-Hispano, and a PTA Co-President.

They’re coming to White Plains from all over.

McLaughlin said the candidates were not exclusively from the Northeast, but “from all over. We asked all kinds of questions, tried to cover the gamut.”

She said she was impressed with the answers she got: “We have to interview everybody, and weed it down, based on their answers.”

When asked what role salary would play in this, McLaughlin said, “We haven’t discussed it. Our number one criteria is the best candidate for White Plains. That’s our criteria.”

In other Board activity…

The Board of Education will hold its first public hearing on the 2002-03 School Budget tonight at Education House at 8 PM. The budget is expected to decline slightly from its last level which was over $127MM with an increase the same as last year, 7.1%.

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Amy Paulin’s Albany: Amy’s Campaign Spending Curbs Headed to Senate

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From the Albany Offices of
White Plains’ Assemblywoman


Amy Paulin announces passage in the Assembly of her campaign finance reform measure designed to stem the influence of special interest money on elections. It now awaits Senate consideration.

“It’s time to restore public confidence in the way elections are run in New York,” Paulin said. “This legislation helps open up our election process and rebuild faith in our democratic system.”

Paulin sponsored the Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 to provide public matching funds to campaigns for state office that limit contributions and campaign spending (A.8524a).

“To reform how political campaigns are financed, we must first curb the vast sums of special interest money,” Paulin said. “Publicly financed campaigns will help protect the integrity of candidates and the legislative process.”

Income Tax Checkoff Ready for Signing

The legislation also creates an income tax check-off to help build a non-partisan, state-controlled campaign fund for eligible candidates. In addition, the legislation:

• sets limits on the amount of money that can be donated to candidates or political committees;
• closes loopholes that allow corporations to avoid campaign contribution limits by funneling donations through subsidiary companies; and
• bans fundraisers by state legislators or statewide candidates within 40 miles of Albany during the legislative session.

Turns Soft Money Hard

The legislation bans unlimited ‘soft money’ contributions to political parties’ housekeeping accounts. Those accounts are currently exempt from the contribution and receipt limitations applicable to campaign accounts.

Assembly sensitive, Paulin says. Urges Senate cooperation.

Paulin noted that the Assembly has consistently passed legislation to reform the way campaigns are run and financed in New York:

“The Assembly has a strong record of supporting reforms to the state’s arcane campaign finance system,” Paulin said. “Unfortunately, the Senate and governor have failed to share our sense of urgency. I urge them to join us in enacting these initiatives this year.”

Paulin’s aggressive stance on campaign finance reform grew out of her having served as president of Westchester’s League of Women Voters, and on the Westchester Campaign Finance Commission, which recommended the public financing of county campaigns.

“Sponsoring this legislation is part of my ongoing commitment to a fair and positive election process in New York State,” she concluded.

Assemblywoman Amy Paulin of the 88th Assembly District represents the city of White Plains in Albany. She reports regularly to WPCNR on issues affecting White Plains. You may reach her at (914) 723-1115, in Westchester, or in Albany at (518) 455-5585, or e-mail the Assemblywoman at paulina@assembly.state.ny.us.

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Rotunda Roundup: Council votes 5-1 to study Splitting Police Fire Ops

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Saturday Special from City Hall, Filed 3/16/02, 3:00 PM EST: The Common Council voted 5-1 Friday morning to hire CGR, the Center for Government Research, to conduct a study of the White Plains Department of Public Safety.
The sweeping study will interview police, firemen, managers, city officials, citizens and outside sources to conduct a sweeping analysis of the efficiency, economy and effectiveness of White Plains Police and Fire Department operations and organization according to the proposal.

The study will cost the city $84,000, and will be completed, it is hoped by July.

Councilman William King was the only dissenting vote. Mayor Delfino, who is of the opinion that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” according to a City Hall spokesman, voted for the measure, to assure “that once and for all we can put this question (of Public Safety Department organization) behind us.”

In other City Hall Happenings: The Mayor’s Office announced it was moving the Human Rights Commission from the Thomas Slater Center to the first floor of the Planning Department annex. The purpose, the Mayor’s Office said, was to give the Center back the space it lost when it gave over the second floor of the Slater Center to the Digital Divide Computer Center. Loss of that space, Slater Center said, has cramped their day care and after school programs. The city made the move to correct this situation.

The Planning Department is moving upstairs in the Planning Department annex. Planning Commissioner Susan Habel was moving boxes upstairs herself yesterday.

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Glen Hockley Sworn In as Sixth Councilman at City Hall

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Six O’Clock Lightning Edition, By John F. Bailey, 5/15/02, 6:30 PM: Glen S. Hockley was sworn in today by City Clerk Janice Minieri in the Clerk’s offices at City Hall at 12:15 PM Friday afternoon. After Adam Bradley delivered the official Board of Elections Certification Certificate and election results to Ms. Minieri, Mr. Hockley took the Oath of Office and signed the “Oath Book,” officially bringing to a close the 2001 Elections.

“I SOLEMNLY SWEAR:” Glen Hockley takes the oath of office as City Councilman today, with Janice Minieri administering the oath.
Photo by WPCNR

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White Plains Week Friday: Adam Bradley Calls for New Voting Machines

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Friday Getaway Gazzette, By John F. Bailey, 3/15/02, 4 PM EST: Adam Bradley, discusses the Thursday Court of Appeals ruling reversing the lower courts’ calls for a new election in White Plains, on the Friday night edition of White Plains Week, the city news round-up show this coming Friday evening at 7:30 PM on Public Access Channel 71 in White Plains. He calls for new voting machines, and suggests possible primary of Assemblywoman Naomi Matusow, if she remains opposed to sales tax for White Plains.

THE PERRY MASON OF WHITE PLAINS, Adam Bradley, is seen (second from right), appearing at the Friday morning taping of White Plains Week with Alex Philippidis, left, of Westchester County Business Journal, John Bailey, The White Plains CitizeNetReporter, and Jim Benerofe, far right, Editor of SuburbanStreet.com, on the City News Roundup Show, WPW.The lively exchange with the relentless attorney commenting on the statewide impact of the Court of Appeals decision can be seen next Friday at 7:30 PM.
Photo by Lyn Storey

Calls for new voting machines to prevent future jams.

The head of the White Plains Democratic Party City Committee calls for the new 6-0 Democratic Common Council to install new “high tech” voting machines for the city as a major priority on their agenda to avoid future voting machine counting problems (in light of the Court of Appeals decision).

Mr. Bradley appears as a guest on WPW to discuss the historic decision which he argued, that decided the White Plains disputed Councilman election after 128 days. He is interviewed by John Bailey, the White Plains CitizeNetReporter, Alex Philippidis, Editor of Westchester County Business Journal and Jim Benerofe, Editor of Suburban Street.com.

In a freewheeling analysis of the implications of the Court of Appeals decision, Mr. Bradley discusses the quo warranto process of approaching the Attorney General. Quo warranto is the only avenue remaining open to Larry Delgado to pursue a remedy to the jammed voting machine in District 18. The Court of Appeals, responding to Mr. Bradley’s argument of February 14, reversed the Trial Court and Appellate Court decisions calling for a new election in the city yesterday.

Their unanimous ruling allowed Glen Hockley to be sworn in as the sixth Common Councilman at 12:15 PM last Friday.

MR. WHITE PLAINS LAW AND THE DEAN: Adam Bradley left, and Jim Benerofe, “The Dean of White Plains Journalism,” relax after videotaping Monday’s edition of White Plains Week
Photo by WPCNR


New Assembly District Guidelines: primary of Matusow threatened.

Mr. Bradley also discusses the proposed new Assembly Districts released by Albany that move present Assemblyperson Amy Paulin more into Scarsdale and New Rochelle, and gives Naomi Matusow, Democratic Assemblyman for the current 89th district, most of White Plains.

Bradley outlines the circumstances in which he feels White Plains Democrats might primary Ms. Matusow who is up for reelection this fall.

Bradley remarks that he hopes Matusow will change her traditional opposition to sales taxes, and support the sales tax White Plains needs, in order to avoid a 30% property tax increase.

The City Committee Chair said that he hoped Ms. Matusow, a 10-year Assemblywoman, would listen to her new constituents’ concerns and support the White Plains 1/2% sales tax, otherwise he would have to give strong consideration to putting up a candidate to primary her.

The White Plains Week program is cablecast Friday evening at 7:30 PM on Public Access Channel 71.

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School Board to Interview Superintendent Candidates Sat, Wed.

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Milkman’s Matinee News, Special to WPCNR, 3/14/02, 1:30 AM EST: School Board President Donna McLaughlin advised the PTA Council last night that the Board would be interviewing six candidates beginning this Saturday for the post of School Superintendent. She made the statement at the monthly meeting of the PTA Council.
According to a WPCNR observer, the topic of the superintendent search was not raised until a little before 10 PM, when President McLaughlin brought the subject up on her own. Our correspondent reports Ms. McLaughlin told the PTA Council the Board would interview six candidates with some interviews conducted this Saturday and next Wednesday.

McLaughlin told the Council the plan is for the Board to select two “finalists” from the six, and then conduct a second round of interviews, with a select number of members of the PTA and community groups present at the interviews.

They will be meeting “mover and shaker” types, according to the consultant heading the Superintendent search.

Dr. John Whritner, one of the Hazard Young & Attea consultants fielding candidates for the Superintendent position, last week told us he is bringing in strong candidates for the job. As of last week he said there were four and hoped to bring in two more.

Whritner said the circumstances surrounding Dr. Yanofsky’s departure were not a detterrent to quality superintendent candidates. He reported candidates approached about the job around the country, on the contrary, are impressed with the district’s high interest and passion about education. Candidates, he said, love White Plains history of making a substantial, sustained budget commitment to their children, year after year.

He said they are eager to accept the challenges articulated by the community. He reports candidates look upon White Plains as a chance to address major educational concerns of today in a great school district and personally make a difference.

In other news from the PTA Council

Board of Education members were asked by the members of the council about their goals for the district.

According to the WPCNR reporter present, Ms. McLaughlin said she wanted to provide tools and leadership to improve academic performance, focusing on policy. Later, in discussing the budget, Ms. McLaughlin said she would prefer in the next school budget process to start from zero and build a budget from there, rather than asking the schools what they wanted, then cutting it down.

Dorothy Scher said she thought bringing a new superintendent on who would stay for more than three years and bring stability to the school district staff was her key issue, rather than changing leadership every three years.

Larry Geiger said he sought to work to keep White Plains a school district of choice where people choose to come here because of the school district.

Michelle Tratoros said she was very concerned about addressing “the acheivement gap” documented by the eighth grade middle school tests. On those tests, white and Asian students scored 50% better than black and Hispanic students.

Dr. Saul Yanofsky was asked about evaluation of programs. He said that was hard to do in a scientific way, according to our correspondent.

Yanofsky illustrated the problem by saying anecdotal evidence indicates that the Newcomer Center is working well. But, he said, to scientifically evaluate the difference the Newcomer center makes, you would have some new children in the district go directly to Kindergarten, with other children sent to the Newcomers Center and track their progress.

Our observer said that the lack of discussion on many future concerns especially the superintendent search was because of the presence of Dr. Saul Yanofsky. It was our observer’s feeling that the council members felt uncomfortable about talking about White Plains school matters that Yanofsky would not be responsible for any more.

Our correspondent said so many future matters depended on who the new superintendent is, and this became apparent on many issues brought up.

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