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 SOUTH END TIMES. By John F. Bailey. September 13, 2012 UPDATED 5:17 P.M. E.D.T.:

The French American School of New York announced the support of 16 environmental organizations for their Greens to Greens Conservancy and proposed new campus for their school at old Ridgeway Country Club

Mischa Zabotin, Chairman of the French American School of New York, in front of blow-up of a letter 16 environmentals sent on their own and not asked by FASNY to do so,to the Mayor announcing their support for the FASNY project campus and Greens to Greens Conservancy now under review by the City.

Five of 16 environmental leaders looking on(L to Right):

Leigh Draper, NY-NJ Trail Conference; Dr. Michael Rubbo, Teatown Lake Reservation; Ned Sullivan, Scenic Hudson;John Botti, FASNY Conservancy Taskforce; Mischa Zabotin, Chairman, FASNY Board of Trustees;Geoff Thompson, FASNY;  Patti Bressman, Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation; Zywia Wojnar, Pace Univ. Law School Energy & Climate Center) at former Ridgeway Country Club Clubhouse this morning. Only Teatown Lake Reservation, according to Mr. Thompson, has any contractual arrangements with FASNY on the project, and had, according to Thompson, gotten involved long before the Greens to Greens Conservancy concept was created by FASNY

Zabotin, Chairman of the French American School of New York announced, “We are proud to have received the endorsement of 16 (environmental) signatories to this meaningful letter of support (to Mayor Thomas Roach of White Plains and Common Council),” for the school plans to create an 84-acre Greens to Greens Conservancy aadjacent to a new school campus on 46 acres on the rest of the site of the former Ridgeway Country Club.

The letter sent the Mayor announcing the 16 environmental leaders who support the project was furnished to the media at a news conference Thursday morning at the old, deserted Ridgeway Country Club clubhouse.

The letter to the Mayor and Council concludes with this statement: “Because of the thoroughness of analysis, research, planning and the commitment shown by the FASNY leadership to create and share with the public two thirds of their property as a bio-diverse, healthy and sustainable nature preserve, we strongly endorse the French-American School of New York’s proposal and encourage you and the Common Council to approve its application for a Special  Permit. This is a unique chance for the city leaders to leave a legacy of a healthy, livable White Plains for future generations to enjoy.”

Zabotin was flanked by six of the organizations signing the letter. The organization signees to the letter to the city are:

Bard Center for Environmental Policy, Bard MBA Program in Sustainability; Scenic Hudson; Cary Institute of  Ecosystem Studies; Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture; Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation; Teatown Lake Reservation; Green Schools Coalition of Westchester; Walkable Westchester; Hudson River Valley Environmental Education Institute; Westchester Land Trust; Jonathan Rose Companies; Westchester County Pest Management Committee; New York-New Jersey Trail Conference; Westmoreland Sanctuary; Pace Energy & Climate Center, Pace Law School, and Benjamin Van Doren, Intel Science Talent Search, 5th Place, USA White Plains High School 2012.

A question from Rich Liebson of the Journal News asking what made the conservancy alternative better than letting the land grow wild, was answered by Ned Sullivan of Scenic Hudson,(Center,above) who said that the conservancy would rehabilitate the land and revive animal habitat, which propbably would not happen if a subdivision or a sports complex (suggested by the city’s Open Space Recreation District Ordinance under consideration) were built instead.

Mr. Sullivan said more than once that FASNY had conducted a “model” SEQRA review process.

The environmentalists on the panel were asked if their groups would participate in a legal action to overturn a city decision to reject the project. All indicated by not answering and shrugs of shoulders they were not going to respond to that question. Mr. Zabotin said that was a matter for Michael Zarin, the FASNY legal advisor.

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. September12, 2012:

White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach conducted two 9/11 Commemoration Ceremonies ago yesterday. recalling the horror of the World Trade Center attack eleven years ago yesterday.

He  struck the right emotional message  commemorating that infamous day; comforting those gathered who lost loved ones, and thoughtfully constructing a  enduring legacy of how we can or should live going forward.

In an 8 A.M. observance Tuesday at a pristine and tranquil Liberty Park, the Mayor noted how those gathered in the awesome sunlight yesterday were struck by how similar the day was to September11,2001:  “what stood out that day was the day…They (the people) felt good because of the beautiful day. We will never forget how we felt that day. “

Mayor Roach said that each generation has a day they remember with overwhelming sadness.  Pearl Harbor. For his generation it was the day President John Kennedy was shot. For this generation it was 9/11. He observed “for the next generation, I hope they have no day they cannot forget.”

He recalled the bravery of the first responders who lost their lives. He spoke of the victims, and  ordinary citizens  “how we all came together through the pain and aftermath and remembered in the end, we are all Americans. That for me is very important.”

Roach said the monument in Liberty Park inscribed with the names of White Plains residents killed in the attack on the Twin Towers: Sharon Balkom, Marisa Dinardo, Hemanth Kumar Puttur, Joe Riverso, Gregory Rodriguez and Linda Sheehan, was designed by the sculptor, Gayle Nauls,  so persons visiting the site would “find peace in this beautiful vista and commemorate their memory with simple dignity.”

Rabbi Lester Bronstein opened  with a prayer  with an enhanced reading of the 23^rd Psalm, where instead of walking in the shadow death, he substituted “as I go up the stairs,” emphasing  the faith that responders,  rescuers and victims alike demonstrated that horrible day.

In  closing the ceremony, Rabbi Bronstein commented on the simple marble memorial as being a place persons could “sit and contemplate what it means to be alive.”

He said from that horrible act, came “thousands of acts of good works done by our citizens on that day,” and the legacy of 9/11 was “to build a better world.”

He then sounded the shofar to end the ceremony.

Color Guard Awaits Start of Noon Ceremony

At noon in Renaissance Square the Mayor conducted a ceremony to recognize the sacrifices of first responders, firemen, police and emergency responders who selflessly attempted to save the victims of  “this horrible act.”

The ceremony was highlighted by readings of two poems one by fireman Anthony Scopellitti (above), “Where Is My Buddy?” recalling the anguish of comrades lost that day

White Plains Police Officer Edward Calvano (above) who recited a poem written in memory of the 60 police officers killed that day, 37 Port Authority Police and 23 New York City Police Officers. The poems simple lines were glowing with meaning:

They chose to go where others rushed away, into the horrors

They did not die in vain

They died that day doing what they loved to do.

Guitarist Gene Matero sang songs that gently brought back bittersweet memories and good feelings. His “I just Called to Say I love you,” ironic but comforting recalled the thousands of frantic calls of that day, “Susan the plans they made put an end to you, but I always thought I’d see you again,” in a soothing touch recalled those losses never to be forgotten, of course, in a positive way. The ceremony ended with God Bless America and My Country Tis of Thee.

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From Elaine London SEPTEMBER 11, 2012.

Four White Plains High School graduates have been selected for induction into the school’s Hall of Fame this fall.

The Hall of Fame pays tribute to the White Plains High School alumni/ae who have distinguished themselves in their chosen careers and/or have significantly and positively impacted the lives of others.

The 2012 inductees are: Oscar Moore, ’56, 1964 US Olympic team distance runner and honored college track and field coach; Robert J. Benziger, ’71, founding partner of Benziger Family Winery in Sonoma County, California; Dr. Steven J. Corwin, ’73, CEO of New York-Presbyterian Hospital; Jody Cohan Prysock, ’75, Director of Language, Cultural & Disability Services at NYU Langone Medical Center.

The honorees will visit the High School on Thursday, October 18 and will spend time with students.  The Induction Ceremony will take place in the Media Center at 3pm and will be followed by a reception.  The public is invited. 

This is the sixteenth class of distinguished alumni/ae selected since the Hall of Fame was established in 1996, bringing the total number of inductees to 70.  It is estimated that more than 30,000 students have graduated from White Plains High School in its 116 years of continuous operation.

The inductees were selected by a committee of representatives of civic and school groups from nominations submitted by the public.  New nominations are welcomed each year. 

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WPCNR Common Council-Chronicle Examiner. By John F. Bailey. September 4, 2012:

The city honored Susan Habel, retired Commissioner of Planning with a plaque commemorating September 4 as Susan Habel Day with the Mayor reading her complete proclamation, and lauding her 27 years of service.

It also voted to rename the Greenway the Jack Harrington Greenway in recognition of Mr. Harrington’s contributions to founding the Greenway and his tireless advocating for preservation of the city.

Habel then opened the  hearing on the Generic Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Open Space Recreational Ordinance, saying the Planning Department was still reviewing the ordinance and at this point favored cluster housing on a limited space, or a sports recreational complex. She emphasized the Planning Department had not completed its review and would also consider comments on the ordinance Tuesday evening and at the October 1 continuation of the hearing.

The proposed ordinance which seeks to limit development of open space tracts over 100 acres,Fenway Golf Club,Tracts along the Hutchinson River Parkway, Maple Moor Golf Club, and the former Ridgeway Country Club, now owned by the French American School of New York. FASNY as it is known by, is seeking to build its school campus there to the chagrin of the Gedney neighborhood surrounding it.

When the public hearing swung into action only one speaker Harriet Baker spoke in favor of the ordinance, saying it preceded the French American School of New York buying the property. This statement is technically correct, but the ordinance actually started to be pursued seriously by the city when the Common Council turned down the property for the purchase price of $8.9 Million. When it became known FASNY was the winning bidder, the ordinance gained favor. FASNY purchased the property for $11 Million, with $3 Million contingent on approval of the property’s development within three years. That deadline is coming up in 2013, the property being purchased in January, 2011

Fran Jones,  former President of Open Space advocated not developing open space properties over that size at all,saying that once developed they were gone. She suggested just leaving them alone or perhaps the city preserving it for its citizens by purchasing it, or involving the New York Botanical Garden in developing the open space, or an organic restaurant operation like Stone Barns. Jones said she advocated the open space at Ridgeway should be for the citizens of the city. 

Terence Guerriere, President of the Gednew Association backed away from full support of the Open Space Recreation Ordinance (and its advocacy of cluster housing or a sports complex as alteratives) saying he would reserve comment until the completion of the hearing, which was held over until October 1, the next Council meeting.

Five of 11 speakers all spoke against the Open Space Recreation Ordinance. Representatives of the French American School took the city consultant-prepared Generic DEIS (for the cost of approximately $200,000)  apart, with one architect calling the GDEIS prepared “entirely without justification.”

Michael Zarin, the lead attorney for FASNY pointed out how the conclusion of the GDEIS regarding setbacks, promotion of an independent sports complex on the 5.6 acres FASNY plans to build on, or cluster town housing, did not take into account the much smaller setbacks existing at school properties currently permitted in White Plains, and did not consider the economics of running a successful sports comlex on justifying putting a specific sized sports complex there instead of FASNY.

Two speakers familiar with gold course economics today, including a former member of the Ridgeway Club said in effect, keeping the Ridgeway property as a golf courses today are not economically viable.

Two representatives of the Westchester Hills Golf Club across the street from the former Ridgeway property FASNY is planning to build on, urged the city not to adopt the Open Space Recreation Ordinance because it would jeopardize the Westchester Hills value in the future. An attorney for Westchester Hills said that the club supported either no action or the limited housing cluster currently recommended in the GDEIS. A member of the Fenway Golf Club asked that Fenway be removed from the proposed ordnance altogether because its property was less than 100 acres.

In other action — Cappelli City Center Retail PILOT Extended.

On the consent agenda, the Common Council extended the life of the City Center Retail pilot through 2018, raising the PILOT of the City Center Retail portion $118,000 a year in years 2016,2017,2018.

The PILOT, controversial when established in 2003, had been set to expire at the end of 2015. The PILOT amount was raised to $2.3 Million a year in 2016,2017,2018 up from $2.182 Million.

In contrast to how key consent agenda items are handled,which when positive are characterized by glowing praise from council memebers, no council member, or even the Mayor commented on the reason why the PILOT was extended.

The city Corporation Counsel has not responded to a WPCNR request as to why the PILOT was pushed out through 2018.

Cappelli Enterprises which owns the LLC that owns the City Center, has not issued a statement to WPCNR whether they requested the extension or the city did or it was by mutual agreement and why.

According to the Common Council backup material the new extension was requested by the Cappelli organization. 

The extension, though contains the proviso that the Cappelli organization cannot seek a certiorari on PILOT payments made before 2018.Extending the PILOT through 2018, pushes out the time when the city assessor from reassessing the City Center retail portion for the 2016 tax roll that would account for how the city center premises has changed and accounting for more big box retail space which the assessor could have done in the 2016 roll.

Shh! Loud Bars Scolded

Milagros Lecouna in commenting on the extension of outdoor cafe permits until December 31, 2012 for Elements, Ron Blacks Bar and Restaurant, Porter House Restaurant, Hudson Grill and The Brazen Fox, to use city property for outdoor dining on the Waller-Maple Lot, encouraged the restaurants in this list that have been notified by the city that they have violated the city noise standards by loud activity in the outdoor dining areas, “to tone down their outdoor speakers,” saying they know who they are. She declined to name the frequent offenders.

Nicoletti Saves on Sprinklers

Councilman David Buchwald noted the city has saved $300,000 by executing a sprinkler system for less than expected in the Longview Garage and that the $300,000 figure would be taken off the city borrowing request next month.

The city engaged Lamb & Barnosky to continue to handle litigation on the police retiree federal lawsuit over the city demand that retirees by 15% of their health benefits cost. The city allocated $225,000 to L & B for 2012.

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Mayor Sy Schulman

1926-2012

WPCNR MILESTONES. September 2,2012:

The Journal News reported Sunday that former White Plains Mayor Sy Schulman died Saturday at his White Plains home of pancreatic cancer at the age of 86.

White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach in a statement to WPCNR, observed,

According to a remembrance by  White Plains’ Milton Hoffman, Schulman was a planner for Westchester County  from 1955 and served as County Planning Commissioner from 1962 to 1968.  He is credited with planning the expansion of the county parks system and contributing to planning for the Cross Westchester Expressway. Schulman was selected by Governor Nelson Rockefeller to serve as general manager of the State Park Commisson and is credited with placing a park on the roof of the sewage plant on New York’s West Side. He was President of the Westchester County Association from 1973 for about twenty years. He was a member and then Chairman of the White Plains Planning BoardHe was elected to the White Plains Common Council in 1992, and elected Mayor in 1993, serving through  1997.

Mayor Schulman is credited with pioneering the city comprehensive plan during his administration. This reporter remembers that Schulman was the Mayor who invested in putting a roof over Ebersole Ice Rink that greatly improved the enjoyment of the old rink for the citizens. Reporter Hoffman notes that during Schulman’s term as Mayor, property taxes were not raised.