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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. From the City Clerk. May 26,2011:
The Common Council will meet this evening at 5;30 P.M, to discuss trolleys in the downtown, imposing a smoking ban in White Plains parks, and will hold an Executive Session to discuss hiring a consultant, subject of the consulting is not disclosed.
The council will also later in the evening (at 6 PM) meet to pass the city budget of $160.5 Million, that will raise city property taxes 4.9%. (See previous story.)
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WPCNR STOP AND GO. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators. May 25, 2011:
In a unanimous vote Monday night, the Westchester County Board of Legislators authorized $4.075 million for improvements to North Street in the city of White Plains.
The North Street project involves the 2.52 mile stretch of roadway running from the Hutchinson River Parkway to White Plains Road. North Street has an annual daily traffic count of 12,059. It is expected to begin in July.
This project is sponsored by Legislator Bill Ryan (D-WF — White Plains, Scarsdale). Mr. Ryan chairs the Board’s public works committee.
In urging the County Board to authorize the bonding for the job, Legislator Ryan said “North Street is a major ‘gateway’ into White Plains and it needs corrective maintenance to extend the life of the roadway. Corrective maintenance now, will cost less than structural rehabilitation or reconstruction at a later date. This saves taxpayer dollars.”
In 2010, the road received a pavement condition index (PCI) of 67. The PCI is a pavement condition rating with a range of 0 to 100, with 0 signifying that the road requires reconstruction and 100 signifying that the road is new. With a rating of 67, the road requires corrective maintenance. “The planned improvements will provide a safer roadway for the thousands of motorists who use North Street each day,” stated Mr. Ryan.
The job calls for milling; resurfacing; catch basin repair; concrete curb replacement, as needed; new pavement markings; and the installation of two in-pavement bus pads.
“The job will be relatively quick, straight-line work,” explained Legislator Ryan. The current schedule calls for a July-August start-up.
North Street will be the fifth “gateway” road in White Plains to be improved by County projects sponsored by Legislator Ryan:
· $1.1 million Post Road upgrade focusing on curbs and sidewalks
· $2.0 million Central Westchester Parkway safety improvements
· $2.1 million Old Mamaroneck Road upgrade/improvements
· $5.1 million Mamaroneck Avenue upgrade/improvements
· $4.0 million North Street upgrade/improvements
Legislator Ryan has a sixth “gateway” road project in the pipeline for the city of White Plains: $2.33 million to improve North Broadway from Main Street to the White Plains-North Castle line. The project is currently in design with construction tentatively scheduled for 2012.
Mr. Ryan recently advised residents at the annual meeting of the North Broadway Citizens Association that he is working to “fast track” the job for a 2011 start-up as much of North Broadway’s road surface is in rough shape and progressively getting worse.
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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER.From the Westchester County Board of Legislators. May 24,2011:
The Westchester County Board of Legislators (BOL) voted Monday night to override County Executive Robert P. Astorino’s veto of the legislative re-districting plan, and now the new maps of the county’s seventeen districts will be in effect until the next Federal Census is completed ten years from now.
The vote, 12-5, was entirely along partisan lines.
The re-districting plan was initially approved and unanimously voted out of the Legislation Committee, chaired by Legislator John Nonna (D-Mount Pleasant), on May 2 by the Republican and Democratic committee members. Following two public hearings, where a total of eight people raised their objections, the plan was approved by the full Board again a week later, but on a partisan 12-5 vote.
When the County Executive vetoed the re-districting plan last week, without offering any alternative plan or idea of how to proceed with new re-mapping, BOL Chairman Ken Jenkins said, “The re-districting plan approved by the Board of Legislators was the result of a careful and thoughtful process that included full bi-partisan participation, open deliberations and well-publicized opportunities for comments and objections from county residents. In the end, the Board of Legislators adopted new district maps that are fair and hard to fault. The fact that the re-districting was completed extremely close to the existing lines, with necessary changes the result of population shifts, was clearly understood by most Westchester residents
The County is required to redistrict its legislative districts every ten years after the Federal Census. The principal reason for re-districting is to comply with the “one person, one vote” requirement mandated by the United States Constitution and New York State law. Voting districts must have substantially equal population. The basic standard for determining compliance with this mandate is that no district should be more or less than 5% of the average district population of approximately 55,000 people. State law also requires that districts be as compact and contiguous as practicable.
The Board received the federal census data in the last week of March 2011. This data revealed that two districts, District 1 (which includes the City of Peekskill and parts of the Towns of Yorktown and Cortlandt) and District 6 (which includes part of the Town of Harrison, and the Villages of Rye Brook and Port Chester) were not in compliance with the standard because they were more than 5% over the average population. Thus, adjustments had to be made to these districts by taking population away from them without making any other district non-compliant at the same time.
Dr. Andrew Beveridge, a consultant hired by the Board (and the low bid on the project), formulated the new re-districting plan for Westchester. In the end, he did not make any major changes to the County’s legislative districts, moving just 4% of the population. In comparison, a new re-districting plan on Long Island seeks to move over 40% of the residents from one district to another.
“After all the hard work that has been put into this, why spend another dollar and start the project from scratch when these new maps have raised so few objections?” asked Chairman Jenkins. “If the County Executive really thinks the re-districting is flawed, then he should step forward and explain to the taxpayers what he would do otherwise. As is, this is a fair plan for all of Westchester’s residents.”
Legislator Nonna said, “We made every effort to make sure that any changes requested by the legislators, the League of Women Voters and members of the public were discussed in the open at the Legislation Committee meetings. I am dismayed that the re-districting has become a political issue, and hope that we can move forward with the electoral process now that we have voted the new re-districting plan into law.”
“No re-districting plan is perfect, but we feel this one is fair,” Nonna continued. “Anyone can find something to disagree with in these instances when the mapping is finished. This plan, though, was created in an open and transparent process with bi-partisan participation, and that is hard to fault.”
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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the Governor’s Office. May 24,2011:
Governor Andrew Cuomo and Assembly leader Sheldon Silver have announced an agreement in Albany on a 2% property tax cap for New York State. The details have to be worked out in the two houses of the legislature.
Early descriptions of the agreement indicate contributions that school districts make into the state pension system would be exempt partially from oroperty tax increase calculations of the 2% property tax increase allowed, and districts could adjust taxes if assessibles grew in value. The tax cap could also be overridden with 60 percent of a local school district vote. It should be noted that in the White Plains City School District, the school budget is routinely passed by over 60% of the voters.
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WPCNR PRESS BOX. MAY 24,2011:
Phil Pepe, the dean of New York sportswriters, author of the definitive book on the 1961 homerun race ( “1961”)between legends Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris is interviewed by White Plains’ “Johnny Sports” John Vorperian on Mr. Vorporian’s long running sports talk show, BEYOND THE GAME tonight at 10 PM on Channel 76 and Channel 45 in the White Plains and Westchester area. The program will be show again Friday evening at 9.
Phil Pepe, Dean of New York Sportswriters on BEYOND THE GAME TONIGHT: The King of the portable Royal Corona, tells how it was in the old mezzanine of the original Yankee Stadium in the open air press box watching Roger and Mickey in the great1961 season.
Phil Pepe covered the Yankees of 1961 for The World Telegram & Sun newspaper and he shares how Mickey and Roger acted and related to the press and through the historic season when Mr. Maris broke Babe Ruth’s 60-homer record on the last day of the season. Pepe also shares opinions on the watering down of The Baseball Hall of Fame, the players of today, and how it was.
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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. May 24, 2011:
The Roach administration and Common Council chose to preserve city services rather than layoff employees to lower the tax rate more, last night when they cut $814,825 off the budget by finding savings through procedures to lower the proposed tax increase of 6.7% to 4.9%.
The city tax increase in dollar terms, Roach told the Common Council in his opening statement was $124 for an average
When the county tax for 2011, the school tax for 2011-12 and the new lowered 4.9% city tax are considered, the median-valued
The tax on the White Plains mid-market home has gone up approximately $168 from the schools; dropped $46 from the county, and gone up $154 from the city . The total tax increase year-to-year from the three taxing authorities is $276.Of course, if your home is market-valued at more than $650,000, your taxes will be higher.
Mayor Thomas Roach, asked why the city chose not to layoff employees to lower the tax increase closer to the rate of inflation (2%), said the city wanted to preserve quality of life by maintaining a high level of services to the public.
He blamed the rise in taxes on the mandate imposed on the city by the state requiring increased contributions to the pension fund and the health care benefits which alone account for about $8 Million. The city pension and health care premiums are up 4.84% and 4.86%, Roach said
Michael Genito and Eileen Earl, Commissioner of Finance and city financial consultant, respectively, made a presentation explaining how the cuts came about.
Genito said the city faced an $814,825 shortfall in revenues lead by an unexpected drop in mortgage taxes of $350,000, $12,000 in state aid for the Youth Bureau and an $803, 868 drop in the tax levy (due to a $3.2 Million drop in the assessment roll) and drop in Payments In Lieu of Taxes of $47,218. He said the city made up that $814,825 revenue shortage by finding ways to cut expenses due to developing situations that were unexpected benefits of the city’s financial prudence.
Genito and Earl said the city enjoyed a $165,000 drop in interest expense in the coming year thanks to a lower bank anticipation notes sales at an interest rate of .75%, for city certiorari payments and other capital expenditures. (The notes have to pay a higher interest if not paid off in five years, Earl told WPCNR).
The city cut contributions to the Library Fund by $66,000; saved $110,000 from less “waste haulaways” due to the success of the city recycling program; saved $107,000 in various jobs turnovers; and $97,423 in overtime/ part-time/and benefits (savings).The city also cut its contribution to the Self-insurance fund by $100,000 for a savings of over $727,999
Mayor Roach said there would be no city raises in the coming budget. A member of the council promised there would be no surprise raises given commissioners and appointed officials after the budget is officially passed Thursday evening,(as there were last year)
The Commissioner of Finance Michael Genito told WPCNR today the only increases in pay are those “contractually required” based on merit increases tied to “longevity.”
The city budget now tops out at approximately $160.4 Million. The city tax rate moves from $167.82 last year to $176.11 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation.
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WPCNR SOUTH END TIMES. Special to WPCNR From the French-American School of New York.(EDITED) May 23, 2011:
The French-American School of New York (FASNY) announced today it has submitted its plan for the creation of a campus on a portion of the former Ridgeway Country Club to the City of White Plains.
Rendering of the French-American School of New York planned for the former site of Ridgeway Country Club.The new campus design is seen from Ridgeway Avenue looking North. The building to the left is the former Ridgeway Clubhouse, converted to the F.A.S.N.Y. high school and offices. The low rise buildig to the right is the new Middle School. Rendering, courtesy, The French-American School of New York.
It will enable the unification of the four divisions that are now housed in three
The proposal limits the campus to 40 acres of development while preserving 60 acres — a “Gedney Preserve” for walking, jogging and bicycling.
“FASNY will be a valuable economic and cultural asset for
The plan for the 129-acre property clusters most of the school’s use to just 40 acres at the south end of the already disturbed portion of the property. Extensive vegetative buffer areas will surround the school’s perimeter. State-of-the-art storm bio-filtration and other stormwater measures will be implemented to address the existing poor drainage conditions at the site. Extensive “green” building techniques and practices are incorporated in architectural plans throughout the campus.
“Gedney Preserve”
FASNY has set aside 60 buildable acres (not including wetlands) as permanent publicly accessible open space. Additional acreage is expected to be added to this as the details of the plan are discussed with the city’s planners and the public. This open space, valued at $8 million, will become The Gedney Preserve, a passive natural area with public trails for walking, jogging and bicycling. It will also be linked to the city’s existing trail network and will be the largest open space in the City of
Under the plan, vehicle access to the site is restricted to a new two lane, tree-lined entry drive. No school traffic will be permitted to exit north on
The access drives to both the middle and high schools and the pre-k and elementary school have been carefully designed to accommodate both buses and cars within the campus for student drop-off and pick-up and to avoid queuing on Ridgeway. As part of the approval process the City will determine what improvements, if any, may be appropriate for Ridgeway. FASNY would pay for such improvements.
Campus Components
The proposed campus is divided into two sections fronting on Ridgeway and separated by
West side between
East side to the right of
A single U-shaped, one- and two-story building will house the Nursery, Pre-K, Kindergarten and Elementary School (grades 1-5) children. Each wing has its own entrance and administration office. The two wings of the building are linked by a two-story section that includes the gym and cafeterias. A general use playing field is adjacent to the elementary wing. A two-way circular drive will accommodate both cars and buses on site.
Special Environmental Considerations
Managing Stormwater
Building “Green”
Buffering Adjacent Properties
“We truly believe that our campus will be fully consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan and offers the best alternative for this site for the neighboring community and the City as a whole,” Zabotin said. “This includes clustering our development to preserve the natural conditions on the site, developing linkages between the public and private open spaces along the existing City corridor and preserving appropriate public access to open spaces on the Ridgeway property. We are committed to keeping the community fully informed as we move into the review process.”
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. Special to WPCNR from Carl Albanese.May 21,2011. UPDATED, May 22,2011.:
U.S. Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand introduced her Urban Youth Employment Job Bill here Friday in White Plains at a press conference held at Eastview Middle School in partnership with White Plains Youth Bureau.
Senator Gillebrand (center) mingled with Eastview Middle School Students joined by White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, second from left, Eastview Principal, Joseph Cloherty, far right and Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Jennifer O’Donovan,far left.
Senator Gillebrand introduces her bill to aid employment of youths during the summer with Westchester County, New York and White Plains brass. Left to right: Councilman David Buchwald, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (88th A.D.), County Board of Legislators Chair, Kenneth Jenkins, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, Assemblyman Robert Castelli(89th A.D.), State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, White Plains Youth Bureau Director Frank Williams, White Plains Councilperson, Milagros Lecuona, and White Plains Council President, Benjamin Boykin.
The news conference was hosted by White Plains Mayor Roach (at podium), attending White Plains Youth Bureau students, Eastview students, and many Westchester and White Plains elected officials. In attendance was former mayor Joseph Delfino who under his tenure expanded the Youth Bureau’s diversified programs, business employment partnership programs, and funding for the WPYB.
Senator Gillibrand stressed the importance of supporting our youth employment business partnership programs. Providing job and career opportunities though out the state and was pleased that she could partnership with the White Plains Youth Bureau, invited by Mayor Roach Friday in White Plains for the introduction of the Youth Employment Job Bill.
According to the Urban League news release, The Urban Jobs Act (the League supports the bill), “would establish a feeder system for youth through the award of competitive grants to national non-profit organizations, in partnership with local affiliates, to provide a holistic approach for preparing youth ages 18 through 24 for entry into the job market, as well as for helping to reduce the disproportionate incarceration of minority youth in urban areas. This program would fill a major gap in the service needs of such youth.”
According to a news release from Ken Jenkins, Chair of the Board of County Legislators, “When a young person is invested in a job, it not only provides an opportunity to earn a little extra money, but it also raises the confidence and sense of accomplishment for that young person. This contributes to smarter students, safer neighborhoods, and a highly skilled and prepared workforce for the future.
“This legislation helps young men and women from urban communities become a part of the economic mainstream; and, in the process, provide the business community with motivated job-ready workers. I want to thank Senator Gillibrand for her leadership and steadfast support on this issue and I look forward to working with her locally.”
The White Plains Youth Bureau back in 2010 under the direction of Executive Director Frank Williams Jr. and Deputy Director, Linda Puoplo celebrated its 40th Anniversary 1970 – 2010 providing our children and youth, ages 5-24 with effective constructive development programs through out White Plains. For the last 40 plus years the WPYB has been the safe haven for our youth development in after school connection (ASC) educational programs, leadership and counseling, summer tutorial camp, youth employment services, Project Hope, prevention services, reading, out reach programs, teen activities, performing arts and culture in White Plains.
We are all proud of the community youth services and programs our city provides for the many children and teens provided through the White Plains Youth Bureau programs. We can only express our citizen’s appreciation that Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand is working for our youth, communities and keeping White Plains on her agenda for our children and families.
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Susan Katz’s PET FOOD PANTRY OPENS
HELPS NEEDY FEED THEIR PETS
White Plains Susan Katz officially opened her newest public service venture with the appearance of Macy, the well-known canine actress, seen frequently in productions of “Annie” around the metropolitan area.
Macy, rescued from an Oklahoma animal shelter by Bill Berloni Theatrical Animals, just days away from her demise opened Ms. Katz’s pantry to help needy persons feed their dogs,cats,and other pets rather than give them up.
“The Food Selection for your pet,” barks Macy “is fit for a Star.” Persons interested in applying to receive pet food from the Pantry may call(914)907-3487
Ms. Katz said she founded the Pet Food Pantry because she was touched by the stories of persons, hurt by the recession giving up their pets because they could not feed them. She thanked Chester Day the Kensico Cemetary for finding her space at the American Legion Hall in Valhalla, and the Legion for accepting them. To date, open only six months, the Pet Food Pantry is serving over 50 families regularly supplying pet food without charge to them once a month.Applicants have to prove their need for help to the Pantry.
County Legislator Bill Burton arrived because he was affected by pets abandoned in the Hurricane Katrina disaster, and fully supported Mrs.Katz’s idea that has now become a reality. Burton brought a proclamation from State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins saluting the Pet Food Pantry
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WPCNR County Clarion-Ledger. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators (Edited with background by WPCNR’s John Bailey) May 19,2011:
A proposed lease agreement for the Westchester Children’s Museum with the County for site control of the 22,000 square-foot Playland bathhouse space, a historic landmark, has moved through the Board’s Committee on Public Works, Parks Labor & Transportation, the Board of Legislators announced Thursday
The historic Bathhouse, located at Playland’s boardwalk, has been currently undergoing repair and renovation to its exterior for three years at a cost originally financed for $8.8 Million in May, 2008.
A vote to set the public hearing on the lease will be on the agenda during the next Board meeting on Monday, May 23rd.
According the County Board News Release Thursday: “At a time when budget cuts and the erosion of quality after-school youth programs are causing more people to seek out community-based alternative services within Westchester County, the Children’s Museum will be a vibrant, interactive cultural institution for children and families and a dynamic resource for schools,” said Board Chairman Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers).
The news release continued:
“Families throughout the region will find the Children’s Museum a highly worthwhile educational experience,” said Legislator Bill Ryan (D-White Plains), Chairman of the Board’s Committee on Public Works, Parks Labor & Transportation. “This is a very positive step being taken by the Board. The Children’s Museum will be a quality addition to Playland Park.”
The bathhouse was set aside exclusively for the children’s museum, if the museum raises money to rebuild the interior and operate it. So far, the children’s museum’s board has raised $8 million and is working towards raising a total of $14 million. They have already spent $1.5 million on building designs. The Museum has, also, started educational programs with community groups. Chairman Jenkins added that the museum project would be a welcoming environment for special-needs children and a means to build tourism for the county.
Voting for public hearing to lock-in childrens museum?
WPCNR notes apparently to the contrary, that the cost of renovating the exterior of the bathhouse is being paid for by $8.8 Million in county taxpayers’ dollars (approved in May 2008), and construction has been moving on at a slow pace for three years. The county appears to be subsidizing this project, while possibly compromising the appeal of the site to serious developers. The childrens museum by Jenkins statement, has not even raised its estimated operating expenses yet in three years.
WPCNR notes that a proposal for a childrens’ museum was one of the many private proposals from developers submitted to the county in response to a Request for Proposals in February.
The county’s apparent urge to set a public hearing at this time on the childrens’ museum concept, and go for a lease agreement would seem to mean that no matter what proposal for the “new Playland” the Astorino administration and a citizens’ group reviewing the proposals decides upon — a developer/operator other than the children’s museum, for instance — that developer will have to incorporate the children’s museum into their plan.
Hotels, marinas, and other uses for example would be deprived of prime space on on that boardwalk by the children’s museum guaranteed occupancy.
To date, the children’s museum group has not to this reporter’s knowledge given detailed plans on what would be in the museum, or whether the Playland pool at the Bathhouse would continue to be operated.