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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. June 3, 2008 UPDATED June 4, 2008 9:40 A.M.: Two Indians on, nobody out, and the Tigers held a 2-1 lead Tuesday afternoon in the last of the seventh in the quarter final of the fastpitch Class AA Sectional in Wappingers Falls.

The hardworking Tiger in the circle,  Lauren Sputo was over 100 pitches. She went 3-1 to R. C. Ketchum’s clean-up lady, Jess Syska. Senior catcher Sandra Mastrangelo went to talk with Lauren they touched gloves. Sputo came back getting two called strikes for out number one.

 

Next up came the number five hitter, Amanda Machio who took three balls. Tiger catcher Sandra Mastrangelo went out to the circle again and laid on the gloves  with Lauren. Then,  boom! Boom! Boom! Sputo came back to get  Machio  on another called third strike on the corner.

Two out and Sputo into her 130^th pitch, was facing Chelse Boyes, who had blasted a triple in the second inning, walked, and looped a liner to left. The first pitch was over for a strike, then a ball, a swing and miss, and a foul, 1-2, the runners led away. Sputo delivered a nasty pitch across the thighs tying her up inside , Boyes  connected hitting the inside pitch off the fists past the circle.

 

Christine Coppola positioned perfectly in the third base hole gathered  it in as the crowd held its breath. Gloving it with care,  as if the yellow roller  was a bounding land mine, she gingerly, carefully eased over to  third base and planted her right foot decisively on the bag for the game-ending force out. Here Christine is bringing the precious ball to the home plate umpire. The big out.

The Tiger softball team  (Co Champs of League 1-A with Scarsdale), had ousted the Number 1 seed! It was a clutch performance by the battery of Sputo and Mastrangelo that capped a taut afternoon in the sun, moving the Tigers into the Section 1 Semi-Final on Thursday where they will play Yorktown, last year’s defending Section 1 Champion at 4:30 P.M. at Yorktown High School.

The game was scoreless  through the first 4-1/2 frames, as Chelse Boyes and Sputo dueled for the second time in two weeks. Boyes won the first battle in extra frames at the  Melissa Danielle Bisaccia tournament. The Tigers and R.C. Ketchum have a lot of great games with each other and Tigers Coach Ted O’Donnell plays that tournament very year because of the high calibre Ketchem competition. 

Ketchum scored in the fifth when Michelle Sasso hit a shot off Sputo to Christine Giansante behind the mound, who just missed throwing her out at first base. Sasso went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Lauren Boyes’ solid single up the middle into centerfield for a 1-0 lead. Sputo walked the next hitter, induced Syska to ground to Giansante at second, moving the runners up. Then Sputo fanned Amanda Macio on three pitches to retire the side.

Chelse Boyes had been mowing the Tigers down for the first five innings with the Tigers having no bona fide threats. Twice Chelse had cut down Tigers at second on sacrifice bunt attempts to avert scoring situations. 

Flooks Flyer Sets Up The Equalizer

In sixth the Tigers broke through. Jackie Flooks the leadoff Tiger, cued the ball  on a slapper from the left side in the third and short hole. The shortstop gunned it to first, but Jackie was safe on a banger.  

With pitcher Boyes deadly on bunts, Coach Ted O’Donnell put on the steal on the second pitch to Christine Coppolla and Flooks was flying.  The catcher’s throw was up the line, and the shortstop swipe tag missed Jackie’s left shoulder going by, the umpire right on the play went palms down! Tying run on second.  Coach O’Donnell told WPCNR he wanted to shake things up a bit, and that’s why he put the steal on.

R. C. Ketchum Talks it over as Coach O’Donnell instructs Flooks — a familiar sight over the years — Coach Ted O’Donnell endlessly communicating leaving nothing to chance.

Boyes then induced a grounder to second, and Jackie had to hold the second sack. A passed ball allowed Flooks to go to third. After Kate Smayda worked the count to full, and walked, Sandra Mastrangelo came to the plate. The first pitch to Sandra was a wild pitch all the way to the backstop and Jackie scored in a cloud of dust, the throw from the catcher  high and late and it was 1-1,  Smayda moving to second.

Sandra Mastrangelo Turns Second and Holds On as Coach O’Donnell Holds Her up, after the SandraShot puts Tigers ahead 2-1.

Boyes’ next pitch to Mastrangelo, Sandra told WPCNR was outside and a little up and she got ALLLLLL of it. Out it soared to the opposite field, a long screaming line drive into the gap that scored Kate Smayda from second to put the Tigers ahead 2 to 1.

Going to the bottom of the sixth, Sputo had thrown 75 pitches on the warm afternoon, and after a catch of a hump back Texas Leaguer into shallow left by Tiger Shortstop Christy Reina, and a ground out, surrendered a hit and a walk, but fanned lead off hitter Michello Sasso on three pitches to closeout the threat.

The Tigers did not score in their half of the seventh, setting the stage for Sputo’s great clutch performance in the last of the seventh.

Put it In the Books

Unofficially Sputo threw between 125 to 135 pitches.  (On WCBS 880, Yankee broadcasters were worrying that Joba Chamberlain had thrown  39 pitches in the first inning, and only was going to go for 60 pitches, the poor baby).

Sputo  struck out 10, walked 6.  Sputo’s mental toughness to come back from 3 ball counts to strike out the Number 4 and 5 hitters with the tying and winning runs aboard – and catcher Mastrangelo’s ability to pull her pitcher through the crisis  pitch by pitch – showed catcher-pitcher coordination at the highest level. Coach O’Donnell did not leave the bench in the seventh inning crunch – a gesture of confidence in his senior catcher and the sophomore windmiller that speaks volumes. (If O’Donnell had been managing the Mets last September, things might have turned out differently in Flushing.)

Tiger Paws at Work

A key play of the game was the Ketchum pitcher Chelse Boyes’ triple in the second inning. Boyes facing Sputo on a 1-2 count got all of a pitch up and drove it majestically one hop the the red right field net in straight away right. Rightfielder Laura DeMarte ran it down and launched a long throw to third to Christine Coppola covering. Coppola slapped the tag on Boyes who had beaten the throw, but Boyes momentum pulled her foot off the bag!

Too late!

 Coppola, alert to the baserunning miscue,  instinctively slapped the tag on again and the plate umpire — right there  within 3 feet of the play — pointed to the foot off the bag and punched her out. It was a great call! No argument. Credit Demarte for the great throw, and thirdbaser Coppola for not giving up on the play.

DeMarte in rightfield also made a fine running catch in foul territory down the rightfield line to retire Sam Tierney to begin the bottom of the sixth, when the wind was blowing the ball away from her.

It was a great team victory by the Tigers who played a perfect defensive game.

Meeting at Home Plate: Coach Ted O’Donnell and Captains Sandra Mastrangelo and Jackie Flooks, going over the ground rules at the traditional meeting at “Grand Central Terminal.” 

Mastrangelo’s catlike movements and intensity behind the plate are reminiscent of the great Pete Rose in hustle, desire and “fastpitch instrincts.” In the seventh she chased a foul ball behind the backstop (out of play) just on sheer will to catch the ball. You may see other ballplayers who hustle as much as Ms. Mastrangelo — but you will never see another who hustles more.

Fastpitch Sunset

The sad thing about such a great contest is that one team feels sky high, and plays again, and the other team’s season ends. That pathos was evident as the runner on second base for R.C. Ketchum, a team with five seniors, senior Lauren Boyes who had started the seventh so promisingly, was forced out to end the game.

She sank to her knees in front of third base, silently crying in the infield dirt.

The ball game was over.

Her season was over.

She would never play fastpitch for RC Ketchem again.

Just like that.

Perhaps no end of game is more agonizing than the final out.

No more days in the sun on the clay  field in between the lines — the greatest place you can be if you’re 17 and live the fastpitch life.

 

 

 

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. June 3,2008; The New York State Commission on Property Tax Relief called for a 4% Tax Levy Cap across school districts yesterday, an aggressive Circuit Breaker program to replace the state STAR Basic and Enhanced Relief programs, and a new budget voting process where school district budgets would only have to go before voters if the proposed budget exceeded the budget cap. The Commission also provided for the voters of a district to place an “underride” vote on theballot to keep the levy growth to a level beneath the calculated levy cap.

The Report, 124 pages in length, was forwarded to the media by John Reid, the Executive Director of the Commission. The  “Final” report is due to the Governor by December 1, (after the elections). This delays any reform in property taxes to the 2010-2011 tax year, at the earliest, by WPCNR estimates.

4%?

Applied to the White Plains City School District, White Plains would be hard-pressed to keep their budgets at a 4% year-to-year tax levy increase, since the district’s lowest tax increase in the last 11 years was 4.94% in 1997.

 Since 1997, the district has increased taxes, 5.51% (1998), 6.72% (1999), 7.64% (2000) , 7.94% (2001) , 8.59% (2002), 6.89% (2003), 7.53% (2004), 9.36% (2005), 8.12% (2006), 6.95%(2007) ,   and this year (2008), the school district quoted a 5.98% tax increase, however, when you take into account the significantly reduced STAR BASIC and ENHANCED EXPEMPTIONS, never announced by the district or the state legislatue, the tax increase is actually 8%.

Levy Cap Needs Definition

The recommendation on the levy Cap is hedged, though, the Commission recommends including new construction of homes, businesses and renovations in a district being added to the levy cap because they write that “expand(s) the school district’s tax base without affecting existing taxpayers.”  The Preliminary Report does not explain what this actually means and how this would be figured into their proposed Levy Cap, and the overall effect. 

One of the problems with the White Plains City School District is that new construction in White Plains of which there has been plenty, has not kept up with the certiorari drain that has plagued the district tax base.

Capital expense/Debt Service Votes Exempted from Levy Cap.

Another softening of the hard levy Cap is Capital items are exempted from being included in it. Just as capital expenses and debt service are excluded from the contingency budget figured by the state, the Commission recommends, “Capital items – one-time expense or debt service – would continue to be authorized by public vote, and would not be included within the levy cap.”

White Plains would Face a 60% Override Plurality Tied to State Aid.

On Override votes, say, where White Plains may want to spend a budget next year (bound to be a whopper since this year’s budget was relatively modest by White Plains spending patterns), school districts would have to submit an approval of the override – subject to the amount of state aid the district receives.

Take White Plains. The County Seat  currently receives 8%  of its $184.4 Million budget for 2008-2009 in state aid. The Commission recommends that to override, if a district receives  an increase of more than 5% of their budget in state aid, 60% of the voters would have to approve the override. This year’s White Plains budget of a 6% Tax Increase (8% in reality), passed by 52% to 48%.  That is a problem.

This year White Plains received a state aid increase, much ballyhooed by the state legislative representatives of 9.35%. Applied to this year’s budget vote, the proposed new “aid” override policy, would have meant that the White Plains School Budget would not have passed at the 52% to 48% margin, and the contingency budget would have to be put into effect.

The usual Suspects

The Preliminary Report calls for a halt to new legislative mandates; no new mandates from the State Education Department without complete analysis of fiscal impacts, an Office of the StateComptroller report on the cumulative cost to localities of complying with all new regulatory and legislative mandates.

The report endorses the Triborough provision of the Taylor Law to exclude teacher step and lane increments from continuation until new contracts are negotiated; calls for centralized and streamlined school district reporting, and a Commission tas force on other State mandates to research reforms between this Commission’s final report in December.

Wrapping up the recommendations is a requirement to have districts report on collective bargaining outcomes; A study to evaluate a new Tier 5 within the pension system; establish a BOCES statewide energy purchasing program to save energy costs, and finally, establish uniform statewide assessing standards (undefined).

The Commission recommends a Commission Task Force on Special Education (purpose not defined), and a Commission Task Force on Fiscally Dependent School Districts for the Big Four Cities.

Suozzi Comments

In Chairman Thomas Suozzi’s cover letter to Preliminary Report, he notes in the opening paragraph to Governor Patterson, “While titled “preliminary,” this report recommends major policy changes — especially a property tax cap — that need not wait for our final report.”

Cover Letter

Mr. Reid’s cover letter introducing the report comments:

I  am pleased to share with you a copy of the Preliminary Report of the New York State Commission on Property Tax Relief.  The report is, in large part, the product of hours of testimony, discussion and research by hundreds of individuals representng the broadest spectrum of interests and perspectives.

Your insight during this process has been invaluable.  The Commission Members, Special Advisors and the staff  look forward to continuing our dialogue on this most crucial of issues.

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WPCNR’S THE REAL DEAL By The Wedding Jeannie, Jeannie Uyanik of Cap and Gown Weddings with Elizabeth West. June 1, 2008: Last week we gave you the rules of thumb for a successful rehearsal dinner. This week, contributor Elizabeth West is going to offer some creative ideas and real world examples that readers can easily implement into their own rehearsal dinner design concepts.  Here’s Liz…

 

The Wedding Jeannie

Jeannie Uyanik

Wedding Planner to the World

WPCNR Columnista

 

 

 

Many brides are faced with the challenge of designing a creative and fun wedding without turning it into a sweet sixteen or an over-the-top Bat Mitzvah. With all the coordinating napkins, invitations, bubbles, and favors available, the wedding can quickly go from chic to something that looks like it came out of a Hello Kitty™ store.  And while I can appreciate a clever and whimsical idea, I usually tell brides that the best place for those ideas is at the rehearsal dinner.  Since everyone is usually a bit nervous with anticipation of the big day, it’s the perfect time to create an event that’s fun, relaxed, and personal.

 

 

Generally speaking, the actual wedding day is about the bride.  The groom can easily blend in with the other groomsmen and basically has one job- to show up.  This is why I often recommend making the rehearsal dinner more groom focused.  It’s the time to pay homage to the men in your life.  Often for the wedding, the groom’s ideas get instantly vetoed or overlooked (and sometimes rightly so).  So if you have to budge- why not do it with the rehearsal dinner?  It often can result in a fantastic and meaningful event.

 

We did this recently with a couple named Noelle and Thomas.  The bride confessed that she had ruled the decision making process for the wedding day, so she loosened the reins and allowed the rehearsal dinner to reflect the personalities of some important men in her life: the groom, her father, and the groom’s father. 

 

The bride’s father had a signature dish that he loved to make, a southern specialty called Shrimp n’ Grits.  When guests took their seats, there was a white bag of grits at each place setting.  Attached to the bag on the front was the evening’s dinner menu and on the back was a custom recipe card for her father’s Shrimp n Grits.  It was an inexpensive way to highlight a family favorite recipe, a great way to display the menu and a super favor for the guests- especially the ones from out of town. 

 

The music for the evening was inspired by the groom’s father.  A man of the 50’s and 60’s, he enjoyed the classics like Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash and Dean Martin.  So the couple created a song list for the evening that featured many of his favorite tunes.  And to let the guests in on the significance of the music, they included a note at the bottom of the menu card.  This was an understated but much appreciated gesture from the couple to the groom’s father.  And many of the older guests unexpectedly got into the nostalgia of the music and were so excited not be listening to The Black Eyed Peas! 

 

When it came to the dessert, it was a no brainer.  Since the groom was born and raised in NY, he was a lover of cheesecake.  So the couple did a trio of gourmet cheesecakes that would please almost any guest:  traditional NY style, pumpkin, and Turtle Cheesecake.  And as a last minute surprise, the bride had a custom groom’s cake brought out.  The groom happened to be a physician, so it was in the shape of a giant scrubs top.  It was a hit with the guests and a special treat for the groom from his bride.

 

Focusing on the groom is just one route you can go for inspiration.  Another option is allowing the details of the wedding to dictate what the rehearsal dinner should be like.  In 2006, we planned a black tie wedding at the W Hotel in midtown NYC.  Everything was super modern, sleek and very night-club like.  So for the rehearsal dinner, the couple went in the opposite direction.  They literally had beer and pizza in a classic New York pizzeria in Little Italy.  This offered the wedding party an intimate time before the big day to be relaxed and to enjoy being together without any unnecessary fanfare. 

 

The opposite works as well!  Several years ago we had a bride that was from a small community where she was very well known and loved.  Not wanting to hurt any feelings, she hosted a large wedding under a tent at her parent’s home.  The wedding was elegant but extremely relaxed.  The food was all served on stations and the event just flowed naturally.  The couple still wanted to treat their closest friends and family to a spectacular dinner.  So the night before, they bought out a local restaurant and served a decadent five course dinner to these special guests.  They presented each guest with a unique gift and used that night to make all toasts and speeches.  The next day was truly just for celebration and having fun!

 

It’s really easy to make the rehearsal dinner something you’ll look back on as a special time.  Get creative and whimsical!  Use your groom or family as your inspiration.  Take a different approach than you did with the wedding.  Or if you find yourself in a traditional situation…..just let your mother-in-law plan it.  But if she wants your input- be ready

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. May 30, 2008: The city has after the Civil Service Employees Union has been without a contract for 11 months, settled with the union for a retroactive raise of reportedly 4% plus increase in health benefits. This sets the stage for a new round of talks with police, fire, and teamsters. Those contracts expire in one month. The settlement reached this month is scheduled to be voted on at Monday’s Common Council meeting, June 2.

The agenda:

COMMON COUNCIL
AGENDA REGULAR STATED MEETING
JUNE 2, 2008
7:30 P.M.

 

PLEDGE TO THE FLAG:                Hon. Dennis Power

INVOCATION:                                  Rev. Vincent Euko
                                               St. John the Evangelist Church

ROLL CALL:                                           City Clerk

EMPLOYEE                                         Carolyn Mayo
OF THE MONTH:                           Senior Account Clerk
                                                         Budget Department

PUBLIC HEARING:

1.       Public Hearing in relation to amending the Zoning Ordinance of the City of White Plains with respect to amending Section 7.7.1, Minor Amendment, to add a new Section 7.7.1.1.4 to remove from consideration as a minor amendment any application for a site plan amendment which includes the addition of any additional story or mezzanine level to an approved project.

2.                 Communications from Commissioner of Planning

3.                                                            Commissioner of Public Works

4.                                                            Commissioner of Parking

5.                                                            Environmental Officer

6.                 Environmental Findings Resolution

7.                 Ordinance amending an ordinance entitled “The Zoning Ordinance of the City of White Plains” with respect to adjustments to approved “site plans” and “site plan” amendments involving additional “stories” or “mezzanine” levels.

FIRST READING
ORDINANCES:

8.       Communication from Special Counsel in relation to the settlement of certain tax review proceedings.

9.                 Ordinance authorizing the settlement of certain tax review proceedings.

10.     Communication from the Mayor in relation to a Memorandum of Agreement between the City and the Civil Service Employees Association, Inc., extending for one year the collective bargaining agreement which expired on June 30, 2007.

11.               Ordinance approving and ratifying the Memorandum of Agreement entered into May 2008, between the representatives of the City of White Plains and the Civil Service Employees Association, Inc., Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO for the City of White Plains Unit, authorizing the Mayor to direct the Budget Director to make the necessary transfers from the Reserves for Financing to fund the increased payments under the Agreement, authorizing the Mayor to direct the Commissioner of Finance to start payments under the Agreement, and authorizing the Mayor to enter into a Collective Bargaining Agreement containing the terms of the May 2008 Agreement.

12.               Ordinance amending the White Plains Municipal Code by amending various sections of the Compensation and Leave Plan in relation to Elected and Appointed Officials and Managerial/Confidential Employees.

13.     Communication from Chairman, Capital Projects Board, in relation to Capital Project No. W5240, Water Transmission Main from CAPS.

14.               Communication from Environmental Officer

15.               Environmental Findings Resolution

16.               Ordinance of the Common Council, last amended on May 7, 2007, amending an ordinance entitled “An ordinance of the Common Council of the City of White Plains to amend the Capital Projects Fund by establishing Capital Project No. W5240, Water Transmission Main from CAPS.

17.               Bond Ordinance authorizing the issuance of $1,500,000 bonds of the City of White Plains, Westchester County, New York, to pay part of the $1,507,500 estimated maximum cost of the extension of a water transmission main from the Central Avenue Pump Station along Ferris Avenue past the intersection of Ferris Avenue and Richard Street, in and for said City.

18.     Communication from Chairman, Capital Projects Board, in relation to Capital Project No. C5304, Miscellaneous Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction FY 2008.

19.               Communication from Environmental Officer

20.               Environmental Findings Resolution

21.               Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of White Plains to amend the Capital Projects Fund by establishing Capital Project No. C5304, Miscellaneous Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction FY 2008.

22.               Bond Ordinance authorizing the issuance of $300,000 bonds of the City of White Plains, Westchester County, New York, to pay part of the $301,500 estimated maximum cost of miscellaneous sanitary sewer reconstruction, in and for said City.

23.     Communication from Chairman, Capital Projects Board, in relation to Capital Project No. C5304, Kittrell Basketball Courts, Lights and Drainage.

24.               Communication from Environmental Officer

25.               Environmental Findings Resolution

26.               Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of White Plains to amend the Capital Projects Fund by establishing Capital Project No. C5305, Kittrell Basketball Courts, Lights and Drainage.

27.     Communication from Chairman, Capital Projects Board, in relation to Capital Project No. C5306, Ebersole Ice Rink, Electrical System.

28.               Communication from Environmental Officer

29.               Environmental Findings Resolution

30.               Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of White Plains to amend the Capital Projects Fund by establishing Capital Project No. C5306, Ebersole Ice Rink, Electrical System.

31.     Communication from Commissioner of Public Safety in relation to a transfer of funds to cover additional costs for overtime within the Police Bureau.

32.               Ordinance authorizing a transfer between the 2007/2008 budgets of the Fire and Police Bureaus to cover additional costs for overtime within the Police Bureau.

33.     Communication from Commissioner of Recreation and Parks in relation to an agreement with the County of Westchester to continue operation of senior citizens programs under the Older Americans Act.

34.               Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into agreement with the County of Westchester for the conduct by the City of a program for Year 2008 under Titles III-B, III-C-1, and B-C-2 of the Older Americans Act.

35.     Communication from Director, Youth Bureau, in relation to a contract with the County of Westchester Department of Social Services to operate a Summer Youth Employment Program.

36.               Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into a contract with Westchester County Department of Social Services to operate a Summer Youth Employment Program.

37.     Communication from Chairman, Traffic Commission, in relation to proposed amendments to the Traffic Ordinance at various locations around the City.

38.               Ordinance amending the Traffic Ordinance of the City of White Plains in relation to No Standing At Any Time, No Parking 8:00A.M. to 6:00 P.M., No Parking, Designated handicapped Parking, Left Lane Must Turn Left, Middle Lane Must Proceed Straight, Three Hour Parking – Monday through Friday, Two Hour Parking – Monday Through Friday, Right Turns Prohibited, No Parking 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. – Monday Through Friday, Overnight Flashing of Intersection Traffic Control Signals – Under Computer Control, and Left Turns Prohibited.

RESOLUTIONS:

39.     Communication from Corporation Counsel in relation to an application submitted by Vintage Restaurant and Bar for a three (3) year renewal of a Special Permit for Cabaret Use at 171 Main Street.

40.               Resolution of the Common Council of the City of White Plains scheduling a public hearing for July 7, 2008 in relation to the application submitted by Vintage Restaurant and Bar for a three (3) year renewal of a Special Permit to operate a cabaret at 171 Main Street.

41.     Communication from Corporation Counsel in relation to an application submitted on behalf of Mac Corporation d/b/a Elements Restaurant, for a Special Permit for Outdoor Dining at 161 Mamaroneck Avenue.

42.               Resolution of the Common Council of the City of White Plains scheduling a public hearing for July 7, 2008 in relation to the application submitted on behalf of the applicant Mac Corporation d/b/a Elements Restaurant for a Special Permit for Outdoor Dining directly above the bar/restaurant, located at 161 Mamaroneck Avenue [Section 125.84, Block 6, Lot 13.1], to include a second story extra deck area on the roof.

43.     Communication from Commissioner of Building in relation to a request submitted on behalf of BNE Investors, LLC, for a second, one (1) year extension of Site Plan/Special Permit Approval to construct a multi-family residential building known as The Metropolitan at the intersection of Maple and DeKalb Avenues.

44.               Communications from        Design Review Board

45.                                                          Commissioner of Planning

46.                                                          Planning Board

47.                                                          Commissioner of Public Safety

48.                                                          Commissioner of Public Works

49.                                                          Commissioner of Traffic

50.                                                          Traffic Commission

51.                                                          Commissioner of Parking

52.                                                          Environmental Officer

53.               Environmental Findings Resolution

54.               Resolution of the Common Council of the City of White Plains extending for an additional one (1) year the Special Permit/Site Plan Approval originally granted on February 6, 2006, to BNE Investors, LLC (“Applicant”) and extended for one (1) year by resolution adopted March 5, 2007, to construct a new multi-family condominium residence (89 units) to be located at the corner of Maple and DeKalb Avenues, to be known as The Metropolitan (A) to increase the height of the proposed development from six (6) stories/90 feet to twelve (12) stories/125 feet for the RM-0.35 Zoning District under Footnote (N) of Section 5.3 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of White Plains (Schedule of Dimensional Regulations: Residential) and (B) the proposed exchange of approximately 6,108 square feet of City-owned land adjacent to the southerly property line of the project site, on which the applicant, at its own cost and expense, will construct and thereafter secure a publicly usable neighborhood open space and ( C) compensation to the City for the difference in value of the City-owned land to be conveyed and the value of the land to be donated to the City in exchange, such value to be adjusted for any easements and restrictions appertaining to the parcels.

REFERRAL:

55.     Communication from Commissioner of Building in relation to an application submitted by Burlington Coat Factory requesting an amendment to a previously approved site plan to install exterior signage at 275 Main Street.                   

56.     Communication from Commissioner of Building in relation to an application submitted on behalf of Westchester Church of Christ for an amendment to a previously approved site plan and Special Permit, to add a two (2) story, approximately 17,000 sq. ft. building to house a new sanctuary, classrooms, a nursery, restrooms, a kitchen and storage areas, located at 511 North Street        

57.     Communication from the City Clerk in relation to a request submitted on behalf of LC Main LLC for consideration of either a lease or license with the City of White Plains on the traffic island at the intersection of Main Street and Renaissance Square

ITEMS FOR
INFORMATION:

58.     Communication from the City Clerk transmitting a request submitted on behalf of Rome Partners and Associates, for an adjournment to July 7, 2008 of the application for a one year extension for site plan and Special Permit approvals on a residential condominium development at 10 Windsor Terrace.

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WPCNR THE PARKING NEWS. From City Hall. May 28, 2008: Melissa Lopez of the Mayor’s Office has issued a statement on the Parking Policy in effect Monday. Here is that statement:

1. We do not have an exact count at this time of parking tickets given on Memorial Day, during the parade.  The Parking departments enforcement efforts during this parade were the same as all other parades.  We did not issue tickets to parade participants , but  as usual  we did issue tickets to the general public who  did not have enough money in meters to pay for their parking. 

This parade  was not treated any differently  than any other parade during the course of the year.  The City has to provide services during all of these special events  throughout the year and the services must be paid for.  We have voided any tickets that were issued to Veterans who might have been issued a ticket while they were parade participants.

2. The City Center  Garage is open and has been open  this past weekend as well. The repairs to the selected decks are going forward and we hope to have all repairs completed by  the end of this week or beginning of next week .