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 SCHOOL DAYS. January 11, 2010: The White Plains Board of Education accepted the resignation of Ridgeway School Principal Evette Avila tonight at the second Board of Education meeting of the year, for “personal reasons,” according to Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Lenora Boehlert.

The resignation was effective June 30, 2010. Avila was scheduled to earn $172,433 as Elementary School Principal from July 1 2009 to June 30, 2010, and apparently will collect her salary for the balance of the year. Boehlert gave no reason for the resignation and Ms. Avila is no longer principal of the school. Tashia Brown remains as Assistant Principal.

Francis Lahey was appointed Interim Principal by the Board. No statements were made to the public by the Board on the Ridgeway School situation, or Mr. Lahey. Mr. Lahey previously served as interim principal at Eastview School in January 2009, and was Principal of Fox Lane High School.

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WPCNR MR. AND MRS. AND MS. WHITE PLAINS SURVEY. January 9, 2010: In view of the New York State $15 Billion Deficit, give or take a few billion here and there, depending on the latest Governor’s state press conference, New York State is facing massive state cuts, which at the latest look, the legislature seems unwilling to do.

The state also needs about $16 Billion for the Tappan Zee Bridge reconstruction, and faces another similar $15 Billion gap in 2012.

In the back of most legislators’ minds (though WPCNR cannot read the minds, but that presupposes New York legislators think) is that Washington will bail out the state with some of the Troubled Asset Relief Program money they received back from the banks. The state shamelessly did not cut any money from this year’s budget and used stimulus funds, sending them back to the counties, which at least in Westchester was used to offset the $60 Million sales tax gap in 2009, according to the former Spano Administration press office.

What do you think? Is New York too big to fail? Of course, should the Obama Administration bail out New York with say $40 Billion in “Obama Bucks” that would mean they would be obligated to send similar money out to Michigan, and similar states ravaged by the economy.

What do you think?

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WPCNR MILESTONES. From the White Plains High School Hall of Fame Biography and remembrances from his friends, Peter and Susan Katz. January 7, 2010: The man known as “Mr. White Plains” died Thursday evening in the White Plains home in which he was born in 1913. Robert F. Ruger was 97 years old. His health had been deteriorating in recent months.   

Bob Ruger, a life-long White Plains resident, gave selflessly of his time and talent to help dozens of White Plains organizations grow and prosper and thousands of White Plains residents enjoy a better life.Photo by Peter Katz

Mr. Ruger lived and passed away in the same house in which he was born in 1913. A member of the Class of 1931, he was among the first to attend the “new” Highlands High School building for a full year. After graduating from Rutgers University, Mr. Ruger began a 40-year career as a representative with Dun & Bradstreet.

In 1969, as an Elder of the Presbyterian Church, Mr. Ruger was chosen to make a round-the-world tour of mission activities. The trip stimulated his long-term interest in a church affiliated medical college in India.

Mr. Ruger served on the White Plains Common Council for 12 years (1976-1988). He was Council President in 1982 and 1983. He proudly displayed a custom license plate for his car which identified him as a councilman. For six years, he was Chairman of the White Plains Zoning Board of Appeals. He also served as Chairman of the city’s Traffic Commission for 26 years, resigning due to ill health in 2009, at the age of 96.

Mr. Ruger served in major leadership roles for a host of important local organizations, including Westco Productions, the White Plains-based theater company for which he served as President of the Board of Directors from 1992-2005, the White Plains Rotary Club, the Salvation Army, the YMCA, the Thomas H. Slater Center, the Westchester Drama Association, Senior Personnel Employment Council, the United Way and the Organization of People Undaunted by Stroke. He also was a member of the White Plains High School Tigers Fan Club.

Mr. Ruger served as President of the White Plains Beautification Foundation. He was honored at a testimonial dinner at the Crowne Plaza in November, 1987, and is a Marash Humanitarian Service Award winner. Westco Productions honored Mr. Ruger with a gala to mark his 90^th birthday in 2002 which was attended by several hundred friends and well wishers.

In 1996, he was inducted into the White Plains High School Hall of Fame.

 Susan Katz, (Left)  President of Westco introducing White Plains main man, Robert Ruger at a Westco Benefit honoring him in 2002 on his 90th birthday. To the right of Mr. Ruger are Jo Falcone and Charles Goldberger.

For his lifetime of community service and accomplishments, Mr. Ruger was known by his friends and associates as “Mr. White Plains.”

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From Michele Schoenfeld. January 6,2010 (Edited): The White Plains Board of Education has announced the district’s 2010-11 budget planning  process, combining the successful community-wide forums held last year with some new initiatives. President of the Board of Education, Donna McLaughlin, put the preliminary increase in expenses the district faces at $10 Million over the $185.7 Million 2009-10 budget.

White Plains Week, the WPCNR television program which closely follows the extraneous impacts on the school budget, estimates that the district is looking at a $17 Million budget increase that has to be raised through taxation, if preliminary assessment role estimates by the city assessor expected state aid cuts in next year’s state budget materialize.

            The district is seeking broad input from the community at various meetings scheduled for this purpose.  Two budget forums will take place at the High School, on January 13^th  and March 3^rd, at 7:30 P.M., in the B-1 Room. 

In addition, the Slater Center will host a meeting on January 20^th, at 7:30 P.M., Centro Hispano will be the host on February 24^th, at 7:30 P.M., and the White Plains Council of eighborhood Associations will host on February 9^th, 7:30 P.M., in the Assembly Room at Education House.

            Superintendent of Schools Dr. Christopher P. Clouet said, “We hope to work together with the community to develop a budget that maintains the high quality of education in White Plains and that is fiscally responsible and can be supported by the taxpayers in the May 18^th vote.”

(More)

Responding to the unprecedented economic situation, Board President Donna McLaughlin stated, “Next year’s budget will be even more difficult to develop than the current year’s, with cuts in State Aid, a decrease in the STAR exemption, salary increases and increases in employee benefits.  This adds up to a potential increase of almost $10 million in expenditures for next year, without considering tax certioraris.  It is clear that we need to consider all options in order to hold this budget to an acceptable level.”

Additional meetings will take place in the community and any group or organization wishing to host such a meeting may contact the  Superintendent’s Office at 422-2033.   Discussions have also been  held with staff in each school building in the district to encourage open communication and solicit input on the budget.

          All residents are invited to attend these sessions, to participate in focused dialogue on spending efficiencies, areas of concern, budget priorities and creative ways to increase revenues.  A review of the district’s financial situation, the state’s and city’s financial constraints, and other issues relating to development of the budget will be presented.

            The district will also hold two Public Hearings:  the first on March 22^nd, on the Preliminary Proposed Budget, and the second on May 10^th, on the Board of Education’s Adopted Proposed Budget.

            The community is encouraged to visit the district’s website, http://www.whiteplainspublicschools.org    for  information on the budget.

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 WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CRONICLE-EXAMINER. Special to WPCNR By Peter Katz. January 4, 2010 UPDATED January 5, 6:00 P.M. E.S.T.:  A standing-room-only crowd packed the Common Council Chambers and flowed onto the stairway landing at City Hall Monday night for what newly-elected Councilman David Buchwald, speaking after being sworn in, noted was an historic event: the first Common Council meeting in White Plains’ history in which the Mayor and all six councilmen were Democrats.

Adam  Bradley Arriving for “Citizens to be Heard” in his first ever gaveling together of the Common Council Monday evening. Photo, Peter Katz

     Induction ceremonies for council members and some high level management personnel drew enthusiastic applause, with a contingent of law enforcement men and women adding boisterous cheers to the mix for the swearing in of David Chong as Commissioner of Public Safety.

     Councilman Tom Roach, who was reelected in November to another four year term, was sworn in by City Court Judge JoAnn Friia, as were newcomers Buchwald and Beth Smayda. Council members Ben Boykin, Dennis Power, and Milagros Lecuona continue their existing terms. Council President Boykin nominated Roach to be the new Council President for a two year term. There were no other nominations, and the vote for Roach was unanimous. Mayor Bradley swore in Roach as Council President. Roach noted that it was Bradley who got him involved in White Plains politics.

     After the Common Council voted to approve their appointments, Bradley administered oaths of office to Michael Genito as Commissioner of Finance, John Steward as Director of Information Services, and John G. Callahan as Corporation Counsel. Callahan also will serve as Bradley’s Chief of Staff.

The Common Council Monday night eliminated the job of Executive Officer in the Mayor’s office. Callahan will not be paid a separate salary as Chief of Staff. The Council Monday night set the Corporation Counsel’s salary at $185,000 a year, the Chief of Staff salary at zero dollars a year, the Director of Information Services salary at $130,000 a year, and the Finance Commissioner’s salary at $150,000 a year.

 The supporting material for the Common Council agenda did not include mention that the new Commissioner of Finance actually would be paid $170,000 a year, consisting of the $150,000 Finance Commissioner’s salary and an additional $20,000 for handling the duties of Budget Director as “Chief Financial Officer.”] 

The Mayor Comments on Dismal State of City Finance

Mayor Bradley, in a brief speech, said that in the few days he has been in office, he has already made over $500,000 in administrative savings in areas under his control. Callahan serving as both Corporation Counsel and Chief of Staff was cited as an example. Others are eliminating or not filling commissionerships and deputy commissioner positions.

 “Many of these things should have and could have been accomplished long ago, but I must move forward and make the tough decisions to protect White Plains taxpayers and its [the city’s] long term future,” he said.

Bradley again said that the city has a budget deficit of approximately $18-million and has almost no fund balance. “To put this into perspective, our budget deficit as a percentage of budget is almost twice as large as New York State’s. New York State’s deficit is $9-billion out of $132-billion, and ours in White Plains is $18-million out of $158-million,”  Bradley said.

WPCNR did the math, and we find that the New York State deficit is 6.8 percent of its total budget of $132-billion, while the White Plains deficit is 11.4 percent of the city’s $158-million budget.

Bradley hinted that there will be more cuts to come in the weeks ahead, saying, “My children and your children, when they become young adults, will have a City that is even greater than the one that I was raised in because of the difficult fiscal decisions this administration will make. I know that the Common Council and this administration stand united in solving the city’s dire fiscal condition, but that is not all that we will be doing.

City, School District to Work to Consolidate Services

     “Today, I am announcing the formation of an Ad Hoc Committee chaired by Councilman Boykin, to evaluate City and School District shared services and cost savings. I have met with School Superintendent Clouet numerous times and I will be naming four additional members to this committee, and Superintendent Clouet will also be naming three members. I know that we as individuals, and the city and School District as a whole, are committed to working together to reduce expenses and mitigate taxpayer burdens,” Bradley added.

     Bradley also said that Councilman Power will be heading another Ad Hoc committee, this one dealing with ways to save energy and improve the city’s environmental footprint.

Appointments Approved

     The Council reappointed John Martin to the Board of Assessment Review. Reappointed to the Budget and Management Advisory Committee were Timothy Sheehan, Eleanor McDonald and Patrick Austin. New appointments were Council member Beth Smayda as Chair, Councilman Roach, and Richard Hecht as the replacement for David Corcoran who moved from White Plains.

     There were three quick public hearings on renewal of cabaret permits for The Porter House, The Brazen Fox and The Lazy Boy. Legislation for three-year renewals for those establishments will likely be on the February agenda.

Concern for Robert Ruger