Unlicensed Contractor’s Van Seized by County in 1st Ever Impoundment.

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     WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From Westchester County Department of Communications. February 28, 2008: The Westchester County Department of Public Safety arrested a Yorktown contractor this week and seized his van – the first such seizure conducted under a new Westchester County consumer protection law.


     The new allows police to impound any vehicle or seize any equipment being used by contractors found to be operating in Westchester without the necessary license from the Department of Consumer Protection.


    






     “The seizure law is an important new tool in our effort to rid the county of unlicensed home improvement contractors,” said Gary Brown, directorof Consumer Protection.  “This was the first-ever seizure in Westchester, but it won’t be the last. Let the unlicensed contractor beware.”


    


The arrest Wednesday of Jason Grotsky, owner of the Door Doctor in Jefferson Valley, was the second time in a week that Grotsky was charged by county police.


 


     Grotsky was first charged on Feb. 20 when Detective Daniel Carfi of the Environmental Security Unit observed a commercial van on the Saw Mill Parkway. The van was stopped and further investigation showed that Grotsky was operating a garage door business without being properly licensed by the Westchester County Department of Consumer Protection.


 


     Grotsky, 36, of 3663 Lee Blvd., Yorktown, was charged with Violating the Laws of Westchester, a misdemeanor. His employee, Joseph Norris, 41, of Beal St., Stamford, Conn., was arrested for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and issued several Vehicle and Traffic summonses. Norris also had an active warrant out of New York City for a drug charge, and he was later picked up by detectives from the NYPD.


 


     On Feb. 26, ESU received a tip that the “Door Doctor” would be repairing a garage door the next day in Peekskill. Yesterday morning, ESU Director Ron Gatto, Detective Carfi, and ESU Inspector Allen Carroll went to a home on Constant Ave. in Peekskill and found the Door Doctor repairing a garage door.


  


   The investigators determined that Grotsky still did not have a Consumer Protection license, nor had he applied for one since his previous charge. He was again charged with Violating the Laws of Westchester and was additionally charged with operating an unregistered vehicle.


 


     Grotsky’s 2003 Ford van was impounded under the seizure law, which was enacted by the Westchester County Board of Legislators on Nov. 27, 2007.


 


     The law permits police officers or employees or agents of the Department of Consumer Protection


to seize and impound any vehicle, tool or other implement which is being used by a contractor operating in Westchester without the proper license.


 


     Grotsky was released on $600 bail. He is scheduled to appear in Peekskill City Court on March 13. He also will receive hearing before the Department of Consumer Protection within five businesses days where he can contest the charges and the impoundment.


    

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Deicing Road Runoff to be Addressed by the County

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. (EDITED) February 28, 2008: The Northern Westchester Watershed Committee released its Highway Deicing Task Force Report this month. The report documents existing conditions in the Croton Watershed, describes the environmental impacts of road salt and alternatives and provides strategies to decrease the use of road salt without sacrificing safety.


Some communities have already begun installing computerized salt monitors on their deincing equipment to limit the amount of salt and deicing chemicals that can work into the county watershed sources.    



  


“The health of our water bodies is of vital importance to Westchester,” said County Executive Andy Spano.  “This report shows us how to improve record-keeping on alt usage and how to protect our natural resources through best management practices.”


In 2006, Spano, the watershed committee and Alex Matthiessen, president of Riverkeeper, focused attention on the effect road salt can have on water quality. In response, this task force was created to protect natural resources while providing for the safety of the traveling public. The task force concluded that the general public lacks an understanding of the impact salt and other deicing chemicals have on water quality.


The report was distributed to municipalities, and some have already begun to implement recommendations.  For example, the towns of Somers and North Castle will be fitting equipment with computerized salt spreaders to monitor and control  the amount of salt spread on roads.


Funding for further implementation and possible expansion of the report will be discussed at future NWWC meetings.  The report is available online by clicking on the stormwater tab at http://www.westchestergov.com/planning/environmental/.  For more information, contact Christina Anderson, environmental planner, at (914) 995-3782 or cca1@westchestergov.com.

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Comptroller Sounds Warning on Governor’s Budget.

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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the State Comptroller’s Press Office. February 28, 2008: The proposed Executive Budget closes a $4.4 billion budget gap in fiscal year 2008-09 and adjusts spending in response to growing signs that the economy is in trouble, according to a report issued today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. DiNapoli praised the Governor for the quick start to the budget process and for increased transparency in the Executive Budget documents. However, DiNapoli said the proposed budget relies too heavily on debt, makes revenue assumptions that may not materialize and could commit the State to future spending that is unsustainable.



The proposed Executive Budget closes a $4.4 billion budget gap in fiscal year 2008-09 and adjusts spending in response to growing signs that the economy is in trouble, according to a report issued today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. DiNapoli praised the Governor for the quick start to the budget process and for increased transparency in the Executive Budget documents. However, DiNapoli said the proposed budget relies too heavily on debt, makes revenue assumptions that may not materialize and could commit the State to future spending that is unsustainable.

“We’re facing very uncertain economic times,” DiNapoli said. “If things continue to decline in the financial industry, New York will get hit even harder. The Governor made some difficult choices, but there will have to be more. We should only spend within the parameters of what the State can afford. When you spend more than you take in, something has got to give.

“The Executive Budget relies heavily on debt and would increase the state’s debt payments by nearly 50 percent over the next five years. And several of the new revenue streams identified in the proposed budget — including a tax on illegal drugs and conversion of not-for-profit health insurers to for-profit status — may not be realistic. The Governor and the Legislature should make sure this week’s revenue consensus process includes only revenues that are likely to materialize.”

DiNapoli’s report finds:

  • Significant Growth in Debt:  State-funded debt increases 24 percent to $67.3 billion over the next five years in the proposed budget. As a result, total debt service — the amount included annually to pay for the cost of debt — will become the fastest growing component of the budget. It is projected to increase by 48.3 percent from $5 billion to $7.5 billion in five years.
  • Out-Year Spending Increases Significantly Faster than Revenues and Personal Income: On average, General Fund spending is projected to increase 7.4 percent annually between 2008-09 and 2011-12, while revenues are only expected to grow by 4.7 percent annually and personal income by 5 percent.
  • Off-Budget Spending:  The $124.3 billion proposed budget represents an increase of $5.9 billion or 5 percent over 2007-08 on an All Funds basis. This figure does not account for $2.5 billion in off-budget spending by the state’s public authorities, increasing the state’s total spending to $126.8 billion. For instance, $1.1 billion in new statewide economic development initiatives over a five-year period is off-budget and is not counted in the Financial or Capital Plans.
  • Out-Year Deficits Continue:  While the proposed budget reduces out-year gaps, the state will face shortfalls totaling $3.6 billion in 2009-10, $6.1 billion in 2010-11 and $7.2 billion in 2011-12. These gaps remain because the underlying reason for the gaps — spending more than the state is taking in — is not addressed. DiNapoli urged the Executive and Legislature to enact a final budget that does not increase out-year gaps and identifies how these gaps will be addressed.
  • Public Authority Debt:  Debt caps for certain public authorities are increased by $5.6 billion or 19.6 percent. Total sale of new debt by public authorities was $12.2 billion in 2007-08 and is projected to be $15.1 billion in 2008-09 — a 24 percent increase.
  • Capital Projects:  The proposed budget includes approximately $11 billion in new capital spending, including $9.3 billion for SUNY and CUNY projects, $900 million for economic development, $355 million for racing proposals, much of which is financed through debt issued by the state’s public authorities without voter approval. The $11 billion does not include new transportation initiatives from the State Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Transit Authority.
  • Risks:  The proposed budget closes a $4.4 billion deficit and allows for $416 million in new spending by using $1.5 billion in nonrecurring resources, including $200 million from the Environmental Protection Fund, and $1.1 billion in new or increased taxes and fees. However, the report identifies risks of $2.6 billion to the Financial Plan, including $676 million in proposals that have been rejected by the Legislature in previous years and new revenue proposals, such as a new tax on illegal drugs, which may not materialize.
  • Privatization of the Lottery: The proposal is too vague for analysis and further details have not yet been released. When those details are available, DiNapoli’s office will evaluate the potential effect on state finances.
  • Positive Changes in Budget Process: This year’s budget was developed in a much more public way than in previous years. The new process includes consensus discussions on revenues in November, as well as statewide budget hearings. The proposed budget also contains more information in the Financial Plan than in past Executive proposals.  

In January, DiNapoli urged state lawmakers to enact a new debt cap after his office released a debt study, which indicated that State-funded debt grew to nearly $51 billion in the last fiscal year from $39 billion in 2002-03, a 31 percent increase. His proposal would place all new and existing outstanding State-funded debt under a cap, and limit State-funded debt to 5 percent of New York personal income. The cap would be phased in over a nine-year period and prohibit debt for any purpose other than capital projects.

Click here for a copy of the report or visit http://www.osc.state.ny.us/reports/budget/2008/executivebudget022708.pdf.

An audio feed will be available on the Comptroller’s Web site this afternoon at www.osc.state.ny.us.

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New York Times Discovers Softball. It’s About Time!

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WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK By Fastpitch Johnny. February 28, 2008: The New York Times sports section ran a column today – banner head – about softball and baseball being eliminated from the Olympics beginning in 2012. The column detailed the efforts of the USA Softball backed organization, Back Softball to lobby the International Olympic Committee “at the cost of millions of dollars” to lobby reinstate softball and baseball to the quadrennial games.



Connecticut Brakettes in NPF Playoff Action, 2006.


Well, it is about time The Times, which devotes reams of copy to bicycling, golf NASCAR, an amateur basketball team called the Knick-Knacks actually covered softball. Four years or so ago when the National Pro Fastpitch league had a very good professional fastpitch softball team in Montclair, the Juggernaut, The Times never covered their games, never included standings of the NPF in their records section and never listed them as a sporting event. When this reporter called the sports editor of the Times to ask why, I was told it was not a sport anyone was interested in.


 



Well, here’s a bit of news for The Times – if you do not cover it – people do not know about it!


The Times ignores the NPF completely.


Now that the interests and continued “power and influence” of  the USA Softball organization has been threatened by softball being booted out of the Olympics, now the Times and USA Softball is making an effort to enlist Times support.


It is a little late.  But as a father of a softball player and ice-skater, as a fan of the indefatigable pioneers of professional softball, the National Pro Fastpitch league, which has survived for about a decade now, thanks to their commitment, sweat and dedidcation of its athletes, I applaud Mr. Vecsey’s column.


However, he is overlooking the great disgrace of USA Softball – they exist only for themselves and the aggrandizement of their organization which has not pushed or promoted the development of professional softball. Sure, their Olympic stars of their softball team have served as role models, and growth of the sport, but that’s it!


USA Softball exists only to promote one team – Team USA for its promotional tours during the summers – and exerts a selfish and athlete-exploitative influence on softball.  The NCAA by contrast has groomed fastpitch softball, even to the point of getting ESPN to cover its finals.  The NCAA softball stance has made a great deal of difference in the growth of the game.


USA Softball for the last seven years has stood in the way of promoting a career in professional softball for its best players. USA Softball insists on interrupting the National Pro Fast Pitch season for their tryouts for the USA team, and world competitions (for just a handful of players they control). They take away the better stars from the National Pro Fastpitch teams for their exhibition tours of Team USA, and they refuse to “partner” in a growth-friendly way with the National Pro Fastpitch league.


Had USA Softball been really focused “on the kids” (as the old organization line goes), they would have supported NPF financially, become partners and aided the league by giving it USA Softball branding. But they have not done that. Living wage contracts for professional players in fastpitch softball in a league that would sustain itself and grow was not in the mission or interest in USA Softball, which is a disgrace and shows where the minds are on the folks who run USA Softball. It is all about them, and their control of the sport.


How can I make such a charge? USA Softball tried to start a competing tour with the NPF with a series of exhibitions in the last two years, competing with the NPF for players. It did not work out.


Mr. Vecsey’s column today notes how baseball has  developed the World Baseball Classic. Well, this is nice, but baseball is an established sport.


Frankly, considering the doping scandals and the judging scandals, the Olympics has lost a lot of luster and prestige. Who knows that we have even scratched the surface of Olympic competitive corruption?


The USA Softball organization has to get over the Olympics and stop exploiting softball players for their benefit, which is what they do.


USA needs to look for the long term future of softball. The professional league will not grow unless USA Softball supports it and gets over the Olympic fixation. USA needs to partner with the pro league and promote it fully with stars of whatever USA Team is put together being released to the pro league as a step up. Because, frankly any NPF team can beat the USA Team on any given day. The games are close. NPF teams are the best competition the USA Softball team faces.


Spending “millions” to get softball back into the Olympics is not the way to grow softball. Put the millions into the Pro Fast Pitch league, or merger with it and set up your own USA Softball League, incorporating the successful NPF towns: Akron, Chicago, Allentown, Washington, New England, and now Rockford.  


If USA Softball cared about building professional careers playing softball this is what they could do.


Now, to make a living in softball, once they are off the Olympic Team or out of college, great softball players have to play for semi-pro teams like the Stratford Brakettes, coach softball on the college or school levels, work in clinics, or if they are stars on the USA Team, sign endorsement deals and conduct clinics. They do it because that is the only way they continue playing and contributing to the sport they love.


If the Mets and the Yankees had really cared they would have helped the New York Juggernaut when they were playing out of Montclair, New Jersey.


But, no one cares about the girls in USA Softball or their futures or building a professional league – least of all The New York Times.


ESPN for example never even covers softball even when they are televising it! But plenty of coverage is given to poker and NASCAR.


So, can we expect a little more from the Times in covering National Pro Fastpitch teams this year, Mr. Vecsey? The Standings, maybe? A list of results each day? Batting leaders? Schedules?


Today the Times listed the results of the Dubai Tennis results; the Zagreb Indoors Tennis, the player transactions of Major League Soccer, the NBA, the NFL, and the NHL. Does anyone except the superfan read those?


In the new touchy feely era of saving softball, the least the Times can do is give the girls who play fastpitch for pay, and who are really building the sport by signing autographs after every game, making appearances in communities, and holding down full-time jobs in the off-season — some coverage.


You might give the Philadelphia Force a call, who begin play in June in the NPF and have developed a wonderful following out in Allentown, PA.  Contact them at 1-215-875-2800, and they will be overjoyed to give you a story about softball now, the state of pro softball, and how their players are pioneering the sport like the players in the old Negro Leagues did for fifty years.

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BeeLine Bus Basic Fare Rises to $2 this Weekend

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WPCNR COMMUTATION COMMENTATOR. From Westchester County Department of Communication. February 27, 2008: Effective Sunday, March 2, the basic Bee-Line coin fare will rise from $1.75 to $2.  A day earlier — Saturday, March 1 — the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will begin charging new prices for MetroCards which are also accepted on Bee-Line buses. The cost of a single ride MetroCard will remain at $2, however, with the change in the county coin fare from $1.75 to $2, New York City and Westchester bus fares will be identical as of March 2.



          “All transfers between local bus routes will become free under the new fare schedule,” said Spano.  “Coin-fare passengers on the Bee-Line who currently pay an extra 25 cents for a transfer will see that charge disappear.”  Transfer tickets will be good for boarding other Bee-Line local routes and for transfers to New York City local buses.  

         .


         
            The price for a single-ride MetroCard will remain at $2.  However, multiple-ride MetroCards still provide rider discounts.  Pay-Per-Ride MetroCards worth $8 will sell for $7 bringing the effective cost of a bus ride down to $1.75.  MetroCards provide free transfers to local buses and between buses and New York City subways.  Unlimited Ride MetroCards will reduce the single ride cost even more for people who ride frequently. 
            
             “We have been seeing more and more riders using MetroCards as opposed to cash,” said County Transportation Commissioner Lawrence C. Salley.  “With the uniform pricing between cash fares and MetroCard single fares, we anticipate even more MetroCard riders on our buses.” 
           


The increase in the coin fare on Westchester buses is designed to offset fuel and labor costs that have increased significantly in the last year, and to help pay for additional service on routes that have experienced ridership increases.  
           


“The new coin fare is expected to raise about half a million dollars a year,” Salley said. “This will help meet some of the increase in operating costs which has been approximately $5 million annually over the last few years.”


             Qualified seniors and passengers with qualifying disabilities will be able to ride at half-fare on the county’s and the New York City transit system, under both the coin and MetroCard reduced fare systems.  Reduced fare riders will pay $1 in coins and their transfers will also be free.  To transfer to subways, riders will need to use MetroCard.


            MetroCards are sold at many neighborhood stores in Westchester, Metro-North train stations and New York City subway stations.


            To find out more, call the Bee-Line Hotline at (914) 813-7777 or visit www.westchestergov.com/beelinebus.

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Benefits of Turning Your School/University Green — Spano Global Warming Panel

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. Special to WPCNR from Paula Piekos. February 27, 2008: A CitizeNetReporter attended the County Global Warming Conference Tuesday, and attended the Education K-12 Panel in which advantages of Westchester County Schools switching to green, environmentally friendly practices were discussed. Here is her report:



The Education Panel for Grades K-12 holds forth at Manhattanville College Tuesday: Left to right: Jeff Perlman, Bright Power, Inc.;  Dr Steven Frantz  Sustainablity Coordinator for Scarsdale Schools (Retired principal);Dr Frances Wills, Superintendent of Briarcliff Schools; Ellen Weininger, Grassroots Environmental Education; Katie Ginsberg, Exec Director, CELF (Moderator of panel)


 

 


The Benefits of Green Schools



The session started with Jeff Perlman clarifying that this isn’t the same thing as “Environmental Education” because it also has to do with economic systems and social justice.

 

He said that the additional cost to build a green school is about 3% more, but the net financial benefit over time is 15 – 30% more, although whatever the profit, it is just something that we have to do.

He said you pay more for insulation, better windows, and the usage of more natural materials, but it’s better in the long run.



The benefits include:

 

Enhanced Air Quality

Increased Learning , Productivity and Performance 3%

Increased future earning of students 1.4%

Reduced Asthma   25%

Reduced cold & flu 15%

Reduced teacher turnover 3%

He then added that the exact percentage might not be right, but the important thing is that it’s not zero.



I can personally attest to this because I have had very long-term substitute gigs twice, with the reason for the teacher’s absence being due to illnesses related to air quality.



There was a $ per square foot chart that I didn’t have time to copy, but supposedly all of the information from the sessions offered on Tuesday are available online.



Mr Perlman then spoke about the greening of existing school buildings.

 

He spoke about benchmarking energy performance through energy star benchmarking tools and other metrics, auditing energy hogs, using lighting retrofits, and updating heating systems and controls. He spoke of the the importance of using low VOC paints, carpets and finishes.



SCHOOL AS LABORATORY

 

He said it was good for the students to be involved and talked about the “Transparent Boiler Room” where you could see it and the pipes throughout the school were color-coded.   The pipes and ductwork were“roof and water management





Dr Wells of Briarcliff Schools reported they have a “No Waste Day.” They come to school and think about how they can make no waste. And she quoted a line from Dr Seuss’ book, The Lorax,  “Unless someone like you cares an awful lot, nothing’s going to get better, it’s not!”



Dr Frantz and Ms Weininger had limited time due to the impending break, but Dr Frantz spoke about Scarsdale’s “No idling” policy, and attempt to purchase clean buses.  He also spoke about the organic gardens on the grounds of the schools and week-long Sustainability Education courses given by the Scarsdale Teacher’s Institute.  They also make a course available to the teachers on water education, given at the middle school, and run by Cornell University’s “Project Wet” group.



Ms Weininger was running out of time, and gave a rushed talk about environmental education.



I would have liked it if someone from the planning committee, WP Board of Ed, or the architects had been there to speak about the plans for the New Post Road School, as I understand that it will be a totally green school. and it would have fit in well with this program.



Further information about this forum can be attained through web sites: www.brightpower.biz,  www.masstech.org, and www.cap-e.com or the County’s site about the forum.


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Comptroller: IDAs Should Shape Up.

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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the State Comptroller Press Office. February 27, 2008: State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today proposed measures to make Industrial Development Agencies (IDAs) more accountable and financial reporting more accurate after a report released today found that IDAs continue to report project, job creation and other data that is inconsistent, incomplete and not independently verified.

DiNapoli outlined his recommendations in a report that examines the financial and employment trends of the 116 IDAs in New York State. His measures include:


State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today proposed measures to make Industrial Development Agencies (IDAs) more accountable and financial reporting more accurate after a report released today found that IDAs continue to report project, job creation and other data that is inconsistent, incomplete and not independently verified.

DiNapoli outlined his recommendations in a report that examines the financial and employment trends of the 116 IDAs in New York State. His measures include:


  • Tightening IDA annual reporting requirements. Under current law, an IDA’s authority to offer state tax exemptions is suspended if it fails to report complete or substantially complete annual financial information. Starting with the 2007 reporting year, the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) will be increasing its oversight of IDA reporting and generally accept only those audited annual financial statements that are in compliance. For example, an IDA which omits job information could have their ability to provide financial assistance suspended.
  • Expanding his office’s oversight of IDAs and Local Government Development Corporations (LDCs) to include access to tax and wage data during audits.
  • Calling for an increase in Executive programmatic oversight of IDAs through existing statutory oversight powers of the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) and Authority Budget Office (ABO) in the areas of job and wage verification.

“IDAs are supposed to create jobs,” DiNapoli said. “When they report on job creation, taxpayers should know that the numbers are right. Given the way IDAs are currently reporting information, there is no way of knowing that. These measures will make IDAs more accountable to the public they serve and establish clear standards that IDAs must follow, or they risk serious consequences.”

IDAs are independent public authorities that offer real property tax abatements, sales and mortgage recording tax exemptions, and low interest rate bonds to attract, retain and expand businesses. There are currently 116 active IDAs, including 56 IDAs serving counties and 60 IDAs located in cities (26), towns (29) and villages (5).

Each IDA is legally required to submit a financial statement to OSC annually, which includes data related to the number of jobs created or retained and the amount of all tax exemptions authorized. In 2003, OSC undertook efforts to improve the accuracy and quality of the data reported by IDAs, as well as collaborated with the ABO to develop a comprehensive online reporting system called the Public Authorities Reporting Information System (PARIS) that was implemented in November 2007. In addition, OSC continues to offer guidance to IDAs in meeting statutory requirements.

While there have been improvements in data reporting, the report issued today found the complete project costs were not available for 27 percent of all projects. In addition, complete and accurate job data was not reported for 9 percent of all projects.

Other report findings include:

  • IDA Project Growth: IDA supported projects grew by 16 percent between 2003 and 2006, 41 percent of this growth occurred in service-related projects. Manufacturing-related projects declined by 4 percent during this period. By 2006, IDAs were supporting $41 billion in projects, led by the New York City IDA with $14.7 billion in projects.
  • Activity Concentrated in Few IDAs: In 2006, six IDAs accounted for 40 percent of all projects. Those IDAs include New York City (539 projects), Monroe County (348 projects), Erie County (305 projects), Amherst (127 projects), Suffolk County (115 projects) and Nassau County (101 projects). The average IDA supported $246 million in projects, excluding New York City. Thirty-nine IDAs reported fewer than 10 projects in 2006, with six IDAs reporting only one project.
  • Cost Per Job Created: IDAs claimed that cumulative employment grew by more than 228,000 jobs in the projects they supported by 2006. However, OSC found that IDAs did little to verify the accuracy of the information reported by individual employers. The annual cost per job created ranged from $0 to $121,818, with an average cost of $4,195.

DiNapoli will also propose more comprehensive public authority oversight legislation including controls on authority debt, addresses board member terms and limits on the types of activities that authorities provide to those related to their core missions.

To view the report release today, visit http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/pubs/research/idareport08.pdf.

To access annual report information from individual IDAs, visit http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/datanstat/findata/index_choice.htm.

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The Engineer’s Engineer: Joseph ‘Bud’ Nicoletti

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT.  February 27, 2008: The Westchester/Putnam Chapter of the New York State Society of Engineers has named White Plains Commissioner of Public Works, Joseph “Bud” Nicoletti as their “Engineer of the Year,” as a professional engineer who over time, “has made significant contributions to the profession.”



The Engineer’s Engineer


2008 Westchester Putnam Engineer of the Year


White Plains Commissioner of Public Works


Joseph “Bud” Nicoletti


Mr. Nicoletti was given the award last Saturday night, February 23 at Mansion Hill in Briarcliff Manor at the Society’s Annual Engineer’s Week Dinner Dance.  Mayor Joseph Delfino was on hand for the occasion. The Society’s Albany Headquarters is also considering Mr. Nicoletti for the “statewide” Engineer of the Year Award.


Alfred Freed, an engineer with Westchester County Department of Public Works for 42 years,  in announcing the award to Mayor Joseph Delfino, wrote:


“I can unequivocally say that Bud is a quintessential professional. The City’s (White Plains) infrastructure reflects this expertise, as it has kept pace and coped with the burgeoning development without breaking down or being overwhelmed. 


I received the same award in 1988. Unlike the challenges Bud now faces, back then Trump was a term in card games, nighttime bowling was a sport on downtown Mamaroneck Avenue, occasional horses roamed along our parkways, the Courthouse didn’t leak and we rarely experienced tornadoes or blizzards.


The challenges of today make his efforts even more impressive. White Plains owes him much.”


This is the second time Mr. Nicoletti has been honored in this fashion by the Society. He was named “Outstanding Engineer in Government” by the chapter in 1996.

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CO2 Action Plan Voluntary..Communities to Analyze Conditions—County to Monitor

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. By John F. Bailey. February 26, 2008: Over 300 persons including county officials, environmentalists, educators and concerned citizens gathered at Manhattanville College in Purchase today to hear County Executive Andrew Spano, and Reese Berman, Chair of the County Executive’s Task Force on Global Warming introduce a Westchester Action Plan that calls for the County to reduce its “carbon footprint” by 20% by 2015 and 80% by 2050.


 



The County Executive at the podium, emphasized “We can and must do this. We cannot fail.” His plan introduces steps the County, Municipal, Business, Education and Housing sectors can take to reduce their carbon emissions to begin to address the global warming crisis.  The plan and its suggestions may be viewed at www.westchestergov.com/globalwarming.


 




The County Executive said that institutions, businesses and communities and individual residents can find specific actions  on this site, that they can take to limit collectively the county output of greenhouse gases. Executive Spano reported the county’s next step involves municipalities and towns conducting an analysis of practices in effect now in their areas to assess the extebt if their community  Carbon Dioxide impact and consider/take steps to lower it by 2% a year.



County Executive Spano told WPCNR that existing county departments would monitor municipality and town efforts to analyze their community “carbon footprints.”  Executive Spano emphasized he was not anticipating creation of any new departments or personnel added to the County to administer this task, that present county departments would undertake the monitoring and whatever comes next.  



It was not clear from today’s conference the timelines communities, businesses and institutions would be given to cutback on their carbon emissions and how the county would address the situation if communities failed to reach targets, if they fell behind or did not comply.  The timelines were said  to be included in the plan on the website (the front page of which is below, http://www.westchestergov.com/globalwarming.




Reese Berman, chair of the Task Force said additional information for households, businesses and schools will be added to the on line website and more actions by the county will be forthcoming.  She said the county is setting a goal of 2% or more reduction a year in carbon emissions to cut them by 20% by 2015.  


 



Berman showed a slide indicating the 2005 County Collective C02 Emmissions. Residential Energy accounted for 30%; Transportation 38%, Non-residential energy, 29%, Waste, 3%. Spano noted that the county recycles about 80% of its garbage accounting for the 3% waste.


This she said would put the county on target for 80% reduction in the emissions by 2050. She spent most of her talk  explaining how the carbon-emission cutback steps are presented on the website for each sector: Municipalities, County Government, Education, Business, and Housing, and how they could be utilized by the sectors to  begin the carbon emmissions reduction.


The conference broke up into individual sessions on what the five sectors of Westchester would be expected to do to reach that goal.



Housing Panel unfolds in The French Parlor at the Manhattanville Castle in Purchase.


In the Housing segment WPCNR attended from 10:45 to 11:30 AM, the task appeared daunting. WPCNR observed that the individual homeowner has a long way to go. Dani Glaser of Croton-On-Hudson, the lead panelist emphasized that “Awareness is the first step to change.”


Susan Cember of Action for Tomorrow’s Environment,  observed that  “We should not underestimate the power of one,” and pointed out that the residential sector through their energy use is the largest contributor to county Carbon emmissions (37%).  She said the individual resident first has to determine their annual output of  the number of tons of carbon emissions their household puts out into the environment each year by going to the Nature Conservancy site, www.nature.org and clicking on the “Carbon Calculator.”



The Carbon Calculator Link is at lower left corner of the Nature Conservancy homepage which links you to the Calculator below:



Ms. Cember said her family’s  personal carbon footprint was 51 tons of CO2 per year. She said the average American family of four put out 110 tons of carbon dioxide per year, and that within the county the target was for each resident unit to limit their output to 22 tons of C02 per year. The goal of course would be to reduce to zero. The Calculator shown above  asks the consumer the amount of consumption of various energy sources each family uses.


Mary Ann Gallagher of Briarcliff Manor CAC, noted the enormity of the task facing the home consumer in cutting carbon dioxide output. She said that each homeowner would have to plant 30 trees a year to offset one year’s worth of carbon dioxide emissions. (For those of you who remember eighth grade Biology, trees take in carbon dioxide during the process of photosynthesis, and turn it into oxygen. )


Gallagher suggested how carbon dioxide emissions could be limited by cutting lawns to 3-inch heights, leaving grass clippings on the lawn, creating a compost pile where organic garbage could break down into fertilizer to mulch plants. She suggesting sprinkling and watering only during evening hours and working with your landscaping caretaker, or if you do your own yardwork, cutting back on fertilizers and using more environmentally friendly methods to nurture your plants. Organizations and businesses that can help you with this are provided on the website explaining the plan, if not now, they soon will be, the panelists assured the audience.



Judy Martin of  Green Home Consulting.


On what the individual homeowner or apartment dweller or apartment owner or residential dweller can do, Judy Martin suggested the major effort would involve saving energy. She said the most effective measure homeowners can do immediately is install high efficiency insulation in their homes. Next, would be lighting (switching to LED or CFL bulbs) and hotwater use measures, and to target heating and air conditioning use. Air sealing and duct sealing was recommended. Recycling was encouraged. If a major home renovation was to be considered then it would make sense to examine solar energy, a new hot water heater, a new furnace and other measures.


The Global Warming Task Force was made up of 34 persons and they were assisted by over 70 volunteers with expertise in various areas. County Executive Spano, in his talk , referred to criticism the county had received for spending $100,000 to prepare the report with a business that had contributed to Mr.  Spano’s political campaign,  saying that “We did not pay them enough for the job they did. It’s not the money. The someone who has to ask that question: They don’t get it. It’s not about the money. If the effects of global warming occur, our expenses are miniscule.”


Ms. Berman said, “What we do in Westchester will have wide influence,” meaning Westchester would set an example for other counties to follow in reducing emissions.


It was unclear from the official part of the program WPCNR attended how progress would be monitored, whether the county would eventually put teeth into the program as they have with their mandatory recycling program, and how communities, businesses and residents would be monitored.


 

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Hockley Proposes SAT Academy for WP Where Students Would Be Paid to Attend

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. February 25, 2008: Councilman Glen Hockley, concerned about White Plains youths not getting all the Scholastic Aptitude Test preparation they need to be admitted to college because they have to work during the summers , is bringing community leaders from White Plains, the Town of Greenburgh and Westcester County tomorrow evening to discuss setting up an SAT Academy Summer program where teens would be paid $7 a hour to take courses in preparing for the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The meeting is at 7 PM at the Thomas Slater Center, South Lexington Avenue.



Councilman Glen Hockley of White Plains with Gregorio Malena, (left) Vice Consul of the Dominican Republic Mission to the United Nations. Mr. Hockley has worked closely with Mr. Malena to ship thousands of dollars of food and relief supplies  donated by White Plains businesses to the flood-ravaged Dominican Republic


Hockley explained, “Currently, the one issue that this city, this county, this country is missing the ball on, is the future of our youth. We’re only as good as our youth as far as going forward obviously, and we must, we must stop only talking about our successes because we need to address the kids who are failing, failing themselves, failing their future. We need to help them get over the hump. Everyone doesn’t necessarily have to go to college…we need to do is to make a success out of kids so they have a future that is complimentary to who they are. Aside from that, the kids who are made for college which we need to give everybody a crack at, a lot of these young people are not doing well, especially those who are coming from low-income families. There’s a lot of stress in the household. Unfortunately, many of them are attracted by negative energy out there. We do have gangs, drugs, alcohol, and we have trouble out there after school. Some of these kids we can help. Hopefully many. Whether we have similar programs out there or not, it doesn’t matter. What you read is about affordable housing and open space. We need to have the headlines start to talk about our young people and the future. Because we won’t have one unless we start applying interest in that area.”



Hockley said that Councilwoman Sonia Brown of Greenburgh has introduced a growing program which has several dimensions to it. One is an SAT Camp that goes for two months in the summer.


“During the summer a lot of kids from low income families go out an get a summer job which is a noble thing but it takes up there time. But they need to prepare for college, for SATS and score better scores. One way to get them to be incentivized is to pay them to go to SAT Camp. I’ve talked to some families, some kids, they all seem to be excited by that. Maybe pay them in the area of $7 an hour for 20 hours of camp. They would also get college preparation training, apprenticeship opportunities and education and all the details of this kind of program tomorrow night.”


Hockley will be hosting the program at 7 for community leaders. Ms. Brown will be presenting a power point presentation on the concept. In attendance will be Frank Williams from the White Plains Youth Bureau, religious activists, organizational business people and Tracy Mitchell, the Director of African-American Affairs for Westchester County, and some young adults who have been directly involved with youth.


Hockley said he felt that private funding was available to fund the program.

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