WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER 3,374,995 VISITS IN ONE YEAR—65,000 VISITS A WEEK BY 985,281 VISITORS

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. September 11, 2006: Michael Gismondi, outgoing Commissioner of Building for the City of White Plains is leaving the city October 2 to take a position as the owner’s representative with Bruce Brickman Associates, representing and liaisoning with builders, consultants and community stakeholders in the Brickman firm renovation of the famous St. Regis Hotel in the Nation’s Capitol.

Gismondi, 55,  in an interview with WPCNR today said, “My future looks very bright and rosey.”

Gismondi said he had not been actively seeking a new position, and had been approached in the last month by persons who were familiar with Brickman’s need for a construction expert to supervise the famous hotel the firm purchased last year within blocks of the White House. Gismondi, with the city for ten years, said he made known his acceptance of the position, resigning September 2. He said he has a daughter who lives in the District of Columbia vicinity, and he was looking forward to being closer to her, as well as the challenge of the opportunity to work with the premier architects, RTKL Development in the renovation.

Gismondi said he had long been interested in renovation as one of his primary interests. Mr. G said the scope of his position would cover design, construction technique, security, furnishings, the gamet of supervising from a position of expertise.

He said he had enjoyed his ten year career with the city, and “would miss those late night Common Council meetings.”

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION LEDGER. From the Office of the Chairman of the Board of Legislators, William Ryan. September 11, 2006: In a letter to the Common Council, released to WPCNR readers by County Legislator Bill Ryan,  Mr. Ryan explains the means by which the county is legally allowed to lease the post office site to develop senior housing

The Grand Avenue Board of Elections (former Post Office) Parking Lot coming up for a vote to be leased this evening. The Michaelian Building is in the background. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

Honorable Members

Common Council, City of White Plains

Recently Mayor Delfino wrote to the Westchester Municipal Officials Association about the County’s intention to create senior citizen affordable housing on County-owned land in his city.  Mayor Delfino alleges that by making this property available to a private concern, which will build and manage the housing, and not offering it to White Plains, the County is denying the city its so-called “right of first refusal.”

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The property the mayor refers to doesn’t fall under (b) above.  According to New York State’s Attorney General, affordable housing qualifies as a County purpose if a County’s legislature officially declares it as such.  Our Board of Legislators did this in 1992.  Therefore the County’s decision to utilize it for affordable senior housing means that the property has a very definite County purpose.

Let me also note that, obviously, the non-profit organization constructing the senior citizen affordable housing will comply with all the appropriate White Plains zoning and building regulations.  Indeed, the city will have to issue various approvals as the construction proceeds.  I have no idea where the mayor gets the idea that the city’s local regulations will be by-passed. Indeed, home rule is not even an issue in this case.

I have attached a more detailed analysis of the issues I have discussed above prepared by Michael Amodio, legal counsel with my office.  As always, I am available to answer any further questions you may have.

 Sincerely,

 William J. Ryan

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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. September 11, 2006: Five years ago this coming weekend is the anniversary of the White Plains Candlelight Walk. It was a public outpouring of emotion that put into perspective how today’s event’s that took place five years ago ripped us apart and brought all together for a short time. WPCNR reprints our impressions of that Candlelight Walk, the day after The Rising was dedicated at Kensico Dam:

The Rising at Kensico Dam: Westchester County Memorial to the 109 County residents killed in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. The monument was dedicated Sunday afternoon. It’s sweep and unity depicts 109 souls (represented by 109 separate steel strands,  ascending to the Heavens. The name of each victim is engraved in marble at the base.  The site is sobering. Peaceful. An elegy to the everyday person who goes about their business and through the hatred of persons they do not even know is taken from family and their world before their time. Photo, WPCNR News.

From WPCNR, September 12, 2001:

They carried flags, “thank you signs,” and lit candles. They came from all races, ranks and religions to walk, remember and celebrate what it means to be an American and prayed for America’s future on the White Plains Candlelight Walk Sunday night

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WHITE PLAINS REMEMBERS:Crowds milling at White Plains Railroad Station at twilight, awaiting start of Sunday evening’s Candlelight Walk to Remember the victims of the Trade Center catastrophe. WPCNR PHOTO

MAYOR DELFINO OVERWHELMED: The Mayor stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Councilpersons, city clergy, choir, and dignataries, saying “God will get us through,” at the conclusion of the historic and moving White Plains Candlelight Walk on the steps of old City Hall. WPCNR PHOTO

Mayor Joseph Delfino welcomed the multitudes thanking all for coming, thanking the White Plains firemen and policemen for their efforts the past week, but his remarks were hard to hear. Somehow you did not have to hear them. Everyone understood what he was saying. Everyone felt it, too. I did.

The Mayor was surrounded by a host of the White Plains clergy from many churches behind him. The men and women of the cloth had assembled at his call to present an ecumenical service of remembrance and prayer for the victims of the World Trade Center disaster. There was a chorale group and ensemble. But, I cannot tell you who they are at this point.

The message you heard even if you could not hear it

There were no news releases or media briefs at this gathering. No text of the Mayor’s remarks was handed out. He did not make many. It was not that kind of event. It was regretfully special. You did not need to know who was offering the prayers, rabbi or priest, minister or pastor.

The different prayers and appropriate hymns rose on the cool early autumn night echoing skyward, warming hearts, and somehow fit splendidly meaningfully together. The White Plains clergy, in this reporter’s opinion, should do this more often under pleasanter circumstances. It was very special and so right.

The impromptu public address system could not be heard clearly beyond 100 feet. However, the people of White Plains listened and soaked in the spirit of the sweetly sung entreaties to The Almighty, with no catcalls, no disrespect, dedication and silent endorsement of the message. Children did not cry.

A moving sequence

The most moving sequence of the service occurred when each Man and Woman of God voiced a prayerful sentiment and the ensemble sang “Lord, listen to your children preying.” It was a White Plains “Moment to Remember.”

The service concluded with the throng singing “We Shall Overcome.” After several moving choruses with the multitude of citizens swaying together, the final stanza which goes “We Shall Stand Together,” closed the old 60s protest song with a roll of applause and cheers.

The Mayor rallies the crowd

Mayor Delfino came to the podium. With clergy, councilpersons, and congresspersons to his right and left, spoke proudly and earnestly to the crowd:

“Never would I have believed that we’d have such a turnout. I am overwhelmed, this is truly the greatest community in America,” and went on to thank all the city’s clergy for coming together for the service, saying that “God would get us through.”

The Mayor said that there was a Remembrance Book in the City Hall rotunda, which would be placed in the White Plains Public Library for all to sign. The Mayor announced this because not all of the thousands could march into the rotunda to sign it that evening, which brought one of the few laughs of the night.

Everyone leaves with a sense of a job to be done

The remarkable evening of remembrance and renewal closed with a rousing singing of “God Bless America,” with outstanding voices from the steps of City Hall, helping the citizens out with the second and third verses.

The crowd slowly dispersed.

They returned to cars, parents pushing strollers, couples arms over shoulders. Old city and county political rivals often adversaries, shook hands on the City Hall steps.

Some young persons in their 20s stood in front of the fenced off E J Conroy Drive, and, impromptu, shouted “USA,USA!” Then they changed what they were chanting. They crossed their hearts and began to recite, in unison: “The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag,” getting every word right with dignity and dedication.

You should have been there.

EPILOGUE: It is five years since 9-11-01, and the sense of working together has left us.

Instead today we see a fractured politicized landscape in which our “leaders” have played upon our fears to restrict the very freedoms that created America and which we stand, or used to stand.

 Leaders play citizen group off citizen group, use minorities as scapegoats, and sanctimoniously proclaim their patriotism. Most distrubing of all, they pass the buck and refuse to take responsibility, and do not communicate and cover up.  It is sobering to see so many weak people elected to office and being selected to run for office, some without even the experience to execute the position.

The legacy of America is still there. Whether our leaders understand it, I am no longer confident.

The job is not to ask what can I get out of my country and government, but what I can do for my country and to improve the way I govern for  all not just the connected, the influential and the powerful and whether it will benefit me the officeholder/seeker — and this goes from the Oval Office to every Mayor’s Office.

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. September 10, 2006: “Commissioner of Building, City of White Plains, Salary: $129,270” reads the advertisement in the Business Section of the New York Times this morning, signaling the departure of Mike Gismondi, Commissioner of Building for the last eight years, and the man responsible for overseeing the relentless pace of development in the city the last six years. The Common Council, sources say, was informed Friday of Mr. Gismondi’s departure.

Times Ad. 9/10/06. Photo, WPCNR News.

Mike Gismondi, Commissioner of Building, right, shown at first presentation of the Louis Cappelli 221 Main Street dual tower and hotel project, December, 2004. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

Gismondi is credited with achieving the massive task of updating the previously archaic and Byzantine building codes of White Plains, including bringing it in line with the more user-friendly New York State Building Code. He also carried out Mayor Joseph Delfino’s directive to simply the permitting process in White Plains, resulting in a building boomlet inthe city. This spring Gismondi was under considerable pressure in the city for classifying the addition of more floors to the Ritz-Carlton as a “minor site plan amendment” in the fall of 2005 without informing the Common Council. Jim Benerofe, “The Dean of Journalism” in White Plains characterizes Gismondi, as “a big loss.”

Mr. Gismondi is said to be leaving for another position.

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAY. By John F. Bailey. September 9, 2006: According to Bill Pollak, Vice President of the Board of Education of the City School District, Michele Tratoros asked him personally to take over her duties as President of the Board of Education at least for the next month until after the proposed referendum on the District’s 69.6 Million Capital Project proposal is completed. Pollak said he agreed to do this at Ms. Tratoros request yesterday afternoon because Ms. Tratoros felt the bond issue was very important to the district and she did not want her legal problems to interfere with the district’s need to publicize the need for the project approval to the voters. Pollak said the rest of the members of the Board of Education were in agreement with this interim situation. Pollak said Tratoros is not resigning from the Board at this time.