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

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WPCNR THE CNA NEWS. By John F. Bailey. January 11, 2006; UPDATED January 12, 2006 with Clarification:   Ken Worden of the Highlands Neighborhood Association took the reins of the Council of Neighborhood Associations kickoff meeting for 2006 Tuesday evening and a number of issues were identified as being of concern to the representatives in attendance.

Ken Worden of the Highlands Association Chairs his first Meeting Tuesday Evening. Photo, WPCNR News.

The next issue that was mentioned was the Comprehensive Plan Committee report expressing the findings of that committee on the viability of the 1997 Comprehensive Plan for the city.  John Vorperian, a member of  the CPC, said the draft of that report was scheduled to be out today, Thursday, and that it would be submitted formally to the Common Council at the February Common Council meeting.

The CNA In Session. Photo, WPCNR News.

Members at the table expressed feelings the CPC reports they had seen so far were too vague. The principle consensus was that the continued development of downtown is not specific enough on heights of buildings, and how many tall buildings was the plan envisioning, and that the city would simply take whatever proposals developers would bring to them the way the plan is now.

They feared that the influx of apartment dwellers and condominium owners renting purchasing the new units coming on line in the years ahead downtown would change the demographics of the city, impacting property taxes, school population,  and expressed hope the city would undertake a demographic study of who was coming into the new dwellings in the downtown.

The tax base was of acute concern to the representatives in attendance.  Members spoke of the rising impact of school taxes the dwindling commercial real estate base was creating, forcing property taxes on homeowners to rise at a rapid rate. Marc Pollitzer contacted WPCNR to amend WPCNR’s reporting  that he had said Adam Bradley had sponsored a bill in the legislature to tax condominiums at a rate closer to the individual homeowner rate, but that it had no chance of passing due to real estate interests.

Mr. Pollitzer clarifies his statement, writing “He (Mr. Bradley) is a supporter of changing tax rates for condos/coops etc, but to my knowledge has not authored such legislation.”

Mr. Bradley told WPCNR Thursday  he did not sponsor the condominium bill, but confirmed that he felt it had no chance of passing either the assembly or the house at this time in its present form.

The same fate apparently is affecting Mr. Bradley’s co-sponsored bill to tax commercial property more equally with homeowner’s property, doing away with the equalization rate that creates the lower values of commercial properties. Mr. Bradley told WPCNR Thursday that he is discussing this bill with the Westchester County Assessors to find a compromise acceptable to the New York State Senate, that would reduce the certiorari paybacks commercial properties are receiving on overassessments in the past that win certiorari paybacks.

Mr. Pollitzer also wrote to WPCNR saying that Mr. Bradley was sponsoring a bill on residents’ standing in Environmental Impact Statement issues, writing, ” In the CNA article, the bill sponsored by Adam Bradley has to do with “standing” in EIS issues, not condo tax issues.”  The Article 78 suit filed in 2001 against the New York Presbyterian Hospital proton accelerator/biomedical project, which has still not been started, and is up for site plan renewal, was thrown out because the court found the residents and CCOS, which filed the suit had “no standing.”

Another issue that came up was the illegal housing issue, which representatives feared was hurting the school district.

Possible Content of CNA Website. Photo, WPCNR News.

The CNA was enthusiastic about setting up a website for the organization to post neighborhood news, post minutes of the meetings and positions, while expanding awareness of the organization, invite comment. When WPCNR had to leave the meeting the organization was considering purchasing a domain name for the site, and forming a committee to hammer out who would run the website and update it.

The issue of getting more representation from the downtown was raised and the CNA  seeks interest from persons living in the downtown interested in starting an association to deal with downtown issues on the CNA to include the whole city. Persons interested in being part of the Downtown Residents Association (for lack of a better name at this time), should get in touch with Ken Worden.

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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. January 10, 2006 UPDATED 12:47 A.M. E.ST. JANUARY 11, 2006 UPDATED 12:02 P.M. JANUARY 11, 2006: The opening night of the Westchester County “Drop-In” Shelter for the hardcore homeless persons of White Plains  — the first White Plains shelter for the homeless to open in approximately 15 years by WPCNR recollection —  was a success this evening, highlighted by a media circus of news vans awaiting the arrival of the homeless for more than an hour. The County Department of Communications officially placed the number of persons housed overnight on the shelter’s first night as 39 persons.

The Homeless Convoy: The first of five vans cruising past Mulino’s at 10:45 P.M. Tuesday night bring the homeless to their new overnight home in White Plains. Photo, WPCNR News.

Donna Greene of the Westchester County Department of Communications told WPCNR Wednesday morning that the Department of Social Services reported that 39 homeless persons (including 39 regular visitors to the defunct Airport Drop-In Shelter)  were admitted to the shelter after waiting at the corner Quarropas and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Tuesday evening at about 9:30 P.M. They were backloaded into 5 white vans for the two-block trip to 85 Court Street, where the New York area media documented their arrival. Ms. Green is attempting to find out from the DSS where each of “the first-nighters” hale from in the county.

Occupants of the impressive line of white vans waved to the media covering their historic journey. The vans traveled into the Department of Social Services driveway, were turned around, and the homeless were let out the back of the vans directly into the entrance of the shelter.

One homeless person actually walked to the new “County Drop-In Shelter. ” He told WPCNR he thought it was ridiculous to get onto vans. He also said he did not like the idea of spending the night with pedophiles, saying they should separate them out from the rest of the men. WPCNR does not know at this time whether this person was allowed into the shelter, because we were told all had to get onto the vans to be “screened.”

No Incidents. Security to be Maintained at Present Level.

Deputy Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, Monte Long told WPCNR this morning there were no incidents. The media were not allowed to see inside the shelter. Mr. Long said his force was there simply for “order maintenance,”  and said whether or not the force of approximately six officers would continue to be deployed was in question, because “we continually reacces our deployment based on need.” Commissioner Long said his officers did not check in the homeless who arrived, saying that the Department of Social Services performed that operation.

Donna Greene of the County Communications Department told WPCNR today that, “Our county security will be maintained at last night’s level.”
 

Asked about the issue of whether or not the homeless can leave the shelter once they enter it each night, Ms. Greene reports, “No. They cannot leave the shelter (once they arrive).”

Vans queue up to pull into 85 Court Street Department of Social Services Driveway. It is 10: 50 P.M. Photo, WPCNR News.

The arrival of the homeless at 85 Court Street was closely supervised by Westchester County Police. The White Plains Department of Public Safety was not on site.

Lieutenant Cetina of the Westchester County Police did not know whether a similar contingent of County Police would be maintained every night and referred WPCNR to the Department of Public Safety.  A County Policeman stood by outside the entrance of the posh White Plains dining destination, Mulino’s.  Lieutenant Cetina told WPCNR there were no media spokespersons available for press inquiries on the scene, that he was it.

White Plains Department of Public Safety Role.

Inspector Daniel Jackson of the White Plains Department of Public Safety issued a statement to WPCNR Tuesday evening confirming that the White Plains Police were briefed by the Westchester County Department of Public Safety on the county plans. Inspector Jackson’s statement:

The White Plains Department of Public Safety was notified by the Westchester County Department of Public Safety of the intended relocation of the Drop-In shelter to the 85 Court Street location.

We met with Commissioner Belfiore and Deputy County Executive Larry Schwartz. We conveyed the message that Mayor Delfino was unequivocally opposed to the relocation of the shelter to the 85 Court Street location.

We did not inspect the facility. We confirmed the fact that the primary responsibility for the safety and security of the shelter in that building remained with the Westchester County Department of Public Safety.

Turning into 85 Court Driveway deliver White Plains newest residents. Photo, WPCNR News.

Official-looking government types in suits arriving on the scene would not identify themselves to  this reporter when asked if they were from the Department of Social Services. Later they were seen unlocking the Department of Social Services main entrance, and letting themselves inside.

Approximately 9:55 P.M. an unmarked official car drove down the driveway beside the Department of Social Services and were seen opening the back entrance where the homeless were to enter.

Vans Queue up to turn around in the DSS driveway to unload residents from the backs of the vans with Trump Tower (building in upper left) looming over  the scene. Photo, WPCNR News.

Vans arrived at about 10:45, and were driven down the driveway under the watchful eye of Channels 2,4,7, and 12 recording the event for posterity.

Neither Mayor Joseph Delfino  nor County Executive Andy Spano were on hand for the historic opening. It was the first homeless shelter opened in White Plains, WPCNR believes in approximately 15 years.

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. January 9, 2006: Assistant Superintendent for Business Terrance Schruers informed the Board of Education Monday night that a preliminary survey of budget expenditures for 2006-07 showed expenses rising 8.34% or $12, 762,082. School District revenues for 2006-2007 were not estimated.

The expenditures were based on a barebones expenditure of what it would take to keep the district programs in place as they are presently, with no new programs and no increase in district personnel. A new certiorari payment of $4,489,893 was approved for the One North Broadway-455 Hamilton Avenue property.

Schruers reported the major increases were in the Teachers’ Retirement Contribution, up 45% or $1,854,093; Utilities, up $974,475  (31%); Debt, $1,566,870 (up 34%);Tuition, 403.000 (up 21%).

In Utilities, Schruers reports the district expects Electricity to rise 15%, fuel and natural gas, 21% next year. In 2005-2006 so far, Schruers said natural gas prices had risen 50% over last year and said that the district had not budgeted for such an increase. He said at the present pace for 2005-2006, the district is expecting a $250,000 overrun in Utilitiy costs for this year.

Health Insurance is up $ 1,250,660, or 7.9%, but the increases for three of the district’s health plans are not in yet, so this could go higher, Schruers said. Salaries (for all current positions) were projected to rise $4,617,652  (5.2%) Transportation $418,523 (6.8%), but that could increase because the bus company contract is being renegotiated.

The BOCES expense rise is pegged at $694,340 (or 8%), but this also could rise depending on test scoring contracts now being negotiated. The district is over budget by $125,000 for special education costs.

Cert Debt Mounts. $4.5 Million Cert Approved.

Schreurs said debt from certiorari bond payments would rise an estimated $2,321,837 in the 2006-07 budget. The new payments for debt on certiorari bonds add 1.5% to the budget. Without bonding for the certiorari payments the base budget increase in debt would amount to 6.74%.

In a related certiorari development, the School District approved (in Executive Session) a $4,489,893 certiorari payback to Metropolitan Life and White Plains Plaza on the One North Broadway-455 Hamilton office building. Last Monday night the city approved a $1,366,054 cert on the same property, and tonight the School District kicked in its share of the cert.

Bassano: Meet with City to

“Kick in their fair share.”

The Board of Education approved a Joint Facilities Agreement between the School District and the City of White Plains for another three years through 2007-2008.

Board member Bill Pollak said it was hard to tell what the Joint Facilities Agreement meant to the school district based on the way it was presented. Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors pointed out that “tax collection was a big part of it.”

Peter Bassano, Board Member, asked if the Joint Facilities Agreement contained any city commitment to the District’s Five Year Facilities Improvement Plan the District was now considering (and will discuss their decisions on the $67 Million bond plan January 17).

Superintendent of Schools Connors said it did not.

Bassano offered the opinion  that now as a good time for the district to meet with the city to discuss how  the city could  “kick in their fair share” of the $67 Million in capital improvements the District foresees (though no decisions have been made on what projects to execute at this time).  Connors said he planned to discuss this with the Mayor, the city Recreation Commissioner, (Arne Abramowitz)  and Budget Director, (Ann Reasoner) and Commissioner of Public Works (Joseph Nicoletti) in the near future, but a date had not been set yet.

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. By John F. Bailey. January 9, 2006: Eli Schonberger,  longtime patron of the arts in White Plains, pioneer and benefactor of the Sculpture Garden at the White Plains Public Library, told WPCNR today that he had resigned from being a member of the White Plains Performing Arts Center Board of Directors three months ago.

Mr. Schonberger said he no longer could devote the time to the White Plains Performing Arts Center. He told WPCNR he is concentrating on lining up new massive sculpture works for the Library’s outdoor display by September of this year.

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WPCNR CNA NEWS. January 9, 2006: The Council of Neighborhood Associations meets for its first get-together of the new year Tuesday at 7:45 P.M. at Education House, 5 Homeside Lane with Ken Worden, chairing his first meeting as President. All are welcome to attend: The agenda:

AGENDA:
                    1. 2006 Objectives and Plans
                    2. Discussion of a proposed CNA website
                    3. Issues in the neighborhoods