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. By John F. Bailey. December 20, 2005: The architects preparing the five year facilities plan for the Board of Education presented a sharply lower renovation and infrastructure plan for the School District last night which has the district taking care of only Priority 1 and 2 infrastructure items, and proposing the building of a new Post Road School, and artificial surfacing of Loucks Field and increasing its capacity to only 2,500. Surfacing of Eastview athletic fields and the Highlands Parker Stadium was eliminated, but the Parker Stadium field surfacing is still being considered.

 

Board of Education Hears Trimmed Bond Plan Last Night at Education House. Russ Davidson addressed the Board of Education. Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors is seen at far left, seated. The meeting was videotaped and will be telecast on the School Channel 77 this week. Photo, WPCNR News.

New Proposal: Now under analysis by the Board of Education. Totals of dollars to be sent on each facility are at far right. Photo, WPCNR News.

 

 

The new Preliminary Proposal before the board calls for spending $67.5 Million over five years instead of the previously considered amount of $95 Million.  A total of $35 Million of that $67.5 Million investment is for construction of a new school at Post Road.

 

The Board plans to issue a Request for Proposals with a few weeks for a Construction Manager to analyze specific costs as the plan is considered and moves forward.

 

Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors emphasized that no decision has been made to go ahead with any portion of the plan at this time, and any adaption of a construction plan awaited intense Board discussion of the options presented last night.

 

Connors said the district enrollment was seen as steady over the next five years but was 10% over facility capacity at this time. He allowed that  “we could get hurt if there was a sudden increase in class size.”

 

$66 Increase in Taxes to Bond

 

Assistant Superintendent for Business Terrance Schreurs noted to the handful of observers and the board that the cost to the taxpayers of a $65 Million Bond would not be felt until the budget year 2007-2008. He said the bond would raise the school taxes of the average White Plains residence ($15,000 Assessed Valuation), $58.05 in 07-08, $70.50 in 08-09, and $69 in 2009-20010. This carrying cost of the bond would be in addition to tax increases required by future school budgets in those years, and whatever tax certioraris might impact the School District.

 

Tax Rate Increases From Proposed Construction Bond and Certiorari Bonding. The handwriting shows the combined increase in the tax rate per $1,000 of assessed valuation from the new $67.5 Million bond combined with projected certiorari refund bonding.  There would be no bond cost in 2006-07, but there would be a $6.88 increase in the tax rate due to the school cert liability already committed for. In 2007-2008 the new bond would cost taxpayers $3.87 and an additional $6.25 in cert repaying for a total of $10.12/per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The combined impact of certs and the new construction bond on Mr. & Mrs. & Ms. White Plains would drop to 4.76 in 08-09 and 4.65 in 09-10.  Photo, WPCNR News.

 

The Tax Impact. Photo, WPCNR News

 

The Board’s Peter Bassano said he was not convinced that the District needed to do any of the renovations and infrastructure upgrading proposed. He thought the 16 day time frame of deciding on the specifics of the project prior to January 6 was too short.

 

Russell Davidson the principal of the architectural firm handling the Facilities Plan for the city advised the Board the renovations were not in any way mandatory or required to be done by the state. He said that in order to do anything, though, the district needed a survey of facilities and plans to be submitted to the state.

 

Donna McLaughlin, President of the Board of Education, expressed the thought that the district was not locked in to a bond referendum at the same time as the District Budget Vote in May, though referendums had always been done in the past in conjunction with the budget vote.

 

 

Russell Davidson, the principal architect on the project for the School District noted that the skyrocketing construction costs (projected at increasing 9.5% in 2005)  indicated that the renovations and infrastructure would only cost more in the future. (Blue Bar indicates cost of construction. Photo, WPCNR News

 

Preliminary Timetable for a May Vote Issued.

 

A tentative  draft timetable for pulling together the paperwork and community information necessary to present a bond to the District in May at budget time was presented. According to this timetable, the Board is to consider what projects if any, are to be done, and decided the bonding amount by January 6.

 

Draft Schedule for a May, 2005 Bond Referendum. Photo, WPCNR News

 

After the meeting the Board members agreed that they would be discussing the Preliminary Proposal in early January on a schedule for presenting individual school renovation plans to the residents of the district in mid-January.

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WPCNR THE HOMELESS NEWS. By John F. Bailey. December 19, 2005: A spokesman for the Mayor’s Office, David Maloney, this morning told the CitizeNetReporter that Westchester County never told  the city their plans to house 43 “hardcore homeless” persons at 85 Court Street across Court Street from the County Office Building,  beginning January 10.

 

HEARTBREAK HOTEL Planned for the DSS Building at 85 Court, one block away from City Center (to far right,tall building), across from the County office building to the left and a half block away from senor citizens housing planned for the parking lot in the foreground, and one block from the Cappelli Hotel and Condoplex, center of picture background. Photo, WPCNR News.

 

The Department of Communications  of Westchester County said the Court Street location and the monitoring of the homeless population destined for that location was discussed between the Westchester County Department of Public Safety and the White Plains Department of Public Safety as to safety and monitoring issues, and said the White Plains Department of Public Safety informed the Mayor’s Office. The White Plains Department of Public Safety has not responded yet to my call to confirm this.

 

 Spokesperson David Maloney said Mayor Joseph Delfino, who was in Florida last week, would be making a lot of phone calls today on the Court Street Homeless Location situation. File Photo by WPCNR News.

Mr. Maloney said the city is exploring avenues, (“leaving no stone unturned,” were his words),  to prevent the population of “hard core homeless,”  from taking up residence nightly at 85 Court, just one and a half blocks from the city’s reviving downtown.

 

 

City Concerned

 

Maloney reaffirmed the city position that the homeless planned to be housed in that shelter are not all from White Plains, as the county contends,  that they are all from all over, and should not be housed overnight within the city.

 

Victoria Hochman the county spokesperson on this issue told WPCNR that the persons are picked up in White Plains and that it made sense to have them stay overnight near the new Day Center for the Homeless being established at 96 East Post Road to be run by Grace Church Community Services.

 

That Day Center at 96 East Post Road for the Homeless to stay during the day has not yet been approved by the Common Council, and was tabled at the last work session, where it was pleaded to be a consent agenda item. The Common Council scheduled a public hearing on the 96 East Post Road Shelter for the January Common Council meeting. 

 

  The homeless who now spend the night at the airport shelter that Hochman described as a horrible, dilapidated place, are returned to White Plains mornings at 6 A.M., where they are expected to avail themselves of county services, but rarely do. 

 

No other Location in City Discussed?

 

Hochman did not know if any other location such as New York Presbyterian Hospital, or White Plains Hospital Center, (NYPH being a facility which specializes among other fields in the mentally ill), were contacted by the county as a possible overnight location.

 

Asked why the airport shelter population was not housed in the new Valhalla Homeless Shelter opened last week, Hochman said because the airport population were “hardcore homeless” who have refused to participate in programs available to the system such as drug rehabilitation programs, alcohol rehab programs, job training programs, counseling, and therefore did not fit in with the homeless population destined for the Valhalla Shelter who do take advantage of county services.

 

No Official Named as Responsible.

 

Hochman was asked who in county government had decided the airport shelter homeless should be overnighted in White Plains in the center of downtown. The “hardcore homeless” as the county calls them have been bused to the airport for decades. Hochman said she did not know whose decision it was, but speculated it was made by the Department of Social Services over the last few months.

 

 

Operations of 85 Court

 

As to operations of the 85 Court Street shelter, Hochman reports that homeless persons in White Plains seeking a bed for the night would still be expected to assemble at South Lexington and Maple Avenues, where they would be put on a bus and bused one block to 85 Court Street where their names would be taken and she believes they are checked to see whether or not they are previous convicted “sex offenders and possibly a criminal record.”

 

In order to stay the night in 85 Court Street, Hochman said the homeless would have to agree to be locked in, (as they are at the airport facility) put under security, and would not be allowed to leave. In the morning, they would be bused over to the new Day Center for the Homeless at 96 East Post Road where Grace Church Community Services would give them shower facilities, counseling, and give them a place to stay during the day. Hochman said they would not be forced to stay there.

 

Hochman said the homeless may stay past the present 6 A.M. “reveille” time when they are turned out of the airport center and put on buses back to White Plains or other areas where they come from, and that she thought it would be closer to the time when the Grace Day Center for the Homeless would open.

 

 

Hochman, told WPCNR the 85 Court facility would only house 43 persons maximum. Asked if there ever was an overflow, Hochman theorized, but could not say for certain, that the overflow would find other facilities around the county to take them in.

 

 

Records of the Hardcore Homeless

 

Asked if the county could check its manifests of persons taken at nightly bus pickups who routinely stay in the County Airport Shelter, Hochman did not know if those manifests were available or used to develop a profile of typical hardcore homeless populations in more detail as to how many had criminal records, how many were drug or alcohol addicted, and other various afflictions. She did not give a figure on how many were picked up nightly. She said the population changed nightly.

 

Nevertheless, the homeless population to be at 85 Court were described by Ms. Hochman as the vast majority being possibly mentally ill, some developmentally disabled, some drug-addicted, and with criminal  backgrounds from being housed overnight (from 10 P.M to sometime after 6 A.M.) in the heart of the White Plains downtown.

 

 

The Runup

 

Hochman reported to WPCNR that the Westchester County Department  of Public Safety had discussed the safety concerns and issues concerning locating the homeless at 85 Court Street with the White Plains Department of Public Safety, and that the White Plains Department of Public Safety had told the Mayor’s Office about it. She did not know when the Mayor’s office was notified by the Department of Public Safety. Martin Gleeson, media spokesman for the White Plains Department of Public Safety has been contacted for the Department of Public Safety side of this communication question.

 

County Legislator Bill Ryan contacted Saturday and again today by WPCNR as to whether he  knew about the county plan, has yet to respond.

 

Thomas Roach, President of the White Plains Common Council had no comment, because he did not know of the situation as of Saturday morning when WPCNR contacted him. “We’ll have to see how it plays out,” Roach said.

 

Cappelli Enterprises, which is constructing a 4-Star Hotel and condoplex a block and a half away from 85 Court Street has yet to respond with their reaction to the news.

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. December 18, 2005: The Ebersole Ice Rink Figure Skating School and White Plains Figure Skating Club, many of whom learned to skate at Ebersole a decade ago,  combined to entertain family and friends with group performances and individual solos at the traditional Ebersole Holiday Show Saturday afternoon on a beautiful day for ice-skating. Highlights of the Show were the March of the Penguins, Daria and Peter Marinelli, and “The Ebersolettes,” which showed they have a future in synchro skating, and, of course, the traditional visits of Santa and Frosty the Snowman.

The March of the Penguins, the Irrepressible Tots, Opened the Show,  Choreographed by Members of White Plains Figure Skating Club. Photo, WPCNR Sports.

Peter and Daria Marinelli, Father, member of  Men N Sync, the only Men’s Synchronized Skating Team in the Country,  and Daughter Daria of the White Plains Figure Skating Club, a longtime member of the club, skated a Pairs Solo — the Highlight of the Show. Photo, WPCNR Sports.

The “Ebersolettes” Execute a Synchronized Skating Line. Photo, WPCNR Sports.

Jenna Besignano of the White Plains Figure Skating Club  in  a silky smooth Layback Spin. Photo, WPCNR Sports.

Becky Riss in a Sit-Spin in her Solo Spotlight. Photo, WPCNR Sports

 

Peter and Daria Marinelli. Photo, WPCNR Sports.

Allison Fuerst Performing Run, Run Rudolph. Photo, WPCNR Sports

Juliana Bailey  Wishing Figure Skating Fans a “Happy Holiday ” . Photo, WPCNR Sports.

 

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Santa and Frosty the Snowman Invited All onto the ice at the finale to finish up the afternoon with the most fun you can have on ice: skating outdoors at Ebersole Ice Rink, White Plains. Photo, WPCNR Sports.

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WPCNR ALBANY OBSERVER. From Assemblyman George Latimer. December 18, 2005: New York State Assemblyman George Latimer (D-Westchester, 91st A.D.) has two on-line sites where District residents can track his activities and efforts:

The State Assembly website provides news of the Assemblyman’s
legislative agenda and important programs:

www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=091

Latimer also maintains a personal website that includes press clippings,
endorsements and other political as well as policy information:

www.GeorgeLatimer.com

Both sites allow e-mail communication for constituents on issues and
opinions.

Latimer is completing his first year representing Rye Brook, Larchmont,
Mamaroneck Town and Village, Port Chester, Rye City and part of New
Rochelle in the State Assembly. He can be reached locally at his
District Office, (914) 777-3832, 933 Mamaroneck Ave., Suite 102,
Mamaroneck, NY 10543.

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WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY By District 89 Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley. December 17, 2005: As a father there is nothing more important to me than the safety of our families. With that, I am proud to say that the Assembly majority conference has unveiled a comprehensive plan to protect our communities from dangerous sexual predators. This package is easily the toughest and most effective thus far to be introduced and I intend to make sure it is passed by the Assembly as soon as we return to Albany after the New Year.

 

 

 The result of a series of public hearings, the “Child Safety and Sexual Predator Punishment and Confinement Strategy” imposes tougher sentences on sex offenders, keeps the most dangerous predators confined, and intensely monitors them if they are released.  This proposal also keeps in mind the victims of these horrific crimes and makes certain that they receive the necessary services to help carry on with their lives.

 

Tougher sentences for the worst sex crimes

 

The Assembly’s plan provides for up to life sentences for the most heinous sex crimes – those where the perpetrator harmed the victim, threatened the use of a weapon, committed the crime against multiple victims, or was previously convicted of a felony sex crime. Those convicted of serious sex crimes in which the victim is under the age of 13 could spend the rest of their lives in prison, regardless of any other aggravating circumstance.

 

Civil confinement for dangerous sexual predators

 

A key element of the plan provides for the potential lifetime civil confinement of sexual predators after they finish their sentences. Under the Assembly’s proposal, those who pose a serious risk to the general public will be civilly committed. This process would begin with the state Attorney General petitioning the courts after a psychiatric examination of the offender and input from mental health professionals.

 

Civil confinement would be ordered if a jury unanimously decided that an offender is a violent sexual predator who is prone to repeat a horrific crime again. And even if mental health experts determine that civil commitment is not necessary, the Attorney General would still have the ability to ensure a convicted sex offender remains under intense supervision. While the civilly committed could be housed in state mental health facilities, they would be barred from coming in contact with the general population of mentally disabled patients.  Importantly, this legislation follows the example of Texas, where there is lifetime supervised confinement for certain felony sex offenders released from prison.

 

Mandatory treatment for incarcerated sex offenders

 

This package also requires mandatory treatment for incarcerated sex offenders.  The state Department of Correctional Services currently operates a sex offender treatment program but it is not required by law and it lasts for only six months – one of the shortest prison-based programs in the nation.  Under the plan an expert panel would be formed to determine the best way to improve methods for the treatment of sex offenders.

 

 

Additional legislation

 

The Assembly’s plan also includes other significant legislation, including the Sexual Abuse Prevention Act (A.8294), which:

·        requires 12 hours of training for police officers in sexual assault cases;

·        develops a toll-free, statewide hotline to connect sexual assault victims with a rape crisis center in their area;

·        mandates that Internet service providers give subscribers written notice of the availability of filtering devices which screen out material harmful to minors; and

·        directs the Office of Children and Family Services to develop a training curriculum for child protective services workers to be used in investigating reports of sexual abuse.

 

I look forward to working with the governor and my colleagues in the Senate to make sure that we pass meaningful legislation which will protect our communities from sexual predators.