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

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WPCNR Main Street Journal. June 16, 2004, UPDATED WITH PIX, 10:30 A.M. E.D.T.: Mayor Joseph Delfino launched a new quality of life initiative Tuesday, announcing that the city would build a Dog Run Park for citizens to let their “best friends” loose in a controlled environment. The park will be located on the Southeast side of Delfino Park on the Town of Harrison line alongside a brook and would be 100 feet x 200 feet in size. It will be constructed over the summer by the Department of Public Works and will open in September according to the plan.

MAYOR INTRODUCING HIS DOG PARK PLAN TO INTERESTED CANINES at City Hall Tuesday. Photo by WPCNR NewsDog

The Mayor also announced as part of his “Love Our Pets Initiative” that the city would produce a television program on WPPA-TV, beginning in August on White Plains Public Access that will feature animals in need of homes, discuss pet welfare issues.

To care for pets that already have homes, the Mayor introduced Dennis M. Dolan, President of Best Friends Pet Resorts & Salons who will be opening what the Mayor described as “a state-of-the-art pet care facility in White Plains,” occupying the former Colin Cares building on South Kensico Avenue at One Brockway Place. It is expected to open in December.

DOG PARK SITE: You are looking Southeast from second base at Delfino Field II. The White Plains Dog Run Park will be constructed directly across Main Street from the third base side of the field  and extend back 200 feet. Photo by WPCNR NewsDog

PROPOSED ENTRANCE TO DOG PARK: According to Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti, the Dog Run will be constructed this summer at a cost of $9,000 to $10,000, (mainly for fencing). The City Hall News Release reports the Dog Run will be open from dawn to dusk, and include a water fountain for dogs, a dispenser for clean up after dogs, and a waste receptacle, and will be ready in September. Play equipment to amuse your dog will be added, should the city find a sponsor.  Havilands Manor resident and schnauzer trainer, Barbara Dille who suggested the site to Mayor Delfino, said the program sounds very good and is much needed. Photo by WPCNR NewsDog.

MAYOR IS THANKED BY CURRENT RESIDENTS of the New Rochelle Animal Shelter, (a no-kill shelter), for his initiative. Frannie, Hunter, Ginger and a puppie, Bosco visited from the New Rochelle shelter to dramatize the plight of homeless pets. Eleven Million animals are in shelters nationwide, and each year eight million are euthanized. The Mayor said, through the new White Plains Public Access television show, that he hoped more animals would be adopted by the community. Fred Strauss, General Manager of WPPA-TV in White Plains said he is very enthusiastic about the show and thinks it’s “a fantastic idea,” since his first two dogs were strays he rescued from the street in the South Bronx. He said he’d be keeping WPCNR posted as production details of “The Dog Show” were ironed out. Dana Rocco, (left) Manager of the New Rochelle Shelter  looks on. Frannie, Hunter, Ginger and Bosco may be adopted for just $100 with complete shots, and  a vet check, spayed or neutered depending on gender,  by contacting 632-2935. Photo by WPCNR NewsDog

DOG HOTEL SITE: The former home of Colin Cares (which has moved to 170 Hamilton Avenue), will become the site  of a Best Friends Pet Resort & Salon in December, another phase of the Mayor’s Love Our Pets Initiative. Photo by WPCNR NewsDog.

BEST FRIENDS PET RESORTS provide a variety of services for White Plains pets who have homes, including boarding (over family vacations), daycare, grooming, training, a specialty pet boutique, and a veterinary clinic. Exhibits at the news conference displayed some of the “suites” available for pets staying at Best Friends Pet Resorts. The national chain has Best Friends facilities in Norwalk, Rockland County and nearby in Harrison. The facility in White Plains, Dennis  Dolan said, would provide short stay lodging for 200 dogs and 36 cats. Photo by WPCNR NewsDog

FRANNIE, A 9-year old chocolate Lab, shakes hands with the CitizeNetReporter. From this reporter’s observations the three older dogs were people-friendly, very well-behaved and would make great pets for any home. Frannie can be adopted, (and she has a yellow lab companion dog, too, that she was found with, abandoned.) Photo by WPCNR NewsDog

HUNTER, a 9 year old mutt, is dignified, friendly, looking for a home. He typifies the millions of older dogs that people do not want, and who are eventually killed because shelters cannot handle the overload of animals who are not wanted. The New Rochelle Shelter where Hunter lives does not kill the animals it cannot find homes for. Photo by WPCNR NewsDog.

GINGER, faithful female companion for someone. Photo by WPCNR NewsDog.

BOSCO, THE LUCKY PUPPY. He’s lucky because he lives at the New Rochelle Animal Shelter. He’s available now as are Frannie, Ginger, and Hunter and many other homeless, but-cared-for, dogs and cats by calling 632-2925. Photo by WPCNR NewsDog.

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 WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Fort Hill Players. June 15, 20045:  Saturday, June 19th,  White Plains’ community theater group,  Fort Hill Players, will gather from 12 – 2 pm at Delfino Park on Lake Street in White Plains for a MAD occasion (Membership Appreciation Day).  Taking a break from rehearsals to attend the BBQ is the cast of our current Free Summer Theater in the Parks production, The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf.   A crowd of  about 40 current members is expected to attend the BBQ.  Former members who wish to attend should call Nan at 945-0311.

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. (Edited)  June 11, 2004: Westchester County Executive Andy Spano, supported by County Legislator Robert Astorino, Mount Pleasant Supervisor Robert Meehan and North Castle Supervisor Jack Lombardi, announced Monday that West Lake Drive will reopen starting Sept. 4 to accommodate morning and evening rush-hour traffic. Motorists will be subject to passing police checkpoints, the cost of which will be deducted from the county New York City water bill.

 The road, which runs over the top of the Kensico Dam in Valhalla, will be open to passenger vehicles weekdays between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. It has been closed to traffic on and off since Sept. 11, 2001 and is currently closed at the request of New York City Department of Environmental Protection, which has raised security concerns about the dam and the Kensico Reservoir. The closing of the roadway has been a major inconvenience to Mount Pleasant and North Castle motorists and emergency responders and has been a point of contention between the Spano administration and NYC’s DEP.

“New York City DEP has failed to be responsive on a host of security issues and has failed to follow through on other things they said they would do to secure the dam,’’ said Spano. “We are very frustrated with DEP’s lack of responsiveness, and have decided to do what is best for our communities given that the DEP has not provided us with sufficient information to warrant keeping this roadway closed.’’

As an example of the DEP’s lack of follow through, Spano said that the DEP has ignored the county’s request to have a bomb blast effect study of the dam done by the Federal Bureau of Reclamation to show whether the dam needs to remain closed.  The decision to reopen the roadway during certain hours was made after a meeting June 11 that included Spano, County Legislators William Ryan, Richard Wishnie and Robert Astorino, Meehan, Lombardi and local police, fire and emergency services providers.

County Legislator Astorino, who represents the towns of North Castle and Mount Pleasant, said that reopening the road for limited times during the day will provide tremendous relief to residents in his district. More than 6,000 cars a day use the roadway a day, he said.

 “Opening Westlake Drive is the right move.  It will immediately alleviate the enormous traffic burden in Valhalla and North White Plains, as well as other arteries like Nannyhagen Road in Thornwood and Bear Ridge Road in Pleasantville,’’ said Astorino. “More importantly, police, fire, and ambulance personnel will be able to get to emergencies faster. We’re still demanding New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection provide better and more visible security at all locations of the dam, including the reservoir.  I’m certain the road can be open and the dam can be safe and secure at the same time.”  

Spano said that county police will set up a checkpoint at the dam to monitor vehicles during the hours that the roadway is open to traffic. Vehicles larger than passenger vans will not be allowed to use the road even during these hours. He estimated it would cost several hundred thousand dollars a year to provide this police protection, but said that the county planned to deduct the cost from money it paid the New York City DEP for water it provided to the Grassland Complex in Valhalla, which this year is expected to amount to about $486,000.

Spano said that the county would use the summer, when traffic flow was lighter due to school closings and vacations, to develop a plan for re-opening the road, which will include police patrols, a checkpoint and barriers. He estimated it would take about 60-75 days to prepare.

 “We will use this time to prepare a plan for securing the roadway during the hours it will be open,’’ he said. “Given the DEP’s lack of action, we really have no choice but to move ahead on our own. We cannot allow this situation to go on indefinitely as it continues to be a real hardship to so many of our residents.’’

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. June 14, 2004: The White Plains Board of Education, calling Timothy Connors “a great ambassador for the White Plains School District,” voted 7-0 to renew Mr. Connors’ contract through July 14, 2008. Donna McLaughlin, President of the Board of Education said it hardly seemed like two years since Connors had joined the district, and she described him as “decisive, determined and knowledgeable. He is a great ambassadore for the School District, and makes everyone feel a part of the White Plains School District.” Maria Valentin of the Board said she admired “the respect you have for all of us (Board members) even when we disagree.” 

Mr. Connors thanked the Board, and sheepishly told the Board he did not think his job was that hard, and said his immediate goal was to close the Achievement Gap  between white and minority students and to continue the White Plains education legacy. Connors told WPCNR, his immediate goal was to “implement full day kindergarten, and continue to close the achievement gap.” He said, “I’m honored to be here and that the Board asked me to stay.”

H.S. Principal Search, Negotiations, WPHS Cafeteria

On immediate matters, Connors told WPCNR some 40 candidates for high school principal had applied for the position at WPHS, and 5 had been singled out for second interviews. He said some were from Connecticut and did not recall where the other candidates were from. 

He said negotiations with the White Plains Teachers Union on a contract were ongoing and expected an agreement by the end of the school year. Jerry Gorski, President of the Teachers Union said he expected a fair offer from the School District, and appeared confident of a settlement shortly. Neither Connors nor Gorski revealed areas of “give and take.”

Terry Scheuers, Assistant Superintendent for Business told WPCNR that Edward Marra, head of Food Services for the district and the Nutrition Committee had agred on establishing a new serving station in the high school cafeteria in September to alleviate the chronic White Plains High School cafeteria food service delays that prevent children from eating a decent lunch in the 35 minute high school lunch period.

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WPCNR County Clarion-Ledger. Special to WPCNR From CSEA. June 14, 2004: CSEA Westchester County Unit President Jack McPhillips told WPCNR this afternoon that the union has negotated a  new contract with the county  expiring at the end of 2005, ending 35 months of negotiations. 

 He said annual  raises (retroactive over the last 29 months), amount to a a compounded rate of 12.6% over the four years, an average of 3% increase per year, going back to 2001. The union will be going back to the table in July, 2005 to begin negotiations again, McPhillips said. Automatic “Step longevity increases” given every 5 years go up from $1,000 to $2,000 at the end of 25 years, McPhillips said, and there are lesser increases for the 5, 10, and 15-year levels.

The union also receives a $50,000 per year increase from the County in tuition reimbursement going from $300,000 to $350,000 a year. Union employees may receive up to a maximum of $4,000 tuition reimbursement or 67% of whatever they ask for, McPhillips explained to WPCNR.

“The Westchester County Employees Unit of CSEA has ratified a contract with the county that is fair and equitable,” CSEA Westchester County Unit President Jack McPhillips said. “The negotiations were long and often very tense, but our agreement with the county is fair. The contract will not only help our members better meet their needs, but will not harm our fellow Westchester County taxpayers.”

“The CSEA Work Force mobilized,” said Statewide President Danny Donohue “and our efforts resulted in a ratified contract that meets their needs.”    

CSEA and Westchester County jointly reached the agreement in late May. Negotiations had been in fact-finding at that time, after the sides had reached impasse and attempts at mediation had been exhausted. The new agreement contains raises in every contract year and includes retroactive pay.

In addition to the pay and tuition and longevity pay levels, there have been improvements to the employees’ optical and dental care plans. While Westchester County will continue to pay the full cost of the workers’ health insurance premium, there have been other changes to the current health plan.

“I am proud of the CSEA negotiating team and the members of our Westchester County Unit for a job well done,” CSEA Southern Region President Diane Hewitt said. “They stood together to fight for a fair and equitable agreement, and I am heartened by their resolve to never back down. This contract will help all of our members employed by Westchester County better support themselves and their families.”

“I would like to congratulate the CSEA Westchester County Unit for winning their fight for a fair contract,” CSEA Westchester Local 860 President Gary Conley said. “Our members who are employed at the county have waited three years to reach an agreement that is acceptable to them, and it is encouraging to see that they will be able to move forward from this hard fight.”