THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR | 2,905,611 VISITORS VISIT 8,324,077 TIMES 3 TIMES EVERY DAY IN ONE YEAR. HIGHEST ACTIVITY IN WPCNR HISTORY.White PlainsCitizeNetReporter lifted its worldwide visits from unique visitors to wpcnr.com to 8,324,077,a 1,306,419 increase in visits in one year from 7,017,658 visits to the site last year which covers White Plains and Westchester County. The 8,324,077 visits were made by 2,005,611 unique visitors who visited wpcnr an average of 3 visits a day. ON JULY 20- -2026 visitors have accessed wpcnr and made 3,072 visits an average of 1.6 visits. In the last week 33,495 individual vistors made 54,458 visits, averaging 1.6 visits. In the last month, 152,940 visitors recorded 229,338 visits (1.5 visits)

Bergen Record: New White Plains Superintendent-Select Leaves New Jersey Because of Christie Cap on Superintendents’ Salaries

Posted on December 18, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. December 20, 2014:

Dr. Paul R. Fried, the man named by the White Plains City School District Thursday as their choice to head the White Plains Schools beginning in July 2015 (one day after he resigned as the Montville Township Superintendency) is one of a number of School Superintendents who are leaving New Jersey because of Governor Chris Christie’s enactment of a cap on Supertintendents of Schools salaries in New Jersey enacted in 2013.

The Bergen Record reported Wednesday that New Jersey caps Superintendent of Schools salaries at $165,000 in districts ranging from 3,001 to 6,500 students. Fried, The Record observed, faced a 30% cut in pay from his present Montville salary of $237,707, (if The Record is correct), dropping him $71,312 to approximately $166,395, less than the $211,200 he started at in Montville five years ago.

Previously, Dr. Fried retired from Mamaroneck Larchmont School District post as Superintendent after a career in education in New York encompassing the Ossining school district, where he was an elementary school principal and Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education.

The Journal News reported that Fried recives a pension from New York State based on his retirement from the Mamaroneck school district in 2010 of over $200,000 which will he will continue to receive in addition to whatever contract White Plains shapes with him.

Should the White Plains City School District approve a contract in January Dr. Fried will be the second retiree the district has hired as its Superintendent. Timothy Connors was also a retired Superintendent from Danbury,Connecticut.

The Larchmont Gazette‘s Judy Silverstein reported in 2010 the year Dr. Fried retired from Mamaroneck district, that the Mamaroneck schools issued this statement,

“Under Dr.Fried’s Leadership, Mamaroneck soared to new heights. For the first time, the District has developed a system for setting measurable goals for all key area of work,including student learning, which has evolved progress to be made in the areas of curriculum consistency and development. A structure now in place creates a highly organized process for teacher goal setting, observation and evaluation, and raises expectations and support for quality teaching. Additionally the district has significantly and positively charged its relationship with the Mamaroneck Teachers Association..he has paid special interest to early learning and intervention…technology–bringing the district to the 21st centruy with updated financial, student databases and communicators systems.”

The Record, on December 17, quoted Dr. Fried from his letter of resignation, delivered Wednesday to the Montville District: ““It is with sadness that I submit this letter of resignation,” Fried wrote. “The board, staff, students and community are aware of the unfortunate reasons behind my decision. It’s about the salary cap. I really enjoy Montville Township. It’s my fifth year here, and it’s been a wonderful experience.”

The Record reported Fried is at the close of a 5 year contract with Montville that would pay him $237,707 this year. He began, The Record reported, in 2010-11 at $211,200.

Karen Cortellino, the President of the Montville Township Board of Education is quoted by The Record on Dr. Fried’s performance: “Fried has done an incredible job for our district. Our schools and our community are enriched by having known and worked with such a talented and thoughtful educator.”

The complete Record article on the reasons for Fried’s departure may be viewed at

http://www.dailyrecord.com/story/news/local/2014/12/17/montville-school-superintendent-resigning-blames-salary-cap/20555761/

County Executive Gives Annual Report on Astorino Innovation: Local IDA.

Posted on December 18, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. December 20, 2014:

County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced Thursday that 2014 was a banner year for the Westchester County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and Local Development Corporation (LDC) with financing and incentives for 20 projects whose private investment totaled more than $560 million and created or retained more than 4,600 permanent and construction jobs.

The 16 IDA projects, which included residential, retail and commercial developments, are projected to create or retain 3,826 permanent and construction jobs. The $435 million in private investment is the highest year-end total for IDA projects since the beginning of the Astorino administration. Financing and incentives totaled $98.1 million and transaction fees paid to the IDA will generate an estimated $1.3 million, which will be used to support small businesses and stimulate job creation.

“This year’s record level of IDA activity for private development projects is unprecedented,” said Astorino. “The message is Westchester is open for business and the product of that message is thousands of construction and permanent jobs and a more vibrant economy.”

Among the major projects helped by the IDA in 2014 were headquarters expansion of Acorda Therapeutics in Ardsley, Harbor Square luxury rentals in Ossining, Saw Mill Lofts rental apartments in Hastings-on-Hudson, Rivertowns Square mixed-use retail center in Dobbs Ferry, Hilton Garden Inn in Dobbs Ferry, a new condominium building on Kensington Road in Bronxville and an affordable senior housing complex in Mamaroneck. The 2014 breakdown for financing and incentives was $84.5 million in tax-exempt bonds and $13.6 million in mortgage recording and sales tax exemptions.

Since 2010, the Westchester IDA has approved projects with a combined private investment of more than $1 billion, spurred by nearly $224 million in financing and incentives.

The four Local Development Corporation (LDC) projects are projected to create and retain 800 permanent and construction jobs. The $129 million in private investment was entirely supported by the LDC through tax-exempt bond financing.

Although the LDC helps arrange financing, there is no financial risk to the county or county taxpayers, because the obligation for repaying the loans rests solely with the borrowing organizations. Transaction fees paid to the LDC on the projects will be an estimated $276,250.

Since the LDC was established in April 2013, it has approved $430 million in tax-exempt bond financing for nine nonprofit projects in Westchester, generating an estimated $840,625 in transaction fees. The projects are projected to create and retain 1,864 permanent and construction jobs.

Nonprofits that were approved to receive LDC support in 2013 and 2014 included Kendal on Hudson, Phelps Memorial Hospital, Northern Westchester Hospital, Purchase College, White Plains Hospital, Pace University, White Plains Housing Company and YWCA of White Plains and Northern Westchester. Pace University’s expansion project was the largest project to be approved by either the LDC or IDA in 2014.

Kevin J. Plunkett, Esq., Deputy County Executive and LDC vice chairman; Tom Brady, Pace University treasurer; Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino; Bill McGrath, Pace University senior vice president and chief operating officer for the Westchester campuses; Stephen J. Hunt, LDC chairman and Jim Coleman, LDC executive director. Pace University’s expansion project was the largest project ($101 million in tax-exempt bond financing) to be approved by either the LDC or IDA in 2014 and was passed in just 28 days.

“By providing highly responsive and friendly customer service, the IDA and LDC have gained the confidence of the business and nonprofit communities as a valuable resource for financing and incentives,” said Jim Coleman, executive director of the Westchester IDA/LDC. “In the case of Pace University, the LDC was able to issue $101 million in tax-exempt bond financing for its Pleasantville campus modernization project in just 28 days.”

Montville, N.J. Superintendent Named New Superintendent of Schools in White Plains

Posted on December 18, 2014 by John Bailey

Dr, Paul R. Fried
Choice for New White Plains Schools Superintendent replacing Timothy Connors

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the White Plains City School District with supplemented reporting by John F. Bailey. December 18,2014:

The White Plains Board of Education announced today that it plans to appoint Dr. Paul R. Fried as Superintendent of Schools, effective July 1, 2015. It is anticipated that a three-year contract with Dr. Fried will be presented for approval by the Board at its January 12, 2015 meeting at 7:30 P.M. in the High School Media Center.

The announcement comes within 2 months of resumption of a new search for a Superintendent after Mr. Connors informed the Board he would not serve for a third term as Interim Superintendent.

Dr. Fried comes to White Plains from Montville Township, New Jersey, where he has been Superintendent for the last five years.

Prior to that, he was Superintendent of the Mamaroneck School District from 2005 to 2010 and was a Principal and Assistant Superintendent in Ossining for the previous 19 years.

During his tenure in Mamaroneck, Dr. Fried contributed to the implementation of several important initiatives which focused on student and parent engagement, teacher effectiveness and the needs of a diverse community.

A reception for Dr. Fried will be held at 7 P.M. on January 12^th, prior to the Board Meeting and the public is welcome. There will also be opportunities to meet the new superintendent in the spring, when he visits the community and the schools.

Dr. Fried emerged as the finalist among 62 candidates in a search conducted this past fall by former Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, Dr. Leonora Boehlert.

After initial interviews, the Board expanded the interview team to include representatives from the Civil Service, Teachers and Administrators and Supervisors Associations, the Superintendent’s Cabinet, Centro Hispano, and parents.

A graduate of SUNY/New Paltz, Dr. Fried earned his Master’s Degree there as well and has a Doctorate in Educational Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University.

School Board President Rosemarie Eller said, “We are confident that, as a seasoned superintendent with a background as an educator in Westchester County, Dr. Fried has the experience necessary to succeed in White Plains. We look forward to welcoming him here.”

The hire comes two months. after the previous Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, Dr. Leonora Boehlert had been hired by the district as a consultant to conduct a search for a new Superintendent.

The present Interim Superintendent, Timothy Connors had informed the district he would not serve a third year as Interim Superintendent, telling the Board of Education, “though they would like me to come back,” that he was going to go back to his home in Massachussetts, (even though there are is New York state regulation forbidding him serving a third year as interim superintendent).

Mr.Connors, speaking on the White Plains Television PEOPLE TO BE HEARD program with John Bailey and Jim Benerofe, confirmed his certain departure on last week’s telecast(recorded December 5), saying the school district “would have liked him to come back for a third year,” but he said he would not, even though there are no state laws forbidding a third year as interim superintendent.

Dr. Fried succeeds Mr. Connors who returned to White Plains last year as Interim Superintendent, after having served previously as Superintendent in the district from 2002 through 2009, replacing Dr. Saul Yanofsky.

Connors, WPCNR believes Mr. Connors’ 9 years service (at the end of this school year) ranks him as one of the longest-serving White Plains School Supertintendents, told the Board of Education he would not return for a third year as Interim Superintendent which the Board, he said would have liked, but he said on PEOPLE TO BE HEARD,

2009.

Expansion of Dickstein Center Celebrates Top Out with Beam Signing

Posted on December 18, 2014 by John Bailey

Signing the Beam: L-r: White Plains Hospital CEO Jon Schandler, White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach, President Susan Fox, cancer survivor and featured speaker Louise Kuklis, Dr. Mark Fialk (her doctor), and Board Chair J. Michael Divney. Photos, Courtesy White Plains Hospital by John Vecchiola

WPCNR POST ROAD POST. Special to WPCNR From White Plains Hospital Medical Center. November 18, 2014:

White Plains Hospital President Susan Fox and Board Chairman J. Michael Divney were joined Wednesday by White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach as well as Cancer Center physicians, nurses, and patients to sign the final beam for a modern new cancer care facility rising next to the existing Dickstein Cancer Treatment Center.

When construction is finished in fall 2015, the 40,000-square-foot, 6-story building will nearly double the size of the Hospital’s cancer program to 70,000 square feet, and will provide space for the Hospital’s growing number of cancer experts, researchers, and patients.

The construction is part of the Hospital’s campus-wide enhancements, which include a new 6-story patient tower with new operating suites, private patient rooms, lobby and entranceway on Davis Avenue, as well as the addition and expansion of the building for cancer services on the corner of E. Post Road and Longview Avenue.

“As our Cancer Center grows, we are expanding the capacity of nearly every service, from our chemotherapy treatment facilities, examination rooms, and family amenities, to our consultation offices,” said Susan Fox, White Plains Hospital President.

“We will be able to accommodate the growing number of cancer patients who come to White Plains Hospital so they can receive advanced and comprehensive cancer care and remain close to home.” The number of people with cancer treated at White Plains Hospital rose by 15% from 2012 to 2013.

‘It’s My Home Away from Home’

To long-term cancer patients such as Louise Kuklis,( pictured above) who has been living with Stage IV metastatic colon cancer for five years, White Plains Hospital’s Cancer Center is “my home away from home.”

Speaking at today’s ceremony, Ms. Kuklis noted that large cancer institutions cannot offer what the White Plains Hospital Cancer program does: expert clinical care and personalized attention in the intimate setting of a community hospital. During Ms. Kuklis’ years of chemotherapy, nurses have treated her as family member, greeting her warmly each time she walks in the door. The nurses tailored her chemo schedule to ensure she felt as good as possible to celebrate life’s big moments, such as her son’s wedding and the birth of her first grandchild. “For me, they turned a deadly diagnosis into something I could live with,” she said.

White Plains Hospital’s patient-centered approach is reflected in the new building. Amenities include a welcoming reception area, space for a café, boutique, complementary therapies, and a patient medical library, as well as office space for the program’s rapidly expanding staff of cancer clinical specialists.

The Cancer Center’s beam signing ceremony took place just months after the September 30^th topping off of the Hospital’s new 6-story patient tower. The tower will add 5 state-of-the-art operating rooms specially designed to accommodate the minimally invasive surgery used whenever possible and in many cancer treatment plans. The new tower includes 3 stories of private patient rooms.