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)

Bill Ryan Receives Overwhelming Support of Democratic City Committee in Prelude

Posted on February 22, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR BACKROOM BULLETIN. From a WPCNR Correspondent. February 22, 2013:

Bill Ryan, the County Legislator for White Plains District 5, a White Plains resident for years and fixture on the county political scene, received 85% of the vote among district leaders of the White Plains City Democratic Committee Thursday evening giving White Plains endorsement of him to run against incumbent Robert P. Astorino in November.

Noam Bramson, Mayor of New Rochelle, and Kenneth Jenkins of Yonkers, long a thorn in Mr. Astorino’s side the last four years, also spoke attempting to convince White Plans Democrats they were the one — to no avail.

The vote, our corrspondent tells us is non-binding, and does not in any way force individual district leaders to vote for him at the countywide Democratic Convention April 24.

Our observer said all three candidates outlined reasons why Mr. Astorino needs to be defeated.

Minnesota Bridge Repair Boss Will Honcho Tap Zee Rebuild

Posted on February 21, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE NEWS. From the New York State Thruway Authority. February 21, 2013:

To help ensure that the New NY Bridge to replace the Tappan Zee remains on schedule and within budget, the New York State Thruway Authority has named Peter Sanderson project director for the multi-billion dollar project, Thruway Chairman Howard P. Milstein announced Wednesday.

Sanderson will be responsible for leading a blended team of state employees and private sector design and construction experts to complete the new structure. He has more than 40 years of experience working on cable-stayed and other large and complex bridges throughout North America and around the world, including design-build infrastructure projects.

“The project director will be responsible for keeping the New NY Bridge on schedule and within budget, and Peter Sanderson is an outstanding choice for this role because he has extensive experience and a proven track record,” Milstein said. “Hiring an experienced project director is necessary and expected for a project of this size and complexity, and is generally viewed as an industry best practice.”

Sanderson was project manager for the design-build contract to replace the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge in Minneapolis, which collapsed in 2007. The new bridge was opened to traffic just 11 months after the tragedy and three months ahead of an already accelerated 14-month schedule. He was also principal-in-charge for the Sagadahoc Bridge connecting Bath and Woolwich, Maine, the Maine Department of Transportation’s first design-build project, as well as the Clark Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge in St. Louis, Missouri, that was completed ahead of schedule.

“Peter Sanderson was a tremendous project manager for the new I-35W bridge at a very critical time in Minnesota’s history,” said Tom Sorel, who was Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner when the bridge was being constructed and is currently president and CEO of the American Automobile Association in Minneapolis. “Not only did he lead the delivery of the project in an exceptional manner, he realized that the building of the new bridge represented a healing process for an entire community and did all he could to rebuild public trust and confidence in the transportation industry.”

“Given the scale of the New NY Bridge project, hiring a project director is a proven method to control costs and keep a project on schedule, and has been used effectively on many major transportation infrastructure projects around the country in recent years,” said American Road and Transportation Builders Association President and CEO Dr. Peter Ruane. “The project director will play a vitally important role not only with the design-build team, but also with the community and other stakeholders. This project has worldwide importance and I commend New York State for recognizing the need for experienced, professional management.”

“Peter Sanderson brings an incredible breadth of knowledge, experience, and leadership to this Tappan Zee Bridge project,” said Business Council of Westchester President & CEO Dr. Marsha Gordon. “This is another example of how the new New York attracts the best talent to lead our state forward. The Business Council of Westchester looks forward to welcoming Peter Sanderson and creating many bridges for him to our members and the community.”

“The appointment of Peter Sanderson as Project Manager for the Tappan Zee Bridge and the wealth of industry experience he brings to this crucial project is another significant step forward toward the long overdue replacement of one of New York’s most critical pieces of transportation infrastructure,” said Mike Elmendorf, president & CEO of the Associated General Contractors of New York State. “We applaud Governor Cuomo, the Thruway Authority and New York State Department of Transportation for their dogged commitment to moving this project forward with unprecedented speed, as well as the bright light this process has shined on our significant infrastructure needs throughout New York.”

“The Hudson Valley region’s construction industry is thrilled with Thruway Authority’s appointment of Peter Sanderson as New NY Bridge Project Director, continuing the campaign to assemble world-class bridge builders who will deliver a Hudson River crossing to serve New York State taxpayers, road and mass transit users over the next century and beyond,” said Construction Industry Council of Westchester and Hudson Valley President Ross J. Pepe.

“With the addition of Peter Sanderson to the New NY Bridge project, Governor Cuomo and the Thruway Authority have taken another major step forward,” said Secretary of the New York Roadway and Infrastructure Coalition Stephen Morgan. “The New York Roadway and Infrastructure Coalition commends the administration for reaching out and getting the best team to build this most exciting and needed project.”

“Peter Sanderson’s vast engineering and construction experience, combined with his decades of experience leading complex infrastructure projects, make him the perfect choice to head the new NY Bridge initiative,” said New York Building Congress President Richard T. Anderson. “We at the Building Congress applaud the Cuomo administration for selecting an industry veteran with a sterling reputation for completing major projects on time and on budget. No single infrastructure project is more important to the long-term economic vitality of the entire downstate region than the construction of a safe, modern and larger capacity crossing to replace the obsolete Tappan Zee Bridge.”

The official project budget and schedule will be available on line at www.newnybridge.com starting in May. This will give the public the ability to track progress on the project and monitor the delivery team’s performance. Project costs will be updated and compared with the budget on a quarterly basis.

The New NY Bridge project is the largest transportation design-build project to date in the United States and the largest single construction contract in New York State history. Under the design-build process, engineering and construction firms join forces to compete for a single contract that covers both design and construction, and bids are selected based on best value offered. Design-build contracts foster private-sector creativity and innovation, shift risk, limit project delays and keep costs down.

County Exec Designs Safer Communities Response. Kicks Off Feb. 27

Posted on February 20, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. February 20, 2013:

Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino launched a major initiative today that brings together resources inside and outside county government to protect schools and communities from acts of senseless violence such as the tragedy in Newtown, CT.

Called Safer Communities, the initiative is a combination of practical, ready-to-go programs that combat violence by drawing on the expertise of the county departments of Public Safety, Health and Community Mental Health in collaboration with local police chiefs, educators, clergy, civic leaders and elected officials. The goals are to educate the public about available services and programs, enhance those capabilities and evaluate progress on an ongoing and long-term basis.

“After Sandy Hook, every community in the country asked, ‘What can we do to prevent this from happening again?’” Astorino said. “As county executive and a father of three young children, I want to be part of the answer. The Safer Communities initiative is a start. Combating violence, because it afflicts our society in so many ways, is a complex undertaking. Our approach is to attack the causes and consequences of violence comprehensively, collaboratively and continuously. Fortunately, most of what we need, we already have. So the major effort here involves creating awareness around existing resources, building relationships to improve communication and acting as a unified team to increase our effectiveness.”

School Safety

The initiative will get under way with a “School Safety Symposium” on Feb. 27 at SUNY Purchase. Organized by George N. Longworth, the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, and the Westchester County Chiefs of Police Association, the event is designed to provide educators with practical guidance on how to make schools safer and enhance coordination between law enforcement and school districts.

William Bratton, former commissioner of the NYPD and former chief of police in Los Angeles, will be the keynote speaker, kicking off the event at 9 a.m. Bratton is well known for implementing strategies that have prevented and reduced violent crime wherever he has served. In addition, experts from Westchester County and around the country will detail best practices for improving school security.

Among the topics to be discussed are:

· An Overview of School-based Violence in America – Charles H. Boklan, U.S. Secret Service (Retired)

· Practical Emergency Preparedness for Schools – Matthew A. Miraglia, a noted school security expert

· Police Response to Dynamic Incidents in Schools – Chief Inspector John Hodges, Westchester County Department of Public Safety.

“Familiarity and coordination are two critical tools when preparing for and responding to a crisis,” Longworth said. “This forum will give educators a realistic sense of what they can expect and a chance to strengthen relationships and lines of communications with their law enforcement counterparts.”

Every school leader in Westchester has been invited by County Executive Astorino to attend and to extend the invitation to their administrative teams and Boards of Education.

At 11:15 a.m., there will be a panel discussion focusing on the dynamics among law enforcement, school officials and parents during a crisis and bridging gaps between strategies that look good on paper and real-time decision making in actual situations.

Among the panelists scheduled to appear are Kelly Chiarella, Westchester-East Putnam PTA region director; Isabel Burk, schools safety coordinator for Southern Westchester BOCES; and Louis Wool, superintendent of the Harrison Central School District and president of the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents.

“The opportunity to talk about what works and doesn’t work ahead of time and in very realistic terms should be invaluable for all school districts that are in the process of updating security plans,” Wool said. “Insights from law enforcement, parents, educators and other government officials will help us develop the kinds of collaborative solutions we need to be effective.”

— more —

Safer Communities P. 3

The public is invited to attend the panel discussion at 11:15 a.m. Those wishing to attend will have to present identification and register at the door for entry. Because of the sensitivity surrounding security strategies, the earlier portion of the program will be limited to school and law enforcement officials.

School officials interested in having similar sessions conducted in their districts should contact their local police department or the Department of Public Safety at 864-7858.

Community Violence Prevention

On April 9, the departments of Health and Community Mental Health will hold a “Community Violence Prevention Forum” at the County Center. The county is working with the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the program, whose emphasis will be to address violence as a public health issue that affects all of our communities.

“The idea is to bring a public health approach to treating and preventing violence,” said Commissioner of Health Dr. Sherlita Amler, MD. “By identifying causes, addressing symptoms, monitoring progress and measuring results we will increase our chances for positive outcomes.”

The leadership forum is designed to attract community leaders – mayors and supervisors, school district leadership, community groups, not-for-profit agency directors and clergy. The forum will provide a national perspective on violence prevention as well as the opportunity to share best practice models with leaders around the county.

“The purpose is to share best practices, identify gaps in the system where schools and communities need some help and then to implement programs to address these gaps,” said Commissioner of Community Mental Health Dr. Grant Mitchell, MD.

One of the post-forum benefits for schools will be to take advantage – if they have not already done so – of the nationally recognized School-Wide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (SWPBIS) Program. A collaboration between the Department of Community Mental Health, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES and the Lower Hudson Regional Special Education Technical Assistance & Support Center brings this data-driven program to Westchester County. SWPBIS creates and maintains safe learning environments in schools by assessing factors, such as high rates of problem behavior that interfere with learning, ineffective disciplinary practices and insufficient support and expertise in addressing problem behavior.

The program has been used effectively in 26 districts and is available to all public, private and parochial schools by contacting the Department of Community Mental Health at 995-5225.

Timothy Connors Open to Opportunities. Says Board has Not Contacted Him

Posted on February 19, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. February 19, 2013:

Former Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors reached at his home in Sutton, Massachussetts, told WPCNR this morning, he has not been contacted by the Board of Education as a possible interim superintendent of schools for the city, while the Board of Education considers whether or not to search for a new Superintendent to replace Dr. Christopher Clouet.

“I have not heard from them at all,” Connors told me, though he said he had been telephoned by a person from White Plains, not a member of the Board, who informed him of Dr. Clouet’s decision to leave the district last week.

Dr. Clouet was appointed Superintendent of Schools for the Union Free School District of the Tarrytowns last Thursday night and has officially accepted the Tarrytowns job, according to a Tarrytowns district spokesman Friday morning.

A member of the Board of Education told WPCNR Monday evening the Board needed a couple of weeks to sort things out as to how they were going to proceed, having just learned of the impending departure of Clouet last week.

Previously two Board members told WPCNR that Clouet wanted to reopen his contract, and the board did not want to reexamine his contract, since Clouet had 2-1/2 years remaining on it.

Clouet had been earning $227,000 as White Plains Superintendent, and has been hired by the Tarrytowns for $253,000 according to the Tarrytown Board of Education Agenda last Thursday. The White Plains Board member I spoke with last night said Clouet had not yet officially resigned from White Plains.

I asked the White Plains Board member if the Board had been in touch with Connors, the member said that since Connors left White Plains he had talked with the district and kept up contacts.

Asked specifically if the Board had talked with Connors about possibility of helping out, the Board member said, “Of course we have.”

Asked if the Board had to release Clouet from his contract officially, the board member said they did not believe the Board had to do that.

Mr. Connors was the Superintendent Dr. Clouet replaced in 2009 when Clouet came to White Plains from New London, Connecticut.

Mr. Connors retired from the White Plains Schools in June 2009, and after applying for Superintendent positions in Worschester, Massachussetts in 2008 and Nantucket, Massachussetts in the spring of 2010, he accepted the position of Interim Superintendent at the Hastings-on-Hudson School District for 2010-12, while that district searched for a Superintendent. After one year of searching, Hastings found no one that they could come to an decision on.

The Hastings district rehired Connors for a second year as an Interim Superintendent for 2011-2012, hiring Dr. Roy Montesano in January of 2012, for the 2012-2013 year, with Mr. Connors finishing up his Interim assignment at the end of June, 8 months ago.

Connors told me he lived in White Plains for the two years he was Interim Superintendent in Hastings.

The President of the Board of Education, Rosemarie Eller, has not returned a WPCNR call asking for a statement about Dr. Clouet’s departure, and for clarification of whether Connors is being considered as a “go-to” option to fill the Superintendent position either interim or otherwise.