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)

Mayor Introduces Lights Eternal Holiday Tree to White Plains

Posted on December 5, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAY. From the WPCNR ROVING PHOTOGRAPHER STEPHEN SISLER. December 5, 2011:

Mayor Tom Roach and his Family and Assemblyman Robert Castelli switched on the city holiday season Sunday afternoon by introducing and lighting a living holiday tree that will grow and be lit for many holidays to come. A festive community crowd in Tibbetts Park enjoyed songs, refreshments and the incandescent magic of the holidays.

Multitudes bask in White Plains Living Holiday Tree.

Mayor Roach Arrives with Santa for the Sunday afternoon ceremony.

Mayor Roach is joined by Assemblyman Robert Castelli, second from left and Mr. Roach’s family for the official beginning of the White Plains Holiday Season.

Mayor Roach and his Family Light up White Plains. turning on the living tree below.

White Plains Living Holiday Tree

(All Photos by Stephen Sisler)

Ohio Wesleyan Wins Division III NCAA Soccer Championship in San Antone

Posted on December 4, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. Reprinted from editions of the San Antonio Express and Grand Rapids Press. December 4, 2011:

The Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops (The CitizeNetReporter‘s alma mater) helped their coach, Jay Martin, notch a spot in NCAA men’s soccer history Saturday night at Blossom Soccer Stadium in San Antonio after capturing the NCAA Division III men’s championship with a 2-1 victory over the Calvin College (Michigan) Knights.

2011 NCAA DIVISION III SOCCER CHAMPIONS, OHIO WESLEYAN UNVERSITY. (From the Ohio Wesleyan website).

Martin became the winningest coach in men’s college soccer history — in all divisions — with 608 career victories. He tied the record Friday in the semifinals as Ohio Wesleyan (22-2-0) defeated Montclair State 4-0. Martin, in his 35th season, led Ohio Wesleyan to its fourth NCAA final and to the national crown in 1998.

“I guess this means something to me, nobody else has done,” Martin said. “But, right now, I am just so happy for my team.”
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Ohio-Wesleyan-s-title-has-historic-touch-2342778.php#ixzz1fcGam6GC

Ohio Wesleyan largely controlled play in the first half. The Battling Bishops had multiple scoring chances, but were turned away by Calvin’s defense.

Zach Willis was a sparkplug for the Calvin Knights on offense, utilizing his speed to create scoring chances, but none materialized.

Just as Calvin appeared to be gaining an advantage, Ohio Wesleyan broke through at the 38:25 mark of the first half when Travis Wall knocked home a shot after a good ball in from the corner from Paolo Bucci.

Just two minutes later, Bucci gave Ohio Wesleyan all the scoring it would need on an unassisted goal.

Calvin attacked furiously throughout the second half but the Bishops stood firm, to win Coach Martin’s second national crown.

The Astorino Transfer: Charter Violation? Depletes Sales Tax Surplus

Posted on December 1, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. Special to WPCNR by Westchester County Roving Correspondent Nancy King. December 1, 2011:

On Monday evening, it was learned that County Executive Rob Astorino had ordered Comptroller AnnMarie Berg to make a fund balance transfer to satisfy a 28 million dollar pension benefit bill. This payment is historically made in early December although it was not due until February 2012. Paying bills on time or even early is normally an admirable undertaking but in this case, the early payment no doubt left the county with the loss of tens of thousands of dollars in accrued interest.

When the CBOL summoned Ms. Berg to eighth floor to question why this transfer was made at this time and without notice to the board, she replied that she was directed to make a payment and she doesn’t question a directive made by a supervisor.

However, one must wonder if this was Rob Astorino’s way of making sure that the Democratic majority of the Westchester County Board of Legislators had no choice in passing his budget. What he probably didn’t count on was that in ordering Ms. Berg to make that fund transfer; he was more than likely violating the county charter.

According to County Charter law (83-167-121), “No money shall be spent by the county or any agency thereof, nor shall any obligation for the spending of money be incurred, unless in pursuance of the annual appropriations act thereof except provided in this section. Transfers of appropriations act between general classifications of expenditures within the same department may be authorized by the County Executive upon recommendation of the budget director and with the approval of a committee of the County Board designated by the resolution of such board…supplemental appropriations may be made at any time upon the recommendation of the County Executive by a majority role of all members of the County Board”.

In other words, Mr. Astorino ordered Ms. Berg to make the fund transfer and didn’t bother letting his colleagues on the eighth in on his little secret.

Democratic majority leader Pete Harkham stated “his talk of open government clearly doesn’t match his actions”.

It is also believed that Chairman Jenkins will be summoning Ms. Berg to the eighth floor to testify under oath, which fund balances from which departments were used in order to make that fund transfer.

As reported in the November 14^th edition of WPCNR, Westchester County ended its fiscal year with a sales tax receipts increase of 7.3 million dollars through the first ten months of 2011.

In clear numbers, last year’s sales tax through October was $361,958,134.00 and this year it came in at 369,262,423.00. By our projections, Westchester County is on pace to earn 80 million dollars more in sales tax revenue and that we may even top off at $449 million dollars in sales tax for 2011. That is $449 Million, That is $87 Million over Mr. Astorino’s sales tax projection in his proposed budget for 2012 of $362 Million.

For all of you math whiz’s out there, that’s up by 2% from last year. Perhaps even more interesting is WPCNR actually posted these numbers the day before Mr. Astorino ordered Ms. Berg to make those transfers. It’s nice to know that the 9^th floor is reading here but perhaps in all honesty they should be following County protocol before moving money from column A to column B. WPCNR will be reporting continuing developments to this story.

Astorino, Board Feud as Budget Twists in the Hot Air.

Posted on December 1, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER Special to WPCNR By Westchester County Roving Correspondent Nancy King. December 1, 2011:

Wednesday of this week, watching the comings and goings out the Westchester County Office Building was like watching a soap opera.

On Monday night, the Westchester County Board of Legislators released a statement that a fund balance transfer estimated to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 28 million dollars had been executed by Comptroller AnnMarie Berg. This transfer of funds was made to satisfy employee pension benefits however, these payments were not due until February 2012.

According to members of the County Board of Legislators, this “secret” transfer was done without notifying the CBOL who are in the process of reviewing the 2012 budget. When questioned, Commissioner Berg relayed to the board that she was only executing what her boss; Mr. Astorino had asked her to do.

She never questioned his request, but merely transferred the funds.

At question is whether or not this transfer was legal, did it violate the County’s Charter, and at the very least why wasn’t the board informed even if were in the form of an email? Also in question is whether dipping into the fund reserve will further reduce the county’s bond rating. Earlier this year Moody’s downgraded it from a triple A rating to a double A signifying a negative outlook for Westchester County.

Thanks, WCA, But No Thanks.

Tuesday opened with a press conference hosted by the Westchester County Association (WCA), in the rotunda of the County Office Building. Bill Mooney, chair of the WCA, along with members who included former Lt. Governor Al DelBello, were offering their services as mediators for negotiations between the County and local 9200.

Mooney called on county employees to contribute to their health care benefits as a part of upcoming negotiations in order save jobs. Astorino has threatened to lay off 210 workers if union concessions are not made. In an immediate rebuttal, members of the Uniformed Corrections Officers made a statement that not only would they not be negotiating their contract in the media but they certainly won’t be negotiating their contract with the “corporate elite of Westchester”.

Tele-Town Hall Conference

Tuesday evening also saw County Executive Rob Astorino host his second tele-Town Hall conference.

An estimated 23,500 residents dialed in to ask Astorino to weigh in on the proposed budget cuts. Those who were actually lucky enough to get picked to ask carefully screened questions, queried the CE about pension benefits that Astorino characterized as unsustainable, to clearing up misconceptions about closing natural trails. Astorino stated that these centers would still be open but without any staff on the grounds; in other words, hike and walk at your own risk.

Another caller made a reference to a retiring county police officer who will be receiving an annual pension of over $180,000.00 a year. Interestingly enough the calls that Mr. Astorino did take on the air were by and large positive comments about the job he is doing so far.

Somers Hearing

Wednesday night brought several hundred people to the Somers High School auditorium that didn’t have too many good things to say about the CE’s proposed budget. Again, those in attendance pleaded with members of the County Board of Legislators to restore cuts that have increased the fees at day care and other begged him to restore funding to community health centers. Also in attendance were members of the CSEA unit 9200. At this time under Astorino’s proposed 2012 budget, 210 members of the union are slated to lose their jobs. A final public hearing will be set for next week in White Plains. The County Board has until December 27^th to adopt this budget.