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)

Details from Bradley on His Administration Next Week. Inauguration Planned

Posted on December 17, 2009 by John Bailey

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. December 17,2009: Judith Chriss, spokesperson for Mayor-Elect Adam Bradley, informed WPCNR today Mr. Bradley would release details on how he planned to start his new administration, including including Commissioner and Deputy Commissionerships

Adam Bradley foreground with the Common Council that will begin his new administration January 1, shown Election Night. Left to right, David Buchwald, Beth Smayda, Thomas Roach, Benjamin Boykin, Dennis Power and Milagros Lecuona.

To date, Mr. Bradley has announced Ms. Chriss as his Administrative Officer. John Callahan, formerly Corporation Counsel with the Sy Schulman administration in the mid-90s, will be his Corporation Counsel, and David Chong, former Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety in White Plains from 2001-2004, and until earlier this month, Commissioner of the Mount Vernon Department of Public Safety takes over the Department of Public Safety, replacing interim Commissioner Daniel Jackson, who is running the Department in lieu of Dr. Frank Straub’s abrupt departure last month.

Ms. Chriss told WPCNR today that no commissioners currently on staff have given notice they are leaving. All commissioners have been interviewed by the Bradley Transition Team. She added that no commissioners or deputy commissioners have been informed by Mr. Bradley that they are not wanted in the new administration.

Ms.. Chriss announced today that Mr. Bradley will stage an Inauguration Ceremony at City Hall from 3 P.M. to 5 P.M., January 3. She said the public is invited and said the Mayor-Elect hopes it will be a great day to celebrate a new beginning in White Plains.

Previously new Mayors to this reporter’s recollection have been sworn in at a Common Council meeting the first meeting of the new term. The first Council meeting in January is January 4. Technically, Mr. Bradley becomes Mayor at midnight, December 31, according to the City Charter

Democrats Dump Bill Ryan as Chairman of Board of Legislators. Ryan: It Was Time.

Posted on December 17, 2009 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. December 17,2009 UPDATED 5:10 P.M.E.S.T.: Phil Reisman, the columnist for the Journal News, reported exclusively this afternoon that Democratic members of the Board of Legislators have voted to oust Bill Ryan of White Plains as Chairman of the Board of Legislators, replacing him with Ken Jenkins of Yonkers. The ouster carries with it a pay cut for Mr. Ryan and an increase for Mr. Jenkins, and comes within hours after Mr. Ryan called for a Charter Revision Commission to reorganize county government to make it more efficient.

The news of Mr. Ryan’s ouster was not promulgated by the County Board of Legislators Press Office.

Bill Ryan, in the County Chairman of the Board of Legislators Seat, July, 2009, on a Board webcast. WPCNR Photo Archive.

Ken Jenkins, County Legislator from Yonkers, Replaces Bill Ryan as Chair of the Board of Legislators. Shown July, 2009. WPCNR Photo Archive.

Mr. Ryan, speaking to WPCNR this afternoon on his denouement, said he was not surprised since he has served three consecutive terms as Chairman of the Board of Legislators, and over the course of the year, other legislators had talked with him about the possibilities of someone else having an opportunity to serve as Chairman. Ryan said that in the final vote to replace him in favor of Mr. Jenkins that it was simply a choice between him and Jenkins.He said he did not campaign hard to stay on but did make it clear that for the purposes of continuity with the new administration, he would be glad to stay on for a fourth term, “I wasn’t going to start and recite my accomplishments to them the Democratic legislators. So anyway, we do the vote. They felt three terms was long enough.”

Asked about what a Board of Legislators run by two legislators from the two most distressed areas of the county, Yonkers and Mount Vernon, would mean, possibly more county dollars and interests shifted there at the expense of other areas of the county, Ryan had this to say:

Ryan praised the choice of Lyndon Williams, the legislator from Mount Vernon as Vice Chair of the Board of Legislators, saying that Mr. Williams was “sensible to the need for balance” in matters, and that his background at Citibank and service on the legislature budget committee was very thoughtful and understanding of the problems the county faces. In the matter of Mr. Jenkins, Ryan told WPCNR, he thought he (Ryan) was the better choice to guide the legislature in its relations with the new County Executive, because of Ryan’s three terms as Chair and his knowledge of the system.

Asked if Mr. Jenkins supported Mr. Ryan’s legislation for a Charter Revision Committee to identify ways the county could achieve “the four key words, consolidate, streamline, efficiency and economy” Mr. Ryan said he (Ryan) had talked with 7 legislators who supported it and expected that the rest of the legislature was on board.

Ryan said he would be looking for additional employment starting in two weeks, since his salary will be cut in half. He said he would be President of the New York State Association of Counties in 2010, but that was not a paying position.

He said he would, instead be paying partisan attention to his White Plains and Scarsdale constituency, and “be ever vigilant in protection our (White Plains/Scarsdale) fair share.”

Arbitrator Awards Firefighters Parallel Wage Settlement with Police.

Posted on December 17, 2009 by John Bailey

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. December 17, 2009: Joe Carrier, President of the White Plains Professional Firefighters announced to WPCNR today that Roger Maher, the aribitrator handling the firefighter binding arbitration with the city has awarded firefighters a 3.75% in the first year (2008-2009) and 4% in the second year (2009-10).

Lieutenants will also receive a 1% differential in pay raising them from 18% to 19% higher than a beginning firefighter’s salrary, beginning in the second year of this contract (the current fiscal year).

The city was also directed to pay $50 per fire fighter into the firemen’s welfarefund which provides eye and dental coverage.

Mr. Carrier said “The decision is out and it’s final. It’s identical to that of the police department. Number 1, I’m glad it’s over, and Number 2, both sides (city and firefighters) spent a lot of money and we are in the same place we were a year ago. I am looking forward to working with the new administration and the new Commissioner of Public Safety.”

Carrier said the city scored some victories, too. “We did not get a third year at 4% .. We did not get an increase in the lieutenant’s differential from 18% to 20% as asked. We respect the arbitrator’s decision.”

Negotiations for 20010-11, when the police and fire contracts are again up for renewal are expected to begin some time after Mayor-elect Adam Bradley takes office in 15 days.

Feiner Praises Ryan Charter Revision Commission Proposal

Posted on December 17, 2009 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. December 17,2009: Paul Feiner, Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh welcomed County Chair of the Board of Legislators to the effort to downsize county government today, telling the CitizeNetReporter, Ryan’s introduction Wednesday of legislation creating a commission to review how the county government could work better was better late than never.

Mr. Feiner issued this statement to WPCNR: I’m very pleased with Ryans proposed legislation. The consensus is developing that the county government needs to be leaner, more efficient and has not been working. A charter revision commission is an initiative that I have advocated for a long time.

Many people are complaining that Ryan waited till the end of his chairmanship to initiate the commission. I disagree with the criticism. Better late than never.

Tomorrow Joe Dioguardi and I are holding a press conference at the county center at 11 to discuss other reforms and a petition drive to restructure the county government. The press conference will be held at the county center.

Sales tax: town revenue down 12.5%.