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)
WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From U.S Department of Homeland Security. (EDITED) January 12, 2009: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today reminds travelers from all Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries that they are now required to obtain approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to traveling to the United States. This requirement, effective today, applies to all eligible citizens or nationals traveling under the VWP.
The VWP is administered by the department and enables eligible citizens or nationals of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.
The countries eligible for VWP are:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
To be admitted to the VWP, a country must meet various statutory requirements, such as more enhanced law enforcement and security-related data sharing with the U.S. and timely reporting of both blank and issued lost and stolen passports. VWP members are also required to maintain high counter-terrorism, law enforcement, border control, and document security standards.
You check in on Web.
ESTA is a web-based system, initially launched in August 2008, that determines the preliminary eligibility of visitors to travel under the VWP prior to boarding a carrier to the United States. To date, more than 1.2 million ESTA applications have been received, and more than 99.6 percent of applicants have been approved, most within seconds.
“We have been collecting information from visa waiver travelers for decades, and establishing a program to get that same information in advance is one enhancement that allowed us to extend the valuable benefit of visa-free travel to eight new countries in 2008,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “In addition to building business and cultural ties with our partners overseas, this is a commonsense step into the 21st century that will improve our efficiency in screening and welcoming international travelers at our ports of entry.”
In effect since 2007
DHS received authorization for VWP reforms through the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007. The VWP is administered by the department and enables eligible citizens or nationals of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.
To be admitted to the VWP, a country must meet various statutory requirements, such as more enhanced law enforcement and security-related data sharing with the U.S. and timely reporting of both blank and issued lost and stolen passports. VWP members are also required to maintain high counter-terrorism, law enforcement, border control, and document security standards.
The citizens or nationals of the following countries are currently eligible to travel to the United States under the VWP:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Eight of these countries joined the VWP in 2008, and their citizens and nationals have been required to comply with an ESTA since their designation as VWP participants: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Malta.
WPCNR GUEST EDITORIAL . January 12, 2009: In the current WPCNR survey in which WPCNR put up as an option for public opinion, should the city look into overcrowding at the White Plains Hospital Medical Center Emergency Room and explore the hospital cooperating with Greenwich Hospital (Connecticut) so Greenwich could ease the crush at the White Plains Hospital Emergency Room. WPCNR asked the public this question because the White Plains hospital appears to stressed because previous emergency room expansion was not handling the current demand due to the closing of St. Agnes Hospital and United Hospital in Port Chester. A total of 13% of votes cast to date (49 votes) felt this was an issue that needed to be examined.
Jon Schandler, White Plains Hospital Medical Center Chief Executive Officer takes the time here to assure the public that when the new emergency room opens six months from now, it will indeed be able to handle the current crush and future demands:
Jon Schandler, President, CEO White Plains Hospital Medical Center at recent opening of the Longview Municipal Parking Garage which serves the hospital.
To the Editor:
Your article (Editor’s note: survey question) “Examine Overcrowding of White Plains Hospital Emergency Room” contains several inaccuracies.
It is true that White Plains Hospital Center embarked on construction of a new emergency room to meet an increase in patients from White Plains and surrounding communities. However, the new Emergency Department, which will be completed in mid-2009, was designed to serve a significantly larger number of patients – 60,000 per year. In comparison, the current facility was designed for 30,000 and currently serves more than 45,000 annually due to the closing of two nearby hospitals and the growth of the population in the White Plains area.
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Among the features of the new two-story Emergency Department will be an increase from 17 to 38 beds, nearly all in private rooms, in-room registration at bedside, and specialty treatment rooms for specific types of emergencies. The second floor will house a new Fast Track Unit, which will be dedicated to providing rapid care for patients with less serious medical needs. We strongly believe these upgrades will reduce crowding, and our plans have received much support from the community.
Working with Greenwich Hospital to “split the emergency room load” or “establish a Westchester satellite closer to White Plains” would not provide the most efficient and expedient emergency care for White Plains residents. EMS providers are required to take urgent cases, such as heart attack and stroke, to the nearest hospital Emergency Department.
It is the mission of Westchester’s hospitals to provide the very best care right here in the county. Therefore, White Plains Hospital Center is proudly expanding its Emergency Department to serve our area’s growing population close to home.
WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. January 10, 2009: The White Plains Board of Education meets Monday evening at Education Housethree days before the first-ever “Community Forum Budget Process” to start at the high school this Thursday, January 15 at 7:30 P.M.
The two-meeting process replaces the Annual Budget Committee procedure (of three to four meetings) used in years past. The reason given for the switch is to open the process of formulating the budget to the entire community to get behind a school budget the community supports in view ofthe state of financial crisis that the district faces.
However, the budget parameters reported to be presented to the citizens Thursday evening will not know the what they will be paying their teachers in 2009-2010. Building a budget without knowing what you are going to pay your teachers and administrators making up 80% of your budget is rather difficult even for a journalist. The district has taken a no-negotiate stance with the teachers, forcing the teachers and the district to go to mediation for what is believed to be the first time in the history of the district.
A Leisurely Mediation
Presently the district is at impasse with its 800-plus teachers and assistants on a new contract, one of five districts in the county operating without contracts with their teachers. The previous White Plains contract continues in effect, (containing an automatic 2% increase for each new year of service) while a state-appointed mediator, Karen Kenney. orchestrates the mediation process. A mediator-engineered settlement is expected that may result in a possible 2.7% minimum increase if inflation trends are followed, in which case the mediator can be blamed by the district for the increase even though they “tried to hold the line.”The present hostile attitude between teachers and district management suggests the district will face these negotiations every year given the deteriorating tax situation in the city. It is not going to get better.
Only one mediation meeting has been held to date which was a get-acquainted meeting where the mediator interviewed both sides of the dispute to ascertain their positions. A second meeting is scheduled in February, date as yet undisclosed, though the district has been asked. To date the district has not made an offer to the teachers since last June, prompting both sides to declare an impasse.The White Plains Teachers Association is demanding a salary increase to keep pace with the escalation in health benefits costs that took away a large percentage of the union’s previous wage agreement of 3%.
Settlement Mystery Compromises Process?
The lack of settlement of theteacher contract raises the question how the public, largely well-meaning, but with little grasp of the school budget complexities, subtleties and for lack of clarity, “mumbo-jumbo,” which they have for many years trusted the district judgment, can help decide the budget when it does not know what the teacher contract is which is about 75% of their budget.
Even the Annual Budget Committee (a group of about 30 persons, many who remained on the committee from year to year) reasonably knowledgeable was often mystified when confronted with District rationalization for expenses. The ABC Committee last year was unaware, for example of the double-inflation pace of administrative raises, first reported and so far only reported by this website, that many feel gave a message to teachers that they were underappreciated.
Teachers got 3% when administrator and curriculum coordinators received from 2.3% to as much as 13% in salary increases. The 42 full-time Coordinators/Directors/Principals/ and Assistants raises averaged 7.5%. The average raise for this group of was $10,584. Despite school district rationalizations about contract and promotion automatic raises being responsible for that round of administrative raises, that is what the salaries went up according to the math.
Superintendent Will Speak on the Community Forum Process
The Superintendent of Schools, Timothy Connors is scheduled to speak on the budget process which begins this week by the district inviting all of the White Plains community to review where the district stands now on their expected budget for 2009-2010.
Mr. Connors may give some details on the sketchy process which at this point is described as similar to the forums which formulated the district Strategic Plan a year ago. That plan, though adopted has not been reported on as of yet this year by the Board of Education. It remains to be seen whether the opinions of the Strategic Plan Action Committees working on this year’s objectives will be offered at the two Budget Forums coming up on Thursday, January 15 and on February 25, when a budget based on this Thursday’s forum’s suggestions will be presented for comment, WPCNR believes. Perhaps Mr. Connors will make this process clearer Monday night.
Hard Numbers
The television program, White Plains Week, and The CitizeNetReporter has estimated that if the school district continues its spending pace of the last 11 years, (an average of 7% a year) that the preliminary budget possibility is $197 Million dollars, up from the 184.4 Million budget this year, unless ofcourse the district cuts a significant series of expenditures out of the budget to begin the process.
In light of a $1.1 Million drop in the city assessable announced by the City Assessor, Lloyd Tasch this week the pressure of reduced assessments compounds the problem. If the present assessment numbers hold and do not decline it results in a $1.7 Million gap in school district property collections.
Barring increased revenues from other sources, this gap computes to a raise in this year’s tax rate of $503 to $510 per $1,000 of assessed valuation to catch up with this year’s budget – before the automatic 7% increase to keep pace with this year’s spending.
No Spending Cuts this year?
In December, the outgoing Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors would not commit, when asked by WPCNR, to say the district would cut the rate of spending of this year’s budget (to allow more surplus to fund the 2009-2010 budget). The district has about $14 Million in fund balance of which approximately $3 Million is committed. Peter Bassano, a Board of Education member told WPCNR last week that “nothing in the budget is off the table (for cuts).” Bassano said that fund balance might be used to limit the year to year budget increase.
Asked if the district may postpone going out for the final $15 Million in bonds to conduct “needed” repairs in district schools and buildings other than the Post Road School and Mamaroneck Avenue School construction projects, Bassano said that was a possibility. This would have the effect of limiting the increase in debt service expected in 2009-2010. Debt Service, according to the school budget is scheduled to rise approximately $2 Million from $10,639,998 in 2008-2009 (this year) to $12,745,368 in 2009-2010 according to this year’s budget.
This year’s spending continues unchecked at this time.
Monday Agenda: Spending Approvals
At the Monday meeting, the Board is scheduled to pass the 2008-2009 Interscholastic and Co-Curricular Appointments and stipends for coaches and conductors of district sports and other extra-curricular activities; the 2008-2009 Extended Day Program for this year; andthe 2008-2009 Program for Professional Development (of faculty and administrators. )
The Board will also be asked to approve contracts for maintenance of power and lawn equipment and furniture.
A new interim Assistant Principal, Francis Lahey, is scheduled to be hired for Eastview Middle School.
The Board of Education is also conducting the confidential process of hiring a new Superintendent of Schools, who Mr. Bassano predicts will be hired in March. No money has been discussed yet, according to Mr. Bassano as of last week.
The agenda:
WHITE PLAINS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
White Plains, New York
REGULAR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
Monday, January 12, 2009
Education House
7:30 P.M.
AGENDA
I.Opening of Meeting:
Pledge of Allegiance
Moment of silence in memory of retired staff members Mary Jane Johnson, Isabel Levy, Thelma
Rockwell and Michele Stevens
Recognition of Mamaroneck Avenue School Chess Team
NYSSBA Developmental Achievement Citation
Oral Announcements by the Board President and Board Members
II.Communications:
III.Public Participation:(The Board will entertain comments from the public on any issue, with a time limit of three minutes per person, and a maximum total of 25 minutes.)
IV.Superintendent’s Report:
2009-10 Budget Process – January 15th Community Forum
Dual Language Program
Emerging Scholars Program
V.Summary Action Items:
Recommended approval of minutes of the Regular Meeting of December 8, and the Special Meetings of December 3, 14, and 17, 2008.
Recommended acceptance of the following donations:
$750 from William and Georgia Pollak for the High School’s musical instruments
$250 from William and Georgia Pollak for “Project Early Read”
A clarinet from Joan Roberts, Ridgeway School teacher
Photography paper from Margarita Mateo-Saha, for the High School Art Program
A 35 mm camera from Mr. & Mrs. Fred Palma, for George Washington School
– 2 –
Recommended approval to add Grandmaster B. M. Kim’s Tae Kwon Do to the list of organizations permitted use of facilities.
Recommended authorization for the Clerk of the Board to make all necessary arrangements and to incur such expenses and perform any duties necessary and proper for the conduct of the Annual Board of Education Budget Vote and Election to be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2009.
5.Recommended approval of the Board of Registration for the Annual Board of Education
Budget Vote and Election on May 19, 2009, as follows:Elizabeth Scardino (R) and
Melissa Scardino (D).
6.Recommended approval of a consultant agreement with Student Assistance Services Corp. to
provide two counselors at the Middle School, as per attachment.
7.Recommended approval to arrange for the appropriate program and services for students with
disabilities, as recommended by the Committee on Special Education:45 cases, as per
attachment.
8.Recommended approval to arrange for the appropriate program and services for students with
disabilities, as recommended by the Committee on Preschool Special Education:15 cases, as
per attachment.
9.Recommended approval that all employees previously granted a conditional appointment and
who have not received conditional clearance from the State Education Department be granted another conditional appointment for 20 days.
Civil Service Staffing:
10.Recommended approval of an increase in salary for Kathleen Contrata, Administrative
Assistant, Special Education, Education House, effective 1/13/09.
11.Recommended approval of the temporary appointment of the following:
Valerie Riddick,* Bookroom Clerk, High School, effective 1/13/09-6/30/09 (replacing
C. Finiani)
Richard Logan,* Attendance Liaison, High School, effective 1/13/09-6/30/09 (new
position)
Joseph Paulo, Custodian, Middle School-Highlands, effective 1/13/09 (replacing S.
Martinez).
12.Recommended approval of the 26-week probationary appointment of the following Food
Service Helpers, effective 1/13/09:
Edith Newkirk,* High School, 4 hours per day (replacing M. Principe)
Brenda Hardy,* High School, 3 hours per day (replacing M. Ramirez)
Isela Chacon,* Post Road School, 3.75 hours per day (replacing K. Negi)
13.Recommended approval of the substitute appointments as per Board approved “Substitute, Summer School and Supplemental Rates,” as per attachment.
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Teacher Staffing
14.Recommended acceptance of the resignation of Aguedo Camacho, Jr., Teaching Assistant,
Post Road School, effective 1/24/09.
15.Recommended approval of a request for unpaid leave of absence for Monica DiMatteo,
Teaching Assistant, Church Street School, effective 12/24/08-2/23/09.
16.Recommended approval of the appointment* of districtwide per diem substitute teachers and
substitute teaching assistants, and Adult & Continuing Education Teachers, as per attachment.
17.Recommended approval of a request for a part-time (.3) leave of absence for Pamela Daly,
Physical Education Teacher, George Washington and Post Road Schools, effective 1/5/09-
6/30/09.
18.Recommended approval of an extension of the probationary period for Andrea Steptoe,
Mathematics Teacher, High School, effective 8/31/07-10/19/10.
19.Recommended approval of compensation for the following, as per attachments:
a.2008-09 Interscholastic and Co-curricular appointments
b.2008-09 Extended Day Program
c.2008-09 Professional Development Activities
20.Recommended approval of the Part-time appointments of:
Rita Sanchez(New C4E position)
BA – Binghamton University(English)
MS Ed – Lehman College/ CUNY (TESOL)
Certification: Initial, ESOL
Assignment: ESOL Teacher, High School, 90% of full time
Dates of Service: 2/2/09-6/30/09
Eyleen Ortiz(Replacing M. Yoegel)
BA – Florida International University(Psychology)
MA – Teachers College, Columbia University(Behavioral Disorders/ABA)
M Ed – Teachers College, Columbia University(Instructional Services)
Certification: Permanent, Special Education & Provisional, SAS
Assignment: CPSE Chairperson, Districtwide, 70% of full time
Dates of Service: 1/14/09-6/30/09
21.Recommended approval of the Regular Substitute appointments of:
Suzanne Adams(Replacing T. Alfalla)
BA – Columbia University(English Literature)
MA – Teachers College/Columbia University(English)
WPCNR THE READING NEWS. By John F. Bailey. January 9, 2009: Paul Wood, White Plains City Executive Officer, today accused White Plains Public Library Executive Director, Sandy Miranda of misrepresentation to her Board of Directors and Library Board President, Julie Trelstad, in describing to the Board the labor situation with full-time workers, after it had been explained to Miranda by the Mayor and City Corporation Counsel, Edward Dunphy, that extending union full-time worker hours was allowed by the library contract.
WPCNR has also learned that while library supporters are resisting cutting $400,000 in expenditures, and is engaged in midst of protests over closing the library on Sundays and other cutbacks, the library is still on schedule for renovating the men’s and women’s restrooms on the first floor for an expenditure of $225,000, more than half the library savings requested by the Mayor.
Miranda had felt the labor contract prevented her from extend hours for full-time employees, resulting from closing the libary on Fridays. In the recent chain of events in which the library, at Ms. Miranda’s suggestion opted to close the library on Sundays to achieve $60,000 of the $400,000 in savings requested from the library budget, the President of the Library Board of Directors was reported to have said, “Given what we’ve heard about what we can and can’t do with labor, I think Sunday would be our only choice.”
News reports gave the impression Mayor Joseph Delfino told the library to close Sundays because there would have to be new hours negotiated with the unions. Wood says that is not the case and that Miranda mislead the Library Board. This week, as reported by WPCNR, the Board of Directors is going to visit the whole issue of what to do at a public meeting January 14 at 7:30 PM.
$225,000 for Restrooms
WPCNR has also learned in followup on a legal notice published in the Friday Journal News, that the library, with Ms. Miranda’s approval, is to receive $225,000 from the city Capital Projects budget to refurbish the mens and womens restrooms on the library first floor, according to Department of Public Works Commissioner Joseph Nicoletti.
Mr. Wood was asked why this project could not be suspended and used to contribute to the library share of cost cutting. He said that was up to the Common Council to rescind that expenditure and recommit the funds to the library. Asked why the Mayor simply could not do this, Wood said that was up to the capital projects board which the Mayor had no control over. Wood said Miranda had approved of this expenditure.
No $4 Million Deficit as Alleged.
Wood released to WPCNR his answer to a letter circulated by e-mail from a person in support of the library which said the city was facing a $4 Million deficit in the current fiscal year. Wood confirmed that the Mayor has never quantified any alleged shortfall in current revenues in any public statements. He said the cost-cutting measures were precautionary, and not to make up any known shortfall as alleged in the private letter.
The letter circulated by the White Plains resident gives a version of the library events to a wide audience.
Wood’s letter furnished to WPCNR outlines how the Sunday closing came about and how Ms. Miranda was told by the Mayor that there was no need to negotiate new hours with full-time employees to close the Library on Fridays as the White Plains Library Board of Directors had originally voted to do last month. Here is Mr. Wood’s written statement to the letter writer:
Hi Lauren,(Candela-Katz)
I received a copy of your email which contains several inaccuracies and only serves to further confuse and mislead people about what is taking place. It’s extremely disappointing that this issue continues to be completely distorted.
Number one, the Library Board did NOT make the decision to close on Sundays, its executive director, Sandra Miranda made the decision.
Two, it’s completely UNTRUE that any renegotiation with the unions would have to occur. Sandy was informed of this by myself and corporation counsel Ed Dunphy AFTER the Board voted to close on FRIDAYS and Sandy wanted to switch to Sundays.
Three, what else in the City is being reduced, you ask. EVERY DEPARTMENT is looking to cut their budgets by 7 to 10%. This is an ongoing process and the pain is well shared. The information has been printed in the Journal News and the New York Times. What else do you want the administration to do??
Four, the City did NOT spend $65,000 for the ball drop on New Year’s Eve. It spent $12,000. The rest of the money came from MERCHANT DONATIONS.
Five, we looked at reducing take home cars, savings were negligible, and would have, in most cases required a RENEGOTIATION with unions who currently don’t have contracts with the City so it is doubtful this would have been successful.
These are unprecedented economic times. What you and your email string of readers (which I’m sure will never receive this corrected information) should be doing is lobbying the Democratic council and assembly members to get the extra quarter percent sales tax that the Mayor has been advocating for two years now.
It would have provided an additional $5.6 million dollars this year alone and may have made these unpleasant cuts less necessary, or at the very least, less painful.
Regards, Paul Wood Executive Officer City of White Plains
