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)

Dobbs Ferry Seeks Global Warming Intern Starting in Jan

Posted on December 3, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR JOBS & OPPS. From The Village of Dobbs Ferry. December 3, 2008:

The Village of Dobbs Ferry http://www.dobbsferry.com/ (Westchester) is looking to identify an intern to assist with the Village’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory for ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability . Dobbs Ferry recently joined ICLEI and needs to both design and complete its emissions inventory in order to establish its emissions baseline.

The scope of the project would depend on the skills and experience of the intern – ideally we would like to identify someone with the ability to help design the inventory process and scope rather than simply gather and input information. We seek someone who enjoys collaborating with others but who is a self-starter. The intern would have a designated work space in Dobbs Ferry’s Village Hall and would report to the Chairperson of the Mayor’s Task Force on Energy and the Environment. This volunteer citizen task force includes among its members experts in environmental design, community outreach, and sustainable development.

This unpaid position would begin in January and affords the intern the opportunity to develop expertise with ICLEI’s state-of-the-art Clean Air and Climate Protection Software (CACPS). The intern will have the opportunity to interface with people in nearby municipalities who are also beginning the process of conducting greenhouse gas emissions inventories.

If interested, please contact Nina Orville, Chair of the Mayor’s Task Force on Energy and the Environment at [email protected] with information regarding your availability and qualifications.

WP YWCA CALLS FOR KEEPING FOCUS ON AIDS PREVENTION IN COUNTY. HOSTS CONFERENCE M

Posted on December 3, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR HEART BEAT. From White Plains YWCA. December 3, 2008: On Monday, December 8 from 9:00am- 11:30am a special conference in recognition of World AIDS Day will be held at the YWCA of White Plains & Central Westchester. The conference is titled “Mobilizing Community Leadership to Keep HIV/AIDS a Priority in this Time of Change.” The conference will include a Keynote speech by Mr. Humberto Cruz, Director, New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, who has been a dedicated leader in addressing HIV and AIDS related issues for almost twenty years. There will also be recognition of several community leaders as well as a break out session to discuss action steps for keeping HIV/AIDS a priority issue.

Mr. Cruz has been recognized as an influential leader at both a state and national level. His accomplishments include developing enhanced Medicaid rates for HIV care, implementing client-centered programs that reimburse providers for the delivery of care to uninsured people, and creating service programs that target specific populations affected by the HIV/AIDs epidemic. He has deliberated HIV/AIDS policy at a national level and served as an executive committee member of the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD.)

The conference is free and open to the public.

For further information, contact the YWCA Events Office, (914) 949-6227
ext 140 or email: [email protected].

Feiner Calls for County Salary Increases to Be Tied to Cost Savings

Posted on December 3, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Greenburgh Town Supervisior, Paul Feiner. December 3, 2008:

The Westchester County Board of Legislators will be holding a public hearing Monday, December 8 at 10:30 AM on a proposal to give commissioners and nonunion managers (the county’s top salaried employees) a 3.25% retroactive salary increase. This increase has been criticized by many citizens, elected officials, business and civic leaders. The County Board of Legislators is also being criticized for scheduling an important hearing at 10:30 AM when few people can attend.

I expect to attend the hearing and will offer a compromise suggestion. The County Board of Legislators should place the funds allocated for the 3.25% retroactive salary increase in an escrow account. They should announce two goals:

GOAL NUMBER ONE: The county should reduce energy consumption by 10% in 2009 over 2008.

GOAL NUMBER TWO: Management should figure out a way to reduce spending by an additional 7% in 2009 (over the proposed 2009 budget).

At the end of 2009 a committee would review whether these two goals were met. If energy consumption is reduced by 10% and if the county government shrinks by an additional 7% in 2009 (on top of any cuts made in the 2009 proposed budget) the management team would receive the retroactive salary increase. If these two goals are not accomplished the salary increases of management would be frozen. All or nothing.

They win—if we win. If management is provided with a financial incentive to reduce energy consumption and to reduce the size of government we can eliminate patronage, fat, unnecessary spending . At the present time there is no motivation to cut costs significantly.

I intend to to recommend that future salary increases for management in the town of Greenburgh also be tied to spending reductions and energy consumption reductions.

Legislators Restore Funds for Community Services, and Cut Tax Increase

Posted on December 2, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Board of Legislators. December 2, 2008: The County Board’s Budget & Appropriations Committee announced tonight that they restored funding for key programs and services provided by non-profit agencies that legislators agreed either should have been funded or were underfunded in the County Executive’s proposed 2009 budget.

“We added money to ensure the continuation of key services benefiting county residents. These services are provided by non-profit contract agencies that represent an important part of our service delivery system,” said County Board Chair Bill Ryan (D-I-WF, White Plains).

Ryan said the public had spoken clearly, both at public hearings and with individual legislators, that they did not want to see cutbacks in “safety net” services for the county’s most vulnerable citizens.

“The economy makes the budgeting process more difficult but we need to get through it preserving our important programs and not hurting those who need our help,” said Ryan. “A tough economy only increases the need for safety net services that are part of the county’s core mission to provide.”

Programs slated for additional funding include neighborhood health centers; funding for child care; early childhood services and mental healthcare; assistance to victims of domestic violence; eviction prevention assistance; youth services; immigrant outreach for health, education, housing and employment; and, legal aid for the indigent.

The Budget Committee also added funding to bolster programs involving public safety and security; environmental protection; economic development; arts and culture; libraries; and, government internal auditing.

County Legislator José Alvarado (D-Yonkers), Chair of the Budget Committee, said legislators were able to offset the restorations with additional revenues.

“After restoring programs and adding additional revenues, we were able to reduce the County Executive’s proposed tax levy of 2.97% down to 2.9%,” Alvarado said. “Ordinarily, on ‘add’s day’, you would expect to see a temporary increase in the tax rate but we worked to make sure we kept the rate moving in the right direction.”

Alvarado noted that the rest of the week will be spent scrutinizing the expense side of the County Executive’s budget. “Cuts will be made and we’re looking to reduce the tax rate further,” said Alvarado.

The Budget Committee will meet again on December 8 to consider budget reductions.