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)

WP SEWER TAX COULD RISE 50% in COUNTY’S BIGGEST CAPITAL PROJECT EVER.

Posted on November 26, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE SEWER REPORT By John F. Bailey. November 26, 2008: The $234.7 Million sewer project announced in postcard mailers to residents in the Mamaroneck Valley Sewer District throughout White Plains this week, could cost White Plains residents $150 more a year in sewer bills by 2014, based on preliminary estimates the county has run on the cost of the federally mandated project to upgrade the Mamaroneck Valley Plant (on Mamaroneck Harbor), and the New Rochelle plant.

GREETINGS FROM THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY SEWER BOYS.

The postcard from Commissioner Tom Lauro announcing $234.7 Million sewer plant rehab project — the largest county capital project in history — according to the County Legislature Press Office. Very preliminary estimates indicate White Plains residents in the Mamaroneck Valley Sewer District would see bills escalate $75 to $150 and up by 2014, or sooner if the county does not get a bailout.

In 2008 the median White Plains home ($700,000) assessed at $18,475 a year paid $323 in sewer taxes. If the preliminary figures hold, sewer taxes for Mr. and Mrs. White Plains will go up related to the project funding beginning in 2011 out to 2014, or perhaps all at once depending on how the project is financed by the County.

2008, the Mamaroneck Valley Sewer District residents in White Plains paid a total of $3.3 Million to the county, Bronx Valley District residents in White Plains, paid $3.4 Million according to the White Plains Finance Department. Gina Cuneo Harwood told WPCNR Tuesday evening the way the sewer tax is figured is this: The county gives White Plains the sewer levy, and White Plains calculates the per $1,000 of assessed value tax rate, to figure the rate Mr. and Mrs. White Plains pay for sewer services.

The county will address the project Monday in a public hearing on the budget at the Michaelian Building at 3:30 P.M.

County Legislator Tom Abinanti, chair of the Health Committee for the county, stressed to WPCNR that the full impact of any sewer district increase affecting White Plains, Blind Brook, New Rochelle and Port Chester would not hit until 2014, that these were estimates he has only at this time. (The County Department of Communications has yet to provide as requested by WPCNR, the actual figures previously presented which would give more detail).

Mr. Abinanti supplied preliminary figures he has from correspondence. Abinanti made clear that the county is seeking other sources of funding for the $234.7 Million project, appealing to Senator Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton for federal aid, and that it is not altogether certain the residents in the four sewer districts, would have to pay for it.

At this time, residents of New Rochelle, White Plains, Port Chester, and Blind Brook are “on the hook,” for that increase, the County Legislator press office told WPCNR Tuesday.

The Legislative Press Office told WPCNR the fines associated with the county not complying with the federal order were $195,000 civil penalties and responsibility for funding $780,000 other environmental projects as selected by the Department of Environmental Conservation of New York State.

Stepinac Grad Brian Vega, Westchester Broadway Theatre Honoree

Posted on November 26, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Pia Haas, Westchester Broadway Theatre. November 26, 2008: On Wednesday December 3^rd, Westchester Broadway Theatre will present this year’s Bob Fitzsimmons Award of $1000 to Brian Vega at the Press opening of WBT’S holiday show, “A WONDERFUL LIFE.”

Brian Vega of Stepinac 08, now attending Susquehanna University.

In recent years Frank Portanova, Vice Principal of Stepinac High School has been extremely helpful and cooperative, making some financial donations to the fund to help ensure the life of the scholarship. He also is responsible for selecting the student winner for this highly competitive award. The annual scholarship in Mr. Fitzsimmons’ name is WBT’s collective way of keeping alive the memory of our its dear friend and former promotion director, Bob Fitzsimmons, a graduate of Stepinac High School in White Plains.

Mr. Vega in Singin’ In the Rain at Archbishop Stepinac High’s production last spring.

Brian Vega is currently a freshman at Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania. Last Spring he played the lead role of Don Lockwood in ARCHBISHOP STEPINAC HIGH SCHOOL‘S production of SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN. Brian was fortunate to be a part of Stepinac’s Drama Club for his four years there and had parts in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS; INHERIT THE WIND; JEKYLL & HYDE; THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE; THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE; and THE CRUCIBLE. Other theatrical experiences include OLIVER TWIST; OVER THE RAINBOW; THE GLASS SLIPPER and YANKEE DOODLE DANDY at SACRED HEART SCHOOL in Hartsdale.

The $1,000 Scholarship is given annually to a college-bound senior who has excelled in the theatre arts programs while attending Stepinac High School. The prestigious Arts Scholarship is named after Bob Fitzsimmons, a graduate of Stepinac High School, who died suddenly at the age of 37 in March of 1992. He was the Public Relations Director of the Westchester Broadway Theatre, as well as a gifted actor, producer, writer and a director of shows at WBT and at numerous theatres throughout the County.

The scholarship was established in his name by the owners of Westchester Broadway Theatre, Bill Stutler and Bob Funking, the entire employee staff of WBT, and the many friends and relatives of Bob Fitzsimmons. Under the auspices of WBT, Allan Gruet, (former WBT Public Relations Director, who replaced Bobby Fitzsimmons) and George Puello spearheaded two fundraisers.

The first & most successful fundraiser was held at WBT, the second was held at Stepinac High School. Mr. Puello was responsible for directing & producing the entertainment portion of both events, while Mr. Gruet handled the ticketing for the fundraisers & the continuing administration of the self-sustaining scholarship. Over the years, along with the assistance of producer Bob Funking, Gruet has continued to manage the scholarship, making it possible to present the award consistently each year.

Longview Garage Opens — First Step in Post Road Upgrade

Posted on November 26, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE PARKING NEWS. November 26, 2008, UPDATED 2 PM E.S.T.: White Plains Mayor Joseph Delfino and White Plains Hospital Center President Jon Schandler officially opened the $19 Million Longview Municipal Parking Garage, at a ribbon cutting ceremony, today. The garage holds 758 spaces of which 324 on the upper levels have been leased to the Hospital and will be open to parking for employees of the hospital Monday morning.

It features chemical reductive energy efficient lighting, roomy parking spaces with wide car clearances, among other amenities, and parkers pay using the central “Moroni Money Machines,” familiar to White Plains residents, eliminating pay-as-you-exit booths currently used by the hospital at the Davis Avenue garage.

The new garage will be open to the public Friday, according to Commissioner of Public Works, Joseph Nicoletti. The ribbon cutting marks the culmination of a 10 year process to construct the 758 space parking garage and provide critically needed parking to White Plains Hospital and area businesses and residents.

Mayor Delfino, left, with Commissioner of Parking, Al Moroni, center and CEO of White Plains Hospital Center, Jon Schandler, right. at this morning’s opening. The Mayor called the new garage “The First Step” in the hospital’s planned $100 Million “Renaissance.”

The Mayor told WPCNR that the garage opening was the first step in the city’s planned upgrade of East Post Road, which he said would possibly mean a redevelopment of a portion of the Sholz Buick property at Post and Lexington Avenues. The Mayor said he did not know the details but Sholz was looking for a developer for a portion of their property on the open car display lot. Sholz, the Mayor said, would possibly continue his car dealer on another portion of the site.

She’s Open! The Stakeholders officially open the Longview Cromwell Garage Wednesday morning: Front: L to R, Paul Weissman, Chair of the Board, White Plains Hospital Center. Jon Schandler, Chief Executive Officer, Mayor Joseph Delfino, Councilpersons Rita Malmux and Thomas Roach. Standing on steps, Commissioner of Public Works, Joseph Nicoletti, builder of the garage, and Commissioner of Parking, Albert Moroni.

The garage will also be used by visitors to the Kensington Assisted Living Facility, to be built on the adjacent site to the garage. The White Plains Hospital Center $100 Million expansion plan shows the Kensington preliminary design above (the building to the right next to the Longview Garage that opened today.

The White Plains Kensington project currently awaits Housing and Urban Development Funding for that $30 Million project, in addition to over $900,000 in tax relief from the county and the city, without which the project, they indicated could not be built.

The Post Road Upgrade Possibilities.

Melissa Lopez, officer in charge of economic development for White Plains, told WPCNR that the city is willing to work with property owners of buildings on the side of Post Road opposite the possible towards improvement of their storefronts, but stopped short of saying the city would provide city dollars for the improvements. The Mayor said the buildings fronting the street on Post Road involved five separate owners, and therefore it remained to be seen how any development could occur on that sector without the owners agreeing on their property.

The Mayor said Winbrook, the public housing complex was there to stay and would not be touched, though the White Plains Housing Authority is entertaining a gradual rebuild of each building with Housing and Urban Development department funding, the details of which have yet to be finalized.

Moving Forward

Melissa Lopez, spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office, told WPCNR last July that the delay in the start of the White Plains Kensington assisted living project scheduled for groundbreaking this month, now delayed indefinitely, due to the Fountain Properties application with HUD to pay for the construction (due to the financial market malaise), would not begin possibly costing the city money until April 2009 when the first payment on the $19 Million bond for construction of the Longview Municipal Garage in the final stages of completion is due.

Lopez said last July, it is expected Kensington will begin making the payments in April, 2009, on the garage debt service and that the city will not have to pay the debt service and principle.

Legislators on County Rec & Parks and Public Works Budgets

Posted on November 25, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Board of Legislators. November 24, 2008: The Board of Legislators has released their analysis of two more key department budgets for 2009. Their comments:

Parks, Recreation & Conservation

The Department of Parks, Recreation & Conservation maintains the county’s 50 parks and open space network of over 18,000 acres at an annual average cost of about $37 per resident. Though the department’s proposed 2009 operating budget of $55.26 million represents an increase over its 2008 budget of $53.49 million, the proposed 2009 tax levy of $17.9 million is less than the 2008 tax levy of $19.4 million. The department proposes a staff of 335 in 2009, one less than in 2008.

The proposed levy reduction is largely due to the introduction in 2009 of a new “Pay-One-Price” admission policy. Under the new policy, which will apply to the amusement area at Playland, revenues will cover all costs associated with the amusement park’s operation. The amusement park operation will no longer be subsidized by county taxpayers.

County Legislator José Alvarado, Budget & Appropriations Committee Chair, commented that

“the new admission policy addresses a longtime County Board request to reduce the amount of tax levy dollars needed to support Playland

County Legislator Ken Jenkins, Chair of the Government Operations Committee, noted that the County Board’s getting behind the Rye Playland Master Plan’s proposal which included removing third party concessions from running the rides and having the county purchase the rides instead has proven to be a prudent investment. He said he was also pleased with the overall results of a recently released safety audit by an independent consultant that indicated significant progress in instituting additional safety measures.

“With rising attendance, an improved safety record and a restructured admission policy that will make the amusement park self-sufficient, county taxpayers are able to save about $3 million while continuing to enjoy this historic park and local treasure,” said Jenkins.

Jenkins said that Westchester’s parks, golf courses, hiking and biking trails and other recreational opportunities are an integral part of the county’s superior quality of life that attracts so many families to move to the area. “Our investments in the Parks Department are quality of life investments that help to make this beautiful county the unique place it is,” said Jenkins.

Public Works Department

The Public Works Department maintains and provides engineering services for repairs and rehabilitation of county roads, bridges and structures. The department’s 2009 proposed operating budget of $85.36 million requests a tax levy of $6.55 million, approximately $1 million less than the

2008 levy. Salaries and maintaining the court system each account for about 23% of the budget.

As utility costs for all facilities account for about 29% of expenses, the department’s focus has been on conserving energy in recent years. Initiatives include energy audits, installing solar panels, lowering building thermostats during the winter and raising them during the summer, installing fluorescent bulbs, removing approximately 6,700 excess light bulbs, retrofitting several vans and trucks to use filtered vegetable oil as fuel; and, installing emission control devices on vehicles with diesel engines. About 45% of the current vehicle fleet is hybrid—the remaining non-hybrid vehicles will be replaced with hybrids as fund permit. The Commissioner said that the White Plains central heating plant and the Peekskill District Office Building will be added to the B5 biodiesel heating oil program.

”This will be a challenging year as we move forward with capital projects,” said County Legislator Ken Jenkins Chairman of the Government Operations Committee which oversees the Public Works Department. “We will continue to do what’s necessary to ensure the safety of the people using our roads, bridges and facilities in Westchester but will also be respecting economic realities which mean fewer contracts will be issued and fewer capital projects undertaken.”

For more details on county department budgets, please visit the County Board’s Web site at www.westchesterlegislators.com.