THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR

WPCNR In The Clubhouse. By Bob and Jenny Petrucci, “Mr. and Mrs. Golf.” September 5, 2004:  It is time to clarify a word used by the county and certain legislators. More and more, we hear that county golf courses will be “privatized”, starting with Maple Moor in January 2005, just as they did with Hudson Hills this year.

I am reminded by an economist associate-friend that they are NOT being “privatized”, per say.

Are the courses being sold? NO. The county/parks dept still has final say on all things golf. The courses are being given, on concession, to a group to “run” them.

In other words, county courses are being “concessionized”.

Why is that important? Because that is the WORST possible scenario for all county golfers, resident voters, county employees, etc.

Fees (yet again) will go up, just as they already have at Hudson Hills whose weekend fees alone started at THREE times the fees of the other courses. There have already been more than 90 different fee increases on county courses in recent years. 

 County employees will be laid off, just as non-county employees are being used at Hudson Hills. This is a despicable form of union-busting.

The county said that Hudson Hills is to be “self-sufficient” or whatever term they use, meaning that it is not to lose money or require a tax levy increase. Well, that is an already in question since it is reported that they achieved only 25,000 rounds of golf (on a $15-17 million elite, financially-exclusionary MUNICIPAL golf course that is in violation of state law because it was done at that cost without voter approval-referendum).

What’s more, Hudson Hills was built primarily for non-residents (says so in Parks Board Minutes). And then when they didn’t show because they thought it a poor product value at $100 on weekend days, the county raised everyone’s fees there by $5. How convoluted.

Acting County Executive Schwartz, who is well-known to be calling the county golf shots (all worm-burners we say), has done absolutely none of those things which are proven successful, professional, marketing practices. He has lost money each and every year of his golf regime. He should be fired now.

It seems more and more apparent that he is out to union-bust the county employees’ union and to restrict access to county municipal courses (discriminate) to the “better, and well to do”.

And none of that is not what “municipal” was intended to be. So again, we urge a full investigation on county golf, including the Board of Legislators’ Parks Subcommittee.

Bob and Jenny Petrucci
County Residents Protection Alliance
Resident Golfers Protection Group  

WPCNR North Ender. From White Plains Rural Cemetary. October 8, 2004: The historical White Plains Rural Cemetery, located at 167 North Broadway, announces the dedication of the new Columbarium on Saturday, October 9th, at 11:00 am.


The Columbarium, situated in a garden setting within our well-maintained, park-like cemetery, is the first of more units to be placed in various locations in the cemetery.

The Cemetery Board of Trustees, in response to more and more requests for the interment of “cremains,” have chosen to offer cremorial niches in a pastoral setting.

White Plains Rural Cemetery’s historic house, built in 1797 and rehabilitated in 2000, is included on the National Register of Historic Places.  It is the focal point of the cemetery, located at one of the Gateways of our City, where so much of our history is carved in stone.

We invite all to visit the dedication ceremony and partake of the refreshments.