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)

County Executive Spano Declares Drought Emergency

Posted on March 26, 2002 by John Bailey

WPCNR 5 O’Clock Lightning Leader, From Westchester County Department of Communications, filed 3/26/02 5:00 PM EST:After weeks of warnings about the potential dangers of a lack of rainfall, Westchester County Executive Andy Spano officially declared a drought emergency today — triggering mandatory water restrictions that will go into effect next week.

The county had already begun gearing up for such a declaration earlier
this month when it became obvious that reservoirs were unlikely to fill
enough to avoid more drastic conservation measures.

As of April 1, businesses, schools and governments that use more than 1,000 gallons of water per day will have to decrease water usage by 15 percent. Restaurants will be barred from serving water to patrons except upon request.

Council hears first Ordinance on course to kill Study. Meets Tues at 7.

Posted on March 25, 2002 by John Bailey

WPCNR Midnight Special, By John F. Bailey, 5/25/02, UPDATE 1 filed at 11:30 PM EST: The Common Council, with Members Benjamin Boykin, William King, Robert Greer, Rita Malmud, and Glen Hockley attending Monday night, heard the first reading of an ordinance rescinding the Police/Fire Study. They will meet again Tuesday night at 7 PM
to hear the ordinance and vote it.

COUNCIL MINUS DELFINO-SAN LISTENS TO THE ORDINANCE:
Photo by WPCNR

With Mayor Delfino somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, flying to Japan, the Council began the process of killing the Police Fire Study they had already approved March 11.

Council President Benjamin Boykin presided over the five-member council.

Firefighters refuse to be interviewed.

Boykin said the firefighters’ union asked the Council not to do the study. Boykin reported to WPCNR that the union told the Council they would not allow their membership to be interviewed for the study, which was planned to begin today (Tuesday).

Boykin perplexed.

Boykin commented to WPCNR after the reading of the ordinance, that he still felt “this was the right time to do the study.” Asked if the firefighters were displeased with the firm, or had given any reason for backing out of the study, Boykin demurred, saying “Ask the union.”

WPCNR asked Mr. Boykin if this wasn’t an embarrassment to him, considering how strongly he had personally called for a study of the police-fire operations in his Council President’s address in February. Boykin said, “You said that, I didn’t.”

Union has other agenda.

Earlier Monday, Boykin told WPCNR the union has an agenda it wanted to address in labor contract negotiations which begin Tuesday, and “was not looking for the Council to do the study at this time.”

Despite earlier reports from city hall spokesman Paul Wood that the study was dead forever, Boykin left the door open to do the study at some future date Monday evening, but “not any time soon,” (his words).

City Hall Shocker!

George Gretsas, the Mayor’s Executive Officer, said that the Mayor’s office had not received indication from the firefighters union that they had any reservations about the selection of CGR (Center for Government Research), to do the study at any time leading up to the Council approval of the study.

At the public hearing March 11, when the study was approved by the Council, Jim Donahoe, sitting next to Acting Public Safety Commissioner Daniel Hickey, the President of the White Plains Professional Firefighters did not comment at all, as the Council heard from the CGR representative outlining the study. Not one word.

Man from CGR already in-town, sent packing

Kent Gardner, a representative of the Center for Government Research, in town for the start of the study, arrived at City Hall just prior to the Council meeting at 6 PM Monday, and spoke with George Gretsas.

The Common Council offered no public comment or apology to Mr. Gardner regarding the Common Council eleventh hour change of commitment to the study.

No contract signed.

Gretsas reported that the city had not signed a contract with CGR for the study, and would reimburse CGR for travel expenses to White Plains already booked.
Second time in year, Democratic Council has backed off

At the beginning of 2001, the council was offered an opportunity to study the Police-Fire organization in White Plains as to its effectiveness. At that time, they rejected a study because of the expense, (approximately $200,000).

This time, apparently the price was right, but the fire department rejected the idea of being studied.

FLASH! Council to Meet Tonight to Kill Police/Fire Study on FD Request

Posted on March 25, 2002 by John Bailey

WPCNR Afternoon Tribune, UPDATE # 2 by John F. Bailey, 3/25/02, 2:00 PM: WPCNR has learned that the Common Council will hold a Special Meeting this evening at 6 PM, to kill the Police-Fire Study they approved 5-1 March 14. The surprising reversal comes at the request of the White Plains Professional Fire Fighters Union on the eve of beginning negotiations of their new contract.
With the Mayor in the air over the Pacific Ocean, winging his way to Japan, the Council, if they wish to kill the study, will have to meet twice this week in order to override their own approval of a scant two weeks ago.

Acting Commissioner Hickey “floored”

The union request of the council was news to Acting Commissioner of Public Safety, Daniel Hickey, who told WPCNR, he just learned about it from City Hall a few moments ago. Hickey said the union did not talk to him or Fire Chief, Mark Daimon about the request to kill the study. He said he was “floored” when City Hall told him of the special meeting within the last hour.

Fire Fighter Contract Negotiations begin Tuesday.

Hickey noted that he was to begin labor contract negotiations with the fire fighters union Tuesday, but said he was not going to talk to the union about any reorganization of the department. He said that was not a negotiable item, saying it was up to the Mayor and the Council.

Hickey said the meeting Tuesday is the kickoff negotiation meeting, when both sides layout what the are expecting. The city will first learn what the firefighters are seeking in a new contract.
Boykin: Fire Fighters Union Asked Them to Kill Study

WPCNR interviewed Common Council President Benjamin Boykin, Jr., a little after 12 noon today, and Mr. Boykin said the decision to “rescind” the study legislation was made at the request of the fire fighters union.

Boykin said, “They have other agendas they want to pursue in new labor contract negotiations, and were not looking for us to do this.”

Boykin said he did not know what the fire department “agendas” were. He also said the police union had not commented to him on the police-fire study. He expected four councilpersons would be at the meeting this evening, providing a quoram.

The meeting was called by Mr. Boykin, WPCNR has subsequently learned slightly early Monday morning. Quoram was not achieved until minutes ahead of the six hours time interval required for a special meeting.

The reported move to kill the study, developed among council members over the past weekend.

The move to drop the study, we have learned, comes on the eve when the study was supposed to begin. A representative of the Center for Government Research was scheduled to fly in to White Plains Tuesday to commence the study, which was to have cost the city $84,000.

Shocked media scribes were mystified since the study was the centerpiece of Common Council President Benjamin Boykin’s President’s Address to the City in February, when he promised to end the controversy over separate police and fire department feasibility once and for all.

High School Looking for More Good Principal Candidates

Posted on March 22, 2002 by John Bailey

Friday Night Getaway Gazette, by John F. Bailey, Filed 3/22/02, 5 PM EST: The Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for the City School District, reported today to WPCNR that the search for a new Principal for White Plains High School to replace William Colavito beginning in July, is continuing, and that the District is going to “re-search,” placing a new advertisement to “recanvas” potential principal candidates.
Dr. Linda Ochser, told WPCNR “We’re repening our search. We did not do as well as we had hoped. We have some attractive candidates, but have made no offers yet. We are still interviewing.”
Ochser said they were placing an advertisement and she expected to conduct new interviews in mid-April.