COUNTY EXECUTIVE TAKES BULL BY THE HORNS ON SHARED SERVICES:INVITES PUBLIC TO SUGGEST HOW VILLAGES, CITIES CAN SHARE SERVICES FOR TAX SAVINGS. COUNTY WILL MAKE SUGGESTIONS. WANTS A PLAN BY AUGUST 1

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GEORGE LATIMER MOVING AHEAD ON SHARED SERVICES TODAY

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. By John F. Bailey. June 11, 2018:

Westchester County Executive George Latimer took the bull by the horns today on sharing services between county cities and villages, with village collaboration first.

He announced two public hearings  this coming Thursday,  in Yonkers, 3 PM to 5 PM at the Yonkers Riverfront  Library and later Thursday evening at the Mt. Kisco Library, 7 to 9 PM.

Latimer said input from the public and city and village officials at those hearings would be a start to formulating a county shared services plan approved by a panel of the chief elected officials from every municipality in the county to submit to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo due by  September 15.

The Rockefeller Institute and the Benjamin Center at SUNY New Paltz will help the county prepare the Shared Services Plan. Patty Dwyer former Executive Director of the New York State City and County Management Association has been tapped as a consultant/liaison with the Institute and Benjamin Center to formulate the County Plan.

Dwyer told the news conference today her immediate focus would be on finding opporutnities for villages in Westchester to combine services.

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GINA PICINICH, Mayor of Mount Kisco and County Chief of Police told of the $500,000 a Year Savings achieved by The County Police taking over Mount Kisco policing.

Asked if Mr. Latimer would be “proactive” in bringing a meeting of village, city officials’ minds on sharing opporuntunities, Latimer told WPCNR  the county would be making suggestions.

Latimer emphasized that there is a home rule policy in New York State and at this point it appears it will be up to the cities and villages to agree to county suggestions on savings.

The timetable is demanding:

Mr. Latimer’s news release indicates August 1st is the Deadline for the Presentation to Westchester County Board of Legislators.

There will be a public hearing (Date and location to be determined)

September 15 is the deadline for the Panel of Municpality leaders (of 41 cities and towns in the county) to approve the County Plan and submit it to the Governor.

October 15 is the deadline for the Presentation of the Plan to the public.

WPCNR has been assured that these dates are just deadlines and the public will be informed as the plan is developed.

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PARKER POWER TALK: Con Ed Rewrites the Weather Forecasts. Disputes it Had Adequate Notices of the March Storms

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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. From  Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker. June 11, 2018:

On Monday, June 4th, my colleagues at the Board of Legislators and I continued our meetings with Con Edison over the power outage experienced during the nor’easter in early March. I am sad to report that Con Ed once again left us feeling rather dissatisfied with several of their answers. Con Ed also started their discussion that day by disputing the fact that they had ample notice that a nor’easter was expected, and not just a regular winter storm. How is it that the average Westchester resident, courtesy of the Journal News (Potential nor’easter could deliver strong winds and rain Thursday and Friday – February 26) knew 3 days before the storm hit, but Con Edison was caught off guard? Their excuse for failing to have mutual aid on the ground ready to work as soon as the storm let up because they didn’t have enough time was infuriating.

I continued to press Con Ed and asked them about their billing methodology. Using an actual electric bill I identified that almost half of the $220 monthly bill was to cover maintenance on the system. Look at your Con Ed bill. Don’t you wonder what Con Ed is doing with that portion of your money? I know I do. Knowing how expensive this equipment must be, and how much of our money goes toward properly maintaining it, I had asked Con Ed at a prior meeting what the average lifespan of a transformer was. During the time that many of us had lost service, I had heard of out of state crews remarking on the aging equipment that they were sent to repair. I felt it was important to get a baseline. One member of the Con Ed team responded that transformers can go on “forever until they don’t.” Finding that response unacceptable, my staff (which included four interns from Mamaroneck High School) and I decided to do our own research. We reviewed Public Service Commission testimony and reports from prior storms, including the 402 page Comprehensive Management and Operations Audit of Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), which led Governor Cuomo to end LIPA and “create a new utility company on Long Island that puts ratepayers first.” In that report, we were able to identify many of the answers that Con Ed was not able to provide.

We will continue to pursue answers and ultimately solutions to get better electrical service in our community.  If we don’t, the precedent that was set on Long Island could be an option for Westchester County.

Click here to view my questioning of Con Ed:https://www.dropbox.com/s/l4m6x310u6ahlwh/Leg%20Parker%20Cow%20June%204.mp4?dl=0

If you want to watch the entire two hour meeting, click on this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vakjzyo6sm9auh9/Jun%204%202018%200200%20PM%20Committee%20of%20the%20Whole%20Committee%20Meeting%20SD%20480.mp4?dl=0

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AMOUNT OF WRITTEN-OFF DEBT RISES 6% While Consumers Repay Debt at Second-to-Highest Rate Ever In First Quarter. Fed Rate Hike Cost to Consumers Analyzed

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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE From Wallet Hub. June 11, 2018:

The personal-finance website WalletHub today released two key reports, one showing that consumers repaid $40.3 billion in credit card debt during Q1 2018, the second-biggest quarterly paydown ever, and the other finding that a Federal Reserve rate hike on Wednesday would cost people with credit card debt an extra $1.6 billion this year alone.

Below, you can find a handful of highlights from WalletHub’s Q2 2018 Fed Rate Hike Report and its 2018 Credit Card Debt Study, which is accompanied by a nationally representative credit card survey.

  • At 3.80% for Q1 2018, the charge-off rate (the amount of defaulted credit card balances written off compared to the amount of funds charged) is up nearly 6% year over year and at the highest point since mid-2012.
  • We began the year owing more than $1 trillion in credit card debt for the first time ever, after adding a post-Great Recession record $91.6 billion to our tab in 2017.
  • 37% of people think travel is worth getting into debt for, behind just housing (47%) and health care (61%).
  • 89% of people say their personal finances are run better than the federal government.
  • 41% of people with credit card debt say they’ll pay it off in less than a year.
  • The Fed has cost the average homebuyer roughly $42,000, if you assume its six recent rate hikes are fully responsible for the rise in the average mortgage APR since January 2015.

 

Cities with the Biggest
Q1 Paydowns		 Cities with the Smallest
Q1 Paydowns
Darien, CT Clarkston, GA
Lake Forest, IL Coachella, CA
Southlake, TX Chelsea, MA
Beverly Hills, CA San Luis, AZ
Dix Hills, NY Cicero, IL
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WHITE PLAINS WEEK JUNE 8 PROGRAM ON THE INTERNET NOW — YOUTUBE, WHITE PLAINS WEEK DOT COM, AND WPCOMMUNITYMEDIA DOT ORG

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WORLD WIDE NOW

BAILEY BENEROFE KATZ

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White Plains Week  for 6-8 has been posted 
The youtube link is
 
 
the whiteplainsweek.com link is
 
 

ON

MTA PROGRESS

RAISING THE AGE TO BUY TOBACCO PRODUCTS

BICYCLE FLEETS IN WHITE PLAINS

THE NEW SITE PLAN FOR THE GOOD COUNSEL PROPERTY

CON EDISON AND NYSEG APPEAR BEFORE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS AND “DISAPPOINT”

AIRPORT MASTER PLAN PANNED AT FIRST COMMUNITY INPUT MEETING ON THE WESTCHESTER AIRPORT

PARENTS OPTING OUT WHITE PLAINS STUDENTS FROM ASSESSMENTS DECLINES SLIGHTLY

AND MORE ON 

1-opener-ANNIVERSARY

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Buchwald on People to Be Heard Tonight at 8 on the Con Ed NYSEG Response and What Can Be Done Looking Forward on FIOS CH. 45, ALTICE-CABLEVISION CH. 76

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John Bailey and Assemblyman David Buchwald  District 93, which includes the towns of Bedford, Harrison, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, New Castle, North Castle, North Salem, and White Plains NY USA May 25

ON YOUTUBE NOW:

 
 
whiteplainsweek.com link is
 

JOHN BAILEY INTERVIEWS 

ASSEMBLYMAN DAVID BUCHWALD 

ON

THE ROAD AHEAD FOR FIXING HOW UTILITIES HANDLE DISASTERS

WHAT’S BEING PLANNED.

WHAT PUBLIC LEADERS WANT

WHAT THE STATE COULD DO

HOW UTILITY REFORM MOVES AHEAD 

IF PUBLIC SERVICE DOES NOTHING– WHO BELLS THE CAT? PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION MIGHT DO IT AND MAYBE NOT.

ON WESTCHESTER’S MOST RELEVANT INTERVIEW PROGRAM

PEOPLE TO BE HEARD

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David Buchwald in the White Plains TV Studios May 25

8 PM –CH 45 FIOS, CH 76 ALTICE-CABLEVISION

AND ON

www.wpcommunitymedia.org

AND YOUTUBE

 
whiteplainsweek.com link is
 
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County Executive Latimer Appoints Director of Energy Conservation and Sustainability. Conversion of County Motor Vehicles to All Electric Planned

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. June 7, 2018:

Westchester County Executive George Latimer announced the appointment of Peter McCartt, one of many talented individuals who have joined Latimer’s administration to move Westchester County forward. McCartt has been tapped as the new Director of Energy Conservation and Sustainability.

Latimer said: “I am proud to name Peter McCartt as a key member of my team, who brings a wealth of experience on the environment, energy conservation and sustainability. Peter will be charged with rolling out many important initiatives, including launching a County-wide food scrap recycling program, upgrading the County’s fleet to electric vehicles and working with the sound shore communities and rivertowns to ensure our waterways are protected.”

 

McCartt said: “I am honored and excited to be taking on this new position. There is a lot of work to be done to bring the County up to the high standards held by my friends in the environmental advocacy community. I feel deeply obligated to them and to our children.  There are a great many assets within and outside this government, and I am up to the task of utilizing these valued resources of committed volunteers and professionals. The time is now to save green by being green, it just makes cents.”

 

McCartt has had a long and successful business career, with a focus over the last 12 years on the environment, energy conservation and sustainability fronts. He is responsible for the creation of several successful organizations and programs across the County, including Sustainable Westchester, Inc., Eastchester’s Environmental Committee, Friends of Twin Lakes and the Southern Westchester Energy Action Consortium. McCartt has been named United Way’s “Volunteer of the Year” for his work on environmental issues in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam, and has been cited for his distinguished public service to our region.

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County Board Approves Funding for 56-unit Mount Hope Zion in Eastview Neighborhood Senior Affordable Housing Project

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION LEDGER. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators. June 7, 2018:

A project to create 56 new units of affordable housing for seniors in White Plains is moving forward after unanimous approval by the Westchester County Board of Legislators Monday night.

The long-in-the-works project is Mount Hope Plaza at 65 Lake Street in White Plains which will create affordable housing units for seniors 62 years and older.

The apartments will be available to seniors whose household incomes are no more than 50% or 60% of the area median income, depending on the size of the apartment.

On Monday, the Board unanimously approved the county’s acquisition of the .75-acre site for $2.1 million dollars.

The county will transfer the property to the Mount Hope Community Development Corporation with the stipulation that the housing built there remain affordable for at least 50 years.

Further funding from the project principally will come from New York State sources. The county has not agreed to finance the project.

The site has been considered by church as a location for affordable housing since 1972 according the pastor of the church in a LoHud article on this project which was introduced to the Common Council in February 2017.

“This is a dream project,” said Board Chair Ben Boykin (D – Harrison, Scarsdale, White Plains). “It will offer the truly affordable housing for seniors that the county so desperately needs, with all the best possible attributes for this kind of project: a park across the street; shopping, restaurants and services in downtown White Plains less than half a mile away; and mass transit accessibility with a Bee-Line bus stop nearby and a Metro North train stop just a mile away.  These are the kinds of projects we need more of in Westchester County and I’m thrilled to see it moving forward.”

The county, the City of White Plains and Mt. Hope AME Zion Church – which currently owns the site — have worked together for years with other local religious institutions, community members, and housing advocates in planning the project.

But the county played a pivotal role in shepherding the project through the early stages of the development process.

 

The Rev. Dr. Gregory Robeson Smith, pastor of Mount Hope AME Zion Church, said, “Providing truly affordable housing is not a mission, it’s a mandate — to maintain sustainable communities and provide for continued, effective quality of life for those in need.   We are excited and very appreciative about the Mt. Hope partnership with Westchester County government and the City of White Plains.  This is how it can and will work, and it’s only the beginning — from a little acorn, a mighty oak can grow.”

 

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CNA FORUM TUESDAY ON DEVELOPMENT ISSUES, AIRBNB LODGING, LIME BIKES

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WPCNR CNA NEWS. From the Council of Neighborhood Associations. June 6, 2018:

The June Meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 12, 2018 at 7:30 pm at Education House, 5 Homeside Lane, White Plains, NY.

The meeting will be a Roundtable on three topics of concern for our neighborhoods: Airbnb, White Plains’ new Dockless Bike Sharing Program, and the spread of new high-rise construction outward from City Center to suburban neighborhoods.

Bike share, Airbnb, new constructionAIRBNB

Airbnb is an online broker for short-term lodging rentals and leases, for travel experiences such as tours, walks, concerts, workshops, etc., and for restaurant reservations.

What is disruptive about its business model is that most of the lodging is leased or rented from unlicensed, private individuals offering a room or suite in their house or apartment or sometimes the use of their entire house.

Hotels lose bookings, cities lose tax revenue, and neighbors get unexpected and sometimes unwanted transients. Have you used Airbnb? Should it be permitted in White Plains? Should it be regulated by the City?

DOCKLESS BIKE SHARING
Another segment of the sharing economy debuted in White Plains on Monday, June 4, when two app-driven dockless bike sharing companies — LimeBike and ofo — put 300 two-wheelers on City streets at $1 a ride.

What’s different about the new program is that at the end of the ride, bikes can be parked almost anywhere. The City sees Metro North commuters using dockless bikes and existing bike lanes to scoot to the station on time.

Naysayers see vehicular traffic slowed by bikers, pedestrians tripping over hastily “dropped” bikes, and vandals sabatoging the program, as happened in Yonkers where bikes were tossed in the Saw Mill River. What do you think about the program? It costs taxpayers nothing or does it?

HIGH-RISE CONSTRUCTION AND URBAN SPRAWL
A number of new high-rise apartment complexes have been reccently completed, are under construction, or are planned for the near future in White Plains.

These include 52 Broadway, 65 Lake Street, Broadstone White Plains, 440 Hamilton Avenue, 1 Dekalb Avenue, 121 Westmoreland Avenue (Norden Lofts), 136 Westmoreland Avenue, 55 Bank Street (The Continuum), 60 South Broadway (The Pavilion), and 95 South Broadway and 4 Lyon Place (The Esplanade). The newer projects bring traffic, noise, and congestion to neighborhoods once dominated by single family homes and open land. For the City, urban sprawl promises relief from a disproportionate reliance on the City sales tax and nuisance revenues. For residents, the sprawl signifies an unwelcome change in the quality of life.

The meeting will be a Neighborhood Roundtable for WPCNA delegates, residents and the public. We hope to facilitate a healthy dialog to better understand the issues, opinions and ideas coming out of our neighborhoods. We all look forward to your input.

The meeting is open to the public — bring your friends and neighbors — and will start promptly at 7:30 pm. Light refreshments will be served.

This is sure to be a lively evening so please come early to allow time for audience participation and networking.

NOTE:
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Legislators Are STILLLLLL Looking for Answers on Storm Response from Con Ed, NYSEG. No Specifics on How they are improving Communications, Addressing “Broken” Mutual Aid. More Talks to Come. Boykin Says He is “Disappointed” with Con Ed Testimony

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Still Looking for Concrete Answers After Monday Showdown: County Board of Legislators Majority Whip MaryJane Shimsky, Majority Leader Catherine Parker, Chair Ben Boykin, Vice Chair Alfreda Williams. 

WPCNR THE POWER STORY. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators. June 6, 2018 (EDITED):

While County Legislators did get responses to some of their previously unanswered questions on Consolidated Edison and New York State Electric & Gas utilities performance during March and May storms, after the meeting, Board Chair Ben Boykin (D – Harrison, Scarsdale, White Plains) called the lack of specific plans for improving the reliance on help from far-away utilities in response to storms “disappointing.”

Legislators intend to hold further meetings with the companies, including inviting CEOs to answer questions from the Board.

The meeting was a follow-up to a March 19 meeting at which representatives agreed to return answer questions that had been left unanswered and to address other necessary steps to improve storm response.

“Mutual aid is broken,” said Boykin. “The current system only seems to guarantee the residents of Westchester at least a three-day black-out until line workers begin arriving from far away. There is too much reliance on mutual aid and just not enough locally-based experienced utility staff who can jump right into work tackling downed poles and wires.”
He added, “We certainly didn’t hear from Con Ed and NYSEG today how communications systems will be dramatically improved over the disastrous track record from the March Nor’easters and the May 15th storm.“

Legislators Mike Kaplowitz (D – New Castle, Somers, Yorktown) and Kitley Covill (D – Bedford, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, North Salem, Pound Ridge, Somers), ripped into NYSEG for the company’s choice not to reimburse customers for losses of food after extended power outages – a decision Kaplowitz called “outrageous.”

Covill also noted that NYSEG requested mutual aid in the early days of storm preparation but none came, a fact that was revealed in records the company filed last month with the New York State Public Service Commission, as an illustration that mutual aid does not work.

The two legislators also repeated their call for an independent assessment of NYSEG’s electric delivery operations paid for by the company but conducted by an investigator the County would choose.  Kaplowitz also faulted NYSEG for failing to conduct cost/benefit analyses of burying overhead wire or replacing poles with sturdier ones, and for its five-year tree trimming cycle.   
Legislator Margaret Cunzio (C – Mount Pleasant, North Castle, Pleasantville) faulted Con Ed for its tree trimming program which leaves wires running through cutaways in the center of some trees, as well as for the lack of a master plan for the preventive replacement of aging transformers and poles, an item also mentioned by Majority Leader Catherine Parker (D – Harrison, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Rye).

Parker additionally took exception with the companies’ repeated claims that nobody predicted the first March storm would be as bad as it was, citing a local newspaper report from days before the storm warning of a large scale nor’easter – essentially a category 1 hurricane.

Legislators said they would be forwarding the results of their meetings with the companies to the New York State Public Service Commission, which is currently investigating the utilities’ recent storm response.

“We take this very seriously as representatives of the people of Westchester,” Boykin said.
UTILITIES ON THE CARPET:  Leg. Terry Clements; Con Ed’s Jason Litwack, Steve Parisi, Kyle Kimball; NYSEG’s Patricia Nilsen, Cindy Chadwick; CREDIT: Jaevon Boxhill.

 

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