WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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WPCNR Common Council-Chronicle Examiner. By John F. Bailey. September 4, 2012:

The city honored Susan Habel, retired Commissioner of Planning with a plaque commemorating September 4 as Susan Habel Day with the Mayor reading her complete proclamation, and lauding her 27 years of service.

It also voted to rename the Greenway the Jack Harrington Greenway in recognition of Mr. Harrington’s contributions to founding the Greenway and his tireless advocating for preservation of the city.

Habel then opened the  hearing on the Generic Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Open Space Recreational Ordinance, saying the Planning Department was still reviewing the ordinance and at this point favored cluster housing on a limited space, or a sports recreational complex. She emphasized the Planning Department had not completed its review and would also consider comments on the ordinance Tuesday evening and at the October 1 continuation of the hearing.

The proposed ordinance which seeks to limit development of open space tracts over 100 acres,Fenway Golf Club,Tracts along the Hutchinson River Parkway, Maple Moor Golf Club, and the former Ridgeway Country Club, now owned by the French American School of New York. FASNY as it is known by, is seeking to build its school campus there to the chagrin of the Gedney neighborhood surrounding it.

When the public hearing swung into action only one speaker Harriet Baker spoke in favor of the ordinance, saying it preceded the French American School of New York buying the property. This statement is technically correct, but the ordinance actually started to be pursued seriously by the city when the Common Council turned down the property for the purchase price of $8.9 Million. When it became known FASNY was the winning bidder, the ordinance gained favor. FASNY purchased the property for $11 Million, with $3 Million contingent on approval of the property’s development within three years. That deadline is coming up in 2013, the property being purchased in January, 2011

Fran Jones,  former President of Open Space advocated not developing open space properties over that size at all,saying that once developed they were gone. She suggested just leaving them alone or perhaps the city preserving it for its citizens by purchasing it, or involving the New York Botanical Garden in developing the open space, or an organic restaurant operation like Stone Barns. Jones said she advocated the open space at Ridgeway should be for the citizens of the city. 

Terence Guerriere, President of the Gednew Association backed away from full support of the Open Space Recreation Ordinance (and its advocacy of cluster housing or a sports complex as alteratives) saying he would reserve comment until the completion of the hearing, which was held over until October 1, the next Council meeting.

Five of 11 speakers all spoke against the Open Space Recreation Ordinance. Representatives of the French American School took the city consultant-prepared Generic DEIS (for the cost of approximately $200,000)  apart, with one architect calling the GDEIS prepared “entirely without justification.”

Michael Zarin, the lead attorney for FASNY pointed out how the conclusion of the GDEIS regarding setbacks, promotion of an independent sports complex on the 5.6 acres FASNY plans to build on, or cluster town housing, did not take into account the much smaller setbacks existing at school properties currently permitted in White Plains, and did not consider the economics of running a successful sports comlex on justifying putting a specific sized sports complex there instead of FASNY.

Two speakers familiar with gold course economics today, including a former member of the Ridgeway Club said in effect, keeping the Ridgeway property as a golf courses today are not economically viable.

Two representatives of the Westchester Hills Golf Club across the street from the former Ridgeway property FASNY is planning to build on, urged the city not to adopt the Open Space Recreation Ordinance because it would jeopardize the Westchester Hills value in the future. An attorney for Westchester Hills said that the club supported either no action or the limited housing cluster currently recommended in the GDEIS. A member of the Fenway Golf Club asked that Fenway be removed from the proposed ordnance altogether because its property was less than 100 acres.

In other action — Cappelli City Center Retail PILOT Extended.

On the consent agenda, the Common Council extended the life of the City Center Retail pilot through 2018, raising the PILOT of the City Center Retail portion $118,000 a year in years 2016,2017,2018.

The PILOT, controversial when established in 2003, had been set to expire at the end of 2015. The PILOT amount was raised to $2.3 Million a year in 2016,2017,2018 up from $2.182 Million.

In contrast to how key consent agenda items are handled,which when positive are characterized by glowing praise from council memebers, no council member, or even the Mayor commented on the reason why the PILOT was extended.

The city Corporation Counsel has not responded to a WPCNR request as to why the PILOT was pushed out through 2018.

Cappelli Enterprises which owns the LLC that owns the City Center, has not issued a statement to WPCNR whether they requested the extension or the city did or it was by mutual agreement and why.

According to the Common Council backup material the new extension was requested by the Cappelli organization. 

The extension, though contains the proviso that the Cappelli organization cannot seek a certiorari on PILOT payments made before 2018.Extending the PILOT through 2018, pushes out the time when the city assessor from reassessing the City Center retail portion for the 2016 tax roll that would account for how the city center premises has changed and accounting for more big box retail space which the assessor could have done in the 2016 roll.

Shh! Loud Bars Scolded

Milagros Lecouna in commenting on the extension of outdoor cafe permits until December 31, 2012 for Elements, Ron Blacks Bar and Restaurant, Porter House Restaurant, Hudson Grill and The Brazen Fox, to use city property for outdoor dining on the Waller-Maple Lot, encouraged the restaurants in this list that have been notified by the city that they have violated the city noise standards by loud activity in the outdoor dining areas, “to tone down their outdoor speakers,” saying they know who they are. She declined to name the frequent offenders.

Nicoletti Saves on Sprinklers

Councilman David Buchwald noted the city has saved $300,000 by executing a sprinkler system for less than expected in the Longview Garage and that the $300,000 figure would be taken off the city borrowing request next month.

The city engaged Lamb & Barnosky to continue to handle litigation on the police retiree federal lawsuit over the city demand that retirees by 15% of their health benefits cost. The city allocated $225,000 to L & B for 2012.

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Mayor Sy Schulman

1926-2012

WPCNR MILESTONES. September 2,2012:

The Journal News reported Sunday that former White Plains Mayor Sy Schulman died Saturday at his White Plains home of pancreatic cancer at the age of 86.

White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach in a statement to WPCNR, observed,

According to a remembrance by  White Plains’ Milton Hoffman, Schulman was a planner for Westchester County  from 1955 and served as County Planning Commissioner from 1962 to 1968.  He is credited with planning the expansion of the county parks system and contributing to planning for the Cross Westchester Expressway. Schulman was selected by Governor Nelson Rockefeller to serve as general manager of the State Park Commisson and is credited with placing a park on the roof of the sewage plant on New York’s West Side. He was President of the Westchester County Association from 1973 for about twenty years. He was a member and then Chairman of the White Plains Planning BoardHe was elected to the White Plains Common Council in 1992, and elected Mayor in 1993, serving through  1997.

Mayor Schulman is credited with pioneering the city comprehensive plan during his administration. This reporter remembers that Schulman was the Mayor who invested in putting a roof over Ebersole Ice Rink that greatly improved the enjoyment of the old rink for the citizens. Reporter Hoffman notes that during Schulman’s term as Mayor, property taxes were not raised.

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WPCNR  County Clarion-Ledger. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators. August 29, 2012:

Concerned over numerous mosquito batches in Westchester having tested positive for the West Nile virus, Westchester County Board of Legislators (BOL) Chairman Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers) will introduce new legislation next week requiring all Westchester County storm water basins around the county receive mosquito larvicide treatments based on a formula derived from the previous winter’s weather pattern.

The legislation will be introduced at a meeting of the BOL Environment & Energy Committee, chaired by Legislator Mike Kaplowitz (D-Somers), on Tuesday, September 4 at 3 PM.

Presently, storm water basin inspections and larvicide treatments are undertaken without any specific guidelines regarding seasonal temperatures. Many health officials across the U. S. are worried that warmer winters are allowing the mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus to flourish.

“To protect our residents, we must do a better job of killing mosquitoes in places where they thrive, like in our storm water drains,” said Jenkins. “To do this, the County’s mosquito abatement decisions should be based on what kind of winter we’ve had. A mild winter, like the one we had last year, is a signal to us that we need more inspections and larvicide treatments, not less.”

Jenkins began preparing the new legislation this April, three months before the first West Nile mosquitoes of the year were found in Mamaroneck. Last week, a 28-year-old New Rochelle resident was reported by the county health officials to be Westchester’s first West Nile case this year.

Westchester County has been applying long-term larvicide into county and local municipal stormwater catch basins since 2001; the larvicide prevents mosquito larvae from developing into adult mosquitoes. The County normally begins to treat the catch basins with larvicide in May.

“It’s important for officials to begin factoring in warmer, milder winters into public health and safety decisions,” said Kaplowitz. “Our efforts to curtail disease vectors like mosquitoes will have to adapt to their changing patterns in terms of the calendar.”

Presently, storm water basin inspections and larvicide treatments are undertaken without any specific guidelines regarding seasonal temperatures. Many health officials across the U. S. are worried that warmer winters are allowing the mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus to flourish.

“To protect our residents, we must do a better job of killing mosquitoes in places where they thrive, like in our storm water drains,” said Jenkins. “To do this, the County’s mosquito abatement decisions should be based on what kind of winter we’ve had. A mild winter, like the one we had last year, is a signal to us that we need more inspections and larvicide treatments, not less.”

Jenkins began preparing the new legislation this April, three months before the first West Nile mosquitoes of the year were found in Mamaroneck. Last week, a 28-year-old New Rochelle resident was reported by the county health officials to be Westchester’s first West Nile case this year.

Westchester County has been applying long-term larvicide into county and local municipal stormwater catch basins since 2001; the larvicide prevents mosquito larvae from developing into adult mosquitoes. The County normally begins to treat the catch basins with larvicide in May.

“It’s important for officials to begin factoring in warmer, milder winters into public health and safety decisions,” said Kaplowitz. “Our efforts to curtail disease vectors like mosquitoes will have to adapt to their changing patterns in terms of the calendar.”

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. August 28, 2012 UPDATED August 29 12:50 A.M. E.D.T.UPDATED AUGUST 29, 2012 5:05 P.M. E.D.T. UPDATED AUGUST 30, 2012, 9 A.M.:

The White Plains Board of Education unanimously approved a $48,239,840 bond issue Tuesday evening to be offered to district registered voters for approval October 23, from noon to 9 P.M. at regular School District locations.

9 P.M. E.D.T.Tuesday: School Board takes roll call vote to bond for $48.3 Million. The vote was 6-0 with Peter Bassano not present.The $48.3 Million bond, according to Assistant Superintendent for Business, Fred Seiler, will result in a .72% property tax increase, a $65 a year increase in the debt service.

In addition, the Board hired Magaret Pecunia as Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, who will take over the job of Lenora Boehlert, who is retiring.

E

New Teacher/Principal Evaluation Procedure to begin this September.

In other action, the Board approved a one-year pilot teacher and administrative annual professional performance review — an bewilderingly complex procedure (to this reporter) — that has been approved by the New York State Department of Education — one of only twenty programs approved statewide. The program was developed by Ms. Boehlert,  Kerry Broderick, President of the White Plains Teachers Association and Lois Gordon, President of the administrators union.

Myra Castillo was approved as new Assistant Principal of Church Street School.

The Bond Decision

Prior to the approval of the bond issue, Board Member James Hricay said that the tour of Eastview conducted by Director of Facilities and Operations, Frank Stefanelli, convinced him to go with the approval of the bond, and that the historically low cost of borrowing at this time meant it was a very good time to execute the $48.3 Million reconstruction program since the work would have to be done in five years anyway.

Hricay expressed reservations on the WI-FI portion,saying, “I don’t understand how Wi-Fi is going to fit  into the learning plan.”

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Christopher Clouet, said, “Wi-Fi isn’t just e-mails and texting; it’s about accessing periodicals not available to students in print form; research and access to websites; the ability to go to an online lab; accessing workbooks on line instead of distributing hard copies; and long-term, replacing textbooks.”

Jessica O’Donovan, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, said now when data has to be transmitted, laptops have to be plugged into the school system. With the coming of Wi-Fi she noted, she could access from anywhere in the district building system,  and with the state going to an online transmission of data, she said Wi-Fi would facilitate that transition.

Frank Stefanelli, Director of Facilities and Operations observed that Wi-Fi would only be more expensive to convert in the future. He added that Wi-Fi-connected school facilities would enable wireless control of systems like heating, lights, air-conditioning, citing how the new HVAC system at Eastview had a wire cut recently and the new unit is not controllable. He also told WPCNRWi-Fi by swifter means of controlling systems would save the district money.

Board member Rose Lovitch observed that her e-mail from residents was supportive of construction, but was skeptical of Wi-Fi. She urged the Superintendent to sell vigorously the educational and practical advantages of Wi-Fi in public appearances. She said she had read in some media that “the school board does what they want to do.” She said the public should know the Board studied the bond decision very carefully and the facilities committee worked very hard on analyzing the needs.

The district authorized the bond  to execute $4.1 Million of improvements at Ridgeway( $114,432 for Wi-Fi); $3,434,634.07 at George Washington School ($150,528, Wi-Fi); $2,086,459.63 at Mamaroneck Avenue School ($145,024 Wi-Fi); $500,837.97 at Church Street School ($164,064, Wi-Fi); $146,000 at Post Road School ($96,000, Wi-fi); $6,885,262.04 at Highlands Middle School ($857,856 for Wi-Fi); $5,325,502.29 at White Plains High School ($1,945,410.56 for Wi-Fi); $2,833,828.59 at Rochambeau School ( $408,320 for Wi-Fi).

The largest expenditure  is $22,571,947.23 targeted for a redo of  Eastview School (including an $18.7 million renovation of the building, and $600,960 for Wi-Fi. It is worth noting that the new Post Road School cost the district $38 Million five years ago, and two football synthetic turf fields,  $9 Million five years ago.

In a news release issued Wednesday afternoon, the district said “$200,000 will be used to upgrade elementary school playgrounds and (a total of) $4.8 Million will add WiFi capability to the schools.”

Teacher Evaluation Program approved by the state

The Board adopted an Annual Professional Performance Review program, after hearing Dr. Lenora Boelert, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, take the Board through the new complex evaluation system.

Superintendent Clouet noted that the State Education Department had notified White Plains it is one of twenty schools that has had their Professional Performance Review Program approved as a pilot program this year. Clouet voiced the optimism that  this would qualify White Plains for state grants in implementing the program, and also qualify it for any increase the district might receive in state aid next year. Clouet  said the state called the White Plains pilot progrsm “solid,” and they “praised it.”

Boehlert said the new program will evaluate teachers through classroom observations twice a year through their first nine years with the district. Tenured teachers  in their tenth year would only be observed in the classroom once. Teachers would be evaluated on four categories and in any areas where they are judged ineffective, they would be given a Teacher Improvement Program.

New Teachers would be personally observed in classroom action four times in their first year; three times in their second year, and twice in their third (the decision for tenure) year.

If a tenured teacher is judged overall to be ineffective, they would have two chances to appeal, with the Superintendent having the final say as to whether they would be removed via the state 3020A process which is now under review by the state. The number of classroom evaluations by administrators of teachers would about double from 10 a year to 35 a year,Boehlert said.

The program will be presented in detail to teachers in a presentation, Clouet said. (Editor’s note: this is a rough description of the new teacher/principal performance program, and there are many layers to it which will be explained in detail to the teaching corps) Ms. Broderick said this is a PILOT program, and because it is a PILOT program and mandated by the state, it did not have to be presented for a union vote.

A similar program has been devised for Principals of White Plains Schools.

Boehlert told WPCNR that it is most likely that tenured teachers would improve their performance and not ever reach the 3020A stage. As White Plains Teachers Association President, Kerry Broderick observed, “If I’m judged ineffective two years in a row, I want to know what is my administrator doing.”

WPCNR asked Dr. Boelert if the new Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources designee would be familiarized with the program Boelert, Gordon and Broderick created. She said yes, “she’s on board.”

Previously

Previously, on WPCNR, Seiler said work would begin on Eastview next summer, with the rest of the schools completed by the beginning of the 2015-16 school year.

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators. August 27, 2012:

 During his presentation of the 2012 2^nd Quarter Forecast today, Westchester County Budget Director Lawrence Soule stated that unfunded salary and benefit costs associated with new contract agreements and a loss of revenue from securitization from the tobacco settlement were key components of a staggering $29.7 million deficit the county is facing.

The 2^nd Quarter report was delivered this morning to the Budget & Appropriations (B&A) Committee of the Westchester County Board of Legislators (BOL). Especially frustrating to the Democratic committee members was that significant portions of this newly discovered deficit were included in the initial budget requests made by the County Department of Corrections and Public Safety.

When the 2012 County Budget was adopted and signed into law, there were no projected deficits and a 0% rise in the tax levy. Not only was the $18 million in salary and benefit costs not included in the budget presented to the BOL, but the Administration confidently listed $12 million in revenue from tobacco securitization, which the County is not going to receive.

In contrast to the 2^nd Quarter Report last year, Soule noted that, net of the tax levy difference, the County was projecting a $6 million deficit—and sounded the alarms significantly enough to cause Moody’s Investors Service to place the County on a negative watch.

Today, though, Soule said there was “no reason to hit the panic button”—even in light of two major financial gaffes by the Budget Director and Administration that are resulting in a $29.7 million deficit, nearly five times larger than last year’s 2^nd Quarter forecast.

“The piper will have to be paid,” said Soule today during his report, and acknowledged that he was hoping to identify spending cuts that can be proposed to the BOL.

“This Administration kept us in the dark about the contracts it was negotiating and did not request any added funding for two departments that were going to need it,” said Legislator MaryJane Shimsky (D-Hastings-on-Hudson). “On top of that, it relied on twelve million dollars of non-existent revenue. It’s time for the Administration to quit playing politics and present to Westchester residents a factual and transparent budget.”

One bright spot in the 2^nd Quarter forecast is that the Department of Social Services (DSS) is projecting $7.9 million less in expenses and a $2.8 million return to tax levy. This demonstrates that there is more than adequate funding in DSS to retain the parent share at 20% for child care subsidies for low-income working parents.

“Today’s presentation makes it clear that the Administration will try to correct some of its budget deficit by dipping into the Social Services surplus, which is just heartbreaking,” said Legislator Catherine Borgia (D-Ossining), chair of the BOL Government Operations Committee. “Our human infrastructure investments in programs like public health and child care are right for Westchester. These programs should not be a place where we look to fix a structurally unbalanced budget. To put it simply, budgets should not be balanced on the backs of children and hard-working families.”