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 Council Chronicle-Examiner by John F Bailey February 7, 2011:

It appears it will take weeks before any White Plains firefighters laid off last spring get their positions back.

The placing of a resolution to accept a $1.9 million grant secured for the city of White Plains by US Rep. Nita Lowey has been delayed by the Common Council, pending the Council receiving certain economic information from the city so they can decide about the rehiring.

Councilman Benjamin Boykin told WPCNR that he did not know exactly when and if the resolution accepting the grant would be put on the agenda. It will not be on this evenings agenda he confirmed. He said the Council was awaiting economic information from the city but would not specify what kind of information the council sought.

Previously Commissioner of Public Safety David Chong and Fire Chief Richard Lyman had met to discuss the possibilities how  nine firefighters laid  off last spring could be brought back to  the White Plains Department of Public Safety.

 The $1.9 million a year two-year grant from Mrs. Lowey for the rehiring of the firefighters has to be accepted and approved by the legislative body, the Common  Council.

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WPCNR Pothole Patrol February 6, 2011:

Salt and chemicals are raising holy havoc on White Plains roads by creating potholes, causing unsuspecting motorists to make sudden stops and avoidance maneuvers that could result in traffic accidents.

WPCNR invites our loyal readers if there are large potholes on the streets in your neighborhood, take pictures please send them to WPCNR. Send your pothole pictures around White Plains only to wpcnr@aol.com to alert Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Bud Nicoletti as where to send his repair crews.

DISASTER DITCH SOUTHBOUND ON NORTH STREET

DOUBLE DIP EASTBOUND ON BRYANT

BOOBY TRAP TURNING WESTBOUND ONTO BRYANT

The first potholes of the day were spotted at 2PM, at busy intersection of Bryant and North Street. 

Are there gaping holes in your neighborhood streets? Send us your pictures of them now and will post them.

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WPCNR Common Council Chronicle Examiner February 5, 2011 UPDATED 3:25 PM EST,February 7, 2011: 

The Common Council will meet Monday evening. Ahe agenda will be a public hearing on a law which would impose a moratorium on building in on the R1-12.5 and are R1–30 lots not controlled by the White Plains City School District, and “which are shown on the 1997 Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map as ‘Parks and Open Space’ for an interim period.”   Pending further information on this law, it appears to be aimed at the French American School of New York plans to build on the Ridgeway Country Club property which the school recently acquired recently acquired.

 WPCNR has just learned that the City of White Plains will  also honor Stepinac High School’s 2010 undefeated Crusaders football team at 7:15 PM, tonight, Monday, February 7,  in the Council chambers at White Plains City Hall on Main Street during  the Citzens To Be Heard portion of the regular Common Council Meeting. Members of the team as well as Coach Mike O’Donnell and other school officials will be on hand.

 The city will be appointing Ybelize Pilarte and Angela Ocampo to the Youth Board and William Meyer to the Planning Board.  There will also be a public hearing scheduled on building a nursing facility at the corner of Church and Barker streets. The meeting takes place at 7:30 PM Monday evening at City Hall.

The Agenda:

ITEMS FOR REFERRAL:

54.              Communication from Commissioner of Building transmitting a request submitted on behalf of The Metropolitan for a one year extension of site plan approval for construction of a residential building at Maple and DeKalb Avenues.

55.             Communication from Commissioner of Building transmitting revised plans submitted on behalf of Westchester Church of Christ, 511 North Street, for an addition to an existing building to add auditorium and classroom space.

ITEMS FOR INFORMATION:

56.             Communication from Chairman, Capital Projects Board, transmitting the Capital Improvement Program for Fiscal Year 2011-2012 and the succeeding five years.

57.             Communication from the Budget Director, transmitting the Quarterly Capital Projects Status Report for the Second Quarter Ending December 31, 2010.

58.             Communication from the Mayor in relation to the appointments of Ybelize N. Pilarte and Angela X. Ocampo to the Youth Board to terms which will expire on December 31, 2012.

59.             Communication from the Mayor in relation to the appointment of William Meyer as a member of the Planning Board to a term which will expire on December 31, 2017.

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. FEBRUARY 3, 2011:

Local officials from the Westchester County Municipal Officials Association (WMOA), the NYS Office of Real Property Services, the Westchester County Tax Commission and the New York State Assessors Association today unveiled the final draft of the report of the Westchester Collaborative Assessment Commission (WCAC) during a press conference with Westchester County lawmakers, with the goal of ensuring tax fairness, transparency, greater public support and understanding of property assessments and taxes for Westchester’s residents.  Joined by Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers), the Board’s Committee on Housing, Planning & Operations Chair Bill Burton (D-Ossining) and other legislators, members of the Westchester Collaborative Assessment Commission presented its findings during an executive committee meeting of the Westchester County Municipal Officials Association. 

The report identifies the need to undertake a Countywide data collection project, require accurate updating and verification of property characteristics and continuous maintenance of all property records, which can be the fundamental component for achieving fairness and equity in the assessment system. “These surely are difficult times. We must provide New Yorkers with property tax relief,” said Chairman Jenkins.  “Everyday residents have seen their property taxes rise at unsustainable rates and the soaring increase to their cost of living.  The debate is no longer whether or not there is a problem, or what caused the problem. The debate is instead over how to ease the burden on homeowners.”

The Westchester Collaborative Assessment Commission, a coalition established by resolution of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, prepared the report that identifies the problem of outdated assessment methods and the lack of resources dedicated to the property assessment system in Westchester County.  The report has taken 20 months to complete and over one thousand hours have been dedicated by a committee of elected officials, city managers, local assessors, state agencies and County representatives. “The study team reviewed current assessment administrative and valuation practices throughout the County,” said Al Gatta, Commission Chairman and Village Manager of Scarsdale. “By examining procedures, tools, resources and staffing levels in comparison to the statutory requirements and escalating assessment litigation, the study group defined a path to significantly improve assessment practices.”

Westchester’s municipalities collect property taxes, about 16 percent of which goes directly to finance county government.  The county has more than 25 assessing jurisdictions that impose additional property taxes. In almost every municipality in Westchester, the property tax levy is based on a house’s valuation assessment.  The county uses an equalization rate set by the state, which is then used to figure tax bills for homeowners in municipalities with varying assessments.  The system results in unpredictable alternations in county tax bills from year to year among municipalities.  Taxes fluctuate depending on development, tax challenges, or certioraris, and whether local assessment practices have changed. Some communities like Somers, Rye, Pelham, New Castle, Harrison, Mount Kisco and Eastchester will see their county taxes increase, while other communities like Mount Vernon, Peekskill, White Plains, Mount Pleasant and Greenburgh will see there rates go down.

In an effort to rectify this condition, last year, the County Board created the Westchester Collaborative Assessment Commission, which is responsible for the development of a regional model for the collection and maintenance of property data that would be used by local assessing units as the standard for recording the characteristics of every parcel of property in their communities.  “It is proper, timely and absolutely critical for the County, cities and towns to form a partnership that will bring modern methods, tools and technology for the assessment of property that will no doubt advance the system to a 21^st century model which will help bring long-term social and economic wellbeing to Westchester,” said WMOA President Chuck Lesnick.  “Reassessment would lead to a fairer and transparent process in that property owners would better understand their tax bills.”

“This is a gigantic step towards resolving an age-old problem in Westchester that has resulted in years of bad assessment practices and unfair taxation,” said Legislator Burton.  “The Board worked with our municipal partners to develop this project, which will significantly ensure greater transparency, equity and efficiency in the assessment process, which means immediate savings for taxpayers.”

The following are major observations and recommendations within the report:

·   The creation of a standardized and consistent data collection system that incorporates accurate and detailed property characteristics must be used to build the foundation of a modern mass appraisal system, and shall include a process for ongoing maintenance;

·   Potential funding options for a Countywide program of data collection were devised;

·   A State and County calendar of dates should be established for all municipalities, including taxable status date, valuation date and tentative and final assessment roll publication dates;

·   The creation of a four-year reassessment cycle with year one establishing the base value of a property which shall apply to each of the four years of the cycle subject to adjustment within the cycle only if there is a change in use, physical condition or occupancy. The report specifies seven conditions under which an assessment adjustment is permitted;

Jenkins believes that solving the property tax crisis in Westchester County is an important step in making our county more affordable for families again and a home for economic growth. “This proposal is a creative way to develop solutions to this on-going problem.”

Copies of the report can be found at www.wmoaonline.com.

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WPCNR GREEN NEWS. From National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. February 3, 2011:

NOAA Thursday will reopen 4,213 square miles of Gulf of Mexico federal waters off Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to royal red shrimping. The area was closed to this type of deep water fishing on Nov. 24 as a precautionary measure after a commercial shrimper discovered tar balls in his net. The “fingerprint” analysis to determine whether the source of the tar balls was the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil was inconclusive. Further fish and shrimp sampling and testing from the area showed no oil or dispersant contamination.

This reopening was announced after consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. All commercial and recreational fishing is allowed within this area.

“Extensive testing of royal red shrimp and other fish from this area revealed they are safe to eat,” said Roy Crabtree, assistant NOAA administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service southeast region. “Seafood safety and consumer confidence remain a priority for NOAA, and we will continue monitoring Gulf seafood for as long as necessary to ensure its integrity.”

NOAA continues to work closely with the FDA and the Gulf states to ensure seafood safety. Additionally, the agency is continuing its post-spill broad-scale seafood sampling strategy that includes sampling seafood from inside and outside the closure area. 

To date, all seafood tested by NOAA and FDA post-spill demonstrates seafood is safe for consumption. Results from the sensory analysis found no detectable oil or dispersant odors or flavors, and results from the chemical analysis for oil-related compounds and dispersants were well below the levels of concern.

Royal red shrimp are caught in Gulf waters deeper than 600 feet and are the only shrimp species targeted with trawls at these depths. The more common Gulf shrimp species are brown, white and pink shrimp, and are caught in waters less than 300 feet deep. NOAA has not received reports of tar balls in fishing catches at shallower depths in this area.

These waters were initially closed to all commercial and recreational fishing last summer because of the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill and were reopened to all fishing on Nov. 15 after hundreds of seafood specimens sampled from the area, including royal red shrimp, passed both sensory and chemical testing.

An area covering 1,041 square miles immediately surrounding the wellhead still remains closed to all commercial and recreational fishing. The fishing area closure was first instituted on May 2, at which time it covered about 3 percent (6,817 square miles) of Gulf waters around the wellhead. As oil continued to spill from the wellhead, the area grew in size, peaking at 37 percent (88,522 square miles) of Gulf waters on June 2.       

NOAA has a number of methods for the public to obtain information or be notified when there is a change to the closed area:

• Sign up to receive Southeast Fishery Bulletins by email at SERO.Communications.Comments@noaa.gov
  
• Call 1-800-627-NOAA (1-800-627-6622) to hear a recording of the current coordinates (message in English, Vietnamese, and Spanish – coordinates in English)
  
• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio for messages about the closure
  
• Follow us on Twitter: usnoaagov to get a tweet when the closed area changes

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit us at http://www.noaa.gov or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/usnoaagov.