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 NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS. By John F. Bailey. June 23, 2010 UPDATED 6:10 P.M.E.D.T.: At the Urban Renewal Agency meeting scheduled for Thursday 9 AM in the Mayor’s Conference room, an agenda is to be presented which included the agency being requested to pass resolutions calling for “a phased general neighborhood renewal plan,” for 8 White Plains neighborhoods — all “close-in” to the downtown.

Supplementing the resolution were extensive statistics showing  Fisher Hill, Battle Hill,Carhart, Eastview, Lake Street/Kensico Hall, ChurchSt/Park Avenue, Ferris Avenue and Upper Highlands as having 50% of their housing found to be “substandard.”

Mayor Adam Bradley, asked to explain how the neighborhood renewal plan would be conceived said that had not been decided yet.

According to one of the resolutions the Urban Renewal Agency will consider to support this renewal plan, the agency is being asked to authorize a program

“involving methods and techniques to arrest, prevent further deterioration and eliminate substandard and insanitary conditions through a coordinated program of rehabilitation loans and grants to private homeowners and business facade improvements; acquisition, rehabilitation and resale as affordable sustainable housing for substandard foreclosed and in rem housing; concentrated code enforcement; and municipal infrastructure revitalization, including the following neighborhoods or portions thereof:

1. Battle Hill

2. Fisher Hill

3. Eastview

4. Carhart

5. Upper Highlands

6. Lake Street/Kensico Hall

7. Church/Park/Ferris Ave.

all having approximately 50% or more of the buildings in the neighborhood areas having substandard conditions.

The Renewal Plan objective is defined as follows:

“At this time, Agency staff recommends that a General Neighborhood Renewal Plan be developed for the Target Neighborhoods, identified as those listed in Table I.A.-55 herein above. The Plan should provide for a combined concentrated code enforcement and rehabilitation program for residential property in all of the neighborhoods identified…The focus of this Plan should be removing slum and blighting conditions in the housing stock of these neighborhoods areas.

Agency staff further recommends that a plan be developed and conducted for the replanning, reconstruction, rehabilitation and concentrated code enforcement in the Post Road/S. Lexington Corridor, including designated portions of the Fisher Hill and Battle Hill neighborhoods, the Winbrook Public Housing site, Slater Center, and the commercial Post Road Corridor from the intersection of Soundview Avenue to Mamaroneck Avenue. This Plan, addressing a focused subarea of the General Neighborhood Renewal Plan should focus on housing, commercial properties and infrastructure.”

And further, the resolution notes: 

“Neither plan should have as its focus the acquisition and demolition of existing properties, unless the condition of a property has been determined to be a danger to the public health and safety by the Building Department. Acquisition should be included as a component of the Post Road/S. Lexington Ave. Corridor Plan when it involves acquiring the property from the City or there is a willing seller.”

The survey on housing in the neighborhoods apparently was a so-called “windshield” survey conducted by the city Community Development Agency.

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. June 22, 2010:

The Common Council will discuss upcoming litigation matters in Executive Session Wednesday evening, including appointment of a special Counsel to handle litigation regarding health benefits, which WPCNR believes to be related to defending a lawsuit in U.S. District Court that may be filed within hours.

The meeting begins at 7 P.M. at City Hall and is open to the public.

The major focus of the meeting will take up a wide range of key city issues:

1.                  Special Meeting Objectives

2.                  City Hall Decision Processes

3.                  Commissioners and Information

4.                  Budget Process

5.                  Department Monthly Reports

6.                  Planning Update

7.                  Comprehensive Plan

8.                  Parks and Recreation Update

9.                  Building Department Update

10.              Technology and Communication

11.              Quality of Life Issues

FIRST READING

ORDINANCE:

14.             Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into a revocable license agreement with 707/709 Westchester Avenue SPE LLC and 925/1025 Westchester Avenue SPE LLC for use of their parking lots in connection with the City of White Plains Fireworks Display.

15.              Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into a license agreement with New York Presbyterian Hospital for certain portions of their property to be used as Community Gardens.

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WPCNR PHOTOS OF THE DAY. By the WPCNR Roving Photographer.June20,2010:

Today’s photos of the day show one of the area’s proud fathers showing off his family, out for a summer boating excursion with spouse and family as they honor him on Father’s Day at one of the area’s harbor “gateway” communities where he and his family make their home.

That’s  Pete, the proud patriach trumpeter swan Dad bringing up the rear of the Swan flotilla. They are residents of one of the Westchester harbors, with his glamourous spouse, Gladys and their four “Ugly Ducklings” out for a harbor regatta cruise Sunday afternoon to celebrate Father’s Day.

That’s Gladys, the mom, keeping close watch on the family scamps while Pete ranges ahead.

Pete, The Dad, far right, and Gladys pose for the Paparozzi, with their Swan Regatta: L to R, Sinclair, Scotland, Dagny and Didot

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WPCNR THE OIL NEWS. From the Department of Homeland Security. June 20,2010:

The following is an official news release from the U.S. Department of Homeland security detailing the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill response efforts as of  Sunday morning. The dispatch gives an overall picture of the impact on the region.

More than 1/3 of the Gulf is closed for fishing.

A total of 1,200 miles of oil-retaining and oil-absorbing boom have been deployed across 59 miles of coastline in the Gulf region. The breakdown shows 34 miles of Louisiana Coast; 4 miles of Mississippi, 9 miles in Alabama and 12 miles of coastline in Florida. The government notes they have 103 miles of boom in reserve. By WPCNR rough estimate there is a minimum of 900 miles of coast line from Louisianato the tip of the west coast of Florida. News reports Saturday night noted tar balls were showing up in Panama City Florida– a new location.

Here is the report:

PAST 24 HOURS

BP Continues to Optimize Oil Recovery Rates from its Leaking Well

BP continues to capture some oil and burn gas at the surface using its containment dome technique, which is being executed under the federal government’s direction.

In addition to the Discoverer Enterprise, which is linked by the riser pipe to the wellhead, a second recovery vessel, the Q4000, continues to flare off additional oil and gas being brought up through the choke and kill lines—a method that was also put in place at the government’s direction.

Progress Continues in Drilling Relief Wells

The Development Driller III continues to drill the first relief well to a depth of approximately 11,000 feet below the sea floor, and crews have begun the process of cementing and casing the well liner. The Development Driller II has drilled the second relief well—a redundancy measure taken at the direction of the administration—to a depth of approximately 5,000 feet below the sea floor.

Interior Department Reaches Nearly 1,000 Personnel Deployed to Gulf Response

The Department of the Interior has deployed nearly 1,000 total personnel as part of the administration-wide response to the BP oil spill—including approximately 500 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 170 from the Minerals Management Service, nearly 200 from the National Park Service and approximately 70 from the U.S. Geological Survey, in addition to senior officials engaged both in Washington and leading DOI efforts along the Gulf Coast, with all actions coordinated by National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen.

Volunteers Receive Training to Help National Park Visitors Understand the Oil Spill

Community volunteers will start joining National Park Service rangers on the shores of Gulf Islands National Seashore to talk with summer visitors about the oil spill’s effects on the barrier islands and their natural and cultural resources. Prior to working on the beaches, the volunteers will receive training from NPS rangers, biologists and communications specialists. Join this training to film/interview community members who will learn the knowledge and techniques to provide key information to beach goers related to health and safety, recreational opportunities, and resource protection messages.

EPA Continues to Conduct Air, Water and Sediment Monitoring in the Gulf.

EPA is conducting additional air monitoring for ozone and airborne particulate matter. The air monitoring conducted through June 17 has found levels of ozone and particulates ranging from the “good” to “unhealthy for sensitive groups” levels on EPA’s Air Quality Index.

EPA’s recent surface water results collected along the Gulf Coast have found the combination of oil related organic compounds to exceed chronic aquatic life benchmarks. These are levels that could impact the health, growth or reproductive activity of aquatic life if exposed for an extended period of time.

Administration Continues to Oversee BP’s Claims Process

The administration will continue to hold the responsible parties accountable for repairing the damage, and repaying Americans who’ve suffered a financial loss as a result of the BP oil spill. 64,536 claims have been opened, from which more than $104.4 million have been disbursed. No claims have been denied to date. There are 698 claims adjusters on the ground. To file a claim, visit www.bp.com/claims or call BP’s helpline at 1-800-440-0858. Those who have already pursued the BP claims process and are not satisfied with BP’s resolution can call the Coast Guard at (800) 280-7118. Additional information about the BP claims process and all available avenues of assistance can be found at www.disasterassistance.gov.

By the Numbers to Date:

·         The administration has authorized the deployment of 17,500 National Guard troops from Gulf Coast states to respond to this crisis; to date, 1,612 have been activated.

·         Approximately 33,000 personnel are currently responding to protect the shoreline and wildlife and cleanup vital coastlines.

·         More than 6,300 vessels are currently responding on site, including skimmers, tugs, barges, and recovery vessels to assist in containment and cleanup efforts—in addition to dozens of aircraft, remotely operated vehicles, and multiple mobile offshore drilling units.

·         Approximately 2.44 million feet of containment boom and 3.87 million feet of sorbent boom have been deployed to contain the spill—and approximately 544,000 feet of containment boom and 1.88 million feet of sorbent boom are available.

·         Approximately 22.9 million gallons of an oil-water mix have been recovered.

·         Approximately 1.36 million gallons of total dispersant have been applied—931,000 on the surface and 436,000 subsea. More than 500,000 gallons are available.

·         244 controlled burns have been conducted, efficiently removing a total of more than 5.25 million gallons of oil from the open water in an effort to protect shoreline and wildlife.

·         17 staging areas are in place to protect sensitive shorelines.

·         Approximately 59 miles of Gulf Coast shoreline is currently experiencing impacts from BP’s leaking oil—approximately 34 miles in Louisiana, four miles in Mississippi, nine miles in Alabama, and 12 miles in Florida.

·         Approximately 80,800 square miles of Gulf of Mexico federal waters remain closed to fishing in order to balance economic and public health concerns. More than 66 percent remain open. Details can be found at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/.

·         To date, the administration has leveraged assets and skills from numerous foreign countries and international organizations as part of this historic, all-hands-on-deck response, including Canada, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization and the European Union’s Monitoring and Information Centre.

Resources:

·         For information about the response effort, visit www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com.

·         For specific information about the federal-wide response, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/deepwater-bp-oil-spill.

·         To contact the Deepwater Horizon Joint Information Center, call (985) 902-5231.

·         To volunteer, or to report oiled shoreline, call (866) 448-5816. Volunteer opportunities can also be found here.

·         To submit your vessel as a vessel of opportunity skimming system, or to submit alternative response technology, services, or products, call 281-366-5511.

·         To report oiled wildlife, call (866) 557-1401.

·         For information about validated environmental air and water sampling results, visit www.epa.gov/bpspill.

·         For National Park Service updates about potential park closures, resources at risk, and NPS actions to protect vital park space and wildlife, visit http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm.

·         For Fish and Wildlife Service updates about response along the Gulf Coast and the status of national wildlife refuges, visit http://www.fws.gov/home/dhoilspill/.

·         For daily updates on fishing closures, visit http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov.

·         For information on assistance loans for affected businesses, visit the SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance, call (800) 659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the hearing impaired), or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

·         To file a claim with BP, visit www.bp.com/claims or call BP’s helpline at (800) 440-0858. A BP fact sheet with additional information is available here. Those who have already pursued the BP claims process and are not satisfied with BP’s resolution, can call the Coast Guard at (800) 280-7118.  More information about what types of damages are eligible for compensation under the Oil Pollution Act as well as guidance on procedures to seek that compensation can be found here.

·         In addition, www.disasterassistance.gov has been enhanced to provide a one-stop shop for information on how to file a claim with BP and access additional assistance—available in English and Spanish.

·         Any members of the press who encounter response personnel restricting their access or violating the media access policy set forth by Admiral Allen should contact the Joint Information Center. Click here for more information, including a list of regular embed opportunities.

For information about the response effort, visit www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com.

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. June 18,2010:

A new policy in dealing with media inquiries has been issued at city hall, unannounced.

As of today Friday, all media inquiries from any outlet for information and news information from city officials must be directed through the city communications director, Antoinette Biordi. 

WPCNR became aware of this policy when I put in a call to Michael Genito, Commissioner of Finance to ask a question on the AIM funding from the state, a  $5 Million plus chunk of change that was in the present budget, now winding down. I was told by the person answering my call that from now on all questions for commissioners and officials of any department must be directed to the Communications Director, Ms. Biordi.

Previously in the first five months of the new administration, commissioners Joseph Nicoletti (Public Works), Albert Moroni (Parking), Mr. Genito, Susan Habel (Planning) and Chief of Staff John Callahan have been very accessible during the first five months of the new Bradley administration had been very free and accessible answering timely and returning calls. Now the timely advantage and ability to contact a commissioner directly has been terminated.

WPCNR called Ms. Biordi and asked for details on this new policy and why it was instituted, and for a statement from the Mayor or Mr. Callahan on the reason for the policy. Ms. Biordi issued the following statement:

“It was decided that this is the best and most effective way to answer media inquiries”

Presently all questions WPCNR left with Ms. Biordi yesterday afternoon have not been answered, one of which was since the Common Council has defunded Ms. Biordi’s position as Communications Director, effectively in two weeks is who would be the press contact wrangling the routine daily calls from the news-hungry media, unless there is a plan afoot to retain Ms. Biordi in another capacity by the administration. That question was also asked and Ms. Biordi said she did not know at this time.

During the campaign,the Adam Bradley message has promised an administration of transparency and an open administration.