LWVS Asks Board of Education to Develop a Policy on Gifts and Donor Recognition
- Details
- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 3792
This statement was read and submitted to the Scarsdale Board of Education at the January 28 meeting by the LWVS:
Hello, my name is Linda Doucette-Ashman, Brite Avenue. Tonight I am speaking to you, the Board of Education, on behalf of the Board of the League of Women Voters Scarsdale.
This statement is about the District’s gift policy and associated issues including donor recognition and naming rights.
I want to begin by clearly saying that our statement is about process and does not go to the merits of any issues that might arise during any discussion or consideration of any policy related to gifts or donor recognition.
On behalf of my Board, I wish to acknowledge and thank those individuals and entities, including but not limited to, the Education Foundation, Maroon and White, Friends of Music and Art and all of the PTAs, who give so generously of their time and money to help support our children and our school community.
The League acknowledges that the Board of Education (“Board”) and the School District Administration are currently exploring the possibility of installing lights around Butler Field, based upon a presentation by Director of Physical Education, Health and Athletics, Ray Pappalardi, on Monday, January 14, 2019 at the Board’s Special Meeting immediately preceding its Business Meeting. It is the League’s understanding that no final decisions have been made about whether or not the lights will be purchased or how the project will be funded. The League observed, during the presentation, Mr. Pappalardi mention that private donations would be made to the School District to fund a large portion, if not all, of the cost for this project. The current estimated cost is $881,000. Mr. Pappalardi also discussed the possibility of donor recognition plaques for those members of the community who donate money for this Butler Field light project.
For the second time in less than a year, the Board is faced with a situation where updated gift and donor recognition policies are needed. The League has repeatedly recommended that the Board proactively develop gift policies through a thoughtful, methodical, public process that actively engages community input to ensure the resulting policy accurately reflects Scarsdale community values for our public schools. The League continues to recommend that the Board actively engage the community and (1) establish a separate policy setting out the Board’s relationship with the Education Foundation and the gifts that it provides to the School District, and (2) review any existing policies that pertain to these issues, including Policy 1800 (Gift) and Policy 1222 (Relations with Booster Organizations) as well as establish policies that address donor recognition and naming rights.
In 2013, 2014 and 2018, the League issued multiple statements recommending that the Board develop and adopt “a new policy, specific to gifts given by the Education Foundation to the District, in light of the new and unique relationship between the BOE and the Education Foundation,” as well as “the size and nature of past and contemplated gifts from the Education Foundation to the District.” In 2014, the League further suggested that the Board also “develop a policy regarding the recognition of gifts initiated by donors, including naming rights.” While certain League suggestions were incorporated into the Board’s revisions to its Gift Policy (1800) in 2014, the Board has yet to adopt these two key League recommendations. In 2018, the League reasserted its recommendations from 2013 and 2014 and recommended that the Board develop policies, with community input, to set out its relationship with the Education Foundation and to clarify its position regarding donor recognition for gifts and naming rights. Please note that copies of our previous statements referenced herein are attached.
During the spring of 2018, the League observed the Board consider and eventually approve the Education Foundation’s two donor recognition plaques to recognize donors who contributed to the Education Foundation’s Capital Campaign for projects, including the High School Learning commons and Design Lab. At that time and prior to the Board approval, the League recommended that the Board develop both a separate gift policy specific to the Education Foundation and a donor recognition policy that would appropriately incorporate and reflect Scarsdale community values. However, the Board concluded that the use of a Memorandum of Understanding in combination with the District’s existing Gift Policy 1800 provided sufficient authority for the Board to approve and accept the donations and plaques. The Board also decided that there was no need either to engage the community or undertake a study of Policy 1800 or the issues raised by the donations of the Education Foundation, including donor recognition or naming rights. To date, the Board has not had any further public discussions about the Gift Policy, the policy pertaining to relations with Booster Organizations, donor recognition or any of the related recommendations provided by the League.
The League observed that on January 14, 2019, the Board discussed and approved Mr. Pappalardi’s request to collect community feedback on the possibility of the installation of lights around the new and improved Butler Field. As part of that discussion, Mr. Pappalardi indicated that Maroon and White would contribute approximately $200,000 and the balance of the project cost would be funded by private donations as well. Mr. Pappalardi mentioned a suggestion to have donor plaques installed in the project, an idea presented was including a plaque on each lamp post.
Since the Board is facing the possibility of large donations and donor recognition requests again, the League will take this opportunity to reaffirm its previous statements and recommendations on these issues.
Regarding the Education Foundation, the League asserts, as we did in our comments of April 16, 2018, that there is gap to be filled with respect to the definition of the Board’s relationship with the Education Foundation. The League suggests that the Board is at an opportune time to develop a policy to establish and clarify that relationship, just as the Board has done with respect to other booster organizations. Again, the League reasserts that if the Board continues its process by replacing one MOU with another, without first establishing policy to guide what principles, priorities and values will shape the next agreement between the Board and the Education Foundation, it will not be incorporating necessary public input to ensure consistency with Scarsdale community values and priorities. In addition, the League reasserts that timing is appropriate for the Board to ensure its understanding of community values by engaging the broader community in discussion of the full range of issues that arise with such large donations, donor recognition and naming rights.
Regarding donor recognition, the League believes that the Board’s one-time approval of donor recognition signage for the Education Foundation gifts and donor recognition plaques to the District for the High School Design Lab and Fitness Center, which the Board stated was not intended to set precedent, highlighted issues that existing Board policy has yet to address. At that time, the Board declined to address them. As we have previously stated, we are still of the opinion that members of the Board and District Administration had begun to discuss and recognize both the absence of, and the need for, a policy regarding recognition of donors. Furthermore, we believe that, without an appropriate policy in place moving forward, the Board’s one-time recognition of certain donors to the Education Foundation’s gift to the District, serves as precedent that potentially governs future Board actions with respect to donor recognition for other projects.
The League further reasserts that:
● As elected officials, Board members are accountable to the public and have a responsibility to engage in public deliberation and public discussion, and to give the public an opportunity to observe the Board’s decision-making process and to weigh in on its deliberations;
● The Board has a responsibility to provide ample public notice of, and public opportunity for comment on Board discussions and actions regarding the Education Foundation, and donor recognition, including separately scheduled Board meetings for Board discussion and Board action; and
● The Board has the responsibility to develop a donor recognition policy that can be applied with consistency, fairness and transparency for both the donors and the community.
Recommendations:
1. We urge the Board to develop a policy regarding the recognition of donors of gifts to the District, including naming rights. We further urge the Board to solicit public input and schedule opportunities for public comment to ensure that resulting policy reflects community values. In addition to obtaining a sense of community values, this effort will provide the Board with opportunities to identify and address specific issues associated with donor recognition in a deliberate and methodical manner and thereby allow for the creation of a policy that will enable consistent application going forward.
2. In light of the Board’s unique relationship with the Education Foundation, as well as the size and nature of past and contemplated gifts from the Education Foundation to the District, we continue to urge the Board to reconsider our previous recommendations to develop and adopt a separate policy regarding its relationship with the Education Foundation.
3. We also ask that the Board review any and all existing policies that may impact these issues, including, but not limited to, Policy 1800 (Gifts) and Policy 1222 (Relations with Booster Organizations).
Thank you for your consideration.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF SCARSDALE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Linda Doucette-Ashman and Janice Starr, Co-Presidents
Where Your Village Taxes Go
- Details
- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 4667
Though the portion of your real estate taxes that goes to Scarsdale Village only accounts for 18.3% of the total bill, the services they fund are perhaps the most visible manifestation of your payment. Many residents are not clear on which department is providing which service and how their tax payments are being spent. In an effort to enlighten the public on just what the Village does, the Scarsdale Forum and League of Women Voters presented a session called “Where Your Village Property Tax Dollars Go: An Overview” at Village Hall on Thursday January 10, 2019. You can watch the presentation on video here:
The program was well attended and included presentations from Village Manager Steve Pappalardo, Village Treasurer Mary Lou McClure, Benny Salanitro head of the Department of Public Works, Police Chief Andrew Matturro and Fire Chief Jim Seymour. They explained how the annual $56.5 million in Village taxes are spent.
Here are just a few facts that may surprise you:
Scarsdale has 91 miles of roadways – 78 miles are owned by the Village and the rest by the county and the state.
5 miles of roads were repaved and 8,000 linear feet of curbing were installed in 2018
The Department of Public Works collected 4,100 tons of fall leaves in 2018.
The Sanitation Division collected approximately 6,700 tons of solid waste, 8,000 tons of organics, 650 tons of co-mingled recyclables, 1,800 tons of newspapers, 14.8 tons of textiles in 2018.
In 2018 the Scarsdale Fire Department responded to 1,778 calls, an increase of 343 over 2017. Why? Chief Seymour says, “My best conclusion was that the automatic aid agreement added roughly 24 responses and there were two significant storms (3/2 & 9/25) in which handed us 50 responses for each. Lastly, through social media and word of mouth, we have really increased our efforts to educate our residents to call us when they need us.”
And Police Chief Andrew Matturo reported that the average response time for police for priority calls in 2018 was 4.05 minutes and for all calls was 4.40 minutes.
What is the cost of these services per household?
The average household pays $832 a year for roads, sanitation and facilities maintenance.
The average household pays $751 for police protection.
The average household pays $629 a year for fire protection.
Another question often asked, is how do our local taxes compare to those paid by residents of neighboring municipalities. It turns out that our rates are pretty favorable.
Village Treasures Mary Lou McClure presented the following bill that compares property taxes in Scarsdale against taxes in Larchmont and Pelham Manor for homes of a similar assessed value:
And how does Moody’s rate Scarsdale’s debt? McClure reported that Scarsdale has an Aaa rating which “reflects the village’s sound financial position with healthy reserves and history of stable operations, affluent and sizeable tax base favorably located near New York City and manageable fixed costs. The rating also reflects moderate pension and OPEB liabilities.”
Following the presentation, the audience was given the chance to ask a few questions. The first asked if the Village of Scarsdale has considered consolidating services with other municipalities. Village Pappalardo replied that “yes” the Village had considered this many times and is doing what it can to share services with neighboring municipalities without doing a wholesale consolidation. Fire Chief Seymour noted mutual aid agreements with other fire departments to respond to fires in Eastchester and Greenburgh and to have their forces back ours as well.
Another asked if the Recreation Department was self supporting. Village Manager Pappalardo said that the Rec Department puts on 150 programs and 65% of their expenses are covered for fees collected by users. However, the cost to manage the department and maintain the facilities are covered by taxes rather than fees.
To a question about the development of the Freightway site, Pappalardo said, “We have seven responses from developers. The Board is discussing next steps – including drafting an RFP. There is a public comments session on January 22 at 6:30 and you can see all the documents online under “planning.”
To a question about upgrading Village Hall, Pappalardo said, “There is nothing in the budget now, though it will have to be addressed sometime. We need $1.5 million just to upgrade Rutherford Hall. The whole building needs a lot of work.”
Dara Gruenberg who spearheaded the event said, "I am thrilled that the LWVS and Forum collaborated which is unprecedented. The feedback I have received from many who attended and aren’t involved in the Village was that it was very informative and clear. We marketed it to the real estate agencies and a lot of brokers came. I think there were 60 people there. So overall a success! Huge thanks to the LWVS, the Forum, Village Staff, and the committee that worked so hard to put this together."
Learn more about where your taxes go here:
Trustees Agree on Village Code Changes Regarding Gun and Vape Sales in the Village
- Details
- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 4838
What can we do in Scarsdale to diminish the presence of guns and safeguard kids against the dangers of e-cigarettes, also known as juuling or vaping? As we read troubling accounts of shootings throughout the country and reports of kids vaping in school, directly under the noses of their teachers, our local government has proposed some changes to our Village code to restrict the sale of guns and e-cigarettes in Scarsdale. Though the risks are ever present, at least these two proposed code changes will make it more difficult to secure guns and juul pens in town.
There are no outlets currently selling guns in Scarsdale, but vape pens are currently sold at 7-Eleven, at Five Corners Stationary on Palmer Avenue and at the gas station at the corner of Post and Crane Roads.
Village Trustees met on Monday night December 10 to review the propose code and came to consensus on the following proposal. Under proposed revisions to Village code, shops selling guns would be limited to the retail area around Garth Road (VCR 1.0 District) and could not be closer than 250 feet to places where children are present such as schools, nursery schools, day care centers, playgrounds or houses of worship. This law will regulate the sale, delivery or transfer of firearms and ammunitions as follows:
The provision will also regulate the manner in which guns and ammunition are sold and stored, requiring the following:
-All ammunition shall be kept in a locked case or behind the counter in an area not accessible to the public
-No firearms shall be stored, exhibited or displayed in windows
-All firearms shall be located in a locked display case, counter or storage area with no access from the public. The keys or codes to such areas shall not leave the control of authorized personnel.
When the store is closed:
-All firearms shall be stored in a locked fireproof safe or vault located at the business.
-All firearms must be secured by a hardened rod or cable of at least ¼” in diameter and shall be secured with a hardened steel lock that has a shackle. The lock and shackle shall be protected or shielded from the use of a lock cutter and the rod or cable shall be anchored in a manner that prevents the ready removal of the firearm from the premises.
-The store must have an alarm system and surveillance cameras that are operational when the store is open and closed. Surveillance footage shall be retained for six months.
Under the new law, the sale of E-cigarettes and components would also be regulated to put some distance between sale locations and sites where children are present.
The code would prohibit the sale, transfer or delivery of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) or ENDS supplies such as e-liquids, atomizers, cartridges, and flavoring within 1,000 feet of:
-Any public or private school
-Nursery school
-Day care center
-House of worship
-Youth center, playground
-Park
-Library
-Arcade
It also specifies that any locations selling ENDS or supplies cannot display them in the store window and cannot be accessible inside the store without assistance.
Village Staff is finalizing the proposed code and a public hearing will be scheduled at an upcoming meeting of the Village Board to invite feedback from the public.
SVAC Honors Volunteers and Staff
- Details
- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 5028
David Raizen, Ellen Gross, Jim Maher and Drew HahnScarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps celebrated a year of volunteerism on December 13, 2018. They honored some of the many volunteers who helped to provide advanced life support to the community with SVAC which is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. They respond to approximately 1,500 emergency calls each year and employ paid paramedics who work alongside volunteer EMT’s and support crew.
In their new headquarters building they provide classes in CPR and also train EMT’s. SVAC relies on financial support from the community to provide this essential service.
To learn more and donate, click here: http://www.scarsdalevac.com/donate.php
On December 13, the following SVAC members were honored:
Ellen Gross: EMT of the Year
Jim Maher: Paramedic of the Year
Guy Peifer: Educational Excellence Award for Paramedic Instruction
Stephanie Foley Wheelock: Became an RN this year
Congratulations to the honorees.
Photos by Jn Thaler - see more here:
David Raizen, Stephanie Foley Wheelock, Guy Peifer, Richard Robinson and Drew Hahn
Developers Offer Promising Ideas for New Freightway
- Details
- Written by Laura Halligan
- Hits: 8788
Toll BrothersDevelopers unveiled innovative plans for the development of the Freightway site at a meeting on Tuesday evening 11-27 of the Scarsdale Land Use Committee. Seven firms presented their responses to a “Request for Expression of Interest” (RFEI) for the Freightway redevelopment project. The RFEI yielded promising proposals that met the village’s objectives in improving the site and appeared physically feasible to complete.
According to Scarsdale Village Trustee Jane Veron, “First, we are delighted to learn that there was strong interest among highly credentialed firms in taking on this development project. Second, we were incredibly pleased that many, if not all, principles of the (Freightway) visioning study seem feasible on the Freightway lot. Finally, we have seen a consistency among attributes from the development community that will enable the (development) of a successful request for proposal, or RFP.”
Avalon Bay Communities
She then emphasized that the purpose of the meeting was to share information about specific concepts that were proposed, and not to debate the plans. The firms that responded to the RFEI, which included Avalon Bay Communities, BRP Development, East End Capital, Gateway Development Group, LCOR, LMC/Lennar, and Toll Brothers, offered the village a variety of ideas, ranging from rebuilding just the garage structure to creating an elaborate mixed use development.
Before turning the meeting over to Assistant Village Manager Ingrid Richards, Veron cautioned that, while these preliminary designs were exciting, it is very early in the process, and the village is reviewing the firms’ ideas without detailed understanding of costs, economic impacts, logistical issues and related matters. “There will most certainly be a time to articulate views and we will provide ample opportunity for that exchange,” she said.
BRP DevelopmentRichards then presented highlights of each proposal. She began by noting that Freightway would be a “transit-oriented development,” reflecting the current trend of creating vibrant, pedestrian-oriented areas centered near transit hubs and benefitting surrounding communities. Richards reminded attendees of the project’s overall vision, stating, “Any future development… should be a signature project that positively contributes to the vibrancy of the village center while maintaining its current function as a commuter parking lot.”
She then referenced the Freightway visioning study, which was completed earlier this year, and 
East End Capitalreviewed the seven principles guiding the project, which are to: 1) improve parking and circulation; 2) ensure public benefits are achieved; 3) ensure contextual development (consistency with look/feel of the village center); 4) encourage mixed-use development in support of the village center; 5) connect and integrate the site with the village center; 6) include environmentally friendly/sustainable attributes; and 7) plan for future needs/uses over the long-term.
Richards said that the study was shared with all developers that responded to the RFEI to ensure that they would incorporate the principles and residents’ ideas in their proposals. “Many of the (developers’) concepts were in line with the visioning study. We feel we can achieve what we’d like to achieve at the site,” she said.
Generally speaking, the developers proposed creating a significant number of residential units at Freightway and improving parking capacity; and all but one provided for retail, commercial and/or office space.
Gateway DevelopmentHighlights of the proposals were as follows:
The Toll Brothers plan features:
• A three-story podium parking structure with retail space, and a seven-story garage on the north side of the site;
• A two-story parking podium and five-story residential building on the south side/at center of the site;
• An urban plaza with retail space along the Popham Road bridge to connect the site from east to west;
• An improved alleyway/passage along the east side of the site to provide pedestrians with better access to the train and village center; and
• An offer to investigate construction of a wide esplanade over the Metro-North tracks, connecting Freightway to the rest of the village center.
The East End proposal includes:
• A design that reflects the Tudor architectural style to ensure consistency with existing village center buildings;
• Two publicly accessible plazas east and west of the Metro-North tracks, and a 30-foot-wide “highline” adjacent to the train tracks;
• Commercial/retail spaces, and an open plaza along Scarsdale Avenue, connecting Scarsdale Avenue to Garth Road;
• A service drive that improves traffic flow by separating service vehicles from commuter traffic, pedestrians and public parking; and
• A community theater and music school.
The Gateway submission contains:
LCOR
• A five- to six-story residential structure with three levels of parking;
• A “Popham Road Promenade” with ample public and retail space;
• A pedestrian promenade, pocket park and rain garden on Scarsdale Avenue, connecting it to Garth Road; and
• A vehicular or pedestrian bridge over the Metro-North tracks, that arrives at the upper level of the new garage.
The Avalon Bay plan includes:
• One six-level parking garage for commuters and visitors;
• A five-story residential building located above a second, residential;
• A 3,500-square-foot retail/live/work space along the Popham Road bridge; and
• A village plaza at the corner of Popham Road and Scarsdale Avenue.
LMC proposes:
• A design featuring Tudor architectural features with contemporary elements;
• An integrated platform for community concerts, seasonal space for community events and activities, such as holiday pop-up shops and the farmer’s market, as well as a dog run;
• A pedestrian plaza located on Popham Road, along the east side of the development; and
• 40,000 square feet of retail/commercial space (largest amount proposed, but less than the 10 percent of gross floor area required by Scarsdale).
LCOR’s plan suggests:
• A design that incorporates elements of the Tudor architectural style;
• A corner tower and pedestrian walkway similar to the Harwood building;
• Townhomes located on Scarsdale Avenue that are integrated with the development site;
• A 60-foot-wide green space (“The Mews”) connecting Scarsdale Avenue to Garth Road and the Bronx River Greenway, and a public promenade adjacent to the train tracks;
• Changes to surrounding streets, including a curb cut on Popham Road and reconfigured turning lanes on Garth Road, to effectively manage traffic circulation.
And, finally, BRP’s proposal includes:
• A seven-story parking structure, with eight stories of residential space above;
• A pedestrian access bridge connecting the site to Scarsdale Avenue;
• A public open space located adjacent to Popham Road, including a community park, commuter plaza and kiosk;
• A tree-lined, open park to be used for community events and as a local gathering space.
Next Steps
As village officials and staff begin to review the proposals, they also recognize the need for specialized legal services during the redevelopment process. At its general meeting following the RFEI presentation, the board of trustees approved a resolution to hire James Staudt, of McCullough, Goldberger, and Staudt, LLP, to advise and represent Scarsdale on legal matters related to the project. Staudt was chosen for his expertise in municipal economic development projects, and his previous positive experience with the village while working on the Christie Place development.
While the seven designs certainly will generate a good deal of enthusiasm, there’s a long, complex road ahead. The next major goal for the village is to use information submitted by the developers to create a suitable RFP, which may be completed in early 2019. Considering the months required for developers to respond, and the additional time to review the submissions, Freightway’s transformation is still a ways away. But, slow and steady consideration of each option will be critical to a project that will shape Scarsdale’s future.
According to Veron, “We are in the beginning stages of a process that will guide one of the most important and impactful developments in Scarsdale’s recent history.” (To review the complete RFEI presentation, visit the Planning Department page of scarsdale.com.)
Speaking of Redevelopment…
Representatives of the Scarsdale Public Library presented an update on the library renovation/reconstruction project at Tuesday’s board of trustees meeting. Scarsdale Public Library Board President Diane Greenwald reviewed progress to date and provided a short-term outlook on construction. Work began in August, and demolition and asbestos abatement are continuing. Pylons have been completed and sewage lines have been identified to avoid any problems in excavation work.
“We are really moving along and we have a good sense of what (happens) in each phase, and, hopefully, we’ll be on time.”
In addition to collaborating with the construction team, the library’s building committee currently is reviewing bids for external and internal design work. When dealing with the building’s exterior, the committee is looking at materials that complement the local site, such as stone, terra cotta and wood, to ensure that the building blends seamlessly with the landscape. The committee also is working to design an interior space that offers “something for everyone,” and now is considering furnishings that can be used in a variety of ways, and are both comfortable and durable.
Beth Bermel, Director of the library, also provided an overview of current operations at the Scarsdale Library Loft. She announced the loft’s new winter hours – 8:00 am to 8:00 pm (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday); 8:00 am to 6:00 pm (Thursday, Friday); and 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (Saturday) – and acknowledged local organizations that are supporting the library during construction by hosting programs and assisting with circulation.
Bermel also announced that the Friends of the Scarsdale Library will host a second “Casino Night” in March, following the success of the first event, which drew 400 guests.
Laura Halligan is a local writer, editor and marketing consultant. She is principal of Pinch Hit Prose and provides communications services to entrepreneurs, small businesses and nonprofits.
