Greenacres Residents Get Answers At Town Hall Meeting
- Details
- Hits: 4181
Residents got an in-depth overview of the priorities of Scarsdale’s leaders at the Greenacres Town Hall meeting on May 5th. The panel included everyone who runs the town including the Mayor, Village Manager, Schools Superintendent, School Board President, Chief of Police, Fire Captain, SVAC representative and Recreation Department Superintendent as well as representatives from the Scarsdale Board of Trustees and County Legislator, Bill Ryan. With this group assembled, just about any question concerning a local issue could be addressed.
The meeting opened with an official thank you to outgoing Mayor Carolyn Stevens who was made an honorary resident of Greenacres by Deborah Pekarek, President of the Greenacres Association.
The floor was turned over to the visitors, who each provided a two minute update:
Greenacres Principal Jerry Young explained the ongoing safety concern at the Greenacres School where school personnel are needed to 
supervise students as they cross the street from the school to the playground on the opposite side of Huntington Avenue. To address this concern the school is considering two options: one to close the portion of Huntington Avenue in front of the school from 10 am-2 pm each day, and the other, to move the crossing guard now stationed at the intersection of Huntington Avenue and Sage Terrace. The crossing guard could be placed at the crosswalk between the school and playground to assist with crossing.
Anticipating questions about flooding that continues to plague Greenacres residents who live near George Field, Mayor Miriam Flisser arrived with her answers about the stormwater management project. She reported that the Village has a grant from Westchester County to fund 50% of the $2.9 million project and that the Village has already approved the issuance of a bond to fund the balance of the work. Engineers are seeking to design a system to collect water on the east side of Post Road and the project may require the Village to purchase private land. The current schedule calls for construction to start at the end of 2011 and proceed for 18 months. She assured the homeowners that the Village was moving as quickly as possible to get the necessary approvals to begin the project.
Several homeowners who live in the affected area questioned the Mayor and expressed their frustration with the Village’s lack of progress in addressing the flooding. Warren Breakstone noted that it has already taken seven years to find a solution and that the timeline provided by the Mayor goes out another 2 ½ years before the flooding is alleviated. He said she was the fourth Mayor to deal with the issue and called for an interim plan to mitigate the overflow. In the last few years he said new homes at Windmill Acres had been constructed further exacerbating the flooding. He questioned why the Village was not using equipment to dredge the stream and clear the storm drains.
Julie Hatterer of Cambridge Road called for more transparency and suggested we use the project grant money sooner than later. Both Gatta and Flisser responded that they needed approvals from a wide range of authorities including the EPA, Federal Government, and the Army Corps of Engineers and that the project was on track.
Police Chief Brogan gave a recap of incidents that have occurred in Greenacres in the past year.
- There were 35 car accidents –none on the streets surrounding the school, despite parents ongoing concerns
- 56 incidents
- 8 grand and petit larcenies
- 7 identity thefts
He cautioned the elderly to be especially wary about identity theft, which is a growing problem.
Recreation Department Superintendent Suzanne Busby reported that sign-up for all recreation activities is now online and encouraged residents to go to the Village website to open an account. In addition, everyone needs to go to Village Hall to get a new I.D. this year.
Village Manager Al Gatta gave an update on where the Village stands with the upcoming tax revaluation. He reported that the Village has experienced a 300% increase in tax grievances and the volume of appeals is very difficult for the Village staff to handle. The Village has put out an RFP to companies who can conduct the revaluation and expects to have selected a vendor by September, 2011.
School Board President Jill Spieler noted the plumbing problems at Greenacres and told the group that school budget reserve funds would be used to make the repairs. She told the group that the facilities maintenance budget for the schools has been severely cut, making it difficult to make necessary updates or fund new projects. She encouraged everyone to vote for the $138.4 mm school budget on Tuesday May 17th.
Superintendent Michael McGill told the group that the district is now involved in an international assessment project to compare Scarsdale student’s performance with those in high-performing schools around the world. The program will allow our teachers to network with successful teachers everywhere to identify what leads to student success. He also bemoaned the possibility of a 2% tax cap and said it would pose “significant challenges” to the district and force Scarsdale to make major program cuts.
Fire Captain Daniel Purcell urged everyone to check the batteries on their smoke and CO2 detectors and warned against ignoring the beep when the batteries die. Steve Rambone spoke for SVAC and called for more volunteers to join the service that answers three calls a day on average.
In the question and answer period, Stu Weinberg of Montrose Road said that our “streets are an embarrassment” and said that Scarsdale looks like tobacco road. Gatta reported that the Village spent $3 million on road repairs in the past year and that lack of curbing and drainage were responsible for the road conditions. Scarsdale repaves 1-2 miles per year, and now has $14 million in work that needs to be done, but is without the funds to do it.
Kathy Steves of Fairview Road asked about the requirement to have a Certificate of Occupancy on a house before a sale and was told that “yes”, all homes are now required to have a C of O. In order to obtain it, if plans for a home are not on file at Village Hall, residents will need to hire an architect to draft plans of the existing house in order to obtain the C of O.
It was an enlightening session that covered a plethora of issues on the minds of Greenacres residents. Thanks to everyone for participating and to Deb Pekarek and the Greenacres Association for arranging this annual event.
A Mother’s Day Gift
- Details
- Hits: 4808
Sunday morning, a feeling of joy overcomes me; an emotion reserved for special occasions. The one where you begin to feel the excitement the week before. You know the one….the children are coming. They are coming as they have done since they left for college.
Around the table they will share with my husband and me their growing up: looking for jobs; searching for an apartment in the city, making friends, dating, being sad and frustrated at times, content and fulfilled at others, getting married, having children. I loved watching my children becoming adults. Sometimes without them looking, I would steal a glimpse thinking to myself: “Is my older one really as happy as she sounds since she met her boyfriend; is my younger daughter really enjoying law school; was it the right decision for her?” So much stress: I almost feel like I was sitting with her in her classroom suffering. “And what’s up with my son. Has he made good friends in college who appreciate his kindness?” And then the years passed. Sundays are going by and the children are coming. They are coming with precious bundles in their hands: strollers with the little people resembling the babies I used to hold.
Wait just a second. No, I’ve got no time. The children are coming. The grandchildren are here: Chicken soup on the stove, the swing-set is clean and ready to go… Is there anything more important than this in life?
Submitted by Ruth Frankel
Ruth Motola Frankel was born in Petach Tikvah, the oldest city in Israel. She is a fifth generation sabra who lived on a simple farm in what was 
then a small agricultural town. She is a combination of the old and the new in Israel: raised on her parents’ farm, she became a fashion model and clothing designer in Israel. Ultimately, she emigrated to the United States to pursue these professions, settling in Scarsdale with her husband and three children.
Frankel’s early paintings evoke remembrances of growing up in Israel. One review of her work described her paintings as “true originals...her artistic bent has been transformed into striking canvasses that are extraordinarily unique and exciting.” Her art has been exhibited both in the United States and in Israel, including the Cork Gallery in Lincoln Center.
Sustainability Committee Offers Ideas to Improve Recycling
- Details
- Hits: 3660
Dear Honorable Mayor Flisser and Board of Trustees: The Scarsdale Forum's Sustainability Committee has been exploring many avenues. One of them ties in with the Village's recycling work.
The tentative Village budget for 2011-2012 includes $242,500 for waste disposal fees which are paid to the County based on tonnage collected. The budgeted 2010-2011 amount was $282,500 and the projected spending for 2010-2011 is now estimated to be $250,000. It is presumed that the anticipated $7500 lower cost for 2011-2012 is based partly on the County's upcoming acceptance of plastics 3-7, as recyclable material.
The Committee urges the Village Board to increase the public awareness of the change in County policy and the correlation between Village disposal fees, taxes and recycling, perhaps using the mayoral letters as a vehicle. If residents understand that the more they recycle, the less Scarsdale will pay in "tipping" fees, potentially lowering this line item in the Village budget, there may be greater compliance. The public should be advised that caps may remain on containers as they are also recycled. Thomas Lauro, the County Commissioner of Environmental Facilities, informed the audience of this additional change at a recent sustainability event in Bedford.
The tentative budget shows $105,000 for recycling, which our DPW head Salanitro explained includes paper, commingled recyclables and yard waste. This amount is also lower than the $112,500 expected to be spent in 2010-2011. The Committee applauds the effort to contain cost in light of the expected increase of plastics recycled.
At a Committee meeting ideas to further reduce the waste disposal fees were considered. One way could be to encourage composting. Two Committee members already use a rotating composter. Committee members asked whether it might be possible to invite vendors who make composters available to set up a table the Farmers' Market. Another idea discussed was a volume discount coordinated by Village Staff. If waste disposal fees could be reduced 10% ($24,000) the effort would seem worthwhile.
Another significant cost is leaf collection and disposal fees tentatively budgeted at $705,414. Encouraging residents to compost even some of their leaves might make a noticeable reduction in that line item. Composting is an excellent alternative to fertilizer and is environmentally friendly.
These suggestions are thought to be win-win-win. Less work for DPW crews, lower costs for residents and better for the environment.
Bruce Wells,
President Scarsdale Forum
Contacts for the Forum Sustainability Committee are co-chairs Steve Frantz and Dan Hochvert
Edgemont Seniors Look Forward to Prom Night
- Details
- Hits: 4627
For most Edgemont High School seniors, the anxious wait for college acceptance letters is over. Now they are looking forward to end of year activities, graduation and summer, which is right around the corner. Another upcoming highlight will be the Prom which will be held at the Surf Club in New Rochelle on June 10th. This is the first time Edgemont has selected this venue for the Prom; however it is a popular spot for many area schools. The Surf Club is a seaside mansion with a spacious layout including a grand ballroom. Seniors will arrive at the location at seven in the evening and the party will last until midnight. Some groups of seniors will take party buses to the Surf Club and others plan to travel by limousine.
Another annual tradition for the graduating students is the pre-prom event at Edgemont Jr./Senior High School on the afternoon before the big night. This is held in the school’s center campus and parents, faculty and prom dates gather for photos and a final goodbye before the evening celebration. The girls usually wear a separate dress for pre-prom but the outfits are still magnificent. “The dresses are quite varied this year. But they’re going to be gorgeous,” said Edgemont senior Lexi Glade. “Also, I’m really excited to finally have a school dance and to hang out with my friends. I think Prom is a fun tradition and a chance for everyone to see each other before graduation. To me, it means I get to spend a lot of time with my closest friends. It’s one of those basic high school memories. It’s going to be all about taking pictures that night … and for the girls, wearing all the pretty dresses.”
And the boys won’t be left out of the experience of selecting outfits for the big night either. Boys often match their 
dates’ attire by choosing a suit or a tie in a shade to complement their partner’s dress. “Nobody knows what this year’s trends or popular colors are just yet. This will definitely be a surprise,” the class officer of this year’s seniors commented. “I guess I’m looking forward to the experience itself the most. It’s just a big part of high school to look back on.”
While the styles of this year’s Prom dresses and suits may still be undecided, it is clear that the seniors are truly looking forward to Prom. “I think of Prom as a celebration or farewell as we reach the end of our high school careers. This is what makes it so special. It’s the last chance to have a great time with all of the people we’ve been around for the past four years,” said senior Maneo Choudhury. To the seniors, this Prom will be more than an unforgettable experience. It will mark the end of their high school careers and the beginning of the college journey that lies ahead.
Village Board Hears Feedback on Proposed Budget
- Details
- Hits: 3698
Driving rain didn’t deter residents from attending the first meeting of the newly elected Scarsdale Village Board of Trustees on Tuesday April 12th. The session included public comment on the Village budget, the announcement of appointments to Boards and Councils and liaison assignments, an update on the Popham Road bridge and approval of a downtown art fair in May.
Mayor Fliisser commented on the process of Village government, noting that she has heard from residents that televised Village Board meetings seem formal and dry, She explained that Board meetings are a result of work done at committee meetings and by Village staff. She encouraged those who want to get involved to attend these committee meetings -- that are open to all. At these meetings residents can speak and let the Board know what they think.
Public comment to the Board on the proposed 2011-12 Village Budget was given by Sara Werder, President of the Board of Trustees of the Scarsdale Library, Bill Kaye from the Scarsdale Forum Fiscal Affairs Committee, Pam Rubin of the Scarsdale League of Women Voters and Dan Hochvert for the Scarsdale Forum Sustainability Committee.
Werder warned that by complying with the Village request to cut the library budget by $93,000, the Board was forced to cut back on service to Scarsdale residents. Both staff hours and the book-buying budget has been reduced and the Board elected to take $60,000 out of reserves to fund their annual budget.
Speaking for the Scarsdale Forum Fiscal Affairs Committee, Bill Kaye provided recommendations on reducing the Village Budget but did endorse passage of the budget as proposed.
Among their suggestions for cost reductions were:
- Require non-tax paying entities such as religious institutions to pay for refuse collection and requiring commercial facilities such as country clubs to pay more than residential properties for collection.
- To seek methods to deliver services more cost effectively for the long term.
- To reduce the Village staff headcount through attrition -- as 70% of the Village budget is comprised of salaries in benefits
- To renegotiate contracts with Village employees to reduce salaries and benefits and to require employee contribution to healthcare.
- To lobby N.Y.S. to reduce unfunded mandates and continue to work with municipal workers and NYCOM to reduce pension contributions.
The Scarsdale Forum also called for the Village wide tax revaluation to be done this year. Kaye noted that this report was submitted in memory of friend and colleague Boine Johnson who passed away earlier this year.
Pam Rubin spoke on behalf of the Scarsdale League of Women Voters and commended the Village staff, Trustees and former Mayor Carolyn Stevens for maintaining “quality of life” while containing the tax rate.
The League offered the following recommendations:
- Consider the reallocation of resources – such as crossing guards who are no longer needed for midday dismissal, as Kindergarten is now a full-day program
- Move forward with the Village–wide tax revaluation
- Explore outside revenue sources and cooperative agreements with neighboring municipalities to fund capital improvement projects on the storm water drainage system and sanitary sewer lines.
- Continue to fund road repair, as 25% of Scarsdale roads are now classified as “poor.”
- Replace Village trees lost to storms and disease
- Work with community groups to determine which services can be reduced, eliminated or paid for by alternative means.
Dan Hochvert the spoke as a co-chair of Scarsdale Forum’s Sustainability Committee. He commended the Village for reducing costs for recycling and noted that the County will now recycle plastics in categories #3-7. He urged the Village to publicize this change in policy.
He also spoke about the benefits of composting to further reduce waste disposal fees and suggested that a composter be set up at the Famer’s market and that residents compost their leaves rather than have them collected. The Village currently spends $705,414 on leaf collection – and this cost could be reduced if residents composted leaves.
Popham Road Bridge Project: Deputy Village Manager Steve Pappalardo announced that Phase II of the renovation of the Popham Road Bridge was scheduled to begin. This will involve work on the south side of the bridge. During this phase, one lane of traffic will be closed and the south lane of the bridge will become a sidewalk. Drivers will not be able to make a left turn off the bridge onto East Parkway and will now have to go to Chase Road to turn left. The bridge is tentatively scheduled to be completed at the end of May 2012.
Art Festival: Lewis Arlt spoke on behalf of Chamber of Commerce to encourage the Board to approve an application for the Westchester Festival of the Arts by Paragon for May 14-15, 2011.He explained that this would be the sophomore year of the event and the miscalculations made last year would be corrected. Last year the fair was held on Father’s Day and all Village streets were closed to vehicular traffic. In addition, artist’s booths blocked storefronts and prevented shoppers from entering.
This year these problems have been addressed. The fair will be held on May 14-15, a non-holiday weekend, it will be moved to the Merchant’s Lot and no booths will be placed in front of store windows. The Scarsdale Art Association will also hold their show in Chase Park that same weekend.
The Board subsequently voted to approve both Art Fairs for the weekend of May 14-15.
Mayor Flisser and the Board then announced Board and Committee appointments and assignments for the coming year. This lengthy roster can be viewed on the Village website here
Flisser also noted some upcoming meetings … among them a Land Use committee Meeting on Thursday night April 14 to discuss a proposed land sale at 2-4 Weaver Street. However, this meeting is expected to go into Executive Session, and in that case, it will be closed to the public.
