Coyotes and Drug Busts from the Greenburgh Police
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Greenburgh police report that there have been several coyote sightings in Edgemont, two on the campus of the high school. Though none of exhibited aggressive behavior, the police have provided the following information about coyotes. See below and read more at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/6971.html
Coyotes are protected by law in New York State. The Eastern coyote is firmly established in New York where they live as an integral part of our ecosystem. People and coyotes can usually coexist if coyotes maintain their natural fear of people. If you observe a coyote lingering in an area and it does not move when you make noise you should report it to the police. However, in most cases there is little a police officer or animal control officer will be able to do other than chase it away from a populated area. Of course if any animal is acting aggressively or has attacked a human being or other animal, immediately contact the police department.
Below are some steps you can take to reduce/prevent coyote problems from occurring.
- Do not feed coyotes
- If you see a coyote, be aggressive in your behavior - make loud noises, wave your arms, throw sticks and stones.
- Do not allow pets to run free.
- Do not feed pets outside.
- Ensure that your pets are vaccinated against rabies
- Make any garbage inaccessible to coyotes and other animals.
- Eliminate availability of bird seed. Coyotes are attracted to the concentration of birds and rodents that come to feeders. If you do feed birds, clean up waste seed and spillage.
- Fencing your yard may deter coyotes. The fence should be tight to the ground, preferably extending six inches below ground level.
- Remove brush and tall grass from around your property to reduce protective cover for coyotes
- Teach children to appreciate coyotes from a distance.
- Regulated hunting and trapping increases the "fear" coyotes have towards people.
- Ask your neighbors to follow these same steps.
Here is the weekly report from the Greenburgh Police:
Damage: Micha Marom who is building a house on Elizabeth Street complained that $400 worth of tubing used for radiant heat had been cut and was no longer usable. He found the damaged tubing when he came to his work site on the morning of July 11. He has been involved in an ongoing dispute with a neighbor.
Shoplifters: Walgreens employees called Greenburgh police on the afternoon of 7/11 when two men were acting suspiciously at the store. When police arrived, the suspects had left Walgreens on Central Avenue and were driving north in a blue van. Police spotted the van, in front of Rite Aid on Central Avenue. Police went to the van to investigate and found merchandise from Rite Aid in one of the men’s pockets, more merchandise from Rite Aid in the car and unpaid goods from CVS and Toys ‘R Us. The Rite Aid merchandise was valued at $269.07, from CVS $269.49 and the value of the Toys “R Us merchandise was unknown. The suspects were identified as Luis R. Silva age 56, Vidal Gomez, age 31 and Jose Lopez, age 39, all residents of Yonkers.
No Pay: The driver of a tan Toyota Avalon, filled his car with $50 worth of gas from the Gulf Station at 880 Central Avenue on the night of 7/11, and left without paying. Police were unable to find the car.
Missing Bag: The owner of a salon at 19 East Hartsdale Avenue reported that someone entered through the back of the shop and stole her handbag on July 12th. Credit cards, cash, a camera and other items valued at $500 were taken.
Missing diamond: On July 14, a Caterson Terrace woman reported losing a $6,000 diamond ring. She last saw the ring in her house on May 31.
Busted: Remy Ketzler, age 20 of Warnke Lane Scarsdale, was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana at 11 pm on July 14th. Police stopped her outside of 711 on Central Avenue and detected the odor of marijuana. Ketzler pulled a bag out of her purse and handed it to the officer.
In a similar incident, members of the Greenburgh Drug and Alcohol Task Force stopped Kwang An, age 20 of Central Avenue, Scarsdale on the evening of 7/14 when he appeared to be purchasing tobacco products. They smelled marijuana in his car, and An turned over a bag to police. He was also charged with unlawful possession.
At 11:30 pm on 7/15 members of the Greenburgh Drug and Alcohol Task Force saw three people who appeared to be underage carrying alcoholic beverages. When police attempted to stop them, they ran into an apartment at 55 West Hartsdale Avenue. The police were right behind them and when they entered the apartment they found three joints, and two bags containing marijuana and a pipe. The resident at the apartment claimed that all the marijuana belonged to him and turned over 12 more bags containing marijuana. He was charged with possession of marijuana and the other three suspects were charged with possession of alcohol by persons under the age of 21. The suspects were identified as Eurip Kim at 20 or Hartsdale, (possession of marijuana), Justice Reyes age 19 of Hartsdale, Brittany Blake, age 20 of Pleasantville and Paige Maruggi, age 19 of North White Plains (possession of alcohol.)
Same Sex Marriage Licenses to be Issued in Greenburgh and Scarsdale
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The new law recognizing same-sex marriages goes into effect on Sunday July 24th, and both Greenburgh and Scarsdale will issue same sex marriage licenses and conduct marriage ceremonies. According to Paul Feiner, the Greenburgh Town Clerk’s office will be open on Sunday, July 24th from 12-2 PM to accommodate applicants seeking same sex marriage licenses. Taking her lead from New York City and North Hempstead, Greenburgh Town Clerk Judith Beville will open her office on this historic day to anyone who would like to apply for a license.
Couples who take advantage of the opportunity to get a license on Sunday, July 24th will be eligible to marry the following day. In the event that New York State approves a waiver of the 24-hour waiting period the Clerk’s office will also officiate at marriage ceremonies on the same day.
Town Clerk Judith Beville is requesting that couples who intend to obtain their license on the 24th contact her in advance by emailing her at jbeville@greenburghny.com or by phone at 914-993-1504. If there are many people seeking licenses on that date she will try to schedule appointments to reduce waiting time and inconveniences. In the event that there is high demand for licenses to be issued on the 24th the office hours will be extended till 4 PM.
Though Scarsdale Village Hall will not be open on Sunday July 24th, Scarsdale will begin accepting applications for same sex marriage licenses on Monday July 25th. Village Mayor Miriam Flisser and Marriage Officer, former Mayor Carolyn Stevens are both available to officiate at marriages of same-sex couples. Information about obtaining a marriage license is available on the Scarsdale Village website at http://scarsdale.com/Home/Departments/VillageClerk/tabid/54/Default.aspx, and you do not need to be a resident of Scarsdale, or even New York State to apply.
Scarsdale10583 invites same-sex couples getting married in the area to make history by announcing their wedding on the site. Please send photos and information to scarsdalecomments@gmail.com.
Procedure Committee Recommends Changes to the Non-Partisan Resolution
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The Procedure Committee has convened to consider proposed amendments to the Non-Partisan Resolution which lays out the procedures for the nomination of Mayor, Trustees and Village Justice for the Village of Scarsdale. The Procedure Committee is composed of ten elected members of the Citizens Nominating Committee who have completed their three years terms, ten appointed members from the Scarsdale Forum, formerly the TVCC, and two representatives from SNAP – Scarsdale Neighborhood Association Presidents.
These proposed changes will appear on the ballot for the Citizen’s Nominating Committee election in November 2011. According to Committee Vice Chair David Brodsky, "Responding to recent reports of the Scarsdale Forum Committee and the League of Women Voters regarding the non-partisan system, the Scarsdale Procedure Committee has adopted proposed amendments to the Non-Partisan Resolution designed to encourage wider participation of the residents of the Village in the election of Village officials."
Though the language is in the process of being finalized, here is a summary of the proposed amendments to the Non-Partisan Resolution.
Summary of Proposed Amendments to the Non-Partisan Resolution
The Scarsdale Procedure Committee has adopted resolutions amending the Non-Partisan Resolution, as summarized below. These amendments will be on the ballot for voter approval on November 15, 2011. The full text of the proposed amendments will be available on-line at http://www.scarsdaleprocedurecommittee.org, along with the current Non-Partisan Resolution, marked to show proposed changes.
1. Proposed amendment to Article II, Section 1, to prohibit simultaneous membership on The Procedure Committee and any of the other committees of the Non-Partisan System (the Citizens Nominating Committee, the School Board Administrative Committee, the School Board Nominating Committee, the School Board, or the Village Board).
2. Proposed amendment to Article IV to add procedures authorizing mail-in ballots and certifications for the election to the Citizens Nominating Committee.
3. Proposed amendments to Article V (a) regarding eligibility to serve as a member of the CNC to encourage greater diversification of membership from the Village of Scarsdale, including prohibiting simultaneous membership on the CNC of two members from the same household and membership by former Trustees and Mayors unless more than three years has passed since they held such positions, (b) authorizing The Procedure Committee to set the rules of procedure for the CNC, (c) establishing voting procedures for CNC nominations, including dealing with last minute allegations, and (d) requiring confidentiality of CNC proceedings.
THE PROCEDURE COMMITTEE
Michelle Lichtenberg, Chair
David M. Brodsky, Vice Chair
July 3, 2011
Trustees Move Forward with Terms of Land Sale Agreement
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Trustees are moving forward with negotiations for the sale of village owned land at 2-4 Weaver Street to developers Frederick Fish and Stephen Oder. The strip of land would be incorporated into the development of an apartment building on the site of the current parking lot behind Massa Restaurant. At the Village Board meeting on Tuesday June 28, Trustee Jonathan Mark, Chairman of the Land Use Committee, announced that the Committee has asked Village staff to draft a non-binding term sheet that will be forward to the developers. Once these terms are agreed to, Mark said there will be a public meeting on the terms of the sale. Assuring residents that the term sheet “does not signify a commitment” Mark said that if the terms were agreed to, the Planning Board will act as lead agency, conducting an environment review, and studying the land sale, zoning changes, parking variances, and conducting a project site plan review.
Also, at the meeting:
Mayor Flisser responded to a letter from resident Howard Golden about the watering restrictions. He said that one of pleasures of living in Scarsdale was the “joy of a nice garden and lawn,” and said that it was “unreasonable that this problem has not been resolved.” Flisser relayed that watering can be done from 12 noon-midnight any day, and that an upgrade to the water system is ongoing. She said that the Ardsley Road Pumping Station should go online in 4-6 weeks and after that, the Reeves Newsome station will be renovated. Completion of the Ardsley Road Pumping station will allow for better adjustment of the water pressure.
In public comments, Toril Hanna of 138 Saxon Woods Road spoke about her work to document the history of a neighboring home, dubbed “the Dollhouse” at 140 Saxon Woods Road which could be demolished. Following up on her presentation to the Committee on Historical Preservation, she said that, “tearing down the dollhouse would be historically irresponsible without full grasp of the facts.” She asked for “time to explore legal and funding issues.,” saying that "African American heritage represents a great chapter of Scarsdale history.”
Helen Parnell Daniels of 136 Saxon Woods Road also asked for more time before the house is demolished as Saxon Woods Road was the only area of town where blacks owned their own homes. As 140 Saxon Woods Road is the only original house that remains of runaway slave Robert Purdy’s property, she asked for the Trustees to “Use their influence to delay demolition to give those of us who are interested the opportunity to preserve it.”
The Trustee also passed a resolution regarding 2 Drake Road, a home owned by Scarsdale and leased to the County to be used for transitional or long-term housing for a family in need. The original lease has been renewed four times since 1987 and the Village has waived the annual fee of $5,112. A family from the Philippines with disabled children has been housed there, but they no longer meet the eligibility requirements for residency. Trustees voted to extend the lease for one year until May 2012, to give Westchester County time to consider alternative housing for the family and then to return the house to its original use as transitional housing.
Trustee voted to hold the annual sidewalk Sidewalk Sale in Scarsdale Village on Thursday July 28 through Saturday July 30th. Chase Park to be used for entertainment on Saturday July 30th.
In addition, the Village will provide $242,175 for their share of the funding for the Scarsdale and Edgemont Family Counseling Youth Service Project. The organization is also funded via the Scarsdale school budget.
The Tax Cap Passes- Now What?
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The latest session in Albany will best be remembered as the one when same sex marriage was legalized. It was a historic law and made many in the state, both gay and straight, beam with pride to be from New York. In this session, the New York State Senate also voted for tax cap legislation. This will have a major impact on the community of Scarsdale and is arguably nothing to cheer about.
Property tax levy growth will now only go up 2 percent or the rate of inflation- whichever is less. This does not mean your taxes will go down. In towns, including Scarsdale, school funding comes primarily from property taxes. This means there will be less money for the schools. With much of the money already earmarked for pensions, health care costs and other mandates, money for educational growth and excellence will stagnate. The tax cap also does not take into account population growth in a town.
A school district will need a super-majority vote of 60% in order to override the tax cap.
While over 10,000 New Yorkers signed a petition opposing the rule, it was passed last Friday night. People who watched the vote closely believe the tax cap only passed because it was bundled with an extension of rent control laws.
Lisa Rudley, Co-Chairman of the New York State Coalition for Local Control (which includes Scarsdale) said in a statement; “This is a very sad day for public education and municipal and county services in New York State.”
Scarsdale Resident and Chair of Coalition for Scarsdale Schools, Arthur Rublin noted in a statement issued earlier this week that Board of Education President Jill Spieler and Superintendent Dr. Michael McGill have made clear that the "cap" in the legislation, beyond which a sixty-percent override vote is required, is wholly unrealistic, particularly absent meaningful mandate relief from Albany.
Ms. Spieler has warned publicly that unless sixty-percent of voters override the cap, it will likely require very significant cuts to program in Scarsdale's schools -- including elimination of many classroom positions, librarian positions, extracurricular clubs, arts activities and sports, and plant improvements.
Despite the passage of the cap, Rublin did want to express thanks to State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin who spoke eloquently and powerfully against the cap on the Assembly Floor, bucking political pressure from the Governor and the Speaker to support the legislation. She also met with the Coalition on several occasion, stayed in close communication with them and worked hard behind the scenes with other members of the Assembly, urging them to vote ‘No.”
With school out for summer recess and parents ready for a break, it is hard to think about school. However, with the stakes this much higher, Scarsdale residents need to turn out to vote for the school budget this coming May. The School Board is currently exploring the establishment of a Schools Foundation to allow parent support for the schools, and with the passage of the tax cap, this may be an idea whose time has come.
Jen Geller is a freelance journalist who has covered the economy and markets for over a decade at a major financial news outlet. She lives in Scarsdale with her husband and 2 children. Jen has yet to bake a successful batch of cookies.
