Backed by SNAP, Residents Cry Foul on Crossway Lights at Village Board Meeting
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A well organized group of Quaker Ridge residents renewed their campaign against a proposal to install lights at Crossway Field at a pre-Thanksgiving meeting of the Scarsdale Board of Trustees.
Mayor Veron opened the meeting by wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and expressing gratitude to the board and staff who are committed to “making Scarsdale the best possible place to live.”
Discussing upcoming work, she said, “During this meeting, we will also discuss next steps for our two Special Assignments, the Mobility and Placemaking Study and the Pool Complex. Over the past several weeks, working groups and staff have gathered information to advance both projects. Most of the Mobility and Placemaking work resides now with staff as they are evaluating how best to operationalize pilots. On the pool side, subsequent to the community meeting earlier this fall, staff and the working group have been doing external research. The focus over the last six weeks has been to assess the availability of non-traditional sources of funding, such as public-private partnerships and to learn more about year-round pool operations.”
Kudos for Adamo
The Mayor read a proclamation honoring Thomas Adamo for leading the Scarsdale American Legion Post 52 for two decades and credited him with Memorial Day and Veterans Day celebrations and the Village’s Memorial Garden.
He said, “I loved doing what I did and for those who did it with me.” He mentioned the girl scouts and boy scouts and said he was thrilled to work with them. He thanked the Village Managers for working with the American Legion and thanked Mayor Veron for an honor “which I did not deserve for something that I loved to do.”
Residents Cry Foul
During Public Comments, many came to the mic to urge the Village Board to turn down a proposal from the Scarsdale Little League to install lights at Crossway Field for baseball games at night.
Sarah Bell, President of SNAP, read the following statement on behalf of the Presidents of Scarsdale’s Neighborhood Associations, urging the Board of Trustees to listen to the residents. She said, “"The Scarsdale Neighborhood Association Presidents ("SNAP") encourage the Mayor, Trustees and Village to give priority to the concerns of the neighbors who live adjacent to and would be directly impacted by installation of permanent lighting at Crossway Field. The overwhelming majority of neighbors who live adjacent to Crossway Field have determined that they would be adversely and directly impacted by the installation of lights and extended field use at Crossway Field. The Village places a priority on the Quality of Life of its residents which therefore requires the Village to give deference to the concerns of these neighbors and residents of Scarsdale.
Many others expressed their objections:
Lori Garfunkel of Lincoln Road said, “I object to proposed lights at Crossway Field.” She said, “The field is beautiful and enjoyed by many.” She objected to the height of the lights and the view of the “steel towers,” which she said will be visible for miles. “They would light the sky.” She continued, “We have an expectation of privacy at night. The question to ask is, is there really a shortage of fields?? She called for an independent review. She said, “Elsewhere they are placed on highways or next to industrial areas. Take a field trip to look at the towering poles. Little league guidelines are important measures. 80-foot poles are unsightly. Let’s keep Scarsdale’ tranquility, We can improve our fields but we do not need lights. We have the right to peaceful enjoyment of our property. No one bought a house next to Citi field or Yankee Stadium.”
Michael Potack of Harvest Drive said, “It is impossible to protect the cars from these balls…It is absurd to put this in a residential district – we want peace. I call this a foul ball.”
Michelle Castiello expressed her objections to lights. She said, “The field shortage is a problem that does not exist. Travel teams will not go away with or without lights. There is plenty of opportunity to play night games away. The towns that have these lights are in industrial areas
They will be a permanent eyesore 365 days a year. We need a study to see what the impact will be. No one who favors the lights thinks it is a good idea to place the lights in front of their homes.”
Erica German Harvest Drive said she has four children in school. She said, “I think it is so unsafe. Very dangerous in the dark. Even homes that are not around the field will be impacted by the lights.”
Dr. Jonathan Winn a cardiologist who lives on Franklin Road said, “I enjoy my backyard immensely. I love the view. I don’t want to see bright lights. I have lived here my whole life and its peaceful and quiet. I can’t see kids playing little league at 10 pm. It’s absurd. I don’t know anyone who lives there who is in favor of these lights.
Andrew Casden of Harvest Drive said, “In 1991 the county wanted to install a driving range with lights. We all opposed it, for the same reasons we are telling you tonight. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. If we install lights at Crossway – lets light up all of Scarsdale, the tennis courts, the pool and Brite Avenue. Let’s allow big neon lights in front of every storefront and break all the rules.”
Kaare Weber from 51 Crossway said, “I am deeply concerned about the proposal to light up Crossway. The prior Little League board was working with the Village to address many of the safety concerns. It was put on the back burner because of COVID. There is a major drainage problem at the field. I don’t believe there is a field shortage. On many days there are empty fields at prime times. People also park illegally on Crossway – which is dangerous. We only heard from the lighting company – not from an independent expert. I respectfully ask the board to reject this proposal.
Gerry Antell from Archer Lane said “I speak on behalf of 200 residents who reject this proposal. We are asked, why don’t we compromise? In 2005 we made a deal and allowed an upgrade of Crossway 3 in exchange for a promise of no night games on all of Crossway. SLL and the BOT and Mayor agreed to this. Many of the same neighbors are still here. Many of us knew about that negotiation. The agreement was followed and enforced. This time the little league has not backed down and the VB is considering a proposal despite the neighbor’s objections. We find ourselves fighting the same battle that we fought in 2005 – again. This is why the neighbors don’t trust the process. The lawyer said there was not good documentation of that compromise. The neighbors don’t want lights – we fought for this in 2005 and we negotiated a deal and now we are forced to fight again. Please listen to the neighbors and reject the lighting proposal.”
A Stratton Road resident said, “The proposal is wrong on many levels. There is a surplus of baseball fields in the village. The proposal contravenes safety standards. It irreversibly impacts the quality of life. We hear the noise in the summer in our backyards. To have this on many nights is highly objectionable. This proposal should be voted down.
Bob Harrison said, “We have to respect the privacy of our residents. They deserve peace and tranquility. I hope the Board will keep the quality of life for people who live in Quaker Ridge. He called for investing the funds in the unassigned fund balance to maximize the return. He said, “we now get between 2.25% and 2.5% on these funds and the marketplace is at 4.65% return on treasury bills.”
Myra Saul from 5 Lincoln Road spoke about the Crossway Lights. She said, “I don’t believe the lights will affect me personally, but I do believe any resident should speak out when they feel anyone will be adversely affected. This proposal strikes me as strange. To my knowledge the only lights are at the high school. Many residents can use these facilities. There have never been lights at Crossway and there should not be any now. All facilities close at dusk. The Little League facility was built with the expectation that games would only be played during the day. The Little League just wants to play at this one facility. It does not seem fair to saddle the neighborhood with this intrusive proposal.”
Brett Prescott of 7 Continental Road said, “I vehemently oppose this proposal. What data do you take into account? How do you eliminate bias? How do proposals from vendors make it this far – and what we can do to limit proposals that profit from the town in the future?”
Penny Kornstein, 15 Rural Drive said, “I have a clear view of where the lights would shine. I have sent emails to the Mayor and Trustees to express my disapproval of the lights. I have repeatedly seen people double parked on Crossway and Mamaroneck Roads, dropping off kids. I often see the fields empty. The idea that our fields are overused is ludicrous.”
Anne Hintermeister asked the Mayor for more details about the pool project moving forward. She wanted to know if three designs would be presented along with financial scenarios for a variety of plans? Has any design work been done?
Responding to residents the Mayor discussed the process for evaluating any proposed gifts from Village organizations. To Bob Harrison she said, “the Village is making careful decisions on investments based on the Village’s cash flow requirements.” And to Hintermeister, she explained the pool process moving forward.
Liaison Reports: Trustee Brew said that the library ran 76 programs reaching 3000 users in October and that civic groups held big events at the library. She encouraged residents to continue to check out the library website for library events.
Trustee Lewis who is the liaison to the Scarsdale Conservation Advisory Council and the Friends of the Scarsdale Parks thanked the CAC for making the village a leader in conservation. He said, “From the food scrap program to the new paint recycling program we are making a difference. In just the first weeks of its operation, the paint recycle program has processed over 4 tons of paint - a pretty incredible number. This old paint has now been recycled into new paint, and the cans have been recycled into new cans.”
He said, “I also toured a series of Scarsdale Parks including Hyatt Field, Harwood Park,and George Field, with Madelaine Eppenstein and Cynthia Roberts of the Friends of the Scarsdale Parks. The dedication of this team of volunteers is extraordinary, not only for their hard work, but for their vision. When you walk trails, see native plants and flowers, or are surprised by the beauty of butterflies attracted to the ecosystems of our parks, know that the Friends of Scarsdale Parks have played a role.”
He continued, “Our village is experiencing a construction boom - we all see it. Personally, I wish we had a stronger historic preservation code, and tougher rules on zoning and development. There are many viewpoints on this subject and its always a challenge to reconcile property rights with conservation and preservation. Yet, while we can debate some of these topics, there should be no debate about the importance of safety at our construction sites.”
“Developers make money by knocking down homes and building bigger ones. Yet, all too often we have seen the developers that profit off our community undermine the quality of life we experience through the noise they generate, the eyesore they create, and the traffic hazards they instigate. While there are developers who work responsibly in our town, there are also others who show a disregard for our quality of life, and community safety.”
“It’s the responsibility of developers who earn their living off our community to show respect for village ordinances and to ensure proper safeguards such as fencing is in place. Please reach out to the village professionals who are responsible for enforcement when you see a construction site that is of concern. They need our support, so let’s help them. I would encourage all residents who are concerned about development in our village to speak up, to write emails, and to let your voice be heard.”
Trustee Ahuja encouraged everyone to attend Light the Dale at Boniface Circle in Scarsdale Village on Friday December 2 with the Mayor, Santa, hot cocoa and food stations. Trustees approved a resolution to permit Westchester Reform Temple to place a menorah in Boniface Circle from December 2-5, 2022.
Trustees approved the subdivision fee for two lots at 29 Church Lane. The fee is 5% or $55,000 for the one new buildable lot. They voted unanimously to approve it.
They approved a public hearing on December 13 on a resolution to comply with fire code during construction.
Speed Limit Reduction
They adopted a code change to reduce the speed limit on Village streets from 30 mph to 25 mph excluding the Hutchinson River Parkway, the Bronx River Parkway, Post Road, Mamaroneck Road, Weaver Street, Palmer Avenue , Griffin Avenue and the Heathcote Bypass from Weaver Street to Secor Road. The move was approved unanimously.
The Board approved the following appointments to Village Boards and Councils.
Talaiya Safdar was appointed to serve on the Committee for Historic Preservation replacing Thomas Schroeter who resigned. She was formerly the alternate.
Marion Herman and Marcia Stern were appointed to the Advisory Council on Scarsdale Senior Citizens.
Vicki Tse was appointed to the conservation Advisory Council to fill the term of Seema Jaggi who resigned.
Mayor Urges You to Vote and Announces Plans to Takeover MTA Building at Scarsdale Train Station
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(These remarks were made by Scarsdale Mayor Jane Veron at the Village Board meeting on Monday November 7, 2022)
Good evening, Scarsdale. Thank you for joining us this eve before Election Day. Our democracy functions best with active civic participation, and we encourage every resident to exercise their right to vote. We must never take for granted the privilege to make our voices heard. Every vote counts.
At all levels of government, hearing from those we represent is of paramount importance, and our process guarantees that opportunity. Our board takes very seriously our responsibility to represent the diversity of Scarsdale’s views, and we encourage all residents to engage. Tonight is a perfect example with two public hearings on two very different matters. The first seeks your thoughts on the proposed Village-wide speed limit reduction from 30 mph to 25 mph, and the second offers you the chance to comment on codifying the practice to eliminate pesticide use on Village property. Thank you to those who have already reached out to us. And you don’t need to be of voting age to share your input. We have received many letters from Scarsdale Middle School 6th graders who wish to see institutionalized the end of pesticide usage. Thank you to the Scarsdale Schools for teaching persuasive writing and speaking - advocacy matters.
We also have several agenda items this evening to reflect activity in our Economic Development, Quality of Life and Infrastructure Pillars. Our efforts on Economic Development have been bearing fruit with a revitalized Village Center, including outdoor dining and our beloved tent activated regularly with programming. We are eagerly awaiting the opening of Rare and Dobbs & Bishop Cheese Shop, and our French bistro owner has expressed enthusiasm to offer the best of France in a chic and modern setting. We have worked to make Scarsdale inviting to restaurants, filling vacancies with what our residents desire. This Saturday night, our Village was hopping with all of our restaurants brimming with indoor and outdoor guests and a 90th anniversary party at Wilson and Son Jewelers. Residents stopped me to tell me that the energy has never been better. We now turn our attention to another possibility. We have had our eye on the vacant MTA building at Depot Place as it represents great opportunity. Tonight, we will entertain a resolution calling for the termination of a lease agreement with MTA and Metro North, a first step in this process. We are also preparing for holiday celebrations, with Light the ‘Dale festivities fast approaching. Mark Friday, December 2 on your calendar!
Quality of Life is all about providing opportunities for the community to come together and rejoice, yet it is also about allowing us to enjoy peaceful living. Earlier this evening, we had another work session to discuss updates to our noise ordinances. We had charged our new attorneys with updating our code with best practice legislation that is practical and enforceable. With more and more people working and entertaining from home, our focus on ensuring peaceful surroundings has been heightened. As neighbors we strive to strike the right balance.
As a reminder, Village Hall will be closed tomorrow Election Day and Friday, Veterans Day. We welcome your attendance at a service at Memorial Garden at 10:30 am organized by our Legionnaires.
Village to Reduce Speed Limit, Curb Stormwater and Permit Videoconferencing
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The Scarsdale Board of Trustees moved forward on a series of resolutions to address environmental and safety issues at their meeting on October 25, 2022. They also held a public hearing on a resolution to allow participation in Village meetings via video conferencing.
Pesticide Ban
For the environment, the village will ban the use of pesticides on all village property and use organics instead. In fact, the Department of Public Works has not used pesticides for the last five years. But this resolution will codify that policy. A public hearing on the code changes was set for November 7, 2022.
Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act
The Board of Trustees voted to support the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act that will appear on voters ballots for the November 8 election. Note, to vote on this resolution, you will need to turn over your ballot as it appears on the reverse side. Voicing her support for the measure, Mayor Veron said, “We are also introducing legislation to support the Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022. It has been over two decades since the last environmental bond act was passed in New York, yet our state, county and local governments must make significantly more investments to address climate change imperatives.” Calling in during public comments, Michelle Sterling also advocated for the Bond Act, saying, “vote for the environmental bond act that will fund needed changes to preserve our air and water quality.”
Public Hearings were called for two measures for stormwater management.
The first addresses grading around the property perimeter. According to the new law, altering or modifying any grades within “any portion of land that falls within the side yard and a 25 foot rear yard zoning setback from the boundary line perimeter of a parcel as determined by a licensed land surveyor,” is restricted.
This new code should prevent grading changes during construction which change drainage patters and cause water to flood adjacent properties.
The second resolution pertains to lot area coverage and impervious surfaces. According to the Village Planner, "This is code cleanup language to clarify the existing practice where impervious surfaces (e.g. driveways) and structures (e.g. tennis courts and swimming pools) can be swapped for other impervious surfaces (e.g. well-draining gravel) provided there is no increase in the size of the non-conformity. The language is currently located in an incorrect subsection of the code and the wording is not very clear. This would create a new subsection of code and clarify what is allowed to be swapped.
Note that the proposed changes to the definition of impervious surface will also mean that when swapping occurs the applicants must demonstrate a higher level of absorption than they do now. Also note many of the types of surfaces that would be considered pervious in the zoning code may still be considered impervious surfaces in stormwater code and therefore will usually still need to be captured by stormwater systems and considered in the stormwater modeling, resulting in improved conditions (this is the purpose of the last sentence in the new subsection)."
These matters will be referred to the Planning Board and public hearings on both measures will be held on December 13, 2022.
25 MPG Speed Limit
In terms of Public Safety, trustees scheduled a public hearing for Monday November 7 on a law to reduce the speed limit in the Village of Scarsdale to 25 MPH. Explaining the rationale behind this change, Mayor Jane Veron said, “We have been advocating for this change at the state level for several years, and we were thrilled that our own Assemblymember Paulin and our Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins affected the change in Albany this year. A five mph speed limit reduction significantly reduces fatalities and severe injury. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s analysis of pedestrian-involved accidents, the risk of fatality was approximately 3.26 times higher with a 30 mph posted speed limit than a 25 mph speed limit. Similarly, the risk of debilitating injury was approximately 1.28 times higher with a 30 mph posted speed limit than a 25 mph speed limit. After extensive analysis that included an examination of crash and speed survey data, characteristics of the land environment, roadway functions, frequency and nature of side roads and driveways, and roadway geometry, our Department of Public Works recommends that the Village-wide speed limit be reduced to 25 mph. The two exceptions are Mamaroneck Road and Griffen Avenue. According to DPW, the Mamaroneck Road function and available sight distance at driveways and intersections warrant the existing speed limit be maintained. Griffen Avenue is partially under the jurisdiction of the Town of Mamaroneck and for consistency purposes, both directions should carry the same speed limit.
The 25 mph speed limit pertains to Village streets, but not the following state and county roads that run through Scarsdale.
-The Hutchinson River Parkway
-The Bronx River Parkway
-Post Road (Route 22)
-Weaver Street
-Palmer Avenue
-Heathcote Bypass
Videoconferencing
A Public Hearing was held on a code revision that will permit videoconferencing for the Board of Trustees and other village committees that are subject to the NYS Open Meetings law. Under the new law, “Members of public bodies may participate in meeting via videoconference from locations not accessible to the public so long as a quorum of the public body participates from location where the public may be physically present.”
For example, “A 5-person board may conduct a public meeting where 2 members attend the meeting from Rutherford Hall and 1 member attends by videoconference from a physical location that is open to the public, and such location has been identified in the meeting notice. In that event, the 2 remaining board members could attend by videoconference from locations that are not open to the public.”
Public Safety
During trustee liaison reports, Trustee Jonathan Lewis reported on his meeting with the school district safety committee. He said, “On October 13, I attended the Scarsdale School District - District Safety Team Meeting. Chaired by Eric Rauschenbach, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education and Student Services, this meeting was very thorough, informative, and highlighted the good work Eric Rauschenbach and Mike Spedaliere, the district’s safety consultant from Altaris, are accomplishing in their respective roles. The agenda was thoughtful and Eric's management of the meeting demonstrated it is possible to discuss sensitive matters of public safety in a community forum and achieve important community goals without compromising security objectives.
One of the important objectives of the public safety pillar is breaking down silos and creating jointness between Police, Fire, and Ambulance services, as well as creating greater jointness and collaboration between the village and the school district on matters of public safety. While much has been accomplished by the village and school district in collaboration on safety this past year, including the joint work on a memorandum of understanding that facilitates greater collaboration, work remains. Ensuring we complete the work of putting in place a 21st century governance structure for school safety that achieves jointness between the village and the school district - two independent governments, with their own budgets, operating under different legal frameworks (municipal vs. education law), is an important next step as we seek to evolve local government beyond traditional 20th century structures and practices, to governance structures designed to meet the specific challenges and threats of the 21st century.
To that end, I will be attending a Regional School Safety Symposium in early November organized by PACS (Police Allied with Communities and Schools). There will be presentations by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Westchester DA’s office related to improving school safety, and well as presentations on how to leverage technology to improve safety. I will report back the community on this subject at a subsequent meeting in November.”
Gas Leaf Blowers
Village Manager Rob Cole reminded residents that use of gas powered leaf blowers is banned from Saturday through Monday, though electric powered leaf blowers are permitted.
Mayor's Comments
Here are Mayor Jane Veron's opening comments:
"Good evening, Scarsdale. I hope you are enjoying the beautiful fall colors. Huge thanks to our recreation department for hosting our traditional autumn and Halloween festivities. These are Village highlights that create lasting memories.
We have items of note tonight in two Pillars of government: Infrastructure, Municipal Services and Sustainability as well as Public Safety.
In the Infrastructure, Municipal Services, and Sustainability pillar
Scarsdale residents have embraced a plethora of sustainability measures, and we are proud that we regularly adopt new practices to protect our environment. As an example, we have been innovators in waste management with our signature food scrap recycling program as well as the recycling of textiles, plastic, cork, books, cooking oil and now a brand new paint recycling program. We are grateful to our Conservation Advisory Council and Department of Public Works; it is their partnership that drives so many of these positive changes. Thanks, too, to the Scarsdale Forum Sustainability Committee for their advocacy.
Tonight, we are calling for a public hearing to make permanent a five year old effort to eliminate pesticide use from Village properties. Since 2017, the Village has used organic maintenance methods rather than pesticides on all Village-owned land. We are seeking to codify that change. We are also introducing legislation to support the Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022. It has been over two decades since the last environmental bond act was passed in New York, yet our state, county and local governments must make significantly more investments to address climate change imperatives. In Scarsdale, we have already begun the process, but so much more needs to be done.
In the Public Safety pillar, we have been working diligently on two items, one that we are advancing this evening and another to be introduced later this year. Tonight’s item is the beginning of the process to reduce the Village-wide speed limit from 30 to 25 mph. We have been advocating for this change at the state level for several years, and we were thrilled that our own Assemblymember Paulin and our Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins affected the change in Albany this year. A five mph speed limit reduction significantly reduces fatalities and severe injury. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s analysis of pedestrian-involved accidents, the risk of fatality was approximately 3.26 times higher with a 30 mph posted speed limit than a 25 mph speed limit. Similarly, the risk of debilitating injury was approximately 1.28 times higher with a 30 mph posted speed limit than a 25 mph speed limit. After extensive analysis that included an examination of crash and speed survey data, characteristics of the land environment, roadway functions, frequency and nature of side roads and driveways, and roadway geometry, our Department of Public Works recommends that the Village-wide speed limit be reduced to 25 mph. The two exceptions are Mamaroneck Road and Griffen Avenue. According to DPW, the Mamaroneck Road function and available sight distance at driveways and intersections warrant the existing speed limit be maintained. Griffen Avenue is partially under the jurisdiction of the Town of Mamaroneck and for consistency purposes, both directions should carry the same speed limit. In addition, Scarsdale does not have the authority to set the speed limit on state and County roads so the Post Road, Weaver Street, Palmer Avenue and the Heathcote Bypass will remain at their current speed limits. We will be holding a public hearing on this matter on November 7. Please note our Village Board meeting was moved to Monday as Village Hall is closed on November 8 for Election Day.
As I mentioned earlier, we are also working diligently to advance a second public safety matter, closing our telecom gaps. We know that many residents struggle to get cell service in many areas throughout Scarsdale, and we are addressing this public safety concern. Representatives from our Technology Advisory Council along with Trustee liaison Ahuja and Assistant to the Village Manager Thomas Morzello as well as Infrastructure, Municipal Services, and Sustainability Pillar Chair Deputy Mayor Whitestone have been doing a tremendous amount of legwork to pull together materials for a work session. This matter is of priority importance, and we expect to schedule a work session before year end.
And my last update - earlier this evening, FHI consultants provided a path forward for moving from our first phase of our Mobility and Placemaking study to our second phase. Our priorities remain the same: safety first, and then we will begin to tackle other recommendations. We plan to employ tactical urbanism, a fancy way of saying piloting changes without making them permanent, to see how our residents react to the suggested changes. The conceptual plans that FHI provided are merely just that - ideas for an end point for us. Whatever is done in Scarsdale will embody the Scarsdale aesthetic. We look forward to your active participation as we roll out tests throughout the upcoming year."
Scarsdale Launches Paint Recycling Program
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The Village of Scarsdale made history on Saturday, October 29th, with the launch of Westchester County’s first town municipal paint recycling program, allowing residents to bring their leftover cans of latex and oil-based paint, stain and varnish to the Recycling Center at 110 Secor Road. From Monday to Saturday, 8am to 3pm paint can be deposited in bins next to the Food Scrap Recycling Drop-off Site.
On Opening Day (October 29th), resident volunteers including Michelle Sterling and Ron Schulhof were on hand, along with State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, County Executive George Latimer, Scarsdale Mayor Jane Veron and Jeff Coleman and Tyler Seifert from Scarsdale’s Public Works Department. A record number of residents came to the recycling center with open paint cans, grateful for a way to unload and recycle the remains.
Please note, residents no longer need to harden their paint. Just bring it to the Paint Recycling Area at the Scarsdale Recycling Center in its original container with the lid or cap on. No more kitty litter needed. The collected paint will be recycled into new paint, and the cans will be recycled into new metal.
Commenting on the launch of the program, Michelle Sterling said, “It was a long road for Ron Schulhof and me but we’re so glad and excited for it finally to be happening. And we want to set an example so other towns make it part of their recycling programs too. The more convenient it is for people to recycle the more they will recycle!
ACCEPTED paint products include:
House paint and primers (latex and oil-based)
Deck coatings, floor paint (including elastomeric) and concrete sealers
Clear finish (e.g., varnish, shellac)
Interior and exterior architectural paint (latex and oil-based)
Field and lawn paints
Metal coatings, rust preventatives
Waterproofing concrete/masonry/wood sealers and repellents (No tar or bitumen-based allowed)
Ron Schulhof, Michelle Sterling, Amy Paulin, Tyler Seifert, Jeff Coleman, George Latimer and Jane Veron around Scarsdale's new paint recycling bins.
At Village Hall: Pool Planning, Traffic Study, Pickleball Courts, Noisy Parties and Trick or Treating
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Plans for the pool, concepts to improve mobility and safety around the Village, noisy parties, trick or treating and picklelball courts were all under discussion at the Village Board meeting on Tuesday October 11, 2022.
In her opening comments, Mayor Jane Veron thanked “the community for your enthusiastic turnout for the pool complex study presentation. We shared a lot of important information and have received great feedback from the community. I also want to thank our Mayor’s Council for providing helpful institutional knowledge and perspective. Our next step will require time spent drilling down on the financial implications of different options.”…. “One thing we know for sure - we will rebuild our beloved community asset. While we don’t yet know what type of facility can be supported by our community, there is a consistent and undeniable desire to make this important investment.”
About the traffic study she said, “On October 25, the FHI consultants will provide their final report on the Mobility and Placemaking study. The final presentation will serve as a roadmap for future possibilities. It is a draft plan, like a concept board, that will guide exploration for the future. It provides conceptual ideas for the Village to consider and test. Traffic and safety will take the lead as we begin to evaluate and test recommendations.”
Gas Powered Leaf Blowers
Village Manager Rob Cole reminded listeners that “Gas powered leaf blowers are only allowed Tuesday through Friday, October 1 – December 31, 2023. Excluding federal holidays.”
Paint Recycling
Trustees announced a new program to recycle old paint cans. On October 29 from 8 am to 3 pm a new paint recycling program will be launched at the Scarsdale Recycling Center on Secor Road. Residents can bring old paint cans to the center for disposal.
Meetings Via Zoom
Residents may soon be able to access and participate in all Village meetings via Zoom. Trustee Ahuja called for a public hearing on a local law to allow all bodies of the Village of Scarsdale to participate in meetings via videoconference. The hearing will be held on October 25, 2022 at 8 pm in Village Hall.
Pickleball Courts
New pickleball courts are being planned for Crossway Field. Trustees approved a resolution to hire Site Design Consultants of Yorktown Heights to design pickleball courts at Crossway Field at a cost of $45,610. Trustee Ahuja discussed a national surge in the popularity of the sport.
Public Comments
David Raizen announced the annual fund drive for Scarsdale Village Ambulance Corp. He explained that the service has four ambulances, 20 professional staff and 100 volunteers. There are also 7 volunteer paramedics within the corps. He said the goal was to raise $300,000 this year. He explained that the COVID testing SVAC offered last year did not make money for the corps and he hopes the public will give generously this year to support this vital service.
Mayor Jane Veron called SVAC “capable, phenomenal and prepared” and said, “taxpayer dollars do not cover the cost of ambulance. The village covers the expense of fuels in the vehicles and heat in the building and that’s it.”
Noise
Jeffrey Singer of 9 Hazelton Drive spoke about noise coming from outdoor parties at Fenway Golf Club. He said, “In late summer 2021 we started to notice noise coming from Fenway on Saturday nights. The bass could shake the windows. The DJ’s yell to the crowd. This went on every Saturday night from 8 – 11 pm until the mid-fall. Now it seems like more parties are outside and the sound travels a great distance. We would call the police who would go there, but the music did not stop. We were not given any feedback. We left messages for Rob Cole but did not hear back. Parties resumed in the early spring of 2022 until the end of the school year. Summer was quiet and the parties resumed in the fall. More neighbors have been calling the police. Nothing is getting done and it is frustrating. Fenway seems to adhere to no regulations. The parties should return indoor where they belong. The pivot to outdoors has caused this. Our neighborhood practically vibrates and the DJ’s voice cuts into our homes. We have the right to enjoy our homes in peace. The lack of follow-up is embarrassing. The lip service needs to stop.”
John Schwartz followed up on Singer’s comments on noise from Fenway. He said “residents should not have to suffer this problem. I commented on the proposed noise resolution. Police went to the club three times on Saturday night requesting that they lower the bass. We can’t use the indoors of our house. It is disruptive and unnecessary. Indoor parties are no problem. 65 decibels is unacceptable and needs to be evaluated. Fenway talks a good game but has no interest in complying.”
The mayor responded and said the new attorney is looking into the Village noise code. Rob Cole said “Chief Matturo has reached out to Fenway. We are looking to amend the noise code to address this.”
Halloween In Fox Meadow
Catherine Souther of 82 Hampton Road said “I am here about the street closures for Halloween. They want to close 3-4 blocks north of the school. Why do we need to close the streets? It creates an artificial explosion of people in our neighborhood. It is not at all okay.
No other neighborhood has been asked to host. We have gone from dozens of trick or treaters to hundreds. It is non-stop. Why do the same 4-5 streets in Fox Meadow host the entire village? I ask you not to authorize it or to authorize it for another area. We love Halloween but we don’t want to host the big party.”
Francis Tussing agreed. She said, “I love it when kids come to the yard – but it’s time for someone else to do it. Share the wealth.”
Mayor Veron responded. She said, “About the trick or treating in Fox Meadow, it was initially a pilot program. We will look into this.”
New York Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act
Henry Neal of 23 Barry Road is the Chair of Westchester County Parks Preservation Board.
He spoke about the New York Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act which is a proposition on the reverse side of the ballot in November. He said, “If passed it will allow the state to issue $4.2 billion in bonds for climate mitigation, flood mitigation and more. The County Board of Legislators supported it by a vote of 17-0.” He proposed that the Scarsdale Board of Trustees should also vote to approve it. He said, “I think it is worth debating and it would be nice if the Village Board would take a position on this.”
Pool Planning
Myra Saul of Lincoln Road presented her views on the pool complex. She said, “The community wants the pool to be repaired and 40% want a year-round facility and I support this. The alternative is private pools or gyms. Swimming is now a year round form of exercise, kids would have parties and it would provide a place for our teams to practice. We need a full accounting of the costs to keep an indoor pool open year-round. Making only repairs to the existing facility does not create long term viability. We need to take advantage of opportunities – and make Scarsdale a leader.”
Bob Harrison continued to ask for the existing facility to be repaired. He said, “I worked hard to get an indoor pool at the high school 20 years ago. We lost an opportunity. There was no leadership from the school board and the superintendent. If we want an indoor pool I think it should be at the middle school or the high school so that students have access to the pool and the community can use it at night or on weekends. The current site is not the place for a project of upwards of $50 million. Do our consultants know what they are doing?”
He warned that the country is heading into a recession.
Myra Saul returned to the mic to say that we should not be so concerned with today’s economic ups and down when considering a 50 year project.
Revenues and Expenses
Introducing the Village’s Statement of Revenues and Expenses Trustee Jonathan Lewis made the following statement:
Before we turn to our discussion regarding the Statement of Revenue and Expenses, I want to call the public’s attention to the important progress that is being made in the village’s governance of its financial affairs:
At the last board meeting, we learned that the “The Government Finance Officers Association presented the village with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting presented to the Village for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended May 31, 2021.” This was an important step forward in improve the quality of our financial reporting and our Village Treasurer deserves great credit for this. Also, we have been focused in improving the efficiency and processes used to oversee the management of public funds and in recent months the village has engaged an external investment manager to advise the village on cash flow optimization. In this way we are putting in place a process for enhancing the return on public monies while being mindful of the asset/liability management issues associated with our historic monthly variances in cashflow. While we are making progress - work remains. At the last meeting, I asked the Village Manager for an update on engaging a firm to conduct an internal audit, as well as potentially an operational review. My own preference is an internal audit.
As the public may recall, the Village Manager made a commitment to this in his April 26th comments - when he stated that the village will be “engaging a financial consulting firm to provide an operations review of our accounts payable, receivables, and payroll functions as a facet of our commitment to continuous improvement, service excellence, and demonstrating the highest level of fiscal stewardship.”
I would encourage the village manager to provide regular updates to the board and the community on the status of this audit and/or operational review. In light of recent history at both the school district and the village, it is reasonable that the public and the board should receive more frequent information about this important project. In the 5 plus months between the Village Manager’s April comments and the last board meeting, the Village received proposals from one firm, our current auditor. To the best of my knowledge since the last board meeting, the VM has reached out to 2 additional firms. It would be informative and beneficial if a firm other than our current auditor performed this work. No one has yet to be engaged.
Regarding the proposals received: in May and June the Village received proposals from PKF, our auditor, for this work. Their proposal neatly summarized at least one aspect of what could accomplished. PKF explained that the purpose of the internal audit was “part of the Board’s commitment to sound governance, fiscal responsibility and focus in improving processes,” and that “Scarsdale would like an assessment of their business processes.” PKF further explains that “Based on our discussion with the Treasurer, the Board is requesting the Firm to perform the following:
▪ Review internal procedures now used in the Accounts Payable, Payroll and Accounts Receivable cycles
▪ Verify the Village’s written policies have been updated to reflect current practices
▪ Identify bottlenecks points within the processes; and Identify opportunities to implement additional progressive practices.”
Before this evening’s meeting, I watched portions of the internal audit presentation to the Scarsdale School District by Nawrocki Smith. It was open, informative, and developmental. I would encourage the Village Manager to move forward on this issue, and for the public to pay close attention to its implementation.
Regarding the statement of Revenue and Expenses and the attached memo:
There are several key points from Treasurer Scaglione’s excellent memo worth highlighting:
a. The Treasurer’s office has remained focused on collections and there is a distinctly positive revenue impact from the office’s continued focus on interest and penalties.
b. At the same time, there remains concern about the health of the economy and a deceleration in sales tax revenue. We will need to be mindful of this as the year progresses.
c. Parking revenue remains a concerns - we know from our discussion of MTA ridership last week that commuting levels and parking at the station remain way down, though above the worst moments of the pandemic.
d. On the positive side there is a notable Improvement in interest earned (please see the pie chart on page 18).
e. A Positive pool fund balance for the first time in years - this reflects both a rebound in usage from Scarsdale residents from pandemic lows as well as the successful implementation of a non resident membership payment model.
f. Its important to note we have benefitted from strong mortgage tax receipts, which may be under pressure as interest rates go up.
g. Keeping the pros and cons in balance, we need to remain mindful of shifts in our cost structure, notably the impact of increased costs of fuel and parts at the garage.
