Investigators Ask Metro North to Value Safety Over Speed
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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After the devastating Metro North train crash at Spuyten Duyvil in December, many in Scarsdale started to wonder if our commuter line was safe. Before that accident, you rarely heard anyone express fear before stepping on the train. In fact, most preferred the train to driving to Manhattan because they thought the rails were safer than the parkways and they valued the convenience and cost savings of commuting by rail.
But four accidents on the line in 2013 resulting from lax standards spurred the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to investigate management and procedures at Metro North. The result of their study, issued on March 14, is deeply disturbing and cites three key problem areas:
- An over emphasis on on-time performance
- An ineffective Safety Department and poor safety culture
- An ineffective training program
The FRA concluded that Metro North has compromised safety in order to meet train schedules and neglected maintenance and infrastructure. In order to remedy the issues, the FRA has directed Metro North to come up with plans and procedures for track inspection and maintenance, railroad operating rules, qualification and training of engineers and conductors, signal inspection and maintenance, worker protection, operation control and worker fatigue.
Representative Eliot Engel, who now represents most of Scarsdale in Congress has written a letter to Metro North President Jospeh Giuletti demanding that "the commuter rail official take immediate steps to correct safety issues raised in a federal report." According to Engel, "The report raised several, serious red flags. Thousands of commuters depend on Metro-North in order to travel from home to work and back each day. It's shocking that they would cut corners in terms of passenger safety....There's no excuse for compromising passenger safety. None. I am asking President Giulietti to show better leadership by implementing the safety guidelines outlined in the federal report. Failure to take immediate action cannot, and will not, be tolerated."
Joseph Giulietti, the newly appointment President of Metro North Railroad, took over for Howard Permut who served as President since 2008 and retired after the rough ride in 2013. Giulietti thanked the FRA for the report and said that it validated many of his concerns. He vowed to take their recommendations seriously and "change the culture" at Metro North. The New York Times reports that new train schedules to be released this spring will "reflect longer commuter times." So be prepared – safety will come at the expense of speed.
Here is President Guiletti's response to the FRA report. (or click here to listen to it)
"I want to thank the professionals at the FRA. The report that you've seen is deeply troubling and it raises real concerns. The issues that were uncovered at the time confirm my initial assessment of Metro-North's culture and priority. Their professionals actually had more time than I had, so it was invaluable to me and necessary for me.
"And part of my 100-day plan was that I needed to hear from the professionals that were involved, and that report has affirmed what we already felt were the issues going forward.
"Safety was not the top priority. It must be. And it will be. I have a clear message for our customers and our employees: Safety must come first at Metro-North. I will not allow any Metro-North trains to run unless I'm confident that they will run safely.
"We at Metro-North are heartbroken at the loss of life that has occurred on this railroad – most recently one of our employees in the past week.
"I take seriously each and every one of the report's observations, recommendations and mandates. We are committed to work with the FRA and the NTSB to ensure that we heighten the safety awareness of everyone who works here. And we will incorporate as well the findings from the MTA's Blue Ribbon Panel and the TTCI experts who have done analysis on our corridors.
"Again, there is a problem with the culture. As I've learned in the last month, it's not just a problem with one or two departments. Culture develops over years. And it will take time to change culture as well.
"You have seen my draft 100-day plan. As I said, we will revise that plan and it will address the specific issues that the FRA has identified.
"We will improve how we train our employees and how we monitor their performance. We are reorganizing our Safety Department. We have agreed to and are creating a confidential close-call reporting system so that employees can report safety issues without fear of reprisal.
"We are improving how we inspect our tracks and equipment, and how we perform maintenance on the right of way. We are buying new equipment. We are hiring more staff. We are changing our management structure and we're reaching out to our partners in labor – all to make this railroad as safe as possible.
"We are asking our board for permission to move forward on installing cameras in all our trains, as the NTSB has recommended. And we will install Positive Train Control – the most modern type of train protection – as quickly as possible.
"Governor Cuomo and Chairman Tom Prendergast gave me a straightforward mission – to make changes at Metro-North to have a safe and reliable railroad. And that's exactly what I will do. Tom Prendergast has had over 10 years working in the safety arena. I value his insight. I value his expertise and I value the support.
"Connecticut Governor Malloy and the Congressional delegation in New York and Connecticut all have high expectations but all have offered their unwavering support to make the changes that are necessary.
"FRA Administrator Szabo, the regional administrators who serve this area, the NTSB and our own MTA Blue Ribbon Panel are all providing valuable help as well.
"But this is not just Metro-North management. It will take each and every employee to work towards improving our safety culture.
"We have a lot of work ahead of us. But every problem I've seen here can be fixed – and will be fixed.
"The FRA report stated they are 'encouraged by the many good employees who met with our Deep Dive teams ... their dedication and desire to turn Metro-North into a safe, professional railroad serving the citizens of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.'
"This also confirms my initial assessment of this railroad. And we will continue hard until we achieve that goal.
"And I know I have the support of the management and the labor here in going for that, as they've all come forward in their efforts to say that they want to support this and move forward."
(Remarks received from Adam Lisberg, Director of External Communications, Metropolitan Transportation Authority)
Tough Times for Village Government
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These are hard times for small local governments. Feeling the squeeze from the tax cap, shrinking revenues and increases in mandated costs the pressure is on to cut services or consolidate with other municipalities. Grant support from the county and the state for infrastructure improvements has dried up as well. Though Scarsdale is efficiently run, each year it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain basic services without excessive tax increases.
The stress on the system is visible at Village Hall with broken seats and worn woodwork in Rutheford Hall, which serves as the Village Court and primary meeting room. Other Village facilities also need attention: Freightway Garage needs to be waterproofed, painted and equipped with a new elevator and at Crossway Firehouse the kitchen dates back to 1939. The harsh winter has caused extensive damage to our roadways, and with just $456,000 to spend on repairs, we will be driving around potholes for months to come.
This year, the proposed Village Budget is $52,690,745, which translates to a 3.33% tax increase, exceeding the 2.49% tax cap. However, unlike the school budget, the Village budget is not voted on by the general public, so the Village Board has the power to approve it.
The 2014-15 budget will fund some Village improvements and equipment. Here are a few of the items on the list:
A clean-up of the Hutchinson River in conjunction with neighboring towns
A new playground and drainage system at Hyatt Field
Digitization of historical files at Village Hall
Two new police cars
A new dump truck and sanding equipment
1 new sanitation truck and 2 refuse scooters
Funding from Cablevision and Verizon for cable equipment
Repairs to the fire training building
Street tree planting program
Replacement of water pumps at the pool and a pool facility study
What to do?
The Fiscal Affairs Committee of the Scarsdale Forum has studied the proposed $52.6mm Village budget and made suggestions on how the Village can cut costs and continue to operate independently.
They noted that pension and health care costs continue to rise and have recommended that the Village bargain with unionized workers for more favorable terms for the Village.
As the police and fire departments already have shared services agreements with neighboring towns, the Forum suggest that the Departments of Tax Collection and the Assessor explore similar agreements to cut costs.
They offer suggestions on cutting costs for leaf pick-up by requiring homeowners to bag their leaves and leave them at the curb for pick-up. The Forum had previously suggested that trash pick-up could be cut back to once per week and residents could be required to bring trash bins to the curb, both which proved to be unpopular with residents. Instead, the report suggests that the Village purchase robotic trash removal vehicles that would decrease personnel costs and increase efficiency.
Village revenues from country clubs could be increased if the Village charged a commercial tax rate for these businesses that rely on Village services such as trash pick-up.
These are just some of the recommendations made in the committee report: You can read it in its entirety here:
Tickets Now On Sale for the Jewish Film Festival
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Tickets are now on sale for the Westchester Jewish Film Festival at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville. The festival runs from March 19 through April 10 and features a diverse array of 39 programs celebrating the grand sweep of the Jewish experience. This year's expanded lineup of dramas and documentaries includes magic, Israeli history, family secrets, and the most joyous person you'll ever meet (who happens to be the oldest living Holocaust survivor). This promises to be an extraordinary three weeks.
Among the special events this year are a day-long Celebration of Pioneering Women on Sunday, March 30, with the centerpiece program The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life (which just won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short) followed by a live piano concert of Chopin's études. This day also features three films from Israel and ends with the Emmy-winning comedian Judy Gold leading a Q&A with the audience following a screening of When Jews Were Funny. Other festival highlights include Quality Balls:The David Steinberg Story with David Steinberg, A Tribute to Arik Einstein, an evening of music, film clips and conversation, and a screening of Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Dori Berinstein, Hamlisch's widow Terre Blair Hamlisch, actor/musician Brian d'Arcy James, and Broadway composer Matthew Sklar. .
Tickets sell out quickly, so click here to review the schedule and order your tickets in advance. Tickets are also available at the box office which opens at noon on weekdays and 11:00 a.m. on weekends.
Here are just a few of the films that will be shown during the exciting month:
The Zigzag Kid: Based on the novel by David Grossman, this is a funny, action-packed film about the fantastical adventures of a spirited 13-year-old boy who longs to be a detective like his father, but can't stay out of trouble. Two days before his bar mitzvah, he wanders into a mysterious world of disguises and fantasies—and with the help of a notorious thief and a famous singer (the incomparable Isabella Rossellini) uncovers a secret that will forever change his life.
The Wonders: A smash hit from celebrated Israeli director Avi Nesher (The Matchmaker). An art-school dropout is embroiled in a criminal-religious conspiracy when he discovers a kidnapped mys- tery man and modern-day prophet imprisoned in his apartment building. And it gets weirder—and funnier—from there. Some critics have likened The Wonders to a Coen Brothers film. Nesher himself says it's Lewis Carroll meets Carol Reed (The Third Man).
50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr. & Mrs. Kraus: In 1939, while the American government blocked Jewish immigration and the Nazi hold on Eastern Europe tightened, Jewish lawyer Gilbert Kraus and his wife, Eleanor, traveled to Nazi Germany from Philadelphia and singlehandedly brought 50 children to safety in the United States. This "heart-wrenching, thrilling, and above all relevant" (New York Times) story, narrated by Alan Alda, is brought to life by private journals and a trove of previously unseen home movies.
The Strange Case of Wilhelm Reich: Controversial Austrian Jewish psychoanalyst and scientist Wilhelm Reich, the inventor of the infamous Orgone Box, fled to the United States in 1939, where he devoted himself to research while raising suspicions during the paranoid 1950s. This stunning biopic stars the incomparable Klaus Maria Brandauer (Mephisto, Out of Africa) as Reich, who ultimately faced criminal charges and a prison sentence.
See the entire schedule here.
Car Flips in Hartsdale
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A black sedan flipped on Hartsdale Avenue in Hartsdale around 2:30 pm on Friday afternoon March 7. Witnesses were not sure why the car flipped onto its side – as the weather was clear and there was no ice on the road. A Scarsdale resident said she was exiting the nail salon when she saw an older woman being taken out of the car and placed on a stretcher. The driver waved to the crowd that had assembled around the scene as she was driven off in an ambulance. Several fire trucks came to Hartsdale where they loaded the car onto blocks before righting it onto all four wheels.
As we receive additional information about the incident, we will update you. If anyone has further information, please email it to scarsdalecomments@gmail.com or enter it in the comments section below.
Village Asks for Sealed Bids for Foreclosed Home in Scarsdale
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For the first time in 13 years, the Village of Scarsdale has foreclosed on a home and is soliciting sealed bids for the property. The house is a Tudor style home, built in 1926, with four bedrooms and three full and two half baths. Located on .16 acre at 3 Edgewood Road in Scarsdale it is reported to be in fair condition and the annual real estate tax on the property is $17,461.
Interested parties can attend a pre-bid conference on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 at 3:00 PM at Scarsdale Village Hall, in the 3rd Floor Meeting Room. Following the meeting, there will be a walkthrough of the property.
The Village invites sealed bids for the purchase of the home. Copies of the Bid Solicitation, which include the bid submission form, requirements and relevant information are available at Scarsdale Village Hall, 1001 Post Road, Scarsdale, N.Y. at the Village Clerk's Office and also available on the Village's website.
Final bids must be submitted by Tuesday, March 18, 2014 by 2:00 PM at the Village Treasurer's Office, 1st Floor, Village Hall, 1001 Post Road, Scarsdale, N.Y. in a sealed envelope addressed to Mary Louise McClure, Village Treasurer and clearly marked Bid Submission, Village Owned Property, 3 Edgewood Road.
Bids will be publicly opened and read at 2:00 PM in the Trustees' Room, 2nd Floor, Village Hall on March 18, 2014. For additional information call Rita Azrelyant, Assistant to the Village Manager, at (914) 722-1109.
