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Written by Stacie M. Waldman

Published: 05 July 2016

Created: 05 July 2016

Last Updated: 06 July 2016

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When you walk in the door of The Bar Method in Scarsdale Village you begin to see why the studio has become the "it" spot for those looking for a challenging and results-oriented barre class with dynamic instructors.

Owner Sara Giller knows what it takes to keep those looking for a great barre workout engaged and coming back for class after class. She's a "hands on" instructor and encourages the same of her other teachers. During the class I sampled, every time I thought "this isn't so bad," Sara would saunter over with a big smile and witty comment before repositioning me by a centimeter or two- just enough to cause full body to shake and to realize that I have been doing barre incorrectly all these years at my gym. "A new client will see results to their body almost immediately," she said. "Not only will flexibility increase, but muscles they didn't know they had will surface."

Speaking of barre at the gym...there is no comparison between that and barre at The Bar Method. "The Bar Method requires intense teacher training on the part of the instructors. It is a supremely effective workout. We connect with our students and customize their experience based on their personal body limitations and level of fitness," Ms. Giller said. The floor is covered with luxurious carpet so your feet are comfortably padded as you raise up to your tippy toes for your thigh and calf workouts. You don't have to race to the barre to get a spot like at the gym and you're not so close to the person behind you that you smell their coffee breath. The equipment is clean and in top condition and every person in the room is readjusted throughout the workout in order to prevent injury and maximize the strengthening and lengthening of the muscles. The Bar Method is known for creating long, firm thighs, lifted seats, pulled-in abs, and toned arms and I could feel this after a single class (especially the day after).

As I recovered from the exhilarating one-hour class and as my shaking subsided, I noticed some unique things about the studio. The color scheme is purposeful (neutral, light, bright colors) and the windows are long and large allowing for the studio to be naturally sunlit. There's filtered water available and the locker room is welcoming. There are over 40 classes offered 7 days a week and most of the morning classes offer childcare in a cute and playful room next to the studio. Sara Giller assured me, "...the soreness is a sign of total body endurance and strength."

And what does Ms. Giller love most about having opened The Bar Method in Scarsdale? "I love everything about teaching a method that I believe in and I'm actually obsessed with. I watch people's bodies change in ways they didn't expect and for the better every single day. The results are fast and last and the workout never gets easy which is why people come back day after day." She added that, "...students in Scarsdale are competitive and they've done so many different classes elsewhere yet they are challenged here and I can promise they're never bored. I'm creative with my class design to keep them and their muscles guessing during their one-hour workout each time they're in the studio."

There are some new client specials right now so it's the perfect time to try The Bar Method. Parking is validated. Just take your time walking downstairs after the class. Your legs won't let you forget you just finished a barre class!

The Bar Method
7 Popham Road, 3rd Floor
Scarsdale
914-207-7798
www.barmethod.com

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Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 14 July 2016

Created: 14 July 2016

Last Updated: 14 July 2016

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The vote over an amendment to village code which would have ended the curbside pick up of grass clippings was upstaged by a lengthy discussion of the 2016 revaluation. Nevertheless, the Board of Trustees did discuss and vote to turn down the grass clippings amendment to the "Garbage Rubbish and Refuse" code for Scarsdale Village. The code also included provisions to pick up milk cartons, and beverage containers that are polycoated and to treat them as recyclables. That portion was passed with the balance of the resolution.

The vote came at a difficult time for the trustees who are under fire for the second revaluation. Though the amendment was touted as environmentally responsible, some residents perceived the change as a cut in services which would put an additional burden on them to cart away their own grass clippings. Proponents argued that the grass clippings could be left on the lawn and would provide nitrogen, improve the health of the turf and enhance water retention. Opponents feared that the clippings would clump and look unsightly.

Commenting on the proposal, Jane Curley of Hamilton Road said, "I would like my grass clipping and leaves picked up. I suspect that people who are agitating for this don't do their own yard work. I don't have a landscaper. I suspect that they employ sketchy people and treat them unfairly. I don't think the town should incentivize this."

Joseph Tannelli, past president of the New York State Turf and Landscape Association said, "Not picking up grass clippings puts an unreasonable burden on homeowners. Grass clipping clump up. I urge you to reconsider and come up with a compromise. We are receptive to work together with you to reach a satisfying solution."

Trustee Bill Stern spoke in favor of grass cycling and said that fear of tramping grass into homes was not a good reason to turn this down. He said, "Landscapers want to provide the ultimate service to their customers without regard to the environment.
The facts are that when the contracts for the village landscapers were up they got new bids – and they were much lower because we (the Village) does not have to pick up the grass."

Stern said that the Cornell Cooperative Extension recommends grass cycling, calling grass clippings a resource. He said, "They provide nitrogen; you end up buying it back as fertilizer... Clippings left on the lawn do not add to the build up of thatch and they reduces your water bill."

Trustee Deb Pekarek said she agrees with the practice of grass cycling and does it on her own lawn. She agreed that grass clipping add moisture and that it grass cycling is done by village contractors who save money by not bagging grass. She estimated that the amendment would save the village $12,900 annually. However she said, "While I believe in the environmental benefits I see landscapers making this change independently. I would like to see the board design an educational outreach program before we legislate change. I recognize that education is a slow way to implement change but I don't want to ask neighbors to bear additional costs, especially at this time."

Trustee Jane Veron said she is "pro environment," and "learned a great deal from the research." She said, "At this time I am not ready to vote for the law as is."
She called for more information. She said, "I want to hear from landscapers about how they would handle that change. Would they need new equipment? Would they have to mow more frequently? I also want to hear from a segment who manages their own lawn care – and would find this a hardship."

Trustee Matt Callaghan concurred with Veron, saying he would vote for the law, without the portion that eliminates grass clipping pick up.

Trustee Finger said, "I have dealt with this issue for a longer time. Education only gets you to a point. I favor the resolution as drafted. I won't oppose an amendment but will vote for the resolution as drafted."

With that, Mayor Mark said that with three nay votes, and the absence of Trustee Samwick from the meeting, they would not adopt the grass clipping portion of the amended code.

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Written by Michele Braun

Published: 22 June 2016

Created: 22 June 2016

Last Updated: 22 June 2016

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This is a letter to Scarsdale10583 from Scarsdale resident Michele Braun:
I attended the Scarsdale Village Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, June 14, and was appalled by the lack of consideration given to the substantive input provided by members of the Scarsdale community on the 2016 property tax revaluation performed by J.F. Ryan Associates, Inc. Mayor Jonathan Mark invited comments from the public and asked speakers to address policy and community-wide issues and not to grieve individual properties.

Many members of the community did exactly as requested: Scarsdale residents shared extensive, rigorous analyses of the revaluation model. They identified qualitative, quantitative, and governance problems with the revaluation, including, for instance that the model provided is not a good fit for the data, its results do not conform with evidence from the marketplace, it has not been validated despite the availability of widely accepted techniques, and adjusting "multipliers" were incorporated without revealing their source or rationale.

Residents asked Village leaders to correct the many problems in J. F. Ryan's work before implementing the reassessment. I heard this request from speakers disquieted by the quality of the revaluation and the governance process, whether or not they planned to challenge the revaluation of their properties.

Unfortunately, I also heard Mayor Mark dismiss Scarsdalians' requests to pause and address substantive concerns by repeating that they could file individual grievances. This response hardly met the community-wide value standard he himself had established in opening remarks. Similarly, I heard the Village Attorney, Wayne D. Esannason, opine that while this revaluation might have made some people unhappy, any changes would make other people unhappy. I can only conclude that he does not understand good analysis or logical reasoning. Neither Mayor Mark nor Mr. Esannanson addressed important community-wide or policy concerns about the J.F. Ryan revaluation or to raise the level of government and governance in Scarsdale.

I cannot assess whether J.F. Ryan met the provisions of his contract. His work, however, does not meet the "fairness of taxation" goal stated on page 6 of his June 1 report. The Scarsdale Trustees and mayor now need to meet the provisions of their social contract with the electorate: To assess the revaluation and the substantive comments from the public and decisively act to rescind the reassessment based on a flawed process and reinstate the assessments in place before this failed reevaluation.