Call for Candiates for Village Boards and School Board
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The Personnel Committee of the Village Board is asking residents interested in volunteering to serve on Village Boards, Councils and Committees to submit their names for consideration. New terms will begin April 4, 2016. Candidates interested in serving on any Board, Council or Committee should apply.
Trustee Carl Finger, Chair of the Personnel Committee, said interested residents are encouraged to submit their own names, together with a listing of community service and relevant professional background. It is also helpful for Scarsdale residents to provide written suggestions of individuals who should be considered for appointment. Please submit contact information including email addresses. The information may be submitted in one of two ways:
Via the Village Website – At www.scarsdale.com, click "read more" under:
* Volunteers Needed for Boards and Councils (located under Village News on the home page). On the next screen, complete the on-line application form under "Boards and Councils Applications" and follow the on-screen instructions.
• Via Village Hall – Alternatively, the information may be forwarded to Trustee Carl Finger at Scarsdale Village Hall, 1001 Post Road, Scarsdale NY 10583
All materials should be received at the Village website or Village Hall by March 1, 2016. Residents should feel free to contact the Personnel Committee Chair, Carl Finger e-mail at carlfingerscarsdaletrustee@gmail.com. You may also contact the Village Clerk, Donna Conkling at 914-722-1175 or via e-mail at dconkling@scarsdale.com for further information.
Pursuant to the general policy adopted by the Village Board, guidelines for membership on Scarsdale's appointed Boards, Councils and Committees cover four areas:
1. Residency
Boards, Committees and Advisory Councils are comprised of residents of the Village. While comments from outside the community can be sought as needed, actions recommended or taken by Boards, Committees and Advisory Councils should ultimately reflect the views of Village residents.
2. Professional or Business Affiliation
Various professional skills and training are required by Village law or deemed desirable by the Village Board of Trustees for the successful fulfillment of some Board, Council or Committee charters.
3. Civic Interest and Involvement
The majority of the members of Village Boards and Councils are appointed by reason of demonstrated interest in Village affairs, through volunteer involvement. Scarsdale is the beneficiary of a long history of voluntary civic endeavors. Since the overriding purpose of Boards, Committees and Councils is to assure the continuation of high community standards, it is appropriate that members on Boards, Committees and Councils be those residents who have demonstrated willingness and initiative to work in support of this objective.
4. Specialized Knowledge
Certain Boards, Committees and Councils benefit by having one or more members with specialized knowledge. For example, the Cable Television Commission benefits by having people with knowledge of the communications industry; the Advisory Council on People With Disabilities would benefit from the experience of residents with disabilities; the Advisory Council on Youth would benefit from people who have worked with young people; the Advisory Council on Parks and Recreation would benefit from having a parent active in the Recreation Department's Elementary School Sports Program.
Applications:
Applications should be made in writing and should include information on the candidates' civic involvement, work experience or other qualifications in sufficient detail to help the Village Board evaluate the prospective candidate. Applications should be submitted via the Village website or sent to Trustee Carl Finger at Village Hall, 1001 Post Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583 by March 1, 2016.
The following are the terms of office, and responsibilities for members appointed to the Boards, Councils and Committees:
BOARD OF APPEALS - (5 years - one term). Rules on appeals from zoning requirements, including setbacks; on permits for construction of swimming pools and tennis courts, and on non-conforming uses.
BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW - (3 years - two terms). Its basic purpose is to preserve the character and appearance of the Village. Review of all applications involving construction of buildings, or additions to, or reconstruction of existing buildings affecting the exterior appearance.
PLANNING BOARD - (5 years - one term). Advises Village Board on master planning; rules on applications for sub-division of lots, street designations, construction in wetland areas and non-residential buildings.
BOARD OF ETHICS - (5 years - one term). Possible conflicts of interest or other
issues of ethics affecting Village personnel are referred to this Board by the Board of Trustees.
CABLE TELEVISION COMMISSION - (5 years - open-ended terms). Administers and monitors the Cable Franchise Agreements with the Village and encourages use of the cable access channels.
CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL - (2 years - open-ended terms). Advises the Village Board on such matters as programs, areas, facilities, public relations and other matters pertaining to conservation of the environment.
COMMITTEE FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION - (3 years - two terms). Determines if a structure located in the Village for which a permit for demolition has been requested is a structure of historical importance.
LIBRARY BOARD - (5 years - one term). Responsible for the administrative and operating policies of the Scarsdale Public Library. Operates independently of the Village Board and selects its own President.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES - (2 years - open-ended terms). Advises and assists the Village Board in matters of concern to residents with disabilities. Assists with programs and activities, increases public awareness of the needs of the disabled, acts as liaison with other Advisory Councils, and promotes participation in community affairs by disabled persons.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HUMAN RELATIONS - (2 years - open-ended terms). Considers and recommends actions at the request of the Village Board to foster mutual respect and understanding among all members of the community.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON PARKS AND RECREATION - (2 years - open-ended terms). Promotes the recreation program in the Village and advises the Village Board on the use of Village parks for recreation and passive uses, recommends the use or non-use of all open space, and acts as a liaison between the Village Board and the community on all matters relating to recreation and parks.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON SCARSDALE SENIOR CITIZENS - (2 years - open-ended terms). Advises and assists the Board of Trustees in all matters concerning the senior citizens of the Village of Scarsdale.
TOWN BOARD OF ASSESSMENT REVIEW - (5 years – open-ended terms). This Board reviews property tax grievances filed with respect to property tax assessments.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON TECHNOLOGY - (2 years - open-ended terms). This Council has a broad mandate in advising the Village Board and staff on technological matters. It provides advice, explores strategic options, and develops recommendations on how the Village Board can best utilize technology, including the Internet to improve efficiencies.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON YOUTH - (2 years - open-ended terms). Advises and assists the
Board of Trustees in responding to the needs of Scarsdale's young people and works to
generate a favorable climate for growth and development of youth in the community.
JUDICIAL QUALIFICATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE - (5 years - two terms). The Committee's function is to assist the Citizens' Nominating Committee and the Mayor, respectively with the selection of individuals who are qualified for the offices of Village Justice and Acting Village Justice.
REPRESENTATIVE TO SCARSDALE ARTS COUNCIL - (2 years - open-ended terms). At-large representative (total of 4 appointed by the Village Board) to the Scarsdale Arts Council Board. The Council's mission is to encourage the arts to flourish in Scarsdale by, among other methods, improving communication among arts programs and by attracting grant support and to raise public awareness and participation in the arts.
SBNC seeks candidates to run for Board of Education
Following the recent School Board Nominating Committee election, returning and new SBNC members have begun to identify potential candidates to serve on next school year's Scarsdale Board of Education. Over the next few weeks, members of the SBNC will recruit and vet candidates to fill three seats held by Leila Maude (current BOE President), William Natbony (current BOE Vice President) and Suzanne Seiden. Seiden is completing her second and final term at the end of this school year.
At the end of the SBNC season, the voting members will nominate three individuals to the nonpartisan slate in the school board election held in May at the same time and place as the school budget vote.
All Scarsdale School District residents are welcome and encouraged to submit and propose names of qualified individuals to serve as trustees of the Scarsdale School District. A candidate must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, a qualified voter, and a resident of the Scarsdale School District for at least one year prior to the May 17, 2016 school board election date.
Candidates should complete a biographical information form and submit it via email to the SBNC Chair, John Spiro, at sbncchair@gmail.com as soon as possible, but no later than 5:00 PM on Tuesday, 23 February 2016. Forms are available at www.scarsdalesbnc.com.
For more information on the SBNC, including the governing Resolution, information on the non-partisan system, and a list of the current SBNC members, please visit the SBNC website or contact the SBNC Chair.
Village Employees Worked Round the Clock To Clear the Snow
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Though Mayor Jon Mark called the weekend snowstorm "the perfect storm.," with light powder and relatively light winds, Village Manager Steve Pappalardo reported on the enormous effort it took to clear away 20 inches of snow that fell on the Village. Pappalardo said he was surprised by the downfall. He had anticipated 4- 8 inches, but it turned out to be far more. In total 38 Village employees, manning 21 plow trucks cleared over 90 miles of village roads and 25 miles of sidewalks along with many village parking lots. When residents awoke on Sunday morning, they found the Village center completely cleared of snow.
There was so much snow that it had to be trucked away to the leaf transfer station and Crossway. The village used 400 tons of salt and 2,900 gallons of liquid calcium chloride to melt the snow. Total overtime costs were $100,000. Both the Mayor and Village Manager thanked Benny Salanitro and the Department of Public Works for their efforts. Many worked round the clock on Saturday and Sunday night to clear and plow streets and sidewalks.
Edgemont Freshman Sings at Carnegie Hall
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Edgemont High School freshman Ananya Gurumurthy was selected to perform at the American Protégé International Music Competition at Carnegie Hall on December 26, 2015. She performed "Juliet's Waltz" from the opera Romeo and Juliet by Charles Gounod.
Ananya has trained with vocal coach Anna Veleva for classical training and voice development for the past 3 years. She is passionate about music and sings many different styles, including classical, jazz and blues. She was selected by her school to participate in the Jazz Chamber Choir and will perform February 2016 with the school choir at the Berklee Jazz Festival in Boston. She has completed five levels of certification in the New York State School of Music (NYSSMA) festival for voice and piano. She performed "Alleluia" by Mozart in Weill Recital Hall, in the American Protégé International Vocal Competition on July 5th, 2015.
Musical accomplishments aside, Ananya was recognized by Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth ("CTY") on October 18th, 2015 as one of the brightest middle school students from around the world, after participating in CTY's International talent search testing. She is co-founder of her school's robotics team and likes to spend her free time relaxing with her younger brother, friends and family.
Richard Altieri Named as a Schwarzman Scholar
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Scarsdale's Richard Altieri has been chosen to receive a scholarship to study at the new Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Schwarzman Scholars is designed to prepare its graduates to build stronger relationships between China and a rapidly changing world and to address the most pressing challenges of the 21st Century. The first class of 111 scholars was chosen from over 3,000 applicants.
The program was created and by Stephen A. Schwarzman, chairman and co-founder of the Blackstone Group. Schwarzman contributed $100 million to the school and raised another $275 million. The plan is to establish a $450 million endowment to fund 200 students each year. Its mission is to prepare the next generation of global leaders to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21st Century. Whether in politics, business or science, Schwarzman believes that the success of future leaders around the world will depend upon an understanding of China's role in global trends.
The inaugural class in 2016 will develop their leadership skills and professional networks through a one-year Master's Degree at Tsinghua University in Beijing. They will spend a year immersed in an international community of innovators and senior leaders in business, politics and society. In an environment of intellectual engagement, professional development and cultural exchange, they will learn from one another and pursue their academic disciplines while building their leadership capacities. Students will pursue degrees in Public Policy, Economics and Business or International Studies. This experience will expand students' understanding of the world and create a growing network of global leaders for the future.
Designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, the 200,000 
square foot campus will house one of the most advanced higher-education facilities in the world and will be the first LEED Gold–certified academic building in China. Students will live and study together on the campus of Schwarzman College, where all classes will be taught in English.
Richard Altieri recently graduated from Amherst College and is currently pursuing a Watson Fellowship in cross-cultural humor. His fellowship involves performing and studying stand-up comedy in English, Spanish, and Chinese. In college, by teaching English abroad in China and researching policy, Richard developed a passion for education. Looking forward, Richard intends to explore how education policy can facilitate deeper cultural understanding between the United States, Latin America, and China. In the long term, he aspires to start a consultancy that develops education policy at the broadest levels, promoting artistic, social, and historical understanding between nations. Richard is 23 years old and grew up in Scarsdale. He attended Regis High School and is fluent in Chinese and Spanish.
How You Can Help Westhab to Help Local Kids in Need
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This article was submitted to Scarsdale10583 by Ananya Gurumurthy, a freshman at Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School.
Westchester County, known to be one of the wealthiest counties in the country, still has persistent pockets of poverty. According to the Empire State Security Campaign of Westchester, the poverty rate is higher than both the national average and that of any other northern state*. Westchester's high countywide wealth averages have created the false perception of affluence, while the reality differs immensely. Sadly, economically stagnant communities are home to thousands of children who are often ensnared in the vicious cycle of poverty.
These children face multiple challenges throughout their lives. However, there are organizations like Westhab, whose mission is to ease the burdens on these children. Westhab has been attempting to provide these children and their families with the asylum and services they need. Additionally, Westhab has helped almost 1,200 at-risk youth by creating the Youth Services Program since it was founded in 1988. The Youth Services program offers homework help, clubs, and occasional field trips to all children. As a volunteer for the Westhab Youth Services in the Coachman Family Center in White Plains, I have seen firsthand how dedicated staff and counselors make a huge difference in young peoples' lives.
After speaking to Giselle Ayala, director of Youth Services at Westhab, I learned that there are a few simple ways to contribute. According to Giselle, "People can call Westhab directly at 914-345-2800 ext. 122 and ask whether they would like to help out with the Youth Services. After that, John Parssinen [director of volunteering] will direct them to the appropriate Westhab location. If someone would like to donate directly, they can contact Roxanne Telyczka at 914-345-2800 ext. 111."
Welcoming 2016 creates a great opportunity to get involved with our communities and make a change in the lives of others. It is a great way to kick-start the New Year, as it provides a great beginning to those being helped and it brings great joy to those who help out. In the New Year, volunteering at Westhab could prove to be a great resolution to make and to keep!
