Trustees Discuss Funds for Fields and Potential Change in Management of Local Election
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Are female student athletes being treated equally to male athletes in Scarsdale? The answer is a resounding “NO” from girls who have been playing softball on subpar fields for years while the boys played on well- maintained fields that include extras like dugouts and a scoreboard.
The situation has gotten worse, not better over the years, as more and more clay and drying agent were dumped on the softball fields in an effort to keep them playable.
According to a memo from the Recreation Department, “Through years of continuously adding clay and drying agent to maximize field usage, our infield elevations are substantially higher than the grass outfields. Additionally, a lip has formed along the arch between the clay infield and grass outfield, creating a fishbowl effect not suitable for sheeting of water into the outfields during rain events. Furthermore, the subsurface has been compacted to a point that
impedes drainage.”
The schools made a hasty attempt to improve the situation by doing some work on a school-owned baseball field at Greenacres and dedicating it in early June. However, the softball players quickly realized that this field was flawed and inadequate.
Improving the Village-owned fields was the subject of a work session of the Village Board on June 27, 2023, when trustees considered a proposal to renovate four fields at an estimated cost of $50,000 per field. The department proposed “surveying the infields, removal of existing sod
and clay from the infields as well as an 8-foot perimeter of sod around the clay arch, tilling sub soils to aid in drainage, addition of new clay and sod, building new pitcher’s mounds, and regrading the infield to promote drainage into grass outfields.”
Superintendent Brian Gray recommended work be done on:
Crossway Filed 2 – a baseball field closest to the Crossway Firehouse
Supply Field 2 – a softball field next to the parking lot used by the Varsity Girls Softball team.
Crossway 1 – a baseball field closest to the parking lot
Hyatt Field 2 – a softball field at Hyatt Park
There are plans afoot for a comprehensive field study to be done with the cooperation of the schools and the village next year, so trustees discussed whether this interim measure should be taken.
Trustee Jeremy Gans explained, “Since the renovations will not completely strip the field, this will improve them in a material way for the short to medium term. It will get rid of the pitch and some of the compactness. It isn’t a long-term solution.”
Mayor Justin Arest said, “The field study is good but it won’t fix our fields There is a conflict between making them usable now and their long term life. Would it be helpful to add two more fields to this plan and spread out the play?”
Deputy Mayor Whitestone concurred. He said, “I believe we should address the worst fields in the near term. The perfect should not be the enemy of the good.”
Ultimately the trustees agreed to ask Gray to get bids to remediate these four fields in addition to two more fields, Crossway 3 and Supply 2.
Trustees discussed the timing and said that the goal would be to complete the work by April 2024. Hopefully the fields will not need to be closed in the fall as Scarsdale Travel Softball uses them for their program. Gray estimated that it would take two months to get the bids and six to eight weeks to do the work.
During Public Comments Michelle Sterling said, “I am the mother of a varsity girls softball player. The field is pathetic. It is the worst field in the division. Everyone slides on the rocks. The girls are looking at Dean Field where the boys play vs. Supply Field where they play. There is incredible inequity. Please prioritize Supply Field as it is the only field for our Varsity girls and get it ready for April.”
Joe Guarino said he is the parent of a rising middle schooler and a Board member of travel softball. He said, “Supply Field is the only game in town for us. When we think about the program for girls – everything happens at Supply Field while the boys have many fields to play on. There is certainly an equity discussion needed. It is concerning if we have to close the fields in the fall as we play then. You realize how limited softball in Scarsdale is now.”
Becky Bach from Scarsdale Travel Softball said, “After it rains parents come out with rakes to take the water off the field. In the spring we shrink our program due to limited field space. There are only three fields that are village-school owned. If we closed the fields in the fall – we have already had our tryouts.”
Village Election
Trustees then considered a proposal by Village Clerk Taylor Emmanuel to turn over the management of Village elections to the Westchester County Board of Elections. Scarsdale is one of only four villages in the county that supervises its own election of Village Mayor, Trustees and Village Justice. This election is held in March and there has also been discussion of moving the date to November so that the election could be held at the same time as the local, state and national vote.
Emanuel was clear about her recommendation. She said, “It is not that I cant’ do it (here) – but I recommend that we turn it over to the BOE.”
The advantage is there would be cost savings of $8-$14,000, depending on if the election is contested, and any election challenges would be handled by county officials.
Also – the Village already pays the county $18,000 a year to run the November elections.
There is however a potential downside to losing local control of the elections. She outlined, “Petitions to appear on the village ballot would have to be submitted to the BOE directly. Parties and candidates would need to coordinate with the BOE on Campaign Financial Statements and related election documents. The Village would have no responsibility or assume any liability for any of this paperwork; nor would the Village retain any of it. Voters applying for absentee ballots would apply directly to the County Board of Elections. Additionally, all official results after the close of the polls would be determined and announced by the County and posted on their website by the next business day.”
For a contested election, if the results were not received until the following day, the Village would need to change their custom of celebrating the new Mayor and Board on election night after the closing of the polls.
In order for the change to be enacted, it would require a “permissive referendum,” which Village Clerk Taylor Emanuel outlined as follows: “The board must adopt a local law or resolution transferring the election to the county and I will then need to notice this legislative act and wait to see if a valid petition is filed requiring that the question of transferring the elections to the county appear on a ballot. Alternatively, the village board on its own motion may send the question directly to the voters.”
Discussing the timing of the election trustees agreed that it would be better to leave it in March. If it is moved to election day in November, Trustees feared it would be overshadowed by state and national elections and become partisan.
The Board took no action on this at the work session but said it would be discussed further in September.
The Farmers' Market is Back in the Dale
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The Scarsdale Farmers’ Market is now open, every Sunday in Scarsdale Village. Find fresh artisanal foods, every Sunday from 9 am to 1 pm on Chase Road and Spencer Place in the Village.
We found farm fresh produce, fresh fish, olive oil, pickles and olives, coffee, sour dough bagels, fresh breads and more. Here’s a list of some of the vendors that will frequent the market plus photos of the delicacies that were available last week.
3x3 Kitchen
McGrath Chese
Alpacatrax
Newgate Farms
American Pride Seafood
Norwich Meadow Farms
Simple Fine Food
Cano Coffee
SOVA Organic
Croatian Confections
Wave Hill Breads
Dr. Pickle
Stop by this Sunday from 9 am to 1 pm to support the market.
Scarsdale Stands Against Gun Violence
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Dressed in orange t-shirts, Mom Against Gun Violence along with Village Trustees and Managers, public safety officers, state Senator Shelly Mayer and supporters gathered at Village Hall on the first Friday in June for National Gun Violence Day. With 120 people a day killed due to gun violence, the group is calling for “an end to gun violence in all of its forms, including domestic violence, suicide, and city gun violence.”
In Scarsdale the group was led by Pat Collela who passed away in May. So in addition to recognizing the mission of the organization, the ceremony remembered Pat as well. Her husband, daughter and family members attended.
Mayor Justin Arest opened the ceremony saying, “This is a different year for the village recognizing national gun violence awareness day, as well as wear orange weekend. We often take some of the best community volunteers for granted and that is because of how effective and organized they are in their various causes. And in this one, like clockwork, the board would not only recognize the important day and cause at our meetings but we would also have orange T-shirt’s and ribbons. Again, this dais different. And that’s because Ms. Pat Colella is not with us. But I am so appreciative that her friends and family are here to support this cause and I and the board and village are proud to stand with them; to stand together against gun violence and remember a tireless advocate and volunteer. “
Randy Whitestone, Justin Arest and Kelly Rogers
He noted the startling statistics:
“In 2021, the most recent year for which complete data is available, 48,830 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S., according to the CDC. That figure includes gun murders at 43% and gun suicides at 54%, along with three less common types of gun-related deaths tracked by the CDC which fall in the other category: those that were accidental, those that involved law enforcement and those whose circumstances could not be determined. These which are categorized as “Other” account for the remaining 3%. The total excludes deaths in which gunshot injuries played a contributing, but not principal, role. “
He said, “This is an American problem. This shouldn’t be a political issue. Public safety, saving lives, is hopefully the priority of every government at every level of this nation. I wish we could all collectively work together and keep politics out of this. Scarsdale is proud to make our voices heard in making our nation safer.”
Trustee Randy Whitestone rememberd Pat Collela saying, “We wouldn't be here today if it weren't for Pat and her commitment to this and other important causes. Having known her for 20 years, since our daughters played softball together on a team she coached I saw in action that when she was passionate about something she devoted herself completely to it -- with diplomacy, a smile, and real determination. She was the definition of a caring community volunteer, whether it was doing outreach for the Congregational Church, coaching softball, or being the face and voice of the local chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense. We are here to carry on her commitment to gun safety and will continue this tradition in years to come in her honor.”
Reverend Kelly Rogers of Scarsdale Congregational Church said, “We lift up the victims of gun violence today. We continue this work and we are Pat’s hands s and feet….It takes a community to do work like this. We will be back on the first Friday in June until this ends.”
After the ceremony at Scarsdale Village Hall, the group continued to the Westchester County Center where they were joined on the steps by Westchester Sorority members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Social Action Team and Westchester Gun Sense Candidates:
Victoria Presser
Jeremiah Frei-Pearson
J. Williams Johnson
Ximena Francella
NY Assemblywoman Maryjane Shimsky
Along with:
Moms Demand Action Volunteers and Leaders
Survivor Mom- Nadine Mckenzie
Katherine Schowalter
Amy Stern
Maggie O'Donovan Bolton
Fiona Noyes
Julia Prober
Sara Kober
Shelli Katz
Deborah Maher
Patricia Rosen
Lonnie Philo
Maryellen Chomsky
SVAC Seniors to the Rescue
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*This article contains images of fake injuries that some readers may find disturbing or unsettling
A tone blared across the loudspeakers of the SVAC headquarters: Motor vehicle accident; mass casualties. Anxious glances were exchanged among the senior options students as they rushed to the scene, accompanied by flashing red and blue lights.
Each year, seniors are required to complete a six-week unpaid internship to graduate, and some choose to participate in SVAC’s senior options certification program. As a part of the program, students learn anatomy and physiology, practice skills, and go on calls with licensed EMTs and Paramedics. The program is organized by David Raizen, the President of SVAC, who wanted to provide Scarsdale students with the opportunity to build a medical background. This year’s course was taught by Jude Valerioti, the president of Eastchester Volunteer Ambulance Corps (EVAC).
The students participated in a final surprise “farewell” event, where they responded to a mock bus accident at Crossway Field. Alex Vetrone stated that “We got the dispatch in the ambulance house… and to our surprise, there was a staged bus crash with our parents playing all the victims.” As a part of the event, the students had to triage and coordinate how to transport each patient to the hospital. The aspiring EMTs were able to get most of the patients into the ambulance, although Vetrone is “…not sure if Maya’s dad was ever found. He was under the school bus and might still be there actually.”
The program received high praise from many of its participants, who learned not only how to manage medical emergencies but also how to interact with patients. According to Amelia Liu, “I learned that interacting with patients requires a lot of people skills, and that you have to be really good at interacting with all different kinds of patients. Sometimes it’s really easy… you just take them to the hospital. But other times, they might not be behaving rationally.” Liu went on to give an example: “You might get a patient who really needs to go to the hospital, but they refuse to go. So, you have to be really good at knowing how to convince them and how to talk to certain people in the right way.” Ultimately, the common sentiment among the program’s participants is that as an EMT, you must do your best to help your patients make the best decisions about their lives.
Liu went on to recommend the course to others because she “Will probably practice these skills throughout [her] life, even though [she’s] not looking into a medical career.” SVAC runs year-long certification programs that require no prior medical experience. Those interested in becoming certified EMTs should visit the SVAC website to explore their offered programs!
American Legion Honors Veterans on Memorial Day
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The mournful notes of taps echoed across Chase Park, signaling the end of the 2023 annual Memorial Day Parade. Each year, this parade is organized by the Scarsdale branch of the American Legion, the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization. Veteran Thomas Adamo opened the event by sharing a few words of remembrance at the Word War II monument in Boniface Circle.
Then, the parade promptly began adjacent to Boniface Circle, on Chase Road. The parade was led by members of the American Legion Post 52. Veterans marched or road by in golf carts, paving the way for boy scouts and girl scouts, who marched with their respective troops. The Scarsdale High School marching band followed the scouts, serenading the crowd. Members of the fire department and the Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps brought up the rear of the parade. The procession passed the Church of St. James the Less, where flags and flowers were left on the gravestones of fallen veterans.
After the parade, Tom Adamo led a ceremony at Chase Park, where State Assemblymember Amy Paulin, Mayor Arest, Village Manager Robert Cole, former mayor Dr. Miriam Flisser, and Reverend Astrid Storm spoke. Paulin opened the ceremony by reciting It is the Soldier by veteran Charles M. Province, which recognizes and honors the critical role soldiers play in protecting the rights that we enjoy:
It is the Soldier, not the minister
Who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer
Who has given us freedom to protest.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.
It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.
Mayor Arest succinctly summarized the purpose of the day: “Memorial Day at its core is a day to remember the ultimate sacrifice given by our service members, and to honor their legacy…. It is our responsibility to honor their sacrifice by cherishing the freedoms they fought to protect by never taking our rights for granted, and by acknowledging that our liberties have been powerful.” Ultimately, the event accomplished just that by bringing together members of the community to remember and honor the soldiers and veterans who served in World War II.
Photo credit: Michelle Sterling
