Congresssman Engel's Comments on the Nomination of Brett Kavanaugh
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Eliot EngelOn Monday, President Trump announced that he had selected Brett Kavanaugh as his nominee to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court.
Newly re-elected Congressman Eliot Engel offered the following statement on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court:
“Unsurprisingly, the President has chosen another regressive ideologue to serve on the Supreme Court in Brett Kavanaugh. Over the course of a career that can only be described as hyper-partisan, Kavanaugh has demonstrated a history of anti-women, anti-labor, anti-consumer views, and his ultra-conservatism could turn back the clock on decades of American progress. The fact that Kavanaugh cut his teeth working under Kenneth Starr on the Clinton impeachment tells you almost everything you need to know. His appointment by George W. Bush to the federal bench was stalled for three years because of his partisan record, with Senator Ted Kennedy saying at the time Kavanaugh would be the ‘least experienced and most partisan appointee to the court in decades.’ And Kavanaugh is also on record as saying he believes the President of the United States should be exempt from both criminal prosecution and civil suits while in office. How convenient for our current Commander-in-Chief.
“There was a time when a Supreme Court pick like this was considered too outlandish, even for Republicans. But the GOP has so thoroughly lost its moral center that now this type of reckless choice is par for the course.
“When considering what to do next, Senate Democrats would be wise to remember the lessons learned during the
Brett Kavanaugh ill-fated Merrick Garland nomination in 2016. There, Republicans completely ignored 200 years of etiquette and obliterated the process by which we appoint Supreme Court judges. They also got what they wanted. The Senate should, at the least, postpone consideration of this nomination until after the November elections.”
What are your thoughts about Kavanaugh’s nomination? Share them in the comments section below:
Engineers Review Findings of Sanitary Sewer Line Study
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Trustees reviewed an analysis of the Mamaroneck Valley District, shown in green on this map.According to Westchester County and the environmental group Save the Sound, Scarsdale is dumping more than our fair share of untreated sewage into Long Island Sound and compromising public health.
Just how much excess water is flowing out of Scarsdale was the subject of a study presented by H2M Engineers to the Village Trustees on Tuesday June 26. Trustees engaged the consultants to study one portion of Scarsdale’s sewer system, the Mamaroneck Valley District, to identify where excess water was infiltrating and inflowing into the sewer system. Scarsdale has three sanitary sewer districts and only the Mamaroneck Valley system discharges into the county-owned waste treatment plant and was therefore the subject of this first study.
The study was commissioned in response to the County Consent Decree and the lawsuit from Save the Sound, which is ongoing.
Based on census data which shows that Scarsdale has 3.21 people per household, the district’s total estimated average daily waste water should be 1,011,000 gallons per day. However, the study showed that for this portion of Scarsdale, the flow was 1,470,000 gallons per day, or almost 50% more that allowed. The County claims that out of 11 municipalities, Scarsdale had the second highest number of daily flow exceedances, with a 59% exceedance rate.
In order to find out where water was flowing into the system the engineers monitored infiltration during rain storms, cleaned and monitored 156,000 feet of sewer using closed circuit TV, visually inspected 635 manholes to find defects and used smoke testing to see where inflows were occurring. The period of the study was June 7 to July 25, 2017.
The study identified areas where there were gushers, runners and drippers which account for major infiltration of groundwater into the sanitary sewer pipes. Gushers were located in four locations on Innes Road, Saxon Woods Road, Broadmoor Road and Heathcote Road where obstacles had been installed into the pipes. These four gushers alone account for 30,000 gallons of excess water per day. Most of the Village’s sewer lines of constructed of vitrified clay, and the study found that most are in good condition though cracks and fractures do occur. Some of these lines are over 100 years old.
An examination of the 635 manholes was done from August to November 2017 and found that 233 exhibited signs of prior leakage. In order to reduce inflows, the village may need to install watertight covers on leaking manholes or do grouting and lining.
Smoke testing was used to identify discharges through open connections such as storm sewer catch basins, yard drains, driveway drains, roof leaders/gutters, broken or open sanitary sewer clean out caps and defective sewer laterals. Smoke testing involves the blowing of a harmless non-toxic smoke into the system, and then observing where the smoke exits. The presence of smoke indicates a break or fault in the sewer line. 35,000 feet of sewer lines were tested and a long list of homes with excess flows into the sanitary sewer system were identified.
To correct these situations the homeowner would need to disconnect sump pumps and drains from their sewage pipes and redirect storm drainage to a drywell, watercourse or open area rather than into the sanitary sewer system. During rainstorms, the total inflow from a single 1-inch rainfall is estimated to be 183,000 gallons.
In order to address leakages at individual property, the Village may need to enact legislation to add requirements on the inspection, repair, replacement and maintenance of sewer laterals by property owners. Trustees discussed the possibility of making a sewer inspection a requirement at closing for those purchasing a home, though this would do nothing to correct problems in homes that are not for sale.
Since all newly constructed homes are already required to have new sewer line connections, the problems only occur with older homes.
By repairing the gushers, fixing pipes, securing manholes and asking residents to remediate illegal connections to the sanitary sewer system, the Village will reduce the excess flows.
The Village already collects a sewer rent fee on all water bills, and these funds are being used to pay for the studies and to make necessary repairs.
This study accounted for only about 1/3 of Scarsdale’s sewer lines. Village Manager Steve Pappalardo indicated that the work would be on-going and studies of the other districts would follow.
Learn more about the state of Scarsdale’s sewer system here:
Let's Get Ready Seeks Summer Volunteers
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Volunteer with Let's Get Ready this summer! As a Coach in our College Access Program, you will be on the frontlines of educational justice as a tutor, role model, and mentor. You will serve as an SAT tutor to a small group of high school students in your community and support them through the college application process. Access Coaches commit to teach 3 hours a week in the evening and dedicate 1 hour a week to prep time for 9 weeks in the summer (mid-June to mid-August).
Who we look for: Coaches are undergraduate (preferred) or graduate students. All majors encouraged to apply. Program have started, but it's not too late! Apply today, and you can get started next week!
Let's Get Ready provides a detailed curriculum, training, and support. Visit http://letsgetready.org/coach to learn more, and apply online.
Letter to the Editor in Support of Eliot Engel for Congress
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This letter was sent to Scarsdale10583 by Scarsdale Democratic Town Committee Chair Mark Lewis:
Re-elect Congressman Eliot Engel on June 26, 2018 in the Democratic Party Primary Election.
I am supporting Congressman Eliot Engel for re-election in the June 26, 2018 primary. He has been an effective leader whom President Obama relied on for help in formulating foreign policy. Eliot is the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Relations Committee and when the House of Representatives flips to Democratic Party control in November, Eliot will become its chairman.
"Eliot Engel is a strong, effective and trusted pro-Choice leader in congress.
He is making a real difference in fighting to protect Choice. Vote June 26 for Eliot Engel for Congress."
Catherine Lederer-Plaskett
President of WCLA-Choice Matters
Eliot has a 100% pro choice voting record.Based on the most recent Planned Parenthood and Naral Pro Choice America records.
Gun Control
Eliot has an F rating from the NRA for his gun control actions. Eliot Engel has authored and sponsored legislation to ban the sale of guns to people convicted of hate crimes and domestic violence, and again stop the sale of assault weapons.
Health Care
Eliot worked to make Obamacare law. He has fought to stop the Republicans from destroying it. Eliot has sponsored and authored legislation for Medicare for all.
Eliot Engel believes health care is a right not a privilege.
Eliot Engel is pro union
He has been endorsed by the AFL-CIO, 32 BJ - SEIU, NYSUT. None of his opponents has been endorsed by any union.
Eliot has been endorsed by the Sierra Club for his environmental record. He has a rating of 100%.
Eliot has been endorsed by End Citizens United because of his record of fighting for campaign finance reform. End Citizens United is the leading organization fighting the efforts of Citizens United court decision and for campaign finance reform. There are PACS that have contributed to Eliot. They include Planned Parenthood, the Human Rights Campaign and the International Associatiom of Fire Fighters.
Eliot Engel has a 92.7% voting record. He missed some votes when he traveled with President Obama overseas when the President asked him to do so. He missed a few votes when he was caring for ill parents and when he was sick.
Education – Congressman Engel made sure that Scarsdale and Greenburgh got a fair share of Title 1 funds that the school districts were entitled to get. This brought in millions of dollars to both districts.
Eliot has been endorsed by Westchester County Executive George Latimer, Westchester County Clerk Tim Idoni, State Senators Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Shelley Mayer, Assembly members Amy Paulin and Tom Abinante, Chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators Ben Boykin.
Eliot Engel is ranked as the #1 most effective Democrat in Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking. He is pro-choice, pro-gun control and has fought for affordable health care.
Remember to vote in the June 26, 2018 Democratic Party Primary for Eliot Engel.
Mark Lewis
Scarsdale Democratic Town Committee Chair
New SMS House Counselor Brings Unique Skills to the Job
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Michael Williams will join the SMS Team as Cooper House CounselorMichael Williams will be the new House Counselor for Cooper House at Scarsdale Middle School. He has big shoes to fill, replacing Marjorie Najac, a beloved counselor, who has been helping students and parents for many years.
We were excited to hear that Williams will be coming to Scarsdale from Garrison and asked him to introduce himself to the community. Here is what he shared:
Please tell us about yourself … your background, your education and previous professional experience.
I am a career changer who graduated SUNY New Paltz with a B.A. in theater back in 1996. I was a professional actor for 15 years and along the way taught acting to kids (still do!). Once my own kids were born I became interested in a career that allowed me to be home more regularly. I initially went back to school to teach ELA but then, remembering how incredibly helpful and supportive my high school guidance counselor was when I was in need, I decided to pursue being a helper. I put myself through school at night at the College of New Rochelle and graduated in 2010 with a masters degree in school counseling. Shortly thereafter, I began working at Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School in Yorktown Heights and am currently finishing my 8th year as a K-8 counselor at The Garrison School in Garrison. I have been very fortunate to be able to support the kids and families in this community and am absolutely thrilled to begin doing so at Scarsdale Middle School next fall.
We heard you were previously an actor – tell us what you did and what you enjoyed about it?
The thing I enjoyed most about being an actor was the collaboration that took place in the theater and on film sets. Relying on others and knowing what you bring to the table is an essential skill in life and I credit my acting background for making me the team player that I am today. Also, it was just a ton of fun! I got to travel to places like Morocco and got to work with many people from all walks of life.
What lead you to make a career change?
My decision was based on family. My kids were young and I was missing out on a lot of milestones while I was off shooting independent films. On top of that, as everyone knows, it is not as stable as other careers. I would have a very successful year followed by a challenging year. I began to feel a bit selfish and wanted to provide a more stable life for my kids. It was a tough decision and one that I made slowly over a number of years. I am grateful every day that I wound up doing what I am doing now. Supporting and nurturing kids is more rewarding than anything I could imagine.
Do you use any of your acting skills in working with preteens and teens?
When I was trained to be an actor the key elements of that training were to actively listen and be present in the moment. I utilize those skills daily. Empathy is also extremely important for a counselor. I believe that my acting background has been crucial when it comes to really seeing how someone is feeling, not judging those feelings, and just putting yourself inside of that person's shoes.
What will be your role at SMS? Which house will you be in?
I will be the Cooper House Counselor at SMS. I will be there to support all students academically, socially, and emotionally. I hope to be a conduit between all stake holders in the students educational lives.
What are some of the similarities and differences between your current position and the new one at SMS?
The similarities are plentiful in that I will still be in a support role to all students, families, and teachers. I will help students navigate their educational careers with the input of everyone that impacts their lives. I will be running team meetings with the Cooper House teachers just as I am running middle school meetings where I am now The biggest difference is the size. SMS is much larger than Garrison. It seems as though my K-8 caseload at my present school is about the same size as my Cooper House caseload. I love the energy of middle school students and am housed in the middle school where I work now. There will just be more of that energy!
What do you find challenging and rewarding about working with preteens?
The rewards far outweigh the challenges. I think that preteens are still really open to ideas and generally lean into life with curiosity. Sometimes that curiosity leads them to bad choices but all of those choices can turn into teachable moments if handled correctly. I think social media is very challenging for them as they are truly the first generation to have to navigate this enormous world that they carry around in their pockets. Hopefully, we can help them figure it all out together.
How do you approach anxious teens and their parents?
I like to think that I handle anxious teens and parents with a calm, listening ear. Generally, I hope to find some concrete tools that may help alleviate some of that anxiety. At times, if the issue is larger than can be handled by the school, I will refer to a professional. Different approaches work for different situations as life is messy. The common approach for any situations is genuinely caring. That goes a long way for kids and families.
What are you most excited or nervous about in your new role?
I am really excited to get to know my new students, families, and school community. It really seems like an incredibly special place and I am so grateful to be invited to be a part of it. As far as nerves go, I recently had the chance to visit SMS and meet the incoming 6th grade who will be my students in Cooper House next fall. They were nervous just as I was. I told them something I heard a long time ago and it has always helped me to navigate nerves and that is that it is okay to be nervous - it's just proof that you care.
What do you do in your free time? What are your interests outside of work?
I enjoy my family time above anything else. My daughter, Mia, just turned 15 and is finishing her freshman year. My son, Dean, is about to be 13 this summer and finishing the seventh grade. My wife, Toni, and I love to be present for all of the fun things that my kids involve themselves in; theater, baseball, softball, singing, etc. On top of that I like to fly fish, play guitar, and I love baseball.
