Rye Town Clerk – Hope Vespia – Under Review

Image = Vivian Vallejo and Hope Vespia (Town Clerk) 625
Left to Right: Vivian Vallejo and Hope Vespia (Town Clerk)

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

Under review

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

hvespia@townofryeny.com

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests:

Town Clerk
Town of Rye
222 Grace Church Street, 3rd Floor
Port Chester, New York 10573

4. Experience:

M. Vespia is the long term Rye Town Clerk. Previous To this she was the receiver of taxes.

5. From The Town Website:

OFFICE HOURS: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM   MONDAY – FRIDAY

The Office of the Town Clerk is the keeper of all records for the Town of Rye. Our records go back to the original settlers arriving in the territory of Rye in 1660. Early records contain documentation of land purchased from the Indian Tribes by the first settlers. Due to the Towns proximity to waters of the Long Island Sound, many settlers were attracted to this area. There are many volumes of recorded activities and transactions recorded on the minute books of the Town. In 1720, George, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, granted the Royal Patent for the Township of Rye. Being under English control, it was named after its counterpart, Rye, England.

In 1788 the State of New York created the Towns and by an act, the Town of Rye was incorporated on March 7th, 1788 and is still in existence to this day. The Town has a record center, in which all records are stored in special archival wrap and boxes. The Clerk’s office is currently working on a project which will create an up to date online repository of all archival records. The position of the Town Clerk is the oldest recorded title in the Town’s documents.

The Town Clerk’s office is frequently considered the center of town government. It is not only the office which is responsible for recording activities of the town government, but it is the central place in which documents and papers vital to the lives of the towns people are filed.

Marriage licenses and dog licenses are issued from the Town Clerk’s Office. Marriage licenses are issued to any couple planning to be married in the State of New York.  Dog licenses are issued to Port Chester and  Rye Brook residents. All applications and important forms are located on the right side of this webpage. The Town Clerk is also the registrar of Vital Statistics for the Town of Rye and the Village of Rye Brook. The Town’s inventory of vital records (birth, marriage and death) go back to 1847. Records for births or deaths that occurred in the Village of Port Chester may be obtained at the Village Clerk’s Office located at 222 Grace Church Street, Port Chester, NY.

Important Forms:

Community Impact Award Application

Marriage License Requirements in (English)

Marriage License Requirements in (Spanish)

Marriage License Application in (English)

Marriage License Application in (Spanish)

Application for Copy of Marriage Record

Affidavit for Correction of Marriage Record

Application for Copy of Death Record

Application for Correction of Certificate of Death

Application for Dog License

Freedom of Information Request Form

Application Handicap Parking Permit

General Information and Application For Genealogical Services

FAQ’s

5. News Reports / Related Web Pages

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/hope.vespia

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hope-vespia-4997419

TOWN OF RYE DISSOLUTION STUDY

The links above will give you all the information one might need to evaluate the Dissolution of the Town of Rye, its varying impacts on the successor communities, and the options available for the sharing of services.

If you have any questions, please communicate them to your respective Steering Committee member in your community.  The steering committee members are:

Town of Rye

  • Gary J. Zuckerman- Supervisor
  • Debbie Resiner, Town Confidential Secretary

Village of Port Chester

  •   Dennis Pilla – Mayor                            
  •   Christopher Steers, Village Manager          

Village of Rye Brook

  •   Paul Rosenberg – Mayor                       
  • Christopher Bradbury, Village Administrator

 Village of Mamaroneck

  •   Norman Rosenblum- Mayor
  • Richard Slingerland, Village Manager

http://www.townofryeny.com/town-of-rye-dissolution.html

Also:

Public Meeting on Rye Town Dissolution Feasibility Study and Village Alternatives Analysis to be Held Sept. 10

Opportunity to Learn about Project and Provide Feedback

Town of Rye, NY – August 2, 2011 – A public meeting will be held on Saturday, September 10 for residents and taxpayers to learn about – and provide feedback on – a recently-initiated study of dissolution of the Town of Rye and an analysis of associated village governance and service alternatives.  The community forum will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Village of Port Chester Senior Community Center, 222 Grace Church Street, Port Chester, NY.

A joint Steering Committee of Town of Rye, Village of Port Chester, Village of Rye Brook and Village of Mamaroneck representatives was formed in 2011 to begin the process of analyzing the potential benefits and drawbacks of a range of structural and governance alternatives for increasing government efficiency and promoting taxpayer savings. There are four key objectives for this study:

  1. The study will analyze the feasibility of potentially dissolving the Town of Rye’s government in order to eliminate an administrative level of government and, in so doing, possibly generate property tax relief for residents;
  2. The study will analyze alternative forms of government, particularly separate coterminous town/village options in Port Chester and Rye Brook, as a means of improving cost effectiveness and enhancing shared services;
  3. The study will consider governance and service options for the Rye Neck section of the Village of Mamaroneck that is within the Town of Rye; and
  4. The study will evaluate potential shared service alternatives between and among the Town of Rye and Villages of Port Chester, Rye Brook and Mamaroneck.

The Steering Committee issued the following statement: “We encourage residents to attend this important forum.  We have a strong commitment to engaging the public as we undertake this examination of dissolution and shared services.  The September 10 forum offers an excellent opportunity for residents and stakeholders to learn more about the study approach and offer feedback about which services are most important to them.”

The meeting will include a brief overview presentation by the study consultant, the nonprofit Center for Governmental Research (CGR).  Community members can meet the CGR project team leaders, and learn more about the study’s methodology, timeframe and objectives.  The meeting will also provide the public an opportunity to comment on the study.

CGR will also outline a newly-launched project website, which will be a key vehicle in facilitating public engagement as the study process unfolds.  The website www.cgr.org/ryetown will offer access to meeting information, reports and key data components as they become available.  By going to the website, community members will also be able to email comments to the Steering Committee.

In addition, they can sign up to receive email “alerts” when any significant new information is posted to the website.

Tentative September 10th meeting agenda:

  • Introduction – Steering Committee Members
  • Project Overview – CGR
  • Website and Methods of Public Input/Information – CGR
  • Comments from Public

Steering Committee Members

Joe Carvin, Supervisor, Town of Rye

Bishop Nowotnik, Purchasing Director and Confidential Secretary to the Supervisor, Town of Rye

Dennis Pilla, Mayor, Village of Port Chester

Christopher Russo, Village Manager, Village of Port Chester

Joan Feinstein, Mayor, Village of Rye Brook

Christopher Bradbury, Village Administrator, Village of Rye Brook

Norman Rosenblum, Mayor, Village of Mamaroneck

Richard Slingerland, Village Manager, Village of Mamaroneck

Daniel Sarnoff, Assistant Village Manager, Village of Mamaroneck

About the Center for Governmental Research (CGR)

CGR is a 96-year-old nonprofit, nonpartisan, independent consulting organization with significant expertise conducting local government consolidation and shared service studies and developing implementation plans. CGR is headquartered in Rochester, NY and in July was engaged by the involved municipalities to serve as study consultant.

http://www.village.mamaroneck.ny.us/Pages/MamaroneckNY_News/I01772728

6. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

Village of Mamaroneck – Agostino A. Fusco – Under Review

Image = Village of Mamaroneck Agostino A. Fusco 74

Agostino A. Fusco

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

Image = Mixed Reviews_711
No-No-No+records 711
So Far Village of Mamaroneck Clerk
Agostino A. Fusco Has Not Provided
Any Public Records

Under Review; To date Village of Mamaroneck Clerk Agostino A. Fusco has only responded to two of the four Freedom of information requests that we sent him.

Fusco claims that he needs until a date in August to respond to ha June Freedom od Information request for a public document, while most of Westchester’s village and town clerks were quickly able to provide the document.

To date Mr. Fusco has failed to respond to a freedom of information request asking how much Mamaroneck taxpayers pay in salary, benefits and pension costs for his official position. Again this is something that most Westchester County clerks responded to quickly.

We asked Deputy Clerk Sally J. Roberts by email if she could explain why the Mamaroneck Clerk’s office was so inefficient when compared with other clerk’s offices in Westchester County, but she has yet to respond.

No wonder the single family homeowners in Mamaroneck often complain of a lack of accountability and transparency in thee village.

We are still waiting on Mr. Fusco so that we can complete our review.

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

afusco@vomny.org

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Village Clerk
123 Mamaroneck Avenue
Mamaroneck, NY 10543

4. Experience:

Agostino Fusco did not provide a requested biographical information for this public service project measuring how well village clerks comply with New York States Freedom of Information Laws.

From the internet we learned Mr. Fusco attended Iona College (New Rochelle, New York) and Mount Saint Michael Academy (Bronx, New York)

Also from the internet we learned that Agostino Fusco and Carmela Fusco. purchased from Harold Smith a Single Family Home at 770 N. Barry Avenue for $499,000.

FIND THE DATA: Agostino Fusco Salaries

2011 $121,381

2013 $118,141

http://state-employees.findthedata.com/d/a/Agostino-Fusco

5. From The Village Website:

Image = Village-Mamaroneck-seal 74

Links:

6. Media Reports / Related Pages

image = News = Village of Mamaroneck - Agostino A. Fusco 74

MAMARONECK DAILY VOICE: Open Meetings Law Debate Needs Police Assistance

Stewart Tiekert’s comments to the Village Board of Trustees were cut short when Mayor Norman Rosenblum asked the officer present to get the speaker away from the podium after the time for public comment had passed.

While the board discussed a procedural change to how work session minutes would be accepted, Tiekert, who later left the podium on his own accord, chimed in. He didn’t object to the change, which now only requires the board to note the minutes exist rather than approve them with regular meeting minutes, but to how work session minutes have been kept by the village.

“He said they do action minutes, and they don’t do action minutes,” said Tiekert, of village clerk-treasurer Agostino Fusco. “They’re conflating approving them and taking them.”

Under the Open Meetings Law, all motions, proposals, resolutions and any other matter formally voted upon have to be recorded or summarized anytime a public body holds an open meeting…..

http://mamaroneck.dailyvoice.com/news/open-meetings-law-debate-needs-police-assistance/439815/

MAMARONECK REVIEW: Village to adopt towns’ rolls

…The Town of Mamaroneck finished a full-scale property revaluation at the end of August 2013 and the Town of Rye revaluated its properties more than seven years ago. Properties were reassessed at 100 percent value in both towns.

The Village of Mamaroneck has not conducted a revaluation since 1968 and is currently assessing properties using the New York State Equalization rate of 1.84 percent, according to Village Clerk-Treasurer Agostino Fusco.

The equalization rate is the ratio of the total assessed property value in the municipality to the property’s true market value. The rate is given to each municipality by the state to determine the market rate of homes in an area. If properties are assessed at 100 percent value, the equalization rate is not necessary.

Village Manager Richard Slingerland said if the village does adopt the towns’ tax rolls, the Rye Neck section of the village will use the Town of Rye’s assessments and the remaining portion of the village will adopt the Town of Mamaroneck’s assessments….

http://hometwn.com/village-to-adopt-towns-rolls/

LARCHMONT GAZZETTE: Second Flood Relief Effort Launched: How to Help

For the second time in less than a month, local government and community organizations are mobilizing to help Mamaroneck and Larchmont residents whose homes and possessions were damaged by flooding. This time, though, the devastation is even more widespread than it was in early March, and many more people are likely to need much more help. Volunteers are eager (even overeager) to pitch in, and a Thursday morning meeting on April 19, conducted by David Currie of the Westchester-Putnam United Way, got the organizational ball rolling.

Among the many at the meeting were NY Assemblyman George Latimer, Mamaroneck Village Treasurer Agostino Fusco, and representatives of Mamaroneck Cares, Habitat for Humanity, Furniture Share House, Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce, CAP Center, Mamaroneck Schools and the Washingtonville Housing Alliance…..

http://www.larchmontgazette.com/2007/articles/20070419floodhelp.html

DAILY VOICE: Mamaroneck Voters Re-Elect Mayor, Councilman In Close Challenges

It was close for most of Tuesday night, but Village of Mamaroneck Mayor Norman Rosenblum, 72, was re-elected to a fourth, two-year term.

Rosenblum, a Republican, is a contract administrator for Safe Flight Instrument Corporation.

Unofficial returns from the Westchester County Board of Elections had Rosenblum leading Democrat Daniel Natchez by 53 to 47 percent — a margin of less than 200 votes.

Natchez, 71, is president of an environmental waterfront development design consulting company. Natchez, a former village trustee, has said hasty development can harm the village.

A village trustee race was even closer: Seeking re-election was Republican-Conservative Louis Santaro. Unofficial returns showed Santaro leading Democrat Thomas Burt, 51 to 49 percent — by a margin of just 58 votes.

Town of Mamaroneck incumbents were unopposed on Tuesday. Town Supervisor Nancy Seligson, a Democrat, was re-elected. Also unopposed in elections for Mamaroneck Town Council seats were Democrats Thomas Murphy and Abby Katz….

Please Read More Here:

http://mamaroneck.dailyvoice.com/politics/mamaroneck-voters-re-elect-mayor-councilman-in-close-challenges/600991/

Is it Legal? Email Abuse by Mamaroneck Mayor uncovered for a Second Time

Animal Defenders of Westchester (ADOW) and other animal advocates are requesting the attorney general investigate Mamaroneck Mayor Norm Rosenblum, for using his name and mayoral account to send residents a hate-filled, factually incorrect ‘sample letter,’ complaining about deer, that they should sign and forward to the DEC and state officials.  The sample letter, as sent out by “Mayor Norman S. Rosenblum” reads as follows:

Please Read More Here:

http://www.all-creatures.org/adow/pr-20150125.html

LARCHMONT GAZETTE: Mamaroneck Dems Call for Village Attorney to Resign

Today the Village of Mamaroneck Democratic Committee calls upon Christie Derrico to resign her position as Village Attorney. Ms. Derrico has recently announced her intention to run for Village Justice. Her candidacy poses conflicts with her staying in her current position. The position of Village Attorney requires that the attorney be a nonpartisan counselor who can give the Village Board legal advice without personal or political considerations coming into play.

Said Village Democratic Chair Elsa Puerto Rubin, “By appearing on the Republican and Conservative ballot with Trustee Ybarra and the other Republican/Conservative challengers, Ms. Derrico has put herself in a position that could create conflicts of interest as well as the appearance of impropriety which all lawyers are ethically bound to avoid.”

Ms. Dericco’s appointment to the position of Village Attorney created much controversy in December because it was a violation of Village law. The Board of Trustees had to amend the law in order to allow the hiring retroactively.  Then the Village was required to pay $5,000 to the former Village Attorney to settle her claims against the Village.

“A well-respected and experienced lawyer was fired to put Ms. Derrico on the payroll. Now we find that the Village Attorney’s position was not the job Ms. Dericco desired after all.  She can’t have it both ways, she must resign” stated Village Democratic Vice Chair Elizabeth Saenger…..

Please Read More Here:

http://www.larchmontgazette.com/politics/mamaroneck-dems-call-for-village-attorney-to-resign/

Charles Goldberger Appointed Village Attorney for Mamaroneck

Charles Goldberger, of counsel in the White Plains-based law firm McCullough Goldberger & Staudt, LLP, has been appointed Village Attorney for the Village of Mamaroneck, NY. The Village Board of Trustees unanimously approved the nomination that was effective immediately.  Mayor Norman Rosenblum selected Goldberger for nomination after reviewing the credentials of four other law firms that had expressed interest in the position……

Please Read More Here:

http://www.mgslawyers.com/news/2012/03/charles-goldberger-appointed-village-attorney-for-mamaroneck/

NEW YORK TIMES: For Mamaroneck Yacht Club, a Decade of Clashing Views on Preserving Vistas

….But that violates the letter, or at least the spirit, of the waterfront plan, said Dan Natchez, president of the Shore Acres Neighborhood Association. Why, he asked, should the yacht club be offering overnight accommodation “if these clubs were established to benefit the local community, if that is why the zoning exists as it does?”

Yard signs declaring no “Condos on Our Creek” line South Barry Road, the main access point to the club (and one that becomes quite busy during weddings and bar mitzvahs there).

Ms. Rosenshein bristles whenever she drives past the signs. “They’re not condos,” she said. “They’re rentals, and they’re not being built on the creek.”

The opponents fear a domino effect. If Mamaroneck Beach & Yacht Club builds residences to be used for eight months, another club or boat yard might attempt development that is even more permissive, and before long, no maritime users will be left. They point to the nearby Hampshire Country Club, whose current owners have begun pressing the village to allow the construction of 121 condos on a section of the property, which would keep its golf course intact, or else they would begin plans to replace the entire course with 106 single-family homes.

Keith Waitt, left, with his neighbor Dan Natchez, is concerned that the club’s expansion would affect his property’s views of Mamaroneck Harbor, seen in the background. CreditBenjamin Norman for The New York Times

As for the Rosensheins, their adversaries say their promise of closing the homes in the off-season is not to be believed. They cite a history of what they call untrustworthy behavior, including the illegitimate creation of a breakwater for the marina without a permit and the fact that of the roughly 150 events held at the club a year, many appear to be for nonmembers. The 1985 waterfront plan allows for at most 20 percent of income from events, but the club’s tax returns show the catering business brings in millions more than memberships do.

Ms. Rosenshein said she had all the necessary approvals for additional events, and she held up the club’s success six times in court as evidence that it was operating aboveboard. After settlement of the most recent lawsuit, the club is waiting for final approval from the village board; it already has preliminary approval.

“Any community that doesn’t grow will die from atrophy,” said Mayor Norman Rosenblum, who supports the plan….

Please Read More Here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/05/nyregion/for-mamaroneck-yacht-club-a-decade-of-clashing-views-on-preserving-vistas.html?_r=0

TOWN OF RYE DISSOLUTION STUDY

The links above will give you all the information one might need to evaluate the Dissolution of the Town of Rye, its varying impacts on the successor communities, and the options available for the sharing of services.

If you have any questions, please communicate them to your respective Steering Committee member in your community.  The steering committee members are:

Town of Rye

  • Gary J. Zuckerman- Supervisor
  • Debbie Resiner, Town Confidential Secretary

Village of Port Chester

  •   Dennis Pilla – Mayor                            
  •   Christopher Steers, Village Manager          

Village of Rye Brook

  •   Paul Rosenberg – Mayor                       
  • Christopher Bradbury, Village Administrator

 Village of Mamaroneck

  •   Norman Rosenblum- Mayor
  • Richard Slingerland, Village Manager

http://www.townofryeny.com/town-of-rye-dissolution.html

Also:

Public Meeting on Rye Town Dissolution Feasibility Study and Village Alternatives Analysis to be Held Sept. 10

Opportunity to Learn about Project and Provide Feedback

Town of Rye, NY – August 2, 2011 – A public meeting will be held on Saturday, September 10 for residents and taxpayers to learn about – and provide feedback on – a recently-initiated study of dissolution of the Town of Rye and an analysis of associated village governance and service alternatives.  The community forum will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Village of Port Chester Senior Community Center, 222 Grace Church Street, Port Chester, NY.

A joint Steering Committee of Town of Rye, Village of Port Chester, Village of Rye Brook and Village of Mamaroneck representatives was formed in 2011 to begin the process of analyzing the potential benefits and drawbacks of a range of structural and governance alternatives for increasing government efficiency and promoting taxpayer savings. There are four key objectives for this study:

  1. The study will analyze the feasibility of potentially dissolving the Town of Rye’s government in order to eliminate an administrative level of government and, in so doing, possibly generate property tax relief for residents;
  2. The study will analyze alternative forms of government, particularly separate coterminous town/village options in Port Chester and Rye Brook, as a means of improving cost effectiveness and enhancing shared services;
  3. The study will consider governance and service options for the Rye Neck section of the Village of Mamaroneck that is within the Town of Rye; and
  4. The study will evaluate potential shared service alternatives between and among the Town of Rye and Villages of Port Chester, Rye Brook and Mamaroneck.

The Steering Committee issued the following statement: “We encourage residents to attend this important forum.  We have a strong commitment to engaging the public as we undertake this examination of dissolution and shared services.  The September 10 forum offers an excellent opportunity for residents and stakeholders to learn more about the study approach and offer feedback about which services are most important to them.”

The meeting will include a brief overview presentation by the study consultant, the nonprofit Center for Governmental Research (CGR).  Community members can meet the CGR project team leaders, and learn more about the study’s methodology, timeframe and objectives.  The meeting will also provide the public an opportunity to comment on the study.

CGR will also outline a newly-launched project website, which will be a key vehicle in facilitating public engagement as the study process unfolds.  The website www.cgr.org/ryetown will offer access to meeting information, reports and key data components as they become available.  By going to the website, community members will also be able to email comments to the Steering Committee.

In addition, they can sign up to receive email “alerts” when any significant new information is posted to the website.

Tentative September 10th meeting agenda:

  • Introduction – Steering Committee Members
  • Project Overview – CGR
  • Website and Methods of Public Input/Information – CGR
  • Comments from Public

Steering Committee Members

Joe Carvin, Supervisor, Town of Rye

Bishop Nowotnik, Purchasing Director and Confidential Secretary to the Supervisor, Town of Rye

Dennis Pilla, Mayor, Village of Port Chester

Christopher Russo, Village Manager, Village of Port Chester

Joan Feinstein, Mayor, Village of Rye Brook

Christopher Bradbury, Village Administrator, Village of Rye Brook

Norman Rosenblum, Mayor, Village of Mamaroneck

Richard Slingerland, Village Manager, Village of Mamaroneck

Daniel Sarnoff, Assistant Village Manager, Village of Mamaroneck

About the Center for Governmental Research (CGR)

CGR is a 96-year-old nonprofit, nonpartisan, independent consulting organization with significant expertise conducting local government consolidation and shared service studies and developing implementation plans. CGR is headquartered in Rochester, NY and in July was engaged by the involved municipalities to serve as study consultant.

http://www.village.mamaroneck.ny.us/Pages/MamaroneckNY_News/I01772728

7. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

About Mamaroneck, New York

Image = Mamaroneck_(village)_highlighted.svg

Mamaroneck is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 18,929 at the 2010 census. It is located partially within the town of Mamaroneck and partially within the town of Rye. The portion in Rye is unofficially called “Rye Neck”. The Rye Neck Union Free School District contains the Rye Neck portion of Mamaroneck and part of the city of Rye.

Originally the farming community of Mamaroneck was located on two sides of the Mamaroneck River. In the 1890s the two areas surrounding the river were joined into one commercial village, Mamaroneck, which was incorporated in 1895. The east side of the village lies in the town of Rye and is known as Rye Neck. Some controversy surrounded the incorporation of the village, but the State Appellate Court approved the village’s election status. The population of Mamaroneck village in 1895 was 1,500.

Along with the other shore communities of Westchester, Mamaroneck was at one time the location of summer residences for wealthy families from New York City. Summer residence neighborhoods included Greenhaven, Orienta and Shore Acres. The local railroad from New York City (now Metro-North) began to serve the village in 1848. Currently the village of Mamaroneck is a commuter town for individuals working in Manhattan. A harbor on the Long Island Sound supports facilities for pleasure boating and is the location of Harbor Island Park, a large public park with beach and sporting facilities.

The main commercial streets in Mamaroneck are the Boston Post Road (U.S. Route 1) and Mamaroneck Avenue, the site of several annual parades. Local industry is centered on Fenimore Road.

Other areas of the town include Heathcote Hill overlooking the harbor, Harbor Heights to the northeast, Old Rye Neck (settled in the 1880s), Rye Neck (settled in the 1920s and 1930s) and Washingtonville, better known as “The Flats”, due to the flat, low-lying topography of the area.

The Mamaroneck Methodist Church, St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church Complex, and Albert E. and Emily Wilson House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places…..

Please Read More Here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamaroneck_(village),_New_York

Zip code: 10543
Population: 19,237 (2013)

Village of Rye Brook – Christopher Bradbury – 5 Stars

Image = Christopher Bradbury 75

Christopher Bradbury

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

Image = fivestars

Village of Rye Brook Administrator / Clerk Christopher Bradbury quickly and rapidly acknowledged and completed our freedom of information requests for public documents. His staff is a pleasure to deal with and it is easy to give a rating of Five stars to Christopher Bradbury.

Westchester’s newest municipality has an exceptionally well run and modern public records management operation and one of the most courteous clerk’s offices in the county.

Mr.Bradbury’s staff are very helpful to both residents and nonresidents and often help them complete FOIL request forms.  Too often city, town and villages in Westchester asks a record seeker if they live in the community, but the Rye Brook clerk’s office shows no favoritism.

Mr.Bradbury’s staff even goes so far to suggest other public documents that a public documents record seeker also might want. Person’s with disabilities are given any reasonable accommodation needed to get public information that they need.

We are told that other municipal administrators and clerks often seek out Mr. Bradbury for advice and guidance.

On our opinion Rye Brook has prospered and been very well served, because for sixteen years Mr.Bradbury has made accountability and transparency a priority in the village he administers.

Rye Brook is a very inclusive community that easily shares public documents and public information.

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

cbradbury@ryebrook.org

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Village Clerk
938 King Street
Rye Brook, NY 10573
Village of Rye Brook,

4. Experience:

Image = Knowledge And Experience 714

Christopher Bradbury Bio:

Christopher Bradbury has served as Administrator and Clerk for the Village of Rye Brook since August 2000.  Prior to Rye Brook he was the Assistant to the City Manager in the City of Rye from 1992-2000, and was an Administrative Intern in the Village of Croton on Hudson’s Village Manager’s Office from 1990-1992.

Christopher Bradbury Education:

BA, Hobart College (1989)

MPA, Pace University (1992)

Rye Brook Responsibilities:

The Village Administrator is the Chief Administrative Officer of the Village. It is the role of the Administrator, with the help of his staff, to operate and handle the daily business of the government.

Under the direction and policy established by the Board of Trustees, the Administrator has many duties to perform. These duties include:

  1. Supervising and coordinating the activities of all Village departments and employees as prescribed by law.
  2. Informing the Mayor and Trustees of all Village activities and recommending needed actions.
  3. Representing, or supervising the representation of the Village in affairs with employees, other governments and administrative agencies, and the public.

The Village Administrator serves as the Budget Officer and prepares the tentative budget at the direction of the Mayor and the Village Board.

The Village Administrator also serves as the Village Clerk. The Village Clerk attends to various concerns of the residents and issues legal notices related to all Village business, including public hearings and contracts. As the official “keeper of records” for all municipal documents, this is done in accordance with state mandates. This office also prepares the agenda for the Village Board Meetings, compiles the minutes, and files local laws. The Village Clerk’s Office also assists in the formation of resolutions, issues handicapped parking permits, peddler and vendor licenses.

5. From The Village Website:

Image = Village Of Rye Brook Website = Header_summer 75

http://www.ryebrook.org/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=31&TPID=3835

6. Media Reports / Related Pages

Image = news = Village of Rye Brook - Christopher Bradbury 75

JOURNAL NEWS: Rye Brook sues Port Chester over fire service

…According to the lawsuit, Rye Brook is seeking the reinstatement of the paid Port Chester firefighter to staff the night shift in the Rye Brook firehouse and reimbursement for legal fees and overtime costs that Rye Brook has been paying its own firefighters to cover the shift.

Rye Brook Village Administrator Chris Bradbury said it costs about $2,000 per night to cover the night shift with paid Rye Brook firefighters. An agreement between the village and the Rye Brook firefighters union mandates a staffing level of at least two firefighters per shift.

“The fire services contract is very clear that Port Chester will staff the Rye Brook firehouse with a paid firefighter,” Rye Brook Mayor Paul Rosenberg said. “We have no other choice but to go to court and seek a court order which would mandate the reinstatement of the Port Chester paid firefighter.”….

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/rye-brook-port-chester/2016/05/11/rye-brook-sues-port-chester-breach-fire-services-contract/84220756/

DAILY VOICE: Rye Brook Board To Discuss Affordable Housing

…Fair and affordable housing (FAAH) has become a major project for Rye Brook after a settlement between the county and the Department of Housing and Urban Development mandated that certain municipalities must increase the number of affordable-housing units by 2017.

While Port Chester is not required to create more affordable housing under the settlement, Rye Brook is. The village passed legislation in December that approves the creation of a “floating zone” within Rye Brook, the application of which is subject to the board’s discretion. It allows for the village to waive dimensional zoning requirements of a particular village zone to comply with the requirements of fair and affordable housing applicants.

The village’s planning consultant prepared a paper to identify sites that are seen as affordable housing possibilities, said Rye Brook Village Administrator Christopher Bradbury after the settlement.

“Over 20 sites were listed in that report. Those had some potential to be a resource to the community, to developers and to the county,” said Bradbury, adding that the sites were not exclusive. “There could be others.”

Bradbury says the village currently has 48 units of affordable housing….

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http://rye.dailyvoice.com/real-estate/rye-brook-board-to-discuss-affordable-housing/502491/

7. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

About Rye Brook, New York 

Image = Rye_Brook_highlighted.svg

Rye Brook is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States, within the town of Rye. The population was 9,347 at the 2010 census.

Rye Brook has been designated as a Tree City USA for 14 years.Rye Brook is located in southeastern Westchester County and shares its eastern border with Greenwich, Connecticut. The village was an unincorporated section of the town of Rye until the its incorporation and establishment on July 7, 1982 the area.

In 1982, 150 residents of the unincorporated area proposed to establish the village of Rye Brook and organized a petition containing 1,536 signatures. The petition drive, which contained the signatures of approximately 36% of the registered voters in the unincorporated area, was organized by the Independent Civic Association. It was reported by The New York Times that one resident commented, “There is a time for a community to redefine itself,” further stating that residents of the unincorporated area “should be able to elect their own officers” and “protect their tax base.”

A Pace University consultant study was completed in 1981 for the Village of Port Chester to determine “what change or changes, if any, in the Village governmental structure would best serve the Village of Port Chester today and in the years ahead.”

The residents of the unincorporated area voted on June 23, 1982 to create the Village of Rye Brook. It was the first village created in New York State in 54 years. The referendum to create the new political identity passed with 58% of the voters in favor (1,991 to 1,434). The first election in the Village’s history was held to elect a mayor and four trustees. The first village official was Lee Russillo, who was sworn in as Rye Brook’s first Village Clerk, and was responsible for the first election day.

The village is home to the William E. Ward House, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Also known as Ward’s Castle, it was the home of the National Cartoon Museum, established by Mort Walker, the creator of Beetle Bailey, from 1976 to 1992.

In 1983, 800 Westchester Avenue, described as the “Taj Mahal of Rye Brook” and the “contemporary equivalent to the classical villa,” was constructed as the General Foods Corporate Headquarters.

Trustees:

  • Susan Epstein
  • David Heiser
  • Jason Klein
  • Jeffrey Rednick

Rye Brook has its own police and fire departments. The fire department is made up of one firehouse, and the Port Chester Fire Department has a contract with the village to respond to calls.

Village of Rye Brook Administrator: Christopher Bradbury

Village of Rye Brook Police Department Chief: Chief Gregory J. Austin

Please Read More Here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rye_Brook,_New_York

Zip code: 10573

Population: 9,507 (2013)