NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY — Westchester County – District 93 — David Buchwald (D)

The 93rd Assembly District represented by Assemblyman Buchwald combines leafy suburbs, traditional small town main streets and many of the parts of White Plains that make it the fastest-growing city in New York State

David Buchwald (D)

District 93
District 93 Map

Contact Information

Website
Facebook
Twitter@DavidBuchwald

District Office

100 S. Bedford Rd., Suite 150
Mount Kisco, NY 10549
Phone (914) 244-4450

Albany Office

LOB 331
Albany, NY 12248
Phone (518) 455-5397

Committee Membership
  • Chair, Subcommittee on Election Day Operations and Voter Disenfranchisement
  • Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
  • Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
  • Committee on Election Law
  • Committee on Governmental Operations
  • Committee on Judiciary
  • Committee on Local Governments
  • Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force

David Buchwald was born in Larchmont, New York. He attended Yale University, where he received a B.S. in physics. He later went on to receive a M.P.P. at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Before running for New York State Assembly, Buchwald worked at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. He also interned for Congresswoman Nita Lowey.

Buchwald was first elected in 2012 when he unseated incumbent Robert Castelli. He has subsequently won re-election in 2014, 2016, and 2018.

TOP TEN: Westchester County’s Highest Earning Employees

A picture of a Westchester County Department of Public Safety uniform patch
Seventy five of the top 100 earners in Westchester in 2018 worked for the county Department of Public Safety

All of the top 10 highest paid worked in the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, including a captain, three lieutenants and two sergeants

Total pay includes overtime, unused time off and other payouts.

Which County Employee Was Paid The Most?

Lt. Brian Hess was the county’s top earner in 2018. The county paid him $93,846 in overtime as well as other pay, boosting his $153,290 base salary to $276,199 in total pay

NameTitleGross Pay
Brian HessLT-PSS$276,199
Gerald SteckmeisterLT-PSS$274,592
Anthony RaoPO PSS$273,629
Thomas CamerinoPO PSS$270,648
Mark SpivakLT-PSS$267,584
Tony MalandrinoSERGEANT-PSS$264,842
Scott McMahonPO PSS$261,973
James LucianoCAPT-PSS$260,878
Ezekiel SerranoSERGEANT-PSS$260,833
Paul CusanoSERGEANT-PSS$258,833

Public employee pensions are based on average of total pay for their highest paid years of employment.

Greenburgh Town Clerk – Judith A. Beville – Under Review

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Judith A. Beville

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

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Status – Under Review – Greenburgh Town Clerk Judith Beville has failed to respond to some of our freedom of information requests and phone calls to her office.

Ms. Beville’s Office seems not to be consumer oriented at all.

Oddly, the clerk’s web page lists the town’s main number instead of the clerk’s phone number. When asked about this Carol in the office said that Ms. Beville did not want her staff bothered with calls that might be for other Greenburgh town departments.

Ms. Beville’s staff can be difficult at times, because of the clerks attitude of not wanting to be bothered with questions from residents.

Ms. Beville fails to realize that the Greenburgh Clerk’s office is often the first point of contact for many town taxpayers and voters that have a question or concern.

It is important forMs. Beville to do a better job in order to ensure access to information in an efficient, convenient and unencumbered manner.

Ms.Beville needs to do more to help to facilitate a resident’s access to information as well as assisting them in navigating their course through local government on any matter or issue.

Maintaining a customer friendly environment for the public needs to start being of high importance to Greenburgh Town Clerk Judith Beville.

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Quickly and efficiently responding to and completing FOI Requests seems to a bit of a problem. In public statements Ms. Beville has said the hardest part of her job is…

The most challenging part of my job is just making sure that things are done in a timely manner.

I suppose that one of the most challenging parts of my job is keeping a clear desk! But I really enjoy what I do. As a reelected official, we are going to be confronted with challenges every day.

Ms. Beville has often stated that that Greenburgh has a statutory period of time to first acknowledge receipt of a request for information and that she has the right NOT to immediately respond or produce any information.

This is a very bureaucratic approach that doesn’t lead to accountability, confidence or transparency in Greenburgh.

When Greenburgh Town Clerk Judith Beville can legally and unnecessarily withhold a taxpayer’s access to a public document until the last minute of the last hour of the last day of the FOI laws stated statutory times, but morally and ethically it is wrong for Ms.Beville to unnecessarily withhold a taxpayers access to a public record.

Sadly many taxpayers in Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Hastings On Hudson, Irvington and Tarrytown feel that Ms. Beville’s motives for withholding public records are political in nature.

Ms. Beville, likes playing it both ways.

When a New York State’s “Committee On Open Government” Executive Director Robert Freeman issues an advisement in her favor, then she is quick to use it to deny taxpayers access to public records they technically own.

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But when one of Mr. Freeman’s issues an advisement from the Committee Open Government not in her favor she takes the position that

While that has been the position of the Committee on Open Government, we note that its advisory opinions are not binding upon the Town

With Ms. Beville’s FOI games a Greenburgh town resident is damned either way.

Often Greenburgh’s taxpayers, who want access to public documents, must go through the additional expense of an FOI appeal or court case. This is because of Ms. Beville’s inconsistent manner in handling Freedom of Information requests for public documents.

If Ms. Beville or others in Greenburgh’s privileged political class want to keep secrets inside town hall.

New Yorks problem with local corruption is a lack of accountability and transparency. Ms. Beville’s failure to provide quick access to public record and her inconsistencies make a fertile ground for corruption that the taxpayers of Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Hastings On Hudson, Irvington and Tarrytown must ultimately pay for.

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

townclerk@greenburghny.com

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Town Clerk
177 Hillside Avenue
Greenburgh, NY 10607

4. Experience:

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Greenburgh Town Clerk Judith A. Beville refused to provide a short biographical paragraph to this public interest project to measure the responsiveness of Westchester County’s town clerks.

On the internet we found the following for Ms.Beville: 

City/Town of Residence: Town of Greenburgh (White Plains)

Once a member on the Valhalla Union Free Public School Board.

Email: jabeville@yahoo.com

Many town residents have said Beville’s hosting of fundraisers, farmers market music guests, cable public access shows and other events distracted Beville from her core responsibilities.

Despite Ms.Beville and the town board’s efforts to license massage parlors in town. The town is plagued by massage parlors that are really being used for prostitution.

5. From The Town Website:

Trucks drive through a flooded road in Greenburgh, N.Y. Sunday, March 14, 2010 after a storm passed through the region. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
Trucks drive through a flooded road in Greenburgh, N.Y. Sunday, March 14, 2010 after a storm passed through the region. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

WELCOME TO GREENBURGH: Image From The Town Of Greenburgh Website Home Page, Managed By Town Clerk Judith Beville

The Office of the Town Clerk Provides the Following Services for Town Residents

Agendas & Meetings
Coordinates and prepares all Town Board Agendas (Tentative, Final, Special Meetings, Work Sessions, Outreach Meetings, receives requests for street closings for holiday and civic association events and prepares resolutions for agenda)

Bids
Places Legal Notices for all Town Departments in Official Town Newspaper.  Receives and files Bids.

Cable
Serves as liaison between Town residents and Cable companies.  Assists resident’s in resolving Cable related problems and oversees Cable contracts along with the Legal Department.

Dog Licensing
Serves as Administrator for the Dog Licensing Program for Unincorporated Greenburgh and the Town’s Six Villages.  Issues New Licenses, Annual Renewals, and Replacement Tags

Elections
Coordinates Elections with Westchester County Board of Elections.  Acts as a satellite office for the Board of Elections on all election days. Coordinates the use and set-up of the Town’s 81 Polling Places. Assists in the delivery of materials for the Board of Elections to polling places. Works with Elections Inspector Coordinators in assigning election inspectors.  Supplies Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Forms.

Freedom of Information (FOIL)
Receives all Foil requests and disseminates to appropriate department for review and response.  Contacts applicant upon response, provides submitted documents, collects any associated fees.  Coordinates Foil Appeals with Town Board. The Town Clerk serves as the Freedom of Information Officer.

Licensing & Permits
New York State Licenses: Fishing, Hunting, Handicap Parking Permits
Town of Greenburgh Licenses: Cabaret, Canvassing/Peddlers & Solicitors, Filming, Going out of Business, Sanitation, Taxicab and Taxi Driver

Records Management Officer
Coordinates the retention of all Town records, keeping in compliance with the New York State Retention Schedule. Generates departmental reports for all records stored.  Oversees the scheduling for destruction of all Town records, as per the New York State Retention Schedule.

Senior Citizen Rent Abatement Program (ETPA)
Serves as liaison for qualified Town residents and New York State Division of Housing & Community Renewal Office, including annual report for Receiver of Taxes

Vital Records
Issues original birth, death and marriage certificates. Retains all vital records and issues certified copies.  Does searches for Genealogy. Apostles

Sales Tax Letters
Issues letters to residents and businesses for correct Sales Tax amount for the Town

Code Of The Town Of Greenburgh
Files newly adopted Local Laws with NYS Department of State; Maintains and updates Town Code Books, distributes supplements to all Agencies

Miscellaneous
Maintains book of Dangerous Conditions; Town Clerk is the receiver of the following documents; Notice of Claims, Summonses, Petitions, Certioraris, Scar Applications, etc. Maintains Oath of Office Book for elected officials and all other oaths administered by Town Clerk; Maintains and updates Boards & Commissions and  Civic Association lists; Maintains records for the Board of Ethics; Coordinates Internship program for the Town

6. Media Reports

GREENBURGH TOWN CLERK SAYS DON’T BLAME HER FOR TOWN’S POOR WEBSITE

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It seems Town Supervisor Paul Feiner and Town Clerk Judith Beville, both of whom are running for reelection this fall, are touchy on the subject of who is to blame for the Town’s failing grade for its website.

Town Clerk Judith Beville said today that she is not responsible for the Town’s website, which received a failing grade last fall from Albany-based public interest organization Empire Group…..

Even though Ms. Beville claims to have never had any responsibility whatsoever for the town’s website, a press release from Mr. Feiner published (and long since buried) on the town’s website itself states otherwise.

On June 13, 2011, under the headline, “Town Website needs improvement – Task Force Being Formed,” Mr. Feiner said that in response to months of complaints from residents that the town website was difficult to navigate,  “I have asked Town Clerk Judith Beville to head up a task force to improve the website.”  He then asked if residents had any “comments or suggestions,”  they should contact him and Ms. Beville.…..

Please Read More Here:

https://edgemontecc.com/2015/03/22/town-clerk-says-dont-blame-her-for-towns-poor-website/

PATCH: Massage Parlors Under Scrutiny in Greenburgh

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A proposed law to regulate the establishments is meeting resistance, according to attorney and community advocate Bob Bernstein.

In recent years, the number of massage parlors in Greenburgh has grown, a move that has many in the community upset because they claim the establishments are brothels merely posing as massage parlors.

The Journal News reports that some officials and residents are trying to take matters into their own hands by passing strict legislation to regulate the establishments. But according to one local attorney and community advocate, the matter is being met with some resistance.

On The Edgemont Community Council website, group president and local attorney Bob Bernstein writes that a proposal to regulate such businesses is being opposed by Town Attorney Tim Lewis and Town Clerk Judith Beville, namely because Lewis questions whether local jurisdictions can regulate the businesses under New York State laws…..

Please Read More Here:

http://patch.com/new-york/tarrytown/massage-parlors-under-scrutiny-greenburgh-0

DAILY VOICE: Uncontested Races Retain Incumbents In Greenburgh, Ardsley

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Incumbency is alive and well in the Town of Greenburgh, where the 24-year town supervisor and his entire board was reelected on Tuesday unopposed.

The same held true in three of the six villages within the Town of Greenburgh on Tuesday: Voters in Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry and Irvington all elected village officials who ran unopposed this fall…..

…Also in the town of Greenburgh, Town Clerk Judith Beville, a Democrat, ran unopposed; as did three Democratic candidates for Town Justice: Arlene Oliver, Delores Brathwaite and Walter Rivera…..

Please Read More Here:

http://greenburgh.dailyvoice.com/politics/uncontested-races-retain-incumbents-in-greenburgh-ardsley/601367/

WCBS: Greenburgh Town Hall To Be Open Sunday For Gay Marriage Licenses, Ceremonies

Gay Marriage (file / credit: DANIEL KFOURI/AFP/Getty Images)

Greenburgh town supervisor Paul Feiner says it’s a moment in history.

Gay couples in New York have waited for the right to marry and so Sunday, he realizes, is a meaningful day.

Therefore, the town hall will be open to approve and perform ceremonies….

…They’re asking couples planning to do so to contact the town clerk by phone at 914-993-1500 or e-mail at townclerk@greenburghny.com ahead of time.

Right now, the plan is to make licenses available until 2:00 p.m., but that could change with demand.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/07/20/greenburgh-town-hall-to-be-open-sunday-for-gay-marriage-licenses-ceremonies/

MID HUDSON NEWS: Over a dozen same-sex couples tie the knot in Westchester

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TOWN OF GREENBURGH – It was all smiles and wedding bells Sunday afternoon in the Town of Greenburgh as some of the first legally recognized same-sex marriages in the Hudson Valley were performed at the Greenburgh Town Hall by Town Clerk Judith Beville.

Beville opened the clerk’s office at noon and preformed ceremonies while on her day off Sunday afternoon….

Please Read More Here:

http://midhudsonnews.com/News/2011/July/25/MarEq_WC-25Jul11.html

7.. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With  Additional Information

About Greenburgh, New York

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Greenburgh is a town in the western part of Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 88,400 at the 2010 census.

The Romer-Van Tassel House served as the first town hall from 1793 into the early 19th century. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. Other locations on the National Register are the Church of St. Joseph of Arimathea and Odell House. The Spanish American War Monument to the 71st Infantry Regiment in Mount Hope Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011…..

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

Zip code: 10607

 

Population: 88,400 (2010)

Mamaroneck Town Clerk – Christina Battalia – Under Review

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Christina “Secret Evidence” Battalia

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

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Christina Battalia has sent a response to one of our Freedom of Information Requests say that she has done some kind of bizzare investigation and has some secret “evidence” that supposedly allows her to deny our rights to access the public documents.

And things have gotten even stranger, because Christina Battalia refuses to share her secret “evidence” making it impossible for us to appeal this bizarre records denial to Mamaroneck Town Supervisor Nancy Seligson.

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We are trying to have NYS “Committee On Open Government” Executive Director Robert Freeman advise Ms. Battalia and Ms. Seligson what New York States Freedom Of Information Laws actually say and what a town is permited to do with public records under those laws.

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

CBattalia@townofmamaroneckny.org

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Town Clerk
740 West Boston Post Road
First Floor, Room 103
Mamaroneck, NY 10543

4. Experience:

 

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Ms. Battalia refused to provide us with a short biographical paragraph, so we will try and search the internet to learn about her background and experience.

However, despite Ms. Battalia’s bizarre and hostile behavior, we must say her staff is very friendly and almost appoligetic about how she treated our FOI requests.

5. From The Town Website:

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The Town Clerk is an elected official who serves a four-year term. The Town Clerk serves residents directly through the issuance of licenses and permits as well as serving as the Town’s Records Management Officer. In addition, the Town Clerk serves the Town Board as the recording secretary for all their proceedings and decisions.

Vital Records

As Registrar of Vital Statistics the Clerk has the responsibility of issuing and maintaining birth and death records. The Town Clerk holds these vital records dating from 1881.

Marriage Licenses

New York State Marriage Licenses are issued through the Town Clerk’s Office and is responsible for issuing Marriage Certificates and recording them with the State of New York. The Town Clerk is a Marriage Officer who performs wedding ceremonies.

Other Licenses

The Town Clerk issues licenses and permits for the State, County and local municipality, including but not limited to licensing for Dogs, Hunting, Fishing, as well as permits for Alarms, Garage Sales, Peddling and Block Parties.

Parking Permits

Parking permits are issued through the Town Clerk’s Office for Commuter Lot No. 1 (Myrtle Boulevard and Vine Street), Area Business for Lot No. 2 (Maxwell Street) and Overnight and 24-Hour for Lot No. 3 and Lot No. 4 (Myrtle Boulevard).

FIOA Requests

The Town Clerk is the Freedom of Information Officer, liaison to the Board of Elections and holds the designation of Notary as well as the certifications of Registered Municipal Clerk (RMC) and Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC).

FAQs

6. Media Reports

7. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information.

About Mamaroneck, New York

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Mamaroneck is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States.

The population was 29,156 at the 2010 census. There are two villages contained within the town: Larchmont and the Village of Mamaroneck (part of which is located in the adjacent town of Rye). The majority of the town’s land area is not within either village, constituting an unincorporated area, although a majority of the population lives within the villages. Legally, the unincorporated section and the villages constitute the town as a political and governmental subdivision of New York State. The town is led by a town board, composed of five town board members, which includes the Town Supervisor, Nancy Seligson.

Much of the unincorporated section of the town receives its mail via the Larchmont Post Office and thereby has a Larchmont address.

The Town of Mamaroneck was ranked first in the list of the top 10 places to live in New York State for 2014 according to the national online real estate brokerage Movoto.

The area that is now the town in Mamaroneck was purchased from Native American Chief Wappaquewam and his brother Manhatahan by an Englishman named John Richbell in 1661. During the American Revolutionary War in 1776, the British loyalist William Lounsbury was attacked and killed by a group of revolutionaries led by John Flood. Several other skirmishes occurred that year between loyalists and revolutionaries.

The New York Legislature created Mamaroneck as a town on March 7, 1788. The Town of Mamaroneck is divided into three parts: the Village of Larchmont, an unincorporated area, and the Village of Mamaroneck, the rest of that village being in the town of Rye. This three-part division occurred in the 1890s to meet the growing demand for municipal services that the town could not provide. By definition at the time, a town could only provide basic government functions such as organizing and supervising elections, administering judicial functions, and constructing and maintaining highways.

During the 1890s, parts of the town of Mamaroneck that were situated closest to the water thrived. Larchmont Manor, with its beaches along Long Island Sound, had become well known as a summer resort for families from New York City, and people were beginning to live there year-round…..

Please Read More Here:

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

Zip code: 10543

Population: 19,237 (2013)

Area code: Area code 914

New Castle Town Clerk – Mary C. Deems – Under Review

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Unresponsive New Castle Town Clerk Mary C. Deems

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

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UNRESPONSIVE: To date There has been no response to our freedom of information requests submitted to New Castle Town Clerk Mary C. Deems. Many New Castle residents complain of a lack of transparency in thier local government and we are starting to understand why.

It has been widely reported that the Town Board Split Over Ms. Deems Appointment.

New Castle’s new Town Board had a rocky start at its organization meeting when its two elected Democrats had concern that they were not properly consulted regarding the appointment of Mary deems by their colleagues, who were elected as the Team New Castle ticket.

Dirty deeds Done Dirt Cheap

The concerns from Councilman Jason Chapin and Councilwoman Elise Kessler Mottel were about the full board being properly involved prior to the votes being made.

Mr. Chapin, in a statement that included an historical overview, explained that the practice involved the entire board in the interview and discussion aspects for candidates.

He said that the incoming board members had agreed to follow that process, but noted that the appointment was being done “without following the established process or honoring our agreement.”

Mr. Chapin added that he and Ms. Mottel “don’t know who interviewed whom, when and where, and what was discussed.” He also felt that the action is contrary to transparency and collaboration.

Other down and dirty without transparency appointments included Robert Kirkwood, a former planning board member and 2011 supervisor candidate, for the planning board’s vacant seat and chair post; town justice candidate and Team New Castle running mate Stuart Miller as a third town prosecutor; Keane & Beane for the new town counsel.

Supervisor Rob Greenstein, part of the 3-member Team New Castle majority, was able to 5r4am through some other appointments that did not require the full board to vote.

He appointed Jill Shapiro, the previous town clerk, to the town administrator’s post, replacing Penny Paderewski, who retired at the end of last year.

Mr. Greenstein also appointed Lisa Katz, one of his running mates, to deputy supervisor.

Mr. Greenstein took questions from the public and local journalists about what Mr. Chapin complained of.

Mr. Greenstein explained there was “a learning process”

Ms. Mottel said that she would like for her and Mr. Chapin to be included in process.

Greenstein replied, “you absolutely will be” and added “I do like sending emails.”

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

mdeems@mynewcastle.org

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests:

Town Clerk
200 South Greeley Avenue
Chappaqua, NY 10514

4. Experience:

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Ms. Deems did not respond to a request for background, career or educational experience. She was appointed to her position in a controversial and underhanded manner.

5. From The Town Website:

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The Town Clerk’s office keeps its finger on the pulse of the community as the keeper of all Town records. The Clerk’s office accurately maintains all Town Board meeting minutes and agendas, as well as adopted Town ordinances, local laws, budgets, petitions and employee appointments and resignations.

The Town Clerk’ office can assist you with filing a request under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), applying for a parking permit, a marriage license, or licensing your dog. Certified copies of marriage, birth and death records are also available from this office. The Town Clerk’s office also oversees bid openings for the Town.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Parking Permit Applications are due FRIDAY, MAY 27TH

6. Media Reports

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NEW CASTLE NOW – L to E: Transparency? The town administrator’s contract was supposed to be for six months

Monday, May 19, 2014
by Robin Murphy

Dear Editor:

Although I voted for Rob Greenstein as well as the other Team New Castle candidates, Adam Brodsky and Lisa Katz, I have been disappointed that their promises to bring “small business mindset” and “a new approach” to New Castle town government have so far been empty.  The appointment of Jill Shapiro as Town Administrator—with no attempt to invite other candidates to apply—raises serious questions.

The residents had been told that Mrs. Shapiro, a ten-year Town employee, was being appointed to that role for 6 months to provide some continuity and knowledge of what had been going on in town hall while the new board got situated.  It was said that this appointment could be renewed based on a vote by the full Town Board.  But through FOIL [Freedom of Information Act] requests, it’s come to light that this contract is actually a 2-year term with a one-time 6-month review provision.

We are about a month and a half away from the end of the 6 months, yet there has been no discussion by the Board of plans to open up the position to interview other qualified candidates.  For an administrative position in Bronxville, 12 qualified candidates were recently interviewed before a final candidate was selected.  There is nothing to indicate that our town would not elicit similar interest from qualified candidates if we were to hold an open (and transparent) interview process.  While Supervisor Greenstein applauds the work Mrs. Shapiro has been doing and publicly states that she is one of his very best decisions so far, I am unable to see on what basis he makes this statement.

Jill Shapiro seems like an amply qualified town clerk but frankly, if she remains as Town Administrator, it is a blown opportunity for the town of New Castle.  Not only does she not have the basic educational prerequisite for that position, but she lacks the leadership, people skills, budget skills, and the policy background of Administrators in forward-thinking towns.

The Town Administrator should be a best-practices, lead-by-example person, someone capable of engaging the public as well as one who connects and motivates personnel.  Logistics, process improvement practices, problem solving abilities, consensus building, and the ability to listen and work with others, needs to be encoded in the DNA of a successful Town Administrator.  In her years of service to our town, Mrs. Shapiro hasn’t demonstrated that she possesses these necessary skills.

The Town of New Castle deserves to have our staff performing at their highest level. That means addressing mistakes in the past and putting policy in place to ensure things like misuse of town property (vehicles and equipment) and harassment (anti-Semitic, sexual, or other) are not tolerated in any way.  Unless we have a Town Administrator who rolls up her or his sleeves and is proactive, not merely reactive, we will continue to see morale at Town Hall and other departments remain at what appears to be an all-time low and service quality diminish.

Leadership cannot be by proxy. It needs to be top-down. A void of leadership leads to more problems. Right now, we seem to be going down that road. For example, simply replacing one failed DPW Commissioner with one who had previously held this position—yet was replaced because of problems when he was the head—is not impressive.  Again, where is the transparency?  For this job too, no open search conducted?

Openly seek the best administrator

A public (e.g., New York Times advertisement) open call to fill the Town Administrator position would likely bring in plenty of qualified applicants with the necessary skill set, qualifications and experience on the planning level. Our town deserves that process to play out. If the job is put out publicly, Mrs. Shapiro should be invited to interview. But there should be a committee put together to evaluate this position and give New Castle residents the most qualified person to hold this job.  As it stands at this point, the application process for intern positions with our town government is more open and competitive than that of Town Administrator or DPW Commissioner.  This does not sound like the “new approach” many of us voted for last fall.

The Town Board and Supervisor need to remember that although they won our votes last fall, they are expected to continue working for our vote every day of their tenure.

Sincerely,
Robin Murphy

http://www.newcastlenow.org/index.php/article/new_l_to_e_transparency_the_town_administrators_contract_was_supposed_to_be

 YOUR TAXES ARE TOO HIGH CHAPPAQUA, BECAUSE THE FRAUD WASTE AND ABUSE IS COVERED UP BY A LOCAL PRIVILEGED POLITICAL CLASS

Supervisor Greenstein and Town Clerk Deems Needs To Start Bringing Accountability And Transparency To The Town Of New Castle

In early June 24th the public interest FOIL Westchester projectsent a freedom of information request to New Castle Town Clerk Mary C. Deems asking for….

“The current yearly salary and total current yearly benefit and pension costs for your elected position of clerk.”

The nonprofit group wanted to use this breakdown to understand and calculate the full cost of the elected clerks position for the benefit of taxpayers.

Violated New York State law and failed to provide this basic public information that the single family homeowners of Chappaqua ha a right to know.

The group has also sent a Freedom of Information request asking for any stipends that New Castle Town Clerk Mary C. Deems receives.

There was also a Freedom of Information request submitted for the salary, benefits and pension costs for New Castle Supervisor Rob Greenstein.

Lets see if New Castle Town Clerk Mary C. Deems provides the information or contues to violate the Freedom of Information laws of New York State, in violation of her oath of office.

https://plus.google.com/+BrianHarrod/posts/NmFJ8s4zEuF

Rob Greenstein is running for re-election; Eileen Gallagher and Seth Chodosh are running for seats on the town board.

New Castle Town Supervisor Rob Greenstein today announced that he is running for re-election, and Eileen Gallagher and Seth Chodosh announced that they are running for Town Board.

Team New Castle will again be endorsed by the New Castle Town Republican Committee. They will run as a slate under the Team New Castle 2.0 banner

Greenstein stated, “Just like the last election, we believe that town government is about people and principles, not parties. Once again, the Team New Castle ticket is a bipartisan ticket that believes in the power of community. After all, fixing a pothole is neither a democratic nor republican issue.” Greenstein continued, “TNC 2.0 will always act in the best interests of the community – regardless of party affiliation!”

Two years ago Team New Castle won the supervisor’s position and the two open board seats with a bi-partisan slate, running on the idea that the complacency of the past will not result in a better future for our community.

Gallagher said, “Seth and I hope to build on the accomplishments of Rob, Lisa Katz and Adam Brodsky and work to lay the foundation for a brighter tomorrow for all residents.”

Steve Schoenfeld, New Castle Republican Committee Chair, reiterated, “Rob, Eileen and Seth will bring a diversity of perspective and talent to our town government that goes beyond party labels. The slate will give our neighbors in town a real democratic choice on the vision for the future of our town and our children who grow up here. The election will be a healthy debate for our town.”

Rob Greenstein, Candidate for Supervisor

Rob Greenstein, the current supervisor of New Castle, has lived in Chappaqua twelve years with his wife and their three children, ages 11 through 13. His children attended Westorchard Elementary School and now Seven Bridges Middle School. Greenstein graduated from SUNY Binghamton in 1989 and from New York Law School (full scholarship) in 1993. He is a partner and trial attorney at Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP, the New York City

Eileen Gallagher, Candidate for Council Member

Eileen Gallagher has lived in Chappaqua for twelve years with her husband and two sons, one of which is a Horace Greeley High School senior and the other a third year at the University of Virginia. Earning a bachelor’s degree from the Fordham University Gabelli School of Business in 1987, she worked as an auditor for Ernst & Young. She then earned her master’s degree in Elementary Education from St. John’s University and went on to teach computer science and math. While raising her children, she has volunteered in several capacities including Westorchard School PTA chair, religious education teacher and parish council secretary at the Church of St. John and St. Mary, member of Chappaqua for Responsible Affordable Housing, and parent manager for travel soccer. Gallagher has also recently chaired the New Castle Coyote Management Task Force. In addition to reporting town government news and writing for both Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk, she currently serves as a freelance writer, is a member of the New Castle Historical Society and the Westchester Cycle Club, tutors weekly at Renaissance Youth Center in the South Bronx, supports our veterans and overseas troops as an active member of Soldiers’ Angels, and assists in dog rescues and adoptions through Puppy Rescue Mission.

Seth Chodosh, Candidate for Council Member

Seth Chodosh has deep ties to the community. Chodosh grew up in Chappaqua, as did his wife, Nurine, and is a member of the Horace Greeley High School class of 1990. Chodosh’s mom and in-laws still live in New Castle. He and his wife have 3 children, ages 6 months to 6 years, the oldest attending Douglas G. Grafflin Elementary School. Chodosh is a small business owner and founder of Running Paws, Inc., a company in New York City with 50 employees. In addition, he is an adjunct MBA professor at the Metropolitan College of NY (MCNY). )He is an avid runner who loves dogs, and is fluent in Spanish. Chodosh holds a joint MBA in International Business from the Lubin School of Business (Pace University) & Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (ITAM).

http://patch.com/new-york/chappaqua/team-new-castle-20-announces-run-town-offices

WALL STREET JOURNAL: Coyotes Divide Residents of Westchester’s Chappaqua

In the upscale Westchester County hamlet of Chappaqua, friction has simmered for years over how to manage coyotes.

This summer it boiled over.

The new tensions stem from a local housing development’s decision to hire trappers when a dog was attacked.

The question of whether to trap and euthanize coyotes is at the center of the Chappaqua debate. One camp says trapping should be done when the coyote is rabid or attacks a person unprovoked, and in other instances on a case-by-case basis. Another side says trapping should be an option whenever coyotes attack pets—and mandatory if they go after people.

“The whole town is polarized over this,” said Jennifer Lyne, a Chappaqua resident of two years.

The town of New Castle, which includes Chappaqua with its estimated 1,400 residents, has produced a coyote-response plan for its public spaces. It also intends to hire an animal-control officer to investigate sightings and attacks.

Facebook has become a clearinghouse for Chappaqua residents to trade the latest intel on coyotes, though it has also ended some friendships. Robin Murphy, a critic of trapping, said a friend stopped speaking to her after she made a coyote joke on Facebook. “We were friends in real life,” she said.

New Castle supervisor Robert Greenstein, who supports trapping in certain circumstances, made coyotes a campaign issue during his run for office in 2013.

“To me it’s just one issue we have in this town,” Mr. Greenstein said. “And quite honestly, if anything, I think it’s a little disturbing how this one issue gets blown out of proportion.”

Coyotes first came to New York state in the 1930s, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. They reached Westchester by the 1970s. Jim Horton, an independent trapper, said Westchester residents have to get used to the permanent presence of coyotes. “They are everywhere” in the county, he said.

Representatives of the hamlet’s most famous residents, Bill and Hillary Clinton, didn’t respond to a request for comment on the dispute.

The town of New Castle formed a committee in 2014 to develop a townwide policy for dealing with coyotes on public property. It had to be split into two committees because of the trapping disagreements, Mr. Greenstein said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8u9qNt4XRA

New Castle Democrats Choose Slate for Fall Elections

A number of people were interested in running for town board and supervisor seats, the NCDC said.

The New Castle Democratic Committee has announced a slate of candidates for town offices:

  • Victoria Alzapiedi, Candidate for Town Supervisor
  • Hala Makowska, Candidate for Town Board
  • Jeremy Saland, Candidate for Town Board

The vote was unanimous, officials said.

A number of New Castle residents approached the New Castle Democratic Committee (NCDC) this spring in the hopes of securing its endorsement to run for Town Supervisor and Town Board, said Jerry Curran, Co-Chair of the New Castle Democratic Committee. The candidate selection process was transparent and thorough—all applicants were interviewed by the NCDC’s Nomination and Candidate Development Committee. Applicants were then invited to make a presentation to the entire NCDC before its members voted at their May 11 meeting.

“We believe that this is the right ticket to move New Castle and its residents forward together,“ Curran said. “They represent a cross section of our multidimensional community and will work together in the best interest of all residents for the betterment of our Town.”

More About the Candidates from the NCDC

Victoria Alzapiedi:

A former public interest attorney and social justice entrepreneur, Victoria is a management consultant and the Founder and Principal of Breakthrough Insight Consulting, LLC – focusing on leadership development, executive coaching, and organizational effectiveness with businesses, teams, and individuals. Victoria has extensive experience working in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors – creating and leading innovative initiatives, partnerships, and collaborations.

“I’m running for Town Supervisor because I love living in New Castle – we are a wonderful community and we’re fortunate to wake up every morning in this beautiful setting with engaged, generous, and caring neighbors. I believe that the residents of New Castle deserve a leader who sets a positive and inclusive tone – where all residents have an opportunity to participate in helping to make our community the best place to live. We need a leader who brings people together – who is transparent about process — knows how to find common ground – and builds bridges and understanding instead of creating division and conflict. I believe that I am that leader.”

Victoria grew up in Brooklyn, NY and has lived in New Castle since 2008. She is a member of the New Castle Conservation Board, a District Leader for the New Castle Democrats, and was the Chair of the New Castle Coyote Awareness and Safety Advisory Committee. Victoria received her Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, her JD from University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and her BA from SUNY College at Purchase.

Hala Makowska:

“Local government has an enormous impact on our quality of life, the services we come in contact with and the value of our property. We have both an opportunity and a responsibility to enhance New Castle’s future and I am running because I believe that good governance can make a difference in our daily lives.”

Hala is a 16-year resident of New Castle and has served on the Millwood Task Force, as a volunteer firefighter and is currently the Chair of the Millwood Board of Fire Commissioners.

Jeremy Saland:

“With a young family, I am keenly interested in sustaining and improving the quality of life for all of New Castle’s residents. Whether we are keeping our community safe, giving our children ample opportunities to succeed or addressing the ongoing and challenging housing and development issues, together as a community we need to find answers and solutions The strongest advocates for our community start with our neighbors, friends, local leaders and business people, elected officials and public service providers who have a vested interest in our community today and well beyond tomorrow. Although we may not share the same view on every issue, with common goals and working together we can identify the ideas and implement the plans to move New Castle in the right direction.”

A resident of New Castle since 2006, Jeremy is a criminal defense attorney and former treasurer of the Small Law Firm Committee of the New York City Bar Association. Prior to establishing his law practice, he worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Robert Morgenthau’s Manhattan District Attorney’s Office where he was assigned to the Domestic Violence Unit and was one of the original prosecutors in New York’s first ever Identity Theft Unit (now the Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau).

Jeremy has volunteered in New Castle as his children’s soccer, t-ball and baseball coach and currently serves as a Town Prosecutor after being appointed with bipartisan support by both Democrat and Republican Town Boards each year since 2010.

Town Board Splits Over Appointments; Inclusion Planned

New Castle’s new Town Board had a rocky start at its organization meeting on Wednesday when its two elected Democrats had concern that they were not properly consulted regarding appointments by their colleagues, who were elected as the Team New Castle ticket.

The concerns from Councilman Jason Chapin and Councilwoman Elise Kessler Mottel were about the full board being properly involved prior to the votes being made. Chapin, in a statement that included an historical overview, explained that the practice involved the entire board in the interview and discussion aspects for candidates. He said that the incoming board members had agreed to follow that process, but noted that the appointments were being done “without following the established process or honoring our agreement.”

Chapin added that he and Mottel “don’t who interviewed whom, when and where, and what was discussed.” He also felt that the action is contrary to transparency and collaboration.

The appointments included Robert Kirkwood, a former planning board member and 2011 supervisor candidate, for the planning board’s vacant seat and chair post; town justice candidate and Team New Castle running mate Stuart Miller as a third town prosecutor; Keane & Beane for the new town counsel; Mary Deems for town clerk and receiver of taxes.

Supervisor Rob Greenstein, part of the 3-member Team New Castle majority, was able to make some appointments that did not require the full board to vote. He appointed Jill Shapiro, the previous town clerk, to the town administrator’s post, replacing Penny Paderewski, who retired at the end of last year after being defeated by Greenstein in November’s election when she ran with a failed Democratic ticket.

Greenstein also appointed Lisa Katz, one of his running mates, to deputy supervisor. Mottel previously had the title under recent boards that were comprised entirely of elected Democrats.

Greenstein, along with Katz and fellow councilman and running mate Adam Brodsky, won by using the Republican and Independence Party ballot lines, ending a years-long era of elected Democrats having a lock on, and majority of, the town board. However, Greenstein and Katz are registered Democrats, while Brodsky is a non-affiliated.

Later that night, when the board switched to a work session, Greenstein took questions from the public and local journalists. He was asked to give a rebuttal to what Chapin mentioned earlier. He explained that there was correspondence by email. He described there being a “a learning process” and expressed a willingness to learn each other’s approaches.

Weighing in on the appointment of Kirkwood, which was approved 3-2, he felt that the planning board’s “seat has remained open for too long.” The seat became vacant in early 2013 when Gerard Curran stepped down, leaving four members remaining. Kirkwood will replace Richard Brownell, who was reappointed, as chair.

Even with the disagreements, there were unanimous votes on non-controversial topics, such as mileage and an employee salary schedule. There was also no overt disagreement during the subsequent work session regarding topics such as a planned upgrade to the Code Red emergency notification system.

The style of the night had some differences from what has been done before. It was preceded by a coffee and chat, which included attendance from Chappaqua school board members, county Legislator Michael Kaplowitz, members of the Millwood Task Force and the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce.

The work session was held in the main assembly space and was also included in an NCCMC taping,

https://vimeopro.com/newcastlemediacenter/nccmc

Mottel, Chapin Bid Farewell From New Castle Town Board

The year’s end also marks the conclusion of terms for New Castle Town Board members Elise Kessler Mottel and Jason Chapin, who have a combined 20 years of service as local lawmakers.

During the board’s final meeting of the year, which was held earlier this month, Chapin and Mottel were feted with praise for their work and accomplishments. The pair were joined by fellow board members, family members, and current and former town officials at a reception.

Mottel is leaving the board after serving as a councilwoman for 12 years, or three consecutive 4-year terms. She also served as deputy supervisor for five of those years.

Chapin is stepping down after serving for eight years, which he did for a pair of non-consecutive 4-year terms.

“I thank the talented and passionate town board members and supervisors I have worked with during the past 12 years,” Mottel said. “Together, we found solutions to difficult problems. Our accomplishments were always a team effort.”

Mottel also praised town staff, volunteers and members of the public for their roles.

Chapin noted the importance of listening to others – he named residents, town staff, advisory boards and town counsel as examples – before making decisions on major issues.

“I always felt if I understood the pros and cons, and the short and long-term impacts, I would know what was best for the entire town and vote accordingly.”

Chapin praised a litany of local stakeholders, ranging from his colleagues to staff to first responders.

County and state officials whose districts cover New Castle offered their own thanks.

Michael Kaplowitz, who is chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, presented the pair with two honorary proclamations. The outgoing council members received similar honoraria from state Assemblyman David Buchwald. Deputy Supervisor Lisa Katz, who gave her own praise, read from proclamations issued by state Sen. Terrence Murphy, who could not make it to the celebration.

“I want to thank you very much from the bottom of my heart,” Katz said.

Supervisor Rob Greenstein, who notably disagreed with Chapin on several local issues, praised the outgoing members.

“You both care deeply about the community,” he said.

Councilman Adam Brodsky noted the sacrifices that his colleagues made for their jobs, which meant less time spent with family members.

Town Administrator Jill Shapiro thanked Mottel and Chapin for their support. Shapiro also noted the various accomplishments that the town made over the past two years, which range from downtown infrastructure work to advancing a Comprehensive Plan update.

“Although it certainly has not been a smooth ride, this board accomplished a tremendous amount in two years,” she said.

Chapin and Mottel will be succeeded by Jeremy Saland and Hala Makowska, whose terms start on Jan. 1.

http://chappaqua.dailyvoice.com/news/mottel-chapin-bid-farewell-from-new-castle-town-board/614626/

6. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

About The Town Of New Castle

Image = New_Castle_highlighted.svg

New Castle is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 17,569 at the 2010 census.

New Castle was originally inhabited by several Native American tribes, including the Siwanoy and the Wappinger. Portions of New Castle were initially purchased in 1640 by Nathaniel Turner from Ponas Sagamore, chief of theSiwanoy. In 1661, John Richbell purchased land, including all of present-day New Castle, from the Siwanoy. In 1696,Caleb Heathcote purchased that tract of land from Richbell’s widow. What is present-day New Castle was originally incorporated as part of the town of North Castle, which was jokingly referred to as “the two saddlebags,” in 1736. The first European settlers in the area were Quakers, who settled in present-day Chappaqua in 1753 and constructed a meeting house, which still stands today on Quaker Street. The town of New Castle broke away from North Castle in 1791.

New Castle has several locations on the National Register of Historic Places, including The Williams-DuBois House, Old Chappaqua Historic District, and Isaac Young House. Two buildings from Horace Greeley’s former farm are also on the National Historic Register, including the Greeley House, which houses the headquarters for the New Castle Historical Society, and Rehoboth, the first concrete barn in the country.

Perhaps the most renowned area and hamlet of New Castle is Chappaqua. Both Chappaqua and New Castle became well-known as the residence of Horace Greeley.

More recently, Chappaqua and the Town of New Castle have attracted national attention as the home of Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who purchased a home on Old House Lane in Chappaqua in 1999 as they were preparing to leave the White House.

  • Chappaqua is the largest hamlet of New Castle. Its center is located in the southeastern part of the town, but most of the town falls under Chappaqua’s ZIP code.
  • Millwood is another hamlet of New Castle, located in the northwest part of the town.
  • Mount Kisco was New Castle’s only village, as per the guidelines of the State of New York. Half of the village was in the town of New Castle, the other half was in the town of Bedford. However, in 1972, the Town of Mount Kisco was formed, officially separating the village from New Castle. The Village of Mount Kisco is now coterminous with the Town of Mount Kisco, and has nothing to do with the towns of New Castle or Bedford.

Please Read More Here:

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

Area: 23.4 mi²
Elevation: 561′
Population: 17,569 (2010)

Pound Ridge Town Clerk – Joanne Pace – Under Review

Image = Pound Ridge = JOANNE PACE

Joanne Pace

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

Image = Incomplete 623

Under Review – So Far The Highly Compensated Pound Ridge Clerk Joanne Pace Has Failed To Respond To Four FOI Request We Sent. Most Of The Other Town Clerks In Westchester County Have Responded.

And it appears that we have to soon appeal to the New York State Department’s Committee On open government concern  Ms. Pace’s failure to respond to our requests to the town clerk’s office.

http://www.dos.ny.gov/coog/

There appears to be a problem with Ms. Pace meeting deadlines and complying with New York State Laws.

In the past, Pound Ridge had control of most election chores. Not anymore. When asked by the county in January, Pound Ridge clerk JoAnne Pace refused to give the county its keys to its lever voting machines.

Under a law created by New York State, Westchester County has control of the elections in 2006 and beyond.

The Pound Ridge government’s act of defiance ended when Pound Ridge received a letter from the county in March that said “despite numerous requests, the board [board of elections] has not received your municipality’s voting machine keys.”

Reginald A. LaFayette, the commissioner of the board of elections, wrote that he “regretted” that if Town Clerk Jo anne Pace did not comply with the request for keys and unless the keys could be inventoried, the county would notify the New York State Board of Elections that the town did not comply with state law.

The county further wrote that “we will be unable to certify your voting machines for the upcoming 2006 elections.”

Joanne Pace, immediately drove the keys down to the Westchester County offices in White Plains.

Ms. Pace was also unresponsive when the League Of Women Voters sent her a questionaire for the 2015 voter’s guide.

From The Voter’s Guide….

TOWN CLERK – POUND RIDGE Term:
4 years; Salary: $71,415
Joanne Pace
Questions: – no response –

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests 

jpace@townofpoundridge.com

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

179 Westchester Avenue
Pound Ridge, NY 10576

4. Experience:

Image = noresponse-623

Pound Ridge Clerk Joanne Pace did not respond to a request to provide a biographical statement to this project to measure how well Town Clerks respond to and comply with New York State’s Freedom Of Information Laws. Compliance With The law and transparancy appear not to be a priority with Ms. Pace.

5. From The Clerk’s Town Website:

Image = Pound Ridge Website banner627

6. Media Reports

7. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

About Pound Ridge, New York

Image = Pound_Ridge_highlighted.svg

Pound Ridge is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 5,104 at the 2010 census.

The town is located in the eastern corner of the county, bordered by New Canaan, Connecticut, to the east,Stamford, Connecticut, to the south, Bedford, New York, to the west and Lewisboro, New York, to the north.

In the early seventeenth century Pound Ridge was inhabited by Native Americans who spoke the Munsee language[ and were members of the Wappinger Confederacy. The geographical boundaries of the tribes within the Confederacy are unclear. Pound Ridge has been variously listed as within the territory of the Kitchawong,Siwanoy and Tankiteke tribes. These claims are not necessarily exclusive as tribal boundaries were not fixed and the land used by different tribes was often interlaced or shared. Interaction with Europeans caused Indians to change their settlement locations over time. Furthermore, the territories listed in sales to Europeans by particular tribal chiefs are not strict guides to the boundaries of tribal control or occupancy. The Siwanoy are generally agreed to have lived along the north Long Island Sound Coast with a maximum range extending from Hell Gate to Norwalk, Connecticut. The Tankiteke appear to have occupied eastern Westchester County and Fairfield County. The territory of the Kitchawong is thought to have extended from the Croton River to Anthony’s Nose along the Hudson and some distance east from the river.

The Wappinger Confederacy participated in Kieft’s War which began in 1640 as a result of escalating tensions over land use, livestock control, trade and taxation between the Dutch West India Company colony of New Netherlandand neighboring native peoples. In March 1644 a Wappinger Confederacy village in present-day Pound Ridge was attacked by a mixed force of 130 Dutch and English soldiers under the command of Captain John Underhill. This event is now known as the Pound Ridge Massacre. The attackers surrounded and burnt the village in a night attack killing between 500 to 700 Indians. The dead included 25 members of the Wappinger tribe, with the remainder being either Tankiteke or Siwanoy or both. The New Netherland force lost one man killed and fifteen wounded. More casualties were suffered in this attack than in any other single incident in the war. Shortly after the battle four Wappinger Confederacy sachems arrived in the English settlement of Stamford to sue for peace.

The territory of modern Pound Ridge was first permanently settled by Europeans in 1718 in the present-day Long Ridge Road area. Long Ridge Road was originally an Indian path and had been used by the first settlers of Bedford, New York as they traveled to that destination from Stamford. Although the very first settlers were from Huntington on Long Island, most of the original settlers of Pound Ridge were from Stamford. A large portion of Pound Ridge was included in the town of North Castle when it was incorporated in 1721.

Three thousand acres in the northern part of present-day Pound Ridge were included within the more than 86,000 acre Cortlandt Manor grant which extended from the Hudson River in the west twenty miles east to the Connecticut border. A member of the historically prominent Lockwood family first purchased land in Pound Ridge in 1737 and several members of the family settled in the town within the next six years. The Scofield family first settled in the area in 1745 and the first Fancher settled in the area in 1758. Roads in the modern town bear the name of each of these families.The first record of the term “Old Pound Ridge” to refer to the present-day town’s territory is found in the North Castle records from 1737. “Old Pound Ridge” begins to appear in Stamford records in 1750. The name “Old Pound Ridge” is thought to have originated from the presence of an Indian game pound on a hill within the territory when the settlers first arrived.

…..

Please Read More Here:

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

Zip code: 10576

Population: 5,104 (2010)

 

Area code: 914

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 Bronxville – James M. Palmer – Under Review – Delayed

Image = j_palmer clerk village of Bronxville

James M. Palmer

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

Image = Village of Bronxville - James M. Palmer - Under Review - Delayed 75

Under Review – James Palmer has responded to our Bronxville Freedom of Information requests with….

“We are unable to respond to your request at this time. If the information you request is available, we will contact you within 20 business days.”

One of the Freedom of Information requests asked how much was the compensation for his taxpayer funded job.

Really?

LOL – Maybe James Palmer makes so much money off of the taxpayers that it takes him 20 days just to count it up.

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

JPalmer@vobny.com

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Village Clerk
200 Pondfield Rd
Bronxville, NY 10708

4. Experience:

A graduate of St. Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont, with a degree in business administration and a minor in political science, Palmer earned his master’s degree at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at SUNY Albany.

While still in graduate school, Mr. Palmer entered professional local government management when he accepted a position with Schenectady County Manager Robert McEvoy, former manager for the Town of Rye and assistant city manager of Yonkers.

From Schenectady County, Palmer moved to the Village/Town of Mount Kisco, where he began his 20-year tenure working for the village manager, eventually assuming that position.

With Mount Kisco being one of only five coterminous village/towns in the State of New York, and the only one with separate assessing units, Mr. Palmer served as both village assessor and town assessor.

Mount Kisco, along with Scarsdale and Harrison, are the only three coterminous municipalities in Westchester.

In Bronxville, beyond the administrative aspects of the village administrator’s position, Palmer is involved in the many village projects currently in progress and soon to be initiated. His duties also include serving as the village clerk and the records management officer.

Mr. Palmer got the job after a lengthy search process that com-menced in February. At the end of the previous year, former Village Administrator Harold Porr announced his retirement after 10 years on the job.

The salary for this position is $170,000

Interim Bronxville Village Administrator Donald Marra, who is filling in, was also hired in March to lead the search for Mr. Porr’s replacement.

Soon after completing the administrative search in Bronxville, Mr. Marra was hired away to help the Village of Tuckahoe with its own search for a village administrator, a new position the village is creating.

Rye Brook’s assistant village administrator, David Burke, was eventually hired for the Tuckahoe position.

Mr. Palmer, who is a board member of the state’s City/County Management Association.

Mr. Palmer will remain a resident of Mount Kisco, where he lives with his wife Xann and five-year-old twin daughters Zoe and Siena.

Bronxville is a small village with many wealthy residents.

5. From The Village Website:

Image = Village of Bronxville Website - Full Header 74

Duties & Responsibilities

The Village Clerk is located on the main floor of Village Hall and is open Monday through Friday from 9AM to 4PM.

The Village Clerk is a public officer and custodian of all public records maintained by the Village. The primary responsibilities of the Village Clerk involve records management, coordination and supervision of Village Elections, and attendance at all official meetings of the Board of Trustees for recording official minutes of the meeting. The Village Clerk is appointed by the Village Board and serves a term of two (2) years. Clerks are not subject to term limits and may be reappointed at the expiration of a term.

The Vital Statistics office is also part of the Village Clerk’s office. The Registrar of Vital Records maintains and issues certified copies of birth and death records of the Village. These records are limited and pertain only to persons who were born in the Village of Bronxville or who actually died within the Village of Bronxville.

The Village Clerk is also the Freedom of Information Officer and processes all requests for records under the Freedom of Information Law.

Through the Village Clerk, Bronxville residents may obtain permanent or temporary handicapped parking permits. The clerk also issues local permits and licenses.

Email the Village Clerk/Deputy Registrar of Vital Statistics

Staff Contacts

Name Title Phone
James M. Palmer JPalmer@vobny.com Administrator/Village Clerk 914-337-6500
Mary Ann Magliato mmagliato@vobny.com Deputy Registrar of Vital Statistics 914-337-6500, x109
Margaret Parr mparr@vobny.com Registrar of Vital Statistics 914-337-6500, Ext 100

6. Media Reports / Related Pages

Image = news - Village of Bronxville - James M. Palmer 74

MY HOMETOWN BRONXVILLE: James M. Palmer, Mt. Kisco Village Manager, Appointed Bronxville Village Administrator as of June 23

May 14, 2014:  The Bronxville Board of Trustees, in a unanimous vote at its May 12 meeting, affirmed the appointment of James M. Palmer, the current Mount Kisco village manager, as Bronxville village administrator effective June 23. Palmer will succeed Harold Porr, who retired from the position in March, and will assume responsibilities from Donald Marra, who has served as interim village administrator since Porr’s retirement.

Palmer comes to Bronxville with over 20 years of experience in Mount Kisco. Prior to becoming village manager, a position he has held for six years, Palmer served as assistant village manager and tax assessor. He also worked for the village as a building inspector and as human resources manager.

During Palmer’s tenure as village manager, he administered construction of a new village library and directed the conversion of village street lighting from incandescent to LED fixtures…..

Please Read More Here:

http://myhometownbronxville.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7007:james-m-palmer-mt-kisco-village-manager-appointed-bronxville-village-administrator-as-of-june-23&catid=5:bronxville-govt-hist&Itemid=5

YONKERS TRIBUNE: Park Avenue Construction Begins in Bronxville 

By Village Administrator JAMES M. PALMER

BRONXVILLE, NY — October 4, 2015 — As you may be aware, the Village has awarded a contract to have a portion of the Park Avenue brick road, between Wellington Circle and Tanglewylde Avenue, restored and to also add additional drainage down Tanglewylde Avenue, where it approaches Midland Avenue. The two month project will commence Monday, October 5, 2015, with the construction of the drainage work on Tanglewylde Avenue to be followed by the reconstruction of Park Avenue. As a result of this work, it will be necessary to have a limited amount of material and equipment stored along Tanglewylde Avenue and Park Avenue. It may also be necessary to have limited through traffic on Tanglewylde Avenue and Park Avenue during certain periods.

Please know that the Village will ensure that the Contractor, Tony Casale Inc., maintains the area in a neat and safe manner throughout the project and fully restores the area upon its completion.

Please do not hesitate to contact me directly should you have any additional questions regarding the project. I can be reached directly at 793-0721.

http://www.yonkerstribune.com/2015/10/park-avenue-construction-begins-in-bronxville-monday-october-5-2015-by-village-administrator-james-m-palmer

PATCH: Palmer Leaving Mount Kisco for Bronxville

Bronxville has hired James Palmer, currently the Village Manager of Mount Kisco, as its new Village Administrator, according to Bronxville Mayor Mary Marvin.

Here’s part of what Marvin wrote about him:

After a very deliberate process, we have chosen James (Jim) M. Palmer as our new Administrator.   Jim has been the Village Manager of Mount Kisco since 2006.  Prior to being elevated to Manager, Jim wore almost every hat in municipal government including the titles of Town and Village Clerk, Assessor, Building Inspector and Human Resources Manager.   In essence, Jim has sat in every seat of those he will be supervising.   

Jim dealt successfully with many of the issues that have also presented themselves here in Bronxville in recent years.  He guided the demolition and then construction of a new library…..

Please Read More Here:

http://patch.com/new-york/chappaqua/palmer-leaving-mount-kisco-for-bronxville

EXAMINER NEWS: Palmer To Leave Mount Kisco Village Manager’s Post

A chapter in Mount Kisco government will come to a close in June, when James Palmer, who has served as village manager for the past six years and has worked for the municipality for nearly two decades, will leave to become village administrator in Bronxville.

Palmer said it was a difficult decision to leave Mount Kisco, where he also lives. Bronxville is one of “a very few communities in Westchester that I would consider leaving for,” he said.

“First and foremost, I think of it always as an honor and a privilege to serve the community,” said Palmer, who starts his new job June 16.

Palmer said he did not actively seek a new job, but the Bronxville opening was “a unique opportunity that came up.” Bronxville is similar in many respects to Mount Kisco, with a vibrant downtown but with some challenges, such as empty storefronts that need to be filled.

He said he planned to continue living locally and take part in community activities after he moves on to his new job. Palmer currently earns a $159,500 salary in Mount Kisco.

Please Read More Here:

http://www.theexaminernews.com/palmer-to-leave-mount-kisco-village-managers-post/

DAILY VOICE: Mount Kisco Village Manager to Leave for Bronxville Post

Mount Kisco Village Manager James Palmer will leave his current post to become the village administrator in Bronxville, according to theexaminernews.com.

Palmer said he didn’t seek out the Bronxville position, but was was drawn to it because of the unique challenges it presents…..

Please Read More Here:

http://mtkisco.dailyvoice.com/news/mount-kisco-village-manager-to-leave-for-bronxville-post/447175/

Bronxville superintendent ‘search’ wastes money: Letter

Re “Bronxville school superintendent search begins,”

I know the school board President Denise Tormey to be a woman of great integrity and surely she means well by hiring an expensive firm to do a national search for a new superintendent.

Having taught in Bronxville for 22 years, however, I can say with 100 percent certainty that the money for the search firm would be much better spent on programs, staff or infrastructure.

This is because the new superintendent will most certainly be the current assistant superintendent, and every person who works in Bronxville knows this. The Bronxville community deserves more and can do better than a preordained successor, so please use the search wisely.

Jeff Zuckerman

Tuckahoe

http://www.lohud.com/story/opinion/readers/2016/07/05/bronxville-superintendent-search-wastes-money-letter/86548020/

FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/1124024424306257/photos/a.1124034174305282.1073741828.1124024424306257/1141507312557968/?type=3&theater

7. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

About Bronxville, New York

Image = Bronxville_highlighted.svg

Bronxville is a suburban village in Westchester County, New York, located about 15 miles north of midtown Manhattan. It is part of the town of Eastchester. The village comprises 1 square mile (2.5 km2) of land in its entirety, approximately 20% of the town of Eastchester. As of the 2010 U.S. census, Bronxville had a population of 6,323. As of 2014, it was ranked 18th in the state in median income.

Millionaire real-estate and pharmaceutical mogul William Van Duzer Lawrence sparked the development of Bronxville as an affluent suburb of New York City with magnificent homes in a country-like setting. The area, once known as “Underhill’s Crossing”, became “Bronxville” when the village was formally established. The population grew in the second half of the 19th century when railroads allowed commuters from Westchester County to work in New York City. Lawrence’s influence can be seen throughout the community, including the historicLawrence Park neighborhood, the Houlihan Lawrence Real Estate Corporation, and Lawrence Hospital. John F Kennedy, the president of the United States, also resided here for a time.

The village was home to an arts colony in the early 20th century during which time many noteworthy houses by prominent and casual architects were built. After the Bronx River Parkway was completed in 1925, the Village expanded rapidly with the construction of several apartment buildings and townhouses much of it built by the Lawrence family. As of 1959, they continued to own or manage 97% of the rental market. In both rentals and ownership, the village discouraged and effectively prohibited Jewish residency, earning the name “The Holy Square Mile.”

The Gramatan Hotel on Sunset Hill was a residence hotel in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Gramatan was the name of the chief of the local Siwanoy Indian tribe that was centered in the Gramatan Rock area above Bronxville Station. Chief Gramatan sold the land to the settlers. The hotel was demolished in 1970, and a complex of townhouses was built on the site in 1980. 

Elizabeth Clift Bacon, General George Armstrong Custer‘s widow, lived in Bronxville, and her house still stands to this day.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, located in the downtown area, was attended by the Kennedys when they were residents from 1929 to about 1936. In 1958 future-senator Ted Kennedy married Joan Bennett in St. Joseph’s Church. In 1960, the Village voted 5:1 for Nixon over Kennedy.

The US Post Office–Bronxville was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Other sites on the National Register are the Bronxville Women’s Club,Lawrence Park Historic District, and Masterton-Dusenberry House..

Bronxville’s 10708 ZIP code covers the village of Bronxville proper, plus Chester Heights and other sections of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe, and Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa, and other sections of Yonkers. This brings the ZIP code’s population to 22,411 (2000 census), covering an area more than twice as large as the municipality of Bronxville itself and encompassing several notable institutions, such as Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers. In fact, there are more residents of Yonkers using a Bronxville mailing address than living in the village itself. The Bronxville Post Office serves residents of the village…..

Please Read More Here:

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

Zip code: 10708

Population: 6,403 (2013)

Colleges and Universities: Sarah Lawrence College, Concordia College

Bronxville Trivia

  • Bronxville has 2,300 addresses in the Village but over 10,000 people use Bronxville as their postal address.
  • In 1898, at the time of its incorporation as a Village, Bronxville had 300 citizens.
  • Sixty percent of our residents live in single-family homes and townhouses while 40 percent reside in apartments, co-ops and condominiums.
  • In the most recent census, ethnicity in the Village was 20 percent Irish, 11 percent Italian, 11 percent German and 10 percent English, with all other nationalities below double digits.
  • Per the same census, the Village has 3,358 female residents vs 3,060 male.
  • Twenty percent of the land in the Village is tax exempt.
  • The Bronx River was actually re-routed and the Village border changed to accommodate the construction of the Bronx River Parkway.
  • There are 1,356 parking meters in our Village and they all work. (Most days!)
  • The Village has over 70 acres of parkland.
  • The original soil at the Alfredo Fields, near Siwanoy Country Club, was sold and trucked to Queens for the World’s Fair in 1939.
  • Scout Field, both upper and lower, are Westchester County parkland with over 95 percent of the actual field areas in the cities of Yonkers and Mount Vernon.
  • Bronxville residents pay more in property taxes to Westchester County (approximately $8 million per year) than they do to run Village government.
  • With the exception of the Hasidic village of Kiryas Joel in Orange County, Bronxville is the only other community that is co-terminous with their school district and has the municipality issues both School and Village tax bills.
  • When United Water or Con Edison needs to do repairs underground, it is their responsibility to repave and repair the disrupted surfaces. Of late, repairs seem to take much longer because the work is now subcontracted out to different entities.
  • Homeowners are responsible for the care, maintenance and replacement of sidewalks abutting their property. The Village is responsible for road maintenance.
  • According to a Con Edison study, the cost to relocate the overhead electrical lines in Bronxville would be approximately $62 million. In addition, there would be a charge to connect individual homes which would average between $18,000–$25,000 per dwelling. If the overhead lines from the feeder substations that run through adjoining communities are not buried as well, Bronxville would still lose power if the lines are hit.
  • Crews from the Village Department of Public Works cannot remove tree branches or debris near a wire until Con Edison has determined the wire is not live and poses no danger.
  • Our police department offers many ancillary services to residents including:
    • security survey of homes or businesses to assess vulnerabilities and suggest ways to increase security
    • a vacant house check for residents on vacation
    • a key file service allowing homeowners to keep a key at the police department for emergencies
    • the assistance of officers who are certified infant seat technicians to inspect or install car seats

All of these services can be requested by calling the police desk at 914-337-0500.

  • As part of their duties, police officers report all non-working street lights. If a light remains out for several days, it means there is an electrical issue requiring assistance from Con Edison.
  • Kevlar police vests last only five years. Then the fibers start to decompose.
  • A 14-year-old providing alcohol to a 20-year-old can still be charged with the crime of providing alcohol to a minor.
  • The New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law sets the minimum speed of 30 mph for villages. It can be lowered only with evidence of exceptional circumstances such as a designated school zone or proof that an area has a history of multiple serious accidents caused by conditions particular to that stretch of road.
  • In 1960, villagers voted 5:1 for Richard Nixon over former resident John F. Kennedy
  • The Village has no County-owned roads and only one State road, Route 22. It is only Route 22 that cannot be repaved or upgraded by the Village’s capital plan. If you notice, the state built Route 22 in Bronxville with no catch basins adding to our flooding issues.
  • In 1934, 301 babies were born at Lawrence Hospital. Last year, the total reached over 2,500. Village government is responsible for the production of their birth certificates.
  • Palumbo Place is named for Joe Palumbo the long time Village Public Works Director. Leonard Morange Park, on the west side, is named after the first Village resident to die in service of our country in World War I.
  • Famous people who called the Village home included John F. Kennedy, Eddie Rickenbacker, Beat writer Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick, Elizabeth Custer, Jack Paar and Marvin Bower.

Village of Croton-on-Hudson – Pauline DiSanto – Under Review

Image = smiley-face-thumbs-down-clipart-Thumbs_down_smiley2_Clip_Art 711
Pauline DiSanto, Has Not Yet Sent In Her Photo

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

Under Review: The very highly compensated Village of Croton-on-Hudson Clerk Pauline DiSanto claims to need more than a month to respond to the same freedom of Information requests that most clerks responded to and completed in less than a week.

There appears to be a good reason that Croton-on-Hudson taxpayers have often complained to Village Manager Jamie King and Chiropractor / Mayor Mayor Dr. Greg Schmidt about the lack of accountability and transparancy in their community.

The Village of Croton-on-Hudson, New York is a small very high taxed village in the northern suburbs of New York City, with a population of about 8,000 people and an area of less than five square miles.

Image Greg Schmidt Croton On Hudson 711
Mayor Greg Schmidt

Residents Are Gravely Concerned About The Village Debt That Was Unanimously Increased By 33% By The Board Of Trustees

Sadly, the current spending levels are unsustainable and the priorities, if any, are misplaced – the single family homeowners of Croton-on-Hudson are often frustrated in getting the public documents they need from Village of Croton-on-Hudson Clerk Pauline DiSanto to advocate for changes their community needs.

Dr. Gregory Schmidt, a Democrat, is a local chiropractor, he and his wife, Susan. Dr. Schmidt has served three terms as a Croton Village Trustee and two terms as Mayor.

During Dr. Gregory Schmidt’s tenures, he repeatedly failed to bring instrumental improvments and departmental efficiencies to the village clerk’s office.

Dr. Schmidt spends a lot of his time as a key organizer of ‘Summerfest’ and Rotary’s classic car show as the village taxes have increased and increased and increased on his watch.

Deputy Mayor Bob Anderson, along with his wife, Leslie live in Croton-on-Hudon. A 1972 graduate from SUNY-New Paltz, Mr. Anderson taught school for a bit. but he left teaching to spend several years as a tennis professional at clubs around Westchester.

In 1983, Mr. Anderson joined IBM Research as a designer of laboratory and office space. He later served as an executive assistant to an executive recruiter.

Deputy Mayor Bob Anderson just doesn’t seem to have the skill set needed to bring efficiency, accountability and transparency to  Village of Croton-on-Hudson Clerk Pauline DiSanto’s office.

The single family homeowners of Croton-On-Hudson Deserve better than this

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

pdisanto@crotononhudson-ny.gov

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Town Clerk
1 Van Wyck Street
Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520

4. Experience:

Pauline DiSanto refused to provide a short biographical paragraph and photo. We are unsure if Ms. Disanto has benefited from higher education or received certifications in her field of study.

5. From The Village Website:

Image = croton-on-hudson-website header 74

Quick Links
Election Information:
Other
Applications & Forms

6. Media Reports / Related Pages

FIND THE DATA: Pauline DiSanto Salaries

2011 $89,004

2013 $90,858

http://state-employees.findthedata.com/d/a/Pauline-DiSanto

New Deputy Clerk Appointment

…..WHEREAS, from time to time it is necessary for the Clerk to be away from the office and  it is advisable that someone be authorized to perform the duties of the Clerk at such times; and

WHEREAS, the Village Clerk, Pauline DiSanto has recommended that Kristine Gilligan be appointed Deputy Village Clerk.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:  that the Village Board of Trustees hereby appoints Kristine Gilligan to be the Deputy Village Clerk, who shall have full authority to exercise and perform any of the powers and duties of the Clerk effective January 6, 2009,

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:  that this appointment will fill the unexpired term vacated by Genette Toone which ends April 6, 2009,

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:  that the Village Board of Trustees hereby sets the Deputy Clerk Kristine Gilligan’s annual salary at $42,000….

http://crotononhudson-ny.gov/Public_Documents/CrotonHudsonNY_WebDocs/AgendaRes/010509/resf

7. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

About Croton-on-Hudson, New York

Image = Croton-on-Hudson_highlighted.svg

Croton-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 8,070 at the 2010 census. It is located in the town of Cortlandt, in New York City’s northern suburbs. The village was incorporated in 1898.

Clifford Harmon, a realtor, purchased 550 acres of land next to the village of Croton in 1903. He gave part of the land to the New York Central Railroad to build a train station, on the condition that the station would forever be named after him. Today it is called theCroton-Harmon station of the Metro-North Railroad. In 1906, the station became a major service facility for the railroad. The station expanded even further in 1913, when it became the stop at which electric trains from New York City switched to steam engines…..

Croton-on-Hudson’s economy has historically thrived on the Metro North train station that up until 1968 served as the point at which northbound trains would exchange their electric engines for other modes of conveyance. During those days, the train station and its super-adjacent area was known as Harmon. Because maintenance of diesel and steam engines was then very labor-intensive, there were many workers whose needs were served by abundant service businesses, such as restaurants and bars. Because of the separate development of both the Harmon and the Mt. Airy communities, there were originally two commercial districts—one centered on Grand Street, and the other in Harmon—though in recent years the two have merged into a single sprawling commercial district. There is also a North Riverside commercial district serving communities along Riverside Drive, Brook Street, Grand Street, and Bank Street.

After the New York Central Railroad folded, Croton-on-Hudson’s economy slowly stagnated. Although Croton-Harmon station still served as the main transfer point northbound between local and express trains, the laborers who had earlier fueled a bustling service economy were no longer present in Harmon. The exodus of labor during the early 1970s was compounded by thestagflation that was a result of higher oil prices and skyrocketing interest rates.

There has been an ongoing effort since the early 1990s to develop the riverfront for recreational use. Among the accomplishments are a pedestrian bridge spanning U.S. Route 9 and NY 9A between the lower village and Senasqua Park, the Crossiningpedestrian footbridge across the Croton River, the bicycle trail extensions around Half Moon Bay Condominiums, rehabilitation of the “Picture Tunnel” (repaving and closing it to cars), and acquisition and clearing of the Croton Landing property. In addition,Croton Point Park is also along the riverfront…..

Please Read More Here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croton-on-Hudson,_New_York

Area: 10.81 mi²

Elevation: 164′

Population: 8,206 (2013)
Area code: 914

Village of Dobbs Ferry – Liz Dreaper – Under Review

Image = Village of Dobbs Ferry - Liz Dreaper 74

Liz Dreaper

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

Under Review – No response to date – FOI acknowledgements are past due.

Image = Head-In-The-Sand
Unresponsive Village Clerk Liz Dreaper
Can’t Hear Taxpayers Seeking Public
Information In Dobbs Ferry

Now in his second term Mayor Hartley Connett has repeatedly failed to bring accountability and transparency to the village clerk’s office

The single family home owners of Dobbs Ferry are constantly being frustrated in seeking seek public records as, the village assessment rolls are declining more and more each year as employee retirement and health contributions increase.

Small businesses frustrated with the lack of accountability and fairness are leaving downtown areas—yet Dobbs Ferry residents can’t get the public documents they need to come up with solutions to lower taxes.

Sadly only the taxpayer funded privileged political class in Dobb Ferry seems to be the only ones benefiting from lack of accountability and transparency in the village clerks office. All three candidates for Dobbs Ferry village trustee ran unopposed: Republican Victor Golio Jr. and Democrats Vincent Rossillo and Anna Lisa Corrales.

Dobbs Ferry employs about 113 people and its annual operating budget is approximate $17 million, but it is difficult to get Village of Dobbs Ferry Clerk Liz Dreaper to release total employee compensation figures for elected and public figures.

Liz Dreaper failed to respond to our freedom of information request seeking public documents about her salery, benefits and penson cost to taxpayers.

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

ldreaper@dobbsferry.com

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Village Clerk
112 Main St.
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522

4. Experience:

Ms. Dreaper did not respond to a request for a short biographical paragraph, but we found the following on the internet.

Village Clerk
Village of Dobbs Ferry
– Present

Unknown
1992 – 2003

Security Guard
Coastal Carolina Community College


Unknown
1983 – 1991

Radio Operator
Marine Corps

5. From The Village Website:

image = Dobbs-Ferry-seal-blue-74

The Clerk’s Office, located in Village Hall, is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Village Clerk is appointed to a two-year term. The Clerk has custody of all Village records, papers, books and communications, as well as the reports and communications of the Board of Trustees.

At meetings of the Board of Trustees, the Village Clerk serves as Clerk of the Board and keeps records of the meetings. The Clerk is responsible for preparing and preserving the minutes of their meetings. In addition, the Clerk compiles a record of all Village resolutions and local laws.

The Clerk’s Office issues various licenses and permits including: annual parking permits for the business district, handicapped permits, peddler’s permits, sidewalk café permits, film permits and taxi licenses/permits.

The Vital Statistics office is also part of the Clerk’s office. The Registrar of Vital Records maintains and issues certified copies of birth and death records of the Village.

The Village Clerk is the Public Access Information Officer and processes all requests for records under the Freedom of Information Law.

The Village Clerk also provides tax records, collection of taxes and is a Notary Public.

Village Election Information

Village Elections are held every year on the first Tuesday in November, (Election Day). Elected positions include Mayor (1), (2-year term), Trustee (6), (2-year terms), and Village Justice (1), 4-year term.

Voter Registration forms and absentee ballots are available from the Village Clerk, but must be sent to the Westchester County Board of Elections for processing. Completed forms may not be sent to Village Hall. Forms are also available online at the Board of Elections website. Polling Places are open 6:00am – 9:00pm on Election Day. To confirm your polling place, call the Board of Elections at: 914-995-5700.

6. Media Reports / Related Pages

DAILY VOICE: Dobbs Ferry – How Does Your Village Work?

….As reported , a recent Dobbs Ferry Board of Trustees meeting involved heated debate over Mercy College’s future development plans. Dobbs Ferry resident Sue Sussman made a statement, which was followed by Mercy College representative William S. Null, who rattled off traffic statistics. Sussman stood up and directly challenged the legitimacy of Null’s statistics.

“It does get out of control sometimes,” said Village Clerk Liz Dreaper. “It’s more of the chairman’s [decision] to put a limitation on it.”….

Please Read More Here:

http://rivertowns.dailyvoice.com/news/dobbs-ferry-how-does-your-village-work/429319/

JOURNAL NEWS: Dobbs Ferry approves police contract after 3 years

Village police who have been working without a contract for more than three years now have an agreement that was approved Tuesday and goes into effect immediately.

The agreement calls for police to receive an 11.75 percent pay increase over five years. It also lowers initial starting pay of new officers and calls for newly hired police to pay more for health insurance.

“It took a long time because we were looking as a village to offer a competitive compensation program for our officers and at the same time we recognized the need for an agreement that is affordable for taxpayers,” said Mayor Hartley Connett.

The contract runs from retroactively from June 2012 until May 2017. The village has 25 police officers. The police budget is $4.2 million of Dobbs Ferry’s $16 million total budget……

Please Read More Here:

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/2015/11/25/dobbs-ferry-approves-police-contract/76313086/

PATCH: Dobbs Ferry Seeks Village Administrator

Dobbs Ferry is advertising for a Village Administrator to replace Marcus Serrano, who resigned in June.

The position is currently posted on the village website, and calls for candidates who have “at least seven years of experience in public administration.” Additionally, the village considers it a plus if the candidate have “experience in strategic and financial planning, performance measurements, and union negotiations.”

Currently, the position is being filled on an interim basis by Police Chief Betsy Gelardi, who is also a member of a search committee the village has established to help find a permanent replacement…..

http://patch.com/new-york/rivertowns/dobbs-ferry-seeks-village-administrator-0

PATCH: What You Need To Know What Is the Dobbs Ferry Party?

Mayor Hartley Connett describes the local political party he represents.

…Despite a common perception that the Dobbs Ferry party is inherently more conservative than the Dobbs Ferry Democrats, Connett said that isn’t the case. …

Please Read More Here:

http://patch.com/new-york/rivertowns/what-is-the-dobbs-ferry-party

DAILY VOICE: Dobbs Ferry Residents Voice Rivertowns Square Concerns

Dobbs Ferry Mayor Hartley Connett and the Board of Trustees fielded public opinions on the pending Rivertowns Square project Thursday night in the Embassy Community Center.

Though some residents offered a positive outlook on the project’s likely impact, the majority of those in attendance voiced concern for what some felt was a large development in a small space.

“The biggest problem is the traffic it would warrant,” said Dobbs Ferry resident Hubert Herring. “Whatever else you want to say about the project is irrelevant, because the traffic would be a disaster.”

Apprehension about more traffic in Dobbs Ferry was the most frequent complaint. The project, located between the Saw Mill River Parkway and Lawrence Street, would include an apartment building with 202 units, a gourmet supermarket, retail and restaurant businesses, and a Sundance Cinemas complex with eight theaters…..

Please Read More Here:

http://rivertowns.dailyvoice.com/news/dobbs-ferry-residents-voice-rivertowns-square-concerns/549633/

7. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

About Dobbs Ferry,, New York

Image = Dobbs_Ferry_highlighted.svg

Dobbs Ferry is a village in Westchester County, New York. The population was 10,875 at the 2010 census. The Village of Dobbs Ferry is located in, and is a part of, the town of Greenburgh. The village ZIP code is 10522.

Most of the Village falls into the boundaries of the Dobbs Ferry Union Free School District.

Dobbs Ferry was ranked seventh in the list of the top 10 places to live in New York State for 2014 according to the national online real estate brokerage Movoto. Dobbs Ferry is also the first village in New York State certified as a Climate Smart Community, honored in 2014 with the highest level given out in the state.

Dobbs Ferry was named after Jeremiah Dobbs, a descendent of William Dobbs, of Swedish and Dutch ancestry whose family ran a ferry service that traversed the Hudson River at this location. Jeremiah [Dobbs] was a fisherman and settled near the southern part of what is now Dobbs Ferry, and he “‘added to his meager income by ferriage of occasional travelers across the Hudson. He used a style of boat know at that day as a periauger, a canoe hollowed out of a solid log. . . From this primitive ferry the village took its name.'”

Dobbs Ferry played a vital role in the American Revolutionary War. The position of the village opposite the northernmost end of The Palisades gave it importance during the war. The region was repeatedly raided by camp followers of each army; earthworks and a fort, commanding the Hudson ferry and the ferry to Paramus, New Jersey, were built; the British army made Dobbs Ferry a rendezvous, after the Battle of White Plains in November 1776, and the continental division under General Benjamin Lincoln was here at the end of January 1777…..

Please Read More Here:

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

Population: 11,059 (2013)

University: Mercy College

Village of Elmsford – Fran LeFevre – Under Review

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Mixed Results In Elmsford, New York

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

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Under Review – Mixed Response – some freedom of information requests quickly answered and other freedom of information requests dating back to June have been ignored.

Village of Elmsford Clerk Fran LeFevre seems to be disorganized and not very good at records management.

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

franlefevre@elmsfordny.org

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Town Clerk
15 South Stone Avenue
Elmsford, NY 15023

4. Experience:

Fran LeFevre did not respond to a request for a brief biographical paragraph outlining her experience and education.

We have been unable to learn if Ms. LeFevre has benefited from higher education or earned certifications in here chosen career.

Village Administrator Michael C. Mills joined the Village of Elmsford in November 2002 as the Village’s first Village Administrator.

Mr. Mills is a graduate of the University of Louisville in Kentucky.

Prior to coming to Elmsford Mr. Mills’ governmental experiences include serving as the Executive Director of the Office of Community Development for the City of Kingston, New York, where he was born.

Mr. Mills also previously served five years as a Member of the Kingston City Schools Consolidated Board of Education.

 

As well as a 9 year stint as Village Manager of the Village of Ellenville, New York.

Mr. Mills and his wife Janice have two children, Nicholas and Samantha.

5. From The Village Website:

Image = Village of Elmsford website header74

Village Administrator / Village Clerk

Contact:
Village Administrator
Village Clerk
Deputy Village Clerk
Village Registrar (Death and Birth Records)
Address:
15 South Stone Avenue
Elmsford, NY 15023
Village Hall Phone:
914-592-6555
Village Hall Fax:
914-592-8129
Hours:
Monday – Friday : 9:00AM – 5 PM
Additional Links:

What is the role of the Village Administrator?

The Village Administrator is appointed by the Mayor and Board of Trustee. He oversees that the rules, regulations, local laws and codes of the Village, and all other governmental jurisdictions as applicable, are fairly and efficiently administered. Supervises and coordinates the day to day activities of all Village departments. Recommends to the Mayor and Board of Trustees appointments, promotions or dismissals of all Village employees in accordance with applicable statutes. Represents the Village in collective negotiations with employees. Acts as budget officer in preparation of the tentative budget and oversees the implementation of the Village Budget. Supervises the purchase of all materials, supplies and equipment and the letting of all contracts. Makes recommendations to the Mayor and Board of measures and programs to help improve the efficiency and economy of Village government or promote the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the Village. Maintains a liaison with other governments and administrative agencies as a representative of the Village. Investigates and responds to inquiries by Village residents and other interested persons concerning Village government operations and services. Attends all meetings of the Board of Trustees, preparing all Board agendas and assembling all relevant information regarding agenda items for review by the Mayor and Board of Trustees. Serves as the public information officer of the Village. Serves as the principal grants person for the Village. Discharges such other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the Mayor and Board of Trustees.

6. Media Reports / Related Pages

Image = news = Village of Elmsford - Fran LeFevre 74

JOURNAL NEWS: Former Elmsford cop faces shoplifting charges

A former Elmsford police officer who retired amid controversy in 2010 is facing a shoplifting charge for allegedly leaving a Greenburgh supermarket without paying for more than $400 worth of groceries.

Mark Danuff, 48, of Greenburgh, was arrested in November and charged with petty larceny,

Danuff was forced to stop working in May 2010 after a police investigation into alleged misconduct involving the removal of items from a commercial property. He then used sick and vacation time for three months until his retirement, reaching 20 years of service that allowed him to qualify for a regular pension.

No misconduct was ever proven and Danuff was never charged criminally or administratively.

Village officials insisted they had no basis to punish Danuff. His use of accrued time was typical of how many municipal employees wind down their careers, they said.

On the afternoon of October 8, a store manager confronted Danuff in the parking lot of Stop & Shop on White Plains Road after an employee told her the ex-cop had left the store without paying for groceries worth $428, according to a police report.

When the manager asked if Danuff had a receipt, he showed her an old receipt and then told her his wife was still in the store. He then left the groceries with the manager, got in his car and drove off, she told police.

The manager, who took photos of the car and got Danuff’s license plate number, did not want to press charges but wanted him banned from the store. But store security officials later notified police that they did want an arrest made…..

…The probe did not result in charges, but village officials negotiated a separation agreement with Danuff in late May. He did not return to work but remained on the payroll until early September by using 64 of his 85 accrued sick and vacation days.

That allowed him to reach 20 years of service and qualify for a $50,316 annual pension.

Had he left before September 2010, Danuff’s pension would have been lower and he would have had to wait until age 55 to start collecting it. By reaching 20 years of service, he will collect more than $600,000 in pension payments by the time he’s 55.

The village provided the agreement in response to a Freedom of Information request. But two lines that referenced the probe were redacted, with Village Administrator Michael Mills citing privacy concerns….

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/2015/12/25/elmsford-cop-face-shoplifting/77825724/

DAILY VOICE: Village Of Elmsford Makes It Official With Swearing-In Ceremony

The Village of Elmsford held its 103rd organizational meeting Monday at Village Hall as Mayor Robert Williams and other elected and appointed officials were sworn into office.

Williams, Trustees Michael Eannazzo and Sydney Henry Jr., Village Justice Judge Richard Leone and Deputy Mayor Edward Rush were sworn in during the ceremony Monday.

Village Clerk Fran LeFevre officiated at the swearing-in ceremonies as family and residents looked on. The Village Board then approved a number of Mayoral and Trustee appointments.

http://greenburgh.dailyvoice.com/politics/village-of-elmsford-makes-it-official-with-swearing-in-ceremony/572766/

NY TIMES: More Noise on the Library Front

LIBRARIES are usually quiet places. But in Greenburgh, a noisy debate over money and a library expansion broke the silence months ago.

For seven years, Elmsford, a semiautonomous village in the Town of Greenburgh with no library of its own, paid for its residents to use the Greenburgh Public Library. But when the most recent contract was about to expire five months ago, negotiations over a new deal grew testy.

Elmsford, which paid about $258,000 for library services in the 2005-6 fiscal year, wanted to keep paying that rate. But library trustees pushed for a roughly 30 percent increase, hoping to put Elmsford on par with what Town of Greenburgh residents were paying.

When the negotiations soured, Elmsford filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of a planned renovation and expansion of the library, set to break ground next month. Elmsford officials said the lawsuit, since dismissed, was not a negotiating ploy. But trustees cried foul, and an already tense relationship worsened.

A short-term extension of the old contract, at a slightly higher rate, kept services in place through September. Then, last month, Elmsford agreed to a four-and-a-half-year contract with nearby Ardsley Public Library at a rate of $258,000 a year. Because anyone holding a card from any Westchester public library can use the 38 libraries in the Westchester Library System, Elmsford residents can continue to use Greenburgh.

The deal stunned Greenburgh library officials.

“It was just such arrogant, miserable, uncooperative, litigious, obstructionist behavior,” said Susan Wolfert, vice president of Greenburgh library’s board.

Michael Mills, the Elmsford village administrator, said it was unreasonable for Greenburgh to ask for a substantial increase in annual fees when the library planned to operate out of temporary quarters during the expansion project.

But the fight is not over.

Siobahn A. Reardon, director of the Westchester Library System, said the Elmsford-Ardsley agreement seemed to run afoul of the libraries’ “code of service.” The code allows libraries to sign service contracts with “contiguous” areas. Ms. Reardon said the libraries had always defined “contiguous” as adjacent. Elmsford and Ardsley do not share a border…..

Please Click On Times Logo To Read More Here:

WESTCHESTER MAGAZINE: Cracking the Case on the Elmsford Morning Siren

Q: I have lived in Elmsford for two years and am inquiring about the loud sirens that go off every morning at 8 am and periodically throughout the day. I am not a complainer, as I use it as a backup should my own alarm clock fail in the morning, but I was always interested in the genesis/meaning of the siren. —Eric Gerringer, Elmsford

A: Nationalized healthcare? Whatever. Cash for old cars? Boring! In Westchester, we do social programs right. And that’s why, Eric, Elmsford has sounded the town alarm clock every morning since before 1910. Because, as they say, ‘Elmsford—the village that never sleeps…past 8 am.’
April Fool! Did we get ya? No? Next year, then. So, you’re not hearing things. The sound to which you refer, according to Elmsford Village Administrator Michael C. Mills, is an 8 am daily test of the Elmsford Fire Department siren……

Please Read More Here:

http://www.westchestermagazine.com/Westchester-Magazine/April-2013/Cracking-the-Case-on-the-Elmsford-Morning-Siren/

DAILY VOICE: Elmsford School Board President Matthew R.C. Evans Steps Down

….Mayor Robert Williams, who has a daughter in the ninth grade at Alexander Hamilton Jr./Sr. High School, praised Evans’ capabilities.

“As a board member, he brought in the right people that we needed to give the best education to our students,” he said.

Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca also spoke about Evans’ positive contribution to the board…..

http://greenburgh.dailyvoice.com/schools/elmsford-school-board-president-steps-down/664788/

7. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

About Elmsford, New York

Image = Elmsford_highlighted.svg

Elmsford is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. Roughly one mile square, the village is fully contained within the borders of the town of Greenburgh.

Elmsford was largely farmland throughout its early history. The construction of railroads in the late 19th century brought new prominence to the area, and in 1910 it was incorporated as a village.

The area was known from colonial times as “Storm’s Bridge” and later, “Hall’s Corners”, names derived from the principal landowners of the times. In 1870, the growing village was officially renamed “Elmsford” in honor of a local landmark, a giant elm tree (since deceased). The names Elmsford and Storm’s Bridge are reminders of the nearby Saw Mill River, which once had significant tributaries flowing through the village.

Revolutionary War hero Isaac Van Wart is buried at the colonial-era cemetery of the Dutch Reformed Church (Rte. 9A). In 1780, Van Wart and fellow militiamen John Paulding and David Williams captured the British spy Major John André, a crucial informant to Benedict Arnold. The village still has streets named for each of the three patriots.

A longstanding legend holds that Elmsford is the birthplace of the term “cocktail“. According to the tale, a local colonial tavern (sometimes said to be established by town father Isaac Storm) had run out of wooden stirrers during the war and started using the quills of roosters‘ tailfeathers to stir their drinks; a more embellished version holds that the roosters were plundered from nearby Tory farmers.

Much of Elmsford developed around the New York and Putnam Railroad station, with train service beginning in the 1870s. Commuter rail service ended in 1958, and freight service ended in 1975. The railroad bed is now the South County Trailway and North County Trailway. The train station building is now a restaurant.

The Elmsford Reformed Church and Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

As of the census of 2010, there were 4664 people, 1,618 households, and 1101 families residing in the village. The population densitywas 4306 people per square mile (1,641.3/km²). There were 1618 housing units at an average density of 1,585.9 per square mile (610.0/km²).

There were 1,618 households out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.39.

The village population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.1 years. Males make up 50.9% of the population while women make up 49.1% of the population

The racial makeup of the village was 46.4%% White, 20.5% African American, 0.6% Native American, 10.5% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 18.0% from other races, and 4.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 38.0% of the population.

The median income for a household in the village was $74,069, and the median income for a family was $84,698. Males had a median income of $43,649 versus $41,356 for females. The per capita income for the village was $32,448. About 8.58% of families and 10.86% of the population were below the poverty line….

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

Zip code: 10523

Population: 4,780 (2013)

Area code 914

More Info On Elmsford, New York

Residents prize Elmsford for its central location. The village, part of the town of Greenburgh, is around 25 miles from Manhattan, with easy accessibility to the New York State Thruway, Interstate 287, the Sprain Brook and Saw Mill River parkways and the Tappan Zee Bridge. White Plains is minutes away, as are the amenities of Irvington, Dobbs Ferry and Tarrytown.

The many highways have a downside, however, as truck traffic can back up through the village along Route 9A. The village recently added traffic-safety features and lighting, among other improvements, to its downtown, which includes many independently owned establishments along Routes 9A and 119.

Initially named Storm’s Bridge and later Hall’s Corners, for prominent residents, the area was renamed Elmsford in 1870 in honor of a massive elm tree that dated to the Revolutionary War era.

Historic structures include the Elmsford Reformed Church, built in 1793. It has an adjacent cemetery with graves of Revolutionary War veterans.

Elmsford doesn’t have a Metro-North station, but residents who commute into Manhattan can take buses or drive to nearby train stations in Irvington or White Plains. The ride to Grand Central Terminal from Irvington, which is around 4 miles from Elmsford, takes 40 minutes.

A handful of hotels can be found within the village, as well as industrial and commercial parks. Much of the Knollwood Country Club, with pools, a clubhouse, a golf course and dining, also lies within Elmsford.

Despite its small size, the village is served by three school districts: Elmsford, Greenburgh Central and Valhalla.

Elmsford’s population is diverse—46% of residents are white, 20% are black and 10% Asian, according to 2010 census data.

Parks: Massaro Park, on Cabot Avenue, is a Greenburgh town park with pools, tennis courts and a ball field. The Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, a working farm with hiking trails and educational programs, is in nearby Pocantico Hills.

Schools: According to state data, 83% of students who entered high school in Elmsford in 2009 met or exceeded state standards for proficiency in English Language Arts and 90% in math four years later, compared with statewide results of 81% and 84% for English and math, respectively.

The Roman Catholic Our Lady of Mount Carmel School has classes from prekindergarten through eighth grade.

Dining: The 38-year-old Pete’s Saloon & Restaurant is on West Main Street. Casaletto Ristorante, on South Central Avenue, serves Italian cuisine. The Eldorado Diner is also on West Main.

Shopping: Small shops and services, including bakeries, delis and pharmacies, can be found along Routes 119 and 9A. Additional shopping can be found in nearby White Plains.

Entertainment: The Westchester Broadway Theatre offers plays and concerts. The Westchester Skating Academy provides public ice skating, lessons and hockey.

Village of Hastings-on-Hudson – Susan Maggiotto – Under Review

 

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To Date We Have Received No Documents From Village of Hastings-on-Hudson Clerk Susan Maggiotto. Update: Ms. Maggiotto provided us with a document showing her annual salary at $104,470.08, but the document supposedly listing her annual benefit and pension costs to taxpayers is unreadable. We are still waiting on the other public documents we requested.

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

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Under Review: Village of Hastings-on-Hudson Clerk Susan Maggiotto says she can’t respond to a June Freedom of Information requst for public documents until sometime in August. Most other of Westchester’s city, town and village clerks were able to fill these requests in les than a week.

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests 

smaggiotto@hastingsgov.org

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Town Clerk
7 Maple Avenue
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706

4. Experience:

Internet reports indicate;

Previous Address:

24 Horner Ave, Hastings on Hudson, NY 10706

Susan Maggiotto Phone # 478-1909

Cell# 329-0377

Age:
Susan A Maggiotto is in her 70’s
Susan Has Lived In:
Hastings On Hudson, NY
Miami, FL

New York, NY

Susan’s Relatives

Mark Maggiotto

This Information has a quality score 51 out of 100

Please note, this contact’s quality score is below our quality threshold. This data could be outdated and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

5. From The Village Website:

Image = Hatings On Hudson Banner 74

The Village Clerk is appointed by the Mayor, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, to a two-year term which coincides with the term of office of the Mayor. The Clerk has custody of all village records, papers, books and communications, as well as the reports and communications of the Board of Trustees. At meetings of the Board of Trustees, the Village Clerk also serves as Clerk of the Board and keeps a record of the meetings.

The Village Clerk issues permits for parking at the railroad station.

The tentative assessment roll is filed with the Village Clerk by February 1 and is open for inspection during regular business hours. It is available online. Taxpayers may appeal an assessment to the Board of Assessment Review on “Grievance Day”, the third Tuesday in February. Taxpayers may appeal the Board’s decision in Small Claims Court.

Staff Contacts

Name Title Phone
Susan Maggiotto Deputy Manager/Village Clerk (914) 478-3400, ext. 611
Linda Loeb Deputy Village Clerk/Secretary to Village Manager (914) 478-3400, ext. 616
Ann Scholl Village Hall Assistant (914) 478-3400, ext. 629

6. Media Reports / Related Pages:

image = news = Village of Hastings-on-Hudson - Susan Maggiotto 11

FIND THE DATA: Susan Maggiotto Salaries

2011 $95,597

2013 $96,927

Please Read More Here:

http://state-employees.findthedata.com/d/a/Susan-Maggiotto

The Retrofit: Hastings-on-Hudson – Citizen Involvement

….There are a few improvements the village could undertake on its website to promote civic involvement. The “About the Village” section has six sub-sections: history; businesses; leisure activity; demographics; schools and attractions. As of October 25, only the first two subsections had working links. Given that both the Chamber of Commerce and the Historical Society have dedicated websites, it’s a little mystifying that those sites aren’t connected to the businesses and history categories, respectfully. Those sites have their own issues, too: the Chamber’s website (hohchamber.com) still advertises an event scheduled for March 31, 2011 and has a bafflingly mapping function, and the “History of Hastings-On-Hudson” section of the historical society’s website is currently under construction. It’s not clear where one would currently go to learn about the town’s attractions or leisure activities. For both residents and potential visitors, this is a major shortcoming to be addressed.

Please Read More Here:

https://sites.google.com/site/theretrofithastingsonhudson/governance/civic-engagement

YONKERS TRIBUNE: Hastings-on-Hudson Appoints Downtown Advocate

The Village of Hastings-on-Hudson is pleased to announce its appointment of Barbara Prisament to the position of Hastings Downtown Advocate.  She will start Monday, October 20th.  Ms. Prisament will report directly to Hastings Village Manager Fran Frobel and work with the Hastings Board of Trustees to review strategies, policies, and programs that affect the downtown community.  The goal of this newly created, part-time, position is to create a more vibrant, beautiful and economically successful downtown. Towards that end, Ms. Prisament will collaborate with Hastings government departments, boards, commissions, and committees as well as residents, business and property owners to ensure that the downtown serves the needs of residents and visitors as both a commercial marketplace and a community gathering place.

Ms. Prisament was selected by a committee comprised of Village Manager Fran Frobel, Deputy Manager/Village Clerk Susan Maggiotto,  Mayor Peter Swiderski and the Hastings Board of Trustees after an extensive process that included reviewing thirty-nine applications and interviewing 5 candidates…..

Please read more Here:

http://www.yonkerstribune.com/2014/10/hastings-on-hudson-appoints-downtown-advocate-by-hon-fran-frobel

Democratic Incumbents Win Hastings-on-Hudson Election

Mayor Peter Swiderski and Trustees Bruce Jennings and Meg Walker are the winning candidates in the Hastings-on-Hudson Village election. The incumbents were running uncontested, since no independent or additional party candidates filed to run in the election.

Out of 132 total voters—Swiderski received 98 votes; Jennings got 92, while Walker received 89 votes.

“It was a very quiet election,” said Susan Maggiotto, deputy village manager and village clerk.

Magiotto believes it may have been the lowest voter turnout in recent memory, however she wasn’t able to confirm this for sure offhand Tuesday night. According to Maggiotto, two years ago there was an uncontested election with three candidates that received a total 184 voters…..

Please Read More Here:

http://patch.com/new-york/rivertowns/democratic-incumbents-win-hastings-on-hudson-election

NEW YORK TIMES: Making Films, Making Waves

….Hastings-on-Hudson commands one of the highest fees for filming: $1,500 a day and other requirements, including paying for off-duty police officers, posting a bond and signing contracts with merchants, who also receive a fee when filming takes place downtown. ”We require any production company to jump through a lot of hoops to be able to film here,” Neil Hess, the Village Manager, said.

When H.B.O. went to Hastings last month to film ”Earthly Possessions,” starring Susan Sarandon, which was also filmed in New Rochelle and Yonkers, they paid the village $20,000 altogether. Susan Maggiotto, Deputy Manager for Hastings, said the feature that makes Hastings attractive to movie producers — the quaint, old-time look of the village — also makes production difficult to manage.

”Our little downtown is very concentrated and bordered on one side by the river,” Ms. Maggiotto said. ”There are very few choices of egress. In New York City, if you’re blocked, fine, you go another way. In Hastings, there’s just one way to get where you’re going, and if you can’t go that way, you’re stuck.”

Ms. Maggiotto said that some merchants did not see the benefit of film production. ”They say that the crews come in with their own food trucks, so they’re not in the local delis,” she said. ”All they see is that their own customers can’t get to their stores.”

The manager of Hastings Video disagreed, saying she greatly enjoyed seeing her small town transformed for the filming of ”Earthly Possessions.” Stores were dressed up with new fronts, and a rain machine produced drizzle in front of her store.

”It was fun,” Dorothy Honovich-Kavanah, the video store manager, said. ”Our store became Get Away Travel. The architect firm next door became a bank. The bank was made into a funeral home. And Susan Sarandon was lovely and gracious. It was really a nice thing to happen here.”

A Hastings resident, Linda Atkinson, was trying to run errands on the day ”Earthly Possessions” was being filmed. ”You’re trying to go about your daily business and some young kid comes up and says, ‘Excuse me, you’re not allowed on this side of the street,’ ” she said. ”And you want to say, ‘Excuse me, but I live here and I need to go to the video store and the bank.’ ”

Ms. Atkinson, an actress and a documentary film producer, said she knew the industry all too well. One recent morning she found a young woman in her front yard. The woman said she represented a film producer who was interested in using the house next door for a location.

”Being in the industry, I know my neighbor is excited because she’s going to make a couple of thousand bucks, but I know we’re talking about 20 trucks maybe, miles of cables, and you’re talking about people that don’t mind walking in your yard or stepping on your lilac bush,” Ms. Atkinson said.

Ms. Stevens, of the county film office, said that film crews are now taking a much more respectful attitude toward private property. ”I’ve monitored most of the productions that have gone on here,” she said. ”Part of my job is to protect Westchester County. I have seen a real change. There’s a softer, gentler production community, which is much more mannerly.”….

Please Read More Here:

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/10/nyregion/making-films-making-waves.html?pagewanted=all

DAILY VOICE: Hastings to Hold Lottery for Parking Permits

…Residents who wish to apply must include theirapplication , a copy of their registration and a check for $440 to the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson. You can also apply for a quarterly permit for $139. All applicants must be Hastings residents to be eligible.

The lottery isn’t done every year, only when it is deemed necessary by the village.

“We don’t know until 5 o’clock on Dec. 1 how many we have,” said village clerk Susan Maggiotto about how many applications they’ve received. “If we can give them to everybody we will, if not, then well do the lottery.”

The village has 164 permits to give out, which is more than the total number of parking spots in the lot.

“We give out maybe 20 percent more because if we only gave as many as we have places, the lot would be empty the majority of the day,” Maggiotto said. “We try to give out as many as we can without having anyone shut out.”….

http://rivertowns.dailyvoice.com/news/hastings-to-hold-lottery-for-parking-permits/456096/

Hastings Board of Trustees Names New Village Manager

The former town manager of Coventry, R.I., a suburb of Providence and that state’s largest town, has been picked by Hastings’ board of trustees to be the village’s new manager, effective Monday, July 18.

Francis A. Frobel, 53, replaces Neil P. Hess, who has been on a leave of absence, battling cancer, and who retires July 31. Frobel, who has been described as “typically stone-faced” by the Providence Journal, served as Town Manager of Coventry, which has an area of 64.8 square miles and a population of over 33,000, for 19 years through late April.

Before that, he was assistant town manager of Killingly, Ct., in eastern Connecticut, for eight years.

He received a B.A. degree in political science and public administration from Central Connecticut State University and a Master’s degree in public administration from the University of Hartford.

Frobel’s appointment does not also include the position of village treasurer, an additional post that Hess held. The new village manager will make recommendations to the board of trustees about filling that spot, Mayor Wm. Lee Kinnally Jr. told Hastings News.

“He will be looking at the way we are structured in general; I would expect that from our new manager,” Kinnally said.

Frobel will be paid $140,000 plus benefits that include retirement, health, three weeks vacation, a moving allowance and a housing allowance, Kinnally also said.

As Coventry town manager, he received $104,275, according to another Providence Journal report. Frobel was the board’s top choice, Kinnally noted in response to a question.

The mayor said that Frobel will replace Susan Maggiotto as Acting Village Manager for the rest of the month, until Hess’s retirement becomes effective.

Maggiotto will continue as Acting Treasurer, he said. The board of trustees expects to approve Frobel’s employment contract at a special meeting called for Monday at 8 p.m.

http://www.bogart.cc/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/hastings_news–extracts.pdf

7. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

About Hastings-on-Hudson, New York

Hastings-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in the southwest part of the town of Greenburgh. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 7,849. It lies on U.S. Route 9, “Broadway” in Hastings.

The area that is now Hastings-on-Hudson was once the home of the Weckquaesgeek Native Americans, one of theAlgonquian tribes. In summer, the Weckquaesgeeks camped at the mouth of the ravine running under the present Warburton Avenue Bridge. There they fished, swam and collected oyster and clamshells used to make wampum. On the level plain nearby (which is now Maple Avenue), they planted corn and possibly tobacco.

Around 1650 a Dutch carpenter named Frederick Philipse arrived in New Amsterdam. In 1682 Philipse traded with the Native Americans for the area that is now Dobbs Ferry and Hastings. In 1693 the English crown granted Philipse the Manor of Philipsburg, which included what is now Hastings-on-Hudson. After dividing the area into four nearly equal-sized farms, the Philipses leased them to Dutch, English and French Huguenot settlers.

During the American Revolution, what is now Hastings lay between the lines of the warring forces and was declared neutral territory. In reality, the area became a no-man’s land and was raided repeatedly by both sides. Following the Revolution, the Philipses, who had been loyal to George III, saw their vast lands confiscated and sold by the newly established American state. In 1785 the four farms comprising today’s Hastings were bought by James DeClark, Jacobus Dyckman, George Fisher, and tavern keeper Peter Post.

Around the same time, Westchester County, which had been established as one of the 10 original counties in New York, was divided into towns, and the area that is now Hastings became part of the town of Greenburgh. The village was incorporated in 1879 and its name changed from Hastings-Upon-Hudson to Hastings-on-Hudson.

Stone quarrying was the earliest industry in Hastings. From 1865 to 1871, hundreds of Scottish and Irish laborers blasted huge quantities ofdolomite marble from a white Westchester marble quarry. An inclined railroad carried the marble down to the quarry wharf where it was dressed by skilled stonecutters and loaded onto ships bound for cities like New York and Charleston, South Carolina.

By the 1880s, Hastings Pavement was producing hexagonal paving blocks which were used extensively in Central Park and Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Between 1895 and 1900, Hastings Pavement produced 10 million such blocks and shipped them throughout the United States and to cities in Canada, Brazil and England. By 1891 the National Conduit and Cable Company had established an operation on the waterfront producing cables for utility companies here and abroad. Labor strife between striking workers of the National Cable and Conduit Company in 1912 left four people dead. Two were striking workers; the remaining two were bystanders. Similar labor unrest occurred in 1916, whereby the village was put under house arrest.

During World War I, 200 National Guardsmen were stationed in Hastings because of the security interests of the National Conduit plant and a chemical plant opened byFrederick G. Zinsser that produced a wood alcohol called Hastings Spirits…..

Please Read More Here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastings-on-Hudson,_New_York

Area: 2.896 mi²

Zip code: 10706

Population: 7,947 (2013)

Area code: 914

Village of Irvington – Brenda M. Jeselnik – Under Review

 

Image = Liar 711

DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP  Irvington Village Clerk Brenda M. Jeselnik lied to our project and claimed that certain public documents did not exist, even though we had copies of emails that showed the public record exists.

No wonder the single family homeowners of Irvington complain that there is a lack of accountability and transparency in their village.

We have asked Irvington Village Clerk Brenda M. Jeselnik to legally certify that the public document doesn’t exist as allowed under New York States Freedom of Information Laws.

Image It's always fun listening to someone's lie 711

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

Under Review  reports that she is paid $131,783 a year in salary, she falsely claims that the town has no records about how much village taxpayers pay for her benefits.

We have asked her to give us a legal certification in writing that village has no benefit or pension records for her position.

Her other FOI responses have been only partially complete.

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

bjeselnik@irvingtonny.gov

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Town Clerk
85 Main Street
Irvington, New York 10533

4. Experience:

Brenda Jeselnik did not respond to a request for a short biographical information paragraph covering her education and experience.

On the internet we learned that Brenda Jeselnik formerly was employed as the deputy treasurer with Sleepy Hollow

Also on the internet one website reported the following about Brenda M. Jeselnik

FIND THE DATA: Brenda Jeselnik Salaries

2011 $108,924
2013 $$117,034

http://state-employees.findthedata.com/d/a/Brenda-Jeselnik

Another Website Intelius Reported:

Age

Brenda M Jeselnik is in her 60’s

Zodiac Sign
Pisces

Brenda Has Lived In
Fort Pierce, FL
Pound Ridge, NY
Irvington, NY
Brenda’s Relatives

5. From The Village Website:

Image = Irvington NY_Town_Hall 74

Clerk-Treasurer
Responsibilities

  • Handles all accounting including budget, finance, accounts payable, accounts receivable, tax collection, water & sewer billing, payroll and personnel.
  • Issues parking permits, soliciting permits and handbill permits.

6. Media Reports / Related Pages

Image = News-Irvington -Header

RIVER JOURNAL: Village Moves Forward on Fire Engine and Other Matters

What’s been happening since the Village elections?

Last week, River Journal sat down with Irvington Village Administrator Larry Schopfer for an update on the fire engine fiasco and other matters.

As you might recall, the Village of Irvington lost $322,201 after making a 75 percent deposit for a new fire engine with Elite Fire Apparatus, a Wisconsin-based company that has since gone bankrupt.

A Michigan-based company called Wolverine Fire Apparatus Company purchased Elite’s assets, but did not assume any of its liabilities, and said Irvington might suffer a complete loss of the money if it did not purchase a performance bond, which it did not.

Since then, KRPJ (Korn Rosenbaum LLP) did an audit of the entire transaction and provided recommendations for avoiding similar problems in the future. Schopfer said that Village officials are currently discussing ways to revise purchasing procedures based on these recommendations, which include:

• Due diligence in determining the financial stability of major vendors.

• Evaluation of whether a purchase needs a performance bond.

• All contracts reviewed by the Village attorney.

• Implement internal audit function of all disbursements.

• Require second signature on checks above certain amount.

• Originating department head should approve all purchase orders.

• All payment terms to be matched by stipulated terms in the bidding process.

• Experts with appropriate technical knowledge to monitor manufacturing progress.

Meanwhile, the Village is involved in two lawsuits that may help it recover some of the lost funds. The Village has filed a claim with Elite’s insurance company.

“I give that a low probability of yielding any results,” Schopfer said.

In addition, three residents —Barry Cunningham, Constance Kehoe and Mark Gilliland — filed notice of claim against the Village alleging that the lost money wasn’t authorized to be spent. This claim has been submitted to St. Paul Travelers Public Officials Insurance. Schopfer said this claim might help recover some of the lost funds as well.

Meanwhile, at a recent Board of Trustees meeting, Brenda M. Jeselnik was appointed as the new clerk/treasurer. Jeselnik is currently the deputy treasurer with Sleepy Hollow and will start in Irvington on June 2. She replaces Ed Ritter who has become the Town Comptroller for Bedford…..

http://www.riverjournalonline.com/villages/irvington/835-Village-Moves-Forward-on-Fire-Engine-and-Other-Matters.html

PATCH: No Contests in Irvington’s First November Village Election

The Village of Irvington has officially switched over its local elections to November to coincide with the general election.

Up for grabs this year are two village trustee seats and the mayoral post.

According to Village Clerk Brenda M. Jeselnik, the November 5 election will be uncontested.

Republican Brian Smith is seeking a second two-year term as mayor.

Democrat Connie Kehoe is seeking a third term as trustee.

Kristen Woll, running for the first time, is looking to fill the second open trustee position, which will be vacated by current Trustee Ken Bernstein (who is not seeking re-election)…..

Please Read More Here:

http://patch.com/new-york/rivertowns/no-contests-in-irvingtons-first-november-village-election

NEW YORK TIMES: Irvington, N.Y., Nature, Near the Upper West Side

…The village manages 125 parking spaces at Ardsley-on-Hudson; permit holders pay $511 a year, and there is no waiting list, said Brenda Jeselnik, the village clerk…..

Please Read More Here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/realestate/irvington-ny-nature-near-the-upper-west-side.html

7. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

About Irvington, New York

Image = Irvington_highlighted.svg

Irvington, sometimes known as Irvington-on-Hudson, is an affluent suburban village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States.

It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, 20 miles (32 km) north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a station stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line. To the north of Irvington is the village of Tarrytown, to the south the village of Dobbs Ferry, and to the east unincorporated parts of Greenburgh, including East Irvington. Irvington includes within its boundaries the community of Ardsley-on-Hudson, which has its own ZIP code and Metro-North station, but which should not be confused with the nearby village of Ardsley, New York.

The population of Irvington at the 2010 census was 6,420. Because many of Irvington’s residents – expecially those in the upper income brackets – live in Irvington and work in New York City, the village has a reputation as a “commuter town” or a “bedroom community”.

The village’s Main Street area has been designated an historic district by New York State and, as of 2013, is under consideration for addition to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2010, Westchester Magazine ranked Irvington as the “Best Place to Live in Westchester.

Before the area where Irvington is now located was settled by Europeans, it was inhabited by the Wickquasgeck Indians, a band of the Wappingers, related to the Lenape (Delaware) tribes which dominated lower New York state and New Jersey. The Wickquasgeck still lived in the area as late as 1775.

After the Dutch came to the area, the land was part of the Bisightick tract of the Van der Donck grant purchased by Frederick Philipse in 1682, after the British had taken over the area in 1664, and most of the settlers in the 1700s were artisans. In 1785, the state of New York confiscated the Phillipse’s land from his grandson, Frederick Philipse III, after he sided with the British in the American Revolution, and sold it to local patriot farmers who had been tenants of the Phillipse family. This is presumably how part of it came to be the farm of William Dutcher. Dutcher sold half of his farm to Justus Dearman in 1817, who then sold it to Gustavo F. Sacchi in 1848 for $26,000. Saachi sold the parcel to John Jay – the grandson of the American Founding Father by the same name– that same year, and Jay laid it out as a village which he called “Dearman”, after Justus Dearman, and sold lots at auction in New York City starting on April 25, 1850.

The organization of the streets into a right-angled grid pattern was criticized by Andrew Jackson Downing, who was at the time the foremost expert on landscape design. Downing condemned the use of the street grid outside of cities and saw the hilly and heavily wooded site of Dearman as particularly suited to his own theories, which called for curvilinear roads and irregular lots which followed the contours of the land. With the frequent steamboat, stagecoach, and train transportation available, he felt that Dearman could have been an ideal suburb, instead of “mere rows of houses upon streets crossing each other at right angles and bordered with shade trees”.

The side streets off the village’s Main Street – or “Main Avenue”, as an 1868 map has it – were originally designated “A”, “B”, “C”, and so forth, but are today named after many of the area’s early settlers, such as Barent and William Dutcher, Captain John Buckhout (who lived to 103) and Wolfert Ecker (or “Acker”)….

Please read more here:

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

Area: 4.015 mi²

 

Population: 6,550 (2013)
Area code: 914

Village of Larchmont – Justin Datino – Under Review

Image = Mayor Anne McAndrews, Village of Larchmont Administrator Justin Datino 74

Justin Datino And Mayor Anne McAndrews

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

Image = I think I Can 711

Under Review: The new Village of Larchmont Clerk Justin Datino screwed up the responses to our freedom of Information requests, so we are going to give him a second chance.

Here is The Email Where We Asked Him To Try Again….

Date: Mon, Jul 11, 2016 at 8:53 PM
Subject: Re: VOL Harrod FOIL #2 response letter 7-7-16
To: villageclerk@villageoflarchmont.org
Cc: administrator@villageoflarchmont.org, Steven Wrabel <SWrabel@mgslawyers.com>, ssomshekar@lohud.com, jfusco@lohud.com, dwilson3@lohud.com, mspillane@lohud.com, Fscandale@lohud.com, jfitzgib@lohud.com

Dear Justin Datino,

For the village of Larchmont’s new  $126,000 Administrator / Clerk Wiz Kid you sure are sloppy in replying to Freedom of Information requests for public documents.

Two of my FOILS you have not acknolwged and two other Foils dating as far back as June haven responded to with a boiler plate .pdf saying…..

You may expect a response detailing the extent to which your request will be granted or denied or notified if additional time is needed on or about {DATE}.

Justin where it says “{DATE}” you are supposed to mannually insert a date on this boiler plate response.

Could you please send me these boiler plate FOI forms again with the date included or better yet simply provide us with the public documents that most Westchester’s other town and village clerks have already supplied to the public interest FOIL Westchester project.

Normally we would be perturbed if a very highly compensated clerk responded in this manner, but I know that you are a little wet behind the ears so we will provide you with a little extra time to time to try again.

Also please respond to the other two FOIL requests that are just gathering dust on your desk, especially the one that seeks public documents on how much the single family homeowners of Larchmont are paying for your benefit and pension costs.l

hoping you get it right this time,

Brian Harrod

NY FOI – Website
https://nyfoi.org/

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

villageclerk@villageoflarchmont.org

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Town Clerk
120 Larchmont Avenue
Larchmont, New York 10538

4. Experience:

From The Internet we learned that Justin Datino previously was Scarsdale’s deputy superintendent of public works.

Mr. Datino, who holds a master’s degree in public administration from SUNY Albany.

The village of Larchmont originally pursued the idea of hiring a village administrator in November 2014, when it hired Donald Marra, a former Dobbs Ferry mayor turned municipal consultant, for $15,000.

In the past, Mr. Marra helped the villages of Bronxville and Tuckahoe find village administrators, the latter of which recently created the administrator position for the first time as well.

Mr.Datino was initially paid a yearly salary of $126,500.

Mr. Datino currently resides in Elmsford

5. From The Village Website:

Image = Village Larchmont Website Banner With Seal 74

Welcome to the Village Clerk’s website pages!  We serve the residents and businesses of the Village of Larchmont as well as the Village Board and various other volunteer Committees and Boards.

This office is the general information office for the Village.  We maintain the official records of meetings.  The Village Clerk is the Records Management Officer and Records Access Officer for public FOIL (Freedom of Information Law) requests.

Our office also handles the issuance of parking permits, handicapped parking permits and various otherlicenses/permits for the Village.

The Village Clerk’s Office is your link to the operations of Village government.  Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

6. Media Reports / Related Pages

Image = News = Village of Larchmont - Justin Datino 74

Ideas for Re-Energizing Larchmont’s Downtown

Many building owners are listed as LLCs & the address is in care of a managing agent in NYC

Mamaroneck Avenue is bustling, in strong contrast to downtown Larchmont. Storefronts remain boarded up for months, even years.

The Larchmont-Mamaroneck Local Summit heard from four panelists last week who are concerned about this:  the Village of Larchmont Mayor Anne McAndrews, Village of Larchmont Administrator Justin Datino; Carolyn Fugere, Manager of the Larchmont office of Julia B Fee, Sotheby’s and Head of the Larchmont Chamber of Commerce; and Tiffany Smith, Co-founder of the Facebook group Love Larchmont 10538.….

Please Read More Here:

http://theloopny.com/ideas-for-re-energizing-larchmonts-downtown/ 

JOURNAL NEWS: Larchmont upholds teardown moratorium

…Before the board of trustees made its decision, KOSL challenged the legality of Larchmont’s moratorium in New York State Supreme Court. That ruling is still pending. McAndrews said the village has not yet been served with a court appeal.

“But that doesn’t mean it’s not coming,” she said.

Chiocchio and the developer did not return calls seeking comment.

What’s happening at 40 Ocean Ave. has become a village-wide trend that officials said needs to slow down. The village board approved a six-month moratorium in January that temporarily banned all pending and future applications for demolitions on and subdivisions of residential properties. During that time, village planning consultant Richard Preiss will review Larchmont’s zoning code.

Village Manager Justin Datino said there are two other pending projects, at 5 Thompson Place and 78 Shore Drive, that are impacted by the moratorium….

Please Read More Here:

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/mamaroneck/2016/03/08/larchmont-upholds-moratorium/81485260/

LARCHMONT LEDGER: Rotary Club Features Anne McAndrews

Rotary Club Features Anne McAndrews

The Larchmont Rotary Club recently hosted Anne McAndrews, former Mayor of Larchmont, at their April 15th weekly luncheon at the Larchmont Yacht Club. McAndrews spoke of 3 initiatives that she was most proud of….

….The appointment of a Village Administrator was McAndrews third point.  Justin Datino, presently overseeing the computerization of several  Village functions, supervises the day to day operations of the village and also prepares the capital plans to assure the future needs of the Village are identified and adequately funded.

During the Q and A period which followed, the former Mayor smiled several times and pointed out that the question would require another full program to address properly…..

Please Read More Here:

http://larchmontledger.com/town1.html

WCBS – TV: Façade Collapses At Popular Larchmont Restaurant Tequila Sunrise

…As CBS2’s Matt Kozar reported, firefighters said the building had a fire several years ago and it damaged the roof. But they were also looking at whether the terra cotta roof was too heavy.

“In terms of ongoing random inspections, the buildings are inspected by the fire department for fire safety inspections annually, and I don’t have the record right now when that was last performed for the building,” said Larchmont Village Administrator Justin Datino.

Datino said more thorough building inspections do not happen unless work is being done that requires a permit.

Please Read More Here:

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/08/28/larchmont-facade-collapse/

7. Notes:

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

About Larchmont, New York

Image = Larchmont_highlighted.svg

Larchmont is a village located within the Town of Mamaroneck in Westchester County, New York, approximately 18 miles northeast of Midtown Manhattan. The population of the village was 5,864 at the 2010 census.

In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Larchmont 11th on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States.

Originally inhabited by the Siwanoy (an Algonquian tribe), Larchmont was discovered by the Dutch in 1614. In 1661, John Richbell, a merchant from Hampshire, England, traded a minimal amount of goods and trinkets with the Siwanoy in exchange for land that is today known as the Town of Mamaroneck. The purchase included three peninsulas of land that lay between the Mamaroneck River to the east, and Pelham Manor to the west. The east neck is now known as Orienta while the middle neck is what is now known as Larchmont Manor. The third neck was later sold and is now known as Davenport Neck in New Rochelle. The purchase was contested by Thomas Revell who, one month following Richbell’s purchase, bought the land from the Siwanoy at a higher price. Richbell petitioned Governor Stuyvesant, Director General of the Colonies of the New Netherland, and Richbell was issued the land patent in 1662. In 1664 Great Britain took control of the colonies and Richbell received an English title for his lands in 1668 whereupon he began to encourage settlement. In 1675 Richbell leased his “Middle Neck” to his brother however when he died in 1684 none of his original property remained in his name. In 1700, Samuel Palmer, who had been elected the Town’s first supervisor in 1697, obtained the original leases on the “Middle Neck”, and in 1722 the Palmer family obtained full title to the land which included what is now the Incorporated Village of Larchmont.

Larchmont’s oldest and most historic home, the “Manor House” on Elm Avenue, was built in 1797 by Peter Jay Munro. Munro was the nephew of John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, and was later adopted by Jay. At the beginning of the 19th Century, Munro was active in the abolitionist movement, helping to found the New York State Manumission Society, along with his uncle and Alexander Hamilton. In 1795 Munro had purchased much of the land owned by Samuel Palmer and by 1828 he owned all of the “Middle Neck” south of the Post Road and much of the land north of the Post Road as well. Munro later became a lawyer with Aaron Burr‘s law firm and built a home in Larchmont Manor known as the Manor House. Munro’s house faced towards the Boston Post Road (the back is now used as the front), which tended to generate a lot of dust in summer months. To combat this, his gardener imported a Scottish species of larch trees that were known to be fast growing. These were planted along the front of the property, eventually giving the village its name.

When Munro died in 1833, his son Henry inherited the property however he soon lost the property and it was sold at auction in 1845 to Edward knight Collins, owner of a steamship line. By the end of the Civil War in 1865, Collins had gone bankrupt and his estate was put up for auction and purchased by Thompson J.S. Flint. Flint divided the estate into building lots and called his development company the Larchmont Manor Company. Flint converted the Munro Mansion into an inn for prospective buyers and reserved some waterfront land for use as a park for the future residents of the Manor. After 1872 the area became a popular summer resort for wealthy New Yorkers. The arrival of the New York & New Haven Railroad replaced the stagecoach and steamboat as the main mode of transportation to and from New York City, making it much easier to commute and thus, modernizing travel which ultimately helped develop much of Westchester from farmland into suburbs by the 1900.

The New York legislature created Mamaroneck as a town in 1788, which includes a part of the Village of Mamaroneck, The Village of Larchmont, and the unincorporated area in the Town of Mamaroneck. This three part division occurred in the 1890s to meet the growing demand for municipal services which the town could not provide. At the time, a town was defined as only being able to provide basic government functions leaving residents of Larchmont in need of adequate water supply, sewage disposal, garbage collection, and police and fire protection. In 1891 the residents of Larchmont Manor obtained a charter from the legislature in which they incorporated that section of Town into a village. In order to comply with a law requiring incorporated villages to have at least 300 inhabitants per square mile, the boundaries of the newly incorporated Larchmont village were expanded beyond the Manor’s 288 acres (1.17 km2) to include land to its north and south of the railroad, and east to Weaver Street.

After the advent of the automobile, Larchmont quickly transitioned from a resort community into one of the earliest suburbs in the United States, catering to wealthy individuals commuting to and from New York City for work on a daily basis. Many of the Victorian “cottages” and a grand hotels (such as the Bevan House and Manor Inn) remain to this day, though these have been converted to other uses such as private residences. The Larchmont Yacht Club hosts an annual Race Week competition (2007 marked the 110th running of this event). It is adjacent to Manor Park, which was designed by Jeremiah Towle, an early summer resident of Larchmont Manor and an engineer. The Larchmont Shore Club (near the Larchmont Yacht Club) hosts an annual Swim Across America challenge, across Long Island Sound.

Larchmont and neighboring Mamaroneck and New Rochelle are noted for their significant French American populace…..

Please Read More Here:

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

Zip code: 10538

 

Population: 5,951 (2013)

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 Pelham – Terri Rouke – Under Review

Image = Village of Pelham %22Terri Rouke%22 74

Terri Rouke

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

Under Review

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

info@pelhamgov.com

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Village Clerk
195 Sparks Avenue
Pelham, NY 10803

4. Experience:

Terri Rouke did not provide a brief biographical paragraph outing her experience and education for the FOIL Westchester public interest project that measures how well village clerks comply with New York State’ Freedom of Information laws.

From the internet we found the following about Ms. Rouke:

Education

SUNY Purchase
Bachelor’s degree, American Literature

University of Bridgeport

Terri J Rouke – Intelius

Also Known As

Terri J Booth

Age

Terri J Rouke is in her 60’s

Terri Has Lived In
Pelham, NY
Terri’s Relatives

5. From The Village Website:

Image = Village of Pelham website - Terri Rouke

The Village Clerk is subject to the direction and control of the Mayor.  However, state law imposes numerous responsibilities upon the clerk, which the clerk has an independent responsibility to perform.

Most of the village clerk’s duties are set forth in Village Law §4-402, which partially provides as follows:

Village Minutes
Oath of Office
Local Legislation
Order to Pay Claims
Transmitting Funds
Maintaining postings
Custody & Production of Books and Records
Filing, publishing notices relating to resolutions, local laws, public meetings, open meetings.
Serving as point of contact for citizens with questions about the village.
Acting as liaison between citizens and the village board of trustees

Staff Contacts

Name Title Phone
Terri Rouke Village Clerk (914) 231-3320
Sandy Shriman Deputy Village Clerk (914) 738-7514

6. Media Reports / Related Pages

Image = News = Village of Pelham - Terri Rouke 74

THE PELHAMS – PLUS: Village of Pelham Board Public Hearing April 4 to Override Tax Cap

Village of Pelham, NY – Public Hearing Notice

Scheduling a Public Hearing for Local Law #1-2016 to override the real property tax levy limit established in General Municipal Law  §3-c

The Board of Trustees of the Village of Pelham hereby schedules a public hearing to be held at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, April 4, 2016, in Village Hall at 195 Sparks Avenue, Pelham, NY, on a proposed Local Law that would amend the Code of the Village of Pelham, as follows:

A local law to override the real property tax levy limit established in General Municipal Law §3-c

A copy of the proposed Local Law is on file in the offices of the Village Clerk and may be viewed during normal business hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or an electronic copy may be obtained from the opening page of the Village’s website www.pelhamgov.com.

By Order of Mayor Michael J. Volpe and Board of Trustees

Terri Rouke, Village Clerk

http://www.pelhamplus.com/article_8e148a2a-f2ab-11e5-8dd4-f7551eb485ed.html

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/terri.rouke

7. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

About Pelam, New York

Image = Pelham_(village)_highlighted.svg

The Village of Pelham is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 6,910 at the 2010 census. It is located in the Town of Pelham, which is colloquially referred to as Pelham

On June 27, 1654, Thomas Pell purchased 9,166 acres (37.09 km2) from the Native American tribe of the Siwanoys. The purchase included an area which is known today as Pelham, New Rochelle, and portions of Bronx County. Among the land that he purchased, of course, was all the land that constitutes today’s village of Pelham. Upon his death in 1669, Thomas Pell left the land to his nephew and sole heir, John Pell.

The original Village of Pelham was incorporated in 1896, bounded by the New Haven Railroad‘s main line to north, Colonial Avenue to the south, New Rochelle to the west, and the Hutchinson River to the east. The Village of North Pelham was incorporated on August 29, 1896. Its boundaries were the New Haven Railroad to the south, New Rochelle to the west and northwest, and the Hutchinson River to the east and northeast. By 1940, the Village of Pelham’s population was 1,918 and the Village of North Pelham had a population of 5,046. In June 1975, the Village of North Pelham merged with the existing Village of Pelham….

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

Zip code: 10803

 

Population: 6,997 (2013)

Village of Port Chester – David Thomas – Under Review

Image = Village of Port Chester - David Thomas 74

David Thomas

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

Under Review

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

dthomas@portchesterny.com

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Village Clerk
222 Grace Church Street Suite – 120
Port Chester, NY 10573

4. Experience:

David Thomas had been working as a consultant in his community of Port Chester, NY. He started off volunteering for the Council of Community Services as a webmaster and designing their website.

He then appointed as president of Building Community Bridges, a local organization dedicated to promoting conversation on difficult issues in the community.

After that Mr. Thomas was the web manager for the Town of Rye.

The town had developed a new website but had some trouble finding someone to add and organize the content. This was a paid consulting position for a nominal rate.

He also added content for another organization he joined called One World United and Virtuous. This also was a paid consulting position that earned a nominal fee.

Mr. Thomas has also volunteered to teach PC and software classes at Family Services of Westchester

Later Mr. Thomas was appointed Port Chester Village clerk.

Village Clerk
Village of Port Chester, NY
– Present (9 months)

Consultant
Town of Rye, NY
(6 years 10 months)
Town of Rye, NY

Video Technician
FocusVision Worldwide, Inc.
(7 years 1 month)
Location Unknown

TECHNICAL WRITER
GIANTBEAR INC.
JUNE 2000 – APRIL 2001 (11 MONTHS)
Location Unknown

Trainer
Direct Media, Inc.
March 1997 – February 2000 (3 years)

Trainer
Executrain of Westchester
1996 – 1997 (1 year)

Mr. Thomas still is available for consulting and can be reached at 420 Elm St. Port Chester, NY 10573 (914) 980-6160

5. From The Village Website:

Image = port chester website header 77

The duties of the Village Clerk include responsibility for the care and custody of all official records and documents of the Village, for protection and preservation of the Village’s past history, administration of all municipal and special elections, the accurate record of Board of Trustee proceedings, actions and documentation of Board of Trustee Meetings, administering the Village’s records management program, receiving and filing claims against the Village, maintenance of the Village Code and providing research and information services to the public and Village personnel.

The Village Clerk’s Office provides a current list of Village Boards and Commissions.  Village Board of Trustee Minutes are prepared by the Village Clerk and are the permanent record of proceedings of each Board of Trustee meeting.

Other services that are available in the Village Clerk’s Office include:
        Municipal Parking Permits
        Alarm Permits
        Taxicab Licenses
        Freedom of Information

        Handicapped Parking Permits

        Registrar of Vital Statistics, i.e., Birth Certificates, Death Certificate

Marriage, hunting, fishing and dog licenses provided by the Rye Town Clerk, 3rd floor 222 Grace Church St, Port Chester, N.Y. 10573; (914) 939-3570 or visit their website.

6. Media Reports / Related Pages

Website and Internet concept with news word on four paper post it isolated on white background.

JOURNAL NEWS: 3 Port Chester trustees booted from board

Three village trustees were kicked out of office this week after they failed to sign legal paperwork following this year’s election wins.

Trustees Greg Adams, Daniel Brakewood and Luis Marino — all Democrats —  were required under state law to sign a written oath of office within 30 days from the start of their terms. They were told Thursday by the village attorney that they were out, Brakewood and Marino said.

“I’m fed up with this place,” Marino said Friday. “We have our attorney, our clerk and our village manager. I see these gentlemen at every meeting, and you’re telling me no one knew we didn’t sign the oath of office until last night?”

“I could understand if one person forgot,” Marino said. “If Luis Marino didn’t sign the oath of office, that’s on me. But three people didn’t sign? They’re screwing us.”….

….Mayor Dennis Pilla, a Democrat, said that, with a lot going on, he’s trying to be a stabilizing force to “make sure we get through all these situations.”

“Personally, it’s a lot of work,” he said Friday. “I’ve been on the phone all day with lawyers and the press with these two big issues.”

Pilla said he’ll recommend reappointing the ousted trustees in a special meeting. It wasn’t clear when the meeting would be scheduled and the Republicans didn’t immediately comment on if they’d support the reappointments.

There seems to be little case law to compare the situation to or to outline any recourse for the ousted board members, Brakewood said.

“If you get caught speeding, there’s a mechanism for you to appeal,” he said. “Here, you’re tried and punished in one swoop.”

Village business can continue to be conducted with the three remaining trustees and the mayor constituting a quorum of four. A quorum is the minimum number of elected officials needed to conduct official business, but any vote that isn’t unanimous won’t carry.

Neither Village Manager Christopher Steers nor Village Attorney Anthony Cerreto returned calls seeking comment. A receptionist at Village Hall said Village Clerk David Thomas was out of the office on Friday…..

Please Read More Here:

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/rye-brook-port-chester/2016/05/20/port-chester-oath-office/84666408/

DAILY VOICE: Port Chester Appoints David Thomas Village Clerk

Port Chester resident David Thomas has been appointed clerk for the Village of Port Chester. His appointment, by a unanimous vote, was made during a Village Board of Trustees meeting earlier this month.

Port Chester has been without a clerk since the summer when Janusz Richards resigned. Assistant Village Clerk Vita Sileo has been filling in. Eager to get the office of the clerk back to normal, Thomas was sworn in on Nov. 3, by Sileo and Rye Town Clerk Hope Vespia.

Previously, Thomas worked as a consultant with the Town of Rye for six years.

“I’ll have to get used to saying ‘the Village’ instead of ‘the Town,’ Thomas joked.

Thomas didn’t have the opportunity to give the town notice. He’s been putting in two hours a day for the town to transition and then working his eight hours daily for the village.

Luckily for Thomas, both entities are at 222 Grace Church St. A notable task for the new village clerk will be gearing up for the elections of village trustees next March.

All six seats are up for election and will be selected via the cumulative voting system put in place by decree from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Thomas was selected from a starting pool of 90 applicants. Port Chester Mayor Dennis Pilla called the search exhaustive. Village Trustee Dan Brakewood talked about how he “had the pleasure of working with Dave while working on the Tools for Change program” that Thomas administered for the Town of Rye…..

Please Read More Here:

http://portchester.dailyvoice.com/news/port-chester-appoints-david-thomas-village-clerk/606284/

BLACK WESTCHESTER: Port Chester Appoints David Thomas Village Clerk

Port Chester resident, David Thomas, has been appointed Clerk for the Village of Port Chester. The unanimous vote was taken at the Village Trustee meeting on Monday, November 2……

Please Read More Here:

Port Chester Appoints David Thomas Village Clerk by Joan Grangenois-Thomas

PORT CHESTER DAILY VOICE: Port Chester/Rye NAACP To Host Annual Freedom Fund Luncheon

…The Robert Brown/M. Paul Redd Freedom Fund Luncheon is “an annual event to recognize the contributions of those in the Port Chester/Rye community who have contributed their time and expertise to help others,” according to the release.

The honorees at this year’s luncheon are Hattie Adams, Ida Kilpatrick, Luis Marino and David Thomas, according to the release, and Robert Izard, who was instrumental in the formation of Carver Center, will receive special recognition….

Please Read More Here:

http://portchester.dailyvoice.com/news/port-chesterrye-naacp-to-host-annual-freedom-fund-luncheon/408481/

PORT CHESTER PATCH: Friends of the African-American Cemetery is Formed

Goal is to conserve, rehabilitate and transform cemetery into a place of historical remembrance, reflection and education

Port Chester resident, David Thomas is pleased to announce the formation of the Friends of the African American Cemetery, Inc., a registered New York State non-profit organization. The cemetery is situated within the Greenwood Union Cemetery, located at 215 North Street in Rye. The one acre parcel was donated by the Halsted family 150 years ago with the condition that it “shall forever hereafter kept, held and used for the purpose of a cemetery or burial place for the colored inhabitants of the said Town of Rye, and its vicinity free and clear of any charge therefor…”

Of the 119 known persons buried at the cemetery, 22 are veterans of the Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I and World War II. The last burial was held in 1964…..

Please Read More Here:

http://patch.com/new-york/portchester/friends-african-american-cemetery-formed

GO FUND ME: African American Cemetery Rye Town

$230 of $1,500 goal raised by 6 people in 10 month

https://www.gofundme.com/cy3px6ve

FACEBOOK:

Intro

https://www.facebook.com/townofrye

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 Port Chester, New York

Image = Port_Chester_highlighted.svg

Port Chester is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The village is part of the town of Rye. As of the 2010 census, Port Chester had a population of 28,967.

The village name is pronounced with the same syllable stress pattern as that of the county which contains it, i.e. PORT ches-ter, not Port CHES-ter.

Port Chester is one of only twelve villages in New York still incorporated under a charter, the other villages having incorporated or re-incorporated under the provisions of Village Law.

n 1660, three settlers from Greenwidge (now Greenwich, Connecticut), Thomas Studwell, John Coe, and Peter Disbrow, arranged to buy Manursing Island and the land near the Byram River from the Mohegan Indians. The land that they bought is now Port Chester. The village was originally known as Saw Pit for the saw pits which were in use during the time. Logs were cut in holes in the ground for wood to be used for shipbuilding. The name of Sawpit was used for the first time in 1732. The village eventually outgrew this name and became Port Chester by incorporating as a village in 1868. When Port Chester was first incorporated, it was considered a major seaport.

In 1665, Sawpit was claimed by both New York and Connecticut. However, the land was given back to the New York Colony by Connecticut in 1683. This struggle over the ownership of Sawpit continued for almost 105 years. In 1788, the Legislature of New York ruled that Sawpit was a part of the town of Rye in New York.

Travel was considered dangerous in the early years of Sawpit as good roads were hard to find. The Boston Post Road, King Street, and Grace Church streets are some of the early migration paths in the Sawpit/Rye settlement. Other roads were usually dirt, which made transportation via water important.

The local waterways, the Byram River and Long Island Sound, were a key part of the growth and development of Sawpit/Port Chester. Early residents took part in boat building, farming, and shell fishing.

The Bush-Lyon Homestead, Capitol Theater, Life Savers Building, Putnam and Mellor Engine and Hose Company Firehouse, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, and United States Post Office are listed on the National Register of Historic Places …..

Please Read More Here:

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

Zip code: 10573

 

Population: 29,410 (2013)

Village/Town of Scarsdale – Donna Conkling – Under Review

Image = Village of Scarsdale Donna Conkling profile pic 75
Donna Conkling

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

Under Review

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

clerk@scarsdale.com

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Village / Town Clerk
1001 Post Road
Scarsdale, NY 10583

4. Experience:

Donna Conkling failed to provide a brief biographical biography for the FOIL Westchester Public Interest Project that measures how well clerks in the county comply with New York State’s Freedom of Information Laws.

On the Internet we Found:

Town/Village Clerk
Town/Village of Scarsdale
– Present (14 years 10 months)
Scarsdale, NewYork

Administrative Assistant to Village Manager
Village of Briarcliff Manor
(3 years 6 months)
Village of Briarcliff Manor, New York

Building/PlanningDepartment
Village of Croton-on-Hudson
(9 years 9 months)
Croton-on-Hudson, NewYork

5. From The Town / Village Website:

Image = Seal_of_the_Village_of_Scarsale 75

Scarsdale has one of the worse websites in Westchester County, but nobody at village hall seems to care.

It is not like there are contested elections in Scarsdale.

People in Scarsdale joke that Mayor Jonathan Mark’s 13 year old nephew built and maintains the Scarsdale website.

Be sure to bring your microscope if you want to try and read the very tiny print on the Scarsdale website.

http://www.scarsdale.com/

6. Media Reports / Related Pages:

Image = News = Village - Town of Scarsdale - Donna Conkling 75

SCARSDALE 10583: CNC Nominee’s Name Will Not Appear on Printed Ballot for Village Election

Due to a failure to file the necessary paperwork before the February 16 deadline, the name of one of the candidates nominated by the Scarsdale Citizens’ Nominating Committee (CNC) to serve as Scarsdale Village Trustee will not appear on the printed ballot in the election on March 15.

After completing their deliberations, the CNC announced that they had selected Jane Veron, Seth Ross and Marc Samwick to run as their candidates for the Scarsdale Citizen’s Non-Partisan Party in the Village-wide election on March 15th. These candidates traditionally run unopposed. Following procedure, members of the CNC circulated petitions to put their candidates on the ballot and these were submitted to Village Clerk Donna Conkling by the February 9 deadline.

However, in order to appear on the ballot each candidate was required to file a certificate of acceptance with Village Clerk Donna Conkling by Tuesday February 16. Though Conkling received the required information from Veron and Samwick, Ross’s forms were not provided in time, and therefore his name will not be printed on the ballot. There are three positions for Village Trustee open, but there will only be two names on the paper ballot.

Ross remains a candidate of choice of the Scarsdale Citizen’s Non-Partisan Party and Lena Crandall, Chair of the Scarsdale Citizen’s Non-Partisan Campaign Committee encourages residents to vote and to write-in Seth Ross’ name….

Please Read More Here:

http://scarsdale10583.com/about-joomla/village-voices/5283-cnc-nominee-s-name-will-not-appear-on-ballot

HAMLET HUB: Scarsdale Town Board Votes Against Homestead Law

According to Donna Conkling – Scarsdale Village Clerk- The March 4th Special Town Board Meeting convened last evening as a continuation of the public hearing from February 25th, 2014, regarding the proposed local law to adopt the provisions of Section 1903 of the Real Property Tax Law, commonly referred to as the Homestead Tax Option. The Town Board voted unanimously against adoption of this proposed law….

Please Read More Here:

http://news.hamlethub.com/scarsdale/politics/95-scarsdale-town-board-votes-against-homestead-law

NY DAILY NEWS: Yup, they’re hitched: Beyonce and Jay-Z file marriage license

…The powerhouse entertainment duo held a lavish private celebration in his Tribeca penthouse on April 4 –  but never confirmed publicly that they were husband and wife.

“The license was sent back to our office Friday,” said Donna Conkling, the town clerk of Scarsdale Village in suburban Westchester County…..

Please Read More Here;

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/yup-hitched-beyonce-jay-z-file-marriage-license-article-1.280358

7. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

About Scarsdale, New York

Image = Scarsdale_highlighted.svg

Scarsdale is a coextensive town and village in Westchester County, New York, United States postal code 10583. It is a northern suburb ofNew York City. As of the 2000 census, its population was 17,886.http://censtats.census.gov/data/NY/1603665431.pdf

Scarsdale has elected to operate solely as a village government even though the ‘Village of Scarsdale’ is coterminous with the ‘Town of Scarsdale.’ It is one of several villages in the state that have a similar governmental situation (see:description of town in N.Y. State).

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 6.6 square miles (17.2 km²), of which, 6.6 square miles (17.2 km²) of it is land and 0.15% is water.

Neighborhoods

The neighborhoods within the village of Scarsdale (and the names of its elementary schools) comprise:

  • Edgewood
  • Fox Meadow
  • Greenacres
  • Heathcote
  • Quaker Ridge

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 17,823 people, 5,662 households, and 4,993 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,685.7 people per square mile (1,036.4/km²). There were 5,795 housing units at an average density of 873.2/sq mi (337.0/km²).

According to the 2000 Census, the race distribution of Scarsdale was: White (non Hispanic) 74.1%, Asian 2.6%, African-American 11.5%, Hispanic or Latino 10.6%.
There were 5,662 households out of which 51.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 99.8% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 11.8% were non-families. 10.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.14 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the village the population was spread out with 32.8% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $182,792, and the median income for a family was $200,000+. Males had a median income of $100,000+ versus $62,319 for females. The per capita income for the village was $89,907. About 1.7% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.

School System

The Scarsdale Union Free School District consists of one elementary school for each of the neighborhoods mentioned above, as well as the Scarsdale Middle School, the Scarsdale High School.

Scarsdale Post Office and postal zone

The Scarsdale Post Office on Chase Road is #88002428 on the National Register of Historic Places.

The population of the 10583 zip-code is more than twice that of Scarsdale proper. Sections of neighboring communities are covered by the Scarsdale zip-code (10583), including:

  • Beech Hill (City of Yonkers)
  • Edgemont (Town of Greenburgh)
  • Garth Road (Town of Eastchester)
  • Green Knolls (Town of Eastchester)
  • Greenvale (Town of Eastchester)
  • Murdock Woods (Town of Mamaroneck)
  • North End of Eastchester
  • North End of New Rochelle
  • Wilmot (City of New Rochelle)
  • Wilmot Woods (City of New Rochelle)

Notable people

People associated with Scarsdale include:

Television, film, music and radio personalities

Writers

Doctors

http://www.google.com/search?q=neil+cobelli+scarsdale,+ny&hl=en&pb=r&sa=X&oi=rwp&ct=titlehttp://www.aecom.yu.edu/home/faculty/profile.asp?id=1864http://www.healthgrades.com/directory_search/physician/profiles/dr-md-reports/Dr-Neil-Cobelli-MD-E6895CBB.cfm

  • Neeta Pandit-Taskar, Program Director, Nuclear Medicine Service, Depatment of Radiology, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, lives in Scarsdale with her family. [She is] a nuclear medicine physician with a special interest in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. [Her] research has shown that PET imaging following treatment for small-cell lung cancer can accurately predict patient outcome. [She is] also exploring the role of PET imaging and the development of new diagnostic methods that use radiolabelled antibodies to detect recurrent gynecologic cancers.http://www.mskcc.org/prg/prg/bios/675.cfmhttp://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69102.cfm

Sports personalities

Legal

Political figures

Gangsters and spies

Science, space and technology

Artists

Scarsdale in popular culture

In the arts

Film

  • BugsyBarry Levinson‘s 1991 Oscar-winning film features Warren Beatty as gangster Benjiman Siegel, who lived in Scarsdale during the 1940s. The film opens at Siegel’s house in Scarsdale (actually filmed in Hancock Park, Los Angeles), and Scarsdale is mentioned numerous times throughout the film. The movie’s Co-Producer Charles Newirth grew up in Scarsdale.
  • Johnny Cool – The 1963 film features Elizabeth Montgomery as a young woman in New York City who grew up in Scarsdale, and considers going back for a brief, restful break from her chaotic situation.
  • Hell High – The 1989 B-grade horror film was partially shot on location at Scarsdale High School, in hallways, classrooms, a parking lot, and at the Brewster Road entrance.
  • Charlie Wilson’s WarMike Nichols‘s 2007 film, starring Tom Hankscontains a line regarding the placement of a crèche on city property. A constituent from Nagadoches, Texas who has traveled to DC to press Wilson to take action says: “It’s East Texas. Who are we offending? This isn’t Scarsdale, for goodness sakes.” The line is a reference to an early 1980s Supreme Court case regarding a nativity scene in the village center. Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin grew up in Scarsdale.

Television

  • Seinfeld – Kramer is accidentally rewarded with a Tony Award for the fictional musical “Scarsdale Surprise”, supposedly based on the Scarsdale Diet doctor murder.http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/TheSummerofGeorge.htm
  • Will and Grace – In the episode, “Secrets and Lays,” Karen Walker says: “Stan had to take his kids to Scarsdale to see their real mother. What was her name? Wait a minute it’ll come to me… ‘Stan, take the kids to see that bitch … Cathy!’ Cathy.”
  • Gossip Girl – Aaron’s hometown.
  • Taxi – Tony Danza’s character, Tony Banta, attempts to adopt a young boy from a wealthy foster family in Scarsdale in several episodes.
  • Star Trek Voyager – Mentioned in the episode Death Wish.
  • Late Night With Conan O’Brien – On the thirteenth anniversary of “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”, the show is “Bar Mitzvahed” and Scarsdale is cited as the home of Temple Emanuel, the fictional temple of the fictional Rabbi Grossman, who performs the Bar Mitzvah ceremony.
  • Entourage – Billy Walsh grew up in Scarsdale.
  • Mr. Show – One sketch involves a black-influenced, white singing duo named Three Times One Minus One being introduced as “coming straight outta Scarsdale!” a la “straight outta Compton”. The joke here being that Scarsdale, unlike Compton, is an all-white neighborhood.
  • Ugly Betty – Amanda and Marc visit Amanda’s parents in Scarsdale in the second season of the show.

Broadway

  • Rent – The main character, Mark, makes two references to Scarsdale as his hometown. Scarsdale is mentioned within the song “Tango: Maureen”
  • Guys and Dolls – A Broadway man chides a woman’s marital aspirations by saying “You have wished yourself a Scarsdale Galahad, a breakfast-eating, Brooks Brothers, type.”

Literature

  • Sleepless In Scarsdale – John Updike uses Scarsdale as the setting for his poem.
  • See How They Run – James Paterson uses Scarsdale as the setting in his novel.
  • Next – Michael Crichton uses Scarsdale in parts of his novel as the residence of an overspending eldery couple
  • Inca Gold – Clive Cussler briefly mentions Scarsdale.
  • Against the Day – Thomas Pynchon names a major character in the novel “Scarsdale Vibe”.
  • Jane Austen in Scarsdale -The Quiet Room
  • The Spy – James Fennimore Cooper sets his novel in a house in Scarsdale (The Locusts)

Music

  • Hey Nineteen – Steely Dan mentions Scarsdale in this song
  • WP (White Plains) – Matisyahu raps about Westchester NY

Events

Scarsdale Town Pool was the swimming venue for the 2007 Empire State Gameshttp://www.empirestategames.org/summer/.

Scarsdale is home to the Scarsdale Concours, an annual auto show for charity.

The 2002 “homecoming bacchanal”

What the New York Times termed a “homecoming bacchanal” made regional news in 2002 and sent five students to the hospital with acute alcohol poisoning. Reportedly scores of students arrived drunk at the dance, some so drunk that they vomited in the principal’s wastebasket and passed out on his floor. Twenty-eight of them received suspensions. The Times said the incident evoked “soul-searching” in “this iconic suburb, which prides itself on giving children every advantage.” A student was quoted as saying “We are supposed to be Scarsdale, the rich people, the good people, the studious.” Principal John Klemme told student government leaders that “the world is taking a perverse pleasure in Scarsdale’s humiliation” and challenged them to “reclaim your school, with violence if necessary.”http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/27/education/27SCAR.html?ex=1141102800&en=0809ffc5fc256d1a&ei=5070http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30B14F63B5F0C7B8CDDA90994DA404482

References

  • “>http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30B14F63B5F0C7B8CDDA90994DA404482}}

ALSO: 

FOIL WESTCHESTER:How The Privileged Political Class Protects Its Intrests: The History of Scarsdale’s Non-Partisan Election System

In 1911, after a particularly bitter campaign and election for Town Supervisor, the leaders of the Scarsdale Town Republican Party and Democratic Party committees agreed to jointly choose a single candidate for any open town government position who would best serve the interests of the entire Village and whom both parties would endorse.

This system worked fairly well until 1930, when the Party committees were unable to agree on a single candidate for an open Village Trustee position. As a result, the Party committees and the Scarsdale Town Club agreed to form a new committee, unaffiliated with either Party, “consisting of representative citizens … to select candidates,” and Scarsdale’s first nonpartisan election system was established. That fall, the Scarsdale Town Club and the Woman’s Club co-drafted the first version of the Non-Partisan Resolution (the “Resolution”), a document that outlines the consensus method to be followed in nominating Village officials. The original Resolution was adopted on December 11, 1930 and, as a living document, has been amended 40 times to date. Some of the major changes to Scarsdale’s nonpartisan election system since its inception include…..

Please Read More Here:

http://foilwestchester.blogspot.com/2016/07/how-privillaged-political-class.html

Donna Conkling’s Photos, Phone, Email, Address – Donna Conkling on NYFOI.Org – 51 Results – Find Donna Conkling’s phone number, address, email and photos on the leading New York Clerk  people search directory for contact information and public information.

Village of Sleepy Hollow – Paula A. McCarthy Tompkins

image = Village of Sleepy Hollow - Paula A. McCarthy Tompkins at WMOA Dinner Jan 2016

PARTY HEARTY: Paula A. McCarthy Tompkins Is Out Having A Good Time At This Years WMOA Dinner, As Freedom Of Information Requests For Public Documents Go Unanswered In Here Office

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

Image = building-better-teams-dysfunctions-
Sleepy Hollow Village Manager Anthony Giaccio
Has Failed To Bring Accountability To The Clerk’s Office.

Village of Sleepy Hollow Clerk Paula A. McCarthy Tompkins is the only clerk in Westchester County that has failed to respond to any of the test Freedom of Information requests for public documents, despite follow ups with the village manager, village mayor and elected officials.

The Village of Sleepy Hollow (Village) is located in the Town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County. The Village covers approximately fi ve square miles and has approximately 9,870 residents.

Sleepy Hollow Mayor Ken Wray was elected Village Trustee in 2007 and elected Village Mayor in 2009. He was  re-elected in 2011 and 2013. In 2015, Ken Wray was re-elected again as Village Mayor for a 4th term

Image = Mayor Ken Wray_Sleepy Hollow Board 712
Ken Wray With Village Trustees

The Village is governed by an elected Board of Trustees (Board) which is composed of a Mayor and six Trustees. The Board has the power to levy taxes on real property located in the Village and to issue debt. The Village’s total expenditures for the general fund for 2010 were $12 million and the 2011 adopted general fund budget was $13 million. The police department employs approximately 25 full time offi cers and is supervised by the Chief, who reports to the Board.

Board Members

Name Title
Sandra Spiro Village Trustee”
Glenn Rosenbloom Deputy Mayor
Rachelle Gebler Village Trustee”
Denise Scaglione Village Trustee”
John Leavy Village Trustee”
Sam Gonzalez Village Trustee”

Image = Sleepy Hollow Administrator Anthony Giaccio 712
Sleepy Hollow Administrator Anthony Giaccio

The Village Administrator and appointed department heads are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Village’s activities, including overseeing the Finance Department and supervising staff that maintain the financial accounting records and process cash receipts. The Treasurer is the custodian of Village funds and is responsible for receiving and recording Village moneys, reconciling the accounting records to bank statements, providing annual financial reports to the Office of the State Comptroller and the Board, and for providing monthly financial reports to the Board.

Image = Nt State Comptroller Seal 712

There seems to be a lot of disfuntion in the village of Sleepy Hollow, the State Comptroller recently did an audit and found

The Board and other Village officials are responsible for developing procedures and/or processes to ensure that Village resources, including cash, are safeguarded. These policies and procedures provide assurance that all cash is accounted for, properly documented, recorded, and physically safeguarded until deposited. The Village Administrator is responsible for overseeing the Finance Department and supervising staff that maintain the fi nancial accounting records and process cash receipts. The Treasurer is the custodian of Village funds and is responsible for receiving and recording Village moneys.

Policies and Procedures

It is important that the Board adopt policies and Village offi cials establish written procedures for cash receipts that address the assignment of authority, approval of transactions, protection of assets, periodic reconciliations and analytical reviews. It is important that Village offi cials clearly communicate these policies and procedures to all individuals involved with cash transactions. Clearly defi ned and communicated authorizations help establish a substantial framework of internal control.

Neither the Board nor Village offi cials developed processes to safeguard and account for cash receipts. Finance employees did not always issue pre-numbered duplicate receipts for all cash collections. We found three instances where payments totaling $1,410 were posted as cash but no documentation was provided to us to show that cash receipts were deposited into the Village’s bank accounts. In addition, we found four cash payments totaling $1,558 that were deposited into the Village’s bank account but cash receipts were never posted into the Village’s fi nancial accounting system, and two receipts that were posted 13 to 29 business days after they were deposited. Furthermore, the safe in the fi nance department was left open during the day giving employees from fi nance, the Village Clerk and her deputy unlimited access to un-deposited and petty cash. Finally, there were no inventory controls for parking permits which have a value of $210 or $150 each.

It is important that the Board adopt policies and Village offi cials establish written procedures for cash receipts that address the assignment of authority, approval of transactions, protection of assets, periodic reconciliations and analytical reviews. It is important that Village offi cials clearly communicate these policies and procedures to all individuals involved with cash transactions. Clearly defi ned and communicated authorizations help establish a substantial framework of internal control. We found that the Board did not adopt policies and Village offi cials did not develop and clearly communicate policies and procedures to individuals involved with cash transactions, such as individuals in the Recreation and Parks Department (Parks). Parks collects cash for various programs (afterschool program, meals on wheels, specialty camps, and park rental); however, no formalized process was communicated to the Parks Supervisor. When we reviewed the procedures for cash collections, we found that although the Park’sSupervisor prepared and issued receipts for cash collected at the various sites, it was not always at the time of receiving the cash. In certain instances, the receipts were prepared after the fact, based on the bills and checks received.

When the Parks Supervisor turned over the cash receipts to the Finance Department, she also turned over the duplicate cash receipt book (one of three used by the department, concurrently) as documentation of the receipts. However, there was no formalized process governing how often receipts were required to be turned over to the Finance Department. Checks were held by Parks for one to 15 days from receipt. For example, while we were on site documenting the procedures at Parks, we found the cash box had $3,000 in cash and checks, and that the corresponding receipts were dated from one to 15 days prior to our visit.

The absence of written policies and procedures inhibits the Board’s ability to ensure that Village assets are properly safeguarded, accounting transactions are recorded and reported properly, and that work performed is adequately monitored and routinely reviewed. This increases the risk that Village funds could be lost, stolen or misused.

Recording, Depositing and Posting of Receipts

Village offi cials must ensure that employees issue pre-numbered duplicate receipts for all cash collections and maintain a daily record of all cash receipts that includes the receipt numbers, with the dates and amounts collected. Employees should total the receipts each day and compare the amounts to the duplicate deposit ticket prepared for that day’s receipts. All receipts should be deposited in a timely manner to help prevent loss or theft. Someone other than those collecting the cash and reconciling to the amounts deposited at the bank should review the cash receipt records to verify that they are timely, accurate and complete. In addition, the prompt posting of deposits in the accounting system helps to ensure that the fi nancial records are current and provides assurance that Village moneys are properly accounted for. Delays in the deposit and/or posting of cash payments increase the risk of error or misuse and may misrepresent the actual cash fl ow. Further, an accurate and up-to-date record of all deposits is necessary for the proper and timely reconciliation of bank statements. Restricting access to the safe and keeping it locked when not in use is a good internal control to securing Village cash. Securing cash limits unauthorized access before it can be deposited in the bank.

The Finance Department receives payments for taxes, user charges (water, sewer, and sanitation), parking permits and various other fees. Neither the Board nor Village offi cials have established effective safeguards over cash receipts. All fi nance employees collect payments and prepare bank deposits; however they do not issue press-numberedduplicate receipts for payments received or maintain a daily record of all cash collected. In addition, there was no indication that Village offi cials had exercised any ongoing fi scal oversight activities related to the cash receipts function such as reconciling daily cash receipts or requesting and reviewing periodic cash reports.

Due to the lack of effective cash controls, we reviewed receipts for June and December 2010, the months with high numbers of cash receipts, to determine if payments were posted and deposited in a timely manner. We tested all 166 receipts that were posted to the general fund for the two months and then traced those receipts to the bank statements. We identifi ed receipts that were posted but not deposited and receipts deposited but not posted. For example, three receipts, totaling $1,410, posted for parking permits did not show on the bank statements. In addition, there was no back up documentation for two of the three cash receipts. We also identifi ed four deposits totaling $1,558 that included receipts that were never posted to the Village’s accounting system. Two receipts were posted 13 and 29 business days after they were deposited.

The Treasurer was unaware of these discrepancies but attributed them to the change of personnel within the Finance Department. These discrepancies result from the lack of effective internal controls and could result in the loss of Village assets.

We reviewed cash on hand that was kept in the safe and found $562 in an accounts payable folder with no back up information. The administrative intern stated that it was for a reimbursement that an employee made in July 2010 for overages on cell phone usage that he forgot to post and deposit. Also, an additional $15 was found inside a cash receipts folder without any back up documentation. The Treasurer was not aware that the cash was in the safe.

The safe is located inside the Treasurer’s offi ce; however, employees from the Finance Department, the Village Clerk and the Deputy Clerk all have access to the Treasurer’s offi ce and therefore access to undeposited cash and prepared deposits in the safe. Only the Village Clerk and Treasurer should have access. The Treasurer stated that the safe is open during the day for employees to keep cash collected. Cash receipts are deposited once a week and brought to the bank by a courier.

When there is a lack of oversight over the cash receipts and a failure to maintain accurate and complete accounting records, the Village is at an increased risk of loss, theft, or misuse of funds. Further, without timely posting of cash, there is an increased risk of errors and Village offi cials have no assurance that all moneys are being properlyaccounted for and deposited into the Village’s bank accounts. Finally, when un-deposited cash and prepared deposits are not adequately secured, there is an increased risk that cash will be lost or stolen.

Petty Cash

The Board may, by resolution, establish a petty cash account for incidental delivery or postage charges or for small purchases of materials, supplies or services. The resolution should establish the fund custodian and amount. Petty cash funds should be authorized at the lowest amount practical. It is important that proper records be maintained to account for all petty cash transactions, which includes a list of all the expenditures together with supporting receipts. The custodian of the petty cash account should secure the cash in a locked location and periodically reconcile petty cash on-hand and reimbursed receipts to the petty cash amount authorized by the governing Board.

Village offi cials did not adequately safeguard petty cash. Although the Board did not formally establish a petty cash account, the Village’s balance sheet for fi scal year 2010-11 included $1,540 as petty cash for the general fund. The Finance and Police Departments each have a share of the petty cash amount. We performed a cash count for both departments and found that the petty cash in the Treasurer’s offi ce was short by approximately $900. The Treasurer could not provide documentation to support any bills supposedly paid with these funds. Although the petty cash was stored in the safe, it was left open during the day giving the employees from the Finance Department, the Village Clerk and Deputy Clerk access to it. The Treasurer does not periodically reconcile the petty cash to ensure that all petty cash is accounted for. Because the Village did not have any controls over funds designated as petty cash, $900 in funds cannot be accounted for.

Parking Permit Stickers

The Village sells pre-numbered parking permit stickers for approximately 400 spaces in various municipal parking lots. The Village charges $210 per six-month permit at the municipal lots and $150 for a space at the train station. The Village’s total revenue for the parking permit fees for 2009-10 was $73,091 and the current year’s revenue is $68,116

The Board and Village offi cials must ensure that parking permit stickers are protected from loss by adopting effective policies and procedures, maintaining a complete inventory record, and conducting periodic inventories. It is essential to maintain a current inventory of all permit stickers on hand. An accurate inventory is an effective tool that would allow the Village to ensure that all sales are accounted for.

The Treasurer did not provide adequate oversight such as written policies and procedures, supervision over the purchase, security,inventory, issuance, and receipts for the sale of parking permits. As a result, the Finance Department could not account for all the parking permit stickers. Finance Department employees did not maintain a complete inventory records and conduct periodic inventories of parking permit stickers. Therefore, the Treasurer was unable to trace stickers sold to revenue collected and to stickers on hand to determine the true parking permit revenue. Furthermore, not all revenue collected for the parking permit stickers is deposited in the enterprise fund account. Instead, it is being deposited in and used by the general fund.2 The lack of controls over the parking permit stickers exposes the Village to potential revenue loss, and without reliable inventory records, these assets are at increased risk of loss, theft or misuse.

  • Concerned citizen’s in the village are unable to to determine if the village followed these recommendations from New York State, because of Village of Sleepy Hollow Clerk Paula A. McCarthy Tompkins’ failures at responding to freedom of information requests for public documents.Many single family homeowners in the highly taxeed village of Sleepy Hollow complain of a lack of accountability and transparancy in the village.

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

pmccarthy@villageofsleepyhollow.org

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Village Clerk
28 Beekman Avenue
Sleepy Hollow, New York 1059

4. Experience:

Image = experience 714

Paula A. McCarthy Tompkins failed to provide us with a requested brief biographical paragraph outlining her experience and education, for the FOIL Westchester public interest project that measures how well village clerks comply with New York State’s Freedom of Information laws.

On the internet we found the following about Paula A. McCarthy Tompkins

Ms. McCarthy Tompkins was appointed to the position of Village Clerk in July of 2009; she was appointed Deputy Clerk in January of 2008.

Ms. McCarthy graduated from Sleepy Hollow High School.

FIND THE DATA: Paula McCarthy Salaries

2011 $69,098

2013 $72,173

http://state-employees.findthedata.com/d/a/Paula-McCarthy

5. From The Village Website:

Image = Village of Sleepy Hollow Seal 75

The Clerk is a public official, appointed by the Mayor and Board of Trustees to a two-year term. She reports directly to the Village Administrator and Mayor. The Clerk is responsible for assisting the Westchester County Board of Elections with Village elections and maintains all Village records and communications of the Board of Trustees such as meeting minutes, resolutions and public announcements, also:

  • Serves as Executive Secretary to the Board of Trustees
  • Prepares and files Agendas, Minutes and Public Hearings
  • Maintains ordinances, resolutions and contracts
  • Issues various permits required under state statute and local ordinance
  • Serves as Registrar of Vital Statistics
    (Birth & Death Certificates)
  • Serves as Safety Officer
  • Serves as Personnel Officer

The Village Clerk issues various permits; such as burglar/fire alarms, peddlers/vendors, dumpsters/pods, sidewalk/street openings, landscapers/gardeners, handicapped permits, municipal parking permits, dog park; filming and more. The Village Clerk is also the Personnel Record keeper for all employees, and the Records Access Officer also known as FOILA “FOIL” Officer: The Records Access Officer “FOILA Officer” will respond based on the availability of requested records within five days of receiving a request. The “FOILA” request form is available electronically on our website.

To apply for any permit, click on the name of the form you need, print and complete the application, and return it to the Village Clerk with the appropriate fee for processing. Checks should be made payable to the Village of Sleepy Hollow.

Paula A. McCarthy Tompkins is a graduate of Sleepy Hollow High School and has been employed with the Village since 2006.

She currently sits on the Westchester County Municipal Clerks & Treasurers Association Board (WCMCTA) as President of the Association

Staff Contacts

Name Title Phone
Paula A. McCarthy Tompkins Village Clerk (914) 366-5106
Joan Bucci Deputy Clerk (914) 366-5113

6. Media Reports / Related Pages

Image = news = Village of Sleepy Hollow - Paula A. McCarthy Tompkins 75

PATCH: Tense Start to Sleepy Hollow Trustee Meeting as Residents Protest Democratic Caucus

Sharp Words About Caucus; New Voting Districts May Cause Confusion at Upcoming Election; Tax Grievance Day is Feb. 21

A uniformed police officer was on the scene at last night’s Sleepy Hollow Board of Trustees work session, presumably to head-off any backlash from when a group of would-be participants were shut out of the minute-long proceedings.

About 20 people sat side-by-side at the meeting, an apparent show of support for Frank Occhipinti, former head of the Democratic Party, and Donald Caetano, prospective trustee candidate, who waited their turn to speak while the Board moved swiftly through other business.

A public hearing on the village water reservoir project was opened and closed without comment and bill payments and previous meeting minutes were approved.

Occhipinti was first to the microphone during the time allotment for public comments. He took the opportunity to chastise the Board for the manner in which the Democratic Caucus was conducted.

“How does a Caucus last one minute,” he asked. “This is disgusting. It’s a farce.  Our people entered on time.”

Occhipinti said he wanted his comments to serve as a formal Freedom of Information (FOIL) request for the video tapes at the senior center where the Caucus took place, adding, “I am going to the Justice Department.” He also accused Janet Gandolfo of conflict of interest for her dual roles as village attorney and Caucus Chair positions.

Mayor Ken Wray said complaints about the Caucus should be directed to the Westchester Board of Elections, not village government, and that FOIL requests should be made in writing to the village clerk.

Caetano also described the Caucus as a “big fraud.”….

“You ignored all those people who came there to vote,” said Caetano. “I wish to be a candidate. I can promise you if I get on the ballot I will work hard for the Village of Sleepy Hollow.”  Caetano later added that he went to the Board of Elections and has retained a lawyer. “I’m going to fight it.”

Following Caetano, an enraged Sean Roach, a , took the microphone to “condemn” disparaging comments he said were attributed to Gandolfo on Patch. She had called into question Caetano’s marriage as well as residential status, in comments that were subsequently removed from the site.

“I hope she apologizes. This is disgusting,” he said. “I love this village, but if this is the way it’s going to be, I don’t even want to run for trustee.”

With that, the Board moved on to other business, prompting the swift departure of the Occhipinti-Caetano supporters.

“I guess they are really interested in village government,” commented Mayor Wray.

Interestingly, after other business was concluded (see below), Anna Lopez, a social worker and community organizer who said she has worked closely and effectively with the current administration, offered a public apology to the Board.

“I am sorry,” she said. “Two people have manipulated our community [referring to Sleepy Hollow’s Spanish-speaking residents] and attempted to show division and pretend that this administration is not working.”….

Village Clerk Paula McCarthy announced that Tax Grievance Day is Tuesday, Feb. 21 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Village Hall and that a shredding machine will be outside the hall on Saturday, Feb. 18 for public use.

Editor’s Note: This article has been revised to expand the description of a comment by Sean Roach, independent candidate for a seat on the Sleepy Hollow Board of Trustees, at the meeting.

http://patch.com/new-york/tarrytown/tense-start-to-sleepy-hollow-trustee-meeting-as-resid69be58db65

PATCH: Sleepy Hollow Clerk Marries Volunteer Firefighter

A Union Church wedding for couple.

Sleepy Hollow Village Clerk Paula McCarthy and Earl Tompkins, a longtime volunteer firefighter in Pocantico Hills, married Nov. 11 in a ceremony at Union Church in Pocantico Hills.

Tompkins is from Mahopac where he graduated from Mahopac high school. He was a longtime employee of GreenRock Corp in Pocantico Hills. McCarthy graduated from Sleepy Hollow High School.

This is a second marriage for both, who now have five kids between them ranging in ages from 8 to 24…..

Please Read more Here:

http://patch.com/new-york/tarrytown/sleepy-hollow-clerk-marries-firefighter

 

North Tarrytown changes name to Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.

When I was a kid, two things scared me: the “Wizard of Oz” and the Headless Horseman from Washington Irving’s short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”

I couldn’t seem to differentiate between fantasy and reality, and these two tales gave me nightmares.

Then I discovered that Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., fictitious home of the Headless Horseman, actually exists. I put it on our list of must-sees for our trip to the Hudson Valley, about an hour’s drive north of New York City.

Until about 20 years ago, Sleepy Hollow, population 10,000, existed only in Irving’s imagination and on a few historic maps. The actual town after which the author modeled his storied tales was North Tarrytown. Then in 1996, after a couple of failed tries and much debate, residents voted 2-to-1 to change the name of the village to Sleepy Hollow, capitalizing on Irving’s 1820 tale and people’s growing fascination with the supernatural and Halloween.

“Lots of people saw the name change as a new chapter in the town’s history,” says Sara Mascia, an archeologist, North Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow native and our cemetery-tour guide. She refers to the town’s seriously ailing economy after a General Motors plant and 4,000 jobs left the area…..

http://www.thecoastnews.com/2015/11/07/north-tarrytown-changes-name-to-sleepy-hollow-n-y/

Sleepy Hollow Residents Demand Action After Teen Killed In Park 

Residents are demanding action in Sleepy Hollow following the fatal stabbing of a teenager.

Flowers and candles mark the spot in Barnhart Park where Tahj Robinson, 17, of New Jersey was killed Friday night. The  former student of Sleepy Hollow High School was back in town visiting friends when he was stabbed to death in the park.

Residents said the park isn’t safe at night and they plan to attend a village board meeting Tuesday night to voice their concerns about the after-hours activity.

“It’s a little intimidating. There’s a bunch of kids that hang out and drink and smoke pot, I mean, you can smell it,” said Susan, who has lived in Sleepy Hollow for 53 years. “It needs more policing, just patrol it more, or put more lighting. There’s no lighting, they knocked the lights out.”….

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/10/13/sleepy-hollow-fatal-stabbing/

LATEST» Amazon Prime Day 2016: Best Deals And What You Need To Know

Probe Launched into Taser Gun Confiscated at Sleepy Hollow High

A female student was found with a taser stun gun while at Sleepy Hollow High School last month, but local police were not notified about it until two weeks later, reports The Journal News.

No one was injured, but Sleepy Hollow police and the Westchester District Attorney’s office are now investigating the incident, and why it took so long to report it to authorities.

The taser was discovered on Oct. 15, but district officials are not disclosing much information. Police were notified about it on Oct. 30.

“A Taser was confiscated from a student at Sleepy Hollow High School and turned over to the police. No one was in danger or threatened. That was key for us,” Tarrytowns School Superintendent Daniel McCann told The Journal News. “We were aware that someone was bringing something. We immediately confiscated it and no one was in danger.”

http://patch.com/new-york/tarrytown/probe-launched-taser-gun-confiscated-sleepy-hollow-high

Former Cop Convicted of Selling Date Rape Drug Via Internet

The Sleepy Hollow man sold more than $1.2 million worth of the drug.

A former police officer from Sleepy Hollow was convicted Thursday of selling a date rape drug.

Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Robert Smutek was found guilty on four counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 1,4 butanediol, an illegal analogue of the date rape drug gamma hydroxybutyric acid, or GHB.

According to the allegations and evidence presented at trial, Smutek, a former police officer and member of a drug task force, operated a website called Online Coral Calcium that sold patent medicines.

Beginning in 2009, Smutek sold “Potion 9” as a “mood enhancer” which supposedly made users feel euphoric, Bharara said.

While the label said it contained a tree root derivative and other natural ingredients, it actually contained an industrial solvent that converts to a date rape drug when ingested….

Please Read More Here:

http://patch.com/new-york/tarrytown/former-cop-convicted-selling-date-rape-drug-internet

NEW YORK STATE COMPTROLLER THOMAS DINAPOLI: Financial Records and Reports

The Board is responsible for the oversight of the Village’s fi nancial resources. Accurate and complete accounting records are essential to maintain accountability over financial resources. The Treasurer is responsible for performing the basic accounting functions, including depositing funds, performing monthly bank reconciliations and maintaining adequate accounting records, which provide the basis for monthly reports to the Board. The Treasurer is also responsible for preparing and fi ling the Village’s annual financial report with the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) following the close of the fiscal year.

The Board failed to properly oversee the Village’s fi nancial resources. Consequently, the Treasurer’s cash control accounts did not refl ect actual cash balances and parking permit revenues were incorrectly deposited into the general fund, resulting in unrecorded transfers and the incorrect use of enterprise fund moneys for general fund expenditures. Bank reconciliations have not been completed, in some instances since June 2010 and the Treasurer has not fi led the 2009-10 annual fi nancial report with OSC or provided monthly fi nancial reports to the Board.

Accounting Records

Accounting records must be timely, complete, and accurate to be relevant and useful for the Board and Village officials to manage Village operations properly. Governmental accounting systems should be organized and operated on a fund basis. The Treasurer is responsible for maintaining the Village’s financial records

Nnone of the cash control accounts (book balances) refl ected the actual balances. Village offi cials use bank statements and online banking to determine the amount in each Village account. Village records are not correct because bank reconciliations are not done in a timely manner and are incomplete. The Treasurer explained that, due to the staff turnover within the Finance Department and training of new employees, bank reconciliations were not up-todate. The most recent bank reconciliations for the general fund, taxes and water fund were done for the month of June 2010, but that reconciliations were not done correctly. The Treasurer explained that the balances brought forward from the old accounting system wereincorrect and they are waiting on the CPA to provide the adjusting entries for the beginning balances in all the accounts for June 2010.

By not performing monthly bank reconciliations in a timely manner, officials may not be aware of errors and/or irregularities. Also, Village officials cannot be assured that account balances are accurate or that they reflect the true financial position of the Village.

Revenue collected for the sale of parking permit stickers is incorrectly deposited to the general fund checking account, allowing the Treasurer to use parking permit revenue to pay general fund expenditures. However, the revenue and the corresponding cash should be reported in the enterprise fund. Depositing the parking permit revenue into the general fund account resulted in an unauthorized transfer of funds from the enterprise fund to general fund. It also provides additional cash fl ow to the general fund on which the Village improperly relied

Financial Reports

Accounting records and procedures are needed to manage Village operations. Properly prepared financial reports require that the financial records be accurate and maintained in a timely manner. The Treasurer is responsible for fi ling the Village’s annual financial report with OSC within 90 days following the close of the fiscal year. The annual financial report allows management and the general public to assess the Village’s financial operations and financial condition. In addition, the Treasurer should be providing periodic financial reports to the Board throughout the year.

The Treasurer has not fi led the Village’s annual fi nancial report with OSC for the 2009-10 fi scal year. We believe that the Village’s lack of complete accounting records precluded the Treasurer from fi ling the required report. However, the Treasurer, who was appointed in July of 2010, stated that a primary reason for not fi ling the report is a result of waiting for the CPA report which also has not been completed for 2009-10.

We also found that the Treasurer had not been providing the Board with periodic fi nancial reports during the year for use in monitoring Village operations. The lack of periodic reporting and untimely submission of annual fi nancial reports diminishes the Board’s ability to monitor and manage the Village’s fi nancial resources properly and increases the risk that errors or irregularities may occur and go undetected and uncorrected. In addition, the transparency of Village operations is compromised because the public does not have the opportunity to review the Village’s financial operations and assess its financial condition.

Please Read More Here:

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/villages/2011/sleepyhollow.pdf

7. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

About Sleepy Hollow, New York

Image = Sleepy_Hollow_highlighted.svg

Sleepy Hollow is a village in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York. The village is located on the east bank of the Hudson River, about 30 miles (48 km) north of New York City, and is served by the Philipse Manor stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line. To the south of Sleepy Hollow is the village of Tarrytown, and to the north and east are unincorporated parts of Mount Pleasant. The population of the village at the 2010 census was 9,870.

Originally incorporated as North Tarrytown in the late 19th century, in 1996 the village officially adopted the traditional name for the area. The village is known to many via “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow“, a short story about the local area and its infamous specter, the Headless Horseman, written by Washington Irving, who lived in Tarrytown and is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Owing to this story, as well as the village’s roots in American history and folklore, Sleepy Hollow is considered by some to be one of the “most haunted places in the world”.

The village is home to the Philipsburg Manor House and the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow, as well as the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where Washington Irving, Andrew Carnegie, Walter P. Chrysler, Brooke Astor, Elizabeth Arden, Thomas J. Watson of IBM, Samuel Gompers, and many others are buried

The land that would become Sleepy Hollow was first bought from Adriaen van der Donck, a patroon in New Netherland before the English takeover in 1664. Starting in 1672 Frederick Philipse began acquiring large parcels of land mainly in today’s southern Westchester County. Comprising some 52,000 acres (81 sq mi) of land, it was bounded by the Spuyten Duyvil Creek, the Croton River, the Hudson River, and the Bronx River. Philipse was granted a royal charter in 1693, creating theManor of Philipsburg and establishing him as first lord.

In today’s Sleepy Hollow he established an upper mill and shipping depot, today part of the Philipse Manor House historic site. A pious man, he was architect and financier of the town’s Old Dutch Church, said also to have built the pulpit with his own hands.

When Philipse died in 1702, the manor was divided between his son, Adolphus Philipse, and his grandson, Frederick Philipse II. Adolph received the Upper Mills property, which extended from Dobbs Ferry to the Croton River. Frederick II was given the Lower Mills at the confluence of the Saw Mill and Hudson Rivers, the two parcels being reunited on his uncle’s death. His son, Frederick III, became the third lord of the manor in 1751.

In 1779, Frederick Philipse III, a Loyalist, was attainted for treason, The manor was confiscated and sold at public auction, split between 287 buyers. The largest tract of land (about 750 acres (300 ha)) was at the Upper Mills; it passed to numerous owners until 1951, when it was acquired by Sleepy Hollow Restorations. Thanks to the philanthropy of John D. Rockefeller Jr., about 20 acres (8.1 ha) were restored as today’s historic site…..

Please Read more Here:

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

Zip code:
10591

Population: 10,017 (2013)

More From The Last New York State Comptroller’s
Report On The Village Of Sleepy Hollow

Police Time and Leave Accrual Records

It is important for the Board to establish written policies and procedures to ensure that police offi cers’ time and accrual records are accurate so that police offi cers receive compensation and benefi ts to which they are entitled. Accurate time and leave accrual records help to ensure that the Village does not make unnecessary payments at taxpayers’ expense.

The Board has not established written policies and procedures for Police Department time and accrual records. As a result, two police offi cers received sick leave bonus benefi ts that they were not entitled to, one offi cer used comp time three times that wasn’t earned, and three offi cers were allowed to accumulate more comp time than allowed.

Time Records

Properly designed and maintained individual time records are an important component of effective internal controls over payroll and fringe benefi ts expenditures. This includes police offi cers maintaining daily records of hours worked and/or leave accruals used. These records help supervisors and individuals who process payroll to calculate police offi cers’ regular and overtime hours (if applicable) and to update their accumulated leave balances. Time records must contain the information necessary to account for a police offi cer’s entire workday, including starting and ending times, leave charges and meal times. It is important for the Police Chief (Chief) to review and approve the timesheets before they are submitted to payroll to serve as the basis for payment.

While police offi cers do not maintain or submit timesheets as evidence of hours worked, they are expected to fi ll out a daily activity sheet which includes the offi cer’s starting and ending shift times, services performed and complaints answered during the shift. However, when a police offi cer works in the offi ce, he/she is not expected to fi ll out the activity sheet. When overtime is worked, police offi cers fi ll out a three-part form which documents the hours worked, the reason for the overtime and whether the offi cers would like to receive comp time or overtime wages. The overtime form is submitted to the Lieutenant in charge for the day. Overtime claims are submitted to the Finance Department by the Chief.

The Board has not adopted written policies and procedures covering the preparation, review and approval of the Police Department payroll. Police offi cers are not required to submit timesheets but receive pay based on their work schedule.3 We tested the accuracy of 10 police offi cers’ gross pay for the month of June 2009 and December 20104 by tracing their pay rates to the police offi cers’ collective bargaining agreement, daily activity sheets and overtime forms. Although all 10 police offi cers were paid as per contract, the Village does not have adequate records to determine whether regular time worked was accurate because the daily activity sheets were incomplete. The Chief stated the police offi cers had never submitted timesheets and there was no process to review the daily activity sheets for accuracy and completeness. The failure to maintain appropriate time records makes it diffi cult to confi rm that the police offi cers worked the hours for which they received paid.

Leave Accruals

The Police Department’s collective bargaining agreement provides unlimited sick leave, but as an incentive not to use sick leave the contract provides paid benefi ts. Police offi cers who use less than eight days of sick leave per year receive a bonus of 1 percent of their annual base wage and those who use less than fi ve days per year receive 1.5 percent of their annual base wage. The agreement also allows employees to earn a fi xed number of hours of comp time. Comp time is earned and accrued by an employee in lieu of payment for overtime worked. Employees may not accumulate more than 60 hours of comp time for overtime worked. Comp time accumulated is required to be taken within the same fi scal year and any unused balance is paid in the fi rst pay period of the following year. Police offi cers fi ll out a three part form for overtime worked and decide whether they would like cash or to earn comp time. A similar three-part form, Request for Time off (RFT), is submitted when sick or comp time is used.

The RFT form is used by Police Department managers to track the police offi cers’ accruals. However, the Chief does not submit this information to the payroll clerk when police officers earn or use their accruals. Therefore, the payroll clerk cannot enter information into her records to allow for a reconciliation between the payroll records and the Chief’s records on a periodic basis to ensure accuracy. At the end of the fi scal year, the Chief prepares a memorandum listing the police offi cers who are entitled to cash for their unused leave benefits. However, due to the lack of information in the Payroll Unit, the accuracy of the calculations cannot be independently verified.

We reviewed time accruals for 55 of 25 police offi cers to determine if time accruals were accurately maintained and paid as per contract. We traced all accruals for the 2009-10 fi scal year from a spreadsheet maintained by the Chief to actual RFT forms fi lled out by each offi cer and to the payroll check register and determined that two of the fi ve police offi cers received the wrong sick leave bonus benefi t. The two offi cers used one additional day of sick leave that was not recorded. One police offi cer inaccurately received the 1 percent sick leave bonus of $747. The other police offi cer received the 1.5 percent sick leave bonus when he was only entitled to the 1 percent bonus, resulting in an overpayment of $443.

The Chief told us that the department does not have a reconciliation process to verify the accuracy of the database. By not having a process to reconcile the database to the source documents, the Village is at risk of not recording sick leave properly, resulting in police offi cers receiving sick leave bonus benefi ts to which they are not entitled.

In addition, we reviewed the accuracy of the accruals for comp time for the same fi ve police offi cers for the 2009-10 fi scal year. We compared the comp time recorded in the database to overtime and RTF forms. The Chief or designee responsible for approving the use of comp time did not follow the collective bargaining agreement. One of the fi ve police offi cers on three instances used comp time that had not been earned. The last instance, which occurred at the end of the fi scal year, required the police offi cer to owe fi ve hours of comp time to the Village. The negative balance was carried over to the next fi scal year. We also found that three of the fi ve police offi cers had accumulated more than 60 hours of comp time. The Chief feels that these errors occurred because the Lieutenants do not verify the police offi cers’ accrual balances before approving their use of comp time and the police offi cers do not know their comp time balance. By not verifying accrual balance prior to authorizing the use of comp time, police offi cers received comp time benefi ts to which they were not entitled.

 

Village of Tarrytown – Carol A. Booth – Under Review

Image = Village of Tarrytown - Carol A. Booth 75

Carol A. Booth

1. Freedom Of Information Compliance And Knowledge Ratings:

Under Review

2. Email Address For Filing FOI Requests

cbooth@tarrytowngov.com

3, Mailing Address For Filing FOI Requests

Village Clerk
One Depot Plaza
Tarrytown, NY 10591

4. Background / Experience:

From the internet we have learned:

Carol Booth is a member of Association of City and Village Clerks and has served as President in the past.

FIND THE DATA: Carol Booth Salaries

2011 – $81,085

2013 – $82,540

http://state-employees.findthedata.com/d/a/Carol-Booth

INTELIUS: Carol Booth in Tarrytown, NY

Age

Carol A Booth is in her 60’s

Carol Has Lived In
Tarrytown, NY
Yorktown Heights, NY
Carol’s Relatives

Kyle Booth

Zodiac Sign
Cancer

https://www.intelius.com/people/Carol-Booth/06grqf9wgna

Quality score 64 out of 100

Please note, this Background / Experience internet quality score is below our quality threshold. The above Biographical data could be outdated and is not guaranteed to be accurate

5. From The Village Website:

Image = village of Tarrytown website header 75

The Village Clerk is also the Registrar of Vital Records for the Village of Tarrytown.  For birth records, the Village of Tarrytown generally has the records between 1905 – 1955.  Beginning 1956 to current, generally birth records can be obtained by the Registrar in the Village of Sleepy Hollow (914-366-5110).

The Village Clerk is appointed to a two-year term. The clerk has custody of all Village records, papers, books and communications, as well as the reports and communications of the Board of Trustees. At meetings of the Board of Trustees, the Village Clerk also serves as Clerk of the Board and keeps records of the meetings.

The Village Clerk issues various licenses and permits for taxis, alarms, peddlers, sidewalk cafe, sidewalk vending, cabaret, film, carting, green contractors, and handicapped parking permits.

The Village Clerk works as the local liaison to the Westchester Board of Elections for the Village Elections held in March. New York State Voter Registration Forms are available at the Village Clerk’s Office.

The Vital Statistics office is also part of the Clerk’s office. The Registrar of Vital Records maintains and issues certified copies of birth and death records of the Village.

The Village Clerk is also the Freedom of Information Officer for the Village. You can obtain a Freedom of Information form on the website under Village Clerk forms.

Staff Contacts

Name Title Phone
Carol A. Booth Village Clerk (914) 631-1652
 Additional Links:

6. Media Reports / Related Pages

Image = news-Village of Tarrytown - Carol A. Booth 75

PATCH: Village of Tarrytown Notice of Meeting to Hear Complaints

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Assessor of the Village of Tarrytown, New York has prepared the Tentative Assessment Roll for the current year; that said Tentative Assessment Roll has been filed with me at my office in the Municipal Building, Village Hall, Village of Tarrytown, One Depot Plaza, Tarrytown, New York, where it may be seen and examined by any person at all times during business hours until Tuesday, February 15, 2011 and on such day at the Municipal Building in said Village between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. the Board of Trustees and the Assessor will meet for the purpose of hearing complaints in relation thereto an application of any person considering himself aggrieved thereby.  Access to the hearing room is available to the elderly and handicapped.

Carol A. Booth, Village Clerk

http://patch.com/new-york/tarrytown/an–village-of-tarrytown-notice-of-meeting-to-hear-complaints

7. Notes

This Ratings Page Has Been Updated With Additional Information

There are several ways to get a candidates’ name on the ballot under the party-election system, Tarrytown Village Clerk Carol Booth said.

“The Chairperson of the Democrats and Republicans hold a caucus and their respective parties nominate candidates,” she said. Candidates “may also run on an independent body and then would have to file an independent nominating petition.”

Political parties must hold caucuses to put candidates on a ballot by Jan. 31. Independent candidates must file nominating petitions in the village clerk’s office by Feb. 14, Booth said. Write-in candidates are also allowed.

About Tarrytown, New York

Image = Tarrytown_highlighted.svg

Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about 25 miles (40 km) north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line. To the north of Tarrytown is the village of Sleepy Hollow (formerly “North Tarrytown”), to the south the village of Irvington and to the east unincorporated parts of Greenburgh. The Tappan Zee Bridge crosses the Hudson at Tarrytown, carrying the New York State Thruway (Interstates 87 and 287) to South Nyack,Rockland County and points in Upstate New York. The population was 11,277 at the 2010 census.

The Native American Weckquaesgeek tribe, who were closely related to the Wappinger Confederacy and further related to the Mohicans, lived in the area prior to European settlement. They fished the Hudson River for shad, oysters and other shellfish. Their principal settlement was at what is now the foot of Church Street near the Hudson River shore, between the current location of Losee Park and the Tappan Zee Bridge, at a place they called Alipconk, or the “Place of Elms”.

The first European settlers of Tarrytown were Dutch farmers, fur trappers, and fishermen. Records show that the first Dutch residence in Tarrytown was built in 1645; however, the exact location of this residence is not known. Tarrytown sits within the lands of the former Dutch Colony of New Netherland which became English territory in 1674 with the signing of the Treaty of Westminster. The Dutch called the area “Terwe Town” (Wheat Town); the soil was light and ideal for growing cereal grains like wheat, leading to its Dutch name. Mispronounciations led to the current name of Tarrytown.

In 1780, in a famous Revolutionary War incident, Major John André was arrested as a spy in Tarrytown, exposing the treasonous plans of associate Benedict Arnold. André, a British army officer, was traveling south through the village on the Albany Post Road when he was stopped and searched by three local militiamen. When suspicious papers were found in his boot, he was arrested as a spy and later convicted and hanged. A circumstantial account of the capture of André by militiamen David Williams, John Paulding and Isaac Van Wart, was written in 1903 by the owner and publisher of the Tarrytown Argus, Marcius D. Raymond.

Tarrytown was described in 1820 by the writer Washington Irving in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow“. Irving began his story, “In the bosom of one of those spacious coves which indent the eastern shore of the Hudson, at that broad expansion of the river denominated by the ancient Dutch navigators of the Tappan Zee, and where they always prudently shortened sail and implored the protection of St. Nicholas when they crossed, there lies a small market town or rural port which by some is called Greenburgh, but which is more generally and properly known by the name of Tarry Town.” The Underground Railroad ran through Tarrytown prior to the end of the U.S. Civil War.

Tarrytown later became a favorite residence for many rich New Yorkers, including John D. Rockefeller, who first moved to Tarrytown in 1893. Kykuit, Rockefeller’s elaborate mansion, was completed in 1906. In 1914, Kykuit became the site of numerous labor protests by radical anarchists, which were broken up by police in a series of violent clashes. Kykuit was the intended target of at least two bombing attacks planned by anarchists associated with the radical journalists Alexander Berkman and Luigi Galleani.

On November 19, 1915, a powerful dynamite bomb was discovered at Cedar Cliff, the Tarrytown estate of John D. Archbold, President of the Standard Oil Company. Police theorized the bomb was planted by anarchists and Industrial Workers of the World radicals as a protest against the execution of IWW member Joe Hill in Salt Lake City. The bomb was discovered by a gardener, John Walquist, who found four sticks of dynamite, weighing a pound each, half hidden in a rut in a driveway fifty feet from the front entrance of the residence. The dynamite sticks were bound together by a length of wire, fitted with percussion caps, and wrapped with a piece of paper matching the color of the driveway, a path used by Archbold in going to or from his home by automobile. The bomb was later defused by police.

The Christ Episcopal Church, First Baptist Church of Tarrytown, Foster Memorial AME Zion Church, Washington Irving High School, North Grove Street Historic District,Patriot’s Park, and Tarrytown Music Hall are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Lyndhurst and Sunnyside are listed as National Historic Landmarks.

The General Motors car manufacturing plant North Tarrytown Assembly was located in North Tarrytown until 1996. Today’s Metro-North Railroad‘s Hudson Line runs through the abandoned property.

Sleepy Hollow Mayor Philip Zegarelli in March 2007 met with Tarrytown Mayor Drew Fixell and district superintendent Howard Smith to discuss forming a blue-ribbon panel that would explore the pros and cons of an intermunicipal agreement. The two villages have shared a school district for 55 years. The villages already shared some services to lower their expenses, but the greatest reductions, especially in school and property taxes, would come from merging the two villages. However, each village has its own assessment roll. Zegarelli, who led an unsuccessful attempt in the mid-1970s to disaffiliate Sleepy Hollow from the town of Mount Pleasant, continues to advocate for secession – Sleepy Hollow from Mount Pleasant and Tarrytown from Greenburgh – as another way to save money. “If the idea is to save money, why have two levels of government?” he asked. The town of Mount Pleasant blocked Sleepy Hollow’s effort to secede, largely because it did not want to lose tax revenue from General Motors, Zegarelli said.

In 2014, Tarrytown was ranked second in the list of the top 10 places to live in New York according to the national online real estate brokerage Movoto….

Please Read More Here:

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

Zip code: 10591

Population: 11,483 (2013)

University: Marymount College, Tarrytown

Observations About FOI Requests In Tarrytown

Tarrytown like many villages in New York State, is part of a larger town, Greenburgh, which is part of a county, Westchester, which in turn is part of New York State. The population of Greenburgh is split roughly between six incorporated villages and three unincorporated areas. Hastings-On-Hudson is located in the southwest corner of the town; it shares membership in the town with Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Irvington and Tarrytown. Three unincorporated Census-designated places also exist: Fairview, Greenville and Hartsdale. All told, Greenburgh counts about 90,000 plus. residents.

Hastings-On-Hudson, Ardsley and Dobbs Ferry all provide breakdowns of town employees and their salaries in their budgets and provide links to PDFs of their budgets on their websites, and while Elmsford does not have this information online, the village administrator/clerk will respond to a request for it. Tarrytown and Irvington, on the other hand, require a Freedom of Information request be filed for the information.

In Tarrytown, not only is this information not readily available; it is unclear whether it is on line at all, based on the following interaction with the village’s Clerk :

-Can you tell me how to find a current list of Tarrytown town employees and their salaries? I’d like to use it as part of a project I’m working on as part of an urban studies class I’m taking at Fordham University. Thanks!

-Please complete the attached Freedom of Information form and return to me. Thank you.

-I’m confused. Is this information not available electronically? Would it be available in the most recent town budget?

-Information requested must be submitted via a FOI request

And So It Goes.

You Have To Go Down The Delay Of The FOI Rabbit Hole.

03/02/2015  Sample  Board of Trustees Minutes  

Village of Tarrytown

Regular Meeting No. 27

March 2, 2015

8:00 p.m.
PRESENT:  Mayor Fixell presiding; Trustees Basher, Butler, Hoyt; McGee, McGovern and Zollo; Administrator Blau; Village Treasurer Hart; Village Attorney Shumejda and Village Clerk Booth

The meeting began with the Pledge to the Flag.

REPORTS

Mayor Fixell reported on the following:

  • The St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on Sunday, March 15th at 1:30 p.m.  The parade will start promptly on Main Street in Tarrytown and end in Sleepy Hollow.
  • The Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow Farmer’s Market is holding a community meeting, sponsored by the Tarrytown Environmental Advisory Council (TEAC) at the Warner Library on Monday, March 16th from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.  There is a new group operating the farmer’s market this year and they are looking for input from the community.

Trustee Hoyt noted that the Tarrytown Parks and Recreation Advisory Council are finalizing the Tarrytown Recreation Spring and Summer Brochure and will be available soon on our website.

Trustee Butler noted two items:

  • There will be a Farmers Market Community Meeting at the Library.
  • He read an article in the River Journal newspaper about former Mayor Paul Janos and wanted to know if the River Journal reached out to Mayor Fixell for questions or comments.  Mayor Fixell said that he was never contacted by the River Journal.

ADMINISTRATORS REPORT

Administrator Blau reported the following:

Farmers Market Community Meeting – There is a Farmers Market flyer being distributed regarding the Community Meeting.  The flyer states that “If the library parking lot is full, there is street parking in the small municipal behind the library lot on Wildey Street.”

Administrator Blau noted that people should not park in that lot because it is not a Village owned parking lot; it is privately owned.  The flyer will be corrected.

Pothole Killer Machine – The Village has entered into a pilot project in cooperation with the Villages of Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Hastings, Irvington and Sleepy Hollow to determine if a machine, known as the Pothole Killer, is a viable means to address potholes in the Villages during the winter season.  The Pothole Killer is designed to provide a permanent repair of potholes during the winter months as opposed to using cold mix asphalt, which based upon weather, has very limited effectiveness in the repair of potholes.  The New York State Department of Transportation has contracted with the Pothole Killer for the past few years in every region in the state.   As part of the pilot program, every Village will receive 11 hours of repair work with the Pothole Killer.  Tarrytown was scheduled for this Wednesday, however, due to the warming weather for tomorrow which will create wet holes and makes the Pothole Killer process less effective and rain in the forecast for Wednesday, the schedule for the Villages of Irvington, Elmsford, Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow will be modified.  The streets to be addressed with the Pothole Killer machine are:

1.~ Starting at the intersection of Depot Plaza and White St, White Street to Franklin

2.~ Franklin, from White to S. Broadway

3.~ Neperan Rd starting at Broadway to Village line

4.~ Altamont

5.~ Rosehill

6.~ Leroy

7.~ Meadow

8. ~Independence

9.~ Park

10. Miller

11. Riverview

We do not know how far down the list 11 hours will provide, but we believe that our residents will see a difference.

Snow Removal – The Village, as well as communities throughout the area, are once again experiencing a salt shortage.  As of today, DPW has about 100 tons of a sand salt mix with five hundred tons on order.~ Under normal circumstances the salt company delivers within 3 business days on an order.  However, the DPW Superintendent placed the new salt order a week ago and based upon contact with the salt company, we are not on the delivery schedule.  According to the salt company, the problem this year is not enough trucks.  They used this same excuse last year but would not allow municipal trucks to come to the depot to pick up salt.  The latest that the Superintendent has heard within his professional organization was that the salt company is low on stored salt.

The Village uses approximately 150 tons of salt for a short duration low intensity snow storm.  The Village has used as much as 300 tons for the two ice storms that occurred this winter season.  According to the DPW Superintendent, more salt is used in a 1 to 3 inch storm longer duration snow storm than a one foot storm fast duration snow storm.

The Village has filed a complaint with the New York State Office of General Services, which is the state agency responsible for state bids that local municipalities can utilize.

Ice Skating – As one of our protocols when a staff member goes out onto the lake to test the ice, the staff member will be wearing a life vest and have a rope tied around them just in case they might fall through the ice.  In addition, the Tarrytown Fire Ice Rescue Team must be on site in case of an emergency.  The Recreation Supervisor had scheduled the test of the ice today, but due to the weather, the Fire Department cancelled today and the testing has been rescheduled for this Wednesday, weather permitting.  Hopefully this will happen, because without testing the ice to be sure it is at least 6 inches thick, the Village will not be able to permit ice skating at the Tarrytown Lakes.

Trustee Butler asked Administrator Blau if the Department of Public Works has a contingency plan with regard to the salt shortage.  Administrator Blau stated that we do reach out to other communities to obtain salt.

CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC RECOGNITION – RICHARD MILLER

Mayor Fixell noted that he is pleased to recognize Richard Miller who was born in Tarrytown and has recently moved to the Washington D.C. area to live near his son.  He has been the Village Historian for the last ten years and has dedicated himself to the great work he did for our Village.  Unfortunately, he is not here tonight to receive this award, but we will mail it to him.

WHEREAS, Richard Miller has been a life-long resident of the Village of Tarrytown where he and his wife, Lee Ann, raised their son, Christopher; and

WHEREAS, Richard Miller has given many years of dedicated volunteer service to the Village of Tarrytown; and

WHEREAS, Richard served as Village Historian for the Village of Tarrytown from 2005 to 2015; and

WHEREAS, Richard has helped many people from Tarrytown, as well as from all over the country, by tracing genealogy, taking photos of ancestral houses and gravestones and researching the rich history of the Village.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Drew Fixell, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the Village of Tarrytown, and on behalf of the entire Board of Trustees and all our citizens, do hereby tender to Richard Miller this certificate of public recognition, extending to him our deep appreciation for his distinguished volunteer service to the community.

OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ONLY ON AGENDA ITEMS.  SPEAKERS SHALL HAVE THREE (3) MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Mayor Fixell asked if anyone wanted to address the Board on agenda items.  No one appeared.

FIRE DEPARTMENT MEMBERSHIP CHANGES

Trustee Basher moved, seconded by Trustee McGovern, and unanimously carried, that the following resolution be approved:  Approved: 7-0

BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Tarrytown does hereby approve the following Fire Department membership change recommended at the February 17, 2015 Board of Fire Wardens meeting:   Membership: Kevon Lewis has been elected to out-of-town active membership at Hope Hose Fire Company.

SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING – PERMIT PARKING

Trustee Zollo moved, seconded by Trustee Hoyt, and unanimously carried, that the following resolution be approved:  Approved: 7-0

BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Tarrytown does hereby schedule a Public Hearing for the regular meeting of March 16, 2015, to hear and discuss and act upon a proposed amendment to the Code of the Village of Tarrytown, Chapter 291, Vehicles and Traffic, Article VI. Permit Parking, §291-46 “Resident parking permits”, §291-47 “Nonresident parking permits” and §291-49 “Carpool permits” to provide clarification regarding the use of a parking permit and §291-65 “Penalties for offenses” to provide for the revocation of a parking permit under specific circumstance.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES HELD ON FEBRUARY 17, 2015            

Trustee Basher moved, seconded by Trustee McGovern, and unanimously carried, that the following resolution be approved:  Approved: 7-0

BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Tarrytown does hereby approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees held on February 17, 2015 as submitted by the Village Clerk.

APPROVAL OF AUDITED VOUCHERS

Trustee McGovern moved, seconded by Trustee Zollo, and unanimously carried, that the following resolution be approved:  Approved: 7-0

BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Tarrytown does hereby approve Abstract No. 16 of Audited Vouchers to be paid in the following amounts:

General         $     366,874.84

Water                            76,446.51

Sewer Fund                                0.00

Capital                    1,850.00

Library                    6,869.00

Trust & Agency              13,500.21

Total           $     465,540.56

The Board was polled all voting “aye” with the exception of Trustee McGee who recused herself from Voucher Number 2012249097.   Motion carried.   7-0

OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.  SPEAKERS HAVE FIVE (5) MINUTES BEFORE YIELDING TO THE NEXT SPEAKER; THEN THREE (3) MINUTES FOR ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Mark Fry, member of the Tarrytown Lakes Committee, presented the Tarrytown Lakes Committee’s progress report since 2005.  The report will be attached hereto as part of the official record of this meeting.

Mayor Fixell thanked the Tarrytown Lakes Committee for all their time and effort.  Mayor Fixell noted he would make one correction to the report in regard to costing $1.2 million to purchase 11.5 acres of park land.  We were able to reduce the cost of that park land.

Cathy Ruhland , Chairperson of the Tarrytown Lakes Committee, stated the following:

  • She understands the Village’s insurance company has no issues with using our lakes for skating provided that proper protocols are followed.~ She spoke with the manager of the New York State owned FDR Park in Westchester County to find out what their ice skating practices are.~ They have a lake there that is open for skating (Mohansic Lake). They have a very straight forward protocol for measuring the ice and very straight forward criteria for who or what is permitted on the ice.~ With 6 inches skating is allowed; with 10 to 12 inches vehicles are allowed on the lake. They have safety equipment next to the lake. This equipment is a throw rope, a ladder, a reaching pole and a flat bottomed rowboat. In addition their personnel have been trained in ice safety. Each morning two employees measure the ice and certify its thickness. Then they fly either a green flag permitting skating at people’s own risk or a red flag closing the lake to skaters.~ They use shovels to clear the ice, but would consider snow blowers. I have shared this information with members of the Board of Trustees as well as the Village Administrator. I have provided them with the phone numbers of parties contacted.
  • She understands that members of the Tarrytown Fire Department and TVAC have already been trained in ice safety. Since there are not many weekends left for skating, she asked if these individuals could be called upon to help with the skating program at the lakes so that we could allow skating for the next few weekends? On Friday the New York Times stated on the front page that this has been the coldest February on record since 1934. There can be no question that the ice is thick enough for skating. What is causing the delay in skating?
  • The Tarrytown Lakes Committee has as its mandate the promotion and expansion of recreation on and around the Tarrytown Lakes.~ Skating on the lakes falls under that mandate. She would like to propose that the Lakes Committee put together a skating action plan with a time frame signed off on by the Board of Trustees and the Village Administrator. ~~She would also like to propose that the village, with the Lakes Committee support, spend the Spring, Summer and Fall of this year in preparing for next year’s skating season. This would assure everyone that the village will be prepared for skating on the lakes next year and thereafter and that the villagers interested in skating no longer have delays. It will also assure that everyone knows what to do and when to do it to prepare for skating on the Lakes. Can this be done? In addition, the area around the skate shack is crumbling. Can this be addressed?~~Can the Board of Trustees authorize repairs to the crumbling infrastructure down by the Skate Shack?
  • A petition calling for skating on the lakes has been circulated at Change.org.~ To date 235 individuals have signed it. I encourage the Board of Trustees to make the necessary decisions and prepare the lakes for skating.~ Ice thickness can no longer be the issue.
  • She would like to propose that we train a junior corps of interested high school students in ice safety to be ice monitors. They would receive community service credits, which are required to accumulate in high school.~ Would the Board of Trustees consider this?  Mayor Fixell noted that it sounds like a good idea, but we would have to think it through and have it approved by our Village Attorney and insurance agent to determine whether such volunteers would be provided insurance coverage.

Mayor Fixell stated that he believes all the members of the Board of Trustees want to have skating on the Tarrytown Lakes.  Unfortunately, we had an employee go through the ice in 2014 at an area on the ice which should have been as thick and solid as all the other areas.  We have to measure the thickness of the ice in a very comprehensive fashion, which is part of the protocols we put together.  We need to make a comprehensive map of the entire skating area to see if there are spots that are not as solid as the rest.  We had a drone fly over the lakes and photographed the ice before the snow fell and it did suggest that there are differences in the thickness of the ice based upon different colors of the ice, as well as patterns and cracking of the ice.  The plan is to have the Fire Department Ice Rescue Team and the recreation personnel test the ice in a very comprehensive measure to see if the ice is consistently frozen and there are not spots on the ice that could be dangerous.  Hopefully the measuring of the ice will occur this week.  We will have to look into the skate shack repairs in terms of the capital budget.

Trustee Butler thanked Cathy Ruhland and Mark Fry and the entire Tarrytown Lakes Committee for an outstanding job since 2005.  He thanked them for their tireless hours of overseeing the improvements at the Tarrytown Lakes.

John Osterman, Tarrytown resident, supports the effort to have ice skating on the Tarrytown Lakes.  He has lived in Tarrytown most of his life and has many memories of ice skating that he hopes will continue.

Trustee McGovern responded to last week’s article in the River Journal as follows:

After reading the interview with Paul Janos in the River Journal last week, she was bothered by a statement that taxes are pushing residents out of Tarrytown.  To set the record straight, the following are actual verified facts concerning the important subject of taxes in Tarrytown.  While Paul Janos was in office, his administration’s tax rate increase averaged approximately 8 percent.  While under our administration, the average tax increase was 4.75 percent.  Paul Janos’ tax levy increase was 7.3 percent while our administration’s tax levy increase has been 2.9 percent since 2005 and 1.4 percent since 2008.  We have been under the State’s two percent tax cap every year, something other municipalities have been unable to accomplish.  Trustee McGovern hopes that this clarifies Tarrytown’s recent taxation history.  Taxes are an area of deep concern for the Mayor and our board.  We will continue to look for cost saving measures, additional ways to keep taxes down while bringing new revenue into our Village.

ADJOURNMENT

Trustee Basher moved, seconded by Trustee Hoyt, and unanimously carried, that the meeting be adjourned at 8:40 p.m.

Carol A. Booth
Village Clerk

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