Friday, October 02, 2009

AMAZING WEEKEND..HASTINGS FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE...ARDSLEY LIBRARY DEDICATION...GREENBURGH NATURE CENTER PARTY...TOWN BD WORK SESSION

This weekend is going to be AMAZING! Scroll down. The village of Hastings on Hudson is introducing Friday night live tonight. Ardsley is dedicating their new renovated library Sunday (at 2 PM). The village of Ardsley is sponsoring Ardsley day on Sunday afternoon. The Greenburgh Nature Center is sponsoring a Green Magic Party at the grounds of the nature center on Sunday, October 4th from 4 to 6:30 PM ($60 donation). If you’re a hiker/cyclist/walker stop by at the aquefest in Hastings/Dobbs Ferry on Sunday.
It’s great to live in a community that is so much fun!
PAUL FEINER

This Weekend

- Farmers Markets
- Really "Big" Book Sale in Hastings
- Hastings Friday Night LIVE
- Indigo Girls in Tarrytown
- Free Music in Dobbs Ferry, Ardsley, Irvington,
- Aquefest in Yonkers, Hastings and Dobbs Ferry
- Sixth Annual Harvest Fest at Stone Barns
- “Peter and the Wolf” in NYC
- Camp-A-Palooza! In Scarsdale
- “Click Clack Moo” in Mamaroneck
- Music Conservatory of Westchester 80th Kick-Off Event in White Plains
- Self-Portraits at the Neuberger
- The Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze
- Harley Night @ Warner Library
- Gala Benefit Dinner: Celebrating the Axial Theater in Pleasantville
- The New York Times Great Children's Read at Columbia
- Ardsley Day!
- The 21st Annual Eco-Fest in Central Park featuring Solar Punch
- Fall Poetry Readings in Tarrytown
- Fall Celebration “The Magic of Nature” @ GNC
Go to http://www.rivertownsguide.com for more information on these and many more events this weekend.





SEE BELOW FOR REVISED SCHEDULE


VFW STAGE
LEO LIEBESKIND (5:00-5:25)
ADAM HART/KEN TUCILLO (5:30-6:00)
HASTINGS BLUES MOTHERS (6:05-6:35)
GREETINGS FROM ANYWHERE (6:35-7:05)
AVALANCHE (7:10-7:40)

OUTSIDE OF COMMUNITY CENTER
SOLAR PUNCH (5-5:40)
RIK MERCALDI (5:50-6:20)
SCOTT URGOLA (6:25-7:05)
BOKU (7:10-7:45)


The inaugural Friday Night LIVE will be held October 2nd and it is the first in a series of first Fridays that will help to promote our local merchants, restaurants and our talented artists.
The event will run from 5:00 to 9:00 pm and take place in a number of venues around the downtown. Shops will stay open late and are encouraged to hold special promotions or feature local artists. For the October 2nd event, musicians are being booked for several venues, both indoors and out. Local groups will be playing at VFW Park and in front of the Community Center, a noted singer-songwriter will be performing at the Community Center and a jazz group will be playing at Comfort. In addition, we are planning an open-mike night for teens next to the library and ball-room dancing lessons in front of Station Café.


Please send a link to your friends and help spread the word about this exciting new Hastings Event!


Appearing at the Community Center @ 8pm
Suggested Donation: $5.00 or Free Admission if you present your
receipt from any Hastings restaurant.
KJ Denhert
At the Community Center @ 8pm
KJ Denhert is a unique artist, singer, guitarist and songwriter who calls her music Urban Folk and Jazz. Her voice is powerful, her lyrics full of intelligent insight, and her musicianship is impeccable. Her eclectic yet unified performances reach out to many different types of audiences without compromising her music and beliefs. She is heard at her best on her most recent recording, Lucky 7 and is known to be especially good live. She performs the unusual feat of being both highly individual and quite accessible.


The following musicians will be playing at various venues throughout Hastings at no charge!


The Andy Polay Duo, featuring Rahn Burton
At Comfort Restaurant from 7pm - 9pm
Andy Polay and Rahn Burton play a tune list ranging from Monk, Miles, Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, and original material. Bandleader Drummer Andy Polay leads his own, multi-faceted jazz ensemble. Rahn Burton is a stellar pianist whose extensive credits include Stanley Turrentine, Rassan Roland Kirk, and countless others.


Avalanche
At VFW Stage from 7:10pm - 7:40pm
Avalanche is a four-person Westchester band that plays and sings original rock and pop--featuring hooks and tight harmonies--with a driving bass, keyboard and guitar.


Boku
At Community Center from 7:10pm - 7:45pm
Inspired by African, Latin and Middle Eastern percussion, Boku World Percussion Ensemble blends traditional rhythms and songs to create original pieces. With musical backgrounds ranging from folkloric to rock to classical, the members have individually performed with Ubaka Hill, Bill Laswell, John Zorn, and Philip Glass. Boku has performed at community events and benefits in the Westchester area and has upcoming engagements in Manhattan. Anna Maria Mejia Epstein, Ted Epstein, Iris Hiskey Arno and Karen Cumbus will be performing for Hastings Friday Night Live.


Greetings From Anywhere
At VFW Park from 6:35pm - 7:05pm
Greetings From Anywhere is what happens when you blend the musical resonance of a classically trained string section with the gritty, impromptu riffing of a good-old-time garage band. Based along the shores of the Hudson River in Dobbs Ferry, New York, the band first got together as the Pumpkin Seeds in 2007 for a one-time Halloween gig. They loved the music, so they just kept on playing, and as time went on they began to cultivate a loyal following.


Adam Hart and Ken Tucillo
At VFW Park from 5:30pm - 6pm
Adam and Ken are longtime bandmates in Riverrun and Acoustic Riverrun, and can also frequently be founding sharing their eclectic mix of blues, folk rock, rock 'n' roll, and original material.


The Hastings Blues Mothers
At VFW Stage from 6:05pm - 6:35pm
The Hastings Bluesmothers were founded in the friendship of a few Hastings women who shared a love of music and performing. The group has been enjoying a run at festivals, clubs and coffeehouses, harmonizing on originals and covering artists from Jimi Hendrix to Yip Harburg with inspired arrangements


Leo Liebeskind
At VFW Stage from 5pm - 5:25pm
Leo is a sixteen-year-old junior at Hunter College High School in NYC. He sings, plays the piano, guitar, and harmonica and writes his own music. Free.


Open Mike
At the Library Parking Lot from 7pm - 9pm
Young musicians take over Village Hall Plaza for a concert with Caleb Goldstick, Zach Hart, Tom Daugustino, Deanna Gondek, Gabe Gabler, Ryan Smith, Goods and Services, and Spencer Fox.


Rik Mercaldi
At Community Center from 5:50pm - 6:20pm
A guitarist for over 25 years, Rik Mercaldi’s influences range from rock, R&B, country, folk, progressive & world music. He was also the primary songwriter/singer in the NYC based band "The Subterraneans" for over 10 years.
Town of Greenburgh
Work Session Agenda of the Greenburgh Town Board
Tuesday – October 6, 2009 – 2:00PM

(As of September 15, 2009 – Work Sessions will begin at 9:00AM
Except where schedule changes are made by the Board)

(Please note that, although the Work Session Agenda is shared with the public prior to each Work Session, the Agenda may be revised at any point up to the start of the meeting as well as during the meeting, if necessary.)
(All Work Sessions are Televised Live on Cablevision Channel 76, Verizon 35 and are streamed live. Work Sessions and Town Board Meetings will be aired each Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting at 7:02am and 4:45pm. Each segment will run for approximately 6 to 7 hours,
depending upon the length of the two meetings.)

02:00PM: Executive Session – Personnel
02:45PM: Budget Meeting – Comptroller
03:30PM Budget Meeting – Tax Receiver
04:00PM Budget Meeting – Community Development & Conservation (CD&C) and Energy Conservation
05:00PM Hotel Tax – Tax Assessor and Commissioner, CD&C
05:30PM Adjourn Meeting






PLEASE PARTICIPATE IN AN IMPORTANT SYMPOSIUM ON BULLYING AND CYBERBULLYING OCTOBER 27 7-10 PM
Greenburgh Town Hall

This note is being written to invite you to attend (and to spread the word) about an important symposium on bullying and cyberbullying that will take place on October 27th between 7-10 PM at Greenburgh Town Hall.
Jenna, Jacque & Jake Williams are triplets. They are also Valhalla High School students who have been victimized by bullying in the past. The moderator of the panel will be Harry Phillips, a member of the Board of Regents for the State of New York.

I hope that the end of the symposium that some recommendations could be made to the state education dept on ways to deal with bullying problems. We hope to see you.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Paul, that Ardsley Library dedication must be eating your insides since they got your more than a million dollars from Elmsford because of your Library Board's greed.

hal samis said...

Come to the amazing weekend

"Willkommen, welcome, friend and stranger, ladies and gentlemen...
Guten nachen.
Happy to see you
I am your host, Paul Feiner, je suis enchantee, let me present Fraulein Sally Beville
Leave your troubles outside
Life is diasappointing forget it...

What good is sitting alone in your room,
Come hear the music play.
Life is a cabaret, old chum
Come to the the cabaret.
Put down the knitting, the book and the broom,
Time for a holiday.
Life is a cabaret, old chum
Come to the cabaret.
Come tast the wine; come hear the band; come blow your horn, start celebrating.
Right this way your table's waiting
No use permitting some prophet of doom to wipe your smile away,
Life is a cabaret, old chum.
Come to the cabaret."

Sound familiar?

Anonymous said...

What's the point of ALWAYS being negative?

hal samis said...

Dear 12:27,

I must be fair. Elmsford/Ardsley was neither the fault of the Library nor the Town Board (Feiner); rather the "fault" resides with the Westchester Library System (WLS) which allowed the inequity.

To be fair also to Elmsford, they were asked to pay a higher service fee, one which apportioned the cost per capita more in line with what the residents of unincorported Greenburgh were paying per capita -- an amount that didn't include the $20 million+ expansion at a time when the Greenburgh Library was effectively shutting down for construction. I advocated then that Elmsford residents should not pay less than Greenburgh residents.

So Elmsford shopped around; apparently the Elmsford government has a higher regard for the finances of its residents than we find at home.

And, because of the loophole in the WLS rules, Elmsford was able to contract with Ardsley at a negotiated lower cost -- and under WLS rules still use the Greenburgh Library.

A loophole that might be applied again were Edgemont and Hartsdale to seek separate or combined incorporations: they both share borders with Ardsley.

The only thing that the Greenburgh Library can do is to limit participation at "programs" to Greenburgh (unincorporated) card holders.

hal samis said...

6:56
Because this is no longer a Rodgers and Hammerstein world. i.e. Carousel: "What's the use of wondering if he's good or if he's bad..."

Michael Kolesar said...

On this topic (Elmsford's agreement with Ardsley re Library usage) Mr. Samis and I totally disagree.

First, Elmsford, to the best of my knowledge, is the only municipality within the WLS that is "landlocked", i.e. surrounded by one and only one other municipality. Thus in Hal's world no competition. They (the WLS)realized that a "literal" application of the WLS rule, that a municipality must be contiguous with another, Elmsford had nowhere to turn. The WLS saw through this and recognized that that rule if literally applied to the Village of Elmsford would be unfair.

Second, there are numerous examples within Westchester where two municipalities share Library services and the municipality "buying' the service doesn't pay the same per capita - just look at Sleepy Hallow and Tarrytown for one nearby.

Finally, for many, many years, the Ardsley Library has been a net provider of services to card holders from the Greenburgh Library vs. those from Ardsley who use the Greenburgh Library. In 2005 I recall that the transactions were a net of some 15,000 for Greenburgh. Why? Because many students and their families from the Ardsley School district, which is really about 45% unincorporated Greenburgh use the Ardsley Library. Did the Ardsley Library ever see one penny for this? No. (By the way, Scarsdale provides even more services to unincorporated Greenburgh card holders than Ardsley does, or at least that was the data back then.)

So, it was a combination of greed, bad decision making, poor economic assessment and who knows what else that drove Elmsford to Ardsley. Oh, and also a factor, the officials of the two Villages and activities in both have a history of sharing.

Anonymous said...

So Mr. Kolosar, as I understand your logic. It would have been OK for TOG residents to pay more per capita for library service than Elmsford residents in order to keep Elmsford as a client? Thus reducing the taxes on the TOG residents.

hal samis said...

Dear Mike,

Frankly citing other bad deals, whatever the specifics may be, does not strike me as a good basis going forward. You of all people should not be one defending systems in place as the only acceptable method or one that discourages change for the better.

That Elmsford should pay less than unincorporated Greenburgh per capita makes no sense in that they would already be paying less by not having to carry any share of the capital expense burden, the costly expansion.

Of course, all of this would be academic, Mike, had Elmsford built its own Library, even a storefront would qualify as having a Library by the WLS. If so, they would not fall victim to the "taking advantage" of land-locked Elmsford which you suggest would be due to the indifference of unincorporated.

This is a unique situation which bloggers will recognize as such when I (Samis) acknowledge that there are no bad guys wearing the black hats in this matter. Elmsford sought the best deal for its residents; Greenburgh argued for parity in pricing; Ardsley profited from the Greenburgh construction downtime and the WLS stuck by its guns.

Finally, I don't see the relevance of citing net usage between Ardsley/Scarsdale and unincorporated Greenburgh as having any bearing upon negotiations between Elmsford and unincorporated. Your defense of the Ardsley Library, while noble, is a shortcut to nowhere as I'm not blaming Ardsley for anything. Nor am I even sure of whether "net usage" refers to visits to the physical buildings or includes circulating items distributed via the WLS delivery system.

Thus, the only lever that unincorporated has in its hopes to up end the recently negotiated longer term contract between Ardsley and Elmsford, is not for Greenburgh to sweeten the pot for Elmsford (this free lunch is paid by unincorporated residents) but to exclude them from the VIP room (or the Library equivalent) at the Greenburgh Library. If Elmsford wants in, it should be willing to pay its fair share. If this in turn leaves Ardsley out in the cold because the Ardsley Library did its own expansion assuming Elmsford dollars, then this means re-reading the class notes of second year B school. (see competition, market timing, downside) But for Greenburgh to have two tier pricing with the bargains going to Elmsford is simply not acceptable.

To 10:13,

You must be referring to the garment center logic:
Irving: We're losing $2 on each piece.
Sol: Don't worry, we'll make up it by doing volume.

Anonymous said...

I don't need you to be my social coordinater, nor do I need you to find me a job....I need you to supervise this Town.Stop with all this nonsense and be a supervisor!
-LMB

John C Mayle said...

There was a different way of looking at the lost revenue from Elmsford library. After all, it was about losing $300K plus in annual income, it was to look at the deal in time and in a pragmatic and realistic way.
No one was.

(Ahemmmm, the town supervisor)

I do believe extensive due diligence was done, arguments were based in absolute equity of fairness.
The fact was that WLS rules are like a swiss cheese and held not stand. Today, the bottom line is:
don't you wish those dollars were here and not there!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

It is very disappointing to learn that the Fire Commission has voted not to consider the fire protection districts. No one impugns the fine work done by the volunteer firefighters. There is a considerable amount of money given by the town which requires review as part of the commission.It seems only some of the facts, not all of the facts, are desired for review. Is this vote the sign of independence and objectivity as proclaimed or a stacked group with a predetermined conclusion?

Anonymous said...

"I advocated then that Elmsford residents should not pay less than Greenburgh residents."

In other words, Hal, it was you and the other ninnies like Bob, who cried it's "not fair" that the villagers pay less, that cost the Town $300k annually. Nice going. Maybe you and Bob should create your own village and stop costing the Town money.

hal samis said...

Dear 5:46,

Refresh my memory, when was the starting date that the Library Board or the Town Board voted to do something just because I argued a position of advocacy?

But I'm not going to exercise this as a cop-out. I fully believe that the Library/Town has a right to insist that non-residents should not pay less than residents ESPECIALLY since residents decided to spend $20 million+ that would not be charged to non-residents. What we are talking about in the Elmsford/Ardsley matter is only how the annual operating expense of the Library is the sole burden of unincorporated taxpayers.

While the result of maintaining this position was the sacrifice of the Elmsford revenue.

Would you care to extend your argument to other services that the Town provides? Or elsewhere?
Where do unrestricted visitor usage and unrestricted non-resident usage pay less than residents?

Despite the Town Supervisor's new interest in promoting leisure time activities, those events which charge admission do not offer price breaks to those who claim non-reidency -- even if there are tickets available.

What you suggest is that it should become official policy to lower prices to non-residents rather than lose whatever revenue they bring in. Sounds like the advocacy position of one who would otherwise be excluded or one looking to benefit from a better deal.

I have a new idea. Let's find out what Elmsford would be willing to pay; compute that on a per capita basis, let's say it was $300,000 (I'm not agreeing that this was the number offered; I think it was substantially less) and the population of Elmsford is 4,800. Thus, the per capita cost for Elmsford is $62.50. Then let's multiply that per capita figure by unincorporated's population of 44,000 which would generate $2,750,000. Add Elmsford's $300,000 to Unincorporated's $2.75 million and the total is $3,050,000(or revised downward to reflect the actual amount that Elmsford IS willing to pay)

And this means that the Library's annual budget should not exceed $3,050,000 vs the $3,400,000 of recent years.
The Library should adjust spending to match revenue.
It is, afterall, a Public Library and if everyone has an equal opportunity to use it; everyone should share in the equal responsibility for running it. Not unlike what the Library Board and the Town Supervisor "pretend" to agree upon: that the Library should become an independent library district with the budget and election of Trustees subject to an annual public vote, like a school district.

Alert the Supervisor. Get Elmsford on the phone. And this would also solve all the aggravation over the annual Library budget. Hereafter, the Library budget will be set by what Elmsford is willing to pay. A great deal for Elmsford too because the Greenburgh Library has a "swoop" and Ardsley does not.

Anonymous said...

Hal, Hal, Hal,

Your words STILL make me sick to my stomach. Your STILL have venom in your words. What would you do with Elmsford? NOT TAKE THEIR MONEY? Inquirery minds want to know. Set us straight, All Knowing and Powerful Oz! or should we not pay any atention to the man behind the curtain (YOU)?

hal samis said...

Dear sick to your stomach,

Let me share what is making many other residents sick to THEIR stomachs. They read your stupid comments, look at their tax bill and then wonder why you are so vexed by me who has no vote, gets to speak for only a few minutes at Town meetings, writes on this blog using my own name and that what bothers you about it is that I am rude while you are not at all bothered by a Town Supervisor who willfully breaks the law and challenges residents to take him to Court.

Perhaps you need to rethink your priorities.

And if the stomach problem persists, check with Detective Double Dip and maybe you too can become eligible for disability.

Anonymous said...

Why would one build a beautiful section of a Library and attach it to a structure that looks and is 40 years old. Has anyone seen the roof facade of the old Library? What happened to the power washing that it was supposed to get, along with the walls on the side and back of the building? They are filthy and it is mind-boggling that this project is still not finished.

Anonymous said...

Did Marc Herman quit ?

Anonymous said...

The Work Session info is lost in dribble about events going on in other areas of Westchester. Makes you wonder how important this item is to our elected officials. This blog stinks.

Anonymous said...

Marc Hermann has apparently joined Alan Hochberg along with the usual set of characters on the "Commission to Study the Elimination of Town Govt. Commissions" which will cut taxes and solve all of our problems.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Hochberg is creating a lot of havoc @ town hall. We are paying substantial salaries to the Supervisor, Town Board, HR Person, Comptroller & Deputy Comptroller - arent' these people supposed to be able to manage the Town, including the day to day administrative operations? I have a better idea - get rid of all the paid elected officials and let's just run the Town with volunteers!

Anonymous said...

Believe me the volunteers would do an honest job.
This administration has got to go.
I do hope that something comes up with grounds for impeachment.

Anonymous said...

The Town Board work session agenda is lost in space. One would think this would be at the top of the blog and not mixed in with "weekend fun". Obviously Mr. Feiner doesn't think Town business is more important than the other nonsense he posts. Gotta love this guy!

Anonymous said...

Today the work session was for the birds.

Ella's foil request was denied once again by some double talk.
Was this expenditure paid by our tax dollars?
Why is this report made public ?
We paid for it it belongs to the public.

Anonymous said...

I do agree the report should be made public since it was taxpayers money that paid for the report but above all our dollars keep the center alive.