Wednesday, November 25, 2009

NEW POLICE CHIEF SWORN IN...WORK SESSION TUESDAY

Joe DeCarlo was sworn into office as Greenburgh’s new Police Chief at the Town Board meeting earlier this week. The new Chief replaces John Kapica who will retire from the Police Department this weekend. Chief Kapica gave the town two years notice to ensure a smooth transition. We are grateful to the outgoing chief for his years of service and welcome Chief DeCarlo to his new leadership position. Joseph DeCarlo was appointed to the Police Department in 1977. He was one of the first members of the department to be certified as a Police Paramedic. He has served as a Detective, Sergeant and Lieutenant & Captain. He was the departments' Special Investigations officer and also commanded the department's patrol division. Chief DeCarlo has also commanded the department's Detective division and is the Accreditation Manager. He has worked with the Juvenile Aid Unit and the Greenburgh Drug Task Force. He was largely responsible for the department twice receiving state accreditation. Chief DeCarlo ranked first in Westchester County on 1996 competitive civil service examination for the rank of Captain. He resides in Hastings on Hudson and attended Woodlands High School. He received his BS from Mercy College in Sociology. We will be holding meetings around the town in the coming months to introduce Chief DeCarlo to the community and to discuss his vision for the police department with residents.


Town of Greenburgh
Work Session Agenda of the Greenburgh Town Board
Tuesday – December 1, 2009 – 9:00AM
(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.)

09:15AM Crane Pond Crosswalk
09:30AM Special Meeting
09:45AM Budget Review – Department of Parks and Recreation
10:15AM Budget Review – Library
10:45AM Status of the Library Project
11:15AM Other Budget Matters

The NYS Department of Transportation is holding a meeting on Dec 2 at 7 PM at the Greenburgh Library to discuss plans for Dobbs Ferry Road.

It is with regret that I have to inform you of the passing of long-time Town employee and resident James (Jim) Roberts.

James started working for the Greenburgh Nutrition Program in 1984 at the age of 63. This followed his service to the United States Army, retirement from General Motors and the passing of his wife. He continued to work for the Town delivering meals to seniors for the next 25 years, only stopping due to illness earlier this year at the age of 87. During his tenure with the Town he delivered over 210,000 meals. These meals were delivered in every imaginable type of weather…rain, snow, cold. Just like the mailman. Many times his face was the only one that a senior would see for days at a time. Even after he became older than many of the meal recipients, James continued to work every morning showing all of his co-workers the cheer and good spirit that drove him.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

33 comments:

Michael Kolesar said...

I guess that the Arts Council topic got too hot for the Supervisor, so he's deleted it.

Seems like somebody or some part of the Town hit the nail on its head with this one.

I like the idea that posters will have to identify themselves, even if by some pseudonym. Now even you and Sheehan can't post totally anonymously.

Michael Kolesar said...

Mr.Supervisor, why did you delete the reference to the ECC web site, where for the time being, taxapyers may search for amounts owed to them? And by the way, i bet you haven't informed all of the mayors about this matter. Don't worry, I have and they are none too pleased, although you have given them a Holiday present that will make them look good to their constituents. Even in the worst of deeds there's a silver linimg

Michael Kolesar said...

In case you want to read some interesting posts, start with post 3007. Most of the recent postings have been about the Town budget. Note, we asked the Supervisor to respond to 7 questions, So far, maybe you can give him "credit" for replying to 2,

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ardsley-Village/messages/3007

Michael Kolesar said...

In case you want to read some interesting posts, start with post 3007. Most of the recent postings have been about the Town budget. Note, we asked the Supervisor to respond to 7 questions, So far, maybe you can give him "credit" for replying to 2,

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ardsley-Village/messages/3007

Michael Kolesar said...

Sorry for the duplicate posting, I'm just gettting used to this "new' process.

Michael Kolesar said...

In the few hours that the new "identify" yourself requirement has been in place, there has certainly been a marked reduction in postings on all "open" topics. That says a lot.

nunyabiz said...

Good evening.

I was reading posts earlier but they all have since been deleted. I was most interested in the overpaid tax list. I started to search it and found 6 people I personally know ,that are due refunds, in just a few minutes. I'm shocked. I want to know more about how this happened and why refunds were not immediately dispatched when the error was found.

Why have the posts been removed?

Mr. Cinque said...

The town needs the free money

Michael Kolesar said...

Dear Pat:

The issue of the duplicate tax payments is somewhat complex. That being said, could have / should have the Town done more to publicize this? No question in my view the answer is yes.

Why the previous posts were removed is purely the domain of the Supervisor. However, I keep a separate file of my posts to this blog, so I am readily able to retrieve them.

I will try to summarize the rationale behind the actions or inactions of the Town and specifically the Receiver of taxes, David Dwinell. Firsr, I worked with David for 53 weeks. I believe him to be an honest and forthwight individual. However, we (David and I) have an honest difference of opinion on this particular matter. I believe that when a "duplicate" payment is received, it should be returned to the "second" payee as soon as practicable. David will cite some provisions that "proof" has to be furnished. I don't want to debate that here and it is a somewhat complex issue. All that aside, the Supervisor, the Town Attorneuy and a majority of the Town Board saw nothing wrong in taking these duplicate payments into income. While maybe not "legal" corruption, it is certainly in my view moral corruption.

Contact me privately if you want more.

taxpayer said...

Mike: You were comptroller for the town for about a year. Did you ever speak to any member of the Town Board about the overpayments? Did you ever communicate with the Town Board members urging them to take proactive measures to notify taxpayers?
If you were a member of the town's leadership team for a year how come you kept quiet about this matter until now? You notified all the Mayors today about the matter. You could have done the same thing last year.
But, you didn't.

hal samis said...

Hey village people,
Just in case you missed this the first time around, because I'm sure you want to know what you're paying for.

Feiner insists upon keeping Ms. White off the streets. To the extent that he wants to pay her your tax dollars so he can pick up a few votes along the way. I proposed that if she is so important to the Town, that she and her entourage instead choose one program and the Town fund it to the extent of $5,000 plus $1,000of documented expenses. She can run all the other programs she wants if they are 100% funded by grants.

Mr. Feiner had tried to leave the impression that the Arts Council suffered a "17%" cut but as you can see, like the everready bunny, Ms. White has escaped again.

Let him know that his support from the villages is being tested.

"Now, one more example of how the "facts" are presented. The Budget for the "Arts Council" has declined from its peak. This means that the Town is not allowing as many office supplies, or conferences or travel reimbursement (from Ossining?) because the Town is taking a hard line on controlling expenses. They care about you, the taxpayer too.

Or so they say.

But they care more about the Arts Council Director, chief cook and bottlewasher because there are no other staff positions on this "Council". In fact, all we have is Ms. White (Sarah) her salary and her "expenses".

But she hasn't been doing so badly for a person with a part-time job and no accountability and a Town Board determined to reduce expenses.

In the first year that I have records from (2003) to date, Ms. White has made out rather nicely. To wit

2003 $43,260
2004 $46,555
2005 $47,955
2006 $49,394
2007 $50,876
2008 $52,402
2009 $52,402
2010 $52,402

So when the introduction to this blog topic informs you that the "Arts Council" has suffered a 17% cut in two years (which I calculate as a 15.25% decrease), you just got to know that Mr. Feiner and/or Ms. White are just jerking your chain.
What it means is that Ms. White is going to have to suck it in and live with fewer items in her swag bag.

I repeat, take the $5,000 and run all the grant enabled programs you want. The gravy train ends here and now.

Unless residents don't mind getting fooled again.
11/25/2009 1:33 AM

Michael Kolesar said...

Dear Taxpayer:

No, I did not raise the issue as this had been mentioned in many, many previous management letters and the Town's response had consistently been that the Town would not take this into income. It is the "decision" to take this into income that causes the concern.


Was I aware that the Town had this detail? No. I had spoken to David Dwinell about this and he had told me about the efforts to contact these taxpayers. I took that on good faith. He had indicated and he will indicate today that his and I repeat his office tries to contact the individuals. Hindsight is 20/20. Sorry, I couldn't do it all in 53 weeks.

Michael Kolesar said...

Dear Taxpayer:

No, I did not raise the issue as this had been mentioned in many, many previous management letters and the Town's response had consistently been that the Town would not take this into income. It is the "decision" to take this into income that causes the concern.


Was I aware that the Town had this detail? No. I had spoken to David Dwinell about this and he had told me about the efforts to contact these taxpayers. I took that on good faith. He had indicated and he will indicate today that his and I repeat his office tries to contact the individuals. Hindsight is 20/20. Sorry, I couldn't do it all in 53 weeks.

Max Kolesar said...

Dear Mr. Supervisor,

Why are you blocking my father from posting? From the sources he has, it doesn't seem to be the case that he's posting libel here.

Michael Kolesar said...

Have I been unblocked?

Michael Kolesar said...

Isn't ir absolutely amazing that there have been virtually no postings, either "negative" nor "positive" since the new "identify" yourself process went into effect. For those who are "just" readers now, earlier today, both Hal Samis and I tried to post a message and we were both blocked for some reason. I got my son to try to post a message and he was successful and somehow, whether by luck or a change in the background, suddenly I was able to post again. Nothing had changed at my end. One has to wonder what was going on.

Paul Feiner said...

I am visiting my in laws in Florida and couldn't block your e mails even if I wanted to since I was in transit. Flew to florida this afternoon. I can assure you that you no one will be blocked from expressing their views.
Although Mike & I disagree on policy issues - he has never made personal attacks and has always been respectful in his disagreements. The purpose of this blog is to solicit constructive feedback and input from people like Mike.

Myndi said...

Strange how "open" changes meaning.

hal samis said...

"Who's tripping down the streets of the city
Smilin at everybody she sees
Who's reaching out to capture a moment
Everyone knows it's Myndi.

And Myndi has stormy eyes
That flash at the sound of lies
And Myndi has wings to fly
Above the clouds, above the clouds."

a stitch in time save nine...

hal samis said...

Dear Mr. Feiner,
Perhaps rushing to plane, you forgot to lock the blog back door -- why I am able to post as is Mike. Otherwise, when I knock at the front door, the blog responds "incorrect password". The same "incorrect password" which opens the back door.
Now, this isn't a first that I respond taking exception to "lawyer" styled answers.
Obviously you were in transit; which doesn't mean you couldn't set up email blocks BEFORE: Florida, home, office, car, airport lounge: they're all the same to the internet, either from you or a nominee, webmaster du jour.
It's lovely you have new-found respect for Kolesar and I won't open that door here to examine whether "disagreement" with him on policy has been good or bad for Greenburgh; instead I'll inquire as to defining "personal attack".
I thought we had agreed that using the person's name, one in the public spotlight, was not "personal" especially when the subject of the discourse.
I thought we had agreed that calling someone who WAS fat, "fat" was also acceptable as it gave a true representation (even if not complimentary) and in writing a serious tract, the truth must be protected and not fall victim to sweetness or rose colored views. I thought we had agreed that calling a fat person, "obese" was something to be avoided because, even if techically accurate, the way it would come off would be akin to "overkill".
With that the working model, then what is troublesome about criticizing those running government or being its enablers, be they elected or appointed, department heads, agency members or volunteers. The reality of Greenburgh is all owe fealty to you: the Town Council runs on your dime, Department heads are appointed by the Town Board and volunteers (depending on their job) are either selected and appointed by you or, by you and your Town Council. Demonstrably, those who fall from grace find their contracts are not renewed; they are not reappointed; or, worse.

hal samis said...

As for "attack", persons like myself (lacking regulatory ability; are not the employer of record; do not cohabit or reside next to; do not frequent the same stores; make no overtures of physical aggression; pose no legal threat or threaten harm to their family) are hardly in any position to enforce less mount a meaningful "attack".
All I do is write words or deliver 3 or 5 minute verbal speechlets in allowed public comment periods: both formats falling under the mantle of free speech. Even if someone felt that collectively these expressions gave the appearance of "attack", it is still protected by the test of "being true". Were they lies, then I would be first to argue they fall under the vagaries of "attack" and minimally require apology.
While it is to you and your extended team's advantage to try and categorize all criticisms as "personal attacks" with only its possibility causing repeated notice as though repetition of the warning were the proof of transgression; reality shows this to no more than inciting baseless concern; a practice which is intended to neutralize the bad taste of exposure.
If anyone were the victim of "personal attack", it is me. At the recent Town Board meeting, two residents in airing concerns over blog postings from "someone" (me) plowed a field seeded by their own perjoratives at ground zero for the pot calling the kettle black. Absent the mention of my name, you felt it unwise to caution them about performing the dreaded personal attack.
The two were Ms. Cantinore and Mr. Rosenberg although Rosenberg was more concerned about shuttering the blog because he was featured in a truthful but unflattering posting.
So, is it still your intent to foster an atmosphere that "personal attacks" are all around and may be launched any moment; thus brownshirts must remain on guard or, will you surrender to what you trumpet but fail to provide: open government and freedom of speech?
Finally, constructive feedback sounds nice if there were evidence of your resolve to use it. On which issues have you availed yourself of this feedback, taking action along the lines proposed?
What is the purpose then of this blog: to harvest views or to seek constructive feedback, both noted in your post or, both of them but only from people "like Mike" whom assuredly you do not.

klondike bar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
klondike bar said...

first order of business
arrest the town board for attempted grand larceny

nunyabiz said...

Comments deleted already? With the new and improved system in place? What did I miss?

Myndi said...

Why do Fre3edom of Information requests either get ignored or responded to with the statement "The designated department is not the legal custodian of the requested document"?
Does that mean the document exists and the requestor must play 20 questions with the Town Clerk to determine which department needs to be cited in making the request? Or is it bureaucratise for "take a flying leap - we're not going to tell you anything about that"?
Either way, it doesn't sound much like open government to me -
Mr Feiner, will you please release the report of the Citizens' Committee which reported to you recently about certioraris? As you appointed the committee by resolution of the Town Board, it is disingenuous to claim they were not an "official" part of the Town government. Nor do I believe you can exert any claim of "executive privilege" over their findings.
I challenge you to either release the report, or provide sufficient information to allow someone with a differing opinion to accept your oft-repeated challenge "If you don't like it, sue me."
Consider this a gauntlet thrown down.

Myndi said...

Oh look! A trash can at the bottom of my last post! Whatever can it mean?

ed krauss said...

Is "Rome" (177 Hillside Ave.) burning, and the respective fire departments are too busy strategizing about how to "unconsolidate", to put out the fire?

Is "Webster" ( Paul the Supervisor) redefining "personal attacks," and "telling the truth some don't want to hear?"

Has "grand larceny" masquerating as a 1981NYS comptroller's "partial " opinion (partial because there is no TANGIBLE evidence of Due Diligence (newspaper ads, names of duplicale payments by taxpayers on the web, for example-which is part of the opinion-," been halted?

Is there enough Fund Balance available to replace the $ 800,000+ no longer "available" to use as revenue?

Is the "revenue line," of $2.5 million from surplus town land sales, when netted ( deduct ALL the encumberances like moneys owed to the villages,ageement to equally share the net proceeds of the "if ever" Water Wheel sale with Ardsley, and other items that have to be paid from the sale price, etc.) put another burden on the ever-shrinking Fund Balance?

Will the non-existant revenue line items finally expose the shenanigans perpetrated by the "makers" of this fantacy budget be enough to open the eyes of the voters of the "now you see it, now you don't" November paper budget which out of necessity will require budget transfers and further raiding of the Fund Balance (if there's anything left) in April?

Inquiring minds want to know, members of the Greenburgh Town Board.

Mr. Cinque said...

Paul, recently a Speed Survey was done on Palisade Ave and Wayside Drive. How do I find out the results ? The New police Chief is aware of this from a resident meeting that he attended.

Mr. Cinque said...

Great responce

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