Monday, March 29, 2010

TODAYS TERRORIST ATTACK HIGHLIGHTS NEED TO SAVE BUS

ANOTHER REASON TO SAVE THE EXPRESS BUS TO NYC
TODAYS MOSCOW TERRORIST ATTACK HIGHLIGHTS ANOTHER REASON WHY COMMUTERS NEED THE WESTCHESTER-MANHATTAN BUS
COMMUTERS NEED ALTERNATIVE TO TRAIN TO GET OUT OF CITY
Heightened alerts and potential threats every day (Moscow train station and heightened levels of security for grand central during the normal course of day to day) commuters deserve a travel alternative that is not considered a prime target in the event of a heightened alert.
In the event of a terrorist attack having a bus service as an alternative to the rails provides commuters with another way to leave NYC safely. After 911 one of the preferred ways to get out of the city was by bus. I have received a few unsolicited calls from residents of Greenburgh about this. This is a very valid point.
The Westchester-Manhattan bus must be saved. It’s my hope that the County Executive will reconsider the recommendation to eliminate the bus.
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor

Saturday, March 27, 2010

WANTED: Greenburgh member BAR

The Greenburgh Town Board is accepting resumes from residents of Greenburgh who are interested in serving on this time consuming but very important Board. This Board reviews tax grievances. Please e mail townboard@greenburghny.com. Edye McCarthy, assessor, can provide you with more details about the responsibilities of the Board. Her phone is 993 1520. We hope to appoint a resident to this Board in April.

PAUL FEINER

Thursday, March 25, 2010

storm debris cleanup update

I received the following from the Commissioner of Public Works. I will continue to update residents about the status of our cleanup efforts. Please be patient. We have lots of work to do since there is so much debris from the storm to pick up.

PAUL FEINER

Please be advised Town DPW crews are working daily to clean up debris from the recent storm and will continue until all curbside debris is collected. Due to the enormity of the task at hand, we estimate it will take up to 10-weeks to make our first pass through the Town. Residents are reminded that gardeners and tree care companies can obtain a permit to bring debris directly to our Taxter Road waste transfer station rather than leave the debris curbside. Permits are available at the DPW Office, Town Hall.



Note also that bagged and bundled debris will be collected by Sanitation crews weekly, Wednesday through Friday.



As of Tuesday, March 23, the Town DPW has cleared debris from:



The Cotswold area, neighborhoods along Fort Hill Road, south of Ardsley Road (except a portion of Andrea Lane), neighborhood streets near Tanglewood Road the Longview Road area, most streets in Edgemont, except the intersection of Gleenwood Road and Barclay Road (low hanging wires). Orchard Hill neighborhood, Mayfair Acres neighborhood.



The crews are working generally from the northern portion of the Town including North Elmsford, Parkway Homes, Wyndover Park southerly back to Edgemont, Costwold and the Longview neighborhoods. Once a first pass is completed Town-wide, we will turn around and make a second pass until all debris is collected. We currently estimate 10-weeks to complete the first pass through the Town.



We are aware that debris is being cut and brought to the curb daily and some streets that we collected last week already have more debris to collect at this time. We ask residents to please be patient as we anticipate clean-up will take up to 10-weeks.



In addition to removing debris, other Town DPW crews have 49 additional storm damaged trees to remove and at last count, 55 tree trunk, stumps to remove.



Updates will be provided periodically to keep residents informed of our progress.



Residents in Parkway Homes and Wyndover Park should expect crews during this next week.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

TALKING POINTS--SAVE THE BUS

TALKING POINTS--CAN TRAIN STATIONS HANDLE ADDITIONAL PARKING NEEDS IF BUS ROUTE IS ELIMINATED?
Westchester County is considering eliminating the Westchester-Manhattan express bus service. If this service is discontinued will area train stations be able to handle the additional parking needs of commuters who will have to drive to work? A few years back--when parking spots at train stations was tight (it has eased up due to the poor economy)--many commuters complained that they could not find parking. If this route is eliminated will additional taxpayer dollars have to be spent building more parking garages near train stations after the economy improves?
Eliminating a bus route could be penny wise and pound foolish.

WILL PROPERTY VALUES ON CENTRAL AVE GO DOWN?
Many people have purchased apartments on Central Ave because of the Westchester-NYC bus route. The existence of this service has encouraged people to buy. No need to buy a car to get to work in the city. Will the discontinuation of this route result in PROPERTY VALUE REDUCTIONS?

ONCE RIDGE HILL OPENS, WILL ELIMINATION OF A BUS ROUTE THAT HELPS CENTRAL AVE BUSINESSES RESULT IN
EVEN MORE SHOPPING LOSSES, CAUSING CENTRAL AVE BUSINESSES TO GO UNDER?
The enormous Ridge Hill shopping development is scheduled to open in 2011. Ridge Hill will create competition for existing merchants who have businesses on Central Ave. This won't be good for Central Ave merchants. If an important Central Ave bus route is eliminated fewer people will shop on Central Ave---causing financial problems for Central Ave merchants. The combination of Ridge Hill and the discontinuation of the Westchester-NYC bus could lead to stores going under --and additional certiorari's (tax losses) for the county.

I have received many e mails since yesterday supporting the continuation of the Westchester-NYC bus service. Copies of all e mails I have received from residents will be made available on request. My e mail is pfeiner@greenburghny.com. We must save this route.
If you want to be part of the citizen effort to save the route please e mail me at pfeiner@greenburghny.com or call me on my cell: 438-1343 or 914 993 1545.
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor

Monday, March 22, 2010

SAVE THE MANHATTAN-WESTCHESTER BUS

WESTCHESTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S PROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE WESTCHESTER-MANHATTAN EXPRESS BUS SERVICE IS A BAD MISTAKE
LACK OF COMPETITION WILL CAUSE RAIL SERVICE TO DETERIORATE...
COUNTY SHOULD CIRCULATE COMMUTER IMPACT QUESTIONNAIRES BEFORE MAKING FINAL DECISION...
WILL ELIMINATION OF BUS SERVICE HURT PROPERTY VALUES ON CENTRAL AVE... AND HURT BUSINESSES...
COUNTY'S PLAN TO ELIMINATE OTHER BUS ROUTES SUCH AS LOOP T BUS NEAR SIEMENS IS BUSINESS UNFRIENDLY ACTION

COMMUTER MEETING TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 6TH TO STRATEGIZE ON WAYS TO SAVE ROUTE

In 1982, before winning my first race for County Legislator, I organized a commuter bus service from Westchester to Manhattan. The bus service was started because conditions on the rail service was so poor. I am very disappointed that County Executive Rob Astorino is proposing the elimination of the bus route and pledge to work hard to save the route. This letter is being sent to the County Executive, Board of Legislators, Yonkers & White Plains officials. A meeting with commuters is tentatively scheduled for April 6th at 7:30 PM --in Yonkers. If you would like to join the effort to save the route please advise by emailing pfeiner@greenburghny.com.
The elimination of other bus routes by the county could hurt big and small businesses. The county should be promoting --not hurting our businesses who rely on public transportation.
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor


I was disappointed to read that the county is considering eliminating the Westchester-Manhattan express bus service. I am very familiar with the importance of this service because I was very instrumental in setting up the commuter bus service in 1982 (see May 16, 1982 article: Reporter's Notebook: An Activist's Odyssey for Bus Service, NY TIMES).
This service was started because trains were not running on time. Conditions on the trains were deplorable--with frequent breakdowns, inadequate heat/air conditioning, lack of seats). The lack of competition provided the railroad with no incentive to be responsive to commuter concerns. After the competing bus service got started service started to improve on the trains. If the Westchester-Manhattan express bus is discontinued I believe that rail service will also deteriorate because of the lack of competition.
BEFORE THE COUNTY DISCONTINUES THE BUS SERVICE--you should circulate a commuter impact questionnaire. Every rider should be asked to provide the county with information that can help you make a more informed decision. I would like to know how many riders don't have cars and can't get to the train station. If the Manhattan express bus line is discontinued many commuters who live on Central Ave will not be able to get to work. I would also like to know how many NYC or Bronx riders who use the bus to get to Westchester are homecare workers, nanny's, nurses. How will the reduction of bus service impact them? If the bus service is discontinued will they decide not to work in Westchester? How will this help or hurt Westchester businesses? Will the discontinuation of commuter bus service hurt our ability to attract service providers to the county. Will the elimination of this route also hurt property values on Central Ave? Many people move to apartments on Central Ave because of the convenience of having a commuter bus stop by in front of their apartments. If we destroy our public transportation network our roads will be more congested. We will also be moving the county backwards --and making our county less green.
I have also been advised that the county is also considering the elimination of the LOOP T bus route that serves many people who work at Siemens as well as people who reside in Tarrytown, Glenville and neighboring vicinities. The elimination of this route is a BUSINESS UNFRIENDLY action that will hurt some of the businesses and offices in Greenburgh. I hope that our county government will recognize the importance our public transportation system has on the economic health of the county. If we eliminate important bus routes we will hurt our chances of attracting the best employees when the economy improves.
A COMPROMISE SUGGESTION-- If you decide that you have to cut service on the Manhattan express route or other routes, you might wish to cut service during off peak hours, not during the prime commuter hours.
Sincerely,


PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Town Supervisor

Article Preview
REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: AN ACTIVIST'S ODYSSEY FOR BUS SERVICE

By EDWARD HUDSON (The New York Times); Weschester Weekly Desk

May 16, 1982, Sunday

Late City Final Edition, Section 11, Page 1, Column 1, 1365 words

[ DISPLAYING ABSTRACT ]WHEN word came from Albany that state officials would approve two express-bus runs between the county and Manhattan to compete with Conrail, probably no one was more surprised than Paul Feiner, the political activist who for months had fought hard for the idea. The announcement came a week ago ...

Saturday, March 20, 2010

CLEANUP OF DEBRIS..WORK SESSION AGENDA... FUN ACTIVITIES

Finally -- we all have our power back! The town will commence our cleanup of the debri on Saturday, March 20th. Overtime has been authorized. There is so much debri from the storm to pick up. It's going to take us over a month to complete this task. Please be patient. I will be posting details in the coming days about our cleanup program.
PAUL FEINER

Work Session Agenda of the Greenburgh Town Board
Tuesday – March 23, 2010 – 9:15 AM

(Work Sessions begin at 9:15AM 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.)

09:15 AM Agenda Review

09:30 AM Emergency Phone System

09:45 AM Purchasing – Procedures

10:00 AM EMS Revenue Recovery Vendor Interviews

12:00 Noon Adjourn Meeting

This Weekend
- A Hike for the Small Ones with Kids Unplugged, co-hosted with the Rivertown Playgroup
- Hudson Valley Restaurant Week continues through the week
- Supertonic Songwriters Circle
- “You Can't Take It With You” presented By Clocktower Players Adult Troupe
- Mark Morris Dance Group
- Doctor Johnson performs
- Scouts for Survival Day!
- Free-A-Tree Cutting
- Fish Tales: "The Tiny Seed"
- The Orchid Show: Cuba in Flower
- Family Hike & Shorline Wander with Kids Unplugged
- Joe Travers Live in Concert
- Women about Woman: A Broad Introspective
- Equinox on the Rocks: Ossining Arts Council Pot Luck
- UrbanH20's Monthly Music Series: Joe Iadanza and his Beautiful Band with Kyle Swartzwelder
- Rivertown Film's "Meet the Filmmaker Series" Celebrates: International Women’s History Month
- NewUrbanJazz Series: Soul of Mala Waldron
- Robert Klein
- El Dia de la Primavera at HRM
- Odd Creatures of the Deep: Slippery, Slimy, Scaly Animals of the Hudson River
- A Year with Frog & Toad
- Garrison Art Center’s Gallery Talk Series: Roger Lispsey
Details & Links are on http://www.rivertownsguide.com
Cross Benefit performance for Haiti Earthquake
Monday, March 22 @ 7:30pm | Tarrytown Music Hall | Artists come together to help raise money for the continued efforts to help Haiti recover from the devastating disaster. Line up, subject to change: Host: Kathleen Chalfant ("Wit". "Rescue Me", "Angels In America"). Barry Eastmond Band (Songwriter, producer, with over 60 gold and platinum records.). Marcy Harriell ("In The Heights", "Rent" "Lennon"). Emeline Michel ("Queen of Haitian Song". Featured in the MTV/Clooney Haiti Telethon). Jim Poulos ("Rent", "Tom Sawyer"). Bonga & The Vodou Drums Of Haiti. Young Westchester Performers The Enchords. We will be announcing line up changes as we go, hoping to add even more great performers! Info can be found on our Home Page.

”Books & Cooks” Fundraising Event
Monday, April 12 from 6pm - 9pm | The Greenburgh Public Library Foundation Benefit
The Library announces the launch of its annual fundraising event for the benefit of the Greenburgh Public Library. The inaugural fundraiser has been designated Books and Cooks and is billed as a “Literary Feast” where “fine cuisine and literature come together”. The Books and Cooks event will bring together many local restaurants and their chefs with several of Westchester County’s most notable authors. Attendees will be treated to a tour of the newly opened Greenburgh Public Library as they sample a variety of food and meet local authors. Info can be found on our Home Page.

“Best of” Film Series at Irvington Town Hall Theater
-- Saturday March 27 @ 11:30am – “Norma” by Bellini
-- Saturday April 3 @ 8pm - “The Messenger”
-- Wednesday, April 7 @ 8pm - “An Education”
-- Saturday, April 10 @ 11:30am – “Rondine” by Puccini
-- Wednesday, April 14 @ 8:00pm – “The Last Station”
Go to http://www.rivertownsguide.com/20localevents.php for more information

other WEBSITES,,,
www.thehudsonindependent.com for news and activities.
www.tarrytownpatch. com for more news and activities.

www.scarsdale10583.com news about Edgemont and Hartsdale

Friday, March 19, 2010

GOOD NEWS FROM A CONSTITUENT

Hi Paul,



Lots of good news! The power is on, the dangerously leaning tree on our street is down and, very important, I’m employed again! Thanks for all your help with storm related issues and for passing along various employment ideas.



Take care,



Dan

Monday, March 15, 2010

NATIONAL GUARD SHOULD BE CALLED IN TO HELP RESTORE POWER

FEINER TO ASK GOVERNOR TO CALL NATIONAL GUARD TO SPEED UP RESTORATION OF CON ED POWER OUTAGES
TREES STILL DOWN...ROADS STILL CLOSED...WIRES DOWN
WHY SHOULD BROOKLYN, QUEENS, BRONX GET POWER BACK WED..STATEN ISLAND THURSDAY AND WESTCHESTER FRIDAY?

Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner announced that he is asking Governor David Patterson to call in the National Guard to speed up restoration of Con Ed power outages. Feiner said that thousands of Greenburgh & Westchester residents are still out of power. Restoration of power in Greenburgh is progressing slowly. Some residents have reported that their power has been restored. But, many Greenburgh residents are still out of power. Trees are still down, roads are still closed, wires are down. It's dangerous.
The National Guard should be used to help Con Ed restoration teams get power back on and to help localities clean up the debris, remove downed trees. We have residents in the town who can't get out of their driveways because trees are blocking their driveways. If the National Guard provided local governments & Con Ed with assistance we could get back in shape much faster. The National Guard could also be used to direct traffic at locations where traffic lights are not working.
Feiner is also complaining that Con Ed is putting Westchester last on the list of communities that are getting their power restored. A press release sent out by Con Ed on Monday night indicated that all of Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx will get back power Wednesday. Staten Island will get back power Thursday and Westchester will get back power on Friday. This is unfair. Con Ed should be giving equal treatment to all counties that are impacted by the power outages.


CON EDISON RESTORING CUSTOMERS

AFTER WORST STORM IN DECADES

NEW YORK – Hundreds of Con Edison, contractor, and out-of-state utility crews, plus thousands of company support personnel, are continuing to work around the clock to counter effects of the most destructive rain and wind storm to hit the New York area in memory.

The company expects to have all storm-related outages in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx restored by Wednesday afternoon, followed by Staten Island on Thursday evening, and Westchester on Friday.

With the ground softened by a huge snowstorm two weeks ago, an ugly mix of over four inches of rain and winds of up to 70 m.p.h. combined to knock trees over like matchsticks over the weekend, felling power lines and complicating clearance efforts, especially in Westchester County and Staten Island.

Over 173,000 lost power, easily eclipsing the outages caused by Hurricane Gloria in 1985, which affected 110,515 customers.

As of 8 p.m. tonight, the company had restored power to over 100,000 customers. Approximately 70,000 customers remained without power: 55,000 in Westchester County, 9,000 in Staten Island, 3,700 in the Bronx, 1,470 in Queens and 650 in Brooklyn.

Con Edison distributed 31,500 pounds of dry ice at four different locations today, and will resume distribution tomorrow (Tuesday) from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Utilities from Michigan, Ohio, Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Kentucky and Massachusetts are assisting Con Edison’s crews.

Con Edison has approximately 500 restoration crews now in the field, in addition to other field support personnel clearing roads and trees. The number of restoration crews is expected to grow to 675 by Wednesday as additional out-of-state crews arrive.

Con Edison has additional customer service representatives, electrical and construction crews, along with tree-clearing crews working around the clock to respond to customers and power outages that may occur.

Customers are urged to call Con Edison immediately to report any outages at 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). Customers can also report power interruptions or service problems at www.conEd.com and on their cell phones and PDAs. When reporting an outage, customers should have their Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether their neighbors also have lost power.

Customers who have already reported their outage need not call Con Edison again. They will be called by Con Edison when their estimated restoration time has been established.

During the restoration process, primary distribution feeders are restored first, with the highest priority given to restoring lines that supply the most customers. Next, the crews fix secondary facilities, such as transformers and secondary cables, again with highest priority given to lines supplying the greatest number of customers. Individual services, lines serving a single home, will be restored as crews become available.

Con Edison offers the following tips to prepare for a storm:

If you see downed electrical wires, do not go near them. Treat all downed wires as if they are live. Never attempt to move or touch them with any object. Be mindful that downed wires can be hidden from view by tree limbs, leaves or water. Report all downed wires to Con Edison and your local police department immediately. If a power line falls on your car while you’re in it, stay inside the vehicle and wait for emergency personnel.

If your power goes out, turn off all lights and appliances to prevent overloaded circuits when power is restored. Leave at least one light switch in the on position to alert you when power has been restored.

Check to make sure your flashlights and any battery-operated radios or televisions are in working order. Use candles and oil lamps with care. Also, make sure you have a supply of extra batteries. Weather updates and news on restorations of electrical service can be heard on most local radio and television stations.

Avoid opening your freezer to see if food is still frozen. Every time you open the door, room-temperature air enters and speeds the thawing process. Most fully loaded freezers will keep food frozen for approximately 36 to 48 hours; half-full freezers will keep food frozen for approximately 24 hours.

The company is maintaining close contact with the New York City Office of Emergency Management and the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services to coordinate storm response as necessary.

list of road closings

received the following update from the police chief. I'm disappointed that progress has been so slow and will be asking Con Ed to assign more resources to Greenburgh. We apologize for the inconveniences.
Please be advised that we are opening up the Theodore Young Community Center tonight as a shelter for those without power. The phone of the center (32 Manhattan Ave) is 989 3600. If you know of an elderly resident/disabled resident who you are worried about who you can't contact and who may be out of power - please advise and we'll check up on them. I am very sorry that so many Greenburgh residents are being inconvenienced during this storm and appreciate what you are experiencing.Please feel free to call me on my cell: 438 1343 (I don't have power at home so my home phone isn't working).
PAUL FEINER

Supervisor Feiner:



Below are the road closures as of March 15 at 3:30 p.m.. We are coordinating with all Fire Departments, Department of Public Works and a representative from Con Edison from our Emergency Operations Center. We have made some progress in opening roads that have been closed since March 13. Power Company Crews from out of state are now arriving and are being assigned to local problems. Almost every area of the town has experienced substantial damage to homes and vehicles.



Unfortunately Con Edison reports 6,500 customers in Greenburgh are without power. We have assigned extra officers to patrol these areas. New reports of trees and wires down have slowed down which will allow all resources involved to concentrate on previously reported incidents.





As of 03/15/2010 Greenburgh PD

3:30PM



Address Cross Street



Canterbury Road Rocking Chair Road

Sprain Rd Heatherdale

Overhill Road Rumbrook

Maryton Rd Oliver Rd

Barksdale Edgemont Rd.

Prospect Av Old Rd

Hartsdale Rd Chester Av

Healy Ave. Townsend Road

Perry Ave. Ethelton Road

Columbia Av W Hartsdale

Polk Pl North. Rd

Bowbell Rd Shirley

Winthrop Av Mt Joy

N. Healy Av Sunset La

Hartsdale Rd Kathwood Rd

Hartsdale Rd Grant Way

Hillside Av McClean Av

Lincoln Pl County Center Rd

Dobbs Ferry Rd Hartsdale Rd

Old Army Road Inverness

Andrea Lane Ft Hill Road

Whittington Rd Pomander Dr

Old Tarrytown Road Bronx River Parkway

Belding Av Ethelton Rd









Joseph J. DeCarlo

Chief of Police

Town of Greenburgh

White Plains, N.Y. 10607



phone (914) 682-5340

fax (914) 682-5342

Sunday, March 14, 2010

CON ED EVENING UPDATE

I received the following e mails from Con Ed this evening. Dan Lyons of the Westchester office sent me the Greenburgh update. I will keep you informed of the status of the power restoration. I have started to receive reports that power has been restored in some neighborhoods.
PAUL FEINER


NEW YORK -- Con Edison crews continue responding to outages caused by a powerful storm that knocked trees and limbs into power lines throughout New York City and Westchester County. Approximately 187,000 customers were affected by the storm, far exceeding the number of outages caused by Hurricane Gloria in 1985, when 110,515 customers lost power.
As of 6 p.m. today, the company had restored power to approximately 67,000 customers. Approximately 120,000 customers remained without power: 79,000 in Westchester County, 24,000 in Staten Island, 8,800 in the Bronx, 6,000 in Queens, 2,000 in Brooklyn, and about 100 in Manhattan.
Con Edison expects restoration to last throughout the week. The company has been securing mutual aid from utilities in several states, including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Massachusetts.
Con Edison has approximately 210 restoration crews now in the field, in addition to other field support personnel clearing roads and trees. The number of restoration crews is expected to grow to 350 tomorrow and 425 on Wednesday as more out-of-state crews arrive.
Con Edison has additional customer service representatives, electrical and construction crews, along with tree-clearing crews working around the clock to respond to customers and power outages that may occur.
Customers are urged to call Con Edison immediately to report any outages at 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). Customers can also report power interruptions or service problems at www.conEd.com and on their cell phones and PDAs. When reporting an outage, customers should have their Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether their neighbors also have lost power.
Customers who have already reported their outage need not call Con Edison again. They will be called by Con Edison when their estimated restoration time has been established.
In the event of severe outages, primary distribution feeders are restored first, with the highest priority given to lines that supply the most customers out of service. Next, the crews restore secondary facilities, such as transformers and secondary cables, again with highest priority given to lines supplying the most customers out of service. Individual services, lines serving a single home, will be restored as crews become available.
Con Edison offers the following tips to prepare for a storm:
If you see downed electrical wires, do not go near them. Treat all downed wires as if they are live. Never attempt to move or touch them with any object. Be mindful that downed wires can be hidden from view by tree limbs, leaves or water. Report all downed wires to Con Edison and your local police department immediately. If a power line falls on your car while you’re in it, stay inside the vehicle and wait for emergency personnel.
If your power goes out, turn off all lights and appliances to prevent overloaded circuits when power is restored. Leave at least one light switch in the on position to alert you when power has been restored.
Check to make sure your flashlights and any battery-operated radios or televisions are in working order. Use candles and oil lamps with care. Also, make sure you have a supply of extra batteries. Weather updates and news on restorations of electrical service can be heard on most local radio and television stations.
Avoid opening your freezer to see if food is still frozen. Every time you open the door, room-temperature air enters and speeds the thawing process. Most fully loaded freezers will keep food frozen for approximately 36 to 48 hours; half-full freezers will keep food frozen for approximately 24 hours.
The company is maintaining close contact with the New York City Office of Emergency Management and the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services to coordinate storm response as necessary.

# # #
E MAIL I RECEIVED FROM DAN LYONS OF CON ED EARLIER TODAY...

Paul,

There were more than 7300 Greenburgh homes affected by the storm and
nearly 6900 remain without service. Restoration is slow moving as we
concentrate on blocked roadways, downed wires and public safety issues.
We expect to make significant strides in restoring service as we
supplement our workforce with crews from outside our region beginning
tomorrow morning.
Additionally, we expect to have dry ice available beginning tomorrow
afternoon and will let you know of the locations via a press release

STAY WARM AT THE TDYCC

If you are cold and have no power-- consider staying at the Theodore Young Community Center tonight. The center is located at 32 Manhattan Ave (near Crossroads Shopping Center, off 119--a few minutes from Dobbs Ferry Road). Just spoke with Deputy Commissioner James Robinson who advised me that the center will be open. We have showers at the center, it's warm and we're trying to get cots so residents can have a good nights sleep. Best of all the price is right: FREE!
The following e mail was received last night --some people did not receive it so I'm e mailing this testimonial again.
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor

I took your advice and came to the Theodore Young Center where the staff has been most kind. When I couldn't make it to my daughter's in Peekskill because of the hazardous driving conditions, I was not sure of what to do but decided to listen to you and come here. Right now, I am e-mailing you from the center's computer lab while I wait for my inflatable bed battery to charge. Tametha, the recptionist was so kind and brought me this bed from her house so I could get a decent night's sleep. James Robinson, the supervisor here has been very solicitous of my welfare, bringing me coffee and letting me know he'll be around all night should I need him. All this because of this storm just two weeks after the last one. At that time, I spent three days without power at my daughter's. This is better because I'm close to home and will be able to check out the damage to my street--Taylor Road when it's light tomorrow. Thanks again for being so accessible and looking out for your constituents

LIST OF STREETS THAT ARE CLOSED & POWER OUTAGE AREAS

The following is the most recent list of trees down and road closures. We estimate that there are 6900 homes without power at the present time in Greenburgh. Please be patient, don't touch wires. The ground is still soft. It's still dangerous and you are better off home. We are in constant contact with Con Ed and hope to make significant progress tomorrow getting power restored.

Sorry for the inconveniences you are experiencing.

PAUL FEINER

Trees down and road closures,

Sector 1 Sector 4

Caterson/East Hartsdale ave Milton st

Caterson/Holland joyce

E.hartsdale/Columbia stonewall cir

Ifo 12 maplewood crest dr

Sector 2 Sector 5

Barford lane south rd/washington

Withington ln south rd/polk pl

Chedworth ln edgepark/old kensico

Kempster rd old tarrytown/old kensico

Barclay rd Randolph/miller

Walbrooke rd old kensico west of kent

Glenwood rd county ctr/Jackson pl

Norwood rd

Edgemont rd from norwood to Ardsley rd Sector 6

n.payne

Sector 3 lamont

Clayton rd nepperhan

Evendale rd

Glendale Sector 7

Underhill east of fort hill rockingchair at pomander

Sprain valley rd surrey way at rockingchair

Fort hill south of Ardsley rd hartsdale rd at Robert ln

Power outage

Orchard hill section

Mayfair Acres

Wyndover woods

Boulder Ridge

Secor rd west of Sprain Pkwy

Hillside ave

Edgemont

Payne st

Westchester view rd

6000+ customers without power

Thursday, March 11, 2010

PUTNAM COUNTY EXEC SUGGESTS ELIMINATION OF COUNTIES..FEINER WANTS CONSOLIDATION OF TWO COUNTY GOV

F EINER URGES WESTCHESTER COUNTY EXEC AND PUTNAM COUNTY EXEC TO STUDY CONSOLIDATION OF WESTCHESTER/PUTNAM COUNTY GOVERNMENTS
ON WEDNESDAY PUTNAM COUNTY EXEC QUESTIONED NEED FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner is writing to Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino and Putnam County Executive Robert Bondi and will renew a suggestion that he made about a year ago that both counties explore the possibility of consolidating the two county governments. Feiner is making his suggestion after County Executive Robert Bondi questioned whether we need county government --a point that Feiner has been making since the early 1990s.
Consolidation of two or more county governments could save taxpayer dollars. Since most people don't identify with county government --it would be easier to accomplish than consolidating other levels of government. Consolidating county governments will result in an immediate reduction of the number of elected officials, number of buildings owned by the county governments, number of commissioners, deputy commissioners and management. Consolidation of two or more county governments might be easier to accomplish than eliminating counties since county governments would continue to provide residents with county services.
Feiner is renewing his proposal a day a few days after Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino threatened to lay off 1,600 county employees. If Westchester is going to operate with many fewer employees - this is a great time to seriously consider consolidation.
Feiner is also calling for a constitutional amendment that would enable voters to vote on state, county and local budgets. Feiner is also going to push the NYS Legislature and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to expand the consolidation law that was approved last year to include county governments. Last year the state approved a law that enables voters to collect petitions and to place consolidation of local governments, police & fire districts on the ballot. County governments are exempt from the law.
Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts don't have county governments and their property taxes are less than Westchester and Putnam Counties. Massachusetts authorized county governments to disband in the mid 1990s.


COPY OF JOURNAL NEWS ARTICLE ABOUT BONDI'S COMMENTS
Bondi highlights distrust of government
Michael Risinit • mrisinit@lohud.com • March 11, 2010

CARMEL — Toward the end of his State of the County address Wednesday night, Putnam County Executive Robert Bondi asked residents if they thought they even needed county government.

D o the people of Putnam need a county executive? Do they need a Legislature, or is there a less expensive form of government that can do the job?" he said in front of county employees, elected officials and residents who attended the annual address at the Historic County Courthouse.
Bondi talked about people's unhappiness and disconnect "with all levels of government," regardless of how much it burdens their pocketbook. Putnam ranks second lowest in the state in terms of the county portion of a resident's tax bill — only 9.5 cents of every property-tax dollar funds county government — he said, yet residents express discontent .

"Government of the people, by the people and for people cannot continue to exist long with this level of distrust and dissatisfaction by those who are governed," he said.

School taxes are ills that need to be cured, said Legislator Sam Oliverio, D-Putnam Valley, and an assistant principal in Putnam Valley.

"One way to cure it ... is to consolidate the school districts in the county," he said.

While suggesting county government could be disbanded — only if county residents support the idea and acknowledging it could take years to implement — Bondi declined to say whether he still wanted to lead it.

His term ends Dec. 31 and he has yet to say whether he will run for a sixth. Political speculation has centered on him not running and state Sen. Vincent Leibell, R-Patterson, seeking the seat.

Asked if he wanted to be county executive next year, Bondi earlier responded, "I wouldn't be able to answer that question right now."

"We think this is the issue no matter who is here for the next State of the County address," he said.

He painted a challenging but also a somewhat positive financial picture for the county. Sales-tax revenues in 2009 declined $5.1 million compared to 2008 and property-tax revenues fell about $3.5 million as homeowners had trouble paying their taxes. But, he said, Putnam saved almost $8 million in operating expenditures in 2009 compared to the budgeted amount, "owing largely to (not filling) vacancies." Revenues for 2009 exceeded expenditures by $3.6 million.

Along with the future of county government, he wondered if the county needed 10 school districts; multiple police, fire and highway departments; and six towns and three villages. He said he will travel to each town in the coming weeks and urged county legislators to join him.

"This Legislature stands willing, ready and able to do whatever we need to do," said Chairman Vincent Tamagna, R-Philipstown.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

GOVERNOR PATERSON TO BE AT THEODORE YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER MONDAY

Governor David Paterson will be at the Theodore Young Community Center this Monday at noon to discuss the budget wtih residents. The meeting is open to the public. If you cannot attend and have any questions pertaining to the budget or suggestions as to how the state could deal with the $9.1 billion dollar deficit please advise. I will share your thoughts with the Governor and his representatives.
PAUL FEINER


The Office of

Governor David A. Paterson

Invites you to a

NYS Budget Town Hall Meeting

Including a Discussion With Governor Paterson



Monday, March 15, 2010

Doors open at 11am



Theodore D. Young Community Center Gymnasium (Greenburgh)

32 Manhattan Avenue

White Plains, NY

10607-1329



If you wish to attend, please RSVP to

events@chamber.state.ny.us or (518) 474-2150



Staff members of the Governor's administration

will also be in attendance to help answer questions.

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

HOW MUCH DID SNOW STORM COST...RECYCLING RATE INCREASE

Congratulations, Greenburgh! Our town was one of a handful of communities that saw our recycling rate increase in 2009. Just received a report from the county. Most communities experienced a reduction in recycling in 2009 due to the recession (which affected consumer purchases and consumption. In 2009 19% of the total solid waste came from recycling. In 2008 the percentage was 18%. 23,257 tons of solid waste was picked up last year (which includes recycling) compared to 25,027 in 2008. 4,608 tons was picked up in 2008. 4,443 in 2009.
Although I'm pleased that our recycling rate is improving, we still could do better. Rye City (which saw its rate fall by 1% in 2009) has a 31% recycling rate. What can we do to encourage more people to recycle?

HOW MUCH DID THE RECENT SNOW EMERGENCY COST THE TOWN? The recent snow/power outage/trees &wires falling down crisis was costly for the town. We spent $84,136.40 on overtime. And, used 471 tons of salt. the cost of salt was $30,569.99.
PAUL FEINER

Monday, March 08, 2010

FRIENDS OF GREENBURGH LIBRARY FUNDRAISER

The Greenburgh Public Library Foundation announces the launch of its annual fundraising event for the benefit of the Greenburgh Public Library which will take place from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Monday, April 12, 2010. The event will be held at the Greenburgh Public Library located at 300 Tarrytown Road, Elmsford, NY. In order to accommodate the fund raising event, the Library will close to the public at 3:00pm on Monday, April 12, the day of the event.



The inaugural fundraiser has been designated Books and Cooks and is billed as a “Literary Feast” where “fine cuisine and literature come together”. The Books and Cooks event will bring together many local restaurants and their chefs with several of Westchester County’s most notable authors. Attendees will be treated to a tour of the newly opened Greenburgh Public Library as they sample a variety of food and meet local authors. Tickets are now on-sale for $99.00 per person and may be purchased through the Greenburgh Public Library Foundation on their website at www.greenburghlibraryfoundation.org or by calling 914-747-0519. Ticket expenditures for the Books and Cooks event are tax deductable.



Books and Cooks is a completely unique event. Chefs from the participating restaurants will be creating dishes inspired by works of literature. For example, the novel Chocolat, by Joanne Harris, might inspire a chocolate fondue, while Under the Tuscan Sun, by Francis Mayes, could prompt a white bean and pasta dish. Participating restaurants will be setting up food stations throughout the Library so that attendees can tour the facility as they move from food station to food station. Participating authors will also be located throughout the Library and will be discussing their published works and will also be signing copies of their books. Village Books, located in Pleasantville, NY, will be facilitating the sale of the author’s books and a portion of the proceeds from each sale will go to the Greenburgh Public Library Foundation. The Books and Cooks event is a great way to get to know the Greenburgh Public Library, enjoy some of the best food in Westchester County, meet some of the County’s finest literary talent and to help raise much needed funding.



The Books and Cooks event has confirmed eleven local restaurants to date, each of whom will be providing a unique culinary experience. Restaurants confirmed include, 42 at the Ritz Carlton (American), Caravela (Brazilian & Portuguese), Dragonfly Café (Coffee & Tea), Gervasi’s (Italian), Great American BBQ (American), Milonga Wine & Tapas (Argentinean & Italian), Morton’s Steakhouse (American), Mughal Palace (South Indian), Rioja (Mediterranean), River City Grill (Eclectic) and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse (American). Additional confirmed restaurants are anticipated.



In addition to the confirmed restaurants, a growing list of local authors has also been confirmed for the event and include best-selling author Benjamin Cheever who’s novels include The Plagiarist, The Partisan, Famous After Death and The Good Nanny, Herbert Hadad, author of several highly acclaimed essays on the Middle-East as well as his memoir, Finding Immortality: The Making of One American Family. Rev. Bente Hansen, author of The New World of Self-Healing and Messages From Beyond and Marilyn Johnson, author of This Book is Overdue! and The Dead Beat are also participating. Rounding out the list of confirmed authors are Simon Schama, who has written many works on history and art which include The Embarrassment of Riches, Landscape and Memory, Dead Certainties, Rembrandt’s Eyes and Citizens, and Joseph Wallace whose works include non-fiction books about dinosaurs, baseball and many other topics, as well as the soon-to-be-published novel, Diamond Ruby. Additional authors are anticipated to join the event.



The Books and Cooks event does not feature a formal program, but instead will serve to educate those attending about the Library and its programs and services through carefully designed materials and displays, in addition to the great food and literary conversation on offer. There will be live music and a Books and Cooks silent auction will be held to compliment the event. The silent auction is expected to include gift certificates for dinners at participating restaurants, baskets of books, travel packages with literary themes and many other exciting items.



“We are excited about Books and Cooks, our first annual fundraising event for the benefit of the Greenburgh Public Library. Now more than ever, it is critical that we provide the necessary funding to insure that our Library remains the focal point of our community”, said Ms. Judy Chriss, Foundation President. “Books and Cooks is a unique event that will simultaneously entertain and educate and at only $99 per person is a terrific value. The Greenburgh Public Library Foundation hopes that our annual fundraising event will become an integral part of insuring that our Library has the funding it needs to continue to offer the top-notch programming and services our community has become accustomed to”.



Established in 1999, The Greenburgh Public Library Foundation recognizes the Greenburgh Public Library as a uniquely valuable asset and a central unifying factor for the entire Greenburgh community. The Foundation is committed to dedicating all its efforts to ensure the continued health and vitality of the Library for the benefit of the people of Greenburgh. Mindful of the public funding from the Town for the Library’s operating budget, the Foundation endeavors to complement and enhance the Library’s ability to provide the highest and most meaningful level of service and resources to the community. Foundation priorities include making it possible for the Greenburgh Public Library to function as a venue that will give the Town of Greenburgh a single, unified sense of identity and pride, increasing and enhancing resources and services for young adults and children while ensuring equality of access to all resources for all citizens. The Foundation works with the Greenburgh Public Library to identify present and future needs, soliciting donations, gifts, and grants to provide needed funds on an on-going, long-term basis.



The Foundation is incorporated and registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt organization. Books and Cooks ticket expenditures as well as funds, securities, or real property given to the Greenburgh Public Library Foundation are tax deductible. Gifts to the Foundation may be given for projects or purchases that will be of immediate use to the Library, or may be placed in an endowment fund.



The timing for the Books and Cooks event is significant. On the heels of well-publicized 2010 budget cuts, the Greenburgh Public Library will benefit tremendously from the funds that are raised through the Greenburgh Public Library Foundation’s efforts and the Books and Cooks event.



“The Greenburgh Public Library has historically provided the Greenburgh community with an outstanding array of services and programming and we have grown into one of the largest and most vital Libraries in Westchester County”, said Eugenie Contrata, Library Director. “But it takes funding to make these services and programs available and continue them at levels that those in our community have come to expect. We’re thrilled with what the Greenburgh Public Library Foundation is doing on behalf of our Library and we know that the Books and Cooks event will be a tremendous success”.

Friday, March 05, 2010

DEBRIS CLEANUP INFO FROM STORM...TOWN EMPLOYEE NEEDS HELP FINDING APT

A number of residents have contacted me to ask about the debris clean up. I received the following update from Commissioner of Public Works Victor Carosi.

On another matter-- a town employee (who is hard working, responsible & dedicated) asked me to try to help his family find an affordable 3 bedroom apartment in Greenburgh. He can afford $1500 a month. I told him I would try to help. If you know of any opportunities please e mail me at pfeiner@greenburghny.com. I will forward your e mail to him.
PAUL FEINER


The Town Bureau of Highway and Bureau of Sanitation are collecting debris from this storm daily. We ask residents to do their best to cut the limbs into 4-foot length, bundle and place curbside.



The Highway Department is first concentrating tree trimming and branch clearing from the main roadways such as Jackson Avenue, Ardsley road, Underhill Road, Secor Road, Ridge Road, Taxter Road, Benedict Avenue, Old Kensico Road, Old Tarrytown Road to name a few. Following completion of clearing the main roadways, crews will work all the secondary roads, neighborhood by neighborhood. One crew will start in the southern part of the Town, and a second will start in the northern sections of Town and both work towards the middle.



Additionally, Sanitation crews are dispatched back to the regular collection routes when they have finished the collection of garbage and will collect branches and tree debris.



We expect the storm cleanup to take about 6 to 8 weeks in total.





Victor G. Carosi, P.E.

Commissioner of Public Works

Thursday, March 04, 2010

$912 A YEAR SAVINGS FOR ONE ON DRUG DISCOUNT CARD...VETERANS LIVING HISTORY TAPING...FUN ACTIVITIES...SHREDDER THIS SATURDAY

During the past two weeks I have been distributing free prescription drug cards for humans and pets. Many people are skeptical --figuring that there must be a gimmick to the card. One does not have to register for the card, complete any forms, give their name and address to anyone. The card can be used by anyone and is free. If you have other insurance it's not as effective. The card benefits the uninsured and underinsured the most but is also of benefit to people on medicaid and medicare. You can pick up cards at my secretary's desk at Greenburgh Town Hall, 177 Hillside Ave. I have asked people who are using the card to provide me with a summary of their experiences and received this e mail yesterday...

ESTIMATED ANNUAL SAVINGS FROM THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG CARD FOR ONE PERSON $912!

From: Lora [lora@__com]Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2010 4:57 PMTo: Paul Feiner
Subject: RE: discount drug cardGreat news! Without the discount card, my prescription would’ve cost $154. With it, I only paid $78. I saved $76 this time and over a year, I will save $912! Thank you for spreading the word.
Regards,Lora
E MAIL pfeiner@greenburghny.com if you have a question.

If you are a veteran and want to be interviewed for our living history program please e mail ahochberg@greenburghny.com. Alan Hochberg, Steve Wittenberg and Frank Musantry are organizing a living history project. Interviews will be archived at the Greenburgh Library.

Now you can safely destroy unwanted personal papers and documents!

When & Where:

(Saturday) Greenburgh Town Hall March 6 10am to 2pm

at 177 Hillside Ave., White Plains (Town Hall)



Tomorrow Night – March 5 More info on www.rivertownsguide.com
-- Hastings Friday Night LIVE Kicks off the 2010 Season: A Literary Event
Poetry Contest – Readings – Kids Programs – Poetry Slam – Live Music – Friday Night GIVE Visit http://www.rivertownsguide.com-- Foundation Fiesta! | The Dobbs Ferry School’s Foundation Annual Gala & Car Raffle
Honoring Founder’s Award Winners: Karen Orloff, Shannon Stringer & Christie LaVigne. An elegant evening in the Spanish tradition. Cocktails, dinner live and silent auction, dancing – all for a great cause. Come to the fiesta

This Weekend
- Hastings Friday Night LIVE: Literary Night
- Opening Reception: Leonda F. Finke and Astrid Fitzgerald
- Foundation Fiesta: The Dobbs Ferry School’s Foundation Annual Gala
- "Fiddler on the Roof, Jr."
- Celebrate a Classic in Pelham
- The “Best of” Film Series... "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"
- Cassandra Wilson performs
- JC's Taco performs
- Linc performs
- Joe Travers, Live in Concert
- Autobiography in Fiction: The Big Read in Dobbs
- Family First Saturday: Shape, Rattle and Roll!
- Creative Inspirations from Nature
- Rosewood & Rhythm: International Jazz Trio
- Opening Reception: Ira Barkoff “Meditations on Nature”
- Permaculture in Your Backyard in Yonkers
- Jerry Stiller & Dick Gregory with Special Guest: Prof. Irwin Corey
- Beginnings: The Ultimate Chicago Tribute Band
- Red Molly and The Kennedys
- Johnny Feds & Da Bluez Boyz
- Members Pancake Brunch and Annual Membership Meeting
- Matt Turk performs
- Opening Reception: Mitchell Goldberg "Inner Vision"
- Celebrate Ed Young and his Work
- Irvington's Earth Day Kick-off Benefit Party and a Visit to an Eco-house
- John Hiatt & The Combo
Details & Links are on our Home Page http://www.rivertownsguide.com

This Weekend
Sunday, March 7 from 4pm - 7pm
Kick-off Benefit Party and Visit to an Eco-house | Irvington
Your $25 donation supports Irvington's Earth Day 40, a Village-wide Community Event to Grow Our Village Green on April 17. See geothermal heating/cooling, blown in soy insulation, solar gain panels, non-toxic and recycled building materials. Email earthday40@irvingtonny.gov to RSVP & get directions.


“Best of” Film Series at Irvington Town Hall Theater
-- “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”: Friday, Mar 5 @ 8pm
-- “I Puritani” by Bellini: Sunday, March 7 @ 1pm
-- Oscar Nominated Live Action & Animated Shorts!: Tuesday, March 16 @ 7:30pm
-- “Four Seasons Lodge”: Wednesday, March 17 @ 8pm
-- “Norma” by Bellini: Saturday March 27 @ 11:30am
-- “The Messenger”: Saturday April 3 @ 8pm
-- “An Education”: Wednesday, April 7 @ 8pm
Go to http://www.rivertownsguide.com/20localevents.php for more information


www.thehudsonindependent.com for news and activities.
www.tarrytownpatch. com for more news and activities.
www.scarsdale10583.com news about Edgemont and Hartsd a le
www.lohud.com (Journal News)
(if there are any other good websites that provide news/calendar of events - please advise.
PAUL FEINER

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

$912 savings estimated for one person who received free discount card

From: Lora [lora@__com]Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2010 4:57 PMTo: Paul Feiner
Subject: RE: discount drug cardGreat news! Without the discount card, my prescription would’ve cost $154. With it, I only paid $78. I saved $76 this time and over a year, I will save $912! Thank you for spreading the word.
Regards,Lora E MAIL pfeiner@greenburghny.com for a free card.

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

FEEDBACK ON SNOW STORM

Last Friday's snow storm inconvenienced many people. Trees and wires came down. Over 7,000 families experienced power outages. And-- some roads were temporarily closed.
Now, that the the storm is over and everyone is warm again (hopefully), it's time to reflect on how the town handled this crisis. The entire Town Board and I welcome your feedback. What do you think we did right? What did we do wrong? How can we improve? Your feedback and input would be appreciated. Please e mail townboard@greenburghny.com with your thoughts.
The Greenburgh Town Board discussed last weeks snow storm at our work session. Councilmembers Sonja Brown, Diana Juettner, Kevin Morgan, Francis Sheehan and I will invite Public Works Commissioner Victor Carosi to present the Town Board with a report at our next Town Board meeting--Wednesday, March 10th. We will also provide residents with an analysis of the costs associated with this storm.
TWO SUGGESTIONS
During the storm we tried to communicate with residents via our e mail system. However, many residents don't subscribe to our e list and were not informed of what was happening. As a result, they were not aware of what the town was doing and how to get help.
I have suggested that we create an e list for residents who only want to be contacted by e mail in the event of emergencies. This e mail list would not be used to update residents on town issues.
Another suggestion: a dedicated phone that would be used during emergencies. The town would record updates during the day on what we're doing, what residents could/should do to be safe/warm. If warming centers/shelters are open we can provide residents with updates re: location, services offered. Status reports on road closures, power outages, etc..could be provided. Important phone numbers (Con Ed, police, shelters, warming centers) could be given out on the emergency phone.
What do you think? What else could/should we do?
Thanks for helping us improve...
PAUL FEINER