tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post5694439226811219152..comments2023-10-30T06:13:34.382-04:00Comments on Supervisor Feiner: WORK SESSION AGENDA- TUESDAYPaul Feinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17087805120754057844noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-33434913612877463172008-12-28T23:44:00.000-05:002008-12-28T23:44:00.000-05:00What about Cliff Abrams secretary - a part time su...What about Cliff Abrams secretary - a part time summer workers still employed at TDYCC $20/hr - An a low level activity supervisor (Abrams) making $66,000 a year salary plus a secretary - Under Hopeton White there was only one secretary in the building - Another (2) Valerie Whitehead unnecessary employees still working at the TDYCC. Can Abrams pass the civil service exam without a high school diploma???? NO<BR/>Feiner politi-tricks along with Sonja Brown and Valerie Whiteheads wasted taxpayer money - They all need to go NOW!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-65499796804142688632008-12-09T19:08:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:08:00.000-05:00It is unsafe but the town saves a bunch of money h...It is unsafe but the town saves a bunch of money having the cops do the ems stuff. Most residents have no idea how often there are only 1 or 2 cops available for the entire town when you have 3-5 guys at different hospitals. Sometimes there out at hospitals like Phelphs, Lawrence, Dobbsferry, or St johns. All Hospitals which are nearly impossible to get back to in an appropriate time frame should police be needed for an emergency. I'm a cop in town, and I can tell you there's nothing more frustrating than being stuck in the hospital when a legitimate police emergency comes over the air. The department needs more civilian medics and emt's but with the financial mismanagement that has occured in town the past few years, not only is that not going to happen, but we also lost a civilian medic that they will not be replacing, which will increase the ems responsibilty of the police medics and emt's. The way the town see's it, they get a cop and a medic for the price of one which is cheaper than two salaries for 2 employees.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-65461190075548666262008-12-09T16:02:00.000-05:002008-12-09T16:02:00.000-05:00The town would be better and safer,If the Police o...The town would be better and safer,If the Police officers would do police work and let the civilians do EMS calls. we need to have civilian paramedics and emt's available. I still can't believe we send police officers (paramedics) to the hospital when someone feels sick and they are gone for at least an hour and we don't have police protection, for that time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-15040330181405274132008-12-09T14:19:00.000-05:002008-12-09T14:19:00.000-05:00In regards to the ems call at the NYSC... Of the t...In regards to the ems call at the NYSC... Of the three paid fire Districts in the town, the only one that does NOT respond on EMS calls is Hartsdale. Fairview and Greenville routinely respond on all ems calls. The only time Harstdale FD will respond is after the arriving police or EMS unit request for assistance. That should answer your question as to whether or not the fire dept responded to the NYSC or if they did why it took longer than 7 minutes. <BR/>The other question about "is 7 minutes too long for ems response". Usually it takes less than 5 minutes to get an ems unit to a call (police medic or civilian medic). Unfortunately there isn't always a civilian medic available, when he is not there(due to vacation,sick,injury, personal time), he is not replaced because they don't want to pay the overtime involved to cover his post. If the police medic is available he would go, but thats a big if. If he's tied up with a police call (his primary responsibility) he will probably still go with a delay (whatever time it takes to free up from the police call). If neither police nor civilian is available, they would send the civilian medic assigned to cover the six villages and that would cause a delay if responding from any of the villages. Last resort would be to call mutual aide from a different jurisdiction and that to will be delayed. The bottom line is there are times when you only have 2 medics total (police and civilian combined)assigned to cover the entire town including the villages. The majority of the time an extra couple of minutes will not make a difference but when it comes to the more serious calls as the one at the health club, every second counts. I am surprised that the health club does not have a defib. machine, that could have made all the difference in the world if the person needed defibrillation, but I wasn't there I don't know any of the perticulars sorrounding that call and maybe the response could have been faster if there was enough manpower(assuming that was an issue on that day)<BR/>With that said I ask you the Greenburgh taxpayer these 2 questions:<BR/>1- Do you keep cutting the police budget and expect to continue getting the service you are accustomed to getting or do you simply gamble and hope that the one time you need police or ems they will come quickly enough to make a difference?<BR/>2- When will the residents of Harstdale realize that they don't get the same service(fire dept) that the rest of the town gets but there fire tax bill is still one the the highest fire taxes in the state? By the way the Hartsdale FD goes on less than 900 calls a year, probably 2-4 fires a year, maybe,so they are available for ems callsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-63578182687490054352008-12-08T14:18:00.000-05:002008-12-08T14:18:00.000-05:00The assessor needs to be fired!!! Who else can ma...The assessor needs to be fired!!! Who else can make a 2.4 million dollar mistake and keep their job?<BR/>The assessor makes well in excess of $100,000 a year. We deserve much better than this. The behavior of teh Town Board is shameful at best. As Chief Financial Officer, Feiner should address this issue publicly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-12838378144694483952008-12-07T16:46:00.000-05:002008-12-07T16:46:00.000-05:00Is it true we still don't have a final number on e...Is it true we still don't have a final number on exactly how much the library is costing us?<BR/><BR/>Is the bunch list for the various disciplines signed off on?<BR/><BR/>Is Triton still on the Job?<BR/><BR/>Who will handle warranty calls?<BR/><BR/>Do we have 12 month warranties for labor and material IN WRITING?<BR/><BR/>Has Mr. Regula handed over all pertinent construction documents?<BR/><BR/>To who did he pass on these documents?<BR/><BR/>After he's gone, and bills show up who will verify their authenticity?<BR/><BR/>Poor prior planning produced piss poor performance, have we learned anything from this costly boondoggle?<BR/><BR/>I'll bet, not even the Shadow knows.ed krausshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05884806213564738289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-43077410980273603732008-12-06T01:05:00.000-05:002008-12-06T01:05:00.000-05:00Gerry Byrne very rarely even uses the car assigned...Gerry Byrne very rarely even uses the car assigned to him and as far as not being in touch with taxpayers concerns, you are dead wrong. Everyone here likes to throw stones, yet they live in glass houses. Were you not hugged as a child?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-83503076851345802722008-12-05T00:10:00.000-05:002008-12-05T00:10:00.000-05:00Maybe they can be anywhere if duty calls, but you ...Maybe they can be anywhere if duty calls, but you can always find a police car set up for a speed trap in the Presser/Webb field parking lot every night at 10 PM.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-44525247834394266732008-12-04T18:53:00.000-05:002008-12-04T18:53:00.000-05:00In the police dept there are only 7sector cars ass...In the police dept there are only 7sector cars assigned to be on the road on each shift. The town is very big and the police cars can be anywhere at anytime. They need to stop all the special units and patrol our streets. we need to make ems workers civilians. The Hartsdale FD should also been called for the call at the health clubAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-46668293122791851292008-12-04T10:47:00.000-05:002008-12-04T10:47:00.000-05:00ed - this was not a mean spirited attack on mr dwi...ed - this was not a mean spirited attack on mr dwinnel<BR/>he was legitimately criticized for sending out a bill without telling the taxpayer who to pay. he could also have created a faq on the website of the villages and the town regarding the actual payment date of 2/2 as jan 31 is a weekend.<BR/><BR/>ed - this was sloppy and we should expect better.<BR/><BR/>now - why is the assessor allowed to use town facilities to do private work for other municipalities without being charged??<BR/><BR/>this is yet another of the town's A budget giveaways and it has to stop.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-42167808273873988532008-12-04T00:11:00.000-05:002008-12-04T00:11:00.000-05:00The library referendum passed by less than 70 vote...The library referendum passed by less than 70 votes. Had Ed campaigned against the referendum, instead of for the vote, the referendum might have been defeated.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-42042314703216181052008-12-03T23:17:00.000-05:002008-12-03T23:17:00.000-05:00Ed KRAUSS: You complain about the library but you ...Ed KRAUSS: You complain about the library but you also SUPPORTED THE LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT WHICH FEINER OPPOSED. You are responsible, in part, for the tax hikes and construction issues. If Feiner was against the library you had to be for it. If Feiner had been for the library you would have been against it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-12917025020521142282008-12-03T22:17:00.000-05:002008-12-03T22:17:00.000-05:00Dear 10:01 on 12/2/08,David Dwinell is not to blam...Dear 10:01 on 12/2/08,<BR/>David Dwinell is not to blame for the "supplemental tax bill."<BR/>If you paid attention, Hal Samis tried to address the issue at a board meeting and to no avail our "beloved" Assessor did not have the balls to get up and respond to him or the public!<BR/>So maybe you should contact her and Paul Feiner, but you will not get an answer from either one of them, so contact Hal or Mike Kolesar since they seem to no the real answers!<BR/>I pity the Assessor's staff since she probably has them like "trained chimps" to do and say whatever she dictates!<BR/>But don't blame Dave since he doesn't seem to get caught up him the BS like the rest of the department heads!<BR/><BR/>The Assessor seems to have a lot ofAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-66738267601103607362008-12-03T19:36:00.000-05:002008-12-03T19:36:00.000-05:00If every department ran as efficiantlyand cost eff...If every department ran as efficiantlyand cost effectively as the Receiver of Taxes' department, we'd be in quantumly better shape.<BR/><BR/>David Dwinell deserves praise or the continuously outstanding job he has done since first being elected to the post.<BR/><BR/>As a side benefit, because he is elected, he is truly independent, least of all beholding to Feiner.<BR/><BR/>The shot from behind the "anonymous curtain" is laughable compared to the $2.4 MILION blunder made by the Town Ass-esser; the $3-5 MILLION blunger made by the abdication of oversight by the supervisor and his unTonto-like sidekicks vis-a-vis the lbrary; the $500,000 blunder by not having a binding- or for that matter ANY contractwith the Greenburgh Housing Authority for private police protection, and on and on and on.<BR/><BR/>You cowardly character ass-assin who dares not to give his name, probably had no topic to address so a typo gave him a raison d'etre.<BR/><BR/>Maybe Hal Samis is labeled as irritable because he delivers the truth, and the truth hurts.<BR/><BR/>I know there would be little or no blog, if one could not post anonymously. but maybe it would be for the better.ed krausshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05884806213564738289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-72288886112572590452008-12-03T19:31:00.000-05:002008-12-03T19:31:00.000-05:00Heah, at least Juettner didnt push for a commissio...Heah, at least Juettner didnt push for a commissioner who supports no-show jobs and no-bid contracts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-4804355703855246522008-12-03T19:21:00.000-05:002008-12-03T19:21:00.000-05:00and which greenburgh is that?the 80th best city?or...and which greenburgh is that?<BR/>the 80th best city?<BR/>or the town of juettner on the town board for 20 years with zero accomplishments other than being known as the sphinxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-86458810588781185572008-12-03T18:49:00.000-05:002008-12-03T18:49:00.000-05:00Seems like bloggers are out of touch with the town...Seems like bloggers are out of touch with the town. Most of us like Greenburgh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-87935580430524682332008-12-03T13:55:00.000-05:002008-12-03T13:55:00.000-05:00Correction to broker's recommendation:Short the he...Correction to broker's recommendation:<BR/>Short the hell out of it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-50363659541146087812008-12-03T06:43:00.000-05:002008-12-03T06:43:00.000-05:00halbased on your analysis, if the town of greenbur...hal<BR/>based on your analysis, if the town of greenburgh was a stock, it would be trading at record lows and a bus (the cybermobile perhaps ) should be getting ready for a trip to washington dc for a needed portion of any bailout......<BR/><BR/>broker's recommendation? - strong sellAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-54191860328667971262008-12-02T23:43:00.000-05:002008-12-02T23:43:00.000-05:00Dear 10:57,I don't understand. With or without th...Dear 10:57,<BR/><BR/>I don't understand. <BR/>With or without the Greenburgh EMT, the result would be the same.<BR/><BR/>What is perhaps a more reasonable question is why the "Health Club" which promotes the idea of strenuous exercise did not have a defibrilator or other standard life saving equipment on premises AND, if so, why it wasn't used or used properly by someone on the staff?<BR/><BR/>What do you think the EMS would have done differently if they got there a few minutes sooner? <BR/>The defribrilator and CPR should be sop at Health Clubs and I assume that if the man was on some machine, that many of these devices read bp and pulse, leaving the user with responsibility to exercise caution. Obviously I am making assumptions but I would also direct those interested to ask why the nearby Fire Department on Central Avenue didn't get there ahead of the Police EMT although 7 minutes seems to be a reasonable response from any source. I repeat, I'm not familiar with the actual events so I am drawing inferences just from what you have written.<BR/><BR/>Definitely a matter that you should take up with the Police Chief -- if it was a Police unit responding. And if you are still interested, you might want to give Feiner a crack at the pinata and ask whether similar public establishments should be required to maintain such life-saving capabilities on premises. <BR/><BR/>If for example the Library has a defibrilator for all those suffering strokes turning the pages of a suspense novel, then certainly a health club or a gym should be required to maintain the same level of preparedness.<BR/><BR/>Be a good citizen and make this your issue. Maybe you and 10:51 can be on a committee...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-51876479607118255292008-12-02T23:21:00.000-05:002008-12-02T23:21:00.000-05:00Dear Anonymous Stalker,There are people who believ...Dear Anonymous Stalker,<BR/><BR/>There are people who believe that being on a Committee or Board is the be-all, end-all. There are even people who think so highly of themselves that they promote the nonsense that they have decided to give something back to the community. Needless to say, that their worth to anyone is just the figment of their own imagination.<BR/><BR/>The Citizens Budget Committee is such an example. So ashamed of the final report, three of the seven members did not sign it. So are we to praise the four that did?<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, my personal favorite volunteers are the Library Board of Trustees who are people who honestly love the Library and what service it can be to a community. My quarrel is that they don't know what they are doing in pursuit of this goal. And that their ignorance and pride has cost taxpayers lots of wasted money. <BR/><BR/>The gatekeeper to being on these Commissions and Boards is Feiner and the Town Council. Need I say more. On the other hand, maybe you think made in China is a mark of high cachet.<BR/><BR/>Just what is it I have written about issues that you actually disagree with? What is it (besides signing up for service) that you think I don't know what I am talking about?<BR/>If you think I can't be right because I haven't sought to join some resume enhancer, then what errors have I made in my posts?<BR/><BR/>This is the old game of taking potshots at the messenger. You don't like the news so change papers.<BR/><BR/>If you want to be a joiner and get your name on some list, be my guest. But I'll match my hours of work on behalf of the residents with any member of any appointed Board or Committee. And since you remain anonymous, I'm thinking you're ashamed of your own missing credentials.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-1332521936830611552008-12-02T22:57:00.000-05:002008-12-02T22:57:00.000-05:00I'm not sure about the wisdom of cutting police. ...I'm not sure about the wisdom of cutting police. A man died of a heart attack last night at the NYSC in Hartsdale village around 10 P.M. According to one witness who tried to help the stricken man, it took 7 minutes from the time 911 was called until the Greenburgh EMT/Police arrived. Despite valiant efforts of some people present, the man's pulse stopped about a minute before the EMT arrived. I have no idea: is about 7 mintues acceptable arrival time for 10 pm on a Monday night to Hartsdale Village?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-75927792297533023772008-12-02T22:51:00.000-05:002008-12-02T22:51:00.000-05:00Mr. Samis You write,"Joining is not curing. Nor wo...Mr. Samis <BR/>You write,"Joining is not curing. Nor would the Town Board appoint me to anything. I prefer to work from outside the system. I don't have secrets." <BR/>So, you are a chicken hawk!<BR/>You do not have the guts to do any real work. It seem you enjoy the game of complaining about others work. <BR/>Give me a break!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-89095203819514446242008-12-02T22:34:00.000-05:002008-12-02T22:34:00.000-05:00To 6:37,Joining is not curing. Nor would the Town...To 6:37,<BR/>Joining is not curing. Nor would the Town Board appoint me to anything. I prefer to work from outside the system. I don't have secrets. If the Library Board or any Board wanted to heed my advice, they can still use the road maps I provide free of charge from impersonal email. They don't have to embrace the messenger. As Marshall McLuhan wrote, "The Medium is the Massage". <BR/><BR/>Dear Mr. Herring,<BR/>(not exactly the best allusion: a red herring in underwriting is the compilation of the salient facts brought into sharp focus so that a buyer can make a Sy Syms type of decision.)<BR/><BR/>At the risk of deviating from the study guide, I want to point out that the Library budget $3+ million is not an inconsequential amount and that of all the budgets, the Town Board, through its belief that it needs to disengage from line analysis and just deal with a total number, there is still good reason to continue harping. Who knows last year's Arts Council was similarly banished from discussion and this year it has made it to the finals.<BR/><BR/>First, comparison with the 2006 Library operating budget is not meaningful and for reasons other than the doubling in building size. During the pre-referendum shows, the Library teams sold the public that expenses would not necessarily rise due to the larger size. The obvious expense of HVAC was handled by telling everyone that thanks to geothermal wells, these costs would be contained. And the glass windows would allow natural light in and reduce the electric bill. You may remember their funded "Special Project" which was to purchase the equipment and tags to electronically sort media which would reduce employee handling.<BR/><BR/>But what is being overlooked when comparing with 2009 to 2006 is that the 2006 budget was grossly inflated which was the specialty of the Library Board of Trustees. The kind of budgeting that allowed for unparalled increases for the top management and leaving large and growing balances in the Library Fund. Since the Town Council wanted to be best friend to the Library, there was no oversight, even to capping their annual booty. So, from my point of view, in 2006 the Library got way too much money. <BR/><BR/>However, as for your other comments, you are assuredly correct in that Feiner has not really considered the impact of his proposed budget on reducing essential services while preserving those economic dinosaurs of the past.<BR/>His stubborn determination to retain his $67,000 (plus benefits) confidential secretary "hello, the Supervisor isn't here, would you like his voicemail" is a throwback to another era while using modern day technology to reduce the secretarial requirement to zip. The fact is that we don't need a costly human presence to direct us to an answering machine. What the Supervisor, however, does need is not having an angry ex-employee revealing his grey market dealings.<BR/><BR/>Defending the Arts Council staffer at $61,000 is so off-the-wall in a difficult budget that one would think that here is another person that has the "goods" on Feiner. Especially when everything she does is replicable by the Schools or the Library. The face-saving gesture would be to say "now that the Library is open..." And don't forget what is coming but hidden from view is the now $3000 expense of the Hartsdale sculpture curator.<BR/><BR/>The Police Department is another matter. Here there is a fine line created by understaffing the Patrol function while running a department store sheltering boutique services that are mostly unique to Greenburgh. The EMS functions, tech support, SWAT, marine unit, Patriot the dog, etc. are all corruptions of the theme "what if someone were to die" which apparently can only happen in Greenburgh but not at its neighbors. The Chief of Police says that each officer is "two mints in one" in that they also perform not one but two jobs, i.e. patrol and ems or, patrol and SWAT. with the second function assumed only when the officer is called to provide that service. What the Chief does not admit is that if a Patrol Officer becomes engaged performing EMS duties, the patrols are now reduced by at least one officer until their EMS work is completed. Thus, when the Department budget leaves no money to beef up the sector patrols (cops need extensive training before being of any use AND they need even MORE training to learn a specialty) and these patrol functions are understaffed, cutting the budget and reducing the number of officers makes no sense ESPECIALLY when the budget is apportioned to preserve the non-essential services. In effect, the public is being held hostage to maintaining Greenburgh firsts while the main mission of the Police is under funded. <BR/><BR/>The other items, Xposure, Fire District, private tennis instruction, stipends, summer programs are all aimed at narrow specialized publics but if more grateful voters can be won over at public expense, why would you expect these bits of fluff to be lost to providing instead a high level of essential services. Bob Bernstein made a good point when he defined some expenses as nice, some as needs and some as necessary. If the purpose of the budget is to address all those residents who tell Feiner that they can't afford to live in Greenburgh, a truly concerned Supervisor would see that before the "nice" find their way to budget lines, the necessary are first adequately funded.<BR/><BR/>And that is the rub. Feiner the politician only deals with the perceived reality because the current objective reality from lowered revenues is too painful.<BR/>If he can make people believe he is doing a good job, that is more immediate than actually doing a good job.<BR/><BR/>And, were revenue shortfalls truly enigmatic, then the Town Board could easily seek the return of all those illegal gifts made with the WestHelp funding. But these are considered water under the bridge and if you seek to raise these issues, then you are buying another 30 minute tutorial on replacing the bridge.<BR/><BR/>And comment quickly, Feiner is sure to return with a new posting of what a great and useful work session we just had.<BR/><BR/>Perceived reality always trumps objective reality. Welcome to the world of Feiner.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33594888.post-9330741423192658402008-12-02T22:11:00.000-05:002008-12-02T22:11:00.000-05:00That was the assessor's mistake. Heah, it is not...That was the assessor's mistake. Heah, it is not easy, she works at least 4 hours a day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com