One of the big disappointments of 2006/2007 was the failure of the Town Board to approve an agreement that would have generated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the town in rent. The proposal would also have enabled the town to have our tennis courts reconstructed and resurfaced.
We're facing a big tax hike. Shouldn't this proposal be resurrected? It's a REVENUE PRODUCER. The following is from the town's web site: May 7,2005 (Supervisors Report):
BUBBLE OVER TENNIS COURTS...SIGNIFICANT REVENUE
Release Date: May 07, 2005
Sportimeis proposing that they be able to build, at their cost, a bubble over our tennis facility at AnthonyVeteranParkthat would be privatized during off peak seasons. The benefits to the town: guaranteed revenue---a March 2nd proposal (which is being revised) provides a guaranteed minimum fee of $125,000 to the town the first year to $271,645 the 15th year). During the term of the license the fee payable to the town will be 10% of gross receipts.
Sportime, at their expense, will pay for the bubble…RECONSTRUCT AND RESURFACE five existing hard tennis courts…construct 2 har tru tennis courts to replace the existing hard tennis courts…install outdoor lighting for the two newly constructed tennis courts, new drainage around the tennis courts and a sidewalk form the parking area to the clubhouse with connecting paths to the tennis courts. They will also, at their expense, resurface one outdoor basketball court and two handball courts and re-tile the existing tennis court restrooms.
THERE IS MORE…They will construct a clubhouse building at their expense of about 3600 square feet on two levels, to provide an indoor viewing patio, a lounge, locker rooms, a pro shop and reception and office facilities.
AND…THERE IS MORE………..Sportime will offer free programs for junior and adult residents---a pre scheduled tennis camp for junior residents featuring free introductory tennis instructions during December and winter breaks…free racquets for junior residents- a minimum of 500 free tennis racquets valued at $15,000 to be given away per year…one free introductory group tennis lesson to interested junior and adult residents (based on availability). And---membership in Sportime at $0 per month with a valid unicard. Residents of Greenburgh will have access to Sportime tennis facilities in Mamaroneck, Westchesterand in Manhattan.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO JANET LEFKOWITZ, Greenburgh’s outstanding Tennis Director for her hard work and dedication to the Town of Greenburgh. She deserves our appreciation for her commitment to making our tennis programs the best in America. This is the kind of initiative that makes financial sense. It’s prudent, responsible, enhances services without over-taxing residents.
PAUL FEINER
GreenburghTownSupervisor
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Wasn't one of the issues with this proposal whether the facility would give preference to residents? Sportstime (or whoever) was going to sell memberships and have exclusive use of the facilities during certain hours. Has that changed?
I think there was also a question about liability for injuries -
BEFORE going forward, there must be a determination of which budget will receive the revenues - because the money to acquire and maintain the facilities to date have all come from the unincorporated side it would seem only fair that the "B" budget be creditied with the revenues. But that also means the "B" budget should be charged for adequate insurance to cover the liabilities.
I fear this is the first step to privatizing Greenburgh's parks and dismantling the unincorporated areas recreational areas. Is this meant as punishment by the lily-white villages for the unincorporated areas request that the villages pay their fair share of the Parks and Recreation budget?
We need some real answers before this goes any farther!
Had Feiner listened to Bernstein and others when they raised concerns about the foolish purchase of taxter ridge which was a gift to irvington's school district and not a true park as well as the fact that charging only unincorporated greenburgh for a park open to all residents, the whole A vs. B budget mess night not have escalated to the point of war where it is now.
Kevin Morgan is off track when he says he is going to listen to the villages or adopt a villages first policy - he should listen to everyone. Lets hope he shows some independence from Feiner's way of doing things which can be summed up as ask questions later.
correction - "that charging only unincorporated greenburgh for a park open to all residents was both illegal and unfair"
With both Feiner and Morgan openly espousing a "villages first" policy can more Bernstein-inspired lawsuits be far behind?
The unincorporated areas should be smart enough to understand that at least two Town politicians have adopted an openly disrespectful attitude towards the non-white community. Where are the black and Hsipanic leaders who should be leading the effort to insist that Feiner and Morgan respect the community?
Having lost big-time in the election, are Bernstein and his friends adopting a new destructive policy, race-baiting? Seems so.
Judith Beville and Sonja Brown, our newly elected clerk and councilwoman, are both african american leaders who were part of the Feiner team.
The only thing Bernstein can do now to undermind the new council members is play the race card.
We have lived in harmony all these years Bernstein we do not need you to start this kind of a war.
You have done enough to divide the Edgemont area don't start with the rest of the town.
I'm sure every aspect of this plan will be checked out thoroughly.
Let's try to see how we can start bringing in some revenue.
We have to take one step at a time .
What is needed is good planning from the beginning.
Just remember Bernstein will throw another monkey wrench into this plan so be on your toes.
The cabal never gives up. When did Morgan espouse a village first attitude. You are such morons. He does not live in the village of Elmsford. He grew up in the unincorporate area of the town and lives in the unincorporate. Just like a little child who did not get his way the midget Bernstien is at it with his very few friends. As I read it Morgan said he would listen to everyone and happened to be at a meeting in Edgemont on traffic. Guess Boob missed that one.
Where in gods name did this race card get dealt. Bob and a holes you are sick individuals. Morgan lives in north Elmsford and probably knows more NON WHITES that sonja and judy. He is well received in the latino community where I am one. Maybe my people should move to Edgemont and bring them to a cultural abyss. Do your kids where white hood to bed BOB.
Talk about bigots guess Lorin Brown is at it. The ultimate white hater just watch him attack PAUL. EDDIE MAE and ALFREDA can not do a thing for years but that's OK. They can raise taxes, thats ok they can never show up thats ok
Had Paul listened to BOOB the town would be closed down. BOOB move to Scarsdale PLEASE. We will buy your house and make it a park for Fairview residents.
Listening is what the voters did. Listen well they did. If the others had listened they would still be in office. BUT they listened to Bernstein and McNally and Preiser and now they are Bye Bye We owe they a debt of gratitude, without them it could have been another 4 years.
Mickey Mouse could be in office and Bob would sue. Clinton could be in office and he would sue. He is sick
Morgan can come to our neighhood anytime and be welcome with open arms. He can come to the hispanic community and be welcome. By the way he is a member of the NAACP and was endorsed by the Hispanic Law Officers Assn. I know because I am a member of the HLOA. BOB however you can come over and we can beat you like a pinata .
Sonya and Judy hate whites right BOB
I would love to see the policy of village first. At least we the villages will have someone to listen, maybe not change anything but listen
98% of what the town board does has nothing to do with the villages (and when they get involved they screw it up)
the unincorporated area pays 95% of the taxes
the A (the entire town) budget is dwarfed by the B (unincorporated budget)
if morgan is listening to the villages he is in the wrong town
btw - what does villages first mean? is that like america first?
what happened to the "for our town" theme of the last election? or is a village first policy the best for the town?
Of course the unincorporated pays 95% of the real estate taxes, but they receive 99% of the benefits.
Someone in the Villages has identified that the "A" budget was undercredited for at least $5 million since the year 2000 to the benefit of the "B" budget. If corrected, the "B" fund balance would be virtually zero and then watch the taxes really rise for 2008 and beyond. Thank you Bob B for kicking the "sleeping" dog.
Yup, Bob B has sure done the unincorporated area a big favor. He woke up the villages to start looking at our budgets so now they know that the A budget pays more than $10 million each year for services to the unincorporated area for which the villages get diddly-squat and now we find out that the A budget was gypped out of another %5 million by crediting the B budget instead of the A budget. No wonder they want to secede.
Do you have any other goodies for us Bob?
If we could get rid of this old-fashioned unincorporated thing (divide it into three normal villages), everything would be much more peaceful and fair around here.
dear budget minders
can you detail the 5 million
in the interim, bernstein has discovered 10 million the B budget is being charged for when its probably more likely an A budget item
lets get it right. and if as samis says, we are living beyond our means, start cutting positions and frill services
Dear Specifics please bs,
Of couse the Villages can and will at the appropriate time. Just take a VERY CLOSE look at the past budget documents and it will knock you over. It's so obvious, but if you are a "super lawyer" you are not very good at accounting, just good at the law.
Has Anonymous 7:40 not yet learned that Bernsrein makes things up to fit his arguments, and that they have no relation to the truth? Or is he still fixated on his lawsuit?
reality check - so far mr bernstein has been successful in all his lawsuits.
the courts have ruled he had standing to challenge the town's taxing only unincorporated for taxter ridge and then found that doing so was illegal. as a result all town taxpayers are paying for taxter, a park open to all town residents.
another example where feiner didnt listen, didnt get competent legal advice, was conned by danny gold of irvington and all other tree lovers.
the problem with feiner and his fellow travelers is that there never will be enough parks to put his name plates on.
feiner doesnt understand that we cannot afford these vanity parks.
Did any of you "commenters" read the original post? I've read what you've written and it's hard to believe that you comprehend what Feiner is saying. This is a great revenue source to offset a big tax increase by a spendthrift board. Let the details be hammered out by the lawyers...not by you nit-pickers!
I think it is a brilliant proposal and I congratulate Paul for coming up with it!
Now, I'd like to hear some creative solutions from you characters! Try being positive for a change!
To: 11/09/2007 3:24 PM
AMEN!!!!!!!
Paul don't set this plan aside but make sure you do your homework.
You have a good legal staff let them check all avenues before you go full speed ahead.The revenue this would generate would be very hephful to all the residents of Greenburg .
To 3:24 and his "seconder.:
First, let me say, simple solutions to complicated problems invariably are wrong. You, whoever the hell you are, "think it's a brillint idea," and the people-equally anonymus,who don't think like you, are
nit-wits.
You also think the board is a spendthrift board. Does that include ALL of the board or only some of the board? If you leave out the supervisor you are dead wrong. This problem we are facing is not of the here and now. It is an accumulation of decades of financial mismanagment. As such budgets have been ratfied over the course of his tenure by the supervisor as well as, at least two other members. If on occasion-probably in the last four years when he had majority opposition- he didn't vote for the budget, my guess is he voted for at least 12 other budgets.So, he too must be a spendthrift member. I agree that poor "dollar decisions have been made, else we wouldn't be in this mess. But Paul should not get a Mulligan.
Regarding the Spottime proposal to put a bubble over the tennis courts at Anthony Veteran Park, no question it's a great idea and I'm 100% for it.
BUT, there is one small problem. Veteran Park is an unincorporated,dedicated park paid for and for use of ONLY UNINCORPORATED RESIDENTS. Therefore, it's not a financially viable proposition for Sporttime, because they could only sell memberships to unincorporated residents.One way to solve that problem is to open the park to everyone and everyone would pay for it. I'm sure there may be other solutions, but I leave that to SMARTASSES like you who label others as nit-wits, back an idea without knowing the facts, and, with good reason, not reveal your name.
Paul, Krauss is in your corner listen to what he says about this plan.
There has to be a way that this could be our only salvation in the coming years.
Open all the parks or see if you can sell one or two.At the moment we have too many that need somemore work.This work is a yearly project that we could do without.
excellent idea, I would be the first to join. So get it done.
But please leave a few courts bubble-less, it was warm enough to play outdoor tennis much of last winter.
I think it is time for edgemont to become a village.
No taxation without representation.
I think it is time for edgemont to become a village.
No taxation without representation.
YOU ALL NEED TO GET A LIFE !!!
Edgemont civic leaders put us in this boat,for constantly asking for more and more greenspace.
NOW YOU WANT TO BECOME A VILLAGE. sure you already did Greenburgh harm so now you want to jump ship.
If this tennis bubble is for the good of the people go for it.
Just make sure that things are done right.We do not want any problems down the road.
,
Just for your information -
The Edgemont Community Council you love to revile VOTED AGAINST the purchase of Taxter Ridge.
It's in the minutes - ask Frank Kaiman for a copy of the resolution and the roll call vote.
The acquisition of parkland has been the hallmark of the Supervisor's reign - he proudly brags we now have more than three times as much as when he was first elected.
The facts are very straightforward.
DANNY GOLD and the IRVINGTON BOARD OF EDUCATION were the instigators of the purchase of Taxter Ridge, not Edgemont.
Dear Incorporated Villagers -
How about:
No representation without taxation.
Pay your fair share - or shut up.
Dear 3:18, how about incorporated residents paying for the Town Comptroller, the Town Attorney, the Town Court, the Town data processing, the Town Hall, none of which do anything for the villages. Or else shut up.
tax cutting idea - get the town out of the parks, some recreation and arts funding business. we have enough county and state parks as well as federally funded parks open to all. neighborhood parks should be paid for by a local park district. otherwise we get boondoggles like taxter ridge and hiring halls like young center.
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