NY State transportation officials announced today that they will be recommending the replacement of the Tappan Zee bridge with a new, larger bridge. The project will cost $16 billion to complete. The proposal includes a bus system –and eventually train service from Suffern to Port Chester. The State Department of Transportation is the lead agency for the project. Funding for the bridge has not been secured as of yet – and lengthy environmental reviews must be conducted.
I believe that the time has come for NY state officials to aggressively study the possibility of placing wind turbines on the new Tappan Zee bridge. State officials should also explore other initiatives that could make the bridge a model for green bridge design. Placing wind turbines on the bridge would be a way for the state to advertise the need to conserve energy and to consider energy alternatives. About 140,000 cars a day cross the bridge---I am sure that if 140,000 people see a wind turbine daily on the top of the bridge it will encourage many motorists to reflect on ways they can do their part to conserve energy. The cost of wind turbines or other energy alternatives will be nominal when one considers the fact that it will cost about $16 billion to replace the bridge.
Let’s make the new bridge construction project a PERMANENT advertisement for green construction. Wind turbines is one option. There may be other initiatives that the state could/should explore while they take the next steps that will lead to a new TZ bridge.
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One more non-greenburgh post or post of consuquence and "September" will be bounced to the archives.
Is this the true intent?
The United States economy is facing a financial meltdown requiring a $700 billion bailout, state and local governments are facing a steep drop in tax revenues to finance their operations, housing prices are falling precipitously, Greenburgh's ratable tax base is already down $2.4 million for the year, unincorporated Greenburgh experienced a 21% tax hike in 2008 and the town comptroller is warning of a similar tax hike for 2009, the Town's just released annual financial statement warns of a potentially uninsured $5.7 million judgment against the Town because of Feiner's alleged violation of federal law in the Fortress Bible litigation -- and Feiner wants state taxpayers to spend whatever it takes to place wind turbines on the new Tappan Zee Bridge for advertising purposes.
Memo to Feiner: This isn't thinking outside of the box. This is thinking that should put you in a padded cell.
Wouldn't it be nice if during these dire times the only full time elected official in Greenburgh were to focus his limited mental faculties on town problems?
Hal! I was just thing the very same thing.
Mr. Feiner -
Placing wind turbines on the bridge may be a fine (or merely a feiner) idea. Before going to great lengths to promote the idea, have YOU, not a committee, not a blogger, not someone else - personally thought about how the power generated will be delivered?
Very large, very unsightly transmission cables will be required. Environmentalists, whom YOU have vigorously supported, prevented the placement of transmission lines under the Hudson River to enable the transmission from clean hydroelectric facilities in upstate New York and Canada. Why and how would these necessary transmission lines be any different? They wouldn't be - and they are likely to be opposed by exactly the same groups. Where do YOU stand? Have YOU invented a clean, green and invisible solution to power transmission? If so, please patent it in the name of Greenburgh, license it, and we will never have to worry about balancing a town budget again.
Concentrate on YOUR job as chief fiscal officer of a town on the brink of the abyss.
Mr. Feiner: Wind turbines may or may not be a nice idea, but I'm very concerned that you are not spending time on your specific supervisory job responsibilities.
Mr.or Mrs. Anonymous: Motivating others to conserve energy is part of Mr. Feiner's job. The TZ bridge connects to Greenburgh and impacts Greenburgh residents.
Greenburgh is a nice place to live. The town staff is good. I have few complaints about Greenburgh. Mr. Feiner is doing nice things for our community.
The only thing I don't like is these angry posts.
I'm not angry. It's just weird to have a supervisor with no concern about supervising the day-to-day operations of the township. Nothing against regional stuff, but his position is first and foremost to supervise matters like clogged sewers, overgrown weeds, performance of department managers, etc. I guess if the township were in good shape, his preference for regional matters wouldn't seem so odd.
*waves to Paul Feiner @6:29 & 6:38*
Disappointed that we have a handful of people out there who are angry, mean spirited. Your anger is defeating your goals. It's pathetic.
Wind turbines, dog park, cowardly bloggers, meals on wheels,lake boaters, caribbean food and miscellaneous.
"I've created this blog along with Paul Feiner in order to enable greater citizen participation and opinions in government within the town of Greenburgh."
Something is very, very wrong here.
THERE IS ONLY ONE THING WRONG WITH GTEENBURGH .
THAT IS A DISFUNTIONAL GOVERNMENT.
A GOVERNMENT THAT DOES NOT WORK FOR ALL THE PEOPLE DOES NOT LISTEN
WE THE PEOPLE HAVE NO SAY AS TO WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG.
THE GOVERNMENT TAKES FROM ALL TO GIVE TO A CHOSEN FEW.
WE TOO [THE WHITE PEOPLE]ARE RESIDENTS OF GREENBURGH OR HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN.
THE NEW BRIDGE IS YEARS AWAY WE NEED HELP NOW .WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE PAYING OUR EXPENSES AS FAR AS ELECTRICITY AND HEATING AS THOSE CHOSEN FEW ON WELFARE..
STOP THE BS AND SEE HOW YOU CAN BRING SOME HARMONY BACK INTO GREENBURGH BY DOING WHAT IS RIGHT.
YOU HAVE THROWN US TO THE WAYSIDE FOR TOOOOOOO LONG.
Would Mr. Feiner be starting a run for higher office?
The comment about white people is disgraceful. Bigotry not tolerated in town.
6:28,
Really? Why doesn't someone clue Cora Carey in on this as she uses the phrase "white folks" in BOE meetings and various other places.
Cora is not Greenburgh. Her comments should also not be tolerated. I moved to Greenburgh because we all get along. Cut out the crap! This is not the time for mean spirited comments.
Okay, so let's say "the residents of central and southern Unincorporated Greenburgh."
Can't you guys stop complaining about EVERYTHING.
Nope. This is what happens because any and all complaints fall on deaf ears. This is what happens when you are stiffled at public meetings, by the council, from expressing concerns or making complaints!
How can you claim that you can't complain when you're badmouthing Fenier and his government non stop on HIS blog. If Paul wanted to stifle participation there would be no blog.
Ah, you misapprehend.
It is NOT Feiner's gvoernment.
It is OURS.
Do you know any other government that lets the people say anything they want about anything on a blog?
Proud that our town has solar panels on roof. Pleased that library will use geothermal. Greenburgh is always a leader!
and you all will pay $$$ to live here
Do you know any other government that lets the people say anything they want about anything on a blog?
1) Not HIS blog. 2) He doesn't care what we think. 3) He says whatever he likes here. 4) This is not a serious forum to address concerns or complaints. 5) He chastises bloogers when he doesn't like what he reads. 6) The intention of this blog is for Feiner self promotion.
We need Paul in Albany to run this bridge project.
we need paul out of greenburgh
Dear 9:11,
There are consequences.
"Patriot" is defined in the dictionary as one who loves their country.
Is there a word for one who loves their State?
If so, does "treason" extend to electing Feiner to higher office?
Still, isn't "hari-kari" what we practice in Greenburgh?
Perhaps, the practical solution would be to return him (hope you held on to your original receipt) to the County Bored of Legislators just to thwart Mr. Bass.
Paul has proven himself here in Greenburgh. He is a manager and should be given a regional stage. Govenor Patterson and Mike Bloomberg are cutting their budgets only Paul has that special quality to keep spending your tax dollars.
The above comments are STUPID! You are wasting our time ranting.
"He is a manager and should be given a regional stage."
He chooses to neglect his basic day-to-day supervisory job responsibilities, so I'd say that he's a poor manager. But he could be beneficial for regional lobbying or something like that.
only Paul has that special quality to keep spending your tax dollars ... LOL!!!!!!!
The voters of greenburgh have chosen Paul 9 times for supervisor.
To 9/28 at noon -
So don't read and instead spend your time productively - like waiting through interminable awards, recognitions and presentations at Town Board meetings to be heard.
Sadly Paul is not now, nor has he ever claimed to be, a manager.
He is a self-proclaimed gadfly and self-promoter. He has no credentials as a leader, only as an effective manipulator. As soon as the bandwagon begins to roll, Paul is on it claiming he invented it (remember Al Gore and the internet? Paul was upset that Gore claimed credit first). When the bandwagon crashes disasterously, Paul denies ever having ridden it.
Paul has outworn his welcome at every other level of government - when will voters in Greenburgh get wise? Probably only after Town taxes have doubled in three years - which sadly is likely to be after the next election.
Paul could regain the respect and grudging admiration of many by recognizing and adopting behavior reflecting his recognition:
First - when you are wrong APOLOGIZE - don't blame someone else for your failures. Kolesar didn't create the financial crisis - the Town Board you were elected nine times to lead, fouled up.
Second - acknowledge your distaste for making difficult decisions and complete lack of interest in being a day-to-day manager. Join the effort to revise Greenburgh's charter to create a professional Town Manager.
When you've done those things, even some of your staunchest critics may come to accept your efforts.
Paul keeps getting elected, more people vote for Paul and his team than vote for the opposition.
Paul is an excellent manager. He keeps getting elected and re-elected. He gets elected because he understands public service: Excellent services, high bond ratings.
Paul has been managing the town for at least a dozen years (since I moved here). He's frugal with our tax dollars. Didn't CNN rate Greenburgh one of the best places to live in in America earlier this year? You can't beat that!
Some of the nuts who enjoy beating up on the town have been doing so for years. They control the blogs. But they don't control the voters.
OT: Does anyone know what happened to the store Jump Ship in the Verizon shopping center? They closed in mid August with a sign in the window that they were doing alterations, would be open again on 9/1. They sign is gone, no alterations dome and they are still closed. The store has been left as it was back in August.
Anyone know what happened?
umm...mabe they jumped ship?
"Didn't CNN rate Greenburgh one of the best places to live in in America earlier this year?"
Yes, but they included the villages and miscategorized Greenburgh as a city, so it's now officially been deemed as an invalid recognition.
Thanks 8:54. I supposed they did! Silly me. :D
COMPARING THE PAUL OF 1992 TO THE ONE OF 2008
1992: There should be term limits.
2008: Except for me of course.
1992: Criticizes Tony Veteran for the use of cars for town employees.
2008: The Greenburgh fleet has expanded to 22 vehicles, all of which go home at night.
1992: I promise to follow up, and actually did at that time.
2008: Could someone explain to me what follow-up means?
1992: Kept his word.
2008: Put it this way, if you put a poly-graph near him, it would never shut down.
1992: Let’s have citizen committees for many different aspects that improve life in Greenburgh.
2008: What’s a committee?
1992: You could call him at home.
2008: Please deposit 75 cents for the first minute.
1992: If this blog existed, it would be full of praise, support, and promise for a bright future.
2008: 90% of the postings here are complaints because of inconsistent following of the rules, favoritism, citizens not being treated fairly, staff morale non-existent, and Paul’s reputation has denigrated to your stereo-typical negative politician. Anything to get reelected, anything to avoid confrontation, and talking on both sides of his mouth. Many of us who live in the town don’t really want to talk to you Paul, because we have no faith in your word which is meaningless.
HOW DO WE GET THE GUY FROM 1992 BACK?
WE ALL LIKED HIM MUCH BETTER THAN THIS 2008 EDITION.
DADDY I WANT TO WORK FOR GREENBURGH WHEN I GROW UP.
Don’t you want to work in a place where hard work, accomplishment, and education have impact? Sorry, Julia, it doesn’t work that way in Greenburgh.
Wouldn’t it be great to work for a town where staff is treated with respect?
Oops, sorry, Julia, no respect in Greenburgh.
But Daddy, How do you get promoted in Greenburgh? I thought it was with hard work. Well, Julia, I think there are some things you don’t understand just yet. But in Greenburgh you get ahead by back-stabbing your boss, doing as little work as possible, and being a person who’s generally disliked.
But Daddy, I don’t understand?
Well Julia, it’s easy. You just treat certain people really nice. And you treat other people well – not too nicely.
But Dad, if I accomplish allot and really act as a leader, won’t that get me anywhere in your town? Julia, no. See we have a lot of limited people who are not really good in their jobs here, especially appointees. You see Julia, they’re not that bright, and they’re rather lazy, and hey listen, they probably don’t put in any where near 35 hours a week. You see Julia, if you accomplish allot, work hard, get an education, these dummies get really jealous and they’ll hate you for it.
Julia, why don’t you go back to bed. And please, don’t even think about working for the town of Greenburgh. You’re my daughter and you’re just too good to be working with these peasants.
sad but almost completely true. At least appointed people can be asked to resign to bad nobody looks into these positions.
Why no response to 9/26's question about the transmission lines?
While you may not like the title blurb, the point he makes requires a response - and you've had enough time to think about it.
Speaking of energy conservation, has the gas-guzzling problem solver station wagon been retired? I haven't seen it, or the fume spewing library mobile, in a while.
why don't we just put you on top of the new bridge. Your full of hot air and can probably generate alot of energy by yapping and yapping!
The "mobile problem solver" station wagon is still on the road - and frequently the driver is engaged in using his blackberry while driving.
Greenburgh hs an opportunity for another first - the first Town to be sued by an accident victim where the accident occured because the Town Supervisor was driving while texting.
Mr. Supervisor, the rules about signalling turns and obeying red lights are not optional. Only emergency vehicles displaying a flashing light and making use of a siren may go through a red light - your inattention to detail is showing again.
Funny I too have seen the supervisor stopped at a green light while reading the paper.....he wouldnt be so obvious if it werent for that silly sign!
Also since the supervisor wants to be so "green" why dosent he order the lights to be turned off at the library which is underconstruction on nights and weekends. How much extra is that costing us...We always overlook the obvious when it comes to saving.
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