The 2009 budget process is beginning. And, we’d like your input –early in the process. The town’s bond rating was increased in April to AAA by S & P (the highest possible bond rating a municipality can receive). However, all local governments are entering the 2009 budget process without a sense of certainty as to what we can anticipate for revenues and expenditures during the coming year. For example: will oil prices increase or decrease next year? How will gas costs for police and highway vehicles, costs of asphalt products for highways and heating costs for town buildings be impacted (we anticipate our utility costs to go up at least 30%)? Will sales tax and mortgage tax receipts continue to decline?
SOME SPECIFICS…
**Our 2009 insurance costs will increase about $1,050,000 in 2009 over 2008.
**Assessed valuations of property have decreased by over $2 million since June.
**We are receiving less state financial assistance from the state.
**The town is receiving less interest (we used to received about 5% interest, now it’s down to about 2%).
**There has been no growth in sales tax.
**The mortgage tax revenue that we receive is down at least $600,000-$700,000.
The budget for 2009 will be proposed by the end of October. The Town Board has till the end of the year to adopt a final budget. We can cut services and programs. Even if we cut programs there will be a tax hike. But, we can reduce the size of the hike. Or – we can maintain the services we are used to. We want to hear from you. This is the tentative schedule (subject to change).
PAUL FEINER
Please note the revised schedule for budget meetings with the Board:
Thursday, October 2nd
8:00pm – Purchasing
8:15pm – Legal
8:45pm – Planning
Tuesday, October 7th
2:00pm – Parks & Recreation
3:30pm – DPW
5:30pm – Adjourn
7:30pm – TDYCC
Tuesday, October 14th
2:00pm – Philanthropy
2:30pm – Ridge Hill Report
2:45pm – Police Department
4:30pm – Comptroller
5:30pm – Adjourn
7:30pm – Assessor
Tuesday, October 21st
2:00pm – Tax Receiver
2:30pm – Building
3:00pm – GNC
3:30pm – Library
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
56 comments:
Why Paul are you allowing Whitehead to do the 2009 TDYCC budget and continue working? Put her on administrative leave immediately - put George Conilo in charge or Pat Roper. Whitehead lost any respect of the community, town officials and staff.
She (Whitehead) seething and being vindictive-she's lost her job, she's under investigation (will probably go to jail) maybe not if you (Paul) can control the outcome. Let's be accountable - put Whitehead out to pasture NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Greenburgh offers many optional services that can be trimmed down or eliminated. Remember what's most essential for a municipality - street cleaning, building codes, police protection, sanitation, etc. - things that are the primary purpose for municipal taxes. Keep this in mind, and making cuts will not be difficult.
CLOSE THE DAY CARE AND THE CENTER.
THESE ARE THE TWO PROGRAMS THAT ARE STEALING OUR TAX DOLLARS.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MONEY OWED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.DID YOU FORGET ABOUT THAT DEBT OF OVER ONE HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
Stop asking for grants for all your foolish whims. We the taxpayers have to match each and everyone.
The school programs are more than enough for our children. The xposure program should be shelved.
You know Paul it's getting to be a problem with you that you have and will find ways to spend our tax dollars but you cannot seem to find a way to save dollars.
You have law suits after law suits because of your bad adminisrative
positions.
You have not and will not listen to the residents until it is too late.
So now you decided to tell us that this town is in trouble well I have news for you this is not new news.
We have known this for sometime and we do believe this will be going on for many years to come.
You put an idiot in charge of the library and it will cost us more tax dollars.
You put a program in that will help children of Fairview that being xposure.
You pushed for the purchase of a forest on Taxter rd, just to give your friend a bigger back yard.
You have not made a penny from the center or day care .
Your police dept. has overtime up the gazoo.I'm sure many are padding their salary for a good retirement pension.
These things were all told to you and the board over and over again.
by Samis,Bernstein Krauss and many others.
DID YOU AND THE BOARD LISTEN.NO
You all have to keep saying mia culpa ,mia culpa mia maxima culpa.
Translated thru my fault ,thru my fault thru my greatest fault
By the way you have made the Housing Authority receive private Greenburgh protection for about five years knowing darn well that they had no intentions of paying for the service.
I'm sure more bloggers will come up with many things that the town board has done to give us a tremendous tax hike for this year and many more to come.
You have dug some hole for us and there is no way to dig out.
.
Making cuts will not be difficult.
Get rid of one of your commissioners that has cost us mega buks.
The library, the building at Veteran park,a garage that was built to house garbage trucks but turned out too small and so many other expenditures that were made only to be done over again.
Why do you keep this man on?
Have you not done your homework as to how much he has made the town spend because of his failures in his so called managerial skills.
He does not check on all his men to see if they are doing the right thing.
As far as the highway men there is always one person working and the other watch.
How much longer do we have to pay to have watchers and not workers.
You will not put forth a law to bag leaves which will save the residents money as far as overtime and wear and tear on the machinery but above all the destruction of the roadways caused by the pickup macninery.
If you would only try this once to see how much money would be saved,but this guy for you is a grey god who refuses to make a change just to justify how he runs his show.
If the bags of leaves were picked up regularly there would not be dirty street,broken curbs and above all money will be saved.
Sent to the Town Board yesterday.
"Although broadcast sound did not exist for the beginning of the work session (luckily for Mr. Regula), I was "shocked" later to see and hear the Library Director making a case for moving a considerable excess of accumulated funds from their operating budget to purchase "capital items" which are rightfully belonging to the Library expansion.
It was about a year ago that the Library argued that due to the budget forced upon them by the Town Board, that they would be unable to operate the cybermobile for the coming year (2008).
At that time, Howard Jacobs and Susan Wolfert argued "convincingly" (at least enough to fool the local newspapers and the Town Board) that lacking approximately $167,000:no cybermobile.
Thus, there was no cybermobile in the first quarter of the year; the second quarter was funded by the Lanza Foundation. As for the third and fourth quarters (when only half of the money is needed), no cybermobile again. And since the Community Center was providing the services of a driver, the $167,000 number (disputed) would be lower as it included a driver.
Yet the Library has "discovered" $120,000 to start buying capital items for a Library expansion that is still called "on budget", even if it is a now higher level of "on budget".
Of course, the project is also still on schedule, with no delays of record.
I think that the Town Board (with the exception of Mr. Sheehan who stubbornly wants to go down with the ship, perhaps because he is the father of the $175,000 ramp from nowhere) needs to explain to the residents that they had, in fact, provided the Library with sufficient funding to operate the cybermobile and that it was the Library Board of Trustees who decided to use this money toward saving face (their own). Money that was always intended to maintain a promised level of service to compensate the public for the attendant limitations from a reduced Library operation during construction.
The Town Board should explain this to the public because the 2009 library budget needs to be reduced in line with the budget experience being encountered by all other Town departments. I would expect that the library's budget be reduced in dollars in the same percentages as all other departments. That they have a larger facility to operate is their management problem; taxpayers don't have more money in their pocket this year to spend. In any case, the Trustees assured the public that the facility would not need incur a larger overhead because of all the money-saving features: geothermal energy, glass-walled reading room, electronic tagged media, etc. And without any plans to re-institute cybermobile service, that expense will no longer be recognized. Thus a budget not to exceed $3,268,000 (not an inconsiderable sum) represents a 5% decrease from last year. And given that this year's budget is producing operating surpluses, it would be hard to argue in difficult times being so blase as to raise taxes to create surpluses.
What the Town Board needs to do is to convey the reality to the Library Board of Trustees. And the Town Board should do so quickly because, as of their last meeting, the Trustees are again making plans to promote and step-up employees to higher compensation levels -- even in advance of CSEA negotiations while the increased compensation for library management is still on the table.
Just ask your liaison, Diana Juettner."
I apologize to those readers who will be bored by my singling out of the library. However, because I have studied it so fastidiously, both the construction and the operations for four years, I consider myself well-informed and having done the homework, I am qualified to pass judgement.
On a broader scale, I suggested to Mr. Feiner about two years ago that this kind of analysis from the outside should be undertaken for all departments. I called it
"Adopt a-Department" with the idea that citizens should be recruited to become experts in one department and examine it from a non-partisan, neutral viewpoint. I thought that my non-exposure to taxes (apartment renter) while being an active library user were the ideal qualifications.
However, Mr. Feiner did not pick up on the idea of extending an outsider's look inside at his other departments.
I also suggested that the Town offer $10 or $25 cash incentives to Town employees who might come up with money saving ideas or point out operating inefficiencies.
I posed it, not making them stool pigeons or whistle blowers, but as helping the Town to run better and perhaps at a lower cost. I proposed that all of the Town's employees should be recruited as its eyes and ears and the small amount of reward would merely be compensation for the inconvenience of bringing it to the Town's attention. I don't think the citizen or employeee of the month certificate fetches much on ebay.
However Mr. Feiner did not pick up on expanding the Town's ability to marshall a large force of manpower to add input. Mr. Feiner prefers to read about good ideas in practice elsewhere or to learn good ideas only from those that can contribute votes after their 15minutes of fame.
And, of course, in the final analysis, using this blog as an example, how many of the reader suggested improvements are ever adopted.
You can fool a sufficient number of people all the time.
The 19+million for the library was an outright lie.
It needs more money for completion and above all will not be finished until the end of the year going into the next.MAYBE
The manager Ithink his name is Al Regula continually assured the residents that the money was rnough and the library would be in operation by October. He never stated the year.
He should have never been made to oversee this project after all his previous failures.I do not think I would have to comment on them since many have showed this supervisor and the board over many months what was done and what was not done.
Difficulty with this budget is nothing new.
We have known for a long time that this would be a way of life living here in Greenburgh that our representatives would one day make us loose what we worked so hard to achieve.
It is a shame that they kept turning a deaf ear to the residents when complaints were being made at meetings .
We have ourselves to blame for reelecting the same person over and over again when we knew that he could not perform as the person that he promised to be if he won another term.
Why does he take properties off the tax maps?
Why is he allowing the Cab Calaway home to become a landmark with no taxes to be paid.
Why why why no answers to be had.
The people of Fairview don't like what is happening at the center neither do many of us. Why not close it since it doen not bring in revenue.
Why have something that does not pay for itself?
Do all your parklands bring in revenue.If so how much?If they don't get rid of them.
How many dogs use the dog park?do you carry insurance for any mishap if so how much?
Thes are things that you all implimented without thinking of the future.
DID YOU THINK that the residents had a printing machine to print as much money as you decided was needed to run this town.
Well you know Wall Street has broken down and so has our machine. You had better start closing facilities because our pockets are empty and the lord only knows where the next dollars will be coming from.
Taxes will be due again tell me if some of the resident cannot pay will you have the same consideration that was given to the Housing Authority .FORGETABOUTIT.
Another 20% tax increase will kill us. We are close to, if not already in a depression in the US. So - let's see what those of us who work in non-gov't jobs will have to accept and apply it to Town Govt.
Hiring freeze, salary freeze, larger contribution by employees to health insurance premiums, no new programs, no overtime.
If union contracts prevent the above suggestions, cut 10, 20 percent or more from EVERY agency/department's budget.
All we really need is garbage pick-up, snow removal, police/fire protection, someone to send out the tax bill, someone to issue permits and issue violation of code summones (because this last item brings in money to Town coffers)
These are times that try mens souls. If people know that everyone's favorite, but not necessary for life, thing is taking a cut, it will be easier for all of us to live with. And by all means, if there is any money owed to the Town, go after it now, aggressively.
The town will not go after all the monies owed by the center ,day care or the Housing Authority.
This is why we are in all this trouble since the town has turned away from getting after those three agencies.
These are agencies that received many grants which we the taxpayers have got to match plus no one seems to know where has the money gone to.
No one cared to investigate because it was the Fairview area,should this happen in someone elses back yard we would be put in jail.
Get the money owed to the residents and close the center and the day care.
The people that use these two places have very good jobs and could pay for the services better than anyone of us.
The housing Authority has collected many grants to pay for different things that never were taken care of.
Is this not highway robbery.
Dear 1:16,
In a parallel universe, one would expect that the Arts Council (1) (poetry readings and hanging "for sale" pictures on Town Hall/multipurpose center walls wouldn't even make it to the proposed budget. Right or wrong?
Proposed savings: about $65,000.
This has been a pet peeve of mine for the last four years.
In a parallel universe, the idea of across the board 5% decreases would be the last gasp of a government that still doesn't grasp what the departments do or how efficiently they do it. Some departments might be decreased by 10% and some might need to be increased by 5%. The point is that the Town Board needs to know what they are doing.
And the very idea of adding the new after school program (golly, found money to match doesn't have to be spent) when facing the budget attack that the Supervisor knows is coming is the antithesis of being on top of matters. If their are increases in costs that can't be controlled. if there are revenue shortfalls that can't be controlled, then the one thing that can be controlled is discretionary spending. Rushing ahead to fund a program with well under half of its recruitment does not convince residents that the Town Board knows what it is doing or that they even care.
But, of course, Mr. Feiner wouldn't have a clue because getting advice from his blog is not a resource that quotes well in the press.
It's official. The Town of Greenburgh did not receive a resume from Raymond Thomas before entering into a contract that will pay him more than $335,000 to run the Town's "after school" program. This also means that Sonya Brown lied at the last town board meeting when she stated publicly that the town of course received a resume from Mr. Thomas.
What does it mean for the Town to hire Mr. Thomas without a resume? It means that the Town has hired someone without a college degree to hire and train teachers. It means that the Town has accepted Mr. Thomas's representation that he served in the Air Force, even though it doesn't know when he served, what rank he held, and whether he was discharged honorably (assuming he served at all).
It means that the Town has no way of knowing if Mr. Thomas ever worked at Kodak or DEC, as he said.
It's not clear whether Paul Feiner or Sonja Brown was responsible for hiring Mr. Thomas. But given the criminal investigation already underway at the Community Center regarding the improper payment of funds by the acting director -- whose appointment both Feiner and Brown engineered earlier this year and strongly backed -- it seems this latest Xposure scandal is just another part of the town's waste and mismanagement.
The real victims here are the children who participate in the after-school program. Thanks to Feiner and Brown, they are the ones really getting the shaft.
Mr. Thomas' qualifications notwithstanding -- and they are not -- let's look at what the Town Board was in such a rush to do because leaving the last $150,000 or so of Community Center 2008 funding unspent was just driving the Town Board crazy. Talk about visiting citizens in their homes to seek ways to reduce taxes is cheap. Spending money just because "it is there" is expensive.
First off, elsewhere on this blog, Mr. Feiner is proud about appointing a new head of the Community Center. Presumably this person comes with a resume. But, doesn't common sense impart a reason to have held off on the vote to approve Xposure until the NEW HEAD of the Center has had a chance to decide for himself whether this program was something he would choose? After all, it is his department's budget -- albeit his arrival has been held off to mid November.
But what are Greenburgh residents getting for their money?
Well let's look at the dates.
On September 23, the Town passed the Resolution to allow Feiner to sign the contract. We have a Contract which runs from August 1, 2008 through July 31, 2009. So, almost two months of the contract period have already elapsed. But that doesn't matter since Xposure will ONLY provide service from October 6 through June 26, 2009 and ONLY on school days -- not during school closings and holidays. Thus, Xposure will be doing its job instructing those children from kindergarten through grade 8 -- about 8-1/2 months less school holidays; say about 1-1/2 months of work. So now we are down to 7 months of service to earn their money. Not too taxing a schedule is it, but wait, let's take into account that this is an AFTER school program so that means, what, two, three? hours five days a week. Well, friends, we don't know because the contract does not define for how many hours daily the program is to be open.
Now, let's look at who is going to take advantage of the Town Board's generosity. The program is limited to 120 students plus an additional 30 homeowrk help students. As of the contract signing, only about 60 students were enrolled. Better hurry, kids, time is running out.
So, work with me, I'm getting around to discussing the cost. $167,500 from the Lanzas, $167,500 from Greenburgh and, yes, $300 per student from the parents. Actually, $300 is what has been mentioned by the Town but there is no mention of this or any limitation on charges to parents. In theory, Mr. Thomas could charge $500 or $1,000, get no students and pocket the Lanza and Town money for his trouble. So, wouldn't you think the Town would have provided some kind of language to prevent Mr. Thomas from "gouging".
Thus with 60 "students" in the program, Mr. Thomas has a kitty of $353,000 (including $300 per) $5883
per child. NOT SO BAD for:
5 days a week x 4 weeks x 7 months = 140 days or $2521 per DAY or, let's be generous and say 3 hours a day:
Then we have
5 days a week x 3 hours a day x 4 weeks x 7 months = 420 hours or $840 an hour.
That assumes that everyone shows up each day and stays the full 3 hours.
OK, but what if the number is 120 students? Well, he still gets his $335,000 plus $36,000 ($300 per) and now Exposure takes in $371,000 or $2650 per day or $883 per hour or $3091 per student.
How much staff is Mr. Thomas to provide?
What overhead does he have?
Presumably he pays no rent for conducting the program at the Center but the contract does not specify how many "teachers" or supervisory persons are required to insure the safety of the students. So, as far as the Town is concerned, Mr. Thomas has no bounds or restrictions on how the program is run. The contract makes no reference to any written syllabus other than the agreement "to expose the children in the after school program to the worlds of science, technology, finance....etc."
There are no standards or goals or achievement levels stated in the contract. There is no way to judge the success or failure of the program. Clearly, it is a great success or coup for Mr. Thomas. All that I find in the contract is a notation that Mr. Thomas, Executive Director, is to be paid a separate $35,600 from the Lanza money. By this item, Mr. Thomas can be judged a success however, there is nothing, no accountability for the program. This, however, is consistent with how Town departments are run so one should not be upset solely with Mr. Thomas for taking advantage of the Town and its legal staff.
So, what is the bottom line here?
The Town Board has agreed to fund the most costly baby sitting and/or day care service in the County. This is the equivalent of the Pentagon buying a toilet seat.
Of course, toilet seats will not know how to trade stocks or apply for a job. And if Mr. Thomas is the proof, when applying for a job neither is a resume necessary. Good advice for kids who won't be going on to 9th grade but going directly to join the workforce. Indeed!
A couple of final details. The contract states that the "Contractor is financially solvent, qualified, competent and fully licensed to perform the services referred ti above and in paragraph 1. So much for what Mr. Thomas says; in what manner has the Town checked out these representation? Let me go out on a limb here and offer that I doubt that the Town has done any vetting.
"Upon execution of the contract the Contractor will provide to the Town proof of compliance with the following insurance requirements..."
Raise your hand if you believe that he has done so.
Wow you ask for our comments, but honestly are they going to be taken into consideration?
I agree with one of the other bloggers comments to "Freeze" hiring, cut overtime, but most of all department budgets should be cut as well. Cut part-timers and go back to having volunteers. Wow that would cut the budget tremendously.
Explain why is so important for departments to have more than one part-timer? Fulltimers can't handle the work load? Why does the town have and outside cleaning crew cleaning town hall, when you have a full-time employee for that job? Besides the fact the bathrooms are always dirty anyhow's?
Why do we have three garbage men? and they finish by what 11 or 12? and we pay them to sit around until quitting time. There is not that much garbarge in Greenburgh.
But when you talk about "job cuts" of union employees be very careful? You have to look at list to see who has seniority and I am sure lawsuits will occur if you do not follow procedures.
Why did management get a raise, when they are not available to the public?
While I do not want to see anyone lose their jobs, I do not agree with increase in salaries right now. Meaning the Union coming to meetinngs for increases, do you want your job and benefits or job cuts? Give and incentive or something, we are all looking at hard times.
I agree with one of the members who spoke that they are made to suffer for department heads increases or lavish spending of their budgets. Paul you need to look into your employees comments at these meetings.
Why did department heads,and others get raises? Who approved this and can the money be taken back? You give back money from you salary and get evaluated. How come you do not make your department heads do the same? I can bet you their evaluations would not be so favorable and they would not deserve the raise.
So hopefully Paul, you will take some of these comments into consideration. Look at the department budgets, I do agree it is better to let part-timers go, before you have to fire full-timers. It will be interesting to see which departments will still have high budgets and they are the departments that are never available and those same departments will have employees wasting our tax dollars with overtime.
One last thing, while I am all for equal oppurtunity, why do you have that old lady still doing STAR? She is rude and when she doesn't want to be bothered she sends you to a much younger woman, who is a lot more pleasant. Come on Paul, the Assessor's office has several part-timers. Is there really that much work in that office?
Get it together, you did not see that much workers in the old town hall and I have to admit, Iagallo was visible and a lot more professional than your new Assessor. Besides the fact when I have come to that office to look up information, she is "extremely" unprofessional to her staff, God help them. Wow this is what it has come to in the Town of Greenburgh, hiring ex cons, gang members, etc.
WOW, not good Paul , not good.
Why are there so many part timers in the assesors office good question.
Well here is your answer if she did the job that she was hired for she wouldn't need the help.
If she did her job correctly there would not have been a two million dollars error made with our taxes.
She refuses to do the work that the position calls for so why keep her.
She is unprofessional to her staff well what else is new. she only comes on to one person. Guess who?
Look I don't think she wants the job because she is not doing it the right way .
She made a tremendous mistake already what will be next.
Are you waiting for her to mess up so bad that there is no way to make the corrections.
Heard that she gave one of her employees a $10,000 raise. WOW!! Paul, put the garbage on the curb and you can reduce their workforce significantly. Go down to the sanitation garage and see how many employees are finished at 12p.m. or are you afraid to do so. Why does the Library have to be open seven days a week. Cut a day and reduce operational expenses. Hope when you start laying off your employees, the part timers will be the first to go.
The new library should be open 7 days, otherwise we will continue to go to Whipe Plains!
Don't you get it - maybe you don't pay any Town taxes, but please, give the rest of us a break. Having the Library open only 6 days a week is the very least that can be done to save on salaries and heat and electricity.
So what that you'll have to go to White Plians if the Greenburgh Library isn't open 7 days a week.
If this the attitude of most of Greenburgh residents, and if the Supervisor and Board cave on items like this, we're in big trouble!
Actually, the new understanding is that the Town Board cannot control line items at the Library.
Or at least that is how the Town Board chooses to interpret the Library's status.
Thus, all that the Town Board can do is award them a dollar amount and they can allocate as they see fit. That is why they freely promote and raise management salaries so generously and out of line when comparted to the rest of the Town.
The Library Board of Trustees are appointed, not elected officials.
Come January 1, there will be three new Trustees although the two last and now seated appear to more of the same old same old.
What the Library's hours of operation are is up to the Library Board of Trustees.
The Town Board can vote to amend the adopted 2009 Town Budget and reduce the allocation to the Library should they see fit -- if the Trustees get a little too frisky in determining how their money is spent.
Wait and see.
Closing the library for two days a week will save the residents plenty of money.
We have to start some place and since many are already using other libraries it wouldn't hurt that much.
The only thing that you can do is try.
We've all heard drill baby, drill. My paraphrase, freeze baby, freeze and cut baby, cut. 10 per cent accross the board - your pet projects and favored constituencies included.
Do it unanimously and quickly, Supervisor and Board. Otherwise we will have to vote you out from our new digs in the 1929 bankruptcy poor house.
What is your problem. Don't you read the papers or watch TV or have friends or relatives who work in business. What planet do you live on. It's really really bad out here in the real world.
My suggestions:
1. Freeze on promotions, including police and fire.
2. More thorough review of overtime policy and procedures. Why are people working OT? Could someone else cover?
3. Reveiw of policy re department heads having outside employment. How can they supervise?
4. Review of all cars that go home at night?
5. Review use of facilities by outside parties, including TDYCC, and appropriate charges.
6. Review of all rec classes. If insufficient attendees, cancel.
To anonymous Geo & Pat.Note 10/2/08 So you are up to your antics again;character assination of Ms Whitehead.The community respects Ms Whitehead for holding the Center together during very difficult times. The summer program was wonderful to the delight of hundreds of residents. Teens and young adults worked with adaquate supervision,thanks to Whitehead's leadership and staff commitment. Pride was felt by many young people who were involved and/or worked in programs. There were no major out of controlled problems in the surrounding community community over the summer months.Unfortunately town supervisor Paul Feiner and most members of the town board has yet to acknowledge her fine work. I came to some of the Summer programs and was impressed to see hundreds of families enjoying a variety of activities and special events. Neither George Coniglio nor Pat Roper are emotionally nor psychologically capable to handle the responsibility or running the Community Center. Their reprehensible behavior and scandelous gossip has been devisive and destructive which may play into the hands of Paul Feiner and some of the residents....A takeover by another department or demise.
To anonymous Geo & Pat.Note 10/2/08 So you are up to your antics again;character assination of Ms Whitehead.The community respects Ms Whitehead for holding the Center together during very difficult times. The summer program was wonderful to the delight of hundreds of residents. Teens and young adults worked with adaquate supervision,thanks to Whitehead's leadership and staff commitment. Pride was felt by many young people who were involved and/or worked in programs. There were no major out of controlled problems in the surrounding community community over the summer months.Unfortunately town supervisor Paul Feiner and most members of the town board has yet to acknowledge her fine work. I came to some of the Summer programs and was impressed to see hundreds of families enjoying a variety of activities and special events. Neither George Coniglio nor Pat Roper are emotionally nor psychologically capable to handle the responsibility or running the Community Center. Their reprehensible behavior and scandelous gossip has been devisive and destructive which may play into the hands of Paul Feiner and some of the residents....A takeover by another department or demise.
Paul, this is slander. Why are you not doing anything??? ARe only some people subject to the rules.
Last year's tax increase was 21%. If the budget is cut by 10% does it follow that this year's tax increase will be 11%? Or if the budget is decreased by 15%, the tax we will pay will be 6%?
Can anyone out there in comment-land answer this simple question? I admit to being math-challenged.
WHITEHEAD IS WRONG
It made my morning to see a post complementing Whitehead’s work. I couldn’t stop laughing for ten full minutes! Remember, this is the same person who does not have minimum qualifications, who was not supported by staff, not supported by the center’s advisory board, not supported by the community, who has brought morale down to its lowest level, and is now being investigated by police.
So who would support her? Perhaps one of the six people who are alleged to have worked excessive hours yet couldn’t be found on the premises. Now they’ll support her!
Did competitive interviewing take place for any of the employees who put in these excessive hours over the summer? No!
Was Family Day a success? Yes! Good work Lee & center staff!
(In fact, Whitehead didn’t attend Family Day since 1983.)
Can someone name one outstanding accomplishment of her (Whitehead’s) record in her former position which warranted a free pass to the head of the department? Name one! Bad choice. Close the chapter.
Remember – it’s not slander or character assassination when the facts can be supported with truth.
TIME TO GIVE THE TDY ADVISORY BOARD A PINK SLIP
Congratulations to Mr. Carter. Your appointment is a breath of fresh air!
Please consider letting go of the present advisory board. This suggestion is not made with any vindictiveness or mean spirit, but out of a genuine concern about the future of the Center. It has become painfully obvious that no one on that board is committed to the betterment of this organization. They have proven to be committed to their own personal agenda. If you were to ask any member of that advisory board what they accomplished in support of the community center you would draw blank stares. Cora Carey has done the most damage. When we see her coming, we duck for cover. She is an angry, critical, mean spirited person that has nothing good to say about anyone or anything. I would personally pay for her to enroll in an anger management workshop. Don’t listen to her, don’t give her any audience. She will hurt you. She hurt Valerie, she hurt Barbara, and needless to say she will continue her record of hurt. She is a hurt expert.
There are many people throughout the Greenburgh community, who would welcome the chance to serve on a functioning advisory board. The new people must have one agenda: What can I do to contribute and improve programs and services at the TDY Center? Simply put, not what perks or advantages can I get from being on the advisory, but more importantly what can I do for the Theodore D. Young Community Center?
Many, many years ago, that was the prime goal of the advisory board. The advisory board needs to be the strongest advocate for the center. They should be the ambassadors of good will and have definitive responsibilities related to carrying out the center’s mission. Right now, the advisory board is missing in action. The community doesn’t know who they are, not does anyone know what they’ve ever done?
Mr. Carter, at the top of your list is to have some people who are caring, responsible, and willing to make a contribution. We wish you much success in your new position.
SEE "BUDGET MEETINS OUTREACH SCHEDULE FOR MY SUGGESTIONS,IF YOU CARE TOO.
IT WILL TAKE TOO LONG FOR ME TO RETYPE.
THANK YOU
Why is it that the town has not collected the money from the Housing Authority for private Greenburgh police protection at the expense of the taxpayers.
Cora was at a meeting where she stated that there was no money to pay for the services and requested that the police give them all the protection that was needed,
Did she win Paul.
Have you given her what she demanded.
Why does she seem to get what she wants at the residents expense.
Remember what ever grants she receives we the taxpayers have to match the amount.
Could it be that Mr. Carter is an honest man and he will not take any crap from her or anyone else.
Paul if you really look into how much money you give to the Fairview area you will see the mistakes that you have made .
You see no one cared what you did but now we all have our backs to the wall and things have to change.
Your facilities are always running in the red get rid of them.
Bring in some revenue because we will be looking at double diget taxes for years to come.
The way things are going you may not get any tax money from anyone.
Remember you can't get water from a stone.
To anonymous Geo & Pat:
Get the facts straight-ITS NOT GOSSIP
Valerie Whitehead is under INVESTIGATION BY THE GREENBURGH POLICE. WHO CAUSED THIS INVESTIGATION WHITEHEAD AND WHITEHEAD ALONE.
GROW UP GAY/Sonia - YOU MAY BE NEXT!
Whitehead was/will never be mentally, physically or psychologically equipped or intelligent enough to have run the TDYCC center (Feb 15th) during the interim. Professional staff operated the center and Whitehead took credit for other people's work and even compromised guests/children safety.
Whitehead is a thief - stole from senior citizens, altered time punch cards and had her slackie George A, and her felons nephews
be paid for time not worked. $4,000 for two weeks of no-show work each!~
Gossip is based on untruths-
Common knowledge:
1. police are investigating Valerie Whitehead
2. 15 or 20 staff hauled into the police station is not gossip.
Let the FACTS speak for themselves!!!!!!!!!!
Read the paper - Maybe Paul's report next week will clear up the matter or Cheif K will or DA will announce an indictment!!!!!!!!
RUN THE TDYCC CENTER AS A BUSINESS AND COLLECT $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ IT CAN PAY FOR ITSELF WITH PROPER MANAGEMENT!
BILL CARTER - MAKE IT HAPPEN PLEASE - AND SHUT UP THE CRITICS.
FIRE THE LEECHES -UNPAID RENTAL GROUP.
Why do we consider Gay's Silver Streaks a non-profit group if they dont file with the IRS? Did we even ask?
Any time we use an outside group, whether it is Silver Streaks or Xposure, we lose control. We dont know what people get paid. It can be paid far in excess of civil service amounts and we dont know.
Paul why should taxpayers pay for a corrupt center?????
They have stolen our money for years and you sat back and watched this happening.
You did the same with the Housing Authority with their private police protection ,who, now refuse to pay the money owed to us the taxpayers .This amount was allocated in the police budget for many years .
When did your mind snap in not knowing the difference between honesty and dishonesty.
They say with age one gets smarter well with you somethng happened along the way.
Does anyone remember the time when there was a big investigation at the community center about missing hot dogs??? I think early 80's
Again! cut the cops training to be firefighters. The police have 7 or 8 police officers training to do rescue work ,when you already have firefighters in Greenville/Fairview and Hartsdale that do all the training. we also have a new rescue truck with our own trailer and all the tools to do the job. It is a duplication of services.it's a big waste of money and manpower. Instead of training on tech-rescue they should be on patrol and doing police work. I know Kevin Morgan knows this is a waste, I just don't know why he's afraid to do or say anything about it. I hope it's not because he use to work for Chief Kapica
Mr Feiner -
IF, as you have repeatedly written in this blog and said to anyone who will listen, the "outreach" meetings are attended by a majority of members of the Town Board:
WHY are they not "noticed" as public meetings?
WHY are they held in places which do not meet the requirements for handicapped access?
WHY are they neither televised live nor taped?
WHY are there no minutes kept of these meetings?
WHY do you and members of the Town Board regularly violate both the letter and the spirit of NY State's Open Meetings Law?
You were incredibly quick to jump on citizens for attending meetings with certain Town Board members without meeting OML regulations - why are those same regulations unnecessary for YOU?
You cannot make up the rules for "Open Government" as you go along - that's not democratic, that's tyrannical.
Either get with your own program or get out of government.
Great posting, 10/07 8:56 AM. All of your questions cry out for answers. However, I'll bet the soon to be, nonexistant Fund Balance, the answers you get, if, indeed, you get one, will be a Paul Feiner special about HIS version of Open Government. In other words, non sequiturs.
If, however, you get a response from one of the other "Wandering Mews," it will be in lockstep with that of the leader of the "Gang that couldn't talk straight."
The "in" phrase of the day is the (fill in the blank) to nowhere.
In Greenburgh it's the "door-to-door to nowhere." Because as good as the advice is, our "reverse Midasmen/women" will turn good ideas into low quality fertilizer...or gold into you know what.
So 8:56 AM, I admire your effort, please keep it up. Maybe a good idea will eventually seep in.
Great posting, 10/07 8:56 AM. All of your questions cry out for answers. However, I'll bet the soon to be, nonexistant Fund Balance, the answers you get, if, indeed, you get one, will be a Paul Feiner special about HIS version of Open Government. In other words, non sequiturs.
If, however, you get a response from one of the other "Wandering Mews," it will be in lockstep with that of the leader of the "Gang that couldn't talk straight."
The "in" phrase of the day is the (fill in the blank) to nowhere.
In Greenburgh it's the "door-to-door to nowhere." Because as good as the advice is, our "reverse Midasmen/women" will turn good ideas into low quality fertilizer...or gold into you know what.
So 8:56 AM, I admire your effort, please keep it up. Maybe a good idea will eventually seep in.
Why is the Library transferring funds from their operational budget and putting them into the $20 million project. How do they get away with that? Where are you Hal?
Dear Anonymoous 10/05/2008 9:17 PM AKA Greenburgh Firefighter. How dare you talk about waste. All fire departments in the Town of Greenburgh are a waste of Taxpayer money. Building codes in the town have worked and fires are rare. Volunteer firefighters work in the villages and can work in the town. Lets give people tax incentives to volunteer as firefighters. By the way you duplicated the service. The police were progressive and started technical rescue. You only got involved when you realized that there are no fires in the town and you needed a service to substantiate the enormous fire tax that each resident pays annually.
Dear Supervisor Feiner -
In 1992 you appointed a "blue-ribbon" committee to examine the problem of certioraris.
That committee concluded that revaluation would significantly reduce the erosion of the property tax base. They believed that by valuing all properties in the Town simultaneously, the Assessor and the Town's Attorney could successfully withstand court challenges by businesses seeking to reduce their assessments. At the time more than 60% of all property taxes were paid by commercial establishments and less than 40% by residential property owners.
You dismissed the report and the work of the committee as unrealistic - "I would never be re-elected if I forced a reassessment. I might be willing to go along if it were County-wide and they took the heat."
Sixteen years later the pendulum has swung so that more than 60% of the Town's property taxes are collected on residential properties.
The Town regularly loses certiorari cases because the last Town-wide revaluation was completed in 1958. Building techniques in common use today were unknown in 1958 - but the assessor must try to guess what a new building might have been valued at some 50 years ago.
Such judgments are fraught with peril - and rife with opportunity for the appearance of corruption, if not actual corruption.
The time has come (and now perhaps actually gone again) to fairly, consistently and simultaneously assess all real property in Greenburgh. Put an end to Court-ordered, piecemeal reassessment by doing what even you knew was the right thing sixteen years ago. Reassess NOW and stop bitching and moaning about losing certiorari cases in Court. The growth and prosperity we all enjoyed for many years is over. New construction will no longer cover the loss of revenues from existing properties, which was our saving grace in the past. You do have the power, right now, to stop the erosion of the taxbase. Use it or lose it in the next election.
I won't sign my name because the last time I did on this blog, I got a late night visit which scared the hell out of members of my household and left me with several thousands of dollars of damage to my cars, my front walk and my front door. I don't live in a gated community like you do. In fact, we rarely see late night patrols in my neighborhood because it is viewed as very safe.
I admit to feeling intimidated - and while I'm not proud of the feeling, I feel duty-bound to protect my family.
Anonymous at 4:04pm. That is an incredible accusation of intimidation you have made. If it is true, you have an obligation to contact the state attorney's general office and the FBI to report attempted infringement of your civil rights.
I did - they said let the local authorities handle it. The local authorities were unable to locate the perpetrator(s).
I believe the GPD did as good a job as they could - and have no complaint about their efforts.
I believe it
One must remember what was said years ago to win at election time was flushed down the toilet.
You know and we all know that our tax dollars are spent in one area of town.
Why I don't know.
We could talk until we are blue in the face but the supervisor and the board are out to ruin each and every resident by not doing the right thing.
Wait let's listen to all the promises when election time comes arround again if they are the same as years gone by. Who are the fools -we are since we believe them.
They promise you the world but remove it from underneath each and everyone of us after election.
The Community Center has been crippled by the Town Supervisor and Board members.
For all the TDYCC critics - stop in and visit the place. The diversity, the programs are what happening at the center, it's a great place!!
Merging the department services of P& R and TDYCC maybe one answer, but it will keep Gerry, Joe and James from playing golf everyday.
The Parks and Recreation department is a joke too!
Programs operate three months out of the year - Nothing done during the months of October to March. Oh Halloween. Cut a few lawns, one senior program, one special needs program - Separatism was created because we (Caucasian) did not want to mingle.
Racism is rampant in Greenburgh -perpetuated by town board members, motivated by being re-elected.
Let's raise fees of non-residents who use our facilities at rock bottom prices, structure the programs at the Center/P&R to be self sufficient and stop doing favors for people who are supposed to pay fees.
Get it right Paul and Board members; Nov 2009, 2010 will be here before you know it - Then it's over!! Smile Greenburgh taxpayers
These sessions are getting to be the pits.
You're just trying to make believe that you are trying so hard to save us some money.
I was waiting for someone to come up with when will the housing authority will pay back over one half million dollars.
I guess we have to wait for the PD explanations about their budget.
Let's see how the board handles this segment of the budget.
They must think that silence is golden except when it comes to fighting with Kolesar. What a disgrace.
10:34, BS,
I walked in TDYCC about two years to get information about programs for seniors. I got dirty looks and cold inquiries, what did I want. I know when I am not wanted.
IMPORTANT NEW CHANGES TO LEAF COLLECTION REGULATIONS
Last year the Town of Greenburgh adopted changes to its Sanitation Code that prohibits the piling of leaves on any public street or pedestrian walkway. While it had always been illegal in Greenburgh to pile leaves in the roadway, enforcement was not possible unless a police officer or Sanitation worker actually observed the leaves being piled in this manner. This change in law creates a presumption that the resident or landowner, whose property most closely abuts the leaf pile or leaf bags, actually “directed, suffered or permitted the leaf pile to be placed in this location”. This subjects the resident or landowner to a fine of no less than $150 or more than $500 per offense and under the law each day the violation continues constitutes a separate offense.
Leaves may continue to be piled on the public right-of-way or on the resident’s property closest to the road for Town collection provided this does not obstruct a pedestrian walkway. Residents whose property contains a wall, shrubs or other obstruction that prevents the piling of leaves on the right-of-way or on that portion of their property closest to the road, must bag their leaves for collection and place the leaf bags as close to the roadway as possible. Under no circumstances shall leaf piles or leaf bags be allowed on any public street or pedestrian walkway.
These changes were adopted to address the public safety issues created by leaves being piled on public roads. Although we are in the process of notifying residents and landscapers about the new law through the use of various types of media, you can assist us by advising your gardener, landscaper or neighbor of this change. Thank you for your assistance in this matter and for your cooperation in helping to keep Greenburgh safe.
Obivously the Town needs this money so they can give 11K raises to payroll clerks and pay 40/hour for payroll clerks.
The community center is not properly run. Paul this is a disgrace. Paying people who are not working.
What kind of message you are sending to the community. Paul can I have a job at the center so I can get paid not to show up for work. Paul the Town is being run to the ground maybe you need more resources............
the payroll clerk should not get a salary increase the town can pay HIM out of title pay its done all over the town he might leave an come back at $$50.00 hr no one can do his job an he knows it
Well folks you will be in for a treat today if you watch the work session.
The last one was a circus this one may be a zoo.
Let's see who will make the cuts or cry it's impossible .
Kolesar ,stick to your guns and fight Sheehan with all the ammunition that you have concerning union jobs. He doesn't get it that the county makes the rulings on certain positions including the salaries.
Let's see when his son becomes a union member here in town will his attitude change concerning salaries.
By the way the last person on the budget agenda is the assessor. I do hope that her budget is checked and rechecked since she does not know how to read,
The error that she made was uncalled for if she were on top of things. But she has other things on her mind and I don't think it's work,
She is going to spend a lot of money on certain programs that she can also use for her other job.
Be aware we cannot spend money for an office that is run half assed.
Your work sessions are a farce.
Do you think the public is falling for what you say will lower the taxes.
You guys are to dumb to lower taxes.
As the comptroller keeps saying you are getting your self deeper and deeper into trouble.
Stop making believe ,If you can't run the town properley please step down.
You have no intentions to do the right thing so stop right there.
Post a Comment