rally for gun control sunday--gun shows at county center should be banned

NEXT GUN SHOW AT WESTCHESTER COUNTY CENTER: FEBRUARY 2, 2013-- I THINK GUN SHOWS SHOULD BE BANNED AT COUNTY CENTER.... It had been after columbine

RALLY IN DOBBS FERRY TOMORROW EVENING FOR GUN CONTROL 8 PM

"Not One Child More" March – Sunday, December 16 at 8 pm, starting at Waterfront Park in Dobbs Ferry

In support of stronger communities for safe kids: A call to our elected officials for Gun Control Now -- because we cannot let this happen again.

Join us at 8 pm Sunday, December 16 (tomorrow night), for a candlelight vigil and march beginning at Waterfront Park in Dobbs Ferry.

Shine your light and let your voice be heard.

For more information, email Jean Lucasey at jeanluc1213@optonline.net or Gabrielle Mason at gabmason@att.net

The Westchester County Center, a county taxpayer owned building, will be the location for the next gun show on February 2 and 3 2013 --according to north east gun shows.com.
Shortly after the Columbine High School shootings--which took the lives of 14 students and a teacher at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado former County Executive Andrew Spano banned gun shows from the county center--calling gun shows at government buildings "inappropriate".
After County Executive Rob Astorino defeated Mr. Spano - Mr. Astorino revoked the ban and allowed the gun shows to resume at the county center. When the gun shows were reinstated admission was $11- with $1.50 going to the county.
In light of the school shooting which killed 20 children and 7 adults in Sandy Hook, Connecticut on Friday - I am calling on the County Executive and Board of Legislators to ban gun and weapon shows from the county center. Citizens have a right to bear arms and a right to purchase guns from reputable dealers. But, there is nothing in the constitution that requires governments to allow gun sales at government buildings. If north east gun shows.com wants to have a gun show in Westchester - they should contract with a private facility, not a government owned building.
Among the weapons being sold at the gun show: firearms, knives, militaria military style weapons. An article in the June 20,2010 issue of the NY Daily News indicated that some vendors "sold books and magazines with nazi names. At least two sold stickers bearing confederate flags and swastikas." There haven't been additional reports since 2010 of nazi memorabilia being sold at the county center gun shows.
99% of the people who purchase guns at gun shows are honest, decent, law abiding citizens. All we need is one crazy like the school gunman whose family obtains a gun legally and starts shooting innocent people.
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor

contested election fairview fire district tuesday

FAIRVIEW FIRE DISTRICT ELECTION TUESDAY FROM 5 PM TO 9 PM AT FIRE HEADQUARTERS

Greenburgh has 3 paid fire districts. Each of the districts are independent of the town. Election day for fire district commissioners is this Tuesday. Two of districts (Greenville and Hartsdale) do not have contested elections. Fred Overing is running unopposed for re-election to the Hartsdale Fire district (which will see a 4.3% tax hike next year). And, Robert Bruckenthal is running unopposed in Greenville (their budget will raise taxes by 3.3%).

The Fairview fire district elections are being held on Tuesday from 5 pm to 9 PM. Voters can vote at either fire headquarters.

I believe that NYS law should be changed. Holding elections for commissioners in mid December (when few people vote) - right before the holidays - discourages voter participation.

The following article is reprinted from greenburgh.dailyvoice.com. Paul feiner

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Unlike last year, the Fairview Fire District will see a contest in this year's board of commissioners elections, pitting longtime incumbent and board Chair Vikki Simmons against Greenburgh resident Brian Montgomery.
One of five commissioners is elected every five years in each of Greenburgh's three fire districts of Hartsdale, Fairview and Greenville, putting one member in each district up for re-election each year.
Neither Simmons nor Montgomery could be reached for comment.
Elections turnout is generally low — less than 5 percent among eligible voters — for commission elections, but Fairview Fire District Secretary Thalia Mauro said it varies by year.
"It could be up to 200 people some years," Mauro said.
All fire district elections for commissioners will take place Tuesday. For Fairview elections, residents can vote at either the Fairview Fire Headquarters, 19 Rosemont Blvd., or Fairview Fire Station No. 2, 290 Worthington Road, between 5 and 9 p.m.
One main role of the commissioners is establishing the yearly budget and implementing the tax rate. This year, Fairview commissioners approved an $11.7 million budget proposal that would increase the tax rate by 6 percent.
Simmons has been on the Fairview Fire District board for 20 years. In 2010, Simmons was one of nine commissioners to serve on the Fire Department Consolidation and Government Efficiency Commission, formed to examine the feasibility of consolidating Greenburgh's three fire districts. Ultimately, Simmons and other Fairview representatives found consolidation efforts were up to to town residents and the idea was rejected.
Check back with The Greenburgh Daily Voice for more information on Greenburgh fire district elections.

DEC IS DISABLED PARKING ENFORCEMENT MONTH

DECEMBER IS SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT MONTH FOR DISABLED PARKING SPACES--- DON'T THINK OF ILLEGALLY PARKING YOUR CAR IN A SPOT RESERVED FOR THE DISABLED

The Greenburgh Committee for the Disabled in cooperation Greenburgh Police Department has named December as “Selective Enforcement Month”. For December extra attention is being implemented for the proper use of handicapped parking spaces. Officers are checking for Handicapped Permits along with inspecting vehicles with reguard to parking correctly next to designated handicapped spaces. Angela Raso, Committee Chairperson finds that “many people park over the Handicapped parking lines rendering the spaces useless for handicapped drivers.”

The Committee meets at 1:00pm,every 2^nd Wednesday at Greenburgh Town Hall

For more information call Theodore D. Young Community Center Senior Program at 989-3622

hike saturday...train for employment

SLEEPING BEAUTIES HIKE --- HIKE TAXTER RIDGE PARK IN E IRVINGTON ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8th




You'll never see a leafless tree the same again on this journey! Hike TAXTER RIDGE with our naturalist, and learn how to i.d. various trees and the life of our local winter woodlands.



Saturday, December 8th

1 - 3 PM

Taxter Ridge Preserve is near Mt. Pleasant Lane (off Pine Lane) in Greenburgh. Park in the cul-de-sac near 31Mt. Pleasant Road, off Pine Lane.

Hike Level: Easy

Free!

Register: Grace@westchesterlandtrust.org or

914-241-6346 x-23



Taxter Ridge Preserve covers 200 acres of woods and wetlands and has a lovely trail system. The preserve was acquired by the Town of Greenburgh in 2005.

National Leader in Energy Procurement and Energy & Environmental Reporting



Note: Hike may be cancelled due to extreme weather conditions. Click here for more park info and directions.

Work Readiness Credential

Training Program

At Westchester Community College’s Valhalla Campus

Funded by the New York State Education Department through a Perkins IV (CTEA) Allocation



How can you stand out in the eyes of a prospective employer?





Employers are looking for people who display responsible behavior, understand and apply company rules and guidelines, work well with others, work accurately and show initiative. How can you prove to an employer that you have these skills?



The National Work Readiness Credential is based on standards defined by business to demonstrate that you have the skills and abilities needed to be a successful employee. This program will help you develop and strengthen your abilities to:



• Listen actively

• Read with understanding

• Use math to solve problems

• Cooperate with others





• Resolve conflict and negotiate

• Observe critically

• Take responsibility for learning

• Problem solve independently

Upon completion of the program you will take the certification exams to achieve the Work Readiness Credential.



This course also includes a computer skills component to help you develop or strengthen your knowledge of MS Office by working at your own pace with an instructor/coach.



Classes begin soon at Westchester Community College, 75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla, NY 10595



No cost to qualified applicants. Open to adults, 18 years+.

Enrollment limited to 15 students per class.

For questions or to enroll, please email PDC@sunywcc.edu or call 914 606 7904.

WESTHELP proposals received

The Town Board issued a request for proposals from developers/housing managers for the WESTHELP property. The following is a brief summary of the responses we received today. The Town Board will discuss the proposals tomorrow at 9 AM at the Greenburgh Town Board work session. Our meetings are televised live on public access TV and streamed live on the internet. We have invited our Greenburgh Legislators – Alfreda Williams, Mary Jane Shimsky and Michael Smith to the work session. Ken Jenkins, chair of the Board has also been invited. Although Ferncliff Manor submitted the highest bid to the town, the Greenburgh Legislators had expressed opposition to the Ferncliff proposal in recent months. Each of the following proposals will be posted on the town website –sometime tomorrow, if not sooner.


PAUL FEINER





Ferncliff Manor, Inc.

$500,000 per year to the Town until the year 2031 to operate a residential school for 74 developmentally disabled children. 70% of the children come from families with incomes below $50,000 annually.



Group MRH, LLC & The Richman Group Affordable Housing Organization

$100,000 per year to the Town until the year 2032 to operate an affordable rental housing pursuant to a triple Net sublease agreement with the Town for the remaining 20-year Master Lease term.



HarborView Properties

$125,000 to 165,000 per year to the Town until the year 2032 to operate property as an eighty percent (80%) Market Rate Apartment Rental Community with twenty percent (20%) of Units set aside and designated as ¨Affordable Housing Units.¨



Marathon Development Group

$200,000 initial lease payment and lump sum $2,000,000 at contract closing representing the net present value of 20 year payment streams to the Town until the year 2032 to convert the existing shelter apartments into 80 units of affordable senior housing (55 and older), with a preference for veterans.



Community Housing Innovations

$350,000 per year to the Town until the year 2032 to develop the former WestHELP site for use as affordable housing, primarily for seniors and the existing administration/school building for a community use such as relocation of the Lois Bronz Children’s Center or Ferncliff Manor, Inc.’s. temporary use for a disabled school facility.



WestHAB

$200,000 per year to the Town ($600,000 up front) until the year 2064 to operate affordable housing pursuant to a tri-party lease between WestHAB, the Town and the County using Low Income Housing Tax Credit Equity for 50 years.

my dad inducted into Westchester County Senior Citizens Hall of Fame today!

My father, Phil Feiner (91) will be inducted into the Westchester County Senior Citizens Hall of Fame today. Very proud and pleased. He voluneers at Greenburgh Town Hall, reviewing claim vouchers and making recommendations that have saved the town millions of dollars over the years.

25% of local governments overriding tax cap...greenburgh will not!

According to todays Journal News about 25% of all local governments in NYS have indicated that they may override the tax cap this year. Greenburgh will not! The proposed 2013 budget comes in below the tax cap. This Tuesday the Town Board will review the proposed budget at our work session meeting which begins at 9 AM. The first portion of the meeting will be devoted to reviewing the proposals we will be receiving from developers/affordable housing managers re: lease of WESTHELP property. The WESTHELP lease payments impact the budget. Every $40,000 we receive from WESTHELP translates into a 1% tax reduction in upcoming budgets (A budget impacts both the villages and unincorporated area of Greenburgh). The Board will reconvene at 7:30 PM Tuesday to discuss the budget. Our meetings are televised and streamed live on the web: www.greenburghny.com. PAUL FEINER



from lohud.com:



ALBANY — About 25 percent of New York’s local governments have indicated that they may override the property-tax cap in 2013 — up from 19 percent at this same time last year, state data shows.

Municipal officials said the overrides are the result of a squeeze on their budgets. Some counties, towns and villages are overriding the cap as a precaution to ensure they are not penalized if they accidentally exceed their tax limit.
“Basically, it’s so difficult on how to come to that figure on the tax cap, you almost have to override it to protect yourself as a town,” said Dewey Decker, supervisor of the town of Sanford, Broome County.
About 1,575 taxing entities in New York, including fire districts and libraries, had filed their cap plans with the state Comptroller’s Office as of Thursday, or 58 percent of them. Of those, 387 said they planned an override, Gannett Albany Bureau’s review of the data showed. The governments run on a fiscal year that starts Jan. 1.
Locally, there are eight government entities in Putnam, 17 in Rockland and 33 in Westchester that have indicated they may override the cap on the property-tax levy. That includes Putnam and Rockland county governments but not Westchester County.
In Putnam, four towns — Carmel, Patterson, Philipstown and Southeast — and the Carmel, Kent No. 1 and Philipstown-North Highlands fire districts are seeking to override the cap.
In Rockland, four towns — Clarkstown, Haverstraw, Orangetown and Stony Point — three villages — Airmont, Montebello and Sloatsburg — six fire districts and three libraries have proposed going over the cap.
In Westchester, two cities — New Rochelle and Peekskill — three towns — Bedford, Mount Pleasant and Scarsdale — 24 fire districts, three libraries and one improvement district may override the cap.

Greenburgh Health Center to open soon!

The new Greenburgh Health Center (Knollwood Road) is nearing completion. Furniture should arrive in mid December. And, the center should be open to the public in early 2013. Judith Watson, executive director of the Greenburgh Neighborhood Health Center, gave me a tour of the new building on Friday afternoon. I was very impressed and and pleased with what I saw. The building, which is across from the Greenburgh Library and next to the Social Security offices, is spectacular! Spacious. It's going to be one of the jewels of the town-something we all will be proud of. The center has some exciting initiatives planned for the community, once they open--including a children's play area in the building.

The center is being built with $12 million dollars in stimulus funds from the federal government. Our community was very lucky to receive one of the regions largest stimulus grants from the fed's. The Health Center provides excellent quality comprehensive primary health care services. For information about the Health Center visit www.greenburghhealthcenter.com. The Health Center is independent of the town and county governments and receives funding from the US Department of Health & Human Services. The Greenburgh Health Center is a satellite site of the Mount Vernon Neighborhood Health Center, Inc. The town had to approve plans for the new health center --a vote I'm proud to have cast.

The Center will continue to serve residents of Greenburgh at their current location: 330 Tarrytown Road until they move into their new building.

PAUL FEINER

EDGEMONT COMMUNITY COUNCIL FACEBOOK POST CONTAIN WRONG INFO ABOUT WESTHELP

Robert Bernstein, former head of the ECC, likes to post inaccurate info on the ECC facebook page. Much of the time I ignore the half truths, misrepresentations. Tonights post was so off and wrong, I thought I'd correct it on my blog. Sent this to the head of the ECC.

A short note advising the ECC that your post tonight re: WESTHELP (on the your facebook page) is very inaccurate.



The town intends to lease out the WESTHELP property. We have been showing the property to a number of developers and believe that some of the bids will be acceptable to all parties. It also looks like the town will be able to generate more revenue from WESTHELP than I projected in my proposed 2013 budget! We will finalize our decision (re: who we will rent out the property to) no later than Dec 20th ( probably sooner). We hope to have a lease in place in January.

I had hoped that the County Legislators representing Greenburgh would attend our meeting on Tuesday (or whenever they can meet with us). The goal: to work together. To rent out the property quickly. To compare the tax implications of each proposal received so that we can keep your taxes as low as possible.



I request that you post my comments on your facebook page.

PAUL FEINER

county legislators jenkins, shimsky, williams, smith and county exec invited to meeting with Greenburgh Town Board re: WESTHELP property bids

I have invited county officials to a joint meeting with the town board to discuss the WESTHELP RFP responses the Town Board is receiving. The Town Board will be meeting on Tuesday at 9 AM (meeting is open). We will review the proposals we have received and need to know if the county will support the bids that will generate for the town the maximum revenue and worthwhile public purpose.

---

From: Paul Feiner
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 11:57 PM
To: Shimsky, Mary Jane; Jenkins, Ken; Williams, Alfreda; Smith, Michael; Town Board; Townclerk; Bart J. Talamini; Timothy Lewis; County Executive (WEB); Plunkett, Kevin J.; 'bsmith@blueridgelp.com'; 'drewskifix@aol.com'; 'mayorelmsford@aol.com'; 'hartleyc197@gmail.com'; 'mayorporcino@ardsleyvillage.com'; 'mayor@hastingsgov.org'
Subject: RE: you're invited to work session on Tuesday at 9:00 AM to review WESTHELP proposals -- Board to make decision no later than Dec 20

It's very important that our Greenburgh representatives try to make this meeting. This will be the first item on the agenda. The Town Board and I want to have a lease signed in January and we need to know, before we approve our budget, if the county will allow the town to select a tenant that will give us the maximum rent for the property.
Every $40,000 we receive in rent means that we can lower taxes in the villages and in the A budget by 1%.

We can start the meeting at 9 AM--and you'll be out in less than one hour. The meeting will be televised. I mentioned at the Town Board meeting tonight that the Greenburgh Legislators have been invited to this important meeting.

PAUL

---

From: Shimsky, Mary Jane [mjs2@westchestergov.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 10:15 PM
To: Paul Feiner; Jenkins, Ken; Williams, Alfreda; Smith, Michael; Town Board; Townclerk; Bart J. Talamini; Timothy Lewis; County Executive (WEB); Plunkett, Kevin J.; 'bsmith@blueridgelp.com'; 'drewskifix@aol.com'; 'mayorelmsford@aol.com'; 'hartleyc197@gmail.com'; 'mayorporcino@ardsleyvillage.com'; 'mayor@hastingsgov.org'
Subject: Re: you're invited to work session on Tuesday at 9:30 AM to review WESTHELP proposals -- Board to make decision no later than Dec 20

It's the middle of budget season - will see what I can do

From: Paul Feiner [mailto:pfeiner@greenburghny.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 10:05 AM Eastern Standard Time
To: Jenkins, Ken; Shimsky, Mary Jane; Williams, Alfreda; Smith, Michael; Town Board ; Townclerk ; Bart J. Talamini ; Timothy Lewis ; County Executive (WEB); Plunkett, Kevin J.; brian smith ; drew fixell ; elmsford mayor ; hartley connett ; mayor porcino ; peter swiderski
Subject: you're invited to work session on Tuesday at 9:30 AM to review WESTHELP proposals -- Board to make decision no later than Dec 20

The Town Board will be receiving proposals for the use of the WESTHELP site on Monday, December 3^rd. We will be posting all the proposals on the town website (www.greenburghny.com) on Tuesday. I would like to invite you to the Town Board work session on Tuesday, December 4^th at 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM. The purpose: to review each of the proposals. To analyze the financial implications to the town re: each of the proposals. And to find out if the county has any objections to any of the proposals. If the county is going to veto any of the proposals we need to know the reasons sooner, rather than later.
It is important that we approve one of the proposals quickly. The Town Board will be voting on the 2013 budget by December 20^th and the revenues we will be receiving from the WESTHELP site will impact residents financially. The more revenue we receive—the lower the taxes will be.

I hope you can attend this work session.

PAUL FEINER

meeting Tuesday to preserve Sprainbrook nursery

Sprainbrook nursery has been a community asset for many years. Earlier this year Al Krautter, owner of the property, announced plans to sell the property. His goal: to sell or lease the property - preserving the land as an organic agricultural entity rather than allowing it to be demolished and turned into brick and mortar and stone.



A community meeting is being held at the nursery tomorrow evening (Tuesday, November 27th at 7:30 PM) to exchange ideas -to come up with a plan so that Al Krautter's dream can be turned into realty. The meeting will be held at the Sprainbrook nursery at the Krautter house above the upper garden center.



I hope to see you at this important community meeting. If you know of individuals interested in helping Mr. Krautter and the fans of Sprainbrook nursery preserve this property as an organic agricultural entity - please encourage them to attend the meeting. Let's not wait until it's too late to save the property!

PAUL FEINER

reasons to be thankful in greenburgh

Thanksgiving is a time to think positive and to be grateful for the good things that are happening. During the past year (since last Thanksgiving), our community has been blessed with many things that I think we should be thankful for....

OUR TOWN EMPLOYEES---During & after Hurricane Sandy our employees worked long and hard trying to help you get your quality of life back. Roads that were closed had to be re-opened, debris and obstructions removed, streets patrolled to make sure your property was safe, questions responded to and complaints followed up. Town staff responded quickly to requests for assistance from Con Ed. During the year they try to be as helpful as possible with any matter you have (many department heads come in on Saturday and Sundays and work late in the evening).

NO FLOODING AFTER HURRICANE SANDY - The town did not experience any significant flooding after Hurricane Sandy. Prior to the hurricane (during the past year) the town (working with Elmsford) cleared obstructions from the Saw Mill River and checked drains and removed obstructions. We hope that our proactive initiatives were helpful.

OUR HOUSE ANGELS-- After the hurricane many residents volunteered their homes --providing warm and comfortable shelter for those without power. Many of the house angels did not know their guests --but were kind enough to offer their homes to those who were less fortunate. OUR TV ANGELS volunteer their time during the year picking up old TV's and dropping them off at the Highway garage. The TV's are heavy--difficult for seniors to do on their own. And, our SNOW ANGELS volunteer their time clearing driveways and walkways of seniors and disabled residents. This is what community is about -- neighbors helping neighbors.

JOB REFERRALS- About 4 years ago I set up a job club, helping the unemployed find employment. A special thank you to the many residents who have advised me of job openings where they work --so I can help your out of work neighbors find employment. Job postings are sent to residents who subscribe to a jobs e list and are posted on www.linkedin.com (greenburgh jobs group) as I learn of the openings.

CERT TEAM-- After the hurricane (and whenever we have an emergency) a group of very dedicated volunteers (OUR CERT TEAM) volunteer their time to help out in emergencies. They set up emergency shelters and do what they can to make you comfortable.

GREENBURGH LIBRARY - After the hurricane the Greenburgh Library proved it's value! Many "powerless residents" enjoyed the comfort of the library, the computers, books and friendly staff. The library staff worked with the town to expand library hours for patrons who needed a place to go to during the crisis.

GREENBURGH HEALTH CENTER - The new Greenburgh health center, which will open its new building in the winter, will provide residents with excellent health care. I'm thankful that the center kept their promise to build a sidewalk from their new building to Route 119.

WESTHAB WORKFORCE HOUSING - A new affordable housing apartment complex is being built near the Westchester County Center. The need is great -- during the year many residents have contacted me requesting applications. When they open in the spring of 2013 the families that move in will experience a great quality of life improvement.

WATERWHEEL AFFORDABLE HOUSING--Thankful that the town, Ardsley and county all worked together so that additional affordable housing could be built in Ardsley on town foreclosed land (the former waterwheel property). Some of the units will be designated for volunteer firefighters, ambulance corp members. Construction should take place in 2013.

BERKELEY STUDENT INTERNS-- Am grateful to the students at Berkeley College who have been devoting their time to the town, helping departments manage their workload at no cost to the taxpayers. Mona Fraitag, co-chair of the Poet's Corner Civic Association, has donated hundreds of hours overseeing this program. We estimate that the student interns have saved taxpayers a million dollars+.

STUDENT NEWS NETWORK--A group of hard working and intelligent students (working with Town Clerk Judith Beville) have started their own student news network, producing news stories and airing them on public access TV.

MEMBERS OF THE CITIZEN BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS - We have hundreds of citizen volunteers. Many serve as appointed members of Boards and Commissions. They work long hours and meet frequently. A citizens commission has been meeting throughout the year (day, night, weekends)- helping me review the town budget, offering great ideas. A new water district advisory board is reviewing our internal water operations and will be making recommendations. The goal: predictability, stability and good planning. The water district, which had a deficit in the past, now has a surplus (the surplus will be used for needed infrastructure).

OUR NEW DISCOVERY ZONE PLAYGROUND AT THE GREENBURGH NATURE CENTER -- The town, working with our dedicated employees and board at the Greenburgh Nature Center, opened up a spectacular new playground. Funding for the playground came from non taxpayer developer escrow funds. The centers new executive director, Margaret Goldberg, has some great ideas --that will take the center to the next level! A new nature center opened in Irvington -- the O'Hara Nature Center (some spectacular trails). In difficult economic times the GREENBURGH PARKS, trails and programs are the Theodore Young Community Center are appreciated by many.

90+ VETERANS HAVE ALREADY TAPED THEIR STORIES FOR LIVING HISTORY INITIATIVE-- A few years ago Steve Wittenberg of Ardsley and Alan Hochberg of Hartsdale started a new initiative: the living history initiative. They have been interviewing veterans of World War II and the Korean conflict. The goal: to make sure that the stories of our veterans (local heroes) are never forgotten). Over 90 living history interviews have been filmed. The United States Library of Congress will be archiving the stories.

NEW BUSINESSES--Am thankful everytime a vacant storefront is replaced with a vibrant new business. Captain Lawrence Brewery, H Mart, Acorda and some new restaurants are among the new businesses. Ben's deli is coming soon to Central Ave.

OUR BUDGET COMPLIES WITH THE NYS TAX CAP FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS! Am thankful that the 2012 and 2013 budget will comply with the NYS tax cap. A number of communities in Westchester and around the state are exceeding the tax cap next year.

GOVERNOR SIGNS LEGISLATION AUTHORIZING TOWN TO LEASE TENNIS COURTS - In 2012 the town was able to successfully push for state legislation authorizing the town to lease tennis courts to private vendors. More recreation. No cost to the taxpayers. This will be helpful to the town in the years ahead and enable the town to enter into public/private partnerships.

POPHAM ROAD BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION IS ALMOST FINISHED - The Popham Road bridge links Scarsdale to Edgemont. The construction took a few years (this wasn't a town project) and created lots of inconveniences. Am glad that the bridge construction is almost completed! It's a beautiful new bridge that will reduce traffic congestion for motorists driving to Scarsdale from Ardsley Road.

TARRYTOWN NAMED BY FORBES AS ONE OF PRETTIEST TOWNS IN AMERICA! Proud that this village is located within the town.

NEW LED LIGHTS - During the past year we tested some LED lights around town. These light poles will save energy and money. We hope to expand the program.

The above are just some of the things that we should be thankful for in Greenburgh. There's much more. Among them-- YOU! A great town is only a great place if it's residents are terrific. Thank you for choosing to make Greenburgh your home.

PAUL FEINER

summary of last nights meeting re: con ed power outages

The following is a summary of last nights meeting as reported in www.greenburgh.dailyvoice.com. I am reaching out to the new commissions the Governor appointed advising them of specific recommendations we're making and will also ask that the NYS Public Service Commission hold hearings in Greenburgh. Am also reaching out to federal, state and county lawmakers--suggesting a joint meeting with the PSC (which oversees Con Ed). Meeting should be held in Westchester.

At the town level - we need to review our existing emergency plans and improve on them. We learned, for example, that it's difficult to communicate with residents when there is no electricity, no phone service. I'm suggesting that we pre- order lawn signs (similar to the signs candidates place around town). These signs could be placed around town in the event of emergencies with important information: location of shelters, places to congregate for more info (if one doesn't have electricity or phones), etc...
PAUL FEINER

from www.greenburgh.dailyvoice.com

Sue Mirialakis, of Greenburgh, said the Public Service Commission is under Con Edison's thumb. To punish Con Edison, the PSC needs to be unseated first, she said.Photo Credit: Samantha Kramer

GREENBURGH, N.Y. - Instead of playing the blame game, Greenburgh residents acknowledged that there are plenty of things citizens can do in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and Con Edison's slow power restorations for the future.
In the new citizens' committee founded by Town Supervisor Paul Feiner, Greenburgh residents offered their suggestions for both short- and long-term plans on how the town should react to the crisis that left some out of power for more than two weeks.
Those attending wrote their suggestions, which Feiner plans to send as a mass letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the Public Service Commission and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
Many town residents agreed that the long-term goal was to hold Con Edison accountable for their poor performance, while short-term needs included better communication within the town during an emergency.
New Castle Town Supervisor Susan Carpenter was among the roomful of attendees. She said that her town and others in Westchester County were all faced with the same problems.
"We needed more crews, and more crews sooner," Carpenter said. "That was the problem — they weren't there."
Feiner hopes that the collection of letters will urge the PSC to take punishable action against Con Edison.
But some attendees also pointed out that in the meantime, there are things residents can do by themselves. Danielle Goodman of Hastings-on-Hudson pointed out that people can make Con Edison pay directly by filling out Food Spoilage Claims on Con Edison's website.
And for those receiving incorrect estimates on their electric bills, Greenburgh resident Louis Crichlow urged residents to check your meters and call the company with the actual numbers.
"They will have to send a re-adjusted bill," Crichlow said. "That will hit their pocketbooks right away."
Many also agreed that the town needs a unified emergency plan. Some offered suggestions like creating an emergency hotline committee that can provide information during a crisis. Others pressed for more help for the elderly and disabled - neighborhood captains, for example, could be designated to go door to door to check in on those they know will need extra help during a storm.
Feiner said that just as citizens came together for the meeting, he wants to rally other town officials to meet with Con Edison and PSC representatives to make sure someone pays.
"We have to make sure this never happens again," Feiner said. "I think if we work hard, we can make this succeed."

sidewalks at health center constructed sooner than anticipated

ONE LESS CONTROVERSY--SIDEWALK AT GREENBURGH HEALTH CENTER BUILT A FEW YEARS BEFORE SCHEDULE!

Construction of the Greenburgh Neighborhood Health Center (295 Knollwood Road- near the library) is moving along. The 30,000 sq foot building looks like it could open soon. In recent years some residents objected to the health center because they claimed that a permanent sidewalk from the health center to Route 119 would not be built for at least a few years. A temporary walk had been planned until a permanent sidewalk could be built.

Members of the Town Board always pledged that the sidewalk would be built before a permanent certificate of occupancy is issued. It's important because many of the health center's clients come to the center via public transportation. Having a sidewalk is important for mothers in strollers and people in wheelchairs. Knollwood Road is a busy state road.

I am pleased to report that the promises made to the community have been kept. The new sidewalk (not a temporary walk) is currently under construction and should be ready for pedestrian use within days!

A thank you to the Broadview Civic Association for lobbying for the sidewalk and highlighting it's importance. I am thrilled that the new sidewalk will be built before the new health center opens up.

PAUL FEINER

ELECTRONIC WASTE DRIVE FOR HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT CLUB

Dear Mr Feiner,
> My name is Lydia Lichtiger and I am organizing an electronic waste
> drive for the Hastings High School environmental club.

>
> The Hastings High School Environmental Club will be partnering with
> Per Scholas, a Bronx based not-for-profit organization, to hold an
> electronic recycling drive from 12p.m. to 3p.m. on Saturday December
> 1st at the Farragut Middle School/Hastings High School playground off
> of Hillside Avenue. Per Scholas will responsibly recycle your
> electronics and will use the funds generated from recycling to provide
> technology education, access, training and job placement to low-income
> communities in the Bronx. Come to the drive with a completed tax
> deduction sheet
> . Donations will be
> accepted at the drive to offset a nominal truck fee and to support Per
> Scholas’ anti-poverty work.
> If you would like to learn about the electronic waste crisis,
> e-Stewards (Per Scholas is e-Steward certified), a certification that
> holds electronic recycling companies to the highest standards of
> environmental responsibility and worker protection, explains it here:
> http://e-stewards.org/the-e-waste-crisis/.

meeting monday at 7 pm..con ed power outage responses

Reminder: new citizens committee to lobby officials to enact measures to improve procedures the next time there is a Con Ed power outage to hold first meeting tomorrow evening, Monday November 19 at 7 PM at the cafeteria, Greenburgh Town Hall. Shoprite is donating some refreshments and sandwiches for the attendees.


The recommendations we make will be forwarded to Con Ed and to federal, state, county and local officials. The Governor has also appointed a Commission to come up with recommendations. I wrote a letter to the new co-chairs and advised them of the work of our commission. We will also reach out to the Public Service Commission, Attorney General and other officials. We must lobby for changes so the nightmare we experienced during the long power outages is not repeated in the future.

Meeting will be held in the cafeteria at Town Hall. We're looking for people with ideas, residents who are willing to meet with other public officials, help with lobbying, organizing and research.

FEMA ADVISED that those who suffered losses have till the end of the year to apply for reimbursements. They incorrectly advised residents at the Town Board meeting last week that the deadline was in February.

WANT TO HELP OUT WHEN THERE IS AN EMERGENCY?

The best way you can help out is to join the CERT team. The Cert team prepares for disasters. They have a group of volunteers who meet during the year. The CERT team volunteers at emergency shelters (like Hurricane Sandy) --providing assistance to those who are looking for a warm and safe place to stay. They also have organized some blood drives during the year. They are a terrific group of people--very dedicated, helpful and caring.

Peter Edelson, 'pedelson@att.net' is the captain of the CERT team. He is a volunteer. Peter Dandreano (pdandreano@greenburghny.com) is the police officer who is assigned to the team. Please advise them of your interest in joining a great group.

PAUL FEINER

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countys special needs registry didn't work...after hurricane

Westchester County has a special registry for people with special disabilities. The county encouraged residents to apply if they need special assistance, transportation or sheltering in the event of a major emergency or disaster. After the recent hurricane members of the Greenburgh disabled advisory committee reported that some people on the special needs registry were never contacted–even though they were out of power for more than one week.


I request that Westchester County contact everyone on the Special Needs Registry to determine if they were contacted by Con Ed, local governments or the county. If not, why not? I request that the county provide all of uswith an analysis of actions that were taken (OR NOT TAKEN) to help those on the special registry list. I also request that such findings be reported to state, county and local officials ---and that we come up with a plan to make sure that the next time there is an outage that provisions are made to give those with special needs the attention they deserve. We may need better communications/strategies how to deal with those on the registry for the future. After the storm a number of residents contacted me—people who depend on oxygen, those who were home after major surgeries, cancer patients, people bed ridden, with life threatening illnesses. No special provisions were made to expedite the restoration of power in their homes. I wonder how many of the frail population did not survive the ordeal.



Jack Fisher, a member of the Greenburgh Disabled Advisory Committee, is on the list. He was never contacted (his e mail is jack.fischer@verizon.net). He participated in a public access TV statement that was aired at the Greenburgh Town Board meeting on Wednesday November 14th (you can watch the presentation- archives Town Board meeting-www.greenburghny.com).



This matter is one of the issues that will be discussed at a meeting I am holding this Monday night, November 19th at Greenburgh Town Hall at 7 PM. The goal of the meeting (which you are invited to) will be to discuss initiatives that could be taken in the future to improve procedures used after power outages.

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Town Supervisor

(copy of westchestergov.com special needs registry info below)…







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EMERGENCY SERVICES



________________________________________



Special Needs Registry



What is the Special Needs Registry?

It is a list of county residents who may require additional assistance, transportation and/or sheltering in the event of a major emergency or disaster.

Who is eligible for the Special Needs Registry?

Any county resident with a physical or mental disability who would have trouble leaving their home quickly if told to do so. The Registry is only intended for use by those who live independently, and not in a residential special needs facility (i.e., nursing home or hospital).

Will my information be kept confidential?

Yes. However, the county will share the information with local, county, state and federal agencies for the purpose of emergency planning and emergency response.

Are the Special Needs Registry and 911 the same thing?

No. You must still dial 911 in an emergency.

Is participation in the Special Needs Registry voluntary?

Yes. Your submission of an application is your voluntary request to be included.



You may request to be removed from the Registry at any time by writing to: The Westchester County Office of Emergency Management, 4 Dana Road, Valhalla, New York 10595.



The submission of an application does not guarantee your inclusion in the Registry. Each application will be screened and evaluated on a case-by-case basis. You will be notified within 45 days of receiving your application if your application has NOT been approved.



Registrants are obligated to provide updated information on an annual basis. The county reserves the right to terminate registration at its discretion.



For a new User ID - Signup

Already have a User ID - Login

Special Needs Registry Flyers




How do I sign up?

• Recommended: Call 211 (between 9:00AM and 7:00PM) and they will sign you up over the phone.

- In the event you are having trouble reaching 211, please call 800-899-1479.

- TTY users may also dial 211

soil testing consultant re: frank's nursery to meet with board

WRITTEN QUESTIONS FROM PUBLIC WILL BE ANSWERED AT MEETING WITH FRANK'S NURSERY SOIL TESTING CONSULTANT ON NOV 27 AT 9:30 am

DISCUSSION TO ADDRESS CONTAMINATION FINDINGS...CLEANUP PLAN

The town has retained a professional consultant - Woodward & Curran to conduct soil testing at the old Frank's nursery to determine the extent of contamination on the property and to recommend a remediation plan. Anthony Catalano of the firm will meet with the Town Board at an open session on Tuesday November 27th at 9:30 AM. Our meetings are steamed live on the internet: www.greenburghny.com and televised on the local Greenburgh access channels.

If you have any questions you would like to ask about the soil testing and analysis - please send it to vcarosi@greenburghny.com and copy me at pfeiner@greenburghny.com. All written questions will be answered at the meeting. We would appreciate it if you would send in your questions as soon as possible (hopefully before Thanksgiving) so Mr. Catalano will have sufficient time to review the questions and to respond.
On election day voters approved a lease agreement with Game On to build a sports facility at the old Frank's nursery. Cleanup of the property must take place before any facility opens.

PAUL FEINER

Anthony C. Catalano, P.E. BCEE, Senior Vice President with Woodard & Curran Engineering, P.A. P.C., is confirmed to speak to the Town Board and address questions and concerns related to the current and continuing Phase II Environmental review of the Town property at 715 Dobbs Ferry Road, FKA Frank’s Nursery. He will be prepared with a brief presentation to better inform all about the testing protocol, general information about how various project sites with detected contaminants are addressed, the role of the DEC to this project site, possible uses of the project site with respect to the pollutants found, and next steps with regards to more research, testing and / or analysis that may be required.

Victor G. Carosi, P.E.

Commissioner of Public Works

Town of Greenburgh

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IDEAS TO REDUCE PROLONGED OUTAGES

SOME SUGGESTIONS FROM RATEPAYERS TO IMPROVE THE WAY CON ED DEALS WITH FUTURE POWER OUTAGES…




The prolonged Con Ed outages caused a tremendous amount of suffering in Westchester for thousands of residents. Over 9,500 Greenburgh residents were out of power after the hurricane (half the town). Many residents did not have their power restored for nearly two weeks.

I invited residents to share some suggestions that could be implemented in the future so that the nightmare we recently experienced will never happen again. I am forwarding these suggestions to the Governor, our state Legislators, the Attorney General and NYS Public Service Commission. A citizens committee that I am forming will be holding our first meeting this Monday, November 19th at 7 PM at Greenburgh Town Hall to discuss these ideas…

The following are some of the many suggestions I received. Your feedback is always appreciated.

PAUL FEINER



Con Ed crews assigned to Greenburgh did not work 24 hours during the restoration of electricity. During the first week after the hurricane we were assigned token crews (usually two). Little was accomplished.

• Con Ed should assign crews to areas without power 24 hours a day. No down time until all power is restored. Obviously different crews during daytime and evening hours. Crews worked most nights till 8 or 9 PM. If this was a 24 hour operation power would have been restored much quicker.

• Con Ed should call in more of their retirees.

• Con Ed should provide elected officials with a daily accounting of where crews are going to be sent each day and at the end of the day the Con Ed liaisons should account for what streets had power restored. People were also unable to contact Con Ed by phone or though their automatic reporting system on line.

• Con Ed should have a plan of action in place, working with public safety and local officials on how to deal with the frail elderly and people with significant medical issues. Members of the Greenburgh Disabled Advisory Committee who are on a list of people to be contacted in the event of an emergency were never contacted.

• During the recent storm many people contacted me with major health problems. They included people who were home bound - unable to leave their homes due to serious illnesses, recent operations. I spoke with residents who had brain surgeries, and depend on oxygen to live. I am sure that the prolonged power outages contributed to additional health problems for those with major medical problems (people who refuse to leave their home during an outage). Con Ed gave no priority attention to their needs.

• All assisted living facilities, hospitals; nursing homes should be contacted in advance of storms and asked to provide those with medical needs affordable temporary places to stay while power is out. We need to come up with a process to check on those individuals with major medical issues.



• The concept of power restoration, though seemingly tedious for us of late, is not unique to the Northeast. We could benchmark other utility’s approaches for power restoration related to hurricane/other large scale outages. Certainly other utilities in hurricane prone locales like Florida, Louisiana, etc. have practices related to power restoration that could be benchmarked/leveraged.



• Suggestion from resident: Con Ed tree cutting: suggest that Con Ed cut the trees back at an angle of 20 degrees, instead of straight up, so the trees have a few years BEFORE they grow over the wires. AND, cut the trees ALL the way up, not just around the wires. Old way of tree trimming. Tree trimming needs an update.



• Bury the (local distribution) lines! We should lobby for a new federal stimulus program. This could be done gradually. From what I understand, it costs about 5 times more upfront (about $1 million/mile, compared to $200,000/mile for above-ground), but that the extra cost is mostly saved, over the lifetime of the lines, in maintenance. Additional benefit: much more beautiful (you don't see the lines!). Another benefit of pushing to do underground retrofitting is a huge shot-in-the-arm for the economy (and yes, it will take taxes/bonds to pay for it, but it is money very well spent). A suggestion: As communities do work underground (water mains) they should be able to apply for grants to gradually bury lines underground. It would probably be too expensive to do at once.



• Con Ed should post, eligible for refinement, of the order that crews will tackle addresses/neighborhoods. People were upset because there was no expectation of when the power would come to homes. Con Ed told people that 90% of their power will be restored by 11/9 but customers were frustrated because they did not know if they were part of the 90% or 10%. How does Con Ed set priorities? Is it by number of people affected or do the politicians/government weigh in. How does Con Ed decide which municipalities, etc..get attention? Why would Greenburgh be sent more or less crews than other communities on a given day? There should be an emergency plan in place so that when a disaster strikes there is protocol. Public hearings on the emergency plan should be held and it should be approved at a public meeting.

•



• Con Ed should warn customers when scheduled outages are happening. They had to do this a lot in order to work and gave no warning





• Fines for prolonged outages to residents who suffered. How about a reduction in our bills based on days without power!



• Con Ed must improve communication with Verizon and other players. The town, and other players? In a crisis, should Con Ed turn away workers that are non-union? In a crisis, should Con Ed aggressively enlist retired Con Ed workers who are willing to “freelance”?



• Con Ed needs to fix their robocall system? We had people getting calls that their power had been restored when it was not, people getting calls that their power was about to be restored when it had been restored days earlier, etc. There needs to be better and more proactive communication from Con Ed to its customers that don't have power. It was frustrating to call each day and receive the same "we're working on it" answer. And the burden was on us to keep calling since they did not reach out to us at all. Con Ed should maintain an e-mail alert and phone system to let people know what they are doing. They should have quick and specific geographical information available on their website with easy navigation. They should urge customers to sign up for e-mail and/or phone alerts. Outage maps were not accurate or up to date on line.





• In addition, Con Ed should be required to provide a TBD minimum number of crews to Westchester to alleviate the problems we had the first few days when most of crews were in NYC and Westchester was predominantly ignored. There needs to be a more equitable division of the crews.



• PSC and state should review the stockpile of most frequently damaged burnt out items such as transformers. Con Ed crews advised that they had run out of some parts.



• In the meantime we should be proactive about trimming branches and removing trees that pose significant risk to pole based infrastructure.



• In addition, the PSC may want to examine when Con Ed requested mutual aid crews from other utilities and how effectively they were deployed.

• More dry ice should be distributed –centers in every town. Con Ed provided some dry ice but announced locations in the middle of each day – providing many residents who needed the ice with inadequate notice.

•

• Lend emergency generators with the necessary person to install it for the length of the power outage to the frail elderly

Sincerely,







Paul J. Feiner

Town Supervisor

no lines at FEMA

Spent an hour at the FEMA offices at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. Spoke to FEMA representatives and representatives of the US Small Business Administration. There were NO LINES. Very few people seeking help. That’s unfortunate. FEMA and other agencies are at the County Center every day of the week till 8 PM. If you had an outage and want reimbursement for some of your losses you should register with FEMA and the Small Business Administration. The motto: SNOOZE, YOU LOSE. You should register IMMEDIATELY. It’s possible that in the coming weeks or months that the federal government could offer residents/businesses more benefits. If you are not on their registration list you can’t be contacted and advised of the additional grants/loans.. If you register now and the fed’s increase the benefits, you will be entitled to more money.


You don’t have to go to the County Center to register. You can apply by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).

It’s a very quick process. For more info visit www.DisasterAssitance.gov.



Don’t believe that FEMA can help you? Here’s an e mail I received from a constituent yesterday.



CONSTITUENT NOTE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES DEALING WITH FEMA

handled a claim for FEMA and she just received a $31k determination.



However, the $31k is reduced by whatever amount she will recover from her homeowners claim, so if her homeowners pays $6k then she will receive $25k from FEMA. This amount is a grant, not a loan. This will cover:

• Contents (furniture, personal effects, appliances, etc)

• Repairs (flooring, furnace, drywall, siding, garbage removal, etc)



Also available from FEMA:

1. Free hotel stays at FEMA participating hotels, if displaced from your home and it is uninhabitable

2. Housing reimbursement if you had to rent a house or stay at a non-participating hotel because your home is uninhabitable

3. Low interest 30-year loans (1.6% I think) to rebuild and repair

The process is not bad, and she will receive her payment via direct deposit in 7-10 days from when her homeowners adjuster reports the homeowners payout to FEMA. Have to register online and a FEMA inspector will come to your house to assess the damage.



Have invited FEMA to set up temporary offices at Greenburgh Town Hall.

Paul Feiner

Greenburgh to review internal emergency preparations for hurricanes and power outages

On Monday, November 19th at 7 PM you are invited to a community meeting at Greenburgh Town Hall to discuss a citizens initiative to press the Public Service Commission to direct Con Ed to change some of their procedures (example: hiring private electricians, having different crews working non stop- 24 hours a day, improving communications, etc..) so that the next time there is a major storm/huricane power can be restored much faster.

It's easy to point fingers at Con Ed. We also need to take a look at action steps the town can take to improve the way we deal with flooding, storms hurricanes, power outages.

At this meeting on Monday we will also form a task force to review how the town handled the emergency and to come up with recommendations. For example, I send out many e mails during emergencies. But, if you don't have power you can't read the e mails. If the phones aren't working, robo emergency calls can't be listened to. Should we put up signs around town advising residents where shelters are/how they can get info in the event of an emergency? Should the signs have phone numbers of a place where people can phone in for help? GOOD NEWS- We're updating our phone system (new system should be in place in the spring) which will help us communicate better.

We reached out to many seniors during the recent emergency. And, helped some find a warm temporary place to stay (house angels, shelters). Were all of the frail elderly/disabled/medically challenged residents contacted? Did we miss some people who should have been contacted? Do we need to work harder at reaching out to those who may need our help? Is our data base comprehensive enough? Can it be improved? The Atria provided beds for those who needed short term assisted living services. The Andrus Home in Hastings also helped out. But, many people were not aware of these opportunities.

How do we communicate road closures if people don't have power?

Do we have enough generators? Fortunately, a new generator was installed at our highway garage in mid October - replacing a generator that was not functioning properly). And- our highway garage had no power during the storm. What facilities in town need generators for shelters.

The meeting on Monday night is open to the community. Please e mail me at pfeiner@greenburghny.com or call me at 438 1343 with your suggestions. Shoprite will be donating food for a reception that will begin at 6:30 PM on Monday evening.

PAUL FEINER

PS: We can all improve. And, we can learn from this experience. The above comments should not be interpreted as critical comments about town staffer's who worked very hard. The police department, fire department, public works department, recreation department, planning department, commissioners, employees all did their best. I hope that this community dialogue will help us improve the next time there is a disaster.