The Year In Review Part 1

Each year Mr Feiner publishes his accomplishments for the year on various Feiner-friendly websites, sends out numerous email blasts and snail-mail mailings (the latter at a significant cost to the tax-payer). Coincidentally, we publish the “rest of the story” to quote the late Paul Harvey, as Mr Feiner, convicted of lying under oath in the Fortress Bible Church Federal discrimination case, can’t always be relied upon to present accurate and transparent information. Here’s part 1 of our year in review. This year, Mr Feiner has changed his Accomplishment List to a Highlights List. Staffers have thrown around numerous thoughts as to why the change. Because short of slowing down the Edgemont community’s incorporation efforts, there haven’t really been many new accomplishments. Mr Feiner’s info is in blue, ours in black.

TAXES WON’T GO UP…AND FINANCIALS

A tax rate reduction and a tax levy freeze in the 2020 town budget.
We have previously written about this. Returning Edgemont resident Lucas Cioffi, ran against Mr Feiner in this last election. One of his campaign promises was to have a two-year tax freeze if elected. A week after Mr Cioffi made that announcement, Mr Feiner started saying that he would promise a 1-year tax freeze. When asked about the tax levy, Mr Feiner was unable to answer the question. Part of the reason that he can do this – and why for only one year – is that there have been a number of people who have left the Town's employ and whose positions will not be filled.

We are tightening many of our management procedures. Department heads are being asked to develop step by step work plans so we can review tangible measurable goals. We are working with department heads on developing cost benefits for each new project. 

It's surprising to learn that these management principals – basic management principals – haven't already been implemented. After all, after ten terms as Supervisor and countless interns, citizens groups and advisors, surely someone must have told you how to do this?

At our last Town Board meeting the Board voted to install GPS systems in all town vehicles. 

Several vehicular points here. First, if there is a vehicle policy? Second, why weren’t GPS systems already installed? Third, If there is no policy, why did it take so long to develop one? Fourth, what was the cost to retrofit all of the Town vehicles? Finally, what happened to cause this decision to be made? Did someone go joy-riding with a Town garbage truck that was found abandoned somewhere because somebody forgot to lock the truck door or the yard's fence?

We continue to conduct independent reviews of different departments --looking for ways to make government more efficient. 
Who is conducting these supposed reviews? What have they found so far and how do we access this information? 

We implemented consultant recommendations dealing with the courts a few years ago and are implementing recommendations from DPW consultants--a work order system for DPW and a health and safety initiative for employees.

We'll be kind and just assume this is correct. Again, Lucas Cioffi had said that all the work orders should be able to be filed by residents online and then trackable by residents online to see at what stage their resolution might be. This was a great idea as Mr Cioffi highlighted (no pun intended) that the one choke point in our Town lies with Mr Feiner as people email him directly and only he knows what the constituent's issues are.

Maintaining Aaa bond rating by Moody's and Standard & Poor's --bond rating increased 3 times during my tenure to highest rating possible. 

Having a good bond rating is good if and when you float bonds – don't worry, one is coming to us soon to the minimum tune of $49,000,000 for a new court and police station. Mr Feiner backed off of this bond as the Greenburgh School District was trying to get the taxpaying public to buy-in to their $200,000,000 (principal and interest) Consolidation Bond. With the election looming, even Mr Feiner was nervous to propose it, stating openly that he was against the Consolidation Bond proposal. With the democratic change in the bail laws under the guise of reform, aptly referred to as “catch and release”, shouldn't the courts workload and demands be less? Maybe another already existing location could work instead of building something new.

We had two auctions of foreclosed properties-the last auction generated 2.7 million dollars.  We have started using a professional auctioneer to help us maximize revenues from auctions. 
The Town has maintained a lackadaisical approach to foreclosures with Mr Feiner's excuse being that he doesn't want people to be kicked out of their homes. That's understandable, however, we've seen the law ignored and foreclosures sit idle for IE., 7 years.

Forming committee to review proposed requests for proposals to maximize competition from bidders. 
Great, another committee so we can talk about something instead of dealing with it.

HISTORY--the Odell House and 9-11

We received a $600,000 grant from NYS to restore the historic Odell House on Ridge Road, Hartsdale.  We hope to turn the building into a museum. This house played a major role in the Revolutionary War.  At long last – we’re close to getting the Odell house transferred from the Sons of the American Revolution to the town. Last week the NYS Attorney General's office authorized the SAR to transfer the property to the town--which will happen in early 2020. 

It's interesting how Mr Feiner has bent over backwards to tranquilize the Hartsdale community after there was talk of incorporation by them, contingent with the Edgemont incorporation. So much so that he purchased two homes costing about $400,000 for a possible Central Avenue project. Now the Town will also be on the hook to demolish and provide any asbestos and other remediation before they can do something with the property. We do want to see the Odell house preserved but given the Town's track record as a landlord (WestHelp is one that comes to mind), we're not sure this is the best direction for this historic property.

We started the 9-11 Living History stories--video interviews of those impacted by the 9-11 tragedy. The interviews air on public access TV and can be accessed on the web. The 9-11 living history stories is modelled[sic] after the Veterans living history initiative (about 150 veterans of World War II, the Korean conflict have each participated in half hour interviews). We have no issues with this.

PEDESTRIAN AND MOTORIST  SAFETY

New sidewalks completed at Columbia Ave, Fair Street, Lawton, a small portion of N Washington Ave and Glendale Road. Construction of new sidewalk to begin shortly on Central Ave between Marion and West Hartsdale Ave.  About six miles of new sidewalks have been built or funded in recent years --with more to come! In April the town received some more good news: We received two grants (from NYS and from CDBG) totaling $1.2 million dollars to build a new sidewalk on Hillside Ave and on Old Tarrytown Road.  Residents will be able to walk from Route 119 to the Parkway Gardens/Homes neighborhood and from Town Hall to Knollwood Road! 

While these sidewalks are good to have, the Town only recently began seeking grant monies for sidewalks even though the money has existed for years! The sidewalk policy has been all new construction developers add a sidewalk at that property. This is a good idea for new construction but does nothing for roadways that will never have new construction. While walking on Hillside as well as Old Kensico Roads can be terrifying, especially in the dark, we're told we have to accept something as better than nothing. Tell that to the person recently struck by a car on Old Kensico Road.

5 different pedestrian accidents around town. Town Board includes substantial funding in 2020 budget for pedestrian safety improvements. 

Specifically such as what? 

We also are studying the possibility of either building a sidewalk on Ft Hill Road or making road one way ( a suggestion raised by residents). A community meeting has been scheduled with a local Edgemont civic association in January to discuss plans to hire a traffic consultant to review options. 

Mollifying the Edgemont community seems to be Mr Feiner's main focus since turning down their Incorporation petition; as well as placating the Hartsdale community.

There are other safety concerns on streets around town. We will use funding that has been approved by the Town Board for digital speed boards and other traffic calming devices. 

We don’t need digital sign boards and have no idea what traffic calming devices are, but what we need is police enforcement. Currently, the police department is not doing traffic enforcement on local roads. 

The town has offered to pay for a traffic light on Central Ave in front of Sacred Heart Church if NYS allows us to install a light at this location--where there was an accident earlier this fall. NYS said they don't have funds in their budget for the safety improvement. 

This location has literally been an accident waiting to happen – and it finally did. This is on Mr Feiner and his 30 years in office focusing on giveaways and vote purchasing rather doing what the Town needs.

Starting to review need to improve traffic flow on E Hartsdale Ave. Board agrees to study upgrading of traffic lights. Sensors, synchronizing lights to reduce congestion and to increase traffic flow. 

What does “starting to review” mean? This is a not a DOT controlled road. As the top elected official in the Town, he should have been all over this for years! It wasn't until the Hartsdale Neighbors Association starting pushing for changes in that area coupled with Edgemont's Incorporation did Mr Feiner agree to evaluate the area.

We enhanced crosswalk at Edgemont and Ardsley Road. Enhancement completed just a week ago.

We added a crossing guard to Ardsley Road/Fort Hill Road--making it safer for children to crossduring school hours. 
Again, placating Edgemont in hopes that they will drop their movement to Incorporate this time under the guise of “for the children.” For the uninitiated, Mr Feiner is very much about quid pro quo and should be impeached.

We awarded the bid for a traffic light at Ardsley Road/Sprain Road. We expect installation to be completed in the spring of 2020. This location will be much safer.

We selected a consultant to review the proposal to revitalize the 4 corners in Hartsdale--and will address stormwater[sic], traffic issues. 

A review should indicate that there are both flooding and traffic issues at that location. The irony, and ultimately failure, of the study is that it will focus in that one specific area while the problem exists due to local, County and State government failure to address it for the entire Bronx River corridor. Again, why fix it when we can talk about it. Public Works Commissioner Victor Carosi sits on the County Flooding committee chaired by County Legislator Alfreda Williams. Ask any of them and they will say that they haven't met and done anything to even begin to address flooding. Go take a look at any section of the Bronx River and you'll see the entire river is clogged with debris and overgrown vegetation. Maintenance is not sexy so no one addresses it.

Building a sidewalk, installing lights  or enhancing crosswalks takes a lot of work. Our town professionals have to coordinate with other government entities if work is going to take place on state or county roads. We have to coordinate with Con Ed -moving utility poles. We need to make sure that we're in compliance with ADA requirements dealing with the disabled and have to make sure that the work we do does not create drainage related problems.  The crosswalk light fixtures took months to arrrive[sic] at Edgemont and Ardsley Road. After we awarded the bid for a traffic light on Ardsley Road/Sprain we were advised that it takes 4-6 months for the special fixtures to arrive.  Most people are not aware of all the details that go into designing and implementing safety improvements. 

It sounds like he's describing them doing jobs, which they get paid very well to do, including excellent benefits.