Happy New Year 2022!

 

Happy Kwanzaa

Merry Christmas

 

Fairview FD Helps Santa's Visit

Happy Thanksgiving

 

Remembering Our Veterans

 

Every generation has seen American heroes’ step forward. Men and women from every corner of our great country giving of themselves. Their sacrifices have protected our freedoms here at home and for so many across the globe. They ask so little of us yet deserve our unyielding gratitude. 

Today we recognize them, the American Veterans and extend our thanks, this day and every day - and remind ourselves that we must do more to support our veterans. We have in our county, and we will do more! 

God bless you, our service men and women and the United States of America! 

Police Chief Bails With Lawsuit Accusations

Greenburgh Police Chief Chris McNerney will resign, one year after returning to a post he had previously occupied for more than five years, to become Larchmont's next police chief. In a statement, McNerney said it was never his intention to return to Greenburgh long-term. He was previously the town’s police chief and returned to the job after a one-year stint at the Office of the Westchester County District Attorney, where he was the office’s top criminal investigator. And, for whatever reason he chose to leave there, it seems the lawsuit against the Town of Greenburgh and the Greenburgh Police Department might have just been the impetus he needed. 

While some are claiming that the Chief is trying to outrun the Federal sexual harassment lawsuit brought against the Town’s Police Department by female Police Officer Kristin Stein, we wonder if he’s in the lawsuit as the figurehead Chief of the Department. Or, is it possible he condoned the behavior of his officers and in fact helped to create a hostile work environment for Officer Stein? Sixteen officers are named as defendants in the lawsuit: Brian Ryan, Robert Gramaglia, Kobie Powell, Brian Matthews, Frank Farina, Dennis Basulto, Eric Vlasity, Patrick Grady, Michael Cookingham, Alex Rodriguez, Brian Doherty, Dyana Albano, Frank Kozakiewicz, Jeff Cerone, John Pilla and Chief McNerney.

The allegations in Stein’s lawsuit include a sexual assault from a 2019 incident in the Greenburgh Police headquarters where Officer Stein was learning over a table to collect pamphlets when Police Officer Jeff Cerone, “grinded against her rear, rammed himself into her backside with his genitals, then threw her towards the middle of the room”, according to the lawsuit.

Several Greenburgh police officers were caught on a body cam recording laughing after the alleged sexual assault took place, but it does not show the actions of Cerone. One officer that was not laughing was Kristin Stein’s brother, who was also a Greenburgh police officer, and was in the room. The body cam was from police officer John Pilla, who had mistakenly turned it on during roll call.

Numerous other incidents of inappropriate texts, comments, sexual jokes, remarks, sexual solicitations, negative work assignments, silent treatment, uninvited sexual attention, displaying pornographic photos, are all alleged in the suit, filed in Federal Court in White Plains this summer.

It’s hard to know just how extensive or pervasive this unacceptable behavior is in the Greenburgh Police Department and why Officer Stein was a) the target of it and b) never apparently able to get satisfaction regarding her claims of harassment? We do know that whatever has taken place may come out in a trial if it gets to that point. We also know that Greenburgh Town Hall has its own issues that have been swept under the rug or ignored time and time again. We know that the Board of Ethics, an impotent Board without power and only advisory capabilities, lacks its own ethical compass as a pseudo subservient group only capable of making suggestions to it’s overlord, the Town Board. Ironically, even blatant violations and unethical behavior gets a pass.

Now that this lawsuit has gotten publicity and has been “outed,” and the Town Board received the notice from Chief McNerney that he’s leaving, what other changes might we see? Obviously Chief McNerney, who apparently never had plans to stay in Greenburgh and just returned for the money, may still be called to testify and in fact even be prosecuted should this case go to court. And, what of the other accused offenders in the police department? We were initially concerned about what would happen to the other Officer Stein, Kristin Stein’s brother, but learned he has since left the Greenburgh Police Department. It’s disturbing to learn of the expanse of the Police Department’s dirty laundry. We certainly hope a special prosecutor is appointed to get to the bottom of what may have transpired. But if history has taught us anything in the Town of Greenburgh, it’ll probably be swept under the proverbial rug. We hope not. It’s the only way we’ll get A Better Greenburgh.

Trunk or Treat Event

We Applaud WP Common Council’s Decision to Reject Platinum Mile Plan

Mr Feiner apparently doesn’t have a stand-alone stranglehold on spot zoning and bad decisions for development in our Town. Neighboring White Plains, a city – therein a significant difference – had a request from Senlac Ridge Partners to tear down an office building at 701 Westchester Avenue and build a five story, 360-unit apartment building. The overall presumed goal is to repurpose what had been a vibrant office space known as part of the Platinum Mile into residential property, as business occupancy has dramatically declined over recent years.

Similarly, there was another proposal for a project also on Westchester Avenue for a mixed use development of 175 apartments at 70 Westchester Avenue, including the failed model of street level retail space, a restaurant and amazingly, a car dealership sales space - now that’s original. However, by throwing in all of the various zoning caveats, could they be seeking to throw in the kitchen sink should one (or more) of these fail to materialize and something else be needed in it’s place? And, while 11 of the 175 units will be subsidized (re: low income), these units will be purchased by the government (White Plains Affordable Housing Assistance Fund) to dole out as they see fit, changing the dynamic of the project.

By blanketing the area to fall under the White Plains’ Planned Campus Development District overlay, encompassing their Comprehensive Plan, several City Council trustees wisely voted to wait before taking a vote.

“The Common Council takes its responsibilities very seriously, one might say soberly,” Council Member Victoria Presser said. “We listen to our constituents, we review all the documents, we make site visits whenever we can, and we take the time to think through these matters because it is our job to make decisions for the benefit of the entire community.” Frankly, this sounds like the platitudes we’ve often heard from the Greenburgh Town Board regarding almost every development placed before them that one or more neighborhoods might be against or are questioning, followed by their phony “due diligence” speech.

“In this instance, it is to the benefit of the community that we deny this proposal,” Presser said. Truer words have not been spoken in many of our communities. Although, if you follow developments throughout the County, there have been several communities that have not given into developer’s wishes and tried to maintain the integrity of their communities. Don’t get the wrong idea. We believe property owners, whether new or established should be able to build . But that right to build should be tempered within the confines of the zoning. We also don’t believe “spot zoning” such as Mr Feiner and his Board routinely do, helps anyone but the developer. Sure, the Board will enact new zoning to enable the developer before them to proceed and then say that it applies Town-wide, covering their political hides.

It’s refreshing to see communities around us slowing the developer gravy train and seeking to really represent the taxpaying residents and established businesses. Progress doesn’t have to disregard neighborhoods, Comprehensive Plans (real ones, not political statements such as Greenburgh has), zoning and community inputs. If only we could get this in the Town. It’s how we’ll get A Better Greenburgh.

Scam Alert

Local business in the Village of Tarrytown and the City of Rye was recently scammed. A person presenting themselves as the Fire Inspector from those Communities appeared and demanded cash to pay a Village inspection fee, which was paid to them. No municpal employee will never ask for or accept cash or other payment in the field. This kind of scam and other similar scams could happen to anyone – a homeowner or a business owner – and could also happen in the instance of someone posing as a representative from a utility like Con Edison or Verizon, a Federal agency such as FEMA or the Small Business Administration (SBA) or some other company or organization.

To avoid being scammed, please keep the following tips in mind:
· Always ask for official identification.
· No Village employee will ever ask for payment, especially of cash, in the field. All documents and payments should be submitted at Village Hall and by check made out to the Village of Elmsford.
· Do not give out personal or confidential information such as your birthday, social security number, bank account number, or other personal or confidential information.
· If anyone attempts to demand cash or other payment from you on behalf of the Village of Elmsford, or another community, please call your Police Department to report criminal activity.
· If you have surveillance cameras, please retain and preserve the information and share it with the Police Department to assist in the investigation.
· Do not allow anyone to coax, coerce or bully you into buying or paying for something you do not want and/or did not ask for.
· For help with dangerous or possible criminal activities, please call your Police Department.

This message was provided by the Village of Elmsford.

Fast Hands Drum Studio Releases New Drum Book

“At the height of the pandemic, I was speaking to a drum student via Google Meet about learning how to play a drum roll,” explained Cameron Bock, owner and author of the Fast Hands Drum Studio. “My student, who practiced regularly, took up the drums as a stay-at-home activity during the Covid shutdown. While demonstrating how to bounce the drumsticks over video chat, I realized the need to dust off an old document that my drum teacher and grandfather once wrote for his students.” 

“This short 10-page document is a drum method concept that my grandfather began pioneering in the late 1970’s,” he continued. “He called it ‘Fast Hands for Drummers in 30 Minutes a Day’, and it is a series of short exercises designed to help the reader receive the most benefit from their practice session in the least amount of time."

As Cameron dusted off this old exercise manual from what he calls his tallest bookshelf, he realized this was a gold mine of information for his students at Fast Hands Drum Studio. The exercises written in this 10 page document held the most unique and efficient techniques for mastering a drummer’s bounce. With a little fine-tuning, and some 21st century magic, this classic exercise booklet is now available with expanded techniques to every drummer through access to the internet.

Mastering Your Drumstick’s Bounce is a comprehensive drum method book that guides the drummer through distinct exercises with the intent of gaining control of their drumstick’s bounce. The bounce that is developed while practicing this book will help drummers perfect their drum rolls, play in a more relaxed manner, and move fluidly across their drum set.

These rare exercises that were drafted in a small drum studio 50 years ago and are now again available to every percussionist. So, all drummers looking to develop their hands to play as fast and as relaxed as possible, pick up your copy today on Amazon. 

Under The Cover of Darkness

Republican candidate for Governor and former County Executive Rob Astorino, broke a story at a press conference at the County Airport this week stating that the Federal government is and has been shipping illegal aliens into Westchester County via the Westchester County airport under the cover of darkness. The Feds claim the flights are part of a national operation to reunite minors who had been separated from their families at the southern border. In total, it has been estimated that hundreds of iillegals have been flown into Westchester during late-night flights. If this were a legitimate action, the flights would be coming in during the daylight hours and every politician would be on the runway holding a press conference. The fact that they are doing this at night under the cover of darkness belies it's legitimacy.

“I’m now told the flights have been happening since April. Smaller then. Bigger now. 737s daily," Astorino said. “Being secretive makes it worse. I don’t blame the individuals, I blame the federal government for not fixing our broken immigration system and securing the southern border. And I blame our state and local elected officials for either not demanding answers for us or knowing the answers and not telling us or lying to us. We need answers.”

Westchester County Executive George Latimer excused it saying that the HHS operation was part of President Joe Biden’s Office of Refugee Resettlement operation, and not specific to Westchester, as his administration attempts to reunite children under the age of 18 with their families. Although, when you look at the photos you’d be hard pressed to find young children among the mostly adult-looking passengers.

Assemblyman Colin Schmitt (R-New Windsor) also issued a statement of his own condemning the flights while taking a shot at Democrat leaders.

“It has been confirmed that the Biden Administration has been sending flights carrying illegal aliens who were detained crossing our southern border to the Westchester County Airport,” he wrote in an email blast. “This occurred without notice to the public or county officials.

The illegals were taken from private flights and placed on buses. They were apparently eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, but it isn’t clear how many received the vaccine or not clear how many flights have come into Westchester. But, once on the buses, it’s unknown what communities they were transported to. Scary. We have previously reported that at the beginning stages of the Covid 19 pandemic that the County, vis-à-vis the County DSS and County Executive Latimer, housed 40 Covid positive homeless people into the Days Inn (formerly the Saw Mill River Motel) in Elmsford on Valley Avenue. They didn’t notify the Village, offer funds to assist with the daily ambulance transports to area hospitals for non-Covid related issues, such as an upset stomach, dizziness, general malaise, etc. These people know how to “game” the system to their advantage. For instance, they suddenly don’t feel well  at 10 - 11:00AM or at 4PM and get transported to the hospital in time for lunch or later for dinner. Want to stay longer? If they claim to be suicidal, they’ll be admitted for three days for “evaluation.” When they are finally discharged, the County is obligated to find them another room either in the same motel/hotel or another and transport them there, feed them, provide medical assistance if needed as well as clothing.

This clear abuse of power is an affront to to residents of Westchester County and Americans in general. Secure the border and stop this flow. Sending these detainees to be released in our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic represents a clear threat to the health and safety of our region. Our local representatives need to stand up for the safety and well-being of our residents! You can’t tell us in one breath to get vaccinated and wear a mask and then insert contaminated people into our communities. This must stop! It’s the only way we’ll get A Better Greenburgh.

Colonial Day in Mount Pleasant

Unnecessary Law Averted... For Now

Appeasement is a difficult game to play, although Mr Feiner always seems eager to jump into that fray. His apparent knee-jerk reaction typically belies levelheaded thought and evaluation. And once again he has not failed to disappoint. Recently, a number of ecologically minded extremists approached him about all the noise caused by leaf blowers specifically being used by landscapers and other horticultural professionals. They even went so far as to complain that residential usage was a problem!

In the course of a normal fair weather week, we can hear leaf blowers being used, sometimes right next door and other times a block or so away. While the sound inconvenience is not too disturbing, we prefer it over the music and partying that takes place until 3am and that ever-present boom-boom-boom bass. But it must all somehow relate to perspective. We’ve also complained to Mr Feiner about speeding on our street as have others only to be ignored. And yet, here’s a problem that the self-proclaimed “problem solver” can actually do something about by picking up the phone and calling Police Chief McNerney and asking him to commit a few cops to traffic control to address speeding. Done. But, as a lame-duck who just won another primary, he’s content to write off the residents who complain about speeding on Town roadways for yet another unproductive term in office.

While we agreed with the apathetic few who voted in the Democrat primary, Tasha Young was not the right choice. Then again, many said they had to hold their nose to even consider voting for Mr Feiner, ultimately voting for the devil you know or the one you don’t. What a sad state of affairs when the only choices we have, given roughly 90,000 residents, are Paul Feiner and Tasha Young! And, where are the Republicans or Independents or any others and why aren’t they stepping up? According to Westchester County Republican Chair Douglas Colety, the Republican Party has written off the Town of Greenburgh. From their viewpoint, a Republican can’t win and they don’t want to expend Republican resources for an unwinnable race. Tim Hays, the Greenburgh Republican Chairman, who has admitted he likes the Democrat Supervisor, even accepted a position on the Town’s feckless Board of Ethics, ensuring at least one favorable vote should Mr Feiner or his Board members require it. It’s not that Mr Hays can’t know right from wrong. Rather, this Board, prior to Mr Hays involvement, has a history of non-decisions and ethically challenged decisions between right and wrong – always favoring the administration. And should they actually want to render a decision, it’s only a recommendation to the Town Board for them to ultimately impose judgement. Can you say fox in the hen house?

Lest anyone believe that all is well in Greenburgh, you only need to see our last two articles regarding the School District’s School Board fiasco. No, all is not well in Mudville in almost any direction you chose to cast a stone. But with his sense of pandering aside, Mr Feiner suggested a proposal that would allow leaf blower use for four days during certain hours, with an education component for landscapers and residents. He said it could be a one-year trial program. What this really translates to is that this is another unnecessary law being pushed by a group who have nothing else to complain about and creating a problem in search of a solution.
“I feel if we start with a compromise, it’s not going to be perfect, but we can work off that every year,” Feiner said at the May 25 Work Session. “Right now, I’m suggesting we have a draft that would be subject to a public hearing but I’m trying to figure out what could we do that where we might be able to at least make some progress where it’s better than now.”

So, the real issue is what’s wrong now that we need to improve it? Are all neighbors using leaf blowers at all hours of the day and night that would warrant this? Of course not. Are cars and trucks speeding down our streets? Of course they are. Are any laws being written to address that? Of course not. There are already existing speeding laws but the police choose not to enforce them. Just like there are sound and noise laws that they will not enforce. If a street has a sign that says No Commercial Vehicles Except Local Delivery, does that keep tractor trailers from driving through our neighborhoods? Of course not. Are we writing laws to stop them? You guessed it, the simple answer is no. Why? Because they already exist but are not enforced.

Mr Feiner has openly developed a sanctuary Town for just about anything someone may want to do. It’s okay to dump refuse wherever construction crews, landscapers or residents (even non-residents) want to because they know they will not be caught and prosecuted and the Town will eventually pick it up and dispose of it at our cost. No policing and no confidence. We have single family residential homes being routinely used as multi-family, costing us more in resources at every level. No policing and no enforcement. We have unchecked trucks driving through our residential neighborhoods and all kinds of unchecked motorcycle and automotive speeding in those same neighborhoods. No policing and no enforcement. We have developers purchasing every piece of available and/or buildable land throughout the Town and promise Workforce, Affordable, Senior and Assisted Living housing until it comes time for them to challenge the Zoning code requirements to achieve their goals, discarding our residents’ concerns and feelings only to have Mr Feiner side with the developer and ignore the Comprehensive Plan (more a political statement than a plan). You’ll recall that the roadshows that were held all heard different residents state they wanted more open and green space, less impervious space, bike and walking paths and smaller buildings. In effect, they wanted to maintain and preserve the suburban feel for our Town.

Mr Feiner and his failed policies may be enjoyed by some progressives who wish to live in an urban environment. Most do not. Most moved to Greenburgh because they wish to have green space, with or without leaf blowers, bike paths, walking paths, green and open space and be able to ride a bicycle without fear of being struck by a car or truck. Our Town needs to change. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.

Benefit For Local ALS Patient

School Board Trustee Schooled

 In a highly anticipated move, disgraced School Board member Terry Williams was officially removed from his position as School Board Trustee after a long, drawn out hearing by the district. Mr. Williams had spent 18 years as a School Board member but was removed by a vote of this current operating Board at its last official meeting before the newly elected Board members begin their three-year tenure. 

The hearing charges against Mr. Williams were brought about after numerous actions on his part forced the School Board into a position where they could no longer ignore what had previously been regarded as simply bad or boorish behavior. The hearing begin nearly two months ago, but Mr. William’s signature style of procrastination and logorrhea was never-ending. While he was certainly entitled to a defense, his actions seemed indefensible to many, as he stammered and stumbled through numerous missteps.

Mr Williams informed the Hearing Officer, Elena Cacavas, that he would represent himself while Special Counsel, Mark Mulholland, represented the School District.  Numerous times during the hearing (which is all posted on the School District’s YouTube channel for viewing) Judge Cacavas would stop Mr. Williams for his  violation of procedure or law, explaining that she was giving him a wide berth since he was not an attorney. In fact, numerous times during the hearing Mr. Mulholland would interrupt to suggest to the judge that Mr. Williams was actually hurting himself or not following courtroom procedure in lieu of simply objecting.  

Interestingly, during the hearing, while listening to a part of a Board meeting where Mr. Williams was present and Ms. Carey was participating via Zoom, an exchange took place between Trustee Carey and Trustee Williams at about the 20-minute mark. At that point, when Ms. Carey told Mr. Williams to "stop being childish” Mr. Williams made his typically caustic and rude comments which was enough for the judge to request the technician assigned to the hearing to replay the recording two additional times! At another point Mr. Williams even argued with the judge, who had already told him outright not to argue with her! 

 At the Board meeting of June 29 when outgoing Board President Antoinette Darden-Cintron asked for a motion to adjourn to Executive Session to deliberate the recommendation to remove Mr. Williams from his position, as recommended by Judge Cacavas, Mr. Williams objected, requesting to have the discussion in public. After the back and forth tug of war between Mr. Williams and Ms. Darden-Cintron which we have sadly come to expect, the motion was made, seconded and carried that they adjourn – which they did. Upon their return, Ms. Darden-Cintron called the meeting to order and publicly read the resolution they had just discussed in Executive Session. The charges made against Mr Williams were that he: (1) thwarted the Board’s search for a new Superintendent; (2) revealed confidential Executive Board session communications, (3) disclosed confidential student information and (4) disrupted school board meetings: 

“These findings and recommendations are based on an established pattern of intentionally antagonistic and inappropriate behavior, as well as the multiple intentional acts of impropriety by Mr. Williams, which have damaged the reputation and functioning of the board to the substantial detriment of the district it serves.” 

After Ms Darden-Cintron read the resolution, Mr Williams asked for a discussion. He hefted a stack of paper that appeared to be the size of two phone books onto the dais and complained about wasted taxpayer funds for this hearing, although he was unapologetic about trying to push through a bond that would have cost the district over $200 million dollars the year prior to the pandemic! While he was complaining, (he was also out of order since his comments were not related to the motion on the floor) Ms. Darden-Cintron called for a vote. The final tally was 5 in favor of removal,  one against (Williams) and one abstention (Warner). It’s difficult to fathom why Warner would abstain from voting. Could it have been related to an earlier incident, witnessed by many people, in the school parking lot when Mr. Williams backed his car out of a space nearly hitting Mr. Warner? Curiously, when this incident was brought up in the hearing Mr. Warner had a modified recollection of the actual occurrence. Whether he perjured himself or not, is up for debate. 

Mr. Williams’ comments also verbally attacked newcomer Trustee Tanya Dragic, who had made numerous campaign promises detailing what she would do to help improve the actions of the Board, the District overall and most importantly the education of our children. These are certainly laudable goals that Dr. Dragic has not lost sight of, nor have others on the Board. The Board has been unable to work on any of their intended projects since there has always been too much drama mass-produced by Mr. Williams at almost every meeting. He has nearly single-handedly thwarted the Board from making any real progress. (He got some help from Supt. Chase in that regard). Hopefully, now that he has been removed and she released from the District’s employ, they can begin “righting” the District and the education for our students. Dr. Dragic said she is relieved that this drama is over and she looks forward to doing the job she and the others have always wanted to do. 

Mr. Williams was always vocal about wanting a legacy of a consolidated campus and tried several times to achieve this, but failed. We applaud Mr. Williams for his time as a volunteer Board member and for giving so much time to the District. Unfortunately, after 18 years, it’s time to let others take over. The recent election accomplished the needed change of leadership, ensuring that had this decision from the hearing not been rendered, Mr. Williams would no longer be a Trustee. 

Had Mr. Williams resigned when the charges against him were made, the district would not have needed to spend the money on the hearing. But with all of the missteps, poorly spent monies and misguided actions the previous Board made (such as the former Superintendent grandstanding with the media to force the Mansion to be evacuated, having offices constructed in the Woodlands High School for staff and herself, and consciously allowing our existing school buildings to degrade to make a better argument for consolidation) the money spent on the hearing is a drop in the proverbial bucket!

A long career has come to an end for Mr. Williams and we wish him well. Board President Antoinette Darden-Cintron was not re-elected in this last election and is stepping down, as is Ms. Carey who chose not to run again. We also thank them for their years of service to the District and hope they will remain engaged with the District. 

We have high hopes that more parents and community members without children in the schools will get involved with the District and participate by not only paying taxes and sending their kids to school, but also participating with school events whether their kids are in them or not. We hope that before we start other new language initiatives, such as our Mandarin Language curriculum, that we can improve the test score grades for Math and English from the current 35% to something much higher. We hope that before an International Baccalaureate  program happens, the teachers are properly prepared to teach it and can do it justice. We need the basics of the "3R’s- Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic " to be mastered before we start programs we cannot sustain. We need test scores to improve to the point that people looking to move to Greenburgh are not looking at alternative schools for their kids. 

That’s how we’ll get A Better Greenburgh School District.

Celebrating America’s Independence

Town Screws Up Again – Costs Us Millions – Again!

After Paul Feiner was found guilty of discrimination, destroying evidence and five other counts against him in the Fortress Bible Church of Mt Vernon, NY case, “he” had to pay a fine of $6.5 million dollars. In reality, he paid nothing and got off “Scott free.” Although he aways insisted the insurance company would pay the fine prior to the verdict, we soon learned that the insurance company did not have to pay the full amount, contrary to what non-practicing attorney Feiner insisted. Why? Because there was a clause in the policy (loosely interpreted) that relieved the insurance company from that entire obligation because Mr Feiner had been found guilty in Federal Court of the charges, negating that contract. So, the insurance company paid only $1 million dollars and Greenburgh taxpayers, not Mr Feiner, are paying the $5.5 million dollars difference!

It seems that even though the discrimination book is not yet closed on this despicable act by Mr Feiner and his Town Board at the time, another costly settlement has been underway for approximately 5 or so years. Now a settlement has finally been reached and resulted in another multi-million dollar payout by the Town. S&R Development Estates, which acquired the 2.3-acre property at 1 Dromore Road to build a 45-unit apartment complex in 2006, based upon a mapping error by the Town, filed suit against the Town and won, resulting in another massive payout by the Town for $9.5 Million dollars.

The Town Board was advised numerous years ago that there was a discrepancy with the Zoning maps for Dromore Road and that they should be corrected before a developer seeks to purchase the property and build something in the neighborhood, vis é vis the Town, that the surrounding area residents might not want. Well, as sure as Mr Feiner is proof of why we need term limits, S&R Development Estates purchased the property to develop as multi-family housing. And while Mr Feiner has consistently failed to stand up for most neighborhoods and always sides with the developer du jour, here’s yet another example of how he failed the other property owners on Dromore Road, specifically the Green­burgh Na­ture Cen­ter, whose largely wooded 33-acre prop­erty abuts the lot in question, the Sis­ters of the Blessed Sacra­ment, a Catholic or­der whose sanc­tu­ary also bor­ders the prop­erty, and res­i­dents of the un­in­cor­po­rated com­mu­nity of Edge­mont, and the Town residents in general. 

S&R later sold the prop­erty to Wilder and Bal­ter Prop­er­ties of Chap­paqua. They are a de­vel­oper spe­cial­iz­ing in af­ford­able and work­force hous­ing, which is probably what they plan to build on this site. Unfortunately, affordable and workforce housing is just a moniker for low income and/or subsidized housing and the issues that follow it. But those issues will soon belong to the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, the Greenburgh Nature Center and the Edgemont residents whether they incorporate or not.

So whose at fault with all of this? Mostly Mr Feiner and his current and former Town Board members, Francis Sheehan, Diana Juettner, Eddie Mae Barnes and Steve Bass, as they were made aware of the inaccuracies in zoning and chose to do nothing to correct it. And, once they eventually did try to take action, it was simply too late – and ultimately too costly. The Town Board de­cided to limit the li­a­bil­ity to res­i­dents of un­in­cor­po­rated Green­burgh and not the six vil­lages, in­clud­ing the River­towns (as always). “Since this is a land use mat­ter and the vil­lages have their own land use boards,” said Mr Feiner, “I don’t think it would be fair to have the vil­lages con­tribute.” What Mr Feiner really means is that the Village voters are the people who have kept him in office this long and he doesn’t want to take a chance of alienating them - especially now that he has a challenger for this election! He also failed to mention that the Village’s Mayors and Trustees actually do an infinitely better job of protecting their residents from developers than he has ever done. It must be nice…

If incompetence were ever to go mainstream, its model would be right here in the Town of Greenburgh with any of the career politician Feiner’s administrations. Would a Town run by his challenger, who worked in the failed NYC DiBlasio administration, be any better? Highly doubtful. The Republicans ceded the Town to the Democrats long ago and now they are bearing those fruits at an incredible cost to us all. Electing “more of the same” from the Democrat pork barrel puts at fault those same people, an established one-party, poorly ruled Town. This must change. It’s the only way we’ll get A Better Greenburgh.

Happy Father’s Day

 

Moving The Greenburgh School District Forward

The School Board trustee elections and the School Budget vote have been completed, and a new Superintendent hired despite the sabotaging of an offer made to another candidate, it’s time for the School District’s Board of Education to get down to business. 

To do this, all “sides” must be able to bury their campaign animosities and work as one, even as the distractions of the current Board are still in the forefront. Specifically, the hearing to remove 18-year School Board Trustee Terry Williams, who coincidentally, lost in this past election. Obviously, the writing is on his wall since the public has seen through his antics and decided, “No more.” 

As they say in those infomercials on TV, “But wait there’s more...”

 

During the campaigning portion of the elections, a group known as the Friends of Greenburgh (FOGs) campaigned to maintain the status quo. Specifically, they continued seeking campus consolidation even after that proposed construction bond had been defeated by a nearly two-to-one vote. They also continued fight to extend the expiring contract of Superintendent Chase, despite the serious flaws in her performance. An unofficial (yet apparent) icon for the FOGS was School Board Trustee Terry Williams, who has been entrenched as a School Board trustee for 18 years! He exemplifies a valid reason for term limits! 

Currently, Mr Williams is the focus of a hearing to have him removed from the School Board for failing to adhere to the School Board rules and regulations as well as NY State Department of Education’s laws for School Board members. Specifically, it’s alleged that he, in addition to ongoing disrespect of otherBoard members and possible assault, disclosed privileged information from an Executive Session meeting about an employee to that employee!

 

As the School Board awaited a plan from the Superintendent to get students back into the schools, that became almost impossible. What kind of motivation to get the kids back into the classroom would the soon-to-be-terminated Superintendent have when she knows that she's going to lose her job? So, as time dragged on, so did the submission of a return-to-classroom plan. Most people don't realize that a “return to school” plan must be developed by the Superintendent and then submitted to the School Board for approval, followed by implementation. 

Leading up to the elections, the FOGs continued to push their “status quo” agenda by attempting to disparage the current Board members, utilizing a series of negative attacks on various social media channels. The one thing that the FOGs did get correct was about the drive and determination by Dr Tanya Dragic, one of the latest Board members who was elected along with Ashley Pineda two years ago. Dr Dragic made many claims during her campaign about what she intended to do to try to improve the Board’s operation, the student’s grades, condition of the District’s schools and optimizing the budget wherever and whenever possible. Mr Pineda has not been as vociferous as Ms Dragic and seemingly not as assiduous or as open in attempting to improve this Board. Perhaps his is simply a different style, but we hope that he is as committed in making improvements. Hopefully he agrees with what the Board has been striving for under the leadership of President Antoinette Darden-Cintron. 

This Board continues to struggle at Board Work sessions, Executive sessions and Regular Public sessions. This struggle is largely due to an amalgamation of issues maintained by Mr Williams, the Superintendent, and to a lesser degree David Warner who had aligned himself with Mr Williams. Their splintered agenda has prevented the current Board from moving the bar forward and improving the education of our District’s children. The Greenburgh school district has floundered with poor choices for Superintendents for so long, it would be a Herculean task to get our schools back on track even without having outside and inside forces that are counter-productive to improving our buildings and the instruction for our children. 

We all know that this otherwise problematic mix has been exacerbated by the pandemic which effectively shut down our kids learning for more than a year. Parents, as well as doing their own jobs while forced to work from home, had to oversee schooling their children. Other parents even had to quit their jobs to stay home with their children as they were unable to work from home. It’s safe to say that teachers will no longer need to discuss why little Johnny is doing poorly in school during parent-teacher nights. They now know first hand how their child behaves and performs in school. 

But wait, there’s more.

A recent FaceBook-looking post appeared to come from the School Board entitled, “GCSD BOE Whats [sic] Going On,” with a sub-headline, “You Never Know What You [sic] Got Until Its [sic] Gone.” In this post, posted anonymously, the writer states that they just watched the appointment of Superintendent Chase to the Westbury Union Free School District and it was nothing short of a coronation. Her Greenburgh “accomplishments” were touted and all the school board members voted in favor to hire her. Apparently, they were not dismayed by our 35% Math and English scores on state assessments, the failed International Baccalaureate program, the failed Mandarin program, or the exodus of students from our public schools to private and parochial schools. 

The post is so similar to the complaints voiced repeatedly by Mr. Williams through the years, one can’t help but believe that he penned this piece. The writer touts the numerous references to these supposedly heralded programs as stated by Mr. Warner at this same Westbury School Board meeting. Huh? Mr. Warner is certainly within his legal right to speak on behalf of anyone although we believe his attendance and remarks at the Westbury Board meeting was an ethically poor choice.  He is still a GCSD Board member and, as such, he should have kept his opinions to himself.

The writer also refers to first-time Board member Tanya Dragic as the “puppet master” of the Board. Such a ridiculous statement belittles the other 5 hardworking and independent thinking Board members. (Did we not say before that he is charged with being disrespectful to fellow Board members?) What Ms Dragic did was question the actions taken regarding the consolidation bond effort and to fight the dream upon which Mr Williams has staked his entire 18 year school board tenure. Regardless of whether you consider Mr Williams a visionary or loose cannon, the public voted down the consolidation bond with a nearly two-to-one margin once the true facts and monetary figures were divulged. The public, who are the TRUE Friends of Greenburgh, made the requisite effort to provide the due diligence that neither the Board nor the FOG's bothered to do. So while the writer on FB states that, “(the bond) came closer to passing with more interest and support than the previous three bonds floated...” it was still once again resoundingly defeated. Instead of acknowledging the will of the community and moving on, certain community and Board members and the Superintendent choose to insist that the bond was defeated because they did a poor job of selling it to us. What really happened is that they underestimated the intelligence of the taxpaying public who have been passing school budgets each year in a show of support of our schools. 

The writer then moves on to malign newly elected Trustee Kiana Washington by making false claims that she had been fired as a school administrator. This simply is not true. The rest of the diatribe that the writer rambles on about could be capped as the season finale of the TV show Fringe. 

Now that Mr Williams will be departing and three new Trustees will join the School Board, let’s hope they will all work together, along with our newly appointed Superintendent, for the betterment of the education of our children, the betterment of our school buildings , and the betterment of our School Board and District.  We pay a tremendous amount of money for the education of our children. Let’s make it pay off. It’s how we’ll get A Better Greenburgh School District.

Greenburgh’s E-Waste Pickup Week of June 14th

 The Town of Greenburgh is doing another e-waste pickup but you must make an appointment by Wednesday June 9th. You can schedule that by clicking on this link:

 https://widgets.recollect.net/r/area/GreenburghNY/waste?# 

Memorial Day – If They Could Speak ...

By Arthur H. Gunther III

thecolumnrule.com

ahgunther@hotmail.com

No Memorial Day, USA or elsewhere, is without heartfelt words and tribute, parades, wreaths, re-mourning. What is missing are the voices of the fallen. Would that we could hear them. What would they say?

“Mom, I was as scared as you, but I could not show that with you there. So I never really said ‘goodbye’. ...”

“Dad, you told me about your ‘war stories,’ and I figured we’d swap them when I came back. ...”

“Mary (any sweetheart’s name), I was crying inside when you were showing tears, and we both felt that we had been pulled from our door to the future so that I could enter another, for a time. ...”

“Mr. Gram (any teacher’s name), I know you expected me to be the same distracted fellow day-dreaming in the back row, but I was really awake that final day, and I remembered you telling me to pay attention. It helped my pals in the squad, the ones who survived. ...”

“Mayor Jones (any public official), there are speeches every Memorial Day, and parades and gun salutes and tears and then the barbecues, fireworks, leisure. Understand that all this is fine with me. I’d be there, too, if I could. But also believe that the man who fell next to me, the ‘enemy,’ isn’t one for me any longer, and he has mourners, too. ...”

“I read the ‘Red Badge of Courage’ in Miss Rouy’s literature course and could not understand then the fine line between courage, the chance of it, the millisecond for choice, and the instant when cowardice could win. I thought it was black and white but now understand it is not really so, that military training and society’s expectation may of necessity set it up as clear choice, but in the moment of decision, there is fear, opportunity and the possibility of both heroism and cowardice. There is much more humanity to it. ..."

"It is for humanity that I am ‘gone,’ the hope of it anyway. I am not truly ‘gone,’ of course, since I have not died in vain. The sacrifices of any of us, dead or living, are for betterment, for that continual ‘thirst’ for the world’s possibilities. Otherwise, why did you all lose me? ...”

The writer is a retired newspaperman.

-30-

School District Voting Results

We offer congratulations to the winners and thank all of the candidates for running. 

In addition to the Board of Education trustee seats, both budget initiatives passed.

Winners results with asterisks:

Antoinette Darden-Cintron: 553 votes 

*Chris Valin: 608 votes

Eric Bitterman: 510 votes

*Jamaal Thomas: 577 votes

Sarah Lazzari: 573 votes

*Kiana Washington: 575 votes

Terry Williams: 220 votes

Today You Can Vote For Better

Today is the annual School Board and School Budget’s Election Day. We ask you to consider voting today for re-election and new election of Board of Education Trustees and for the upcoming school year’s budget. Our endorsements favor Antoinette Darden-Cintron for re-election as she has improved communication, transparency and openness as the President of the School Board and works in education. We also endorse Kiana Washington and Eric Bitterman as both of these candidates also work in education and have much community involvement.

This year the race has seven candidates running for three seats. While Mr Williams is currently seeking re-election after serving 18 years on the Board, we believe he should step aside until after his current hearing has concluded. Regardless, three other candidates (Valin, Lazzari and Thomas) appear to be endorsing him. If true, we find their endorsement of him difficult to accept as there is so much controversy surrounding him and his actions. At best they should reserve comment about him.

Likewise, the Teachers Union have endorsed these same three non-educator candidates. While any union is free to endorse candidates, the candidates should have refused the endorsement as it puts those candidates in a compromised position during contract negotiations, disciplinary hearings, etc. It may also mean that the candidates, should they win, are not beholden to the taxpaying public, but to the union. So, while there has not been any impropriety, it sets up a slippery slope that we’d prefer the candidates avoid. By the way, the unions’ job is to negotiate for its members, not the children or the taxpayers.

The candidates in total are Antoinette Darden-Cintron*, Chris Valin, Eric Bitterman, Jamaal Thomas, Sarah Lazzari, Kiana Washington, and Terry Williams.** We suggest casting you vote for Ms Darden-Cintron, Ms Washington and Mr Bitterman. With the exception of Mr Williams, we hope whomever the winners are will do what’s best for our school district, our children, the taxpayers and community. Regardless of endorsements, we wish them all well. It’s how we’ll get A Better Greenburgh school district.

* Current School Board President in first term.

** Current School Board Trustee of 18 years.

Happy Mothers Day

 

3 Educators Announce Candidacy For Greenburgh School Board

Existing School Board Needs Improvement
The beleaguered Greenburgh School Board of Education is rife with issues – mostly stemming from years of the status quo by people unwilling or unable to comprehend change. While slowly improving under the latest and deeply involved newer Board members, The Board needs additional trustees who are clear, decisive and open minded thinkers.

Leadership Takes Hold
Under the leadership of current Board President Antoinette Darden-Cintron, who is running for another term, we've finally seen the Board make progress. She has aligned with two new candidates who are also educators, Kiana Washington and Eric Bitterman. These three experienced educators are the only candidates who are totally invested in our children’s education and ultimately their futures. They recognize what needs to be done to improve our schools: repair our existing buildings, provide a quality education for our children, keep the costs down in the District and plan for the District’s future both in the short and long term.

Lying Through Omission
For every step the current Board has taken forward there have been opposing forces who sabotaged the Board. The sabotage and resistance from Superintendent Chase and Trustee Terry Williams (an 18-year Board member) has prevented the current Board from swiftly addressing the needed building repairs and curriculum reviews to improve our student achievement. Their combined goal, supported by Trustee David Warner, appears to be to continue to foist the school consolidation onto the public by not being truthful with the taxpayers about the true costs associated with this grandiose plan that was ultimately rejected by the voters. Thankfully, the taxpaying public saw through their slick presentations and smoke and mirrors.

Candidates Focus

These three candidates are experienced educators running for the Greenburgh school board. Together, they have combined expertise spanning grades pre-K through 12. Their shared vision is to provide a robust educational experience that prepares all GCSD students for a life of learning and success.

Read more about these three solid candidates at:

https://educators4boe.org

List of the candidates: 
Eric Bitterman* - Former New Rochelle and current Scarsdale teacher
Antoinette Darden-Cintron** - Dean in NYC School System, Guidance Counselor
Kiana Washington - Ass’t. Principal NYC School System
Jamaal Thomas - n/a
Sarah Lazzari - n/a
Christine (Chris) Valin - n/a
Terry Williams***

* Former GCSD7 Board trustee 

** Incumbent (1 term)

*** 18-Yr incumbent, under review for violation of policies

GCSD: Past Due

It’s tough to run a school district that burns through teachers and Superintendents faster than a McDonalds serving Big Macs, but Greenburgh needs a change - and fast! We continually witness failures of the district, spearheaded by Superintendent Chase and long time School Board members such as Terry Williams. Their costly agenda of campus consolidation and higher taxes offered nothing that could deliver an improved education for our children. Three of the seven Board of Education members have been Trustees for many, many years. The longest serving member is Terry Williams who is again running for re-election. The next longest is David Warner who was reelected to another 3 year term last year. The third long-serving trustee, Cora Carey, is last but not seeking re-election.

The district has gone through several Superintendents in a row who have had either legal or ethical issues or both. They have all failed the district and our students. Without orchestrating a solid and/or improved education, the ever-diminishing test results of the students highlights their failures.

The District’s website states that it’s vision is, “By 2021, we will be a world-class school district” and defines “World-Class” as a district that works, “To help our students compete and function as citizens in a global society, our efforts should include global elements, such as a world languages program and the Advanced Learning Program, and we should refine and expand existing initiatives such as our International Baccalaureate program.” Although this sounds impressive, it’s just a hollow statement. Just as impressive as this hollow statement is the failure of these oft-touted programs and their inability to take hold. How is this possible? We’ve been told by both students and parents that the IB program teachers were unprepared or unable to teach the required coursework–so they didn’t. In addition to this deficiency, the school was unable to offer college prep courses such as Physics and students were told to instead take two Chemistry classes.

English Language Arts has faltered despite knowing that immersion in English is a proven, successful standard adopted throughout the world for over a century - just not in Greenburgh! Similarly, math scores continue to tank, yet the Superintendent continues to insist that Greenburgh is a world class district! Incredibly, no child is ever left behind in the Greenburgh Schools. Each year they move up the grade ladder until they finally collect their high school degrees and graduate. This practice needs to end, no matter how catchy the “No Child Left Behind” jargon, or how convenient it is to graduate all of the students. Many staff have been intimidated and therefore go along with these practices, not wishing to fall out of favor with the administration which would jeopardize their livelihood. Could this be why we experience a high turnover of teachers in our schools?

There is a high turnover of mostly new teachers in our schools. We’re told that a toxic administrative culture and a lack of investment with the teachers are the primary reasons. Most schools and districts provide mentoring programs for new and young teachers so that they can better assimilate into the schools and develop into better teachers. Why hadn’t Superintendent Chase promoted this basic program? She had no problem promoting the sale of existing buildings and building new ones. But, buildings don't teach students, teachers do!

What of the Greenburgh Central School District's Board of Education under the leadership of President Antoinette Darden-Cintron? The reality of her leadership is that she has increased transparency and the responsiveness of the Board, something that has been a long-time struggle to attain. Now, when you send correspondence to the Board (emails in particular), you receive a response either the same day or the following day. I've even received phone calls from President Cintron-Darden! Kudos to her! Months ago, the School Board did not vote to renew the Superintendent's contract, in effect, terminating her employment as of June 30th of this year. 

Once the Superintendent learned (from Trustee Terry Williams?- if so that would be a violation of confidentiality rules) her contract would not be renewed she began shrewdly dragging her feet, thwarting efforts to return the students to full-time in-school classes. She has cleverly dodged questions about returning to classrooms full-time by saying she was following recommendations from the CDC, not the NYS Department of Education. We understand she’s upset and perhaps even want to get even: she'll be losing roughly $300,000 per year in salary and benefits. But there's no need to feel sorry for her: we’ve lheard she has been hired by another district.

It’s been said that education is the elixir of success. While there is certainly enough blame to go around, we must also blame ourselves. We forgot what our grandparents and parents expected our schools to offer us when we were children. Our children deserve a well-rounded education that will enable them to think for themselves, earn a living and be productive in the “real” world. Not only have we dropped the ball, but we have been lackadaisical about correcting the undesireable circumstances we’ve seen unfold over the years.

Parents and taxpayers must make it known to the Greenburgh School Board of Education that they have failed to earn our trust. President Cintron-Darden has worked hard to change that with the current Board. Terry Williams and David Warner have fought her tooth and nail. In fact, the Board is currently holding hearings to remove Terry Williams from his position due to his repeated violations of numerous Board rules and laws. If he fails to successfully defend himself against the charges, he will be removed. If he is victorious at the hearing and retains his position, he should be voted out of office by the taxpayers at the May 18th election. He’s dragging out the hearing, however, and the result may not be known before the May 18th election. Even if he wins his case, the unprecedented attempt of removal indicates that he has failed his responsibilities as a Trustee. We, the people, must make sure that he is not re-elected.

It is time we force the entire Board to step up their game and it’s time for us to do the same. Let’s stop lip-syncing the phrase, “For the children!” We cannot look to or imagine the future if we’re too focused on ideas of the past. It’s time we make a significant change and remove the long time trustees who have wallowed in their own self-grandeur and archaic functionality.

We need new ideas, new blood and new people to propel our children into the future, to repair and maintain our buildings and to become a school district that attracts people instead of repelling them. That’s the only way to get A Better Greenburgh School District!