Happy Kwanzaa

Merry Christmas

 

Please Help Victims of House Fire

Happy Hanukkah

The Hartsdale Fire Department Annual Operation: Candy Cane

It will take place rain or shine on Sat., Dec. 10th, 9am – 1pm. Off-Duty Hartsdale Firefighters will spread Holiday Cheer by escorting Santa Claus around the community in a Fire Apparatus Sleigh handing out Candy Canes to all attending children & adults

The Hartsdale Fire Department is proud to announce our annual Operation Candy Cane, which will take place rain or shine on Saturday, December 10th, 2022 from 9am – 1pm. Off-Duty Hartsdale Firefighters will spread Holiday Cheer by escorting Santa Claus around the community in a Fire Apparatus Sleigh handing out Candy Canes to all attending children & adults. Printed below is a full list of Stops & Times. To make sure everyone is at the correct location awaiting Santa’s arrival, the Location Marker Signs shown below will be posted at every stop. Due to the busyness of Santa’s schedule, please allow for some flexibility with our estimated arrival times. If you can’t make the posted time for your neighborhood - you can always try and meet up with us at another posted stop!

 

We ask that all children are accompanied by an adult, stay clear of the fire engine, and arrive at the designated locations 5-10 minutes prior to the posted times.

 

For more information regarding Operation Candy Cane, updates, or for more interesting information about the Hartsdale Fire Department’s services, news, activities, fire safety, and fire prevention please check out our website at hartsdalefire.org. and follow us on Instagram at @hartsdalefire.

 

We want to wish everyone a safe and healthy Holiday Season…!

9:00 HARTSDALE TRAIN STATION
9:15 ROCKLEDGE CIRCLE / ROCKLEDGE ROAD
9:22 LAKEVIEW AVE / MAPLE STREET
9:29 CORNELL DR / PRINCETON DR
9:36 15 FIELDSTONE DR
9:43 BRIAR CLOSE / COLONY DR
9:50 BLDG 1 @ 125 N. WASHINGTON AVE
9:57 PINEWOOD / WILDWOOD RD
10:04 HOMEWOOD CT
10:24 WOODS END RD / WOODS END LN
10:32 SHAW PL / SPENCER CT
10:39 STEVENSON AVE / POE ST
10:46 TENNYSON ST / HOLMES AVE
10:53 HOLMES AVE / BURNS ST
11:00 BARBARA LN / JEAN LN
11:07 EDGEWOOD RD / CROSS WAY
11:14 SHERBROOKE / BURKEWOOD RD
11:21 SOUTHERN RD / HOWARD PL
11:28 DEER HILL LN
11:35 CROSSHILL RD / TOPLAND RD
11:42 BIRCHWOOD LN / RICHARD TERR
11:50 MARION WOODS (Drop off Only)
12:00 HARTSDALE TRAIN STATION/VILLAGE

 

Santa To Visit Fairview Neighborhoods with FD

 The Fairview Fire Department will be assisting Santa Claus as he visits everyone in the Fairview Fire District. Check out the scheduled times below so you can be on the look-out for them.

Happy & Healthy Thanksgiving

Be Safe Cooking For Thanksgiving

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires throughout the United States, and Thanksgiving sees more such fires than any other day of the year.

According to statistics provided by the National Fire Protection Association, there were 1,550 home fires across the country on Thanksgiving in 2013, a full 230 percent above normal.

We’re sharing the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) cooking tips and guidance in order to ensure a safe and happy holiday.

The most common factors in home cooking fires and ways to avoid them:

• Unattended Cooking – the leading cause of fires in the kitchen. 

• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short time, turn off the stove. If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly. Remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind yourself that you are cooking, as guests, phones, children, pets and other activity can easily distract a cook.

• Objects near the cooking catching fire: Clothing ignitions lead to approximately 16% of home cooking fire deaths. It is important to wear short, close-fitting, or tightly rolled sleeves as loose clothing can dangle onto stove burners or gas flames and catch fire. Keep the cooking area clean and combustible materials away from your stove top: built-up grease as well as oven mitts, food packaging, wooden utensils, towels, curtains and other materials on or near the stove can catch fire.
Cooking equipment unintentionally turned on or not turned off. Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol don’t use the stove or stovetop.

• Deep-frying turkeys: Turkey fryers that immerse the turkey in cooking oil at high temperatures pose a significant danger of hot oil being released or spilled during cooking, leading to devastating burns, other injuries and property destruction.

• Hot cooking oil exposed to water or outdoor elements: If rain or snow strikes hot cooking oil in propane-fired turkey fryers designed for outdoor use, the result can be a splattering of the hot oil or a conversion of the precipitation to steam, which can lead to burns. Frozen and defrosting turkeys also create the risk of contact between water and hot cooking oil, which can cause severe scalding or other serious injury.
Never fry a frozen turkey.

If you do have a cooking fire: Just get out and stay out! 

- When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
- Call 911.
- For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
- Do not use water to put out a grease fire.

We wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and hope you enjoy the holiday, friends and family while remaining safe.

Grand Larceny Investigation Info from GPD

 

Honoring Our Veterans

 

Car & Truck Show Benefit Honors Fallen Firefighter

 

Happy Rosh Hashanah

 

We celebrate Rosh Hashanah, which marks a New Year and the start of the High Holidays with our friends and neighbors.

Scholarship Fund Raiser Tag Sale to Benefit AHHS Students

Paving Operations Throughout Greenburgh

Town Board Appoints New Police Chief

The Greenburgh Town Board unanimously voted to appoint  GPD Captain Kobie Powell to assume the critical position of Chief of Police of the Greenburgh Police Department. Chief Powell enjoys an extremely close bond and long history with Greenburgh, as he resides in Greenburgh, was raised in our Town, educated within the Greenburgh School System, and has worked tirelessly for our community for the entirety of his life.  

Chief Powell’s story of “ascending through the ranks,” during his nearly 25-year tenure with the GPD, to ultimately oversee our PD, staffed by 115 sworn officers and 42 civilian members and with an annual budget of $25.5 million, reflects our new Chief’s perseverance and his dedication to Greenburgh and its residents. Chief Powell’s drive and commitment to law enforcement and personal/professional excellence has been the hallmark of his success.

Chief Powell enjoys strong educational and employment credentials. He has earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Mercy College, Summa Cum Laude, and served honorably on the GPD for nearly 25 years, in nearly every line and supervisory position:

Police Officer, Patrol Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Police Lieutenant-Commanding Officer Special Investigation Unit, Police Captain-Commanding Officer Professional Standards Division.

It is important and significant to state that Chief Powell will be the first African American person chosen to serve in the role of Greenburgh Chief of Police, as he was the first to serve as a Captain within its ranks.

Chief Powell will replace former Chief, Chris McNerney who resigned to become the Police Chief of Larchmont, and Interim Chief George Longworth, former Police Chief of Dobbs Ferry and Westchester County Commissioner of Public Safety , who graciously took a leave from his position in a prestigious law firm to oversee our force until the rigorous Civil Service procedure for the hiring of a new Chief could be concluded. We are grateful to both Chiefs McNerney and Longworth for their service and commitment to the safety of our residents.

Chief Powell will assume the position on August 22, 2022.  There will be a formal ceremony at our September 14, 2022 Town Board meeting.

Getting Over-burdened With Bonds During A Recession

This email notification below was provided by Greenburgh School District Board member David Warner to residents. We feel the information conveyed here is pertinent because this is a repeat of Mr Feiner/the Town and the School District pushing their own bonds onto the Unincorporated taxpayers at the same time. The last time this happened, the former School Superintendent was trying to float a bond for $114 million dollars (over $200 million with interest) and Mr Feiner for $49 million. The voting process to move forward with gifting GameOn 365 this $2million dollar gift is being held on a Thursday, when most residents would not be paying close attention. The police department needs something. However, other properties, such as 100 Hillside Avenue, haven't been scrutinized for use, which would provide roughly 4-times the space at one-third the cost!

Re: New Police Headquarters, July 26th, 2022

The Town of Greenburgh is planning a $2M referendum for a Nov 8th public vote to purchase property on Dobbs Ferry Road for a new police station/EMS facility. When they build the facility, it will cost $55-60M and they will need to pass a referendum for about $50M for that. Currently the police station and Town Court are located on Tarrytown Road near RJ Bailey. The police station will move to Dobbs Ferry Road, while the Town Court will remain where it is. See Meghan Hak's e-mail attachment below for more details.

There is a special meeting at Greenburgh Town Hall this Thursday 07/28/22 at 7:30 PM to discuss the purchase of the land. I have spoken with BOE President Tracy Mairs regarding this meeting. Since the current Greenburgh CSD BOE has not discussed this topic, we cannot represent a position for or against the referendum. However, we can state what we have done and are considering regarding facilities, and ask questions.

As this is a public meeting, anyone in the community can attend and ask questions. I called Town Hall and confirmed that there will be public input at the meeting. Advance notice is required, and requests to speak should be e-mailed to townclerk@greenburghny.com. The clerk's office wasn't certain whether allowed input would be the normal 5 minutes per speaker or only 2 minutes per speaker. I know that recently the requirement that anyone participating in person wear a mask was reinstated due to the high incidence of COVID.

Tracy Mairs and I will both attend, and I am signing up to speak. I intend to ask:

1)  At Greenburgh CSD we are working on making our COVID ventilation fixes permanent, adopting an Energy Performance Contract, building a security vestibule at the middle/high school, upgrading our fire hydrant system, replacing the Highview and mansion roofs, and restoring the RJ Bailey Auditorium. Priorities for our next set of projects include repairing and replacing school roofs and outer walls, adding ECP classrooms, and upgrading our asphalt track. Our taxpayers are a subset of the Town taxpayers. How do we coordinate our efforts so that we don't interfere with one another?

2) What is the financial impact on the tax rate per $1000 of the proposed $2M bond?

3) What is the financial impact on the tax rate per $1000 of the later $50M bond?

4) If you are unable to pass the $50M bond, are you able to sell the land for enough to recoup the cost of the $2M bond?

5) If the $2M bond passes, you will be removing the Dobbs Ferry property from the tax rolls. If the Town Court remains in place, there will be no Tarrytown Road property coming back onto the tax rolls to offset the loss of the Dobbs Ferry Road property. On the other hand, other projects like the Elmwood development should increase the tax base. Is there a five-year projection that accounts for the major projects in process that affect the tax rolls? After adjusting for inflation, are we looking at a net loss or a net gain in total assessed value of the town?

If you have additional questions, but won't be asking them yourself at the Town meeting, please feel free to share them and we will try to pass them on.

Covert Collusion with GameOn 365 – Again – By Special Decree!

A number of years ago, Mr Feiner appeared to collude with GameOn 365 for the property where Frank’s Nursery had been on Dobbs Ferry Road. When Frank’s Nursery fell into Chapter 11, Frank’s abandoned the property and failed to pay the taxes on it. Subsequently, the Town gained ownership of the property and that’s when the subterfuge happened. Spearheaded by the Worthington Woodlands Civic Association and the Council of Greenburgh Civic Associations, they rallied the troops, the press and other community leaders to see the sham of a deal Mr Feiner had made with GameOn 365 to illegally lease the property in order to build an 83 foot high Sports Bubble. Mr Feiner, a non-practicing attorney, knows how much he can push the boundaries of legality and used to be fond of saying, “If you don’t like what I’m doing, sue me!” The town was about to be sued when Game On pulled out and went next door looking to buy the Golf Range from the Visioli family to build a Sports Complex. This plan was abandoned and eventually they did buy the 32 acre property and kept it as a Golf Range.

The former Frank’s Nursery property was finally sold for $3.5 million to a developer named Capitol Seniors Housing, who would be building an assisted living facility at that location for about 100 residents. Sadly, before inking the deal, Mr Feiner and Mr Lewis* claimed remediation of the former Frank’s Nursery property would be capped at $100,000. The cost to the Town for remediation was ultimately $1.5 million! Is this why there are so many jokes about not trusting lawyers? Regardless, after back taxes were paid on the property, and the cost of remediation, the Town taxpayers did not see a profit on this property.

The Town Board and specifically Mr Feiner, have struggled for years to find a way to keep the pesky residents and critics of the Town Board at bay. Finally, they have the pseudo-Covid switch (science? really?) that they conveniently flick on or off at their discretion. And they do. While many municipalities have gone back to in-person meetings, the Town of Greenburgh is giddily besides themselves with their unchecked power of keeping the public and most importantly their detractors, out of many discussions that would impede their questionable transactions. Coupled with the ultimate control of forcing residents to utilize Zoom for their 5-minutes of comment, Mr Feiner can “pull the plug” on anyone disagreeing with him.

Now, during the slowest business time of the year with constituent families not around, residents and employees away on vacation, the Town Board quietly put a special meeting and vote on the agenda during Executive session which will wholeheartedly benefit GameOn 365. No mention was made public of this special meeting at the Town Board’s Work Session meeting. Nor was anything said at the subsequent regular Town Board meeting. Mr Feiner decided to try to sneak this through for an obscure night (Thursday 7/28) when those who don’t follow the Town Board’s shuffle won’t even be aware of what these integrity-lacking Board members did – not until you receive your tax bill with the sizable increase caused by the acceptance of this proposal. It wasn’t until Mr Feiner sent the cleverly-crafted “Good News!” email out was his scheme unhatched to the public.

In this case, GameOn 365 has offered to sell 4 acres of the Golf Driving Range on Dobbs Ferry Road for $2 million so the Town can build a new Police Department/Emergency Medical Services Headquarters property adjacent to the Golf Driving Range on Dobbs Ferry Road. Their original goal when the Frank’s Nursery property sale fell through to Game On 365 because scrutiny, lawsuits and the overall “shade” cast on it by so many, it was impossible for Mr Feiner to move forward with the GameOn 365 scheme. 

GameOn 365 is also offering to gift a piece of their property to the Town in return for a private access road for access to the new facility enabling the Town to absorb the cost for build this new Police Station. This is the newest in a long list of Feiner’s Follies. At the same time, the Town would be assuming responsibility and costs to build the road, allowing GameOn 365 to return to the Town (the goal all along) and apply for permits for more construction to benefit their owners and majority stakeholders. Mr Feiner is well-known for having an end-game years down the line with a habit of waiting out his opponents. We believe that’s what is happening here.

The rushed proposal in question is to have a referendum to float a Bond to build this new Police Station on the GameOn 365 property. Mr Feiner also sent out another well-crafted document trying to validate the rationale for going along with this debacle. He points out that the age and the size of the current facility is woefully undersized, doesn’t meet Federal standards, does not have proper facilities for male and female staff and there’s a lack of parking. He purports that the building was constructed in 1956 and renovated in 1993 and 2001. Who was Supervisor during the renovations? Why didn’t the Supervisor at the time look forward to create a better building then? Incompetence then and apparently still.

He questions throwing more money into what he considers a bad building. Really? You may recall several years ago when Greenburgh School Superintendent Chase and several School Board members were trying to float a Consolidation Bond, claiming it would only be $114 million dollars. After scrutinizing those figures, what was planned, and NYS Department of Education information, the totals didn’t lie, unlike the Superintendent. The amount was well over $200 million dollars! At the same time, Mr Feiner was trying to get support for a $49 million bond to replace both the Police Headquarters and the Town Court. What changed that the cost would go from $49 million to now $55-60 million for only the police department’s new building. Why the difference; what about the Town Court, also housed at the current location? And why the disparity in figures from a few years ago until now?

Mr Feiner also bemoans the fact that the building is non-compliant, wasteful, operating costs are exorbitant, poorly insulated and vehicles are exposed to the elements. Funny, but most of our cars and automobiles are exposed to the elements but unlike the police department, we cannot change out our vehicles every three years like they do. He has concerns over security and safety. Huh? Can he be serious that the police are afraid of crime in Greenburgh, and if so, what about us, the public?

There may be legitimacy in some of the concerns raised, but after 30 years at the helm, Mr Feiner has been more than derelict with repairs, infrastructure and/or maintaining the well-being of many of our buildings. It’s difficult to go along with this proposal for several reasons: first, the price is fictitious and made up by Mr Feiner; second, there are no plans drawn up that would allow a conscious, good faith  review and cost estimate; third, many have questioned using/purchasing/leasing the building at 100 Hillside Avenue (the old Dannon bldg) but have only been ignored; fourth, holding the special meeting on a Thursday night, with little notification and limited participation (through Zoom) or in-person smacks of the ultimate disregard for the public (taxpayers) as nothing more than following the letter of the law to allow Mr Feiner vis a vis the Board to fix a pre-determined outcome.

This behavior, so often seen by a one party-rule Town needs to be slowed down in the least and stopped at the best so the public can truly ask questions and get answers, not platitudes. Mr Feiner and his Town Board have stated that this bond will cost Unincorporated Town members roughly a $150 increase in their taxes and Village residents only $86 based on a $750,000 assessment. To the Village residents, we implore you to vote No for this. For Unincorporated residents we ask you to be diligent, and write to the Town Board and Mr Feiner opposing this sham! Just say, "NO!" Tell them we want facts and figures before committing to another of Feiner’s Follies.It’s the only way to get A Better Greenburgh.

* Tim Lewis, was the Town Attorney at the time and was given a judgeship. It’s like they say in business, those who can’t do get promoted.

Happy 4th of July – Independence Day

The Futility of Do-Nothing Elected Officials

Following the Memorial Day Parade, which honors our fallen war heroes, we had occasion to run into Assemblyman Democrat Tom Abinanti, who was doing the politician’s dance, Pressing The Flesh. In passing he made a comment about how he contributed to getting the Saw Mill River corridor cleaned out, aiding the homes and businesses that get flooded from storms every year. And, we challenged him that he has done nothing to aid the residents and businesses along the Bronx River corridor. His response was the usual, “I introduced a bill mandating the County be responsible for maintaining the river." It's a page right out of Mr Feiner’s playbook. Appear concerned, promise to "look into it" and then write a letter to another higher-up elected official and he has completed his obligation to do something.

When pushed, Abinanti tried to flip the conversation as to why we weren’t at some non-existent firematic event in Mt Pleasant the previous weekend, we countered this query with a response, "It wasn’t our district." His response was predictably, "Exactly.” He explained that the Bronx River corridor isn’t under his district. Oddly, it is! So why lie about it? Probably because he knew he’d been exposed. Then he claimed he couldn't talk because he was already late, mostly, we believe, for the pictures with local officials (re: media exposure – especially in a desperate election year).

Not surprisingly, Mr Feiner also panders to the media while excelling at pandering to residents. When residents along the Bronx River corridor were über-flooded by storms Irene and Ida, Mr Feiner once again promised action, which turned into a letter to Representatives Stewart-Cousins, Abinanti, A. Williams, Shimsky and probably a few others that wouldn’t be significant other than to reference a number of people he reached out to. The disingenuousness of this action was after he wrote the letter, not only was he done with his responsibility of helping his constituents, but he went to Fulton Park and promised residents there that FEMA (similar to another four-letter word) would purchase their homes from them, eliminating their nightmare. Never happened, plus FEMA explained there were numerous benchmarks the Town must meet before that would happen. Mr Feiner conveniently left that out.

Back to the campaigning, Abinanti claims he submitted the bill to the County, which passed and then he left for the State Assembly. He maintains it was then up to newly elected Shimsky to pick up that mantle and run with it. Maybe. The reality is it was up to Williams as “the Bronx River corridor falls in her jurisdiction” - to use Abinanti's words. The bigger issue that feel-good politicians like Abinanti utilize is pretending to address an issue through introducing legislation but not including funding for it. Yes, Abinanti drafted the plan but never drafted funding for it -- a waste of time!
“The Board of Legislators has done nothing on it since,” Abinanti said. “This is not a state function. My opponent is just trying to deflect from the failures of the Board of Legislators.” Shimsky countered with, “County government will need support at the state and federal levels on a year-over-year basis. Given the degree to which the problem is going to become more pervasive and severe, county government can’t do it alone.” Sounds good, but did they do anything about it? You know the answer.

His supporters claim he has co-sponsored over 500 bills, which passed both houses and he has been the prime sponsor of over 100 bills alone. One such “co-sponsored bill” was for fire department ambulance billing for fire departments that operate ambulance service to their community. What he doesn’t mention was that he only got on board as a co-sponsor after it left committee and it was assured of passage and being signed by the Governor. By the way, this bill has been introduced over 10 years ago and only got traction after the former Governor resigned. So, while Abinanti has been in office for 14 years, he again played it safe and sat on the sidelines. Just like with his impotent County flood responsibility bill.

I in a recent debate and discussions of housing and the high cost of living, Shimsky underscored that much of the county needs significantly subsidized and affordable housing.
“We have to make sure we get more affordable housing units built and think about where housing for a broader array of income levels can be built where it would not be as expensive,” Shimsky said. The obvious answer, never to even be whispered, would be upstate. Abinanti's solution? He said he and fellow state legislators have worked to control the high cost of living by eliminating taxes on gasoline, cutting taxes for the middle class, finding alternative resources for local governments to cut property taxes and allowing Westchester to increase its sales tax. For Abinanti’s 40 or so years as an elected official, he has helped increase all of these same taxes without regard to how expensive he has caused the area to get. “We’ve got to decrease the cost of living for people at this very expensive time,” Abinanti said. An expensive "time" that he is culpably responsible for creating as a 40-year career politician.

On an upcoming Tuesday near you, the Democratic primary will be held. Between early voting and other contrivances that have been added to the existing system, It promises nothing new. We’ll be saddled with the same old faces, clichés, hollow promises and ultimately less action with more finger-pointing and blame. The Democrat stalwarts will come out and either decide more of the same with Abinanti is ok or they’ll decide he should be pastured and give Shimsky a shot. Either way, the people whose homes and businesses flood will be forced to endure more of the same as well as the deck gets shuffled yet again.

Happy Father's Day

Memorial Day Remembrance

Sacrifice is the theme of Memorial Day. The sacrifice of individuals. The sacrifice of families. The sacrifice of communities. The sacrifice of a nation. Memorial Day is a time when America’s war heroes reminds us of the price for freedom. John Quincy Adams once said, “You will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you make good use of it.”

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day. It is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America. It is often said to be the ultimate sacrifice. Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966. Although,  it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of this day.

Memorial Day was borne out of the Civil War and a desire to honor the dead. It was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11. “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed. The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.

On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.

The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war).

Memorial Day is now observed in almost every state on the last Monday in May with Congressional passage of the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 – 363). Sadly, while there were many parades to honor our past heroes, few homes and businesses displayed the American Flag. Let’s hope patriotism is still alive and flourishing in our great country and take pause during the barbecues, beach-going, shopping and relaxation to remember those who have fallen for us so that we can have so much. May God bless them.

Greenburgh Central School District Election Results

 In the race for School Board trustee, the winners were David Warner (incumbent) with 502 votes and Julie Allongue with  466 votes. The losing challenger was  Anthony Lopez Sr. with 155 votes as an unsuccessful write-in candidate. As an aside, write-in candidates rarely win unless they have mounted and executed an exhaustive outreach to the community to get the support needed. Write-in candidates also circumvent the archaic system of requiring ballot signatures, by-passing that initial part of the election process. 

The school budget also passed with a total of 500 in favor to 156 against. 

Regardless, what's disappointing is that once again so few residents came out to vote for the school elections an budget, which makes up a sizeable portion of their tax bill. This is extremely disappointing because you'll recall two years ago when the former Superintendent and the specific Board members had lied about the campus consolidation costs to the taxpayers that the public came out in force and defeated the consolidation extravaganza by roughly a three-to-one defeat. The Board also elected not to extend the former Superintendent's contract and the vociferous Board member lost handily in the subsequent school Board elections. Immediately afterwards, the school budget was passed, thus proving the community continued to support the children's education and the district.

Julie Allongue for Greenburgh Central School Board

 My name is Julie Allongue, and I am running for a seat on our Greenburgh Central School District Board of Education. 

I am a proud mom of an RJ Bailey School student and am serving the RJ Bailey community as PTA President in my second term. I seek the board trustee position because I believe it will take our town to launch our children into the futures they dream of and desire with the best tools we can provide. I feel an urgency to make this belief a reality, and we need more than talk to continue progress. I hope my choice and actions will serve as an example to our students of civic contribution and community engagement. 

With a career in product management, I bring experience in making tough decisions, balancing priorities with budgets, and managing goals and profit and loss statements—additionally, the ability to communicate and collaborate across fields of expertise. Lastly, the Allongue household is bilingual, and I have a brother who has battled hearing and speech impairment since childhood. Due to this, I respect the value of meaningful and accurate communication.

I will roll my sleeves to work for our Greenburgh Central students and community. Join me as you vote for me and in supporting our students with your vote on May 17th. 

Happy Mother’s Day

Beware of Postal Inspector Scam

Scam Alert!!! There's a new scam making the rounds. Take Notice: The scam works like this. You get a call from a fake “Postal Inspector,” using a technique known as Caller ID Spoofing to make these calls appear to originate from the Postal Inspection Service “877” phone number. The caller will explain you have been involved in criminal activity or your assets will be forfeited if you don’t send money to a USPIS account. Don’t take the bait. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service® does not call customers from the “877” phone number and we will never request personally identifiable information or ask you to send money to resolve any issue no matter where the call originated.

If you receive this call, report it to the real Postal Inspectors at 877-876-2455. Remember this phone number works like a one way street. You call us to report a crime, and we will take your complaint, but we will never call you back from this number. Let's stop these scammers in their tracks.

Happy Easter

Happy Ramadan

Happy Passover

 

Elmwood Country Club Update

At Wednesday's Town Board meeting (4/13/22), Mr. Feiner read a statement that the Board will comply with the 2016 Town Comprehensive Plan and the Zoning Ordinance in making its decision in regard to the former Elmwood Country Club.

NO INCREASE IN DENSITY IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS

NO DOWNZONING IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS

The Town will support ALTERNATIVE (H) - 113 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES with the required land transfer.

He stated that there was an extensive amount of documentation received by the Town Board. Letters and emails on this project were sent to the Town by the following:

Involved Agencies: Conservation Advisory Council, Westchester County Planning Board, NYS Dept. of Transportation, Greenburgh Planning Board, Greenburgh Parks & Recreation Advisory Board.

Interested Parties - Council of Greenburgh Civic Associations, Elmsford School District, Fairview Fire District, Worthington-Woodlands Civic Association, Fulton Park Civic Association, Secor Homes Civic Association, Ardsley-Sprain Road Civic Association, Historic and Landmarks Preservation Board.
Residents of Greenburgh.

The Commissioner of Planning with the Town staff and the Planning Consultants will draft the Town’s Findings Statement within 2 weeks. The official resolution will be voted upon in MAY after the Town accepts the Findings.

It is apparent that the responses from Greenburgh residents were instrumental in the Town Board arriving at its decision. Thank you to all who participated in the SEQR process (Scoping Committee), sent emails and attended and spoke at the Public Hearings.

– Dorinne Livson, WWCA

Elmwood Preserve — Honor Promises to the Community

As Town Board members, I trust you will be discussing in public all of the issues before arriving at a decision regarding which Alternative should be approved for development at the site of the former Elmwood Country Club. The public deserves to know how and why the Board arrived at its decision regarding this application. Executive Session discussions would be inappropriate.

The community learned on April 5, 2022 that the applicant is now urging your Board to adopt Alternative 1 “as the best and most viable alternative.” Alternative 1 would include 159 townhouse units, sold as “fee simple,” with 15 units set aside as affordable and 14.2 acres of land dedicated to the town for recreational purposes. It would be helpful for the public to know whether it was the Town Board who urged the applicant to include an alternative with affordable units, since the applicant summarily ignored the public’s request in the Scoping Document to study the possibility of affordable units and totally dismissed any discussion in the DEIS. It would also be helpful to know why affordable housing units were not introduced in the other Alternatives.

In its March 14, 2022 letter, the Westchester County Planning Board stated it supported Alternative I, in part, because of the inclusion of affordable units. However, Alternative I was not the County’s first choice. The letter made it very clear “we would have preferred that Alternatives C, D and F could continue to be considered.” The County’s letter also questions the number of affordable units and notes that work is necessary to ensure these units are properly marketed and integrated. In fact, Greenburgh has no regulations in place to deal with marketing or integrating affordable homes in One-Family residential zoning districts or in Planned Unit Development districts. The way the applicant has placed these proposed affordable units in three buildings of five units each while all the other buildings of luxury housing contain four units shows a total lack of integration and any understanding about how not to stigmatize those who would be living in these affordable units if Alternative I were adopted.

We learned on April 6, 2022 that the Planning Board is now stating that Alternative I “provides the greatest overall benefit to the Town.” Interestingly, the Planning Board’s recommendation doesn’t ring 1000% in favor of Alternative I, and it readily endorses Alternative H (113 one family homes) as a second choice. The Planning Board’s recommendation makes very clear “its disappointment that only one of the five alternatives contains affordable housing.” The Planning Board “strongly recommends that affordable housing be included in any approved alternative.”

We noted with interest the email to CD&C Commissioner Garrett Duquesne, dated April 5, 2022, from the Westchester County Department of Planning mentioning that all of the FEIS Alternatives “would generate more than 150 gallons per capita per day” which is the limit defined in the County’s sewer law. The public needs to know how this issue will be addressed.

We are also aware of the New York State Department of Transportation letter, dated April 7, 2022, regarding the Elmwood Preserve project. The DOT letter refers to traffic issues with each of the Alternatives in the FEIS and indicates six mitigation measures which have not been addressed. The letter states: “It is critical that these mitigations be included in the SEQR process prior to final determination.”

How can the Town sign off on the SEQR process if issues with sewage and traffic have not been adequately addressed?

As a multi-decade resident of Greenburgh, I believe “planning and zoning” are the foundations of a community. That is why from the date of being appointed to the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee (CPSC) in March 2007 until the plan was adopted in September 2016, I had unmatched attendance at CPSC meetings and devoted an untold number of other hours working with CD&C Commissioner Duquesne to refine the plan. The CPSC made promises to the community. When the Town Board adopted the Comprehensive Plan, it too made promises to the community.

I urge the Town Board to uphold the promises made to the community. Do not downzone the existing zoning on the former Elmwood Country Club property and permit increased density and multifamily housing in this one-family residential neighborhood. Please uphold the existing zoning on the site and permit only one-family housing to be built with necessary land transferred for recreational purposes.

Members of the surrounding community have already publicly stated that they would support workforce one- family housing being built on the Elmwood site. Appoint a committee to amend the Zoning Ordinance to require workforce housing in one-family zoning districts. The amendments could be in place before subdivision plans are submitted for this property. Any reputable developer would accommodate building workforce homes.

The current owner, Jonathan Grebow bought the Elmwood property knowing what the existing zoning permitted. And it is not the first time he didn’t get everything he wanted. A Journal News article from 2017 noted that in 2014 Mr. Grebow bought a 108-acre former country club property in New Jersey for $10.4, planning to build 34 single family homes on the Mahwah site and 353 multifamily homes, including 71 affordable units on the Saddle River site. After long negotiations Mr. Grebow agreed to build 44 single family homes. After obtaining approvals he sold the project to Toll Brothers which paid $20 million more than he had paid for the property. Not a bad profit!!

– Ella Preiser

Elmwood Preserve FEIS Public Hearing Still Open and Need Your Support

To all Unincorporated Town of Greenburgh Residents:

We are asking for your support (below) by writing letters, sending emails and making phone calls to the Town Board, the Zoning Board and Planning Board asking that they adhere to the Comprehensive Plan and not change the zoning for this project.

Re: ELMWOOD PRESERVE FEIS PUBLIC HEARING STILL OPEN

The Elmwood Preserve property should be developed within the existing Town Zoning Ordinance in accordance with the Greenburgh Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2016. We’re looking for Unincorporated Greenburgh residents to support this request by sending emails, letter and phone calls to the above mentioned Town Council and Commissioners.

Density:
The 2 requested zone changes for the 3 Multifamily Town House alternatives will result in a density increase between 34% and 55% more than the 2 Single Family Residence alternatives. The Town’s Comprehensive Plan, the Conservation Advisory Council and the Westchester County Planning Board do not support increased density in residential areas. On 3/3/22, the Council of Greenburgh Civic Associations representatives voted unanimously to support Single Family Residences on the Elmwood property.

Traffic:
This increased density will result in a substantial increase in traffic on Dobbs Ferry Road. Dobbs Ferry Rd. (State Rd - 100B) only has a single lane each way which accommodates 3 school districts (busses, private cars/vans) and the Westchester County # 6 bus line. In addition, there are the entrances and exits to the Sprain Brook Parkway.

Carlson’s Nursery (undergoing expansion to be developed into a Farmer’s Market), the Chelsea Assisted Living Facility, the Game On golf driving range, Landers Manor (9 SFRs), Westchester View Lane (24 SFRs) and another 15 SFRs, which are in the process of currently being built on Drago Way, are all across the street from the Elmwood property. On the corner of Dobbs Ferry Rd. and Worthington Rd. is the Fairview Fire Station #2 with E. Rumbrook Park on the other side of Elmwood. Also, there is a DaySchool /Camp on Dobbs Ferry Rd., right next to the Fire Station, which operates all year long. These properties are all within 8/10ths of a mile along Dobbs Ferry Rd..

Safety:
Fire Dept:
The number of Incident calls made by the Fairview Fire Station #2 in the last 4 years are as follows:
2018 - 1,171
2019 - 1,033
2020 - 1,110
2021 - 1,159

Police Dept:
The number of events responded to by the Police Dept. in this area for Police/EMT calls in the last 3 years are as follows:
2018 - 1,190
2019 - 1,225
2020 - 1,975
2021 - 1,730

The number of accidents on Dobbs Ferry Rd. between the Sprain Pkwy. and 9A are as follows:
2018 - 42
2019 - 41
2020 - 28
2021 - 33

These Fire Dept. and Police Dept. statistics will increase because of the Elmwood development and could result in more serious outcomes to all Greenburgh residents because of traffic jams.

Setting a Precedent:
By granting these 2 zone changes, a precedent will be set which will allow down-zoning to any large parcel of land, such as the 5 remaining golf courses in Greenburgh or any large camp property such as Mohawk or Hillard.

The Single Family Residences Alternatives (119 or 113) are zoning compliant (as of right) for this property of 106+ acres according to the Town Zoning Code.
According to the CAC’s SEQR Findings - FEIS (3/4/22), “the current zoning rules existed in the Zoning Code when the applicant bought the Elmwood property. Amending the Zoning Code is a legislative act. The Town Board has the unfettered right, in its discretion, to maintain the Town’s existing zoning, and is under no obligation to approve the application.”

– Dorrine Livson, President – Worthington Woodlands Civic Assoc.

Westchester County To Host First Household Recycle Day Event Of 2022 At FDR State Park In Yorktown

HRD Event to be held on Saturday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

 

(White Plains, NY) – Westchester County’s Department of Environmental Facilities (DEF) will be hosting a Household Recycling Day (HRD) Event on Saturday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at FDR State Park, 2957 Crompond Rd., Route 202, Yorktown. The upcoming HRD event in Yorktown will be the first of four HRD events planned for 2022, to give residents across the County an opportunity to conveniently and safely dispose of their household waste.   

 

In 2021, DEF held four HRD events that welcomed over 2,500 County residents, and accepted over 160,000 pounds of household waste for disposal. HRD events return in 2022 looking to reach even more residents.

 

In addition to properly labelled household chemicals, tires, scrap metal, electronics, appliances and other special wastes found in a typical household, residents can bring documents for shredding and expired or unwanted medications for disposal to the HRD event on April 23.

 

Generally, the following items are accepted for safe disposal or recycling:

 

·         Properly labelled household chemicals, such as:

o   Household cleaning products

o   Most automotive fluids (antifreeze, brake fluid, gasoline, but not motor oil)

o   Flammable liquids (kerosene, butane, lighter fluid, turpentine)

o   Metal, jewelry, and furniture polishes and waxes; wood preservatives

o   Fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides

o   Photographic and swimming pool chemicals

·         Batteries – only vehicle, rechargeable, or button cell

·         Fluorescent light bulbs & CFLs

·         Fire extinguishers

·         BBQ propane tanks (up to 20 lbs.)

·         Mercury containing devices (thermometers and thermostats)

·         Electronic waste (TVs, computer monitors and towers)

·         Expired or unwanted medications, both OTC and prescription

·         Personal documents for shredding (limit of four (4) file-size boxes per household)

·         Tires

 

Items that will not be accepted and should not be brought to the Household Recycling Day include paint (both latex and oil), non-rechargeable alkaline and carbon zinc batteries (they can be safely discarded in the trash), motor oil, smoke detectors, cell phones, explosives (flares, fireworks, ammunition), construction debris and hypodermic needles. Also, waste from businesses, schools, or other institutions will not be accepted.

 

For more information on what to bring to this event, visit www.westchestergov.com/recycling or call (914) 813-5425.

 

If you are unable to attend the HRD Event, you can still dispose of your hard-to-get-rid-of household waste by making a convenient appointment for the County’s Household-Material Recycling Facility (H-MRF), 15 Woods Road, Valhalla.  The H-MRF is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. by appointment, and accepts the same items that are accepted at the HRD events. For more information about the H-MRF or to make an appointment, visit https://environment.westchestergov.com/facilities/h-mrf or call (914) 813-5425.

 

For more information on Westchester County environmental programs and events follow us on Facebook at:

www.facebook.com/WestchesterCountyDEF