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.

Greenburgh Schools Schedule Information Session On Bond Referendum For $114.6 MILLION

In an effort to keep Greenburgh residents and taxpayers informed, we are posting this information. Sadly, Greenburgh School Superintendent Tahira Dupree Chase has met with one civic association, and the leaders of another, to detail her plans to consolidate the Greenburgh School District schools to the Woodlands campus. She has not shared information with residents through mailings, meetings or articles. It seems a bit disingenuous to foist this referendum onto the unknowing in hopes they will vote for it? Or, is her plan to not inform the residents and have only those she feels assured will vote for this come out and cast a ballot in favor of it? 

A referendum held in February can slam the voters and keep them from coming out if the weather turns out to be what February weather usually is. Regardless, it seems a very suspect and disappointing. Also disappointing is that Mr Feiner and his Town Board have just allotted $7,000 toward an East hartsdale Road traffic study for something that hasn't even happened yet and they don't know will be voted through! Their canned response is that they want to be prepared should the vote go through. Actually, if history has taught us anything about referendums in Greenburgh, and it has, this proposal will go through for a number of reasons. Many with school age children in the Greenburgh system, educators, well-off, well-paid residents will buy into the rationale being offered and vote yes. The uninformed, seniors, fixed-income residents and many not involved in politics or school issues may want to vote no, but may not be able to get to the polls at the Woodlands campus. Or, as we believe is the case, will not even know about it!

Several information sessions on the bond referendum for the Greenburgh School Districts proposal, will be voted upon on February 12, 2019, to spend a minimum of $114.6 MILLION to build replacement schools on the current Woodlands campus. School tax increases are being predicted to increase approximately $850 per year for property owners. Well-paid Superintendent Chase has used the analogy of equating this increase to a daily cup of gourmet coffee. Many of our fixed income readers have related to us that they are barely able to pay their taxes now and fear losing their homes should this referendum pass and these increases be instituted.

Consolidation for what purpose remains the unanswered question? To simply say we would have all grades on one campus does not validate the expense or return on this huge investment. To sell two current schools that are either in disrepair or needed repair begs the question why weren’t they maintained to begin with? And, can we expect more of the same should the referendum pass after Dr Chase has moved on? Mr Feiner insisted on letting WestHelp degrade to the point of ruin. He insisted on letting the buildings intentionally deteriorate so such a dismal picture could be painted, ultimately proving the need to destroy them. Also, what of security and threats to the younger children in our ever-burgeoning active shooter world? Somehow the separate locations seems a viable alternative.

The Greenburgh Central schools have a more surmountable problem with education. They are now teaching the Mandarin language from kindergarten through the high school senior class because studies show it’s an up-and-coming language. It used to be that French or Spanish were the two more popular foreign languages to learn. Frankly, after hearing some of these students speak English, the school probably needs to be working on speaking better English than learning others. And, with all of the special programs and remedial classes that are maintained, a fundamental education seems to be absent. Our suggestion to Dr Chase would be instead of trying to apply lipstick to make this proposal look pretty, fix the glaring problems before undertaking such a major expense and cost to the already beleagured taxpayers.

Here is a list of meeting dates that are being scheduled by the Greenburgh School district to discuss the $114.6 million dollar proposed Greenburgh School bond referendum that will take place on February 12th. The school district hopes to sell the Highview and Bailey schools and consolidate the Greenburgh schools into one campus.

To learn more, please plan to attend one or more of these upcoming informational Community Meetings:
◾Tuesday, January 15 - 7 p.m. @ Woodlands Middle/High School
◾Thursday, January 24 - 7 p.m. @ Richard J. Bailey Elementary School
◾Tuesday, January 29 - 7 p.m. @ Highview Elementary School
◾Thursday, January 31 - 7 p.m., @ The Greenburgh Public Library
◾Thursday, February 7 - 7 p.m. @ The Theodore Young Community Center

These meetings may be a little bit too late in the game to give this proposal the scrutiny it deserves. We hope that Dr Chase’s lack of forthcoming information is not how she normally operates. And why are they only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, instead of utilizing other days to accommodate those who work or have child care issues? This should be changed. Finally, she needs to turn the schools she already has around and prove that she has what it takes before selling us a bill of goods that should be expected out of the corner office on Hillside Avenue. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.

Open Letter To The Supervisor and Town Board

Dear Mr. Feiner and Town Board members,

I would like to share my concern about the development issue that is before you this Wednesday November 14th, namely the proposed development of the Elmwood Country Club.

The developer is granted an as of right for 119 homes on the property, but is seeking a zoning change (downzoning) so they can build a 175 unit Townhouse development.

My neighborhood (Hilltop Farms) is the first neighborhood east of the development, after the Sprain Parkway. I have several issues of importance about this, but my primary concern is the increase in density and the impacts of traffic on our neighborhood.

As I’m sure you are well aware, there is already significant rush hour congestion around the Dobbs Ferry Road / Hartsdale Ave intersection, as well as on E Hartsdale Avenue, all the way down to the 4 corners area. Adding the anticipated number of commuter cars to our already busy roadways will decrease the quality of life in our town. The traffic jams on these roads have already added to the commute times for residents. There will also be consequences for the traffic on Dobbs Ferry Road heading to both the Sprain, and into Ardsley.

The developer is claiming that an over-55 community will not have as many people heading out to work in the morning, but I think that might only be true when the residents reach full retirement age, and at that point, they might even seek to relocate and be replaced by a younger household. I am also concerned that a developer faced with slow sales of their $1,000,000 townhouses might move to create rental property on part of the parcel, and I don’t know if they would be prohibited from doing that. Speaking of the demographics, Senior communities are less likely to support bond issues such like the one currently proposed by our district.

The proposal by the Greenburgh Central School District to consolidate onto a campus that would have E Hartsdale Avenue as its primary egress/entrance, and that will also create traffic nightmares for people traveling our roads at least for 2 periods in the morning and
afternoon. Add into that a new Assisted Lving at Metropolis, and a proposed Assisted Living at Maplewood Swim Club and you can see where there can be serious problems.

There is also the problem of creating a zoning precedent if you were to down-zone Elmwood, and you would leave the door open for anyone else to demand equal treatment. We have several other large country club parcels that are ripe for development.  I don’t want to see our town so packed with housing, that we will see people looking to move away, rather than come here.

Now, passing over the myriad other issues brought to light with this proposal, taxes, cost to the town for upkeep of parkland with dubious suitability, loss of tax revenue due to townhouse vs. single-family homes and loss of revenue to both the school district and fire
district.

I am quite disappointed with the attitude and stance taken on behalf of the developer in this matter. They are trying to pressure the surrounding homes with scare tactics by threatening to remove any buffer between the neighboring homes. Indeed, if you look at their 119
home proposal, they have purposely not only placed a swimming pool behind every home, but they have drawn the bordering homes to the north in a disproportionate manner, making the backyard tiny and the front yard huge so as to place the homes as close to the setback as possible. I don't think this type of tactic escapes notice, and furthermore, this developer has no future interests in the town, seeking only to pave the way for another company to come in and build, and that builder might have no interest in any kind of “vision
statement” proffered during the permit process. The object here seems to be to generate the maximum profit possible with little regard for the effects on the surrounding community.

On the practical side, I think that the 119-home proposal that cost a million dollars on this parcel would be a potential great benefit to the town. It will attract business to the Route 119 corridor and hopefully we will see an increase in quality shopping and dining. Those 119 homes will pay full freight to our tax rolls, and hopefully not add as much traffic to our roads.

Thanks for taking the time to hear my thoughts. I urge you to disallow a proposal that would lead to a request to downzone the Elmwood property.

Sincerely,

Paul C.
(Full name and address of writer intentionally withheld.)