Economies of Scale

Class warfare is not good, nor is it the intent of this post. We recognize and accept that in our society some people have more than others. While sitting in on several community meetings however, we realized the old saying about the haves and have-nots is being played out right before us in Greenburgh. As this shouldn’t be about comparing those that have to those with less, it highlights the inequity of how the Town operates and conducts business differently for those with clout (financially and professionally) verses those without. We are upset that the economies of scale, “disguised campaign donations” and political favors are driving the The Paul, his Stepford Board and the rest of his administration’s decisions and actions toward it’s residents.


A number of years ago there was a murder committed in a small deli on Rt 119 directly across the street from KMart. The murderer was never apprehended and after a brief period this became a “cold case”, left to languish in a back room of the Greenburgh Police Department. The location of this deli murder remains vacant. Is it simply a cold case or an ignored case? There were also murders at the former Mitsubishi Auto dealership service bays on Rt 119 across from Hillside Avenue. Across Town in Edgemont, residents say home robberies are up while Police Chief DeCarlo claims the numbers show crime to be at the same level as previous years. 


In a recent Edgemont Community Council meeting Chief DeCarlo explained he had his officers drive through Edgemont and place surveys in the mailboxes for any home the officers felt were vulnerable. In our eyes this authenticates a good marker for a would-be thief to strike. GPD had also utilized an ambulance with a civilian driver/paramedic to do patrols in the Edgemont section of Town to placate the residents and promote an appearance of a police presence. It may have been a good ploy until an actual cop was needed or the ambulance was called away. But Edgemont, with 8k+ residents, financial clout, attorneys and donors are better able to influence The Paul and the police department into action than other neighborhoods. 


The Knollwood-Mayfair section of the Town is better off than many, but still not quite as well off as others. When the County proposed building the WestHelp shelter, on the campus of Westchester Community College, the civic association understandably fought it. Although it was a hot-button topic and the hearings contentious, the County’s “might-makes-right” naturally prevailed and the housing was built. To conciliate the area, The Paul agreed to a financial “settlement” that would ultimately be overturned as illegal in court. The suit was brought by Edgemont attorneys who filed and won their suit, mandating a return of approximately $1.2 million to the Town. The point? The Paul illegally tried to buy Mayfair off! 


The Fulton Park Civic Association began fighting the proposed seven story apartment building once Westhab’s could no longer keep it under wraps. It would be offered by The Paul as workforce housing for Greenburgh Municipal workers. The FPCA proved that they couldn't control who could apply and rent an apartment as state and federal money was being used, limiting who would be allowed to live there. Ultimately, The Paul would changed his tune, stating it would be for the homeless, low-income and Section 8 housing. The FPCA learned that The Paul made a deal with Westhab behind closed doors to purchase the property and “fast track” it through the normally cumbersome and exhausting permit and approvals process. The Paul had promised to turn the location into a senior living center if and when the homeless were gone. At the same time, while the neighborhood supported a reasonably-sized living facility, they were kept completely in the dark until it was too late and too costly for the FPCA to do much about The Paul’s back-room done-deal.


The FPCA pointed out the traffic issues to an already over-congested area that this project would exacerabate. Those included the exiting from the soon-to-be changed (and non-existent) to one-way Fulton Avenue and the congested traffic circle there. Westhab relied on faulty zoning maps that did not officially show the traffic circle which we’ve been told has existed there for over fifty years, nor the Fulton Avenue roadway. Each time the FPCA found any violations to planning, zoning, safety and procedural issues, The Paul and the Stepford Board turned a blind eye and approved the requested changes from Westhab, ignoring any and all rational arguments and points. Since Fulton Park is not a wealthy neighborhood within the Unincorporated area of the Town, they lost all their well-founded arguments against the Westhab assault. The zoning board supported the FPCA position and denied the requested zoning changes and since Fulton Park doesn’t matter to The Paul. He and his Stepford Board approved the zoning changes. Construction is underway - residents be damned!


At the same time, in the Broadview area of Town, that neighborhood is suffering from the same maladies with construction on the former Cooke’s Florist property. In 1969, the Town Board during that period of time passed a zoning law stating should that property ever be vacated, it would revert back to residential. It’s one law that was passed by one of the Town’s other Boards, and not under The Pauls’ administration. Then The Paul decided to allow the Greenburgh Health Center, based out of Mount Vernon, New York, carte blanche to build on the former Cooke’s Florist site, ignoring the law passed years ago. You see, in The Paul’s world, it isn’t necessary to adhere to decisions made by others, mostly because it’s simply inconvenient for his agenda. Broadview residents be damned!


Here's a few highlights in a partial list of a few of the Broadview Neighborhood’s contentions: 
· The building is not being constructed in accordance with the plans as approved by the Town.
· The Town Building Department is fully aware that the building is not being constructed in accordance with the previously approved plans, and that the previously issued building permits are currently invalid.
· Because the building is not being constructed in accordance with the plans as previously approved by the Town, the MVNHC must seek updated approvals from the Town Board , the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals.
· The medical clinic still lacks a safe pedestrian access route from adjacent public transportation facilities.
· The plans for storm water management are inadequate with reference to  adjacent properties.
· Town Supervisor Feiner responded that the Town had issued several building related permits to the MVNHC, and stated that the MVNHC has a “vested right” to proceed with construction of the medical clinic even if the current actual construction of the medical clinic is not in accordance with the plans as previously approved by various Town of Greenburgh Boards and Agencies.
· Complaints and inquiries to Town, State and Federal agencies are being ignored.


Regardless of who is right or wrong, The Paul and his Stepford Board, the Building Department and others remain silent. Why? It’s not as though there are only one or two issues they are complaining about. In actuality, ABG has seen about two and a half to three solid pages of issues which are continually ignored by The Paul’s administration. Again, why? Even to a skeptic, the list they have cannot be as large as it is and not have some merit or validity. Could it be because the Greenburgh Health Center is one of The Paul’s pet projects and guarantees to purchase him more votes? ABG believes the answer is yes. 


Numerous neighborhoods, such as Broadview, Fulton Park, Parkway Homes, the Route 9A corridor, Glenville and Babbitt Court to name a few, all lack the financial resources to mount a legal attack to force The Paul to stop disrespecting these various neighborhoods in the Town. Hopefully, there are still a few good people left in our respective departments who will ignore The Paul’s wishes and do the right thing. We can only hope!