September 3, Storm Brings Torrential Excuses – Again

The Town Board has gotten comfortable with referencing these Hurricane Season storms by utilizing the moniker of a 100-year or 500-year, without similarly acknowledging some guilt to the flooding causation. Newer Town Board electees are learning first hand from the old guard how to tell the residents that they are doing everything possible to help their plight with flooding without really doing anything of substance.

So as the rain increased in intensity on Saturday, the Manhattan Brook filled rapidly to capacity. An email was sent to Mr Feiner, Commissioners Fon and Morabito stating that the river is at capacity and where are the pumps we were promised? Mr Feiner responded, “I spoke with the commissioner. We have the pumps but they’re missing a few parts. They are going to be placed on a truck and used during major storms to help residents of Fulton Park.” Sounds like the dog ate my homework excuse. It always seems be be someone else’s fault, “That’s County property so we can’t do something or another.” Or, it’s State property and no one has gotten back to us yet.

At the local level, when the Town started clearing debris and such on the Bronx River side of the Manhattan Brook, residents were told that the Town workers were stopped mid-way as the County said the Town didn’t have the proper permits to do that work! Really? You’d think the County would welcome Greenburgh’s effort to clear the debris away AT OUR EXPENSE and look to offer any modicum of relief to the people constantly being flooded. Very disappointing.

We saw extreme flooding that took place at Fulton Park on July 14, 2025. According to CD&C Commissioner Garrett Duquesne the Town received seven inches of rain in three hours. Property owners reported not only rain water damage, but sewers that backed up into their homes. Worthington-Woodlands Civic Association President Dorrine Livson noted that six to eight homes on Windom Street, Lark Avenue and Westchester View Lane were also inundated with water and sewage. One property owner received three and a half feet of water in their basement. Mrs. Livson said she advised the owners to inform the Town about the sewage. Jean Lane property owners also received water from Ferncliff Cemetery and acknowledged that the Town is working with the Cemetery to address this discharge of water on to neighboring property. And, a home on Miller Terrace in the Fulton Park area was flooded as were some on Gibson Street.

When asked whether the Town maintains the infrastructure to address

these kinds of storms. Mr. Sheehan mentioned that our infrastructure is built to accommodate a 25-year storm, which is typical throughout the U.S. He noted there is nothing anyone can do to accommodate a 100-year storm. He said he was out on Dobbs Ferry Road and watched the dirt pouring down from the Bright View construction site - the whole street was brown.

But Mr Sheehan conceded there is nothing the Town can do to prevent this from happening again. He said the Town hires a meteorologist that provides extremely accurate data that helps the Town save a lot of money by allowing the DPW to clean out debris in advance when necessary. He said this wasn’t a storm that the Town knew about. The Town was caught by surprise. Huh - didn’t you just say you hired a meteorologist? No one predicted the storm would be that bad. He said some Town infrastructure was so undermined by this storm, it now must be repaired.

Here’s a couple of ideas: 1) Every month do an inspection of choke points for debris, garbage and yard waste and then clean it out; 2) start applying for flood grants like Mamaroneck has done so you can make improvements throughout the Town – like Mamaroneck has done; 3) Actually listen to the neighborhoods instead of giving pushback as their ideas may have merit; 4) Look to hire an engineering firm to offer remedies since the Town always responds, “There’s nothing we can do.” Finally, institute term limits so we can break this culture of “NO!” It’s the only way to get A Better Greenburgh!

Town-wide Flooding Flushed Down the Road

Link to the video of the Town Board Meeting: https://greenburghny.new.swagit.com/videos/351864

If you you've never been flooded, congratulations. You cannot comprehend the physical and emotional trauma our residents have been experiencing each time it rains. Paul Feiner hasn’t experienced it as a homeowner or resident in his Boulder Ridge gated community. Sure, he tells you to call him anytime but lets your call go to voice mail and only returns your call after the damage has been done, lamenting how badly he feels for you.

Delays of yet another walk through, another study or another conflict is what we've already gotten from the various Feiner administrations along with empty promises, letters to other legislators, almost like papers being tossed in the air bemoaning action from someone else. He'll send a letter to other legislators asking for their help while washing his hands of it. It's Feiner deflection at its best. 

New residents are quickly learning that the time for real action has not and is not happening. As we wait for Mr Feiner’s faux listening tour schedule, the public gets to experience more inaction, side-stepping and hopes that the hurricane season passes so he can return to campaigning for yet another term. We suggest holding the meeting as soon as you can, even if it's not on a work session or regular board meeting schedule. In fact, that would probably be better so this meeting doesn't have to be ended as another meeting must be attended to.

Here's a list* of recorded natural disasters and incidents that have affected Westchester County and while the list is hardly a be-all, end all, it does indicate a trend of increased flooding (in blue).

08-31-21
Hurricane - Remnants Of Hurricane Ida

08-20-21
Hurricane - Hurricane Henri

08-03-20

Hurricane - Tropical Storm Isaias

01-19-20
Other - Covid-19 Pandemic
Other - Covid-19

10-26-12
Hurricane - Hurricane Sandy

08-25-11
Hurricane - Hurricane Irene

08-24-11
Hurricane - Hurricane Irene

03-12-10
Severe Storm - Severe Storms And Flooding

04-13-07
Severe Storm - Severe Storms And Inland And Coastal Flooding

06-25-06
Severe Storm - Severe Storms And Flooding

04-01-05
Severe Storm - Severe Storms And Flooding

05-12-04
Severe Storm - Severe Storms And Flooding

08-13-03
Other - Power Outage

02-16-03
Other - Snow

09-10-01
Fire - Fires And Explosions

05-21-00
Other - West Nile Virus

09-15-99
Hurricane - Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations

09-15-99
Hurricane - Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

10-18-96
Severe Storm - Severe Storms, Flooding, Heavy Rains, High Winds

01-05-96
Other - Blizzard Of 96 (Severe Snow Storm)

03-12-93
Other - Severe Blizzard

12-09-92
Flood - Coastal Storm, High Tides, Heavy Rain, & Flooding

03-27-84
Flood - Coastal Storms & Flooding

10-01-75
Flood - Storms, Rains, Landslides & Flooding

06-22-72
Flood - Tropical Storm Agnes

09-12-71
Flood - Severe Storms & Flooding

08-17-65
Other - Water Shortage

At the most recent Town Board meeting, half the room was full of people wishing to get answers as well as relief from flooding from this latest Town Board. As usual, Mr Feiner had planned out an evening designed to thin the crowd and did not get to the flooding tax-relief bill until 8:45pm! The first speaker to the podium was a woman who lives on Gibson Street, which is lower and parallel to Rt 119. While she was practically in tears, Mr Sheehan insisted on belaboring the point that this was a public hearing and she should speak during the public comment! 

Here's an except of what she said:

“I JUST, I’M JUST SO FRUSTRATED. YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY SAY, WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THE AMERICAN DREAM, THIS IS NOT THE ONE THAT I SIGNED UP FOR. WE BOUGHT, WE SAVED TO BUY OUR HOUSE, AND NOW IT FLOODS LITERALLY EVERY TWO YEARS BECAUSE OF A CREEK THAT YOU GUYS CANNOT FIX THE DRAINAGE TO. IT'S RIDICULOUS. I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND. THAT'S MY HOUSE UNDER 12 FEET OF WATER(referencing the overhead projector). SO WHEN YOU SAY 50% THAT WE NEED HELP, MORE THAN 50%. I SPEND AT LEAST 15 TO $20,000 EVERY TIME IT FLOODS. WE HAVE TO REPLACE OUR WASHER AND DRYER. WE HAVE TO REPLACE OUR WATER HEATER, WE HAVE TO REPLACE OUR COUCHES, EVERYTHING. I LIVE THERE WITH MY TWO KIDS. IT IS LIKE, I'M TRYING NOT TO GET EMOTIONAL BECAUSE THIS IS SO HARD. WE NEED MORE HELP THAN WHAT YOU ARE GIVING. I, I CAN'T DO THIS. IT'S RIDICULOUS. I DON'T OWN THAT CREEK, BUT IT FLOODS LIKE THE NILE. EVERY TIME IT RAINS, IT'S INSANE.” 

Next up was Tom Bock, President of the Fulton Park Neighborhood Association. He did speak specifically to the tax bill amendment. Note: Fulton Park is typically one of the worst area of the Town that floods.  He moved into his home in 1988 to little to no water issues. He also places blame at Mr Feiner’s feet as he has green lighted every building project placed before him, creating more and more impervious space and less and less ability for rainwater to be absorbed into the ground as well as an under-sized storm water infrastructure. He has buffered himself from any responsibility by appointing members of the Zoning and Planning Boards with like-thinking members. Anytime a resident questions a project, its size, infratstructure impact, etc., he feigns involvement and cedes culpability to these Boards.

So neighbor after neighbor went to the podium to complain about the flooding, the Town's inability or incompetence to address it, or both.  Murray Boden got up and stated, “What this law does is highlight governments failure to maintain the Town in a proper condition. It allows the Town to highlight an issue that hasn't been addressed.” Indeed! This will provide the Town, after they pass the bill into law, that there's nothing they can do. How? Easy, once passed all the major players will need to do is say, “Look we passed a law to give you a break on your taxes. There's nothing else we can do!” 

This is just another episode to highlight the need for term limits. It's what'll help us get A Better Greenburgh.

* from www.Augurisk.com

County Center Meeting About Flooding

This announcement from the Westchester County Representatives was just posted. While it's short notice, it may be helpful for Fulton Park and other Bronx River corridor residents and business owners to attend. Fulton Park Civic Association's Vice President Tom Bock plans to attend the 5pm meeting. If this goes through, it will provide increased flooding for us all! Please attend.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,
     As you may know, the Army Corps of Engineers is considering six different plans for coastal storm protection, many of which call for construction of massive, in-water barriers (giant sea-gates) in New York Harbor that would choke off the Long Island Sound and the Hudson River from where it meets the ocean. These barriers would restrict tidal flow, block the migration of fish and trap sediment, sewage, and contaminants, while also failing to address increased flooding and other exacerbating impacts of sea level rise.

     After the intercession of County Executive George Latimer and appeals from the public, environmental, and grassroots organizations, the Army Corps has scheduled two public scoping meetings for the New York-New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study at the Westchester County Center in White Plains on Wednesday, October 3, 3-5 p.m. or 6-8 p.m.

     So far, the Corps’ outreach for this project and related meetings have been limited.  Before the public comment period ends on November 5, we must show the Corps that communities take the human and environmental impacts of this project seriously and that they must prioritize public engagement. We don’t want them to think that a lack of turnout for this meeting indicates a lack of interest; we all know otherwise.

Will you join us at either of these two meetings on October 3?

New York-New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries Focus Area Feasibility Study Scoping Meeting

WHEN: Wednesday, October 3, 2018, at 3 PM – 5 PM OR 6 PM-8 PM

WHERE: Westchester County Center, 98 Central Ave, White Plains, NY 10606

Additional information on the NY-NJ Harbor and Tributaries Focus Area Feasibility Study is available at

http://www.nan.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Projects-in-New-York/New-York-New-Jersey-Harbor-Tributaries-Focus-Area-Feasibility-Study/

Please consider attending and inviting your neighbors, as well – this is a critical time to speak out before the comment period closes on November 5 to prevent a short-sighted decision.

Sustainable Westchester Executive Director Out

In 2014, a town resident, filed a Freedom Of Information Law (FOIL) request for the Town’s GBList. The GBList is the Town of Greenburgh’s E-Mail list that Mr Feiner and his Board use at their discretion for whatever they deem appropriate. The resident’s argument, made in court and agreed to by the courts with their verdict, found that the request to be able to tell “the other side” of the story that Mr Feiner was telling was a reasonable one. However, even after being told to turn over the coveted email list, he refused. The legal department scrambled and filed an appeal at the eleventh hour. So, now the resident is forced to wait even longer.

Mr Feiner has posted jobs that he learns about on a private site he maintains. Another way to garner email addresses is for those out of work people to sign up. He doesn’t screen the positions, he doesn’t get paid for sending candidates, qualified or not, and he doesn’t guarantee your success. What he does guarantee is the growth of his contact list, including email addresses! His real fear with releasing the GBList is that he will be called out when he says something that is not true - which at times is often.

In a recent “post” for a position, really a self-promotion campaign for name recognition, he sent out the position of Executive Director for Sustainable Westchester. Below is the opening portion of the blurb that goes with the job description. We’re not posting it because we don’t want your email information, and have no ulterior motive. If you think you are executive director material and the position may be for you, click on the link below and get the entire picture. 

Executive Director

Sustainable Westchester

Sustainable Westchester, a not-for-profit organization, is a membership-based consortium of municipalities that addresses critical sustainability concerns within Westchester County. Formed from the merger of the Northern and Southern Westchester Energy Action consortia in 2014, Sustainable Westchester’s membership has rapidly expanded to include the membership of virtually every municipality in Westchester County and now serves more than 900,000 residents.

The organization provides a forum for communities to share ideas, develop programs and procedures, and formulate effective responses to important sustainability-related opportunities. It convenes and provides support to individuals in member municipalities through volunteer-led Working Groups. Presently there are four Working Groups: Land Use/Transportation, Energy, Materials Management, and Water.  The Working Groups set the strategic direction for initiatives in these areas based on the needs and opportunities presented to the member municipalities.   Website: http://sustainablewestchester.org/

We’re not sure why the previous Executive Director of Sustainable is no longer in that position. Could it be that he didn’t move the process along quickly enough for their Board of Directors and they gave him “the boot”? It reminds us of Westhab in Fulton Park. Their Vice President of Real Estate had sealed the deal with Mr Feiner and his Board and then hit all kinds of roadblocks from the neighborhood associations when the neighborhood associations actually did better research on the zoning, covenants, etc., than Westhab did, causing an over two year delay and significant reduction in the size of their project! Could it also be that due to the delay, the lower cost of fossil fuels and the lack of return once proffered by ESCO’s that Sustainable Westchester is not the Golden Goose it once was thought to be? ABG thinks so.

Below is a letter written by the Mayor of Scarsdale that appeared in the latest edition of the Scarsdale Inquirer about questions surrounding Sustainable Westchester. There are other communities as well who did not drink the KoolAid and go along with this. Rather, they asked the hard questions, studied the facts and made an informed decision with their community. This is the way government should work. When it does so in our Town, we'll finally get A Better Greenburgh.

“Deflection Mode” Media Blitz Underway

In classic style, Mr Feiner has spent the last week or so bemoaning the need for sidewalks in our Town. Never one to let a “good” crisis go by without comment, he has engaged a complicit media with email and snail mail press releases about the death of Mount Vernon resident Herbert Wesley, age 57, on Grasslands Road in Valhalla, on November 17th. It’s been reported that Mt Pleasant police received several phone calls of an intoxicated man, who turned out to be Wesley, who could be seen walking along Grasslands Road. He was struck and killed by an SUV at about 7 p.m. The driver of the SUV was not identified by police and is not facing charges but did remain at the scene.

After this happened, Mr Feiner sent out numerous letters to the editors of area newspapers. In them, he states, “The pedestrian death... highlights the need for sidewalks to be built on streets leading to the community college.” What he failed to mention was that this accident might not have happened had he not postured several years ago and acted in earnest on the request made about two or three years ago by a young college student from Westchester Community College. He appeared before the Town Board meeting holding a hand-made sign asking for sidewalks from the college on both Grasslands and Knollwood Roads, citing the hazardous walking conditions along the sides of each road compounded by a high volume of traffic.

As usual, the Town Board bristled, as here before them was a novice, young, idealistic voice of a new constituency, untainted and unmarred by Greenburgh’s demagoguery. Mr Feiner engaged him in a conversation, giving Mr Lewis the “secret signal” to allow the exchange. You see, when things get prickly for Mr Feiner, Mr Lewis is right there to stop the exchange and has even fallen on the sword when necessary to spare his boss self-inflicted embarrassment. At the end of this exchange and even with a brief interview by a news reporter, several long-time residents eventually informed him that nothing would come of his pitch to them and the exchange that followed. That’s politics kid!

On November 14, 2015, ABG wrote about another pedestrian struck by a car that went unreported by other news media. Here’s an excerpt:
“According to Police Chief McNerney, ‘On November 24th, at approximately 6:55pm, a pedestrian was struck on Joan Avenue at the intersection of Knollwood Road. The pedestrian was crossing Joan Avenue, from the north side to the south side and was struck by a vehicle that was traveling south on Knollwood Road, making a right onto Joan. According to the report, the pedestrian suffered minor injuries.’ This piece of information was unreported to the media.” What we had learned at the time from a police officer was that Mr Feiner called the Police Chief and asked him to withhold the information from the press. You see, many newspapers, including the Journal News, will call daily all of the Westchester police departments and ask if they have any news to report. We believe that is what he asked him to withhold.

Looking back through the ABG archives, we found another story from Friday, February 8, 2013 about a pedestrian struck on Knollwood Road. Here’s that excerpt:
“At about 2PM today, Friday, a pedestrian was struck by a car walking on Knollwood Road at the entrance to the Westchester Community College. There is no sidewalk. At the other end of Knollwood Road, the new Greenburgh Health Center has opened. It’s only a matter of time that a pedestrian gets hit by a car at this new address. The old Community Health Center on Rt 119 across from the former A&P in the Crossroads Shopping Center, found many of it’s clients crossing Rt 119 with kids, strollers and shopping bags, etc., in all kinds of weather and traffic. The dangerous situation that existed at one area has been shifted to another. Even though it is a different area, the same risk still exists for the health center’s clientele, just at their new home. There is no sidewalk.”

ABG has followed numerous requests for sidewalks for years from the North Elmsford, Fulton Park, Worthington Woodlands, and the Broadview Civic Associations to name a few. No responses or action have taken place by the Town to those requests. Although Broadview has been pushing the argument that the Town dropped the ball by not enforcing the agreement that the Greenburgh Health Center, owned by the Mount Vernon Health Center, and the condominium next to it have failed to honor their agreement to build sidewalks in front of their respective property. Our research also found two additional pedestrian deaths on Rt 9A in 2008.

The only response for sidewalks made thus far has been to the Edgemont Community Council’s request for sidewalks at Seely Place, where there is a school. ABG believes the only reason Mr Feiner worked towards getting them sidewalks is the looming secession they have held over him. Should Edgemont secede, the Town and Mr Feiner would lose a tremendous portion of income for his budgets, pulling back the magic curtain and exposing the shell game Mr Feiner has run for years. Let’s not forget the money lost by his breaking the contract with Westchester County for WestHelp to the loss of $1.2 million per year. Let’s also not forget the guilty verdict by a Federal Court against Mr Feiner, Ms Juettner and the Town for $6.5 million of which the taxpayers must pay $5.5 million!

Last year, the village of Ardsley built a sidewalk on Heatherdell Road leading to the Ardsley High School using federal dollars. What Mr Feiner fails to mention is that only Ardsley’s elected officials secured the funds without Mr Feiner or the Town's involvement and built their sidewalks in record time. ABG has learned that each time the State has had funds available for sidewalks, Mr Feiner has never “stepped up” to try to secure those funds for sidewalks in any portion of the Town! If only Unincorporated Greenburgh residents had a Mayor like Ardsley things might be different.

What Mr Feiner typically does is act like the Town Crier (no pun intended) and then say that other politicians should pay for what he says we need. It’s the classic bait-and-switch scheme that frankly, has gotten old and worn out under this administration. It’s time for real leadership in Greenburgh. Only then will we see A Better Greenburgh.

Public Meetings For Public to Offer Feedback

Below is information regarding the Town’s proposal for the Town’s proposed Comprehensive Plan for how the Town should look for the near and distant future. Mr Feiner, the Town Board and others have taken to spot-zoning throughout the Town at their developer friends’ whims and requests. This Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) will slow that down. However, there are many sections that go way beyond what many of us wish for the Town to look like in the future. We acknowledge that a lot of work went into developing this plan, but it is not the final word – yet! It is imperative that everyone to go to the link below and read the Comp Plan, make notes and bring your feedback to the Committee at one of these meetings. If you cannot attend the meetings, you can email them your concerns. It’s the only way to keep from having changes we don’t want thrust upon us. Without your input, Greenburgh will change into something you may not want! Please participate. Only then can we have A Better Greenburgh.

Greenburgh Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Releases Draft of Plan

The Town of Greenburgh Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee (CPSC) released for public comment the Draft Comprehensive Plan for Unincorporated Greenburgh (Draft Plan) on March 21, 2014.  On behalf of the CPSC, I am pleased to announce that Appendix E, which is referenced on Page 12-7 of the Draft Plan, was uploaded earlier today to the Comprehensive Plan Web site (http://greenburghcomprehensiveplan.com/) and is available for public comment along with the rest of the Draft Plan.  (At the homepage, click on the "2014 DRAFT PLAN" tab and then "Appendix E" at that bottom of the Table of Contents.)

To give the public a head-start on reading the thirteen chapters of the Draft Plan, the CPSC decided to release the rest of the Draft Plan in advance of the graphics-intensive Appendix E.  Appendix E contains 92 separate cut sheets of recommended zoning map amendments covering 260 individual parcels in Unincorporated Greenburgh.  The recommended zoning map amendments, most involving aligning zoning district boundaries with property lines, are in conformance with the Draft Plan released earlier.  

We look forward to your comments on the Draft Plan, including the proposed amendments in Appendix E, at one of our upcoming meetings at Town Hall, 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY 10607.  The dates and times of these Draft Plan public comment meetings are:

     Tuesday, April 29th, at 7:30pm

     Saturday, May 10th, at 10:00am

     Thursday, May 22nd, at 7:30pm

     Monday, June 2nd, at 7:30pm

     Monday, June 16th, at 7:30pm (public hearing)

After each meeting the CPSC will meet to consider all comments for potential incorporation into the Draft Plan.  At the conclusion of this public input period, the CPSC will prepare the final CPSC Draft Plan to submit to the Town Board.

If you cannot make it to any of the above meetings and/or prefer to put your comments in writing, please address your written comments to planzone@GreenburghNY.com or mail them to the CPSC, c/o Commissioner Thomas Madden, Greenburgh Town Hall, 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY 10607.

We look forward to your input on the documents, and we also look forward to no more snow this season, especially on any of the above meeting dates!

Francis Sheehan, Councilman, CPSC Chair

   Town of Greenburgh

Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee

Francis Sheehan, Town Councilman and CPSC Chair

Fran McLaughlin, Planning Board Chair and CPSC Vice Chair
Thomas Madden, AICP, Planning Commissioner

Madelon O’Shea, Historic and Landmark Preservation Board Chair

Ella Preiser, Community Representative

Walter Simon, Planning Board Member

Theresa Mae Tori, Conservation Advisory Council Chair

Lou Klein, Commercial Real Estate Liaison

---

Garrett Duquesne, AICP, Deputy Commissioner, Community Development and Conservation

Viola Taliaferrow, Residential Real Estate Liaison

Pandering With Feel Good Laws

Our County government is redundant in any direction you might look. There isn’t much we need or must have from it that warrants keeping it. We have federal, state and local laws passed to “protect” various constituencies. One must question if these levels of government really protect us, or are they simply another level of intrusion into our lives, pandering to special interests? Recently, Planned Parenthood pushed County Legislators to introduce County-level legislation to ban anti-abortion protesters from being within 200 feet of an abortion clinic, or making contact with a girl seeking an abortion. Before getting too excited, whether you are pro-abortion or pro-life, that’s not what this post is about. It’s about needs. Why would the County legislators feel the need to create and/or pass legislation such as this? They’re pandering for votes, similar to trolling for fish, in their districts hoping to get a “bite”.

Federal and New York State laws already exist limiting how close anti-abortionists can get to an abortion clinic. It’s 200 feet. You may be aware of the Planned Parenthood facility on Rt 119, directly across from the Greenburgh Police Station parking lot on Rt 119 that is mostly used when court is in session. Nestled back from the roadway, its not widely realized that it is there – unless you are seeking an abortion or to protest. On occasion, you will see protestors on the same side of the street as the facility, east of the I-287 bridge exit ramp with protest signs. So abortion, as well as anti-abortion, does exist here Greenburgh.

The point is, the anti-abortion protesters are following the laws that exist and staying 200 ft away from the abortion clinic. Why does the County need another law, duplicating what already exists? Because County Legislators can get publicity from it and add the number to their “look what I’ve done” scorecard. They are pandering to the pro-abortionists with another law we simply don’t need. Protagonists insist it closes a gap in the law at a County level. What gap? If nothing else, it highlights that a County legislator missed the opportunity to take a NY State law, use their word processing program to do a Search & Replace with the words “State” with “County” and introduce this as their County bill, pandering to the pro-abortion groups. By the way, County Executive Astorino vetoed this bill because it was redundant to existing laws.

We found the County passing several other “feel good” laws within the last two years or so. The intent of the laws may be valid but the result is more non-enforcable legislation that will dies a quick death and becomes forgotten legislation until election time, when we start receiving the cavalcade of mailings, robo-calls and lawn signs, espousing the “great” job the politico’s have done for us. The only time we ever really hear from our elected officials is when they want to get re-elected. Cha-ching!

This past year found the County government jumping on the “anti-texting” bandwagon by creating a law that is against texting while driving. Did it stop texting? No. Did it reduce texting? No. Going forward, will a ticket ever be written for texting while driving? Maybe. Once an accident has occurred, the police can look at a phone and see if it was being used for texting and issue a ticket. At that point, what’s the point? The accident has already happened and the lesson was better learned by example. We just hope nobody gets seriously injured or killed. Actually, most traffic regulations already prohibit distracted driving. So, whether you are texting, drinking a beverage, doing your makeup, shaving, tuning your radio or having a hands-free phone conversation, you are already breaking the law. That’s right. There are already laws on the books about distracted driving. Why introduce another law for the same thing? It’s not about the need for a new law, it’s about pandering to a new group of voters, of course.

Last year the County entered the environmental brouhaha by creating and passing a law prohibiting vehicular idling for more than three (3) minutes. Pandering in its purist form. Tickets written? None. Most vehicles that pull up to a drive-through window, will wait longer than three minutes to pickup their order from the takeout window. In fact, in Fulton Park, the former deli, now closed for over two years, has petitioned the Town for numerous variances, increasing the impervious space and actually asking for an endorsement to violate of the three-minute idle law. The Town Zoning Board of Appeals is poised to grant it. Stopping vehicles from idling past 3 minutes may be a lofty goal but it is not a realistic one. When a driver pulls up to a store to “run in” and purchase a lottery ticket, their car is left idling longer than three minutes. That’s what the law might seek to limit. Forget about someone stealing the car that was left running with the keys in it.

Most diesel vehicles used to have a more difficult time starting after they were turned off, which explains why many are left running while the driver makes a delivery or “runs in” to buy a lottery ticket. So who and what exactly was this law written for? Certainly not the delivery people, such as the bread, soda or snack vendor making a delivery. School buses? Possibly. When there is an school event at the County Center, a litany of school buses can be seen in the County Center parking lots, on the side streets such as Old Kensico and County Center Roads. These buses may or may not be idling. But who is issuing tickets? Greenburgh Police say its White Plains Police’s territory, White Plains Police say its Greenburgh Police’s territory and the County, who wrote the law always says there are no officers available to investigate. Mostly because they’re getting time-and-a-half overtime directing traffic in front of the County Center. One ABG staffer questioned the three minute idle, concerned that when the school buses are getting warmed up in the morning to go make their runs picking up students they run even longer. Does this count? Nope, after all, we do it for the kids.

After the Columbine and Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings, legislators jumped on the bandwagon to create more gun control laws in hopes of never experiencing more unnecessary school violence such as these two shootings. We only highlight these two shootings, knowing there have been more. Was this a knee-jerk reaction to a horrific event than a rational, well thought-out and planned objective? Obviously, no one wants to see anyone killed or injured by shootings, especially children. But taxing everything to be more expensive is not the answer. All that accomplishes is penalizing law abiding citizens. We don’t outlaw or raise taxes on gasoline because car accidents kill people. Having “gun-free” zones in school neighborhoods may feel good, but it just tells a shooter they will meet no resistance. So all the laws enacted under the heavy-handed guise of improving things rarely works. But it feels good.

We have enough laws, regulations, fees, mandates, controls and over-saturation at local, county, state and federal levels. Writing more laws to fill a small, albeit minuscule gap that may exist will give a politicians a feel good moment they will take advantage of during their next re-election campaign. It will also allow them to provide a mailing update (campaign), highlighting the great work they are doing for us, even though the law may never be enforced. What would be more advantageous for all of us would be for politicians to follow the laws already on the books. And, if they fail to do so, find themselves being investigated and removed from office. Greenburgh might be a good place for that to start. Then will might begin to see A Better Greenburgh.

Double Jeopardy in Greenburgh, Taxing Residents Twice

An interesting occurrence transpired Thursday night at the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting at Town Hall. The docket saw some nine cases scheduled for review by the Board. Pockets of people were in attendance, probably sitting in groups of support for or against each case. The Fulton Park Civic Association and others were there for their neighborhood’s cause, specifically, the expansion plans for Deli Delicious and the major changes sought to the property. But that’s not what this post is really about.

It’s believed by most that the deli has already received Mr Feiner’s blessing, and is trying to officially “make their case” to have the zoning codes changed so he can get a variance(s) to add a drive-through window and “flip” the building. Selling the building will become more attractive to a fast food chain by installing the window which would then be grandfathered to the next owner. The deli has been closed for over two years now. The owner, Ernest Tartaglione says being closed is a hardship on his business. There is no business. Tartaglione, a commercial real estate landlord for numerous properties, is just counting this as just another property in his stable.

The interesting occurrence we mentioned above is that Tartaglione, et al, had petitioned the Zoning Board of Appeals for a postponement of his deli’s zoning appeal case. Their reason is unknown but suspected to be related to the traffic report, only just released two days earlier on Monday. The Fulton Park Civic Association also petitioned for a postponement as two days was not enough time for them to review and analyze the information in the traffic report. But, the Fulton Park Civic Association, as with anyone filing a petition for postponement, including the petitioner, was forced to pay a $25 fee (tax) to the Town! When we were discussing this, an ABG staffer jumped in saying, “Wait! I know why. The Town employee will say it’s a lot of work to do, or it takes away from their regular duties, or there are costs associated with doing this. Or, all of those – am I right?” In a word, yes, she was right. The staffer was told the filing fee was because of the amount of work that was entailed to request the postponement. How preposterous!

Greenburgh taxpayers are repeatedly hammered by ill-conceived policies of the Town, created by our own representatives, that punish residents at almost every imaginable turn. Case in point? The request for a postponement and the related application fee of $25. This “fee” is a second tax applied under the guise of a fee. We are inundated with these fees in Greenburgh. When a resident/taxpayer goes to Town Hall to request anything for their primary property, there should not be a fee attached to it if it is a simple or small request, such as this postponement. Under the Feiner Administration of the past 22-years, we’ve seen fee after fee created to possibly pay off his guilty verdict fines. So, when the Fulton Park Civic Association applied for a postponement, it is ABG’s position that there should not have been a filing fee charged. This is simply a letter handed to a clerk who marks it received and passes it along to the appropriate individual(s) either manually or by email. This actually falls under the auspices of the clerk’s job. There should be no charge – that’s their job!

At a recent Town Board work session, there was a lengthy discussion about waiving the application fee for installation of a permanently installed generator, as opposed to a temporary or portable one. There are so many fees involved with the installation of just a generator, you might need a travel companion, a priest or rabbi and concierge if you go to Town Hall to do this. First, there is the application fee of $100 to review the application. Next, assuming your application review has been approved, you will pay a Building Department fee (installation), followed by the Electrical fee (power) and finally (?) the Plumbing (gas) fee. ABG is not saying to forego the safety inspections our inspectors are required to make during the installation process. We endorse that part of the process. Just don’t forget that they are very well-paid with benefits to do those inspections. That’s their job.

Realistically, there should not be any fee for projects that are small, single family homeowner-sized projects. It’s one of the reasons why we have a Building Department, financed by residents’ taxes. Unfortunately, we’ve allowed our elected officials to get ahead of us and tax us twice.

As was highlighted with the postponement fee, another travesty for the taxpayer/resident/community members/stakeholders must endure is the ridiculous fees for copies from Town Hall. If one goes into Town Hall and requests a copy of anything, they are charged 25¢ per page. That’s preposterous. The Town will supply a PDF of a document at no charge but we’re sure an Executive session can soon end this once they figure out the wording required. The taxes, paid by the taxpayers/residents/community members/stakeholders already cover this expense. The copier that is leased, the toner and paper used, the electricity, the service agreements, etc., are already paid for by the taxpayer! It’s their copier and supplies! Why are they taxed again? The administration’s argument is if everybody came in and requested copies it would be too expensive for the Town. This is a lame excuse.

First, “everybody” is not going to suddenly be coming in requesting copies. Second, most other communities are operating in a budget conscience fashion and provide the residents with copies upon request at no additional cost. The difference? Other, better managed communities, also haven’t been found guilty in Federal court of violating the rights of a church and paying $6.5 million in fines and penalties, forcing this administration to figuratively stand on the street corner begging for nickels and dimes! Would you like another example?

Several years ago, Mr Feiner and his Town tried to raise the “fee” for the Village of Elmsford residents to use the Town library, which is part of the larger Westchester Library System. It was a hefty increase that Mr Feiner assumed (we know) he would get because he is used to getting his way. Elmsford Mayor Robert Williams, apparently more concerned for his constituents than Mr Feiner, reached out to the Village of Ardsley for an alternative library arrangement that was less money for his Village and gave his residents a more cost-effective solution to Mr Feiner’s greedy proposal. Mr Williams completely and successfully bypassed Mr Feiner piggishness.

As a side note, it had often been discussed that the Village of Elmsford, which sold the library property to the Town for a dollar, be given access to the library directly as a gesture of good faith. A former librarian at the Greenburgh library was insistent this not be allowed. Her rationale was that it would, at the time, add 3,000 new Elmsford users to the library, overwhelming it. One would think more users would be a good thing for any library as it would give cause to an increased budget, increased purchasing power, more books, videos, programs and more employees. Besides, the 3,000 Elmsford residents were not going to show up all at once! It would also promote expansion. Oh, wait, they did expand with the award winning ski jump, a mostly inefficient use of space riddled with HVAC system issues, leaks, burst pipes and more. Ardsley’s library is looking like a pretty good deal.

Back to being forced to pay for what we already paid for through our taxes. The right thing (again, we know) would be to allow residents to come in and request one copy of a file or document they need. There should be no charge as long as they prove residency or occupancy of the address. If the taxpayer is requesting multiple copies of a document, that’s a bit different. The first copy would be free and a minimal fee of say 5¢/page or a blanket amount for the entire document of say, $2/additional copy can be charged. This would hold true for business residents as well. Now, if outside agencies come in requesting a copy, ABG believes it is fair to charge them for any copies they request. Obviously, if it’s only a page or two, the Town employees can use their discretion to waive the fee or collect it. Taking care of the Town’s residents is a concept that Mr Feiner has slowly let slip away – unless he can get publicity from it. Sure, he’ll respond to your phone call by fugaciously pawning your issue to one of his commissioners and be done with you. Then he’ll go back to his back room deals, overdevelopment, spot-zoning, variance request blessings and dismissing traffic studies to raise a few more bucks to pay for the fines he’s had levied against the Town’s taxpayers. It has to change. Only then will we see A Better Greenburgh.

Local Flooding Ignored

Religiously, we seem to enter into that time of year with area flash flooding, road closures, blocked roads, power failures and the like. Each time this happens our representatives search for or notify the media which flooded neighborhood they will visit in hopes of getting some “free” publicity. Mr Feiner routinely does this after he receives word that it is safe for him to exit his Boulder Ridge gated community. The 1%-ers such as himself know when to stay in. The rest of the Town, basically at opposite ends of each other, wait apprehensively, and are usually furnished enough water to provide the requisite flooding of their neighborhoods. Nothing changes except the promises to “do something”. As anticipated, nothing changes.

After Hurricane/Tropical Storms Irene and Sandy, the Village of Elmsford organized a cleanup of the Saw Mill River just south of the Elmsford Little League field adjacent to the river. For those unfamiliar with the fields location, it is along Rt 9A where southwest Elmsford and Greenburgh meet. The Babbitt Court neighborhood, well known for its political visitors seeking the flood limelight, usually floods quickly and gets media coverage. While the Elmsford Village officials organized and implemented a cleanup, Mr Feiner issued a carefully crafted press release alluding to taking credit for it. Interestingly, the Village officials did not seek the limelight or “atta boys”. They simply did what they could for their residents. It was not the end-all to the problem, but it was a start. Highway Commissioner Victor Carosi has tried to make sure area storm drains and such are as open as possible. But once the river cannot handle the volume of water, his efforts are, pun intended, a drop in the bucket.

At many Town Board meetings, Fulton Park residents, Hartsdale residents, their respective Civic Association leaders, and others, all request the Town do something to clear out the Bronx River to allow better water flow by removing the debris and “strainers”causing water backups into the Town’s flood-weary neighborhoods. Simply, strainers are debris of every size and shape that get caught up in the water, flowing with it until it gets caught in something, blocking the water flow and causing a clog at that point. Where does all this debris come from? Some of it flows downstream because of littering. People who are too lazy to hold the garbage from McDonalds or Burger King and toss it on the side of the road before they can dispose of it properly, beer and soda cans and plastic containers that will never degrade and are tossed out their car window all accumulate and go with the flow. Some of it is from dumpsters and garbage cans that are overturned during a flood, emptying their contents and finding its way into the river. Other debris could be larger items stored next to, or behind and near buildings and homes that also gets swept into the current and is on its way. Again, nothing changes.

At one Town Board meeting, when a resident pointed out to the Board that its been a relatively dry season, and a good time to work on clearing the river, Mr Feiner said it was County property and the County has to do it. “You’re my representatives,“ he said, “I’m just one guy. I need you to represent us with the County and any other agencies that need to address cleaning out the river.” Mr Feiner subsequently sent an email to a County commissioner that a resident had complained about the river needing to be cleaned out. That’s as far as he was willing to go. “Please re-elect me. I’m just as excited now as I was on my first day as Supervisor.” ABG understands its difficult for Mr Feiner to request County help since he has spent the last two years fighting with them over WestHelp, HUD, etc. But, residents shouldn’t suffer because of his bad behavior. It’s akin to him complaining that Greenburgh is losing HUD funds because County Executive Astorino is fighting with HUD. Again, nothing changes.

Today’s weather report is for mild temperatures and rain, heavy at times, with local flooding in low lying areas expected. The people who live in these low lying areas know that they will be dealing with flash flooding or just flooding. What they don’t know is why they cannot get help from all of the representatives who pander for their vote every two or four years. It’s time for the willfully ignorant to say, “Enough! We demand a change.” Only then may we see A Better, and drier, Greenburgh.