WPCNR WEATHER SCOOP. From The Department of Homeland Security. September 2, 2010:

As Hurricane Earl prepares to approach North Carolina tonight, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is continuing to aggressively prepare for the storm, plan for all possible scenarios and support state and local officials along the East Coast as they work to protect their communities.  FEMA strongly encourages all East Coast residents to take steps now to prepare for severe weather in the coming days.

On the current forecast track, Hurricane Earl, currently a Category 3 hurricane, will pass near the North Carolina Outer Banks tonight and approach southeastern New England Friday.  Yesterday, the President signed an emergency declaration for North Carolina, making federal funding available to support state efforts to protect lives and save property.

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications, (EDITED) August 27, 2010: UPDATED AUGUST 31,2010: 

As County Executive Robert P. Astorino said he  would on last week's exclusive WHITE PLAINS WEEK  worldwide internet telecast with him, Mr. Astorino officially called for "Visionary Proposals" from developers who are interested in presenting a plan for the future of Playland Park.

Edwin McCormack, spokesperson for the County Executive, asked if changes in admission or management or Playland budget would be effective in the upcoming 2011 Budget year, or be budgeted with no change told WPCNR Monday in a written statement: "EVERYTHING IS ON THE TABLE INCLUDING THE ADMISSION POLICY FOR 2011 – PAY ONE PRICE OR FREE ADMISSION. IT WILL BE ANALYSED AFTER THE SEASON.

Asked when  the County Executive envisions any "contract" becoming effective...say 2012 Budget year, McCormack stated:  WE NEED TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT PROPOSALS COME BACK AND WHAT THEY WOULD ENTAIL WE WILL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF TIMING AFTER THE RFP PROCESS.

Proposals would be due in February 2011, and would take until June for the county to evaluate the county news release said. Tours are available to potential developers on October 13, as well as private appointments for interested organizations. The time frame of the proposal appears to mean the county is committed to a budget incorporating Playland as is for at least 2011 with possible tweaks in operations, but WPCNR is in process of checking this with the Department of Communications.

The Dragon Coaster - County Executive Astorino's favorite ride.

Astorino today released the RFP (Request for Proposals) that invites formal, detailed submissions for the use of the Long Island Sound property in the City of Rye, which includes an amusement park, boardwalk, beach, pool, and ice casino.

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. August 27, 2010 UPDATED MIDNIGHT, AUGUST 27, 2010:

As reported yesterday by WPCNR, after 10 days, not finding any attorney apparently better than Steven Leventhal to evaluate the Board of Ethics finding that Mayor Adam Bradley possibly committed an ethics breech in scheduling a meeting with city commissioners for his new landlord, the Common Council voted 5 to 1, with Councilman David Buchwald the nay vote, to hire Mr. Leventhal at a maximum expenditure of $20,000 to investigate the propriety of the Mayor's interactions involving Walter Gabriele, his landlord at what the Mayor describes as his  "temporary residence" at 19 Hall Avdenue. The Mayor recused himself from the vote.

Council Prsident Thomas Roach, and councilpersons Beth Smayda, Milagros Lecouna, Benjamin Boyin, and Dennis Power all extolled the virtues of Mr. Leventhal's experience as an ethics evaluator in such matters, and voted to spend a maximum of $20,000 for the time it takes Leventhal to evaluate the Mayor's involvement.

Roach said the Council will have no contact with Leventhal and that he will strictly to report to the Board of Ethics and the investigation will be confidential (despite leaking by some unknown party this week of the nature of documents involving the scheduling and content of the matters on which Mr. Gabriele sought city consideration to The Journal News)., Some one had to have revealed to The Journal News the nature of what was being investigated, pparently leading the newspaper to request specific documents via the Freedom of Information Law. 

No one on the  Common Council last night expressed any concern about the Board of Ethics perhaps violating their charge to not discuss ethics inquiries or reveal information on them, or who tipped the Board of Ethics to the chain of circumstances surrounding the Gabriele-Bradley matters, precipitating the Board of Ethics investigation.

On Thursday Darren Grubb told WPCNR Mayor Bradley at the time of the meeting in question made a brief appearance at the meeting in question called by Bradley, but recused himself before discussion began and did not participate in the discussions. Grubb also told WPCNR that Mayor Bradley and Mr. Gabriele were acquainted (without revealing how they knew each other),before Bradley took up residence at 19 Hall Avenue, but did not elaborate. Particulars of Mr. Bradley's arrangements at 19 Hall Avenue, Grubb said, were not being made public because the Mayor was preserving confidentiality prior to the investigation of the Board of Ethics investigator.

Late Friday evening, Mr. Grubb, speaking on behalf of Mr. Bradley amplified Thursday evening's remarks to WPCNR, issuing this statement:

The nature of the discussion involved, according to documents supplied by Mr. Grubb to WPCNR, in addition to the sale of two adjacent pieces of property to 19 Hall Avenue, described as being "garbage dumps" for the neighborhood, included request for relief from paying a $3,000 payment to the city in case storm water rentention facilities failed, and request from relief from having to install a similar storm drain retention system at a project on Harmon Avenue, which Gabriele said in this letter to the Mayor requesting the meeting, would make the project financially unfeasible. Gabriele argues in his letter that state law does not require the elaborateness of such a system in a less than 10,000 square foot building.

Grubb told WPCNR that Mayor Bradley did not automatically schedule a meeting. Bradley told Gabriele to put his concerns in a letter to the Mayor's office. Grubb said, after receiving the letter, Bradley scheduled the meeting, but Grubb stressed this is done routinely when citizens buttonhole the Mayor and express their concerns.

In other action last night,

********Councilperson Milagros Lecouna raised the issue of lowering the speed limit to 25 MPH (from the current 30) on city streets in areas surrounding the schools and on neighborhood roads that have become cut-throughs into and out of the city, and also suggested the possibility of installing redlight cameras and speed cameras in the city. Traffic Commissioner Tom Soyk said the redlight camera idea has been authorized to be tested in some cities around the state. He also said it would be difficult to populate certain streets with the 25 MPH signs, which the city could do. The ideas were not dismissed as impractical however. Council President Tom Roach noted that lowering the speed limit 5 miles would incentivize police to issue more speeding tickets, generating more revenue.

********Commissioner of Building Damon Amadio delivered a report as requested by the council on the number of "sprinklered restaurants." furnishing a list of establishments to the Common Council. Amadio said about  160 of the city's 200 restaurants are sprinklered, and in response to Council concerns expressed by Councilpersons David Buchwald,  Milagros Lecouna, Dennis Power, Tom Roach, and Beth Smayda was pressed to explore ways the city could lobby the non-sprinklered establishments and buildings to install sprinkler systems going forward.

Amadio explained over and over the city had to get state legislature approval to order compliance on older buildings "grandfathered in." In addition, he noted all new buildings and rebuilds of all buildings, with the exception of one-family and two-family homes, had to be sprinklered as part of city code. At the insistence of Mayor Bradley, Amadio agreed to give the Mayor and Council a detailed explanation of the state code showing the occupancy thresholds of when sprinkler systems were required.

 Amadio agreed that the recent Bengal Tiger fire (where the Tiger portion of the building was not sprinklered) might be a good selling point for the state to allow the city to change its code. Councilperson Lecouna pressed for more information in a revised listing of restaurants which Amadio said he would prepare, showing buildings where there were residences above the restaurants, how old the buildings were, whether they were grandfathered as well as structural anomalies like cocklofts, firewalls in place, and other considerations. No mention was made of whether city fire inspections needed to be reviewed to reveal more of what exists building to building.

*********Commissioner of Planning Susan Habel gave a report on affordable housing, basically reporting that the city was essentially filled up with less than 10 vacancies available for the waiting list. She said currently 22 applicants for vacancies were being processed as to income and eligibility. Councilman Benjamin Boykin said the Council should hold Cappelli Enterprises to its promise to buld some 13affordable housing units he owes. Councilman Dennis Power suggested and requested of Corporation Council John Callahan for a list of options that the council had to compell the Cappelli organization to either build or perhaps pay about $2,800 a month into the affordable housing fund since they currently owed the city 3 at this time. The money would be the difference in market rates that Cappelli Enterprises pays the landlord of buildings they use in lieu of units in Cappelli-owend and operated buildings.

**********Councilperson Milagros Lecouna presented her design for the first in a series of more inviting entrances to TheGreenway, ( which she created as part of her dual Masters program in urban planning and public affairs with a concentration in environmental policy she is enrolled in at Columbia University) She said the Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti has worked with her on incoporating her design into the Greenway and supports the concept. The entrance would be built at the end of Hartsdale Avenue off Beverly Road, about midway on the Greenway. No cost for the construction was given. No councilperson asked what the cost would be.

*********The Council agreed the city should join the  Long Island Sound Watershed Intermunicipal Council. All thought this was a great step.

**********The council went into executive session to discuss litigation. Afterwards, no Council member would discuss the subject of the litigation. No leaks on the nature of the confidential Executive Session have been received by your reporter at this time.

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. August 25, 2010: 

City  Chief of Staff, John Callahan, today said that Mayor Adam Bradley could not arrange directly to sell city land to his landlord even if he wished to do so.

Callahan told WPCNR, if the city were inclined to sell the two pieces of land to Walter Gabriele, the owner of 19 Hall Avenue, Mayor Bradley’s newly rented residence since June, the sale of both pieces of land adjacent to Gabriele's Hall Avenue complex would have to be approved by a majority vote of the Common Council.  Callahan,Chief of Staff and Corporation Counsel for the city noted any sale of city-owned land,no matter how small, had to be approved by the Common Council.

Five of the 6 members of the Common Council have publicly stated the Mayor should resign his office, and are still known to be very hostile to the Mayor.

WPCNR HABITAT WATCH. From Westchester County Department of Parks and Recreation. August 25, 2010

 Find out what local researchers are discovering about coyotes’ migration patterns and behaviors at “Coyotes in Suburbia,” a Conservation Café event, Friday, September 24, 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (8 - 8:30 a.m. registration) in the Kessel Student Center at Pace University’s Pleasantville campus. Property managers, planners, naturalists, environmentalists, students and the public are invited to this free program.

Mark Weckel, director of research and land management at Mianus River Gorge Preserve in
Bedford will present “Mapping Human-Coyote Interaction in Westchester.” The presentation will cover how observations of coyotes can help predict the likelihood of an encounter, with the goal of  peaceful coexistence and  how citizen-generated data  benefit wildlife agencies and municipalities.

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. (EDITED) August 23, 2010:

County Executive Robert P. Astorino  vetoed a law  Friday that would expand the number of county government employees who are eligible to receive free health care for life, basing years of service on service for any government in New York State in the New York Pension System. Astorino felt only employees working solely for Westchester County for 30 years service

Twelve Legislators' votes are needed to override.

 “It is hard to believe that less than 100 days after the Board of Legislators passed what it rightly called ‘historic’ legislation to have county employees pay a portion of their health insurance, some of the legislators are already starting to reverse course,” said Astorino. “If the taxpayers are to get the relief they deserve, legislators can’t be allowed to dismantle needed reforms. This veto is designed to prevent that from happening.”

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS WEEK NEWS. August 22,2010:

 County Executive Rob Astorino appears on the city news round-up show, WHITE PLAINS WEEK, this week discussing the county's latest budget situation.

County Executive Visits WHITE PLAINS WEEK, Talks Money, Housing Settlement negotiations, Playland Now at www.whiteplainsweek.com

Rob Astorino was interviewed by John Bailey, the CitizeNetReporter and Peter Katz, the noted ABC Television editor and commentator on Friday evening. The County Executive previewed the budget battle coming up, broke major news on Playland (he sid he would pledge to preserve the buildings now on the site), updated the situation on the county affordable housing settlement (currently county is negotiating how flexible the government guidelines are), and discussed the state of the county and what needs to be done, and how he expects to do it.

The program may be seen around the world on the White Plains Week news site at www.whiteplainsweek.com and on local television at 7 P.M. on Monday countywide on Verizon FIOS channel 45 and on Cablevision, Channel 76 (in White Plains only).

Viewers around the world know they may see Mr. Astorino discuss his fiscal strategy, the affordable housing settlement and what's ahead on that issue, and reveal startling Playland news, and a look into the future on www.whiteplainsweek.com.

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications (Edited) August 20,2010:

Westchester County government will save approximately $21 million next year due to incentive programs that so far have prompted about 450 employees to voluntarily resign or retire.

"The incentive programs have allowed us to trim $21 million from next year's projected deficit," said County Executive Robert P. Astorino, who proposed the government participate in the county and state incentive plans. "But even with these and other planned savings, an enormous budget gap of approximately $72 million remains. The toughest budget decisions are still in front of us, but taxpayers must get relief. I am committed to submitting a balanced budget for 2011 with no tax increase."

Deficit Update

Approximately 450 former county employees who have opted into the county or state incentive plan and left county employment. An additional 20 to 30 more voluntary retirements are expected later this year under the state's Part B incentive.

The $21 million projected thus far from the state and county voluntary separation programs represents net savings. The figure assumes that approximately 20 percent of the employees who leave under the programs will have to be replaced to maintain operations. The $21 million breaks down as $7 million from the county voluntary separation and $14 million from the state incentive. Those figures, which had fluctuated earlier in the year as employees exercised their options to enter, withdraw or switch programs, are close to being finalized with the closing of the county program and the more significant part of the state program.

In March, Westchester's budget and finance departments, in consultation with the county's outside auditor, projected a 2011 budget deficit of $166 million. Since then, initiatives and measures by the Astorino administration have produced in-hand savings of $50 million. Another $44 million in savings are anticipated. Assuming those savings are realized, a gap of approximately $72 million remains, which could require the elimination of about 720 jobs. All of the county's commissioners and department heads have been given a target to reduce the tax levy portion of their respective budgets by 20 percent.

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators. August 18, 2010: 

The Westchester County Board of Legislators leadership, Chairman Ken Jenkins and Democratic Majority Whip Legislator Judith Myers (Rye), said today they supported County Executive Rob Astorino's initiative to see proposals for new ideas and usages for Playland Amusement Park in Rye.

Legislators announced plans to move forward on a lease agreement that would house the Westchester Childrens Museum at Playland.  Slated for soft openings in mid 2011, the Museum would occupy the building formerly housing the Playland Bathhouse.

WPCNR observes that the alterations to the bathhouse section where the museum would go has been substantially changed in design of the museum portion in the recent reconstruction that has taken away, in this reporter's opinion, the "art deco" style that made the Playland Boardwalk a landmark.  

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. August 18,2010 UPDATED August 20,2010:  

Mayor Bradley in a statement to the Common Council at a Special Meeting today, said The Board of Ethics has filed a complaint against him involving his "temporary residency (in White Plains) and the possibility that the owner of the property is doing business with the city." WPCNR awaits the complete statement from the Mayor's Office.

WPCNR has learned from a county source Wednesday that the Mayor is now living at one of the apartments at Hall Avenue (1-19 Hall Avenue) because "his car was spotted there." A new spokesperson for the Mayor confirmed that to The Journal News Thursday.

The Journal News also reports that the owner of the apartment house is attempting to purchase a small piece of land from the city citing a letter to the Planning Department that the paper obtained on a Freedom of Information request.

The Special Meeting Tuesday was called at the request of  Chief of Staff John Callahan for the purpose of the Common Council to appoint a Special Counsel to represent the Board of Ethics and investigate the Board complaint. The council declined to act today to  appoint Steven Leventhal, the Callahan-suggested Special Counsel, pending further consideration of other possible attorneys, voting unanimously to table the appointment until August 26. Mr. Leventhal of Leventhal and Sliney, if the council approves him would be paid a fee not to exceed $20,000, and $5,000 for a court reporter.

Earlier, Mark Elliot, the Chairman of the City Board of Ethics confirmed to Ben Rubin of The Journal News that the Board brought the complaint July 20 and met August 13, finding probable cause for the complaint.

Bradley had been living at his parents' home since placed on a restraining order from seeing his wife, and recently moved into another residence in the city. Mr. Rubin reported the Mayor declined to say where he is living.

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. From The Mayor's Office. August 16, 2010:

The new ImageCast Voting Machine (first introduced to the public two weeks ago on WHITE PLAINS WEEK),  will be available to the public for viewing and familiarizing in the City Hall Rotunda, 255 Main Street through August 26, 2010.

The ImageCast Voting Machine--see it, feel it, experience it at City Hall

The Westchester County Board of Elections has purchased these new machines to replace the mechanical voting machines used in the past. The mechanical voting machines will not used at all in the September 14 Democratic and Republicn Primaries, the November 2  General Election or in any future elections. Citizens can stop by city hall to familiarize themselves with White Plains -- and the county's new voting machine. A powerpoint presentation describing the voting process and the use of the machine will be available, as well as sample ballot and handouts.

City Hall is open 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Monday through Friday and Saturday morning. The machine may also be viewed at the Westchester County Center on Thursday September 9 from 7 to 9 P.M. and Sunday October 3 from 1 P.M. to 3 P.M.

WPCNR County Clarion-Ledger.. By John F. Bailey. August 10, 2010:

County Executive Rob Astorino in chatting with WPCNR after addressing the White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations in White Plains Tuesday night, said he would deliver a balanced budget to the county legislature by November 1, with no increase in the county property tax.

County Executive Rob Astorino addressing the Council of Neighborhood Associations Tuesday at Education House.

He said his administration had already cut $36 Million from a deficit of $166 Million, and had identified $40 Million more in savings, projecting the present deficit as $90 Million. He told WPCNR that if the County Board of Legislators added back spending, he would exercise his line item veto, telling WPCNR, “They have made it clear they have no problem raising taxes, so I will veto.”

WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2010. From the Thomas Roach Campaign. August 10,2010 (Edited):

Assembly Candidate Tom Roach (D, I WF) issued a news release Monday that  said  his campaign for the 89^th Assembly District will focus on ways to reform Albany. “Like everyone else in New York, I am fed up with Albany dysfunction.  That’s why I am running for the Assembly. I’ve signed a number of pledges prepared by independent organizations that share my concerns and want to see business as usual in Albany brought to an end.”  

“I am committed to working for an on-time and balanced state budget without any increases in taxes, fees, assessments or borrowing as well as no unfunded mandates that would cause local property taxes to rise. This can only be accomplished by a real reduction in state spending.”

Mr. Roach faces Harrison attorney Mark S. Jaffe in the September 14 Democratic Primary for the opportunity to run against Robert Castelli, the Republican incumbent who won the 89th District seat by soundly defeating Peter Harckham of Katonah last February to replace former Assemblyman Adam Bradley.

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. By John F. Bailey. August 9, 2010:

A spokesperson for the New York State Budget Division press office, Eric Kriss denied today that stimulus money from the ARRA (American Reinvestment and Recovery Act) was directly figured into closing the $9.2 Billion budget gap last week, as reported by 89^th District (White Plains-Lewisboro) Assemblyman Robert Castelli  Friday. The $5.7 Billion (in unused stimulus money)  going to plug the budget gap was reported by Castelli to WPCNR Friday.

However, on closer questioning, Kriss allowed that $5.7 Billion in stimulus money was in the budget, so in a sense, “it was true,” that the ARRA money was balancing the budget.

Robert Whelan of the Comptroller’s Press Office confirmed to WPCNR that $5.7 Billion of stimulus (ARRA funds) was included in the budget, and  contributed to filling the budget gap, and was indeed unspent. He said it depended on what you spent it on during the course of the current year, but it would be spent. Whelan added that the Comptroller’s Office pointed out in July that$14.8 Billion in the present 2010-11 budget passed last week was based on “non-recurring revenues.” “We have a balanced budget, not a good budget. We have balanced the budget on hope,” Whelan told WPCNR.

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. By John F. Bailey. August 6, 2010:

 Assemblyman Robert Castelli of the White Plains/Lewisboro 89^th Assembly District, just back from Albany Friday afternoon,  detailed for the first time exclusively  to WPCNR precisely how the Albany legislators made up the $9.2 Billion budget gap when they passed the $136.5 Billion state budget Wednesday

They are making up more than half the gap with stimulus money from Washington intended to save jobs through “shovel ready” projects.

Castelli told WPCNR today that the legislators used $5.7 Billion awarded New York State as part of President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. He said the application of sales taxes to clothing purchased for under $110 and increased fees in the state, and cigarette taxes is expected to make up another $1.2 Billion.

He reports that the state will defer $2 Billion in tax credits held back in 2010, and the state will “borrow” $1 Billion from the state pension fund to close the gap.

In official news releases from the governor's office, it has not been made clear the step-by-step, cash building blocks that were put together to eliminate the $9.2 Gap. WPCNR was curious about that and we contacted Mr. Castelli to get his analysis of the "Gap Cap."

Asked what financial conditions created the $9.2 Billion gap legislators were wringing their hands over last week, Castelli said $4 Billion of the gap was debt service the state owed and $4 billion in revenue shortfalls in sales taxes and tax receipts, Medicaid cuts, and pension shortfalls.

WPCNR asked Castelli the sources of actual funds that make up the gap. Castelli said “I’m no economist, but first of all you need a Ph.D in economics to figure this out. The gap was created originally by falling revenues, the decline in Medicaid funds (from Washington) and the decline in pensions (performance and future obilgations).”

The Senate passed the budget Wednesday of $136.5 Billion, a 2% increase over the 2009-2010 budget.