Mr. Spano’s expected attendance at the meeting was denied by the County Executive Chief Advisor, Susan Tolchin, when WPCNR asked to confirm that Mr. Spano would be at the meeting and was taking a personal interest. According to Reverend Vincent interviewed by WPCNR at 11:30 Wednesday morning, representatives from the Department of Social Services, the Grace Church Board, and Mr. Spano and Mr. Schwartz were going to attend. The meeting as originally described was for “a clearing of the air,” over who was responsible for the reported impending closing of Samaritan House. Now with Mr. Spano's participation, if it happens, the meeting takes on new significance.

However, with the County Executive reported to be attending, perhaps a solution to the 37% increase sought by Grace Church Community Services, (the amount Grace Community Services claims they need to continue the shelter into 2005), may be a product of the high level gathering which has been kept hush-hush. Nobody seems to know when these meetings were being held. Ms. Tolchin told WPCNR Tuesday evening she had no idea when the two meetings, one between D.S.S. and the Grace Church Board of Directors, and one called by County Board of Legislators Chair, William Ryan, would take place. Today Gary Kriss told WPNCR, Mr. Ryan was “expediting” a meeting between Lois Bronz, the County Legislator and Reverend Vincent this afternoon, but Mr. Kriss did not have the specific time available.

The issue of Samaritan House surfaced November 18 as a result of a News 4 report that Samaritan House was closing. News 4 broke the story when they received an e-mail from Reverend George Sinzer, a minister with the Universal Life Church. Mr. Sinzer is presently on disability, and does not have a church of his own, however, he works with persons in need.

Sinzer’s e-mail to Investigations@nbc.com, dated Sunday, November 21, 2004, 6:34:50 P.M. read:

My name, The Reverend George Sinzer and I am a Minister with the Universal Life Church, I am writing to you on behalf of the women that are (for the time being) housed in the all women’s shelter at 33 Church Street, White Plains, N.Y.

The shelter is being closed due to “lack of funding by the County of Westchester”, this is what the Director of the Shelter (Joseph D’Ambrosio) told the women that are housed there, but the NY Journal News (who will print this story front page Tuesday) has talked to the Department of Social Services that they have been fighting to keep it open.

There is also the contribution to the Church from either the builders or the owners of the building going up, but it seems there is a lot going on, things that just do not add up. On top of this, some of the staff will lose their jobs and ten men will be brought into the shelter to work, some of these women have issues dealing with men, and this could do more harm than they could have realized.

And to add insult to injury, the shelter is set to close December 31, but the women must go six blocks or better to have lunch and dinner at the Men’s Shelter (Open Arms on East Post Road).

All this because of a Trump Tower being built directly behind the Shelter, of which the property lines are said to be on the shelter site as well.

Please someone call me so that I may tell these poor, scared women that you will help get to the bottom of this mystery, my contact number is XXX-XXX-XXXX and you may also e-mail me at this address.

Sincerely,

The Reverend George Sinzer.