WPCNR WHITE PLAINS VOICE. December 12, 2004: Every year at about this time, WPCNR thinks hard about the news I have covered the last year and draws up a list of Persons of the Year whose actions and policies benefitted White Plains or had the most impact on life in "The Little Big Town." This year I have drawn up a list and we ask you Mr. and Mrs. White Plains to tell us if we are on target, by selecting "The White Plains Person of the Year." Of course, if there is anyone I have left out, persons can write in nominating their own, and we can run a second flight.

The reasons they have been placed in nomination are as follows:

Adam Bradley, Assemblyman for the 89th District: WPCNR nominates Mr. Bradley for his work in restoring state aid to schools in New York State, beginning the first steps towards election law reform, and supporting the White Plains sales tax.

Louis Cappelli, The Super Developer. A perrennial fixture on the Person of the Year list since becoming The Official Developer of the City of White Plains in 2001, Mr. Cappelli receives this year's nomination for placing his chips on a second major complex in White Plains, his 221 Main Street Development, the Cappelli Hotel-Condoplex, and for bringing his pal, Donald Trump to the city as a partner in its development. The Cappelli "Trump Card" has made White Plains a covetted place to move to and do business in.

Mack Carter, Executive Director of the White Plains Housing Authority. Mr. Carter is nominated for his work in resolving the twenty year search for a new headquarters of the White Plains Housing Authority, spearheading a private investigation of the Winbrook Tenants Council embezzlement investigation, and his efforts to bring video security to the Winbrook housing complex.

Timothy Connors. Superintendent of Schools. Mr. Connors, as he begins his fourth year as Superintendent is nominated for his balanced and productive effort that are creating a focused curriculum that is getting better results every year, and reporting of school district trends in academic achievement, budget demands, and sensitive personnel issues in a timely and clear fashion, in addition to focusing on issues the district needs to consider. His leadership inspires confidence in the school district. He carefully balances whims of the Board of Education with practicality and negotiates shrewdly, maintaining good relations with faculty, administration, and parents who love the White Plains Schools. Mr. Connors has kept the schools that way.

Mayor Joseph Delfino. America's Favorite Mayor. The Mayor is nominated for his unrelenting drive to complete "The White Plains Renaissance," and for his plans to move forward on a trolley system for the city, and a similar "Renaissance Plan," for "Forgotten White Plains:" the Lexington Avenue West Post Road corridor. The Mayor is also nominated for the time being of righting White Plains finances.

George Gretsas. Executive Officer Emeritus. Mayor Delfino's former right-hand man, Mr. Gretsas took a job in Fort Lauderdale as City Manager in midyear, after six and a half years of taking White Plains from "Nowhere to On the Map." It was Gretsas, working with Mayor Delfino who brought in development in the downtown, who brought in the Bank Street Commons development, the Clayton Park apartments. A competent individual who got things done, he working with the Mayor is responsible for the White Plains that is today.

Ron Jackson. The Last Activist. Mr. Jackson is nominated for consistently speaking up on uncomfortable issues, and for being the only African-American activist in the city, ardently advocating for the minorities of this city. Jackson's efforts prevented the Housing Authority Headquarters from taking open space at Winbrook. He  succeeded in raising the public consciousness about the work Jerome Robinson did for this city. He consistently asks hard questions, raises his eyebrows, and pounds those who need to be pounded on the issues.

Rita Malmud, Councilperson. A veteran councilperson, Ms. Malmud is nominated for being the only councilperson to take a stand on the Main Street Sewer issue, who felt resolution of the sewer controversy was important, and who ultimately supported Joseph Nicoletti's recommendation for the "Nicoletti Bypass" pipeline which paved the way for the approval of the Cappelli 221 Main Street development. Ms. Malmud also supported Mr. Nicoletti's recommendation for lining the Main Street which was executed this fall.

Joseph Nicoletti. Commissioner of Public Works. Mr. Nicoletti is nominated for being the Commissioner who knows his sewers. He knows snow. He knows garbage. He knows parking lots. He knows garages. He knows rolling stock. He has built parking lots and garages in the city in record time. He has stubbornly refused to cave in on issues when he feels he is being asked to compromise the city, most notably in the Main Street sewer controversy, and well, he does a great job, as does his whole department. In the two years he has executed Liberty Park, the Gedney Field Parking Lot, is completing the Bryant Avenue Shapham Place double deck parking lot, kept White Plains moving during major snow storms, you name it he does it.

Mario Scarano, Athletic Director Emeritus. Mr. Scarano was effectively fired this year by the Board of Education in another one of those hard-to-explain personal decisions that this Board of Education seems to have a knack for making. Mr. Scarano in six years of atheltic directing at White Plains Hospital, expanded varsity sports, started the tradition of sports dinners, made women's sports an equal of men's sports, brought in talented committed coaches, and created an athletic program that wins 87% of its contests across the board, while producing the most scholar-athlete teams in the County. He was committed to White Plains boys and girls and he will always be looked to, by this reporter and his staff as "The Athletic Director's Athletic Director."

Dr. Frank Straub. Commissioner of Public Safety. Dr. Straub is nominated for developing the White Plains Department of Public Safety into an organization that responds to emergencies effectively in this post 9-11 era. He has overseen introduction of new fire and police units that have saved lives because of the department ability to react and get to scenes quickly with the right equipment at the right time. He has expanded the department, and (we await the latest annual police report at this time), believe lowered crime significantly in the city. He has improved police and fire relations with the media, and instituted a public safety initiative that has been politely executed and accepted by White Plains residents as a good thing. (No city in America respects their police and firemen the way the residents of White Plains respect the White Plains Finest and Bravest.)  The Department Motto of  Integrity, Professionalism and Respect means what it says. He is to be commended for surrounding himself with top professionals David Chong and Charles Jennings who with Straub keep White Plains in good hands at all times.

Donald Trump. Master Dealer. Mr. Trump needs no introduction. However, his investing in White Plains in the south citadel of the City Center with Mr. Cappelli has started an investment boom in the city that has attracted big speculative interest in the city for almost a year.  Because of the economic cache Mr. Trump has given the city, he has to be included in this list of big time players who have made a difference in 2004.