WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. January 19, 2004: As the media blackout at the Mayor's Office continued into the early afternoon hours, with no statement issued, confirming Commissioner of Planning Susan Habel's announcement to the media that the Mayor and Council had reconciled over the question of who gets to serve on the Committee that will review the City Comprehensive Plan, Councilperson Rita Malmud has stepped forward and confirmed that the Mayor has agreed to give the Council equal responsibility with him in naming persons to the Committee.

Ms Malmud outlined the official results of yesterday's secret meeting between Tom Roach, President of the Council and Councilman Benjamin Boykin and Mayor Joseph Delfino. Rita Malmud has confirmed to WPCNR "there has been an agreement reached under which all 7 members of the Common Council will  work together on selection of  a Comprehensive Plan Review Committee."

Malmud's confirmation confirms that the Mayor has given way under intense Council pressure for more council say in who gets to determine White Plains future direction of growth. Originally last week, the Mayor said he was going to appoint them. As late as yesterday afternoon, Executive Officer Paul Wood was claiming the city was not bound to allow the Common Council to do that, if it did not want to.

 Malmud now reports exclusively to WPCNR that Councilman Roach reported this agreement to her last night after he had met with the Mayor. Malmud said "We've agreed to proceed."

Asked how the Mayor and Council were going to proceed, she said, "Amicably." Asked what was next, Ms. Malmud said, "This (selection of the committee) is the first step certainly to have all 7 of us involved in the process."

She said no decision had been made yet on who would be on the committee and that councilmembers were now submitting names for consideration. She said selection to the committee and presumably the number of citizens on it "would be a give and take arrangement among all 7 of us."

Malmud saw the process going forward in this manner: 1.)The announcement of the names of the persons on the committee, and 2.) Setting a date so the citizens could begin their work, and 3.) Multiple public meetings well publicized, she added.  

She said she had received the Susan Habel-authored 1997 Comprehensive Plan Review as of last night from Mr. Roach, after he had met with the Mayor.

She told WPCNR she has already submitted some names but said it would not be appropriate to tell me her choices.