White Plains CitizeNetReporter - Legislators Say Nyet! to Spano Contributor Board of Elections Building Deal.

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. Special to WPCNR from the County Board of Legislators. (Edited) March 11, 2008: As reported earlier this evening to WPCNR by County Board of Legislators Chairman William Ryan of White Plains, the Board of Legislators followed Mr. Ryan's lead and balked at the County Executive Andrew Spano's proposal to purchase a building in Ardsley for a new Board of Elections headquarters. The site is owned by a high profile Spano political contributor and the deal has been temporarily stymied by the legislators due to the legality issue of moving the Board of Elections without consent of Westchester County voters.

Board of Legislators back Bill Ryan and Demands Further Examination of the Spano-Contributor Board of Elections Building Deal. Photo of Mr. Ryan, WPCNR File Photo

Pending clarification of Section 216 of the New York State County Law concerning location of county offices, the Board of Legislators tonight recommitted (sent back to committee) the proposal to purchase 450 Saw Mill River Road in Ardsley as headquarters for the Board of Elections.

The matter will undergo further scrutiny by the legislature’s committees on Budget & Appropriations and Government Operations. At issue is whether a referendum is required to relocate the Board of Elections outside the county seat of White Plains.

“I think it’s very important that the administration of the Board of Elections as well as the services heavily used by the public remain accessible in the county seat,” said County Board Chair Bill Ryan (D-IN-WF, White Plains).

Majority Leader Martin Rogowsky (D-IN-WF, Harrison) added, “We are continuing our due diligence on the proposed location of the Board of Elections and we need to fully understand the impact of Section 216 on whatever decision we make.”

The Board of Elections is under mandate to consolidate all of its electoral functions at the county level, including ownership, care, custody and control of voting machines, as part of the federal Help America to Vote Act (HAVA). The New York State Election Consolidation and Improvement Act is designed to bring the state into compliance with HAVA.

The 450 Saw Mill River Road plan calls for the purchase of an 85,000-square-foot building on 5.37 acres of land in the Town of Greenburgh from Ardsley Partners. The building would undergo renovations to accommodate the Board of Elections, hundreds of voting machines and related equipment and materials. There would also be a $1 million county commitment to Ardsley for projects in the village to offset the municipality’s loss of property tax revenue as part of the purchase.

In other Action Tonight --

Amend Lease for Lead Removal at Former Firing Range

Authorized county to amend lease agreement with the state to clean up lead paint contamination on approximately 8.4 acres of county property, the site of a former firing range, on Grasslands Reservation. (Vote: 16-0 Out: Spreckman)

Alternate Taxable Status Date for Local Towns

Approved law to allow local towns the option to use May 1^st instead of June 1^st as an alternate taxable status date. Local assessors requested the date change due to timing difficulties in accepting exemption applications, finalizing valuation of real property and meeting the requirement of publishing the Tentative Assessment Roll. (Vote: 16-0 Out: Spreckman)

Funding for Design of Molecular Diagnostics Lab

Approved $520,000 bond act to finance the design of the Molecular Diagnostics Lab in the Public Health Laboratory in the county’s Valhalla campus at Grasslands Reservation. The lab will permit DNA analyses in hours rather than in days or weeks. It will help reduce infection rates, isolation, hospitalization, costly treatment and emotional stress. (Vote: 13-3 Nays: Oros, Maisano, Burrows; Out: Spreckman)

Department of Health’s Occupational & Environmental Health Unit Employees

Authorization given to the county to enter into an agreement with the Westchester County Health Care Corporation Agreement for medical examinations and monitoring services for the employees of the Department of Health’s Occupational and Environmental Health Unit who may be exposed to hazardous substances or health hazards. (Vote: 16-0 Out: Spreckman)

Extend Salary & Benefit Protection for Members of Ready Reserve

Approved amendment to extend effective date for an additional year to provide certain salary and benefit protection for county officers and employees of Ready Reserve and who are, or may be, ordered to active military duty. (Vote: 16-0 Out: Spreckman)

North Castle: State Compensation for Route 120

Authorized the county to accept compensation for the taking by the New York State Department of Transportation of three parcels of county property located adjacent to Route 120. (Vote: 16-0 Out: Spreckman)

Tuckahoe: Improvements to Metro North commuter parking lot

Authorized county to enter into an intermunicipal agreement with the Village of Tuckahoe to convey federal and state funds to the village to make improvements to the Thompson Street Metro North commuter parking lot. (Vote: 16-0 Out: Spreckman)

Public Hearing Scheduled on Fair Housing Law

A public hearing on a proposed Local Law amending the laws of Westchester County in relation to the Westchester County Fair Housing Law is scheduled for Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 6 PM.

2008 Compensation Advisory Panel Members Approved

The three remaining members to serve on the seven-member 2008 Compensation Advisory Board were approved. The new members are:

Marion Sinek of Chappaqua, former New Castle Town supervisor and past president of the New York State League of Women Voters

Gerald McGrath Sr. of Katonah, a senior client partner with Korn/Ferry International

Donna Pokorny of Goldens Bridge, a senior human resource executive with Verizon in White Plains

(Vote: 15-0 Out: Spreckman, Oros)

Resolution Opposing Broadwater Energy’s Proposal for a Natural Gas Facility Floating in Long Island Sound

Approved resolution opposing Broadwater energy’s proposal to construct and operate a natural gas storage and re-gasification unit and pipeline in Long Island Sound.

(Vote: 15-0 Out: Spreckman, Oros)

Postponed: New Rochelle: Waste Water Treatment Plant Expansion

Act to amend the county’s 2008 capital budget to increase the appropriation for the capital project – New Rochelle Waste Water Treatment Plant; and authorize a $28 million bond act for project’s composite performance implementation/plant expansion.

Recommitted: Purchase of 450 Saw Mill River Road as new headquarters for Board of Elections. The matter will be recommitted to the Committees on Budget & Appropriations and Government Operations for further consideration.

Appointments Approved

Electrical Licensing Board

§ Carl A. D’Angelo of White Plains

§ Michael Whalen of Cross River

Citizen’s Consumer Advisory Council

§ James Herbster of Port Chester

Westchester County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Board

§ Hopeton A. White of Elmsford

§ Michael N. Romita of New Rochelle

Westchester County Fire Advisory Board

§ Michael DeVittorio of Port Chester

§ George C. Tockstein of South Salem

Westchester County Planning Board

§ Honorable Clinton B. Smith of Chappaqua

Westchester County Traffic Safety Board

§ Chief John A. Kapica of the Greenburgh Police Department

§ Susan Larkin of Hawthorne

§ Sgt. Matthew J. Lombardo of the City of Mount Vernon Police Dept.

Westchester County Medical Services Advisory Board

§ Charles E. O'Connor of Croton-on-Hudson

Westchester County Soil and Water Conservation Board

§ Stephen W. Coleman of Ossining

Westchester County Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board

§ Chris Kalish of Tarrytown

Please visit our website at www.westchesterlegislators.com


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