Father Cole to Resign from Landmarks Board

YONKERS, NY – Father Roy Cole last week met with Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone to advise that he will be stepping down from his position as head of the Yonkers Landmarks Preservation Board. He has been reassigned by the church to a different parish. He is however expected to preside over the next meeting of the Yonkers Landmarks Preservation Board.

Seven Newborn Suffer Drug-Resistant Outbreak of MRSA St. John’s Riverside Hospital

YONKERS, NY – Seven newborn have been diagnosed suffering from a MRSA infection contracted at Yonkers St. John’s Riverside Hospital which was caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria — often called "staph." MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

It’s a strain of staph that’s resistant to the broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to treat it. MRSA can be fatal yet Saint John’s Riverside Hospital’s Infectious Disease Chief Peter Berkey said, “At this time, I’m not aware of any serious illnesses that have arisen in these seven patients.”

While doctors conduct a forensics search to determine how the bacteria strain was introduced to the nursery, hospital officials assert there is no cause to panic. Hospital authorities advise that as forensics continue, the nursery unit ha been thoroughly cleansed

Berkey asserted that the infected newborn are diagnosed with a non-fatal strain of MRSA and are being effectively treated with antibiotics. The seven infants had been treated upon the staff recognizing minor rashes.  

“I think there is a misunderstanding in the community,” Berkey says. “When they hear MRSA, they think it’s life threatening … in many cases, it’s not.”

Doctors suggest washing hands with an alcohol based sanitizer to prevent the spread of MRSA and other bacteria.

Yonkers Board of Education Trustee Richard Greco Resigns

YONKERS, NY — It was only mid-August 2007 when Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone appointed former Assistant Secretary of the Navy Richard Greco Yonkers Board of Education Trustee for a five year term. Mr. Greco delivered his letter of resignation last week advising that he could no longer fulfill his duties as Trustee.

As founder and President of Filangieri Capital Partners, Mr. Greco’s time is consumed in using his expertise to help emerging markets that have demonstrated prospects for future growth on a worldwide basis.

Mr. Greco’s time to “put my educational and work experience to use on this important board has an impact on more than 25,000 students,” yet is now deflected to meet the needs of individual corporations worldwide.

Director of Communications spokesperson David Simpson advised that Mayor Amicone has already conducted an interview of a replacement candidate on Friday, October 24, 2008, but that he is “not ready to divulge his name.

A press release” of the appointee “will be divulged by press release” in due time, noted Simpson.

There are presently two empty Board of Trustee positions, if you had your druthers, who would you like to see as replacements?

YONKERS TRIBUNE: Councilmember Gronowski Refused Access to Administration Briefings

YONKERS, NY — Councilmember Joan Gronowski (District 3) was Tuesday night advised by her fellow councilmembers that Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone had forbade her participation in any of the sessions planned by his office this Thursday, October 23, 2008, regarding Yonkers City Council briefings on the Land Disposition Agreement (LDA) component of the SFC Yonkers Inc. development project. 

Gronowski learned of her exclusion from the planned Thursday sessions following the Yonkers Councilmembership’s biweekly Leadership Meeting with the Mayor. 

The LDA is a critical element of the SFC Yonkers Inc. review process, defining the terms for the transfer of properties to the designated master developer (SFC Yonkers Inc.) that upon approval will allow SFC Yonkers Inc. to design and develop the project.

Gronowski blasted the mayor for what she rightly
recognizes is his most recent overt retaliatory effort in an attempt to
marginalize and impede her effectiveness on the Yonkers City Council
and thereby dismiss the over 30,000 residents she represents.

“I have been to every Real Estate Committee
meeting since taking office, despite the fact that I am not even a
member of the committee, and have done everything possible to review
the proposed SFC Yonkers Inc. project to the best of my abilities,”
emphasized Councilmember Gronowski.  “Furthermore, this latest attempt
by Mayor Amicone, denying her participation with her colleagues at this
critical stage of the review process is demeaning and a blatant effort
to denying my elected office, and thereby my constituency, the vital
information needed to vet the most crucial aspects of this project.”

Gronowski recently cited the Amicone
Administration for its refusal to allow departmental representation at
a Town Hall meeting she held and conducted in the Northwest section of
the 3rd District last Wednesday, despite its past practice of affording
this courtesy to other Yonkers Councilmembers for their respective
district meetings.  Gronowski further noted that when the mayor was
approached by several colleagues this summer to discuss the cuts made
to several police posts, he refused to include her in the talks
asserting, “She didn’t vote for the budget.”  Mayor Amicone also
refused to allow the City Assessor to appear on a segment of a local
television show hosted by a colleague, were Gronowski also invited to
appear. Gronowski was not permitted to appear as a guest.   

Councilmember Gronowski is contacting the New York
State Office of the Attorney General for guidance regarding these
issues and will ask the Office of the Inspector General in Yonkers to
conduct an investigation into Mayor Amicone’s conduct to ascertain if
his conduct falls within acceptable parameters of governance.

ADDENDUM:

Mayor Amicone permitted this reporter a last minute meeting and discussion after concluding the Yonkers IDA meeting over which he presides to delve into the assertions made by Councilmember Gronowski. Mayor Amicone differs in his understanding of her demeanor. Recognizing that Councilmember Gronowski has been contrary to every initiative of his administration, Mayor Amicone believes he has extended himself and his staff to be inclusive of her in all meetings and deliberations. He does point out that her voting record has been negative toward the administration and asserts that she has not kept an open mind on past and future concerns. Despite their differences, Mayor Amicone said that he been meticulous in responding to the needs and concerns of the 3rd District as his administration would the other five districts in the city. Mayor Amicone does point out that he has lost patience with Councilmember Gronowski but will show all respect to her requests and will not deny her access to his office, that of the Deputy Mayor, or his Chief of Staff through which request are made.

Mayor Amicone said he needed to focus on the concerns of the city overall because it the issues of development, financial constraints, among others that consumed his time.  Mayor Amicone emphasized again that he has not excluded Councilmember Gronowski from any meetings or discussions. 

Overall, Mayor Amicone believes the conduct of the individual council members fall under the aegis of  City Council President Chuck Lesnick. President Lesnick will make the decision to include Councilmember Gronowski  or not.

President Lesnick in this morning’s interview after that of Mayor Amicone noted that at times of agreement communication flows easily between his office and that of the mayor. When issues are heated, communications too often break down. President Lesnick believes Mayor Amicone would be making a mistake to dismiss Councilmember Gronowski, no matter her stated or inferred political positions and decisions. 

YONKERS TRIBUNE: Westchester Guardian Publisher Sues Westchester Police Commissioner

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Timothy O’Connor today reports in The Journal News article entitled Strip Club Owner Sues Westchester Police Commissioner Over Mobster Allegations that Sam Zherka, strip club owner and weekly newspaper publisher has accused Westchester Police Commissioner 

Strip club owner and newspaper publisher Sam
Zherka is accusing Westchester’s Public Safety Commissioner Thomas
Belfiore and New York City as defendants. of falsely labeling him a
mobster and sparking a grand jury investigation of him.

Zherka filed a federal lawsuit yesterday in U.S.
District Court in White Plains that asserts he was designated an
Albanian organized crime figure to his former colleagues in the NYPD.
Zherka stipulates that the NYPD’s organized crime unit launched an
investigation of Zherka, who owns the VIP Club in Manhattan and
publishes The Westchester Guardian.

"They’re going to pay for slandering my name," he
said yesterday. "I’m not letting them do this to me as an Albanian and
get away with it."

A spokesman for Belfiore declined to comment on
the lawsuit. A spokeswoman for Manhattan District Attorney Robert
Morgenthau declined to confirm or deny the existence of the
investigation.

But Susan Tolchin, a spokeswoman for Westchester
County Executive Andrew Spano, blasted Zherka and his lawyer, Jonathan
Lovett. She said Lovett has filed 19 lawsuits against the county since
2000, and 14 were dismissed or withdrawn but cost taxpayers $1.9
million to defend. She said Zherka’s trying to draw attention to
himself.

"Here we go again," she said. "It is simply a
publicity stunt by a strip club owner who, because of his own problems,
is the target of a criminal investigation by the Manhattan grand jury."

Zherka says in the lawsuit that his problems with
the county stemmed from an article The Westchester Guardian published
in early 2007 that was critical of Westchester District Attorney Janet
DiFiore and her husband. He claims in a lawsuit he has filed against
DiFiore that she threatened him and his family in a conversation after
the article was published.

Now, Zherka says, his name is in an NYPD database as being connected to organized crime.

"I’ve never been connected to anything," he said. "I’m going to crush every one of them in court."

Commission on Property Tax Relief Hears Testimony in Yonkers

YONKERS, NY — The Commission on Property Tax Relief held its
eleventh hearing today in Yonkers. 

The hearing was led by Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi,
Chairman of the Commission on Property Tax Relief.

The experts and interested parties that testified today included
representatives of school districts, local governments, nonprofit
organizations and taxpayers.  As the Commission works to provide relief to
property owners and reduce local costs, the hearings are designed to gather
information on issues that the Commission identified in its Preliminary
Report as needing special consideration: Special Education, School District
Mandate Relief and the impact of property taxes on the Big Four Large City
Dependent School Districts.  For the Yonkers Hearing, the Commission
invited testimony on these topics, as well as on BOCES and School District
Consolidation issues.

“In the face of a statewide and national fiscal crisis, Governor Paterson
has shown extraordinary leadership while continuing to champion a property
tax cap that would provide substantial relief to taxpayers statewide,” said
Commission Chairman Suozzi.  “New York’s local taxes are the highest in the
nation, which is particularly crushing during this time of economic
downturn.  Outside of New York City, 62 percent of property taxes are
school property taxes, and there are only three ways to address rising
school costs – reduce expenses in school districts, increase state aid for
education or continue to increase school property taxes.  The third can no
longer be an option and the Governor’s cap would provide taxpayers with
that assurance.”

Data released last month by the Census Bureau showed that Westchester
County has the highest household property taxes of any county in the
nation, with Nassau and Rockland Counties also in the top ten. The data
also showed Nassau, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam Counties are ranked in
the nation’s top ten for the amount of property taxes paid as a percentage
of income.  In addition, the nation’s seven counties with the highest
effective tax rates are in Upstate New York: Niagara, Monroe, Chautauqua,
Wayne, Oswego, Onondaga, and Erie Counties.

In June, Governor Paterson introduced legislation to cap the growth of
school property taxes, which was passed by the Senate in August. The
legislation would cap the growth at a level that allows for reasonable
growth of school expenses, while allowing for new construction and
protecting capital expenditures already approved by voters. The cap would
put voters in control of their school taxes. Voters could choose to
increase their local school taxes past the capped amount by “overriding”
the cap at the ballot box; alternatively, if voters decide to spend less,
they could enact an “underride” of the cap.

New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, "The Commission’s
preliminary recommendations provided an excellent foundation for
discussions regarding much-needed relief for property taxpayers.  I
appreciate that the Commission is taking the next step to hear the
perspectives of my constituents and individuals statewide.   I look forward
to working with the Commission, my community and my fellow legislators to
arrive at real strategies for property tax relief and school district
mandate relief that will benefit all communities across our state,
including the taxpayers and the children of Yonkers and the other Big Four
Large City School Districts."

Merryl Tisch, Vice Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents and
Commission member, said, “Since January, the Commission has maintained a
focus on quality education for our children, and the testimony we’ve heard
today provides us with a broad base of perspectives and insights.  It is
critical during these times of fiscal restraint that we identify
opportunities for cost reduction and mandate relief while continuing to
ensure a high quality education for all children.”

Commission member Michael Solomon, a municipal finance expert, said, "Two
of the main drivers of school district costs are special education and
mandates.  As a resident of Westchester, I know first-hand the impact of
property taxes on working families here.  The Commission is taking crucial
steps to provide necessary relief so that families and businesses can
thrive and prosper here and across the state."

Phil Amicone, Mayor of Yonkers, said "New York‘s crushing property tax
burden is one of the biggest contributing factors to the flight of middle
class jobs and small businesses out of our state, and it must be addressed
on a statewide level if we are to once again become competitive in the
region and around the world.  No matter what we do on the local level, if
the growing problem of state mandates, education funding, and health care
costs aren’t tackled by our leaders in Albany, then the problem will
persist.  That’s why I’m encouraged by the steps Governor Paterson and
Commission Chairman Suozzi are taking to build consensus on this crucial
issue."

Lisa Davis, Executive Director of the Westchester Putnam School Boards
Association, said, "School districts are faced with a staggering array of
mandates from the state and federal level, the costs of which are
inevitably passed on to taxpayers.  During this current fiscal downturn,
the volatility of the stock market will have a significant impact on
schools and taxpayers, particularly in regard to New York State‘s
defined-benefit pension costs.  We find the Commission’s recognition of
these and other local cost drivers to be critical to any discussion of
school property tax relief."

Background on the Commission

The Commission on Property Tax Relief was established by Executive Order
No. 22 in January, 2008 to investigate and make recommendations regarding:

* Root causes of the high property tax burden, including unfunded
      mandates and local expenditures;
* Impacts of increased state aid and existing property tax relief
      programs;
* Effectiveness of property tax caps in other states and, potentially,
      in New York; and
* The most effective means to impose a limit on school property tax
      growth without adversely impacting the ability of school districts
      to provide a quality education to all students.

The Commission members are Chairman Thomas R. Suozzi; Nicholas J. Pirro,
former Onondaga County Executive; Paul A. Tokasz, former Majority Leader of
the State Assembly; Merryl H. Tisch, Vice Chancellor, State Board of
Regents; Shirley Strum Kenny, President, Stony Brook University; and
Michael Solomon, municipal finance expert.  The special advisors to the
Commission are Elizabeth Lynam, Citizens Budget Commission; Robert Ward,
Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government; Lisa Donner, Center for
Working Families; Karen Scharff, Citizen Action of New York; and Sandra
Parker, Rochester Business Alliance.

The Commission released its Preliminary Report in June. The primary
recommendation of the Commission was a cap on the growth of school property
taxes. The Commission also recommended that, once the cap is enacted, a
circuit breaker be put in place, as well as more than 20 recommendations to
reduce mandates on school districts and address the root causes of high
property taxes.

The Final Report will be submitted by December 1, 2008.

Westchester County To Control Odor At Yonkers Joint Waste Water Treatment Plant

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Longstanding odor concerns at the Yonkers Joint Waste Water Treatment Plant will be addressed as per legislation advanced in today’s vote by Yonkers Legislators Jose Alvarado (D-Yonkers) and Ken Jenkins (D - Yonkers)

County Legislator Alvarado, Budget and Appropriations Chairman, said “at my request, the County commissioned a study to identify sources of odor.  Several people around the plant participated by having the odor meters installed at their homes.  

The results of that study were presented to the residents by the engineers scrutinizing the plant and we will be following their recommendations to continue to improve the quality of life around the plant.”  

The Yonkers Joint Water Treatment Plant is in his district.

County Legislator Jenkins, Government Operations Chairman, said “Legislator Alvarado and I have been working on controlling the odor at the Yonkers Treatment Plant for a long time and we are both committed to continuing to be vigilant in addressing concerns at the treatment plant.  I am pleased that work on these projects will begin immediately.”

The County Board of Legislators passed all of the required legislation, including several bond acts, to address the ongoing odor concerns.  

The first bond act will fund the design and construction of heating, ventilating and air conditioning improvements and the installation of an odor control system at the screen and grit building.  

In conjunction with that measure, an additional bond act was passed to finance the cost of the design and construction for modifications and upgrades to odor control facilities at the Plant, as well as the installation of an odor control system at the Ludlow Street Pump Station. 

A final bond act was passed to repair and upgrade the Alexander Street influent structure and the North Yonkers Pump Station tower.  The County Board also approved an IMA (Intermunicipal Agreement) with the City of Yonkers for repairs to several lines of municipal sewers that have a direct impact on the Plant.

Legislators Alvarado and Jenkins thanked all of their colleagues for their support of funding for this vital part of the County infrastructure.

Education Committee Meeting Scheduled for October 23, 2008

YONKERS, NY – Education Chair and Majority Leader Sandy Annabi has advised that she will conduct an Education Committee Meeting Thursday, October 23, 2008 at 5:00 PM and conclude promptly at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers, City Hall, 4th Floor.

The following item(s) will be on the Agenda: 

1.      Resolution – requesting the Yonkers Public
Schools Administration provide an update on the School District’s
finances, and any plans to mitigate government finance shortfalls.

2.      Any additional items that may properly come before this Committee.

Planned Treated Sewage Discharge Monday

YONKERS, NY — The Westchester County Department of Health is notifying boaters and marinas on the Hudson River that there will be a controlled discharge of several million gallons of screened and chlorinated raw sewage into the Hudson River between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Monday, October 20, 2008, weather conditions permitting. 

The treated sewage bypass is needed so that the
flange gasket on the North Yonkers trunk sewer line can be replaced,
thereby avoiding a potential major sewage spill. The repairs are
planned for the time when sewage flows through these sewer pipes are
lowest to minimize the discharge.

The flange gasket was last replaced in 2001.

As a precaution, boaters and people who use the waters from Tarrytown to the Bronx for
recreational purposes should avoid direct contact with the water on
Monday. An advisory is being issued to marinas located on the Hudson River as well as to county and local police departments.  

Real Estate Committee Meeting to Convene October 16, 2008

YONKERS, NY – Notice was sent yesterday advising that a Real Estate Committee Meeting has been scheduled for today, Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers, City Hall, 4th Floor.

The following items will be on the Agenda:

* Resolution – approving the recommendation of the
Landmarks Preservation Board and designating the former Health Center
Building, 87 Nepperhan Avenue, as a landmark, pursuant to Section 45-5
of the Code of the City of Yonkers.

* Presentation on 87 Nepperhan Avenue by the
applicant of the landmarking application, originally filed with the
Landmarks Board.

* Presentation on the costs and benefits of alternative development proposals
for 87 Nepperhan Avenue by SFC

YONKERS TRIBUNE: Councilmember Gronowski Cites Administration for Ignoring Constituent Outreach

YONKERS, NY –Yonkers Third District Councilmember Joan Gronowski has criticized the Yonkers Administration for its refusal to allow departmental representation at a Town Hall meeting she held in the Northwest section of the 3rd District last evening, with more than ninety residents present.  Although the city allowed for the attendance of 4th Precinct Police Captain Sal DiMaggio, they refused Gronowski’s request for representation from the Administration, City Engineer’s office, the Bureau of Code Enforcement, and the Police Community Affairs Block Watch.

Gronowski hoped to address several issues that
have been pending for many years, such as the need for alternate egress
for MaryLou Avenue and the problems emergency vehicles have in
navigating that street; complaints received from residents concerning
an unlicensed amateur radio tower in the area; issues on upper
Warburton Avenue; and other quality of life issues.  Gronowski said,
“It would have been helpful to have had the proper department
representatives at the Town Hall meeting to be able to answer and
address the residents’ issues together.  Working in partnership with
the City Council is something that the Administration has claimed to be
in the best interest of our residents.

In emails exchanged with Deputy Mayor William
Regan, Gronowski referenced the Amicone Administration’s past practice of
affording this representation to councilmembers through the years for
their respective district Town Hall meetings.  The Deputy Mayor’s
responses to Gronowski indicated that residents should forward any
issues to his office, since “City Departments always give attention to
residents concerns.”  Gronowski said, “The Deputy Mayor’s further
comments state that her Town Hall meeting ‘is not the best use of our
department heads’ time’ as an insult to the residents.”

“I am disappointed," Gronwoski continued, "that this
administration has so marginalized the people of the Third District by
its failure to provide the requested representation, often provided to
other councilmembers.”  Gronowski further noted a marked difference in the
way complaints from her office are handled by the administration, since
her negative vote on passing the Yonkers Budget in June, and her
comments about the city’s refusal to downsize its fleet of take-home
cars despite a gloomy budget forecast for next year.  Gronowski
stressed at her Town Hall meeting that all complaints from City
Councilmembers must be sent to Mayor PhilAmicone,
Deputy Mayor William Regan, and Chief of Staff LisaMirjaj,
with copies to the affected departments.  “Under this strong mayor form
of government, I am not allowed to send any requests directly to a
department head. I have several complaints outstanding which have not
even been acknowledged, let alone resolved, and it is a shame the
residents of my district are suffering the effects of my efforts to
have more accountability in government,” concluded Gronowski.

http://www.yonkerstribune.com/2008/10/councilmember-g

Yonkers City Council Declares FEIS for SFC Yonkers Project Complete

YONKERS, NY — The Yonkers City Council voted 5 -2 in approving as complete, the FEIS (final environmental impact study) for the SFC  Yonkers Inc. Project, a development project comprised of developers Struever, Fidelco, and Cappelli. The vote was conducted last night.

CLUSTER Launches Police/Youth Dialogue Project

YONKERS, NY — The Westchester Mediation Center, a program of CLUSTER Community Services will be announcing the beginning of the Police/Youth Dialogue Project, at a kick-off reception on Tuesday, October 14, 2007 at 5:30PM in the Atrium of the Yonkers Riverfront Library.

The Police/Youth Dialogue is an effort to promote positive collaborations
between young adults and law enforcement officers inYonkers. 

This exciting initiative has been developed by The Westchester Mediation
Center and the Yonkers Police Department.

The project is based on a nationally recognized model call “Study
Circles” which provides a safe space for youth and police to share
their fears, concerns, misconceptions, biases, experiences and hope as
it pertains to change.

Twelve students between the ages of 14 –18 years old, who attend Gorton, Roosevelt and Riverside High Schools and Palisades Prep
have been selected to participate.

As a result of Commissioner Edmund Hartnett’s unflagging support and
encouragement, twelve Yonkers Police Officers have also volunteered to
become involved in these Dialogues.

Tajae Gaynor, Supervisor of School Based Programs for Westchester
Mediation Center stated, “We are tremendously excited about this initiative.

It is a wonderful opportunity for police and young people to speak up
in a constructive and collaborative manner and to learn from one
another.  This is how change begins.”

For more information about the Police/Youth Dialogue Initiative,
please contact Tarjae Gaynor at 914-963-6440, ext. 202.

45 South Broadway Chapter 11 Case Dismissed

YONKERS, NY — The Chapter 11 case regarding 45 South Broadway was dismissed exposing  the owners, Cook and partners, to personal liability to the City of Yonkers for the Section 108 loan

Annabi Seeks Update on Schools to Focus Budget Lobbying Efforts

YONKERS, NY — Yonkers Majority Leader Sandy Annabi, (D – District 2) will be introducing legislation into the City Council at tonight’s Rules Committee meeting, calling for a meeting between the Yonkers Schools Administration and the Council’s Education Committee. As Education Chair, she is seeking an update on the School District’s financial status, future outlook, and planned direction, given the dire economic forecasts and uncertain fiscal climate in the State.

Annabi said, “Our School District provides over
25,000 students with educational services, in conjunction with
initiatives to address student needs in the areas of guidance, social
work, health, and enrichment in the arts and competitive sports. Our
School District has had a long-term struggle with securing funding, and
the current fiscal conditions in New York State deeply affect the
projections for the City of Yonkers and our School District.”

Annabi stressed,  “Now is
the time to gather our resources, and find ways to buttress the
District against the coming financial crisis. To ensure that the
District survives the coming turbulence, Yonkers must plan and
strategize in advance of the worst of the coming budget crunch. The
City Council requires an update on the status of and the projections
for the Yonkers Public Schools, encompassing the remainder of the
current and coming budget year.”

“I have full faith that meeting with the
Superintendent and his budget team to cooperatively review the state
and direction of the School District will enhance and can better focus
legislative efforts to lobby for our School District,” Annabi concluded.

The next Council Rules Committee meeting is set
for 6:30 pm on, Tuesday, October 07, 2008 in the City Council
Conference Room on the Fourth Floor of City Hall.

PRESS RELEASE: Yonkers Committee for Smart Development to Hold Parade about SFC Project

Saturday, October 4th, from 2 pm – 4 pm  

YONKERS, NY — Yonkers Committee for Smart Development (YCSD) will hold a parade on Saturday, October 4th, from 2 pm – 4 pm, to highlight the potential traffic and safety problems, that the proposed SFC redevelopment project could hold for the downtown and waterfront areas.

In spite of the fact that there are serious and compelling topics which remain unaddressed in the SFC Project proposal, YCSD has elected to introduce a lighthearted note into the increasingly acrimonious citywide debate on the merits of this mega-project. The homespun, highly visual and appealing YCSD Parade will focus on the potential safety and traffic issues that the project may present.

A dozen YCSD volunteers will hoist aloft a 25’
long red fabric fire truck (visualize a Chinese New Year dragon!) and a
correspondingly sized fabric ambulance, and march them from the Main
Street Post Office, under the Metro North trestle, past the Pier and
around to the Sculpture Garden. The intent of the exercise? To
determine if a fabric fire truck, let alone a real one, can make it
around those turns! This legitimate question has been raised by City
Council members; there is a real possibility that emergency vehicles
will not be able to reach health or fire victims in a timely fashion. 

Parade participants will also try to help the
public visualize the precise dimensions of the waterfront space that
has been assigned to the public under the SFC plan to build two
25-story towers and parking garages on city-owned land, “Parcels
H&I”, between Scrimshaw House and the Domino Sugar Plant. 

YCSD, which is a community organization comprised
of citizens from throughout the city, believes that Yonkers can achieve
municipal economic success through Smart development. YCSD volunteers
have scrupulously followed the City Council SFC review process;
attended virtually every council and committee meeting; and read and
commented on the several versions of the Environmental Impact
Statements. The organization believes that serious questions, regarding
matters which may have a permanent negative effect on the
quality-of-life of local residents, remain unanswered in the Final
Environmental Impact Statement. Among the topics:

Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) vs. Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTS)

A switch from (TIF) Tax Incremental Financing to
PILOTS (Payments in Lieu of Taxes) has been proposed at the eleventh
hour in this project. Members of the public are uninformed about these
proposed changes. TIF, originally declared by SFC to be the only choice
to fund the needed infrastructure improvements, now may be dismissed
with no public dialogue or explanation. As we have learned from White
Plains and New Rochelle, redevelopment projects sold to the public as a
means of controlling property tax increases do not necessarily achieve
that goal. The financials for the SFC project could well have a direct,
negative effect on our property taxes as Yonkers residents absorb the
costs of bond issues and / or considerable tax relief for the
developer. 

Yonkers City Tax Revenues

The SFC Draft Environmental Impact Statement
states that Yonkers can expect to earn annual tax revenues of
approximately $9 million from this $1.6 billion project. The council’s
own analysts are concerned that revenues may not even reach $5 million
a year. The enormous SFC project will not only displace existing
residents and businesses, but cause dramatic social, environmental and
quality-of-life upheaval that will reverberate throughout the city. The
costs of additional city services have not yet been calculated. Is a
project of this magnitude really necessary for an estimated annual
return of $5,000,000, which represents only 0.5% of the annual Yonkers
budget? 

TIF “Soft Costs”

It was recently announced that, should it be used,
the projected $165,000,000 TIF will require an additional $52,000,000
in “soft costs” that will have to be funded somehow… does this mean by
the city – i.e., the taxpayers? 

Fire Department

The Yonkers firefighters’ union has expressed grave reservations about the

Yonkers Fire Department’s ability to handle fire emergencies in what they

term “super” high rises.

Affordable Housing

SFC has stated that no affordable housing units
will be contained in their luxury buildings. “Off-site” units will
comprise only a fraction of approximately 1600 new apartments. White
Plains is still waiting for its Cappelli-contracted affordable
housing.   

Ball Park

The Ballpark

The “Minor League” ballpark is formally
acknowledged as a money loser; nevertheless, plans proceed to perch it
on top of an eleven story shopping mall in the heart of the city’s
historic low-rise downtown.

87 Nepperhan Avenue (Health Services Building) and the new Cacace Center

SFC intends to demolish the Health Services
Building at 87 Nepperhan Avenue, which was declared a city landmark
last night by the Landmarks Preservation Board. The valuable Art Deco
building would be replaced by a parking garage and the city departments
which are housed in the building would be moved to the planned Cacace
Center across Nepperhan Avenue, where Yonkers would pay to lease 90,000
square feet of office space to replace the free space in its
own building. SFC states in the draft version of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement that the loss of rental income from the
city would compromise the economic viability of the entire project. In
other words, the city taxpayers are again asked to subsidize the SFC
project and to absorb its negative impact on the city budget.

Quality-of-life; traffic; environmental
sustainability; social and environmental justice topics – YCSD calls
upon the Yonkers City Council to more carefully study all these major
issues confronting the city in the light of this enormous development
proposal.

In the meantime, come and enjoy the YCSD Fire Truck Parade!

SOURCE: Yonkers Committee for Smart Development (YCSD)

YONKERS TRIBUNE: Jim Bostic Allegedly Delinquent in Paying Staff at Nepperhan Community Center

YONKERS, NY — Jim Bostic, sacred cow and director of the Nepperhan Community Center (NCC) is again allegedly delinquent in paying his staff. Funding for NCC is comprised of Community Development Block Grants and other subsidies.

Bostic has proven himself to be a poor manager over his cash flow needs, evidently incapable of planning to meet the recurrent remuneration requirements to pay his staff. This is the second situation for which Bostic is allegedly responsible and for which he has not responded.

Read the June 6, 2008 story published in the Yonkers Tribune Website entitled, Nepperhan Community Center in Arrears Paying Staff By Hezi Aris.

An inquiry and request for response was left at NCC at 4:00 pm with no reply yet. Similarly, a request of Councilmember Patricia McDow through her City Council aide has yet to be returned on this issue.

Another situation for which there is community silence, is the allegation that there was a one-time incident in which 300 some-odd gang members met at the Glenwood Power Station for the sake of gang
initiations allegedly during May or June 2008.

The Yonkers Police Gang Unit has during the last few months not been able to corroborate any semblance of the allegations made at public hearings held at the NCC, and postulated by Jim Bostic, and Councilmember Patricia McDow.

Again, no corroboration from either of these so-called community “leaders.”

http://www.yonkerstribune.com/2008/10/jim-bostic-alle

Westchester County Association Strongly Urges Yonkers City Council to Approve SFC Redevelopment Proposal

WHITE PLAINS, NY — The Westchester County Association (WCA) today strongly urged the Yonkers City Council to approve the Struever Fidelco Cappelli (SFC) proposal to redevelop downtown Yonkers. The Council members are expected in the near future to vote on acceptance of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), a key step in moving the project toward final approval.

 “At a time when the overall economy is struggling, we in the business
community can’t think of a single redevelopment project that is as critically
important to the future of Yonkers and the entire regional economy as the SFC
proposal, “ said William M. Mooney, Jr., WCA President. “In both size
and scope, this plan holds the most promise for bringing redevelopment
to downtown Yonkers along with opportunities for long-term employment,
revenue generation and numerous quality-of-life benefits for Yonkers.”

Mooney said the Council had undertaken an 
appropriate two-year intensive and thorough review of the SFC proposal.
He commended SFC for conducting an extensive outreach program to
reflect the concerns and issues of the community in the planning
process. “The public has weighed in and helped to shape the plan. The
time has come to move the project along.”

 “Clearly, recent events have cast a very dark shadow across the economic
landscape. But, with financing in place for the SFC plan, any further delay
 in the vote could put the future economic vitality of downtown Yonkers in
jeopardy.The approval to move the SFC project forward will serve as a very
bright beacon of hope for both the City of Yonkers and the entire
Westchester community,” Mooney stated. 

The Westchester County Association (www.westchester.org)
is the preeminent business membership organization in Westchester
County.  The Association is committed to business advocacy, economic
vitality and to providing a strong and clear voice for the interests of
businesses on the regional, national and international levels.

Landmarks Preservation Board Approves Landmark Status for 87 Nepperhan Avenue

YONKERS, NY – The Landmarks Preservation Board, in a 6 to 2 vote, approved the landmark application for 87 Nepperhan Avenue. The Landmarks Preservation Board decision causes final landmark status approval to come before the Yonkers City Council for the final hurdle before acquiring landmark status designation.