People

Details: Published: 02 December 2013; Created: 02 December 2013; Last Updated: 02 December 2013; Hits: 7266

sandimarx After 20 years supporting other actors, talent agent Sandi Marx has finally taken center stage. The former Scarsdale resident and mother of three had to delay her dream to perform while she supported her family by forming a talent agency where she worked with her partners for years.

Now that two of her three children are out on their own, she has turned her energies to writing and the art of storytelling and has quickly scored some impressive successes.

Using funny tidbits and anecdotes from her years at the agency she has written some entertaining material and tested it out in front of live audiences. Marx says, "I love the challenge of throwing myself out there in in a room full of fairly judgmental and intelligent listeners and trying to connect in a personal way. Learning how to a hone my skills in the Art of Storytelling has been a challenge and pure joy. Since I have always enjoyed gabbing at parties this seems like an natural progression."

To prepare, Marx has studied with a few coaches and most recently has been working at a school called People's Improv Theatre (PIT) on her "storytelling or "spoken word" skills.

She recently entered a contest on the Moth who holds story slam events at venues around the country. Some of the stories are showcased on NPR. At the Moth event in Los marx2 Angeles, Marx was randomly selected to perform and came out first among the ten performers that night. She has been invited to perform in the Grand Slam Moth Championship at the end of January where she will compete against the last 10 Moth winners.

Her winning story, which can be viewed on YouTube, recounts her sweet revenge on a childhood bully, decades after the girl terrorized Marx in sixth grade. In the performance she has changed the bully's name as not repeat more "mean girl" behavior.

Marx plans to continue to write and perform new stores and ultimately hopes to write a compilation of her tales. Watch her winning performance here and wish her luck at the Grand Slam in Los Angeles.

Details: Published: 27 November 2013; Created: 27 November 2013; Last Updated: 27 November 2013; Hits: 6638

Since our report last week that handyman Robert Satenberg was arrested for stealing $30,000 worth of jewelry from a Scarsdale home where he was doing work, we have heard from many of you who also employed Satenberg to do jobs around the house. One commenter reported that ironically he had hired Satenberg to install a safe. We also heard from Satenberg himself, who posted an explanation and apology on Scarsdale10583 and asked for exoneration for his son.

Here is what he wrote:

"To the people that I've work for in Scarsdale, I am saddened at myself for taking such a low road with myself, you should all know that a out of control drug habit prompted me to make such bad choices and I wish that I did something about it before it got this bad. You should all know that I am admitting myself in for treatment and I hope to make the best out of the rest of my life. I have a lot to make up for and I am sorry for abusing your trust. And my son never had anything to do with your losses."

Where does the investigation stand and will more property be recovered? We reached out to Scarsdale Detective Lt. Thomas Altizio for an update. Though there is an ongoing investigation, here is what he could share:

"I can say that a number of Scarsdale residents that had employed Mr. Satenberg in the past and experienced a theft have contacted us since the arrest was made public. We are investigating all of these reports, as well as going through previous burglary and larceny reports to compare property that was stolen to the property Mr. Satenberg had pawned or possessed. In addition to the stolen jewelry that was recovered from Toby's Jewelry in Hartsdale on the day of the arrest (11/14/13), Toby's Jewelry had located additional stolen items that were at a different location, and subsequently turned them over to Scarsdale Detectives. Since his arrest, additional jewelry that was in Mr. Satenberg's possession has been turned over to the Scarsdale Police as well. Scarsdale Detectives have been contacting prior victims and showing them photos of the recovered jewelry items for identification. This is an active investigation that is still ongoing, and any other significant developments will be reported as necessary."

Details: Published: 17 November 2013; Created: 17 November 2013; Last Updated: 17 November 2013; Hits: 3356

bowlA The 2014 Scarsdale Bowl Committee will begin its work in early December to select the 2014 recipient of the 2014 Scarsdale Bowl. The Scarsdale Bowl, under the sponsorship of the Scarsdale Foundation, has been awarded annually since 1943 to an individual or in rare instances, to a husband and wife, who has given "unselfishly of his/her time, energy and effort to the civic welfare of the community." The founding donors of the Bowl believed that "many serve generously and voluntarily, without office, honor or publicity, are those deserving of having their names permanently inscribed on the Scarsdale Bowl."

David Brodsky will serve as chair of this year's Scarsdale Bowl Committee. The members serve staggered two-terms. The newly-appointed Class of 2014 includes Nan Berke, Marc Greenwald, Michelle Lichtenberg, Lisa Messinger, Tom Souther, Geetha Subbakrishna, Richard Wingate, and, filling a vacancy from the class of 2013, Anne Lyons. The continuing Class of 2013 includes Scott Altabet, Bart Hamlin, Pam Rubin, Carolyn Stevens, and Jeff Watiker. Evelyn Stock, Scarsdale Foundation trustee, will serve on the committee as the liaison, and Deborah Pekarek will serve as secretary/treasurer. Richard Toder, president of the Scarsdale Foundation, is an ex-officio, non-voting member.

The Scarsdale Bowl will be awarded at a dinner on Wednesday, April 9, 2014, at The Fountainhead, in New Rochelle, NY. The ceremony will pay tribute to the 2014 honoree and to the spirit of volunteerism, central to the civic life of the Scarsdale community.

The Bowl Committee enthusiastically welcomes community input on proposed nominees. It will hold its first meeting on December 8, 2013, and requests that residents contact any member of the committee with suggestions of potential recipients. If you have any questions, please contact David Brodsky at 914-725-8437 or dmbrodsky@verizon.net.

Details: Published: 21 November 2013; Created: 21 November 2013; Last Updated: 22 November 2013; Hits: 5067

verontrettler The Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce is partnering with local non-profit The Acceleration Project, (TAP), to study local consumer trends and make recommendations to ensure the vibrancy of Scarsdale's retailers. This new project was kicked off at the Chamber's monthly meeting at Vintology on Tuesday night November 19. TAP founders Lisa Tretler and Jane Veron provided an overview of their plans and asked retailers about the challenges they face and what they need to know about their customers to succeed.

Tretler and Veron, who both have considerable experience as business consultants and strategists, explained that their organization harnesses the power of local women to help local businesses grow. They have assembled a team of women with experience in all facets of private industry who will provide strategic planning and advice to companies who might not be able to afford this level of assistance.

The Buy Local study for the Scarsdale Chamber will involve speaking to local business owners, using that feedback to formulate an online survey for local residents and interpreting the survey results to identify key opportunities for local businesses. The TAP team will also survey other localities to determine "best practices" and see what's driving customers to other downtowns.

Veron explained that the success of individual businesses benefits all. She said, "we would like to see a thriving retail hub." She believes that residents desire a sense of community and that the best results will come through collaboration.

The work for the study has already begun and TAP hopes to report their findings to the Chamber by June, 2014. Watch for the consumer survey on Scarsdale10583.com. TAP welcomes your input.

In addition to running TAP, Lisa and Jane provide coaching and business planning to entrepreneurs and women looking to reenter the workforce. Learn more about TAP here: www.theaccelerationproject.org.

Details: Written by Lee Fischman; Published: 13 November 2013; Created: 13 November 2013; Last Updated: 14 November 2013; Hits: 4976

tree Scarsdale's Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) recently announced the findings of their analysis of the Village's Tree Ordinance, enacted in January 2009. The current code requires tree permits for the removal of certain trees as outlined below and the CAC wished to determine if the current law was effective at preserving Scarsdale's canopy. Under the current law, a tree removal permit is required to remove trees that fall into these categories:

Removal of more that two 2 trees exceeding 6 inches DBH (diameter of a tree trunk measured at 54 inches above the ground) per lot per 12 month period.
Trees identified to be removed/protected as a result of a Land Use Board determination.
Removal of replacement trees 6 inches or less in DBH that are planted as a result of a Land Use Board determination or pursuant to Section 281-10.
Removal of tree(s) determined to be preserved by a Land Use Board for at least 2
growing seasons after issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy or Land Use Board approval.

Also requiring a permit for removal from the Village Engineer are certain tree species: American Elm, American Beech Tree, designated Heritage trees and any tree in a wetland or wetland buffer area - in accordance with Chapter 171.

Tree(s) on private property may be removed as-of-right provided any of the following:

Trees 6 inches DBH or less can be removed with no restrictions.
Removal of up to 2 trees exceeding 6 inches DBH per lot per 12-month period.
A tree removed that is > 36 inches DBH must be replaced with a replacement tree.
Actual or ongoing emergency for the protection of life or property.
For a tree determined to be dead, dying, hazardous or diseased, a report from a Tree Expert must be submitted to the Village Engineer.
A tree may also be removed if considered an invasive species (listed in the Invasive Plant Atlas of New England).

The CAC's goal was simple enough: how had the current law fared in practice?

What they found is that the Tree Ordinance, specifically its permitting process, is essentially a rubber stamp. While the Ordinance does mandate that any tree larger than 36 inches in diameter that is removed must be replaced, there are otherwise few restrictions on what a landowner can remove from a property. For alterations to a property, such as the addition of a pool or tennis court, landscape approvals are required by land use boards that are most definitely not rubber stamping. All the same, these landscape approvals do not follow a formal standard.

Report
The CAC has produced a reader-friendly report in the form of a PowerPoint presentation, accessible on its site. For their review, the CAC consulted with foresters, developers, staff and others, as well as reviewing the state of neighboring tree ordinances and current best practices. They also surveyed residents to ascertain the community's attitude towards trees in Scarsdale. Here are some highlights from its report:

Numerous irate homeowners came forward to vent their frustration at neighbors' unpermitted removals and clear cutting of properties, so much so that the CAC concluded these misunderstandings may be fairly common.

Since 2009 there has been a steady and pronounced increase in the number of permits being issued.

While permits are granted for properties throughout the Village, they seem to be more concentrated in the Greenacres and Fox Meadow neighborhoods. This may be due to their concentration of older trees.

Violations in the form of unpermitted removals are few and far between, which surprised no one because there is not a strong means to enforce the ordinance.

In 2011 and 2012 the Village removed over 300 trees, while planting only about 160.

Neighboring communities' tree ordinances don't fare much better; in reviewing the tree ordinances of eight mid-Westchester towns other than Scarsdale, the CAC found that those too were "almost useless" due to exemptions.

A survey of residents found support for replacing large trees upon their removal, very strong support against clear cutting lots, and conditional support for notifying neighbors of tree removals. Still, the comments revealed how conflicted feelings about trees. Said one respondent, "I love the trees in our neighborhood and in Scarsdale. But when we bought our house, I had no idea about the damage these trees might cause." Another countered, "I love my neighbor's trees! I look at them every day and I enjoy those in my neighborhood when I go on walks. Some parts of town, however, are looking too much like Queens." Survey results and comments can be viewed online here.

Recommendations

As an advisory committee, the CAC seeks to balance its agenda of maintaining the "Village in a Park" with respect for landowners' property rights and constraints on staff and board resources. Its recommendations for the Tree Ordinance and related activities are:

Amend the tree permit to require that neighbors be notified before a tree is removed; it has been argued that notification without being able to contest a permit is meaningless. The CAC argues that this step would actually make the permit process far more meaningful than it currently is. The simple act of notification is intended to mitigate the confusion, fear and even ignorance it witnessed in conversation with numerous homeowners affected by tree removals. Notification also helps to strengthen the permit process; as currently there is no way of knowing when a tree removal has been permitted or not.

Increase Village planting along the right of way - as residents remove trees from their properties perhaps because of the threat of storms, or because new lifestyles dictate more open land and onsite amenities such as pools, the Village must work harder to maintain its overall canopy. The CAC therefore suggests that more trees be planted on the right of way, as an offset to their inevitable continued loss elsewhere on properties.

Require that developers of new properties plant street trees - as a condition of redevelopment, the CAC recommends that new properties be required to plant one or more suitably large trees on or just inside the right of way. The number of trees would depend on street frontage. Larger trees would be required to offset the greater loss of plantings elsewhere on the property.

For permits associated with land use applications, require satisfaction of one of a set of replacement standards - the CAC surveyed nationwide practices and found a number of standards that could be used. It is recommending that these standards be satisfied in addition to land use board approvals.

If you would like to take the CAC's survey about residents' knowledge and attitude towards trees, it is still available via a link on the home page of Sustainable Scarsdale.com.