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Published: 06 January 2015

Created: 06 January 2015

Last Updated: 06 January 2015

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Here is a letter from New York State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin discussing her progress in 2014: Happy New Year!  Because of your continued support, next week I will begin a new legislative session in the NYS State Assembly. I have spent the last few months preparing for another active and challenging year. As always, my goal is to serve my district vigorously, and to make sure my constituents’ interests are given a high priority in the NYS legislature. 

In 2014, I sponsored 33 bills that passed the Assembly, 18 of which Governor Cuomo signed, putting me in the top 1% of legislators whose bills became law. Among these new laws, one of the most important would compel the Port Authority to comply with the Freedom of Information Laws in New York and the Open Public Records Act in New Jersey.

As the Chair of the Energy Committee I am also pleased to report that four of my bills promoting renewable energy were signed into law.

As many of you know, my mantra during the last several years has been “People Are Not For Sale.” This year I am anxious to continue my fight to help bring an end to human trafficking in New York State by passing The Trafficking Victims Protection and Justice Act.  I will continue in my effort to convince my colleagues to put partisan politics aside and pass this important legislation that increases accountability for the real criminals – the buyers and traffickers who continue to fuel the growth of this massive and heinous industry. As responsible legislators, we must finally help to break the cycle of dependency, humiliation and degradation that too many young women face.  

My work on behalf of New York State’s veterans is another high priority.  We can’t do enough for the brave men and women who have voluntarily put themselves in harm’s way so that we can live freely and safely. My Veteran’s Pension Buyback bill passed both the Assembly and the Senate for the very first time. Although Governor Cuomo did not sign this bill, he has committed to working out an agreement in the upcoming budget. 

Many of the bills I had passed this year were of benefit to the communities which I serve. Whether it was parking in Bronxville, insurance concerns in the Scarsdale school district or traffic lights in New Rochelle. I remain enthusiastic about meeting the needs of my constituents and look forward to working closely with all of my communities. 

Overall, 2014 was a very busy year and I expect nothing less from 2015. I am proud of what I have accomplished for the 88th Assembly District and remain honored that I will once again be able to serve as your representative. I look forward to working with my constituents to continue the progress that we have made.  As always, I can be reached at my district office at 914-723-1115 or via e-mail at paulina@assembly.state.ny.us.

Amy Paulin
NYS Assembly (D-88)

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Published: 14 January 2015

Created: 14 January 2015

Last Updated: 15 January 2015

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The results of the Scarsdale School Board Nominating Committee are in. Here are the candidates who were elected on Tuesday, January 13th to join the Scarsdale School Board Nominating Committee:

Edgewood: Moira Ann Crouch and Daniel Moretti
Fox Meadow: Liz Guggenheimer and Pam Rubin
Greenacres: Elyse Mall Klayman and Terri Simon
Heathcote: Qing (Claire) He, Sarah Persily and Jacqueline Irwin (2-year term)
Quaker Ridge: Jonathan Birenbaum and Lauren Rimland

There were 431 total votes cast in the election. Fox Meadow had the highest number of voters with 200 ballots cast, followed by Heathcote with 94 ballots cast, Greenacres with 51, Quaker Ridge with 47 and Edgewood with 39. This compares favorably to last year's 525 votes, a record number with five fully contested elections.

This year's eleven new SBNC members will join nineteen others already on the committee serving staggered three-year terms. The committee will have its first meeting on Sunday, January 25th and by the end of March will nominate two candidates for the Scarsdale Board Education to fill the seats currently held by Mary Beth Gose and Lewis Leone, Jr. Ms. Gose and Mr. Leone are completing their second terms and neither is eligible for re-nomination. The SBNC Board of Education candidates, along with any other candidates who may choose to run, will be up for public election at the same time as the School Budget vote in May 2015.

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Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 17 December 2014

Created: 17 December 2014

Last Updated: 17 December 2014

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Now that the $18.12 mm bond has passed, how will the Scarsdale School District begin the construction process? As usual, Assistant Superintendent Linda Purvis was one step ahead of the game at the December 8 Board of Education meeting where she outlined the district's next steps assuming the passage of the bond on December 11.

Here is the plan that she outlined:

-The district will formally appoint architects KG&D as the architects of record for the school construction projects.

-They will convene building level committees to make recommendations on the details of the design work. Principals will be asked to identify faculty members and parents to serve on these committees who will look at specific design problems and refine schematics.

The district will do a request for a proposal for construction management services. Once retained this company will act as the district's representatives and serve as a liaison between the administration and the construction vendors. They will provide independent cost estimates to be compared with those provided by the architects. They will develop construction timelines and benchmarks for the work which is expected to take from 15 to 20 months, will figure out how students will be managed during the construction process and when construction will need to be halted to accommodate testing. Last they will provide onsite construction supervision and problem-solving for issues that arise. Their fee will be a percentage of the total budget and has been figured into the projections.

The Board of Education will appoint a District Construction Committee comprised of the architects, construction managers, Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Director of Facilities, 2 or 3 members of the Board of Education, three community members with expertise in construction and possibly a parent representative. This committee will do technical work and will meet every 2-3 weeks, usually at 8 am, for 2 years.

To finance the initial stages of the project, Purvis and her team will investigate one-year financing needs and make a recommendation on raising the funds for the architects fees, construction management fees, pre-construction testing, bond issuance fees and to pay for any work that can begin in the summer of 2015. The administration will ask the board to do a bond anticipation note for up to 10% of the authorized bond amount which will eventually rolled into a long term financing plan.

Two projects will be funded through outside sources:

The Madoff family will donate $300,000 in memory of their son Tyler to purchase the equipment for the new fitness center.

The Scarsdale Schools foundation will donate $2,600,000 for the creation of the Design Lab in the space now occupied by the Auto Shop at the high school.

To learn more, watch Purvis on video on demand on the Scarsdale School website here: