Village Voices

Details: Published: 16 October 2013; Created: 16 October 2013; Last Updated: 27 October 2021; Hits: 4042

boykinheadshot White Plains Councilman Ben Boykin is running for County Legislature to represent District 5 that includes Scarsdale, most of White Plains and a portion of Harrison. He is running for the seat currently held by Bill Ryan and is running against former Scarsdale Mayor Miriam Flisser. He is a CPA who served as Assistant Treasurer at RJR Nabisco, and also worked at Deloitte. Boykin is a graduate of UNC and the Kellogg Business School at Northwestern. You can learn more about his campaign at voteboykin.com.

Here is what he has to say about County Government and Scarsdale:

Though 20% of our local taxes are paid to Westchester County, many in Scarsdale are not aware of what the County Government does here in the Village. Can you tell our readers how the County impacts Scarsdale and what changes we would see if you are elected?

County government is the critical linchpin between federal/state agencies and local municipalities in providing vital and essential services to the residents of Westchester County. Regional coordination is pivotal to efficient delivery of services to taxpayers. County government provides numerous services that are used by all County residents. County government should continue to:

Provide critical safety and security services through Public Safety, Office of Emergency Management, Department of Correction, etc.
Act as the social safety net for food, shelter and medical care and provide funding for social service and nonprofit entities
Protect drinking water and air quality and manage wastewater treatment, handling of solid waste and delivery of clean water countywide
Provide mass transit, operate regional airport and coordinate regional transportation initiatives
Invest in and protect critical infrastructure countywide- roads, bridges, wastewater treatment facilities, mass transit and coordinate with local municipalities
Work with businesses, local municipalities and state agencies to create jobs and improve regional economy
Provide planning services to assist local municipalities in preparing zoning codes, comprehensive plans and environmental impact statements
Serve as the administrative arm of the State for mandated services and also advocate for mandate relief
Operate, protect and maintain countywide system of parks and recreation facilities
Coordinate the delivery of emergency protective measures and services countywide dealing with natural and man-made disasters

Some of the roads that individuals in Scarsdale use are owned and maintained by the County such as Post Road and the Bronx River Parkway. The County Police provide safety and security for the Bronx River Parkway which traverses Scarsdale.

During the Spano Administration, Westchester County allocated $50 million to assist municipalities with flooding issues. Scarsdale received $1.6 million from the County (approximately half of the $3.2 million cost) for the South Fox Meadow drainage project. The Astorino Administration stopped this funding source and Scarsdale has not any additional funding to assist with flood mitigation. The Sheldrake drainage project to be completed in 2013-14 is expected to cost $600,000. I will work at the County Board to bring back the $50 million funding and assist Scarsdale with flooding and other infrastructure work.

One of my priorities at the County Board: Partner on Flooding, Infrastructure, Transportation

It is imperative that all levels of government work together to address unfunded mandates that increase our local tax burden. I will strive to ensure county, local and state entities collaborate effectively to solve the critical flooding, infrastructure and transportation issues that face our community.

What is your view on shared services among municipalities and how would that affect Scarsdale Village Government?

Shared services are critical to our municipalities if we are to continue to provide a high level of services in a cost effective manner to our residents. I am Chairman of the Shared Services Committee for the City of White Plains and the School District. I am using my broad-based business and financial expertise to save taxpayers money through service consolidations, cost reductions and efficiency improvements. As an example, under my leadership, the City of White Plains is maintaining and repairing all School District vehicles saving the taxpayers $75,000 to $100,000 per year.

The Scarsdale Village and Scarsdale School District should explore shared services opportunities that might include road and parking lot resurfacing, share vehicles to install LED lighting (the City of White Plains is using its bucket trucks to install LED lights on school property – another shared services opportunity) as a starting point for cost reductions and efficiency improvements.

An EPA lawsuit has charged that Water District #1 is not in compliance with the Safe Water Drinking Act. What do you plan to do to address this issue? Who will pay for the new water treatment infrastructure?

kensicoreservoir First, let me state that the Village's drinking water is safe. Water District 1 is administered by the County and includes White Plains, Scarsdale, Mount Vernon and Yonkers. The EPA has sued the County for failure to provide ultraviolent treatment to reduce the bacteria in the water system (giardia and cryptosporidium). Over the past two years, the Astorino Administration has gone back and forth on various ways to address the issues raised in the lawsuit. It is time for the County Executive and his staff to dialogue with the Federal government on these issues and develop an implementation action plan.
As a member of the White Plains Common Council, when we have been faced with issues relating to drinking water or environmental issues, the City has worked to gather information, seek clarification to better understand the situation(s) and work with the various agencies to resolve any disputes or comply as appropriate.

The EPA lawsuit could cost the County (or the municipalities) taxpayers about $1.0 million if this suit is not settled. At the County, I will seek to improve relationships between the County Board of Legislators and the County Executive to work with our municipalities to solve mutual issues.

It is not clear that a new water treatment facility is needed or required. The County may be able to retrofit existing water facilities to resolve the lawsuit. Assuming that a new water treatment infrastructure is built, the County would bond for this capital investment and repay the principal and interest over time. I would press for the County to seek federal funding for this project in order to reduce the cost that would otherwise have to be borne by taxpayers.

Westchester recently lost out on $7.4 million in community development grants because the county failed to comply with the terms of the affordable housing settlement. Do you think these funds are lost? Is there anything the County can do to recoup them?

Unfortunately due to the intransigence of the Astorino Administration and its failure to file a proper Analysis of Impediments (AI), the County has lost $7.4 million in funding from HUD permanently when a federal Appeals Court ruled that HUD could reallocate the funds. The County is at risk of losing another $11 million next year. What is so regrettable about this is that the Astorino Administration has continued to mischaracterize the settlement despite clear statements from HUD. It is interesting to note that it is the County's filing of improper AIs that formed the basis of the initial lawsuit and why the filing of a complete AI has been an important piece of the settlement. This reallocation of funds hurts the neediest in Westchester County. The Astornio Administration needs to work with HUD to resolve issues relating to the Housing Settlement that requires the County to build 750 units of affordable housing. About 325 units are currently in process or already built.

It is not possible for the County to recoup the $7.4 million at this juncture. But we can work to prevent the loss of additional funds. It should be noted that HUD has stated that in the reallocation process it will work to keep the monies in the region funding projects to other governmental entities that are entitled to apply directly to HUD for funding. Unfortunately it does not help those communities that were depending on these funds.

All residents should understand that neither Scarsdale nor any municipality in Westchester is a party to the settlement. The settlement is solely between the County and HUD and those are the only two parties with obligations under the agreement. The Housing Settlement has not and will not have any impact on Scarsdale.

New York is a Home Rule State and Land Use State. Under NY State Law, local municipalities control zoning. Federal, State and/or County government cannot change municipal zoning ordinances.

What is your position on the Women's Equality Act and a woman's right to choose?

I am fully supportive of the Women's Equality Act and was disappointed that it did not become NY State law this year.
One of my County priorities is to Protect a Woman's Right to Reproductive Health Care.
I am Pro-Choice and will work to ensure that women have access to reproductive health care including information and affordable health services.

What is your position on gun control? Do you propose to limit gun sales in Westchester?

I support the NY Safe Act that was approved by the NY State Assembly and NY Senate and then signed into law by Governor Cuomo in January 2013.
I believe that individuals have the right to bear arms as provided under the Constitution. However, there are other issues that we must consider especially relating to mental health issues.
Many crimes are done with illegal guns and we must stop the flow of these arms into our communities which get into the hands of individuals who commit crimes.
I do not support gun shows at the County Center. I hope they can be legally barred from County owned property.

What past accomplishments are you most proud of? How will you use what you learned to make improvements in Westchester County?

I have been a member of the White Plains Common Council since 2000, and have been Council President three times. During my time on the Council, I was instrumental in $1.2 billion investment in downtown White Plains, fought to change zoning to protect White Plains neighborhoods, supported public safety initiatives to protect residents, protected our environment and created 180 units of workforce housing.

The City has reduced its carbon footprint through our environmental initiatives, including expanded use of LED lights, installing the first dedicated bike lanes in Westchester and adopting the Property Assessed for Clean Energy (PACE) program, which provides city businesses and co-ops a new way to finance sustainable energy improvements.

As a businessman, I understand that the economic future for Westchester County is dependent upon balance investment and attracting and retaining businesses, both big and small.

I am an experienced leader with a vision for our future. I will take my business expertise, governmental leadership and school board experience to work for all of us at the County Board. At the County Board, I will work to:

Adopt fiscally responsible budgets
Hold down property taxes
Include funding for a safety net and vital programs for those in need
Protect a women's right to reproductive health care
Provide funds for safety and security
Create jobs and improve our economy
Protect the environment and implement sustainable initiatives
Partner with all levels of government to solve flooding, infrastructure and transportation issues

Women for Ben Boykin will hold a fundraiser for him on Sunday October 27 at 3 pm in White Plains. Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousin will attend. To R.S.V.P contact Deborah West Zipf at [email protected] or call her at 914-686-6970.

Details: Published: 07 October 2013; Created: 07 October 2013; Last Updated: 07 October 2013; Hits: 2844

steves Scarsdale Mayor Bob Steves took the podium at the Scarsdale Forum meeting on October 3 to give his State of the Village address. Referencing troubles in Washington D.C. Steves joked that the Village Board has not voted to shut down the local government.

He reported that the Village was continuing to grow, move forward and change and said that the state of the Village was a reflection of those who contribute their time to Village government. Calling Scarsdale a "relatively small community," he encouraged everyone to participate in "constructive dialogue."

He reported that the Village completed Fiscal Year 2012-13 with a surplus of $215,000 despite $1,000,000 in expenses relating to the recovery from Hurricane Sandy. Though revenues were slightly less than projected, Village Managers were able to keep expenses in line and ended the year in good shape.

The total Village budget was approximately $43 million, with 70% of the revenues derived from real estate taxes. Though the Board wrestled with the state imposed 2% tax cap, they balanced the need to contain expenses with the demand for services and ultimately decided to raise taxes beyond the cap to meet resident's needs.

Steves told the group that 37% of the budget is spent on public safety for Scarsdale's own police force and firefighters who also call on resident volunteers at times.

On the issue of water he said that watering restrictions would soon be lifted to allow residents to water their lawns on their own schedules. Work on the Reeves Newsome Pumping Station has been completed and renovations are currently underway at a pumping station near the Hartsdale Train Station. Once complete Scarsdale should have increased water capacity. Though Water District #1 was hit by a lawsuit about safe drinking water by the EPA, Steves asserted that our water is safe and that the County is looking for ways to treat our water with ultraviolet light to bring it into compliance.

Other updates include the following:

A new sewer tax that has been levied on residents will allow the Village to repair the infrastructure.
The Popham Road Bridge renovation is complete and work on the Crane Road Bridge on the Bronx River Parkway will continue for quite some time.
Storm water retention projects have been completed at George Field and Cooper Green, with some funding received through grants from the County. The final leg of the project is at Harcourt Woods and that work will be done soon.
The Board is looking at ways to preserve neighborhood character. They are examining building requirements including FAR and setbacks and discussing how historic properties can be saved.
The tax revaluation data collection process is now complete and residents will see their new assessments on the July 2015 tax bills.

Though there were few questions from the audience, one senior citizen, Maggie Schwartz, took the opportunity to seize the mic and recite a litany of complaints about Scarsdale. Her monologue touched a plethora of issues including crime, noise, senior services and emergency response. She complained that two dogs have been barking at a neighbor's home for the past eighteen years and said the only time she got a reprieve was when thieves robbed the neighbors and let the dogs out. She complained that seniors need to share school buses with students and that their outings are often cut short when buses are needed to pick up children at the end of the school day. Discussing a recent senior trip to a restaurant at Arthur Avenue in the Bronx she said, "I had just started to eat my spaghetti when we all had to rush out of the restaurant and board the bus so that it would be back in Scarsdale in time to drive the children home. Why can't we spare a bus for the seniors?"

She went on until David Irwin said, "we are going to have to cut you off now." Looking around, Schwartz said, "Why? I don't see anyone else who wants to speak!"

Steves addressed many of Schwartz's complaints and said, "If you are not getting the attention you need, let me know."

spielerguggenheimer Also at the meeting, Former School Board Presidents Liz Guggenheimer and Jill Spieler were honored for their service by the Scarsdale Forum. The two served together for six years and saw the community through controversial discussions regarding the school budget and the Superintendent earlier this year. Scarsdale Forum President David Irwin presented each with a gift from Wilson and Son Jewelers to thank them for their work on behalf of Scarsdale.

Details: Published: 24 September 2013; Created: 24 September 2013; Last Updated: 24 September 2013; Hits: 4943

Duffy8 Scarsdale's newest probationary firefighter, Timothy Duffy, was sworn in by Village Clerk Donna Conkling at Village Hall on September 19, 2013. He will begin an intensive seventeen-week training program at the Westchester County Career Fire Academy at the Department of Emergency Services in Valhalla, NY on September 23, 2013 and will return to the Scarsdale Fire Department as a Nationally Certified Level II firefighter in late January 2014.

Duffy was a volunteer firefighter in his hometown Stony Pointy before coming to Scarsdale, and continues to reside there with his wife and three children. Several on-duty Scarsdale firefighters attended the ceremony as well.

(Pictured at top) Fire Chief Thomas Cain, Probationary Firefighter Timothy Duffy, Village Manager Alfred Gatta, Village Clerk Donna Conkling
Duffy12

Photos by Trudy Zohn

Details: Written by Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 02 October 2013; Created: 02 October 2013; Last Updated: 18 November 2021; Hits: 2760

daspalmer Though DAS antennas are already installed on state-owned streets in Scarsdale, the Planning Board has been working on revisions to Village code to regulate their placement at additional sites around town.

Some residents were dismayed to learn that Next G, now Crown Castle had applied to place the antennas on utility poles on their front lawns and called on the Village to step in. Federal law prohibits the Village from banning the companies from installing the antennas but the Village does have the power to require special use permits and to regulate the appearance and placement of the antennas. In order to draft new code regarding these antennas the Village retained attorneys Best, Best and Krieger (BBK) to interpret the law and assist with the drafting of the new code. The DC based firm specializes in telecommunications cases and has handled disputes with NextG/Crown Castle in the past.

They have been working with the Planning Board on the new code for over a year and have now presented the final draft for the Planning Board to approve and send to the Scarsdale Board of Trustees to pass into law.

The consultants' goal was to advise the Village on:

Protecting residential property values against the harm of placing obtrusive facilities on residential streets
Maintaining community character
Avoiding unneeded facilities
Ensuring protection against RF radiation

After much deliberation they have made recommendations for requirements for telecommunications providers to obtain special use permits to place antennas in the Village right of way.

Among their recommendation are the following provisions:

The applicant must hold a franchise authorizing use of village streets
The facility must fill a service gap
A new utility pole only if an existing pole is not available
Applicant must comply with radio frequency standards dictated by the FCC
No stand-alone towers will be permitted in Village streets
The antennas can only be placed on major arterial roads where there are already aerial facilities (such as the Post Road, Weaver Street or Popham Road).
The antennas must be a proscribed distance from other antennas
The antenna cannot be more than 120 feet high
The antenna itself cannot be larger than four feet tall
The applicant must apply for an entire planned network to allow the Village to assess its overall impact.
Permits will be limited to a term of five years

Links to all of their presentations and a draft of the suggested code can be found on the Scarsdale Village website on the Planning Board page here:

At the September 25 meeting, the Planning Board reviewed the final changes, heard comments from the audience and considered voting on the matter. However, Jospeh Van Eaton of BBK advised them that the FCC would soon issue new regulations that they might want to consider before passing on the proposed code. In addition, representatives from Crown Castle who attended the meeting asked for additional time to comment. Specifically they objected to the requirement that the antennas could only be placed on arterial roads as they wished to place the DAS antennas on smaller residential streets.

Planning Board members agreed to give Crown Castle a week to send in their comments and to hold over the vote on the matter until the next meeting.

Details: Published: 18 September 2013; Created: 18 September 2013; Last Updated: 19 September 2013; Hits: 4007

Apples The cooler weather is the perfect time to pack up the kids and head to one of the many orchards around our area. Make sure you call ahead to confirm hours, availability and attractions. Leave your pets at home; they aren't allowed at most farms. If you're thinking of packing a picnic, call ahead to make sure the farm allows you to bring your own food. Apple picking season started around Labor Day and lasts through October. However, if you go too late, there often aren't many apples left on the trees. The pumpkin picking season starts about October 1. As the best pumpkins go fast, don't wait until the day before Halloween to get yours or you risk disappointment. When you arrive home with your apples, make sure to keep them in a cool spot (basement, root cellar, crisper, etc.) to get the longest life possible out of them.

Westchester County

Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard – North Salem, 914-485-1210
130 Hardscrabble Road; www.outhouseorchardsny.com
Formerly Outhouse Orchards, this family-run farm allows visitors to pick their own apples daily throughout the season. Easy drive up I-684 and good choice for young children. Afterward, stop off at Muscoot Farm (free admission) to visit a working farm (muscootfarm.org) or walk around charming Katonah.

Stuart's Farm – Granite Springs, 914-245-2784
62 Granite Springs Road; http://www.stuartsfarm.com/
The Stuart family farm, the oldest in Westchester, offers nine types of apples. Also, pick your own pumpkins from the vine through November.

Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm – Yorktown Heights, 914-245-5111
1335 White Hill Road; www.wilkensfarm.com/
Apple picking began the first week of September and there are dozens of varieties. Wilkens offers pumpkin picking beginning October 15 and cut-your-own Christmas trees starting the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Dutchess County appletree

Fishkill Farms – Hopewell Junction, 845 897-4377****top pick****
9 Fishkill Farm Road; http://fishkillfarms.com
The farm's store stocks pies, donuts, pasture-raised eggs, locally produced ice cream, maple syrup and more. Apple varieties grown on the farm include Cortland, Spartan, Empire, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Mutsu, Jonagold, Idared, and Stayman Winesap.

Mead Orchards – Tivoli, 845-756-5641
15 Scism Road, off Rte. 9; www.meadorchards.com
Mead Orchards is a 185-acre fruit orchard and vegetable farm. Its orchards produce Fortune, Northern Spy, Senshu, Suncrisp, Cameo, Crimson Crisp and Ruby Frost, among others.

Orange County

Pennings Orchard – Warwick, 845-986-5959
Route 94 & Warwick Turnpike; http://penningsfarmmarket.com
Offers 15 different varieties. Probably the biggest and one of the best orchards around. The trees tend to be low to the ground, so you don't need a pole to pick them. Good for small children.

Apple Ridge Orchards – Warwick, 845-987-7717
101 Jessup Road; www.appleridgeorchards.com
Located in the picturesque Warwick Valley, the views are worth the whole trip, not to mention being able to pick pumpkins right off the vine. This is a great place for kids as they have dwarf apple trees. An added attraction is the glass honey bee observation hive where kids can watch honey bees at work and learn about pollination.

Slate Hill Orchards – Slate Hill, 845-355-4403
2580 US Route 6; www.slatehillorchards.com
Starting every Saturday and Sunday the third weekend in September, Slate Hill gives its guests the opportunity to not only explore the farm, but to also pick apples (15 varieties), pumpkins and, a treat we don't usually see in our area as pick-your-own, grapes.

Rockland

Dr. Davies Farm – Congers
306 Route 304; 845-268-7020
This historic 35-acre orchard is home to 4,000 trees and is open for picking daily. One of the oldest continually working farms in the area.

Nearby New Jersey

Riamede Farm -- Chester, 908-879-5353
122 Oakdale Road. www.riamede.com
Bring your own scissors and snip a pumpkin right off the vine starting September 28! The farm offers a complimentary hayride to the picking field on weekends and Columbus Day. You can also pick your own apples in several varieties including heirlooms.