Bubble Tea Shop to Open, Pool Complex Study Continues and More from the Village Board
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Dobbs and Bishop Cheese Shop plans to open in Scarsdale Village.Mayor Jane Veron provided updates on a traffic study, renovations to the Scarsdale Pool, retail openings in Scarsdale Village and cell service improvements in her opening comments at the Village Board meeting on September 13, 2022. Here are excerpts from her statement along with other news from that meeting:
Traffic and Safety
Veron said, “Earlier this evening, our Mobility and Placemaking consultants took the community through traffic and safety solutions for several of our highly trafficked streets including Sprague Road, Fox Meadow Road, and Crane Road. The goal is to suggest speed reduction strategies that might also be applied more broadly on residential streets throughout the Village. While each treatment was slightly different, strategies took into consideration parking and pedestrian crossing needs. The consultants encouraged community input, and we thank you for engaging in these discussions. FHI consultants plan to incorporate your feedback, continue outreach, and begin to develop a plan to test many of these applications.”
Pool Complex
About the Pool Complex study she said, “With eager anticipation, we will be bringing back our Pool Complex consultants on Wednesday, September 28, at 6 pm to share survey data and the associated pool concepts. Please note, the meeting will be held on a Wednesday to accommodate Tuesday holiday celebrations.
As you know, our pool has outlived its useful life, and very soon it will no longer operate. We have hobbled along with patches and emergency repairs, but as our existing conditions report has shown, this approach is not sustainable. Eventually we will have no pool unless we do something - and that is why we embarked on the pool complex study - to take the community’s pulse to see how much you value this community asset. And the answer was clear; you want your community pool.
Our consultants have synthesized your feedback and will share potential pool concepts that reflect your survey results. Board and staff have asked the consultants to provide rough cost estimates based on their extensive experience in the field so that we can have a general understanding of economics. Our conversations must be anchored in the community’s willingness to pay. The goal of the meeting is to illustrate for the community possible paths forward. A project of this magnitude will be considered in our Village budget capital program, and we will continue these conversations into budget season. We anticipate further community outreach throughout the fall.”
About a proposal by the Scarsdale Little League to install field lights at Crossway Field, Veron said, we are “evaluating the materials submitted by Little League to determine next steps for the lights discussion.”
Restaurant and Retail Openings
About the Village Center retail spaces Veron reported, “Sim Coe Beer Bar opened its doors in the former Taim space, offering beers on tap, mostly from local breweries, with canned beers to go. They are also selling snacks and some wines and alcoholic/non-alcoholic seltzers.
The One Rare steak house and the Dobbs & Bishop cheese shop are under construction, targeting openings by the end of the year. In early 2023, we will also be welcoming a bubble tea shop on Christie Place and a new French bistro in the Metro Diner space. The stars seemed to align as the owners of Metro Diner sought to concentrate all their energy on Metro Deli in the five corners, and a local businessperson was looking for a wonderful spot to bring Parisian flair.”
About gaps in cell phone service around the Village, she said, we “have been working to address the significant telecom service gap that must be closed. Throughout these past weeks, we have been conducting discussions with telecom carriers to craft a proposal to be reviewed in an upcoming public work session in October.
In anticipation of this meeting, we sought input from the Board of Education and have already received their letter of support. We are grateful to the Board of Education and Interim Superintendent Drew Patrick who have partnered with the Village on a multitude of joint efforts, and we have instituted regular quarterly meetings to review our progress, with our next one slotted for tomorrow.”
Girl Scout House to Reopen
Veron said, “We expect to reopen the Girl Scout House at the end of this month, with a ribbon cutting slated for Wednesday, September 28. Throughout the summer, we have met with the Girl Scout leadership and sorted through a plan to make the necessary repairs and scheduling protocol updates to further our partnership. We look forward to welcoming the Girl Scouts and other community groups back into this space.
New Village Attorney
Veron announced that the Village had hired a new law firm, Keane and Beane. She said, “I want to thank Village Attorney Dan Pozin for his two plus years of service to the Village. His kind demeanor put everyone at ease, and we are grateful to him and his firm for their dedication. Later this evening, we will entertain a resolution to appoint Nick Ward Willis, of Keene & Beane to the role of Village Attorney. Nick has over 25 years of municipal, land use, and environmental law experience. Nick is currently the City Attorney in Beacon in Dutchess County and has served as the Town Attorney in New Castle as well as provided services to other local municipalities such as Rye Brook, Bedford, Sleepy Hollow and others. Keane & Beane is a leading firm in the areas of municipal law and land use and brings over forty years of experience in Westchester and neighboring counties.”
After the meeting we asked Village Manager Rob Cole for an explanation of the shift in law firms and he said, “As a matter of routine, the Village evaluates vendor contracts coming up for renewal. As part of that process, which is used for many types of agreements, we entertain proposals from competing firms, conduct interviews, and render a vendor selection. In the case of legal counsel, that is what transpired and Keane & Beane was the firm selected through that process.”
Public Comments
During Public Comments Mayra Kirkendall Rodriguez called in to invite students in grades K-11 to attend a recruiting event for the scouts at Hitchcock Church on Sunday September 18 at 4 pm, where fun scouting activities will be showcased.
Bob Harrison came to the mic to insist that a major renovation to the pool complex was unnecessary. He said, “My wife Terry and I spent every weekend at the Scarsdale Pool this summer. I don’t know how you can say the pool has outlived its useful life. The pool has had a fabulous season. 5809 children and adults used it. Congratulations to the courteous pool staff. The weather was hot and the pool was cool. The snack bar had an excellent array of snacks and food. Why would Scarsdale want to spend $10-$20 million? The survey response was meager. The enterprise fund has been self-supporting for years. Lets manage our Village funds wisely, not on a Disneydale pool project with a lazy river. We want to see the results of the survey, we have not gotten the information. We want to see the tabulation of the responses. What were they? The pool was self-supporting since 1968. Mayor – I don’t think you have been to the pool this summer. Tell me, were you there? How can you tell what’s going on at the pool site? We are heading into a recession. There are going to be a couple of tough years.”
However, many of Harrison’s claims were refuted by the Board. In response to Harrison’s comments, Mayor Veron said, “We have an existing conditions survey that shows we are living on borrowed time.” Trustee Ahuja reviewed the responses to the survey which in fact numbered 1,373, an exceptional count. Trustee Whitestone answered Harrison’s claim that the pool was self-supporting, saying, “The Pool Enterprise Fund, which was meant to be self-sustaining has been drained.” Trustee Gans pointed out that the pool complex no longer met health and safety codes and Trustee Lewis said, “The physical plant is broken. It is not reasonable to patch it. We want to preserve and enhance the pool. There was quite a statement of interest and support from the public.”
After the trustees responded, Harrison became unhinged and started screaming from his seat in Village Hall, saying, “this was not true.”
Former part-time library employee Robin Stettnisch from Yorktown Heights continued her campaign to reclaim her job. She equated the move to renovate the pool complex with the decision to renovate and expand the library. She said, “I hear a lot of people complaining about all the money that was spent at the library. It was a small number of people, the richest of the rich. A lot of people are unhappy with it. It was a small group of people who made it happen. Is it a small group who is not representative who are making these comments on the pool?”
She called in a second time at the end of the meeting.
Village Manager Rob Cole responded to her claim that the Village is responsible for her position, saying, “Library employees are employed by the Library and it is a separate legal entity from the Village, though that distinction is not readily known by many. The Village endeavors to deliver programs and services in the most cost-effective manner to achieve the lowest possible tax burden for Scarsdale residents. Thus, the Village handles payroll and benefits for the Scarsdale Public Library, explaining the Village information on Library employee checks, for example. Such shared service arrangements benefit our residents through reduced overall tax burden.”
Scarsdale10583 asked Cole if the Village Board is obligated to listen to non-resident comments at their meetings and he said, “Open public comment includes non-residents.”
Trustees comments included a report from Trustee Jonathan Lewis who said he had done a walk-through of Chase Park with the Friends of Scarsdale Parks and discussed the challenges of maintaining Village parks.
He unearthed a 1999 report the inventories 28 “paper streets” in Scarsdale. These are undeveloped pathways between homes that are in varying states. He said, “This is a timely moment to review this report. We have seen a land grab by some neighbors. These are too precious to ignore. Hopeful we can have an open discussion about paper streets in the future.” He also reported that the police and fire department had conducted drills to prepare for an active shooter event this summer. On investments, he suggested that the Village should release quarterly financial reports to show how Village funds are invested.
Trustee Brew invited the public to the Scarsdale League of Women Voter’s membership coffee in the dining tent at 9:30 am on Monday September 19, 2022.
About the library, she reported that during July and August the library held 102 programs and in total reached 4500 attendees, including children, teens and adults.
Trustee Whitestone said that Scarsdale Family Counseling Service is looking for a replacement for Maryellen Saenger who ran programming for seniors in the “Aging in Place” program. Until someone else is hired, Saenger will continue.
He also urged pedestrians to be cautious, citing a pedestrian safety flyer produced by NYS.
He said, “if there are no sidewalks, pedestrians should walk facing traffic. That is a simple rule that I urge residents to follow. Wear light or reflective clothing at dusk or at night.”
The Board then passed a series of resolutions and heard a report from the Village Treasurer. See more here:
Con Edison to Extend Gas Line Replacement in Greenacres
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The installation of a high-pressure transmission gas main and local distribution gas main along Walworth Avenue from Fenimore Road to the White Plains border has reached the upper block of Walworth Avenue by Claremont Road. The project began in the summer of 2021 and involved excavation work and road closures along the route.
About the project, Con Edison said, “The purpose of these mains will be to upgrade and sustain the reliability of our gas service in both Scarsdale and Westchester County.” At the time, they expected the Walworth Avenue portion to be completed by March 31, 2022, but it appears to have taken a few months more.
The good news is that after each block of the work was completed, Con Edison smoothed and repaved the roadway and the Village installed new curbing where needed. So though it was painful for residents during the process, the result is upgraded gas service as well as repaved streets with new curbing.
The next phase of the work will be to upgrade distribution gas pipes and service lines for the full length of Greenacres Avenue, Colvin Road and Brayton Road. According to Village Engineer David Goessl, the low pressure cast iron pipes on those streets are very old and need to be replaced. Preliminary planning for this project is underway with property owners receiving advanced outreach letters from Con Edison Westchester Construction Management. Once that work is done, Greenacres Avenue, Colvin Road and Brayton Road will be resurfaced in entirety with curbing restored where needed.
The long-term plan calls for the replacement of local distribution gas pipes and service lines in a major portion of Greenacres extending from Brite Avenue to Walworth Avenue and Fenimore to Farley Roads. The work will be phased sequentially into early 2023 followed by road resurfacing, weather permitting.
Stay tuned for the timeline.
Mayor Announces Results of Pool Complex Survey
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(Here are remarks delivered by Scarsdale Mayor Jane Veron at the August 9, 2022 meeting of the Scarsdale Village Board.)
Good evening, Scarsdale. I hope you are having a summer filled with friends and family and have had the chance to take time for yourselves to reenergize. Our Board is grateful to staff for keeping the Village running so well as we simultaneously continue to progress two important village projects. I want to share updates on both.
Pool Survey and Complex
First, a big thank you to our residents. You made Scarsdale proud with your active participation in the pool complex survey - defying standard engagement metrics. Here are the facts: We received 690 surveys from the statistically valid survey (over twice as many as required) that strongly supported the information received in the 1373 online surveys. Over 90% of the respondents were either permit holders in 2019, 2020, and/or 2021 or had previously had a pool permit. Based on the survey responses, it is incredibly clear that the community loves the pool complex and believes it to be a vital community asset.
Topline results showed that the community would be interested in exploring several options for the reimagined pool complex:
-50% of respondents would desire an indoor or combination indoor/outdoor facility
-About a third of respondents seek a renovated, updated outdoor facility
-And the balance of respondents preferred an outdoor facility with significant enhancements. This segment’s preference grew in prominence during the in-person sessions with many newer residents with young children favoring enhancements.
Respondents strongly value pool complex components that are currently featured in our existing facility: concessions, designated wading pool, shade, lawn areas, and deep and shallow water. Further enhancements most liked by Scarsdale as evidenced by the survey results and the in-person, dot voting engagement sessions include: splashpad/spray pad, water slide, zero depth and lazy river.
Ultimately, we will need to find the intersection of the community’s desires with their willingness to pay. Any development of this magnitude will require significant capital expense as well as funding for ongoing annual operations and maintenance. The next step is to get more granular so that the community can react to possibilities while simultaneously understanding the economic implications. We have directed the consultants to use the survey results to guide the creation of three options along with the associated economics that can be presented to the community in early fall. We wish to have practical and realistic conversations, engaging all stakeholders including the school district. We have the chance to make a lasting long term positive impact on Scarsdale with a renewed asset that will be enjoyed by Scarsdale for generations.
Mayor Jane Veron
Village Center Study
In tonight’s work session, FHI Studio consultants returned for another public engagement workshop on the Village Center Mobility and Placemaking Study. The Village is all of ours, and we appreciate the participation of so many stakeholders including neighborhood associations, community groups, merchants, property owners, the Scarsdale Business Alliance, and interested residents. The material shared this evening provided further detail on a proposed vision for the Village Center, updated and refined based on the last feedback session.
FHI Studio reviewed the proposed placemaking and access concepts and shared draft concepts to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety on Popham Rd and intersections along Popham Rd. The proposed placemaking concepts seek to activate public spaces, increase the quantity and quality of gathering spaces, and improve conditions for businesses in the Village Center. The design concepts for Popham Road aim to improve safety for all users and improve vehicular traffic flow by creating a more organized driving experience, reducing potential conflict points, improving signal timing, and creating safer, more comfortable, pedestrian crossings, all while maintaining existing vehicle capacity. These concepts were developed after extensive technical analysis of available data including previous traffic studies and drone data collected earlier this year as well as a review of past reports and public input. FHI Studio has also integrated real time public and stakeholder comments and has been iterating designs accordingly.
In September, FHI Studio will be submitting the draft Sprague Road plan as well as the Mobility plan for Fox Meadow and Crane Road. FHI will again collect feedback and refine recommendations. Thank you to those who have already offered comment and written feedback. It is greatly appreciated! We continue to encourage members of the public to continue to share their feedback on the draft concepts.
We do not anticipate any more public work sessions in August unless something unexpected arises. The Village Board will be holding a limited agenda meeting on August 23.
However, before you know it, September will be here, and it will be filled with lots more opportunity for continued conversation on our key projects. We also plan to discuss the Recreation Fee schedule later in September and are targeting a fall date to queue up discussions to close our telecom gaps. Our next scheduled Village Board meeting will take place on September 13. If any of our projects are ready for a Sept 6 work session, we will provide public notice.
Consultants to Develop Three Scenarios for the Future of the Scarsdale Pool
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The Scarsdale Village Board approved agreements with Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Services, okayed a subdivision fee for a lot to be divided at 40 Mamaroneck Road, hired a Personnel Administrator and heard comments about plans for the pool renovation at their August 9, 2022 meeting.
Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Service
The Village Board voted unanimously to approve funding for the Aging in Place program and for the Youth Services Project.
The Aging in Place program allows many Scarsdale seniors to receive support to remain in their homes, by providing counseling, in home assessments, referrals, education, intergenerational programming and more for residents 65 years and older. The board approved $56,995 to fund the initiative.
The Youth Services Project is funded jointly by the Scarsdale School District and the Village for a total cost of $556,500, or $278,250 to come from the Village Budget. The funding goes toward youth outreach workers for middle school and high school students, parent support groups, the Scarsdale Drug and Alcohol Task Force and more.
Commenting on the program, Randall Whitestone who serves as the liaison to SFCS from the Village Board said, “At no other time has that support been more necessary… They take “a holistic approach across a spectrum of community needs” and are “dynamic and adaptable.”
“These have been trying times and I am grateful for the work Jay (Genova) and his staff is doing.”
New Personnel Administrator
The Village announced that Robyn Nowlin has been hired to be the Personnel Administrator for the Village of Scarsdale at an annual salary of $135,000. The resolution says she is a “human resources generalist with nearly 25 years of experience in labor relations, human capital development and regulatory compliance.”
Subdivision Fee
Trustees approved a subdivision fee for a two-lot subdivision at a 2.9 acre site at 40 Mamaronenck Road where developer Shlomo Freidfertig has plans to build a new house while retaining a historic house behind it. The fee is $125,000 which is 5% of the value of the lot as outlined in the 2018 Subdivision Recreation Fee Schedule.
Sale of Mack Truck
Trustees approved a resolution to sell a 2008 Mack garbage truck to the highest bidder in an online auction.
Public Comments
During public comments, Anne Hintermeister asked to see the results of the pool survey, requesting the survey data or the report created for the staff and Village Board.
Mayor Jane Veron responded and said that yes, the Board had originally planned to hold a public meeting to review the data but instead asked the consultants to use their time to develop concepts and costs for the three options favored in the survey. Since one of these options include an indoor pool, the Mayor and Village Manager said that plans and costs would be developed for three scenarios:
-An indoor or combination indoor/outdoor facility
-A renovated, updated outdoor facility
-An outdoor facility with significant enhancements.
Hintermeister persisted on her request to review the survey data, and Village Manager Rob Cole asked her to contact him after the meeting.
Robert Berg was enthusiastic about the prospect of an indoor pool and said, “It’s great news that 50% support an indoor pool especially since the survey did not address that. It will fill a hole and provide a needed amenity. I would suggest the consultants look at a few options for the indoor pool so that we don’t have a prohibitive cost. It would be a tremendous asset for the community and it could be subsidized by all taxpayers.”
Bob Harrison called in to give a report on the Scarsdale Youth Summer Tennis League. He reported that Caroline Moser – 8 years old won the girls tournament and Charles Grandifield, age 11, won the boys tournament. He added, “We served 64 pieces of pizza the night of the tournament.” About the pool he said, “How much will the pool renovations cost? We have been there this summer and it is operating beautifully. It is a gem of a pool. I think a lot of the elected officials do not belong to the pool. The only way you can know how it is operating is to be there.”
Former part-time librarian Robin Stettnisch continued her campaign to be rehired at the Scarsdale Public Library. She said, “Why I am out there is this affects my family – my three sons are going to college. This will affect them for the rest of their lives. I want the Scarsdale residents to know that I will continue to fight for my own children.” Referring to the Village Board July 9 meeting she said, “The Mayor read a statement about me that was untrue. She said the Village plays no role in hiring or terminating library employees.” Stettnisch handed out copies of her Scarsdale pay stub that says Village of Scarsdale and shows the Village seal and a copy of the employment agreement between the Village of Scarsdale and library employees.
She continued, “How can you say that I was never employed by the Village in any capacity? … The Village was involved in funding that $21.7 mm expansion. Who thought of funding the expansion on the employees backs? She concluded, “Shame on the Mayor and shame on the Board for repeatedly misleading the residents of Scarsdale.”
Westchester Band Hosts Mid Summer's Night Dream Concert at Chase Park
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We had the pleasure of attending the “Mid Summer’s Night Dream” concert of the Westchester Band at Chase Park on Thursday July 21 and it was indeed a dream. It was a balmy night and the park was transformed into a well-lit stage for the large orchestra and the audience who surrounded them on lawn chairs and blankets. The road in front of the park was closed to traffic allowing others to spill out into the street and set up their chairs in front of the post office, for a night of primarily American works.
The sizable band, led by Musical Director Alan Hollander, is composed of professional, amateur and outstanding student musicians and puts on an impressive performance. We recognized music teachers and neighbors and were totally impressed with the sounds they produced.
On the program were a selection from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, the New World Symphony and two compositions from John Philip Sousa and lots more.
The audience swayed and clapped while children darted around the park and everyone enjoyed a totally free night of enjoyment.
Concerts continue on Thursday nights July 28, August 4 and 11 at 8 pm at Chase Park and we suggest you attend and savor these free concerts before summer ends.
