Scarsdale Wins Award for Christie Place Development
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Here are remarks from Mayor Carolyn Stevens made at a joint meeting of the Village Trustees and Board of Education on May 27. Earlier this week I attended the New York Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) Annual meeting in Saratoga, New York. One of the reasons I attended was that Scarsdale was awarded First Place in the area of Economic Development for the Christie Place development. NYCOM found the project to be an innovative and creative. The project, as many of you know, involved a public/private partnership, that provided the Village with many benefits, including much needed parking, senior housing, and accessibility to transportation, while adding to the vitality of the Village center with retail on the first level and housing above. In addition, the development provides the Village with several streams of revenue. For all these reasons, the NYCOM board found the project to be a model of progressive and innovative problem solving. While I accepted the award at the dinner last Sunday, it really belongs to former Mayor Beverly Sved and the trustees who worked with her to create a better solution. I would be remiss if I also didn’t mention Abby Stillman – a resident who first raised the concept in conversations with Beverly and other board members as well as Doug Brout who had vision and perfect timing.
I learned a lot while at the conference on governmental issues but what I learned about our own government and staff was perhaps most interesting. There are a number of communities in the state with serious economic issues that threaten their very existence, while we are extremely well run and on sound financial footing. I found that this Village has produced a number of professionals in government who now occupy positions in a number of communities throughout the state. I learned how well respected our professional staff members are regarded among their peers and how well the staff informs the Board on issues and governmental principles, and how well we are kept a breast of the ‘best practices’ for governmental practices and processes. Sometimes when we are close to a situation and focused on how we can do things better we lose site of our well trained, dedicated and highly professional staff and the service they provide to our Village and its residents. That does not mean that we do not seek to constantly improve our practices and services but it does mean that we should acknowledge the high level of professionalism out staff provides. So I personally want to thank Al Gatta and all of the staff for their dedication to good government and for the high level of professionalism they bring to their positions.
I would also like to remind folks to patronize our farmer’s market that has moved out doors at Village Hall parking lot.
This weekend is Memorial Day. While I recognize for many this signals the beginning of summer, barbeques and the beach or pool, the day is about remembrance…remembrance of those who gave their lives and continue to give their lives today in Afghanistan and Iraq. Please take some time to remember why we have the day off. It is to pay tribute to those who are not here to share in our festivities but whose blood has made them possible. So come to our parade, sponsored by the American Legion on Monday and bring your children or grandchildren so that they might understand the meaning of the day, or visit our lovely memorial garden and learn the history of Scarsdalians’ contributions to the armed conflicts our nation. If nothing else, take some time out of your day to pay tribute and remember those who died so that we might enjoy our freedom.
Scarsdale Adult School Offers Something for Everyone
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The Scarsdale Adult School has announced their class offerings for the 2010 summer season. There are a series of classes for college-aged young adults as well as a separate array of courses open to all adults.
Life Skills for College Students and Recent Graduates teaches young adults, 16+ years old how to manage living on their own. Subjects include Advocating for Yourself and Promoting Healthy Relationships, Auto Maintenance and Safe Driving Techniques, Managing Your Money, and Cooking 101 and Eating Healthfully.
The Adult School is offering many exercise classes, including Golf Level I and II, Body Sculpting, Gentle Yoga, and Tai Chi. Additionally, art classes include Art to Wear: Jewelry Beading and Painting With Pastels.
The school will continue their Italian speaking class this summer with Intermediate-Advanced Conversation and Grammar all' aperto. The class will consist of immersion in italian literature, culture, current events, conversation, and grammatical instruction.
To register, or for information on all course offerings, visit www.ScarsdaleAdultSchool.org. Questions? Call 723-2325.
Jim Maisano Announces Bid for NYS Supreme Court Justice
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Westchester County Legislator Jim Maisano announced on May 11 that he is running this November for New York State Supreme Court Justice for the 9th Judicial District includes Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange and Dutchess Counties. Maisano has served on the Westchester County Board of Legislators for the past 13 years representing New Rochelle and Pelham and currently serves as Minority Leader.
Maisano stated, “I have been committed to public service since I joined the Marine Corps in 1984 and continue to honor this commitment through my service as a County Legislator. I have deep respect for the powerful impact of the courts and judiciary on people’s lives. I look forward to bringing my skills and experience to the bench. My goal is to be a judge that exemplifies Thomas Jefferson’s important ideal that ‘the most sacred of the duties of a government is to do equal and impartial justice to all its citizens.’”
Throughout his service as a legislator, Maisano has also practiced law. In the past eight years, he has worked in the New York offices of two international law firms. He has been a counsel with Crowell & Moring LLP since 2007 practicing in the areas of commercial litigation, financial services and antitrust law. Maisano represents clients in a wide range of federal, state and local litigation and arbitration actions with cases dealing with business, real estate and financial institution issues. Before Crowell & Moring, he practiced commercial litigation, financial services, real estate, negligence and government relations at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney (2003-2007). He practiced law in New Rochelle as a sole practitioner in commercial litigation, real estate, negligence and criminal defense matters (1995-2003); with an insurance defense firm (1994-1995); and a commercial litigation firm (1992-1994). He was also a small claims court arbitrator in the New Rochelle City Court (1996-2003).
Maisano continued, “My experience in both small and large law firms, along with government and military service, provides me with a diverse and broad-based background. I am used to addressing real-world problems that people face every day, as well as litigating complex corporate business disputes. I will bring this lifetime of experience to the courtroom each day and be a firm, fair and empathetic judge.”
He was re-elected to his seventh term on the Board of Legislators in 2009. First elected in 1997, Maisano has held various leadership positions, including: Republican Minority Leader (2003, 2010); Republican Minority Whip (2002, 2008, 2009); Co-Chair, Rules Committee (2003); Chair, Public Works Committee (2000-2001); and Chair, Intergovernmental Relations Committee (2004-2005). He has also served on the Legislation, Environment, Families and Labor Committees.
Maisano served his country in the United States Marine Corps from 1984 to 1988 during which time he received several awards and commendations. He worked as a landing support specialist in embarkation and logistics, trained and supervised other Marines and was honorably discharged as a Sergeant.
Maisano earned a B.A. in history and political science from City University of New York at Hunter College in 1989. In 1992, he received a J.D. from State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law, where he gave the student commencement speech. Maisano graduated from Iona Prep in New Rochelle in 1981.
He lives with his wife Jean and son Michael in New Rochelle with their dogs Oakley and Marlee. Jean works as a fund raising and communications consultant for nonprofit agencies in Westchester. The Maisano family attends Holy Name of Jesus Church in New Rochelle.
Greenacres Spring Fling
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The Greenacres Association hosted their annual Spring Fling on Friday May 21 at Hitchcock Church. The well-attended event featured live music, dinner, drinks and good company. Greenacres residents young and old, newcomers and long-time residents all met, mingled and celebrated another year of sharing their community.
Lynne Clark, a Greenacres Resident and realtor at Houlihan Lawrence shared her perspective on Greenacres. The land we now call home was once owned by the Mohican Indians, who sold it to John Richbell in 1660. Richbell’s widow Anne later sold the acreage to Caleb Heathcote. Many of the homes that still stand today were built in the 1920’s when the Bronx River Parkway opened in 1924.
Clark then gave the group an update on the real estate market. In 2009 only 23 homes sold in Greenacres, a gradual decline from a high of 50 homes sold in 2004. As of May 19 this year, 8 homes have sold and 15 more are in contract, so it looks like we are seeing a turnaround. The average price for 2010 now stands at $1,437,500, which is way up from the 2009 average price of $1,100,000.
The evening was enjoyed by all. Thanks go to Lulu’s for supplying a delicious cake, for the trays of Baklava from Elia Taverna of Bronxville and to the Board and volunteers for putting together a festive event.
Speak Out On Scarsdale10583
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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In the past few months I have heard from many of you who wish to publish Letters to the Editor and opinions on Scarsdale10583.com. However a Scarsdale Inquirer policy forces you to choose between the site and the paper.
According to site users, the Scarsdale Inquirer will not print a letter in the paper if it is also published on Scarsdale10583. This has prevented many of you from sharing your views on Scarsdale10583. Since the website facilitates user comments, this policy inhibits community discussion of important matters. Furthermore, as all members of the community do not receive the newspaper, the Inquirer policy precludes you from reaching a wide audience of Scarsdale and Edgemont residents who regularly access the site, but may not read the paper.
The site is now almost a year-and-a-half old and is growing every month. It includes a wide range of voices and opinions and seeks to air what’s on your mind and to give you the opportunity to comment and offer feedback.
On a personal note, since I have lived here for twenty years and served on many school and village committees I understand Scarsdale’s issues and I am sensitive to residents’ concerns. I was elected to the School Board Nominating Committee and served on the committee for three years and as its Vice Chair for an additional year. I was also elected to the Citizen’s Nominating Committee and served for three years in the selection of candidates for village trustee. As a member of the Board of the League of Women Voters I led the budget study of the school budget and the village budget for several years and I call on my experiences when producing site content. It was inevitable that the internet would come to Scarsdale, and I believe it serves the Village to have a local resident with local sensibilities manage a Scarsdale site. At this point, Scarsdale10583 has become a part of the fabric of the community and has every right to exist.
If you have an opinion that you would like to publish, I urge you to send it to Scarsdale10583 and pushback against the newspaper’s policy. Speak out on taxes, the upcoming election or whatever else is on your mind. After all, for you and the community, the more people who read and react to your views the better.
Regards,
Joanne Wallenstein
Founder
Scarsdale10583.com
