Brownie Sullivan, Father of Michelle Lichtenberg, Passes Away at 99
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Below is an obituary for Robert Browning Sullivan, father of Michelle Lichtenberg of Scarsdale:
Robert Browning Sullivan, known to many as Brownie, died peacefully in his Bethesda, Maryland home of 55 years on February 24, 2017. He was 99, and was born on August 2, 1917 in Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C. home of his parents, Esther Price Swett Sullivan and Robert Young Sullivan, M.D. Brownie attended John Eaton School, and Western High School, where he was the football team captain.
Brownie was a 1939 graduate of Dartmouth College, 1942 graduate of Dartmouth Medical School, and a 1944 graduate of Georgetown University Medical School. Brownie was also a two year "graduate" of the Trudeau Sanatorium in the Adirondacks as a survivor of tuberculosis.
After two years of a pediatric practice, Dr. Sullivan went on to pursue child psychiatry. In addition to his private practice that spanned five decades, Dr. Sullivan was the Director of Child Center of Catholic University during the 1950's and was on the Georgetown Medical faculty for over 25 years. During the last ten years of his professional career, Dr. Sullivan was the Psychiatric Director of Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents (RICA) in Rockville, MD. Dr. Sullivan retired at 75 years of age.
During his psychiatry residence at the University of Minnesota in 1949, he met Leone Mary Stevens, who would become his beloved wife of nearly 55 years. They married November 3, 1950, and Leone passed away June 30, 2005.
Brownie had lifelong friends, stemming from his boyhood in Cleveland Park which developed into the "Poker Boys" and "Les Savants". An avid athlete, he particularly enjoyed football and tennis. He was a 50-year member of the Edgemoor Club and retired from tennis at 91. As a youth, Brownie played the trumpet and was the bugle boy for President Hoover, playing taps during the Civil War ceremony in 1930 in Washington, DC, and for several summers played reveille and taps at the Lantern Hill Boys Camp in Connecticut. A self-taught pianist, Brownie had a mean stride-style in the tradition of Art Tatum.
Dr. Sullivan is survived by his children: Mark Gregory Sullivan of Bethesda, Timothy John Sullivan of Washington, D.C, and Michelle Sullivan Lichtenberg of Scarsdale, NY and two grandsons Andrew Browning Lichtenberg of Brooklyn, NY and Alexander Robert Lichtenberg of Brooklyn, NY. One son, Gregory Stevens Sullivan, predeceased Dr. Sullivan.
An armchair philosopher and theologian with a twinkle in his eye and a playful sense of humor, Brownie was a gentleman and a scholar and much loved by his family and friends.
Memorial contributions can be made to Montgomery Hospice, 1355 Piccard Drive, Suite 100 Rockville, MD 20850 or montgomeryhospice.org.
Congressman Eliot Engel to Visit Scarsdale on Thursday March 2
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Congressman Eliot L. Engel will be the featured guest at the March 2 meeting of the Scarsdale Forum that will be held at 7:30pm in the Scott Room of the Scarsdale Public Library. This event is free and open to the public.
The Congressman, who represents portions of Westchester and the Bronx, will present "A View from Washington." Engel is the ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee including the Subcommittee on Health, and the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. He is the founder and Co-Chair of the House Oil and National Security Caucus, which is seeking clean, energy efficient alternatives to America's over-reliance on oil. He also sits on the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, the Bipartisan Task Force for Combatting Anti-Semitism, the HIV/AIDS Caucus, the Long Island Sound Caucus, and the Animal Protection Caucus, among others. Residents may learn more by visiting Congressman Engel's website here.
Forum members will have the opportunity to vote on a previously released report: "Proposal of the Education Committee for a New Paradigm of Resilient Community Problem-Solving and Development of a Long Range Financial Plan in Support of the Scarsdale Schools as Its First Design Challenge." All reports are available on their website at www.scarsdaleforum.com.
Statement from Carl Finger: Candidate for Village Trustee
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Trustee Carl Finger has been nominated by the Citizens Nominating Committee to serve a second two-year term as Trustee of Scarsdale Village. We asked Carl questions about his background, his experience and his views on village government and here is what he shared. The election for Village Mayor and Trustees will be held on Tuesday March 21st at Scarsdale Library.
From Carl Finger:
As a sitting Trustee for almost two years I have become intimately familiar with the various issues facing the village including the budget, the legislative process, and the general functioning of Village staff and government. That knowledge has permitted me to progressively advocate and legislate as a more effective trustee and that experience cannot be replaced. Prior to my service as a Trustee I served on the Board of Architectural Review, the Conservation Advisory Council, two subcommittees of the Westchester County Board of Legislatures, among other committees. As part of my professional responsibilities I have lobbied before the New York State Assembly, New York State Senate, and County Board of Legislators, as well as the County Executive, and various town boards and city councils. I have litigated against municipalities in challenging their procedural and substantive actions and thus gained singular familiarity with many of the requirements of law under which municipalities operate. I also represent numerous boards of associations and regularly review budgets, financial statements, capital budgets, bid procedures, labor issues, and other matters similar to those which come before the board of trustees. This varied experience gives me a broad perspective of government functioning.
I am a long term resident of Scarsdale having grown up in Scarsdale and lived in Scarsdale for the last eighteen years. This has provided me longer term and a broader view of many issues. It has enabled me to reach out to the community and seek opinions from those that have resided here with me since 1969 and with whom I attend school and from more recent residents whom I've gotten to know since 1998. Such history also provides me with a level of credibility when I deal with many of these citizens because of my long term relationships with them and permits me to have candid conversations. I keep in mind the transitions that Scarsdale has undergone over the years as well as those projects that did not materialize as I evaluate projects and issues that come before the Board today. I continue to envision the Scarsdale of the future as well as the Scarsdale of the present and past. As a member of the Board of Architectural review I endeavored to bring a sense of openness and availability to the community. I welcomed the public's comments and I genuinely appreciate the participation and voices of the community. I offered a sense to those appearing that while the result in any situation may not be as they sought, the process resulted in serious consideration of the points they may have raised.
As a trustee I continued to welcome and in fact seek out community participation. I encouraged the community to share their feelings and positions with me in private, by email, by phone, by letter, and by attending public meetings. I met with citizens outside of formal meetings whenever possible. The different voices lend color to the actual impacts of our decisions. I often shared the information provided to me by village staff and at meetings with people who could not attend. These efforts helped people to understand my perspective even if they did not agree. I found that more often than not, armed with the full information, people came to the same conclusions as I did. I have attempted to both represent the citizens and lead the community in appropriate situations.
As a Trustee, however, I found that perhaps the most important skill I could bring to the table was to properly and seriously question myself, the other trustees, and the staff. For instance, in questioning why we could not obtain greater reimbursement from Con Ed for repaving streets impacted by Con Ed work, I found that there was a legislative solution which would increase the Village's reimbursement from Con Ed. We subsequently enacted the required legislation which will pay substantial dividends going forward. On another occasion I questioned why Scarsdale had not audited certain aspects of Cablevision's services and this resulted in our engaging a consultant and ultimately receiving a settlement of almost $100,000.00 together with increased payments ongoing for the foreseeable future. The key was not only asking the right questions, but also an awareness of what is happening in other communities. I have sought to keep abreast of other trends in other communities which may assist Scarsdale, such as described above.
We will need to be cognizant of these and other issues as we proceed in the future. From deciding what type of technology to use for parking meters (I encouraged and voted in favor delaying a commitment of over $450,000.00 in the coming budget year in favor of what will be a cost fee or nearly cost free pilot program with individual meters), to the replacement of the Heathcote Road bridge, to the Freightway Garage, to the rehabilitation of the Ardsley Road Water Tank, to the Hutchinson River stormwater mitigation project, to overseeing the Library renovation, experience, critical thinking, financial prudence, and awareness of the history of the village, and cognizance of surrounding communities will all be necessary.
I have sought to keep an open mind from beginning to end and to make decisions that best represent the trust which the community has placed in me. I provided my thoughts and decision making process to the community in the hope that in so doing the decision will engender the understanding and respect of the citizenry. Over the past two years I have found working with the Village Staff, Trustees, and Community to be cooperative and overall an amazingly rewarding experience. I hope that I will have the opportunity to continue to serve the community as a Trustee.
Trustee Finger invites Scarsdale residents to call him or email him at [email protected] at to discuss any issues of importance to you.
En Garde: Scarsdale Fencer Heads to Junior Olympics
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Scarsdale High School Freshman, Reza Merchant, age 14, has qualified for the Junior Olympics in fencing and will compete in Kansas City, MO, from February 17 - 20.
Reza says his strategy for success at the Junior Olympics is to "go in and fence hard, fence smart and leave it all out there!" He fences with a weapon called a foil in the U17 (under age 17) category.
We asked Reza for his thoughts on fencing and here is what he shared:
How did you get introduced to fencing?
I grew up loving "Star Wars," light sabers and also playing with knights, so the idea of fencing was very cool to me. Fencing seemed mysterious and interesting too. As soon as I tried it, I instantly fell in love.
What do you enjoy about it?
I enjoy fencing because it has a balance of tactical and physical skills. No two touches (points scored) are ever alike. Also, my experiences at my fencing club have been absolutely amazing. I have been fencing at NAFA North in Portchester since I started and the club is like a family to me. We all have each other's back and we help each other become better fencers and more confident people.
What kind of fencing do you do – please describe it?
I do Epee. The sword is the heaviest one used in fencing. The entire body is valid target area, so you can hit wherever, anywhere from head to toe. Much of Epee is tactics. It seems like the slowest of the three weapons at first but as soon as there is an opportunity to hit someone strikes.
Do you meet people from all over the country?
At big tournaments I see people from all over the country. It's really fun and interesting to meet all these new people and develop competitive relationships with people I never would have had a chance to meet. I remember at a Regional Tournament in Connecticut I fenced against a kid who was two years older than me and I found it hard to keep up. About a year later at a National Tournament in Texas, I fenced against him again and had a very competitive bout. The mutual respect for all the other competitors is always present and it's amazing to feel that environment.
How do you balance school and fencing?
One of the hardest parts about fencing is balancing schoolwork and training. I train for about 14 hours a week. Sometimes it feels overwhelming to go straight from intense fencing training right into studying for a big test. The most important parts are focus and commitment. Putting in the work and staying true to myself are the only ways I can handle it. During my frees in school I'll try to do as much work as I can. Sometimes I just have to take a breath and relax; fencing actually helps me do that. Even if I am in an intense fencing bout, I feel more relaxed than when I'm doing anything else. As soon as I put on my mask, it's like I'm a different person, I can be anyone I want and it's all through my fencing.
Anything else you would like to add?
A lot of people and parents are scared of fencing because they're scared they'll get hurt or it's not safe. Fencing is one of the safest and most amazing sports and is completely worth the investment of time and effort. I have become so much more confident and passionate because of my fencing. I owe a lot of that to my coach, Joe Fisher, and my friends at NAFA North.
Commenting on Reza's success, John Gonzalez, NAFA North club owner and coach and a former champion fencer himself said, "We're so proud of Reza and our three other Junior Olympic qualifiers. Our club is unique in that recreational fencers train right along with our competitive fencers with everyone contributing their experience, learning from each other and cheering each other on."
Meet Seth Ross, Candidate for Village Trustee
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Seth Ross was one of the three candidates selected by the Citizens Nominating Committee to serve a two-year term as Village Trustee. The Village election will be held on Tuesday March 21 at Scarsdale Library.
In order to help you get to know him better, we asked him a few questions – and here are his responses.
(Q) Why are stepping up to serve the Village? What in your past civic activities prepares you for the position?
I'll answer these questions together because the answers are really intertwined. I've always believed that it's important to participate actively in one's community. Government "by the people" is meaningless if the people don't participate, and it's only as good as the character and the efforts of the people who are willing to step up.
Accordingly, since I moved to Scarsdale over 20 years ago I have done quite a bit of civic work. Scarsdale was a good fit for me in that the community as a whole works so hard to keep politics and partisanship out of local government. So I joined the TVCC (most of the functions of which have now been assumed by the Scarsdale Forum) and became a member of its board of directors, volunteered as a firefighter, and served on a number of committees, including the CNC and the Procedure Committee (which I chaired about ten years ago). I also served on and chaired the Zoning Board and the Planning Board.
In all of these roles I had the opportunity to participate and to learn about the community and some opportunity to influence outcomes. The work I was doing frequently required me to give a lot of thought to what I believed was best for the community. I also served on the Scarsdale Bowl Committee and chaired that committee in 2010. That was (maybe unexpectedly) one of the most important experiences I've had as a local volunteer because it exposed me to the examples of people who had done really outstanding service to the community, had made Scarsdale a better place, and took tremendous satisfaction in what they had accomplished. These people were great role models, and the satisfaction they got from their community service was contagious.
I am currently a trustee of the Scarsdale Foundation, a local charity that helps Scarsdale residents (as well as others) in a variety of ways and, again, exposes me to people (my fellow trustees) who do a great deal of good in the community. My 20 plus years of service in all these capacities has helped me to understand how Scarsdale functions and to develop the skill set I think is necessary for successful service on the Board of Trustees, and I think that service as a Village trustee is a logical next step.
(Q) What do you think are the key challenges facing Scarsdale today?
As always, the overriding challenge is to provide the government the Village needs, including the services and amenities that our residents expect, and to do so in a fiscally responsible manner. This has become increasingly difficult as it becomes more and more expensive for municipalities even to sustain current levels of service, not to mention upgrading services and facilities to keep pace with residents' changing needs.
This year, of course, there is an additional set of challenges. Both the second reval and the diminution of confidence in our local government that resulted from it must be dealt with. All of this is happening in an environment in which government in general has come to be widely perceived as, at best, a necessary evil rather than a really positive force.
Nevertheless, I think it's important that all of us, particularly those serving or seeking to serve as public officials, appreciate the issues we face as a community and a society and the ability of government to address those issues. Of course, those issues change and evolve over time, as do the tools available to government to tackle them, and one of the fundamental challenges of government at all levels is to evolve accordingly.
The many current threats to the quality of our physical environment comprise one such issue, and a very urgent one. The Village's food compost drop-off (the first of its kind in Westchester County) and the textile recycling bin, both at the Village's Secor Road facility, as well as the pilot LED streetlight program, are among the Village's efforts to combat some of those threats.
In response to concerns about the quality of communications between our local government and our residents, the Village's Ad Hoc Committee on Communications was formed and a new website (which is a big improvement over the previous one) was launched.
These are just a few of the efforts on the part of the Village to address changing needs and priorities. These efforts will be built upon and new ones will be launched as needed so that our local government can fulfill both its mandate and its potential as a positive force.
