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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 25 June 2019

Created: 25 June 2019

Last Updated: 27 June 2019

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New license plate reader technology installed in Scarsdale police cruiser.Though the installation of new parking enforcement technology in a Scarsdale Police car is welcomed by Scarsdale’s parking officers, it may not seem like good news to those who park on Village streets and in Village lots.

The new software allows the driver of the police cruiser to scan cars parked on Village streets and in Village owned lots and store the position of each car at a given time. In the parking lots, if a car does not have a valid permit, or if two cars are using the same permit, the system issues an alert and the parking officer issues a ticket.

Similarly for cars parked in the Village or on Scarsdale streets, the cruiser records times and positions of parked cars, and if the maximum time is reached, the system alerts the officer who can issue a violation.

The maximum time permitted to park in the Village is 90 minutes and the technology immediately warns the officer if a vehicle has been parked too long. In addition, if a driver parks in one spot for 90 minutes and then moves the car to another spot less than 300 feet away, even if the meter is filled, they will be ticketed.

At the same time, the Village has rolled out the use of the parking app PANGO, which allows drivers to use their personal Cameras mounted on both sides of the car allow for scanning of license plates on both sides of the street or garage.devices to pay electronically for parking on Village streets rather than feeding coins into the meters. You can download the app at MY PANGO.com

Though the new license plate reader technology may appear to be punitive, Village administrators believe that better enforcement will free up more parking spaces for those wishing to shop and eat in the Village. In addition, the new technology will allow for digital processing of permits and tickets and should results in lower clerical costs for mailing hard copy permits, printing permits (ink, security paper, pouches), and labor for data entry and envelope stuffing. Savings are estimated at $13,000 per year.

The new technology which was installed by SecureWatch 24 at a cost of $64,000. According to Assistant to the Village Manager Josh Ringel, “We will not be recouping the cost through increased revenues. We actually think that (parking) overtime revenues will decrease as the device will result in more compliance.”

Asked for a comment on the new technology, Scarsdale Mayor Marc Samwick said, “The Village is pleased to be implementing two tools to improve parking in the Village Center - the LPR and Pango. We believe these tools will lead to more complaint usage of Village parking, which we expect will create more availability of spaces for residents and Village Center shoppers. We look forward to expected benefits for our local merchants as shoppers find it easier to find parking spaces.

We also expect more efficient use of Parking Enforcement staff time, saving time and money for Village residents.

The Village is working to create clarity of parking regulations as well as providing easier mechanisms for paying for parking. Last week, we implemented a new parking app - Pango - and we encourage residents to download the app and try it next time they visit the Village Center.

We also encourage people parking in the Village Center to be aware of time limits in the specific area in which they are parking and to be aware that meter feeding for time in excess of stated maximum parking times can result in parking violations being issued. The more awareness people have of parking regulations, the better able they are to avoid ticketing.

Residents are encouraged to call or stop by Village Hall with any questions they may have about parking regulations or the new Pango parking app.

Here’s more information about PANGO from Scarsdale Village

The Village of Scarsdale is pleased to announce that Pango, the parking pay by phone app, is finally here! Pango launched in the Village of Scarsdale on Wednesday, June 19, 2019, with 6% of motorists paying for parking through Pango on the first day. This percentage has exceeded expectations.

Parking meters in the Village Center are now furnished with decals and signage informing motorists of their parking zone and the steps to follow to pay by phone. The Village continues to encourage motorists to download the Pango app and set up an account prior to visiting the Village Center. There is also a Pango customer care call center (1-877-697-2646) available to assist motorists should issues arise. It is recommended that motorists program the call center number in their phone for future use.

Pango allows customers to manage their parking experience on the pay by phone app via their mobile phone or on the Pango website http://www.mypango.com. More specifically, customers can make profile changes, add or delete vehicle information and review parking history. The parking app also provides various ways to pay for parking such as Pango Wallet supported by PayPal,
Venmo, and credit card.

Pango is used in a number of communities in Westchester making implementation of Pango a more convenient and efficient parking alternative for residents and Village center patrons not just in Scarsdale but regionally as well.

Click here to view Frequently Asked Questions or visit Scarsdale.com to learn more about Pango in the Village of Scarsdale

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 19 June 2019

Created: 19 June 2019

Last Updated: 19 June 2019

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Scarsdale Food Scrap Recycling Participants - here’s some great news! First, the Scarsdale Recycling Center now accepts credit cards! You can still use a check, but all credit cards and debit cards are now accepted as well. Second, Scarsdale has switched to a stronger compostable liner bag. They are available at the Scarsdale Recycling Center office (110 Secor Road, open Mon-Sat, 8am-3pm) and at the same pricing. Now it’s easier and neater than ever to be a food scrap recycler!

Since the food scrap recycling program began in January 2017 over 700,000 pounds of food scraps have been collected and turned into useful compost! If you would like to participate in the food scrap recycling program, or have any questions about it, please email [email protected].

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 12 June 2019

Created: 12 June 2019

Last Updated: 13 June 2019

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The Scarsdale Quiz Bowl team, aside from a delayed and bumpy return to NY, had a very successful trip to the National Academic Challenge Tournament in Chicago June 8 through June 10. The team came in 2nd place, losing to University of Detroit Jesuit High School in the championship by a score of 345-295. Most importantly the students had an amazing time and hope to be back even stronger next year as the entire "starting lineup" were juniors. Although the flight was delayed over 2 hours and they flew back through thunderstorms, the team returned home on Monday night with a trophy in hand. The trophy will be displayed in the case adjacent to room 377 within the next few days. Above is a picture of the team after the finals. The team was comprised of, in the photo going from left to right, Coach Michael Egan, Tarif Sabur '20, George Primoff '20, Captain Andrew Morin '20, Samuel Nichols '20, Wolf Cukier '20, and Spencer Martin '20.

As far as the questions go, this is how Coach Michael Egan explained the competition:

"The questions ranged from listening to clips of classical music and needing to identify the composer, balancing chemical equations, to listing the official languages of countries.  A notable question that won us a tiebreaker was 'The French won six Davis Cups under the Four Musketeers, which composed of Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon, Henri Cochet, and which other player, nicknamed the Crocodile?' Answer: Rene Lacoste."

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 02 June 2019

Created: 02 June 2019

Last Updated: 02 June 2019

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Not everyone in Scarsdale is a doctor or a lawyer. The longer I live in town the more I realize that my neighbors have pursued myriad career paths and are often experts in unusual fields. I recently attended a tour of the art on the walls of the new Second Avenue subway line, run by Edelhaus Modern Art Salon and was pleased to meet Public Art Consultant Emily Blumenfeld who lives in Scarsdale.

After we looked at large mosaics done by Chuck Close, Vik Muniz and Sarah Sze hidden under Second Avenue, Blumenfeld agreed to an interview for Scarsdale10583 and here is what she shared:

Tell our readers what you do.

I am a co-founder and partner of Via Partnership, LLP, a consulting group based in St. Louis and New York that develops comprehensive public art strategies and facilitates public art projects.

Working with public agencies, developers, cultural organizations and community groups, Via plans, curates and produces public art throughout the United States and Canada.

How did you forge a career path in public art?

I have a master’s degree in Art History and have always been fascinated by patronage and how art gets commissioned. In college, I interned at the Connecticut Commission on the Arts and soon after grad school I ran a carousel (not relevant, but you do what you do) and curated exhibitions in a history park. I was able to transition into a position with Arts in Transit, the public art division at Metro in St. Louis. While there, I created a public poetry program for ad spaces in buses and trains, commissioned temporary artwork and invited artists to paint buses. While at AIT, a colleague and I decided to start Via.

How do you seek out the artists that you commission for public art - is it difficult to find talent that works on such a large scale?

Looking at art is always fun and for me it doubles as research. Typically, our clients ask us to run a public selection process which is equivalent to bid solicitations. Most often, we host invitational competitions for artists that we think would be appropriate for the site we need to commission artwork for. We share a scope of work with the artists on our list and ask them to share their qualifications for review by the client. Once selected, we work with the selected artist as a member of the design team to create a site specific proposal for their work.

Please share the names of a few upcoming artists who have created public art for our readers to get to know.

Currently, I am working with a group of five artists on an amazing project in Coral Springs and Parkland, FL, called The Power of Art: Inspiring Community Healing After Gun Violence. The project is one of five that was selected by Bloomberg Philanthropies for their 2018 Public Art Challenge. As a consultant to the cities, we have commissioned the five artists to work closely with the community to create temporary public artworks that are designed to help with the long healing process. The artists are David Best, The Ladd Brothers, Carl Juste, Kate Gilmore, and Roberto Behar with Rosario Marquardt.

The largest project I have commissioned is Wonderland by Jaume Plensa in Calgary, AB.Wonderland, by Jame Plensa

What were a few of your most challenging projects?

It’s interesting working with civic clients as there is always an unexpected twist. However, my current work in Coral Springs and Parkland has been the most challenging and the most rewarding. We are working so closely with a strong, yet fragile community and it has been incredible to see the immediate impact.

Where can New Yorkers see the work of Via Partnership?

This summer I will be co-hosting an artist residency called Works on Water on Governors Island in Nolan Park, House 5B. Please come by any Saturday or Sunday from 11-5. In 2022, you will be able to an installation along the East Midtown Greenway Esplanade in the East River between 53rd and 61st by artist, Stacy Levy.

Do you think art is given a high enough priority in the planning of public places? How is it usually financed?

I would probably build city budgets differently than others, placing a higher priority on arts and culture, but there are more than 300 cities across the U.S. that have Percent for Art programs. With public art funding being tied to capital building projects, there have been some great years and some lean years. We are continuously looking for new funding models including bonusing programs and making good use of hotel/motel taxes. Creating art at a large scale may be expensive but cities are compelled to create a unique image or engage artists to help create better public spaces.

How long have you lived in Scarsdale - and why did you decide to move here?

We have been in Scarsdale since 2012. My husband grew up in Greenacres and its great to be back.

What do you like about living here?

I love the people and all of the green space.

(Pictured at top: Emily Blumenfeld with David Best, the Temple of Time artist in Coral Springs, FL.)