COUNCIL OF GREENBURGH CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS
Minutes of February 15, 2000 Meeting
The Council of Greenburgh Civic Associations seeks to provide information and advance the common interests of member civic groups in important Town affairs. The following seventeen civic groups have paid dues for the year 2000:
Beaver Hill Association
Birchwood Civic Association
Broadview Civic Association
East Hartsdale Avenue Civic Association
East Irvington Civic Association
Edgemont Civic Association
Edgemont Community Council, Inc.
Fort Hill Association
Knollwood Manor Civic Association
Parkway Gardens Civic Association
Parkway Homes Civic Association
Secor Homes Civic Association, Inc.
Southern Greenville Civic Association
Stone Oaks Condominium
The Cotswold Association, Inc.
Washington Avenue Civic Association
Winding Road Farm Association
To date, sixteen of the thirty-four civic groups who were members in 1999 have paid dues for the year 2000. In addition, the Washington Avenue Civic Association has joined for the first time. There is $802.85 in the treasury.
Minutes of the January 18, 2000 meeting were read and approved for distribution.
GREENBURGH CABLE ACCESS TELEVISION
CGCA TV Program. Now airing in the CGCA regular time slot is the program, taped in December, featuring Chairman Danny Gold interviewing Carol Wielk, President of the Secor Homes CA.
New Appointee - Cable Television Advisory Board. On February 9, the Town Board appointed Antonio Correia to the Cable Television Advisory Board. Mr. Correia, a Hartsdale resident, informed Grassroots for Greenburgh last November that he has many years of experience working in community television in Brooklyn and would like "Greenburgh Access Television to stop embarrassing itself." When questioned at the Town Board meeting why Mr. Correia was appointed "to serve at the pleasure of the Town Board" instead of for a fixed term, Town Councilwoman Timmy Weinberg responded: "Because - we like it that way."
CGCA members noted that the Cable Board rarely holds meetings and apparently is not asked to address the many problems that are plaguing cable access television in Greenburgh.
Cable TV Problems Continue. CGCA members expressed concern about a number of issues.
- A calendar of programs was provided for January, but none has been provided for February.
- Many programs airing on channels 14 and 16 are months or years old.
- Last week's Thursday night programming aired on Thursday, Friday, and the following Monday.
- Hosts of some Greenburgh cable programs are frustrated by the poor sound and/or rolling video of taped programs.
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Dates and names are not included on broadcasts of Town Board, Planning Board and ZBA meetings making it difficult to know what meeting one is watching and whether the meeting is being telecast live. The "Dial Democracy" telephone number is not shown.
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An increasing number of the programs aired are produced in other communities such as Ossining, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Peekskill, etc. Apparently if one brings in a program taped elsewhere that does not require editing, it is scheduled for airtime.
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The content of some programs is problematic. Some recent early evening programs have featured children acting in skits, using realistic looking guns to shoot each other. In view of recent school shootings, greater care should be taken in choosing time slots for this type of program.
Audio Problems Fixed. In recent months the microphones have not worked properly at Town Hall making it difficult for both those attending the meetings and those watching on cable TV to hear the comments of speakers. Today the problem was fixed. An employee from the Town's radio shop found that a single cable was plugged in wrong.
Studio for Cable TV. Negotiations continue to rent a store on East Hartsdale Avenue to be used as a studio for cable access television. CGCA members remain concerned that the number of uses proposed for the site will severely limit the use for Greenburgh Cable Access Television.
WASHINGTON AVENUE CIVIC ASSOCIATION ISSUES REMAIN UNRESOLVED
CGCA members welcomed Nancy Bonacci, President of the Washington Avenue CA, who spoke about the problems her neighborhood faces. Traffic continues as a major concern on South Washington Avenue - motorists use this street as a shortcut between West Hartsdale Avenue and Central Avenue. There appears to be no immediate or easy solution to the problem as residents were told the police lack sufficient, personnel to station an officer there. A few years ago, the Town passed a resolution making the street one-way but reversed the decision within one week because of the traffic backup on West Hartsdale Avenue. The street was supposed to be "first on the list" for speed humps, but apparently none will be installed anytime soon.
Last year neighborhood residents met with Town officials about houses being used as rooming houses for transients. Some windows have been painted to block anyone from looking in. One night, an intoxicated person confronted a neighbor's daughter. Without proof, Town officials stated that the numerous people living in the houses are family members and nothing can be done. Town officials dismissed the Washington Avenue residents and accused them of being prejudiced - an absurd statement since the neighborhood population is diverse.
An abandoned house, that is an eyesore, is another problem. Because the taxes are being paid, the Town claims that nothing can be done. It was noted that a few years ago the Town cleaned up an abandoned house in Edgemont and placed a lien against the property for the cost of the cleanup.
GREENBURGH CAMPAIGN FINANCE COMMISSION
Mary Tobias, CGCA representative to the Commission, provided an update. The scheduled January 26 meeting was cancelled due to snow. The first meeting was held on February 3 at Greenburgh Town Hall. Because Mary knew she would be late getting to the meeting, Francis Sheehan agreed to attend also. Jo Brill, President of Westchester County League of Women Voters, other LWV representatives and Supervisor Paul Feiner, welcomed Commission members. The goal of the Commission is to make a recommendation to the Town Board by June of this year. Harriet Leib (LWV representative, Dobbs Ferry) and Catherine Lederer-Plaskett (Democratic Party representative, Hartsdale) were named as Co-Chairs. Francis Sheehan was nominated to be the Secretary and agreed to take minutes of Commission meetings with the assistance of Mary Tobias. The Commission decided that future meetings should be held at some place other than Greenburgh Town Hall.
The next meeting of the Commission is scheduled for this Friday, February 18 at 8:30 a.m. at Pace University, 1 Martine Avenue, White Plains, and will include a guest speaker from the New York City Campaign Finance Board. At the first meeting, Mary promised that she would try to get five or six civic leaders to attend the February 18 meeting. Mary asked for volunteers, but CGCA members noted that they work or have other responsibilities that preclude attendance at daytime meetings. If the Commission wishes to hear from CGCA members or other residents, evening meetings should be scheduled.
A number of questions were raised about the composition of the Commission and the amount of influence Supervisor Feiner had in choosing Commission members. CGCA members reserved judgment on the idea of Greenburgh taxpayers financing future political campaigns. The CGCA again urged that the Commission focus on (1) de-politicizing Cable TV to provide equal access and fairness to all candidates, and (2) amending the Town's Ethics Code to prohibit candidates from accepting campaign contributions from developers and others doing business with the Town. CGCA members also mentioned the editorial about the Commission in the 2-6-00 edition of The Journal News, entitled "An attempt to write local campaign rules may be good but misplaced effort." The editorial notes that campaign reform is a state obligation and the Commission will be limited in what it can propose but goes on to state that there is something that the Town "can and should" do. After specifically mentioning the campaign contributions Supervisor Paul Feiner has accepted from developers, the editorial recommends that the Town adopt an ethics law that would bar such campaign contributions from those doing business with the Town.
Mary Tobias also reported on another meeting that she, Ella Preiser and Francis Sheehan attended in Croton on the same evening, February 3, hosted by NY Assemblywoman Sandra Galef The subject of the meeting was "How to Limit the Big Money Influence in Politics." Although snow was falling and roads were icy, a number of people attended. Guest speakers included: Elizabeth Daniel, attorney from the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU and a member of the Greenburgh Commission; Laurence Laufer, counsel for the NYC Campaign Finance Board; and Rachel Leon, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY. The speakers noted campaign finance abuses are a nation-wide problem and provided information on reform measures that some states and communities have enacted. For example, New York City has a taxpayer-financed board and a system that provides matching funds ($4 for every $1 raised) to candidates who voluntarily agree to participate in a series of debates, limit campaign contributions and expenditures and provide detailed disclosure about contributions and expenditures. It was refreshing and encouraging to learn that Assemblywoman Galef does not accept contributions from lobbyists. A request has been made for a copy of the videotape of the meeting.
ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY GROUPS OPPOSE CONTROVERSIAL "LAND SWAP"
Chairman Gold distributed copies of a February 2 memo from Donna Rosengren, Chairperson of the Greenburgh Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, addressed to Westchester County Legislators Thomas Abinati, Lois Bronz, Suzanne Swanson and Katherine Carsky. The memo asks the Legislators to reject the proposed transfer of development rights from the Syracuse Brothers' property at Titus Mill Pond in New Rochelle to the Saw Mill River property in Greenburgh. Development of the Greenburgh property, which contains wetlands and is located in the Saw Mill River floodplain, would exacerbate area flooding. In addition, there are plans under discussion with the County to locate a hiking trail through the property.
The Comprehensive Plan Committee, at a meeting held on January 24, passed a resolution opposing the land swap. The Greenburgh Conservation Advisory Committee has also written a letter opposing this land swap. The Greenburgh Town Board continues to remain silent on this proposed land swap. Syracuse Brothers contributed $1500 to Supervisor Feiner's Congressional campaign shortly after they presented this land swap idea to the Town. CGCA members said this proposal is a prime example of why incumbents should be prohibited from taking campaign contributions from developers.
WATER FILTRATION PLANT - SCOPING MEETING
On January 26 at the Westchester County Center, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection held a meeting to consider the scope of information to be included in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed filtration plant for the Catskill/Delaware Water System. The wastewater treatment plant would be located on the Greenburgh side of Grasslands Road. While many state and city officials attended the meeting, fewer than a dozen members of the community were present.
Working with Chairman Gold, Alice Moroney reviewed the proposed draft scope and identified numerous additional areas of concerns that should be addressed in the DEIS. Alice distributed and discussed the 8-page document that she had presented at the scoping meeting on behalf of the CGCA. The CGCA document requests that the DEIS include/address the following: accurate maps drawn to scale; grading plans; height of all structures; covered retention basins in view of the encephalitis threat; inclusion of the Route 100A/Route 100 intersection in the traffic study, as well as the number of heavy equipment vehicles necessary for operation of the plant; more detailed analysis of impacts on noise and air quality; training for volunteer fire departments in handling the on-site chemicals used by the plant; adequate screening of visual impact; a deed restriction to keep landlocked residual land undeveloped in perpetuity; a prohibition on the placement of cell towers; the impacts of removing topsoil; and the feasibility of connecting homes on Taylor Road to the County sewer line. In addition, the CGCA document requests that the DEIS include an analysis of the cumulative impact this enormous project will have on drainage, traffic and noise in the surrounding area that is already subject to flooding, excessive traffic and unacceptable noise levels. The DEIS must be completed by December 31, 2000.
SOLOMON SCHECHTER SCHOOL - DEIS PUBLIC HEARINGS
Although many earlier requests were made, copies of the DEIS were not made available to some members of the public until the night of January 26, the first public hearing before the Town Board. Additional public hearings on the DEIS for this proposed middle school/high school on West Hartsdale Avenue were held before the Town Board on February 9 and before the Planning Board on February 2. The Planning Board will continue the hearing tomorrow night, February 16. Residents have voiced concerns about traffic, traffic safety, security and screening. The applicant will be required to respond to all questions and concerns in an FEIS. Residents from Poets Corner CA and Stone Oaks Condominium continue to meet with school officials and their consultants to discuss concerns.
ZONING CODE CHANGE - INCIDENTAL DINING - HEARING POSTPONED COMMUNITY RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT FIRE SAFETY
On February 9, the Town Board held a Public Hearing on a proposed change to the Zoning Ordinance which would permit any bakery, pizzeria, delicatessen or ice cream parlor to provide "seating of up to 8 seats and up to 2 tables for on-site consumption of food." Copies of the proposed amendments were not made available to the public, and the hearing was temporarily delayed while the amendments were copied and distributed.
A number of questions were raised at the hearing. At the Planning Board discussion last summer, the Fairview and Hartsdale Fire Chiefs voiced opposition to this proposal. Subsequently, Hartsdale Fire Chief Schoonmaker wrote a letter that merely stated he concurred with a memo from the Building Inspector. The Planning Board voted (4 yes, 2 no, 1 abstention) to recommend this amendment to the Town Board because they believed the fire chiefs had signed off on it. The chiefs had not. Community members contacted the fire chiefs and continue to have questions regarding fire safety and whether this proposed law would circumvent the state fire code. Other concerns were raised about the proposed wording of these amendments, including parking requirements and the current selective enforcement. At the February 9 public hearing, a Greenburgh business woman also questioned selective enforcement - she was forced to remove tables and chairs while a similar type establishment a few doors away was permitted to have them. The Town Board reluctantly adjourned the hearing for all purposes until the first meeting in March and will discuss this proposed code change at a work session.
CGCA REQUESTS FURTHER REVISIONS TO PLANNING BOARD BYLAWS
Tomorrow night the Planning Board will hold a Public Hearing on proposed changes to their bylaws. Letters written by a number of civic leaders will be read into the record urging the Board to continue an 8:00 p.m. (rather than 7:30 p.m.) starting time for meetings. It was noted that the ZBA meets only once a month and hears 7 to 9 cases each month while the Planning Board meets twice a month but is having trouble handling 2 to 3 cases. CGCA members suggest revising the way applications are processed to make more productive use of time at meetings. It was also suggested that the bylaws include a section dealing with the removal of members with poor attendance records - one member has attended only five out of fifteen meetings and another member regularly arrives late for 8:00 p.m. meetings.
A January 20 letter from Planning Board member Thomas McNamara to his colleagues was read and discussed. Mr. McNamara expressed his frustration with incomplete applications and the resultant inconsistency and delay in processing the applications. He proposed assigning a Planning Board member to each case that comes before the Board. That member would be responsible for shepherding the case through the process, writing findings and reporting back to the full board during work sessions. As an alternative to starting meetings earlier, Mr. McNamara suggested that one meeting a month be used strictly as a work session with no public hearings scheduled or that meetings be scheduled on the 5`h Wednesday of a month if additional work sessions are necessary. CGCA members appreciate Mr. McNamara's suggestions and recommend that the Planning Board consider implementing them.
RECENTLY RE-ELECTED COUNCILMAN ADLER SEEKS JUDGESHIP
Greenburgh Town Councilman Les Adler has officially announced that he wants to fulfill a life-long goal and become a judge. He will seek the nomination of the Democratic Party to run for Westchester County Court Judge in this year's November election. Just last month, Mr. Adler took an oath of office to serve a four-year (2000 - 2004) term as a Greenburgh Town Councilman.
CGCA members questioned whether sufficient attention will be paid to Greenburgh business affairs with two members of the Town Board busy fund-raising and running for other political offices - Les Adler for County Court Judge and Paul Feiner for a seat in Congress.
SUPERVISOR FEINER REFUSES TO RE-APPOINT OUTSPOKEN ARB MEMBER
CGCA members were informed that Supervisor Feiner has told Antenna Review Board member Cora Carey, whose term expired on December 31, 1999, that she will not be re-appointed to the ARB. Mr. Feiner does not like the fact that Ms. Carey speaks out on a number of topics, unrelated to antenna issues, at Town Board meetings. He has accused her of being unprofessional and spreading rumors. CGCA members are troubled by the Supervisor's position. On numerous occasions in the past, Mr. Feiner and other Town Board members have publicly stated that volunteers who perform well on their boards or committees will be re-appointed when a term expires. No questions have been raised about Ms. Carey's performance record as an ARB member. CGCA members were shocked that the Supervisor would even consider instituting a new policy requiring volunteers to forego their First Amendment right to free speech in order to be appointed/re-appointed to the Town's boards or committees. Chairman Gold was asked to write a letter urging the Supervisor to recognize First Amendment issues and re-appoint Ms. Carey based on her performance record. The letter will be read into the record at the next Town Board meeting.
SUPERVISOR FEINER RESENTS CIVIC GROUPS RECEIVING STATE GRANTS
CGCA members are grateful to State Senator Nicholas Spano and Assemblyman Richard Brodsky who secured state grants for two Greenburgh civic associations in 1999.
Glenville Community Association State Grant for Capital Improvements, Glenville Woods. At the February 8 work session, Supervisor Feiner announced that the Town had received $35,000 from the State toward the purchase of Glenville Woods. Mr. Feiner mentioned that he had written to Mr. Brodsky to tell him the amount was not sufficient, and that Mr. Brodsky responded he was upset by the Town's lack of gratitude. When a community member mentioned that the state grant was given to the Glenville Community Association, not to the Town, Mr. Feiner stated: "I don't really think that the state legislature should be appropriating funds and giving them to neighborhood associations. You know we do have a government. I personally feel that they are un-elected boards and I don't think they should be recipients of state funds that would normally go to the government."
Secor Homes CA State Grant for a Land-use Study. As reported last month, Supervisor Feiner interfered with the arrangements that the SHCA had made with an independent consultant to conduct the land-use study funded by the state grant. SHCA must now find a new consultant. SHCA President, Carol Wielk, is currently out of town, but asked for suggestions regarding retaining another consultant.
SPRINGHILL SUITES HOTEL - ROUTE 119
Copies of the DEIS for this proposed 145-room short-to-moderate-stay hotel have not been available to the community even though the public hearing is scheduled for next week. On January 12, the Town Board accepted the DEIS as complete and set a public hearing on the DEIS and site plan for February 23.
The Springhill Suites application was not listed on the Planning Board's January 19 agenda; however, on that date, the Planning Board voted to schedule a public discussion on the application for March 15. This application will also require a number of area variances and a special permit, and tentatively has been scheduled for a public hearing before the ZBA on March 23.
TOWN BOARD DISRESPECT TOWARD COMMUNITY CONTINUES
CGCA members expressed concern about the continuing, and increasingly disrespectful, way members of the Town Board treat community members. Documents (e.g., Solomon Schechter, Incidental Dining, Glenville Woods, Springhill Suites) are not provided in a timely manner to community members who wish to participate at public hearing. In addition, at Town Board meetings, Board members whisper to each other, walk off the dais, refuse to answer questions and treat statements made by the community as a joke. The community fares no better at work sessions - meetings rarely start at the time shown on the agenda and the background noise makes it difficult to hear speakers because no microphones are provided. Cleo Oliver, a member of the Community Development Board, mentioned that the Board met without notifying her of the meeting.
MISCELLANEOUS
Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan Committee met on January 24. Some members of the committee feel frustrated. The committee merely is apprised of decisions that appear to be made by Town Board Members and/or Town staff. Few meetings are held, questions are discouraged, and there is little input from committee members. The 7-acre WFAS site and an abutting 13-acre vacant parcel have not been included in the study even though Supervisor Feiner promised months ago that they would be.
Glenville Woods. On January 26, the Town Board declared "Lead Agency" status and referred the application to the Planning Board for review and recommendation. On February 2, the Planning Board scheduled a public hearing for April 5. In the interim, Planning Board Members Frances McLaughlin and Blanche Alter will meet to review this application requesting rezoning, subdivision and site plan approval and report to the full Planning Board at a special work session scheduled for March 29. Copies of documents have not yet been made available to the public.
Personnel. Deputy Town Engineer Michael McGarvey has been promoted to serve as Town Engineer, replacing Brett Auerhahn who will resign effective February 25.
The Town Board has yet to hire someone to replace departing Commissioner of Community Development and Conservation, Stephen Lopez. CGCA members expressed resentment that taxpayer dollars are being spent ($100 per hour) to have Mr. Lopez present, but doing nothing, at Board meetings.
Antenna on High School - Ossining. A question was raised about the controversy regarding the antenna to be placed on the high school in Ossining. ARB members met with representatives earlier in the day. The problem is there was a willing property owner, the school, which signed the contract and no provisions in the code limiting such installation.
Supervisor's Copy Policy Causes Problems. Last year, Supervisor Feiner initiated a new policy that requires volunteer board members and civic leaders to have any copies they need made on the Town's main copy machine. Since Town personnel who make the copies have other responsibilities, often there is no one available at the copier. Antenna Review Board members had to wait over 20 minutes for a staff member to return from making rounds in order to obtain copies of antenna related documents. This was most embarrassing since the person providing the originals to be copied does not live in Greenburgh and was on a fixed time schedule.
Questionable "Open Government" Policies. Questions were raised about the lack of discussion on agenda items prior to the Town Board's votes. Most items on the agenda are not discussed during work sessions that are open to the public. Does the Town Board discuss these items during executive sessions in violation of the Open Meetings Law? A suggestion was made to invite Phil Reisman to take a look at "open government" policies in Greenburgh. Mr. Reisman is a reporter for The Journal News and has written a number of articles about questionable policies in Peekskill and New Rochelle.
"The First Amendment, BUT"??? At the February 1 work session, Supervisor Feiner mentioned that he had been talking for about a year with resident Mark Tenzer, who does not like political signs. Mr. Feiner wants a law regulating political, signs. He acknowledged that there were legal issues "involving free speech, but ...." He then stated that it "was hypocritical that stores can't post signs but candidates can." CGCA members suggested that Mr. Feiner should know that there is a difference between a candidate's First Amendment right to free speech and commercial advertising.
Glusker Subdivision - Former DOT Land. On January 19, the Planning Board held a Public Hearing to consider a five-lot subdivision on 5+ acres of property at the end of High Street (Payne Street area), adjacent to the Sprain Brook Parkway. The Department of Transportation auctioned off the property as surplus. Questions were raised about a number of issues. Neighbors are very concerned about the impact this proposal will have on quality of life issues - a buffer from the noise of the parkway had been promised in perpetuity. The Planning Board adjourned the hearing until their April 5 meeting.
Vacant Stores on East Hartsdale Avenue. WHY? At today's work session, Supervisor Feiner stated that he was aggravated because Stephanie Bellino had not returned a phone call about leasing a cable TV studio on East Hartsdale Avenue. He then stated: "No wonder why the stores are vacant." According to Ms. Bellino, the message had only been left an hour before the disparaging comment was made.
Traffic Regulations on Private Property. On January 26, the Town Board enacted a new law regulating traffic on private property. Copies of the proposed law were not made available to the public until minutes before the public hearing started, precluding meaningful public input. After reviewing the legislation, Ella Preiser wrote a letter to the Town Board, dated February 7, questioning some of the provisions of this new law. To date, the Town Board has not responded to or even discussed the letter in work session.
Distributed: An article from The Scarsdale Inquirer edition of January 28, 2000, entitled "Greenburgh Supervisor lists the best of '99."