The Council of Greenburgh Civic Associations seeks to provide information to and advance the common interests of member civic groups in important Town affairs. Thirty-six civic groups paid dues in the year 2001. The following groups have paid 2002 dues:

Birchwood Civic Association
Broadview Civic Association
East Irvington Civic Association
Granada Condominium III Association
Hartsdale Highlands Civic Assoc.
Hilltop Farms Civic Association
Homestead Owners Corp.
Knollwood Manor Civic Association
Knollwood Neighborhood Association
Lower Manor Woods Neighborhood Association
Mayfair-Knollwood Civic Association
Secor Homes Civic Association, Inc.
The Colony at Hartsdale
The Sprain Road Association
Washington Avenue Civic Association
Westchester Hills Condominium
Woodhill Civic Association

The March 19, 2002, CGCA meeting was held at the Multipurpose Center at Anthony F. Veteran Park because Supervisor Feiner has barred the CGCA from meeting at Town Hall.

Minutes of the February 19, 2002, CGCA meeting were read and approved with minor corrections that will be made prior to distribution. To date, eighteen civic groups have paid dues for 2002. There is $835.62 in the treasury.

"Happy Birthday" greetings were extended to Madelon O'Shea and Councilman Steve Bass.

CGCA members welcomed Lynn Sperandeo, a resident of the Stone Oaks Condominium, and Terry Williams, a resident of Parkway Gardens.

The CGCA will hold an election for officers at the regular CGCA meeting on April 16, 2001. Those willing to serve as officers were asked to present their goals and ideas at tonight's meeting. Two candidates made presentations.

Candidate for Chairperson: Madelon O'Shea. Mrs. O'Shea stated her objectives were to improve the quality of life for all Greenburgh residents, with a priority on health, safety and welfare;. Her goals to achieve those objectives included: a greater community awareness of what the CG-CA is and does, effective interaction with the Town Board, meaningful CGCA presence at all meetings of Town boards and committees, continuing to press for prudent legislation, enforcement of Town codes, and a balance between responsible development and preserving open space, as well as continuing the CGCA cable television program. (A copy of her statement will be sent to CGCA members with the next mailing.)

Candidate for Vice Chairperson: Cleo Oliver. Ms. Oliver stated that she has enjoyed serving as Vice Chair of the CGCA and would like to continue in that capacity. She noted her interest in addressing town-wide issues, such as traffic, cable TV, access to Town Hall for meetings, and true "open" government with officials answering questions raised by the public. She mentioned that the CGCA should reach out to more areas of the Town to see what concerns residents.

CGCA members questioned the candidates about how they hoped to achieve their goals. Several members mentioned the lack of respect the Town Board demonstrates toward the C07A - e.g., setting meetings on dates that conflict with CGCA meetings, refusing to answer questions raised at board meetings or replacing the CGCA cable TV program without any prior communications. Various means of raising the profile of the CGCA were discussed.

Stephanie Bellino nominated Ella Preiser and Mary Tobias to continue serving as Secretary and Treasurer of the CGCA. Mrs. Preiser said that she would be willing to continue providing minutes of monthly CGCA meetings if no one else wanted the job. Mary Tobias was not at the meeting but had previously told a CGCA member that she would be willing to continue as Treasurer through the end of the year.

Ella Preiser reported that on March 5 at a work session, the Town Board opened a "Special Meeting" and voted to set public hearings for March 19 on seven applications requesting waivers from the Moratorium Law. Mrs. Preiser informed board members that March 19 was a regularly scheduled CGCA meeting. Board members replied March 19 was the only date they were available to meet.

At a Special Meeting this afternoon, the Town Board accepted the DEIS for the Avalon Green II project as complete and set public hearing dates for this application. The board also voted to deny the J & J Estates request for a waiver from the Moratorium Law and held public hearings on four applications for waivers from the Moratorium Law. Three additional public hearings on applications for waivers from the Moratorium Law were to be heard starting at 7:15 p.m. this evening.

Several CGCA members noted that the Town posted no agenda about this meeting on the Town's website although a number of agenda for other meetings were posted and/or e-mailed. Questions were raised about how "public" an afternoon public hearing is since many people work and cannot afford to take time off It was noted that near the end of the afternoon public hearings today, Supervisor Feiner stated on the record that "there must be something wrong in the Town" because people didn't come out to complain. Madelon O'Shea reminded him that people work. He then stated, "It was a joke."

Terry Williams, a 10-year resident of Parkway Gardens and a Commissioner of the Fairview Fire District, attended the meeting. He discussed his concerns about the Town Board's recent decision to extend the lease for the WestHelp homeless shelter in exchange for limiting the number of beds at another proposed homeless shelter and $1.6 million in revenue. On February 27, the Town Board passed a resolution authorizing the Supervisor to negotiate the lease extension based on a positive vote taken at a Mayfair-Knollwood Civic Association meeting on February 21.

Copies were distributed of a March 15 article in the Journal News that Mr. Williams had written. He indicated he is not opposed to the extension of the lease for WestHelp or the fact that this tax-exempt property will now become a revenue-generating property, paying Greenburgh money. However, he is deeply troubled by the proposed arrangement that would give the Valhalla School District $7 million and the Mayfair-Knollwood Civic Association $1 million over the ten-year period of the lease. Mr. Williams believes this is a misappropriation of funds that rightfully should be used to reduce the taxes of all Greenburgh taxpayers. He mentioned that he called the Superintendent of the; Valhalla School District who declined to answer questions and told Mr. Williams to speak to Supervisor Feiner.

Alice Moroney commented that the money is not Town revenue that is being given away. The $1.6 million is money that is going to the County since the WestHelp mortgage has been retired. She noted that the Valhalla School District lobbied to receive funds to reimburse the costs district residents have incurred over the past ten years educating children from WestHelp. Between 8 and 10 children attended Valhalla schools each year over the past 10 years although the original agreement promised there would be no school-age children at WestHelp. She noted that the Valhalla School District encompasses residents from the towns of Greenburgh, North Castle and Mount Pleasant. Mr. Williams asked if the school district hadn't been reimbursed by the state, noting again that the Superintendent refused to answer his questions. He mentioned that the $700,000 a year to the school district was extremely excessive in comparison to what it would have cost to send the students to Hackley.

Ms. Moroney mentioned that the latest discussions include giving $100,000 a year to the Fairview Fire District. (The Town's share and the Valhalla School District's share would be reduced to $350,000 and $650,000, respectively.) Mr. Williams replied that the Fairview Fire District doesn't deserve anything more than it would receive if WestHelp were a tax-generating property. He questioned if we truly know whether the fire district doesn't deserve more and stated that the rules should be applied the way they are supposed to be applied.

Several CGCA members noted that even the Town Attorney acknowledged that the $100,000 a year could not go directly to the Mayfair-Knollwood Civic Association. Ms. Moroney stated that consideration is being given to establishing a trust fund and to hiring an additional police officer with the money.

Mr. Williams thanked CGCA members for listening to his concerns and urged members as a group or individually to oppose the proposed $7 million to the Valhalla School District and $1 million to the Mayfair-Knollwood Civic Association, pending clear analysis of costs incurred and just compensation.

Madelon O'Shea called attention to several cases on the ZBA agenda for public hearings on March 21 that the CGCA is following.

01-24 - White Plains Mazda, 482 Tarrytown Road. The hearing continues on the auto dealer's request that the ZBA modify or remove conditions on a Special Permit obtained from the ZBA in 1993, restricting outside parking spaces to customer parking only.

01-35 - Elmsford Realty, Warehouse Lane. The hearing continues on the applicant's request for a Special hermit to operate a rock-crushing business and to store rock and concrete on the property.

01-49 - Stone, Round Hill Road. The hearing continues on the request to reduce the required distance from a lot line to the driveway from 18 feet to 2.16 feet. The property in question is more than 40,000 square feet and the owner plans to tear down the existing house and build a new house

02-02 - Yellowstone Associates, 50 Yellowstone Avenue. The applicant is requesting a Special Permit to store, service, wash, repair and sell vehicles and auto parts and accessories.

Ella Preiser reported that she discussed finding an alternate site to hold CGCA regular monthly meetings with Hopeton White, Commissioner of the Department of Community Resources, and Loretta Brooks, the person in charge of reserving space at the Theodore D. Young Community Center (TDYCC). Mr. White advised that there would be no charge to the CGCA to use the TDYCC, and the requirements for membership cards and liability insurance would be waived. Ms. Brooks advised that a classroom at the TDYCC would be available on the evenings that the CGCA meets, and the Lounge could be made available if a larger room is needed.

CGCA members agreed that the Community Center is much more centrally located than the Multipurpose Center, lighting in the parking lot is better and access to the building would be easier. It was agreed to hold the May 14 CGCA at the Community Center. The April 16 meeting will be held at the Multipurpose Center.

NOTE: The May CGCA meeting will be held on the second Tuesday of the month rather than the third Tuesday, to avoid conflict with school elections and budget votes.

The Antenna Review Board (ARB) continues to hold most meetings on the sidewalk outside of Town Hall since Supervisor Feiner has barred this official decision-making board, created by the Town Board, from meeting in Town Hall because of alleged security concerns. Fortunately, the weather has not been too inclement. On February 11, the ARB was permitted to meet in the Conference Room because the Town Board had opened Town Hall for a Mayfair-Knollwood Civic Association meeting.

On March 13, 2002, the Town Board appointed Murray Bodin to the ARB to fill the vacancy created when Mary Tobias resigned in December after completing a five-year term. Mr. Bodin had been interviewed in a closed-door meeting and was told by the Town Board that he would be appointed. CGCA members questioned why the Town Board never notified residents that there was a vacancy on the ARB and why the board failed to consider geographical representation in selecting an appointee, as the law creating the ARB requires. Mr. Bodin lives in Hartsdale. The Town Board has limited geographical diversity on the ARB. The ARB now is comprised of an Edgemont resident, a Fairview resident and three Hartsdale residents.

Apparently the Town Board gave Mr. Bodin no direction regarding ARB policy when appointing him. He immediately set up an appointment to meet with a telecommunication company's consultant. ARB Chair Catherine Lederer-Plaskett and member Francis Sheehan advised Mr. Bodin to cancel the meeting and not talk to anybody outside an official meeting to prevent a charge that the ARB was giving preferential treatment to a particular provider.

Carol Wielk, President of the Secor Homes Civic Association, Inc. (SCHA), reported that earlier this year she learned that the owner of a new house on Westchester View Lane, directly behind Jean Lane, was planning to clear the buffer area and erect a fence. She immediately notified Town officials of the proposed disturbance of the buffer area. In 1987, when the Planning Board granted subdivision approval for the Westchester View Lane development, it imposed a condition for a 50-foot buffer area along the side and rear yard of the property adjacent to SHCA homes. When the buffer area was violated in 1999, SHCA was successful when it asked the Planning Board to intervene. When the buffer area was threatened again in October 2001, SHCA again sought Planning Board intervention. The Planning Board unanimously agreed that the buffer area should remain in its natural state.

Ms. Wielk noted that in response to her e-mail earlier this year, SHCA received a copy of a letter the Building Inspector had sent to the attorney representing the owner of the new house on Westchester View Lane. The Building Inspector's letter clearly advised the owner of the conditions imposed by the Planning Board and the Board's subsequent interpretation of those conditions, noting that disturbance of the buffer area or installation of a fence in the buffer area is not permitted.

Francis Sheehan reported on the February 19 Cable Advisory Board meeting, which took place at the same time as the regular CGCA meeting. While Del Hillgartner chaired the meeting, it was unclear whether he really was appointed as Chair. It appears that several of the members of this advisory board understand very little about public access cable television. The group spent the better part of an hour and a half listening to one member espouse his philosophy of choosing programming based on what he believed would appeal to the largest audience. He was repeatedly told that federal law and the First Amendment forbid selecting programming based on content. Town Clerk Alfreda Williams was told that her policy of previewing tapes for content was also illegal. The group appeared to accept the Town's position that there is no money to improve the system. Councilman Steve Bass said that he would obtain dollar figures. Ms. Williams indicated that she was looking for a studio on Route 119. (The lease on the East Hartsdale Avenue studio expires on March 31.) Ms. Williams also commented that those who wanted to be trained could go to Cablevision for training.

The Cable Advisory Board held another meeting the evening of March 12 at Town Hall. The meeting was an "executive session," closed to the public, purportedly to discuss how cable coordinator George Malone spends the 40+ hours that he works each week. Councilman Bass promised that future Cable Advisory Board meetings would be open to the public.

At the March 13 Town Board meeting, Councilman Bass introduced a motion to appoint Del Hillgartner as Chair of the Cable Advisory Board. The motion passed but Supervisor Feiner announced that he really wanted Alfreda Williams to serve as Chair. (On January 8, Mr. Feiner told CGCA members that he had already asked Mr. Hillgartner to be Chair.) Mr. Bass also announced that another meeting of the Cable Advisory Board had been scheduled for April 2 at 7:30 p.m. to discuss draft rules, policies and procedures. Copies of the draft are available at the Town Clerk's office.

CGCA members agreed Greenburgh's public access cable television has continued to deteriorate. The "Bulletin Board" is not kept up to date and many programs do not air at the time listed. For several weeks, Channel 73 did not air town-wide because of a problem at Town Hall. The problem was corrected for all areas in Town with the exception of the Hartsdale area. For more than a month, many Hartsdale residents have had Channel 71 programming playing on both Channel 71 and Channel 73. For those who do have access to Channel 73, there is new background scenery and music playing while the scheduled program list rolls (between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 p.m. the following day on weekdays or 24-hours a day on weekends). These daily listings indicate that a number of programs are "to be replaced," including the CGCA program.

CGCA members raised a number of questions. (1) What does the Cable Coordinator do during 40+ hours a week since few programs are taped in the Greenburgh studio? (2) Why does the Town insist there is no money to improve the system when more than $190,000 remains unspent in an equipment fund? (3) Why is the Town pursuing renting another studio instead of using Town-owned property? (4) Why haven't residents been offered training on Town-owned equipment? (5) 'Why have those requesting a cable program not received notice if or when their request will be honored`'

CGCA members found it particularly troubling that notice has been placed on Channel 73 that the CGCA program is to be replaced, without notice to the CGCA. The CGCA has not taped a program in months because of the poor audio and video quality of the last program taped. The CGCA did, however, submit an application for a program last year, pursuant to Supervisor Feiner's instructions.

At the March 13 Town Board meeting, Supervisor Feiner announced that he was appointing a committee to draft written procedures regarding security. The committee is comprised of Alan Hochberg, resident, Councilwomen Eddie Mae Barnes and Diana Juettner, and Police Chief John Kapica. The agenda stated that the proposed procedures would be submitted to the Town Supervisor. Councilman Steve Bass asked whether the proposed procedures could be submitted to the whole Town Board. Mr. Feiner said that it was not necessary. At the meeting, Madelon O'Shea asked whether Mr. Hochberg was appointed to represent anyone. Mr. Feiner said he wasn't.

CGCA members suggested that it would be important to find out when this new committee meets and if it plans to hold public discussions. It was noted that, to date, Mr. Feiner has not revealed whether he received a response to an inquiry he said he was making in January to the State Attorney General about whether the Town Board or the Supervisor is authorized to determine policy about the use of Town Hall.

Avalon Green II DEIS Accepted at Special Meeting. The Town Board voted to open a "Special Meeting" this afternoon, March 19, and accepted the DEIS for this proposal to build 800 rental units on Nob Hill, off of Taxter Road. The board also set public hearing dates on the DEIS for April 24 and May 8. No advance public notice was given that the board would take these actions. Although Supervisor Feiner sends outs numerous daily e-mail messages, he failed to mention this project was on the agenda. Mr. Feiner also failed to notify Danny Gold, Deputy Supervisor for the Avalon Green II project, that these actions would be taken.

Gelsprain Subdivision. On March 6, the Planning Board began discussing the Revised Scope (for a DEIS) for proposed single family subdivision of 55 lots on Ardsley Road. The discussion was adjourned until March 20.

New Town Hall/Library. At its March 13 meeting, the Town Board authorized paying $7,500 to WASA for an architectural conceptual rendering for a Town Hall/Library complex. The Town Board would not disclose the site. CGCA members noted that at the February 13 Town Board meeting, DPW Commissioner Al Regula responded to a resident's question and stated that WASA was working on a "fit" study for the Westchester Golf Range parcel on Dobbs Ferry Road. Hal Samis told CGCA members that he called two members on Supervisor Feiner's advisory committee concerning a Town Hall/Library site and was told they have not been informed about the matter.

Consultant Hired - Comprehensive Open Space Plan. On March 13, the Town Board passed a resolution authorizing $46,000 to hire Cashin Associates, a Long Island planning firm, to prepare a Generic Draft Environmental Impact Statement (GDEIS) regarding the Comprehensive Open Space Plan. In response to questions, the Town Board acknowledged that to date no work has been done on the GDEIS. CGCA members noted that the Town officially accepted the Comprehensive Open Space Plan in November 2000, sixteen months ago.

Kathwood Road Subdivision. The Planning Board has scheduled a public hearing for tomorrow, March 20, for this proposed six-lot subdivision on property acquired from the state DOT as "excess" Sprain Brook Parkway land. The Planning Board requested additional information from the applicant on March 6 and has not yet made a determination of significance under SEQR. The ZBA scheduled the case for a March 21 public hearing but is unlikely to close the hearing since the Planning Board has not made the SEQR determination.

Venetian Delight Restaurant - Central Avenue Hartsdale. At its March 6 meeting, the Planning Board adjourned the public hearing to April 3 on the application for a special permit to open a restaurant in the adjacent space at the Mid-Central Shopping Center, pending a waiver from the Moratorium Law from the Town Board. The Town Board held a public hearing on the waiver from the Moratorium Law this afternoon (March 19) at a special meeting.

East Hartsdale Avenue - Veterinary Hospital. At its March 13 meeting, the Town Board held a public hearing and then approved the special permit application to operate a small animal hospital on East Hartsdale Avenue. The animal hospital expects to open by June. CGCA members have supported this use for the property since the idea was suggested last summer.

Proposed Legislation to Ban Circus Animals. At the March 12 work session, the Town Board discussed draft legislation restricting the display of wild or exotic animals on Town property. An animal rights activist attended and suggested some amendments to the proposed law. Supervisor Paul Feiner and Councilwoman Timmy Weinberg strongly supported the proposed law. The other three Town Board members did not reveal their positions. It was suggested that a public hearing be scheduled for May 22.

HVAC Law Amended. On March 13, the Town Board amended a resolution, which now authorizes the Building Department to inspect and issue permits for changes to heating, ventilation or air conditioning systems in existing homes. The law previously only applied to new homes. The permit would cost $50. At the meeting, the Building Inspector stated that it would not be necessary to have architectural plans drawn for minor changes to a system. When asked how the law would be enforced, the Building Inspector indicated that neighbors would inform the Building Department.

Town Finally Willing to Use Local Newspaper to Give Notice of Meetings. Hal Samis reported on his continuing efforts, since November 2001, to have the Town post notice of all public meetings of boards, commissions or committees in the daily "Civic Calendar" of the Journal News. This feature, on page two of the local section, is free and is used by many other Westchester communities to notify residents of meetings. The final agenda for the March 13 Town Board meeting included a note indicating that meeting notices will be sent to the local media on a bi-weekly basis. CGCA members agreed that this is a positive step, but it doesn't comply with the newspaper's requirements for notice. CGCA members thanked Mr. Samis for his persistence.

Illegal Posting of Signs. Hal Samis expressed concern about the proliferation of "Work From Home" signs posted on utility poles. He asked Police Chief John Kapica about the legality of posting the signs. Chief Kapica advised that enforcement is a "gray" area since utility poles are considered private property. Chief Kapica suggested that residents should feel free to remove the illegal signs.