Positive on Peekskill
To the Editor:
I love the City of Peekskill. I wasn’t born here, though my husband was. And I fell in love with it when I moved here five years ago. We bought a house and started our family here. I love the fact that Peekskill has funky stores like Side Effects and the Coop, great restaurants like Division Street Grill and Zeph’s; entertainment venues like 12 Grapes and the Paramount; cafés like the Peekskill Coffee House and now the Bean Runner; delicious bakeries like Homestyle and Los Andes, and I love that my son has beautiful green spaces to play in like the Riverfront Green and Depew Park. Peekskill is a wonderful city. We wouldn’t live here if it weren’t.
That being said, I find it very troubling that residents would step to the podium at council meetings and spend five minutes denigrating this city. Granted, it’s a small group, but their desire to see the mayor fail should not be grounds for them to denigrate a city of 23,000 people. What they should do is step up to the plate, help address the issues they rail about and perhaps run against her next year. That would be far more constructive than attacking an entire city, sullying its reputation and insulting the people who love this city.
Some people see the glass half empty, I see it half full and getting closer to the rim. While some see teenagers lurking about with the desire to mug people, I see youth who host Valentine dances and Mothers Day events for our seniors. While some see litter being tossed out of car windows and onto their front lawns, I see community groups putting together a CLEAN initiative and getting corporate sponsors to adopt highways for litter clean-up. While some see “guinea pigs being barbecued,” I see a diverse, multi-cultural city with Latinos, African-Americans, Italians and Irish. I suspect most people see the same things that I do.
I supported and continue to support this mayor and this common council. I find them refreshing, hard working, diligent, inquisitive, innovative and forward-thinking. They are very positive about Peekskill and so am I.
Christina Favilla-Morey
Peekskill
Kudos to Foster, council
To the Editor:
Tough economic times call for tough measures and innovative thinking. I was pleased to see that Peekskill Councilwoman Pat Riley proposed cutting cars from city staff as a cost-saving measure. This is one of the areas that need trimming when it’s hard making ends meet. I hope the council continues to trim the city budget before it is adopted at the end of November.
One of the areas that the mayor and council deserve a lot of credit is in their use of volunteers. Two recent city initiatives have cost taxpayers nothing because the mayor reached out to residents and asked them to volunteer their efforts to address some serious issues. One is downtown parking. The other is litter. Rather than spend thousands of dollars on staff and consultants, the mayor appointed community-minded residents to citizen advisory boards. In both cases, they are saving the taxpayers a lot of money.
The citizens’ parking commission just recently provided the council with a very comprehensive report on reconfiguring the city’s downtown parking situation. The chairman of that initiative, an accountant and financial planner, noted that the city probably saved $50,000 by making this a volunteer effort.
The anti-litter initiative, CLEAN Peekskill, is another community-minded volunteer effort that has cost the taxpayers nothing, while addressing a major issue facing our city. Recently, the CLEAN Peekskill initiative announced it had secured corporate sponsorship to clean Route 9 and all of its entrance and exits ramps dozens of times per year at a cost of somewhere around $30,000.
This is the kind of innovative thinking that a city needs when it is faced with a tough economic climate. I want to compliment Mayor Foster and the common council for looking at ways to continue improving our city, while at the same time saving us money.
Lynne Nayman
Peekskill
Thank you, Peekskill voters
To the Editor:
I want to publicly thank the voters of Peekskill for showing confidence and belief in our Democratic candidates. The final results from the Nov. 4 election are in, and they are stunning: President elect Barack Obama won 5,684 votes against John McCain’s 2,390 and Congressman John Hall was re-elected with 5,354 votes over Kieran Lalor’s 1,950. The voters in Peekskill made their voices ring loud and clear.
I especially want to thank the dozens of volunteers who knocked on hundreds of doors and made thousands of phone calls. These victories ride on the backs of their hard work and immense dedication. Lastly, I want to thank the many Democratic elected officials and district leaders in Peekskill who everyday remind me, through their leadership, that being a “community organizer” is very important and can sometimes be very rewarding.
Darren Rigger
Chairman, Peekskill Democratic City Committee
Are CEOs listening?
To the Editor,
I sat speechless on Friday, Nov. 14 as I watched CBS news at 5 p.m. when Yorktown Heights Superintendent of Highways Eric DiBartolo was interviewed and stated that due to the economy crisis he would not accept of substantial raise even though he has saved Yorktown a significant sum of money as Superintendent of Highways. Furthermore, Supervisor Don Peters was also interviewed and also stated that he and board members would decline any increase. At this point I was hoping, as I watched TV, that all the greedy CEO’s that have contributed to ruining our economy watched TV, that all the greedy CEOs that have contributed to ruining our economy would sit up, take notice and take a few lessons from these gentlemen.
As a taxpayer and resident of Yorktown, I thank you so much for your compassion during these difficult times.
As for Mr. DiBartolo, your integrity and moral upbringing is beyond reproach. Your family must be very proud of you.
Anne DeLisi
Jefferson Village
Girl Scouts remember vets
To the Editor:
As a veteran of the Korean War (often described as "The forgotten war") I was surprised and pleased on Veterans Day when a group of Girl Scouts came to my door and handed me a bag containing brownies and the following handmade card:
Dear Veteran,
Thank you for risking your life on the behalf of others and our nation! You are truly a hero.
Thank you for your service.
Sincerely, Troop 144S
There was a more formal thank you note attached to the bag which gave the names of the organizers in Troop No. 2014 and Troop No. 2763.
I very much appreciated the sentiments, and the brownies were delicious. More important was the knowledge that the Girl Scouts are still teaching their members patriotism and the sacrifices that are sometimes necessary that freedom may endure. God bless these fine young women! They are the hope of the nation's future.
My thanks to the Somers Girl Scouts.
Elliott Cates
Somers
Asbestos in Yorktown schools
To the Editor:
In 1987, the EPA promulgated the Asbestos-Containing Materials in School Rule, also referred to as the AHERA rule. AHERA requires that each school district perform inspections to identify asbestos-containing materials in their school buildings. School districts have to develop, implement and update asbestos management plans; take appropriate response actions; safely maintain asbestos-containing building materials; and comply with AHERA's recordkeeping requirements.
Exercising our rights under federal law to inspect AHERA records, a community member and I inspected the Yorktown Central School District's (YCSD) AHERA records for the past three years. What we found was most disturbing:
• A number of AHERA records and files were missing - a situation which may violate federal law. Furthermore, while examining the district’s files, it became apparent that some files were not filed correctly and were poorly organized.
• Three asbestos inspection reports had been generated for Crompond Elementary School, dated October 2007, April 2008 and October 2008, showing that the asbestos inspector identified a number of risks for which repairs were suggested. However, in some instances, those repairs were not performed for six months or longer, while in other instances, apparently not at all. For example, in October 2007, the inspector determined that asbestos pipe insulation in the Crompond School gym with exposed seams posed a potential health risk and recommended that the exposed seams be encapsulated or sealed. According to the October 2008 inspection report, the YCSD still had not fix the problem.
Why would the YCSD ignore the potential risks identified by the inspections and not immediately move to make the suggested repairs? Why would the YCSD fail to immediately protect the health and safety of the students and teachers occupying the Crompond School?
As parents, we assume that we send our children to school, and they are entering a secure, safe and healthy environment. It is disheartening to learn that the YCSD apparently has not taken a serious approach to its responsibility to protect our children from the risks posed by asbestos. It is time for the YCSD to comply with the EPA’s AHERA program, not just because it is the law, but because the health of our children and their teachers is at stake.
Dr. Daniel Lefkowitz
Yorktown Heights
Yorktown HELP needs help
To the Editor:
Yorktown Community HELP once again is appealing to you for support of its 40th annual Holiday Food Basket Program.
The food baskets are distributed to needy families before Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring holidays. Financial contributions are spent to offset the cost of turkeys for the baskets and to meet the ongoing needs of Yorktown families.
For more than 30 years, Yorktown Community HELP has provided food programs and limited financial assistance to members of our community who have suffered financial hardships.
In the past, your contributions have helped to brighten the holidays of over 100 families in our community. We are grateful for your generous response to our past appeals and we hope that you will be able to respond to the needs of our families once again.
If you are able to support our efforts, either by contributing funds or arranging to collect canned goods to fill the baskets, please contact Joan Seaboldt at (914) 962-1144.
We take this opportunity to wish you and your family a most happy holiday
Joan Malalan
Secretary
Yorktown Community HELP
Remembering Bobby
To the Editor:
Robert Vincent McAulay
Little did we know that God would call your name.
Little did we know that nothing would ever be the same.
For part of us went with you, the day God called you home.
You left us with memories and love so we’d not be alone.
Our family chain is broken, and nothing seems the same,
But as God calls us one by one the chain will link again.
-From “Broken Chain,” Author Unknown
Thank you to all our family, friends and acquaintances who shared a moment, shared a prayer, brought food, sang a song, made a donation or contribution to Clark Funeral Home, sent a card, or shared a few kind words in remembering a wonderful young man who filled our lives with happiness and joy.
Although death creates a hole that no one can heal, love creates memories that no one can steal. Let us all remember Bobby for the love, joy and memories that he brought to each of us.
We have been blessed and honored with our son and brother.
Bob, Pat and Lauren McAulay
Yorktown
Business owners called upon
To the Editor:
As the holiday season creeps up on us, the Youth Ministry Team at Saint Patrick’s Parish is preparing for the biggest event of the year – the Senior Citizen Christmas Dinner to be held Sunday, Dec. 14 at St. Patrick’s Parish Center Hall from 1:30-4:30 pm.
This is an annual tradition that attracts over 150 senior citizens from the community. For many, it is their only Christmas celebration. The teens provide a home cooked meal, with the help of many adult volunteers, music, friendly smiles with much joy and excitement providing an abundance of Christmas spirit.
One of the things traditionally done each year is the giving of door prizes. Each senior attendee is eligible to win any one of a collection of door prizes. Each senior receives a free raffle ticket. These prizes are donations from community business owners.
What donations of items or gift certificates you can make to this special day would be greatly appreciated. We always make a point of thanking those businesses that contribute at the dinner and this is a great opportunity for some community exposure. If you have any questions or would like to make a donation, please feel free to contact me at (914) 243-9562.
I thank you in advance for your generosity.
Joanne Niece
Youth minister, St. Patrick’s Church
Yorktown
County needs term limits
To the Editor:
Approximately one year from now, Mr. Spano will probably run for re-election.
I will not cast my vote for him, or any for any of his cronies. This includes any of the current Westchester County officials.
Why? Let me count the ways:
1. A succession of tax increases (one of which was unannounced), amounting to almost 12 percent since he took office.
2. Spending $13 million on the purchase of a vacant office building owned by one of Spano's loyal campaign contributors.
3. A number of expensive and unnecessary trips to China, which included a number of county officials also along for the ride.
4. Three county police officers assigned to Mr. Spano as “bodyguards” at an approximate cost of $180,000 per annum. Who does he think he is, the President of the United States?
5. Chairman Ryan's penchant for trying to balloon up his salary; I never could figure out what he does, if anything!
6. The recent Gary Kriss fiasco, wherein he purchased a number of very expensive computer accessories ($2,500) all sent to his home and for his personal use. These were all purchased using a county credit card. At this moment, he won't explain the purchases, and has hired a lawyer. This should raise a red flag. If he has proof that the purchases are legitimate, then no problem. If they were not, then it's up to the D.A to prove a case.
In any event, all the above reasons I've cited illustrate the fallacy of electing the same officials term after term. They become comfortable and their desire to serve the taxpayers who elected them dims to the point where they now look to fatten their purses and the public be damned.
The president of the United States, the mayor of the City of New York, and city councilmen can only serve two terms by law.
It’s time we taxpayers put the pressure on Albany to either end county government or limit the county executive and the county board to a maximum of two terms.
The latter choice would put an end to complacency and prod the elected officials to do their jobs. It would also give those who want to govern a chance to serve we taxpayers, and hopefully result in a more attentive, efficient form of government.
J.W.Pettit
Yorktown Heights
[Editor’s note: New York City officials temporarily abolished the mayor’s term limit.]
Look again, legislators
To the Editor:
In Putnam Valley, Peekskill Hollow Road is slated for a major road widening project, despite vigorous and persistent public objection. While public comment and environmental impact are supposed to be part of the Design Plan, years of evasion culminated in a “Final Plan” received by the NYS DOT on June 16, 2008.
Among the more outrageous aspects of this road widening project is an April 1 resolution passed by the Putnam County Legislature accepting an environmental assessment form (EAF). This was done prior to the completion of the design plan. The EAF references a design plan that had not even been finished.
Our legislators clearly could not have reviewed the report before they declared that there was no environmental significance in the project. The road is on the Peekskill Hollow Creek, which supplies drinking water to the residents on the road, and to the City of Peekskill. It is a residential road with two camps, and two schools.
The public depends on its public officials to protect their health and safety. Declaring no environmental impact without reviewing the project was an error that can still be corrected. I would hope that our County Legislature will respond to public concern, and give this project the scrutiny that it deserves. Please review the SEQRA (state environmental quality review act) process before we end up with four lanes in each direction at Oregon Corners.
Dawn V. Powell, D.C.
Lake Peekskill
How Obama should govern
To the Editor:
With the landslide election of President-elect Obama and the unprecedented democratically elected members of both Houses, a new era of fundamental change is ushered in.
Americans, having endured the most tumultuous deterioration of their economy, civil rights, reputation and credibility abroad in the modern era, are once again looking forward to the future with cautious anticipation. The newly elected Obama administration and the new Congress, that came into office by a combination of substantive and rhetorical agenda and loss of hope in the soon-to-be-ousted current Republican administration, have generated immense expectations within not only the American people, but also in every world citizen. After the celebratory euphoria subsides, we should realize there is no instantaneous easy solution for the lingering challenges faced by the nation, and the world for that matter. That recognized, nonetheless, everyone expects certain key hallmark indicators, initiated by the new administrations that should in turn earn the trust and support of the people in order to steer the nation in the right direction.
President-elect Obama has indeed reinvigorated a sense of optimism by having presented an ambitious set of promises to the populace, which requires a truly multi-jurisdictional approach, as led by a cadre of highly qualified and competent professionals, to tackle. This requires “No Drama Obama” to go far beyond the traditional constraints of selecting the prospective team of up to over 5,000 political appointees from the [Democrat] party royals, or those who are usually appointed through nepotism or cronyism when an executive administrative change of guard occurs. The new administrative team is expected to have qualified public servants (Colin Powell and Robert Gates) who have served in the current administrations.
The new administration should also reintegrate the tens of millions of immigrants and naturalized citizens who have remained on the sideline, especially since Sept. 11. This rather diverse community bears some of the most talented and intellectually competent individuals who, against all odds, have contributed immensely toward making America and the world a better place. And yet, their manifestly earned representation in federal civil positions, and political appointment, has remained dismal. After this election all Americans have once again embraced the flag and patriotism, principles that had in effect become the exclusive proprietary possessions of the republican neo-conservatives and religious ideologues to push their slogan of “You are either with us or against us.”
A new sense of inspirational commitment and succinct community purpose to the American ideals has emanated as a phoenix out of the ashes of misery and failures of “W” administration. If President-elect Obama is to fully earn the trust and sustain the unequivocal support of the majority of the Americans, it may still require the orderly criminal prosecutions of the Wall Street and government culprits that inflicted upon us painful wars and economic terrorism; an independent “Truth Commission” is the least expectation.
The new administration must set a great number of advisory boards to assess the compliance of current policies by the codes of law, and to ensure after inauguration, the Obama administration would not inadvertently be trapped and implement certain aspects of the current administration’s excesses for which they then have got to be embarrassed. The time and merit to go far beyond the rhetorical statement of bipartisanship and embrace a national spirit that does not get us bugged down. In order to accomplish an integral number of his promises, a thorough examination of the ever expanding power of the executive branch, presumably in contradiction with Article 2 of the Constitution, and the realignment of the ethical conducts of the legislative branch to focus solely on effectuating change to improve quality of life for all, rather than party alliance or special interest groups, are a must if the Americans are to take their government seriously.
David N. Rahni
Somers
Ignorant voters to blame
To the Editor:
Dictators rise to power because people allow it to happen. Indifferent and ignorant voters permit and ignore what is happening around them and vote without thinking – consequently the wrong people take over. It has happened in Ossining’s village and town including Westchester County. People are not voting for candidates, but for party of enrollment.
Having worked the polls for many years, it is amazing to observe the great number of voters who have no idea who is running for what office and go into the booth and like the donkey of the deceptive Democratic Party blindly follow it across the line. Many voters have a greater knowledge of ballplayers than they have of their government. Under these conditions it is mandatory that like the presidency, there should be term limits set by law to avoid the conditions that we are experiencing now. The incumbents read their re-election wrong – it is not a mandate of approval but ignorance and indifference of the voters.
Before candidates start campaigning they should be required to take an oath to tell the truth when presenting their platform. Any variance from the truth should be treated as perjury and dealt with accordingly. If the voters and residents don’t wake up soon and become involved, they will find that they have given away their right to live in a democracy. When given a choice voters let opportunity slip by. Where are those who care? Why don’t they speak up and right the wrongs and oust the parasites?
Regina M. Rubenstein
Ossining |
