Apply to Serve on Scarsdale Village Boards, Councils and Committees
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The Personnel Committee of the Village Board is asking interested residents to submit their names for volunteering to serve on Village Boards, Councils and Committees. There are currently openings on most Boards and Councils, with new terms commencing on April 6, 2015.
Trustee Deborah Pekarek, Chair of the Personnel Committee, strongly encourages residents to apply for these positions, by submitting their names, together with a listing of community service and relevant professional background. It is also helpful for Scarsdale residents to recommend other residents for consideration. Please submit contact information including email addresses. The information may be submitted in one of two ways:
• Via the Village Website – At www.scarsdale.com, click "read more" under
* Volunteers Needed for Boards and Councils (located under Village News on the home page). On the next screen, complete the on-line application form under "Boards and Councils Applications" and follow the on-screen instructions.
• Via Village Hall – Applications should be forwarded to Trustee Deborah Pekarek at Village Hall, 1001 Post Road, Scarsdale NY 10583.
All materials should be received at the Village website or Village Hall by March 6, 2015. Residents should feel free to contact the Village Clerk, Donna Conkling at 914-722-1175 or via e-mail, [email protected] for further information.
Pursuant to the general policy adopted by the Village Board, guidelines for membership on Scarsdale's appointed Boards, Councils and Committees cover four areas:
1. Residency
Boards, Committees and Advisory Councils are comprised of residents of the Village. While comments from outside the community can be sought as needed, actions recommended or taken by Boards, Committees and Advisory Councils should ultimately reflect the views of Village residents.
2. Professional or Business Affiliation
Various professional skills and training are required by Village law or deemed desirable by the Village Board of Trustees for the successful fulfillment of some Board, Council or Committee charters.
3. Civic Interest and Involvement
The majority of the members of Village Boards and Councils are appointed by reason of demonstrated interest in Village affairs, through volunteer involvement. Scarsdale is the beneficiary of a long history of voluntary civic endeavors. Since the overriding purpose of Boards, Committees and Councils is to assure the continuation of high community standards, it is appropriate that members on Boards, Committees and Councils be those residents who have demonstrated willingness and initiative to work in support of this objective.
4. Specialized Knowledge
Certain Boards, Committees and Councils benefit by having one or more members with specialized knowledge. For example, the Land Use Boards (Board of Appeals, Planning Board, and Board of Architectural Review) would benefit the services of residents with a background in architecture, architectural design or engineering. The Cable Television Commission benefits by having people with knowledge of the communications industry; the Advisory Council on People With Disabilities would benefit from the experience of residents with disabilities; the Advisory Council on Youth would benefit from people who have worked with young people; the Advisory Council on Parks and Recreation would benefit from having a parent active in the Recreation Department's Elementary School Sports Program.
APPLICATIONS
Applications should be made in writing and should include information on the candidates' civic involvement, work experience or other qualifications in sufficient detail to help the Village Board evaluate the prospective candidate. Applications should be submitted via the Village website or sent to Trustee Deborah Pekarek at Village Hall, 1001 Post Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583 by March 6, 2015.
The following are the terms of office, and responsibilities for members appointed to the Boards, Councils and Committees:
BOARD OF APPEALS - (5 years - one term). Rules on appeals from zoning requirements, including setbacks; on permits for construction of swimming pools and tennis courts, and on non-conforming uses.
BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW - (3 years - two terms). Its basic purpose is to preserve the character and appearance of the Village. Review of all applications involving construction of buildings, or additions to, or reconstruction of existing buildings affecting the exterior appearance.
PLANNING BOARD - (5 years - one term). Advises Village Board on master planning; rules on applications for sub-division of lots, street designations, construction in wetland areas and non-residential buildings.
BOARD OF ETHICS - (5 years - one term). Possible conflicts of interest or other
issues of ethics affecting Village personnel and elected and appointed officials are referred to this Board by the Board of Trustees.
CABLE TELEVISION COMMISSION - (5 years - open-ended terms) Works with the Village's Cable Coordinator to develop interesting and creative public access programming for Scarsdale Public Television (SPTV -- channels 42/76) and Scarsdale Government Television (SGTV -- channels 43/75). Assists with the training of volunteers and works within the Scarsdale Community to raise awareness and increase resident participation. Advises the Village Board of Trustees with regard to cable television policy. Negotiates the renewal of cable franchise agreements with cable providers. Commissioners are expected to attend monthly meetings.
CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL - (2 years - open-ended terms). Advises the Village Board on such matters as programs, areas, facilities, public relations and other matters pertaining to environmental sustainability.
COMMITTEE FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION - (3 years - two terms). Determines if a structure located in the Village for which a permit for demolition has been requested is a structure of historical importance.
LIBRARY BOARD - (5 years - one term). Responsible for the administrative and operating policies of the Scarsdale Public Library. Operates independently of the Village Board and selects its own President.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES - (2 years - open-ended terms). Advises and assists the Village Board in matters of concern to residents with disabilities. Assists with programs and activities, increases public awareness of the needs of the disabled, acts as liaison with other Advisory Councils and promotes participation in community affairs by disabled persons.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HUMAN RELATIONS - (2 years - open-ended terms). Considers and recommends actions at the request of the Village Board to foster mutual respect and understanding among all members of the community.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON PARKS AND RECREATION - (2 years - open-ended terms). Promotes the recreation program in the Village and advises the Village Board on the use of Village parks for recreation and passive uses, recommends the use or non-use of all open space, and acts as a liaison between the Village Board and the community on all matters relating to recreation and parks.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON SCARSDALE SENIOR CITIZENS - (2 years - open-ended terms). Advises and assists the Board of Trustees in all matters concerning the senior citizens of the Village of Scarsdale.
TOWN BOARD OF ASSESSMENT REVIEW - (5 years – open-ended terms). This Board reviews property tax grievances filed with respect to property tax assessments.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON TECHNOLOGY - (2 years - open-ended terms). This Council has a broad mandate in advising the Village Board and staff on technological matters. It provides advice, explores strategic options, and develops recommendations on how the Village Board can best utilize technology, including the Internet to improve efficiencies.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON YOUTH - (2 years - open-ended terms). Advises and assists the
Board of Trustees in responding to the needs of Scarsdale's young people and works to
generate a favorable climate for growth and development of youth in the community.
JUDICIAL QUALIFICATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE - (5 years - two terms). The Committee's function is to assist the Citizens' Nominating Committee and the Mayor, respectively with the selection of individuals who are qualified for the offices of Village Justice and Acting Village Justice.
REPRESENTATIVE TO SCARSDALE ARTS COUNCIL - (2 years - open-ended terms). At-large representative (total of 4 appointed by the Mayor) to the Scarsdale Arts Council Board. The Council's mission is to encourage the arts to flourish in Scarsdale by, among other methods, improving communication among arts programs and by attracting grant support and to raise public awareness and participation in the arts.
Letter from CNC Chair Robert Berg: The Committee Did Its Job
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Here is a letter from Scarsdale Forum President Robert Berg who served as the Chairman of the Scarsdale Citizens Nominating Committee this year: As the current President of the Scarsdale Forum, I had the privilege this year of leading the Citizens Nominating Committee as its non-voting Chairman. As Chairman, I do not vote on any of the potential nominees for Village office, nor do I give any of my opinions. My role is simply to make sure that the process is fair to all involved and that the procedures of the Non-partisan Resolution are followed. Importantly, except for the public portion of the first meeting of the CNC, which is televised, all proceedings of the CNC are conducted in strict confidence. The purpose of confidentiality is to encourage as many interested residents as possible to throw their hats in the ring for consideration without feeling any public embarrassment should they not be selected. The members of the CNC are aware of the need for confidentiality, and that is something that I emphasized at every meeting.
That's why I'm disappointed in the tack the Inquirer took in reporting on the outcome of the CNC process this year. Now, I don't know who told the Inquirer that Trustee Thomas Martin had sought endorsement for a second term from the CNC and that he had not been re-nominated. I personally doubt that the information came from a sitting member of the CNC (at least, I hope not, and if it did, I apologize on behalf of the CNC). My guess is that the Inquirer contacted Mr. Martin and asked him whether he had sought the CNC's nomination for a second term, and he told the reporter that he had, but that he did not receive the nomination.
Now, I understand that the Inquirer is a newspaper and the selections by the CNC are a major news story for Scarsdale residents. I don't at all fault the Inquirer for reporting on the selections, though the newspaper could have handled Mr. Martin's situation more delicately. What I find offensive is the Inquirer's editorial, which impugns the integrity and hard work of the Scarsdale residents who have volunteered their free time to responsibly serve on the CNC. The Inquirer's editorial wildly speculates as to why the CNC did not re-nominate Mr. Martin. I don't find such speculation responsible or helpful to the non-partisan process which the Inquirer has long supported.
I will, of course, preserve the confidentiality of the discussions of the CNC. But, in light of the Inquirer's editorial, I believe it is important that the public know that the process followed by the CNC was fair and thorough. The CNC met four times for a couple of hours each time between early December and late January. The members (and the public) heard the Mayor and several sitting Trustees at our open session explain what characteristics the CNC members should be looking for in candidates. As Chairman, I directed CNC members to solicit as many qualified residents as they could to submit their names for consideration for Village office. Many well-qualified potential nominees were asked, and a number of well-qualified potential nominees decided to submit themselves for consideration and appeared before the CNC. After hearing from each, the CNC members conducted extensive due diligence on each potential nominee. The CNC members went beyond the list of references provided by the potential nominees. Most importantly, only due diligence from sources who agreed to speak for attribution was allowed, pursuant to the rules of the Non-partisan Resolution. Therefore, no one was allowed to say, for instance, that a source who did not want to be identified said that Joe X is difficult to work with.
After extensive discussion of all the potential nominees, voting for each position took place by secret ballot. I personally tallied the vote, with SNAP's non-voting CNC member, Lucas Meyer, validating the count. After the various rounds of voting were completed, the CNC had selected as their party's candidates Jonathan Mark for Mayor and William Stern, Matthew Callaghan, and Carl Finger for Village Trustee.
As Chairman, I was very impressed with how seriously the voting members of the CNC took their responsibilities to select their candidates and the sensitivity with which they expressed their comments about potential nominees. I know that I-- and all the members of the CNC thank Trustee Martin for his excellent and dedicated service to our residents. We believe that the CNC's candidates this year will likewise provide outstanding and dedicated service to our residents, and we hope that residents will support these candidates by coming out and voting in the March Village elections.
Deputy Manager Steve Pappalardo to Succeed Al Gatta as Village Manager
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Now that Al Gatta has decided to retire, what's in store for the leadership of Scarsdale Village? We spoke to Scarsdale Mayor Bob Steves who shared the news that Gatta was retiring and offered information on succession plans.
Speaking about Gatta, Mayor Steves said, "We are losing a real good man. Al approached the job with the utmost professionalism. He understood the non-partisan mindset of the community and followed that mindset in the way that he staffed and led – all to the real advantage of the village."
Steves continued, "Al pays attention to the voices of the village trustees and residents and is on top of the community. He brought experienced professional judgment to the job. Gatta's professionalism shows itself in the quality of the senior staff and department heads and in the way all the village departments deal with the public."
We asked Mayor Steves why Al decided to retire this year and Steves replied, "He simply thought it was time to pursue other interests. The decision came as a surprise to me. There was no particular event or situation behind it... he just felt it was an appropriate time to move on and give Steve an opportunity to move up."
According to Steves, when Gatta told him he planned to retire Gatta quickly shared his thoughts on the process for finding his replacement. Though the village could conduct a nationwide search for a new manager, Gatta believed that the best candidate for the job was Deputy Village Manager Steve Pappalardo. Due to his tenure with the village and his training under Gatta, Al thought that Scarsdale would be best served by promoting Steve to the top spot and running a search for a new deputy manager.
But before making a decision, Mayor Steves convened a meeting of the former mayors of Scarsdale to hear their views on the pros and cons of promoting Pappalardo, an internal candidate. Mayor Steves happily reported that all the former mayors agreed that Steve Pappalardo was the best choice.
But their vote was not enough. The decision to select a village manager lies in the hands of the current Scarsdale Board of Trustees. A private session of the Board of Trustees was held to interview Pappalardo, At the conclusion of their discussions, the Board was unanimous in their decision to appoint Pappalardo as village manager.
In an email to village staff, Gatta announced his departure and Pappalardo's promotion saying, "I am pleased to inform you that Steve Pappalardo has been favorably considered as my successor. I trust that you will support Steve and make his time as manager rewarding as you have done for me over the years."
Juno Brings Little Snow to Scarsdale
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Likening would-be winter storm Juno to the 1966 film, "The Russians Are Coming," Scarsdale Village Manager Al Gatta did not mince words when he expressed his frustration with the circumstances surrounding the Village's storm preparedness drill on January 26-27.
After dire forecasts from the National Weather Service and more communications than he could count from Governor Cuomo and County Executive Rob Astorino, Gatta instructed staff to open an emergency operation center on Monday and kept almost 60 Village employees including police, fire, sanitation and managers on duty all night, awaiting what was supposed to the mother of all storms. Expecting hurricane strength winds and two feet of snow, Gatta and his team were staffed up to confront an Armageddon that failed to arrive.
Plows were out all night clearing scant accumulations, while the Village budget accrued the expense of paying overtime to the staff.
Could this have been avoided? Gatta said, "We did not have accurate information. Even when the storm steered away from New York, the weather service did not alter their forecast. There was no wind – just an overblown report from the Governor."
Was the exaggerated forecast an outcome of social media and the ease of transmitting information? That's something that will take months to investigate. Clearly, after the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy, politicians and officials are afraid to be blamed for putting constituents in harms way and seem to err on the side of caution. When the Governor was charged on Tuesday with overreacting he told CNN, "Better safe than sorry," "Hindsight is 20/20. You act on the information you have at the time." Later Tuesday morning he told reporters at a press conference, "We've had people die in storms ... I'd much rather be in situations where we say, 'We got lucky.'"
However a total shutdown of New York, including all transportation systems, the airports, schools and businesses will come at a high cost and next time officials may hedge their bets and implement more flexible plans that allow them to adjust to the weather as it occurs. For his part, Gatta is calling for the Governor to reimburse local municipalities for the expenses incurred due to the threatened storm.
In Scarsdale, with the roads clear and snowfall on the wane, Mayor Bob Steves lifted the state of emergency that had been declared effective 9 am on Tuesday. Though roads are open – almost nothing else in town is operating. As of Tuesday afternoon, Metro North announced that train service will resume on a Sunday schedule and return to normal on Wednesday.
This could well be Gatta's last storm drill in Scarsdale as he has announced his plans to retire at the end of the fiscal year. He told Scarsdale10583 that he's "ready for some peace and quite from now until June."
Village to Consider Ban on Plastic Bags and Styrofoam
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It's getting harder and harder to keep track of how many plastic bags we've all stashed up over the years. However, it seems our piles are growing a bit too large. On January 13th, the Village Trustees heard from concerned community member Michelle Sterling about the importance of a county-wide ban on single use plastic bags and styrofoam. Sterling opened her comments by noting that the Westchester County Board has already started work on drafting legislation for a county-wide ban and she strongly urged Scarsdale to consider a similar ban.
Sterling contends that the negative environmental effects of the use of plastic bags has been devastating, saying that pollution caused by the bags has pushed many of our neighboring towns to accept this legislature already. Rye, Mamaroneck, Larchmont and Hastings-On-Hudson are only a few of the areas that saw pollution in their surrounding waters and decided that the ban was in order.
In Scarsdale alone, we use six million bags a year. They don't just disappear after we empty the groceries--they feed into the rivers and oceans, killing animals and blocking important pipelines. Scarsdale resident Madelaine Eppenstein added to this argument for change, saying that "sometimes empirical evidence is too much to ignore." In many areas of Europe, plastic bags have already been banned. In Germany, the tax on purchasing plastic bags discourages many civilians from using them. Legislative bans on styrofoam have already been passed in New York City. Sterling made it clear that it is time for this kind of change in Scarsdale as well.
Sterling did address concerns businesses might have regarding the ban. Some retailers fear that it will drive customers away from their stores and into others. Sterling had an answer for that as well. Since the ban will be county-wide, customers of Scarsdale grocery stores won't be able to hop in the car and drive to the next town for their goods. People in every town will be forced to be more environmentally aware and bring recyclable bags. Though it may admittedly be hard to remember to B.Y.O.B on our shopping trips at first, the positive effects of shoppers care for the environment will be numerous, and should sustain the beauty of our town for many years to come.
Should we consider this ban? Will it protect and preserve our environment for future generations? Will it hurt Scarsdale business? What do you think? Leave a comment with your opinion and see what others think.
