Water Water Everywhere
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Water Mains to be Flushed the Week of April 1: The Scarsdale Village Water Department reports that the periodic water main flushing program will begin Monday, April 1st and will continue until all pipes in the system have been systematically flushed. The program is scheduled to prevent discoloration of water during the heavy demand periods of the summer. Slight discoloration may occur during the flushing period but will settle out in a short time. Though the water is safe for consumption it may stain clothes if washed in it.
During the week of April 1st the cleaning operation will be in Greenacres, Fox Meadow, Village Business District, and Village Hall and then proceed into the area of Hyatt Field. During flushing, water in the general area may become discolored. Anticipate discolored water during the day and early evening. Surrounding areas may also experience some discoloration.
The weekly activities of the program will be broadcast on Cablevision 75, Verizon 43 and in the Water Department section of the Village Web site at scarsdale.com.
Water Leaks:
In addition, the EPA reports that one in every ten homes has a leak that is wasting at least 90 gallons of water per day. The EPA's WaterSense program encourages residents to check and replace leaky plumbing fixtures and sprinkler systems, helping households save more than 10,000 gallons of water per year and as much as 10 percent on utility bills.
According to the EPA, easy-to-fix household leaks waste more than 1 trillion gallons of water annually nationwide, which is equal to the amount of water used by more than 11 million homes. In just 10 minutes, businesses and homeowners can: check winter water bills and fixtures for water waste; twist and tighten pipe and hose connections; and consider replacing broken or inefficient fixtures with WaterSense-labeled models.
If winter water usage for a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month, it is likely that the home has a leak problem.
Here are some easy tips:
- Check toilets for silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank at the back and, if after 10 minutes, color shows up in the bowl before flushing, it may be time to make an easy repair and replace the flapper.
- Check outdoor hoses for damage from winter frost and tighten connections at the water source.
- For in-ground sprinkler systems, a professional certified through a WaterSense-labeled program can inspect sprinkler heads and pipes for signs of leakage and help homeowners maintain an efficient system and healthy lawn.
- Check additional plumbing and outdoor fixtures for leaks. They may just need a quick twist or pipe tape.
WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes, and services. Since the program's inception in 2006, WaterSense has helped consumers save 287 billion gallons of water and $4.7 billion in water and energy bills.
Learn more about fixing leaks, find a certified irrigation professional, or search for WaterSense labeled plumbing and irrigation products by visiting their website at: http://www.epa.gov/watersense.
Bob Steves Elected 52nd Mayor of Scarsdale
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A small group of Scarsdale's leaders gathered at the Scarsdale Woman's Club on Tuesday March 19 to toast the newly elected Mayor, Bob Steves and three Village Trustees, Stacey Brodsky, Thomas B. Martin and William Stern. The four were elected on an uncontested ballot on Tuesday with a total vote count of 245.
The count was far below the number of votes cast a ballot in 2011, when a total of 1,028 voters turned out. At that time, two write-in candidates, Sharon Lindsay for Village Mayor and Robert Selvaggio for Village Trustee galvanized voter turnout. In 2012, another independent candidate, Harry Reynolds, challenged the Citizen's Party nominees and 421 votes were cast.
This year the mood at the Woman's Club was calm and convivial. The election was run by David Irwin
who chaired the Citizen's Non-Partisan Party Campaign and announced the results before the newly elected team gathered around the cake for photos.
The newly elected Board will be led by Mayor Robert Steves who has just completed his second two-year term as Village Trustee and will served as the 52nd mayor of Scarsdale. Brodsky was elected to serve her second term while Martin and Stern are newcomers to the Village Board.
They will join Kay Eisenman, David Lee, and Jon Mark on the seven-member Village Board. Leaving the Board will be Mayor Miriam Flisser who has completed six years on the Village Board and Bob Harrison who served one term but opted not to run for a second stint.
Commenting on the election Steves said, "I am delighted to be Mayor of Scarsdale. You can't be an effective Mayor without good people around you and I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Board and to hearing from people in the Village about your concerns."
Here is the official vote tally:
Total votes: 245
Bob Steves - Mayor - 235 votes
Stacey Brodsky - Village Trustee - 234 votes
Thomas B. Martin - Village Trustee -216 votes
William Stern - Village Trustee - 219 votes
There was also one write in vote for Bob Harrison.
Resident Fees Rising in Scarsdale
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It's official! You will now pay every time you flush. At the Scarsdale Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday night March 12, the board passed a new law, called "sanitary sewer systems" that will allow the Village to charge residents a sewer rent fee. Revenues will be used to defray the costs of maintaining and improving the Village sewer system which dates back to the 1920's and is in need of repair. Village managers estimate that the average homeowner uses 200 units of water each year and will pay approximately $60 while commercial establishments use an estimated 1,200 units of water per year and will pay $390 per year. The Village expects to collect $400,000 per year from this new fee. Trustees passed the new law with little objection from residents or business owners.
However, members of the Scarsdale business community came to the meeting to protest another proposed increase in fees. In order to raise more funds, Village managers had proposed expanding metered parking downtown from 6 to 9 pm. Currently it is free to park on Village streets after 6 pm. Under this new scheme, those parking downtown would need to feed the meters during the evening hours as well.
This did not go over well with restaurant owners and retailers who protested that their businesses has already been hurt by construction on the Popham Road Bridge and the ongoing work on the Crane Road Bridge. Some estimated that business had fallen by 30% since the roadwork began. Rush Wilson, Don Zaccharia, George Stone and others came to the meeting along with Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce President Carolyn Stevens. They argued that free parking at night is a benefit to business. Former Mayor Stevens said, "With new restaurants trying to gain a foothold in the Village, increasing metered parking until nine o'clock is not business – friendly. Overall, it is not good for the health of the Village." According to Stevens, the $15,000 in additional revenue that would be gained with evening parking fees would have little impact on the Village budget.
Also passed at the Village Board meeting were a new schedule of 2013-14 Village wide fees and charges. Among the increased fees were:
- A filming fee of $500 per hour
- Increased fees for tree removal permits
- Application fees for zoning changes, variances, or a re-hearing by the Board of Appeals
- Parking fees – Freightway annual parking fee to go up from $890 to $950
See the schedule of all fees here.
Vote Today for Scarsdale Mayor and Trustees
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A winter storm that caused a two-hour delay in the opening of the Scarsdale Schools has not stopped the election for Scarsdale Village Mayor and Trustees today, Tuesday March 19 at Village Hall. Trustee Stacey Brodsky, who is on the ballot for a second two-year term, was out campaigning at Hartsdale Train Station early this morning, hoping to bring as many voters as possible to the polls.
Four candidates, nominated by the Scarsdale Citizen's Non-Partisan Party, are running unopposed today:
- Robert Steves: Mayor
- Stacey Brodsky: Village Trustee – second term
- Thomas B. Martin: Village Trustee – first term
- William Stern – Village Trustee – first term
Voting is taking place at Scarsdale Village Hall from 6 am to 9 am and from 12 noon to 9 pm tonight. Following the election, a reception will be held at 
the Scarsdale Woman's Club on Drake Road to toast the newly elected mayor and trustees. Everyone is encouraged to vote today and attend the reception tonight.
(Pictured at left: Stacey Brodsky at the Hartsdale Train Station)
Vote in the Village Election: Tuesday March 19
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The Campaign Committee for the Scarsdale Citizens' Non-Partisan Party urges Scarsdale citizens to vote in this year's Village election on March 19. By voting in our local elections, you will be supporting a system that has served Scarsdale well for over 100 years. The system has traditionally produced high quality office holders who have given selflessly of their time and energy in positions that involve long hours, lots of study and no pay – to make Scarsdale a model of excellent government and wonderful services. To learn about this year's outstanding candidates and about the non-partisan system, please visit the campaign's website at www.scarsdalecitizens.org.
The strength of the non-partisan system and of the Scarsdale community rests on our citizens' willingness to participate in the life of the community in a variety of ways – membership in one or more of the many organizations that make Scarsdale a special place, serving on nominating committees and holding Village office. Even in uncontested elections, voting is a very important part of that participation.
Please vote on March 19 at Village Hall – voting hours are 6-9 a.m. and Noon-9 p.m.
David Irwin
2013 Campaign Chair
Scarsdale Citizens' Non-Partisan Party
