Scarsdale Forum Annual Party
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The Scarsdale Forum (TVCCEF) will host its third annual Members Only Holiday Party on Saturday, January 22nd at the Scarsdale Woman Club, 37 Drake Road from 7 to 10 p.m. Resident brew-master, Bruce Wells will be serving ten home brewed beers. There will many delicious dishes some donated by local vendors including Seth Greenberg’s Just Desserts. A silent auction filled with gifts from our local businesses and residents will entice the shoppers in attendance. Each attendee will receive a souvenir journal that will include the history of the Forum written by Village Historian and Forum member, Eric Rothschild, information about future Forum programs and much more!
The Scarsdale Forum is a 106 year old civic club dedicated to improving life in Scarsdale. The Forum studies issues before the Village and County governing boards and provides input to them via reports and recommendations. Scarsdale residents are encouraged to join and participate in the process.
To make your reservation, contact: Eda Newhouse, Chair, Membership Committee at 914-723-7475. Visit our web site: www.scarsdalefroum.com where you can join online. An individual membership is $35 or $50 for a family membership.
Board Passes Resolutions on Mandate Relief, Historic Preservation and Tax Assessment
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The Scarsdale Board of Trustees did not permit the impending snow storm to stop them from passing some historic resolutions at their meeting on January 11, 2011.
With the election of a new Mayor looming on March 15, this Board appears to be determined to see through some of the initiatives they started earlier in the term. In one swift meeting they were able to hold “public hearings” on proposed changes to Village code and vote to enact these changes.
Among the items on the agenda were:
Changes to the local law on Dogs and Animals: this law had been revised in the fall and problems were found with the new language. The Board moved to amend the wording to permit dogs to defecate on sidewalks, walkways or driveways, provided that the pet’s owner or custodian remove the feces. The Board unanimously approved this new language.
Amendment of Off-Street Parking Requirements for Village Restaurants: The Board approved language to reduce the amount of 
parking required for Village center restaurants. The code previously required one space for each 75 square feet of leasable space but halved the requirement to one space for each 150 square feet of leasable space. It is hoped that more restaurants will find it feasible to open downtown.
Cynthia Roberts spoke on behalf the Old Scarsdale Neighborhood Association and raised a concern about traffic leaving the village via Woodland Place and Autenrieth Road. She requested that the Village work with neighborhood residents to examine traffic circulation in their area and the Mayor asked Roberts to set up a meeting with Assistant Village Manager Steve Pappalardo to examine traffic mitigation.
Resolution to Call for Mandate Relief from State and Local Leaders: In light of the threat of the imposition of a 2 % tax cap, the Trustees passed a resolution to ask state leaders for relief from pension and health insurance costs and changes to collective bargaining agreements controlled by the state. Without the repeal of costly state mandates, Trustees contend that a property tax cap could lead to “drastic cuts in essential local services and dramatic layoffs of municipal employees.”
Moving one step closer to a Village-wide tax reassessment, the Board approved a resolution instructing the Village staff to prepare an RFP to “locate and retain a professional and expert firm to conduct a revaluation of property in Scarsdale, recognizing that the dynamics of reassessment are being discussed in Mamaroneck, Greenburgh and by Westchester County”
In regards to historic preservation, the Trustees approved new language on the criteria to be applied to buildings, structures and sites to determine whether they can be deemed as a “Significant Site or Structure.” In addition to defining the criteria, the Trustees asked the Village staff to draft an RFP to hire a consultant to do a site and structure survey of the Village.
The criteria to be applied to Buildings, Structures and Sites for inclusion in the Significant Sites and Structures Survey are as follows:
1. Existence of special character, historic, aesthetic interest or value as part of the cultural, political, economic or social history of the Village, region, state or nation;
2. Identification with personages or events of historic significance to the Village, region, state or nation;
3. An example of a significant architectural style, period, or method of construction
4. The work product of a designer whose work has significantly influenced an age
5. Listed on the national Register of Historic Places or N.Y.S. Register of Historic Places or Westchester County Inventory of Historic Places
Additional language concerning interiors of public buildings and designation of historic districts was also included in the approved resolution. Trustee Irwin reassured the public that this resolution only approves a survey or an inventory of places. It does not outline what will be done with the information following the compilation of the list of historic sites and structures.
Kids’ Base: the Board of Trustees approved a building addition and reallocation of space to create a library, resource center and nurse’s station at Kids’ Base. The proposed plan is to add 750 square feet of space. These changes also require approval from the Village Planning Board and Board of Architectural Review.
Patisserie Salzburg to Open at Christie Place: The Board approved a Special Use Permit to allow Patisserie Salzburg to utilize 2,543 square feet of retail space at Christie Place. The Patisserie also has a branch in Rye.
In other business, the Board approved the following:
- The Board adopted an “internal control policy for 2011” in regard to procurement policies and approved an Investment Policy for 2011.
- The Village Election will be held on Tuesday March 15 at Village Hall from 6 am to 9 am and from 12 noon to 9 pm
- The Board extended the term of Captain Gerard McIlvain of the Village Fire Department for one year beyond the 30-year limit, provided he passes his annual physical.
- The Board agreed to act as lead agency in a review of the environmental impact of a potential storm water improvement project in Fox Meadow
- The Board approved an agreement for Drug and Alcohol testing of Village employees who drive Village vehicles by Clarity Testing of Elmsford.
- The Village Board approved payment of additional construction management fees of $142,873 to Calgi Construction of Mt. Kisco for their work on the Public Safety Building.
In comments from the audience, Bob Harrison spoke against the construction of the Scarsdale Community Center (SCC) and complained that last week’s meeting on the SCC financial plan was not taped and televised. He asked the Trustees to put the issue before the community as a public referendum and called for the leadership of the SCC to ask all the members on their list for an additional $600 before the Village spends “one more penny on this private group.” He said, “This proposal is fraught with many financial concerns.”
In response to his comments, Mayor Stevens told him that the outcome of last week’s meeting was that a small group lead by Mr. Weinstein would meet with the SCC and review their numbers. In addition, the Village is looking into hiring an expert to review the projections. She added that this Board’s decisions would not bind future boards and that a bond would not be issued for another three years.
Additional letters against the Scarsdale Community Center were received from four residents.
Scarsdale Shovels Out of the Blizzard of 2010
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Over a foot of snow descended on Scarsdale on Sunday, December 26, covering the town in a white powdery mix. The blizzard conditions kept everyone inside on Sunday, but Monday arrived bright and sunny allowing kids to sled at the high school and view the mountains of snow created by the plows. On Monday, many of the stores in the Golden Horseshoe and Heathcote Five Corners were closed, but Balducci's and the gas station were open for business. Downtown Scarsdale was shutdown with the exception of DeCiccos and Starbucks. Though the storm snarled some people's travel plans for others it was an excuse to take a lazy day off. Take a look at these dazzling photos of Scarsdale in the snow and send your own snow photos to [email protected] and we will post them. Happy shoveling!
Article and photos provided by Angela Manson.
Police Report -Fireworks at Edgemont High School and a House Fire in Scarsdale
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Greenburgh Police Report: Unused fireworks were found on the grounds of Edgemont High School on Wednesday morning 12/22. This is not the first time fireworks were found and the school asked for additional monitoring. Dispute: On the afternoon of 12/22, Jimmy Derentits, the owner of the Gulf Station at 880 South Central Avenue reported that he had a verbal dispute with an elderly male driving a black Ford Escape. As the man drove away, the driver’s side mirror of the Ford struck Derentits in the shoulder. Though Derentits did not want medical help, police traced the owner of the car and found that it belonged to Lawrence Giordano of Poughkeepsie, New York. Police called Poughkeepsie Police who went to Giordano’s home.
Smokin: Krysten Snyder, age 22 of Elmsford was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana when she was found smoking with two friends in a parked car at 173 Central Avenue at on the night of 12/22.
Suspicious Car: An unidentified black town car was parked in the driveway of a home on Sundale Place in Scarsdale on 12/23. When the driver saw the housekeeper outside, he quickly drove away. The same town car was also spotted in a neighbor’s driveway, while the neighbor’s were on vacation.
Suspicious Man: Vinny Rivera of Sally’s Beauty Supply in Hartsdale called police on the afternoon of 12/22 when a customer left the store without paying for merchandise. Police canvassed the area and thought they found a man matching the description of the suspect waiting for a bus on Central Avenue. Though the man said that he had visited the store, he denied leaving with any merchandise and did not have the items with him. He was taken to the store and the manager said that she could not see clearly as her eyesight was not very good but that this was not the man in question.
Tripped: A Hartsdale woman came to police to report that she tripped on the sidewalk in Hartsdale on 12/20 and injured her wrist and got a black eye. When she returned to the spot she had fallen on 12/23 it appeared that the sidewalk had been fixed. Police advised her that she could pursue the matter in civil court.
Scarsdale Policie Report:
SCARVAC and the Scarsdale Fire Department removed an injured woman from the second story of her Ridgecrest East home on the morning of 12/27.
A Fox Meadow man was arrested for a hit and run accident in the past when he left the scene of the accident. He turned himself into police on the night of 12/30.
Snow trouble: Barry from Trapp Opticians called police on 12/28 to say that Harwood Court had been closed off all morning due to the snow. A Montrose Road man reported that a snowplow damaged his property at noon on 12/28/10. The plow driver lost control of his plow, jumped the curve and hit a tree at 35 Montrose Road.
Locked out: Crossway residents were locked out of their home on the night of 12/28. Police were able to enter the home through a garage door.
Locked in: A 3 year old girl locked herself into the bathroom of a Brewster Road home on the afternoon of January 2nd and was unable to open the door. Police were able to help her to unlock it.
Lost: On Colvin Road, on the morning of 12/23 a woman called to say that her husband, who suffers from Alzheimers, had left the house during the night and was missing, She later found him in the garage in good condition.
A distraught South Carolina woman was dropped off at the wrong address on Jefferson Road at 10 pm on the night of 12/26. She was found in the street awaiting a pickup from a friend.
Open Door: A concerned Ogden Road called police at 12:41 am on 12/29 when she noticed that her elderly neighbor’s front door was open. Police stopped by and checked the house and found the woman asleep in her bedroom and told her neighbor that she was fine.
Animals: on the afternoon of 12/23 an Ardsley man found a dog in front of the Scarsdale Police Trailer on Tompkins Road. The dog had no tags or id. It was placed in the dog pen and the New Rochelle Humane Society retrieved it.
Police responded to a report of a loose golden retriever at Park and Mamaroneck Road on the afternoon of 12/30. While they were searching the area, they were approached by Harrison Philipps, who had found the dog. While the dog was at Philipps home, police continued to search and found the dog’s owners.
A Sharon Lane resident found a sick raccoon by his front door on New Year’s Day. By the time police arrived, the raccoon had died and the homeowner agreed to dispose of the remains.
Disputes: On the morning of 12/22, A Colvin Road girl called police when her sister took her driver’s license and refused to return it. When police arrived their Mom had mediated.
On the afternoon of 12/22 police were called about a contractor who cut wires and threatened a homeowner on Aspen Road. The homeowner requested extra police ride-bys.
Kids: At 1:30 am on 12/24 a Secor Road woman came home and found her 19 year-old son in the house with multiple guests. She questioned him about inviting people over without her permission and he got upset. The boy agreed to spend the night at a friend’s house/
There was a report of kids throwing eggs out of a car at Sheldrake and Mamaroneck Road at 10 pm on 12/28. Police searched the area but were unable to locate the car.
At 3 am on New Year’s Eve police were called about a fight on Bell Road. When they arrived they spoke with a man who was out in the street smoking cigarettes with friends. They all agreed to leave the area.
Also on New Year’s Eve, a River Road girl called police at 11:30 pm for help in getting uninvited guests with alcohol to leave her house. And shortly after midnight, police were called when a group of kids were throwing snowballs on Greenacres Avenue. Police did not find the suspects.
Identity Theft: A Cushman Road resident went to the ATM machine and found that her debt card was not working on 12/21. When her husband called the bank he learned that someone had gained access to their account and changed the mailing address, email address and passwords of his account. The bank put a hold on the account until the issue could be resolved.
Accidents: At 7:53 pm on 12/26, Jiyin Yang of Avenue D, New York, lost control of his Toyota Suburban traveling down Greenacres Avenue in the snow. The car did a full spin and then hit a telephone pole in front of 18 Greenacres Avenue. The car was too damaged to drive and was towed, and Con Edison deemed the pole to be safe and intact.
A 2006 Toyota, parked in a driveway on Johnson Road was damaged on 12/21 when a rock or another hard object flew in the passenger side window, ricocheted and exited through the moon roof. A company called All American Tree was working nearby, removing a tree stump for Scarsdale Village. Police believe the object was thrown by the tree company’s machinery. Damage is estimated at $500.
Fire: On Christmas Day a fire broke out in a home at 5 Sage Terrace. Police were able to put out the fire by spraying water into the home through the living room. A living room wall and the ceiling of a basement bathroom had to be knocked down, resulting in damage to the living room and basement. There was also smoke damage throughout the house.
Trustees Amend Restrictive Pet Poop Law
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An amendment to a new pet law was reviewed by Scarsdale Village Trustees at a meeting on December 20, 2010. The Trustees Law Committee met to revise a recently enacted law that actually forbade pets from doing their business on Village streets and other public property. Under the amended law, pets will be permitted to defecate on any sidewalk, walkway, driveway, public park, playground or public place if the owner or person who has custody of the dog promptly removes any feces let by the dog. Under the amended law, no matter where a pet goes, no violations will be given as long as pet owners clean up after their furry friends.
The Trustees also discussed how long an unidentified dog will be held before being put up for adoption by the New Rochelle Humane Society. The New Rochelle Humane Society is contracted to provide the Village with municipal dog shelter service and does not kill animals.Under the law, unidentified dogs will be held by the Society for five days, and identified dogs will be held for a period of nine days while authorities attempt to notify the owner via phone and mail. Following that period, the dogs will be available for adoption.
A public hearing for the proposed amendments will be held on January 11, 2011 at 8 pm at Village Hall.
