As a result, the MTA tax levied on the village remains as well as the Wick’s Law which requires that individual contracts be bid for every trade when a school or municipality undertakes a construction project. The continuation of this law will again adversely impact the village as the school embarks on the auditorium renovation project. It is estimated that the Wick’s Law provisions increase the cost of municipal projects by 10 percent to 30 percent versus the same work done in the private sector.

Pension reform simply did not happen. A plan was promulgated allowing financially strapped municipalities to pay a smaller amount of their pension obligation in the next few years, with balloon payments coming five years out. This will stave off some local bankruptcies in the short term and five years hence, when the full impact of the delayed obligations come to roost, many elected state office holders who favored this option will have moved on or retired. This is the ultimate in “kicking the can down the road” and the “not on my watch” mind set.

The New York state requirement for binding arbitration for uniformed municipal employees was also not addressed. Under the current system, when a municipality and a union reach a stalemate, binding arbitration is triggered and strangers are dispatched to a community to make the financial decisions relating to a new labor agreement leaving the local electeds and the property taxpayers out of the equation. Communities are also penalized if they have a fund balance due to prudent planning. The lesson seems to be if you do not save for a rainy day or emergency, you are rewarded with a lower arbitration award.

The village is also a proponent of legislation that would allow municipal notification of public meetings online versus weekly newspapers. The information would reach residents in a more timely manner and at cost savings for the taxpayers. The bill is aggressively opposed by the print media.

Though major changes to the burdens imposed on New York state property taxpayers are not being addressed in Albany, our local legislators, Sen. George Lattimer and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, have been very responsive to issues unique to their district.

As example, our legislators championed a bill that would move the Eastchester Fire District election from its December date with limited polling hours and locations to coincide with the regular November elections. Since the Eastchester Fire District budget of approximately $16 million now surpasses both the municipal budgets of Tuckahoe and Bronxville, offering the taxpayers more hours to cast their votes and more polling places seems only fair. The bill passed in the Assembly and is awaiting a Senate vote.

Another bill with great financial impact to the village is also winding its way through the legislature courtesy of Mr. Lattimer and Ms. Paulin. The village, along with 10 other municipalities, banded together to champion a bill that would allocate the cost of water hydrant maintenance to all users of water and not just property taxpayers as is the current structure. Last year, Bronxville village taxpayers spent $105,614.00 to maintain the hydrants throughout the village. With the passage of this bill, there will be a more equitable allocation of the maintenance costs.

These local bills, though quite necessary, are only small potatoes compared to the unfunded burdens that are passed to local governments via Albany.

From my vantage point, it is both disheartening and unsustainable. We have elected officials unwilling to address a pension plan in many cases because as career politicians they have a vested interest. We have strayed so far from the Founding Father’s model of giving a few years of service to one’s government and then returning to private sector careers. It may take the populace electing representatives who have non-political expertise, who do not fear defeat or aspire to even higher office to get us back on the right path. Property taxpayers simply must view themselves as the most important special interest group and make their voices heard.

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Featuring global music by House of Waters, the class begins at 7 p.m. with renowned yoga instructor  and wellness expert Sadie Nardini. The world’s oldest yoga teacher, as recognized by Guinness World Records, Tao Porchon-Lynch, will lead the opening meditation.

Registration begins at 6 p.m., giving participants time to explore a yoga marketplace before the class under the stars begins. Registration is $20 in advance, $25 the day of the event and $10 for little yogis under age 10.

To register online visit www.mhawestchester.org. The first 500 people to sign up receive a free yoga mat, bag and goody bag. Call 914-343-5900 ext. 7511 for more information.

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Contributed photo.

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The Bronxville Pops Concert Band will perform at 8 p.m. on four Wednesday evenings in July beginning July 10 on the Great Lawn in front of Bronxville High School at Pondfield Road and Midland Avenue in Bronxville. The public is invited to bring a blanket and picnic. For more information, call 914-325-1819.

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The uptick in the real estate market has generated robust interest in the property, and more than a dozen companies have expressed interest.

The property, off the tax rolls, has long been a visual eyesore, as well as having a contaminated underground, and the idea of finally getting a high quality development on the property will enhance not only the village landscape but increase surrounding property values.

The RFP is essentially the same document that was issued in 2003-2004. As history, in June of 2004, the village entered into a contract with WCI Communities Inc. to construct a residential condominium project including an underground parking garage having a minimum of 200 spaces to be used by the village for municipal purposes via a perpetual easement.

Over a period of two years, the previous developer obtained all required land use and board approvals from the village for construction of the project. The project’s architect has also advised the village that the required drawings and specifications for obtaining a building permit have also been prepared making this truly a “shovel ready” project.

Some of the land use board approvals from the village include an environmental findings statement, planning board site plan and planning board special permit approval.

In addition, the previous developer (who did file Chapter 11 due to heavy investment in the Florida real estate market in 2008), also entered into and/or negotiated agreements with third parties including the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regarding environmental remediation on the site; MTA/Metro North regarding access, construction management, drainage and utility issues; the owners of the adjacent property (One Pondfield Road) modifying a pre-existing easement and providing for relocation of certain utility lines; and the United Water Co. regarding the replacement of an existing water main. The previous developer also committed to employ certain construction management measures to protect the property of Christ Church including particular precautions related to the church’s historic organ and stain glass windows. Proposers for this interation of the RFP will be required to provide such protections as well.

Though the contract was terminated with the previous developer, all the land use board approvals remain in place and will run with the land in the event the property is conveyed to a new developer. In addition, both the former project’s architect and the project engineering firm have agreed that their drawings and specifications may be used by a new developer upon entering into an agreement.

These pre-approvals, both in terms of time and expenses already incurred, are worth millions to the next potential developer.

Proposers responding to the newly released RFP will be required to provide a bond, letter of credit or equivalent form of security to ensure completion of the environmental remediation and the entire parking facility in a manner consistent for use and occupancy. In essence, in an absolute worst case scenario, the village will still have an environmentally pristine property and an underground parking facility.

Proposers must also provide the village with detailed information regarding their experience in completing a project of this type and scope as well as their financial ability to complete the project.

After much market research, the condominiums were designed to be marketed to the empty nester audience – folks who want to downsize but still remain in the village. The design schematics provided for formal dining rooms, few bedrooms and many staffing amenities. The previous developer also hired a professional demographer who estimated five to seven school age children would be added to our educational system. This number cannot be relegated to precision just as we cannot know the precise number of empty nesters who sell their homes each year, nor the number of children moving into complexes throughout the village in any given time frame.

In addition to a beautifully designed and landscaped building whose every inch was carefully vetted over a two year plus planning and review process, improvements to the adjacent homes in the form of new sidewalks, curbing, plantings and underground utilities are part of the final plan. The completed project will add approximately $650,000 yearly to the village coffers in the form of property taxes on a property currently generating none.

Proposers responding to our RFP have until Sept. 3, 2013, to express their interest so all selection activity will begin in the fall. Of course, if the proposals are not ultimately seen as in the best interest of the village, we have reserved the right to reject all proposals.

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White Plains resident Lindsey Marie Bonistall was killed in her off-campus apartment, and her mother, Kathleen Bonistall, has become an advocate for increasing safety for students who live off-campus.

The award will be applied to Brody’s tuition for the 2013-2014 academic year, when she will be a senior communication major.

In a letter explaining why Brody was picked for the award, her professors wrote: “We chose you for this award because you aren’t afraid to write challenging stories, throw yourself into crazy assignments (ok that might be just for my classes) and are generally a great person. Lindsey’s mom describes her daughter as an outgoing student who had a kind word for everyone and we think you embody that spirit,” they wrote.

Brody, 20, interned at the Journal News/LoHud in summer 2012. She is active in her college newspaper and was managing news editor in the fall before spending her spring semester studying abroad in Granada, Spain.

“We are very proud that Danielle won this award and wanted to share the news. It is very sad that Lindsey’s life is the reason for the award to exist,” said her father, Alan Brody.

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