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Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Cover Stories

Olympic Gymnast John Orozco: From World Cup to London and Beyond

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All photos courtesy of World Cup Gymnastics
All photos courtesy of World Cup Gymnastics

An Olympic Journey

By Debra Hand

For many children, gymnastics are a fun diversion during the toddler years, transitioning into developmental classes teaching basic skills and building strength, flexibility and agility.   Many eventually drift towards other activities ranging from soccer and baseball to music and art, though some qualify for team gymnastics and compete in meets near and far.  The time commitment is significant, and the pressures to compete at the highest levels while maintaining schoolwork can be substantial.

John Orozco took it even further–all the way to the 2012 Summer Olympics.

With the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi behind us, sports enthusiasts now look towards the 2016 Summer Olympics to be held in Rio de Janeiro and back towards the last Summer Games in London.  John is more interested than most–after ascending to the pinnacle of his sport but falling short of his goal of an Olympic medal, 2016 represents another chance for glory.

And it all began right here, at World Cup Gymnastics in Chappaqua.

A Prodigy from the Bronx

John’s background and the sacrifices that he and his family made for his gymnastics success were well-documented during the 2012 Olympics by media outlets ranging from the New York Times to Sports Illustrated.  On the Team USA website, John is self-described as an extremely strong child with a black belt at Tae Kwan Do, able to do flips and splits.  His father William, a Department of Sanitation worker, saw a flyer for free gymnastics lessons in Manhattan, and the family began commuting to the city from their home in the Bronx, but John’s mom Damaris quickly saw that John was at a higher level.

In between competitions, Orozco trains and mentors children at World Cup.
In between competitions, Orozco trains and mentors children at World Cup.

“We realized that John needed more,” she said, recalling that they were impressed by the professionalism and facilities of World Cup in Chappaqua, which they had visited for a competition. Then-head coach Carl Schrade took on eight-year-old John immediately during the 2000-2001 season.

“During his first tryout, he showed us that he was a powerful tumbler. We could see he had so much raw talent from the day he stepped into the gym,” said current World Cup Gymnastics Director/Boys’ Head Coach Jason Hebert. “The more difficult the skill was, the more he aspired to learn it.”

John, now 21, recalls that splitting his time between the Bronx and Chappaqua was initially disconcerting; he was, in his own words, “used to a different demographic,” and the clientele at World Cup was out of his comfort zone. He is, however, very glad that his family chose World Cup: aside from the obvious benefits of training, “being exposed to the two different types of atmospheres opened my eyes up to the world,” he said.

“Training at World Cup was an escape from the real world,” John recalled. “Going to practice was what I looked forward to all day.”

Damaris drove John an hour or so every day to and from the Bronx, sitting in a folding chair to watch him practice from the upper level balcony; she notes that to this day, she has trouble watching him actually compete.  When finances became an issue and an impediment to John’s future at World Cup, the gym, recognizing his potential, waived the costs of gym time and lessons.  Damaris said that Carl and the former gym owner assured that John would be “taken care of,” and the financial accommodations enabled the family to afford sending and accompanying young John to meets, often in their mattress-equipped van to save money. Damaris would volunteer at the gym however possible, mending mats, shopping for and preparing food for meets, and stapling meet programs. John himself found time to work World Cup birthday parties in between training sessions.

A Meteoric Rise

john-orozco10According to Hebert, 10-year old John joined the USA Gymnastics Future Stars Program geared towards the development of potential members of the U.S. Junior National Development Team. Head Coach Schrade trained John two or three mornings, in addition to his regular workouts six to seven afternoons, every week, each workout lasting four hours.

“The extra morning training helped John with the core foundation which Carl was a master at teaching,” said Hebert, who then worked with John evenings on “high risk” skills.  John agrees that the coaching combination of Carl and Jason was “key to him becoming an elite gymnast.”

“Carl took me under his wing and helped me establish all of the fundamentals [in technique and form] that I have today, and Jason pushed me to perfect higher-level skills,” he said.

John’s natural ability and intense work resulted in a 2004 Future Stars National Championship at the age of 12. As one of the top 14 gymnasts in the country, John qualified for the Junior National Team and attended training camps at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs several times a year.

In 2006, Hebert became John’s primary coach, both at World Cup and for his Team USA competitions. The hard work paid off: John won the USA National Championship in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Last Year at World Cup Interrupted

With a fourth consecutive national title in his sights in 2010–and the lure of the 2012 Olympics beyond–during his senior year in high school, John suffered a serious setback when he ruptured his Achilles tendon during the USA Championships.

To no one’s surprise, John refused to give up, opting for reconstructive surgery on his ankle and permanently relocating to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado to have access to the best rehabilitation and training services available.

To London and Beyond

“John’s new coach was a former Olympic champion [Ukranian Vitaly Marinitch], so we knew he would be in good hands,” said Hebert. Indeed, John qualified for the 2011 World Championships, won a bronze medal with Team USA and placed fifth in the all-around. Only one year later, he regained the USA Championship and qualified for the 2012 Olympics.

In July of 2012, John’s World Cup colleagues eagerly watched the boy they had seen develop into the best in the country compete on his sport’s largest stage: the Games of the XXX Olympiad in London. Unfortunate errors on the pommel horse caused him to fall to fifth place in the artistic team all-around and eighth place in the individual all-around, dashing his hopes for a medal.

In October 2012, John suffered another serious injury, tearing his ACL and meniscus. Out of action for 10 months, John rebounded later in 2013, when he was the U.S. parallel bars and high bar silver medalist and won the bronze for the parallel bars at the World Championships.

Still Looking For Gold

John has had a good start to 2014, winning the all-around at the Houston National Invitational after placing first in the parallel bars and pommel horse, and gearing up to compete in the Winter Cup in Las Vegas and American Cup in North Carolina in late February and early March.  While he said he has many goals in the near future, he admitted, “every day at practice [the 2016 Summer Olympics] are in the back of my mind.”

His family and World Cup coaches are incredibly proud of what John has accomplished, and are confident that he will return to the next Summer Olympic Games in two years. He continues to work hard, and according to Damaris, in between his own training and competitions, earns money by training younger children at the facility. Damaris is especially proud of the kind and caring young man that her son has become.

“He has a big heart,” she said, describing John’s desire to give back, visit hospitalized children and donate his time. Scheduling and financial constraints only enable him to make it home to the Bronx once or twice a year, and he cannot always fit in a visit to Chappaqua. He does speak with his former coaches, however, and even saw Carl Schrade at the recent competition in Houston.

“John’s goal is to become an Olympic champion in 2016 and beyond,” said Hebert, “but even though he is a gymnastics celebrity throughout the world, he still calls World Cup his home.”

Read more about John Orozco and his accomplishments at  www.usagym.org. For more information about World Cup Gymnastics and its programs, visit  www.worldcupgymnastics.com.

Debra Hand is a longtime contributor and editor for Inside Chappaqua.

Skyla Schreter Pirouettes her Way to the Top

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Skyla and partner dance “Le Tombeau de Couperin”, choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust, music by Maurice Ravel. Photo © Paul Kolnik
Skyla and partner dance “Le Tombeau de Couperin”, choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine
Trust, music by Maurice Ravel. Photo © Paul Kolnik

By Heather Skolnick

Right around age four when princesses and ballerinas rule the world and tutus get worn to the supermarket, many girls dream of becoming a ballerina.  My own four-year-old daughter started taking lessons and loves her weekly class in head to toe pink.

Contrast that with Chappaqua teen Skyla Schreter, a professional dancer with the prestigious Boston Ballet. She didn’t like ballet her first year, but at age 18, has an incredible resume of ballet training and performances including the New York City Ballet, Jacob’s Pillow and the Guggenheim. She has even been favorably reviewed by the New York Times.

It began in first grade when Skyla expressed an interest in taking jazz. Immediately her instructors noticed an innate ability and moved her into a more advanced group. She branched into hip hop. Skyla’s mom, Sena, pointed out if Skyla were serious about dancing, she must learn ballet as well.

The rest is history. Skyla began taking ballet and immediately knew that she wanted to pursue it further. She took classes at the Scarsdale Ballet Studio and supplemental lessons with renowned ballerinas trained directly by George Balanchine. (Balanchine is considered the Father of American Ballet). At age 10, she transitioned to The School of American Ballet in the city. One must audition for admission, and each year, each dancer must be asked to stay. The program is incredibly prestigious and was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Obama.

By 7th grade, Skyla could no longer continue her education within the Chappaqua schools due to her demanding training schedule. She enrolled in the Professional Children’s School in NYC. She practiced for three hours a day, had three hours of rehearsal and possibly another two hours of performing. Add about four hours of school, and Skyla had a very full schedule! Mom and Dad shared the driving responsibilities; 6:30am into the city and as late as 10pm home some nights.

When Skyla was 14, she began commuting on her own. At 16, she was boarding in the city. Each year, she was readmitted to The School of American Ballet–that alone is an impressive feat.  Out of the original class of 23 children, Skyla was the only dancer remaining by graduation. Throughout her years at The School of American Ballet, Skyla was performing in almost all of the NYC Ballet’s children’s roles, including the coveted lead role in Susan Stroman’s “Double Feature.”

There were literal and figurative costs along the way. The expense of training plus private school tuition was significant–but Skyla earned scholarships throughout her training.  Skyla’s demanding schedule didn’t leave much time for friends’ parties and socializing, but mom said of her daughter, “She didn’t feel like she had to sacrifice anything.  It was the cost of pursuing her dream.”

Few careers are without setback, and Skyla’s was no exception. In 11th grade she underwent major surgery for an injury exacerbated by dancing. Without surgery, her career would likely have been over. Skyla was required to take an extended break from dancing which only solidified her passion for ballet.  Sena said, “Never, ever did she have a question about wanting to pursue this.”

Upon graduation, Skyla accepted an offer to join the prestigious Boston Ballet. Sena uses a sports analogy when describing the odds of one being accepted into the Boston Ballet, saying “It’s kind of like making the NBA.”

Skyla is part of the Boston Ballet’s second company. The Boston Ballet describes it as one that “bridges the gap between a dancer’s formal training and their professional career.” She earns a salary, benefits and pointe shoes. A ballerina goes through two to three pairs of shoes each week at $90 each!

In August, Skyla participated in their “Night of Stars” on Boston Common in celebration of their 50th Season. The event was attended by approximately 55,000 people! She currently performs regularly with the main company.  Skyla is now a college student too. She recently enrolled part time in Northeastern University’s Boston Ballet Education Program.

Reminiscing with me about her family’s experience in helping launch Skyla’s career, Sena said, “The fact that she has been successful has made it all worth it.”

Heather Skolnick has been a New Castle resident for seven years with her husband and three young children.  After having failed miserably as a ballerina by age six, she now works for a retailer helping to define their Omnichannel strategy and process.

Catch a Rising Star: 12-year-old Tori Shortreid

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Tori performs at iconic NYC club The Bitter End. Kenji Mori Photo
Tori performs at iconic NYC club The Bitter End. Kenji Mori Photo

By Sarah Ellen Rindsberg

This girl rocks in Chappaqua! Tori Shortreid is a singer songwriter and instrumentalist; at the age of 12 she plays multiple instruments such as piano, guitar and bass. Tori recalls being musically inclined at the earlier age of three. When she was eight-years-old, she asked her classical piano teacher whether she could play her own compositions in the lessons. And if you were wondering, she does have a strong tie to Music in Chappaqua–Proprietor Janet Angier is her proud mother.

An invitation to see her perform at home is gratefully accepted by this writer. Shortreid eagerly picks up her acoustic guitar in preparation for a rendition of “When You Say Goodbye,” one of her original creations, inspired by her older sister Michaela’s departure for boarding school. In the introduction to the song, Shortreid explains the underlying inspiration: “We’re very close. Writing the song was a good way to express myself about her leaving.”

In the latter part of “When You Say Goodbye,” the pain is palpable:  “Leaving you tears me apart, missing you pulls out my heart.” Fair warning: the melodious refrain, Ooo-oo ooo-oo, When you say goodbye all I wanna say is hello, where did you go,” will have the delicious effect of planting itself in your head in the form of an earworm – the phenomenon of having a song “stuck” in the cortex. It’s simultaneously haunting and awesome.

To listen to a gorgeous rendition, type Tori Shortreid in the search bar on youtube.

The rhythm gains momentum quickly in the next selection entitled, “Time Machine.” The ivories begin to sing in a fashion not unlike Billy Joel’s. As Shortreid plays, her artistry really shines through.

Stylistically, Shortreid sees her work as “indie or alternative rock.” Her emotive powers and confident voice are reminiscent of Feist. Shortreid describes her amazing range:  “I can reach a low D and a B flat in the sixth octave.” (A low alto to a high soprano in layman’s terms.)

Musical influences abound. Shortreid enthusiastically calls up the names on her playlist:  Coldplay, Crash Kings, Paramore, Panic!, Imagine Dragons, Sleeping with Sirens, and Train.  She also has a mentor in Nashville who has been instrumental in refining her songs.

In school, Shortreid’s favorite subject is science. “I really like the hands-on projects,” she says. No surprise, coming from this confident young woman who crafts her own musical creations. Her extracurricular activities include being a member of the middle school chorus at Bell.

With her time demands–practicing an hour and a half or more daily and homework–Shortreid remains remarkably laid back, placing a high priority on having fun. Drawing anime and 
acting in her friend Siena Martin’s 
videos are some of her additional favorite pastimes.

After laying down tracks for a new CD at Jon Cobert’s recording studio in Chappaqua, what’s up next for this talent? In the summer, she will be sharing her knowledge with Music in Chappaqua campers. For high school, she plans on attending the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, where Michaela–whom Shortreid refers to as “my muse”–is currently in residence.

Keep your ears attuned to this young woman. Her stage presence and talent render her a rising star.

The composition of this piece by Sarah Ellen Rindsberg was greatly enhanced by the accompaniment of Shortreid’s tunes.

Four Letter Word for Friendship:
C A M P

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Lexie McGowan–Climber Team color war captain and 4th generation Tripp Lake Camper, with her parents Lisa (3rd generation Tripp Lake Camper) and Jerry McGowan.
Lexie McGowan–Climber Team color war captain and 4th generation Tripp Lake Camper, with her parents Lisa (3rd generation Tripp Lake Camper) and Jerry McGowan.

By Beth Besen

I grew up in Connecticut–and not just-over-the-border, NYC-commute-friendly Connecticut. Nope, my childhood was a blue-collar, center-of-the-state town where “camp” was mostly a verb, not a noun. An action, not a place. We camped out, but we didn’t go to camp…

But here in Westchester? A whole different story! For many, camp is not only a place, it’s THE place!  An ideal of the mind as well as an idyllic location. It’s the place to play sports, to act and dance and make art and music. The place to commune with nature, taste new foods, try a new hobby and try on new ideas. The place where days are long and school stresses are a distant memory. And, perhaps most importantly, camp seems to be the place where friends and memories are made and treasured for life.

Friends, Friends, Friends– 
We will always be

Jen Geller went to sleepaway camp for  eight years and “is still very close to camp friends.” When I asked what prompted her to share her story, she said “you see the word camp – it’s like a visceral reaction.” For Jen, camp means a sense of “grounding by people who’ve known you your whole life,” and the comfort that kind of knowledge lends to lifelong relationships; as she points out, “we can be honest with each other no matter what.” However, Jen is careful to caution that her experience doesn’t automatically translate across the board and down the line. While her camp friends assume she will send her own daughter to their alma mater, Camp Scatico, Jen says she is considering other options as well; her daughter is not her carbon copy and, for her daughter’s camp experience to be magical, “the chemistry has to be right!”

All in the Family

Stacey and Glen Kurtis went back to camp for a memorable and memory-filled second date.
Stacey and Glen Kurtis went back to camp for a memorable and memory-filled second date.

If camp is a home-away-from home and second family for some, for others it’s a multi-generational and layered experience. Lisa McGowan shares that her daughter Lexie “just completed her 8th summer at Tripp Lake Camp, making her the 4th generation Tripp Laker in our family.” In fact, when Lisa gave birth, one of the first bouquets to arrive at the hospital came from a lifelong camp friend; the accompanying note card read “Congratulations, you now have a Tripp Laker.” Lisa’s family history with Tripp Lake goes back to her great great Aunt Minna Bonoff Troy who attended Tripp Lake in 1913 as one of its first campers. Lisa did her best to explain the descendant Tripp Lake (and brother camp, Camp Takajo) family tree from there. I’ll admit, I lost her somewhere in the dad’s first cousin’s kid’s kid (or something like that). But, make no mistake, I was wowed! I suggested this must be some kind of record, one for the books, but Lisa disagreed. She said that while it is “mathematically impossible to go back any further” than her family does, they are not alone. Tripp Lake is chock full of families with a similar history!

Lisa says the great thing about sharing the camp experience with both her mother and her daughter is that “we can share the same songs, same cheers, same traditions.” She finds that, while the camp may have added modern activities for example, a ropes course, the camp itself has not changed at all: “any alum could drop in at any time and give a tour!” This is something she treasures.

As with everyone I spoke to for this article, Lisa says that one of the best things about camp is the friendships, “I can honestly say that my closest-closest friends are the people I went to camp with ”camp means “everything to me…the best experience.” I started my interview with Lisa asking a question about how and why camp is so evocative, a seeming paradise for so many. Lisa laughed, saying “believe it or not, that’s exactly what Tripp Lake calls itself–The Promised Land.”

Happy Campers Make Happy Couples

Kathy and Steven Seiden visiting their daughter Lisa (Seiden) McGowan at Tripp Lake Camp visiting day in 1979. Kathy was a Tripp Lake Camper in the mid-1950s.
Kathy and Steven Seiden visiting their daughter Lisa (Seiden) McGowan at Tripp Lake Camp visiting day in 1979.
Kathy was a Tripp Lake Camper in the mid-1950s.

Married couple Stacey and Glen Kurtis met at camp. Sort of. Actually, as Stacey explains, they attended the same camp, but their seven-year age difference kept them apart at the time. “Although we knew of each other at camp, it wasn’t until we met as adults that we connected,” says Stacey.

How did they connect? Stacey continues, “a mutual camp friend’s band was playing and a lot of my friends and Glen’s friends from camp attended. We met that night and shared camp memories.” Their second date was a drive back to camp with more time for sharing both memories and pizza – at a favorite place near camp.

Before long, Stacey and Glen were planning their wedding; two of Stacey’s bridesmaids were camp friends and one of Glen’s groomsmen was a close camp friend too. Instead of handing out wedding favors to their guests, the couple decided to make a donation to their camp!

Kumbaya for Everyone

When in Rome (or, in our case, when in Westchester)…my husband and I followed form, and got on the camp bus with our young children. Lots of advice, lots of opinions; what was a newbie to do!? As with college, there are road trips, there are websites and, importantly, there are camp advisors!

Susan Pecker of The Camp Connection/The Teen Connection is a free source for summer programs. She became an expert in the field after researching camp for her own children and becoming a resource for friends. When asked about the overarching hallmarks of a good camp experience, Susan replied, “independence, problem solving and self awareness.”  Susan hits the road each summer to visit, review and update the many general and special interest camps on her lists. “When I see campers walking arm and arm down a road, it’s the image that captures what camp is all about.” Since 2004, she has helped thousands of families from as close as Westchester and Rockland to as far away as China, France and South Africa. It’s rumored she has even helped a few families from central Connecticut!

Beth Besen’s childhood campouts were mostly in friends’ backyards–with easy access to indoor plumbing!

Newly Sworn in by Hillary Clinton, “Team New Castle” Rolls up its Sleeves

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By Grace Bennett with Zarah Kavarana

Editor’s Note:  On what they touted as an Independent ticket challenging an all Democrat one, Team New Castle persevered this fall. A month post victory, Zarah and I were delighted to catch up with new Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein (RG), Deputy Supervisor Lisa Katz (LK) and new Council member Adam Brodsky (AB) prior to their official swearing in ceremony. Greenstein, Katz and Brodsky join long time board members Elise Mottel and Jason Chapin. At a first Town Hall meeting in January, the five ultimately appeared united in an effort to move forward. At the Swearing In Ceremony, perhaps acknowledging a Democrat ticket loss to an Independent one (following an unusually contentious election), Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton related a common question she was asked repeatedly on one State Department mission to the Pacific region: “How could you work with President Obama after losing to him?”  “I realized that for much of the world, you can get exiled or killed after losing…not be asked to serve in the same cabinet!”  That kind of wonderment, she said, made her appreciate “how we govern ourselves here and the rule of law.”  As for Inside Chappaqua, we had fun meeting in town with a lit up King Street as a backdrop, and hearing in depth the trio’s thoughts about various hot button topics–and also those falling a little below the radar. The following is the opening to an edited version of the conversation. The team seemed happy, comfortable and excited about the cover story opportunity and freely shared! You can read Eileen Gallagher’s more up to date reports from Town Hall via the “New Castle News” link at the site too. 

Photos by Carolyn Simpson                                

Everyone wants to know about Chappaqua Crossing (CC). Can you update IC readers?

Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein: “Secretary Clinton often speaks about community. Our town’s last election demonstrated that our community is united–not so much in politics, but in ideas.”
Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein: “Secretary Clinton often speaks about community. Our town’s last election demonstrated that our community is united–not so much in politics, but in ideas.”

RG: One of the first things that we did was reach out to (the developer) Summit Greenfield [SG] and say that we look forward to working with them. There’s no doubt that we probably were not the slate that they wanted to win. We’ve had some very productive meetings and we have a dialogue going. We’re starting to develop mutual trust. We’ve asked them to be part of the Master Plan process because we often said during the campaign that we can’t just look at Chappaqua Crossing, because what we do there is going to affect downtown Chappaqua. We’re trying to look at both things together so that if we do anything at Chappaqua Crossing that’s a positive, we have to have a positive downtown to offset it. You can’t build up one and hope for the best with the other. You have to build up both.

LK: I agree with Rob. In the past, I think the Town Board was just bowing to what Summit Greenfield wanted without looking at the town holistically. What goes there (at CC) has to make sense for our town and the neighbors, including the high school and the residences because it’s in the middle of a residential neighborhood. It seemed as though the residents, merchants, and everyone else who spoke out were not being listened to. We really want to open a dialogue, and Summit Greenfield has to be a part of that, as do the residents and the merchants. It really needs to be a collaborative process that’s going to start now so that whatever is done there works for everybody.

Deputy Town Supervisor Lisa Katz expressed her “humility, pride and excitement.” “We came together through a shared vision.”
Deputy Town Supervisor Lisa Katz expressed her “humility, pride and excitement.” “We came together through a shared vision.”

AB:  I agree, and think the idea is that we’re not behind closed doors. We want to have a transparent process. Collaboration and transparency were two of the key values that Team New Castle ran on. How we achieve that is by reaching out to the residents in the Lawrence Farms Roaring Brook Road neighborhoods , and the constituents who surround the property and are directly affected on a daily basis. We then look at the community as a whole. I agree that we need to look at it holistically and that it’s one piece of the overall pie.

What is the status with Whole Foods at CC?

RG: That’s something that [SG] wants and that many residents want as well, but it has to work for our community. We have to look at what else is there, and downtown. It would be a problem if we just built up one area and didn’t build up the other.

During the campaign, there seemed to be very anti-Summit Greenfield sentiments from the community. Do you worry that people will think that you’ve shifted now that you’re elected and it’s easier to sit down and work with SG than to push them away?

RG: The plans that [SG] presented were good for them, and many felt that the Town Board was trying to sell it to the public and ram it down their throats. We’re trying to bring SG into the process and have a conversation with them and residents at the same time so that we come to a consensus that we all reach together. It’s a different approach. I’ve often said that it would be better if we work together. Now we’re in a position to do that, so I haven’t deviated from that point.

Town Councilman Adam Brodsky; “I am humbled by the faith the community has placed in me, and I will use it to help New Castle prosper.”
Town Councilman Adam Brodsky; “I am humbled by the faith the community has placed in me, and I will use it to help New Castle prosper.”

How fast will the process go?

RG: We spoke to Felix, one of the [SG] principals. We said we needed a little time because of the Master Plan process. He needs a little time because he has constraints by Whole Foods. We did agree to a 4-5 month time frame. We’re going to do an intensive public outreach process from January to April, via the master plan committee.  We’re meeting with them because we’re trying to start a dialogue, we’re trying to build a relationship. You also have to understand what their wants and their needs are, and what our wants and our needs are. We’re talking about things that are possible.

Has SG been receptive to your ideas?

AB: They did a lot of listening. We only spoke in the big picture because we’re not in any capacity to talk about what the community wants yet, so the initial steps thus far have been to open a dialogue and say this is who we are, we’re reasonable people, and we’re willing to engage you as well as everyone else. Opposed to fighting and litigating, let’s talk and see what we can do for all our constituents.

Can you address the traffic concerns surrounding CC development?

Town Justice Noah Sorkin, who has already served six years in New Castle, said he would continue with “lawful, fair resolution” of cases.
Town Justice Noah Sorkin, who has already served six years in New Castle, said he would continue with “lawful, fair resolution” of cases.

RG: If they do stuff up there, they’re going to put money into the infrastructure and make some improvements. We can make some improvements within [Greeley], crosswalks and things like that, which will make traffic flow a little better. There is an opportunity to get some improvements that we need right now, even if nothing was developed [at CC].  Whatever comes up there, there’s going to be traffic. The point is to get to where the positives outweigh the negatives. We’re trying to alleviate the traffic, not just from a street point of view, but from a use point of view as well.

What is your latest thinking about the Napoli Plan?

RG: The Napoli Plan should be put on the table. We’ve also talked to Summit Greenfield about possibly moving Town Hall to Chappaqua Crossing. They were receptive.  Maybe people don’t want Town Hall up there, and maybe some people see it as a tremendous opportunity to develop downtown Chappaqua with that space. These are things we’re going to talk about, and Chuck Napoli’s plans will be part of the discussion.  Maybe the Town Hall location should be all residential with some affordable housing, and then you can add retail consistent with the Napoli plan. We’ve talked about possibly putting a Rec Field, town pool or tennis court up at Chappaqua Crossing. These are all things that we need to put on the table to see if people are receptive.

Please update us about Conifer and affordable housing plans.

RG: [Conifer’s Hunts Place plans] have been temporarily shot down.  The state had a variance hearing a few weeks ago, and said that the decision would be issued in February.   We argued to county legislators that there were safety concerns raised at the variance hearing.

Since the state reserved decision, our position with county legislators is that [the project] shouldn’t be approved because the safety issues should not be ignored, and that the project that may not be in the same form because if [Conifer] doesn’t get the variances, they have to go back to the drawing board. The funding was shot down because they can come back after that variance hearing. If the variance is granted, they could be in a strong position. If the variances are not granted, then they’re going to have to totally redesign the building, or make it smaller.

AB: We support affordable housing, it’s just that we don’t support the location in which they want to place it.  We think [affordable housing belongs] in an appropriate residential setting, not between the train tracks and the highway. We’re thinking about another location on Washington Avenue, and a few other locations are possibilities.

LK:  It’s really just the right issue, wrong location.

RG:  We’d like to do a feasibility study on the Washington Avenue location, and prove to county legislators that we are not against affordable housing. When 20 affordable housing units to Chappaqua Crossing were approved, there wasn’t a peep; there was a lot of opposition to the actual number of market-rate condos. The best approach to affordable housing is where it’s 10 percent of a new building; that way, there’s integration.*

Are there any topics “under the radar” that you hope to address soon?

RG:  We want to work on communication on all fronts. When there’s a storm, it’s even more important. After the recent storm, the head of the Department of Public Works sent an e-mail and told us how many crews were on, and gave a summary of the challenges. I was thinking that should have happened earlier: we would be able to tell residents that we have so many crews, so many trucks on the road, working 24 hours a day, but the snow happens to be challenging because of the cold. Just keep people informed, keep them in the loop, tell them what’s going on. We’ve developed a new website (released January 1st ) called www.newcastlecodered.org that links directly to the [registration] page. We’re just going to promote the heck out of it to get people to sign up.

Our new Town Board! On the eve of a swearing in ceremony at Town Hall, Sec. Hillary Rodham Clinton joins Team New Castle’s (L-R): Councilman Adam Brodsky, Deputy Supervisor Lisa Katz, Supervisor Robert Greenstein, Councilwoman Elise Mottel and Councilman Jason Chapin.
Our new Town Board! On the eve of a swearing in ceremony at Town Hall, Sec. Hillary Rodham Clinton joins Team New Castle’s (L-R): Councilman Adam Brodsky, Deputy Supervisor Lisa Katz, Supervisor Robert Greenstein, Councilwoman Elise Mottel and Councilman Jason Chapin.

LK:  Code Red existed, but no one really knew about it. We’re trying to make a big push in hopes of enhancing communication to make sure that people do sign up because by having everybody’s phone number and e-mail address, we can get that information out.

AB: We have all these fantastic departments, and we want to make them completely accessible to residents. We’re looking at creating a 311 system, or other things that will allow residents to have seamless communication with different town departments so that we can help them to get access to the services that they need and they have progress as to the repairs they’re requesting, how they’re prioritized, when they’re going to get done. It’s not just leaving a paper message on some guy’s desk; it’s going to be a program where there’s responsiveness and accountability that the things people need done are getting done in a timely fashion. People pay a lot of money to be residents in this town and they should get the services that they’re entitled to.

RG: We’re going to revamp the town website so that it becomes more user-friendly, and make it easier for people to report and track problems. We’re also promoting a way to ask the Town Board questions via email at ask@mynewcastle.org., and we’ll answer them at Town Board meetings. We’re going to be hiring a communications person, and have reached out to the school board and started working with them.  I’ve spoken to a number of people about forming committees. We’re going to have a Chappaqua Crossing Neighborhood Association–not just with people concerned about it, but with people who have the expertise to deal with some of the issues raised. Adam has already started the Downtown Business Corporation and reached out to landlords so that when a store becomes vacant, we know in advance and can help that landlord find a new tenant.

AB: When you lease a store, there the initial enticing the tenant, but then there’s a whole other process. They have to get building permits and know if [the intended] use is permitted in that particular location. Government shouldn’t be a barrier to things happening in our downtown. We’re going to be integrated into the process to allow the landlords and the storekeepers to have as streamlined a process as possible.We can change the reputation of our community that we are business-friendly.

Tell us about the new “Community Conversations.”

RG:  Every week we’re going to try and touch on another subject.  You’ll see our logo and you’ll know that it’s a call to action: we’re looking for opinions. That’s part of the cooperation to get people involved. We’re going to bring people to the process to help us choose a logo.

AB: Everything doesn’t have to be about the catastrophic, community-changing topics of the day. There are a lot of issues that affect other people and maybe it’s more on an individual basis, but people have concerns, so we’re here.

Any agenda on how to continue to address the coyote issue?

RG:  The website has to be revamped because it doesn’t make sense to track every coyote. You’re only really supposed to track the aggressive coyotes, those that no longer have a fear of humans: you’re screaming at it and it’s not moving.  If they’re coming into your backyard, they’re aggressive because they’re supposed to be scared to do that.  If you see one off in the distance in the woods, then you don’t need to track that one because it’s not aggressive. We also talked about training residents, the DPW staff and the Parks and Recreation staff on hazing.  Let’s give a seminar on how to haze, which is basically to yell at them and make noise. We have to assure people that they’re not going to get attacked if they haze. The goal is to instill the fear of humans in coyotes.

Please share your hopes for the Chamber of Commerce, which you founded.

RG:  Solveig McShea is great as Executive Director. We asked Nancy Shenker to take over as President because of her strong background in marketing, most important for the Chamber of Commerce. As far as the relationship between the Board and the Chamber goes, if  a new store opens, we’d like to invite them to a Town Board meeting to let them talk about and promote their business. We’ve also talked about doing new town-sponsored garbage cans that have maybe three different bins for paper, garbage, and plastics. These are things that the Town and the Chamber can work together on. I’ve told both Solveig and Nancy to think about things that we can do as partners. Town Hall was always friendly, but I think now you have a Town Hall that’s going to be an advocate. Instead of just approving things, we come up with suggestions.It’s all about win-win situations.

LK: We want to make Town Hall friendlier. We were talking about inviting students one night and having kids’ night at Town Hall to hear their issues or things they would be interested in. We could bring in pizza and have kids come, and then merchants, and just make it a place where people can come to understand what’s going on.

Will there be internships for high school students at Town Hall?

RG: We asked our campaign interns if they would like to stay on board and they all said yes, so we are going to have interns, but we haven’t started anything with that yet.

What did you learn from the campaign?

LK: I met a ton of people, and realized the incredible people we have in this town. The assets that we can tap into of people who historically haven’t been involved, but actually have opinions and great ideas. As much as the election did get a little contentious, I think that people did feel a sense of community. We had the highest voter turnout there ever was. I think that it was the first time people really came out to vote for the issues and for the people instead of for a party. I would like to build on that sense of community.

AB:  You mistakenly believe that you have your little circles and through that, you know the community. Then when you’re out and knocking on doors, you’re going to areas that you didn’t even know were part of New Castle, and you meet these fantastic people who are interested and have concerns, and say, “Please help me on this,” and “Can you make this happen for me?” and “I’m trusting you.” It was very humbling. The thing that I’m starting to realize now is that it’s easier to be a campaigner and to have a goal to be successful on November 5th, as opposed to being an elected official. The issues are not black and white and there isn’t always a correct answer.  The decisions you make are going to make some people happy and some people unhappy. It’s very hard to have that responsibility that the town has entrusted you with when they think that you’re the individual who can make a proper decision for the community, and sometimes there really isn’t a right or wrong answer.

RG: There’s always been a lot of apathy in this town, but it doesn’t have to be like that. When you ask people to get involved, they’re anxious to help.  I think that the voter turnout proved that people are willing to get involved in places other than the schools. The trick is to continue and build on that energy.

How can we make downtown more inviting? What are upcoming beautification efforts?

AB: The downtown has some significant infrastructure issues. Some money has been set aside to make those improvements. This is a fantastic opportunity to look at the sidewalks and the layouts and the power lines-things of that natureand that’s going to be one of the first issues that we’re going to tackle now, and then work in the spring and summer. We think that the downtown is beautiful, but needs some TLC and we’re going to be working diligently on that.

RG: Downtown has some major issues. Beautification is important, but little band aids aren’t going to fix them. We have some major problems that have to be addressed. That’s not to minimize the beautification effort, but it has to be part of the bigger plan.

What do you foresee regarding Town Hall interactions with the school district?

LK: We’ve already spoken with members of the school board. They really want to have a great relationship with the town. Our schools are our most important assets, so we want to make sure that we work well with them and make sure that they’re at the table too for significant decisions like Chappaqua Crossing.

RG: They want to be part of the process,, so we intend to include them.

Grace Bennett is Publisher and Editor of Inside Chappaqua Magazine.

Zarah Kavarana, a Boston University sophomore majoring in journalism, was an IC intern this past summer and winter break. Special thanks to contributor Debra Hand for editing assistance.