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Town Board

Town Board Inauguration Welcomes Incumbents & Newcomers

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L to R: Town Supervisor Ivy Pool, NY State Attorney General Letitia James and County Executive George Latimer

PHOTOS By Carolyn Simpson

On January 27th and before a packed Town Hall, New Castle inaugurated a new Supervisor and three Council Members, two of whom are newcomers to the Town Board. The ceremonies opened with the presentation of colors by various town first responders including the New Castle Police Department, fire departments from Chappaqua and Millwood and the Chappaqua Volunteer Ambulance. In an audience that included New York State Attorney General, Letitia James, and Westchester County Executive, George Latimer, the elected officials were administered their oaths of office.

The inauguration was the culmination of the hotly contested November 5th election between candidates from two slates–New Castle Democrats and the Republican-sponsored Team New Castle. In addition to the Town Supervisor, there were three Town Board positions that were up for election.

L to R: County Legislator Vedat Gashi, Town Justice Douglas Kraus, Town Board member Lauren Levin, Town Council member Jason Lichtenthal, Deputy Town Supervisor Jeremy Saland and Town Supervisor Ivy Pool

Ivy Pool was elected from the New Castle Democrats and succeeds Robert Greenstein as Town Supervisor and will serve a two-year term. Pool was first elected as a Council Member in 2017. Jeremy Saland, having assumed his position on the Town Board in 2015, was re-elected and will also serve as Deputy Town Supervisor. Jason Lichtenthal, who ran with Pool and Saland as part of the New Castle Democrats ticket, was also elected as a Council Member. Lichtenthal has served as a Commissioner in the Millwood Fire District. Lauren Levin joins Lichtenthal as the other first-time Town Board member. Levin ran on the Team New Castle slate and has served on the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce board and Streetscape Committee. Saland, Lichtenthal, and Levin will join the existing member, Lisa Katz, on the four-person Town Board.

Town resident and member of the Chappaqua Ambulance Volunteer Corps, Reese Highbloom commented on what he expects the new Town Board will accomplish. “I hope that the new board members can be a great face for the New Castle community, get to know each and every one of us and really hear what we want and what we have to say.”

Pool stated that the Town Board has an ambitious agenda and has prioritized certain initiatives including creating thriving hamlets, modernizing infrastructure, thoughtful capital planning and improving recreation and community spirit. “There are a lot of different goals and objectives that the Town Board has put together for what we hope to accomplish,” Pool affirmed. “The most immediate thing that we are working on right now is a rezoning initiative for downtown Chappaqua. We have done a great deal of work replacing infrastructure, but now we are ready to take that to the next step.”

Deputy Supervisor Saland emphasized Pool’s determination for the rezoning of the hamlet. “We are working on the form-based code to revitalize the hamlet. It is what the community wants and is consistent with the comprehensive plan.” Saland stated that the Town Board is eager to get to work for the people of New Castle. “I am excited to work with everybody on the Town Board; everybody is very eager, very hungry, very smart and very dedicated.”

Lichtenthal holds the belief that the town needs to come together in order to initiate progress and change. “We are in a time where we need to work together a little bit more than the past and we must come together with new ideas to move our town forward,” Lichtenthal passionately explained. He encourages the community to bring forth and share their ideas with the new Town Board. “Unless people come out and tell us how things are going and how they see New Castle, we are not going to be able to move forward as a community.”

Also sworn in during the evening’s events was Douglas Kraus for Town Justice. The incumbent Kraus was re-elected to his 7th term having served in the position since 1994. Vedat Gashi was also administered the oath of office for County Legislator representing District 4. Gashi, a Democrat, will represent New Castle and portions of Somers and Yorktown on the Westchester County Board of Legislators.

At the end of the ceremony, Pool concluded with how she anticipates the new Town Board will serve the people of New Castle. “Here in New Castle, we can and will do better. The only way that we are going to get things done is to forge partnerships and engage all voices.”

Francesca Hagadus Win Paves Way to a Less Partisan Town Board

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Francesca Hagadus, a Chappaqua school teacher for 32 years, became the first Democrat in 30 years to win a seat to the Mount Pleasant Town Board. She defeated Anthony Amiano, 24, who was appointed in May to fill a vacancy left by Mark Rubeo who became a judge.

The Town Supervisor is Carl Fulgenzi and the other Council Members are Laurie Smalley, Thomas Sialiano, and  Nicholas J. DiPaolo.

Hagadus, in a statement to Inside Chappaqua, said it is her “aim to provide a mechanism for the Town to feel connected and informed. Town Board decisions should not be partisan. They are for the greater good of the Town with all deserving a seat at the table.”

The Mount Pleasant Board consists of the hamlets of Valhalla, Hawthorne, Thornwood, Pocantico Hills, Briarcliff Manor and a small part of Chappaqua, as well of the villages of Pleasantville and Sleepy Hollow.

Town Board Hashes Out the Proposed Opening Hours at Chappaqua Crossing

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By Eileen Gallagher

Chappaqua Crossing was on the agenda at the town board work session on Tuesday, specifically Whole Foods, and the conversation with the developer, Felix Charney, got heated. Much of the discord centered on proposed opening hours and a non-temperature controlled compactor/loading area, which could pose a problem in the warmer months.

What is not disputed is the necessity for some deliveries to occur an hour prior to opening. The hour for opening, however, is the issue.
Supervisor Rob Greenstein suggested having the store open at 8 a.m., and restricting delivery hours for tractor trailers until after 7 a.m. Charney supports a 7 a.m. opening, contending that morning users of the “mandated gym” are looking for something to eat when they are finished.

A resident in attendance, John Ehrlich, advised the town board after a quick internet search that all of the Westchester Whole Foods locations keep the same hours: 8 a.m-10 p.m..

Dr. John Collins, the traffic expert hired by Summit Greenfield, felt it would be sufficient to limit tractor trailers (there would be two a day) to 8 a.m. and allow the smaller trucks to “self-regulate.”

As for the compactor, town board member Adam Brodsky brought up the fact that if this “epicenter of one of the largest nuisances the property is generating” is not “refrigerated”, the refuse will “cook in the heat.”

Architect Andy Tung described the loading dock as an area enclosed on three sides with a cover on top. “The box itself is sealed, at the rear of the store, and 400 feet from any residential building.”

“The loading dock is the closest thing to existing homes,” said councilwoman Lisa Katz, expressing concern about residents hearing the beeping of trucks in reverse and being subjected to malodorous refuse.

Charney reiterated that Summit Greenfield is “not looking to be any more intrusive to our neighbors than this whole process has already been,” and reminded the board that the deadline for site plan approval for Whole Foods is June 30. “This has taken longer than we all expected.” Tung promised that a final site plan application would be ready in June.

Paving the way…

Gerry Moerschell, Commissioner of Public Works, requested an increase in the 2015 budgeted amount for paving town roads of at least $400k.

Citing the condition of the roads after years of economic woes, Moerschell explained in detail the need for rebuilding certain roads rather than just applying an overlay of asphalt.
“We pay a lot in taxes. If we have the money, we owe it to our residents to give them as smooth a road as possible,” Greenstein stated, going on to say that residents he has heard from are frustrated with the poor condition of many of the roads in town.

Comptroller Rob Deary eased the decision for the board as he described the town’s “good financial year” in 2014. “I am comfortable with [an increase of] $400k.”

Town Administrator Jill Shapiro summarized the paving budget amounts as $255k CHIPS ( Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program ) funding (a reimbursable amount), the original 2015 budgeted amount of $400k, and the additional request of $400k.

“We have to do it when we can do it, or else it’s never going to get done,” Greenstein stressed. “We need it, we have the money, and the comptroller is comfortable with it.”

Members of the board were willing to approve up to $600k, but councilwoman Elise Mottel was concerned about the depletion of the town’s salt supply. As Moerschell estimated that the purchase of more salt for the next winter season would cost an additional $200k due to the state’s increase of the price of road salt of 25%, the board unanimously agreed to the original paving request for $400k.

Coming soon…

George Barbarossa of Rev Design presented the new, easy to use, easy to update town website, expected to be unveiled around May 8th, after tax collection.

Barbarossa spoke of reaching out to department heads to get an idea of the most widely used features of the website in order to come up with a “rearchitected” site.

Board member Jason Chapin asked about a continuous improvement process. “How much is collapsed so it’s not three to five clicks?” he asked regarding the navigation of the site.

“The most heavily trafficked areas are one to two clicks.”

The site’s front page will feature drop down menus, and a running blog of latest news, along with press releases, e-news, and the Supervisor’s report.

In other news…

Town board members discussed the need for a “mailbox replacement policy” to address the incidental winter plowing of mailboxes (estimated between five and ten this winter) and the resulting reimbursement to the homeowners. Neighboring towns differ in their policies, with Bedford issuing $125, others $50, and New Castle $250, according to Shapiro.

Brodsky and Town Planner Sabrina Charney Hull will be members of a Streetscape Design Committee, along with Environmental Coordinator Steve Coleman, a merchant, and a member of the Master Plan Steering Committee.

Art Under the Bridge banners will be installed in Millwood and at the train station along with Farmers’ Market, Shop Local, and Distracted Driving banners.

Chapin expressed concern about increasing legal fees. “We’ve spent $14k on Conifer… so these numbers are going up and it’s making me uncomfortable.”

Greenstein responded, “Well, that site makes a lot of people uncomfortable.”

Finally, a reminder: The Rotary Club of Chappaqua will be holding a pancake breakfast and blood drive on Saturday, April 25 from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, 191 South Greeley Avenue, walk-ins welcome.

Outrage Expressed in Town Hall by those Opposed to Plan for Chappaqua Crossing

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chapp-crossing-hearingBy Steven Bernstein

Over 100 people packed Town Hall Tuesday, April 23, for the first public hearing on the plan for Chappaqua Crossing.  The New Castle Town Board heard only negative feedback from those who arrived regarding its consideration of the Summit-Greenfield plan to use 120,000 square feet of space at the old Reader’s Digest campus, for a supermarket and for other retail use. Meanwhile, at least one town board member made it clear that no decision has yet been reached.

“I have not made up my mind,” said Town Board member John Buckley.  “We’re going to do this fairly, reasonably, and we’re going to see what’s in the best interest of our community as a whole.”

The general sentiment of those who spoke was that the board was not doing what was best for the community.  Dozens of citizens stood up and voiced their opinions about how such a project could negatively affect the town.

There were several concerns on how the proposed project would influence traffic, public safety, and how the town does not need a grocery store.  “We have no problem getting groceries now.  I don’t know of anyone in town who has that problem.  It’s not a burning issue.  It’s a very poor idea,” said David Aplin, whose family has lived in Chappaqua for the past 23 years.

No one who attended the meeting expressed any favorable thoughts about the plan.

“The traffic’s going to be horrendous. The access to this development is almost impossible, coming off the Saw Mill, it’s ridiculous.  We don’t need another grocery store, we can drive to Pleasantville or Mount Kisco,” said Robert Lieblich, another longtime citizen of Chappaqua.

“It’s the small business owners who are helping our downtown come to life.  They’re helping to cultivate a sense of community.  The town board should be held to prove that the New Castle Town community believes this huge change to the character of our community will benefit the town, who ask that you put a referendum on the ballot this November, asking the community to decide whether they want a third business district,” said Rob Greenstein, head of the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce.

“If we’re focused on preserving our high school as the center point of the town, and we’re moving traffic in that direction, I think that’s a big mistake.  You can’t move on that road for 45 minutes in the morning, and 45 minutes in the afternoon.  I think the school board should really be front and center and what they think about the ramifications of this project across from the school,” said Robert Bowen, a resident of the town for thirty-five years.

“I live right off of 117; it’s absolutely dangerous when trucks are on 117.  I can’t imagine what would happen if there were trucks going both ways on 117,” said Hillary Grasso, who moved with her family to Chappaqua two years ago.  She also noted dangers in crossing for Greeley students who would be drawn to the development right across the street.

The second public hearing will be held on Monday, April 29th.  Any citizen who wishes to share their concerns over the proposed plan for Chappaqua crossing should go so their voice can also be heard.