Letters to the Editor

Good Coverage

Dear Editor,

Congratulations on your excellent coverage of the flood disaster. I visit your Web site from Florida. You did an outstanding job. Are any of our political leaders talking of tax relief for Rye residents who suffered flood damage?

— Ned Gerrity

A Mitigation Plan That Protects Property Rights

Dear Editor,

The local papers recently reported on the draft Hazard Mitigation Plan discussed at a recent City Council meeting.

Rye should take real steps to mitigate the severity of damage from floods. That’s not what the present draft plan does. The primary mitigation strategy outlined in the document is to “strengthen City regulations to further limit future development and redevelopment within flood prone areas.” What this means is that, over time, losses from floods will be reduced because the City will deny us the ability to build additions to our homes or, if our home is destroyed, rebuild our homes. These policies would affect one in six homes in Rye.

This strategy does not protect homeowners from economic loss from a flood. In fact, it ensures loss even if there is no flood, because it denies us our existing development rights, and diminishes our property values. The draft plan admits this. It says that the plan “impacts private property rights and may diminish property values…”

I am in favor of a real plan to protect us from floods, such as strengthening the dam, reducing upstream development, and enhancing our already excellent warning and rescue systems. I will not support a plan that allows the City government to pretend they’re protecting us, while they systematically diminish the value of our homes. The objective of a plan should be to reduce the loss to our homeowners, not diminish government accountability.

— Duncan Hennes,
Rye City Councilman

Before School Budget is Approved, Consider the Cost Benefits

Dear Editor,

The Rye City School District Board of Education is in the thick of its budget planning process and I have been following the discussions on RCTV. Clearly, our district has demonstrated a commitment to the top 10% of the student population with its vast array of AP courses. The proposed special education budget for '07-08 presented by Dr. Klein provides greater in-district support for the classified students in our school population. Although Dr. Klein's proposal does not address every recommendation from the consultant hired by the district, the new initiatives will provide greatly needed support for the children in this group. However, my concern is that the proposed budget does not seem to address or focus on the needs of the “gifted middle majority” of students in our district.

The district's mission statement says, “Our schools will develop an engaging, challenging, personalized program that supports each individual's talents and potential.” The children who fall within the middle 80% deserve to receive personalized, differentiated instruction, and I do not see initiatives in the '07-'08 proposed budget to address these children's needs. If the individual talents of each student in the RCSD are cultivated and recognized, the benefits will be tremendous to both the individuals and the community as a whole.

For example, the theater arts program described by Dr. Shine was eliminated from the proposed budget, although it would be a way to achieve a goal to improve the arts, which was identified by Strategic Planning. I believe that the approximately $1.4 million additional funding needed to build the Milton gymnasium could be better utilized for programs such as this one. Moreover, Dr. Cohen has suggested other new initiatives that could be funded with this money. $1.4 million is a huge chunk of change.

The community needs to take a very hard look at the costs/benefits before approving a $64 million budget with approximately $1.4 million allocated to another capital project. Perhaps the money left from the $22 million bond (approximately $600,000) could be seed money for a gym that could be built in a few years.

In conclusion, the Board has the difficult job of evaluating programs and choosing those they feel need to be funded in this year's budget. Since most children fall in the “gifted middle majority,” why don't we think about how we can serve their needs most effectively?

— Susan Van Dolsen

Last Chance to Save Durland Center

Dear Editor,

DOES ANYONE REALLY CARE ABOUT THE DURLAND CENTER? Unfortunately, the answer may be “no”, and as a result it looks like the Durland Center recreational facility on Stuyvesant Avenue on Milton Point is destined for demolition.

It is sad to think that the facility cannot be preserved, renovated and made into a valuable community asset for Rye and its surrounding communities. All segments of the community — youths, families, adults and the elderly — would benefit from this attractive waterfront asset as innovative and unique events, water sports and various recreational activities could be made available at Durland. It is especially disappointing that the facility cannot be preserved given that the investor group led by Corey Rabin has made a serious effort over the last six months to find an operator willing to run the center in return for the investment group’s commitment to preserve and renovate the facility.

The most realistic hope for Rye’s residents and possibly the most appropriate approach was for the City of Rye to either purchase or lease the facility. After appointing a special Durland Committee to study the opportunity and recommend various alternatives for the City to own and/or operate the Durland facility under a lease arrangement, the City Council was not comfortable with the commitment and the investor group’s initial purchase price and lease proposal. At the end of the day, the City Council did not seem to be interested in seriously pursuing the Durland opportunity by negotiating “hard” with the investor group. Private user groups were also not willing or able to commit to assuming the overall operating and financial responsibility for the facility.

As a result, the Durland Center will most likely disappear and the School District’s School of Leadership, Rye High’s boys’ and girls’ swim team, the Rye and local Cub Scout dens/Boys Scout troops and other current and potential users will have to find other “homes”. The reality is that Rye real estate has become so expensive and essentially overpriced that new public use facilities (and family owned businesses in downtown Rye) have been “priced out of the market.” It is hard to compete with the wealthy buyers of McMansions (and the banks and chain stores in downtown Rye) for Rye’s remaining “spaces”.

The “overheated” Rye real estate market really does have negative consequences for our residents and has contributed to the further diminishment of the character, quality and variety of Rye’s community life.

If you the reader have any ideas on potential benefactors or organizations who might be interested in working with the investment group that currently has Durland under contract, please send an e-mail to info@savethedurlandcenter.com.

—Ward Urban, Save the Durland Center Committee

Living in a Caring Neighborhood

Dear Editor,

Our home, like many in Rye, was flooded on Friday, March 2. While an event of this magnitude can be personally overwhelming and could certainly harden my heart, I want instead to focus on what is deeply touching from a positive perspective.

We live on Mendota Avenue in Indian Village. Even as the water was quickly rising, we immediately had neighbors on higher ground helping, unsolicited.

After the floodwaters receded and we returned to the horrible devastation, there was a steady stream of helping hands and strong backs to help us. Sandwiches and coffee were constantly delivered and warm, dry homes were opened to those of us unable to live in our own houses.

I would like to openly thank each of my neighbors. They continue to reveal the depth of their character and the breadth of their friendship. We feel fortunate to live in such a caring neighborhood.

— Kari Englehardt

George Latimer Defends His Record

Dear Editor,

A recent letter to the editor, citing my vote on the State Comptroller, called into question my independence as an Assemblyman. My past record on the Rye City Council and the Westchester County Legislature is clear: I stood for, and helped create, a more bi-partisan environment, and in White Plains particularly, was the architect for reform of the legislative process. It is unfortunate that these accomplishments are not often remembered in the heat of the moment.

Now, in Albany, beginning my third year, coverage of my full record has been clouded by this single issue. Let me just tell my friends and neighbors the number of times, since Jan. 1, when I have sided against my Democratic leadership and voted with Assembly Republicans, when I thought it was the right thing to do:

* Voted to hold a public hearing on an important ethics bill to insure community input on the proposal

* Voted for a proposal in which elected officials convicted of a felony would forfeit not only their post but their pension as well

* Voted for a rules change allowing minority Republicans to have equal resources to majority Democrats

* Voted to allow all members, regardless of party, to co-sponsor legislation submitted by any member

* Voted to require all resolutions to be submitted with at least three days advance notice, for proper review

* Voted for an amendment to expand property tax reductions for suburban taxpayers

* Voted against the Education budget bill that provided no significant support for Rye City schools (and other Westchester districts)

* Voted for 24-hour advance notice on changes to Committee agenda items

* Voted for fiscal impact notes prepared on each bill to be provided to minority as well as majority leadership

* Voted for automatic consideration of all Home Rule requests from local governments

* Voted against provisions that would raise taxes on banking institutions

* Voted for a reduction in the state debt as part of the 2007-08 Budget

In each of these votes, I voted in opposition to the bulk of my fellow Democrats — not to make a political point, but rather to support the reform and fairness we need to have a more bi-partisan system. And in fairness, I have voted with my fellow Democrats to advance environmental issues, to promote investment in transportation infrastructure, affordable housing, etc.

And I might add, I voted for the Governor's bills that advanced ethics reform, budget reform, civil confinement and workmen's compensation reform.

It is very hard for me to accept that no one realizes that I receive no “lu-lu” extra compensation as an Assemblyman, even though most of my colleagues do. No one really knows that I have never held a fund-raiser in Albany during the legislative session, to raise money from special interests, when most of my colleagues have done so over the years. No one really knows that I opposed the possible legislative pay raises discussed (but not adopted) late last year. My salary — for all the world to see — is $79,500; I have little other outside compensation. (That's certainly not a standard salary for a Rye resident.) I release my ethics form, and income tax forms to the media every year I run for office — so people can know whether or not I have any conflicts of interests — which few else do.

On any given issue, there is great room to disagree with any judgment I may have made. Certainly, I recognize that people will decide whether to support me or not now or in a future re-election race based on their opinion of my performance. But let's make sure that my complete record is known to all — so that your judgment is based not on one vote that has been highlighted by the New York City tabloid media, but rather by what my total commitment has been to this position in which you have allowed me to serve.

— George Latimer

A Few Good Questions

This letter was forwarded to us by the author on March 17 for publication. The complete text of this letter is available on our Web site, RyeRecord.com.

Dear Rye City Council and City Manager Paul Shew,

As you know, we had a significant snow and freezing-rain storm yesterday into late last night. As you also know, the Rye Police Department is open and our members work 24 hours a day. In addition, civilians come in and out of the Rye Police Department 24 hours a day.

At 1 p.m. today, the Rye Police Department's sidewalks, walkways, parking spaces and driveways had not been plowed and shoveled. However, City Hall was, Milton Firehouse was and even the closed Locust Avenue Firehouse was plowed.

Our question is as follows:

Why?

I was advised by a member of the DPW staff that we are last on the list to get plowed and shoveled.

Again, our question is why?

— Timothy Chittenden,
President, Rye Police Association

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