Tuesday, June 10, 2014
~ from Supervisor Robert J. Greenstein, Councilwoman Lisa S. Katz, Councilman Adam M. Brodsky

Following is a detailed chronology that led to the recent Town of New Castle Board decision regarding the new café that will be located in the landmarked Chappaqua train station depot.

Saturday, December 2, 2014

Editor’s Note: The Town Board has closed the public hearing on the budget and will vote to approve it on the evening of December 9. The League of Women Voters of New Castle will hold an information forum on the budget on Tuesday, December 9th at 9:30 a.m. at the Chappaqua Library.  Town Comptroller Robert Deary, Town Administrator Jill Shapiro and Town Supervisor Rob Greenstein will be there to explain the budget and answer questions.

Brodsky promises to work closely with Master Plan “commercial development and hamlets” group
Saturday, November 15, 2014
by Christine Yeres

The Town Board officially enlisted local brain power to serve on a Business Development Advisory Committee (“BDAC”) headed by Town Board member Adam Brodsky. The group is charged with assisting the Town Board “by identifying and recommending policy initiatives that will strengthen our existing businesses, attract new and desirable businesses to New Castle, and help our community revitalize our existing business hamlets.”

Saturday, November 1, 2014
~ from the Town of New Castle

The position is responsible for all areas of public relations, including serving as the Town’s Public Information Officer. In addition, the position is responsible for the maintenance of the Town’s various social media outlets, including its Facebook page.

September 26, 2014

Editor’s Note: Local architects Wallace Toscano and Bill Spade paid a visit to the Town Board work session of September 16 with plans Toscano developed in Spring of 2012 for 36 units of affordable housing on 1.3 acres of town-owned property behind town hall.  He presented the plans as a better alternative to the one-third acre Hunts Place property that Conifer, a Rochester-based affordable housing developer, was proposing.  At the time, then-Supervisor Susan Carpenter and former-Supervisor Barbara Gerrard stated that wetlands issues would prove a deal-breaker.  But recently Toscano and Spade have run the plans past the town’s Environmental Coordinator, Steve Coleman, who believes that existing wetlands shouldn’t make for an automatic “No.” 

What happened while you were away…
Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Editor’s Note: There won’t be any exam, but for those of you who’ve been away in mind, body, or both, here’s a cheat sheet of what happened over the summer.

Monday, September 15

Editor’s Note:  The town’s Sustainability Advisory Board members reviewed waste disposal bidders, weighing the cost-benefits of the once-per-week pickup versus twice-per-week and of dual-stream versus single-stream recyclying.  Below are their conclusions.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014
by Christine Yeres

In a 4-0 vote today, the state’s Regional Board of Review denied seven of the eight building and fire code variances requested by Conifer for its affordable housing proposal of 28 units in four stories built from edge to edge of the one-third of an acre at Hunts Place.  [See a statement from Supervisor Rob Greenstein in “Read more”.]

Wednesday, June 11, 2014
by Adam Brodsky

When I was elected to this position this past November, I can honestly say that—after my wedding day and the birth of my four children—it was one of the happiest days of my life. I was deeply honored and appreciative that the residents would come out and support me as one of their leaders to help chart a path forward. The election was a whirlwind and a tremendous challenge.

Monday, June 9, 2014
by Carla Gambescia, Erin and Peter Chase

A request for proposal, typically referred to as an RFP, is a formal solicitation made by a governmental entity or company interested in procuring a product or service or valuable asset through a competitive process.

Monday, June 9, 2014

Editor’s Note: In a May 28 press release, A Thank You to Town Administrator Jill Shapiro, Supervisor Rob Greenstein wrote, “It should be noted that we recently received an email from the entire school board in support of Jill.”

Monday, June 9, 2014
~ from Jeffrey Mester, President, Chappaqua Board of Education

The letter we wrote to the Town Board speaks for itself.  The letter, by its tone, was obviously meant to be private, but the School Board has no objection to the message in the letter being made public.  While sending a letter to a public board has no expectation of privacy, we did expect discretion.

Saturday, June 7, 2014
by Carla Gambescia, Founder and Owner of Via Vanti

“What is past is past, and, whether you believe it is right or wrong, the current Board is confident that the process that is presently underway will be open and fair to all applicants.”

~ Town of New Castle Deputy Supervisor Lisa Katz (NewCastleNOW, March 28, 2014)

May 30, 2014
by P. Cullen

This is an accident, or worse, a law suit waiting to happen.  For quite some time, professional dog walkers have been taking over the town parks.  There is the possibility that if one of these dog walkers causes an accident (if one of their charges bites a resident/visitor), the town could be sued.  When bite incidents have happened in the past, the Town Board has considered the possibility of banning all dogs from town parks.

Saturday, May 24, 2014
by Christine Yeres

The January appointment of Jill Shapiro to the position of Town Administrator for a term of six months was perhaps understandable in terms of smoothing the transition for a Town Board with three new members, but it should have been accompanied by an open search to fill the position longer-term, along with an invitation for Ms. Shapiro to reapply for the job herself.  There’s still time to do this.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014
by Supervisor Rob Greenstein
With 68 comments since publication Wednesday

Editor’s Note: At 12:42 this morning, Supervisor Greenstein sent the following statement to media outlets. His text follows.

I would like to address recent statements directed at our Town Administrator.

Applicants for train station lease gravely disappointed in the process and final decision
Monday, May 19, 2014
by Peter and Erin Chase

Dear Mr. Greenstein & Town Board:

Our family moved to Chappaqua because we fell in love with the small town feel and sense of a strong community.  We immediately knew we wanted to open a small restaurant and be a part of this community.  For almost a year we have been working with a local broker trying to find a space to lease.  In February we were made aware, by our broker, that the train station was possibly available, as negotiations were breaking down on the lease.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Editor’s Note: In a follow up to Open Letter to TB members: New Castle doesn’t deserve “good”—it deserves “great”, NCNOW.org, 5/19/14, by Peter and Erin Chase, Supervisor Rob Greenstein emailed the couple to explain the Board’s thinking in choosing Leslie Lampert’s proposal for the use of the Chappaqua Train Station space. His email and the Chases’ email response follow.

Monday, May 19, 2014
by Christine Yeres

In January when three new members joined the Town Board, there was some confusion as to how the initial appointment of Jill Shapiro as Town Administrator had occurred.  Board members Elise Mottel and Jason Chapin had been left out of the decision, they said, and Supervisor Rob Greenstein had announced even before the new Board’s first meeting that “Our new Town Administrator will be Jill Shapiro.”  Shortly after, it was explained that her appointment would be for a six-month period.

Monday, May 19, 2014
by Robin Murphy

Dear Editor:

Although I voted for Rob Greenstein as well as the other Team New Castle candidates, Adam Brodsky and Lisa Katz, I have been disappointed that their promises to bring “small business mindset” and “a new approach” to New Castle town government have so far been empty.  The appointment of Jill Shapiro as Town Administrator—with no attempt to invite other candidates to apply—raises serious questions.

The ZBA continues its discussion on Homeland cell tower Wed. May 28 @ Town Hall

A rendering of the tower by Homeland-Verizon showing three of six possible arrays of antennae
Saturday, May 24, 2014 [Originally published on Tuesday, April 22, 2014]
by Christine Yeres

When Planning Board members speculated during last week’s as to why Homeland Towers and its client, Verizon, were not interested in pursuing alternatives to the 150-foot cell tower Homeland is proposing for Armonk Road, an attorney for residents of Whippoorwill Lake Road was ready with an answer: “Because Homeland Towers doesn’t make money doing that.  Homeland makes money building towers like this.”

April 11, 2014
by Anthony Vaccaro, New Castle Commissioner of Public Works

I maintain a comprehensive road rating system to rank roads based on their traffic volume and extent of deterioration.  I have tried over the years to distribute road resurfacing projects equitably throughout our Town addressing the highest-ranked roads, within our yearly budget.  Our budget this year can support paving two to three miles. (The town has 120 miles of road, or 240 lane miles.)  This year’s focus should be the westerly part of Town.  Spring Valley Road is a high priority and is currently being considered by FEMA for grant money as part of their Hazard Mitigation program.  I am hoping to hear from them soon so the Town can decide where to spend its road paving budget.