Bronxville and Scarsdale region

Labor relations with our three unions in the village are unsettled.  Labor contracts expired with both the police union and the Teamsters representing our public works employees.  Our library staff decided to unionize under the auspices of the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), the largest union in New York State, so their eventual contract will be an original agreement.

Based on New York State law, all three unions operate under very different sets of rules.

The library CSEA contract is particularly important because it will serve as the template for every agreement for years to come.  There are currently eight full time employees in the library union.  Part-timers were allowed to vote to certify a union but the CSEA has yet to require the part-time employees to pay dues.

The period between petitioning to unionize by library staffers and the actual vote which chose union affiliation by a very small margin was extremely short.  Upon reflection, I think the abbreviated timeframe proved to be a disservice to both parties, limiting the time for everyone to do the cost/benefit analysis of union, non-union affiliation.  Also, writing a contract from scratch during these very challenging economic times presents a completely altered stage for negotiation.

As example, the non-union village hall staff, based on a long standing policy, receive 17 paid holidays per year, something that would never be negotiated in the backdrop of 2012 economic realities.

The union representative and the library negotiating team met with the team approved by the library board which includes Village Administrator Harold Porr and a labor counsel.  By law, all decisions will be made by the library board.  The Village Board of Trustees has no role in these negotiations.

The parties have met 25 times since 2008.   The library team recently declared “impasse” and filed with New York State’s Public Employees Relations Board (PERB).  Per New York State law, a mediator will be assigned and three negotiating dates will be set.

If an agreement cannot be reached “fact finding” will ensue, whereby both parties draw up reports representing their positions and the fact finder will share them with the Library Board of Trustees.  If both parties continue at a standstill, “super conciliation” is imposed allowing a “super conciliator” to do additional fact finding and mediation.

If at the end of this process there is still no agreement, by law the Library Board of Trustees must legislatively impose a first contract.  Though lasting for only one year, it would serve as the template for all contracts in perpetuity.

It is important to note that all during this prescribed process, the parties can continue to meet and talk and/or the union membership have the option to decertify union affiliation.

The village’s contract with the police union expired on May 31, 2011, and the two parties began meeting early in 2012 to craft a new agreement.

The parties have met approximately eight to 10 times since.  The police union is represented by a committee of officers led by PBA President Detective Richard Anderson as well as labor counsel.  The village’s team consists of Village Administrator Porr and labor counsel.  Trustees do not sit at the bargaining table, the procedure adopted by most communities as it helps to inherently separate politics from the process.

The police union just recently declared impasse and sought arbitration per state procedure.

Municipal unions are not allowed to strike.  Police and fire unions have mandatory arbitration.  As a result, police compulsory arbitration takes the form of a three-person panel populated by the labor lawyers representing each party and an agreed upon “neutral.”

Though no date is set as of press time, what will follow is essentially a bench trial.  Evidence will be presented, including witnesses such as economists and comparable data vis-à-vis other communities.

Prior to the actual arbitration, the parties will mutually agree upon three or four main issues to debate as every provision of a contract is not tackled in compulsory arbitration.  Quite obviously, salary and health provisions usually top the list.  Whatever the arbitrators decide is automatically valid for just one year.

Again, parties can decide to negotiate right up until the arbitrators’ final decision.

Our public works employees have traditionally waited until a police contract was negotiated with the village before beginning their process.

However, if our police union ends up in arbitration, the arbitrators’ final award will not have precedential value as the decision will have been made by someone who is not a steward of our taxpayer dollars.

The current situation is not ideal for any of the parties: library staff, police officers, Department of Public Works employees and village government.

Lack of agreements cause a feeling of uncertainty and it is clearly not a recipe for high morale.  It is difficult for everyone.

From the perspective of a village trustee, we need to strike a balance between offering our hard working employees a fair wage that demonstrates the respect we have for their work while at the same time being stewards of your dollars as taxpayers and not setting in motion agreements that will detrimentally affect village finances long term.  We are in a time of crippling contributions to the New York State pension system and the $1.2 million we just sent off to Albany certainly has to be viewed as part of the overall financial package of every village employee.

I will keep you abreast of any agreements but there will be no conversation from the village while negotiations are in progress.  We believe all negotiating should take place at the bargaining table as public airing during such time is unprofessional and most importantly unproductive.

Mary Cain of Bronxville approaches the finish line in the 800 meter run, taking first, during the Glenn D. Loucks Memorial Track and Field Games at White Plains High School on May 11, 2012. ( Xavier Mascareñas / The Journal News )

See more photos from the Glenn D. Loucks Memorial Track and Field Games at White Plains High School in a photo gallery, and go to LoHud.com for the story.

The Preservation League of New York State has selected Christ Church Bronxville to receive an award for Excellence in Historic Preservation. They are the only organization in the Lower Hudson Valley to receive the honor this year.

Completed in 1926, the church was renovated to meet 21st century standards while preserving its history and core architectural features. Walter Sedovic, whose self-titled architectural firm in Irvington led the restoration project, said the award affirms a “slow down and understand” approach to heritage buildings.

“The success of this project reinforces how remarkably responsive historic buildings are to modern energy concerns, and that traditional buildings should serve as models of sustainability and energy conservation,” he said.

Jay DiLorenzo, President of the Preservation League, said the church restoration used a global environmental view on matters such as stormwater management and reducing energy use.

“The awards jury agreed that by reinstating the natural climate control features of traditional building methodologies – in other words, windows that open – the project team has set a fine example for other practitioners,” he said. “We are delighted to celebrate the restoration of Christ Church Bronxville, and to congratulate the congregation for its stewardship of this magnificent building.”

The awards will be presented at the Preservation League’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony in New York City at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16th at the historic New York Yacht Club on West 44th Street.

“The first priority in making the repairs and improvements was to ensure that we respected the historical significance of the church building and its original design features,” said Arthur G. Taylor, chairman of the church facilities committee that oversaw the project . “We are confident that we have achieved that goal, and this award validates our decisions.”

The League’s awards program honors notable achievements in retaining,  promoting and reusing New York State’s irreplaceable architectural heritage.

In her weekly column, Bronxville Mayor Mary Marvin laments the outcome of the most recent village budget:

On April 30^th, the trustees and I finalized a budget that we all agreed was our most difficult to date.  We finalized a budget of $13,966,549 with $5,820,936 offset in non-property tax revenues resulting in $8,145,613 to be paid by property taxpayers in fiscal year 2012-2013.

We began the process with fewer policemen and public works staff on the payroll than we have had in years and 15 percent less administrative staff.  As illustration, we now have one secretary for all of village hall.

Our looming fixed costs include our “debt” back to the State of New York which is Bronxville’s largest ever.  Pension costs rose from $1,028,649 to $1,194,596 representing a 16% increase in one year.  Our pension obligations were just $4,566 in the 1999-2000 budget.  Health care costs rose 5.5 percent to $1,783,015 and Workmen’s Compensation costs rose in one year a whopping 18.7 percent to $227,765 despite the fact we received a rebate due to our minimal use of the fund.

At the end of the process, we will send the State of New York a check for $3,205,376 and receive $64,713 back in direct State aid.  This is clearly an unsustainable relationship. Beyond the exponential increase in state mandates, expenses at the local level also rose.  Fuel costs increased by 42 percent in just two years and our energy bill will jump 10.75 percent in the next budget.

On the revenue side, we could not prudently forecast significant increases in sales tax and mortgage tax revenue as the trends over the past year have been uneven. Additionally, any costs from the county and town that could be increased at the local level such as garbage transfer costs were filtered down to the village budget.

At the end of the process, without buying a new pencil or offering staff raises, the tax burden on our 2,300 taxpaying houses, co-ops, condos and commercial properties was untenable.  Faced with this dilemma, our only recourse was to look for additional revenue sources whose costs did not fall completely on the village taxpayer.  We reviewed all our revenue lines and reluctantly agreed to put our parking meter costs in line with those of all our neighbors and charge a quarter for fifteen minutes rather than the current quarter for twenty minutes.

We had not adjusted our meter costs for over eight years, not keeping pace with other communities.    In our estimation, this adjustment was the best way to balance the heavy burden on our taxpayers while not placing an unfair burden on any one stakeholder keeping the increase in line with neighboring shopping communities.

The additional revenue helped to lower our property tax levy to $8,145,613 from the original estimate of $8,276,957 as well as shore up our fund balance to help maintain our Triple A bond rating.  This most favorable rating has proven advantageous for our capital program as we were recently able to borrow funds at a 1.75 percent net interest rate.  As a result, you will see a very robust program of improvements to our long term assets such as road paving and curbing, tree planting, computerization of village paper records and an aggressive program to clean and rehabilitate the village sewer system.

At the end of our thoughtful and sometimes tortured process, our budget work resulted with $166 above the State promulgated tax cap. We could have come in under the cap by decreasing our budget for road repaving for example, but we believed we had analyzed every budget line and made the best possible decisions for Bronxville residents.

The Trustees and I believe the small increase above the tax cap not only demonstrates prudent control over local finances but allows us to respect and champion the concept of local sovereignty versus State control of local issues. We believe the final budget best serves the needs of the residents of Bronxville although perhaps not the political ambitions of the career politicians in Albany.

It still boggles the mind that the same folks due to their lack of courage and inaction send us a bill from Albany equating to a 4 percent tax increase and can also dictate a 2 percent tax cap on local spending. From my perspective at the local level, we are in an unprecedented stage of “big brother” control, be it through the State mandated tax cap or the recent housing settlement requiring the County to sue its own municipalities.

I wait for the days when the taxpayer becomes the most important special interest group.

In her weekly column, Mayor Mary Marvin recalls the services and activities that are available for older village residents:

An inter-generational community adds to the richness and fabric of our Village and is so worth preserving. Our wonderful police department will even check on any senior if they so wish and also hold a house key in case of emergency. Seniors without cars can walk to medical specialists in every field, visit the dentist and even walk to a hospital. A walkable business district is vital to maintaining a robust senior population.  So when you shop in the Village, you not only send sales tax revenues to our Village and school and help to keep home prices stable, you aid in maintaining age diversity in our Village.

Our library sponsors book clubs, computer lessons and thanks to the efforts of the Friends of the Library, cultural performances and readings. The Bronxville Adult School offers a broad array of classes, trips and recreational and cultural opportunities at very reasonable cost.  The options in Bronxville for food for the body and mind is unparalleled. And, if Broadway calls, Metro North is in the center of the village and Grand Central less than a half hour away.

In addition to all of the above amenities, the village is also home to two vibrant organizations specifically dedicated to the needs of seniors.

The Bronxville Seniors are also known for their philanthropic work whether it is collecting cereal for a Head Start program, buying mittens for the needy or delivering presents to hospital patients. In that spirit, they sponsor a panoply of social and enrichment activities including luncheons with speakers, Tai Chi and yoga classes, knitting and bridge.  In the next few weeks, our seniors will be heading to Ellis Island, the Bruce Museum and the Botanical Gardens.  If you would like to join the seniors, reach out to Director Sue Tozzi at 793-2222 or Bronxvilleseniorcitizens@gmail.com.

A recent addition to the village’s array of senior services is Gramatan Village which offers a wide spectrum of services including transportation, help with errands, handyman referrals, recreational and educational opportunities and assistance with medical issues.  They even have a service that connects our seniors with volunteer opportunities as our seniors always seem desirous of giving back.  If you are interested in joining, contact Executive Director Julie Dalton at 337-1338 or stop by their offices at 85 Pondfield Road.

Gramatan is having a festive “May Magic” fundraiser on May 6th at Siwanoy Country Club where lifelong village resident Mary Taylor Behrens will be honored for her many contributions to our village.  All are invited to attend.

Your support of these two vital organizations will help to ensure the unique age diversity in our village which enriches us all.

The Bronxville Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting tonight at 7 p.m. to vote on the 2012-2013 village budget. The meeting will be at Village Hall, 200 Pondfield Road.

Bronxville officials are looking at a $13.98 million budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year that is about 2.8 percent higher than this year’s amount. If passed without any modifications, it will include a 4.6 percent tax levy increase and a 4.58 percent tax rate increase.

The proposed spending plan asks for tax increases above the state’s 2 percent cap, in part because of increases in the municipality’s contribution to the state retirement fund. In Scarsdale, fund balance and any leftover funds from the current budget will be used to keep tax levy increases to the 2 percent level.

“We’re having to budget $260,000 more than this year for pensions,” said Harold Porr III, Bronxville’s village manager. “Last year, we paid $940,000. This year, it’s $1.2 million.”

In order to keep below the state’s 2 percent tax levy cap, the village will have to eliminate about $202,500 in expenses from the tentative budget.

The tentative budget includes no raises except for positions that come with step increases: police patrol officers and library caretaker. It restores a full-time position in the village parking office to handle tickets, and keeps Department of Public Works staff at 18. It eliminates a full-time library staff assistant and a full-time library position. Employee benefit payments will increase by nearly 8.5 percent, most of it to the state’s retirement system, although there are increases for worker’s compensation and insurance.

The Eastchester Town Board will hold its regular meeting tomorrow, May 1, in Town Hall at 8 p.m.

Among the items on the agenda:

• Tax cert settlements for Wilmar Properties, Bonura, D&F and Chem-X-Realty.

• Resolutions for bond issues to replace sidewalks and curbs, resurface streets; to buy a dump truck and pick-up truck; to purchase equipment for the parks and building departments; and to buy and install a parking meter kiosk.

• A special presentation for the town’s 10th annual Traffic Expo Kids Safety Day. Tags: Barnes & Noble, Bonura, Chem-X-Realty, D&F, Town Supervisor Anthony Colavita, Wilmar Properties

Bronxville’s Chris Behrens won the 200-meter intermediate hurdles at the Gold Rush track and field meet at Clarkstown South.

See more photos of the Gold Rush track and field meet at Clarkstown South

 

The Friends of the Tuckahoe Library will hold a book sale during the upcoming Crestwood Street Fair, set for 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. this Sunday, April 29.

Funds raised will help support library programs.

This just in from the folks who are organizing Eastchester’s celebration of 350 years as a community in 2014:

A committee of local historians is looking for volunteers to help put together a book to mark this milestone.

Possible topics include the Eastchester Covenant of 1665 and its role as a founding American document, the industrial and commercial development in the area in the 1850s, how Anne Hutchinson came to settle on land that eventually became part of Eastchester, separating fact from fiction about Eastchester’s relationship to the Bill of Rights, or Eastchester’s volunteers in the Civil War.

Eastchester Town Historian Richard Forliano intends to write about the ethnic and racial makeup of the community in the early 1900s—including the Italians and African Americans who moved to Tuckahoe, the artists and professionals who settled Lawrence Park, and the Irish who were the largest and most politically active group—a topic that he has been researching for some time.  Bronxville Village Historian Eloise L. Morgan will explore why and where the town borders grew and shrank over the centuries, beginning with purchases from Native Americans and British land grants in the 1600s and continuing through later losses of territory as Mount Vernon incorporated separately, New York City absorbed southern Eastchester into the Bronx, and Bronxville and Tuckahoe each formed separate villages within the larger town.

Other volunteers have expressed interest in researching and writing about why the community came to have three separate public school systems, what happened in Eastchester during the American Revolution, the role of African-Americans in Eastchester before 1900, and the work of private and public charitable organizations in early 20^th century Eastchester. Suggestions for other topics are welcome. The publication committee plans to avoid merely repeating what has already been published and to footnote citations to source materials.

Anyone interested in participating in the preparation of the publication—writing, research, fact checking, editing, collecting illustrations, creating graphics, and the like—is urged to contact Richard Forliano, clancy5@optonline.net or Eloise Morgan, rcmelm@aol.com. The committee will help volunteers identify primary and secondary source materials and provide other assistance. With a publication target of 2014, the group hopes to have drafts of the various articles by mid-2013. “It sounds like a long time,” said Morgan, “but given the amount of work to do, it feels like tomorrow.”

The book is only one of many activities and events planned for the community’s anniversary celebration in 2014, under the auspices of a 350^th Anniversary Committee chaired by Eastchester Town Clerk Linda Doherty and former Bronxville Trustee Robert Riggs. Volunteers interested in participating in, or getting information about, other aspects of the overall festivities may contact the Anniversary Committee at 350thanniversary@eastchester.org.