I just wanted to express my concern about this weekend's storm. I can't believe the town board took the recommendation of the Study Committee to stop all trucks including your own town trucks from entering the facility. The members of the board should have took my recommendation and posted a employee of the town to direct all and any truck traffic coming into the facility until the driveway can be finished. What is going to be the cost estimate to the town for having to re-handle the material twice now from the Middle Patent site back to the Westwood site after the driveway is finished. I feel it is really unfortunate to the town and myself that we couldn't just have worked this out. I don't know how much more reasonable I could have been. I offered them the no soil and no grass coming into the facility until the committee could bring all the facts to the table. Instead it felt like a lynch mob was out to get me and my company. I can't believe that after all I have done for this town to date, that I was treated so unfairly. I thought I made all my best efforts so we could have worked this out before the board made such a hasty decision. It was late and a lot of us were tired, it really troubles me that after the committee's very first meeting and in a couple of hours they felt they had enough facts that they could make such a recommendation to the board. Well look were it got us now! This storm normally would have helped towards making my company some of its investments back that I have put into the facility and would just prove how much saving benefits my program really contributes to saving your town and tax payers money. But now that the board made its motion towards the committee's strong recommendation not to allow any materials be brought into the facility, its going to prove detrimental to the financial being of the town and its tax payers. Not to mention the convenience to the tree companies working in the community to be able to extend back to its customers a great saving in the clean up all of this storm damage. I hope this is the last of the hasty decisions that are going to be made and let's just work together to get this facility finished as soon as possible. Its obvious that we can never tell how and when mother nature will strike. This is the second major storm she has thrown at us in just few weeks. When will she strike next! I have been out this morning and have seen the storm damage, if the town would like to reconsider my offer I would be willing to sit down with them ASAP.
I would like to introduce myself. My name is James Scoli for those who do not know me. I am the owner of Westwood Organic Recycling. I had the opportunity to attend the Town Board Meeting with my daughter Sage Scoli on Thursday, Feb. 11th. My daughter has always been interested in the type of work I do for a living. I wanted to address some concerns that the residents had that were not answered and clarify some main points that were brought up in the meeting.
1) Westwood will not be composting leaves at this facility. Any leaves that are brought in will be removed from the site and composted at other locations. Traditional composting of leaves do release odors. Again, since leaves are not going to be composted at this facility, the residents will not have to be concerned about these odors. 2) The large heaping piles of waste that were mentioned at the meeting are in fact processed wood & chips from trees, processed into landscape mulch that is going to be used to beatify all your public places and parks in your town, and available to you the residents to be picked up for FREE. This part of the program for residents to pick up topsoil, finished compost & landscape mulch was designed for those who enjoy recreational gardening. (Flower beds & Vegetable Gardens) 3) There were concerns about traffic, It is my understanding that all of the towns highway trucks, Deliveries, etc are now directly traveling threw the historical district of the community, their have been a lot of concerns from parents who’s children walk to town during a large part of the year to enjoy pizza & ice cream after school. Around the same time the workers are heading back to the yard at the close of a hard days work, I also had a woman thank me one morning on my way in, she said that she was happy that I was here, how she enjoys gardening, and that as part of setting up this program there will be a new driveway onto a state road for the trucks, I cant speak for the town but during my conversations with them they thought this was a great benefit to finally get this driveway built and traffic away from the center of town, the historical districted and most important away from endangering the children of the community. 4) There were concerns about being able to see into the site. My self and the town have been discussing a few different ways to properly screen and make it as green as can be. There has been a fence placed up for review to be installed along Rt-128. I offered to donate the labor, wild grasses & roses to be planted in front of each section, Westwood also is donating the labor to plant all other trees entering the facility, this includes building and planting the rest of the burm along Rt-22 as mentioned at the meeting. I know they are working on this and had asked for any suggestions from the pubic.
At the meeting my agreement with the town was read page by page but the last 2 pages some how were left out. These are just some of the ways your town will save and benefit by this program. For your review, I have attached the last 2 pages of the agreement at the end of this letter.
As mentioned at the meeting I can assure you that we are in compliance with all regulations from the DEC and Westchester County and that I am very meticulous as to how I run my business.
I would also like to point out that I was born and raised in Westchester County, and grew up a couple of towns away I am your neighbor and currently live only a few miles from town. Westwood is one of a few companies that handle this type of work. We are Westchester based and have been working with other local towns to process their organic materials into a positive recycling process. The way nature intended it to be! In return this saves the town and the taxpayers money an ads points towards the responsibilities of our future solutions to help the Earth’s environmental challenges. I am committed to making a difference in this county and will continue to do so.
I am always available if someone would like to contact me.
Sincerely,
James Scoli (914) 273-1112 Jscoli@westwoodorganic.com
How Will The Town Save By This Program
1) Westwood is able to save the Town and tax payers' hundreds of thousands of dollars a year by recycling the organic materials through composting & processing. 2) Westwood's program is more cost effective than hauling the materials to dump sites or landfills out side of the county. 3) Materials processed are being recycled back into the community. 4) Eliminate the costs of handling all of your own organic materials. 5) Save on labor for reloading, handling & managing these materials. 6) Eliminate fuel costs! (running equipment) 7) Eliminate maintenance & depreciation on equipment. 8) Save on not having to purchase processing & other machinery for handling these materials. 9) Saving money buy not having to purchase topsoil, mulch and other organic materials for the town.
How Will The Town Benefit By the Program
1) Make the town a cleaner and greener community. 2) Be able to maintain your town's storm water systems with out having to endure the expense in disposing of materials. 3) Ensures the burden of hauling and processing organic waste no longer falls to the town and their tax payers. 4) Be provided with the organic materials needed for your town and community at NO COST! 5) Towns and residents will enjoy the environmental benefits of recycling, while help in protecting the environment. 6) Be a partner in earth-friendly solutions such as organic recycling to help the Earth's environmental challenges.
Westwood Organic Recycling
Westwood Organic Recycling is committed to making a difference for Westchester County and the communities within. Westwood offers municipalities a menu of services which include complete organic waste management and at the same time helping communities become one step closer to becoming a greener place to live. By reusing the local organic material here in Westchester and in our back yards, it's all part of the future in the "recycling circle".
I would like to personally say thank you for the opportunity to be working with the Town of North Castle and the people that help make it such a great community. I believe this is going to be the start of a new beginning.
At the Town Board meeting on 4/28/10, there was some discussion concerning the pick up of tree branches in front of properties in our town. I suspect the Town has received several communications requesting more rapid pick up of same.
I understand from this April 28th meeting, the Town Board is now considering the hiring of outside contractors and/or time and a half overtime pay for Saturday work for Town employees to hasten this pick up. My street, Nethermont Avenue in North White Plains, has many piles of branches still awaiting pick up.
I urge the Town Board NOT to hire outside contractors to do this work and not to bring back Town employees at overtime pay to do this work. The extra expenditure of Town funds for this purpose is not warranted. These tree branches are not unsightly, as if garbage was sitting on the streets for this length of time. This is a result of almost unprecedented storm damage and Supervisor Weaver at previous meetings has assured us the Town is working diligently to complete the pick up process as soon as practicable. Our Town employees are assiduously working on this project. Evidently, this assurance and speed of how it is being performed may not be satisfactory for some residents.
I respectfully suggest to these residents to exhibit greater patience and understanding. This pick up process is extensive and tedious. Whether this process takes several more weeks or even months to complete, what is so urgent? Has our society reached such a state of instant gratification that all our desires must be accomplished immediately? The branches that are piled up awaiting pick up present no immediate hazard to our community or its residents. Nevertheless if any resident is so obsessed with these branches sitting on their property and unwilling to wait their turn for Town pick up, they can hire a private contractor for the removal of same.
This Town Board has demonstrated a strong desire to curb spending and be conservative in the spending of taxpayer dollars. The pick up of these branches do not constitute an emergency and the appropriation of tax dollars to satisfy the self interest of a few would not be prudent, particularly during this economic climate.
Incidentally, today I was at a senior gathering at our Recreation Center in Armonk and this issue was discussed at our table. All present agreed they would not want to see extra monies spent by the Town to speed up this branch pick up process.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
Ed Lobermann
PS Please have this letter read at the May 12, 2010 Town Board meeting.
May 14, 2010
Dear Neighbor:
Government has an obligation to provide adequate and secure benefits and pensions to its employees. However at the same time, government has a responsibility to its taxpayers to ensure that such benefits are reasonable and sufficiently funded. On Monday May 9th, 2010 the Legislature cleared the final hurdle for comprehensive employee benefits reform. Legislators listened to you and came together to pass meaningful reforms that will ease the burden on our County’s taxpayers. This was a bi-partisan effort and the result of a robust exchange of proposals between the County Executive and the Board of Legislators. While the process took more time than I preferred, I recognize that the legislative process does involve negotiation. Through those negotiations and mutual cooperation, a fair and equitable resolution was reached. This defining action of the Legislature will scale back employee benefit plans for current and new public employees at the County level. This Legislative package is fair and equitable to employees while achieving substantial savings for taxpayers. Each piece of the five-bill package calls for substantial reform of the public pension and benefits system to ensure its long-term viability for career County employees. Highlights of the Legislation: • The creation of a tiered income-based health care contribution model that would require all elected officials, County officers and officials, non-represented managerial County employees and retirees contribute between ten per cent (10%) and twenty per cent (20%) of the overall cost of their premium health insurance. • Authorizes a request for proposal for a consultant to prepare an evaluation and make recommendations to reduce costs of health and related benefit plans. • Establishes new limits of payouts for unused sick and vacation pay for County employees when they exit county employment reducing the maximum number of days for the payout to 50 days (10 weeks). Currently, that limit is 125 days (or 25 weeks). The new legislation would save an estimated $1.2 million over several years. • Creates a voluntary separation payment program for Westchester County employees who separate from County service. It would pay each eligible full-time active employee the sum of $1,000 per completed year of service, with a cap of $30,000. • Authorizes the County to impose a ‘hiring freeze’ until December 31, 2010 in an effort to maximize the cost savings expected from the County’s Voluntary Separation Payment Program. Click here for comments I made during Monday night's board meeting. As always if you have any questions or concerns please contact me at Nonna@westchesterlegislators.com
County Legislator John Nonna District 3
April 15, 2010
Supervisor Weaver,
I wanted to express my heartfelt thanks to you and the other Board members for acting promptly, responsibly, and sympathetically to citizens’ concerns about the proposed cell tower.
The responsiveness and concern of you and the other Board members was fabulous and stood in stark contrast to my past dealings with the Town and its Planning Board.
Reflecting on the Board’s decision, I truly feel that you acted as my elected officials.
As appropriate, can you please share this note with the other Board members.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This meant a lot to me and my family.
Adam Barnett 16 Pine Ridge Road Bedford NY 10506
Storm Debris Clean Up Efforts
April 13, 2010
Residents,
Our Highway Department employees are continuing to chip the brush every day.
They are working to fill pot holes and keep storm drains open. Pot holes are considered emergency repairs and that work is done as required.
The downed trees and limbs on the roadsides must be attended to for the safety of those traveling the roads. The volume of trees, limbs and brush resulting from the two storms is enormous. In many cases the size of the limbs prohibits chipping in our machines and requires the use of chainsaws.
Therefore, the usual schedule for brush pick-up is not in effect.
Residents can request wood chip delivery by contacting Maureen in the Highway Department at: mcoleman@northcastleny.com or 273-3323. This product is not finished mulch. Requests must include name, address and contact info as someone must be available to accept drop-off of wood chips.
Highway Foreman Craig Useted reports that pick up of bagged leaves starts this week.
Please bear with us. We are working hard to clean up our Town as quickly as possible. The work is progressing, but it is slow and physically challenging.
We all want the Town to be cleared as soon as possible of storm debris.
... Supervisor William R. Weaver for the Town Board
North Castle Highway Department
March 13, 2010
Dear Supervisor Weaver, Members of the Town Board and Residents of North Castle,
During the end of February Westchester County experienced one of the worst winter storms of recent times. The Town of North Castle received over 18 inches of mixed precipitation over a 3 day period. During this period the Highway Department worked over 56 hours straight in an attempt to keep the roadways open and the citizens safe. This letter to the board is not intended to congratulate ourselves, rather to acknowledge that this could not have been accomplished without the leadership of Craig Useted, Rich Fon and the support of Supervisor Weaver and various board members who stayed and assisted by answering phone calls from concerned residents. Craig Useted was able to manage and direct our short staffed department with efficiency, compassion and humor through a physically and emotionally exhausting storm. He balanced our needs for rest and food, managed equipment breakdowns, and coordinated with other departments based upon the changing demands of the storm. Because of Craig’s leadership and application of team approach, the roadways were cleared and safe enough for Fire, Ambulance, Police and Emergency Services to operate during the storm. This collaboration allowed residents to return to their normal routine and enabled Con Edison, phone, and cable services to be restored as promptly as possible. When the town works together we all benefit.