www.myharrisonreport.com
Vol. 13/Number 6
DIVISIONAL
DONNY BROOK! Bobby Scatenato (top) wrestles against teammate Dom Schepis at the divisional tournament in Carmel on Feb. 2. Scatenato would beat Schepis in the semifinals and earn a berth in the Section I tournament in the process. In total, the Huskies had nine wrestlers qualify for sectionals. For more, see page 16. Photo/Bobby Begun
Town remains mum on PBA’s chief decision By DANIEL OFFNER STAFF REPORTER dan@hometwn.com
Six months after the Harrison police union voted to add the chief of police position to its ranks, members of town government have refused to discuss the matter, making it unclear if the matter has been discussed in any official capacity to date. The police union voted to add the chief as a non-voting member in June 2012, and the Harrison Town Council, in its role as police commissioners, would have to approve or reject the addition of the chief to its ranks. So far, there has been no official discussion on the matter, which would have to be conducted in public based on open meetings laws. In fact, officials have hesitated to even acknowledge the vote at all publically.
Police Chief Anthony Marraccini said that he was under the impression the Town Council was weighing the matter.
“Whether or not the police chief can become a union member provides no basis for conducting an executive session.” Robert Freeman, Committee on Open Government “I think the town board is evaluating the pros and cons and legalities of joining the union,” Marraccini said. Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont, a Republican, declined offering any details to the process of considering the move. “We haven’t talked about it yet,” he said.
Town Councilman Joseph Cannella wouldn’t field any questions on the matter. “I have no comment on that,” said Cannella, a Republican. Town Councilman Steve Malfitano, also a Republican, said that he was not at liberty to disclose whether or not the town had discussed plans to memorialize the vote. “If there was [a discussion] it would’ve been in executive session,” Malfitano said. “It doesn’t mean we’ve discussed it.” However, Robert Freeman, executive director of the state Committee on Open Government, said the issue regarding the union vote should not be held behind closed doors, based on the state’s Open Meetings Law. “Whether or not the police chief can become a union member PBA continued on page 13
February 8, 2013
Democrats seek new identity By DANIEL OFFNER STAFF REPORTER dan@hometwn.com
Michael LaDore, a Park Avenue resident who in years past ran for mayor separate times as both a Democrat and Republican, has returned to the Harrison Democratic committee, due to what he views as the tumultuous state of town politics.. LaDore switched registration from Republican to Democrat in 2011, after seeking the Republican nomination for mayor but dropping out before a primary was held. LaDore became a Democrat and came into a party still reeling from what is widely considered the worse loss in the history of a local Democratic Party, in November 2011. Typically, the committee is comprised of two district leaders within each of the 19 voting districts throughout the town. However, according to the Westchester County Board of Elections, the committee has been diminished from 38 to only 16 registered district leaders. “There should be 38,” Ladore said. “But it’s hard to get people active unless the issue affects them directly.” Schisms in the committee came about after infighting over candidates, key political issues and campaign tactics tied to the 2011 local elections, which pit two-term Democratic incumbent Joan Walsh against the popular GOP candidate, Ron Belmont, who would easily win the election. With 6,155 ballots tallied in the 2011 elections, Walsh came out behind with a total of 2,267 votes against Belmont’s 3,145. Walsh said her biggest slip-up was letting other people run her campaign. “In any group there are leaders
and people with agendas,” Walsh said. “It’s the same for any election; you need to talk and see how many people have the same goals and viewpoints.” Losing the race with 37 percent of the overall vote, the Democrats had been dealt a crushing blow as the GOP swept up all five council seats for a Republican monopoly on the board. After their defeat in 2011, along with infighting and a change in committee leadership, the Harrison Democrats will look to once again face the town’s GOP juggernaut this November. “It is the most Republican voting town in the county,” Former County Legislator and Harrison Democratic Committee member Martin Rogowsky told The Harrison Report in a recent interview. Rogowsky said that in other municipalities, the demographics of new and young residents tends to be Democratic, but not in Harrison. “Harrison is bucking the trend…They are not switching, while there continues to be a growing number of Democrats to Republicans in the county.” Although the 2011 local election and 2012 general election results support Rogowsky’s claim, the number of registered Republicans and Democrats are nearly identical. According to the county Board of Elections, out of the 17,043 registered voters in Harrison, there are a total of 5,522 registered Republicans and 5,410 registered Democrats. That fact has led some political pundits to view the GOP advantage as being organizational rather than purely based upon registration numbers. Out of 38 possible district leaders DEMS continued on page 9