Eastchester REVIEW THE
October 21, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 43 | www.eastchesterreview.com
Latimer, Killian debate centers on Albany reform By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
ON ICE
Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino unveiled a $25 million plan to replace Kensico Dam’s currently barren 92,000-square-foot reflecting pool with an outdoor ice rink and skating circuit. For story, see page 6. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
Fire district to fund 3 new engines with reserves By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer After considering bonding to replace three firetrucks, the Eastchester Fire District has decided to pay cash from its apparatus reserve fund to finance the rigs. Each firetruck could cost the district between $350,000 and $650,000 or more, depending on its specific features. On the low end, those trucks could deplete half of the fire district’s $1.95 million apparatus fund; more expensive engines could deplete the fund entirely. During an Oct. 18 fire board meeting, Commissioner Peter Incledon, who cochairs the apparatus committee, added that the district would likely save money by purchasing the three firetrucks at the same time.
Four of the district’s apparatuses were manufactured by American LaFrance, a company which went out of business in 2014 after filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008. District officials have expressed concern that it would be increasingly difficult to find replacement parts to maintain those engines now that the manufacturer is out of business. Three of those apparatuses, engines 27, 30 and 31, were manufactured between 2000 and 2001. Those machines will be the first of the Fire Department’s current fleet to be replaced. Dennis Winter, chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners, said the fire district will ask for input from its career firefighters to help narrow down the spe-
cific features the trucks should have. He added that it could take a year or longer for the district to get the new machines. Mike Grogan, chief of the Fire Department, told the Review, “The money is there, reserved for this purpose; so why incur additional costs if we don’t have to?” Currently, the fire district has no outstanding debt. Each year, the district allocates a portion of its budget to a long-term apparatus reserve fund, money that it plans to use to purchase new rigs every 10 to 20 years. Last year, that district allocated $300,000 into that fund. This year, that budget line received $250,000. During the Oct. 18 meeting, the Board of Fire Commissioners
approved the fire district’s 2017 budget, a 2.3 percent increase which remained under the statemandated tax cap. About 70 percent of that budget will go toward salaries and cost of employment for firefighters and other district employees. In addition, the Local 916 Firefighters Union is in arbitration of a grievance with the district concerning unpaid or underpaid pensions. If an arbitrator rules in favor of the union, the district would have to pay $5.5 million as a lump sum or $7.2 million over time in additional expenses. Winter has maintained his stance that the board would have to cut firefighter jobs in order to fulfill that obligation. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
Two candidates for New York state Senate in Westchester’s 37th District continue to court undecided voters in a series of scheduled debates leading up to Election Day. At the Harrison Public Library on Monday, Oct. 17, in front of residents from across the county, incumbent state Sen. George Latimer, a Rye Democrat, squared off against challenger Julie Killian, a Republican councilwoman from Rye. While Latimer, now a two-term senator, looked to champion his blue collar Westchester roots and breadth of experience—he has spent nearly 30 years in elected office—Killian, a first-time Senate candidate, looked to pivot her newcomer status as a harbinger of Albany reform; a major theme in her campaign so far. “I decided to run for state Senate the day [Sheldon] Silver was arrested,” said Killian, referring to the former Democratic New York state speaker of the Assembly. “Then, Senate leader Dean Skelos was arrested; one Democrat; one Republican…. We deserve better.” On policy, much of the differentiation between the candidates was made in the minutia, with both candidates agreeing on substance, but not means. A question regarding either candidate’s willingness to raise the state gas tax in order to fund infrastructure projects elicited a resounding no from both sides. Each candidate, however, outlined different approaches. While Latimer, 62, said he would entertain supporting the maintenance to the state’s infra-
structure through bond issuance, Killian pointed to the elimination of New York state’s Scaffold Law—which establishes contractors’ “absolute liability” for elevation-related injuries and contributes to costly insurance rates in addition to lawsuits— as a major point for reform. Additionally, a question regarding the Women’s Agenda introduced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, in 2013 which referenced a facet that would protect women’s right to choose saw similar sentiments, but differed on specifics. Killian, 54, explained to the audience that women deserve access to safe and reasonable health care, while Latimer took the opportunity to flex his knowledge on finer points in the agenda. “The actual question was, will I vote for the 10th point, which codifies the federal protection for the women’s right to choose, which protects women’s right to choose at the state level,” he explained, characterizing Killian’s answer as vague. “And I would vote for that.” The crux of the debate, which lasted just under 25 minutes for the state senator’s portion of the night, centered on incumbency versus reform. DEBATE continued on page 15
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