Eastchester REVIEW THE
November 18, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 47 | www.eastchesterreview.com
saluting their sacrifices Eastchester and Tuckahoe residents, officials and veterans gathered on Nov. 11 at Parkway Oval to pay tribute to the community’s past and present veterans. For story, see page 6. Photo courtesy metrocreativeconnection.com
Mrs. Green’s shuts down 5 stores citing new strategy By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer Mrs. Green’s Neighborhood Market announced on Nov. 15 that it would be closing multiple stores in New York and Connecticut to shift focus to five of its “core” Westchester stores as part of a new strategy. Amid customer complaints of supply shortages in some of its Westchester locations, the Irvington-based company released plans to close its Rye and Tarrytown stores, as well as two locations in western Connecticut and a location in the West Village in Manhattan. According to David Kiser, a Mrs. Green’s manager, the Rye location will close its doors on
Nov. 18 or Nov. 19, depending on how much inventory is left over following a close-out sale which featured 50 percent off on all items. A spokesperson for the company said that the store’s locations in Tarrytown and Fairfield, Connecticut, launched the same sale, and would also be closed by the end of the week based on the same criteria. The Stamford, Connecticut, and West Village locations were closed immediately. On Wednesday morning, shoppers perused the almost vacant isles at the Rye store. “It wasn’t my No. 1 store that I visited frequently, but if I ever need milk or fruit, I would try and stop in as often
as I could,” said Colleen Scott, a Rye resident who was sifting through the remainder of the store’s sparse merchandise. “It always had nice alternatives, like green home products. It’s definitely sad for the town for sure. I wished it worked out.” In a released statement, Mrs. Green’s said that it planned to shift attention to its five flagship locations within the county: Eastchester, Yorktown, Briarcliff, Mount Kisco and Larchmont. “While the closure of any location is difficult—especially because our customers and communities have supported us—they are also necessary as we focus on our core, profitable stores,” the company said. In 2014, the company
announced plans to expand from 18 locations to 40 by the end of that year, and planned to have 100 stores open within the next few years. That plan included a store at the Rivertowns Square Shopping Center currently being developed in Dobbs Ferry. Plans for that store have been cancelled. Also, Mrs. Green’s CEO Pat Brown has resigned as a component of the company’s new direction. John Collins, a spokesman for the company, told the Review that existing management has taken over Brown’s responsibilities while the company conducts an internal and external search for a new CEO. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
2 candidates to run for fire board commissioner By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer Election Day is over, but in the Eastchester Fire District, the race for commissioner has just begun. On Dec. 13, the fire district, which encompasses all of Eastchester, Bronxville and Tuckahoe, will hold what is expected to be a contested election for one commissioner’s seat, that of Commissioner Jerry Napolitano. Although Napolitano, 49, has not filed the necessary paperwork solidifying his candidacy as of press time, the commissioner did tell the Review that he does plan to run again. Stuart Rabin, a 10-year employee for the town of Eastchester, has filed a petition for candidacy. Rabin has served as a clerk for the town and as senior office administrator of the Community Development and Housing Choice voucher program. He is currently the senior office administrator of the town’s Parks and Recreation Department. Rabin, 37, told the Review that his experience in administrative positions has given him insight into the needs of Eastchester residents and an understanding of government facilities management. Napolitano, who is seeking his second term on the fire board, has a background in public safety, including his work for Motorola Solutions, where he specializes in communications for fire, police and EMS. In his current role as fire commissioner, he cochairs the health and safety, and facilities committees. Napolitano said his main priority of a second term would be to help keep the district budget
under the state-mandated tax cap. Last month, the Board of Fire Commissioners passed the 2017 budget, remaining under the tax cap for the third consecutive year. But Rabin criticized the district’s 2017 budget, which is close to $17 million. “They’ve really dropped the ball on their fiduciary duty,” he said, adding that he would look to reduce taxes within the district. Rabin also pointed to the legal battles which the district has been tangled in for years, including one against Eastchester, two lawsuits with the volunteer Fire Department, and a grievance arbitration with the professional firefighters union related to unpaid or underpaid pensions. He said that the board’s focus on litigation was adding unfair costs to the district. “I think their interest, right now, is more focused on trying to be right than trying to be safe,” he said. Napolitano said his experience in dealing with the district’s legal concerns through his first term gives him the advantage of understanding the issues facing the district. Each of the five commissioners of the Eastchester Fire District is voted into a five-year term; the terms are staggered so that one of the five seats is up for election every year. The winner of the December election would be elected to serve from Jan. 1, 2017 until Dec. 31, 2021. Fire district commissioners serve on a volunteer basis; they do not receive compensation. The deadline to file for candidacy with the Westchester County Board of Elections is Nov. 23. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
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