Eastchester REVIEW THE
0ctober 19, 2018 | Vol. 6, Number 43 | www.eastchesterreview.com
CSEA, BOL OK new contract By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
Full of art The Pelham Art Center is kicking off its artsfest this week with an array of activities and evetns all geared toward enjoying local arts. For more, see page 6.
Latimer, Buchwald and Con Ed take action In a meeting with Westchester County Executive George Latimer, Con Edison President Tim Cawley, New York State Assemblyman David Buchwald and a range of municipal leaders throughout Westchester, Con Edison updated the group of stakeholders on actions requested of the utility company by municipalities to prepare for the coming winter season. After last March’s storms, which left thousands in Westchester without power for days, Latimer expressed outrage and demanded change. Turning that outrage into action, Latimer and Buchwald formed “United Westchester,” a group aimed to bring all impacted parties together to advocate for change in the way utility companies handle severe weather and its effect on our pow-
er system. Following the March storms, United Westchester presented the utility companies with a report including recommendations on how to better prepare for the years ahead. This meeting was a status check on these findings. “We all know that we had a very difficult experience last March, and for a subsequent period of time after,” Latimer said. “Storms Riley and Quinn devastated Westchester, and the time and effort it took to recover from that created quite a dialogue over where we are and what we can do together to make this better. The United Westchester organization, a coalition of local governments, got together to identify what the priority issues were that we thought we needed to have progress made on. We are very happy to hear from Con Edison
that eight out of ten major recommendations that came out of it are things that they are implementing.” Among steps Con Edison is taking to improve its storm response are: • Investing $100 million in Westchester in the next four years to fortify its overhead electric-delivery system against severe storms like those that struck in March. • Creating a pilot program to remove hazardous trees on private property, and making improvements to storm staffing and customer communication flow by improving both the accuracy of the information provided to customers and the way it is sent. The enhancements were developed as the result of recommendations from elected officials and com-
munity leaders since the March storms. • Seeking earlier access to contractors and mutual aid crews to come into the area and help with repairs, including ability to fly crews in, rather than drive, from more distant utilities in widespread regional storms. This would save days of response time. • The company is working with municipalities to identify critical roads throughout the area and will work with municipalities to clear those roads first. Con Edison is also working with municipalities to identify and update critical community facilities that would receive priority restoration. • Additional training for municipal liaisons and improved STORM continued on page 7
After operating without a new contract for seven years, Westchester County’s largest union, the Civil Service Employees Association, has a deal in place that will include $27.8 million in retroactive salary increases. As part of the contract, the union conceded to pay a portion of their healthcare costs—between 5 and 10 percent on a case by case basis for employees—an issue that had remained a sticking point between the two sides for years. The Board of Legislators approved the contract on Monday, Oct. 15, making the 10-year deal official. With the CSEA representing thousands of civil service employees in Westchester, the size of the contract will create an even larger budget shortfall on top of the $18 million deficit the county is currently facing for 2018. The union has been operating under the parameters of an expired contract since former County Executive, Rob Astorino, a Republican, took office in 2010. The two sides attempted to negotiate unsuccessfully for the entirety of his tenure as county executive, butting heads on healthcare contributions and back pay. In 2017, Astorino in seeking a third term in office lost re-election to George Latimer, a Democrat. “After seven years of stalemate, we have a contract that the
majority of CSEA workers have ratified,” Latimer said in a statement. “I want to thank CSEA’s leadership for negotiating in good faith; and I am proud of our county and our workers.” According to projections provided to county officials back in August, the county’s budget deficit currently hovers at $18.2 million, more than $14 million less than initially projected. Among the factors contributing to the smaller shortfall are favorable sales tax revenue—$7 million more than expected— lower than projected healthcare contributions and savings from other renegotiated contracts. Due to revenue shortfalls lawmakers are now forced to consider raising taxes through the property tax levy. However, Latimer has said a tax hike is currently not on the table. During Astorino’s eight years in office taxes were never raised, a rallying point during his 2017 campaign.A shortfall may also increase the likelihood that the county will be forced to draw on its fund balance. A reduction could directly affect the county’s AAA credit rating from Moody’s, a financial service and credit rating agency. That rating affects the county’s ability to borrow and issue bonds at preferential interest rates and could prove increasingly important as the Federal Reserve continues to increase borrowing rates. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
Westchester County’s largest union, the CSEA, has agreed to a new contract after seven years in limbo. Photo courtesy Flickr.com