June 3, 2016 by The Rye City Review

RyeCity REVIEW THE

June 3, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 23 | www.ryecityreview.com

Rye held its Memorial Day service in the Council Chambers of City Hall on Monday, May 30 due to inclement weather, which also caused the cancellation of the annual parade. Signifying the retreat of the flag, Eagle Scouts perform the traditional ceremony upon the end of the service. For coverage, see page 6. Photo/Chris Courtney

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June 3, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 3

Council mulls commissioner of public safety position By ANGELA JORDAN Staff Writer The city of Rye may be tying together the administration of its Fire and Police departments with a new civil service position soon. The Rye City Council introduced legislation during its May 25 meeting to create the Department of Public Safety and the position of commissioner of public safety, which would oversee both the Fire and Police departments in Rye. At the meeting, Councilwoman Kirstin Bucci, a Republican, said that the idea for this position came to be because the city is “spending way too much money” on the Fire Department, and that by creating a position that covers both the Police and Fire departments, the city has the ability to spend less money on administration, and allocate more funds to the firefighters. Rye City Manager Marcus Serrano said that the creation of the position also came from a need for better supervision of training, policies and procedures for the Rye Fire Department. He also said that by creating this position, the city will be “streamlining” its emergency services administration, which will create more cohesion between the departments. The City Council officially opened a public hearing on the

matter at the council meeting, and Mike Billington, who has been a volunteer firefighter in Rye for 35 years, discussed the idea. Billington said that it’s been difficult for the Rye Fire Department to obtain unpaid volunteers due to “demographic changes” in the city over the past few decades, and that having this new, paid position might be what’s best for the future of the department. “I believe that Michael [Corcoran] is the right person for the job,” Billington added, referring to the current police commissioner of Rye, a position that would no longer exist if this one were created. Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican, responded by saying that the city is not ready yet to decide who will get the job, since the position hasn’t been created yet. Corcoran, who only took over the police commissioner duties this February, told the Review that no one from the city has formally approached him about the possibility of filling any new position yet. “I’m open to discussing anything in the future, but right now I’m just focused on running the Police Department,” Corcoran said. However, according to Councilman Richard Mecca, a Republican who is on the city Fire

Advisory Committee, a body created to address the needs of the Fire Department, said that Corcoran is the strongest contender for the potential job. “There’s no reason why we would not approach him about taking on this role,” Mecca said. “He’d be the perfect candidate for this position.” According to Serrano, the process of creating this position begins with the City Council, which needs to pass a resolution to create a public referendum on the creation of the position, which would be voted on by residents of the city on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2016. The city manager’s office would simultaneously be working with both the New York State Civil Service and Westchester County Civil Service to agree on the job title, and then if it passes via referendum, ironing out details for the position, like salaries and benefits. When asked if any salaries for the potential position have been suggested yet, Serrano said that it would be too early to determine at this stage. The City Council will be making a formal decision on whether or not to put this position up for public referendum at its next meeting on June 8. John Castlehano, president of the career firefighters’ union, could not be reached for comment as of press time.

Falcone named associate publisher of the Review Christian Falcone, editor-inchief of the Review chain of weekly newspapers, has recently been named associate publisher of our White Plains-based parent company Home Town Media Group. With his new title, Falcone will now serve dual roles, still maintaining his position as editor-in-chief of the company’s five publications: The City Review New Rochelle, The Eastchester Review, The Harrison Review, The Mamaroneck Review and The Rye City Review. Howard Sturman, publisher of Home Town Media, offered his assessment of what Falcone’s new title will afford the company. “We’re excited about Chris’ promotion,” Sturman said. “After spending nine years with Home Town Media, he will en-

able us to raise our public profile to a new level.” Falcone first took over the position of editor-in-chief in April 2013. Since then, he successfully led a rebranding of Home Town Media and a redesign of all elements of its five newspapers, leading to the creation of the Review identity. Prior to that, he spent several years on the beat covering the city of Rye as a reporter for the company’s Rye newspaper, before transitioning into an associate editor role for that same paper. As a reporter, Falcone was awarded numerous distinctions for his writing, including seven New York Press Association awards, largely for in-depth and spot news reporting. His most notable work con-

Christian Falcone

sisted of weather-related disaster coverage of the 2007 floods, Tropical Storm Irene and Hurricane Sandy; uncovering the strife within a local political party; exposing the president of a local nonprofit for failing to pay property taxes; and helping to uncover financial theft by a golf club manager, who was later sentenced to state prison.

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What’s going on... Rye Free Reading Room

novice and experienced writers.

The Quality of Life: Your Retirement

Visit ryelibrary.org for more information on these and other events and programs.

Family Story Time Yoga On Saturdays in June from 11 a.m. to noon on the Village Green, or in the Children’s Room if it rains. Master storyteller and yoga teacher Elisha Simpson takes children on a journey of exploration through body and word. Narrated folktales from around the world are interpreted through yoga, giving children a way to connect and discover their inner world of creativity, body and imagination.

Rye Library Writers On Saturday, June 4 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Ogden Nash Room. Share work, brainstorm, encourage fellow writers and be encouraged in a welcoming and supportive environment. This writers’ group meets once a month to discuss their works in progress, writing topics, the writing process and their individual writing joys and challenges. Open to the public on an ongoing basis to

On Saturday, June 4 from from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Meeting Room. Paul Tramontozzi, a Rye resident and financial advisor with New York Citybased KBK Wealth Management, an independent wealth management firm, will give a presentation on “The Quality of Life” featuring research by the MIT Agelab. He will cover challenges and opportunities of longevity, trends in demographics, technology, and lifestyles, and three simple questions you should ask yourself to assess how prepared you are to live well in retirement.

Art exhibit The Mamaroneck Artists Guild will be exhibiting artwork inspired by beginnings and the excitement of the month of June through Wednesday, June 29. A reception in honor of the exhibiting artists will be held on Saturday, June 11 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Teacher-in-the-Library Got homework? Drop by the library Monday through Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. through June 16. Rye teachers offer after-school homework to help students attending local public and private elementary schools in the Rye area. This is a free program sponsored by the Auxiliary Board of the Rye Free Reading Room, The Woman’s Club of Rye/Children’s Philanthropy Section, and the PTO of Rye Schools.

The Storytellers Guild On Tuesday, June 7 from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. in the Meeting Room. Join adult story lovers at monthly meetings to share traditional and personal tales and trade tips on storytelling techniques. Each evening is loosely arranged around a theme. Listeners, as well as tellers, are always welcome.

Windows 10 basics workshop On Thursday, June 9 from 10 a.m. to noon in Raho Technology Center. Windows 10 is the new Microsoft operating system for all new computers. This new system has new functions that are different from previous versions. This seminar will cover how to use the new Start Menu and features, along with the apps that are in the new system. Also covered will be many of the basic settings. This seminar will be helpful to those thinking of buying a new computer as well as some who have a computer with Windows 10. Attendees that have laptops with Windows 10 installed may bring them to the seminar.

Westchester Chorale Society Spring concert The Westchester Chorale Society will be performing a spring concert on Saturday, June 4 at 4 p.m. at Rye Presbyterian Church, located at 882 Boston Post Road in Rye. The program features songs from American gospel and spiritual roots as a memorial tribute to P. Rosemary Peeler. Concert tickets are $25 for general audience members and $10 for students. For more information or to purchase tickets to the concert, visit westchesterchoralsociety.org.

Rye Meeting House BBQ Beach Bash Benefit Hailey’s Hope Foundation will be hosting a BBQ Beach Bash benefit on Saturday, June 4 from 7 p.m. to 11p.m. at Manursing Island Club, located at 1 S. Manursing Island in Rye. Proceeds will benefit local families with babies hospitalized in neonatal ICUs at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Valhalla and other New York-area hospitals. Enjoy cocktails and dinner on the Sound, live music by Twist of Fate and raffles. Tickets start at $175. For more information or to purchase tickets to the benefit, contact Donna Zion at 584-883 or dzion@haileyshopefoundation. org, or visit haileyshopefoundation.org.

Rye Town Park Park season permits Discounted season permits are available for Rye City, Port Chester, Rye Brook, Rye Neck and Rye

Town residents and non-residents alike. Season permits allow people to take full advantage of the beautiful Rye Town Park and Oakland Beach. Permit holders get “high tide” benefits for a “low tide” cost. The permits will be on sale Wednesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Permit Office in the Administration Building, Rye Town Park, 95 Dearborn Ave. in Rye. Permits for residents: Senior: (62+) $20 and free parking; Individual: $110 and $4 parking; Family: $150 and $4 parking; Platinum family permits: $300 and free parking. Resident seniors who have permits dated on and before 2010 do not have to renew their permits. Permits for non-residents: Senior: $60 and $5 parking; Individual: $250 and $5 parking; Family: $350 and $5 parking. Parking-only permits are $150. Beach access is free for all permit holders. The more permit holders go to the beach, the more they save. Rye Town Park is a “stay-cation” bargain. MasterCard, Visa and Discover credit cards will be accepted for season permits. New resident permit holders will have to provide a proof of residence. For more information, call the park at 9670965 or visit ryetownpark.org.

County happenings Outdoor arts festival The 54th annual White Plains Outdoor Arts Festival will take place on June 4 and 5 in Tibbits Park, located where North Broadway and Main Street meet, in White Plains from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. This is a juried arts festival, with artists from near and far displaying their unique, one-of-a-kind jewelry, handicrafts, and art work. This free, family-friendly event also includes an exhibition of student art, an emerging artists display, a raffle of items donated by the artists, a variety of food vendors, and a children’s art workshop. All proceeds from the nonprofit event are used to provide scholarships to White Plains High School seniors who are pursuing a college degree in the fine arts. For more information, visit whiteplainsoutdoorartsfestival.com. Deadline for our What’s Going On section is every Thursday at noon. Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate your listing. Please send all items to news@hometwn.com.

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June 3, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 5

Milton science fair draws enthusiastic third-graders

Eva Magnus, left, and Caroline Courtney from Mr. Cifone’s fifth-grade class pose in front of their exhibit which explained in detail how instant film works.

Lia Hartwell, left, and Finley McCullough show off their exhibit on how, why and when cut flowers shrivel up and end up in the trash. Photos courtesy Sarah Derman

On Wednesday, May 25, Milton School fifth-graders showed off a full slate of exhibits ranging from floating gummy bears to droopy tulips. The fair, which was attended by third- and fourth-graders, was spearheaded

by Scott Cifone, a fifth-grade teacher at Milton. One of the most interesting exhibits was created by students Eva Magnus and Caroline Courtney. They researched and presented the inner workings

of the Polaroid camera and its seemingly magic film. Here’s a hint: that squishy backing on instant film contains all the chemicals necessary to develop a picture. -Reporting by Sarah Varney

A group of students arrives in the gym at Milton Elementary School. On May 25, Milton students in grades three through five participated in a science fair with exhibits created by fifth-graders.

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Rainy skies cancel parade;

emotional event held at City Hall

Sports Editor | Mike Smith ext. 22, sports@hometwn.com Editorial Assistant | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com Editorial Assistant | Suzy Berkowitz ext. 30, suzy@hometwn.com Reporter | James Pero ext. 20, james@hometwn.com Reporter | Angela Jordan ext. 18, angela@hometwn.com Education Reporter | Sarah Varney ext. 17, sarah@hometwn.com Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso Advertising | Lindsay Sturman ext. 14, lsturman@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writers Corey Stockton Staff Photographers Bobby Begun, Andrew Dapolite Columnists John Carey, Rye City Council, Lenore Skenazy, Joe Murphy Letters

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The Color Guard, led by American Legion Post 128 members, waits outside Council Chambers in City Hall for the opening procession.

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The Ladies Auxiliary of American Legion Post 128 support patriotic programs in Rye. The group is comprised of women whose family member has served in any branch of the military.

On Monday, May 30, American Legion Rye Post 128 gathered for a wreathlaying ceremony honoring past veterans of foreign wars. The city of Rye’s Memorial Day parade was cancelled due to inclement weather, but that didn’t seem to dissuade attendees of the annual observance. A packed crowd filled City Hall’s Council Chambers to hear speakers including Rabbi Dr. Robert Rothman, who gave the principal address. During the ceremony, Post 128 representatives presented Rye High School freshman Adam Chen with a $500 first prize for taking home top honors in the John M. Kingery Memorial Essay Contest. Two other students, Julia Laber, a freshman, and James Cronin, a sophomore, received runners-up honors with a $250 prize for each. The biggest award of the event was given to Rye High School senior Lauren Dempsey, who, along with her club advisor Marie Carlucci, received the Westchester County American Legion Auxiliary 2016 Americanism Award. Dempsey and Carlucci were honored for their work with the school’s Adopt A Soldier Club. The club raises funds for care packages for soldiers currently serving abroad. Vice Cmdr. of Post 128 Thomas Saunders read out the Roll of Honor with 54 names of Rye’s fallen. One veteran, Vaughn Dale Prunnur, is still listed as missing in action. The roll includes the names of deceased veterans from World Wars I and II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The Rev. Joseph Lim of the Church of the Resurrection, a retired lieutenant colonel of the U.S. Air Force, delivered both the invocation and the benediction for the ceremony. -Reporting by Sarah Varney

Wreaths outside City Hall commemorate Rye’s war dead on Memorial Day, May 30.

Mark Willis plays taps. To end the ceremony, the Rye High School junior blew the traditional military anthem signaling the end of the Roll of Honor.

In his role as vice commander of American Legion Post 128, Thomas Saunders read the Roll of Honor, a list of fallen Rye veterans from World Wars I and II, Korea and Vietnam. Photos/Chris Courtney

June 3, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 7

New York state Assemblyman Steve Otis, a former mayor of the city, thanks Rye’s fallen heroes.

Rye High School senior Lauren Dempsey received this year’s Americanism Award from the American Legion. Dempsey and Adopt A Soldier advisor Marie Carlucci shared the honor. Photos/Chris Courtney

The Rev. Joseph Lim, parochial vicar of Resurrection Church, is a former Air Force captain who served for 23 years and obtained the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Rye City Councilman Terry McCartney, who led the ceremony in place of Mayor Joe Sack, addresses the crowd.

Although Rye’s Memorial Day parade down Purchase Street was cancelled due to the weather, brothers Matthew, 4, and Ewan, 5, wave their flags in support of the troops. Photo/Sarah Varney

Members of the Rye High School Adopt A Soldier Club stand in front of Rye City Hall. From left, Fiona Maloney, Connor Maloney, Aidan Anderson, Henry Friedrich, Franklin Goldszer and Ryan Anderson. The group sold paper poppies to commemorate the battles of Flanders Fields in 1940. Photo/Sarah Varney

Robin Phelps Latimer leads the crowd in singing “God Bless America” to a packed audience in the Council Chambers. An overflow crowd was seated in the chamber anteroom.

New York state Sen. George Latimer delivers his Memorial Day remarks.

Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker speaks at Rye’s Memorial Day ceremony.

Rabbi Dr. Robert Rothman, rabbi emeritus of the Rye Community Synagogue, delivers the ceremony’s principal address.

Members of American Legion Rye Post 128 await the Memorial Day ceremony held indoors this year due to inclement weather.

Casimir Harshbarger was recognized for his Eagle Scout status.

Rye High School freshman Adam Chen reads from his essay. He won first place and $500 in the annual John M. Kingery Memorial Day Essay Contest. Kingery served as a B-26 pilot in World War II and later founded the eponymous car dealership.

8 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • June 3, 2016

Why I liked being a judge

Should the city of Rye raise its debt limit?

cized publicly, but it is a thrill to match wits with some of the smartest people around, the lawyers who appear in your court. At the same time, your self-control is tested daily, if not hourly, when you are tempted to speak sharply instead of always being polite and kindly. Both the self-control and the expertise of judges are tested daily, if not hourly. Also tested is their humanity. Kindness must be exhibited all the time, even when a lawyer needs to be gently admonished. Naturally, a judge’s treatment of lawyers in court will be tempered by the judge’s own experiences in court as a lawyer. If a judge has been roughly treated by a judge when

Projects Fund, and the internal service funds (Risk Retention Fund and Building and Vehicle Maintenance Fund)—are not included in the calculation, as their budgets are supported primarily by revenues and transfers charged to other funds. 2. Public safety The city can issue debt of an additional $1 million annually to a maximum aggregate amount of $2.5 million, to address public safety needs, such as police and fire. The city had $1.2 million outstanding at the end of 2015, leaving $1.3 million of borrowing capacity under the public safety exemption. 3. Natural disaster As of December 2011, the city can issue bonds in an amount of up to $2.5 million for capital improvements or equipment related to a natural disaster declared by the federal government. There is no debt outstanding under this exemption. The city has $700,000 of discretionary borrowing capacity available without a permissive referendum. Rye has always taken a conservative approach to debt issuance. Our debt level is well below the limit established by New York state for municipalities: 7 percent of the average assessed property value over the past five years. Some New York municipalities have don’t have debt limits beyond what is required by the state. This conservatism has allowed Rye to sustain a coveted AAA debt rating, reflecting our ability to repay the debt (a history that supports that expectation) due to our relatively low borrowing levels. It means that we can borrow at the most favorable rates available. It is probably a fair assumption that in budgeting for future years, the city will either have to raise taxes or issue additional debt. Our tax levy (the $22 million we collect in property taxes annually) barely covers the city’s

A RYE OLDTIMER Judge John Carey

I liked being a judge so much that, when I was told I’d reached the age of mandatory retirement, I brought a lawsuit against the first Gov. Cuomo, claiming that I was being denied my constitutional right to equal protection of the law. The highest court in New York dismissed my suit, saying that I had not raised a constitutional issue. I found that hard to understand. I would still like to be on the bench now, well into my 90s. Yes, it’s hard work, and you can’t talk back when criti-

serving as a lawyer, the best reaction is to remember how it felt to be abused, and resolve not to do that to any lawyer. One of the most gratifying experiences a judge can have is to end a day feeling sure that many people just dealt with have been surprised at how decently they have been treated. If lawyers and non-lawyers alike can leave the courthouse reassured about the justice system, that is a good day for the judge involved. The opportunity to be firm yet kind, to show intelligence yet gently, to be authoritative yet respectful, these are situations where judges can do their jobs most effectively. CONTACT: j_pcarey@verizon.net

Proposed policy change on tax challenges loses steam By ANGELA JORDAN Staff Writer The discussion about changes to the city’s property tax grievance policy fizzled out at the most recent City Council meeting, due to concerns of legislative overreach. A new resolution regarding the issue was put forth at the May 25 City Council meeting by Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican, and failed because no other councilmember would second the motion. The resolution included two policy changes. The first is that if a city department head or elected official in Rye applied for a Small Claims Assessment Review, SCAR, petition after having a property tax grievance initially denied by the city Board of Assessment Review, that petition would no longer be handled by the city assessor. Under the proposal, the petition would be given to the city attorney, who would consult with an outside appraiser. The second policy change is that if a City Council member or city department head were to have work done on their property, any appraisal by the city assessor would now have to be done in consultation with an outside appraiser. Sack said that the proposed resolution—a more specific ap-

At a glance Mayor Joe Sack proposed legislation that would change the property tax grievance process in Rye The policy would have affected Rye officials and city department heads The change would have required city funds to occasionally hire an outside appraiser, but the motion failed when no other councilmember would second it

proach to a proposed policy change mentioned at the May 11 council meeting, which would have included all city employees, Rye elected officials and Board of Assessment Review members—was an effort to help protect the city from accusations of impropriety. “There’s no way you can tell me there’s no conflict [of interest] when you have someone’s boss going to their employee asking them to do something for them,” Sack said at the council meeting. “That’s a conflict, no matter how you slice it or dice it.” Not everyone on the council

agreed with the mayor, however. Councilwoman Danielle Tagger-Epstein, a Democrat, said that a conflict of interest is “receiving a direct or indirect financial or material benefit as a result of a contract with a municipality” and since the assessor receives no benefit from assessing properties, she felt that the policy was unnecessary. Councilman Terry McCartney, a Republican, pointed out that no one other municipality in New York has passed any policy similar to this, and described the resolution as “legislating [a] squeaky wheel.” An accusation of impropriety against the city was made approximately a month ago by a Rye resident who learned that a city employee had received a 20 percent property assessment reduction. City Assessor Noreen Whitty said that the property in question was a home that had been on the market for more than a year and had not sold, and that the full value assessment was 20 percent over the list price of the property. “In my professional opinion, the evidence was clear and convincing that the property was over-assessed,” Whitty said. “By law, I am required to assess property fairly and equitably so taxpayers pay their fair share of taxes, no more, no less.”

THE COUNCIL CORNER Councilwoman Kirstin Bucci

This year has brought some unexpected expenses for the city of Rye, and there remain many unfunded capital projects, exacerbating the underlying issue that our property tax revenues don’t adequately cover our operating expenses. As a result, the city is considering raising its debt limit. I’m not sure how I would vote yet, however, I know in which direction I lean. I’m not drawing conclusions in this article; merely providing information on the city’s current debt limits, needs for funding in the coming years, and options for that funding in an effort to start the conversation. The city’s discretionary debt limit is specified in the City Charter and changing it requires a public vote. The issuance of debt under other circumstances is not governed by the charter, so the City Council can approve issuance of debt by resolution. 1. Discretionary The discretionary borrowing limit is established as a percentage of the average of the prior three years of the gross annual budget, AGAB*, most recently $40.6 million. Permissive Referendum: The City Council can pass a bond resolution by a super majority (with at least five of seven voting in favor). The bonds are issued unless there is an objection from at least 10 percent of the amount of registered voters who participated in the last election. If the objection threshold is met, a public referendum is required to approve the bond issue. *Gross annual budget is defined as the total appropriations of the General Fund, the Cable TV Special Revenue Fund, and the enterprise funds (Boat Basin Fund and Golf Club Fund). All other fund budgets—the K.T. Woods Permanent Fund, the Debt Service Fund, the Capital

% of AGAB

How authorized?

up to 5% 5-10% 10% or more

employee salary and benefit expense of $21 million. This leaves the city highly dependent on its other sources of revenue (sales tax, building permits, etc.). Some of these are interest rate dependent and have already showed signs of slowing down. The 2 percent tax cap, which because of technical reasons, has been closer to 1 percent for Rye, has left the city with less flexibility in raising taxes. We can, by City Council vote, override the tax cap. In addition to being unfavorable, it would likely have some negative implications including a reduction in tax rebates. We have been using unassigned fund balance (the city’s reserves, similar to a family’s savings account) to fund the budget. Even though the city is more than adequately reserved, it is not recommended practice to use reserves to fund ongoing expenses. Depleting the city’s reserves would create additional financial risk. We have a number of large upcoming expenses that we must address, including: one small group of the city’s employees’ health insurance was effectively self-insured by the city, resulting in a cumulative three-year expense of nearly $1 million. Storm sewer and sanitary (I&I) state and federal requirements must be addressed and will require significant funds. The condition of our roads necessitates that we spend the full budgeted amount of $1 million each year for repair and maintenance. We are still digging ourselves out from the 2009-2011 budgets, when the fiscal outlook was so bleak that the city significantly reduced spending on roads and sidewalks. This is just the beginning of the conversation to address how we will bridge the gap between the amount our property taxes generate and the costs associated with the projects our city requires and our residents would appreciate.

Debt allowed

Debt Outstanding at year-end 2015

Net Borrowing Capacity

City Council vote

$2.03M

$1.3M

$0.7M

Permissive Referendum

$2.03M-$4.06M

$1.3M

$0.7M-$2.8M

Public vote

more than $4.06M

$1.3M

$2.8M+

June 3, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 9

Drug victim’s parents talk to Rye High School

From left, Rye Police Commissioner Michael Corcoran looks on as Steven and Susan Salamone talk to the audience in the Rye High School’s Performing Arts Center. The Salamones lost their son Justin in 2012 to an accidental heroin overdose. The city of Rye is attempting to address its own recent drug-related deaths. Photo/James Pero

By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Recently for the Rye community, combatting drug use—especially the abuse of powerful prescription opioids—has been a collaborative mission. And at Rye High School last Wednesday night, the level of attention was palpable. In the school’s quaint Performing Arts Center, a modestsized audience gathered to listen to the stories of Steven and Susan Salamone, two Putnam County residents who lost their son Justin in 2012 to an accidental heroin overdose. According to Susan Salamone, the purpose of the May 25 talk— which also included guest speakers Michael Corcoran, Rye’s police commissioner, and addiction specialist Ray Dorritie—wasn’t just to talk about their son, but to encourage residents to reflect on their own children. In Rye, a string of drug-related deaths among recent Rye High School students over the past five years has brought the conversation of drug addiction to the forefront. And although the dialogue is now underway—recently, an event releasing the results of a 2014 survey on drug and alcohol habits of student in Rye’s public school district attracted hundreds of attendees—Susan Salamone said there hasn’t always been a willingness to openly discuss the issue. “There was no word about this, it was four years ago,” she said in regard to her son’s addiction. “We didn’t know that opi-

ates were flooding the streets of New York state and the whole country.” Now, however, communities and legislatures of all scales— from local, to state, to national— have begun looking for ways to curtail the growing opioid epidemic with greater determination. In Rye, under Corcoran’s guidance, the city’s law enforcement agency intends to launch a slew of initiatives aimed to bolster Rye’s defense against opioid and heroin abuse. “It’s very important for all of us to have an action plan,” he told the audience. “Enforcement is a very small piece of the puzzle… but if we don’t have all of our partners here working together to make a difference, we go nowhere.” Among the initiatives, Corcoran explained during the night’s talk, are efforts to intermingle law enforcement and members of the community, such as resurrecting Rye’s position of youth officer, a position that was nixed due to budgetary constraints in 2011. That officer, Corcoran explained, will deal specifically with any youth-related enforcement issues occurring within the community. As far as Rye’s problem with drug abuse is concerned, Corcoran characterized the city’s situation as “unique” compared to others he’s seen. “We have both the blessing and sometimes the curse of affluence,” he said. “We have money; we have accessibility to money; so what that does for our chil-

dren here is sometimes create a problem that can spiral out of control.” According to a recent survey released by Rye’s Action for Children and Teens Coalition, Rye-ACT, affluence isn’t the only factor that makes the city’s youth relationship with drugs unique. Survey results show that respondents in Rye—a total of 1,440 students—showed a slightly higher likelihood of misusing prescription pills than their peers on a county, state, and sometimes national level. Despite the higher-than-average numbers clocked in the survey, parents attending the night’s event—who were handed a more informal survey upon entering the auditorium—still feel that many of their children aren’t at risk. Toward the end of the twohour-long conversation, when the survey results were tallied and projected onto a screen, 66 percent of the 101 parents who were in attendance reported feeling that their children were not abusing drugs. Steven Salamone chimed in as the stat was read aloud to the audience. “That one screams to me because we do a lot of speaking to groups and individuals and I will tell you that the common denominator, bar none, is shock,” he said, jumping up to the microphone. “This community is significantly at risk, you saw the numbers…. That’s a wake-up call, guys. Your kids are at risk.” CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

PD commissioner pursuing new emergency plan

Rye Police Commissioner Michael Corcoran and other city of Rye department heads have been working toward updating the city’s Hurricane/Coastal Storm Emergency Response Plan for the first time since 2008. Corcoran said since the last time the plan was updated, there have been several major storms to hit the area, such as Tropical Storm Irene, her impact pictured above. File photo

The city of Rye is looking to update its Hurricane/Coastal Storm Emergency Response Plan for the first time since 2008. Rye City Police Commissioner Michael Corcoran said he met with other department heads in Rye about updating the plan and they expect to have a new draft completed by the end of June. Corcoran said the emergency response plan, which was adopted on July 16, 2008, should be updated, especially considering some of the storms that have hit Rye since then, including tropical storms Irene and Lee, and Hurricane Sandy. “It’s best to be prepared for storms before they hit,” Corcoran said. The emergency plan is a 100page document that outlines who will play which roles in assisting the city of Rye in case of a hurricane or coastal threat.

The document is broken down into three major sections: the City Emergency Operations Center Activity Checklist, Functional Resources and Responsibilities, and City/County and State Agency Roles and Responsibilities. The first section outlines the specific functions of the Emergency Operations Center in the event of a weather emergency. The second section outlines how the city government will specifically use its resources, such as shelters or communications, to cope with a major storm, and the final section delineates the different responsibilities of the city of Rye, Westchester County and New York state, in regard to storm response in Rye. Corcoran said that some factors being considered while the new plan is being drafted are protocol in place for people im-

pacted who have special needs, including senior citizens in Rye, some of whom were able to speak with the police commissioner about the updated plan. Another new aspect mentioned by Corcoran is a potential citizen response team, an all-volunteer group of Rye citizens who would assist others during and after hurricanes or coastal storms in Rye, which Corcoran said was a useful aspect of emergency preparedness in West Orange, New Jersey, where he used to work. Rye has toyed with the idea of a response team in the past, but it never gained traction with the city administration to be fully formalized. “Volunteerism seems to be down nationwide, but we certainly have people in this city who want to be involved,” Corcoran said. -Reporting by Angela Jordan

15th annual Girl Scouts cookie drop-off set The Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson, GSHH, will be hosting their 15th annual Operation Cookie Drop on Saturday, June 4 at 2 Dana Road in Valhalla from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Meet the service men and women who received cookies from the GSHH Operation

Cookie Drop. Cookies from Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson have been delivered to Afghanistan, Egypt, Kosovo, Bahrain and the South Pole. The day’s activities will begin at 8 a.m. with a cookie drop-off, and will continue with an official ceremony at 10:30 a.m., followed

by a truckload of cookies at 1 p.m. Girls and volunteers from the Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson Council, elected officials and military men and women who received cookies from GSHH will attend the event. For more information about the event, visit girlscoutshh.org. (Submitted)

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10 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • June 3, 2016

June 2016

Planning ahead... SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY LGBT Pride Month

THURSDAY NBA Finals begin

FRIDAY

Schools reopen Gr. 8 science performance test starts Elementary combined Band & Orchestra Concert 7 p.m., Performing Arts Center

National Cancer Survivors Day

Ramadan begins

Grs. 4 & 8 science written test Rye Neck HS Science Symposium 6 p.m., MS/HS Board of Architectural Review 7:30 p.m., City Hall

Shavuot

Rye Neck final exams & Regents start

Board of Fire Wardens 7:30 p.m., Locust Avenue firehouse

Father’s Day

Planning Commission meeting 7 p.m., City Hall

Milton Art Show & Spring Concert 6 p.m.

Board of Education meeting 8 p.m., MS Multipurpose Room

City Council meeting 7:30 p.m., City Hall

Flag Day

RMS final exams start Rye Neck school board meeting 7 p.m., MS/HS library

Board of Appeals 7:30 p.m., City Hall

RMS final exams end

Boat Basin Commission 7 p.m., Damiano Center

Planning Commission meeting 7 p.m., City Hall

Grs. 4 & 8 science written test makeup day

Summer Solstice

Board of Architectural Review 7:30 p.m., City Hall

Grs. 4 & 8 science written test makeup day

Board of Education meeting 8 p.m., MS Multipurpose Room

Rye Golf Club Commission 7 p.m.

Rye Neck final exams & Regents end Midland Moving Up Ceremony 6 p.m., Performing Arts Center

Jazz Night 7:30 p.m., MS Multipurpose Room

SATURDAY

Gr. 8 science performance test ends

SAT testing

RHS Senior Prom 5:30 p.m.

Rye Neck Varsity Sports Awards Ceremony 6 p.m., Rye Neck HS

RHS last day of classes

RHS final exams start

RHS Senior Recognition 7 p.m.

Rye Neck Middle School theatre production 6:30 p.m., PAC

Traffic & Pedestrian Safety Committee 7:30 p.m., Mayor’s Conference Room

US Open

RHS final exams end

ACT testing

RHS Graduation 10 a.m.

Rye Sustainability Committee 9:30 a.m., Mayor’s Conference Room

Last day for all students

Gr. 8 Moving Up Ceremony 10 a.m., HS gymnasium RHS final exams end Rye Neck HS Graduation Ceremony 5:30 p.m.

County taxes due

Board of Education reorganization meeting 8 p.m., MS Multipurpose Room

Superintendent’s Conference Day

Rye Neck Staff Development Day

June 3, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 11

U.S. Marines

INVADE

Members of the Harrison Fire Department look up at the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion as it hovers over Playland Lake.

Playland Throughout Memorial Day weekend, the U.S. Marines conducted air and ground demonstrations for the public in New York City and the surrounding areas, including Westchester County, as part of Fleet Week 2016. Fleet Week is a U.S. Navy, Marine and Coast Guard tradition during which active military ships recently deployed in overseas operations dock in a variety of major cities for one week. On Sunday, May 29, one of those demonstrations took place on the beach located behind Playland Amusement Park in Rye. This year’s event at Playland included a ceremony in honor of Memorial Day, followed by a demonstration on behalf of the U.S. Military Corps Aviation/ Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Military aircrafts performed overhead sweeps around the crowded park before landing

near an open field next to the Edith Reade Sanctuary. After landing, dozens of Marines disembarked and performed a live raid, securing a fictional landing zone and setting up a perimeter as they would during actual combat. Once the demonstration concluded, soldiers were greeted by the crowd that had gathered for the event. Those on hand were also allowed to tour the inside of the choppers, which included a Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, a joint service multirole combat aircraft that can cruise at nearly 290 mph. The aircrafts used in the demonstration were stationed on an open field next to the Reade Sanctuary. The city of Rye, town/village of Harrison and village of Mamaroneck fire departments provided standby support for the landing. -Reporting by Andrew Dapolite

U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Chris Battle, left, who also serves as the amusement park’s operations superintendent, with Frank Carrieri, the park’s assistant general superintendent. Photo courtesy Friends of Playland

A Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion takes off from a field behind Playland Amusement Park in Rye.

Firefighters from the city of Rye, town/village of Harrison and village of Mamaroneck provide standby support for the landing. Photos courtesy Rye Fire Department

12 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • June 3, 2016

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June 3, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 13

Getting ready for summer to-do list: RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy

• Get new bathing suit. Come on, who am I kidding? Get out old bathing suit, and ignore the fact that it predates the Bush era. (The W. Bush era, that is. It’s not like I never get a new bathing suit. It would just be nice if someday they invented an elastic that stayed elastic instead of getting crunchy after a decade or two. Also, if someone made bathing suits that don’t go out of style every two seconds.) • Quit obsessing about age of bathing suit! • Quit obsessing about age! You are only as old as you feel. Or are you only as young as you feel? • Positive affirmation: I feel younger than springtime! (Of course, springtime has been with us for a while. Ever since the Earth started spinning on its axis, right? Or at least since the evolution of plants? I do feel younger than that, just not in my bathing suit.) • Anyway: Buy sunscreen, and choose between the white glop

no one in the family ever will use because it’s like slathering on blue cheese dressing or the clear spray-on stuff that costs more per ounce than Chanel No. 5? • Buy both. The mere presence of the gloppy white stuff in the medicine cabinet will protect the family from skin cancer by appeasing the angry Coppertone god, and it can stay there for years—in fact, it has. • Ignore the entire article you read yesterday that said a responsible family would go through a whole bottle of sunscreen in a day at the beach if they reapply after each swim. I suppose this is the same family that cleans the coils behind their refrigerator on a monthly basis, as the manufacturer suggests, to “boost cooling efficiency,” as if it is so easy to move a fridge every month—or ever, which could explain our electricity bills. • Quit thinking about things you didn’t do in the middle of writing a “to do” list! • To do: Get son’s health form. • Also to do: Stay on hold for 45 minutes, waiting for the pediatrician’s office to remember

you are alive, on the phone, and had cheerfully responded, “Sure!” to “Can you please hold?” hoping that your chipper sympathy for their “crazy day!” would get you better service. So much for that. You want a crazy day? Try calling the doctor and, after the first 10 minutes on hold, realizing you really have to go to the bathroom. • Quit drifting off topic! Summer! Coming! Soon! Start exercising! • Start exercising your Godgiven right to enjoy life without jogging, stretching, crunching. If I want crunch, I’ve got the elastic in my bathing suit. • Get ready for guests: paper plates, napkins, tablecloths. • Feel guilty about using too much paper. • Feel guilty about not inviting people who are not invited. (But at least you’ll be using less paper.) • Make guest list for festive (if small) barbecue and swim party! • Swim? (In what?) • Buy bathing suit. Or not. Happy summer! CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com

Abandoned by his human, Joey was lucky to have found a colony that one of our volunteers feeds daily. Not being able to trust humans, he kept his distance from the feeder for more than a year. Recently while trapping an injured cat, Joey’s foster mom noticed he was flirting and blinking at her and decided to give him a chance. She discovered quickly that Joey is a lover boy! Craving human contact and attention, he climbs up on his foster mom, places his paws on her shoulders and gives lots of hugs. This loving, gentle-natured boy also loves kittens. He’s an amazing beautiful soul and deserves to find a home where he’ll be king of the castle. Joey is neutered, up to date with all vaccinations and in good health. Why not donate $80 to Larchmont Pet Rescue and make Joey part of your home? To meet Joey, call 835-3332 or visit NY-PetRescue.org. (Submitted)

Sprain Brook Academy welcomes students after jail

Photo courtesy Westchester County

The Westchester County Jail in Valhalla recently opened its doors to parents, school officials and others for a rare open house highlighting the high school education program operated there by Southern Westchester BOCES. Some 18 or so students of the Sprain Brook Academy were joined by family members for the event, which featured presentations by teachers and outside agencies that offer transition assistance to inmates after their release. Speakers included past and prospective graduates, as well as officials with the Westchester County Department of Correction and Southern Westchester BOCES. Westhab, OneStop and the Strive Program presented information to families about available services. Michael Lopez, an academy graduate and the keynote speaker, encouraged students not to give up on themselves. Lopez manages an automobile repair shop and said he counts correction officers he knew from his time in Valhalla among his customers. “Just because you messed up doesn’t mean you can’t stand up and keep going,” he said. “Just do it for yourself. Nobody can do it for you.” Assistant Warden Randy Watkins said an open house inside a jail is a new idea. He said that it shows families that their loved ones can receive the education they need. “We can only offer it,” he said. “They have to come.”

The academy serves students ages 16 to 21. Entitled to a high school education, they receive a curriculum centered on transition and transformation in their lives. The curriculum is aligned with state standards and Regents requirements and extends to English language literacy for nonreaders, high school academics, Equivalency Exam preparation, life skills and career development. Transition assistance upon release is also provided in relation to housing, employment, training and higher education. Durrell Glover, of Mount Vernon, has seen his sister, T., a prospective graduate, transformed during her time in the academy. He watched with their grandmother as T. stood at a podium and addressed the crowd of 60 or so students, family members and school and correction officials and staff. “I learned a lot in here about myself and not to give up,” T. said. “I learned that every day is the first day of the rest of your life.” “It just goes to show you,” her brother observed, “if that person wants to change they have to go out and get it.” The open house offered families a rare visit to the jail in an educational rather than strictly correctional setting. Westhab’s Strive Program provides job and life skills and other assistance to students after their release from the jail. “It’s not like they’re just cut

loose,” said Strive case manager Kyle James. “We provide a stable environment.” One mother in attendance said she was gratified to see that her son, B., would be able to continue his education and earn his high school diploma while here. “It makes me feel good,” she said. “He’s going to take this as a learning experience, and he’s looking forward. Life isn’t over for him.” Students have been working on their writing under the direction of English teachers Joe Perez and Joan Edwards Acuña. For the occasion, each student received a bound volume of their collective essays, reflections, poems and short stories. The open house is a good opportunity to “remember why we do what we do,” Perez said. He and Edwards Acuña, along with science teacher Keith Mattos and counselor Kevin McAllister, chatted with students and parents throughout the evening. Also on hand were Southern Westchester BOCES District Superintendent Harold Coles, Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services James Gratto and BOCES board members Catherine Draper and Lynn Frazer-McBride. “This is a celebration of student achievement,” said Claudia Murphy, director of Adult and Community Services at Southern Westchester BOCES. “You are not defined by where you are but by the choices you make while you are here.” (Submitted)

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SPORTS

14 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • June 3, 2016

Battle of the superstars LIVE MIKE Mike Smith

I think I’ve made it clear in my column that when it comes to my love for professional sports leagues, basketball places a distant fourth behind baseball, football and hockey. Whether it’s the Knicks’ alarming lack of success, the huge disparity between the way the game is played in the pros as opposed to in college, or the fact that, even in the most anticipated matchups of the year, you can simply tune in to the last 10 minutes of a game to get your fill of basketball drama, this sport isn’t exactly my number one pick. But man, am I excited for these NBA finals. On Monday, May 30, the Golden State Warriors put the finishing touches on a 3-1 series comeback, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals to advance to their

second straight Finals appearance against the Cleveland Cavaliers. And even for the most ambivalent of NBA fans, this is a championship series with tons of intrigue. For one thing, whenever you have two teams squaring off for the second year in a row with a championship trophy on the line, it makes for must-see television. The Warriors and Cavs have history now—albeit not a long one—and that’s not something that can be overlooked. That history comes with built-in storylines, which ups the ante tenfold. Can Cleveland, which was decimated by injuries to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love last year, have a better showing against Golden State? With new Cavs’ coach Tyronn Lue, take note of how OKC’s bigger lineup fared against the Warriors in the conference finals. How much of a difference will Cleveland’s improved depth make this time around against a team that just set a new NBA record for regular season wins?

But the most compelling question that this series will answer— and of course, Andre Iguodala’s 2015 finals MVP proves that these storylines don’t always play out perfectly—is the one about which of these two team’s stars, LeBron James or Steph Curry, will emerge victorious? Over the last two years, there have been few sports debates as hotly contested—both in real media and on social media—as which player, LeBron, a two-time champ and four-time league MVP, or Curry, who is coming off two MVP awards of his own, is better. These sorts of debates have long been the lifeblood of professional sports. Bird vs. Magic, Brady vs. Manning, these seemingly singular conversations can dominate the landscape of a professional league for years, and we seem to be reaching a fever pitch with LeBron vs. Curry. One player, LeBron, was anointed the spiritual successor to Michael Jordan when he was about 15 years old and has gone

TO COVER LOCAL SPORTS, YOU NEED A

LIVE MIKE! Follow Mike Smith @LiveMike_Sports stats • recaps • commentary Follow Mike Smith @ryecityreview for Mike’s live, in-game action updates

On Thursday, June 2, after press time, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors took the floor in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. As talented as both these teams are, the series might well be remembered as the ultimate showdown between LeBron James and Steph Curry. Photo courtesy aiziku.deviantart.com

on to physically dominate the NBA for 13 seasons. Curry, on the other hand, is an absolute marvel on the court, possibly the best pure shooter ever, and by virtue of his squeaky image—and LeBron’s ill-fated “Decision”—has quickly become the most popular player in today’s game. Will Curry-mania continue as Steph shoots his way to another championship? Will LeBron fi-

nally bring a title to Cleveland? What will the next two weeks mean for the legacies of these two superstars? That’s why the majority of us will be watching the finals. Sure basketball is a team sport, and the championship will likely be decided by which team’s supporting cast comes up bigger in the clutch spots (Matthew Dellavedova for finals MVP?),

but years from now, this series will likely be remembered as a pitched battle between the sports’ two biggest stars. Who will win? I’ve got no idea, and honestly, I don’t really care. I’m just looking forward to the ride.

Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports

SPORTS

June 3, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 15

Clippers named to All-Region teams

The Golf Coaches Association of America, GCAA, has announced the 2016 NCAA Division II PING All-Region Teams. Concordia College junior Juan Roa was named to the All-East Team to earn one of the 12 spots. In all, there were four golfers from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, CACC, making it to the All-East Team. Roa helped lead the Clippers to their first NCAA Division II National Championship this past season and was also a CACC Men’s Golf All-Tournament Team selection with a 7479 (+11) for a T-5 finish and a CACC All-Conference Team selection. Roa earned a CACC Player of the Week selection on April 13 after claiming the first place medal at Le Moyne College’s Mike Bello Spring Invitational at the Timber Banks Golf Club to lead Concordia to the team win out of a field of 15 programs.

Roa placed T-6 at the NCAA Division II Super Regionals with a 74-76-72 (+5) in the three-round tournament, concluding the season with a T-99 finish in the NCAA Division II National Championship with a 79-80-74 (+17). Roa wasn’t the only Concordia athlete to be named to the All-Region team, as those honors also went to baseball player Brian Billelo as well. On May 25, Billelo added to his post season award recognition with an American Baseball Coaches Association, ABCA/ Rawlings All-East Region Second Team selection. Bilello was named to the team as a utility player for the Clippers this past season, as he was also recently named the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioners Association, D2CCA, and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, NCBWA, All-East Second Teams.

Bilello was named to the All-Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, CACC, First Team at the end of the season as he was fifth in the CACC this season with a .358 batting average on 48 hits in 134 at-bats to lead Concordia. On the season, he also had 23 RBIs, 18 runs, 14 doubles, five triples, a home run, and a stolen base. Bilello had the second best on-base percentage in the CACC at .466, while his double and triple totals were third best in the league. Bilello split his time in between both catcher and first base. He had 227 put outs for 11th best in the CACC and held a fielding percentage of .996 for 12th overall in the league. Overall in NCAA Division II, Bilello was 47th in triples. He was an All-CACC Second Team selection and a Daktronics/Division II Conference Commissioners Association (CCA) All-East Region Second Team selection last year. (Submitted)

Concordia junior Juan Roa lines up a putt. Roa was named to the CACC All-Region Team last week. Contributed photo

Rye Athlete of the Week Kate Bird By LAUREN DEMPSEY Contributor In only its second year of existence, the Rye High School girls’ rugby team is already making a name for itself throughout the metropolitan area. As very few local public schools have a girls’ rugby team, the Garnets are competing against various private schools and rugby club teams. In their inaugural season, the team had four wins in five matches and so far have followed it up with two more wins this year. One of the leaders on this year’s squad is Kate Bird. Bird is originally from Australia, a place where rugby is a much more popular sport.

“There is no harder worker, no greater role model, and no better teammate than Kate Bird,” head coach Jim Rinaldi said. “All of us involved in the rugby program are grateful that Kate has been a key building block. She is the type of person [that] know no matter what she decides to do in her future, she will be successful.” Senior Ali Howard counts on Bird to lead her and their teammates. “Kate’s a great team leader and an outstanding player,” Howard said. “Her positive attitude, knowledge of the game and ability to teach it to the first year players is unreal. She’s doing great things for the girls’ rugby program in Rye.”

When not in school or on the rugby pitch, Bird is interested in music. She plays the guitar and is a singer-songwriter. This past fall, she was a captain of the varsity cheerleading team. She also participates in various community service initiatives and is a member of the high school’s Adopt A Soldier Club. Come September, Bird will be taking her skills to Ithaca College.

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16 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • June 3, 2016