mountkisconews.com

On May 29, 2009, Mount Kisco held its Memorial Day Parade. This year’s committee consisted of Don Ford, Bill Stewart, Joan Stewart, Ann Feldman, Patricia Reilly, John Odum, Fran Hall, Joan Clark, Marilyn Vetarini and George Griffin. Thank you to the committee and all of the participants. Thanks also to Chief Steve Anderson and all of the Mount Kisco officers that monitored the parade, many of them on bicycles.

The Mount Kisco Memorial Day Parade precedes a ceremony at the veteran’s memorial at Village Hall where wreaths of flowers are placed. The Mount Kisco American Legion organized the memorial ceremony. The American Legion announced the winners of $12,000 in scholarships to be given to local youths. The ceremony also included the essay winners from the elementary schools who wrote about what Memorial Day meant to them. The American Legion then invited everyone to their hall to conclude the evening.

GOOD NEWS - Appearance Ticket Issued to owner of 125 Spring Street

In May, Francesa Cambareri was issued an appearance ticket for permitting the existing finished basement of the one family residence at 125 Spring Street to be converted and used as a sleeping room without a certificate of occupancy. 

As with most illegal apartments, it is alleged that this illegal apartment was unsafe for its occupants as a bedroom in the existing finished basement did not have an emergency escape opening for a second means of egress or a smoke alarm.

This activity may have been going on for more than two years.  On February 20, 2004, the Village of Mount Kisco’s Code Enforcement Officer reported that work was being performed in the basement of the property noted above, without a building permit. On March 9, 2004, a building permit was issued for the basement, including a laundry room, bathroom, office and large storage area. No bedrooms were included on these plans. On April 25, 2007, the Code Enforcement Officer received a complaint that 3-4 males were living in the basement. The Code Enforcement Officer observed lights on at night in the basement and various males leaving the premises in the early morning. On May 11, 2009, Mount Kisco’s Assistant Building Inspector and Code Enforcement Officer inspected the premises.

BAD NEWS - Broken Window Not Replaced at 55 Moore Avenue

As highlighted on May 18, the Building Department and Code Enforcement has not enforced property maintenance issues. As a result, buildings are allowed to remain in disrepair eroding confidence in and respect for Mount Kisco’s code enforcement efforts.

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer and the official opening of the Mount Kisco Memorial Pool. The pool complex is one of the jewels of Mount Kisco’s recreation department and its smooth operation is supervised by Recreation Superindendent Charles Pieragostini and Pool Supervisor Carolyn Johnson.

Kevin Ford, a firefighter and village employee suffered some burns to his face while fighting a fire on Chestnut Ridge Road in Bedford. The injury occurred while aiding Bedford’s fire department. Mount Kisco’s firefighters are often called upon to provide aid to its neighbors. Mount Kisco and its neighbors all owe thanks to Mount Kisco’s bravest.

Recently, it has come to the attention of the Mount Kisco Village Board that police officers responding to calls are informing citizens that the officers are too busy to follow up on the public’s complaints and requests.

While there is a slight manpower shortage because there are a few officers out on long-term disability, one seeking a disability retirement, others assigned to light duty, one officer on active military duty and two positions vacant because of retirement, our Police Chief is actively recruiting candidates to fill the vacant positions and working with staff to return disabled and light duty officers to their sworn duties of protecting the community.

Some officers are busier than others and many officers are actively enforcing the law, enforcing traffic laws, controlling traffic and answering calls for service. In addition many of our officers are aggressively patrolling our neighborhoods to prevent crime. Our detectives are diligently investigating past crimes and implementing crime prevention initiatives.

As in every organization there are individuals not content, complaining and offering excuses for their performance. Fortunately we have many productive officers, dedicated to serve the residents of Mount Kisco. Through the first four months of 2009, Officers DiRienzo, Sienko, Janik, Donza, Bunting, Hurley and Ramirez have been the most productive based on arrests made and traffic and parking tickets written. The Village Board and the citizens of Mount Kisco thank these officers for their service in making our community safer. The Mount Kisco Detective Division should also be commended for their efforts.

The Village Board wants to work with the PBA, complete contract negotiations, fill open positions that are in the current budget and assign more officers to street patrol. The Village has budgeted almost $300,000 to fund overtime assignments to fill short shifts and target problem issues.

Public safety and quality of life issues are a priority.

Last night, the voters of the Bedford Central School District passed the district’s budget by more than a two-to-one margin with a vote of 1,899 to 947.

Even though the voters supported the school board’s budget, incumbent school board member Barbara Grossman did not succeed in her bid for another term. Graham Anderson won the election by a vote of 1,499 to 1,280.

Since school board candidates run for specific seats in Bedford, the race between Grossman and Anderson was the only cotested seat. School board President Susan Elion Wollin was uncontested in her re-election bid. This process needs to change. All those interested should run in one election and the candidates with the highest number of votes should be elected.

Mount Kisco’s Beautification Committee annually asks civic organziations to volunteer to pick-up litter in certain areas of Mount Kisco. The program, supervised by Cece Yozzo, is Mount Kisco’s annual spring cleaning.

Once again, the Mount Kisco Lions Club stepped up to the plate to serve Mount Kisco and the Beautification Committee by volunteering to clean up a portion of North Bedford Road.

The Mount Kisco Lions Club is a group of civic minded men and women who live and/or work in Mount Kisco and are dedicated to improving the quality of life in the community and throughout Northern Westchester. The club meets every Tuesday, usually at 12 noon at Crabtree Kittle House and other area restaurants. For membership information, please contact Barbara Cutri at 914-666-8069 or visit their website at www.mountkiscolionsclub.org.

Mount Kisco’s Memorial Day parade will be held on Friday, May 29.  The parade stops at two different memorials, one at the cemeteries and the other at Village Hall.

The parade will begin from Smith Street at 7:00 p.m. and proceed to the Veteran’s Memorial between the cemeteries.  After a short tribute, the parade will proceed west on Moore Avenue and then south on Main Street.  The parade will end at Village Hall, where a memorial ceremony will be conducted by American Moses Taylor Post #136.

The “broken window theory” is the idea that a few broken windows can quickly lead to more smashed panes, more vandalism and to other crime. In Mount Kisco, at 55 Moore Avenue, a broken window above a garage led to an illegally wide driveway.

While this space tries to accentuate many positive images of Mount Kisco, there is no way to put a positive spin on the Building Department’s refusal to require residents correct obvious property maintenance violations such as broken windows.

I would appreciate comments from others or reports of other substantiated property maintenance violations.

On Tuesday, May 19, 2009, there is a vote on the Bedford Central School District budget and for two trustees.

A friend of mine sent me the following email:

I could really use your HELP! A “YES” Budget vote would seem to be a no-brainer this year (hard to argue with a budget to budget decrease while maintaining programs thanks to our new Supt. ) but we need to Re- Elect Barbara Grossman. She is a good friend, a very diligent/hard worker. Her opponent by his very admission is a “Reluctant Candidate” put up by TOC (Tax Oversight Committee), the group whom orchestrated the defeat of the budget twice last year.

Please forward the information provided to all of your Bedford Central contacts and talk it up with every neighbor/voter you know. I did this over the past weekend until my voice was horse and found a good deal of apathy. I am sorry but apathy just won’t cut it if we cherish the educational system we have. A vote for Graham Anderson will be a vote for a wolf in sheep’s clothing who will be a non-working piece of the BOE with a guaranteed NO vote on all budget items of any consequence. We have worked very hard over the last few years to bring about great change in Bedford Central, let us have Barbara Grossman back to work with us to further the mission, any and all help would be appreciated!