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FORUM FOCUS
August 2022
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Message to Our Membership
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Dear Members,
I hope everyone is enjoying the summer. Scarsdale has much to offer if you're having a "staycation" in town. Be sure to shop at our local merchants and dine at our local restaurants. We just had a very successful, energized "Sidewalk Sale" event in the Village Center. The last "Bicycle Sunday" ride of the summer took place on July 31, resuming on September 11. Residents are enjoying the Scarsdale pool complex, tennis courts, parks, and walking paths, including the Bronx River pathway that can be joined behind the train station or at Fenimore Road in Scarsdale. Note to drivers: please SLOW DOWN! We're out enjoying our neighborhoods.
Many of our Scarsdale Forum committees have been working over the summer. As you'll see from the summaries below, important issues are under review, including those relating to the schools, recreational facilities, the "Complete Streets" project for the Village Center, the Village budget, traffic safety, and environmental sustainability. Check out our website and join any committees that are of interest to you.
Best wishes,
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Notes from the Board of Directors
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SAVE THE DATE:
OCTOBERFEST
Snacks & Refreshments & Music
Saturday, October 29, 2022, 1-5 pm
Scarsdale Woman's Club
The Great Lawn at 37 Drake Road
Rain Date Sunday, October 30
Artisanal Beer* Tasting Happy Hour 4-5 pm
*courtesy of Bruce Wells
Scarsdale Forum Members, Family, Friends
and Neighbors Welcome
CALENDAR OF Fall Meetings and Events:
The next Board Meeting: Thursday Sept 8, 2022, 8 pm
The next Membership Meeting: Thursday Oct 13, 2022, 8 pm
The next Sunday Speaker program: Sunday Oct 16, 2021, 8 pm
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COMMITTEE and BOARD UPDATES
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Development
The Committee will be working on the development of a strategic plan, with goals, objectives, and actions designed to ensure that the Forum continues to carry out its mission and purposes well into the future. Forum members interested in participating are welcome to join us, and should contact Committee Co-Chairs Barry Meiselman at barwest2@aol.com and Ed Morgan at eamlaw@optonline.net.
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Downtown Revitalization
The Downtown Revitalization Committee met on July 20 to discuss the status of and our ideas for revitalizing the Village Center. We carefully reviewed the concepts proposed by Village consultants FHI Studio. We thought that these concepts were exciting in terms of creating place making spaces for the community -- something we have requested, and our prior reports endorsed. We shared some thoughtful suggestions for improving traffic flow and safety. We will be presenting our ideas to the Village and FHI Studio in August. If you would like to participate please join us. Contact Chair Susan Douglass, susanudouglass@gmail.com.
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Education
The Education Committee is working on a report focused on mental health and well-being throughout the school district. Recommendations and areas for further study will be proposed and shared with district administrators and the Board of Education. See the Committee's seminal Report on collaborative communication among school stakeholders. Contact Chair Barry Meiselman, barwest2@aol.com.
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Recreation
The Recreation Committee is planning for a busy year where we anticipate projects aimed at evaluating current conditions and usage of our parks, fields, paths, green spaces and recreation facilities. We will endeavor to:
• Create a long-term action plan to delineate best practice standards and expectations of how recreation facilities and green spaces should be maintained on behalf of residents and stakeholders:
• Explore partnerships with other Forum committees for the purpose of integrating issues relevant to recreational facilities and green spaces;
• Participate in the joint committee work on the future of the Pool Complex;
• Prioritize health and safety concerns in the context of Village recreation programs and facilities; and
• Provide input to the Village recreation budget for ongoing and future projects and outside sources of funding.
We hope Forum members from all neighborhoods will join this dynamic and active group. If you would like to participate, please contact Committee Chair Erin Rudensky, ejzerring@aol.com.
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Scarsdale Fiscal Affairs
The Committee requested from the Village the pool project consultant's report on the pool survey results (7/1/22 per the posted project schedule), and also requested the survey questions and responses. While waiting for responses and for the presentation of survey results that was scheduled for 7/26/22, the Committee is studying earlier proposals to construct a community center that included two indoor pools adjacent to the pool complex site. The proposal attracted considerable community support and dollar commitments and was projected to generate sufficient revenue from year-round operations to be self-supporting and sufficient to repay construction costs. The Committee will be participating in the Forum's joint committee project with the Municipal Services and Recreation Committees on the future of the Pool Complex.
Two committee members met with Village Treasurer Ann Scaglione for a demonstration of the financial software used to manage Village finances and the budget and were impressed. They also had a productive conversation about preliminary plans for next year's budget process.
The SFA Committee will be exploring a multi-committee updated report on leaf collection, which would follow up on the SFA's March 2022 budget Report on the Village's Tentative Budget. Contact Chair Anne Hintermeister, ahintermeister@gmail.com.
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Municipal Services
The Municipal Services, Recreation, and Scarsdale Fiscal Affairs Committees will be joining forces to study and report on possible alternatives for the Village Pool Complex. Anyone interested in taking part in this joint committee project should contact Municipal Services Chair Madelaine Eppenstein or Scarsdale Fiscal Affairs Chair Anne Hintermeister. More information about the Village Pool Complex project is included in the Municipal Pool Complex Market Study and Existing Conditions Survey here. The Village press release is here.
Municipal Services members are encouraged to participate in Village Board work sessions and hearings on Scarsdale's Complete Streets plan outlined in the "Village Center Strategic Mobility and Placemaking" RFP . Copies of the Committee's three traffic safety reports were re-submitted to the Village for use in the planning stage of its Complete Streets project (latest report link below).
Municipal Services will resume its joint committee follow up on recommendations made in the Report on "Gas Leaf Blowers, Leaf Vacuuming, and Leaf Mulching" in view of the Village Board's recent decision to continue current leaf vacuuming policy, and recommendations made in the most recent Municipal Services Report on traffic safety and implementation of complete streets and safe routes to schools policy and design. The Committee plans on follow up with the Sustainability group and the Conservation Advisory Council regarding the status of Scarsdale's participation in New York State's Climate Smart Communities program, and the degradation of the Village tree canopy despite recent code regulations meant to preserve it. Contact Chair Madelaine Eppenstein, meppenstein@eppenstein.com.
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Sustainability
The Committee supports initiatives for an environmentally sustainable and healthy environment that provides quality of life for village residents. Recognizing the absolute inter-dependency between the health of our environment and our own health, the Committee continues to support recycling, green energy, storm preparedness, and Scarsdale's Climate Smart Community initiative. Recent work focuses on: landscape management including the promotion of mulch mowing and grass recycling over street leaf pile vacuuming; a total ban on the use of gas blowers and the elimination of non-organic and environmentally harmful pesticide use; and year-round containerized pick-up of yard waste and excess leaves instead of the environmentally counterproductive practice of leaf vacuuming. The collaboration with other Forum committees produced the Report on banning smoking in outdoor village spaces and opting out of retail cannabis dispensaries until state regulations are promulgated and can be assessed. Both initiatives were adopted by the Village Board on December 14, 2021, and the no-smoking local law took effect on January 1, 2022. Contact Chair Darlene Le Francois Haber, M.D., dlefranc@montefiore.com.
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Zoning and Planning
The committee's focus is on supporting the long term growth and development of our Village to improve quality of life and sustainability by providing thoughtful analysis and recommendations for existing and proposed codes. Meetings will resume in September. Topics currently being prioritized include: elevation of structures in flood prone areas; requirements for new buildings to utilize heat pumps; installation of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations downtown and at other locations; and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). The committee has a supporting role working closely with other Forum committees such as Municipal Services, Downtown Revitalization, and Sustainability. Anyone interested in joining the Zoning and Planning Committee or learning more please contact Chair David Fenigstein, Fenigstein.david@gmail.com.
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Community Events, News & Resources
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WESTCHESTER BAND CONCERTS, only two more performances:
Thursdays, August 4 and 11
Chase Park in the Village Center
BYO folding chairs or blankets (concert rain cancellations may be posted by 4 pm on Village website. Rain Location: Scarsdale Middle School, 134 Mamaroneck Rd)
BICYCLE SUNDAYS extended: Bronx River Parkway 10 am - 2 pm
Sept. 11, 18 and 25; Oct. 2
Village Board Meetings and Work Sessions: Village Board meetings are regularly open to the public at Village Hall or via Zoom webinar at https://zoom.us/j/93183703358, or call in using 1-929-436-2866 and entering the Meeting ID 931 8370 3358. The Zoom login uses the same ID. Check the Village Board calendar here.
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Scarsdale Forum Inc.
Scarsdale Forum Inc. is the 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to community education through discussion and analysis of issues relevant to Scarsdale residents. Since 1904, Scarsdale Forum has contributed meaningfully to village affairs through written reports, prominent speaker programs, social gatherings and other public events. Membership is available to all Scarsdale and Mamaroneck Strip residents, regardless of citizenship status. The Forum Focus newsletter is distributed to Scarsdale Forum members generally during the first week of each month. Pertinent information should be sent to communications@scarsdaleforum.com one week prior to publication to be included in the coming issue. Media Contact: communications@scarsdaleforum.com
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