School Board Nominating Committee Election

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

7 - 10 a.m. and 2 - 9 p.m.

Scarsdale Middle School Auditorium Lobby

The election of School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC) members will take place on Tuesday, January 10, 2023. Residents may vote in person in the auditorium lobby at the Scarsdale Middle School from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., or by mail-in ballot received by 4:00 p.m. on Election Day.

In the event schools are closed on Election Day, the election will be held on the earlier of (i) Wednesday, January 11, 2023, or (ii) the next day school is in session. Any Snow Date or Run-off election will be held in the SMS Auditorium Lobby at the same times given above.

Please see the Scarsdale SBNC website for more information, including information about the candidates.

State Redistricting

Public Hearing

Monday, January 30, 2023 at 4:00 p.m.



Haub School of Law, Pace University

Gerber Glass Moot Courtroom

78 North Broadway

White Plains, New York 10603

On December 1, 2022, the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission (NYS IRC) released a draft NY State Assembly plan for public review and comment. The NYS IRC released the draft plan to comply with an order from NY State Supreme Court Justice Laurence Love, who issued the order as part of his ruling in a case that had challenged Assembly district lines that were drawn by the NY State Legislature.

This draft plan is available to the public in an interactive format on the NYS IRC’s website at https://www.nyirc.gov/assembly-plan. Members of the public may submit testimony and/or comments on that website or in person at a public hearing. The NYS IRC has released a tentative public hearing schedule. Scarsdale residents may be interested in the hearing to be held on Monday, January 30, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. in the Haub School of Law at Pace University, Gerber Glass Moot Courtroom, 78 North Broadway, White Plains, New York 10603. The Westchester County League will coordinate comments from the local Leagues around the County and present a statement at the hearing regarding the proposed Assembly district lines. Any members of the public who wish to comment on the draft Assembly plan are encouraged to attend this meeting.

Scarsdale Village Election

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Scarsdale Public Library, Scott Room

Mark your calendars - the 2023 Scarsdale Village Election will be held on Tuesday,

March 21, 2023 from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. All Election Districts (Numbers 1 through 19) will be voting at the Scarsdale Public Library, 54 Olmsted Road, in the Scott Room.

More information will be available soon.

Happy New Year! I hope you have a happy and healthy year ahead.

The League of Women Voters of Scarsdale had a December filled with local civic engagement.  We held our second Information and Consensus Meeting of the League year on the Village Election System.  Procedure Committee Chair Michelle Sterling and Vice Chair Peri Zelig joined us to speak about the CNC election process and answer questions.

As explained in this month’s bulletin, redistricting for the NY Assembly districts is ongoing. Our voter service chairs, Donna Conkling and Beatrice Sevcik, are following the process. The New York Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) will be holding a public hearing at the Haub School of Law at Pace University in White Plains on January 30. All members of the public are welcome to submit written comments or register to attend and testify at the hearing by signing up at the IRC's website.

On the state legislative front, the League of Women Voters of New York State has created an ERA Advocacy Task Force in which a representative from every local League, including the LWVS, will be participating. As you may know, the NYS legislature passed the NY ERA constitutional amendment last legislative session.  In order to be ratified and become part of the NYS Constitution, the NY ERA must be passed a second time in this legislative session and then be put before the voters in an election. Currently 26 states have a state-level ERA.  The NYS ERA is comprehensive. In addition to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, disability, age, or sex, it also protects pregnancy outcomes, reproductive health care and autonomy, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. The LWVS looks forward to helping in the effort to pass the NY ERA and welcomes volunteers to help in this effort!

As the LWVS moves into January, we begin another busy month, which includes our School Election System Information Session and Consensus Meeting, as well as an in-person winter fundraiser event at a private home.  

I encourage you to stay involved and be active participants in our government. Your participation will serve to enhance and strengthen our democracy!

Upcoming Events:

• Friday, January 20 at 11:30 a.m., School Election System Information Session and Consensus Meeting, via Zoom.
• Saturday, January 28 at 5:00 p.m., LWVS Winter Fundraiser, at a private home.
• Monday, January 30 at 4:00 p.m., IRC Public Hearing on proposed NY Assembly maps, at the Haub School of Law at Pace University in White Plains.
• Monday, February 6 at 10:00 a.m., Local, County, and State League Program Consensus Meeting, at the Scarsdale Public Library.

Best wishes,

Alissa Baum

January 2023

• 1/9, Monday:
• 9:15 a.m. Board Meeting
• 1/10, Tuesday
• 7-10 a.m. and 2-9 p.m. SBNC Election, Scarsdale Middle School. Snow date: Wednesday, 1/11
• 1/20, Friday:
• 11:30 a.m. General Membership and Consensus Meeting (School Election), Zoom
• 1/28: Saturday:
• 5:00 p.m. LWVS Winter Fundraiser, location tbd
• 1/30, Monday:
• IRC Public Hearing on proposed NY Assembly maps, Haub School of Law, Pace University, White Plains

February 2023

• 2/6, Monday:
• 9:15 a.m. Board Meeting
• 10:00 a.m. General Membership and Consensus Meeting (Local, County and State Program), Scarsdale Public Library

March 2023



• 3/13, Monday:
• 7:00 p.m. Board Meeting
• 3/21, Tuesday:
• 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Village Election, Scarsdale Public Library, Scott Room

LWVS Information Session and Consensus Meeting:

School Election System

Friday, January 20, 2023

11:30 a.m. via Zoom

The LWVS will hold a general membership information session regarding this year's School Board Nominating Committing (SBNC) election. Susi D'Ambra Coplan and (Claire) Yin Yang, SBNC Election Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, will be present to answer questions. All members of the public are welcome to attend.

The SBNC Administrative Committee is the committee that solicits candidates for the School Board Nominating Committee and runs the SBNC election. Once SBNC members are elected in a given year, the SBNC nominates its proposed slate for the Scarsdale Board of Education. A consensus discussion will immediately follow the information session for purposes of making recommendations to the Administrative Committee. Only League members may be present for the consensus discussion. For more information, please contact Jyoti Ruta, LWVS School Election System Chair, at [email protected].

LWVS General Membership and Consensus Meeting:

2023-2024 Programming for our

Local, Westchester County, and State Leagues

Monday, February 6, 2023

10:00 a.m.

Scarsdale Public Library

Please join the LWVS on Monday, February 6 at 10:00 a.m. for a general membership and consensus meeting to discuss programming for LWVS and suggestions for programming for the Westchester County and State Leagues for the upcoming 2023-24 year.

The recommended program for LWVS will be proposed for adoption by League members at the Annual meeting in May 2023. Suggestions for the Westchester County League and State League programs will be communicated to the respective League Boards.  

For further information, you may view our current LWVS Program, the LWVNYS 2022 Impact on Issues, and the LWVNYS 2022 Summary of Policy Positions. Please contact Alissa Baum at [email protected] with any questions or for additional information.

Students Inside Albany

Application Deadline: Monday, February 6

For the twelfth consecutive year, the LWVS will select two high school students to send to the annual Students Inside Albany conference held on May 21-24, 2023 in Albany, New York. Any Sophomore, Junior, or Senior who attends Scarsdale High School or resides in the school district is eligible to apply. 

Students Inside Albany is a four-day conference designed to increase students’ awareness of their responsibility in a representative government and provide the tools necessary for meeting that responsibility. This interactive conference will bring together high school students from across the state to learn about New York State government and the process by which citizens can participate in the policymaking arena. As part of this program, students will also tour the Capitol and observe both the Senate and Assembly in action by spending an afternoon shadowing their legislators.

The cost of the conference, including hotel and meals, will be co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters New York State Education Foundation, Inc. and our Scarsdale League. 

Applications will be available by December 15th on the Scarsdale LWVS website. Completed applications are due Monday, February 6.

For more information, see Youth Programs under the League of Women Voters of New York State website, or contact Cindy S. Yau at [email protected] or Jessica Zellner at [email protected].

Please join us for our

LWVS Book Discussion

Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships

by Nina Totenberg

Sunday, April 23, 2023

7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Location, Private Home

We look forward to meeting in person for a lively discussion about Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships, a memoir in which journalist Nina Totenberg reflects on her relationships with family and prominent friends, including her longterm friendship with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  

The book is an extraordinary account of two women who paved the way for future generations by tearing down professional and legal barriers. It is also an intimate memoir of the power of friendships as women began to pry open career doors and transform the workplace. Dinners with Ruth also weaves together compelling, personal portraits of other fascinating women and men from Nina’s life, including her cherished NPR colleagues Cokie Roberts and Linda Wertheimer; her beloved husbands; her friendships with multiple Supreme Court Justices, including Lewis Powell, William Brennan, and Antonin Scalia; and Nina’s own family—her father, the legendary violinist Roman Totenberg; and her “best friends,” her sisters. 

Bronx River Books in Scarsdale Village is offering a 10% discount on the purchase of the book when you mention you are participating in the league of Women Voters of Scarsdale Book Club. 

We look forward to seeing you on April 23rd!

LWVS General Membership Information Session and

Consensus Meeting:

Village Election System

On Monday, December 5, 2022, LWVS held its annual information session and membership consensus meeting regarding the Citizens Nominating Committee (CNC) election and NPR Amendment referendum. The Information Session Agenda with Procedure Committee Written Responses was distributed via eblast and website posting in advance. Procedure Committee Chair Michelle Sterling and Vice Chair Peri Zelig presented and answered questions. The League consensus statement will be circulated via eblast and posted on the Local Programs and Positions page of our website in the near future.

2023 County Budget Update

On December 7, 2022, the LWVW presented its member consensus statement regarding the proposed 2023 County Operating Budget at the Westchester County Board of Legislators public hearing. Thanks to all LWVW committee members for their study of the proposed operating and capital budgets and for crafting a robust statement.

• Read the LWVW Proposed County Budget Consensus Statement.  
• Watch the Board of Legislators Meeting.

 

County Redistricting

The Redistricting Committee of the Westchester County Board of Legislators worked tirelessly on the complicated process of redrawing the County legislative districts after the 2020 census which measured, among other things, the County’s population growth of 5.9%. 

The new County legislative maps must conform with NYS redistricting guidelines which include requirements for compactness, a population deviation of less than 5% between districts, the respect of municipal boundaries, and the avoidance of splitting communities wherever possible. In addition, the maps must adhere to the Voting Rights Act. The Committee held numerous public hearings since May to allow residents and community organizations to provide input. 

• Read the LWVW Redistricting Statement.

Annual Finance Drive

Please support your local league by donating to the

League of Women Voters of Scarsdale!

We need your support! Please be generous.

Your contribution will directly support our programs:

Candidate Debates

Voter Information

They Represent You

Students Inside Albany

Speaker Programs

and

Our studies on local issues and budgets

To donate by mail, please make checks payable to:

LWV of Scarsdale

P.O. Box 495

Scarsdale, NY10583

If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution, please make your check out to LWVNYS Education Foundation and mail to the address above.

Thank you for your support!

LWVS Nominating Committee 2022-23

The LWVS Nominating Committee 2022-23 is calling for nominations to fill League Board Officer and Director positions for the 2023-24 year. The LWVS Nominating Committee will also fill off-board member positions on the Nominating Committee 2023-24.

If you would like to nominate yourself or a friend to be considered for the League Board or the LWVS Nominating Committee 2023-24, kindly contact Nominating Committee Chair Elissa Ruback at [email protected]. 

Here is a list of our 2022-23 Nominating Committee members, all of whom are able to receive nominations for discussion and consideration:

Elissa Ruback* (Chair)

Leah Dembitzer*

Kerry Hayes*

Diksha Mudbhary

Cindy Yau

*Off-Board members were approved at our annual meeting in May, 2022.

Thank you

The LWVS relies on the support of our community of volunteers. I would like to extend thanks to the League volunteers who contributed much time, energy, and thought during the month of December.

Thanks to Diane Baylor for her thorough preparation for the Village Election System Information and Consensus Meeting and for drafting the League consensus statement on the Village Election. Thanks to Anne Lyons for her willingness to help lead the meeting on short notice.

Thanks to Dana Matsushita for her diligent and detailed work on the LWVS Bulletin as well as on the informational eblasts to our members. Thanks to Heedan Chung for keeping the community apprised of our activities on social media.  

Thanks to Heedan Chung, Diksha Mudbhary, Erika Rublin, and Jenny Tabak for their diligent work on membership. Thanks to Cindy Yau and Jessica Zellner for their careful planning of Students Inside Albany.

Thanks to Anne Lyons for her work on the LWVS Winter Finance Drive and for her wise counsel.

Thanks to Shilpa Spencer for agreeing to join Tracy Tang to cover the Village Budget process. Thanks to Dalya Khan and Nan Eileen Mead for their detailed and thoughtful work on the School Budget portfolio.

Thanks to Donna Conkling and Beatrice Sevcik for their important work on Voter Service. Thanks to Jessica Zellner and Jen Zola for their continued work on Youth Engagement.  

Thanks to Jyoti Ruta for her work on the SBNC portfolio. Thanks to Kitt Rosenthal for serving as our liaison to the LWVW and for her encouraging support. Thanks to Debbie Miller for her wise counsel.

Thank you to Michelle Sterling and Peri Zelig, CNC Procedure Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, for attending the League’s Information Sessions and responding so thoughtfully to the community’s questions.

Thank you to the entire League Board for robust and thoughtful discussion of local, state, and national developments.  

I look forward to all that we will accomplish this year.

All my best,

Alissa Baum

Village of Scarsdale

As of December 31, 2022

Board of Trustees

Jane Veron, Mayor

  Term ends April 2023

Randall Whitestone, Deputy Mayor

  2nd term ends April 2024

Sameer Ahuja

  1st term ends April 2023

Karen Brew

  1st term ends April 2023

Jeremy Gans

  1st term ends April 2024

Jonathan Lewis

  2nd term ends April 2023

Ken Mazer

  1st term ends April 2024

Board of Education

Amber Yusuf, President

   1st term ends June 2023

Ronald Schulhof, Vice President

  2nd term ends June 2025

Colleen Brown

  1st term ends June 2025

Jim Dugan

  1st term ends June 2024

Robert Klein

  1st term ends June 2023

Suzie Hahn Pascutti

  1st term ends June 2025

Jessica Resnick-Ault

  1st term ends June 2024

League of Women Voters of Scarsdale

2022-23

Officers

President: Alissa Baum

[email protected]

First Vice President: Jenny Simon Tabak

Second Vice President: Anne Lyons

Recording Secretary: Diane Baylor

[email protected]

Corresponding Secretary: Dana Matsushita

[email protected]

Treasurer: Erika Rublin

[email protected]

2022-2023 Elected Board Members

Heedan Chung

Donna Conkling

Dalya Khan

Nan Eileen Mead

Diksha Mudbhary

Jyoti Ruta

Beatrice Sevcik

Cindy Yau

Jessica Zellner

Appointed Board Members

Debbie Miller

Kitt Rosenthal

Shilpa Spencer

Tracy Tang

Jennifer Zola

Advocacy: Alissa Baum and Diksha Mudbhary 

Audit: Amber Yusuf 

Book Group: Donna Conkling

Budget: Nancy Michaels (Off-Board) 

Communications:

• Bulletin Editor: Dana Matsushita 
• Eblast: Dana Matsushita  
• Publicity: Heedan Chung 
• Social Media: Heedan Chung 
• Website: Diane Baylor 

Development/Finance Drive: Anne Lyons

Hospitality: Kitt Rosenthal

Local Budgets:

• School Budget: Dalya Khan and Nan Eileen Mead 
• Village Budget: Shilpa Spencer and Tracy Tang 

Local Election Systems:

• School Election: Jyoti Ruta 
• Village Election: Diane Baylor 

Luncheons: Anne Lyons

LWVW Liaison: Kitt Rosenthal

Membership: Heedan Chung 

• Membership Statistician: Jenny Simon Tabak 

Nominating Chair: Elissa Ruback (Off-Board) 

Program/Education: Cindy Yau

Voter Service:

• Candidate Forum(s): Donna Conkling and Beatrice Sevcik
• Naturalization Court: Donna Conkling and Beatrice Sevcik
• Voter Registration Drive(s): Alissa Baum and Beatrice Sevcik

Youth Engagement:

• Civics Jeopardy: Jessica Zellner and Jen Zola
• Mock Election: Jessica Zellner and Jen Zola
• Students Inside Albany: Cindy Yau