Home

Back to Article List
FEINER GIVES BACK $1029.41 TO TAXPAYERS FOR NOT COMPLETING GOALS
Release Date: December 14, 2006

GREENBURGH SUPERVISOR BASES SALARY ON PERFORMANCE

RETURNS $1029.41 TO TAXPAYERS FOR NOT MEETING ALL OF HIS GOALS  VOLUNTARILY…

HAS BASED PART OF HIS PAY ON PERFORMANCE SINCE 1999

Every year, since 1999, Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner has released goals at the beginning of the year. He places $5000 of his salary in an escrow account at the beginning of the year. At the end of the year the Town Board evaluates his performance, based on implementation of goals, and Feiner returns part of his salary to the taxpayers. The New York Times praised the approach in a January 1, 2006editorial when they said that the concept “feels right. It respects the voters’ desire for accountability in spending and provides a useful reminder of promises made, kept, broken or deferred.”

On Tuesday, December 12th the Greenburgh Town Boardmet in work session and determined that Feiner should give back $1,029.41. The Board determined that 79.41% of the goals were achieved. The Board voted on Wednesday evening at their Town Boardmeeting.  Feiner returned the following in past years: 2005: $1,649.50; 2004: $1,186.67. 2003: $952.60; 2002: $784; 2001: $839; 2000: $472.25; 1999: 222.50. 

This is a summary:

1) Assessor: Pass law to enable veterans to receive highest benefits pursuant to state law.   APPROVED LAW on March 22, 2006   100%

2) Building Dept: Complete construction of web pages (under Building Department) that has sections for all of the following: 1) Frequently answered questions (FAQ) that address commonly raised complaints; 2) online filing of complaints, and 3) online listing of each complaint by offense and their disposition.  DONE 3/1/06   100%

3) Cable TV: Fix the audio problems in the Town Hall auditorium and complete construction and outfitting of the new Town Hall cable studio and have it used to tape programs. The Cable TV studio was not built. Attempts have been made to fix the audio problems but there are still some problems.  25%

4) Cable TV: Start a student run cable TV news program – working with area schools.  Alana Mildner of ArdsleyHigh Schooland other students produced their first program on the youth court May, 2006. BaileySchoolstudents interviewed me regarding a recycling initiative. This fall additional student programs have been produced.  100%

5) Community Center: Complete comprehensive evaluation of all programs offered at the TheodoreYoungCommunity Center. This evaluation should be submitted to the Community Center Advisory Board and the Town Board. Initiate a new program designed to reach out to teenagers and young adults who currently do not take advantage of programs offered by the center. The comprehensive evaluation has not been completed. New college bus tour servicing 35-40 high school students; college fair; college financial aid work shop have been initiated. 30%

6) Community Center: Complete following renovations at the TheodoreYoungCommunity Center: gym floor replacement, new bleachers, wall padding, curtain dividers, replace tiles on pool deck and rehab ceiling and walls surrounding pool. Only gym floor completed. 13%

7) Community Center: Initiate intergenerational programs at Community Center (example: toddler/senior events). A Valentine’s Day intergeneration program was started. Seniors and toddlers from Union Child Day Care Center participated in the dance/event. Additional intergenerational programs have been held on the 2nd Friday’s of the month and at other times during the year. 100%

8) Comptroller: Propose a written fund balance policy to the Town Board that regulates how much fund balance should be maintained in each fund each year. Fund balance policy was proposed.  100%

9) Comptroller: Finalize lease agreement with credit union to rent space on 2nd floor at Town Hall.  Board approved lease agreement with credit union on 2/22/06.  100%

10) Court: Expansion of Greenburgh Adult Drug Treatment Court. Offer training to village courts within Greenburgh that may wish to initiate similar courts. Received letter from Cecile Sia of the Town Court. The Town Courtsent letters describing the mission of the Drug Courtand the benefits to the community to each of the six Mayors. The federal government has granted approvals to utilize the funds awarded to the Drug Court Through December, 2007. Court expanded services. 100%

11) Energy Conservation: Upon Completion of the Town Hall solar panel construction (this year), hold a solar energy fair/educational event. Green energy fair held on May 13, 2006  100%

12) Energy Conservation: Forward to the Town Board energy efficient standards for new commercial construction.  The energy conservation coordinator forwarded proposed standards for commercial construction to the Town Board. However, the proposal has to be presented to the Planning Board and state officials for consideration.  50%

13) Energy Conservation: Develop energy efficient standards to be included in town purchasing/procurement policy. 100%

14) Energy Conservation: Establish a plan for energy audits and energy efficiency improvements on additional town facilities.  Done  100%

15) Historian: Expand historical exhibits at Town Hall and at other town facilities. Use events calendar on the town website to note upcoming historical events and meetings.  Re-enactment of America’s March to Yorktown. Marchers camped at the Odell House. Parade from BaileySchoolto Town Hall. Additional historic exhibits placed at Town Hall. Excellent publicity prior to events.  100%

16) Legal: Finalize franchise agreement with Verizon – let the competition begin! Greenburgh Town Board approved franchise agreement with Verizon –first community in Westchesterto do so.  100%

17) Legal: Town Attorney to submit quarterly reports to Town Board – monitoring use of outside counsel. 100%

18) Legal: Develop proposed legislative recommendations to address A & B budget allocation issues. Create committee consisting of representatives of villages/unincorporated Greenburgh.  A mediation committee appointed consisting of representatives of villages and unincorporated Greenburgh. No legislative recommendations made as of yet.  25%

19) MIS: Install two new replication servers for Microsoft Exchange servers (e mail server) and the main server. 100%

20) Parks: Sign agreement with private company to operate an indoor tennis court at AnthonyVeteranTownPark. 0%

21) Parks: Execute an agreement with the county to operate a dog park at RidgeRoadPark. Dog park approved at EastRumbrookPark(Resolution approved September 13). Inasmuch as the intent of this goal was to establish a dog park (rather than the location of the dog park) 75% complete.

22) Parks: Secure additional funds for implementing phase I of the East Rumbrook Park Improvement Master Plan. The Town Board approved $200,000 in 2006 capital budget. 100%

23) Parks: Complete construction of planned Glenville Woods loop trail so that center can finalize the walker’s guide. 100%

24) Parks: Finish retaining wall project for the upper tier of the Taxter Roadparklet and install a new basketball backboard and practice –shooting pad. This is not the Taxter Ridge Preserve but a small park on Taxter Road, near Mountain Road. 100%

25) Parks: At the AFV park pool complex renovate the exterior for cabanas Section E & H. 100%

26) Parks: Install new restrooms at SecorRoadPark. 100%

27) Parks: Renovate the Washington Avepark community garden site and replant the tree line along the park’s property that borders with the Verizon maintenance yard. 100%

28) Parks: Redesign and re-landscape PocanticoParkand replace or repair site furnishings. 100%

29) Parks: Renovate the exterior to the E Rumbrook Park Utility Fitness Center Building. 100%

30) Parks: Recondition the Harts Brook Park Preserve Warming Hut by the pond in the preserve. Remove old shingles and install new roof shingles and gutters. Done in house. 100%

31) Parks: Plan and offer a men’s 55 and older adult softball league. A minimum of 4 teams will be required to register for the League to be held. 100%

32) Parks: Hold a community meeting at Massaro and Travis to develop new program ideas. Meetings held 5/11 and 6/19. New Basketball skills academy.   100%

33) Philanthropy: Prepare funder’s brochure highlighting town programs that need foundation, private funding. Organize funder’s briefing and invite foundations, possible donors, representatives of state, county and federal governments to event. Lunch and meetings held with different foundations including Generoso Pope Foundation, Dannon. Funder’s brochure written and distributed.  Ongoing outreach with state, county and federal representatives relating to grant initiatives.  We did not hold a major funder’s briefing. 50%

34) Planning: New holiday decorations on East Hartsdale Ave– seek outside funding sources to pay for some of the decorations. Westchester Greenhouses donated bulb outdoor light strings for the town to decorate posts on E Hartsdale Ave.  100%

35) Planning: Complete Historic Preservation Study.  100%

36) Planning: Establish an affordable housing committee. Committee should present to the Town Council a proposed plan of action for increasing Greenburgh’s affordable housing units. The Town Board created the committee and appointed Councilwoman Eddie Mae Barnes as chair. The committee has not been appointed. 10%

37) Planning: Update streetscaping study for East Hartsdale Ave.0%

38) Planning: Update Planning Dept fees. The Town Board approved an increase in fees in lieu of parkland: subdivision: $4000 to $8,640 per subdivided single family building lot.   May 10th.  100%

39) Planning: Update movie and television filming fees.  The Town Board approved the movie fee increases on May 10th. 10%

40) Planning: Commence Comprehensive revision of zoning ordinance.  We hired BFJ Planning. 100%

41) Planning: Adopt a revised tree code  0%

42) Police: Restore community policing at Fairviewto previous levels. Provide at least one officer at summer YosemiteParkconcert series. 100%

43) Police: expand basic life support program in police department to enable EMTs to administer Epinephrine and Albuterol (shock/respiratory). Accomplished April 24. 100%

44) Police: Begin a monthly cable TV show on the police department. Cable TV program started. 100%

45) Public Works: Present conceptual design for courthouse renovations to Town Board. Hold community meetings. Add additional funds in 2007 budget to courthouse expansion. The architect should be asked to include Green building elements/improved energy efficiency in all new expansion plans. Police HQ/Town Courtneeds assessment study presented to Town Board on May 15. No community meetings held. Supervisor recommended in proposed budget that an additional $1 million be set aside for courthouse expansion (designated fund balance). Last year $2.5 million designated.  50%

46) Public Works: Finalize temporary location of library while construction takes place. Award bids for construction. Hold status report meetings with public and Town Board on construction progress. 100%

47) Public Works: Organize meetings with state/county officials to promote 9A bypass. Draft resolutions that the county, villageof Ardsley, Elmsford, Tarrytownand Town Board can sign on to supporting funding of 9A bypass. Meetings held with  state, county and village officials.  State of New Yorkcommits to go out to bid. Project consultant on board. Construction to take place in 2009.  100%

48) Public Works: Place permanent identification markers at key locations at Town Hall –identifying departments (replacing paper markers). Markers placed at Town Hall on March 9. 100%

49) Public Works: Increase fines for construction work without permits. 0%

50) Public Works: Obtain funding for generator to be placed at municipal building or reach agreement with Con Ed and/or PASNY to obtain temporary generator in event of power outages. Capital budget includes funding for generator. 100%

51) Supervisor: Consistently comply with and enforce Rules of Procedures adopted for Town Board meetings so that the Board meetings will be more civil. Rules adopted by Town Board on March 8th.   20%

Other Initiatives: Will work on these objectives during the year:

1)       Work with Hispanic community to establish additional services/programs that meet needs. Board met with Hispanic coalition. Appointed first Hispanic member to Parks & Recreation Advisory Board.

2)       Expansion of Greenburgh Adult Drug Courtand development of sustainability plan to ensure continued operation of the  court.  Pursuing additional funds so court can continue.

3)       Develop a clean transportation plan for town vehicles to include expanding the town’s use of alternative fuel vehicles in its fleet, diesel emissions reductions and vehicle idling reduction in compliance with applicable statute. Working on this initiative.

4)       Ridge Hill: Continue to aggressively monitor Yonkersactions re: Ridge Hill development. Take appropriate steps to fight for Greenburgh’s interests. Have continued to monitor Ridge Hill developments. We continue to use the services of an outside traffic consultant/attorney.  Meetings held with Yonkersofficials and developer to discuss traffic safety issues.

5)       Develop recommendations to enable the town to move forward to acquire additional parcels of open space. Explore open space referendum. Discuss with villages, possibility of establishing a town wide open space fund. The Town Board approved a resolution urging NY State Legislature to approve resolution allowing open space transfer tax. We have been working with Citizens Committee for the Environment.

6)       We expect to receive federal grant to landscape Webb Field this year. However, because we cannot control the timing when we will receive the $97,000 grant that has been awarded I did not include re-landscaping of Webb in this years goal. I hope that we will be able to complete the landscaping this year.  We finalized contract with Ward Associates. Concrete walkway/landscaping around wall to take place in 2007.

7)       Get final clarity: whether or not the town can construct new sidewalks. Push for state legislation that will authorize the town to build sidewalks on town streets. We received clarity from the state. The Town Board directed the Supervisor to propose a sidewalk policy.  Have proposed a sidewalk policy that the Town Board has not yet acted on.

8)       Organize the 225th anniversary of the Philipsburg Encampment of the French and American armies in Greenburgh and northern part of what is now the villageof Ardsley. The use of the Odell House on Ridge Roadas General Rochambeau’s headquarters in 1787 as well as the Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Routepasssing through Greenburgh should be highlighted. Done

JOIN THE DISCUSSION...EXPRESS YOUR THOUGHTS...VISIT PAUL FEINER'S BLOG: WWW.PFEINER.BLOGSPOT.COM

©2024 Town of Greenburgh
View Full Website