2021 Candidates for White Plains Common Council. Good luck finding it on your own.

I dug this out after receiving unhelpful messages from the League of Women Voters.

Apparently, three Common Council seats are up for election but only two of the three incumbents are running for reelection. It's unclear as to who is not running for reelection.

The mayor is running unopposed.

https://citizenparticipation.westchestergov.com/images/stories/pdfs/2021gencandlist.pdf

(I marked incumbents in BOLD.)

VOTE FOR ONE - ​WHITE PLAINS MAYOR:

THOMAS M ROACH JR DEM  

VOTE FOR THREE - WHITE PLAINS COUNCILMEMBER:

ALLAN I GRAFMAN COMMON SENSE 

JUSTIN C BRASCH DEM

JOHN M MARTIN DEM

RICHARD A PAYNE DEM

ALLAN I GRAFMAN REP

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https://www.cityofwhiteplains.com/144/Members

• Honorable Justin Brasch
  Ph: 212-267-2500
  Email Justin Brasch
• Honorable Nadine Hunt-Robinson (President)
  Ph: 914-315-7311
  Email Nadine Hunt-Robinson
• Honorable John Kirkpatrick
  Ph: 914-997-2747
  Email John Kirkpatrick
• Honorable John M. Martin 
  Ph: 914-686-0239
  Email John M. Martin
• Honorable Jennifer Puja
  Ph: 914-607-2041
  Email Jennifer Puja
• Honorable Victoria Presser
  Ph: 914-946-5608
  Email Victoria Presser

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Multi million dollar tents being dismantled after never being used. County Executive George Latimer should be held accountable.

It started yesterday. The four huge tents near the Westchester County Center building in White Plains are being dismantled 18 months after their creation by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the spring of 2020 to handle COVID patients. As far as I know, those tents were never used for anything. Not for their original purpose of treating COVID patients and never for vaccinating people.

Maybe the reason is the same as why the military hospital ship sent to New York harbor was not used by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Neither the governor nor the Westchester County Executive George Latimer wanted any credit to go to the federal government ... of the previous administration. Or it could simply be gross incompetence, which is at least as believable.

Here are five posts at this blog addressing the issue, which was ignored by the local sympathetic media.

Vaccine for COVID-19: County Executive favors teachers (union). Friday, January 15, 2021

Supplies have been cut but there were massive problems already from New York State down to Westchester County with elected officials not able to plan, organize or administer. All while they're licking themselves and preening.

The Westchester County Center building in White Plains is the major location for vaccination. But for some reason, the four large tents that had been created by the Army Corps of Engineers in the spring (2020) to handle COVID patients have not been used to vaccinate. Were any patients ever treated in those tents?

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Why is Westchester removing HUGE unused tents that could be COVID-19 vaccination sites? Sunday, January 24, 2021

You can't make up stuff like this.

Friday, January 22, 2021 at 11:18 AM the south most of the four tents adjacent to the Westchester County Center building was observed being dismantled ...

Today, Sunday January 24, 2021 at 10:57 AM all four tent roofs had been removed...

The Westchester County Center building is the only substantial COVID-19 vaccination site currently in White Plains...

So why the sudden rush to destroy unused resources just when they might finally serve a good purpose? Is there an explanation other than incompetence?

____________________________

$43 million County Center emergency hospital included those four HUGE unused tents being dismantled. Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Those tents have large steel structures and external equipment for plumbing and heating/cooling. People could live in them in an emergency. Take a look before they are gone...

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers converted the County Center and adjacent parking lot into emergency hospital that had 110 beds as COVID-19 hospitalizations skyrocketed. The cost for the transformation was $42.9 million.

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Westchester County disabled but did not dismantle those four HUGE tents at the County Center. Thursday, February 11, 2021

Since the County Center building is still the primary building in White Plains used to vaccinate people against COVID-19, the adjacent tents could have provided much additional space for that purpose. But rather than use them to vaccinate, Westchester County removed the tops in January supposedly to make room for additional parking, which was not needed. Then rather than complete the removal of the tents, they sit there as of February 11, 2021: unusable and still occupying possible parking spaces...

The tents were intended for COVID patients, so they should easily be useful for simple vaccination. No COVID patients ever used those tents. They were created when Westchester County and New York panicked rather than planned a year ago. Now Westchester County is further wasting the many millions of dollars spent on these tents.

Who is responsible for these decisions?

Where is the oversight?

Where is the media attention to this?

____________________________

County Center has vaccine but Westchester County clinic does not. Huh? Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Apparently the Westchester County Center building will be open tomorrow for vaccinations. The capacity there could be much bigger if the four huge tents had been left operational.

Vaccine for COVID-19: County Executive favors teachers (union). Friday, January 15, 2021

Why is Westchester removing HUGE unused tents that could be COVID-19 vaccination sites? Sunday, January 24, 2021

$43 million County Center emergency hospital included those four HUGE unused tents being dismantled. Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Westchester County disabled but did not dismantle those four HUGE tents at the County Center. Thursday, February 11, 2021

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Galleria plan: street life or life threatening?

Can Downtown White Plains Save the Galleria Mall?

by Duke Ratliff March 18, 2021 westchestermagazine.com/

Referring to “the great wall of the Galleria,” Roach says the rehabilitation of the downtown area including and surrounding the mall was one of his first goals as mayor.

“That section of the city is devoid of street level services, and it is cold and antiseptic,” Roach says. “I think we’re going to turn it into something that’s alive with street life, like what you see on Mamaroneck Avenue.”

________________________

Earth to mayor. Earth to mayor. Come in, mayor. Mamaroneck Avenue has two lanes of traffic, in each direction, moving slowly, in part, because of parallel parking on each side. Main Street along the north "street life" side of the Galleria mall is FOUR lanes in one direction going pretty fast and made more interstate like by all the HUGE busses, most with few passengers, some (think Hudson Link) with ZERO passengers. Oh, and there's no parallel parking; it would slow the speeders. 

There's also the pedestrian death defying two lanes (sometimes three) turning left into the crosswalk onto MLK Blvd in the middle of the Galleria. Some of those turning cars must quickly move three lanes to the right to make a right turn onto Hamilton Avenue, one of too many such dangerous downtown intersections to which city planners and officials have become numb and disinterested.

Yeah, who wouldn't want that kind of street life?

Controlled demolition of the Galleria advocated for years here. Now city considering it. Thursday, March 11, 2021

Next for Galleria: hole in ground or abandoned building? Sunday, March 14, 2021

Next for Galleria: hole in ground or abandoned building?

Controlled demolition of the Galleria advocated for years here. Now city considering it. Thursday, March 11, 2021

... could involve demolishing part or all of the structure, according to White Plains Mayor Tom Roach...

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The late, not so great, train station (at the location of 15 Bank Street twin rental towers) was eventually demolished and replaced with a big hole in the ground for parts of three decades: late 1970s, 1980s, early 1990s. At least one small tree grew there.

It's heir is the giant hole in the ground at Maple Avenue, a block up from Bloomingdale Lane. It's been that way about three years.

A current abandoned site is the mini mall, which still contains the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Partial demolition of the Galleria seems unlikely. Wipe out the entire mall and the attached municipal garage and start over. Unfortunately, quick development in White Plains is the exception, so new and improved use of the Galleria location is years, hopefully not decades, away.

How many years has work been going on to refurbish the train station?

Controlled demolition of the Galleria advocated for years here. Now city considering it.

BREAKING NEWS: White Plains Galleria may soon be making way for major development project By Peter Katz - March 10, 2021  westfaironline.com

Plans are being created to redevelop the Galleria shopping mall in downtown White Plains into a massive mixed-use project that could involve demolishing part or all of the structure, according to White Plains Mayor Tom Roach...

The mayor revealed that the city had been involved in “serious” ongoing talks regarding redevelopment of the mall site. He said that as owner of the municipal garage adjacent to the mall, the city has a distinct interest in the property.

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The following posts were sent to White Plains decision makers, mostly elected officials, and to the lame local media. All were too unimaginative and timid to act or investigate until now the plague has forced the closing of Macy's and Sears, the two anchor stores of the Galleria mall, and something had to be done. The city should have been out in front but lagged way back.

In Las Vegas they demolish useless structures: Galleria, Library. Monday, March 14, 2016

Instead of moaning about the Galleria, remove it. Central Park should have been put there.

The library takes up valuable space and has long since outlived its usefulness. The City could derive lots of money from selling that land, including the desolate concrete area between it and the public safety building, you know, the one that is unmarked and has an entrance more secret than that to the Batcave.

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10 LAS VEGAS Hotels That Were IMPLODED: a planning model for White Plains. Thursday, March 17, 2016

Watch the video:

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12 parks? Name 'em. Wednesday, May 25, 2016

New York City also includes small strips of land in its count of "parks" but it also has large botanical gardens in Brooklyn and the Bronx and, of course, Central Park in Manhattan and Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

A central park is exactly what White Plains lacks. It should have been created at the site of the unsightly Galleria indoor shopping mall between Main Street and Martine Avenue. Evacuation and controlled demolition are the only real solution to that mess.

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Open space on Galleria parking garage roof could be a park. Saturday, February 17, 2018

With a little imagination, not even a lot. Photo below taken Saturday Feb. 17, 2018 at 2:30 PM. In other words in the middle of the afternoon on a cold overcast winter day: perfect for shopping. And even then the garage roof of the Galleria indoor mall has no cars, ZERO. Could that space be put to good use?

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Questions for tonight's candidates debate for Common Council. Monday, June 17, 2019

At the library, tonight 7-9 PM. Hey, what else is the library good for? ...

Would you support controlled demolition of the Galleria and its garage for the purpose of creating a central park?

Note: my question was not asked by the League of Women Voters.

____________________

Galleria: put it out of its misery. Tuesday, March 10, 2020
...
Would you support controlled demolition of the Galleria and its garage for the purpose of creating a central park? ...

My question was not asked. Too bad. White Plains is a one horse town. Always was. Always will be.

____________________

Galleria garage roof: they don't even bother to remove snow because nobody parks there! Make it a park! Saturday, December 19, 2020

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Westchester County Health Commissioner: ask about COVID-19 vaccine.

https://health.westchestergov.com/

Nope. Won't find the commissioner there.

Try this:

https://www.westchestergov.com/commissioners-and-directors

I count 34. Do you think that Westchester County has too many commissioners and directors?

Health Commissioner
Dr. Sherlita Amler
(914) 864-7292
saa5@westchestergov.com

John Califano: Department of Health, Westchester County contact.

John Califano

Application Support Administrator at Westchester County Department of Health.

Email: jjcg@westchestergov.com

Somewhat involved in COVID-19 vaccination scheduling by Westchester County, such as it is.

County Center has vaccine but Westchester County clinic does not. Huh?

Email:

Subject: COVID vaccine mess in White Plains, New York.

from: Ken
to: Chris Burdick <burdickc@nyassembly.gov>
cc: George Latimer <ce@westchestergov.com>,
Benjamin Boykin <Boykin@westchesterlegislators.com>,
Alfreda Williams <awilliams@westchesterlegislators.com>,
digital@lohud.com,
letters@lohud.com,
news12wc@news12.com

To: Chris Burdick, new member State Assembly District 93

From:

Ken

White Plains, NY 

https://health.westchestergov.com/

COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics Cancelled on Thursday February 18 and Friday February 19

Due to historic weather conditions across the country affecting the delivery of COVID vaccine, the Westchester County Department of Health must postpone the following vaccination clinics:
• Thursday, February 18 at 134 Court Street, White Plains
• Friday, February 19 at 134 Court Street, White Plains

• Friday, February 19 at Westchester Community College

________________________

I'm scheduled for Moderna dose two 2/18/21 at the Westchester Dept. of Health office in White Plains at 134 Court Street. This morning I received a message from New York State confirming my appointment tomorrow. In the 27 days since my first vaccination I have not received any electronic message from Westchester County. I learned from friends that tomorrow's appointments have been cancelled. I later found that information on the county web page above.

Moderna is in Texas, so that may be why the vaccine did not arrive but where did New York State get its supply and why did the state send confirming email messages this morning? There is a big disconnect between Westchester County and the state. BIG!

Apparently the Westchester County Center building will be open tomorrow for vaccinations. The capacity there could be much bigger if the four huge tents had been left operational.

Vaccine for COVID-19: County Executive favors teachers (union). Friday, January 15, 2021

Why is Westchester removing HUGE unused tents that could be COVID-19 vaccination sites? Sunday, January 24, 2021

$43 million County Center emergency hospital included those four HUGE unused tents being dismantled. Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Westchester County disabled but did not dismantle those four HUGE tents at the County Center. Thursday, February 11, 2021

 ___________________________

Westchester County disabled but did not dismantle those four HUGE tents at the County Center.

Since the County Center building is still the primary building in White Plains used to vaccinate people against COVID-19, the adjacent tents could have provided much additional space for that purpose. But rather than use them to vaccinate, Westchester County removed the tops in January supposedly to make room for additional parking, which was not needed. Then rather than complete the removal of the tents, they sit there as of February 11, 2021: unusable and still occupying possible parking spaces.

What the heck? How does that make any sense? The following post contains more detail:

$43 million County Center emergency hospital included those four HUGE unused tents being dismantled. Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Those tents have large steel structures and external equipment for plumbing and heating/cooling. People could live in them in an emergency.

___________________

The tents were intended for COVID patients, so they should easily be useful for simple vaccination. No COVID patients ever used those tents. They were created when Westchester County and New York panicked rather than planned a year ago. Now Westchester County is further wasting the many millions of dollars spent on these tents.

Who is responsible for these decisions?

Where is the oversight?

Where is the media attention to this?

$43 million County Center emergency hospital included those four HUGE unused tents being dismantled.

Those tents have large steel structures and external equipment for plumbing and heating/cooling. People could live in them in an emergency. Take a look before they are gone. 

The key item is way down at the bottom of the article quoted below: the cost for something not used:

Recent "LoHud" (Lower Hudson Valley as White Plains does not have coverage) article 1/25/21

by DAVID PROPPER | ROCKLAND/WESTCHESTER JOURNAL NEWS dpropper@lohud.com

The tents outside the Westchester County Center in White Plains are coming down after the hospital beds they housed were never used, the county announced Monday.

Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins said during a COVID-19 briefing the state would fully dismantle the tents situated on the County Center parking lot within two or three weeks. The tents were originally put up in March as part of an effort to expand hospital capacity regionally at the peak of the COVID-19 first wave. The inside of the County Center was also converted into an overflow hospital and is now used as a mass vaccination site...

Once the tents are cleared, parking will be available for people traveling to the County Center to get their vaccine shots...

The facility has not treated COVID-19 patients. It's only other use was as a virus antibody testing site in the late spring...

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers converted the County Center and adjacent parking lot into emergency hospital that had 110 beds as COVID-19 hospitalizations skyrocketed. The cost for the transformation was $42.9 million.

_________________

Vaccine for COVID-19: County Executive favors teachers (union). Friday, January 15, 2021

Supplies have been cut but there were massive problems already from New York State down to Westchester County with elected officials not able to plan, organize or administer. All while they're licking themselves and preening.

The Westchester County Center building in White Plains is the major location for vaccination. But for some reason, the four large tents that had been created by the Army Corps of Engineers in the spring to handle COVID patients have not been used to vaccinate. Were any patients ever treated in those tents?

_________________

Why is Westchester removing HUGE unused tents that could be COVID-19 vaccination sites? Sunday, January 24, 2021

You can't make up stuff like this...

The 16 second video pan below shows plenty of parking available in case Westchester County claims it is destroying the four HUGE tents to restore parking spaces: ...

The Westchester County Center building is the only substantial COVID-19 vaccination site currently in White Plains. A Westchester County clinic at 34 Court Street in White Plains starting vaccinating Thursday January 21, 2021. That first day was so badly organized that many people with appointments had to stand OUTSIDE, some for more than 45 minutes, just to get inside to start checking in. That building is much too small for such a purpose. Those four steel structured tents at the Westchester County Center would seem much better suited...

So why the sudden rush to destroy unused resources just when they might finally serve a good purpose? Is there an explanation other than incompetence?

_________________

Hardly any of the County Center parking lot is being used by commuters. At most one third of that parking lot is used by those going to the County Center building to get vaccinated. That Westchester County clinic building at 34 Court Street in White Plains would probably fit inside one of the four tents.