Sound and Town Report 4-20-12

Vol. 14/Number 16 April 20, 2012www.mysoundandtown.com

SOUND &TOWNServing Mamaroneck & Larchmont

By DANIEL OFFNERSTAFF [email protected]

The Village of Larchmont Board of Trustees approved a $20.1 mil-lion budget for the 2012-2013 fi s-cal year, coming in under the state mandated tax levy cap.

Paul Silverman, chairman of the budget committee, explained that the board is satisfi ed with the efforts made to work toward maintaining a standard of economic effi ciency.

“While we have been fortunate with the decisions and carrying out of major savings with regards to employees,” Silverman said, “we have also been counterbalanced

with a lower tax base and a change in the economy.”

The budget will decrease appro-priations by .48 percent or $76,665 from budget-to-budget, and shows a decrease in employee salaries by $294,420. The village is expecting a decrease of $17,500 in total energy costs from the previous fi scal year.

Democratic Mayor Anne McAndrews chose to exclude about $3.9 million appropriated in non-property tax revenue, which repre-sents a zero balance in undesignated funding.

“We are going to need this go-ing forward,” McAndrews said,

Larchmont Board of Trustees adopts budget for 2012-2013

BUDGET continued on page 7

By PAIGE RENTZASSOCIATE [email protected]

It’s no secret that the Sound Shore area has seen its fair share of hazard-ous conditions in recent years, par-ticularly when fl oodwaters rise. But now, several local municipalities are taking steps to better prepare for hazards that could arise within their borders and beyond.

Through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state’s Offi ce of Emergency Management, the town and village of Mamaroneck

and the Village of Larchmont are all working to complete hazard mitiga-tion plans that assess local risks and form plans to mitigate dangers, and hopefully qualify for grant funds to implement them.

The Village of Mamaroneck is furthest along in the process, having just received the thumbs up from state and federal offi cials on its nearly 400-page draft multi-hazard mitigation plan. The document, which the village prepared with grant funds from the state, evaluates dozens of natural, technological and

human-caused hazards and narrows them down to eight prevalent haz-ards including fl ooding, hurricanes, utility failure and coastal, thunder, wind, ice and severe snow storms.

Meanwhile, the county is spear-heading a multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan, which is in the very early stages of the pro-cess, according to Jennifer Wacha, director of the county’s Offi ce of Emergency Management. “Many communities have signed on to the initiative and we continue to

Village, municipalities prepare for hazards

HAZARD continued on page 10

From the Sound Shore to D.C.

Irish tenor David O’Leary speaking with President Barack Obama at the Friends of Ireland luncheon in Washington, D.C. March 20. Contributed photo

Ireland native and Sound Shore resident David O’Leary recently got a chance to display his singing talent for many high-profi le politicians at a luncheon in Washington. For more, see page 5.

By CHRISTIAN FALCONE and PAIGE RENTZSOUND & TOWN [email protected]

[email protected]

Local environmental groups from across the Sound Shore area are joining forces for a regional initia-tive to get drivers to turn off their engines.

With Monday slated as the Sound Shore’s fi rst ever “no-idling day,” Rye, Larchmont and the town and village of Mamaroneck are trying to call attention to the harmful ef-fects of idling one’s automobile, especially in the vicinity of schools. To coincide with the beginning of Earth Week, the communities will kick off the campaign in an effort to bring awareness to an otherwise largely unnoticed law.

The four municipalities already have local laws on the books that prohibit idling a vehicle for longer than three minutes, but such a law is rarely, if ever, enforced. Police in the various communities are ex-pected to ramp up enforcement and hand out educational pamphlets on the dangers of vehicle idling.

The participating municipalities

have erected signs in high-traffi c areas to draw attention to the issue and Monday’s event.

“I think it’s exciting to have so many municipalities doing it at the same time; more people will see it,” said Michaela Zeuss, co-chair of the Village of Mamaroneck’s Committee for the Environment who came up with the no-idling concept. “We don’t have a lot of money to do [programs], but if we work together, we can achieve more.”

After fl oating several differ-ent dates, Sara Goddard, Rye’s Sustainability Committee chair, said the committees settled on April 23 and the beginning of Earth Week.

“It actually worked nicely,” Goddard said regarding the selected date. She also mentioned that Rye’s Safe Routes to School Committee is also doing an initiative to encourage kids to walk to school next week.

The no-idling initiative is the latest of a number of collaborative events among local environmental groups, including the recent Green Screen Film Festival and work on a plastic bag ordinance that is being implemented or considered in sev-

Sound Shore looks to curb idling for a day, at least

IDLING continued on page 8

By ROBERT WINGATECONTRIBUTOR

The Mamaroneck Board of Education unanimously adopted a $124.3 million budget Tuesday night for the 2012-2013 school year.. If approved by voters in may, an average tax increase of about $372 would kick in for a taxpayer whose property is assessed at a typi-cal town rate of $20,000.

The budget actually features a decrease in expenditures of $1.03 million, a .82 percent drop in from the 2011-2012 budget. However,

should the budget be approved at the polls, the tax levy on property own-ers would increase by 1.08 percent, which translates to a 2.43 percent tax rate increase.

Overall assessed valuation of properties across Mamaroneck has dropped to $140.8 million – down from last year’s $142.7 million price tag – in part because the mar-ket value of many properties has declined and challenges to their taxable assessments have increased. Also, previously taxable properties removed from the rolls. Simply put,

as the revenue pool shrinks, every-one paying taxes has to pay more to make the pie whole again.

In the budget, there will be a $1.27 million increase in expendi-tures due to contractual increases in employee salaries and benefi ts. The spending plan also refl ects a 2 per-cent increase in enrollment across grades K-12.

Board president Robin Nichinsky said the budget included shifts in some staffi ng patterns that were re-grettable, but that this year’s process

Mamaroneck BOE adopts $124.3M budget

BOE continued on page 6

2 • THE SOUND AND TOWN REPORT • April 20, 2012

April 20, 2012 • THE SOUND AND TOWN REPORT • 3

By DANIEL OFFNERSTAFF [email protected]

Most Sound Shore residents agree: gas prices are very high.

Leaving their house in Larchmont early one morning, Gustavo Jauregui, 53, and his wife drove to the Gulf station on Mamaroneck Avenue to fill up at $4.15 a gallon before they headed out on a trip upstate.

“We’re going up to Albany to visit family, but we were thinking of paying $7 to get a ride instead,” Jauregui said.

Mamaroneck resident Jeff Webber, 52, who was traveling to New Jersey, said that he planned to wait until his tank is run-ning on empty and refuel after crossing the state line.

“Our taxes are the only reason that New Jersey has cheaper prices,” Webber said.

With New York currently holding the sixth highest gas price-per-gallon average in the na-tion, politicians have been searching for ways to relieve some of burdens New Yorkers are facing at the gas pumps. Legislation propos-ing a “gas tax holiday” now awaits committee decision in the New York State Assembly.

The bill, if passed, would remove all state taxes on Independence Day weekend in July, Labor Day weekend in September, and Memorial Day weekend next month. Put forward by Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, R-Schenectady, the bill resembles the con-troversial “gas tax holiday” proposed at a federal level in 2008 by then-presidential candidates Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sen. John McCain.

AT THE PUMPS:

Nilcia Paulino, 45, a Harrison resident – “Sometimes, I’ll go over to Mamaroneck to get gas from the Hess Station. I think its $4.10 per gallon now.”

Joseph Varkey, 57, runs the Citgo on Halstead Avenue – “Customers I’ve talked to all say prices keep going up and up and up.”

Tammy Nelson, a West Harrison resi-dent – “It’s ridiculous. I am chauffeur-ing kids around all-day so gas can be a killer.”

Tony Fanelli, 59, a West Harrison resi-dent and part-time gas pumper – “Too bad they can’t do it all the time,” Fanelli said. “But I don’t think they will because somebody has to get rich.”

Diego Cortero, 37, a resident of Norwalk, Conn. – “If [the “gas tax holi-day”] passes, I’m worried that there will be long lines at the gas stations.”

Westchester residents get revved up over “gas tax holiday” bill

Though Republicans have primarily backed the bill, state Assemblyman George Latimer, a Democrat, felt he needed to “reach over the aisle” and support the 17 GOP members floating the legislation.

“The New York economy is based heav-ily on tourism,” Latimer said. “During these holidays, the state stands to make a great deal of money from travelers, but if people stay home we wind up losing revenue.”

While the state irons out the details, Westchester County residents are doubtful the bill will make it past the floor.

West Harrison resident and manager of a local Citgo gas station Sam Fanelli, 55, ex-plained that he only makes 16 cents per gallon sold. In comparison, New York State currently makes about three times as much in taxes, re-ceiving roughly 51 cents per gallon sold.

“We’re paid based on the retail price,” Fanelli said. “This would mean smaller sta-tions would be losing money during these days.”

And while some seem hopeful to see the “tax holiday” pass, many think it is more trouble than it is worth.

Roy Stillman, 65, president of Stillman Property Management in Mamaroneck, doesn’t think the idea does enough.

“I can only imagine what lines would look like on those days,” Stillman said. “Why can’t they just reduce the tax slowly through-out the year?”

The Citgo station on Halstead Avenue in Harrison shows the self-serve price of regular unleaded gas is $4.29.

4 • THE SOUND AND TOWN REPORT • April 20, 2012

Community BRIEFSRegister for Town of Mamaroneck Recreation Department programsRegistration for the Town of Mamaroneck

Recreation Department programs is currently underway.

New this year is the On The Course Clinic – which gives participants the opportunity to actually be on the course with an instructor (you must be 18 and older to participate.) Also available is Introduction To Golf, Parent/Child Golf and Junior Golf Camp. For detailed information on the programs, visit townofma-maroneck.org/recreation or call the recreation department offi ce at (914) 381-7865.

Five-hour pre-licensing classesFormula One Driving School has the fi ve-

hour pre-licensing class scheduled for the fol-lowing dates and times:

Saturday, April 21 at 11 a.m. and Sunday, April 22 at 10 a.m.

This course is required for all new drivers. Formula One Driving School is located at 584 Mamaroneck Ave. in Mamaroneck. Call (914) 381-4500 or visit formulaoneinc.com to re-serve a space and for other dates or services.

Fertility and adoption conferenceSaturday, April 21Hilton Westchester in Rye BrookTrying to have a baby of your own? Get

answers from over 30 nationally and inter-nationally known speakers. Topics include: conceiving facts for women and men, natural

and high-tech treatment options, donor eggs, surrogacy, PCOS, over 35 fertility, fertility yoga, massage and nutrition, private, agency and international adoption success. The event will feature mid-day workshops and is open to all.

Admission is $20 per person and there will be free parking, giveaways and more. Register at afamilyofmyown.com or call (914) 393-9221.

Mamaroneck Library hosts email skills classesThe head of the reference department of the

Mamaroneck Public Library will be teaching eight introductory email classes. Students will learn how to set up an email account, how to use an email address book and how to send emails. Registration is required as space is limited. Please call the reference desk at (914) 698-1250 x3 to reserve a space.

Registrants must have basic typing and computer skills. Classes will be held from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. in the tech lab of the library.

Class dates are:Monday, April 23Wednesday, April 25LMC-TV to hold annual meetingLMC-TV (Larchmont Mamaroneck

Community Television, Inc.), the public ac-cess television station serving Larchmont, Mamaroneck and Rye Neck, is holding its annual meeting of its board of directors on Monday, April 30 at 7 p.m. at its TV Studio

Two. The meeting will be held at 145 Library Lane in Mamaroneck, and the public is wel-come to attend. For further information, call LMC-TV Executive Director Erik Lewis at (914) 381-2002 x201.

LWV Sound Shore chapters to address campaign fi nanceThe issue of campaign fi nance in the midst

of this presidential election year is the focus of the League of Women Voters annual lun-cheon at 12 p.m. on Friday, April 27 at the Orienta Beach Club in Mamaroneck.

Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, will tackle the topic “Money in Politics – Can Americans Beat the Odds and Establish Fairness in Campaign Finance?” at the luncheon that is co-sponsored by the LWV chap-ters of Larchmont-Mamaroneck, New Rochelle and Rye, Rye Brook and Port Chester.

The event is open to the public. To make a reservation, mail a check for $45 payable to LWV Larchmont/Mamaroneck to: LWV, P.O. Box 811, Larchmont, N.Y. 10538. Please email any questions to [email protected].

Rotary Club of Larchmont hosts “Broadway Comes to Larchmont”Orienta Beach Club will be transformed into

an intimate Manhattan-style cabaret when the Rotary Club of Larchmont hosts “Broadway Comes to Larchmont” on Sunday, April 29 at 5:30 p.m. The event features a performance by actor and singer John Treacy Egan, a Larchmont resident currently starring in “Sister Act” on Broadway. Proceeds benefi t LUNGevity Foundation, which supports lung cancer re-search and education. Tickets cost $100 and include dinner and a cocktail along with the show. Tickets can be purchased by contacting Marilyn Masiero at (914) 834-3101.

Westchester Sandbox Theatre hosting auditions for “The Producers”The Westchester Sandbox Theatre announc-

es auditions for its Young People’s Theatre Teen production of the smash musical comedy “The Producers.” This blockbuster Tony win-ning musical will be co-directed by one of the stars of the Broadway production, John Treacy Egan. If you’re a performer in grades 7-12, don’t miss your opportunity to be a part of this theatrical experience. Auditions will be held on Sunday, April 29 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and Monday, April 30 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. at the Westchester Sandbox Theatre, located at 931c E. Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck. The show performs June 15-24. A registra-tion fee is required at the fi rst rehearsal. For more information, call (914) 630-0804 or visit westchestersandboxtheatre.com.

At Home on the Sound galaAt Home on the Sound, an organization

providing services to seniors in Larchmont

and Mamaroneck, is having its fi rst gala at the Hampshire Country Club on Tuesday evening, May 1. Valerie O’Keeffe, former Mamaroneck Town Supervisor, will be hon-ored for her many years of service to the community. Following cocktails and dinner, concert pianist Maurice Reep will perform a selection of classical pieces. For more in-formation or to purchase tickets, see the At Home website athomeonthesound.org or call the At Home offi ce at (914) 899-3150.

Woman’s Club of Mamaroneck meetingThe next meeting of the Evening Section of

the Woman’s Club of Mamaroneck will be held on Tuesday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the club-house, 504 Cortlandt Ave. in Mamaroneck. The guest speaker will be Maria Valente of Chocolations. If interested in joining the club, call the membership chair at (914) 698-9364.

Washingtonville Housing Alliance dinner dance/fundraiser eventThe Washingtonville Housing Alliance is

celebrating its 32nd birthday with an annual dinner dance/fundraiser at the Hampshire Country Club on May 3.

For more information about the Alliance, to donate to its fundraiser or purchase tickets to attend the dinner/dance, contact Erika Alicea at [email protected] or call (914) 698-4299. Address any questions or com-ments to [email protected] or call (914) 698-0006.

Mamaroneck Village to host annual wine trailIt is, once again, time to raise your glass on

Sunday, May 6 in the Village of Mamaroneck as the Chamber of Commerce hosts the sixth annual A Taste of Mamaroneck Wine Trail.

Back by popular demand, this much an-ticipated event invites you to climb aboard the trolley and ride along to the many village restaurants for a taste of wine and a sample of their foods. Mamaroneck offers a variety of cuisines from around the world, and for only $50, you can enjoy the tastes of many cultures with your family, friends and neigh-bors. Registration for the event will begin at 12:30 p.m. at Harbor Island Park and the trolleys will run from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Pre-registration is recommended; to purchase tickets, visit mamaroneckchamberofcom-merce.org, contact the Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce at (914) 698-4400, or email [email protected].

Deadline for our Community Briefs section is every Friday at 12 p.m. Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accom-modate your listing. Please send all items to [email protected].

Correcting the recordThe article titled “Cars crash into Palmer Avenue storefronts” in the April 6 edition

said that a car crashed into Me Me’s Bridal at 2131 Palmer Ave. The car crashed into the store’s former location at 2005 Palmer Ave., not the new location.

April 20, 2012 • THE SOUND AND TOWN REPORT • 5

By PAIGE RENTZASSOCIATE [email protected]

The 2006 U.S. Open brought people from all over the world to Mamaroneck, as one of professional golf’s biggest tournaments took place at Winged Foot Country Club. And for one talented caddy, the Sound Shore ultimate-ly became a springboard to musical success.

David O’Leary, a lifelong golf fan and law student at the National University of Ireland Galway, had just finished up a year study-

ing abroad in Canada when he stopped off in Westchester to catch the tournament just before he began a summer as a caddy at the club. What began here has led O’Leary down a road that recently wound up in Washington, D.C. where the Irish tenor sang for the three most powerful men in the country.

A native of Gorey in County Wexford, O’Leary, 27, began singing in an after-school organization with his friends when he was in high school. At 16, he won the lead in the school’s production of Joseph and the

Irish tenor climbing the fame ladder from the Sound ShoreAmazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

But O’Leary had always wanted to become a lawyer and had no interest in studying mu-sic, opting for law school instead. Back at the university in Ireland after his year abroad, he began training in London and returned to New York to work with teachers here during breaks from school. In the summer of 2007, he per-formed for the first time at Winged Foot, and has repeatedly given concerts there, most re-cently on St. Patrick’s Day.

In 2008, he auditioned by phone to perform at an event sponsored by the U.S. arm of his university’s alumni association held at the Metropolitan Club in New York. “It was my first big gig,” he said. “I had exposure to a good group of people,” among them former president Bill Clinton.

After graduating from law school in 2008, O’Leary moved to Westchester and has lived in Pelham, Harrison, New Rochelle and Port Chester since he first arrived. Life as a freelance musician can be precarious, said O’Leary, “but it’s a lot of fun when things are going well.”

One performance has led to another, and through contacts he made, O’Leary has been able to sing both locally and on the national stage. He’s had the opportunity to sing the national anthem for the Mets and Giants. In September, O’Leary released his first album, Going Home, and is working on a follow-up release.

Mamaroneck resident Vincent Graziano first got to know O’Leary casually as a regu-lar at the Westchester Bakery on Mamaroneck Avenue and eventually went to see him per-form in Port Chester.

After that, Graziano recruited O’Leary to sing at the Sts. John and Paul pastor’s dinner. “He entertained everyone there with beautiful Irish ballads, had the whole room crying kind of thing,” he said.

“He really is determined to make his mark, and that’s why I give him so much credit,” Graziano said of the young tenor. “He just struck me as someone who is the epitome of the American dream.”

That was never more apparent than on March 20, when O’Leary had the chance to sing for President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner at the Friends of Ireland luncheon in Washington, D.C. Among the guests at the event hosted by the speaker were the Irish prime minister and many Irish-American members of Congress.

Singing before some of the most powerful people in the world gave O’Leary insight into the pageantry – the security involved in such an event. He had to clear security three weeks in advance and was onsite for about four hours beforehand watching the buildup to the big moment.

“It was just a wonderful experience,” he said. “My hopes and aspirations turned into reality.”

(L-R) Tenor David O’Leary poses with President Barack Obama and his accompanist Mia Theoradutos after performing at the Friends of Ireland luncheon. Contributed Photo

6 • THE SOUND AND TOWN REPORT • April 20, 2012

NEWS TIPS Unfortunately, our reporters cannot be everywhere. If you see news in the making or have an idea for a news story, call us. Community reporters and correspondence are listed at left.

LETTERS The community’s opinion matters. If you have a view to express, simply write a letter to the editor by email to [email protected], fax or mail. Please include a phone number and name for verification purposes. Word limit: 625. No unsolicited Op/Eds, food, film reviews.

COMMUNITY EVENTS If you have an event you would like to share with the community, send it via email to [email protected]. Deadline for community news is noon on Fridays. Space is not guaranteed. Send listings to [email protected].

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CONTRIBUTORS:Bobby Begun, Christian Falcone, Charlie Johnson, Robert Wingate

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Village of Mamaroneck Democrats seek candidates for public office

The Village of Mamaroneck Democratic Committee is seeking local citizens who are inter-ested in shaping the future of the village to run and serve in the office of trustee. Members of the next Board of Trustees will have the unique opportunity to shape the community’s prospects. The Democratic Party welcomes and encourages Mamaroneck residents to become involved in the party’s campaign for the future of the village. Join in sharing your views on this important task, whether by volunteering yourself or by suggesting worthy candidates. The party is also looking for volunteers to help in the campaign and to assist in identifying issues and initia-tives to improve the quality of life. All interested candidates should send an email and bio to Elizabeth Saenger at [email protected]. (Submitted)

had provided for a mix of sound and progressive educational planning and prudent attention to tax-payer concerns.

“Our No. 1 prior-ity is that we continually think about how to im-prove our district,” said Superintendent Robert Shaps.

In future years, how-ever, said Shaps, “keep-ing the budget-to-budget increase at this level of funding is going to be difficult.” He cited health insurance and pension costs and unfunded state mandates as burdensome to stability in annual budget cycles, and called for an “honest” discussion among state lead-ers as to how to cull down various regulatory requirements.

If the budget is approved by voters, it will fall 1.45 percent below the new state man-dated tax cap levy.

Shaps cited as priorities for this and future budgets to increase focus on faculty train-ing, deployment of improved technological resources and staffing adjustment related to them, and integration of curriculums for science, technology, engineering and math. Comprehensive planning for interventions of students who face challenging individual performance barriers and increasing commu-nications with community members in pre-paring budgets were also cited as priorities. Efficiencies will be achieved in part through debt refinancing and utility savings as a result of window and HVAC replacements.

“You should feel comfortable you can walk anywhere on the high school campus and have wireless connectivity,” Shaps said.

A move to outsource the work of 23 part-time drivers and 12 part-time bus monitors was approved, intended to result in a net savings of $819,225 and projected $25,000 in unem-ployment costs due to some staff losing work during that process. Outsourcing transportation has been a sticking point this spring between the district administration and many parents, and local residents have urged the district to be highly supportive of affected staff.

Shaps said he and colleagues were conduct-

Members of the Mamaroneck Board of Education prepare to vote on the budget April 17. Photo/Robert Wingate

BOE from page 1

ing a length series of informal discussions to ensure that parents and community members understood such dynamics and had opportu-nity for input outside of the setting of a formal board or PTA meeting.

Shaps announced that again for 2012-2013, there was no public funding available under the proposal to restore seven athletic teams previously discontinued due to budget pres-sures, but he hoped private donations could be identified to restore them. He said if $90,000 could be raised privately by Aug. 1, the teams could be reinstated. Shaps said the district had decided that the only way to reinstate teams would be to do so for all seven at once and that it would not reinstate less than the entire seven that had been sliced.

Compared with an earlier iteration of the budget, a leadership position in physical edu-cation will now be eliminated after a retire-ment, and the funding transferred to help cre-ate one more full-time position that will focus on mathematics and earth science.

There would be structural changes in the Hommocks Middle School “Superteam” system, which has been a “mix and match” style staffing effort. The program accom-modates one grade that faced enrollment low levels and allowed for four distinct groupings of students under a “school within a school” concept and was too high to allow for three distinct groupings. Some part-time positions will convert to full-time roles, which Shaps described as necessary to respond to parental concerns.

April 20, 2012 • THE SOUND AND TOWN REPORT • 7

It seems like a lifetime ago, but it was really only hours before I write this: vacation. Three days ago, I woke up in an all-inclusive resort and looked out on a balcony with palm trees in view. After breakfast, I’d be getting a massage.

That was a distant past, before lost luggage at the airport, 700 emails waiting in my inbox, and a stack of bills piling up in my mailbox at home. This morning, I woke up to

an idling delivery truck outside of my apartment. For breakfast, I’ll be having a last-minute freakout to hand in my article before deadline.

All of the fun, all of the relief from the daily stress you get in a vacation gets wiped out quicker than a Donald Trump presidential campaign as soon as you get back home and back to work. Cynics like myself might conclude it’s almost not worth going away due to the trauma you face when coming home.

Vacation is traumatic to the delicate psyche of those who spend most of their lives in the cu-bicle. We’re used to our role as Sisyphus pushing a boulder up a hill, but never really fi nishing our task. Coming back from vacation is like Sisyphus returning to the bottom of the hill to start pushing again, but fi nding the boulder has grown ever larger and more immense.

While on vacation, we deal with the impending doom of going home, knowing the boulder that is growing each day while we are away. It makes me think of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, the shrink who fi rst introduced the fi ve stages of grief. Kubler-Ross said that when dealing with death or immense grief, people cope by experiencing denial, anger, bargaining, depression and then acceptance. We also deal, in stages, with how we process a vacation.

Stage 1: DenialPatients arrive at their vacationing destination in denial of where they are. These feelings are

accentuated when traveling in the winter from a cold climate to a warm, tropical one. During the fi rst hours after touching down at the airport, there is a surreal quality about not needing a jacket and seeing palm trees, or noticing lizards running across the walkway. “I can’t believe where we are, honey!” you might tell your signifi cant other.

“Can I take that bag for you?” they ask at the hotel.“I can’t believe how nice everyone is here!” you marvel.You enter the hotel room: “I can’t believe the view!” “I can’t believe how much there is for

us to do here!” And so on.

Stage 2: ImpressionVacationers then quickly “check things out” wherever they go, getting their bearings and

making plans for the rest of the trip. “Should we try the horseback riding?” someone asks. “No,” you reply. “We’ll do it later in the trip.” Which of course, will never happen. In the impression stage, travelers process all a vacation has to offer, though of course most of the aspects of the vacation never advance past the talking point. Instead, what ends up occurring rather than all of the fun excursions and potential adventures is lots of eating and drinking, with you convincing yourself you’ll just cut loose for a bit and worry about “doing stuff” later in the trip.

At this stage, one might be amazed at how much time you’ll be able to spend on this trip or on this resort, or in this country.

Stage 3: RelaxationStage 3 is the only part of the vacation that accomplishes what you are setting out to do, which

is relaxing. This stage usually lasts only a few hours during a trip. It might be those couple of hours sunbathing, those few hours asleep on a hammock, or half asleep in the hot tub.

This is the one moment of the vacation where you are legitimately not thinking of home or trying to force yourself to have fun.

Stage 4: AcceptanceReality sinks in that the clock is ticking, with the countdown accelerating toward departure

time. This means a mad dash to try to savor every possible aspect of the vacation possible – much of what you missed during the fi rst few stages of vacation.

Room service? Check!Bad lounge singer in the evening? Check!Five meals in one day? Check!Midnight buffet? Check!Evidence that you’ve entered this stage is a tendency to justify everything you do, including adding

hundreds of dollars to your debt just to buy a straw hat. “Hey, vacation is almost over!” you say.

Stage 5: AngerYour disbelief about having to return home is replaced by an angry, resentful feeling toward

people you see checking in to the hotel just as you are checking out, or arriving at the airport as you are departing. “Jerks,” you tell your traveling companion. “What I wouldn’t do to switch places with them right now!”

Don’t feel too badly about bashing these newbies. In fi ve days, they’ll be red from sunburn and fi ve pounds heavier, saying the same thing about the next crop of vacationers arriving for their stay.

The fi ve stages of vacation

Mark Lungariello

LUNGARIELLO AT LARGE

“especially with the initial process of capital buildings which we will be getting into in up-coming meetings.”

The village’s adopted budget shows a 1.82 percent increase in the property tax rate. This represents a budget-to-budget increase of about $5.54 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

With the average assessed home in the village priced at $17,100, taxes may rise by

as much as $636. Depending on the actual assessed property value, the number may be higher or lower for some.

The village reported an increase of .87 per-cent, or $103,595, from the last fi scal season. Offi cials expect a carryover of 1.5 percent of the tax levy calculated for next year’s budget.

With $185,959 in unused tax levy, the board seems fi scally prepared to meet the 2 percent property tax cap in the upcoming year.

BUDGET from page 1

A provocative new series of classes called “The Art of Marriage” will discuss the secrets of a successful marriage and will begin on April 29 at Chabad of Larchmont and Mamaroneck. Regardless of marital status, all are invited to attend the six-session course, presented by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute and taught by Rabbi Mendel Silberstein. The “Art of Marriage” will go far beyond platitudes to cover topics at the heart of modern mar-riage. Does marriage still serve any purpose at all? How far should one go to make a mar-riage work? When is divorce the best option? Included as well are Jewish bedroom secrets from ancient texts on how to increase intimacy in marital relationships.

“The Art of Marriage” shows students how to attain that for themselves and for their

spouses, with timeless lessons from both modern and ancient Jewish texts such as the Talmud and Zohar.

Like all Jewish Learning Institute programs, “The Art of Marriage” is designed to appeal to students at all levels of Jewish knowledge, including those without any prior experience or background in Jewish learning. All Jewish Learning Institute courses are open to the public, and attendees need not be affi liated with a particular synagogue, temple, or other house of worship.

Interested students may call (914) 834-8000 or visit myJLI.com for registration and other course-related information. Jewish Learning Institute courses are at Chabad of Larchmont and Mamaroneck, located at 921 W. Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck. (Submitted)

“The Art of Marriage” classes offered at Chabad of Larchmont-Mamaroneck

8 • THE SOUND AND TOWN REPORT • April 20, 2012

The United Way of Westchester and Putnam, in partnership with the Westchester Community Foundation, will host the not-for-profit Leadership Summit X on Monday, May 7. This year’s event, held from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel Tarrytown, features keynote speaker New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who will discuss his plan to “reform and revital-ize” the state’s nonprofit sector.

The Leadership Summit kicks off at 8:30 a.m. with the breakfast keynote speaker, Bartley “BJ” Costello, Esq., partner with

Hinman Straub P.C., who is a well-known legal expert and has done considerable advo-cacy work on both sides of the isle in Albany.

After breakfast, attendees will be able to choose from 16 breakout sessions on topics such as web technologies, strategic plan-ning, profitable fundraising techniques, work/life balance, skills-based volunteerism, social media in the workplace, executive compensation, IT outsourcing, and board strategies, among others. Schneiderman will address the group during lunch at 11:45 a.m. (Submitted)

New York attorney general to speak at annual Leadership Summit

New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will be the keynote speaker for the not-for-profit Leadership Summit. Contributed photo

eral local communities.Zeuss said the members of the neighbor-

ing environmental committees have enjoyed sharing ideas and supporting one another. “We definitely want to use that and help one another for the greater good, if you will,” she said.

“As I hope everyone knows, the environ-ment doesn’t know any municipal boundar-ies,” said Mamaroneck Town Supervisor Nancy Seligson, a Democrat. “Especially air and water, they cross boundaries and borders all the time.”

Although the Town of Mamaroneck does not have a formal environmental committee, Supervisor Nancy Seligson, a Democrat, said that several residents have expressed interest in working on green initiatives with the super-visor, known for her commitment to environ-mental causes.

Rye City Republican Councilwoman Suzanna Keith, one of the biggest propo-nents of environmental initiatives for the city, has worked closely with the municipality’s Sustainability Committee, a group that re-cently implemented a ban on plastic bags in Rye. She praised the efforts of the environ-mental committees.

“The no-idling day is a wonderful way to

kick off earth week and the writing of Rye’s Sustainability Plan,” the councilwoman said.

Vehicle exhaust is hazardous to human health, especially that of children. Idling also wastes resources and damages the environ-ment. Exposure to vehicle exhaust increases the risk of cancer, lung disease and asthma. Children are particularly vulnerable to air pol-lution because their lungs are still developing and they breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults do.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, has identified idling as a major con-tributor to particulate material emissions. Currently, Westchester County is ranked the fourth worst for fine particulate matter in the state by the EPA.

Idling more than 10 seconds burns more gas than it takes to restart the engine. And contrary to popular belief, today’s cars do not need to be warmed up.

“It is a good time to think about the legal, practical and environmental impacts of unnec-essary idling,” Rye City Police Commissioner William Connors said. “If, for no other reason, drivers should consider the financial impact of running a car engine unnecessarily with gas prices in excess of four dollars per gallon.”

IDLING from page 1

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April 20, 2012 • THE SOUND AND TOWN REPORT • 9

10 • THE SOUND AND TOWN REPORT • April 20, 2012

Tea Party agenda should raise concernTo the Editor,I have been wanting to write the letter below for sometime. Your column, “GOP fringe al-

ready gearing up for 2016” moved me to write.We have a very serious problem in our beloved country, the United States of America.Not as a Democrat, Independent, Progressive, Republican, I am viewing what the

“Republicans” are doing in Congress and in their presidential primaries with a good deal of apprehension.

I am of the opinion that the Republican Party really consists of two parties: the old party of President Lincoln and the so-called Tea Party. The Tea Party, as part of the Republican Party, can win elections. But they should legitimately be considered a third party. If they were, they would have a very difficult time winning elections. Why? Their agenda is not what made the United States great and the envy of the world. If we follow their agenda the United States will no longer be a free democracy.

Let the silent majority wake up and take back our country.

Carmine Masucci,Eastchester

Access to public schools under attackTo the Editor,Throughout the 40-plus years I have been in the arena of community activism and public

service, I have remained true to my belief that economic justice must be the worthiest and longest lasting of all struggles. We who understand this struggle are aware that there comes a time when patience becomes immoral.

The movement for economic justice, for me, started in New York City around the issues of race and public school education. Living in Westchester County for a long time, I have narrated the difficulties of public schools stemming around local school boards. Year in and year out, school boards change the names of the participants while careful that the chemistry stays the same. You cannot have a decision-making board made up of people who have the choice of sending their children to private schools when the status quo of the public school is in jeopardy. This group would never admit that they were the ones who put the school in jeopardy.

Can you imagine, for example, what history books would be used if those with power were from Latin America? Would “poverty” in an economic class be viewed as being “poor” and deprived? Would special education students in a history class be able to use critical thinking and discuss Karl Marx and the brutality of capitalism without being criticized for plagiarism? The capitalistic model used in our public schools, in concert with Darwinian thought of “survival of the fittest,” is a recipe for sustaining a wealthy environment. This is a far cry from Nov. 2, 1787 when the African Free School was founded to provide education for slaves and free people.

Discussions of “outsourcing” any service in a public school is a camouflage for the eventual privatization of public education. The most important piece of information has been missing for over 15 years in Mamaroneck. Grass roots initiatives during the 1990s were missing when the topic of funding formulas for public schools was on the table in Albany. This district has been late and slow in dealing with what was inevitable – a better introduction to our diversity. And by better, I mean “a welcome.” We should have had grass roots meetings on the changing academic and fiscal structure. Everyone needs to understand the effects of privatization. At this rate, many parents will not be able to accommodate their child in a public school. If we do not have access to any service, the service does not exist. It was horrific to hear a school board member recently minimize a walk of over two miles for a young child whose parent lives on a very tight schedule to access a pre-kindergarten program. The blame is already on the parent as the children enters school that their “disadvantages,” such as the myth that poor families don’t read to their children, create achievement gaps. Again, people with “choices” should not be dictating to people without choices.

Having elections does not define having democracy. The system of having search committees for school boards is all about making sure that only names change. The hiring of diversity in our public schools favors people who do not select candidates with cultural sensitivity. They instead, select professionals who validate colonialism. Public education requires an awareness of all students’ history and culture. Board decisions have negated learning or writing all our children’s narratives so that everyone learns what is to be one of the “others.” Societies are not measured as civilized by how they annihilate or oppress other civilizations. At the end, we will be judged by the contributions that didn’t improve our own upward mobility. Public education must provide equal access to different views in the classrooms.

Luis Quiros,Mamaroneck

engage local jurisdictions.”The Village of Larchmont is taking ad-

vantage of the opportunity afforded by the county and is signing on to take part in the initiative, said Mayor Anne McAndrews.

Larchmont was preparing to hire a con-sultant to put together an all hazard miti-gation plan, the mayor said, but when the county’s offer came, “the village has hopped onto that in the last couple of weeks.” She called the idea a wonderful example of co-operation and said it makes sense because in most cases, the hazard “does not stop at the Larchmont line.”

Though the Village of Mamaroneck is on the verge of adopting its own plan, lo-cal officials will work with the county on the multi-jurisdictional plan as well, said Assistant Village Manager Daniel Sarnoff.

Each municipality will do its own mini-analysis, he said, and come up with their own specific list of hazards they deal with and plans to mitigate the effects of those hazards.

“It’s not an end-all, be-all; it’s not a comprehensive response plan,” he said, noting that these plans are often mistaken for disaster relief or emergency response plans. Instead, the purpose of such a plan is to create programs or capital projects that can help the municipality prepare for or maybe alleviate the hazardous events. “We know we can warn people in the case of a flood; that’s a program,” he said. “We

can build a giant retention basin so it can hold more stormwater; that’s a capital project.”

The Town of Mamaroneck has yet to de-cide whether it will sign on to the county study, said Town Administrator Steve Altieri. “We have to take a look at that with our staff,” he said.

Regardless of the county initiative, the town already has a first draft of a hazard plan and is currently waiting for a grant to come through to pay for the remainder of the work.

According to Altieri, the town had a $100,000 grant for a flood control project that they have requested be converted into a grant for the hazard plan. “If that doesn’t do it, nothing will,” Altieri said of the funds.

Although there has been some delay at the federal level in approving the conver-sion of the grant, Altieri said he expects it to come through.

“Ultimately, the most important thing about having the all hazard mitigation plan is that is allows us to access federal funding streams,” said Sarnoff.

Once the plans have been adopted by each jurisdiction and approved by higher levels of government, they will open the doors to grant funding from a variety of FEMA programs, most notably those that help ho-meowners in repetitive flood areas to raise their homes and those that fund buyouts of flood-prone property from residents.

HAZARD from page 1

April 20, 2012 • THE SOUND AND TOWN REPORT • 11

12 • THE SOUND AND TOWN REPORT • April 20, 2012

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Got a news tip?Contact your local report Daniel Offner

[email protected]

SPORTS14 • THE SOUND AND TOWN REPORT • April 20, 2012

Upcoming games to watchHarrison vs. Rye baseball, 5/1 and 5/5Every year, it seems these two rivals have memorable games, walk-off wins, and extra inning

affairs – everything’s on the table when Rye and Harrison square off on the diamond. Over the past few seasons, these teams have battled to a near .500 record with one another, and last year, with the addition of a night game played at Silver Lake, a new wrinkle was added to the feud. With these two teams playing against each other back-to-back, fans might be able to see a truly great pitching matchup between Harrison ace Max Bruckner and Rye hurler Willis Robbins.

Mamaroneck vs. New Rochelle baseball, 5/1They may have lost slugger Matt Duran to graduation last year, but apparently no one told the

rest of the Huguenots offense, as New Rochelle has been putting up big numbers this season. At 4-1 on the year, the Huguenots have outscored opponents 43-3 in their wins, although they’ll have to compete with a pitching-deep Tiger squad that doesn’t make a ton of mistakes on the field. Mamaroneck has knocked the Huguenots out of the tournament several times in the past four years, and this potent Huguenot lineup that includes Malik Burts, Daniel Dasgupta and Jayson Gray will be matched up nicely against Mamaroneck’s Mike Williams and Will Hoffman.

New Rochelle vs. Ursuline softball, 4/27These two North Avenue rivals are no strangers to one another, playing year-in, year-out in

the same power league in Class AA. Both Ursuline and New Rochelle are mainstays in the sectional tournament, but the teams’ seedings often depend on how each do within the league – and each other.

Bronxville’s grueling run will see them square off with a good Lakeland team next week. Photo/Bobby Begun

New Rochelle will need to get good performances from starter Stephanie Fosina, as well as contributions from the likes of Kelli Dillon and Joanna LoPachin if they hope to unseat Ursuline as the kings of the Queen City.

Bronxville vs. Lakeland boys lacrosse, 4/26Bronxville’s quest to repeat as section champs begins in earnest next week when the team

travels north to take on a tough Lakeland team. The game is smack-dab in the middle of a gruel-ing stretch for the Broncos, which has played just two games as of press time.

Bronxville’s offense, led by Jack and Henry Grass, has been clicking in those two games, but the team has yet to be tested by a true offensive threat. If Lakeland isn’t the obstacle that’s going to test the team, which will play six games in nine days, during a stretch, then fatigue might be.

By MIKE SMITHASSOCIATE SPORTS [email protected]

On Monday, taking on a larger Harrison team, Rye Neck proved that when it comes to Class B teams, they could be among the tops in the section. Unfortunately for the Panthers,

however, the Huskies – a true contender for the Class A crown – came away with a hard-fought 3-1 win.

Going up against one of the premier hurlers in the section, Harrison’s Max Bruckner, Rye Neck pitcher Ryan Aquino acquitted himself well, scattering eight hits over six innings, but

In the absence of ace Matt Franks, Rye Neck’s other pitchers, including Matt Garcia (seen here), have filled in well. Photo/Mike Smith

Early season sees Panthers struggle in close gameswas sunk by a Corey Calcagni double in the third that plated two runs in Harrison’s three-run frame. Rye Neck wasn’t able to recover despite Matt Franks’ sixth inning RBI double, falling by two to the Huskies.

“We just didn’t get the hits we needed,” said Panther coach Tyler Slater. “Aquino gave us a great, great pitching performance, but Bruckner threw extremely well, too.”

Getting that one big hit has been a problem for the Panthers (1-4) all season long. Since the team’s opening-day win over Rye, the Panthers have dropped four straight, three of those losses coming by two or fewer runs.

“In three of those games, we had the tying or go-ahead run on and just didn’t make it happen,” said Slater. “I think it’s hurt us in the beginning of the year that we’re dealing with some injuries, so we’re a bit thin.”

One of those injuries – a sore shoulder be-ing dealt with by Matt Franks – has also hurt the Panthers on the other side of the ball. Franks was scheduled to be the team’s ace coming into the year, but after a solid per-formance against Rye, he hasn’t been back on the mound. Rye Neck has relied on some other arms, including Aquino, sophomore Max Garcia and senior reliever Chris Pennell to shoulder the load.

“We have three or four guys that can throw,”

said Slater. “Right now, we’re still kind of es-tablishing our order.”

Offensively, the Panthers are relying on leadoff hitter Chris Cascione and Thomas Pipolo in the middle of the lineup, but Slater hopes to see more guys step up as the season progresses.

“Chris is tremendous in the leadoff spot,” said the head coach. “He gets on base, has good pop, and Pippolo has a great presence in the lineup. We’re also getting contributions from Jakob Calvini as well.”

Slater hopes that his team’s early-season struggles will lead to success later in the year, as his team has been faced with high-pressure situations. While they haven’t many wins to show for it, he said, the early defeats could pay off down the line.

“It helps a lot, playing in these close games,” he said. “They’re understanding game situa-tions more, and hopefully they won’t get down when playing from behind. You don’t win those things from winning or losing blowouts, so hopefully they’ll learn from this by the end of the season.”

Rye Neck has a busy schedule coming up, playing five games in eight days. They will have a rematch with Port Chester on Wednesday after press time before playing in the Rams’ tournament this weekend.

SPORTSApril 20, 2012 • THE SOUND AND TOWN REPORT • 15

By MIKE SMITHASSOCIATE SPORTS [email protected]

An audible gasp rose from the crowd gathered at Manchester Field on Saturday afternoon, as Mamaroneck ace Mike Williams stood on the mound, his face clouded with looks of concern and confusion. The Centennial batter no longer stood ready for the pitch, but found himself on his hands and knees, spitting blood into the grass.

Any sporting event can change in an instant: A booming home run can chase a pitcher from the ballgame the same way a rim-rattling dunk can energize a team and a gym full of fans, providing an instantaneous momentum swing. But often, the unexpected can also be the unin-vited. Centennial infielder Josh Middleton found this out the hard way on Saturday when an 84 mph fastball thrown by Williams rose up and in, hitting him in the mouth and sending a wave of horror and shock through the grandstand. Moments like these are not for the weak of heart, but are excellent reminders as to why athletic trainers can play such a big role in the career of a stu-dent athlete.

“In reality, the majority of what we do is working on the prevention of injuries,” said Rye Neck athletic trainer Joe Dranoff. “Dealing with the day-to-day rehabilitation, that’s where we spend most of our time, but there is always the chance that we’ll have to deal with a catastroph-ic injury on the field.”

Saturday certainly seemed to be one such incident. As some fans

watched Middleton struggle to get to his feet through slits in their fin-gers, Mamaroneck’s athletic trainer Daisuke Sekine, across the campus covering the girls lacrosse game, was immediately alerted with a phone call, and sped to the scene in his golf cart to survey the damage.

“Definitely, the idea that this could be a concussion is one of the first thing that comes to mind, “said Sekine. “But I knew after test-ing [Josh] and talking to him, that wasn’t the case here.”

Middleton would prove to be fine. Aside from a cut on the inside of his mouth and a little bruising, there was no major damage. In fact, his desire to stay in the game was ap-parent when Mamaroneck’s coach, Mike Chiapparelli, walked over to check on the infielder.

“That was a fastball, right?” quipped Middleton, eager to prove his memory was good enough to recall each pitch of the abbreviated at-bat.

After looking over Middleton, Sekine recommended that he be re-moved from the game. School offi-cials called a relative of Middleton’s who lived nearby (Centennial High School is located in Virginia) to have her come pick up the junior and take him to the doctor.

“We knew it wasn’t an emergency situation, but we wanted him to go to the hospital and get checked out,” said the Sekine.

Especially in this era when we have become increasingly aware of the dangers that concussions cause, athletic trainers can be the first line of defense against making the injury worse.

Training DayAthletic trainers man the front lines against injury

Nadia Najim, the athletic trainer at nearby Harrison High School, said that her school district has imple-mented a stricter policy to prevent students from returning too early from a concussion, forcing them to retake the iMPACT test, which can measure cognitive function.

“A newly developed protocol for the district that errs on the side of caution is the Concussion Return to Play policy,” she said. “The goal is to prevent a possibly life threaten-ing injury called Second Impact Syndrome, which is caused by a second blow to the head before the first injury has had time to heal.”

According to Dranoff, holding an athlete out of competition is one of the hardest – but most important du-ties he faces as an athletic trainer.

“Anyone who has played a sport knows how hard it is – especially as a high school kid – to be told you can’t go out there and play,” he said. “But I’d rather see them be able to walk to their front door from their car then put them back in when they’re not ready.”

And unlike the old days of sport, in which the decree “rub a little dirt on it” seemed to be a cure-all for ev-erything from a stinger to a sprained ankle, today’s athletic trainers are required to attend several classes and symposiums a year in order to bone up on the latest trends in sports medicine. Just like concus-sions have been a large part of the dialogue in the profession as of late, new issues are constantly coming to the forefront, helping trainers to

better serve our local athletes.“There is a large focus on the

causes of sudden death in athletes,” said Najim. “Specifically those deaths related to heat illnesses and sudden cardiac arrest. As a result of many studies, there is a push among health care professionals to educate the public on how to prevent such illness and know the signs and symptoms.”

In the end, Middleton walked away with just a sore jaw and a story of a close call with a mid-80s heater. But you never know when an ath-lete isn’t going to have such good fortune. Still, when and if that hap-pens, it’s good to know there will be at least one person on the sidelines who won’t be averting their eyes, but tackling the problem head on.

Mamaroneck athletic trainer Daisuke Sekine treats Centennial junior Josh Middelton after he was hit in the face with a pitch on Saturday.

Josh Middleton begins to get out of the way of an errant fastball. He wouldn’t be able to avoid the pitch. Photos/Mike Smith

16 • THE SOUND AND TOWN REPORT • April 20, 2012