Blog | John Fearon's Blog

Mount Pleasant Public Library Closed Friday

Main Library closed on Friday.

Posted by John Fearon, November 16, 2012 at 04:51 am

The Main Library will be closed on Friday, November 16 due to roofing work.

Our Branch Library (125 Lozza Drive, Valhalla) will open from 10am - 5pm. We expect to be open the Main Library at 10am on Saturday - we suggest you call ahead before you leave.

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Budgeting Insights From A Former Briarcliff BOE Trustee

As a former school board member, I thought it was important to provide some additional insight…

Opinion May 20, 2013 at 09:23 pm

5 Recommend Stacy Agona

View all 5 comments

Jay Borrel May 20, 2013 at 10:54 pm

She's just another big mouth

Recommend

McKey Rivers May 20, 2013 at 10:48 pm

I should also point out that Ms. Agona's "insights" are wrong on so many levels that it is…Read More frightening a) that she has a vote and (b) that she was able to be selected for school board trustee.

1 Recommend

McKey Rivers May 20, 2013 at 10:32 pm

Ms. Agona, Wasn't your career as school board trustee distinguished by (i) your working in concert…Read More with other board members to illegally withhold fund reserves from use for the school budget; (ii) violating your duties as school trustee by approving illegalities with respect to district finances as reported by the State Comptroller; (iii) failing in your duties as school trustee to maintain appropriate oversight of district finances by condoning the false reporting by the District's audit committee of its review of the District's finances; (iv) participating in the preparation of and advocating voter approval of several years of school budgets that overtaxed the public, as determined by the State Comptroller, and which propelled Briarcliff to the top taxed district in Westchester and Putnam Counties; (v) engaged in a midnight hour, secret formulation of an arrangement with a school district official already scheduled to retire to unnecessarily pay him for a no show job and unnecessarily and with no benefit to the school district substantially enhanced his benefit package in violation of school district policies, which official was the architect of the plan determined to be illegal by the State Comptroller; and (vi) engaged in numerous other abject failures in performance of the duties and responsibilities of a school trustee? It's incredible that you would tout your status as a former trustee in opining on anything concerning the Briarcliff School District and readers should consider your performance as trustee in evaluating your comments above.

3 Recommend

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0 Recommend Briarcliff Manor Schools

B'Cliff School Budget: A (Different) Factual Perspective

The current BOE has stated that recent budgets are lower and decreasing. That is factually…

Opinion May 20, 2013 at 08:17 pm

11 6 Recommend George Rubich

View all 11 comments

Jay Borrel May 20, 2013 at 09:57 pm

Mr. Valenti your small mind is imploding

2 Recommend

W Obermeyer May 20, 2013 at 03:04 pm

This is without a doubt one of the more reasonable and interesting articles posted. No claims of…Read More representing the community, no baseless assertions of how the world outside will view Braircliff Manor of the vote goes this way or another, and best of all - no puppeteering.

3 Recommend

The Real Herman Sexton May 20, 2013 at 11:45 am

Valenti- go away and leave us alone. You failed to win when you ran, you failed to get yourself…Read More appointed to the board for a vacated seat. You are the least respected resident in town and walk around as a self important genius. Were not you arrested a short time ago? Please back off and perhaps the election will be decided by intelligent residents. VOTE NO for whatever Valenti says to vote for

5 Recommend

Trustee Sal Maglietta’s Record

An elected official’s record details pertinent information which when examined becomes…

Opinion May 20, 2013 at 06:28 pm

6 5 Recommend Kurt Ranno

View all 6 comments

Mike Valenti May 20, 2013 at 04:19 pm

Ladies and gentleman, please be very cautious. Does anyone who lives in Briarcliff know anyone…Read More named Herman Sexton or McKey Rivers. Vote FOR Jon and SAL tomorrow. The choice is clear.

1 Recommend

W Obermeyer May 20, 2013 at 02:58 pm

What a record! I do not favor personalized targeting, but it seems the chickens have come home to…Read More roost. Perhaps attendance is optional?

2 Recommend

McKey Rivers May 20, 2013 at 02:40 pm

Is there a style manual or other guidance addressing the random use of capital letters in posts on…Read More this web site? Has anyone figured why Mr. Valenti capitalizes certain words and for what purpose? Mr. Ranno's post contains relevant, objective facts without the varnish of partisanship. The State Education law and School District policy address attendance by school board members at Board meetings, including provisions when a board member is disqualified from office due to poor attendance. Does anyone on the current Board have the fortitude to address Mr. Maglietta's miserable attendance record? Does Mr. Maglietta have the moral compass to realize that for whatever reason he is unable to fulfill the most basic requirement of a school board member, i.e., attendance at board meetings? My guess is the answer to both questions is NO and that it is now up to the voters to take matters into their own hands.

4 Recommend

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BHS Softball Striking Out Breast Cancer

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It's Time to Stop

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3 3 Recommend The Real Herman Sexton

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W Obermeyer May 20, 2013 at 03:07 pm

I wonder why the voice of reason is suddenly so vocal? Reminds me of some earlier exchanges, if you…Read More have read one you have read them all.

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The Real Herman Sexton May 20, 2013 at 02:57 pm

oh wow, let's relive the attempted election of Mike Valenti several years ago. We went through…Read More this, proved I was a resident, etc. Anyway, does anyone know anyone in Briarcliff more annoying than Mike Valenti

1 Recommend

Mike Valenti May 20, 2013 at 02:40 pm

Does anyone personally know anyone in Briarcliff named Herman Sexton? Be careful folks. Too many…Read More phony names and email addresses seem to surface in support of candidates this group forwards and supports for school board.

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Briarcliff Election - The Fact of the Matter

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8 1 Recommend Mike Valenti

View all 8 comments

W Obermeyer May 20, 2013 at 03:13 pm

One can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time. And by…Read More repeating something ad nauseum it does not become true or a fact ...

4 Recommend

Mike Valenti May 20, 2013 at 02:57 pm

Ladies and gentleman, please be cautious. Does ANYONE in Briarcliff personally know anyone named…Read More Herman Sexton or McKey Rivers. And, again I state, the comments above typify the caliber, comportment and ideology of the individuals supporting Mr. Wasserman and Mr. Linder. The choice looks fairly clear to me. Please join me in casting your votes for Jon Satran and Sal Maglietta tomorrow as well as voting yes on our school budget.

Recommend

McKey Rivers May 20, 2013 at 02:51 pm

I just felt nauseous realizing that the source of the campaign nonsense published earlier today by…Read More the Briarcliff PTA is Mike Valenti! Who other than Valenti and the BPTA Board, where Mrs. Maglietta sits as Vice President, actually believes that a vote to get the School Board to formulate a tax levy compliant budget, just like almost every other school board in the region and State, will send a message that Briarcliff does not support it's public schools? How can anyone possibly buy into this nonsense when data provided by the NYS Comptroller shows that the the current effective school tax rate is substantially higher in Briarcliff than almost every school district in the County, including 46.18% higher than Bronxville? Briarcliff PTA, if you are going to violate NYS PTA policy and guidance on lobbying and campaigning in the budget vote, and possibly risk IRS action because of potential contradiction of restrictions on lobbying by an educational organization, pick someone more stable and intelligent than Mike Valenti to rely on.

4 Recommend

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Lisa Jenner May 20, 2013 at 01:53 pm

There goes Mike again, with his crystal ball and his ability to read minds - the voice of the…Read More Briarcliff community. He knows that the Linder/Wasserman camp is desperate and that their campaign is imploding. I, too, have been wondering about the mailings from the school district regarding the budget. While I realize that the current BOE needs to present and explain the budget to the public, some of the material comes dangerously close to campaign materials.

2 Recommend

McKey Rivers May 20, 2013 at 11:33 am

Is Mrs. Maglietta incapable of speaking for herself? Or is Sal showing off his new found knowledge…Read More about when it is appropriate to recuse yourself from voting on a matter when you have an actual self interest or a perceived self interest? And will the Magliettas reimburse the school district for the campaign materials they have been sending at public expense and on School District letter head?

3 Recommend

Mike Valenti May 20, 2013 at 11:28 am

It is clear that the current BOE has accomplished a vital and productive partnership with our…Read More faculty and vendors. This accomplishment is bearing fruit for the community before our eyes. Teachers and vendors have become partners with the district and morale has been restored from the troublesome levels it sank to several years ago under the previous BOE. The desperation of the Linder/Wasserman camp, as their campaign implodes, is both palpable. Moreover, it is simply a group of folks in the community once again showing their true colors as their final desperate hours of negative campaigning come to a close.

Recommend

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Briarcliff Manor School Tax Increase Hurts Your Home’s…

I write this post to urge you to vote FOR candidates that will protect your hard earned…

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14 7 Recommend David Venditti

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McKey Rivers May 20, 2013 at 04:47 pm

Does anyone other than crackpots like Mike Valenti and sycophants aligned with current School Board…Read More members think that it is healthy for the current effective school taxes in Briarcliff to be in excess of 2% of market values (2.0106%) while the school taxes on a home with equal value in communities like Chappaqua (1.8611%), Tuckahoe (1.8600%) Eastchester (1.7360%), Scarsdale (1.5471%) and Bronxville (1.3791%) are significantly lower? Real estate professionals will tell you that tax rates in excess of 2% of market value present substantial obstacles to entry to market for many potential buyers. This factor is a big part of the reason for declining enrollment in Briarcliff where families with school age children are deterred by tax affordability from even looking, never mind buying a home, when other area communities with excellent school districts have taxes that are much more affordable for an equal value home. The negative market impact of tax unaffordability can result in a downward spiraling effect when home prices are pushed lower to attract market interest. To worsen the tax unaffordability situation in Briarcliff by passing a tax cap excessive budget is in nobody’s interest especially when there are reasonable tax levy compliant alternatives that have been demonstrated to have no negative impact on educational programs, sports, clubs, music or staff. If Briarcliff voters want to preserve their lovely community, the school district and home values, they must defeat the proposed budget and vote for Paul Wasserman and Sonny Linder for school board.

2 Recommend

W Obermeyer May 20, 2013 at 02:51 pm

Well written post, with a realistic analysis of the property market. Very few young people will…Read More consider Briarcliff Manor a viable option for purchasing a home, particularly if one can get similar education while paying much less in taxes. The decline in enrollment testifies to this unfortunate situation. And to increase the tax rate at this juncture is not only unnecessary but the poorest possible timing for slowly recovering real estate values.

4 Recommend

McKey Rivers May 20, 2013 at 12:41 pm

According to data on file with the NYS Comptroller’s office, the current effective school tax…Read More rate in Briarcliff Manor is 8.32% higher than the effective school tax rate in Chappaqua, 8.39% higher than the effective school tax rate in Tuckahoe, 16.13% higher than effective school tax rate in Eastchester, and 46.18% higher than effective school tax rate in Bronxville. Last time I checked (on Friday), none of those communities are suffering from plummeting home values or perceived to be engaged in educational suicide. What distinguishes Briarcliff from those school districts? All the other school districts have adopted tax levy cap compliant budgets. None of the other school districts have proposed to increase public relations expenses by 45%, expenses related to the superintendent of schools by 42.45%, nor expenses for the board of education by approximately 65%. None of the school boards in Chappaqua, Tuckahoe, Eastchester, and Bronxville have campaigned for voter approval of their proposed budgets by using school district resources to scare voters into believing bogus claims that a No vote will require draconian cuts in educational programs and staff. Obviously, if Briarcliff voters adopt the tax excessive proposed budget, the disparity in effective tax rates between Briarcliff and these other school districts will be even greater than it is now. Are potential homebuyers likely to disregard the wide differences in school taxes among these and almost every other community in Westchester County as compared with the school tax rates in Briarcliff? As a proponent of giving the Briarcliff Board of Education a second opportunity to get the school budget right and not overburden Briarcliff property owners with higher than necessary property taxes, I can only hope that voters will decide how to vote based on the reputation of David Venditti versus Mike Valenti.

4 Recommend

Briarcliff School Taxes Fuels Real Estate Value Death Spiral

I write this post to urge you to vote FOR candidates that will protect your hard earned…

Opinion May 18, 2013 at 07:55 pm

8 1 Recommend David Venditti

View all 8 comments

Gargamel May 20, 2013 at 09:07 pm

the key to understanding a failed candidacy of Mike Valenti's is having to suffer through endless…Read More repetition of his failed logic. Really folks, the only one imploding here is Mike. For Sal and Jon: please tell us that you do not encourage him? I hope not because I has to hurt.

1 Recommend

Mike Valenti May 20, 2013 at 11:35 am

It's no wonder Linder and Wasserman's campaign is imploding. Just listen to the blend of venom and…Read More bile spewed by their desperate supporters. This election is as much about respect and civility as any other issue. It has been made clear throughout this campaign that Wasserman, Linder and their supporters will reverse us back to the troublesome place we were a few years ago. The desperation in your viscious and unbecoming attacks is palpable. And, ladies and gentleman, it it ain't broke don't fix it!!

1 Recommend

The Real Herman Sexton May 20, 2013 at 10:39 am

1 Recommend

i have 2 alto sax like new ready to sell- $400 each, great for middle school .

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0 Recommend kafoga

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0 Recommend Michael Dardano

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0 Recommend Sam Gentile

A Budget Alternative for Briarcliff

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Opinion May 17, 2013 at 07:31 am

12 Recommend Sonny (Louis) Linder

View all 12 comments

The Real Herman Sexton May 20, 2013 at 10:26 am

First off, I am the real Herman Sexton. I am not the fraud who wrote his stupid comments earlier in…Read More this blog. I am the man who destroyed Mr. Valenti's campaign several years ago. OK so let's start by laughing at the request by Mr. Valenti for transparency. He backs Mr. Satran who was a part of the team that secretly imposed a tax hike and appointed a new superintendent. How could you Mr. Valenti ask for transparency? OK, so Mr Linder makes dumb points, he is clearly Mr. Wasserman's puppet and yes Mr. Nadler did see this and point it out. The real Herman Sexton is OK with Wasserman and Linder since I do believe that they would be transparent. Linder simply wants to discuss on a more personal level. He and Wasserman are down to earth, warm and enjoy face to face. You, Mr. Valenti once again prove to be the biggest thorn in the side of Sal and John. You Mr. Valenti constantly pontificate upon BS. Your lack of understanding comes through each and every stroke of your keyboard. Don't back the CIA and ask them to release their files to the public. Reality, if we elect a group of board members, we should be notified of their inner workings. Make all decisions public and allow us a voice in our schools. Only one point makes sense, A TAX INCREASE HURTS OUR PROPERTY VALUE AND DOES NOT IMPROVE SCHOOLS. Let's use Edgemont as a model, small school, similar demographics and much less spending per student, yet they perform at a higher level. LETS FIX THIS NOW!

1 Recommend

Mike Valenti May 19, 2013 at 02:53 pm

Mr. Linder, This is YOUR post folks are responding to and your ideas. I find it curious at best…Read More that you began a public forum comment blog but advocate throughout your responses that the discussion should be taken off-line and out of public view. this really doesn't position you well as an advocate for transparency.

Recommend

Sonny (Louis) Linder May 18, 2013 at 05:07 pm

CORRECTION TO LAST POST: The last sentence should read: "Let's continue to share, but…Read More face-to-face." Thx - Sonny

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Here is another follow-up from last night's Briarcliff election debate: Although the idea of…

Opinion May 16, 2013 at 11:19 am

0 Recommend Sonny (Louis) Linder

More on STEM

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1 1 Recommend Sonny (Louis) Linder

JanFisher May 17, 2013 at 10:55 pm

It is so wonderful that, recognizing the importance of STEM and following the recommendation of our…Read More educators, Sal Maglietta and Jon Satran agreed to bring on the district's first director of instructional technology.

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Briarcliff BOE Election and Budget

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1 Recommend Melissa Kanovsky

Mike Valenti May 19, 2013 at 09:53 pm

BOTH JON AND SAL have demonstrated as BOE trustees their unwavering commitment to EDUCATIONAL…Read More EXCELLENCE, FISCAL PRUDENCE, TRANSPARENCY, RESPECT, COMMUNITY VOICE, COLLABORATION, CIVILITY and MUCH MORE. JON AND SAL’s record speaks for itself. Their comportment during this campaign reinforces that THEY embody the QUALITIES and SKILL-SET to continue to represent US and OUR school district. Under the CURRENT BOE’s leadership, our district has restored levels of TRANSPARENCY, RESPECT, COMMUNITY VOICE, COLLABORATION and MORALE that had deteriorated substantially under the previous BOE majority. They have done this while also maintaining extreme fiscal prudence (we are the ONLY district in the County to produce a year over year budget reduction for our community to vote on) and while making decisions ONLY after having ALL of the FACTS and listening to ALL constituencies. THE FACT OF THE MATTER is that JON AND SAL deserve BOTH of YOUR votes on Tuesday, as does the budget.

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