New Castle Town Supervisor Issues 3rd Quarter Report

New Castle Town Supervisor Rob Greenstein issued his 3rd Quarter Report Oct. 2.

“...we must always be conscious of our obligations to listen and communicate effectively as we work to address current concerns and problems while at the same time improving our Town and planning for the future,” he said in an email. “I also recognize that while town-wide issues are my focus, no individual matter is too small for a responsive town government.”

Among the highlights:

• Since starting our “Hands Off the Phone and On the Wheel” initiative on October 1, 2014, the New Castle Police Department has issued 526 tickets for distracted driving violations – 171 for use of a cell phone – 355 for use of a handheld electronic device (texting).
• Our attractive, full color, glossy, 60 page Welcome Guide for current and prospective New Castle residents was mailed to 6,700 homes in the area, 4,000 were delivered to our real estate brokers and 1,300 are being distributed locally.
• Senator Terrence Murphy’s office is trying to intervene on behalf of the Town with regard to the application for the creation of a new sewer district
• The Town Board approved an authorization to bid on new playground at Gedney Park. This playground was first dedicated in 1997. The wooden play unit has lasted 18 years and wood structures of this nature typically last about 15 years.
• We hired a caretaker whose job it is to make sure our downtown business hamlets are clean and maintained
• Since 2014 we have saved $500,000 (over 2 years) in our workers compensation renewal, $3,500,000 in our garbage contract (over 7 years) and now $40,000 in liability insurance renewal
• The Town Board passed a resolution in support of The Sustainable Chappaqua Revitalization Project, which aims to use green infrastructure to revitalize the Chappaqua hamlet’s water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure, as well as the streetscape.
• We are using our new emergency management software which has GIS mapping to report coyote sightings.
• We issued our Request for Proposals (“RFP”) for the ChapLine, a functional recreation path which would connect downtown Chappaqua to Horace Greeley High School and to Chappaqua Crossing.
• The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, Town Staff and the Pace Land Use Law Center have been working diligently to produce the Millwood Revitalization Strategy, and further develop the Chappaqua Revitalization Strategy
• A grant will be used to fund pedestrian safety improvements (along Route 100) in Millwood. We are planning 600’ of sidewalk, two crosswalks, decorative lighting and relocating utility poles. We now need to put together formal design plans to obtain NYS DOT approval.
• At the request of residents, our town attorneys are working on a Do Not Knock registry.
• The Town of New Castle adopted new legislation to create a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Program. CCA allows local governments to pool (or aggregate) their electricity load in order to purchase and/or develop power on behalf of their residents, businesses and municipal accounts. Such programs can often mean savings for home and business owners because a municipality can procure energy at attractive rates, which allows customers to lower their energy costs.
• The Restaurant at the Chappaqua Train station is ready to open!
• the Fiscal Transparency Portal is now part of the primary navigation to make it easier for residents to find & use. http://mynewcastle.org/departments/comptrollers-office/fiscal-transparency-portal/
• the Town Board approved an amendment to our Park and Recreation rule that now requires minor children to wear a helmet when sledding at Gedney Park.