TAMMANY TOM: Recuse yourself from FASNY VOTE

Connecting The Dots: White Plains Political Money Trail to Major Real Estate Project

Nov. 3, 2017—City of White Plains Common Council members have unresolved conflicts of interest connected to a multi-million dollar development project under active consideration, according to analysis by a grass-roots citizens’ report for White Plains.

The report indicates Mayor Tom Roach and Council president John Kirkpatrick have accepted thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from interests connected with the French American School of New York (FASNY). FASNY actively pursues building a large school campus on the site of the former Ridgeway Country Club in the south end of White Plains. This requires city approvals.

“Given interests aligned with FASNY made campaign contributions, Mayor Roach and Councilman Kirkpatrick clearly should voluntarily recuse themselves, but disappointingly haven’t in previous votes,” said White Plains resident Daniel Seidel, who assembled data for the citizen report from election disclosures filings made by the candidates. Seidel adds that the failure of conflicted council members to step aside opens the door for litigation involving any future decision in which they participate.

In campaign contributions made this year and stretching back several years ago, Roach and Kirkpatrick received approximately $5,000 in campaign contributions from entities with known connections to FASNY. These include the law firm representing FASNY, a consulting company working on the building project and a public relations agency.

“These contributions were unusual because they were first-time contributors and, in some instances, not even from White Plains entities,” says Seidel. “And they coincided with the start of the FASNY matter before the Common Council. And we count only those where there is a known tie.”
Meanwhile, Common Council member John Martin has incomplete filings about corporate donations.
When the conflict is pointed out, the responses are to deny the contributor has connection to FASNY, suggesting contributions are not meant to influence the FASNY proposal and pointing out that contributions are disclosed. However, simply disclosing a contribution does not eliminate any conflict of interest. The connections and timing are issues.

As for the current state of affairs, the FASNY issue remains before the Common Council. FASNY simultaneously pursues a lawsuit filed against the city in September 2015. An earlier FASNY building proposal that required a special permit did not garner the necessary super-majority in August 2015; Roach, Kirkpatrick and Martin voted in favor the project at that time.
Regarding this citizens’ report, Daniel Seidel is a long-time White Plains resident who is an advocate for environmental protection issues. Seidel previously served as vice-chairman of the Westchester County Soil and Water Conservation Board, which is a New York state agency. The FASNY site is officially designated as “environmentally sensitive” though that designation is under threat from FASNY. Seidel has lived in a home since 1994 that is adjacent to the proposed FASNY building project. Robert Marich is a White Plains resident since 1999.

Contact:
Dan Seidel - (914) 682-3131
Robert Marich- (914) 422 3866