what will FEMA reimburse you for?

Constituents of mine have given me mixed reports about FEMA over the years. Some people have been helped. Others have completed applications, thinking they will get help from FEMA—only to be disappointed. I have asked FEMA to provide me with an easy to understand memo –highlighting what is available to you and your families. The following summary was taken from the web and may be helpful to you and your neighbors.  FEMA has an information desk at the Westchester County Center, which is open 7 days a week from 8 am to 8 pm. The information desk will provide info to residents who experienced losses. As I receive more info, I will share it with you.

Please provide me with an update as to the experiences you have with FEMA. Let me know if your applications are being approved or rejected and the reasons why. What are your experiences dealing with FEMA representatives?

I will provide you with updates.

Paul Feiner

HURRICANE SANDY:

FEMA ASSISTANCE

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is charged with helping New Yorkers

respond and recover from Hurricane Sandy. FEMA provides a wide range of disaster assistance.

This fact sheet focuses on “Housing Needs” Assistance and “Other than Housing Needs”

Assistance.

What is Disaster Assistance?

Disaster assistance is financial or direct assistance to people whose property has been damaged

or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, and whose losses are not covered by insurance. Disaster

Assistance helps you with critical expenses. Disaster assistance is not intended to restore your

damaged property to its condition before Hurricane Sandy.

Is Disaster Assistance Still Available If I Have Insurance?

Yes. FEMA's Individuals and Households Program provides assistance to individuals and

families whose property has been damaged or destroyed as a result of Hurricane Sandy, and

whose losses are not covered by insurance.

What is “Housing Needs” Assistance?

You may be able to receive “Housing Needs” Assistance to:

• Reimburse you for short-term hotel expenses;

• Rent a place to live while your home is being repaired;

• Repair damage to your home; or

• Help you purchase a new home if your home is destroyed.

Am I Eligible for “Housing Needs” Assistance?

To receive “Housing Needs” Assistance, all of the following must be true:

• You have suffered losses in New York City or another disaster area.

• If you have insurance, you have filed for insurance benefits and the damage to

your property is not covered by your insurance or your insurance settlement is

insufficient to meet your losses.

• You or someone who lives with you is a citizen of the United States, a non-citizen

national, or a qualified alien.

• You have a valid Social Security Number.

• The home in the disaster area is where you usually live and where you were living

at the time of the disaster.

• You are not able to live in your home now, you cannot get to your home due to

the disaster, or your home requires repairs because of damage from the disaster.

What is “Other than Housing Needs” Assistance?

You may be able to receive “Other than Housing Needs” Assistance for necessary expenses or

serious needs, including:

• Medical and dental expenses;

• Funeral and burial expenses;

• Clothing;

• Household items, such as furniture or appliances;

• Tools required for your job;

• Educational materials, such as computers, school books, or supplies;

• Heating oil or heating gas;

• Clean-up supplies such as a wet/dry vacuum or dehumidifier;

• Disaster-related damage to a vehicle;

• Moving and storage expenses related to the disaster; or

• Other necessary expenses or serious needs.

Am I Eligible for “Other than Housing Needs” Assistance?

To receive “Other than Housing Needs” Assistance, all the following must be true:

• You have suffered losses in New York City or another disaster area.

• If you have insurance, you have filed for insurance benefits and the damage to

your property is not covered by your insurance or your insurance settlement is

insufficient to meet your losses.

• You or someone who lives with you is a citizen of the United States, a non-citizen

national, or a qualified alien.

• You have necessary expenses or serious needs because of the disaster.

• You have accepted assistance from all other sources for which you are eligible,

such as insurance proceeds or Small Business Administration disaster loans.

What Information Do I Need to Apply?

Before you apply, you should have the following information ready:

• Your Social Security number,

• Your current and pre-Hurricane Sandy address,

• Your telephone number,

• Your insurance information,

• Your total household annual income, &

• A description of your losses that were caused by Hurricane Sandy.

How Do I Apply for Disaster Assistance?

You can apply:

• Online at DisasterAssistance.gov,

• By using a Smartphone at m.fema.gov, or

• By calling 1-800-621-3362 (TTY: 1-800-462-7585 for people with speech or

hearing disabilities)

What Happens After I Apply for Assistance?

Make sure that you write down the application number that FEMA gives you. Tell FEMA if

your contact information or any other information in your application changes. FEMA will send

you a copy of your application. FEMA will also send you an Applicant Guide. A FEMA

inspector may contact you to schedule a time to review your damages, and you may be asked to

complete additional forms.

Can I Appeal FEMA’s Decision?

You may appeal any FEMA decision, including if you have been denied benefits or if you

disagree with the amount or type of help FEMA says it will provide.

How Do I Appeal FEMA’s Decision?

You must appeal within 60 days of the date on the decision letter FEMA sends to you.

Your appeal should:

• Explain in writing why you think the decision is not correct;

• Be signed by you, or someone who represents you (if the person writing the letter

is not a member of your household, there must be a signed statement saying that

that person may act for you); and

• Include the FEMA registration number and disaster number (shown at the top of

your decision letter).

You can fax you appeal letter to (800) 827-8112 (Attention: FEMA - Individuals & Households

Program), or mail your appeal letter to:

FEMA - Individuals & Households Program

National Processing Service Center

P.O. Box 10055

Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055

How Will I Know If My Appeal Is Successful?

FEMA usually makes decisions within 30 days of receiving your appeal. FEMA will notify you

of the decision by mail.

What Should I Do If I Have Additional Questions?

You can visit a disaster recovery center or call the FEMA Help Line at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362)

or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for people with speech or hearing disabilities.

coincidence--lights go on during interview with nbc tv brian williams

After a reporter from NBC Nightly news with Brian Williams interviewed me they went to the home of a woman who was out of power for 10 days. I swear - it wasn't a setup. If you watch the following report which aired at 7 PM on NBC nightly news, you'll see how the lights went on in her home during the interview! Con Ed had no idea that the crew was going to her home.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#49735182

This is the letter I'm sending to the NYS Public Service Commission. Any other suggestions, please e mail me!

November 5, 2012

Jaclyn A. Brilling
Secretary to the Commission

New York State Dept. of Public Service

3 Empire State Plaza

Albany, NY 12223-1350

Dear Ms. Brilling,

Con Ed crews assigned to Greenburgh did not work 24 hours during the restoration of electricity. We have an emergency – over 8,000 homes without power for many days. When there are power outages in the future the following suggestions should be considered. I am communicating my thoughts to every elected official who represents the town, state officials, Con Ed with the following requests/suggestions:

· Con Ed should assign crews to areas without power 24 hours a day. No down time until all power is restored.

· Con Ed should call in more of their retirees.

· Con Ed should provide elected officials with a daily accounting of where crews are going to be sent each day and at the end of the day the Con Ed liaisons should account for what streets had power restored.

· Con Ed should have a plan of action in place, working with public safety and local officials on how to deal with the frail elderly and people with significant medical issues.

· During the recent storm many people contacted me with major health problems. They included people who were home bound - unable to leave their homes due to serious illnesses, recent operations. I spoke with residents who had brain surgeries, and depend on oxygen to live. I am sure that the prolonged power outages contributed to additional health problems for those with major medical problems (people who refuse to leave their home during an outage). Con Ed gave no priority attention to their needs.

· All assisted living facilities, hospitals; nursing homes should be contacted in advance of storms and asked to provide those with medical needs affordable temporary places to stay while power is out.

It is ridiculous that the restoration of power is taking so long. The NYS Public Service Commission should also investigate the way this crisis has been handled. I continue to receive calls from people who have major health problems and won’t leave their homes. How many people will develop life threatening illnesses as a result of these delays?

Sincerely,

Paul J. Feiner

Town Supervisor

Cc: NYS Legislators

Governor Andrew Cuomo

Larry Schwartz, Secretary to the Governor

Westchester Municipal Officials

10 crews working!

Just got off the phone with the Con Ed liaison working with Greenburgh. Have some positive news to report: There are now 10 crews working throughout the town in Greenburgh...21 bucket trucks...an area in Edgemont has been hit hard and they are going to work much of the day there -- so schools could re-open. We expect big progress today.
PAUL FEINER

gas shortage update..atria has rooms...house angels

A quick update on the gas shortage, which remains a huge concern.  The bottom line is that a number of the factors contributing to the shortage issues have been addressed, but it will probably be another 24 hours or more before the effect is visible.

1.       Supply Issues: Because of the impact of the storm surge, wind, and power outages the majority of the terminals and pipelines that deliver gasoline to the region went down during the storm.  Additionally, access to ports was limited by the Coast Guard because of hazardous conditions on the water.  The good news is that these problems are increasingly being addressed. The Coast Guard has been able to lift most of their restrictions, enabling significant supplies to reach the region. A number of major pipelines and delivery points have come back online or are expected to do so in the next 24 hours. The combined effect of these re-openings should significantly alleviate the shortage, although it will still take some time for gas to offloaded and distributed to stations. 

2.       Refining Capacity: The majority of the Northeast regions refineries (primarily located in the Delaware, PA, Southern NJ area) had to shut down as a result of the storm.  Many of these are also coming back online.  The EPA has lifted some Clean Air Act requirements for diesel fuel which should help increase production rate at the refinings that are operating to ensure emergency vehicles have fuel supply.  The re-opening of pipelines and terminals means that gas from refining in the Gulf that has been earmarked for the area can now begin to flow in.  In addition, Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano announced Friday that the Department of Homeland Security issued a temporary, blanket waiver of the Jones Act, allowing additional oil tankers coming from the Gulf of Mexico to enter Northeastern ports, which will provide additional fuel resources to the region.

3.       Local Delivery: Gas has to be delivered from terminals and pipelines to gas stations by truck, so blocked roads from downed trees and particularly powerlines has made delivering fuel to stations difficult.  However, because gas stations are generally on major roads, most of these blocks are being removed and the fuel that is now coming in again from pipelines and terminals should be able to get to more stations.  

4.       BUT local gas stations need to have their power restored in order to operate the pumps….

Our office has been working with the various federal and state agencies (FEMA, DoE, Governor’s office, Coast Guard) to make sure the delivery system gets working again and to protect supply for emergency services.  It appears that things should begin to improve soon, but obviously this remains a huge concern. 

Susan Spear

Hudson Valley Regional Director

Office of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY)

susan_spear@gillibrand.senate.gov

The library will be open on Monday evening from 5:30 to 9 pm for emergency service, internet and electricity.

The Atria Woodlands in Ardsley has rooms available for the elderly. Power may not be restored throughout the region until the end of next week. It’s getting cold. And- if residents don’t want to go to a shelter or stay with a HOUSE ANGEL (volunteers who are opening up their homes) this is an alternative. E mail me at pfeiner@greenburghny.com.  Have almost a dozen offers from Greenburgh residents to let people stay in their homes.

I just spoke to the command center. As of now there are 8690 power outages in Greenburgh. The police expect significant progress re: restoration of power to be made –starting tomorrow. Major roads are now cleared. Many of the secondary roads have also been cleared. We expect Con Ed to send crews from out of state to Westchester. 

From: Anne Pinter [mailto:anne.pinter@atriaseniorliving.com]
Sent: Friday, November 02, 2012 2:45 PM
To: Paul Feiner;

We've already had a number of emergency move-ins and we have only 3 more furnished apartments available in our independent living that people can move into without medical paperwork. They are priced as follows, includes meals...

Studio Apartment - $250 per day
One Bedroom - $275 per day
Two Bedroom - $350 per day

We have 5 furnished apartments available in our secured memory impairment unit - these would require some medical paperwork but we encourage those with an interest to call the community at 914-693-7700 for details. These are $350 per day.

Feel free to advertise them and let me or Margarida Verlardo, the executive director of Atria Woodlands, know if you have any additional questions.

Anne Pinter
Atria Senior Living
Senior Vice President, East Division
516-353-1916

Paul Feiner

gas shortage update

A quick update on the gas shortage, which remains a huge concern.  The bottom line is that a number of the factors contributing to the shortage issues have been addressed, but it will probably be another 24 hours or more before the effect is visible.

1.       Supply Issues: Because of the impact of the storm surge, wind, and power outages the majority of the terminals and pipelines that deliver gasoline to the region went down during the storm.  Additionally, access to ports was limited by the Coast Guard because of hazardous conditions on the water.  The good news is that these problems are increasingly being addressed. The Coast Guard has been able to lift most of their restrictions, enabling significant supplies to reach the region. A number of major pipelines and delivery points have come back online or are expected to do so in the next 24 hours. The combined effect of these re-openings should significantly alleviate the shortage, although it will still take some time for gas to offloaded and distributed to stations. 

2.       Refining Capacity: The majority of the Northeast regions refineries (primarily located in the Delaware, PA, Southern NJ area) had to shut down as a result of the storm.  Many of these are also coming back online.  The EPA has lifted some Clean Air Act requirements for diesel fuel which should help increase production rate at the refinings that are operating to ensure emergency vehicles have fuel supply.  The re-opening of pipelines and terminals means that gas from refining in the Gulf that has been earmarked for the area can now begin to flow in.  In addition, Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano announced Friday that the Department of Homeland Security issued a temporary, blanket waiver of the Jones Act, allowing additional oil tankers coming from the Gulf of Mexico to enter Northeastern ports, which will provide additional fuel resources to the region.

3.       Local Delivery: Gas has to be delivered from terminals and pipelines to gas stations by truck, so blocked roads from downed trees and particularly powerlines has made delivering fuel to stations difficult.  However, because gas stations are generally on major roads, most of these blocks are being removed and the fuel that is now coming in again from pipelines and terminals should be able to get to more stations.  

4.       BUT local gas stations need to have their power restored in order to operate the pumps….

Our office has been working with the various federal and state agencies (FEMA, DoE, Governor’s office, Coast Guard) to make sure the delivery system gets working again and to protect supply for emergency services.  It appears that things should begin to improve soon, but obviously this remains a huge concern. 

Susan Spear

Hudson Valley Regional Director

Office of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY)

susan_spear@gillibrand.senate.gov

The library will be open on Monday evening from 5:30 to 9 pm for emergency service, internet and electricity.

The Atria Woodlands in Ardsley has rooms available for the elderly. Power may not be restored throughout the region until the end of next week. It’s getting cold. And- if residents don’t want to go to a shelter or stay with a HOUSE ANGEL (volunteers who are opening up their homes) this is an alternative. E mail me at pfeiner@greenburghny.com.  Have almost a dozen offers from Greenburgh residents to let people stay in their homes.

I just spoke to the command center. As of now there are 8690 power outages in Greenburgh. The police expect significant progress re: restoration of power to be made –starting tomorrow. Major roads are now cleared. Many of the secondary roads have also been cleared. We expect Con Ed to send crews from out of state to Westchester. 

From: Anne Pinter [mailto:anne.pinter@atriaseniorliving.com]
Sent: Friday, November 02, 2012 2:45 PM
To: Paul Feiner;

We've already had a number of emergency move-ins and we have only 3 more furnished apartments available in our independent living that people can move into without medical paperwork. They are priced as follows, includes meals...

Studio Apartment - $250 per day
One Bedroom - $275 per day
Two Bedroom - $350 per day

We have 5 furnished apartments available in our secured memory impairment unit - these would require some medical paperwork but we encourage those with an interest to call the community at 914-693-7700 for details. These are $350 per day.

Feel free to advertise them and let me or Margarida Verlardo, the executive director of Atria Woodlands, know if you have any additional questions.

Anne Pinter
Atria Senior Living
Senior Vice President, East Division
516-353-1916

Paul Feiner

9500 out of power...2 con ed crews...

9,500 out of power...only 2 Con Ed crews. About half of Greenburgh is without power. About 9,500 powerless families.  Con Ed has assigned two Con Ed crews to our town. Restoration of power is taking a very, very , very long time. We desperately need more Con Ed crews.
I spoke to an official at the office of Homeland Security yesterday. Also spoke with Congresswoman Lowey and wrote to the Governor’s office.  GREENBURGH IS NOT GETTING THE SERVICE WE NEED TO RESTORE POWER.
This morning a resident of Fairview stopped me. His wife has LUNG CANCER. It’s cold in his house.  Yesterday, I received a call from someone whose mother is terminally ill (staying at home) with BRAIN CANCER.  She is also suffering because of the cold.  Another man called me yesterday. A family member is recovering from brain surgery. The police chief and I stopped by at a constituents house in Hartsdale. Her father, also without power, has many illnesses including parkinson’s.  Con Ed is not making special arrangements for those who are elderly, frail and very sick.
I have a suggestion—perhaps nursing homes/assisted living facilities would be willing to rent out vacant rooms short term until power is restored.
The town has opened up a 24 warming station at the Theodore Young Community Center. But, most people who are very sick don’t want to leave their homes. A  new program is being set up –HOUSE/ANGELS.  Cari Gardner of Hastings stopped by at my office yesterday to pick up an elderly woman who resides in Fairview and was without of power. She drove the woman to her house – and will be providing her with free shelter.
If you have a room  and want to offer it to a resident – please advise me.    If you want to stay with someone (provided I can find families willing to offer free room), please advise. My cell is 438 1343 –but it’s easier to e mail me: pfeiner@greenburghny.com.
PAUL FEINER

power outages in edgemont

The power outages from the hurricane have begun... Con Ed officials advise that the most effective thing you could do if you are out of power is to call their 800 number -1-800 Con Ed.

As of 3:00 P.M., the following power outages are reported throughout the unincorporated Town of Greenburgh:

· Edgemont Section;

1. Fort Hill Rd. / Paradise Dr., transformer outage, (582) customers affected.

2. Edgemont Rd. / White Oak Ln., tree down on wires, (513) customers affected.

3. Lynwood Rd. / Sherwood Pl., tree down on wires, (42) customers affected.

· Mayfair Acres Section: Chelsea Rd; tree down on wires, (82) customers affected.

Con Ed has been notified with respect to the above power outages. Con Ed customers are urged to report power outages utilizing the following contact number: 1-800-Con-Ed.

As of 3:00 P.M., Greenburgh Police report the following road closures:

1. Old Kensico Road: from Old Tarrytown Rd to Woodland Hills.

2. Ft. Hill Road: Paradise Dr. to Central Park Ave.

3. Pat Capone Road; from Pinewood to Central 7 Campus.

The Theodore Young Community Center has been designated as a short term (no lodging) shelter for people to go to. Programming and the indoor pool swimming has been suspended. We have set up at the Multi-Purpose Center for a longer period of shelter. We will activate this center as soon as someone needs to be evacuated from their home usually because of flooding or a tree into a house that makes the structure unsafe. A shelter is usually not needed because someone losses power since it usually is safer and more comfortable to remain in your home and it does not appear that cold will be a factor

From the Hartsdale Parking District..

Metered parking on the street will be suspended tomorrow (Tuesday). Metered parking in Site A and Site C is not suspended so that we can control and maintain parking for our paying permit holders. ONLY SITE A PERMIT HOLDERS can park overnight in Site A - we already have at least a dozen 24-hour permit holders who have been displaced by non-permit holders. This is creating quite a problem for us as we now have to inconvenience our paying permit holders to park in Site F rather than where they paid to park in Site A.

Please be clear when providing information to the public - EMERGENCY PARKING IS AVAILABLE TO NON-PERMIT HOLDERS IN THE SITE F GARAGE ONLY, SITE F IS LOCATED BEHIND INDIGO CHIC BOUTIQUE AT 221 EHA. IT IS BEHIND THE METRO NORTH STATION. There are still spaces available on the upper levels of Site F and it is perfectly safe to park up there.

My cell phone is 438-1343. My home phone is 478-1219. My office is 993-1545. I will try to respond to every complaint quickly..

PAUL FEINER

storm preparations

We have been advised that there is a potential for a severe storm early next week. I have asked the Public Works department to check drains and to take proactive measures to reduce the possibility of flooding. If there is a drain on your street that you think needs to be cleaned out before the storm hits us – please e mail me and I will contact the Public Works Department and ask that they send a crew out before the storm. My e mail is pfeiner@greenburghny.com. 
If you have any other suggestions as to proactive measures the town should take before the storm hits our area – please advise. PAUL FEINER

WEATHER STATEMENT

SIGNIFICANT STORM POTENTIAL EARLY NEXT WEEK… OVER THE PAST COUPLE

DAYS, WE HAVE BEEN CLOSELY MONITORING A POTENTIAL STORM FOR THE DAYS LEADING UP TO

HALLOWEEN. CURRENTLY, TROPICAL STORM SANDY IS LOCATED OVER THE CARIBBEAN AND WILL BE

TRACKING NORTH THE NEXT FEW DAYS, LIKELY IMPACTING JAMAICA AS A MINIMAL HURRICANE. SANDY

IS THEN EXPECTED TO HEAD NORTHWARD INTO THE BAHAMAS AND THEN BE POSISTIONED OFF THE

CAROLINA COAST THIS WEEKEND. MEANWHILE, A STRONG UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL BE DIGGING

THROUGH THE MID-SECTION OF THE COUNTRY. HOW THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND SANDY INTERACT

WILL ULTIMATELY DETERMINE THE IMPACTS ACROSS THE NORTHEAST.

TWO SCENARIOS EXIST FOR THE STORM INTO MONDAY AND TUESDAY: ONE TRACKS SANDY TOO FAR EAST

AND OUT TO SEA, LEAVING THE NORTHEAST WITH ONLY RAIN SHOWERS AS A COLD FRONT PASSES

THROUGH. THE SECOND SCENARIO INVOLVES THE TROUGH WRAPPING SANDY WEST-NORTHWESTWARD,

THUS CREATING A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE DELMARVA AND CAPE COD. THE

SECOND SCENARIO WOULD BRING HEAVY, FLOODING RAINFALL, DAMAGING WINDS AND SUBSTANTIAL

COASTAL FLOODING/BEACH EROSION TO THE NORTHEAST.

WHILE THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS ARE HIGH, THERE CONTINUES TO BE MUCH UNCERTAINTY IN THE TRACK

AND STRENGTH OF THIS STORM. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR SANDY CAREFULLY OVER THE COMING

DAYS AND ALSO PROVIDE DAILY UPDATES WITH REGARDS TO THE STORM.

• As of 2 pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Sandy contains winds of 50 mph and is moving NNE at 5 mph

• Sandy will continue to move northward and strengthen, likely striking Jamaica as a hurricane Wednesday

• Sandy is projected to continue northward thru the Bahamas Fri, moving east of the Carolinas this weekend

• Monday into Tuesday will be critical as the storm may be pulled westward into the Northeast or pass

eastward out to sea, uncertainty remains high during this time frame.

leaf angels wanted

LEAF ANGELS WANTED

Over 20 years ago we started a snow angel program. Volunteers help seniors and disabled residents by clearing snow from their walkways/driveways.



Last year some residents contacted me about our policy re: TV pick ups. - we do not use town staff to pick up television sets and dump them at the highway garage. We started a TV angels program --that has helped a number of seniors. Volunteers pick up TVs from the homes of the elderly and drop off the TVs at the highway garage.



Greenburgh is joining the river villages and some other communities around the county -requiring all leaves to be bagged or mulched. Some senior citizens and disabled residents can't afford to pay landscapers. I would like to set up a new program: LEAF ANGELS. If you are interested in helping seniors on fixed incomes or disabled residents on fixed incomes with their leaf mulching or bagging -please e mail me at pfeiner@greenburghny.com.



If you know of any senior who could benefit from this service please advise. It's nice living in a community --neighbors helping each other. That's why Greenburgh is such a great place to live.



If you are interested in joining our snow angels program or TV angels program - please let me know. We can always use more volunteers.



PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Town Supervisor

blinking light at ft hill road and ardsley rd

The town is installing a blinking light at the four directional intersection on Fort Hill Road and Ardsley Road. The light is being installed at the recommendation of the Greenburgh Police Department Traffic Unit with the assistance of the Department of Public Works. The goal: the blinking light will be an added control devise to warn motorists of this stop sign. This will not change the right of way and all vehicles in each direction will still need to make a full stop.  We have considered placing a traffic light at this location but opted for the blinking light. A traditional traffic light would probably cause traffic back ups.

This intersection has experienced the most accidents in the town. Between July, 2009 and October 2012 there have been 63 accidents a the intersection. The light has been installed and should be operational within the next few weeks.

PAUL FEINER

edgemont students to help town solve problem

The Environmental Club at Edgemont High School (middle school and high school students) voted to become partners with their town government and help us solve an important community problem ---algae at Crane's Pond. I met with over 20 students this afternoon and am grateful that they will help us come up with possible solutions.

This summer the pond looked like pea soup--the water had a covering of green algae for many weeks. The students will be working with Edgemont High School Science Department chair Maria DeCandia. They also met wtih Margaret Goldberg of the Greenburgh Nature Center. The nature center will work with the students. The students will study a problem that many communities are experiencing (algae in ponds) and come up with recommendations. The National Parks Service wa...

s in the news recently. They are trying to remove a thick layer of green algae from the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial less than a month after a $34 million overhaul was completed. Who knows...if the National Parks Servivce doesn't solve the algae problem at the Lincoln Memorial, maybe they can benefit from the recommendations of the Edgemont HS Environmental Club!

This could be a win-win for everyone. The town and Edgemont school district are working cooperatively to address an important quality of life concern. Students benefit: they will learn about algae in ponds, study possible solutions, come up with recommendations and interact with town officials. They will learn about the budget process since the Town Board will have to fund their recommendations. The students will be given an opportunity to make a presentation at a televised Town Board meeting. We will benefit because adults and students will work together trying to come up with a solution to a problem. And--hopefully, we will solve a problem and implement the student suggestions.

Crane's pond elevated crosswalk would be expensive

I prefer painting the crosswalk. If we elevate the crosswalk, as some suggest, it would cost the following.
Supervisor Feiner and Town Council,
In follow up to the work session Tuesday, I again reviewed the project costs submitted by the lowest bidder.  While the overall bid is $92,304 the itemized units relating to the sidewalk in the park add up to about $25,000, work related to the speed table / crosswalk is about $38,000 and the portion to address drainage concerns associated with the crosswalk construction is about $ 29,000.
If the Town desires to paint a crosswalk and only implement the park improvements - handicapped curb cuts and a walkway from Edgemont Road to join with the existing pathway at the pond, it is necessary to re-bid the project as it is too great a change in scope from the original bid.
Please advise the direction you feel appropriate and I will than move forward.
Thanks,
Victor G. Carosi, P.E.
Commissioner of Public Works
Town of Greenburgh

ECC facebook page contains inappropriate comments motivated by Bob Bernstein

Bob Bernstein has been trying to stir up some controversy over a police investigation taking place in town. He has encouraged the Edgemont Community Council to post some stories on the ECC facebook page suggesting that the Greenburgh police are not working hard enough trying to solve the investigation.
I think that Mr. Bernstein's (who is an attorney) behavior is inappropriate. He is making allegations about the police WITHOUT having facts about the status of the police investigation. The police do not provide citizens with day to day reports of the status of investigations. Publicizing allegations WITHOUT any facts to substantiate them is wrong. Bob: Rumors are not evidence. Repeating rumors publicly doesn't solve crimes.
The Greenburgh police department is a professional department, and will always be independent of political interference. Every lead that is presented is investigated carefully by the department.
If Bob has facts - he should feel free to report them to the police. They will be carefully investigated. And, if we find the bad guys arrests will be made no matter who they are.

Sprainbrook nursery going out of business

Very sad news. Sprainbrook Nursery, located at 448 Underhill Road, Scarsdale (Edgemont neighborhood) is going out of business. Al Krautter, owner of the business sent his customers the following e mail. I, like so many Greenburgh residents, feel sick over this announcement. Al and his nursery provided the community with exceptional service over the years. His nursery adds charm and character to our community. The nursery is an oasis of peace and beauty. His staff has always been exceptional and helpful. And--Al Krautter has inspired many residents of the community to enjoy gardening. It's my hope that the community will express our appreciation to Al Krautter and Sprainbrook Nursery by supporting his efforts to save the property as a nursery. Who knows-- maybe if the community responds by giving the nursery substantial business our community can turn this sad news around. Please read the following e mail. PAUL FEINER Greenburgh Town Supervisor

SPRAINBROOK NURSERY IS GOING OUT OF BUSINESS With tears in my eyes and a very heavy heart I am forced to make the gut-wrenching announcement that after 68 years of serving the horticultural community Sprainbrook Nursery is closing its doors. This will be our last fall season. We will be going out of business at the end of the year because of economic reasons. I wish this were not true but unfortunately it is. The handwriting was on the wall for a long time but I’m not a person to give in easily. I ended up pouring all my recourses back into Sprainbrook Nursery. My hope was to be able to weather the storm and turn the tide. I knew I could bring the business back into full potential. I knew I had the knowledge, the talent and the hard work ethic that my parents instilled in me. I am a person who could fight back, for losing is not in my DNA. I also knew that this spring would be a do-or-die season so I set out with a positive attitude to produce a great crop of plants and win the battle. In some ways our hard worked paid off. The quality, the diversity and the beauty were there but the economy just wasn’t. Sprainbrook Nursery customers are the best; they are loyal and passionate about gardening and I love them dearly. Unfortunately there are not enough of them to sustain the business. The old fashioned Garden centers concerned with plant quality, variety and a knowledgeable horticultural staff are no longer supported by the large majority of people. Garden Centers as we knew them are slowly becoming obsolete in an environment where plants are being sold at every retail outlet. Many are convenience or impulse sales outlets. However they make an impact. Homeowners are relying on two people in the family to work. They employ gardeners and when they need a plant or product they choose to have them do the work rather than buying the product or service from the Garden Center. Garden Centers are a sad casualty of the times as the pendulum swings to alternative buying patterns. In the process, a trip to the Garden Center is being bypassed. We worked hard this year, as we knew it was a make-or-break year for us. Production was up but sales were not. We are a spring business and we rely on a good season to carry us through the year. Due to the economic recession our sales have dropped and our costs continue to rise. With health insurance, rising fuel prices, a huge jump in water bills and a very high property tax for the area we are battling huge costs before we ever open the doors. I am sharing this narrative so you understand that I did not give up easily or willingly and would have continued if I possibly could. I always thought if I could hang in there long enough, other Garden Centers would go out of business and the few of us left would be in demand and able to survive. Unfortunately I have become one of the early casualties. The changing times have left me with no other choice but to close the doors and put Sprainbrook Nursery up for sale. I share this with you because I want you to understand this was a forced decision not a personal choice. Sprainbrook has been my life and I had hoped it would be able to take care of me until my death. This is not meant to be. I feel badly for my loyal customers. You have become my friends and my inspiration. I will miss you and I know you will miss Sprainbrook. I feel sad for my loyal staff. Many have been with me for 25-40 years. They are the best in the industry and they are what made Sprainbrook special. Although this last month has been difficult on me, finding myself going through phases of mourning, depression, distress, disbelief and the reality that the nursery will close, I have no personal regrets. I lived a great productive and fulfilling life because of Sprainbrook. I was brought up at the nursery and I had a great childhood here. I entered a business and a profession where each day was a challenge but a pleasure. I enjoyed going to work every day. I spent every moment surrounded by beautiful plants. I was able to graduate from Cornell with a great horticultural education. I got to work in a family business with my parents and enjoyed my mother’s daily company until she died at age 95. I was able to raise my children at the nursery, have them go through the Edgemont School District and was able to pay for their college education. They turned out to be two great kids. I have a lovely and beautiful wife, best friend and business partner. She stuck with me to the end. I enjoy my customers and the relationship I was able to build with them. 12 STEPS TO NATURAL GARDENING I was able to hang in there long enough to write my book “12 Steps To Natural Gardening”. If I had given up earlier this would never have happened. I think the book has a powerful message to convey and I am dedicated to spreading the word for an organic approach to gardening. Our environment and our health are important and I believe if we are going to make a change, we all need to work together. I went through a process of change in my own growing operation and I witnessed the difference. Once I made the change I set out to develop a blueprint that other people could follow so they could also make the change. I have written programs to follow that will make your garden more beautiful. The organic approach will insure a healthy environment for your children to grow up in, your animals to play on and your family to live in. We need to be good to our earth and put back into it the organic supplements that will perpetuate life. We need to stop destroying it with our chemical and pesticide applications. We need to be conscious of the food web and the teeming life that exists there. The book is filled with formulas, calendars and advice. I have tested my formulas in the field and followed my calendar to test and tweak my programs. Even without Sprainbrook Nursery, the book can guide you through a process of how to grow beautiful plants the natural way. My daughter in California gave her colleague a copy of the book. She wrote my daughter an email stating that she fell in love with the book and it has become her bible. She is overjoyed with the results she has achieved. My hope is that everyone who hasn’t purchased my book will, and those who have will pass the information along to others. There will always be a part of me in it and I always want me to be a part of you. In its pages I will still be able to answer most of your gardening questions. The information in this book was written to help you become a better gardener. A customer said it is so easy to have a beautiful garden when you do everything organic. She said, “It is incredible how everything flourishes. It is amazing” she claimed. She said “how few people realize how to make the simple switch”. I learned this the hard way but once I made the choice to follow an organic program I never turned back. My commitment is to spread the word to as many people as I can that we all need to change to a natural approach. At age 77 there is not much more time to get the job done. I need your help, read the book and help me spread the word. I need to get a book review by a national name so it can reach a larger audience. We are all in this together and we all need to work together to solve this problem. “12 Steps To Natural Gardening” is available at the nursery as well as on line at: BARNS AND NOBLE - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/alfred-h.-krautter AMAZON - http://www.amazon.com/12-Steps-Natural-Gardening-ebook/dp/B007CKK7CM GARDENINGTHINGS.COM - http://www.gardeningthings.com WHAT WILL THE FUTURE BRING? I am trying to sell Sprainbrook Nursery as a nursery. I have written a letter to prospective buyers. If interested you can read it or send it on to someone else you may think would be interested. It is viewable at: http://www.sprainbrook.com/sprainbrookforsale.pdf This would be the best ending to a sad situation. If we could sell the Nursery to someone who would carry on the organic approach, we could continue and promote the movement. My sister is a Real Estate broker and will be listing the nursery for sale under multiple listings this month. We welcome anybody in the real estate field to contact us. I am having a difficult time finding lists of potential buyers. Please contact Norma Weisbrich at weisbri9@aol.com or call her at 203-536-2540 with any interest or leads What will happen to my employees? If we sell it as a nursery hopefully many of the employees will stay on, if this does not happen and the property goes for Real Estate, many will go into business on their own. If they do, I will keep you informed of their where-abouts and their business addresses. You will want to contact them and hire them before others do. They are the best and most knowledgeable in the horticultural field. Many people who have worked at Sprainbrook have gone out to some amazing horticultural jobs. Sprainbrook, just by the way it is structured, is a learning center. We grow our own plants and know the trials and tribulations involved in that. Our philosophy has been to provide our customers with lots of information and a wide selection of quality plants. I am proud that everyone at Sprainbrook is a part of this process and thus everyone in order to keep up has received a great Sprainbrook education. I will continue keep you posted in my emails and Facebook posts and I will continue to write Krautter’s Korner Monthly News Letter. I will maintain http://www.sprainbrook.com and will keep http://www.gardeningthings.com open where you can shop on-line for your organic gardening supplies. I am dedicated to keeping you informed. We will not be turning on the heat this year so we will not be growing Poinsettias nor doing a Christmas business. We are placing almost everything on a huge sale including fall landscape jobs. We will list details in September Krautter’s Korner. We have a huge amount of beautiful inventory to sell off. I will set up an extensive fall lecture series. It will be the last at Sprainbrook so I hope you can attend. It gives me one last chance to talk with you about these subjects here at home in the Nursery. The lectures are free and I look forward to passing this information on to you. Take advantage of the fall sales; pay us lots of visits as we try to clear out our inventory. There are lots of beautiful plants that need a home and lots of supply items that can be bought at reduced prices. I am taking it one day at a time as I realize life takes many twists and turns. I am not sure where the next turn will lead but I will follow it moving in as forward a direction as I can. Hopefully I will see you this fall. No matter how it turns out, I would like to thank you for making my life such a pleasant one. I have been blessed for 77 years and you have played an integral part in making it worthwhile, enjoyable and productive. Meanwhile there still is a lot of fall gardening we have to do. Sincerely Al Krautter

Alfred H. Krautter's New Book 12 STEPS TO NATURAL GARDENING includes information on: Composting, Lawns, Annuals, Perennials, Vegetables, Roses, Watering, Drought, Shrubs & Trees, Soil Formula, Indoor Gardening, Deer-Resistance, Pruning, Garden Calendar & much more With extraordinary compassion for nature and a growing alarm at the direction and toll chemical gardening was taking on the soil and human health, this book was written to encourage the change from chemical to natural gardening. For over 50 years Al Krautter has worked in horticulture, having grown up in his family business and carried it long into his adult life. A graduate of Cornell University, and well schooled in the post-war approach to horticulture, Al made the switch to natural gardening and found his true relationship in “working with Nature, not against Nature.” Regardless of your level of gardening or the size of your gardening project, here you will find invaluable advice and clear direction “This book is an extension of Al’s heart….he always impressed me with his common sense and breadth of knowledge.” —Jeff Frank (The Nature Lyceum) “Al has perfected an organic approach based on time-honored horticultural principles coupled with new product availability. Adaptable to any growing region, this comprehensive guide combines practical advice with a personal philosophy of respect for nature that will have your garden flourishing—naturally—in no time.” —Aiken Tompkins (Tompkins Organic Gardens) Available now at www.gardeningthings.com

Visit Us On-Line At www.sprainbrook.com www.gardeningthings.com www.facebook.com/sprainbrook Links The New York Botanical Garden offers over 850 classes in gardening, landscape design, horticulture and more. Browse the course offerings at www.nybg.org/AdultEd. New students receive 10% off their first class by using the code SS12PC. Please call 800.322.6924 to redeem discount.