City Hires Director of Information Services, Gets Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Miss Monday's White Plains Common Council meeting? Here is a roundup of what went down:

Youth of the Year: Ricardo Martinez

Ricardo Martinez was named as the City’s 2011 Youth of the Year for his achievements and outstanding commitment to the community. 

The 17-year-old White Plains High School senior has more than 300 hours of community service, including working on various White Plains Youth Bureau programs such as mentoring elementary school-aged students in math and English for the youth bureau’s Kids Excel program.

He is president of the WPHS Midnight Run Club, which brings food and other items to the homeless; as well as secretary for the school’s Human Rights Club and student body representative to the Italian Club. Martinez, who spent the summer interning in Mayor Bloomberg’s office and knows three languages, hopes to study linguistics in college.

City Hires Director of Information Services, and CodeRED to Provide Reverse 9/11 System

The City has hired Michael Coakley as its Director of Information Services. According to Council President Benjamin Boykin, Coakley brings more than 20 years of experience to the position, which will enhance the City’s information services department as well as the City’s communication with its residents.

Mayor Tom Roach said that that improving communication and the City’s information services and technology has been a focus of his administration, and that this hire is an important step in that direction. In August, the council hired Kansas-based firm Civic Plus to redesign and redevelop the City’s website, in an amount not to exceed $40,596. At Monday’s meeting, Roach said that the computer is the main way the City can communicate with its residents. 

For those resident who don’t communicate through the Internet, the City agreed to hire CodeRED reverse 9/11 system, which sends automated phone calls, text messages for the hearing impaired and emails to City residents in the event of an emergency. Click here to learn more and sign up for the CodeRED system.

The system was successfully used during Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene to advise residents of safety tips and parking regulations. Residents can opt into getting emergency and/or general notifications, which could include a weather emergency or City event. The system can even be specialized so that you will be notified of incidents in your area, for example if a water main broke and your street is closed off. You can also opt to have your notifications sent in Spanish. 

City Hires Appraisers, Lawyers

The White Plains Common Council approved the hiring of appraisers to provide the City with the flexibility to make tax assessments and deal with tax certiorari cases, most of which are done in-house, which the City’s staff may have a conflict of interest with or when a judge asks for an immediate appraisal. The firm will be hired at an amount not to exceed $113,000 a cost that, according to Councilwoman Beth Smayda, is already included in the City’s budget. 

The City also approved the renewal of a contract with The Roffee Group law firm to act as special council to the City for $44,000 a year. The firm, which the City has been contracting for the last 16 years, is responsible for helping to draft state legislation proposed by White Plains; to monitor and advocate for the City in regards to state legislative matters; and coordinate the City’s work with the New York State Conference of Mayors

City Gets Free Electric Vehicle Charging Station

The council accepted a grant for five electric vehicle stations from Coulomb Technologies thanks to the Chargepoint America Program, which is partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The stations would be located at 16 Ferris Ave.—adjacent to the White Plains Metro-North Train Station—and available for City vehicles to use, as well as private vehicles that can pay to charge their electric or hybrid vehicle via credit card. The department of public works would install the stations, which service two vehicles each, for a nominal fee.

Department of Public Safety Receives Several Grants

The council also voted to accept several grants awarded to the White Plains Department of Public Safety including $10,000 for a pedestrian safety initiative that would allow police to set up check points to make sure vehicles are yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks, as well as target those making illegal turns. The grant will also allow the department to offer information on pedestrian safety to the public via flyers and on the department’s website. 

Public Safety also received a $16,000 grant from the governor’s traffic safety committee for cell phone enforcement; $6,386 from the governor’s traffic safety committee for seat belt enforcement during the “Buckle Up New York” campaign; and a $15,000 from the Fenway Charitable Foundation to establish a K-9 unit. The unit will start with one dog that is able to sniff out suspects police are in pursuit of, as well as sniff for bombs.

Pay your Water and Sewer Bills Online

The council approved an ordinance that will allow people to pay their City water and sewer bills online. The City already has the software and does not have to pay for it. Those using the service will be charged a $2 to $6 processing fee, which goes to the vendor.

Beautification Foundations Donates Beauty and Jobs

The council accepted a grant from the White Plains Beautification Foundation to hire local youth to water flowers and shrubs the foundation installs throughout the City during the summer months.

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