August 26, 2010
Community Honors Jim Stowe's Legacy
Late Council Member Lauded for Integrity, Dedication & Service
Read my remarks in honor of Jim Stowe's life and memory.
Since the sudden passing of Council Member Jim Stowe on August 4th, citizens throughout New Rochelle have paid tribute to Jim's character and celebrated his contributions to our community. Hundreds attended gatherings in Jim's honor, during which the strength and eloquence of the Stowe family was especially moving. I was privileged to deliver remarks at Jim's memorial service, which you can read HERE.
Democratic Party Seeks Candidates in Council District Three
Special Election on November 2nd Will Fill Vacancy
Read about the Democratic Party's candidate selection process and criteria.
View a map of Council District Three.
Council Member Stowe's sudden passing triggers a special election, to be held on November 2nd. The winner of this election will serve the final year of Council Member Stowe's four-year term. The New Rochelle Democratic Party is conducting an open and inclusive search for a nominee and has invited interested residents of the Third Council District to present themselves for consideration. To do so, please send a resume and cover letter, no later than August 31st, to:
Sarah Dodds-Brown
11 Slocum Street
New Rochelle, New York 10801
sdoddsbrown@hotmail.com
You can learn more about the candidate selection process and criteria by reading this news release.
Democrats Urge Immediate Appointment of Special Election Winner
Joint Statement Calls for Bipartisan Agreement
Read the Statement of the Council Democrats concerning appointment to the District Three seat.
The City Council has the authority to appoint a representative to fill the District Three seat for the remainder of this calendar year. Mindful that the special election is just weeks away, the Democratic members of the City Council (myself, Marianne Sussman, and Barry Fertel) have issued THIS statement concerning the Council's appointment power. I encourage you to read the statement in full, but to summarize: we believe that the Council should entrust the selection of a new representative to the voters of District Three and refrain from making any appointment prior to the special election on November 2nd. Once the election is decided, however, we believe that the Council should act immediately to appoint the winner, so that the new representative can get to work right away, without waiting until January 1st. We have urged our Republican colleagues to join us in a bipartisan commitment to appoint the election winner, whether that winner is a Democrat or Republican.
During the brief period during which the seat is vacant, residents of the Third District should be assured that they can contact my office or the office of the City Manager for assistance of any kind. We will work to ensure that every resident of New Rochelle receives the constituent services they expect and deserve.
Status of the Former Church Next to the Police-Court Building
Safety Concerns Require Demolition of Bell Tower
Many observers have noted and expressed concerns about the recent demolition of the stone bell tower of the former church on North Avenue, just south of the Police-Court Facility. The City, myself included, should have done a better job of communicating the reasons for the tower demolition, especially to interested parties, such as local history and arts advocates. With apologies that this information was not distributed earlier, I offer the following:
On the morning of Monday, July 5th, a section of the stone facade on the upper portion of the bell tower dislodged and fell to the ground. The stones fell directly onto a public walkway leading from the parking area to the front of the Police-Court Facility. Fortunately, because the Court was closed for the holiday weekend, there was minimal pedestrian activity, but this area of sidewalk is normally heavily trafficked.
Visual inspection on that day revealed several long diagonal cracks in the mortar adjacent to the corners of the parapet at the top of the tower as well as longitudinal cracking at the base of the tower. The tower is a freestanding structure. The area at the base of the tower was cordoned off immediately.
The Department of Public Works retained a structural engineer to inspect the tower and offer recommendations to repair or remove sections of the tower as appropriate. The engineer determined that minimal repair of the tower, to obtain only 25 years of additional life, would entail the full replacement of the tower's entire upper section at a cost of approximately $550,000. In the interest of public safety and cognizant of our challenging fiscal condition, the City Administration reluctantly concluded that demolishing the tower was the only realistic option.
The Department of Public Works is now in the process of engaging another structural engineer to evaluate the integrity of the main body of the church. It is anticipated that this evaluation will be completed during September, and I hope very much that the church will be judged sound. Whatever the result of the analysis, no additional action should be undertaken prior to consultation with interested parties and preservationists.
Although circumstances did not present the City with any other choice, the destruction of the bell tower is a sad event, and I share the feelings of those who have observed this loss with distress.