The ceremony was simple but there was a goodly crowd outside of City Hall on a perfect spring evening to watch the swearing in of Mayor Roach as the city’s 18th mayor. I had been on the road much of the day and was fortunate enough to make it to the event and to have my camera – so enjoy the photos. I was actually carrying the right lens for such an event!
The speech was apolitical and I was impressed as Mayor Roach gave thanks to his family and friends and city employees. If nothing else the ceremony signaled an new beginning for a city that has had more than a few growing pains over the past few years.
The turnout was low – as was expected, but Tom Roach (D) won a decisive victory winning 52% of the vote with Bob Hyland (R ) winning 35% and Glenn Hockley (I) taking in 15% of the vote.
There were only 8700 ballets cast in this special election – which is sad given the estimated population of over 57,000. So that probably translates into something under 25% of the eligible voters turning out. Given that this was a special election on an odd day, it would be hard to say that this was unexpected. But it underscores the potential for volatility that special elections for local offices tend to have.
For those living in White Plains NY – most of you should know that the resignation of Mayor Adam Bradley has created the necessity of a special election in White Plains. I was thrilled to see that the debate of last Thursday was on the internet as a streaming video. Pat Casey of The White Plains Times was the moderator. The debate was organized sponsored by the White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations ( WPCNA) and Concerned Citizens for Open Space (CCOS). I decided to embed the video here for those who lack cable.
For those who are still on the fence – this is a must- see. Further – special elections can be very non-representative of the population at large. Its on an off day – THURSDAY – and turnout is essential to get the representation they need and deserve during this era of fiscal crisis.
So watch the video, go online and research each candidate if you don’t know them – and get to the polls on Thursday March 31, 2011
I admit that this is rather late notice – but I decided to post this on my blog mostly for the sake of publicizing the re-broadcasts and the chance that someone who might be interested might stop by and decided to attend at the last minute.
The White Plains Mayoral debateis tonight at Ridgeway Elementary School – (corner of Ridgeway and Mamaroneck Ave.) at 7:30 PM. You can pose a question in writing to the candidates.
As most people in the area know, the conviction of former Mayor Bradley has led to the installation of Tom Roach as mayor pending a special election. The special election is scheduled for March 31.
When searching for Westchester NY homes for sale, it can be difficult to sort out the individual municipalities, their characteristics and even their location within the county. For many buyers they seem to meld into one large mass of confusion. This series of posts are designed to alleviate some of this confusing for the Westchester NY homebuyer.
Getting from here to there – White Plains NY is centrally located:
White Plains NY is one of the most centrally located municipalities in Westchester NY. As such, it is land-locked with no direct access to either the Hudson River or Long Island Sound. However, its central location means that you are never far from anything when you are in White Plains. The map below shows just how central that location is.
White Plains borders Scarsdale to the south west, Harrison to the east and Mamaroneck to the south. Hartsdale borders to the west and Valhalla to the north.
At the outset – I would like to stress that this is unusual for downtown White Plains. It may be a sign of the times. Certainly many cities have reported an uptick in crime although White Plains NY has not really had any spikes in the crime rate that I am aware of . Desperation makes people do desperate things.
Sunday started out as a day that is somewhat typical of my weekend. I had two sets of showings with two buyer clients. My last client was a referral from someone I had sold a home to a few years ago and we were combining business with pleasure as I found myself enjoying a lovely party in his unit after the showings.
The aftermath of the tax credit caused a slowdown in the housing market generally in Q4 2010. White Plains NY homes for sale were no exception. Particularly hard-hit were the entry-level condo and coop markets. However, the ability to get jumbo loans again has bolstered the upper end markets which flagged badly during the early part of what I call “the great recession.”
Since the market is decidedly mixed, one has to be careful not to draw broad conclusions from the gross data without some thought to details.
Also it is good to see that as the new year enters it second month, that White Plains NY homes are starting to move. Read the rest of this entry »
The Broadlawn is a one-of-a-kind complex and this unit is also truly one-of-a-kind as well. The 2 BR duplex unit with unique paneling, balcony and a fire place is offered at $349,000. The listing has just been updated with the generous offer of $5000 to the buyer to go towards a flat-screen TV and towards closing costs.
The Harlem Line – depicted in the map on the right, passes through the central towns and cities of Westchester County. During off-peak hours there are three trains northbound to Westchester and three trains southbound to Grand Central Station. The major express stop is White Plains which – with very few exceptions enjoys the distinction of being a stop for virtually every train on the line. Apart from the White Plains express stop, there are peak hour express trains from Crestwood, Scarsdale, and Chappaqua.
The Westchester Calendar of Events is posted for your convenience. It’s a typical post- holiday weekend, and Westchester events are fewer and quieter than during the holiday season. But there is still plenty to do. Enjoy !
The ceremony was simple but there was a goodly crowd outside of City Hall on a perfect spring evening to watch the swearing in of Mayor Roach as the city’s 18th mayor. I had been on the road much of the day and was fortunate enough to make it to the event and to have my camera – so enjoy the photos. I was actually carrying the right lens for such an event!
