Edgemont Incorporation Redux
Seven years has passed since a group of Edgemont residents created the Edgemont Village Exploratory Committee (EVEC) to study the possibility of the incorporation of Edgemont and now the idea is back on the table. At the October 3, 2011 meeting of the Edgemont Community Council (ECC) directors voted unanimously to form a committee to investigate whether it makes sense to incorporate Edgemont now as Greenburgh's seventh village.
Why revisit this idea and why now, On the ECC Facebook Page , ECC president Geoff Loftus, cites a number of concerns, including escalating town property taxes over which Edgemont has no control, the Town's 56-year failure to conduct a town-wide reassessment which is costing the Edgemont school district millions of dollars annually, and the absence of any Edgemont control over zoning and planning. Greenburgh is now considering a comprehensive plan that is expected to call for substantially increased housing density along Central Avenue that could swamp the school district with a substantial increase in enrollment.
Loftus stressed that what is being considered is not "secession" from Greenburgh which is not legally or economically practical. Secession was a term used by opponents of incorporation in 2005 to scare residents. Appointed to the ECC committee to study the issue were ECC directors Marc Ackerman, Peter Mellis, Aubrey Graf, and Greg Adams.
In June 2005, the EVEC published the Report to the Community on Village Incorporation, and found that the cost of an Edgemont Village would be higher than the expense of remaining as part of the unincorporated area of Greenburgh. There were numerous issues including the ability to acquire land and create the village infrastructure. The EVEC report can be viewed here:
In taking the pulse of the community on this issue this week, I found that many had no idea that this committee had been formed -- and most admitted that they did not understand what it means for Edgemont to become a village. A relative newcomer in the community was curious about the discussions and wondered why she knew nothing about it. She said, “I feel that the debate has not been fairly disseminated to all of Edgemont, especially those new to the area who have the most to gain/lose by such a move. The membership of this village committee should be open to the Edgemont community more broadly so that we are insured of an unbiased report at the end.”
Another well informed community member said that he recalls that the EVEC report indicated that “Edgemont Village” taxes would be 33% higher than the current (in 2005) Greenburgh Town taxes. He felt that at this time, when real estate agents say that Edgemont properties are not selling as quickly as Scarsdale properties, the last thing we need is higher taxes. Common sense dictates that a small village cannot provide infrastructure and municipal services as efficiently as a l
arge town. He believed his taxes would go through the roof, just when Edgemont can least afford it.
A third community member said that if it would ultimately lower her family's taxes, she would be in favor of becoming a village but would like to hear more about how being a village would affect the schools. She worries about her kids' classes getting more crowded so if becoming a village could help in that aspect, she would like to hear more about it.
John Sganga of Edgemont has mixed feelings about the move. He said, “I am intrigued by the idea of a village. However I need to see how this will occur without additional costs to the homeowners of Edgemont. All types of governments today are being challenged to reduce taxes and increase services! I just assume that the village of Edgemont will add an additional layer of taxes to edgemont denizens. This will be unacceptable. However, I look forward to the findings of this new committee and I will review the results with an open mind!”
Personally, I would like to see more concrete information presented in open community meetings about whether or not Edgemont would be better off as the seventh village within Greenburgh. I also need to know how this will affect the Edgemont schools, if at all. I need to know that no school land will ever be used for village purposes. I need to know what my taxes will be under a new village and most of all, I need to know who will run this Edgemont Village.
Caroline Tzelios is a "stay at home" mom of three kids who never stays at home. She has spent the past thirteen years volunteering in the Edgemont Schools and recently completed her two year term as PTSA co-president of Edgemont High School. She is the current co-chair of Edgemont's ACE Theater Committee and serves on the Edgemont School Foundation and E Club boards.
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written by incorporation is a relic from another era, October 15, 2011
i might add that ardsley has an established department of public works department also
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written by incorporation is a relic from another era , October 15, 2011
since then the issue was not raised for about 25 years when the last effort resulted in the last study
in 2005
the last village tin greenburgh to incorporate was over 100 years ago - elmsford in 1910
there was an attempt by another section of greenburgh to incorporate in the 1980s but the petition was rejected by the then supervisor because it was deliberately designed along racial lines
incorporators are bucking the trend of larger municipal consolidation - villages are quaint but more likely a relic of the 19th century when most greenburgh were formed (although rye brook in another section of westchester was formed in 1982)
although there are a number of technical issues that need to be resolved, incorporators might do better by seeking to become part of an existing village such as ardsley ardsley has far superior public facilities than edgemont (outside of the pool, 25% of which is in ardsley). many edgemonters already use ardsley parks and its library and shop at deciccos etc. further, the expansion of the ardsley volunteer fire dept to cover many parts of edgemont near ardsley would save those taxpayers serious dollars.ardsley already has a police department,a village hall, a community center, excellent little league facilities - there would even be more opportunity for sharing resources between the school districts. ardsley also has a zoning and planning board
why reinvent the wheel? edgemont should seek a way to get away from funding the rest of unincorporated greenburgh but incorporation into a village has never been a route to successfully doing that.
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written by edgemont village, October 14, 2011
if feiner is forced to resign after the town loses the fortress bible appeal there is a chance someone may emerge to undo all the mischief and financial wreckage he has brought
and address the concerns raised by the ecc as reported in their facebook page
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written by Another Edgemont Taxpayer, October 14, 2011
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written by Edgemont taxpayer, October 14, 2011
So if being our own village can be made to work, I want to hear more about it. And please, let's stop the fear mongering about this. As for Hartsdale Parking, I remember that Edgemont residents account for nearly 50% of its revenue. If Hartsdale Parking won't let us use their spots, it would default on its bonds, so that's not likely to happen. And access to the town pool and tennis courts? Have you been there lately? The Town's consultants say the pools have outlived their useful life and must be replaced at a cost of at least $9 million. The Town can't pay for that without Edgemont, so no matter what happens with incorporation, the Town will want Edgemont to contribute. For my money, I'd like to see our own elected Edgemont officials decide what's best for Edgemont when it comes to recreation and other municipal services instead of a town board that doesn't live in Edgemont and cares only about continued access to our pocketbooks.
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written by Concerned Edgemonter, October 13, 2011
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written by Joyce, October 13, 2011
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written by Geoff Loftus, October 13, 2011
One woman quoted said "The membership of this village committee should be open to the Edgemont community more broadly so that we are insured of an unbiased report at the end." This committee was formed to "dust off" the Edgemont Village Exploratory Committee report and see what issues need to be updated and whether it's even worth pursuing a public debate. Believe me, the ECC is committed to an open, public process. (All our meetings are open to the public and the press, and we report on any important initiatives on our Facebook page, as you mentioned.)
Another point of clarification -- "Another well informed community member said that he recalls that the EVEC report indicated that 'Edgemont Village' taxes would be 33% higher than the current (in 2005) Greenburgh Town taxes." That 33% figure is correct, but that was on a go-forward basis. In other words, it needs to be compared to how much Greenburgh's taxes have gone up. In the last 5 years, the town taxes have increased almost 43%.
That 43% is much larger than Scarsdale's increase over the same period (31%) or the Edgemont School District's (23%). And both Scarsdale and the Edgemont schools run on the same structure: elected, unpaid volunteers overseeing paid professionals who manage day-to-day operations. Measured solely by tax increases, Greenburgh is much less efficient, and becoming a village might -- I emphasize "might" -- be much better for Edgemonters in the long term.
Lastly about knowing who and how will a village be run -- there will be plenty of conversations about this in open forums in the months to come. Believe me, the ECC is committed to an open process for all of Edgemont. What we've done is to start a conversation about an idea whose time may have come.
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written by open minded, October 13, 2011
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This is only a committee to see what would be best.