Data collectors have now visited about half of all homes in Scarsdale and are moving toward the May, 2013 deadline for the completion of home visits and data collection. Work in Edgewood is complete and Edgewood homeowner will receive their property description forms in the mail this week. The form documents the most basic information about a home and rates its "overall condition" on a scale of one through five.

Village Assessor Nanette Albanese and Eric Hardy from Tyler Technologies met with representatives from the media to offer an update on the process and explain what residents can expect.

We had the opportunity to preview a sample data collection form and were surprised to see that it offered little in the way of qualitative data on the homes. Instead it provides information such as the address, property size, the home style, heat type, year built, square footage, number of bedrooms, bathrooms and fireplaces. Homeowners will have the opportunity to review this information, correct any inaccuracies and mail it back by the deadline shown on the mailer. For Edgewood residents that date will be February 15.

However, the information on the form is not all that will be considered when property appraisals are done later in the process. According to Hardy, the data collector makes notes that are included with the record but cannot be seen on the form. Other factors that will go into formulating the assessment include location, the presence of other features such as a pool, garage, or basketball court, the neighborhood, and recent sales data. However, residents will not see all of this information on their data sheet. These are additional criteria that will be factored into the model later on.

Hardy says that property size and the size of the home are the most important factors that will determine the assessed value – and though the condition of the house, and vintage of the bathrooms or kitchen will be considered, these will not move the appraisal up or down in a significant way. Instead, these are considered when assigning the home an overall condition rating that ranges from poor to excellent that is just one factor in the appraisal.

So, if you haven't yet had a visit from a data collector, when should you expect to see one? Data collectors are now working in Fox Meadow and have also begun work in Heathcote. If data collectors make two attempts to get into your home without success they will mail you a first class letter and ask you to schedule an appointment. If they don't hear from you a second letter will go out to you by certified mail. And if you fail to make an appointment after receipt of the second letter, the data collector will do what they can to complete the form without a visit inside your home and will rate it in excellent condition and will assume that there is a new kitchen, new bathrooms and a full finished basement.

The schedule now calls for all properties to be reassessed in 2014.

To learn more, visit www.reassessment.scarsdale.com/ or call the reassessment offices of Tyler Technologies at 914 722-1324 or 1326 between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm Monday through Friday.

Its flu season. And as we all know too well, a particularly nasty flu season.
 But you don't have to take it lying down. Here are the facts about the flu, and-most importantly-what to do to minimize its impact on your family.  Unlike the common cold, the flu can come on quite suddenly, and with real impact...high fever, extreme fatigue, muscle pain, bone pain. All accompanied by a sore throat and headache more severe than a simple cold. (Note, cough and nasal congestion accompany both flu and the common cold, so they're not differentiating symptoms.)

The good news is...if you get the flu, most of us get better in 10 days to two weeks. But the elderly, children, healthcare workers and people with chronic conditions like diabetes, asthma, COPD, cardiac problems and compromised immune systems are harder hit and are more vulnerable to complications like pneumonia.

By the way, the flu is a viral illness, so antibiotics will have NO effect. Don't take them, because if you do you may render them less effective for you against the bacterial infections like pneumonia and sinusitis that they do fight well.
Tamiflu is an antiviral, and if initiated in the first 48 hours of the flu, may lessen the severity of the subsequent course. 
For the general blah feeling and fever, take Tylenol or Advil. For nasal congestion and cough, take antihistamine-decongestant combinations. And drink lots of fluids.

If you do get the flu, you're contagious one day prior to exhibiting symptoms, and that lasts for the next 5 to 7 days (you are most contagious during the fever). Fortunately, the flu virus is easily killed by plain old soap and water...so wash your hands. A lot.
It's also killed by sunlight, detergents and disinfecting agents.

So, should you bother getting a flu shot?

The short answer is, YES. For some, it will mean a true home run...no illness at all. For most, the illness will be less severe even if you contract it. And anything that lowers your odds of getting a viral infection-which can be devastating-is worthwhile.

Remember, this year's vaccine is not next year's vaccine, so it's important to get a new shot every year. No one gets the flu from the shot!

Three times a century, the flu virus changes in a big way, and becomes a much more dangerous Pandemic. And while the typical flu results worldwide in 3 to 5 million severe cases and 500,000 deaths, Pandemics kill tens of millions due to a particularly nasty viral pneumonia and the shot gives you a hedge against that. Like the Asian Flu of 1957, the Hong Kong Flu of 1968...and the granddaddy of them all, the Spanish Flu of 1918. It killed somewhere between 50 to 80 million people worldwide.

But don't worry too much...Spring is around the corner and the flu will soon be long gone.
 Of course, then we can chat about allergies!

Dr. Wayne Eisman is an ENT Physician (Ear, Nose and Throat) at ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP located at 75 South Broadway, White Plains, NY. If interested in scheduling an appointment, please call 914-949-3888. Call us today, See us tomorrow.

It's not too late to get a flu shot if you haven't done so already:  The Westchester County Department of Health is offering free flu shots to residents at its White Plains District Office, 134 Court Street, on Thursday, January 31,3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday, February 1, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and at its Yonkers District Office, 20 South Broadway, Thursday, February 7,10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Flu shots will be available for adults and children ages 9 and up. Residents are strongly encouraged to register in advance for the flu clinics at www.health. ny.gov/Go2Clinic. Those without internet access can call (914) 995-7425, weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome.

Greenburgh Police report what appears to be an armed robbery at the mini mart at the Shell Station at 1000 Central Park Avenue in Scarsdale, near the intersection of Clifton Road. The incident occurred at 2:50 pm on Tuesday January 22 and a clerk reports that a light-skin male, brandishing what appeared to be a silver handgun demanded money. The clerk gave him an undetermined sum and he fled the store.

Police know little about where the suspect went after the robbery or whether he fled on foot, in a getaway car or on a bus. They also don't know in which direction he fled. In response to concerns from Edgemont parents that the robber ran toward the Seely Place school near dismissal time, Lt. Brian Ryan says that the school is a half mile north of the gas station and that there is no evidence that the robber ran in the direction of the school.

Here is a statement from Greenburgh Police Chief Jospeh J.DeCarlo on the incident:

"I would like to take this opportunity to clarify the questioning of the police department not contacting the Seely Place School regarding the robbery yesterday at the Shell Gas station at 1000 S. Central Ave. The Edgemont Schools were not advised to enact security measures yesterday for several reasons.
The robbery was reported to police at approximately 3:00 p.m. By the time units arrived at the scene and gathered facts it was after 3:00 p.m. Our preliminary investigation revealed that a firearm was not observed. Also, the suspect was tracked by police canine units to Yonkers and there was evidence found in a bordering side street that also corroborated this fact. There were many important questions that investigators could not get answered until after 5:00 p.m. Despite what some concerned residents would like the community to believe, we were confident relatively quickly that the suspect left the area.

In closing, I wish to again assure you that members of the police department are committed to the safety of all residents of the Town of Greenburgh and if there was the slightest chance of a danger to the students and teachers of the school they would have been notified."

Since the man wore a red and white scarf over his face, it is difficult to describe what he looked like. But police are searching for "A male in his 20's, light skin, about 5' 10" to 6' 0" tall, weighing approximately 150-170 lbs. The suspect is described as wearing a gray winter jacket, with black and white trim, blue jeans, and a white wool hat." Police do not know whether the gun he carried was real.

Police are currently investigating and hoping to find videotape of the man. There are also comparing notes with other jurisdictions to see if this robbery has any similarities to other incidents.

The following evening, at 7:20 pm on Wednesday January 23, a Fort Hill Road resident heard the doorbell ring and then saw someone prying open a rear sliding glass door to the house. The homeowner shouted at the suspect who fled on foot toward Jackson Avenue. Nothing was taken from the house and the resident could only say that the suspect was a light-skinned black or Hispanic male. 

In order to prevent a burglary, police recommend that homeowners leave lights on inside during the evening, lock doors and windows and clear piles of newspapers or mail.

In other news from the Greenburgh Police, an unresponsive man was found in a parked car at the Midway Shopping Center at 1001 Central Park Avenue at 8:45 am on Wednesday, January 23rd. The man was found by security personnel at the shopping center.  When Greenburgh Police and EMS arrived they determined that the subject was dead and he was identified as Barry Himmelstein, age 77. Police report that Himmelstein was homeless.

Anyone having information on the above is asked to contact Greenburgh Detectives at (914) 682-5325. All calls will be kept confidential.

The Law Committee of the Board of Trustees met on Monday night to discuss amendments to Village Code Chapters 310 – "Zoning" and 205 "Noise" regarding permanent emergency standby generators. Discussion focused on concerns about sound resulting from weekly generator maintenance. The proposed law states that in Residence A districts, generators "shall not exceed 70 decibels on the A scale as measured 23 feet from the unit." The law imposes a different requirement for generators placed in side yards, as permanent standby generators "placed in the side yard in the A3, A4 and A5 zoning districts shall not exceed 65 decibels on the A scale as measured 23 feet from the unit ...". In the current code, the maximum decibel level is 55.

Although most of the Committee agreed with the proposed version of the law, several Committee members and an audience member did express unease about the higher decibel numbers, particularly in regard to side yard setbacks, because of their potential impact on neighbors. Bob Harrison voiced his concern that the noise will actually be greater than 70 decibels for those whose neighbors place their generators 3 or 4 feet from the property line. David Lee also expressed his wish to be "sensitive to people adjoining the smaller lots," where generators will be closer to the property line. Village resident Jeff Osterman stated that it would not be prohibitively expensive for homeowners to purchase generators with sound reducing capabilities and argued that the proposed law does not provide incentives for homeowners to purchase generators that exercise at decibels lower than 70. However, the majority of the Committee was in favor of the increased decibel requirements, with Chair Stacey Brodsky advocating for the Committee to "substantially liberalize" the rules as the majority of residents have requested. Kay Eisenman supported this, stating that the noise is "one of the inconveniences we seem to be willing to face at this point in time." Although Ms. Brodsky suggested increasing the side yard decibel amount to 70, the Committee ultimately agreed to keep the 65 decibel side yard distinction and to refer the changes to the Village Board, which will consider them on January 22nd.

The Committee did discuss noise abatement fencing but ultimately decided not to require it, as it would be an added expense and a fencing requirement coupled with various setback requirements would make adhering to ventilation and fire safety rules difficult. According to the proposed law, if property owners suspect that the generator exceeds the law's sound specifications, they can request that the Village test their neighbor's generator.
See below for a chart of setback requirements by zone, as well as instructions to find out in which zone your house is sited.

Here's how to determine the zone of your house.
1. Navigate your Internet browser to www.scarsdale.com, the Scarsdale Village website;
2. About half way down the home page is the section titled "Interactive";
3. In the Interactive box, click the link to "Online Property Inquiry";
4. The next screen contains a pull down box containing street names in the Village database. Find the street name about being inquired about and click on that street name;
5. The next screen contains a pull down box containing numbered street addresses for that street and the user should click on the specific address being inquired about;
6. The next screen will contain the information contained in the Village database about this property, including what zone it is in, assessment information, tax information and permit information back to when the house was originally built.

(This chart and instructions were compiled and supplied to Scarsdale10583 by Bill Kay)

Contributor Lindsay Dembner lives in Scarsdale. She is an English major turned lawyer currently pursuing employment in higher education and education nonprofits