Forum
Focus
April 2020
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Message to Our Membership
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Dear Neighbors,
TS Eliot famously wrote, "April is the cruelest month." But clearly he'd never been to Scarsdale in April. The trees, the lawns, and the gardens come roaring back to life. Though once the visitors to your yard were most likely to be a monotonous tedium of black or grey squirrels, one day soon you'll glance out the window and be dazzled by the robins, the cardinals, the blue jays, and oh so many rabbits. The sun stays out for longer and longer, the temperatures gradually rise, and even the rain showers bring with them the promise of breathtaking flowers.
I've always thought of April as the most hope-filled of months. That's fortunate for us all, because hope is exactly what we need in April 2020.
It's not even been a month since the first COVID-19 diagnosis in Westchester County. It's only weeks since the schools that are at the center of so much of the Scarsdale experience closed. Many of us are still struggling to come to terms with the combination of our lives being turned upside down and the anxiety caused by a pandemic whose ultimate reach is only beginning to be understood.
But already, Scarsdalians at their best are in evidence everywhere you look. From the medical supply donations of the Scarsdale Chinese Association to the donations of hot meals from local restaurants to the staff at White Plains Hospital; from neighbors checking in on neighbors to those running grocery errands so the most vulnerable among us can stay safe at home; from teachers and students pushing themselves to adapt to eLearning to the hardworking Village staff maintaining as much normalcy as possible in dangerous circumstances -- hope based in a love for our neighbors and our special community is everywhere.
The Scarsdale Forum has a role to play as well. For a more-than-a-century-old organization, we're adapting quickly to holding virtual meetings (more on that below). Our committees continue to provide an opportunity to engage in the issues of our civic life. We're here for you as friends, as colleagues, as neighbors, as an intellectual pursuit to give you some distraction from the public health and economic storms that swirl around us, and as a real community to provide a sense of belonging, no matter how isolated physically we may temporarily be. As always, we're your community voice -- and we cannot wait to see you all in person some day soon.
Stay safe and be well,
Tim Foley
President, Scarsdale Forum
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May 21 Annual Meeting of the Scarsdale Forum
It's more than a month away, but we are actively planning for how to conduct our Annual Meeting if the public health situation continues to require us to practice social distancing. Whether it's in person at the Scarsdale Woman's Club or online using Zoom, you won't want to miss
Thursday, May 21
at 8:00 pm.
There will be many votes on the agenda, including timely and interesting reports, and our annual vote for next year's Vice President (who will automatically become President the following year), Treasurer, Secretary and three Directors-at-Large. We'll also hear from Scarsdale's own
Assemblymember Amy Paulin
on what has an unprecedented and unforgettable legislative session in the midst of a pandemic in Albany and across the state.
All members of the public are welcome, but Forum members will need to be current with their dues to vote.
RSVP here.
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Fiscal Affairs Scarsdale
The Village Board of Trustees made significant revisions to the current budget (2019/20) and the tentative budget (2020/21) to address the anticipated effects of COVID-19 on Village finances through a March 24, 2020 resolution. They scheduled a Work Session on the budget for last night (March 31). The Fiscal Affairs Scarsdale Committee will be meeting online tonight, April 1, 2020. The Committee anticipates preparing a report for the Board of Trustees to consider at the April 14, 2020 hearing on the Tentative Budget. The timeline is tight, so i
f you're interested in sharing your thoughts or contributing to the group's efforts, email Chair
Anne Hintermeister
at
ahintermeister@gmail.com
.
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County Fiscal Affairs
The County Fiscal Affairs committee will meet on Thursday, April 16 from 8:00 to 9:00 pm via conference call or Zoom.
LoHud/Journal News
Tax Watch columnist
David McKay Wilson
will be joining the call for the first half of the meeting to offer his thoughts on how the COVID-19 pandemic may affect the county budget. If you're not already a member of the committe
e but would be interested in participating, please email Chair
Richard Pinto
at
rpinto10583@gmail.com
.
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Education
The Scarsdale School District's budget is under heavy review and scrutiny given the unusual and unprecedented times when so much is changing so fast. By the Governor's Executive Order, school budget votes have been postponed until at least June 1, providing ample time for the Scarsdale Forum's Education Committee to deliberate and offer constructive feedback.
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Municipal Services
During the month of April, the members of the Municipal Services Committee will be invited to participate electronically in a check-in session to review the impact of the public health crisis, including state mandates to reduce the on-site workforce by 50% and the closure of Village Hall, on the provision of village services. If you're not already a member of the committee,
please email Chair
Madelaine Eppenstein
at
meppenstein@eppenstein.com
.
Until then, stay safe and healthy.
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Local Resources for Information on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19
The Village of Scarsdale
has a webpage updated with how the Village is putting into effect various measures related to Governor Cuomo's Executive Orders to contain the pandemic as much as possible, including how residents can get involved through volunteering.
Check the Village page
regularly for updates and follow the
Village of Scarsdale's Twitter feed.
Scarsdale Public Schools
has been providing daily updates on the anticipated length of closure of the public schools, the District's efforts around eLearning and online curriculum, and revisions to the School District's budget next year.
Check the School District page
regularly for updates.
The Westchester County Department of Health
has the go-to page for public health information on novel coronavirus and COVID-19, including answers to frequently asked questions, strategies to protect yourself and your loved ones from exposure, and special information for health care professionals, schools, or those at high risk because of other serious medical issues.
Check the Department of Health page
to get your public health questions answered.
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Scarsdale Forum Inc.
Scarsdale Forum Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to community education through discussion and analysis of issues relevant to Scarsdale residents.
Since 1904, it has contributed meaningfully to village affairs through written reports, public speaker events and committee discussions. Membership is available to all Scarsdale and Mamaroneck Strip residents, regardless of citizenship status.
Forum Focus
generally is distributed to Scarsdale Forum members in the first week of each month. Story ideas should be sent to
communications@scarsdaleforum.com
one week prior
to be included in the coming issue.
Media Contact
Diane Greenwald
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