Phil Amicone’s conduct as Deputy Mayor seemed stellar, or so the spin extolled. Mr. Amicone was sworn in as Deputy Mayor of Yonkers in January 1996. He became Mayor of the City of Yonkers (CoY)in January 2005. His alleged ineptitude as deputy mayor did not reveal itself until June 2010. His alleged ineptitude in 2001 has mushroomed into a $847,320 burden today. This financial calamity originated with regard to the use of eminent domain of 310 Saw Mill River Road, the Lockwood Avenue Lot now presently underutilized as a parking lot. The demand for $847,320 is bad enough; City Hall, under the direction of present Mayor Phil Amicone did not in the past, and has not yet fully explained his alleged failings as deputy mayor. Perhaps he is denial.
His alleged denial has grown into an alleged manipulation of city agencies as well as of the Yonkers City Council. By allegedly and specifically not advising each respective body that information necessary to the full comprehension of the issue before them was metered on a need to know basis, the responsibility to serve The People was negated. A select esoteric few became allegedly complicit as they were made privy of the "facts" By allegedly denying salient information to the Yonkers City Council on June 8, 2010, a 7-0 approval was garnered for “Resolution No. 80-2010 to approve the Special Use Permit for Planned Neighborhood Commercial Development, also known as 380 Saw Mill River Road, Block 2365, Lots 1,3,6,7, and 12 pursuant to Article IX and Article VII of Chapters 43 of the Yonkers City Code."
When the owner of the “property located at 380 Saw Mill River Road submitted the application seeking review and approval of the Site Plan, as well as the review and granting of a Special Use Permit for a Planned Neighborhood Commercial Development at the aforementioned site, the Planning Board on December 9, 2009, and May 19, 2010, after due consideration and in accordance with Article VII and Article IX of the Zoning Code of the City of Yonkers, approved the Site Plan and granted the Special Use Permit. Further still, “the Planning Planning Board’s decision to grant the Special Use Permit was referred to the City Council for review and approval, denial or approval with modification.” The process continued unimpeded by "facts" The Planning Board defined their action “after due consideration and pursuant to Section 43-55 of the Zoning Code, ...in the best interest of the City to approve the entirety of the Planning Board’s decision and amended decision to grant the Special Use Permit with the addition of the following modification. That “modification" was that the “Employees of the proposed retail component of the project be “required to park on the nearby commercial streets or at the Yonkers Parking Authority lot designated by the Planning Board." The lot referenced in the Planning Board’s “modification" is that 310 Saw Mill River Road, the property whose condemnee is demanding $847,320.
The Yonkers City Council approved the decision and the amended decision of the Planning Board and granted the Special Use Permit with the proviso for the Employees on the Project required to park on the nearby commercial streets or at the Yonkers Parking Authority lot designated by the Planning Board, the one at 310 Saw Mill Road.
Neither the Planning Board nor the Yonkers City Council membership were allegedly advised Yonkers Mayor Amicone and a few of his select, alleged “cronies” had collectively conspired to keep them in the dark. The Yonkers City Council membership’s individual and collective vote was allegedly promulgated on their being kept ignorant of the alleged facts by City Hall.
What the Planning Board and the Yonkers City Council did not know, the Yonkers Parking Authority (YPA) has known at least as far back as what the YPA Board of Directors had reviewed in their meeting of Tuesday, January 22, 2009, afforded them by a memorandum by Yonkers Corporation Counsel Alain M. Natchev, Sr., specifically regarding the eminent domain of 310 Saw Mill River Road (Lockwood Avenue Lot). After 8 years of alleged, unmitigated failure, Phil Amicone, as deputy mayor and mayor, allegedly asks the YPA 15 months ago to return the property back to Rex Realty of Connecticut (condemnee), Inc., “since it is not being fully utilized.”
“A recommendation was made by the Board to have the meters removed in front of stores between Lockwood Avenue and Sawmill River Road in order to get more parkers to use the facility. The same facility that would have been used by Employees of the Planned Neighborhood Commercial Development, known as 380 Saw Mill River Road.
But the condemnee was not then, and does not now, have interest in taking back the property. Instead, “the condemnee is demanding $847,320 which includes the property valuation of $459,000, statutory interest of $220,320“ @ “6% annum and an additional allowance of $168,000. They have accepted an advanced payment of $41,000 which is the amount the YPA offered them for the property in full in 2001. The $41,000 includes the preliminary valuation of $285,000 less the estimated cost of environmental remediation of $239,000.”
YPA Board Counsel Jack de Angeli, Esq., suggested January 22, 2009, in “taking out a bond to cover the expenses. Present Deputy Mayor and YPA Chairman Bill Regan “will be seeking advice from Jim LaPerche, Commissioner of Finance, about taking out a cheaper loan,” he is quoted to have conveyied. This last sentence is an admission of knowledge of the issues about this property by Mayor Phil Amicone, Deputy Mayor William T. Regan, Finance Commissioner James LaPerche, Assistant Director Jay McLynn, Deputy Director / CFO Joseph Dalli, Account Clerk Canute McLaughlin, Recording Secretary to the Board of Directors Maritza Forrero, First Deputy Corporation Counsel City of Yonkers, NY of Connecticut Jack de Angeli, Esq., Vice- Chairman Brian R. Nicoletti, Board Member Patricia Kiscak, Board Member Michael Ramondelli, and YPA Staffer Eric Braverman. They were all present at the reading of the minutes in February 2009.
Yonkers Tribune / Westchester Herald have learned Inspector General Dan Schorr is allegedly scrutinizing the concerns likely mentioned in this writing. We wish him God speed.
The conduct of those mentioned herein, specific to their alleged coverup in that delineated above puts into question the veracity of each individually and collectively. Is Mayor Amicone capable of managing the $900 million FY2010-2011 Yonkers Budget? Can Mr LaPerche be trusted? Why does Corporation Counsel de Angeli ask the Yonkers Finance Commissioner for a reduced bonding mechanism for the benefit of the quasi-government agency for which CoY is not legally responsible. Did CoY allegeldy pay the condemnee the $41,000 out of CoY coffers when the YPA should have? What is Mayor Amicone's response to how this crisis allegedly comes to haunt him today and saddles CoY with a demand for $847,320?
Can the YPA be trusted to manage their financial affairs? Yonkers Tribune / Westchester Herald have had a request with the YPA demanding proof of payment for the past six years of a BMW owned and parked at the Buena Vista Parking lot. A window decal stipulates the last inspection was performed six years ago. There are no plates affixed to the vehicle. Proof of payment by Yonkers City Council Majority Leader Patricia McDow to the YPA has proven to be so onerous a task that our May 26, 2010 request demanded our waiting 20 business days for them to comply. Only last Friday, June 25,2010, we were advised by letter the YPA needs another 30 business days to accumulate the asked for proof of payment. Credible sources have advised alleged proof of payment we requested does not exist.
The YPA is practically bankrupt. Its contractual agreements favor the “Friends and Family Network.” Restauranteurs continue to park as many cars at the Buena Vista garage, as one example, at a flat rate of $250 per month for as many cars as they park there for the patrons whom they also charge. Zuppa’s, for example earns over $7,000 per month with such an arrangement. There are similar contracts for those operating eating establishments along the waterfront and South Broadway, and other businesses throughout CoY.
The Yonkers City Council will within days receive a revised FY2010-2011 Yonkers Budget from Mayor Amicone. The Yonkers City Council is being asked to approve a budget based on their being made somewhat privy to only 46 percent of the budget. The other 54 percent is for the benefit of the Yonkers Board of Education, who hide behind a lawsuit against CoY over whether the Yonkers Inspector General has purview over the YBoE's financials will not be remedied by the courts in time for an intelligent appraisal and approval of the FY2010-2011 Yonkers Budget by the City Council. The vote will be a testiment to the sham allegedly perpetrated by the YBoE , with alleged support by Mayor Amicone, over Yonkersites, and those who have been terminated by the laxity in the spending of taxpayer funds
Editor’s Note: Yonkersites have done it again. An acid-tongued blogger has kindly shared the impertinence of the conduct described herein. We thank them their ethical compass and their trust in us to share it with Yonkerites. Direct you concerns and information by directing email to WHYTeditor@gmail.com. Your email and telephone contact information is always confidential. The editor will attempt to corroborate the information you afford us.
