1. Friday, September 6, 2013 WESTMORE NEWS 11
Kindergarteners
mix and mingle
Kindergartener Kayleigh Curran takes a big bite of ice cream.Max Pollitzer (left) and Braden Danow check out each other’s bingo cards.
Eleven-year-old Zachary Gould of Candy Lane gives kindergartener Maddie Margolis a heaping
helping of whipped cream.
Anna Romanella of Mark Drive points to the calendar on the wall
in Karen Johnson’s classroom to show her son Steven which day
he will start school.
Sara Abramson
(left) observes
the door
hangers Kendall
Konigsberg and
Eliana Geririni
are coloring
at the Ridge
Street School
ice cream social
for incoming
kindergartners
on Tuesday,
Sept. 3.
Photo story
by
Claire K. Racine

2. Friday, September 12, 2014 | WESTMORE NEWS 13
PORT CHESTER DAY
A day late, but still great
Six-year-old Lily Wolf of Hillandale Road, Rye Brook, grins when she sees her Minnie Mouse face
paint that matches her t-shirt. Lael Porcelli of Hobart Avenue and her sister Lind painted faces
at the Lemonade for Leukemia booth to raise money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Because of possible thunderstorms, the 26th
annual Port Chester Day at Lyon Park was moved
from Saturday, Sept. 6 to Sunday, Sept. 7.
Julia Caputo of Greenwich shares a taste of her ice cream with
her brother Eric.
Picture story by
Claire K. Racine
Children jump in the bounce castle, one of the many inflatable
rides and games set up in Lyon Park.
José Luis Farias of Poningo Street helps his 7-year-old son, Alexander, paint his ring toss game green
and white. Home Depot provided all the wooden materials and supplies.
Watched by their father, Vinicio Rodriguez of Clark Place, 7-year-
old Marisabel dances with her 11-month-old sister, Annie, to the
music played by Rave On.

3. Administrative
including business office,
legal, central office, insurance
$2.62 million
Library and
technology
$2.01 million
Special
education
$13.71 million
Athletics
and activities
$702,000
Employee benefits
$20.57 million
Guidance and
health services
$3.27 million
Debt service and
facilities operations,
maintenance
$10.37 million
Transportation
$2.51 million
School instruction
including salaries,
supplies, supervision,
curriculum development
$35.96 million
Fund
balance
(district reserves)
$4.1 million
Property taxes
including STAR
$61.21 million
Other
$1.53 million
PILOTs
(paymentsinlieuoftaxes)
$1.85 million
County
sales tax
$1.7 million
State aid
$21.33 million
ä
ä
ä
ä
ä
ä
Proposed
2015-16 budget
$91.72 million
ä
ä
ä
ä
ä
ä
ää
ä
In
Out
This piggybank breakdown, using information gathered from the school board’s adopted 2015-16
budget, shows what funds the Port Chester spending plan and where the money goes.
CLAIRE K. RACINE AND RICHARD ABEL|WESTMORE NEWS

4. Here’s what’s inside
People..............................2
10573 Events...................5
Nearby Events...............6-7
Opinion..........................8-9
Sports........................12-14
Police Briefs...................15
Arts & Entertainment....16-17
Religious Services..........16
Classifieds.................18-19
PORT CHESTER
Westmore
NEWSVol. 51 No. 16 • An edition of Westmore News
Friday, April 17 -Thursday, April 23, 2015
Your Village,
Your Paper,
Your News
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Editor@westmorenews.com
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Port Chester, NY 10573-4197
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since 1964
WestmoreNews.com
Administrative
including business office,
legal, central office, insurance
$2.62 million
Library and
technology
$2.01 million
Special
education
$13.71 million
Athletics
and activities
$702,000
Employee benefits
$20.57 million
Guidance and
health services
$3.27 million
Debt service and
facilities operations,
maintenance
$10.37 million
Transportation
$2.51 million
School instruction
including salaries,
supplies, supervision,
curriculum development
$35.96 million
Fund
balance
(district reserves)
$4.1 million
Property taxes
including STAR
$61.21 million
Other
$1.53 million
PILOTs
(paymentsinlieuoftaxes)
$1.85 million
County
sales tax
$1.7 million
State aid
$21.33 million
ä
ä
ä
ä
ä
ä
Proposed
2015-16 budget
$91.72 million
ä
ä
ä
ä
ä
ä
ä
ä
ä
In
Out
PCHSsoftball
teammakesa
comeback
Lady Rams shut out Gorton,
beat Byram Hills after losing
badly to Fox Lane.
For the story, page 12
Port Chester school budget
boasts additions, not cutsBy Claire K. Racine
Once again, Port Chester
schools are looking at additions
rather than cuts in the coming
school year, something the school
board could not be more thrilled
about.
“For many years the board
was forced to cut programs to
balance the budget,” said Board
of Education President Carolee
Brakewood. “I get nightmares
where I think about our situation
justfiveyearsagowhenthebudget
was so tight that the board was
actually discussing cutting full-
day kindergarten to a half-day
program.”
During the 2011-12 school
year, the district proposed that
drastic measure to close a $2
million budget gap caused by the
newlyinstatedNewYorkStatetax
levy cap. Ultimately with conces-
sions from all district bargaining
units and additional state aid, the
school board did not have to go
that route. In the following years,
the district was able to make the
switch to actually expanding pro-
grams, something that has never
been more evident than in the
spending plan that will go before
voters in May.
“The 2015-16 budget is truly
exciting in that we are able to
add programs like elementary
science, enrichment and summer
school that will make a palpable
differenceintheexperienceofour
students,” Brakewood said.
“I can look at this budget and
say the children we serve will be
better off—significantly better
off—because of this budget and
all the things we’re adding back
in to give them opportunities,”
added board member Jim Dreves.
Besides the elements that the
Board of Education president
This piggybank breakdown, using information gathered from the school board’s adopted 2015-16
budget, shows what funds the Port Chester spending plan and where the money goes.
CLAIRE K. RACINE AND RICHARD ABEL|WESTMORE NEWS
Please turn to page 20
Picture-worthy
pictures
PCHS IB art students
display their work
For the story, page 20
Drunkdriver
crashesintowall
Rye man arrested on
felony drunk driving
charges in Port Chester
For Police Briefs, page 15
Future projects to improve Port Chester’s sewer system, like
the work done on Highland Street in January, could potentially
qualifyforgrantfundingcourtesyofthenewWaterInfrastructure
Improvement Act. CLAIRE K. RACINE|WESTMORE NEWS
Please turn to page 10
Newstatefundingstreamtohelp
villageswithwaterinfrastructureBy Claire K. Racine
New funding streams to assist municipalities are as rare as rain in
California right now, which is why a new grant program to fund water
infrastructure projects is so thrilling forAssemblyman Steve Otis who
championed the idea.
“Iinitiatedabigproposalinthestatebudgettocreatenewstategrant
funding for municipalities doing clean water infrastructure projects,”
said Otis, who represents Port Chester and Rye Brook.
Aspartofthe2015-16NewYorkStatebudget,theWaterInfrastructure
ImprovementAct of 2015 allows municipalities to vie for a cut of $200
million to fund waste water and drinking water projects. Specifically,
the act allows for the replacement or repair of infrastructure or projects
that comply with environmental and public health laws and regulations
related to water quality.
“Basicallymunicipalitiespayforthisworkeitherthroughborrowing
or just local taxpayer dollars,” Otis explained. Instead, local govern-
ments can try and get grant money to offset part of the cost.
One reason Otis pushed for the act was because of the sewer rent
fee Port Chester enacted to pay for needed repairs and replacement of
1%say‘no’
Port Chester parents opt
not to opt out of state
assessments
For the story, page 10
Please turn to page 10
Two
for
tenure
For the story, page 2
2 top village officials get
2-year contract extensions
By Jananne Abel
As one of the last acts of the
Port Chester Board of Trustees
before Mayor Dennis Pilla took
office,theyextendedthecontracts
of Village Attorney Anthony
Cerreto and Village Manager
Christopher Steers for two years.
Cerreto’scontractwouldhave
expired on May 31, 2015. Steers’
contractwasnotsettoexpireuntil
Oct. 11, 2016. They will now
expire on May 31, 2017 and Oct.
11, 2018 respectively.
With this contract, Cerreto’s
salary was set at $139,156 for
2015-16 while Steers’salary will
not be immediately increasing.
With Pilla set to be sworn in
forhisfourthtermasmayor—fol-
lowing a two-year hiatus during
which Neil Pagano served as
mayor—the next day, the vil-
lage board voted unanimously
to extend the contracts of these
twotopvillageofficialsonApr.6.
At that meeting, Trustee Dan
Brakewood told Steers he dis-
tinctly remembered talking to
himonthephoneinFloridawhen
he was being considered for the
village’s new Director of Code
Enforcement position.
Steers has been village man-
ager since May 21, 2014, previ-
ously having served as Director
of Code Enforcement, acting
building inspector and assistant
villagemanager,allunderVillage
Manager Chris Russo.
“I’m glad you decided to join
the Village of Port Chester and
madeitacareerpath,”Brakewood
said. “Having you is vital to the
success of the village.”
Brakewood added that he was
concerned about the memo that
was attached to the resolution to
extend the manager’s contract in
the documentation for the meet-
ing. “That is something we have
to work out,” he said.
“Ihavebeentoldbydozensof
peopleviaconversations,emails,
texts,etc.thattheincomingmayor
is going to do whatever is within
hispowertogetridofmeandsev-
eral key team members,” Steers
wrote in the memo. He went on
to say he had been told “the team
may be dismantled by the dis-
missal of [Village Clerk] Janusz
[Richards], Tony [Cerreto],
[Treasurer] Leonie [Douglas]
and [Building Inspector] Peter
[Miley].”
In addition, he wrote: “There
may be a campaign of intimi-
dation, misdirection, micro-
management, busy work, gotcha
tactics and attempts to smear my
name.”

5. 20 WESTMORE NEWS | Friday, April 17, 2015
mentioned that will benefit the elementary
schools, the high school and middle school
will also get summer school. Port Chester
HighSchoolwillalsoprofitfromexpanded
course offerings that will bring more flex-
ibility to student schedules and the middle
school will gain another 8th
grade academy
allowing for smaller class sizes and more
differentiatedinstruction.District-wide,and
at all the schools, there are numerous other
additionsincludedintheproposed2015-16
spending plan.
Advocacy garners state aid
The restoration of lost programs and
infusion of new ones comes courtesy of an
extra $1.7 million in state aid.
“Advocacy works,” Superintendent Dr.
Edward Kliszus, Jr. said simply.
Members of the community sent more
than 7,000 letters to state legislators and to
the governor explaining the plight of Port
Chester. Albany responded with a total aid
package of $21.3 million for the school
district.
This, the superintendent said, is a great
first step, but the state needs to fully fund
the Port Chester School District rather than
withholding essential dollars in order to
close its own budget deficits.
“The biggest impediment to a child’s
success is poverty,” Kliszus explained
emphatically.
Still,theimprovementsPortChesterhas
put in place is heading the district in the
right direction and the community needs to
show their support by coming out to vote
on May 19, he added.
“People need to come out and vote
their conscience,” he said. “You cannot
be complacent and stay home. The stakes
are too high. Our children are the future of
America. It sounds a little over the top, but
it’s the truth.”
Tax levy only slight increase
The$91.7millionbudgetadoptedbythe
schoolboardonTuesday,Apr.14isa3.73%
increase over the current one.
Muchofthat,however,isduetotheextra
state aid. The $61.2 million tax levy is only
a1.05%increase,whichisexactlyatthetax
cap. Often incorrectly assumed to be a 2%
cap, the actual formula to determine each
district’s unique cap is more complex than
that and takes into account the Consumer
Price Index, a tax base growth factor, state
adjustments, building aid, debt service and
payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs).
Despite the minor increase, most
residents should not have to pay more in
schooltaxesnextyearaslongastheyqualify
for STAR and did not make improvements
ontheirhometoincreasethevalue.Evenifa
homeowner’staxesgoup,heorshewillget
a refund from the state because the district
compliedwiththepropertytaxcapandalso
developed a plan to save one percent of the
2014-15budget,about$600,000,eachyear
for the next four years.
Throughsharedservicesandefficiencies,
the district has already saved taxpayers
around $3.4 million, well over the required
amount.
Residents can voice their approval of
the budget—or show their displeasure—at
the polls on May 19. Information on how
toregistertovoteandtheappropriateforms
are available on the school district website,
PortChesterSchools.org.
Port Chester school budget boasts additions, not cuts
Picture-worthy pictures
PCHS IB art students display their work
Photos by claire k. Racine
Each of the 20 Port Chester High School students
taking the International Baccalaureate (IB) Visual
Arts course exhibited eight pieces in the show, cre-
ated both in and out of class over the last two years.
The Apr. 9 show fulfilled one of the requirements
for year two of the IB Visual Arts curriculum, and
digital images of each student’s artwork will be
submitted for external assessment in order to dem-
onstrateexperimentation,exploration,manipulation
and refinement of a variety of visual arts activities.
The subjects of the students’ art included the
skeleton, water, Caravaggio, Goya’s Disasters of
War, Piranesi, family members, short story illustra-
tion, illustrated envelopes and crushed cans. The
art utilized various media including pencil, ink,
watercolor, papier mâché, oil, photography, collage,
drypoints,monoprints,acrylic,coloredpencils,chalk
and charcoal.
The students’ teacher for the IB course is April
Dessereau.
IB Visual Arts students
Jonathan Alarcon
Alexander Blas
Joshua Bonilla
Sonya Chandy
Lesly Diaz
Mathew Grose
Augustine Joseph
Salma Juarez
Emily Maldonado
Emma Manos
Brian Martinez
Ruhi Mathew
Marco Nieto
Jasmin O’Bryan
Nitara Ortiz
Isabella Roca
Pedro Rodriquez
Leslie Salcedo
Tiffany Santa
Maria Vasquez
Leslie Salcedo, one of the Port Chester High School
International Baccalaureate Art students, points out a
drawing she made to her friend Jessica Bonilla at the
art show on Thursday, Apr. 9.
Port Chester High School senior Edin Melchor snaps a picture
on his phone of a photo taken by Emily Maldonado.
Port Chester High School instructors Mike
Mouracade (left), who teaches history and
arthistory,andJamesStamboni,whoteaches
studio art and drawing and painting, check
out the work of Augustine Joseph.
Ruhi Mathew holds up a semi-self-portrait which also includes
elements of her younger sister.
Jenny and Tom Manos look at the
artwork created by some of their
daughterEmma’sfellowstudents.
Continued from page 1