CANDIDATE FOR VILLAGE MAYOR:

KEN BIALO

A HISTORY of ACCOMPLISHMENTS

(January 26, 2006)

Making Village Government Better:

• Instituted Saturday morning office hours to foster open and informal communications with residents
• Residents heard early at Board meetings, not at midnight
• Dozens of bi-partisan appointments to Village committees – new residents, those previously excluded
• Strong working relationship with other local Sound Shore Town/Village boards and leaders
• Instituted Board reforms, including requiring that a vote for a non-budget item over $5,000 must be on the public agenda; public airing of all important issues; no newsletter using taxpayer money during political campaigns
• Instituted a mid-fiscal year budget performance review
• Instituted new resident-friendly procedures in Village committees, commissions and boards
• Improved procedures in the Building Department
• Gave well-deserved recognition to Village staff and committee volunteers
• Hired separate, dedicated professional for fire inspections.

Tackling Tough Issues:

• Kept Village taxes as low as possible, in the face of drastic state pension fund increases, without sacrificing any Village services
• Continued the fight against budget-busting tax increases from the County
• Revised antiquated Zoning code, added bulky house regulations, strengthened Site Plan Review law
• Created Village Committee on the Issue of Open Space
• Improved coordination among the three land-use boards and with the Building Department
• Pressed successfully for County financing and help for sewer repairs to clean up Long Island Sound
• Negotiated current cable-TV agreement for the Village (and Town and Village of Mamaroneck), obtaining highest cable company funding per subscriber in County – recipient of LMC-TV’s Mary Anne Sullivan Award
• Working with the Quiet Skies Committee to reduce air traffic noise
• Recognized leader and strategist in the successful fight against IKEA
  

Making Infrastructure and Community Quality of Life Improvements:

• Successful in obtaining numerous grants for Police, Fire and Public Works Departments, and for environmental improvements and our parks
• Brought together many diverse constituencies to prepare plans for the once-in-a-lifetime expansion of Flint Park playing fields and new waterfront conservation area
• Encouraged and fostered creation of new “small-town” events, such as the Pet Parade and Outdoor Art Show, and supported Library’s creation of Big Trucks Day
• Instituted annual safety survey of Village trees with removal of dead trees a priority
• Planted approximately 250 new trees, with 80 more planned for 2006
• Launched first-ever engineering study of flooding in Pine Brook area
• Supported private-public partnership for improvements to playground in Flint, Addison and Palmer Avenue Parks
• New sidewalks, curbs, streetlights, trees, in the Boston Post Road business district
• Revised outdoor tables and chairs law to encourage more outdoor dining
• Successfully negotiated with Verizon to relocate its huge, unsightly fiber optic boxes
• Cleaner streets in both business districts, including Saturday afternoon trash pick-up
• Painted traffic light poles black to make them blend into the streetscape
• Village website revamped and modernized
• Improvements in stormwater management, including clean-up of stormwater runoff with new equipment for DPW, soon to be delivered
• Spruced up Larchmont Senior Center
• Pushed for specific commuter-friendly improvements (concession stand, air conditioning, larger waiting room) finally agreed to by Metro-North, and coordinated the reconstruction of the railroad station so as to minimize disruption
• Worked with Village residents to shape County plan for new Flint Avenue pump station and back-up generators on traffic islands
• Committed to acquisition of new Fire Department pumper truck
• Improvements to Pine Brook Park tee-ball field
• Oversaw completion of SSO project behind Flint Park and planning for improved landscaping
• Eliminated flooding on Addison Street
• Removed unnecessary telephone and sign poles to unclutter the streetscape
• Regulated hours of construction
• Supported Village Hall improvements, including replacement of boiler system, extensive renovation of Fire Department career staff facilities, installed new basement floor and new phone system
• Supported Opening of Saturday Farmer’s Market on railroad parking deck
• New traffic light system on Boston Post Road at Beach Avenue
• New trash enclosures
• Supported local merchants’ beautification efforts
• Joint Response Team with Mamaroneck Village as part of Emergency Preparedness plans

But There's Still More To Do:

• Finish the Flint Park Playing Field Expansion and Waterfront Conservation Area
• Finish the renovations of Addison and Palmer Avenue Parks
• Continue to search for ways to share services among the Town and the Villages
• Extend streetscape improvements to the Palmer Avenue Business District
• Continue environmental improvements, including management and clean-up of stormwater and related problems, and dealing with flooding issues
• Complete the unfinished job of providing all-weather emergency shelter
• Continue to work to assure cable T.V. competition in the Village
• Re-assess the need for capital equipment and infrastructure improvements