March 17, 2017

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Harrison REVIEW THE

PITCH COUNTS

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Harrison’s Dean McCarthy throws a pitch against Rye in 2016. This season, new pitch count rules have been introduced in New York state. For story, see page 15. Photo/Mike Smith

March 17, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 11 | www.harrisonreview.com

Town adds $1.3M from revenues to capital fund The town/village of Harrison has put more than $1 million in revenues collected through various fees last year into a capital projects fund. While that money is now reThe 2016 Harrison budget stricted to be used only for capiestimated $1.9M in buildtal projects, the board still must ing fee and permit revenue. decide whether to apply the fund The town actually collected to several small projects or a few $2.5M from building fees large ones. and permits At a Town Council meetMarch 17, 2017ing| Vol. 5, this Number 8 |town www.cityreviewnr.com earlier month the The 2016 budget estimated committed placing $1.3 million $1.4M in fines and forfeitof surplus into a reserve fund ed bail revenue. The town separate from the overall fund actually collected $2.1M balance to be used specifically from fines and forfeited bail for capital projects and improvements. The town estimated it Those conservative would collect $3.6 million in projections allowed Harrevenue from permits and fees in rison to collect a surplus 2016. But according to Maureen totaling more than $1.3M MacKenzie, the town comptroller, the town collected more than $700,000 over budget from fines and forfeited bail, and more than He suggested, for example, $600,000 from building and per- the town’s Department of Pubmit fees. lic Works, which may be due That money is now restricted for some infrastructural reto be used for future capital proj- pairs. “Those conditions [of the ects, although the town has not DPW’s garage] are, frankly, very yet specified which project or problematic,” Malfitano said. He projects it would finance. also suggested repair projects Councilman Steve Malfitano, to the community centers in the a Republican, said that he gener- downtown Harrison and West ally prefers using reserve funds Harrison districts. pointed Nelson Canter, a former to finance large capital projects “These are things that are gotown justice, as a new deputy rather than minor repairs or up- ing to need to be addressed in the town attorney to replace Fred grades. “When you place funds future,” the councilman told the Castiglia. The appointment into a reserve such as this for Review. “We’re trying to address came just after Castiglia had capital improvements, you po- them now.” passed away in April 2015; at tentially run the risk of a future MacKenzie said she could not the age of 76. board deciding that they want to release the amount of the town’s Today, the town is also dealuse this fund… for minor capital general fund balance, as she has ing with another current vacancy projects,” he said. not yet completed her annual auin its government. The councilman added that dit as of press time. Town officials are still considthere are several large-scale For fiscal year 2017, Harering whether or not to appoint projects the town could under- rison has a total budget of an interim judge to fill a vacancy take to take advantage of the $59.1 million. left by Town Justice Joseph Cancapital project reserve fund. -Reporting by Corey Stockton nella, who passed away last December at the age of 66. Town Attorney Frank Allegretti could not be reached for Trotta’s robbery suspect nabbed comment as of press time.

At a glance

Deputy village attorney resigns; replacement search begins In wake of Deputy Village Attorney Chris Cipolla’s resignation, the town/village of Harrison has begun a search to fill the position, according to the mayor. On March 2, Cipolla resigned from his position, which he had been serving in since 2012. Cipolla, 32, was first appointed by Mayor Ron Belmont, a Republican, to replace Bob Paladino. “This is monumental loss and he’s definitely going to be missed,” Belmont said. Belmont declined to comment about the time frame of the hiring process for Cipolla’s successor, and would not disclose any information about names or individuals that have expressed in-

terest in the job. It also remains unclear why Cipolla resigned, something Belmont declined to disclose to the Review. Councilman Stephen Malfitano, a Republican, said he is expecting the process to be completed “sooner rather than later.” He added that, as a result of the highly demanding nature of the Harrison Law Department, which is structured with four attorneys on staff, the town would have to be mindful in appointing a candidate “as soon as possible.” “We’re going to miss him very much,” Malfitano said of Cipolla. “He’s a good attorney, a bright young man that always

gives 1,000 percent effort.” Cipolla operates a private practice specializing in real estate law, and is a principal in Excalibur Sports Inc., where he handles salary arbitration for Major League Baseball. The Harrison native received his J.D. degree from New York Law School in 2009 and graduated from the University of Maryland in College Park with a Bachelor of Arts in 2006. Cipolla was paid an annual salary of $75,944 and earned a stipend of $10,000. His departure comes a little more than a year after the last shakeup in the department. In January 2016, the town ap-

INSIDE

-Reporting by Franco Fino

Story on page 9.


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March 17, 2017 by The Harrison Review - Issuu