Harrison REVIEW THE
September 16, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 38 | www.harrisonreview.com
Rodier easily tops Stout in Democratic primary By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer West Harrison resident Christopher Rodier will run as the Democratic nominee for a seat on the Harrison Town Council, beating out incumbent Councilman Joseph Stout in the Sept. 13 primary election. Rodier, 40, a software engineer who has never held public office, won in a landslide victory, securing more than twice the number of votes his opponent
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received, according to unofficial results from the Westchester County Board of Elections. “As a newcomer, I was expecting it to be a close race,” Rodier told the Review the morning after his victory. “But I think it shows that the people in Harrison are ready for an overhaul in government.” Rodier said he intends to analyze overspending in the town government and develop transparency. He has also garnered the support of Save Harrison
Tyler Reno and Jack Breitenbach lay a hit on Harrison’s Brian Newsome on Sept. 10. Rye beat the Huskies 42-12 to even the all-time series between the rivals. For story, see page 14. Photo/Mike Smith
Inc., a community group that was founded in protest of the zoning amendment passed by the town board in May, before Rodier announced his candidacy. He is a board member of the group. The amendment, which is now the subject of a pending lawsuit filed by Save Harrison against the town, allows the building of senior living facilities on several residentially zoned areas, including the building of a Brightview senior living center in place
School district to put $46.5M bond up for vote By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer
of the defunct Lake Street Quarry in West Harrison. PRIMARY continued on page 8
In an effort to address overcrowding and infrastructural concerns, the Harrison school district will put a $46.5 million bond on the ballot in a districtwide October referendum. The $46.5 million bond would fund a project to restore infrastructure, mitigate enrollment concerns, improve energy efficiency and approach standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA, in all six schools within the district, according to district officials. At Parsons Memorial Elementary School in Harrison, students are taking classes in a room that, in the previous school year, had been two bathrooms and a custodial closet. The school’s band program holds classes in a basement hallway. At Harrison Avenue Elementary School a mile away, students are scheduled with shortened lunch periods to make up for the lack of space in the cafeteria. And the school itself is overcrowded. Over the summer, the Board of Education converted two of its offices into a small classroom. And more than 30 students have enrolled in the school since then. The district will need to borrow $46.5 million to fund an expansion at some schools and repair damages from aging at others, but needs public approval in order to do so. A vote on the bond is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 18 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. with polling stations at all Har-
At a glance School district to hold $46.5M bond referendum on Oct. 18 $24.9M would fund major infrastructure repairs and cafeteria expansion at LMK, and renovate the athletic field with bleachers, lights and new surface High school would use $8M for a new eightclassroom wing and an expansion to the guidance department Parsons Memorial School would get $6.5M for a new cafeteria, six new classrooms and an elevator Harrison Avenue School would get $4.8M for four new classrooms, a cafeteria expansion and additional bathrooms All schools in the district, including Purchase and Parsons, would receive minor infrastructural repairs and energy-efficiency measures rison elementary schools. According to Schools Superintendent Louis Wool, borrowing that amount will not raise school tax rates. Funding would be allocated from the district’s Interfund Transfers budget, currently BOND continued on page 9