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Harrison REVIEW THE
October 28, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 44 | www.harrisonreview.com
Internal affairs Chris Rodier, the Democratic candidate running for Town Council, claims he is being harassed by the Harrison Police Department, alleging an officer asked to speak with him about a request for town information he made over the summer. For story, see page 9. File photo
Candidates debate budget, staffing in West Harrison
budget. Dionisio, a lifelong Harrison resident, focused on geographic and demographic In the first of two forums for figures—including the mileage Town Council, candidates Chris of town roads and the number Rodier and Rich Dionisio ad- of people that pass through the dressed questions about Harri- town in comparison to the resison’s expenses and its number of dential population—to challenge employees. Roider’s claims that budget and Rodier, a Democrat, and Di- staffing should be reduced. onisio, a Republican, met at the “These are facts that I think you Harrison Center on have to compare to budgets; and October 28, 2016 | Vol. 4, West Number 44Senior | www.eastchesterreview.com Oct. 13 to confront voters’ ques- it’s hard to compare Harrison tions less than one month before to other communities because Election Day. Rodier, a nine- I think our services are great,” year resident of Harrison and a Dionisio said, adding that he software engineer, attempted to wanted to save the town from paint himself as a technically unnecessary taxes, but not at the savvy outsider with a knack for expense of services. statistical analysis. “I’d like to Rodier also faced criticism bring new ideas and a fresh per- from the crowd based on a spective to Harrison,” he said. claim made on Taxual that 160 Since September, Rodier has employees was a “responsible” used Taxual.com—a website he number, more than 100 less than created which compares Har- the town’s current headcount of rison’s taxes to those of other 264. That figure has since been Westchester municipalities in- taken off the website. In recluding Rye, New Castle and sponse, Rodier pledged not to Yorktown—to showcase his data remove employees to bring staffanalyses and criticize the current ing down; instead, he said, he October 28, 2016 Vol. Using 4, Number 32 | www.cityreviewnr.com town |board. Taxual, Rodiwould try to stop the town from er has paid particular attention to hiring while staffing reduced senior at the college. “But, I’ve the number of people employed through natural attrition. Rodier also faced criticism had friends who have had to by the town. “I believe in using data and for suggesting that the Police walk back to campus at night, which is extremely unsafe. By using facts to analyze problems Department may be overstaffed. not having those hours, you’re because it’s very easy to say ‘I He was asked to comment on the waiting for an accident to hap- think it’s great that we have this number of interconnected freepen; and it may have already many people,’ or ‘we should ways in town and how that could happened with the recent loss have fewer people,’” he said. impact the demand for police of“But if you look at data and you ficers. the school took.” He said he would need to Prior to the service changes, do an actual analysis, that speaks the Valiant Express ran until volumes more than any individ- conduct an analysis on the impact that business and thru3:30 a.m. on Fridays and Satur- ual can say.” But Rodier’s analysis was traffic have on the police force days. Since the changes, the final bus on Fridays and Saturdays, refuted by Dionisio, who said to come up with an answer, but which transports students from he had met with several depart- added that he would not look to downtown White Plains back to ment heads during his campaign DEBATE continued on page 12 better understand the town campus, comes 1:30 a.m. October 28,at2016 | Vol. 4, toNumber 44 | www.mamaroneckreview.com According to J.J. Pryor, the college’s managing director of the office of communications, the Follow us on Twitter @harrisonreview college enacted the bus service
By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer
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Eastchester REVIEW THE
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THE
CityREVIEW NewRochelle Demand for increased Manhattanville bus service grows after death By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer With a considerable amount of attention centered on the recent death of Robby Schartner, a Manhattanville student who was killed by a drunk driver on Oct. 9, the college’s student body has reignited a debate about the school’s shuttle bus service. Schartner, a 21-year-old junior, was struck and killed by Emma Fox, of Rye, while walking along Westchester Avenue in White Plains in the early morning hours. It is believed that Schartner was walking back to campus after a night out on Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains. According to police, Fox, 24, had been traveling eastbound on
Westchester Avenue at about 5 a.m. when she fatally hit Schartner with her car, a 2012 Nissan Sentra. White Plains police reported that Fox had been intoxicated at the time of the incident and was measured with a blood alcohol of 0.21; the legal limit in New York state is 0.08. In the aftermath of the tragic event, Manhattanville students are pointing to last year’s controversial change by the school administration to alter the bus service schedule. “What’s it going to take for the school to realize that having transportation provided is for our own safety?” asked Jess Cowle, a junior at the college, which is located in Purchase. On Aug. 21, 2015, Sharlise
Smith-Rodriguez, the college’s dean of students, sent a welcome letter to the student body alerting them of upcoming events and changes in policy for the 201516 academic year. According to the memo, which was delivered as a blast email, the school changed the schedule for the Valiant Express. The bus service changes included the addition of four early morning runs to transport students from the college to and from White Plains from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Additionally, the last two weekend runs would be eliminated. “I get why they changed the hours because they didn’t want to be seen as encouraging drinking,” said Gianni Mogrovejo, a
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Mamaroneck REVIEW THE
MANHATTANVILLE continued on page 13
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