Mamaroneck REVIEW THE
July 28, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 30 | www.mamaroneckreview.com
Rye moves forward on county, Playland appeal By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
Making a difference Charlotte Ference plays the ukulele with a boy in Fandani, the village in South Africa where she taught English for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer. For story, see page 6. Photo courtesy Jack Parker
Mamaroneck holds second annual Tiki Invasion By TAYLOR BROWN General Assignment Reporter Clear skies and warm temperatures made for an ideal night, as families came out to Stephen E. Johnston Beach for an evening filled with food and entertainment at the second annual Tiki Invasion. On Friday, July 21, Harbor Island Park was filled with tiki torches, a tiki bar and flower leis,
as the beach was transformed into a tropical getaway for Mamaroneck and its surrounding communities. The event was co-hosted by the village of Mamaroneck Recreation Department and Larchmont-Mamaroneck Community Television, LMCTV, a nonprofit organization that produces programs covering local politics and events throughout Mamaroneck, Larchmont and Rye Neck.
“Our idea was to celebrate community spirit and share the beauty of Harbor Island,” said Matt Sullivan, chief operating officer for LMCTV. For the first Tiki Invasion, Sullivan said that LMCTV had gone to the village Recreation Department to discuss their vision for the event which included “a steel drum band, bonfire, food trucks and an outdoor film screening.” The dream came to life last
year and, now in its second year, has brought in more than 2,200 people. “We really tried to let as many people know what was happening and I think it had a really wide reach, not just in Mamaroneck,” Sullivan said. The event brought in three different food trucks for guests to choose from, including A Place TIKI continued on page 5
After a tight vote of the Rye City Council, an appeal seeking to overturn a court’s decision granting Westchester County more authority over renovations at Playland could be imminent. The 4-3 vote, which came on July 12, will prompt the city attorney to draw up an official appeal. The drafting of a resolution will mark the first step toward locking into another legal spat with the county. Council members voted to file a notice of appeal in April; granting the city six months to solidify an official appeal. The city will now have approximately two months to officially file the appeal before a statute of limitations runs out. According to Rye City Councilman Rich Mecca, a Republican, barring a change in the way negotiations between the county and Rye have been conducted— members of the City Council have repeatedly stated that they were not given a seat at the table when it comes to negotiations with Playland on capital projects and infrastructure work—an Article 78 challenging a state court’s decision rendered in April is likely. In May 2016, county lawmakers voted to strike a deal with the investment firm Standard Amusements—spearheaded by Harrison native Nick Singer—to transfer management of the park and inject $60 million of capital into
improvements and new rides. Of that total investment, $30 million is slated to come from county funds. In August of that year, the city filed a lawsuit against the county claiming the county incorrectly declared itself lead agency on an upcoming round of capital projects at the park. That lawsuit was thrown out by a state judge in March of this year, prompting the city to consider filing an appeal. Although owned by the county, Playland sits within the city of Rye and adjacent to residential neighborhoods. So far, the prospect of an appeal pitting the city against the administration of County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, has drawn mixed sentiments from the council, however. From the council dais, Rye City Councilwoman Killian, a Republican, voted against the move, stating during roll call “absolutely not.” “In an appeals case we can win the battle, but lose the war,” she told the Review. “It’s highly unlikely that we’ll win the battle and win the war.” Further, Killian said the downside to appealing the March ruling could far outweigh the benefits. “It’s going to make the relationship with the county worse, and our relationship with Standard Amusements worse,” she said. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com