RyeCity REVIEW THE
May 6, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 19 | www.ryecityreview.com
County board votes to cede control of Rye Playland By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
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With $3 million set aside thanks to a New York state grant, the city of Rye is moving forward on a list of flood mitigation projects with the hope that the work will help combat occurrences like Tropical Storm Irene, pictured. For story, see page 10. File photo
Internet utility co. looks to bolster Verizon cell service By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Verizon Wireless cellular service in Rye may see a major boost as the wireless infrastructure company Crown Castle looks to ramp up its presence from nine to 82 poles across the city. The proposed amendment to Crown Castle’s agreement with the city, which was introduced on Monday, April 13, would install nodes—points that connect cellular users to the Internet—in an additional 73 poles across the city.
An increased number of nodes, according to Joseph Klem, a government relations representative for Crown Castle, would have a drastic impact for cellular users in the city of Rye who wield their phones for an increasingly wider array of data-intensive uses. “Cell service is not what it was five years ago,” Klem said at a recent City Council meeting. “You used to get text messages… now you are watching [high-definition] videos and soon enough 4K [ultra HD] videos.” Because of the shift in us-
age, Klem said, it’s necessary for wireless providers to bolster their infrastructure to accommodate increased strain on their towers. Unfortunately for those using a cellular carrier other than Verizon, however, improvements to such infrastructure won’t have any effect. According to Councilwoman Emily Hurd, a Democrat, additions by Crown Castle are being contracted by Verizon and would only affect those users who use the Verizon network. That means residents who use a comparable network like
AT&T—including Hurd, who characterizes her house on Milton Point as a “dead zone”— would not benefit from Crown Castle’s installations. “There are certain areas that don’t have great coverage,” Hurd said. “I think that’s a universal truth in Rye.” According to Klem, additions to the company’s equipment would also have an impact in a more critical setting, like a natural disaster. “If you need to call for an emergency, everyone would be VERIZON continued on page 9
A roller coaster ride between the management company Standard Amusements and Westchester County came to a close on Monday night after the county Board of Legislators voted overwhelmingly to move forward with a 30-year agreement transferring control of Rye Playland. “I cannot be more thankful to County Executive [Rob] Astorino and the Westchester Board of Legislators for their vote of confidence,” said cofounder of Standard Amusements Nicholas Singer, who sat in the audience as the votes were cast. “This is a wonderful day for Westchester.” On May 2, the Board of Legislators approved the agreement—which has undergone several transformations since its introduction in June 2015—committing the county and its taxpayers to $32 million in capital improvements for the ailing amusement park. The final vote passed by a margin of 13-4. While many legislators from both sides of the political aisle accepted the agreement, touting its pragmatism, Democratic legislators Catherine Parker of Rye, Ken Jenkins of Yonkers, Catherine Borgia of Ossining and Alfreda Williams of White Plains outright rejected it. “When you have a partner,
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that means you’re sharing in the risk, and sharing in the reward,” Jenkins said at Monday’s meeting. “But if we want to sit here and try to suggest this is a partnership arrangement; our partner is putting up $5 million in four months, we’re putting up $32 million, tonight… I don’t know what you call that.” The ratified agreement will see Standard expand on its initial investment of $5 million, which will go toward new rides, and eventually invest another $27 million of its own money into the park over the course of a 5-year period. For now, the county will continue to co-manage the park with Standard, and according to county administration officials, the company will take over full control of the park’s management after 50 percent of the county’s agreed to capital investments have been made. Tentatively, the administration has set a date for transition for Nov. 1, 2018. According to the agreement, when the county has expended 50 percent of the $32 million in proposed capital projects, they will also begin sharing 8 percent of Standard’s profits; a number that will incrementally rise to 12 percent by the deal’s end. Projects outlined in the deal include rehabilitation of the park’s shoreline, infrastructure PLAYLAND continued on page 5
Killian touches upon drug issue in Rye Column on page 10.