A Ghost from the Past Returns — Zehy Jereis Back in Business in Yonkers

We have received several contacts from our friends in Yonkers who report that Zehy Jereis has returned from an 18-month exile in Brooklyn, where he allegedly owned and operated a couple of car washes. Jereis, the former Yonkers GOP chairman, has a shady and tarnished political career, which eventually resulted in his stepping down as chairman in 2006.

Shortly after his resignation, Jereis disappeared from Yonkers. Months later, the car wash explanation surfaced. Jereis’ departure from Yonkers coincides with U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia’s investigation into political corruption, in Westchester and in Yonkers, began picking up steam. Garcia subpoenaed ethics disclosure records on Jereis.

A law enforcement source explained that Jereis’ departure is exactly the way that the Feds handle a cooperating confidential informant, or RAT. There is no real proof yet that Jereis sang —  just connected the dots here.

What really threw me for a loop was when I heard that Jereis was back in the business of politics in Yonkers, to the point in which he held a fundraising event for a prominent Democrat, yes a Dem, and reached out to a Yonkers Republican interested in running for a council seat in the fall. We are trying to get confirmation before we list the names of the Dem and Rep.

Clearly, Yonkers politics neither needs nor wants a return of Zehy Jereis. The best way to see this is to see how smoothly the Yonkers GOP is running, with John Jacono as chairman, and Steve Levy and Justin Tubilulo underneath. While there have been no election wins for the new Yonkers GOP lately, at least we aren’t hearing on a daily basis calls for the chairman to resign.

That’s why Zehy needs to go back to buffing cars.

Yonkers Developers, Listen Up!

Many Yonkers residents believe that the $1.6 billion redevelopment plan currently proposed for downtown Yonkers could be the answer to their prayers for a much-needed area renaissance. I believe that to be true, but along with great improvements come great waiting periods, so in the meantime, I also believe there are reasonable steps that could be taken to make Yonkers the commuter-friendly, much-happening hotspot that young professionals who moved here from Manhattan had hoped it would be:

1)    Going Postal – The oppressively long lines at the Yonkers Post Office offers those of us in the BlackBerry-wielding set the chance to have the life sucked out of our lunch hour while we fantasize about that magical “Brigadoon”-esque time of day when the lines disappear and we get service that is speedy and not Harlem-like (I’ve lived there, so I know). Young professionals are fast-moving and enjoy crossing tasks off our to-do lists, so why not install an Automated Postal Center for those of us self-reliants who have our envelopes and packages (and our debit cards) ready to go and just need the official USPS stamp of approval?

2)    Coffee (Money) Makers – As corporate as it is, Starbucks is uber-popular because people enjoy having more choices when it comes to their morning java. Opening a Starbucks or a Dunkin’ Donuts (if American runs on it, why not Yonkers?) would infuse the area with caffeinated commerce, and give workers an extra boost before they clock in, making for an all-around perkier neighborhood.

3)    More Food Choices – There’s a reason why Andiamo, at 61 Main St., is always crammed at lunchtime (other than its close quarters) – Yonkers professionals care about what they put in their bodies. We need more places like that and Pass Me Not International Green Market (15 Main St.); otherwise, it’s a choice between McDonald’s and pizza. Not to mention the fact that there is no supermarket in the downtown area. I’m all for supporting the mom-and-pop markets, but I can’t expect them to be open at 8 or 9 p.m., when I’m craving mint chocolate chip ice cream or reduced-price sushi. And can I be so bold as to suggest a Jamba Juice?

4)    A Little Help for the Car-less – Speaking of hours of operation, much like NYC’s Wall Street/Battery Park area, most merchants and services in downtown Yonkers shut down around 6 p.m., which leave those of us without a car virtually stranded. For example, the Bee-Line doesn’t offer a through-line bus after 5:30 p.m., so if I want to take a trip to Stew Leonard’s after work or hit the mall or a movie, my options are rather limited. Now if the MTA would offer evening buses out of Getty Square, I’d be a happy camper … er, commuter.

5)    Movies, Anyone? – A movie theatre downtown would be the perfect solution to finding ample after-work options in the downtown area. The Yonkers Downtown Waterfront BID had it right this summer when they offered outdoor movies, but we need our flicks fix year-round! Build a movie complex and model it after the Cinema de Lux at National Amusements City Center 15 in White Plains: Include comfortable couches in the lobby and a bar and restaurant, so cinephiles can grab a drink or a bite beforehand — a bite that doesn’t involve nachos and Goobers (don’t worry, junk mavens, they have those there as well).

Certainly, with $1.6 billion of development, the City of Yonkers will be given a real opportunity to flourish. But until the ribbons are cut, I urge our city services and merchants to consider making the above adjustments. We need a Yonkers that can keep up with the multitask-happy pace of a resident looking to maintain career, wellness and a social life on a day-to-day basis.  

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SFC Update

     Tonight, the Yonkers City Council Real Estate Committee met and set a date for next Wednesday, November 5, to vote on the Findings Statement for the SFC redevelopment project. While the council has reviewed the massive $1.6 billion plan for downtown Yonkers for more than one year, the vote next week will be the first in which the people of Yonkers find out where the council stands on this project.    

     A previous vote last month to accept the Final Environmental Impact Statement as complete was not a vote for or against the project, just a vote to conclude the environmental review. The council vote on accepting the FEIS was 5-2, with Councilwomen Sandi Annabi and Joan Gronowski voting no.

     Whether or not Annabi or Gronwoski’s “no” vote is a prelude to their opposing the project is anyone’s guess, and it is still unclear what the final vote is on the Findings Statement, which outlines some of the details of what the council would like to see as part of a final agreement between the developers and the city.
     But it is expected that there will be at least four votes to approve a findings statement next Wednesday. This would move the project along to the next step, which would be for the council to approve a Land Disposition Agreement (LDA) for the SFC plan.

     The LDA is where the details of the project are finalized, after negotiations between the mayor, the council and SFC. Mayor Amicone, in an effort to move along the process, has begun to draft an LDA and has had briefings on it with the City Council (these meetings are the subject of our other blog entry — mayor and Gronowski).
     Eventually, all parties must get together and negotiate the term of the LDA. These sessions have not yet begun, in part because parts of the Findings Statement will determine the details of the LDA.
     Look for LDA negotiations to take some time, because the council and the developer remain far apart on a few issues. They include:

I-Affordable housing — SFC has proposed that 6 percent of the residential units they build be set aside for affordable housing. The City Council has proposed 20 percent, led by Councilwoman McDow on this issue. The developers claim that 20 percent won’t work. An agreement north of 10 percent is the most likely outcome.

II-Yonkers Fire Department (YFD) — Yonkers Firefighters Local 628 President Hugh Fox has commented again and again at council meetings on his concern about the ability of his members to safeguard the community if the SFC project is built, without more manpower and equipment. We’re hearing mixed messages from within the Fire Department on SFC, and while Fox is opposed to the project, without increases to the YFD budget, others claim that SFC is already doing enough (building a new firehouse and fire headquarters) to more than adequately protect the public. More on this in next week’s Home News & Times.
    The issue remains unresolved, with several councilmembers questioning the SFC plan for the YFD, based on Fox’s comments.

III-Sale of land by the city to SFC — In order to build their project, SFC must acquire several parcels of land from the city. This includes parcels in and around Getty Square and Chicken Island, and riverfront property downtown.
    It’s the riverfront properties, known as parcels H&I, that are the most valuable asset. With a looming budget deficit facing the city, look for the City Council to try and negotiate a multimillion-dollar payment for the H&I parcels to ease next year’s budget pain.

    The issue of the landmarking of 87 Nepperhan Ave. appears to have fizzled, with a majority on the council not in favor of landmarking. No council vote has been planned to designate 87 Nepperhan a landmark, an indication that council may take a pass on this issue.

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(“The spoken word perishes; the written word remains.”)

 

Words matter.

Whether it’s putting the right words in the right order so that those reading a calendar listing know exactly where to go, or choosing the right diction when telling a gripping tale about a personal experience, or just letting the facts do the talking when reporting on the latest community happening, we at Rising Media Group work hard to get it right each week.

Through our nine Westchester County newspapers, we fill our pages with the best in local, regional, state and national news that affects you and yours. And here in this space, we use one of our favorite words: unfettered. We want to fill this blog with raw and honest commentary, unrestricted and straight-talking.

The best part about this blog? We’d like you to share a few choice words with us. This is a dialogue, so speak your mind. We’ll opine about people, politics, seasonal events and everything in between, and we encourage you to do the same.

So speak up, Yonkers! We know you well, and we’re listening.

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