July 2017 Serving Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Irvington, Scarborough-On-Hudson and Ardsley-On-Hudson Vol
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[see Pages H1-H8] 4 » Unique Bike Shop 12-16 » Celebrating Grads 27 » Local Novelist Your Most Trusted Source for Local News and Events July 2017 Serving Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Irvington, Scarborough-on-Hudson and Ardsley-on-Hudson Vol. XII No. 7 Barbelet Sworn-In as New Human Traffcking: A Hidden Crime in the Rivertowns Police Chief in Tarrytown by Andrea Kott by Rick Pezzullo fcking angle.” You’ve seen them. Young people hawk- It is important for communities and es- For the frst time in 23 years, ing candy bars outside CVS in Tarrytown. pecially law enforcement to recognize pos- the Village of Tarrytown has a Teens or adults going door-to-door ped- sible signs of trafcking, Boak said. Te new police chief after Lt. John dling magazine subscriptions. Some may Westchester County Anti-Trafcking Task Barbelet was sworn-in June 19 claim to be fundraising for schools that, Force provides such training to police de- to succeed retiring Chief Scott when pressed, they cannot name. Others partments once or twice a year at no cost. Brown. may say they’re earning points for youth “Local police are our frst line of defense Barbelet, 48, will earn an an- leadership programs that do not exist. against trafcking,” Boak said. “Tey’re the nual salary of approximately Such schemes could be signs of human eyes and ears of our communities. It’s criti- $172,000 to lead the Police De- trafcking and the youngsters, its victims, cal that they get training on this issue.” partment, which has 34 full-time according to Alison Boak, co-founder and Sleepy Hollow Police Chief Anthony sworn ofcers and fve part-time executive director of the International Or- Bueti said he is working on scheduling a members. Brown had been with New Tarrytown Police Chief John Barbelet poses ganization for Adolescents (IOFA), at a training for the department. Tarrytown Po- the force since 1981 and had with his wife and Mayor Drew Fixell after taking the breakfast sponsored by the League of Wom- lice Chief Scott Brown, who retired in June, been at the helm of the depart- oath of offce on June 19. en Voters of the Rivertowns held recently did not respond to requests for comment. ment since 1994. —Photo by Rick Pezzullo at the DoubleTree Hotel in Tarrytown. Boak cited numerous examples of traf- “Tis is an opportunity that has been a culmination of a 23-year career for me,” Barbelet Te trafcking of adults and children oc- fcking, including teenagers from Mexico said to a standing room only crowd of family, friends and fellow ofcers at Village Hall. curs throughout New York State, including who were made to work long hours without “Tis is not about the individual but about a group efort. I will always have the residents Westchester County, and is difcult to spot, pay at New York State sleep away camps, and this community as my number one priority.” which underscores the importance of know- and youngsters who were forced to work as After thanking his wife, two daughters, mother and in-laws, Barbelet mentioned his late ing how to recognize it, Boak said. maids or nannies. She described one watch- father, former Village Treasurer Gerry Barbelet, who died June 12, 2016. “Often you see human trafcking when ful Westchester resident who reported see- “He showed me what a great place Tarrytown can be,” he said. “I think he would be very other crimes are being committed: a kid ing a young girl emerge from a nearby house proud tonight.” stealing a car under duress or someone car- only late at night to take out the trash. Te Barbelet also saluted Brown, who was in attendance, rying drugs,” Boak said. Westchester, in- girl was a trafcking victim. for “passing along a professional, well-run organiza- cluding its river towns, is a prime place for Although not all youngsters selling candy tion.” trafcking because of its proximity to New bars or magazines are trafcked, their inabil- Mayor Drew Fixell ofciated over Barbelet’s promo- York City, large immigrant population, and ity to name the school or other purpose for PAID tion and commented on his credentials. businesses that rely on physical labor, she which they are fundraising could be a clue PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE U.S. PERMIT NO. 971 PERMIT NO. “We’re very lucky to have such an accomplished, noted. “Teft, larceny, domestic violence. that they are, Boak said. Other signs of traf- WHITE PLAINS, NY WHITE PLAINS, smart guy coming in,” Fixell said. All of these crimes could have a human traf- Continued on page 10 SH East Parcel Multi-Use Site Development Costs Projected Photo by Sunny McLean Sunny Photo by by Robert Kimmel When the fnal phase of Sleepy Hollow’s East Parcel project is completed for village use, ex- pected by 2026, costs of its construction will have reached an estimated $39 to $48 million. Tax revenue raised from the adjacent Edge- on-Hudson mixed-use development, however, will more than cover potential payments on bonds issued by the Sleepy Hollow Local De- velopment Corporation (SHLDC) to fnance the construction projects planned on the 29- Former UAW building on Beekman Avenue to be purchased by the SHLDC. acre East Parcel, part of the former General Motors site. consulting frm, on behalf of the SHLDC at a described how calculations were made to en- Tose assessments were presented to the meeting last month. sure Edge-on-Hudson tax revenue would also Village’s Board of Trustees by representatives David Schroedel, who served two years as provide funds for other village needs. Schroedel of WSP, a national engineering, construction chairman of the SHLDC until mid-June, also has become a consul- Continued on page 10 www.thehudsonindependent.com Name the Bridge Contest Entries Differ from Albany’s Decision by Robert Kimmel Cuomo Bridge.” His father died on January 1, 2015. Rivertown residents who entered this Westchester County Executive Rob Asto- newspaper’s “Name the Bridge Contest” rino strongly opposed the new name, claim- have opinions contrary to those of the New ing, “Te governor’s sly attempt to put his York State legislature when it comes to at- family’s name on the bridge, which he can’t taching a label to the new span replacing fgure how to pay for, even with his massive the old Tappan Zee Bridge. toll hikes on the horizon, is simply outra- Te State legislature in late June passed geous. Mario Cuomo has no connection a measure naming the new bridge for the whatsoever to Westchester or Rockland.” well-regarded Governor Mario Cuomo, Among the contest entries submitted who spent three terms, from 1983 to 1994, to Te Hudson Independent, fully a third, in that post. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s representing a plurality, called for the new signature made it ofcial, “Te Mario M. span to preserve the Tappan Zee Bridge label. Only one anticipated retaining the for keeping the Tappan Zee name because full name, the Governor Malcolm Wilson “It has history;” but she believed, “...most Tappan Zee Bridge, which is rarely used people don’t recognize Malcolm Wilson as in everyday conversation. None proposed the same bridge, and it gets confusing.” Governor Mario Cuomo’s name. Another reason for retaining the name Te old bridge opened to trafc in De- came from Tarrytown resident Olympia cember 1955, but Wilson’s name was not Quarto as she wrote, “...that is what the added until 1994. A long time New York United States knows it as, and to change the legislator, and Lt. Governor, Wilson was name the taxpayers would have to pay for Governor for one year, in 1974, having the new signs, maps, etc.” Judy Markowitz taken over for Nelson Rockefeller when he believed “...most people will continue call- left Albany to serve as Vice President under ing it the Tappan Zee and with existing di- President Gerald Ford. rections, it could be confusing to someone Tappan refers to an American Indian tribe if it is not kept and they are looking for it.” that inhabited the area west of the Hudson River and some believe that it is derived In his entry, Fred Crane called for retain- from a Lenape Indian word meaning, “cold ing the full name, because “History and water.” Zee is “sea” in Dutch. legacy mean a lot and the name satisfes Folk-singer Pete Seeger’s environmental both Rockland and Westchester residents.” pursuits to keep the Hudson free of con- Tarrytown resident Janet Bylick briefy tamination gained him the support of the summed up her sentiment: “Tappan Zee next highest number of the contest’s en- Bridge - Love it.” trees. Some attached the word “Clearwa- Te four members of the Atlas family ter,” the Hudson River sloop and the festi- of Sleepy Hollow explained their support val of the same name he founded to bring for Seeger: “No one has done more for the attention to the river’s environment. “Te Hudson River than Pete Seeger and nam- Peter Seeger Bridge” entrees represented 12 ing the bridge after him would honor his percent of those received. memory and help keep alive an interest in Te New NY Bridge is its temporary la- his music and his passion for a clean, envi- bel during construction. Tis newspaper’s ronmentally healthy and beautiful Hudson contest results had no ofcial standing with River,” they wrote. Albany legislators, nor the Truway Au- “Clearwater Hudson Bridge,” was recom- thority; however, they refected local public mended by Jordan Becker of Tarrytown, “in sentiments. honor of Pete Seeger’s Clearwater organiza- Among other persons’ names submitted, tion, which has championed cleaning and either together with “Tappan Zee” or of- preserving the Hudson River, since Seeger fered by themselves, were David Rockefell- would have rejected a personal honor.” er, President Barack Obama, Gov.