Perception is Everything!

I was not able to speak at Citizens To Be Heard last night. I received some calls asking what happened. I had to leave before my name was called. I am not sure what happened. My name was on ordered sign-in slip number Five. Due to family commitments I get there early so that there is more than enough time for me to speak. I did not want to disrupt the proceedings and waited for my turn to speak. When I kept thinking I would be called next, I wasn’t. I had to leave before I spoke. I feel the opportunity to speak before council was taken away. The Mayor says that he must follow the rules of the forum format. A mere mistake can be forgiven. But, Perception is everything as my comments were to state. Submitting my comments to The City Clerk are not the same as speaking before the full council body. I have attached my comments and will ask The City Clerk to enter them into the record.

Comments for February 14, 2012 Citizens to be Heard:

Perception is everything! The timing of the releases about the NR Citizens’ Panel, Parking Downtown, garbage fees, DPW Fleet Manager, The Albanese Company request for a MOU for a highly dense housing development, The 60 day extension for Forest City Ratner and the proposal review for moving The City Yard are all very suspect. The recent use of the word, “perception” to deflect questions and concerns is a subjective denial of fact that things in New Rochelle are worsening even as we speak. I can remember when the Space Shot at New Roc was the biggest issue of the day. Let’s not see Echo Bay become another Forest City headline of corruption and deals like some of their other projects. Stop all projects that don’t deal with an immediate need.

2012 has gotten off to rocky start for New Rochelle residents. An undermanned New Rochelle Police Force struggles to keep up with a recent crime wave. There is a loss of focus and denial on the part of the Administration concerning a clear upswing in criminal activity. The current denial is phrased as a question of “perception.” As I have stated several time to you, “Perception is everything”.

Why is it all of the towns and cities around us have adopted changes to lower costs yet we only see a garbage fee added. Peekskill moves its police force downtown and sees results in its downtown. Port Chester, Yonkers, and White Plains cut take home vehicles and more. All of the cities around us have added more retail and continue to grow. Why do they get the Concept and not us?

With the current vacancy rates and homes for sale all over New Rochelle, we don’t need any more residential buildings. The city is overburdened already. We need retail and places to shop as promised by the developers when they made their sweet heart deals with The City Council.

We don’t need to pay for studies and new committees to tell us this. Isn’t that what we pay our City Council members, Department leaders and City Manager for? They have been hired or voted in to office because they are the best people for the job. It seems this “perception” may be wrong. We can’t change our leaders right now. But we can change staff and personnel.

We must look to change the mindset in New Rochelle and the “perception” of those that work for the city. New Rochelle citizens and all of “OUR” employees from the top down need to show a true sense of caring and community now more than ever. Our city depends on it. Step up and be the first one that says “let’s make a change!” “I get it now!” It can start with something as simple as attitude. You need to use the same creativity and energy that you use to get around the system and create loop holes to find the solutions to the problems and fix them the right way.

“Common Sense for the Common Good”