Nancy Pierson

Nancy Pierson is completing her second term on the board, with the last two years serving in the positions of vice president and president, respectively. She is seeking a third term to make use of her knowledge and experiences and to serve as a mentor to a relatively “young” board. She continues to be excited about education, the challenges and potential, and particularly cares about our district from which all three of her daughters have graduated. Pierson participated in the previous superintendent search and multiple contract discussions with the various bargaining units. She is currently a liaison to Hommocks Middle School and serves on the Policy and Audit Committees.

Prior to her terms on the board, Pierson was an active PTA member who served in many roles, including co-president of SEPTA, Mamaroneck High School (MHS) PTSA and PT Council. She was a parent member on the Committee of Special Education for over 10 years. Within recent years, she volunteered as a reading tutor at Hommocks Middle School.

Nancy grew up in Pennsylvania, attended Colgate University and has a Masters Degree in Communication Disorders from Emerson College. She has lived in Larchmont with her husband, Frank, and family for 20 years.

Jim Needham

Jim Needham and his wife, Leslie, have lived in Larchmont for 37 years. Their daughter went to Central, Hommocks, Rye Country Day School and then to Brown University. Their son went to Central, Hommocks, MHS and then to Yale.

Believing that the changing needs of the marketplace and the skills needed to compete in the global economy should be the drivers of our district’s education strategy, Needham believes his business background and life experience will provide a positive perspective to the board.

Needham founded Fieldston Investors in 1989. Prior to starting Fieldston Investors he was a partner at Arthur Young & Company (Ernst & Young) where he was national director of the Merger & Acquisition Group. Prior to Arthur Young, Jim was director of business development at Corning and an auditor and consultant at Peat, Marwick, Mitchell (KPMG) in New York. Jim has had a career in private equity investing and advising middle market companies.

He is chairman of SPC, the nation’s leading manufacturer of passive heat dissipating enclosures for “last mile” applications for the telecommunications industry. Jim serves on the board of Stone Source, a leading distributor of high-end natural stone, ceramic, glass and metal tiles, engineered stones and other decorative surfaced products sold through architects, designers and contractors. He is also on the board of Hoffco, a provider of wood accessories to the cabinet industry. Jim has been a guest lecturer at the Fordham University Graduate School of Business. He co-founded the Park Avenue Bank in New York City. The bank was sold in 1989 when he founded Fieldston Investors.

Jim Needham has a BS in Accounting from Fordham University and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Invites you to our Issues Breakfast

Friday, May 3, 2013

8:15-9:45 a.m.

The Nautilus Diner, Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck

$8.00: No RSVP Necessary,
All are Welcome

Speakers Include:

Mamaroneck Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Shaps,

on the 2013 Budget

Nancy Pierson and James Needham,

Candidates for School Board Running Unopposed

Long Island Sound is our region’s most important environmental resource. After a number of years of improved water quality, this past summer the western Sound suffered some of the lowest levels of dissolved oxygen recorded in 25 years.  Learn about the probable cause, and why colder temperatures this winter give some reason for optimism. However, Save the Sound cautions that we must remain vigilant to avoid the risk of returning
to the disturbing water-quality conditions of several decades ago.

Save the Sound works to protect and preserve Long Island Sound through state and federal legislation, legal advocacy, volunteer work and habitat restoration projects.

Save the Sound uses legal expertise, grassroots advocacy, volunteer work, and habitat restoration, to preserve great coastal and island sites; fight for clean water; restore rivers and marshes; and clean up hundreds of miles
of coastline to preserve and protect the Sound now and for future generations.

Tom Andersen is author of This Fine Piece of Water: An Environmental History of Long Island Sound (Yale University Press). He will discuss what is being done to solve the Sound’s water quality problems, followed by questions and a discussion with audience members.

This year we had 55 students from 37 local Leagues attend Students Inside Albany. The students came from all over New York State from Long Island to Buffalo and Plattsburgh to Binghamton. They ranged from sophomores to seniors in high school. They were energetic and enthusiastic to learn about New York State government.

On Sunday evening, Lisa Kissinger, Social Studies Supervisor in Shenendehowa Central Schools, and her brother, Mark Kissinger, NYS Department of Health Long Term Care Division Director, presented information on the roles of the various branches of New York State government and the differences between the state government and the other levels of government, eg, national and local.

On Monday, the students had a tour of the state Capitol and heard about whose faces are on those engraved stones and the secret of the fireplaces in the Senate Chambers. League Legislative Director, Barbara Bartoletti, then provided them with the do’s and don’ts of lobbying the legislators – how to approach them, make your arguments and be persuasive. Assemblymembers Pat Fahy and James Tedisco then joined the group to allow all students to role play. Students were able to approach the legislators and lobby them on an issue of the student’s choice. The legislators were wonderful to engage with the students in this activity.

In the afternoon, the students were sent off to find their Assemblymember’s offices and shadow their legislator. All of the students were escorted onto the Assembly and introduced before the Chambers. They viewed the legislators at their desks and the Chamber in session, although the calendar for the day wasn’t very full. The Assembly adjourned early but Assemblymember Peter Lopez graciously agreed to meet with the students to answer questions and discuss the procedures of the Chambers. The Assemblymember also allowed the students to do a short mock session in the Chambers. Yaela Collins (Brookhaven) was selected to preside over the Chambers and Yelimi Chung (Oneonta) introduced a bill to decriminalize marijuana. Various students, when addressed by “Speaker” Collins asked questions or provided commentary about the proposed bill. All students agreed that the process was more difficult than they expected.

After dinner, Casey Seiler, Capital Bureau Chief for the Times Union, and Karen DeWitt, Capital Bureau Chief for NY Public Radio, discussed the role of the media in covering and influencing public policy decisions. They agreed that with social media, the different segments of the media, eg, radio versus print, are not all that different anymore. They also discussed the speed of media coverage now with social media but the constant need to confirm sources and information.

On Tuesday, the students learned about FOIA and how to access information in their communities and throughout the government from Robert Freeman, Executive Director of the Commission on Open Government. Robyn Ringler, Capital District Leader of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, also talk with the students about the role of an individual in making change happen; she used her experience in the issue of gun control to emphasize the influence of letters to the editors, to legislators and in community forums.

On the way back to the Capitol, the students had a tour of the Chambers of the Court of Appeals and heard about the different levels of the judiciary in New York State from Gary Spencer, Information Officer at the Court of Appeals. The students shadowed their Senator on Tuesday and again were escorted to the floor and introduced in the Chambers. Again, the calendar wasn’t very active although they watched passage of a number of resolutions. The Senators interacted with the students, though, teaching the students about the procedures in the Senate Chambers.

Assemblymember Tony Jordan spoke to the students on Tuesday evening about the process of running for office. He has recently decided to run for County District Attorney and was able to discuss both his past experience with campaigns for the Assembly and his plans for this new campaign to begin later this spring.

As usual, on Wednesday morning, Barbara Bartoletti engaged the students in a discussion of what they saw in the Assembly and Senate. Much of the discussion surrounded the unusual leadership configuration this year in the Senate with the Republicans and the Independent Democratic Caucus members sharing power as the Majority Coalition Leaders. The students were also presented individually with a certificate for attendance at the Conference.

Quotes from some of the students included:
 It was a great eye opening experience. I learned way more than I ever did in class. It makes me want to do something and continue learning.
 I definitely want to become more involved in my state government because I now understand how it directly affects my family’s life.
 It broadened my interests and changed my views about parties. Now I feel more passionate towards it.
 It was a wonderful experience! I got to meet amazing people my age, and speak to inspiring people who were amiable and informative.
 The speakers showed us how much of a difference one individual can make. The students also socialized in the evenings generating informal discussions on political issues. One evening the group went bowling thanks to Del Lanes, a local bowling facility.

Thanks to all of our sponsors.

by Stefani Kim

In the early stages of the environmental movement, it became fashionable to say you were working to improve your “carbon footprint,” a phrase that became synonymous with attempts to cut back on individual use of dwindling planetary resources, such as biking to work or installing low flow showerheads.

Nowadays, the once-nascent environmental cause has gone more mainstream. Many green initiatives, such as utilizing reusable bags or LED bulbs, have become more routine than extraordinary. Three communities in the Sound Shore—Larchmont, the City of Rye and the Village of Mamaroneck—became the first in Westchester County to have passed laws banning plastic bags, and the Town of Mamaroneck may soon follow in their footsteps.

In this same vein, the Larchmont-Mamaroneck League of Women Voters (LWV) has declared 2013 the time for a community-wide conservation civics initiative, “which is intended to use civic engagement as a road to a more sustainable community; one that will help ease the fiscal and environmental climate challenges we currently face.”

Read the rest of the article on the Larchmont-MamaroneckPatch

LMC-TV taped the session and will be showing it on the following schedule beginning March 18:

Mondays at 6 pm
Tuesdays at 12am, 6am, 12pm

Tune in on Channel 75 Cablevision or 36 Verizon.

1. Calculate your carbon footprint: Get help at What’s My Carbon Footprint 
2. Perform your own home energy audit: Get help at Energy Star and The Daily Green.
3. Arrange for a professional energy audit, for example, at NYSERDA
4. Handle your temperature: Detect air leaks; caulk and weather strip; properly ventilate; insulate.inspect and clean heating and cooling equipment. Turn the thermostat down in winter. Use ceiling fans.
5. Lower lighting/electricity usage: Review electrical bills for trends and spikes. Switch to sunlight and energy efficient light bulbs – compact fluorescent and light emitting diode (LED). Purchase Energy Star Appliances, especially the refrigerator, air conditioner, and washer/dryer. Clean coils and adjust temperature on appliances per company directions. Use a power strip for all plug-in equipment and turn it off at the end of the day.
6. Lighten your laundry load: Reduce the number of loads per week. Wash with cold or warm water. Use concentrated liquid soap. Line dry (at least until clothes are mostly dry).
7. Limit hot water use, generally: Use the dishwasher and laundry only with a full load. Consider purchasing an energy efficient water heater, and keep the temperature down. Install low flow showerheads.
8. Eat sustainably: Limit meat and dairy, replace with vegetables, fruit and grain. Avoid purchasing perishable food in bulk if it will spoil before you can eat it. Serve smaller portions and eat leftovers. Grow your own food without using pesticides.
9. Care for your lawn: Use a rake instead of a leaf blower. Trade a gasoline powered mower for a cordless electric mower. For a workout, use a manual mower. Use the grass on-site as mulch.
10. Cut back on gas: Drive less; carpool, consolidate shopping trips, ride a bicycle, take public transportation and walk more. To maintain your car’s efficiency, keep the tires properly inflated; drive at the speed limit (55 mph is optimal); and when it is time for a new car, purchase a hybrid or go electric.
11. Reduce your water footprint and save energy: Find help at  Nat Geo water calculator;  GRACE calculator
12. In general, reduce (what you consume), recycle and reuse. Buy products with minimal packaging. Bring your own reusable bag. Recycle paper, plastic, newspaper, glass and aluminum cans.

Among the goals is helping to defray costs of upgrading the energy system at the Hommocks Ice Rink owned by the Town of Mamaroneck. The new system will reduce maintenance and energy costs at the Town’s biggest energy consumer.

You can help by conserving and saving (see Conservation Tips) and by donating to the Ice Rink effort.

While the rink upgrades will occur regardless of the League Initiative, we are encouraging residents to benefit themselves and the community by making simple changes in areas such as transportation, food consumption, indoor heating, cooling and lighting.

How will this League of Women Voters Conservation Initiative work?

• Part I: Audit and Conserve. Beginning in January 2013, audit what you consume; then, throughout the year, conserve on consumption of gas, heat, hot water, electricity and food. Please keep track, in a journal, where you save on greenhouse gas emissions and money.

To help with strategies and motivation, the League will collaborate with local environmental committees, involve our students, and share ideas through the media and a new Facebook page.

• Part II: Join the Community Yard Sale & Silent Auction on Sunday, April 21, 2013. Participate in the sale by renting a space for $25 or by purchasing and re-using items. Donate or bid on unused gifts at teh Silent Auction. Proceeds will go to the Town of Mamaroneck- Hommocks Ice Rink Trust Fund to pay for the rink upgrade. Click for a Registration Form.

• Part III: Friday, May 17, 2013, attend a Trashion Show. The show will feate local students and elected officials modeling outfits made of recycled materials. Ticket sales will benefit the Hommocks trust fund.
• Part IV: Donate to the Hommocks Trust Fund. After calculating what you save through your conservation efforts, consider using a portion of your savings to make a donation to the Hommocks trust fund.

To Make a Donation:  Write a check payable to “Town of Mamaroneck-Hommocks Ice Rink Trust Fund” and mail it to Town Administrator Steve Altieri at Town Center, 740 West Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck, NY 10543.

The effect of our community-wide participation to conserve, save and donate will be to free up Town revenue. Every dollar not needed for the rink can go towards the Town’s other budget obligations and help relieve some of the pressures leading to additional tax increases.

Every person makes a difference here at the local level. The less we throw away, the less it costs the Town for waste management. Want to get started? Learn how at: Conservation Tips for your Pocketbook and the Climate.

The Larchmont/Mamaroneck League of Women Voters looks forward to a year of collaborating with you and with environmental specialists as we learn how to conserve, cut costs at home and fortify our community for a climate healthy future.

Thank you for traveling with us on this road toward sustainability.

The breakfast, organized by the Larchmont/Mamaroneck League of Women Voters as part of its 2013 Conservation Civics Initiative, has the overall goal of encouraging local residents to “Keep Money in Your Pocket: Boost Your Property Energy Savings & Benefit Your Community.” It will take place on Friday, February 1st from 8:15 a.m. until 9:45 a.m. at the Nautilus Diner, 1240 Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck. The cost for full breakfast is $8; no RSVP is necessary.

“Saving energy may be the most important goal for Americans in the 21st Century,” says Cherry, who founded CEC in 1994 to bring sustainability to houses and residential buildings in the New York Metropolitan Area. “Saving energy will help us combat climate change – an urgent goal if we want to leave a healthy and safe planet for the generations that come after us.”

Cherry added, “Saving energy can also enhance the value of a home. People no longer want to buy houses or apartments that come with exorbitant heating and electric bills. That way of life is not good for families, not good for communities like Larchmont and Mamaroneck, and it’s not good for the environment.”

Elisabeth N. Radow, president of the Larchmont/Mamaroneck chapter of the League of Women Voters and chair of the Committee on Energy, Agriculture and the Environment of the League of Women Voters of New York State, is the force behind this educational forum. Her goal: to make our tri-municipality area “climate-smart.”

Radow is asking attendees to track their electric, gas or oil consumption by setting up an account withwww.myenergy.com or www.coned.com, or with their oil company. “Compile your annual consumption for 2012,” Radow urges. “Bring this information with you, so we can compare consumption usage and patterns with friends and neighbors.“

“We are fortunate to have these two experts help us learn how to better harness the energy we use, so that it benefits our wallets and the environment,” Radow added. “It is a great first step in this year-long conservation civics initiative to educate ourselves about how to consume smarter, save money and help fund local climate-smart projects like the upgrade to our outdated Town Ice Rink energy system.”

This event will be taped for rebroadcast by LMC-TV, our local cable TV network.