October 15, 1999

Westchester County Board of Legislators
800 Michaelian Office Building
148 Martine Avenue
White Plains, New York 10601

Honorable Members of the Board:

At the turn of the last century, the Westchester Board of Supervisors and the County Executive were faced with the challenge of building the physical infrastructure of Westchester County. Now 100 years later, we are faced with the challenge of modernizing it. In the interim, the elected representatives of Westchester County have been diligent in providing for the physical needs of our residents; acquiring parks, golf courses, open space, building roads, and developing the current sewer and solid waste systems.

Today, as I did for the 1999 Proposed Capital Budget, I submit the County’s 2000 Proposed Capital Budget and Five Year Capital Plan to your Honorable Board, one month earlier than required, to allow more time for your review. This Capital Budget puts the taxpayers and the County’s environment first. This budget not only provides for the protection of those assets that have been entrusted to us, but also provides for continued open space acquisition to insure that our greenbelt is there for future generations. Moreover, this budget looks to the future, providing funding for the development of our technology infrastructure, and funding for improvement of the countywide sewer systems and the seven wastewater treatment plants. The 2000 Proposed Capital Budget is the first Capital Budget that does not request any new projects for the Westchester County Health Care Corporation.

The Capital Budget submitted today accomplishes these goals at a reduced cost to our taxpayers. The Budget submitted for the General Fund is $60,710,000 or 3% less than the adopted 1999 Capital Budget of $62,589,000. We have worked to develop reasonable annual capital work programs that will enable the County to level the cost of annual debt service budget requirements. These results will be seen in the next several years.

The 2000 Capital Budget for the Sewer, Water and Refuse Disposal districts is $76,725,000. This represents a major increase and is the result of the implementation of the consent decree entered into by the County in 1998 and fulfills our commitment to preserve the County’s environment, Long Island Sound and Hudson River, while at the same time assists the County’s municipalities in resolving local inflow and infiltration issues.

Highlights of the Capital Budget are listed below:

AIRPORT
As you know, the administration has made airport environment issues a top priority. My "Good Neighbor Policy" announced earlier this year, is supported by the inclusion of two 2000 Capital Projects. $1 million has been included to improve the de-icing process for aircrafts and $.5 million is provided to conduct a comprehensive investigation of current conditions and environmental management at the Airport. This effort will allow the County to establish an Environmental Management System that meets world wide scientific management standards and is fully integrated into every level of operations at the Airport.

BUILDINGS, LAND AND MISCELLANEOUS
Land:
The 2000 Capital Budget continues my commitment to "Open Space Acquisition" with an additional $5 million appropriation. Our priorities as described in the Open Space Policy your Board adopted this year continue to focus on preserving green space in the more populated areas while giving us more flexibility to acquire larger spaces in more rural areas.

Information Technology:
The 2000 Capital Budget continues to enable our employees to take advantage of the latest information technology. $5.96 million is proposed to purchase PC’s for the County workforce; acquire software that will enable the integration of data-bases between federal and state agencies that should provide for increased productivity and better integration of information; and for hardware and software to achieve a more accessible County government through the Internet. $4.5 million is proposed to upgrade and enhance countywide wireless communications for emergency services and County department operations that require remote and/or voice communications.

Buildings & Miscellaneous:
The continued modernization of the Michaelian County Office Building and the County District Office Building in Mount Vernon is requested at $6.1 million. The improvements to the Michaelian Office Building built in 1931 as a federal Works Progress Administration Project (WPA), and to our 1992 building acquisition in Mount Vernon are essential as we look to streamline operating costs for the central functions of County government. We must do no less than our predecessors in providing office buildings to meet our needs.

I am also recommending projects to redesign the County owned District Office Buildings in Peekskill and White Plains to make the implementation of the new case management system for Social Services more effective. These renovations and improvements are essential to the success of our back to work focus in Social Services.

The continuation of the replacement of air conditioning equipment to meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act of 1990 is requested at $1 million. This project will reduce chloroflourocarbons released into the environment.

PARKWAYS, ROADS AND BRIDGES
A total request of $8.685 million is recommended to maintain and improve the Bronx River Parkway, 179 miles of road and 157 bridges.

The 2000 Budget includes funding for five bridge projects at Playland Parkway, Crane Road, Fulton Avenue, Mamaroneck Avenue and Westchester Avenue; continuation of the program to repave the historic Bronx River Parkway that celebrates its 75^th birthday in 2000; and County road projects in New Rochelle, Pelham Manor, Mamaroneck, White Plains, Harrison, North Castle, Bedford, Pound Ridge and Yonkers.

RECREATION
The Parks and Recreation System of the County is second to none. It contributes most significantly to our quality of life and I am committed to preserving these assets with my request of $14.625 million (a full 24% of the net request).

$5.3 million in funding for the development of the Hudson Hills Golf Course and tee and green rehabilitation at Sprain Lake Golf Course will improve much needed golf opportunities for our residents.

Funding is included to continue to upgrade comfort stations and playgrounds for our residents at various parks.

$910,000 is requested to complete the funding of the South County Recreation Area that will serve as an access point with support services for the South County Trailway.

A request for $7.78 million for improvement to Playland will move the County toward completion of the historic rehabilitation of the park. In the last two years due to changes we have made, Playland’s attendance has gone over the 1 million mark for the first time.

TRANSPORTATION
A net funding request of $2.8 million for projects will provide for $11 million in improvements and replacements. Replacement of existing buses, the purchase of alternative fuel vehicles, replacement of the transit communications system, improvement of bus stops along major traffic corridors and in downtown areas, and a study to determine sites for commuter support facilities offering daycare, job training, adult education and other services to benefit Bee-line riders are some of the projects recommended.

DISTRICTS
Clearly the largest request for Capital Budget resources in 2000 is for our Sewer, Water and Refuse Disposal districts. An appropriation of $76.725 million is requested. $43.5 million is requested to implement the consent order entered into by the County in 1998 to address the municipal inflow and infiltration issues, as well wastewater treatment plant improvements. An additional $12.675 million is requested for long needed improvements to the County’s wastewater treatment plant operations. These are the recommendations of our consultant, Black & Veatch, who in keeping with my commitment to the environment were hired to conduct a top to bottom review of our DEF facilities.

In our Refuse Disposal District, I am requesting the approval of $8.5 million for the construction of a new ash pit and $8 million for an enhanced closure of the Railroad 1 landfill at Croton Point to meet current standards.

CONCLUSION
As we approach the third millennium, the Capital Budget submitted to you today is one that looks forward to the future while ensuring that the assets that have been entrusted to us are improved for the residents of Westchester County.

I encourage you to take advantage of the early release of the Capital Budget to allow for a full review of the projects for 2000. My administration is ready to assist your appropriate committees with your review and approval of the Proposed 2000 Capital Budget.


Respectfully Submitted,

Andrew J. Spano
County Executive