Talk of the Sound has observed, on numerous occasions, a work van owned by the New Rochelle Board of Education parked in the driveway of a private home on Harold Court in New Rochelle. As this article is written, Vehicle E-68 is parked in the driveway of 21 Harold Court, the residence of Anthony Raffa, a plumber working for the New Rochelle Board of Education.

Norman Oder writing on the Atlantic Yards Report provides an excellent, must read synopsis on the Yonkers Corruption Trial involving Noam Bramson's favorite developer, Forest City/Ratner, more commonly known on Talk of the Sound as "Developer #1".

Prosecutors have been hammering away at the claim by Sandy Annabi and Zehy Jereis that the only reason he gave her $174,000 in cash and gifts was because he was flirting with her, suggesting that a series of emails on Sandy Annabi's computer were manufactured after the fact as part of a defense strategy.

Oder offers many fascinating exchanges like this one:

At the end of the 6/9/06 meeting, "you asked Forest City Ratner for a job," Halperin related.

Questions about the relationship between New Rochelle's administration and Echo Bay developer, Forest City Ratner, are nothing new to the readers of this site. The dichotomy of having one agenda for the public to witness and another "behind closed doors" agenda for the purpose of bypassing public witness of the procedure can only be characterized as self serving. Self serving for the developer, that is, and not, necessarily, for New Rochelle. On one hand, the public is asked to meet and voice concerns and/or support (as required by law mind you) and then the developer disappears behind closed doors to meet with council members, two at a time, thus avoiding open meeting laws. They did this when they were looking to get their first extension and, quite frankly, it was illegal. Will they do it again? Who knows, but it fits their pattern. Couple that with the campaign money to the mayor and the pattern repeats just as it has in Brooklyn, Yonkers and who knows where else.

After years of trying, the New Rochelle Board of Education has once again failed to identify a single person with a security background to take the six-figure position of Director of Security for the New Rochelle Public Schools.

The board tonight will consider Draft Resolution No. 12-243 to authorize Schools Superintendent Richard Organisciak to submit a waiver request for Bruce Daniele to the New York State Civil Service Commission Pursuant To Retirement And Social Security Law Section 211.

According to the resolution, joint recruitment efforts by the School District and the City of New Rochelle Civil Service Commission have failed to produce any other qualified candidates who are not also retirees who would require waivers pursuant to §211.

A recent traffic incident in which New Rochelle High School swim coach Edward "Kip" Fierro caused a three car collision landing a local elementary school teacher in the hospital and him into police custody has brought to light a lucrative deal Fierro and his family have enjoyed for many years at the expense of New Rochelle taxpayers.

The staggering amounts of money involved raises serious questions as to the motivation of school officials involved.

Talk of the Sound spoke with a number of current and former employees of the New Rochelle Board of Education, parents, students and others familiar with the New Rochelle swimming pool and swim programs. They tell us that Kip Fierro has worked for the New Rochelle Board of Education as a Teaching Assistant and Swim Coach as far back as 1997, and possibly longer. He is paid a salary, benefits and accrues a pension. His school day responsibilities largely entail serving as a life guard at the pool. He coaches the boys and girls swim team. His pay and benefits are a pittance to what he makes running the Badger Swim Club out of New Rochelle High School.

At a recent New Rochelle City Council meeting, newly-seated Council Member Ivar Hayden caused New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson to visibly squirm in his seat by mentioning a recent New York Times article during a discussion of Forest City/Ratner's MOU for Echo Bay. For those who missed it, Times reporter Michael Powell documents the many crooked twists and turns by which various Forest City/Ratner projects have been advanced by corrupt politicians and the convictions obtained by the U.S. Attorney. Yonkers is up next.

A Developer Between Legal Clouds

Last week, the lobbyist Richard Lipsky stood in a courtroom to acknowledge bribe-making. His partner in crime, Carl Kruger, the former state senator and a Brooklyn Democrat, had taken his tear-soaked turn two weeks earlier. They face years in prison.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: The Fevang Case will be the topic of discussion on tonights Talk of the Sound radio show at 7 p.m. Listen by clicking the link to the right, call-in to sound off at 805-830-8302.

Richard Fevang. who was facing a 66-Count Indictment for Fraud related to his work as DPW Fleet Manager for the City of New Rochelle, was sentenced today to 5 years probation and time served (1 day) by Judge Robert A. Neary under an agreement negotiated with Judge Albert Lorenzo. Under the deal, Fevang plead guilty to Tampering with Public Records, a Class D Felony. Judge Neary also approved a permanent order of protection to stay away from the entire population of New Rochelle. Neary warned Fevang that any contact, on any form, direct or indirect, with anyone from New Rochelle would be a violation and could result in a separate prosecution.

"That's the last thing you need right now", said Judge Neary.

New York State government employees, by the terms of Executive Law Article 4-A have an obligation to report to the New York State Attorney Genera any information regarding alleged corruption, fraud, criminal activity, conflicts of interest or abuse by another State employee or a person having business dealings with the State.

If you are aware or have reason to believe that any such misconduct has occurred, please contact us.

http://ig.state.ny.us/complaints/fileComplaint.html

Your complaint will receive our prompt attention regardless of the method you choose to use.

Here are some examples of conduct that must be reported:

• The giving or receiving of bribes or unlawful gifts
• Theft or misuse of State property or funds
• Inappropriate use of State computers
• Fraudulent conduct such as falsification of records, material misrepresentations of fact, or irregularities in awarding contracts or grants
  

The City of New Rochelle passed on November 8, 2011. Since 1992, New Rochelle had fell ill. Political leaders have slowly bled the life from this once great City. Major thoroughfares, once lined with prosperous businesses now sit desolate. A once great school system now plagued with substandard administrators and inadequate educators. Respected City officials have been replaced with the most corrupt, thieving, nepotistic, two-faced politician ever to roam the earth.

On November 8th, New Rochelle voters officially sealed the faith of New Rochelle. Our corrupt mayor Noam Bramson along with the four elected democrat council members now hold a super majority voting power, which means the mayor will pretty much bankroll anything he wants with no interferences from anyone. With a super majority, Bramson can now override the property tax cap that Govenor Cuomo set into place to protect NY State property owners.

QUESTION:WHY DOES MAYOR BRAMSON WANT ONLY DEMOCRATS ON CITY COUNCIL?

ANSWER: SO HE CAN CIRCUMVENT GOVERNOR CUOMO'S NEW TAX CAP AND RAISE YOUR PROPERTY TAXES BEYOND THE 2% CAP!

The Bramson Campaign is actively campaigning to stack the City Council with only Democrats.

Many voters have been contacted by the Bramson Campaign to blindly vote along Party lines this year without thought.

What the Bramson Campaign is NOT TELLING YOU is that Bramson needs you to elect a supermajority of Democrats to City Council so that they can override Governor Cuomo’s Property Tax Cap, which is protecting you, the property owner, from onerous property tax increases.

On June 30, 2011, Governor Cuomo signed into law legislation that caps your property taxes at a 2% increase. This tax cap can be overridden by a super-majority vote of council.  If the Mayor is successful, he and his disciples will override the property tax-cap in New Rochelle and raise your taxes to support his political agenda.