Mayor Pilla has achieved an impressive record of results - from straightening out the VIllage Finances, to implementing an effective Code Enforcement Program, to revitalizing our downtown.
Mayor Dennis Pilla's Record of Accomplishment
- Holding the line on property tax increases - to be among the lowest in all
of Westchester
o In the last 2 years, Port Chester property tax increases were just
above 1% annually. This, in the worst economy since the Great
Depression, is solid proof that Mayor Pilla has straightened out village
finances and secured our financial future.
- Improving the Village's Financial Condition
o Under Mayor Pilla's leadership, the Village was able to increase their
savings reserves by over 400%, from $1.39M - $5.1M (Undesignated).
This has helped to keep tax increases down, avoid borrowing at times and
obtain very low borrowing rates.
- Implemented appropriate Controls, Checks & Balances in:
- Court
- Finance
- DPW
- Building Department
- Code Enforcement
- Parking meter collections
- Saved over $100 thousand on refinancing $2.58M of bonds
- Rebuilding the organization
o Since becoming our Mayor:
- A professional senior management team was brought in
- 6 employees were fired
- over 2 dozen disciplinary charges were filed against employees for
performance reasons
- Over 4 employees have voluntarily resigned
- Weeded out patters of apparent corruption in:
o DPW
o Building Department
o Code Enforcement
3 separate criminal investigations are presently underway by the
Westchester District Attorney's office in these areas!
- Moody's, an independent rating agency recently upgraded Port Chester
to a prestigious "Double-A" rating
o This is the highest rating in the Village's history & the 3rd upgrade
since PIlla became our Mayor.
o This enables us to borrow at extremely low interest rates + presently
less than 1% (short-term), and less than 3% for long-term debt.
- Established a Dedicated Code Enforcement Division & a 4-pronged
Code Enforcement Program with added staff
o Centralized Complaint Management to track & respond to complaints
o Proactive Inspection Program for all 3+ multi-family houses. We are
over 69% complete, and have issued over 3,800 violations +
identifying over 200 illegal dwellings.
o Mayor Pilla fought to receive a $500,000 grant for eligible
homeowners to Housing Rehabilitation Funding
o Housing education and awareness
- Eliminated Lifetime Health benefits for part-time elected officials
o Years ago, part-time elected officials voted themselves a gift for
eternity + fully paid medical benefits for life after 10 years of service
or a 50% cash buyout.
o Trustees taking the buyout were being paid more than sitting
Trustees. Mayor Pilla saved taxpayers $1.8 Million by eliminating this
over-the-top spend. `Public service' should be service for want of
serving + not for lifetime financial gain.
- Bringing in over well over $2 million dollars in grants for innovative
programs & improvements
o Since being elected, Port Chester now receives more Community
Development Grant (CDBG) Federal funding than any other City,
Town, or Village in the Westchester County Consortium.
- Developed a Downtown Revitalization Strategy
o New lights, trees, sidewalks, signs
o Architectural Guidelines & Façade Improvement Program + through a
grant
o Rezoned Central Downtown district to eliminate industrial uses &
promote contemporary retail uses
o Enhanced Sidewalk Café ordinances, entertainment regulations
o Gateway signs, trash receptacles through a grant
o Train bridge art project & faux art painting on G&S façade to
accentuate the arts
- Eliminated duplicate effort and "lightened the load of government" by
outsourcing redundant activities to Westchester County (at no taxpayer
expense)
o Taxi Driver Licensing
o Section 8 housing voucher program
- Settled 9 year old Brody litigation
o This lawsuit that dated back over ten years ago had $ millions of
potential exposure to the Village. Under Mayor Pilla, the lawsuit +
and legal expenses + ended, at a settlement cost of less than $500k.
- Mitigated financial exposure to G&S through negotiated legal release
o The Brody lawsuit exposed Port Chester to $Millions in delay claims
from G&S. By being proactive, Mayor Pilla led the Board to negotiate
a legal release, indemnifying the Village from any related claims.
- Implemented an Early retirement program + reducing 4 (more) positions
o The Village reduced 4 full-time positions without reducing savings,
and is expected to save over $200k in the next 2 years.
- Upgraded Financial Systems & Financial Reporting
o Now, staff is more effective and efficient, and the Board can receive
more meaningful financial and management information. The
financial systems appear to have been unimproved for almost 10
years.
- Automated Code Enforcement & Building Department processes
o The process to manage over 10,000 dwellings was totally manual
until Mayor Pilla pushed for the Village to implement an automated
system to fully automate inspection scheduling and follow-up, and
the process to issuing permits and violations using advanced
technology.
- Closing out over 150 Capital Projects that date back as far as 1991
o Under Mayor Pilla's leadership, over $500,000 in unused funds were
identified to be re-applied to pave our streets, improve our sewers,
and pay down debt.
- Transformed our local government to become more open and accountable,
with information access, live taping of all public meetings, getting more
input from the public
o Upgraded our Village Website
- Cleaned up charter & local ordinances
- Reformed the Port Chester Industrial Development Agency (IDA)
o Under Mayor Pilla's leadership, the IDA brought in an experienced
Executive Director to proactively reach out to businesses + to bring
new development + and jobs into Port Chester.
o Pilla aligned the IDA's agenda with the Village Master Plan and Board
of Trustees
o The agency has now become compliant with NY State statutes.
- Negotiated with Fox Island DPW Developer to fund a DPW operational
efficiency study & RFP to outsource Sanitation
o Taxpayers will benefit from the results of a study that an outside
developer paid for to identify efficiency improvements with our
waste removal and DPW operation.
- Brought Early Voting to Port Chester + 1st municipality in NYS to have
polling place open for a week before Election Day
o When the Federal Government sued Port Chester, it was Mayor Pilla
who worked hard to identify objective, leading experts to assist the
Village. As a result, Port Chester avoided single-member-districts,
and gained the convenience of having one-full-week to vote for
Trustees.
|
