STATE OF THE CITY MESSAGE 2011:

“WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW”

EMBARGOED UNTIL 7:00PM 3-30-11
WELCOME

Thank you Council President Karen Watts, City

Council members Steve Horton, Roberta Apuzzo,

Yuhanna Edwards, Diane Munro-Morris, City Clerk

George Brown, and City Comptroller Maureen Walker;

ladies and gentlemen—good evening and welcome

everyone to my fourth State of the City Address.

I am proud and honored to stand before you this

evening to state with clear and defensible certainty

that the great City of Mount Vernon is strong and we

are secure. We are strong and secure as a city, because

we are strong, secure and UNITED as a community, the

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Mount Vernon Family. Together, we have made

dramatic and considerable progress as a result of

significant changes that have positively touched the

many lives in our beloved city who we have the

obligation to serve and provide the very best. Our tax

dollars are stretching further than before, because of a

well defined philosophy of spending to protect the

taxpayers as we meet the increasing demands of the

public. Yet, there’s so much more to be done during this

difficult economic and political climate. I therefore

respectfully urge my partners in government to work

cooperatively with me to do what’s best to progress

Mount Vernon. We must continue to move Mount Vernon

into the 21st century. And we will, because … We’ve

come too far to turn back now. Progress, Yes Progress,

must continue!

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 There is a vibrant and evident spirit of pride and

success flowing throughout Mount Vernon. As a

community, we have faced many recent challenges. We

have met each challenge head on, and as a community

we have succeeded.

One of the biggest challenges was the possibility

of losing Mount Vernon Hospital. Planned reductions in

vital health care services and staff at Mount Vernon

Hospital would have changed the course of health care

in our community.

This hospital serves over 22-thousand people

annually, whether they have insurance or not. The

proposed cuts in services would have been devastating

to our community. Not to mention, the economic impact

since Mount Vernon Hospital is one of the largest

employers of city residents.

When I sounded the alarm our community came

together to save our hospital. Tonight, I am happy to

report, thanks to the hard work of community members

like Wendy Clark, who worked at the hospital for close

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to 40 years, and Glenstone Clark, as well as members of

the administration, and the United Black Clergy of

Westchester, under the leadership of UBC President

Reverend Dr. W. Darin Moore and Chairman Emeritus

Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, we reached a

deal with Sound Shore Medical Center. We not only

saved the hospital -- now we are expanding it. Late last

year, we announced that Sound Shore Medical Center is

investing 50-Million dollars into our hospital. That’s

right, a fifty million dollar investment in the Mount

Vernon Hospital. Our Hospital!

Now, Mount Vernon Hospital will become a modern

medical center in terms of both technology and

treatment and will have a new contemporary

emergency room, an assisted living facility, a state of

the art surgical center, and one of the best diabetes,

dialysis and wound care treatment centers in the

Hudson Valley.

This is a huge accomplishment for our city. The

expanded hospital facility will pump an estimated one

hundred million dollars into our local economy -- and all

of Mount Vernon is proud of that.

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 I thank Sound Shore President and Chief Executive

Officer John Spicer for his commitment to remain at the

table to listen to our concerns and work with us to

address the unique health care needs of our city. And,

members of the United Black Clergy who are here

tonight please stand. I am also happy to say Reverend

Elliott Baisden and Reverend Troy DeCohen are now

members of the Hospital Board of Trustees.

When it comes to health care, the well being of our

City is not limited to Mount Vernon Hospital. Many of

our residents are serviced by the Mount Vernon

Neighborhood Health Center, which services a majority

of non or under insured residents. The Neighborhood

Health Center’s CEO Carole Morris is an icon who does

a tremendous job.

Providing quality health care is vital. But not

everyone sees Mount Vernon as a priority or being

important. Proposed county cuts to our Health Center

would have devastated all areas and levels of care.

Fortunately, our County Legislator Lyndon Williams

fought extremely hard and was successful in having

monies restored. Now our residents and their children

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who are served by the Neighborhood Health Center can

continue to receive quality health care. Thank you

Legislator Williams! Thank you Carole Morris! Thank you

for believing in our city, and caring the way you do for

all of our residents!

We’ve come too far to turn back now! Progress

must continue!

Speaking of major investments in our city, let’s talk

about Levister Towers. For many years now, Levister

Towers has been known for a substandard quality of

life. Since the beginning of my administration my office

was inundated with calls, letters and complaints about

the management of Levister Towers. The former

manager of the buildings was having serious financial

difficulties.

As a result, the tenants in the buildings had to

endure the sporadic loss of lights, heat and hot water in

their homes every other month due to non-payment by

the former owner. Security was lacking in the buildings

and our police department had to conduct double tours

to keep the tenants safe in their homes, which also

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impacted our budget. The ultimate insult, the new

playground for our children the former owner promised

was never refurbished. The tenant’s cries went

unanswered for a long time.

The City’s Corporation Counsel Loretta Hottinger

and the Chief of Staff Yolanda Robinson fought for a

change in ownership of Levister Towers, and today, we

have it.

In April of 2010 the new owners Levister SMN, LLC

took over the complex. They are truly committed to

improving the quality of life for the tenants and

establishing a long term partnership with the city.

Also, looming large were missing scheduled tax

payments and other fees owed to the city by the former

owner that were not aggressively sought.

Since the transfer of ownership, the city has

received almost $1 million in payments previously

owed. And equally important, our children have a new

playground.

I’d like to introduce you to Mr. Nick Kordas, a

partner in the company, please stand. Thank you for

delivering a better quality of life for the citizens of

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Levister Towers. They deserve it! We are not going to

rest until the all of the past due funds owed by the

previous owner are paid in full.

Levister Towers is a vital part of the fabric of our

community and in this room tonight are many people

who have lived in, raised children in and grew up in

Levister Towers.

Levister Towers is a beautiful and bright patch in

the quilt of the City of Mount Vernon. We’ve come too

far to turn back now! Progress must continue.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Every day, we read about the current economic

conditions that have crushed progress and the growth

of many cities across the nation and, while the

economy has had some negative effects in Mount

Vernon, we are in many areas experiencing never

before seen levels of investment in our Great city.

Development interest in the city of Mount Vernon is at

an all-time high. Let me repeat that -- development

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interest in the City of Mount Vernon is at an all time

high.

From the South Side to Fleetwood, from the West

Side to our industrial section, our city is appealing to

investors and I have been inundated with expressions

of interest from those who want to invest in Mount

Vernon.

I’d like to recognize some of those investors who are

here with us tonight:

Peter Fine of Atlantic Development. A proposed three

phase mixed use development on Gramatan Avenue and
Oakley between Gramatan and Crary. This is both
workforce and senior housing.

Felix Petrillo (a Mount Vernon boy) has invested several

million dollars to resurrect 550 Locust Street, now
called the Horizon, which will have a grand opening on
April 14th.

John Saraceno – presently under construction a mixed

use development on West First Street and South 7th
Avenue.

Fred Schwam – CEO of American Christmas, merged all

of his operations in New Jersey into one headquarters
here in Mount Vernon.

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Eric Guhring – Roosevelt Square Professional Building.
A totally renovated 21st Century state of the art office
building. Westchester’s first shared virtual office
building.

We ReCycle – The world’s largest recycler of computer

parts quickly outgrew its headquarters on Sandford
Blvd. It now has a second location on Franklin Avenue.

Rob DeBenedictis – of Kingsbridge Canning Corp. is

renovating a new headquarters located at 2 South
Street –

Dan Amicucci – Is embarking on a new Multi-million

dollar mixed use improvement plan for South 4th
Avenue.

Augie Nigro of Canal Asphalt, a longstanding and long

respected business in Mount Vernon who seeks to
develop a waterfront promenade along the banks of the
Hutchison River at Hutch Field.

Fun City of Mount Vernon, NY – a proposed indoor water

park, restaurant, tennis and fitness center, retail shops
and so much more.

We’re very fortunate to have exceptional partners

who are dedicated to advancing commerce in our city.

Each developer understands I require three things:

1) All projects must be aesthetically pleasing; 2) Jobs

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both construction and permanent must be made

available for Mount Vernon residents and; 3)

Contractual opportunities aggressively sought for

Mount Vernon firms. We need jobs here in Mount

Vernon, and we are going to do our best to bring in as

many jobs as possible.

I want to acknowledge the fine work of

Commissioner Mark Warren and the entire Building

Department for keeping pace with approvals and

generating income with permits.

We are not building haphazardly. Overseeing much

of the development is Jeff Williams, our Commissioner

of Planning and Community Development and Carmen

Sylvester, Executive Director of our Industrial

Development Agency.

Thanks to the efforts by the Planning Department,

our City will have a Comprehensive or Master Plan by

the end of the year. We have not had a Master Plan

since 1968 or when man first walked on the moon.

Smart, common-sense development is the best way

to provide relief to our taxpayers. We will continue to

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seek out partners who want to contribute to our city’s

success, as well as earn a profit.

The Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce, under

its President Frank Fraley, is experiencing tremendous

growth and I encourage all local business owners to get

on board with this important organization.

The Chamber and the African American Chamber of

Commerce led by Robin Douglas have both played a

significant role in the successful Mount Vernon

Business Expo which now enters its third year and will

be held on June 29th. Mount Vernon is the number one

city in the State of New York for Black and minority

owned businesses.

SAVE OUR SPORTS

Any significant challenge to any segment of our

community is a challenge to the entire Mount Vernon

family. We know that the Board of Education does not

fall under the umbrella of the city government. There is

a well defined line. The Board of Education is a

separate taxing entity responsible for educating our

children. There is, however, no division when it comes

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to the overall well being of our children. We are working

closer than ever before with Superintendent Dr. “Tony”

Sawyer and the school community. We all want our

children to succeed. In providing the necessary tools

for our kids to succeed, we continue to face

extraordinary challenges.

In 2008, our schools faced difficult budgetary

choices, which unfortunately resulted in the elimination

of the sports program from the school district’s 2008-

2009 Budget.

As a proud graduate of Mount Vernon High School

and a former celebrated athlete, I could not allow this

to happen. Save Our Sports (S.O.S.) movement was

created to help the district to raise the money. I called

on some famous friends, who are Mount Vernon School

alumni, including: NBA star Ben Gordon, as well as my

dear friend Denzel Washington who donated the first

$100-thousand dollars of his own money to support this

worthy cause.

And it was a slam-dunk! As a community, we saved

our sports program. Thank God we did, because tonight,

we honor the success of that investment.

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 Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome members of

the 2011 New York State and New York State

Federation Basketball Champions the Mount Vernon

High School Boys Basketball Team. Legendary Coach

Bob Cimmino cannot be with us tonight. Coach Cimmino

was selected to coach the prestigious McDonald’s High

School All-American Team. Let’s hear it for the State

Champs!

Also with us is Coach Patrice Wallace-Moore and

Section One finalist the Mount Vernon Girls Basketball

team. Give it up for these outstanding young ladies.

This is why I work so hard. So our children will have an

opportunity to shine in academics and athletics. WE’VE

COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW!! PROGRESS

MUST CONTINUE!

I also want to honor our All American Boys Track

Team who took the National Championships by storm

under the leadership of Coach Marcus Green.

Please welcome the outstanding Girls track team

of Mount Vernon High School and Coach Walter Hall

who has lead them to many victories this season.

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 Our support and investment is not just about

sports. These young people have brought a tremendous

amount of pride to our city and for themselves. It is

almost certain each of these students upon graduating

Mount Vernon High School will receive a scholarship to

college ensuring possibilities of an even brighter future.

And it’s not just on the playing fields. It’s in the

classroom.

Contrary to media reports, the majority of our

children are working hard at school and performing a

tremendous service to the community. I would like to

introduce the 2011 Mount Vernon School District

Spelling Bee Champion Kali Palmer of the Lincoln

Elementary School. Kali is here with her mother. Ladies

please stand.

We are acknowledging our young people, because

the local press will not. In June of this year, Kali will

appear at the national spelling bee competition in

Washington, D.C. We wish you much success in

Washington. Also, know that your city is behind you all

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the way. WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW!!

PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE!!!!

With sports in mind, I’m happy to announce that

construction of the new Memorial Field will finally get

underway this year. Last week, the City Council

approved bonding in the amount of about $1.5 million

for Memorial Field.

The funding will cover:

• Field lighting

• An upgraded score board

• Away team bleachers

• An additional ticket booth and concession stand

• Satellite locker room and rest room

These things are essential to convert Memorial Field

into a “world class” facility.

Yesterday, the Board of Estimate and Contract

voted to advertise for BIDS for “The Memorial Field

Redevelopment “Project.”

Tonight, I thank the Capital Projects Committee

under the leadership of Committee Chair Councilman

Steven Horton, Council President Karen Watts,

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Councilwoman Roberta Apuzzo, and Elvira Castillo for

their hard work in ensuring these funds. I look forward

to cooperatively working with the City Council and

Comptroller’s Office to facilitate the bonding process.

WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW!!

PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE!!!

GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY

Every year, I’ve asked my commissioners to do

more will less. This year is no different. Prudent

spending and accountability remain my policy.

Commissioner performance evaluations are largely

based on their ability to attain efficiencies and

economies.

Since 2008, we’ve seen overtime levels in the

police, fire, and Public works departments steadily

decrease. Thanks to better management and updated

equipment we are able to achieve these results –

despite major snow and torrential rain storms.

We are achieving major success in the area of

Information Technology. Commissioner Mary Graves

and our Management Services Department team have

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updated and saved tens of thousands of dollars on our

copier contracts, acquired the ability to work from

remote locations, enhanced vendor invoice tracking and

strengthened procurement policies via enhanced

technology.

We’ve also reduced non-personnel city expenses by

over 12 percent from 2009 levels. As we move forward,

we will look to further reduce these costs by

outsourcing functions such as payroll and by examining

our health care benefits options. For years now our

health care premiums have skyrocketed and we have

gone for too long without seeking less expensive

alternatives. We will continue to keep an open mind to

all options that will reduce the burden on the taxpayer.

This year, we have partnered with two computer

firms Capstone Strategy and MarketView to help us

update our network systems to enhance workflow and

efficiency, as well as accountability of city assets and

equipment. I would like to thank Derickson Lawrence of

Marketview Resources and Dwight McCloud of

Capstone for their expertise and commitment to our

city. By the way, they are also Mount Vernon residents.

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 Soon, we will unveil a new website. This new

website will give us the flexibility to be more

interactive and responsive with the public. A website is

considered a window into the heart of a city. I thank

another Mount Vernon firm, Greenberg Media for their

expertise and dedication towards moving our city into

the 21st century. WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN

BACK NOW!!!! PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE!!!

PUBLIC SAFETY

Three years ago, our city faced an epidemic of

rising crime and early in my administration young black

men were being killed on our streets at the rate of one

per month. Almost exclusively, these murders were by

the use of illegal handguns. Weapons obtained through

gun mills, mostly in the south, and transported across

state lines ultimately winding up in the hands of young

men associated with drug and gang involvement. At

every public meeting and everywhere I went, the issue

that I heard about most frequently, was crime. Early on

I partnered with New York City Mayor Michael

Bloomberg and the Mayors Against Illegal Handguns

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organization. In fact, I was invited to met with him to

discuss additional policies to curb gun violence in our

nation.

I am proud to report that in the fourth year of my

tenure as your Mayor, crime has decreased every year

that I have been in office and we no longer see people

being killed monthly on our streets.

Although we suffered a tragic loss just a week and

a half ago, and our hearts and prayers go out to Durell

Gordon’s Family. It is important for me to note that prior

to this sad tragedy, we had gone fifteen months without

a murder on city. Yes, fifteen months without a murder

on our streets!

Our city’s image has changed for the better. This

very unfortunate tragedy is the exception and not the

norm.

We can thank the hard working men and women of

the Mount Vernon Police Department for their diligence

and professionalism as well as their leadership under

Commissioner Carl Bell, who as a kid grew up in the

Mount Vernon Y and Boys and Girls Club. From his

successful career in the Drug Enforcement

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Administration he has brought his considerable

experience, aggressive approach and extensive inter-

agency relationships to Mount Vernon.

Under my administration, we have increased the

number of officers to the highest total this city has ever

seen and in January, we swore in twenty one new

recruits who, when they graduate from the Police

Academy, will join the ranks of Mount Vernon’s Finest.

We have combined proven strategies like

community policing with new age technology based

systems like Shot Spotter to further strengthen the

effectiveness of our Police Department and it has had a

dramatic effect. Also, through our capital projects

program we added nine new police cars to our fleet,

and we are looking to add more. WE HAVE COME TO

FAR MOUNT VERNON TO TURN BACK NOW!!

Also important to successful crime reduction is

community involvement. Over the last few years, more

and more citizens are becoming involved reporting

crimes and working with the police. The Peacekeeper

movement that evolved out of the Summit Meetings

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Against Violence at Grace Baptist Church is also a

major part of crime reduction. I know you’ve seen the

committed citizens out there in their orange shirts

walking the streets of our most challenged

neighborhoods and engaging and mentoring young men

and women. Thank you Lowes Moore and the men of

PeaceKeepers!

A new law enforcement tool is your cell phone.

Now, residents can contact the Police Department

quickly and anonymously by texting CRIMES or 274637

to report criminal activity.

Despite our success, I am in no way declaring a

total victory in the fight against crime. We have more

work to do and rest assured that Public Safety will

remain the highest priority of this administration and I

call upon everyone in this room tonight, as well as ALL

of our citizens, to continue to work with our Police

Department and together we will win this all important

battle.

Our public safety advances also extend to Mount

Vernon’s Bravest. Our professional firefighters, who

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enter burning buildings while everyone else runs out,

deserve the best possible apparatus and safety

equipment… and my administration has delivered. We

have upgraded our fleet of fire trucks and now stand on

our own. We no longer suffer the embarrassment of

pleading with neighboring cities to borrow ladders and

engines.

We have moved our firefighters out of the trailers

and back into their firehouse, where they belong. The

conditions of Fire Station One should have never been

allowed to decay to such unlivable conditions and we

must thank Senator Ruth Thompson for her assistance

in obtaining the funding to make the much needed

renovations.

Soon, thanks to a grant secured with the

assistance of Congressman Eliot Engel, these brave

men will also be receiving new breathing apparatus to

provide a higher level of protection when they enter

burning smoke-filled buildings.

As seen with the recent dramatic rescue operation

performed by the Yonkers Fire Department, our

firefighters must remain properly equipped.

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 Today, our citizens also enjoy considerably greater

coverage of emergency medical services. Prior to 2009,

our city shared just one EMS unit with both Pelham and

the eastern part of Yonkers. Today, after changing to a

Mount Vernon based company TRANSCARE, we now

average 2 EMS units dedicated just to our city – at no

expense to our taxpayers.

This year, we are nearing construction of a new

Emergency Operations Center at the Third Street

Firehouse that will provide a state of the art

communications and logistical operations center for all

of our emergency responders. US Senators Chuck

Schumer and Kristen Gillibrand, as well as State

Senator Thompson were all instrumental in securing

funding for this facility that will help to ensure our

preparedness for any type of disaster.

WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW!!

PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE!!!

INFRASTRUCTURE

It is no secret that for close to two decades our

streets, parks, our municipal buildings and fleet have

been allowed to decay to the point of embarrassment.

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In spite of the worst economic conditions since the

Great Depression, we have made great strides to

improve our infrastructure and our delivery of public

works services.

The little league fields at Brush Park have been

completely renovated thanks to help from our good

partner Assemblyman Gary Pretlow. It was an extra

special opening day last summer and seeing the joy on

the faces of the boys and girls as they saw the brand

new fields was so heartwarming. Our Recreation and

Public Works employees worked so hard to make this

happen and they did it for our children.

With winter now in our rear view mirror, hopefully

anyway, the record snowfall is still fresh in our memory

and I emphatically state that the snow removal effort of

our Public Works Department was second to none. The

toll that the winter took on our equipment, salt supply,

roads and workers was significant. Nonetheless, the

leadership provided by Commissioner Terrence Horton

and his road crews was extraordinary and I thank them

for getting the job done. We have the best DPW crew!!!!

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 Our streets are getting paved, every year. Late in

2010 we saw much needed resurfacing of Mount Vernon

Avenue and East Lincoln Avenue as well as other

roadways in all corners of this city. This important work

must continue, and will continue.

We are also updating our pedestrian crossings and

signals on the south side with modern equipment that

will make crossing the streets even safer. Tonight, I’m

happy to report to you that we have installed new

sidewalk ramps and pedestrian signals along Second

and Third Streets, and we will also perform the same

work on Fulton Avenue to the Bronx border. The Fourth

Avenue Bridge East sidewalk, which was closed for

over a decade is now open to foot traffic. We also now

have plans to repair the intersection of Gramatan

Avenue and Broad Street.

WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW!!

PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE!!!

You’ve all heard me speak about our ancient fleet

of garbage trucks and street sweepers that have spent

more time in the repair shop as they did cleaning our

city streets. Well, in 2010 we added eight brand new

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sanitation trucks to the fleet and, just earlier this

month, three new street sweepers hit the city streets;

all through our capital projects program. This capital

investment will not only make our city cleaner, but will

save our taxpayers money in terms of less overtime,

repair and fuel expenses. We are saving our taxpayers

money!

We replaced the elevator in the Armory for our

seniors and we are now replacing the roof of this very

building and soon the roof at the Doles Center. More

work remains and we will continue to address these

important structural issues through municipal bonding

at the current historically low interest rates and

favorable terms.

Our capital projects plan is a smart common-sense

investment that has been a great success. Moving

forward, with the cooperation of our City Council, we

will make even greater strides in delivering to our

citizens a modern and more appealing Mount Vernon.

WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW!!

PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE!!!

YOUTH

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 Throughout my travels across the city, people are

never tired of me bragging about the Mount Vernon

Youth Bureau. They are excited each time I extol the

virtues of the hard working group of people who,

despite continuing cuts in state aid, provide our city’s

young people with a myriad of youth development

programming and employment opportunities, including:

after-school and summer employment; the Safe Haven

program; the STRONG program at Mount Vernon High

School; college and career prep; inter-generational

programs; Step Up; Gems and so much more. Today our

youth have options available to them that have never

been offered before and I want to recognize the

Executive Director of the Youth Bureau, a dedicated

and tireless leader, Ms. DaMia Harris.

If you are a parent in this city, you owe it to

yourself and to your children to contact the Mount

Vernon Youth Bureau and learn about the many

opportunities that are available to your kids.

WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW!!

EYES ON THE PRIZE

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 Since 2008, my administration has been on a dual

track of restoration and progress to achieve our goal of

better management and services for our constituents.

While we have accomplished a great deal in a short

time, we have a way to go before the City of Mount

Vernon realizes its full potential. One thing is clear, we

are a city that is moving forward and moving in the right

direction headed towards greatness. We cannot turn

back the clock now.

Tonight, I ask all of you to help continue the progress

we have made in this city.

I said it before, and I will say it again using a quote

by President Barack Obama, “Our destiny is not written

for us, it is written by us.”

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MOUNT VERNON…WE HAVE COME TOO FAR TO TURN

BACK NOW. PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE!!!! PROGRESS

MUST CONTINUE!!!!

Thank you! God Bless you all! God Bless America and

the great City of Mount Vernon. Good Night.

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