Sunday, November 27, 2011

Westchester parks /Nature Centers proposed closures

From the NYS Birds Listserve:

Subject: County to close parks


From:

Date: Sat, 26 Nov 2011 10:33:20 -0500

X-Message-Number: 3



For anyone who hasn't heard......



Jeanne


We need your help!

Westchester County Plans to CLOSE Edith Read Wildlife Sanctuary and 5

other Nature Centers, and lay off the Curators/Naturalists.

As you may be aware, Westchester County's proposed 2012 budget includes

210 layoffs and further cuts across many departments. A large percentage of

these layoffs and cuts have come from the Conservation Division of the

Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, including the closing of

all six nature centers and cancellation of all wildlife monitoring, habitat

maintenance, and nature education programs. This Division is entrusted

with protecting the natural resources of County parkland, and these layoffs

further erode environmental programs that have already been reduced. Further

information on the budget can be found here:


_http://www3.westchestergov.com/news/3102-astorino-proposes-2012-budget-with-zero-increase-in-county-tax-levy_


(http://www3.westchestergov.com/news/3102-astorino-proposes-2012-budget-with-zero-increase-in-county-tax-levy)





Here are the list of nature centers whose buildings will close and whose

staff will be eliminated if this budget is adopted:

-- Edith Read Wildlife Sanctuary in Rye, NY


-- Marshlands Conservancy in Rye, NY


-- Cranberry Lake Preserve in West Harrison, NY


-- Croton Point Nature Center in Croton-on-Hudson, NY


-- Trailside Nature Museum (Pound Ridge) in Cross River, NY


-- Lenior Preserve in Yonkers, NY

We urge you to please make every effort to attend one of the public budget

hearings listed below to let your concerns with these budget cuts be

known.

The Southern Westchester County Regional Public Hearing on the 2012 Budget

will take place on Tuesday, November 22 at 7pm at New Rochelle High

School, 265 Clove Road, New Rochelle.

The Northern Westchester County Regional Public Hearing on the budget will

take place on Wednesday, November 30 at 7pm at Somers High School, 120

Primrose Street, Lincolndale.

The third and final Regional Public Hearing on the 2012 Budget will take

place on Tuesday, December 6 at 7pm in the Board Of Legislators Chambers on

the 8th Floor of the Michaelian Office Building in White Plains.

Please take a moment to call, e-mail and/or send a hard copy letter to all

of your legislators NOW - before you forget!

Their address is:



800 Michaelian Office Building,

148 Martine Ave, 8th Floor,

White Plains, NY 10601



Please use the attached letter as a template, and feel free to change it

and personalize it - particularly the first sentence. You can also e-mail

your letters. Sending both hard copy and e-mail letters would be the best

option. For a directory of legislators please go to:

_http://westchesterlegislators.com/contact-us.html_

(http://westchesterlegislators.com/contact-us.html)





Please also send a letter to the County Executive, Robert Astorino at:

_ce@westchestergov.com_ (mailto:ce@westchestergov.com) or

_http://www3.westchestergov.com/home/e-mail-the-ce_

(http://www3.westchestergov.com/home/e-mail-the-ce)

and hard copy to:

County Executive,

900 Michaelian Building,

148 Martine Ave.,

White Plains, NY 10601





Please send a letter to the Commissioner of Parks, Recreation &

Conservation Kathleen O'Connor at:

_parksinfo@westchestergov.com_ (mailto:parksinfo@westchestergov.com)

and hard copy to:

25 Moore Ave.,

Mt. Kisco, NY 10549



Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

Friends of Read Wildlife Sanctuary