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NEWS

AROUND OUR COMMUNITY

At our February meeting John Nonna, Westchester County Legislator  made an informative presentation detailing the role of our County government. If you were unable to attend our meeting or would like to get a better idea about the services and costs associated with our county operations, click here. Get Financially Literate Web content, seminars part of coordinated effort to help residents make better money decisions Even in the best of times, there is a heck of a lot that people don’t know about managing their money. And in the worst of times, bad decisions can matter even more. With that in mind, County Executive Andy Spano has launched a comprehensive personal financial education effort, designed to help residents – young and old – get the information they need to make the best financial decisions possible. “Even before the current recession, it was clear to me that so many people were just overwhelmed when it came to financial decisions,” said Spano. “These are complicated subjects and there is so much information out there – much of it biased and often just plain wrong. And now people are additionally very nervous that in these trying economic times they will make bad decisions that will affect them for years to come.” He added, “We are seeing young adults at early ages having to make long-term financial decisions, without the requisite background to fully understand the multitude of terms and conditions.” The financial education effort is a collaboration of the County Executive’s Office, the county’s departments of Consumer Protection, Communication, Information Technology and Senior Programs and Services, along with the offices for Women, Hispanic Affairs, African American Affairs, the Youth Bureau and nonprofit agency partners. It builds on programs that the county government has previously run to educate college kids on the “perils of credit cards” and to help parents assess the various available loans to pay for college. Elements of the campaign include the following: The county has launched a special section of its Web site(www.westchestergov.com/managingmoney) devoted to financial education information and issues The section is filled with resources on many money-related topics. It runs the gamut from things as basic as how to budget and talk to your kids about money to how to pick a credit card to how to find reputable help if you are facing foreclosure. Other topics include planning for retirement, paying for college education, paying for a home and preventing foreclosure. The county will host a variety of seminars throughout the county on various money-related topics. A full list of what is now scheduled is available on the new Web section. The programs are open to the public and free. County experts will provide training to school teachers who are interested in developing and incorporating financial education as part of their existing school programs. The county is planning a “Financial Fitness” event at the County Center on May 12 to address a variety of important money matters. Details will be announced shortly. Westchester/Putnam Workforce Investment System One Stop Employment Centers The Westchester/Putnam Workforce Investment System is designed to provide high quality services to primary customers; businesses and job seekers that will lead to the development of a first-rate workforce. Their mission is to serve customers efficiently by focusing on meeting their needs. They provide a wide range of services aimed at addressing the broadest needs of customers. Here is a list of One Stop Employment Centers. Normal business hours in the five centers are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday each week, except holidays. Each Center is equipped with modern, state of the art equipment and other resources that are available to businesses and job seekers. Businesses use the center to recruit, screen and interview candidates for openings in their respective companies and to gather relevant labor market information. Program Orientations will be held at the Department of Labor, located at 120 Bloomingdale Road, White Plains, NY 10605. Group Orientation will be held at 9:30 am on Monday/Wednesday/Friday: Call 914.997.9557 for additional information Job seekers use the center services to prepare for, find and keep their jobs. Among the resources available to job seekers are: computers and the internet, labor market information, job preparation workshops and individual employment counselors to help guide customers through the job search process. The Westchester/Putnam One Stop Employment System is open to all persons seeking employment. Preferences may be given to those customers who reside in the county in which the One Stop Office is located. Customers must be either citizens or have the legal right to work in the United States. Males born after December 31, 1959, must register for Selective Service. In order to access our full range of services, you must bring documented proof with you to Orientation for: Date of Birth Income (if working) Notification of Layoff / Proof of Unemployment

Information about the I-287 roadway improvements can be found at:  http://www.i287.info Citizen Participation: How to get involved locally You can interact with county government or get involved in your local community in a variety of ways. Sign up to become a volunteer, e-mail the County Executive, or become a Friend of the Parks. New to the county? Request a new homeowner packet or register to vote. You can look up contact information for your elected officials and view a list of the county's elected officials. In addition to news and information about normal business of government, you can find information about global warming and what you can do to help reduce green house gas emissions. View the official tally for the 2008 general election results for Westchester County. Send your comments to the Board of Elections. HEAT your home with HEAP! Starting in November , Westchester County and the federal government will team up once again to assist low-income residents, the elderly and the disabled with home heating costs through HEAP, the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). For those who heat their homes with oil, HEAP can help not only to mitigate heating and fuel costs, but can also provide emergency assistance that includes utility “turn-off” prevention. In addition, residents can take advantage of the Weatherization Program, which can help cover system repairs and/or upgrades to keep cold air out and warm air in—further enhancing fuel efficiency and dollar savings. To read more about HEAP and see if you’re eligible, visit http://www.otda.state.ny.us/main/heap/ If you’re interested in applying for HEAP and you’re an elderly or disabled Westchester resident: starting November 3rd, call the County Social Services Dept. HEAP Unit at (914) 995-5534 ; other interested county residents should call WESCOP at (914) 592-5600 Acquiring information about long-term care options can be challenging. That’s why the county encourages its residents to check out New York Connects help line. Special Needs Registry Database could be used to help residents in an emergency If there were a major emergency today, most residents if directed could leave their homes quickly, jump in the car and make their way toward safety. But that’s not the case for everyone. People with a physical or mental disability who live alone could have a problem. Recognizing this could be an issue, Westchester County’s Department of Emergency Services is putting together a database of residents who may require additional assistance, transportation or a place to stay if told to evacuate in the event of an emergency or disaster. Called the Special Needs Registry, the listing will be made available to local government so they can assist their own residents. “If you can’t leave your home without help, or you rely on special life-sustaining equipment, it’s important for you to register. And it’s easy to do – just call 2-1-1 and they will register you on line,” said County Executive Andy Spano. Spano noted that the registry is not a guarantee of assistance or a substitute for having a personal assistance plan. Rather it’s an essential tool that would help in community-wide emergency management efforts. Residents are also urged to think ahead and work with family, neighbors and friends to make sure they have their own plan in place in case of emergency. The Special Needs Registry initiative comes from a state directive that asks each county to maintain a registry of disabled persons in order to meet their special needs for assistance, in evacuation and sheltering, during an emergency. While the registry is confidential, it will be shared with local, state and federal agencies that might be involved in an emergency response. Each municipality in Westchester will be provided with a list of those persons in the registry residing in their community. Note that the registry is not open to those who live in institutional settings such as a nursing home or group home. It is intended for those who live on their own. The county has sent letters to municipalities and community-based agencies that work with special needs populations asking them to help spread the word by including information about the new registry in newsletters, public access programs or in other promotional materials. Residents are able to register by calling 2-1-1, signing up online, or by obtaining an application from the Office of Emergency Management at (914) 864-5450. People are also able to register a family member or friend in need. Each application will be screened and evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Registrants will be notified within 45 days if their application has NOT been approved. Information must be updated on an annual basis.

To become a member of our neighborhood association, visit our Membership
page or just click on the image shown above to download an application.

West Harrison Neighborhood Association Board of Directors

Founding Board Members:

Fred W. Sciliano
Lisa Faillace-Sciliano