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HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON.CAN YOU HEAR ME AT ALL? GOOD AFTERNOON.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? GOOD. WELL, WE'VE WAITED 100 YEARS AND ONE WEEK TO CELEBRATE.
TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTHDAY OF CITY HALL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE CITY HALL CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION COMMITTEE.
WELCOME. WE ARE CELEBRATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF THIS BUILDING, WHICH WAS DEDICATED ON FEBRUARY 22ND, 1926.
THERE WERE TWO PURPOSES FOR THE WHAT WAS CALLED THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING WHEN IT OPENED.
UH, ONE WAS TO BE THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE YOUNG AND FAST GROWING NEW CITY CALLED WHITE PLAINS, AND THE OTHER WAS TO BE A MEMORIAL FOR THE MORE THAN 1000 PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN WHITE PLAINS, WHO OFFERED THEIR LIVES IN SERVICE OF THE COUNTRY IN WHAT WAS CALLED THE GREAT WAR.
THE BUILDING HAS CONTINUED TO ADD MONUMENTS TO PEOPLE FROM WHITE PLAINS WHO HAVE GIVEN SERVICE IN EVERY WAR.
AND WITH THE EVENTS OF THE LAST WEEKEND, WE CAN THINK THAT HOPEFULLY WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT ANY MORE MEMORIALS UP.
BUT THERE'S ALWAYS PEOPLE WHO RISK THEIR LIVES FOR OUR COUNTRY.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TONIGHT OR THIS AFTERNOON IS CELEBRATE THE CITY HALL IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
FIRST, THE BUILDING ITSELF IS QUITE UNIQUE, SO WE'RE GOING TO SHOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW IT CAME TO BE AND WHAT FEATURES IT HAS.
SECOND, WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON THOSE MEMORIALS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEM AND HOW THEY CAME TO BE IN THE BUILDING.
AND THIRD, AND PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE GOING TO CELEBRATE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED IN CITY HALL AND CONTINUE TO WORK IN CITY HALL.
THEY'RE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VIBRANT CITY THAT WE LIVE IN TODAY.
WE OWE THEM A GREAT DEBT OF THANKS.
OVER THE YEARS, UH, THE BUILDING'S BEEN OPEN ABOUT 5200 WEEKS. SO WE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY MEETINGS MAY HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THIS MEETING.
UM, YOU KNOW, ALL THE COUNCIL MEETINGS, THE PUBLIC MEETINGS, THE PLANNING MEETINGS, UH, THE WE HAVE PROMOTIONS TAKE PLACE HERE.
SWEARING IN CEREMONIES, LOTS OF THINGS.
IN FACT, I JUST CHECKED VEGAS HAS AN OVER UNDER OF 10,000 MEETINGS.
BUT NO MATTER HOW MANY MEETINGS HAVE TAKEN PLACE, THIS IS THE ONLY TIME WE'RE EVER GOING TO HAVE A MEETING AND AN EVENT TO CELEBRATE THE 100TH BIRTHDAY.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
YOU CAN ALL GIVE YOURSELVES APPLAUSE FOR BEING HERE.
AND JUST JUST LIKE MANY, MANY EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE HERE, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
WE HAVE THE TROOP 2005 CUB SCOUTS, AND WE HAVE THE TROOP 73 BOY SCOUTS.
CAN YOU COME ON FORWARD, FOLKS, AND LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE, PLEASE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
IT'S MY PLEASURE NOW TO INTRODUCE SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO HAVE JOINED US HERE ON A SUNDAY.
THANK GOODNESS THE SNOW STOPPED AND EVERYBODY COULD MAKE IT.
I WANT TO START BY INTRODUCING CONGRESSMAN GEORGE LATIMER.
AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE WHITE PLAINS COMMON COUNCIL.
STARTING WITH MAYOR TOM WROTE.
COUNCIL. COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICKY PRESSER.
WE'D ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME BACK TO THIS CHAMBER.
LOTS OF FOLKS WHO SPENT MANY, MANY HOURS OF THEIR LIVES, MANY
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YEARS OF THEIR LIVES WORKING HERE FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY.THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE COMMON COUNCIL IN THE PAST, AND THEY WERE GOOD ENOUGH TO COME BACK AND JOIN US TODAY.
WHO WENT ON TO THE ASSEMBLY? BEN BOYKIN.
WHO WENT ON TO THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE.
DENNIS WAS ONE OF ONLY TWO COUNCIL PEOPLE WHO HAD SPLIT TERMS HERE.
HE WAS ELECTED IN THE 1980S AND AGAIN IN LIKE 2008, 2005.
WHO ALSO WENT ON TO THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE.
IF I MISSED ANYONE, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND AND WE'LL.
YOU KNOW, PUTTING ON AN EVENT LIKE THIS IS IS VERY SPECIAL.
IT SAYS IT TAKES A VILLAGE, BUT I'VE DETERMINED IT REALLY TAKES A CITY.
SO THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO NEED DESERVE TO BE THANKED.
TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO DO THAT.
THE FIRST IS ERMA RIVERA, WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE CUB SCOUTS HERE FROM THE WEBELOS AND THE ARROW OF LIGHT TROOPS.
NEXT IS THE ARE THE STUDENTS FROM WHITE PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL.
MEMBERS OF THE WHITE PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY CLUB.
THEY ARE THE GOOD LOOKING GUYS IN THE BLACK SHIRTS WHO ARE BEING GREETERS, AND THEY'LL BE DOCENTS AND UH, UH, GUIDES AFTER THE, UH, AFTER WE'RE OVER HERE.
AND THEN I'D LIKE TO THANK COFFEE SOCIAL FOR PROVIDING REFRESHMENTS FOR THIS EVENT.
AND THEN I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY HALL CENTENNIAL PLANNING COMMITTEE, UH, WHO SPENT LOTS OF TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THIS EVENT DONE AND TO PROVIDE BACKUP FOR IT, UH, FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
KAREN PASQUALI AND KAREN COSTABILE.
THE TWO KS ARE REALLY ALL ACES.
STEPHANIE AND MAGNAN AND NADIA SAVAGE AND THE WHOLE TEAM.
WE WERE SITTING TOGETHER AND I SAID, GEE, I WISH WE COULD FIND THE BLUEPRINTS FOR THIS CITY HALL.
WE COULDN'T SEEM TO FIND THEM ANYWAY.
AND IN ABOUT TEN MINUTES, STEFANIA AND HER TEAM HAD FOUND THE BLUEPRINTS FOR US.
THEY'RE ABOUT THIS THICK, BUT THEY WERE GREAT FOR OUR RESEARCH PROGRAM.
AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITY CLERK, JILL IONITA, WHO LET US ACCESS TO ALL THE ARCHIVES THE CITY HAS AND RECORDS.
BETH CLEARY HAS IS THE LIAISON TO THE COMMON COUNCIL, AND SHE HELPED GET ALL THE FOLKS HERE TONIGHT.
AND FROM THE WHITE PLAINS LIBRARY, THE DIRECTOR, LAURA ECKLEY, PROVIDED GREAT ADVICE ABOUT HOW TO STAGE THIS WHOLE EVENT.
AND I WANT TO THANK AUSTIN DUFFY, WHO IS THE LOCAL HISTORIAN AT THE WHITE PLAINS LIBRARY, FOR DIGGING INTO THE FILES, FINDING OLD NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS, PHOTOS OF PEOPLE, FACTS THAT WE NEVER COULD HAVE FOUND.
AUSTIN, WHO'S OVER THERE? AND THEN FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK THE REC AND PARKS DEPARTMENT, UH, BETH BRICKER, UH, DARREN VALDEZ AND THE WHOLE TEAM.
UH, THEY, THEY RUN THE LOGISTICS FOR THESE EVENTS.
THEY HELPED DO THE TREMENDOUS PUBLICITY THAT GOT MANY OF YOU HERE TODAY.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE SPECIAL THANKS TO ELAINE MESSINA.
I DON'T THINK ELAINE IS HERE, BUT SHE IS THE.
WE DIDN'T SAY HELLO BEFORE THE EVENT.
I'M GOING TO ASK ELAINE TO STAND UP BECAUSE, UM, WITHOUT HER, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THIS EVENT TODAY.
SHE SPENT WEEKS AND WEEKS LOOKING UP AT DATA ABOUT THE COMMON COUNCIL MEMBERS, ABOUT MAYORS, ABOUT THE SOLDIERS WHO YOU SEE PICTURED OUTSIDE THIS ROOM.
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SO.I'D LIKE TO THANK MIKE COAKLEY, WHO IS THE WHITE PLAINS CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, WHO POSTED A WEB WEB PAGE AND LOTS OF THE MATERIAL ON VERY SHORT NOTICE.
SO THAT'S ACCESSIBLE NOW TO TO THE WHOLE WORLD THROUGH THE INTERNET.
AND I ESPECIALLY WANT TO I WANT TO THANK.
I WANT TO THANK I WANT TO THANK RITA SANTOS AND KEITH BAKER, WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE WHITE PLAINS COMMUNITY MEDIA.
THEIR NORMAL JOB IS TO, RUN THE TELEVISION STATION THAT THE CITY HAS AND TO VIDEO EVENTS LIKE THIS.
AND THEY WENT REALLY OUT OF THE BOX AND FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON VIDEOS THAT YOU'LL SEE ABOUT CITY HALL AND THE MEMORIALS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RITA AND KEITH.
WE ALSO OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE PRECEDED US HERE IN WHITE PLAINS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN TIME TO RECORD HISTORICAL EVENTS THAT WE CAN BUILD ON.
HELP. HELP CHERISH MEMORIES AND LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PAST.
THE FIRST IS JOHN RAUSCH, WHO LIVED IN WHITE PLAINS FROM 1870 TO 19 30S.
HE WAS A PHOTOGRAPHER BY TRADE BUT A HISTORIAN AT HEART.
HE WROTE A BOOK THAT WE MAY KNOW ABOUT WHAT? ABOUT WHITE PLAINS.
AND HE'S ALSO DRAWN THE SKETCHES THAT YOU SEE AROUND THE BUILDING OF THE ROADWAYS IN WHITE PLAINS.
THE NEXT IS WE'RE DONNA HOFFMAN, WHO MANY OF YOU MIGHT KNOW.
SHE WAS A HISTORIAN HERE IN WHITE PLAINS FROM, UH, FOR 35 YEARS.
SHE'S WRITTEN BOOKS ABOUT WHITE PLAINS, AND SHE ALSO TOOK THE LOOKED AT THE SKETCHES THAT JOHN HAD DONE DECADES AND DECADES BEFORE AND WROTE MY NEW DETAILS ABOUT ALL THE HOUSES AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THOSE HOUSES.
SHE WAS A TIRELESS RESEARCHER AND A WONDERFUL WRITER.
AND ALSO, I LIKE TO THINK BACK AND THANK ANNE MCPHERSON, WHO WAS THE CITY CLERK FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
SHE WAS ALSO A HISTORIAN AT HEART.
SHE WROTE A HISTORY OF CITY HALL ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, ALSO DID LOTS OF WORK WITH WITH THE HISTORIES OF OUR VARIOUS MAYORS.
SO BECAUSE OF THE EXAMPLE THESE FOLKS SET, WE WANTED TO USE THE CITY HALL CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION AS A CATALYST FOR DEVELOPING MATERIALS THAT CAN BE HELPFUL TO PEOPLE DOWN THE ROAD FOR YEARS TO COME.
THEY CAN LOOK BACK AND FIND OUT MORE THINGS ABOUT WHITE PLAINS AND WHY IT'S SO SPECIAL.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN DOWNSTAIRS THERE'S A POSTER EXHIBIT THAT EXPLAINS THE HISTORY OF CITY HALL AND THE MEMORIALS.
THERE'S A CHART THAT SHOWS THE NAMES AND INFORMATION ABOUT EVERY COMMON COUNCIL PERSON FROM 1916 TILL UNTIL 2026.
THERE'S SOME INFORMATION ABOUT ALL THE MAYORS, SOME ABOUT THEIR THEIR LIVES, WHAT THEY DID, AND THE TIMELINE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN WHITE PLAINS DURING THEIR LIFETIME OR THEIR IN THEIR SERVICE TIME.
WE ALSO HAVE A LIST OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE MEMORIALS, AS WELL AS LITTLE BIOS OF THE SOLDIERS WHO ARE PICTURED RIGHT OUTSIDE THE COMMON COUNCIL CHAMBER.
AND LASTLY, THOSE SKETCHES I TALKED ABOUT ARE POSTED AROUND THE BUILDING, AND THERE'S A DOCUMENT THAT HAS THE SKETCHES AND WINONA'S EXPLANATION OF WHAT'S IN ALL THE SKETCHES.
SO IT'S EASY TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
AND OF COURSE, THE VIDEOS YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE WILL ALSO BE ACCESSIBLE ON THE INTERNET THROUGH WHAT THEY TELL ME IS A QR CODE.
OKAY. SO NOW NOW WE'RE UP TO THE GOOD PART.
WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE THE WORLD PREMIERE OF A NEW VIDEO CALLED WHITE PLAINS CITY HALL.
UM, AND I'M GOING TO CUE IT RIGHT NOW, AND RITA AND KEITH WILL SHOW IT.
ON FEBRUARY 22ND, 1926, 3000 PEOPLE POURED INTO THE BRAND NEW WHITE PLAINS MUNICIPAL BUILDING FOR A FESTIVE DEDICATION THAT INCLUDED A SCHOOL BAND, CHOIR, SINGING PRAYERS, TOURS AND SPEECHES.
THE PEOPLE OF WHITE PLAINS HAD NEARLY TWO AND A HALF CENTURIES OF GROWTH AND PROGRESS TO CELEBRATE.
IT ALL STARTED ON NOVEMBER 22ND, 1683, WHEN THE WEEK OF
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SACKED SOLD 4435 ACRES OF STREAMS, SMALL LAKES AND ROLLING WOODLANDS TO SOME NEW ENGLANDERS RECENTLY SETTLED IN RYE.THE WEAKER SAC HAD CALLED THE LAND CORPUS FOR THE FOG THAT OFTEN HUNG ABOVE THE SWAMPLANDS.
THE NEW OWNERS OF THIS SEVEN SQUARE MILE TRACK ADOPTED THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION AND NAMED IT WHITE PLAINS.
THEN THERE WAS THE ROYAL PATENT GRANTED BY KING GEORGE, THE FIRST OF ENGLAND, IN 1721.
THE 1759 ESTABLISHMENT OF A COURTHOUSE FOR WESTCHESTER COUNTY IN WHITE PLAINS, FROM WHAT IS NOW THE BRONX, MAKING WHITE PLAINS THE DE FACTO COUNTY SEAT.
THE MOMENTOUS EVENTS OF 1776, WHEN THE TINY VILLAGE BECAME THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND THE SITE OF A KEY BATTLE IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
THE DESIGNATION OF WHITE PLAINS AS A TOWN IN 1788, WITH ABOUT 500 RESIDENTS.
THE COMING OF THE RAILROAD IN 1844, WHICH GRADUALLY SHIFTED THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE COMMUNITY FROM VILLAGE STREET, NOW NORTH BROADWAY, DOWN RAILROAD AVENUE, NOW MAIN STREET, TOWARD THE TRACKS BY THE BRONX RIVER.
THE POPULATION OF WHITE PLAINS GREW MORE THAN SIX FOLD IN THE 30 YEARS BETWEEN 1880 AND 1910, INCREASING FROM 2381 TO 15,081.
AS FARMS GAVE WAY TO HOUSING FOR COMMUTERS AND THE VILLAGE BECAME A REGIONAL SHOPPING BUSINESS AND LEGAL HUB.
AS A RESULT, IN 1910, THE VILLAGE PETITIONED THE STATE TO BECOME A CITY, AND FIVE YEARS LATER, ON APRIL 26TH, 1915, NEW YORK STATE GOVERNOR CHARLES S WHITMAN APPROVED THE CITY'S INCORPORATION ON JANUARY 1ST, 1916.
THE VILLAGE AND TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS, ALONG WITH THE BATTLE HILL SECTION THAT HAD BEEN IN THE TOWN OF GREENBERG, BECAME THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS.
FORMER VILLAGE CLERK, POSTMASTER, SCHOOL COMMISSIONER, AND SUPERVISOR FARRINGTON THOMPSON WAS ELECTED MAYOR.
HERE HE IS WITH THE FIRST COMMON COUNCIL AND KEY STAFF AT A CELEBRATION DINNER.
NOW, WHITE PLAINS WAS A CITY, BUT IT HAD NO CITY HALL.
THE NEW COMMON COUNCIL MEETING IN RENTED SPACE IN THE REALTY BUILDING ON MAIN STREET, BEGAN DEVELOPING PLANS FOR A MUNICIPAL BUILDING.
THESE PLANS GAINED MOMENTUM WHEN, TWO MONTHS AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF WORLD WAR ONE, THE CITY COUNCIL CREATED A COMMITTEE THAT CONCLUDED THAT A FITTING MEMORIAL WOULD BE A MUNICIPAL BUILDING ERECTED AND DEDICATED IN HONOR OF THE MEN OF WHITE PLAINS WHO HAVE THUS SERVED THEIR COUNTRY.
AFTER CONSIDERING A SITE ON THE CORNER OF MAMARONECK AND MARTIN.
THE CITY PURCHASED THE 1870S HOMES OF TWO LEADING CITIZENS, J.
MALCOLM SMITH AND GILBERT LYONS, ON RAILROAD AVENUE OPPOSITE THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL, AND CREATED A NEARLY TWO ACRE RECTANGLE PLOT ON WHICH TO ERECT THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING AND TO DESIGN IT.
THE CITY COUNCIL HIRED ARCHITECT J.R.
FREELANDER. FREELANDER, A NATIVE NEW YORKER EDUCATED AT MIT, WAS ONE OF THE FEW AMERICANS WHO HAD GRADUATED FROM THE ECOLE DES BOIS IN PARIS.
HE WAS A LEADING PRACTITIONER OF THE BOER STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE, POPULAR WORLDWIDE FROM 1885 TO 1930 THAT EMPHASIZED CEMETERY AND COMBINED CLASSICAL DETAILS LIKE COLUMNS AND PEDIMENTS WITH ELABORATE ORNAMENTATION AND LARGE SCALE.
BEFORE WORKING ON THE WHITE PLAINS MUNICIPAL BUILDING, FREELANDER WAS RENOWNED FOR HIS DESIGNS FOR THE NEW QUARTERS FOR THE SAINT LOUIS CLUB, THE NATIONAL HOME FOR DISABLED SOLDIERS IN JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE, AND HARLEM HOSPITAL IN NEW YORK CITY.
THE STYLE WAS PARTICULARLY FITTING, SINCE THE NEW CITY HALL WOULD BE JUST A FEW BLOCKS EAST OF THE CLASSICAL WESTCHESTER COUNTY COURTHOUSE THAT HAD OPENED IN 1915, JUST DOWN MAIN STREET AT THE SITE LATER OCCUPIED BY ANN'S AND THEN MACY'S IN THE GALLERIA.
AFTER CREATING THE WHITE PLAINS MUNICIPAL BUILDING, FREELANDER WENT ON TO DESIGN MANY OTHER NOTABLE BUILDINGS, INCLUDING THE MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK.
FREELANCERS DESIGNED FOR THE WHITE PLAINS CITY HALL, CALLED FOR A FOUR STORY, 30 ZERO ZERO ZERO SQUARE FOOT CLASSICAL BUILDING, REFLECTING, AS THE DAILY REPORTER WROTE AT THE TIME, AT ONCE BEAUTY, STRENGTH AND UTILITY.
THE WELL KNOWN JOHN O'ROURKE AND SON CONSTRUCTION FIRM, WHICH HAD ALREADY BUILT THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL, EASTVIEW SCHOOL AND THE WHITE PLAINS YMCA, WAS HIRED TO OVERSEE CONSTRUCTION OF CITY HALL.
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SITE PREPARATION BEGAN IN OCTOBER 1924 AND CONSTRUCTION CONTINUED FOR 17 MONTHS.MADE WITH A STEEL STRUCTURE SO THAT LOAD BEARING WALLS WERE UNNECESSARY, THE BUILDING WAS ORIGINALLY HEATED BY COAL, AND SINCE ELECTRICITY WAS STILL SOMEWHAT UNRELIABLE, THERE WAS A BACKUP GAS LIGHTING SYSTEM.
WHEN A CROWD ESTIMATED AT 3000 ATTENDED THE INAUGURAL CEREMONY FOR THE NEW CITY HALL ON FEBRUARY 22ND, 1926, THEY DISCOVERED WIDE STONE STAIRS CLIMBING FROM THE CURB TO THE MAIN FLOOR, ALMOST 15FT ABOVE STREET LEVEL.
A FACADE ADORNED WITH EIGHT 25FT HIGH IONIC COLUMNS AND EIGHT BALCONIES WITH WROUGHT IRON RAILINGS AND BANISTERS.
A SPACIOUS VESTIBULE LINED WITH BOTH WHITE AND BLACK MARBLE AND PANELED WITH EIGHT PILASTERS.
THE ARCHITECTURAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE BUILDING WAS A GRAND CIRCULAR STAIRCASE THAT RISES MAJESTICALLY FROM THE FIRST TO THE THIRD FLOORS AND CREATES A MAGNIFICENT ROTUNDA MORE THAN 50FT HIGH, CAPPED WITH DECORATIVE SKYLIGHT.
ON TOURS OF THE BUILDING, THE RESIDENTS MUST HAVE MARVELED AT THE 100 ZERO SQUARE FOOT COUNCIL CHAMBER, DECORATED THEN IN APPLE GREEN AND WOOD PANELING ON THE SECOND FLOOR OVERLOOKING MAIN STREET.
THEY ALSO TOURED THE CITY COURT, LOCATED ON THE SECOND FLOOR IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER, WITH SEPARATE ROOMS FOR THE JUDGE, THE COURT CLERK, AND FOR PRISONERS.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES WERE ALSO LOCATED ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF CITY HALL.
THE BUILDING WAS DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE NEARLY ALL CITY ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS, AND ALTHOUGH THE CITY HAS EXPANDED GREATLY, MANY OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE COMMON COUNCIL, THE CITY CLERK, AND FINANCE, LAW, PUBLIC WORKS, AND PERSONNEL DEPARTMENTS ARE STILL HEADQUARTERED IN THE SAME SPACES THEY OCCUPIED A CENTURY AGO.
A TWO STOREY, 8000 FOOT ANNEX WAS CONSTRUCTED AT THE SAME TIME, JUST BEHIND CITY HALL, TO HOUSE THE WHITE PLAINS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT IS NOW HOME TO THE PARKING BUREAU.
OVER THE YEARS, CITY HALL HAS CONTINUED TO FULFILL ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSE AS A MEMORIAL TO WHITE PLAINS RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BRAVELY FOUGHT FOR OUR NATION.
PHOTOS OF 28 OF WHITE PLAINS RESIDENTS WHO DIED IN WORLD WAR ONE ARE DISPLAYED TO THIS DAY ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
PLAQUES AND MONUMENTS IN THE VESTIBULE AND ROTUNDA HONOR MANY OF THE WHITE PLAINS RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SERVED OUR NATION IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, THE CIVIL WAR, WORLD WAR ONE AND TWO.
CITY HALL HAS ALSO WITNESSED HUNDREDS OF PARADES AND CEREMONIES, PERHAPS THE GRANDEST BEING THE 1933 PARADE MARKING THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THAT 1683 LAND PURCHASE, WHEN PRESIDENT FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT DROVE UP MAIN STREET TO THE DELIGHT OF THOUSANDS, AND STOPPED IN FRONT OF CITY HALL TO TALK WITH CITY OFFICIALS.
CITY HALL HAS BEEN USED AS A MOVIE SET AND HOSTED COUNTLESS EVENTS AND VISITORS, INCLUDING A CAMPAIGN STOP BOTH INSIDE AND OUT BY PRESIDENT GERALD FORD IN 1976.
AFTER 100 YEARS, CITY HALL CONTINUES AS A LIVING MEMORIAL TO THOSE THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS WHO FOUGHT FOR OUR NATION AND AS THE VIBRANT SEAT OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE 63,000 PEOPLE WHO TODAY LIVE IN WHITE PLAINS.
YOU CAN SEE WHY I THANK KEITH AND RITA FOR DOING THE VIDEOS.
BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR CONGRESSMAN, GEORGE LATIMER, TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
IT IS A REMINDER THAT THIS BUILDING WASN'T EVEN 50 YEARS OLD WHEN I CAME TO WHITE PLAINS TO GET MY ROAD TEST, TO GET MY DRIVER'S LICENSE RIGHT DOWN OVER THERE IN BROCKWAY, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY.
AND I DIDN'T PASS IT THE FIRST TIME, BUT I NEVER HELD THAT AGAINST WHITE PLAINS, BUT NONETHELESS, WHEN I WOULD, UH.
WOULD COME BY THIS BUILDING AND THOSE DAYS.
AND ANYBODY IN MY AGE CATEGORY WILL REMEMBER HOW DIFFERENT THE COMPLETE AREA LOOKED BEFORE THERE WAS THE URBAN RENEWAL DOWN TO THE TRAIN.
THE BUILDINGS ACROSS THE STREET AND NEXT TO US DIDN'T EXIST.
AND SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT'S A DIFFERENT WHITE PLAINS.
BUT IN THAT REGARD, WHITE PLAINS IS UNIQUE IN THAT WAY THAT MAYBE 1 OR 2 OTHER COMMUNITIES IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY THAT CAN SAY THAT.
BUT WHITE PLAINS HAS COMPLETELY REMADE ITSELF OVER THESE YEARS, AND IT IS STRONGER.
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IT HAS IN ITS STILL MORE COMMERCIAL VIBRANCY.IT'S GOT THE SEAT OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
AND YOU ALSO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF KNOWING THAT ONE OF YOUR FORMER MAYORS, ED MCCALLION, IS ROUTINELY CONSIDERED THE GREATEST OF ALL THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES RIGHT DOWN THE BLOCK WHEN HE WENT FROM THIS JOB AS MAYOR TO THAT JOB AS COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
SO WHITE PLAINS HAS REALLY HAD A TREMENDOUS IMPACT OVER THE TIME.
WHEN I LOOK AT THIS BUILDING AND I DREW AN OBSERVATION, JEN, BEN AND DAVID HAVE AN EXPERIENCE OF LEAVING THIS LEGISLATIVE CHAMBER TO GO ELSEWHERE.
THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE IS SOMEWHAT LIKE THIS, IN THAT THERE'S THERE IS SPACE AND ROOM FOR RESIDENTS TO COME AND SPEAK A LITTLE BIT, BUT IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND IN THE FEDERAL LEGISLATURE, THERE'S NO PLACE SET ASIDE FOR THE RESIDENTS TO COME HERE IN WHITE PLAINS, THE SEAT YOU'RE SITTING IN ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT.
ON ANY GIVEN ISSUE, THERE MIGHT BE A FULL HOUSE OF PEOPLE COMING.
THEY USUALLY DON'T COME TO SAY HOW HAPPY THEY ARE WITH THINGS.
BUT IF THERE IS, IF THERE IS A PURPOSE TO THIS BUILDING IN THE DEMOCRATIC SMALL D PLANS OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS, IT'S THIS.
IT'S THAT THE PEOPLE OF WHITE PLAINS CAN COME AND INTERACT WITH THE ELECTED PEOPLE OF WHITE PLAINS AND TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THEIR CITY, AND THAT MAKES THIS ROOM AND THIS BUILDING SO IMPORTANT.
AND I'M GLAD I'M HERE FOR THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY.
I'M PRETTY SURE I WOULD NOT BE HERE FOR THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY, SO I MADE IT AT LEAST TO THIS ONE.
CONGRATULATIONS AND TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CONGRESSMAN.
I NOW LIKE TO INTRODUCE POLICE OFFICER ROSS WADE, MEMBER OF THE WHITE PLAINS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I PROUDLY SERVE AS A MEMBER OF THE WHITE PLAINS POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, FOUR OF WHICH HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE EMERGENCY SERVICES UNIT AS WELL AS THE HONOR GUARD UNIT.
I'M A RETIRED VETERAN OF THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, WHERE I SERVED FOR JUST UNDER 14 YEARS.
IN THAT TIME, I HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING AS PLATOON SERGEANT FOR BRAVO BATTERY, FIRST BATTALION, 258 FIELD ARTILLERY REGIMENT DURING OPERATION SPARTAN SHIELD.
IN 2020, I DEPLOYED OVERSEAS AS A NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER IN CHARGE OF AIR MISSILE AND DEFENSE.
MY MISSION WAS TO HELP ENSURE OUR DEPLOYED TROOPS RETURN HOME SAFELY.
SO WHEN A TIME WHEN SERVICE, SACRIFICE, AND LOVE OF COUNTRY CAN SOMETIMES FEEL LOST IN THE NOISE, IT SEEMS ESPECIALLY FITTING THAT I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF PRESENTING A TRIBUTE THAT REMINDS US EXACTLY WHAT THOSE WORDS TRULY MEAN.
YOU MIGHT SAY THAT ON YOUR WAY.
AND TODAY YOU PAUSED, AND YOU TOOK A CLOSE LOOK AT THE MEMORIALS ON THE FIRST FLOOR, HONORING THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES TO CREATE AND PROTECT OUR NATION.
AND AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS JUST OUTSIDE THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF WHITE PLAINS RESIDENTS WHO DIED IN WORLD WAR ONE.
THERE ARE MANY NAMES, MANY FACES.
THEY SPANNED MORE THAN 200 YEARS, FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR TO VIETNAM.
AND EACH ONE REPRESENTS AN INDIVIDUAL STORY, A STORY OF SACRIFICE, OF COURAGE, OF ORDINARY MEN AND WOMEN WHO ATTENDED THEIR FARMS, WALKED OUR STREETS, STUDIED IN OUR SCHOOLS, PRAYED IN OUR CHURCHES, WORKED IN THEIR SHOPS, AND IN SOME CASES WENT ON TO SERVE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYORS IN THIS VERY ROOM.
IT IS BOTH UNIQUE AND DEEPLY MEANINGFUL THAT THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS HAS AT ITS VERY HARD IN CITY HALL, SUCH A POWERFUL TRIBUTE TO ITS OWN RESIDENTS WHO FOUGHT ACROSS GENERATIONS TO KEEP OUR NATION FREE.
I AM PRIVILEGED TO BE PART OF THIS CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION AND HONORED TO INTRODUCE THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE MEMORIAL IN CITY HALL.
ON JANUARY 1ST, 1916, WHEN WHITE PLAINS BECAME A CITY, THE WORLD WAS AT WAR IN AFRICA, ASIA, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND MOST ESPECIALLY EUROPE.
ONE YEAR LATER, AFTER THREE YEARS OF NEUTRALITY, THE UNITED STATES WAS DRAWN INTO THE GREATEST MILITARY CONFLICT YET IN HUMAN HISTORY.
IN 1917 1918, NEARLY 5 MILLION AMERICANS ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE.
2 MILLION WENT OVERSEAS TO FIGHT IN EUROPE, AND SADLY, 116,000 AMERICANS DIED IN THE CONFLICT, MORE THAN 50 OF THEM FROM WHITE PLAINS.
IT WAS ONLY FITTING, THEREFORE, THAT IN DECEMBER 1918, JUST SIX WEEKS AFTER THE WAR'S END, THE WHITE PLAINS COMMON COUNCIL APPOINTED A COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER AN APPROPRIATE MEMORIAL TO THOSE WHO HAD SERVED IN THE GREAT WAR, AND THAT THIS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED COMBINING THE MEMORIAL WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT NEW BUILDING PLANNED IN WHITE PLAINS, THE
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PROPOSED CITY HALL.WHEN CITY HALL OPENED ON FEBRUARY 22ND, 1926, IT FEATURED A SPACIOUS AND CLASSICAL LOBBY WITH MAJESTIC OPEN SPACE SUITABLE FOR THE DISPLAY OF LARGE PLAQUES AND MONUMENTS.
BUT THE FIRST ACTUAL MEMORIALS WERE NOT YET INSTALLED.
A PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION MADE POSSIBLE THE CREATION OF FOUR MASSIVE TABLETS, EACH FIVE FEET WIDE AND SEVEN FEET HIGH, THAT WERE UNVEILED BEFORE A CROWD ESTIMATED AT 700 ON NOVEMBER 11TH, 1926.
THE EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF THE GREAT WAR.
ONE TABLET WAS DEDICATED TO ALL THOSE FROM WHITE PLAINS, WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN SERVICE TO THE NATION AND CONTAINED THE NAMES OF 52 RESIDENTS OF WHITE PLAINS.
THIS TABLET ALSO INCLUDED THE AMERICANS CREED, A MOVING EXPRESSION OF WHAT THE NATION STANDS FOR AND ASPIRES TO BE, THAT HAD BEEN APPROVED BY CONGRESS IN APRIL 1918, AT THE HEIGHT OF THE GREAT WAR.
THE OTHER THREE TABLETS WERE DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO HAD OFFERED THEIR LIVES AND SERVICE TO THE NATION, AND IN TOTAL LISTED OVER 1000 NAMES OF WHITE PLAINS RESIDENTS WHO HAD SERVED IN THE GREAT WAR.
THREE YEARS LATER, ON JULY 16TH, 1929, A SECOND SERIES OF PLAQUES, FUNDED BY ANOTHER PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION THAT EXCEEDED $3,000, WERE INSTALLED ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF CITY HALL.
THESE WERE INDIVIDUAL RADIO TONE PHOTOGRAPHS OF 28 WHITE PLAINS SOLDIERS WHO HAD GIVEN THEIR ALL AND PERISHED DURING THE GREAT WAR.
RADIO TONE WAS A PROCESS USED IN THE 1920S TO ENSURE LONG LASTING QUALITY, BY WHICH PHOTOGRAPHS WERE ELECTRICALLY ETCHED ON THE SURFACE OF COPPER, OVERLAID WITH A SURFACE OF GOLD.
MAYOR FREDERICK MCLAUGHLIN SAID IN PART, THE.
COMMON WISH AND PURPOSE THAT BRINGS US TOGETHER TONIGHT IS TO MAKE APPROPRIATE, RECORD, ENDURABLE AND PERMANENT FORM OF THE NAMES AND PORTRAITS OF ILLUSTRIOUS SONS OF WHITE PLAINS WHO DIED IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY.
AS EARLY AS OCTOBER 1927, THE COMMON COUNCIL HAD APPROVED THE EXPENDITURE OF CITY FUNDS FOR THE CREATION OF MEMORIAL TABLETS IN THE ROTUNDA FOR WARS IN WHICH AMERICA HAD PREVIOUSLY FOUGHT.
IT WASN'T UNTIL FEBRUARY 16TH, 1931, HOWEVER, THAT TWO ADDITIONAL TABLETS WERE INSTALLED IN CITY HALL.
THE FIRST FOR THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR READS IN HONOR OF THE CITIZENS OF WHITE PLAINS WHO OFFERED THEIR LIVES TO WIN THEIR COUNTRY'S INDEPENDENCE.
THE TABLET DISPLAYS 52 NAMES OF RESIDENTS FROM THE SMALL VILLAGE OF WHITE PLAINS, MANY WITH THE SAME SURNAME AND FROM THE SAME FAMILY.
THERE IS ALSO RECOGNITION ON THIS TABLET OF MEN WHO FOUGHT IN THE WAR OF 1812.
THE SECOND MEMORIAL PAYS TRIBUTE TO 324 WHITE PLAINS RESIDENTS WHO FOUGHT SO THE UNION BE PRESERVED IN THE CIVIL WAR, AND INDICATES THAT 27 WERE KNOWN TO HAVE DIED IN THEIR COUNTRY'S SERVICE.
IT ALSO LISTS 41 WHITE PLAINS RESIDENTS, FOUR OF WHOM WERE KNOWN TO HAVE DIED, WHO OFFERED THEIR LIVES THAT CUBA BE FREE IN THE 1898 SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR, AND TWO MEN, ONE OF WHOM DIED, WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE MEXICAN BORDER WAR FROM 1911 TO 1919.
BUT WARS AND THE DESIRE TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO RISKED THEIR LIVES NEVER SEEMED TO STOP.
IN 1949, THE COMMON COUNCIL APPROVED THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION IN THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING OF A WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL TABLET WITH CITY FUNDS IN HONOR OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF WHITE PLAINS WHO SERVED, AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN WORLD WAR TWO.
THE NAMES OF 146 RESIDENTS ARE INSCRIBED ON THE 6.5FT WIDE AND NINE FEET TALL FREESTANDING TABLET IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY HALL ROTUNDA.
FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE VIETNAM WAR, A MEMORIAL TABLET WAS INSTALLED ON THE WALL OF THE ROTUNDA WITH NAMES OF 26 WHITE PLAINS RESIDENTS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE CONFLICT.
ON NOVEMBER 11TH, 2000, IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE KOREAN WAR.
A MEMORIAL TABLET WAS INSTALLED ON THE ROTUNDA WALL NEXT TO THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL, DISPLAYING THE NAMES OF SIX WHITE PLAINS RESIDENTS WHO FOUGHT FREEDOM'S FIGHT AND LOST THEIR LIVES.
IN AUGUST 2023, WHITE PLAINS DEDICATED A VETERANS MEMORIAL GARDEN, LOCATED IN THE GREEN SPACE BEHIND CITY HALL THAT FEATURES PLAQUES FOR ALL SERVICE BRANCHES.
[00:35:03]
THIS TRANQUIL SPOT WITH BENCHES FEATURES A £6 GUN FROM THE USS MAINE, THE BATTLESHIP THAT EXPLODED AND SUNK IN THE HARBOR OF HAVANA, CUBA, IN FEBRUARY 1898 AND BECAME THE RALLYING CRY FOR THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.THE VETERANS MEMORIAL GARDEN HAS BECOME THE SITE OF THE CITY'S ANNUAL VETERANS DAY CEREMONIES AND OTHER EVENTS, AND ALL THE MONUMENTS, TABLETS, AND PLAQUES IN AND AROUND CITY HALL REPRESENT A TANGIBLE AND ENDURING TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY, BRAVERY AND SACRIFICES OF MORE THAN 2000 RESIDENTS WHO HAVE RISKED THEIR LIVES IN SERVICE TO OUR NATION.
THANKS FOR THE TEAM THAT DEVELOPED THOSE THOSE VIDEOS AND THOSE DOCUMENTARIES.
I HOPE THAT MANY PEOPLE GET TO SEE THEM FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
IT'S NOW MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED WITH MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES HERE FOR IN THIS ROOM, IN THIS BUILDING FOR 25 YEARS.
FORMER MAYOR OF WHITE PLAINS, TOM ROACH.
AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TODAY.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE SO MANY FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES FROM OVER THE YEARS.
AND AS I WAS SITTING THERE, I WAS THINKING, EVEN I CAN DO THE MATH ON THIS.
THAT MEANS LIKE, BASICALLY I WAS MAYOR FOR 15% OF THE TIME THIS BUILDING WAS HERE.
AND IF YOU COUNT THE COUNCIL, 25%, WHICH IS NOT REALLY MAKING ME THRILLED, HONESTLY.
AND I CAN SAY THAT WHEN I FIRST BECAME MAYOR AND I CAME IN THE BUILDING, AN IMPORTANT THING THAT THAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT IS BECAUSE I HAD NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
THE DIFFERENT VIEWS YOU HAVE OF A BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC BUILDING, IF YOU VISIT IT AND IF YOU WORK IN IT, AND IF YOU WORK IN ONE, YOU MAYBE NOT SO HAPPY BECAUSE A LOT OF THE THINGS LIKE THE PLUMBING AND THERE'S A LOT OF THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT MAKE IT MORE COMPLICATED AND HARDER TO TO DO THINGS.
BUT I, I BELIEVE IN THE ARCHITECTURAL PRINCIPLE THAT USED TO BE IN PLACE, WHICH WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU BUILT A SCHOOL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE HIGHLANDS SCHOOL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE EAST VIEW SCHOOL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO SEE WHICH ONES TO COMPARE IT TO BECAUSE PEOPLE GET OFFENDED, BUT, YOU KNOW, FIGURE IT OUT.
UM, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE BUILT BUILDINGS THAT THAT SENT THE MESSAGE TO PEOPLE THAT SOMETHING IMPORTANT IS GOING TO HAPPEN HERE, THAT MADE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO WORK THERE, WHO ARE COMING FOR HELP, WHO ARE COMING TO LEARN, REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE IN THE BUILDING.
AND IT WAS NOT REALLY SUBLIMINAL.
AND I THINK THAT SO FOR ME, WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, I WAS HEARING, TALK ABOUT WE SHOULD SELL IT BECAUSE THE LAND IS WORTH A LOT OF MONEY.
THEY COULD DEVELOP IT AND WE CAN HAVE THEM BUILD THIS A CITY HALL LIKE INSIDE THE BUILDING.
AND OR WE COULD GET ONE OF THESE OFFICE BUILDINGS AND TURN THAT INTO CITY HALL.
AND MY REACTION WAS, AND I WAS, I THINK ACTING MAYOR AT THE TIME, I WAS KIND OF LIKE, WELL, AS LONG AS I'M MAYOR, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
UM, THERE IS SUCH VALUE IN HAVING THAT BUILDING BE PART OF THE CORE OF THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE I THINK WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO APPROACH GOVERNMENT, WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT GOVERNMENT, IT'S VERY ABSTRACT.
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS THE PLACE WHERE YOU SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE, YOU GO TO THE SHOP, RIGHT? A GOOD CHANCE OF SEEING ME.
OKAY. I'VE HAD PEOPLE APPROACH ME ABOUT BUILDING PERMITS, UH, YOU NAME IT, WHILE I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH CEREAL I'M SUPPOSED TO BUY.
UH, BUT BUT I THINK THAT THAT LEVEL OF KIND OF CONNECTION TO THE, TO THE PUBLIC IS REALLY VITAL FOR FOR A NATION THAT THAT IS A DEMOCRACY SUCH AS OURS.
SO FOR ME, THIS IS THIS SHOULD ALWAYS BE HERE.
THIS SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WE WORK AROUND WHATEVER ISSUES THERE ARE.
WE EXPAND IN WAYS THAT WE HAVE TO EXPAND, BUT KEEP THE BUILDING AS IT IS.
UM, TOILING, I THINK, IS AN INTERESTING WORD TO THROW ON HERE.
I MEAN, I VIEW WHEN I WATCH DISHES IN COLLEGE AT A HOLIDAY INN, I FIGURED THAT WAS TOIL.
UM, BUT THE WORK HERE WAS, WAS WAS MEANINGFUL AND REALLY A JOY AND AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE.
AND I THINK ALL MY COLLEAGUES THAT ARE HERE, SERVING TODAY AND ALL OF THOSE THAT HAVE SERVED IN THE PAST, RECOGNIZE THAT PRIVILEGE OF REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND AND ALSO TRYING TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND, AND LISTENING TO WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY.
AGAIN, THE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT WHERE PEOPLE CAN REALLY JUST COME AND TELL YOU WHAT THEY'RE THINKING AND WE HAVE THE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD THING.
AND, AND PEOPLE WOULD COME IN AND SAY ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
AND THIS USED TO BE CALLED RAILROAD AVENUE ORIGINALLY.
THAT'S PART OF THE HISTORY OF THE CITY.
ONE ONE PERSON WHO CAME UP AND SPOKE WHEN HE FINISHED HIS, HIS, HIS SPEECH ABOUT WHATEVER WE WERE DOING THAT HE DIDN'T LIKE, HE SAID, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU OUGHT TO DO IS GO BACK TO CALLING IT RAILROAD AVENUE.
AND I AND I THOUGHT, THAT'S GOOD.
SO YOU GET A LOT YOU GET A LOT OF COOL THINGS.
AND YOU KIND OF I WILL SAY THAT THE, THE, THE THING ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT TOO IS THAT YOU CAN ACT QUICKLY.
[00:40:03]
THERE WAS A DAY WHEN WE GOT I SAW A GUY IN TWITTER POST, HOW CAN THIS POTHOLE BE IN THE MIDDLE OF MAIN STREET? I'M LIKE, I DIDN'T SEE IT.AND SO I TEXTED OVER TO DPW AND WITHIN AN HOUR THE SAME GUY POSTS.
WOW, IT GOT FILLED ALREADY, YOU KNOW? SO SO YOU CAN MOVE QUICKLY.
THE HIGHER UP YOU GO, THE HARDER IT IS TO TURN THAT BATTLE THE BATTLESHIP OR THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER.
AND SO THERE'S THERE'S REAL BENEFIT IN THAT.
UM, I WORKED WITH SO MANY GREAT PEOPLE, SO I'M NOT GOING TO SINGLE ANYBODY OUT, BUT I CAN JUST SAY THAT THE FRIENDSHIPS THAT I HAVE WITH ALL THE PEOPLE I'VE WORKED WITH HERE IN CITY HALL, UM, WHETHER THEY'RE, THEY'RE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OR THEY'RE MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COUNCIL, IT'S BEEN FANTASTIC.
UM, THE ONE PERSON THAT I'LL MENTION BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL NOT REMEMBER HIM, BUT HE WAS A A REALLY GREAT PERSON WAS BOB RUGER, WHO WAS, UH, I MET BOB AT CHURCH, AND HE GOT ME INTO THE ROTARY CLUB, AND HE WOULD ALWAYS SAY, I WISH YOU WERE A REPUBLICAN.
WELL, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, BUT HE GOT ME INTO THE ROTARY CLUB, AND HE GAVE ME THE PIECE OF ADVICE THAT I'VE LIVED WITH FOREVER SINCE HE SAID, NOW WHEN YOU GO TO THESE MEETINGS, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO SIT WITH THE PERSON.
NEVER SIT WITH A PERSON YOU KNOW.
IF THERE'S SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW.
SO I THOUGHT OF BOB WHEN I WAS COMING HERE TODAY BECAUSE HE WAS CALLED MR. WHITE PLAINS.
HE LIVED FOR 100 YEARS, AND HE.
AND HE DIED IN THE HOUSE HE WAS BORN IN, ON PROSPECT.
SO THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD CLAIM TO BEING, UH, MR. WHITE PLAINS.
UM, THESE MEMORIALS IN THE HALLWAY WERE SOMETHING THAT I NOTICED AS SOMEONE WHO WAS THINKING ABOUT RUNNING FOR COUNCIL, I WANTED TO COME TO SOME MEETINGS AND KIND OF GET A SENSE OF IT, KIND OF GET A FEEL FOR WHAT THE MEETINGS ARE LIKE AND HOW I WOULD BEHAVE IF I WERE ON THE COUNCIL.
AND SO I WHEN I WOULD TAKE A BREAK, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE COOL THING, THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO SIT IN THE WHOLE MEETING ONCE IN A WHILE, I COULD GET UP AND WALK OUTSIDE, AND I WOULD LOOK AT THE MEMORIAL AND I WOULD THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TIME THAT ALL THESE YOUNG MEN DIED, IT'S AT THE VERY END OF THE WAR.
AND YOU THINK ABOUT, UM, YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT LIVES THEY HAD.
AND, AND AS I LOOKED AROUND, THERE WAS, THERE WAS ONE SOLDIER WHO WAS A BLACK SOLDIER.
SO WHEN I BECAME MAYOR, I STARTED PERSONALLY RESEARCHING HIM A HUE DRUM GOLD.
AND HE LIVED ON JOHNS STREET HERE IN WHITE PLAINS, WHICH YOU MAY, DOESN'T.
UM. IT'S, UH, HE HE WAS A WIPER WITH THE WITH THE WITH THE RAILROAD.
UH, HE WAS, UM, HE VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE, AND HE VOLUNTEERED TO TO BE IN HARLEM HELLFIGHTERS, WHICH WAS WHICH WAS A COMBAT, UH, GROUP OF OF BLACK SOLDIERS.
UM, IT WAS A SEGREGATED ARMY THAT DID NOT PERMIT BLACK SOLDIERS TO ENGAGE IN COMBAT.
THEY HAD CERTAIN ROLES THAT THEY COULD SERVE.
BUT THESE MEN WANTED TO SERVE THEIR THEIR WHAT THEIR COUNTRY SHOULD BE, WHAT THEIR COUNTRY PROMISED TO BE.
AND, UM, AND THEREFORE THEY THEN ATTACH THE FRENCH ARMY.
HE WAS, UM, HE DIED, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE HE'S OUT HERE.
HE WAS SHOT IN COMBAT, UM, NEAR THE VERY END OF THE WAR WITH THE FRENCH.
UM, AND, UH, THE WHOLE HARLEM HELLFIGHTERS GROUP.
I SPEAK A LITTLE SPANISH, BUT I SPEAK FRENCH.
BUT IT'S THE THE QUALITY, THE AIR, THE WAR CROSS THAT IS THEIR HIGHEST HONOR WAS AWARDED TO THE WHOLE GROUP.
UM, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF OF THEIR SERVICE.
UM, IT IS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THEY BROUGHT JAZZ TO EUROPE, SO.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S PICTURES THAT THAT SEEM TO DOCUMENT THAT, BUT HE, UM, SO I WANTED TO LOOK MORE INTO IT.
AND YOU THINK EVERYTHING'S EASY ONLINE AND IT'S A LITTLE EASY.
I GOT SOME BASIC RECORDS, BUT I LEARNED THAT TO GET THE REAL RECORDS, YOU HAVE TO WRITE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ASK FOR THEM.
AND I ALWAYS GET I MIXED UP SAINT LOUIS AND CINCINNATI BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH BASEBALL TEAMS, YOU KNOW.
BUT WHICHEVER ONE OF THOSE MIDWESTERN CITIES HOUSES THIS BIG WAREHOUSE FULL OF RECORDS, I HAD A RIGHT TO THEM TO ASK FOR THE RECORDS.
THERE WAS A FLOOD HERE IN 1970.
WHATEVER. A LOT OF THE RECORDS ARE NOT LEGIBLE.
IF YOU IF YOU STILL WANT THEM AT 60 BUCKS.
I SAID, YEAH, I STILL WANT THEM.
WHAT WAS SEVERAL THINGS WERE INTERESTING TO ME.
UM, THE, THE MEDICAL RECORDS WERE ALL IN FRENCH BECAUSE HE WAS ATTACHED TO THE FRENCH ARMY, AND HE HE DIED WHILE HE WAS WITH BACK WITH THE AMERICANS.
UM, HIS, UM, I HAD THEM TRANSLATED BY A FRENCH TEACHER IN WHITE PLAINS SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I ASKED HER, WOULD YOU MIND TRANSLATE? SHE TRANSLATED IT FOR ME.
AND, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE HE DIED OF THE INFECTION.
BUT IT SEEMS LIKE BECAUSE HE HAD A HIGH FEVER SPIKE AND HE PASSED AWAY.
AND STRANGELY ENOUGH, HIS HIS WIFE DIED THE SAME DAY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
[00:45:03]
AND THE LITTLE GIRL, I BELIEVE, WAS RAISED BY HER AUNT.AND IN THAT FILE THERE IS A LETTER FROM THE THE AMERICAN LEGION IN THE 20S.
AND SOMEWHERE IN NEW JERSEY, WRITING ON BEHALF OF THE GIRLS, ON BEHALF OF THE GIRL, THAT SHE WASN'T GETTING THE FAIR PENSION PAYMENTS THAT SHE SHOULD BE GETTING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THAT'S SOMEBODY WHO WHO CAME, GAVE HIS LIFE FOR WHAT THIS COUNTRY IS SUPPOSED TO BE BUT WASN'T FOR HIM, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE PATRIOTIC HE CAN BE THAN THAT.
UM, THERE WAS THE HOPE AMONGST THE PEOPLE THAT SERVED IN THAT GROUP THAT NOW WILL FINALLY BE ACCEPTED.
NOW THAT WE DID THIS, AND IT LASTED FOR LIKE A LITTLE BIT.
ON THE HENRY JOHNSON, I THINK HIS NAME IS FROM ALBANY, WAS, I BELIEVE, ONE OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR.
HE WAS A BIG HERO WHEN THE, WHEN THE WHEN THEY MARCHED UP BROADWAY IN NEW YORK CITY, CROWDS CAME OUT TO CHEER FOR THEM.
BUT THEN EVERYTHING WENT AFTER.
IT ALL WENT BACK TO WHAT IT WAS.
SO, UM, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT EVERY DAY WHEN I ENTERED THE BUILDING.
AND EVERY DAY THAT YOU THINK YOU'RE HAVING A BAD DAY OR YOU'RE GOING TO FACE SOMETHING THAT'S DIFFICULT, IS TO LOOK AT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THIS COUNTRY AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE.
AND, UM, AND THEY WERE PEOPLE, UM, THE WORLD WAR ONE IS ALSO MEMORIALIZED AT THE HIGHLAND SCHOOL WHEN YOU COME IN, BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE DIED IN THAT.
THERE ARE MEMORIALS AROUND THE CITY.
AND ANOTHER SOLDIER RIGHT HERE, STUART KENT.
IF YOU WERE IN GRACE CHURCH, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE OLDEST STANDING CHURCH IN THE CITY, THERE IS A STAINED GLASS WINDOW PAID FOR BY HIS MOTHER.
JUST A REMINDER THAT THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO HAD A WHOLE LIFE IN FRONT OF THEM THAT NEVER GOT TO LIVE IT.
UM, SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, AND I THINK ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVED WORKING HERE ON WHITE PLAINS WAS THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THE CITY, UM, THE STAFF WERE ALL PROUD OF OF WHERE WE WORK.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU TALK TO THE THE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE THE BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE THE BEST DPW, WE'RE THE BEST LIBRARY.
AND IT'S TRUE, RIGHT? IT'S TRUE.
BUT. BUT I THINK THAT I THINK WHAT I ALWAYS SENSED WAS A SENSE OF PRIDE IN THE WORK THAT WE DID.
UM, THE PRIVILEGE IT IS TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AND AND THE IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, YOU UNDERSTAND, IF YOU TELL SOMEONE A TITLE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT PERSON DOES.
AS YOU GET FURTHER UP, THEY GET MORE COMPLICATED.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT TITLE MEAN? BUT THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE.
UM, AND, AND THE WORK THEY DO MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO POINT OUT TO PEOPLE IS THAT, UM, NO ONE RECOGNIZES HOW HARD, HOW MUCH HARD WORK GOES INTO MAKING THINGS NORMAL.
SO WHEN YOU GO TO WORK IN THE MORNING AND EVERY TRAFFIC LIGHT IS WORKING AND THE STREETLIGHTS ARE ON AND AND AND AND THE LAWS ARE BEING ENFORCED AND THE STREETS HAVE BEEN PAVED PROPERLY, YOU DON'T NOTICE IT BECAUSE IT'S ALL NORMAL.
WHAT YOU NOTICE IS WHEN SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT.
AND AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT GETS TAKEN FOR GRANTED OVER TIME.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE TOILED IN THIS BUILDING HAVE MADE SURE THAT IT WAS IN PLACE FOR ALL OF US.
SO IT WAS A GREAT HONOR TO BE ASKED TO COME HERE TODAY AND TO SPEAK.
I DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, A MILLION THINGS TO SAY.
I WILL SAY, AND I'LL WRAP UP NOW, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I AM WORKING ON FINALIZING MY RESEARCH INTO A FEW DROMGOLD AND AT SOME POINT I HOPE TO TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER THAT I CAN SHARE WITH EVERYONE.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE TODAY.
AND NOW THE CURRENT MAYOR OF WHITE PLAINS, JUSTIN BRASCH.
I'M THE LUCKIEST GUY IN THE WORLD.
I GET TO BE THE MAYOR, AND I GET TO COME TO WORK HERE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND AS YOU GUYS KNOW, I'VE WANTED THIS JOB FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE I.
AND IT'S BECAUSE I LOVE TO SERVE AND I WORK HARD.
AND YOU DO ALL KNOW I ACTUALLY WORK AROUND THE CLOCK.
MANY OF YOU HAVE RECEIVED TEXT FROM ME AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING.
AND IT'S AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THIS GREAT CITY.
AND JULIE AND I MOVED HERE 23 YEARS AGO, AND WE HEARD IT WAS A DOWN TO EARTH, GREAT PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY AND EASY COMMUTE TO THE CITY.
A SAFE PLACE, A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
NOW TO SERVE AS MAYOR, YOU KNOW, IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT CAPACITY.
I GUESS I'VE BEEN IN I CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CITY
[00:50:01]
HALL BECAUSE I WAS ON THE PLANNING BOARD FOR THREE YEARS AND ON THE COUNCIL FOR EIGHT, AND IT'S A FANTASTIC BUILDING.BUT NOW WHEN I WALK INTO CITY HALL EVERY DAY, IT'S STILL NEW AND SPECIAL AND I A LITTLE BIT HAVE TO PINCH MYSELF.
BUT AS TOM ROCHE TALKED ABOUT, IT'S IT'S AN INCREDIBLE RESPONSIBILITY.
I MEAN, WE'RE RUNNING EITHER THE FASTEST OR THE SECOND FASTEST GROWING CITY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
AND THERE'S A LOT GOING ON HERE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO HERE, AND WE'RE DOING THEM.
I'M GOING TO KEEP MY COMMENTS VERY SHORT, BUT THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE HERE THAT DIDN'T GET ACKNOWLEDGED, AND IT'S ALL AND IT'S MY TOM ROACH TAUGHT ME IT'S THE MAYOR'S JOB TO POINT OUT EVERYBODY.
SO I'M GOING TO TRY MY BEST FOR A FEW FOR A FEW PEOPLE.
I WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE, OF COURSE, TO THANK RECREATION AND PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS, AND I DO HAVE TO THANK WHEREVER SHE IS.
MY CHIEF OF STAFF, KAREN PASQUALE, AND MY ASSISTANT, KAREN COSTA.
THESE GUYS HAVE DONE INCREDIBLE WORK AND DESERVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT OUR COMMISSIONER AND DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY, WADE HARDIE AND JOE CASTELLI ARE HERE.
AND AS USUAL, OUR POLICE FORCE IS AMAZING.
THEY SHOW UP, THEY HELP US, THEY'RE HONORABLE AND THEY'RE AMAZING AND THEY'RE OUTSIDE.
AND CONCERNING THE POLICE, THANKS TO WADE HARDIE, JOE CASTELLI AND EVERYBODY, ONE CAMPAIGN PROMISE HAS BEEN FULFILLED.
I WAS ASKED TO MAKE IT EASIER TO MAKE A COMPLAINT AGAINST A MEMBER OF PUBLIC SAFETY, POLICE AND FIRE.
NOT ONLY DID WE PUT SOMETHING ON OUR WEBSITE SO YOU CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT SOMEBODY, WE KNOW THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS ARE AMAZING.
THERE'S NOW A SECTION WHERE YOU CAN PUT A COMPLIMENT FOR A MEMBER OF OUR FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I AM PLEASED TO REPORT I'VE ONLY BEEN IN I HAD TO CHANGE MY SPEECH BECAUSE IT SAYS I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR SEVEN WEEKS, BUT NOW IT'S EIGHT WEEKS THAT, UH.
THAT WE RECEIVE MANY MORE COMPLIMENTS THAN COMPLAINTS.
SO THAT'S A CREDIT TO OUR POLICE AND FIRE.
I DO WANT TO POINT THAT OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR, JIM ARNETT, IS HERE IN THE BACK.
THE PERSON WHO HAS DONE MORE FOR OUR CITY IN THE LAST 39 YEARS THAN ANYONE, AND WHO WE OWE A TREMENDOUS DEBT OF GRATITUDE.
THE SECRET SAUCE TO OUR CITY IS FRANK WILLIAMS IN OUR YOUTH BUREAU.
AND HIS ABLE ASSISTANT, LASALLE MONTE, IS SOMEWHERE RUNNING AROUND HERE TAKING GOOD CARE OF US.
I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT CHERYL BRADY FROM OUR SCHOOL BOARD IS HERE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, IT'S AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO WORK HERE, AND THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY A PLACE WHERE A LOT OF WORK GETS DONE.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, AS SOMEBODY SAID BEFORE, THE COUNCIL MEETS HERE AND THE TRAFFIC COMMISSION MEETS HERE, AND THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS MEETS HERE.
AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A JOB OR PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT IS UPSTAIRS AND PUBLIC WORKS IS HERE.
YOU CAN EVEN PAY YOUR TAXES HERE.
IN A LIVING PLACE AND A GREAT PLACE.
AND A LOT OF WORK GETS DONE HERE.
AND I THINK THAT GEORGE LATIMER MADE THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT.
PEOPLE COME IN, THEY WANT TO TALK TO THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE AMAZING.
BY THE WAY, WE SHOULD ALL GIVE THEM ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
THESE GUYS WORK AROUND THE CLOCK.
AND AND YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY THAT ANOTHER THING YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO TAKE CREDIT FOR WHERE YOU DID IT.
I WAS THE ONE WHO SAID THAT CITIZENS TO BE HEARD WHEN WHEN PEOPLE COMPLAIN AND SAY THINGS ABOUT OUR CITY, THEY'RE A LITTLE HARD TO BE TELEVISED.
I WILL SAY SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE ME THE MOST POPULAR PERSON IN THE HISTORY.
TODAY. THE BUILDING IS GETTING A LITTLE SMALL, AND AS OUR CITY GROWS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AND THINK IN THE FUTURE ABOUT HOW TO DO THAT.
IF YOU COME TO A COUNCIL MEETING, YOU'LL KNOW WE'RE OVERFLOWING WITH PEOPLE LIKE WE ARE TODAY, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE FORWARD LOOKING LIKE WITH EVERYTHING IN OUR CITY, HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT? IN WHAT WAY? FORTUNATELY, I'M ON WEEK EIGHT AND I HAVE NO IDEA.
BUT WE ARE GROWING AND WE HAVE TO REFLECT THAT GROWTH.
UM, I'M GOING TO END IT PRETTY MUCH THERE.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK MY WIFE, JULIE SMITH, WHO IS ALWAYS SUPPORTIVE OF ME, AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL.
NOW THE RESISTANCE, THE LAST THING WE HAVE TO DO IS THANK THE PERSON WHO BROUGHT US ALL HERE TODAY, SET THIS UP, DECIDED WE SHOULD DO THAT.
AND I WANT TO CALL UP LARRY GEIGER.
BECAUSE LARRY WAS THE IMPETUS, LARRY PUSHED THIS.
LARRY HAS BEEN IN MY OFFICE SEVERAL TIMES TO TALK ABOUT
[00:55:01]
THIS, AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE A HUGE SUCCESS.SOMEBODY TURNED TO ME AND THEY WERE LIKE, IS ANYBODY GOING TO SHOW UP? WE HAVE AN OVERFLOW CROWD.
HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY'S HAVING A GOOD TIME AND I BETTER STOP TALKING THERE.
BUT I DO WANT TO PRESENT A BEAUTIFUL PLAQUE TO LARRY GEIGER AND TO THANK HIM AND TO CONGRATULATE HIM FOR ALL OF HIS EFFORTS.
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE LAST LINE, BECAUSE THERE'S ALL THIS GREAT STUFF THAT HE'S DONE FOR OUR CITY.
HE'S A FATHER, HE'S A GRANDFATHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE HELPS WITH THE SCHOOLS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT TODAY WE ARE GOING TO DECLARE IN THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS FOR THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS CITY HALL, IT IS LARRY GEIGER DAY IN THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS.
NOW YOU KNOW, WHAT'S REALLY DIFFERENCE IS NORMALLY WHEN YOU GIVE SOMEBODY A PLAQUE LIKE THAT, THEY COME UP AND TALK.
BUT I THINK LARRY'S TALKED ENOUGH.
SO. SO WE'LL END IT THERE I WANT TO WE DO HAVE PROCLAMATIONS.
CONGRATULATING US FROM STATE SENATOR SHELLEY, MAYOR ASSEMBLY MEMBERS CHRIS BURDICK AND AMY PAUL.
OKAY, LOOK, WE WERE PLAQUE IN.
IT'S GOING TO BE PERMANENTLY POSTED IN CITY HALL.
YOU KNOW, I LEARNED THAT FROM LARRY GALLAGHER IN THE BACKGROUND AS WELL.
WITH THAT, LET'S HAVE SOME REFRESHMENTS.
AND OF COURSE, TAKE A MOMENT TO HONOR THE VETERANS AND THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED SERVING OUR CITY.
THANKS SO MUCH, EVERYBODY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.