Latest / This Week in Westchester: The Podcast / TWIW 26: June 22, 2026

Transcript

TWIW 26: June 22, 2026 · This Week in Westchester: The Podcast

• 0:06
  Intro: Welcome to This Week in Westchester, the podcast, your weekly audio briefing from Westchester County Government.
• 0:13
  Intro: Each week, County Executive Ken Jenkins breaks down the decisions, investments, and initiatives shaping life across Westchester.
• 0:21
  Intro: Clear information, real progress.
• 0:23
  Intro: One place to stay informed.
• 0:26
  Intro: Now, here is this week in Westchester.
• 0:29
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Good afternoon.
• 0:30
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: I'm Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins, and today is June 22nd, 2026.
• 0:36
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: This is this week in Westchester, the briefing.
• 0:39
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 23rd, is primary day here in Westchester County.
• 0:45
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So registered voters across the county will head to the polls to help choose their party's nominees for important races, which include Congress for Congressional District 17, New York State Comptroller, there's some local races, some county legislative races that are going on, as well as some state level races for assembly in a couple of places, and then members of the county committee, also known as district leaders, in various places.
• 1:12
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: No matter which candidate you support, participating in our democracy is one of the most important ways to make your voice heard.
• 1:21
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So polls are open from 6 to 9 p.m., 6 a.m.
• 1:24
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: to 9 p.m.
• 1:25
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And voters must cast their ballot at their designated poll place as opposed to during early voting where you could vote anywhere the 37 sites that we have.
• 1:34
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: You must you must do this.
• 1:36
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Tomorrow vote at your designated polling place.
• 1:46
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Every vote vote matters, and we will make sure to see you all at the polls.
• 1:50
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: I voted early last week.
• 1:51
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um so you won't see me again because that would not be legal.
• 1:54
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um so we want to make sure that you have the chance to make sure your voice is heard.
• 1:59
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um this is that opportunity to see who's gonna be on that ballot.
• 2:02
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um today, our municipal guest is a great friend of ours.
• 2:06
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um he's the mayor of the city of White Plains, Justin Brash.
• 2:10
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, Mayor Brash is gonna share the exciting developments that are taking place in the city of White Plains, including plans for transformation of Galleria site, the recent support from Governor Hokel that will bring um more than 500 additional units of affordable housing into the city.
• 2:25
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: He'll talk about the public safety initiatives, um, expanded foot patrols, and new ways for residents to provide feedbacks and compliments regarding the White Plains Police Department.
• 2:35
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And with full uh summer in full swing, he'll talk about some of the many, many events that are upcoming, especially the Fourth of July fireworks, which is a staple here in the city of White Plains.
• 2:46
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, but he'll also talk a little bit about the FIFA World Cup events that they've been doing um downtown and right on Memarinek Avenue and having some great activities for um our young folks that are participating in youth soccer, um, the America 250 commemoration, and everything else that he wants to talk about.
• 3:03
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: I'm sure he'll talk a little bit about the Knicks too.
• 3:06
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um that's our good friend.
• 3:07
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Let's bring him up, Mayor Justin Brash, Mayor of the City of White Plains.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_04: Great to see you, Ken.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_04: Thank you, Ken, for inviting me this morning to be here with everybody.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_04: It's a great opportunity.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_04: As most of you know, I'm Justin Brash.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_04: I'm the new mayor of White Plains, not new to politics and government, as I was a councilman and council president and on the planning board.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_04: So I want to tell you a few things and a little bit of an update uh about what's going on in White Plains.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_04: The biggest thing is that most of you know the Gallery Rhea Mall has been closed.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_04: I'm pleased to report that uh it's going to we're going to put up a giant housing project.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_04: It will be the biggest project in the history of Westchester.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_04: They even tell me it's going to be the biggest project in the history of the state of New York outside of New York City.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_04: So under our laws, which are the most generous in Westchester County, we are going to have to have 300 units of affordable housing.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_04: But we have been working as a team, because we know that affordability is the big problem today, and particularly for housing.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_04: So what can we do?
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_04: So our county executive Ken Jenkins and I, and Andrea Stewart Cousins, the State Senate Majority Leader, and Shelley Mayor, State Senator, and our Assembly members, Chris Burdick, and Amy Pollen, everyone have been pulling together to see if we can get some money out of Albany and out of Governor Hochel from the legislature to build much more affordable housing on that site.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_04: So, under our rules, as I said, you'd have to have 300.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_04: So we just got stuck into the budget a letter that will enable us to have 500 additional units of affordable housing.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_04: And that is a tremendous achievement.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_04: We'll have 800 units of affordable housing, workforce housing, the kind of housing we need.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_04: People who work in the hospital, people who work in the schools, people who work in government, people make between$45,000 and$110,000 a year for household income.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_04: This is the critical uh place in our society where people need a place to live.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_04: And we're gonna provide that.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_04: And uh we're oh we recently changed our rules, so we're even gonna give a preference to people who live and work in White Plains.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_04: So that's kind of the big announcement, the big thing we're most excited about.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_04: I just want to tell everybody that since I've become mayor, for the first time in the 23, 24 years that I have lived in White Plains, we brought back foot patrols.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_04: We have cops on the beat walking in the downtown, meeting with the merchants, meeting with the residents, making sure everybody's safe, get them on the streets, meeting the people and out of their cars.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_04: Been a tremendous success.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_04: They are uh, for better or worse, issuing summonses and increasing the quality of life and increasing police and community relations, and it's been a great success in our city.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_04: So I hired a new uh police or public safety commissioner, Wade Hardy.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_04: Many of you may know him.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_04: First of all, the only African American that has ever had a high-ranking position in the White Plains Police Department of Public Safety.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_04: And uh we the black community asked us to make it easier to make a complaint against the police.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_04: So we said that's an easy enough thing to do.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_04: And if you go to the City of White Plains or the public safety website, we have an easy drop-down menu, and you can make your complaint.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_04: You can even do it anonymously if there's a problem.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_04: But Wade Hardy, who's a brilliant and fantastic person, decided to put a section up there where you can put up compliments as in addition to complaints.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_04: So we had almost no complaints and lots of compliments about our amazing police force that protects us and helps us, and that's something I want to share with everybody.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_04: So if you have a compliment or a complaint, go to our websites, let us know, particularly let us know if you see them doing good things, because they're hard-working people putting their lives at risk for all of us.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_04: So and just a little quick fun thing about our city, you know, the boring work of government.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_04: George Latimer once said, you know, what do you call the county executive for it?
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_04: Your sewers.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_04: So along those lines, uh, we have installed something very which is a great idea in our city called smart hydrants.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_04: So believe it or not, they monitor flow and they send the information back to central headquarters for the Department of Public Works.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_04: So if there are water main breaks or other problems with the water, we can figure that out.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_04: So we're using smart technology, doing great things, and of course, the worst thing is to find out about a water main break or a leak or another problem from the wrong way, and of course, the more they leak, the worse the problems are.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_04: So that's another great thing we're doing.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_04: I'm just gonna go quickly into some great things that are happening in our city.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_04: Don't forget, on July 2nd at White Plains High School, we'll have thousands of people and food and dancing and fireworks and everything for our for our annual fireworks, 4th of July, America Ceral Celebration.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_04: We want everybody to be there.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_04: It's safe, it's fun, it's free, it's a great time.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_04: Uh we are going to have a special 250th anniversary of the United States celebration.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_04: Uh we're going to start, it's going to be on July 12th, Sunday, July 12th.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_04: It will start at Renaissance Plaza with a parade from Renaissance Plaza to Mitchell Place to the Old Armory.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_04: We're going to have a great time.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_04: We're going to have a whole ceremony.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_04: Many of you may or may not know, the Declaration of Independence was first read in this in the state of New York, in the city of White Plains.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_04: We will have somebody do that reading, and I think they will be dressed in traditional garb and clothing and do it in some kind of a traditional way.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_04: We're going to have a whole ceremony, and then actually we're going to have a beautiful um outdoor fair at Tibbett's Park, which is just a couple of blocks away, where you can have a colonial village and get a taste of what it was like to be colonial.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_04: It's free, it's fun, it's family-friendly.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_04: We want everybody to get up and to celebrate our amazing country.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_04: Sometimes in all the political arguments, we lose sight of our freedoms and our rights and all the great things in this country, and it's going to be an incredible time to come together as a community and acknowledge and be grateful for all the good things in our city.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_04: I want to remind everybody about Rock the Block.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_04: As you know, we have these beautiful outdoor concerts.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_04: We close down Marinac Avenue, free concerts, all kinds of fun.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_04: We even have stuff for the kids, golf and chalk and all kinds of stuff.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_04: Great music, great time, great food.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_04: So we're gonna have Rock the Block on July 15th, and on August 19th, come on down.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_04: Another free, family-friendly, multi-generational, great activity.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_04: And finally, don't forget, we have soccer fests.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_04: So we had our first soccer fest where we also closed down Merinac Avenue in downtown.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_04: Giant screens showing the game, people eating, drinking, stuff for the kids, a great time.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_04: We're doing that, of course, with our business improvement district, and it's a lot of fun.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_04: So we'll be doing that on June 27th and on July 11th.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_04: So I'll stop there.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_04: I could talk about White Plains forever.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_04: If you ever need me, I'm Justin Bresh.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_04: It's easy to find my phone number, 914-422-1411.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_04: I want to thank our county executive, Ken Jenkins, for the amazing job he does, the access he gives to everybody, and and I am grateful to have this opportunity to speak with all of you.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_04: Have a great day.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_04: Stay safe.
• 9:51
  unknown: Thank you.
• 9:53
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And that was our White Plains mayor and a really good friend of mine personally, um the mayor of the City of White Plains, Justin Brash.
• 10:00
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, he said he was new in the jobs.
• 10:03
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: That means he just got elected in November and he took office in January.
• 10:08
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And he has so such a great dossier of work that they've already done in White Plains.
• 10:12
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, then congratulations to him and his entire team.
• 10:14
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, and the common council members on the city of White Plains is a partnership with their city manager as well.
• 10:20
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um their city manager um is an old friend of ours.
• 10:23
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We know we always recognize Karen Pasquale.
• 10:26
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So again, the mayor making those great appointments and continuing um to do that work.
• 10:31
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um it was really exciting to see the things that happen on White Plains.
• 10:35
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, you know, it's the county seat, and we also look on Memarinic Avenue when they're rocking the block or having soccer fests and making sure that everyone gets engaged and involved.
• 10:44
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um I want to say Chris Gomez, who was leading that effort for for the city of White Plains, um did five jersey changes.
• 10:52
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Five jersey changes when they did their initial kickoff, which got changed from the original date, which was the Thursday, um, because of the inclement weather that we were gonna have for so many things.
• 11:03
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So a lot of things got shut down, but the day we did it was amazing with the the parade of flags from the different countries.
• 11:09
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, and again, we want to say congratulations to the City of White Plains, the business, the downtown business improvement district, and all of the other colleagues and um sponsors for that event um that made it really, really festive, exciting, and had great, great turnout for the set of games with the big TV screen out on Meredith Avenue to do that.
• 11:28
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So again, congratulations, Mayor Brass, for all the great work that you continue to do.
• 11:32
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um he did mention that we're coming up certainly on July 2nd, um, the fireworks that happen in the city of White Plains.
• 11:39
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um they have that to annual, but he also talked about the America 250 and recognizing and celebrating America's um the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
• 11:51
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um so, with that, we have um to be able to share what the mayor pointed out, which was the Declaration of Independence got read here in the city of White Plains.
• 12:02
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um we were in the neutral ground, if we people remember, um, to make sure that we have this opportunity.
• 12:08
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We have one of the uh most treasured historical artifacts, um, and we are so excited to be able to share that with the public.
• 12:17
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So joining us today are going to be Stephanie Bradford, who is the director of knowledge management and archives, and Courtney Fallon, our records manager.
• 12:26
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Together, they oversee the preservation and stewardship of the county's historical records and will discuss the significance of the Westchester County Hope Broadside copy of the Declaration of Independence, one of the earliest printed copies of the Declaration of Independence and to believe to be the actual document read in the city of White Plains shortly after the declaration was adopted.
• 12:52
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: They're going to provide some insight into the history of this remarkable artifact and preview the upcoming exhibition, the declaration distributed, Westchester County's Hope Broadside of 1776, which will be open to the public July 4th at the New Bergen Museum of Art at Purchase College.
• 13:12
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So, with that, let me turn over to Stephanie and Courtney.
• 13:15
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Thank you for joining us, ladies, and we're looking forward to hearing everything that you have to bring to us.
• 13:20
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, they have so much great knowledge about this.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, Lisa.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: Good afternoon, everyone.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_00: My name is Courtney Fallon.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you to County Executive Ken Jenkins for having us here today.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um, my colleague Stephanie Bradford will be up in a minute.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_00: So, July 4th, 1776 marked a time in history when the 13 colonies met at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_00: There they reached an agreement that declared themselves a free and independent nation.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: After the declaration was signed, writers were sent to several printers in the colonies to begin the process of spreading the news.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: We have this document, we need to get it out there to the people.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_00: These copies are known as the broadsides.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_00: Now, a broadside in historical context was something that was printed basically as a purpose for getting the news out there.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_00: I kind of refer to it as a social media of the day.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_00: This copy was originally printed by a printer in New York City named John Holt on Water Street, and we believe to think that there were 500 copies that were originally printed, and now only five survive, and one of them is this Holt broadside that the county has.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_00: And as county executive Ken Jenkins said, we believe this copy was also read aloud on the courtsteps of the White Plains Courthouse.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: Um there's a remarkable timeline with this copy of the Declaration.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it involves the daughter of the American Revolution.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_00: Uh they were at one time the property managers of the Elijah Miller House in White Plains.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_00: They had this copy and they were a little concerned about the safety and the security of the document.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: So in 1958, they actually donated it to Westchester County.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_00: And I believe it was in the White Plains Courthouse in the county during the 70s, 60s, 70s.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_00: And finally in 1991, the declaration was transferred by the then County Executive Andrew Pierre Rourke to the Westchester County Archives for permanent preservation and safekeeping.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_00: Since then, the document has been stored in the archives secure, environmentally controlled vault, but it hasn't been really accessible to the public yet.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: So in night in 2021, we started researching cases from NIST, the National Institute for Standards and Technology in Washington, D.C.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_00: NIST had previously installed an encasement of the Emancipation Proclamation for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_00: And who chose that we chose them specifically to create a case to display our copy of the declaration to the public.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_00: And now I'm gonna have Stephanie come up and actually give you a little background about the case itself, which also is kind of an interesting piece of history, I think, at this point.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: Stephanie?
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you, Cordy.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you, County Executive, for having us here.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_01: In 2024, the County Executive Office gave us the go to uh go ahead to purchase the case from NIST that was built and delivered earlier this month.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_01: We also hired a conservator from NEDCC, which is the Northeast Document Conservation Center.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_01: The conservator assisted with preservation of the document in the new encasement.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_01: So this is really technical because the case is very different from anything that anyone here will probably ever see in Westchester.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_01: This encasement utilizes an inert gas environment and uses advanced sensor technology to ensure long-term preservation and security by NIST, Westchester County's Archives and Records Center, as well as any environment that is currently being displayed.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_01: The document is housed in aluminum and titanium casings filled with argon gas.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_01: Argon is used because it is a larger inert gas molecule than helium, making it easier to contain and prevent oxygen from entering in the casing.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_01: NIST developed highly sensitive oxygen sensors to measure the concentrations within the case.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_01: So this ensures the levels and makes sure it's not very low.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_01: The case uses a specialized non-abrasive mounting to protect the paper and pure cellulous backing to manage moisture.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_01: It also uses laminated glass to filter harmful ultraviolet light to prevent fading of the declaration.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_01: The case is also to be monitored continuously using an internet connection so that all of the data is uploaded and can be viewed anywhere at any time.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_01: For long-term maintenance of this case, NIST provided detailed on-site training for the Archives Records Center as well as Newberger and how to use and care for the case ongoing going forward.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_01: So this could be of this case, of course, will preserve this declaration for over 50 years.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_01: We're very excited to display the case in a declaration at the Newburger Museum at SUNY Purchase.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_01: This exhibit starts on July 4th and will continue for the next six months.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_01: We're honored to be a part of an important piece of Westchester history.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 18:54
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: All right, thank you, Courtney, and thank you, Stephanie.
• 18:56
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um just being so shy because the that work was tremendous that would be done.
• 19:01
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um we have our CIO, um, Marguerite Burnett's with us, the our chief of information technology um for for Westchester County, and um and the Andrew J.
• 19:11
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Spano County Records and Archive Center is um part of her department that she oversees.
• 19:18
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And again, it was a tremendous amount of work to get to this place.
• 19:22
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We want to say thank you to to Stephanie and Courtney and the entire team, because we know that we saw some video that was in the background while the case was getting put together.
• 19:31
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: You saw the archivists at work.
• 19:33
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, it was a very, very delicate scenario, and as um as was painted by Stephanie, the whole um broadside was one of five copies that we believe exist um in the in the country.
• 19:45
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So that means the world at at this point in time.
• 19:48
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And and again, thinking that this is the document that was read um in the White Plains um courthouse steps um when we were letting people know about the beginning of America.
• 20:00
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So again, this is such an important piece of history.
• 20:02
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, but one of the things that we have, and there's so many things um in the Archive Center that have been um digitized, so you can um look on in online for them.
• 20:11
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: But people like to see this in person, and this is a tremendous um opportunity for this 250th year um of America to be able to see and experience and read the words on the piece of paper from 1776 and understand there's changes after that.
• 20:28
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: But that was the beginning and the the search and the pursuit of a more perfect union, and again, having this opportunity is fantastic, and then to take it out from the controlled environment of the Archive Center and bring it out um to SUNY Purchase and then eventually be able to display it because their case is forever, right?
• 20:45
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We spent a lot for it.
• 20:47
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, and the people of Westchester did, and and we did it happily.
• 20:50
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We had a unanimous vote by the Board of Legislators to authorize the dollars that were necessary um to do this.
• 20:55
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: But you have to continue to remind yourselves there's five that eleven, and it was not kept in really good condition when it was um put initially from the 70s and got from the the um the courthouse in White Plains, uh, where with the county courthouse, where it was displayed on the wall, and people probably walked by it, didn't even know what it was, right?
• 21:16
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, and you know, there might have been building issues and leaks and all those other kinds of things that happened.
• 21:21
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: But there's so much um so much that is kept in our archive center.
• 21:25
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, make sure you take an opportunity, go online and and click on our Carney Archives and be able to see all of the tremendous things happen.
• 21:32
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: They actually also accept certain things that um make that historical context.
• 21:37
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We get that a lot of times from historical societies from around the county.
• 21:41
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, but people have brought in things individually that get analyzed and evaluated and determined whether or not um it meets the criteria for them.
• 21:48
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So again, thank you, Courtney, Stephanie, for all the work that you all continue to do.
• 21:52
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: It is such an exciting time for us, um, you know, for us as a county, um, but it's also an exciting time for us as a country and to be able to fold.
• 22:00
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Those in and understand um how historical, the historical context of Westchester County, the streets that we walk on, the things that we take for granted.
• 22:08
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: You're like, oh yeah, that's a nice park.
• 22:09
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Oh yes, we we we are gonna have a reenactment of um of the the the White Plains Battle of White Plains, which will be in in um October, right?
• 22:19
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And that's gonna be for two days at Ward Pound Ridge, where over a thousand um reenactors are going to reenact the Battle of White Plains.
• 22:27
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: The mayor and I maybe just stop in for a minute.
• 22:29
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We won't be battling because uh that that'd be that'd be really fun, but we'll also be able to do that, and there'll be so many other events in your local community.
• 22:37
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So take advantage of these kind of opportunities to see that again.
• 22:41
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Thank you.
• 22:43
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We we had so many things happen last week.
• 22:46
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: I know the biggest thing, Knicks and Five, right?
• 22:48
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: People were really excited about that, the championship, first time in 53 years, but we had some exciting news on our own that happened at the same time that might have gotten not the additional attention that was necessary because of you know the world championship with our New York Knicks um uh celebrating a title after 53 years.
• 23:09
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So we want to take a moment to uh uh recognize some of the extraordinary accomplishments by student athletes right here in Westchester County.
• 23:18
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um several of our local teams participated um in Broadhomes championships in the spring, demonstrating not only incredible talent, but the teamwork, discipline, and determination that make our community so proud.
• 23:31
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, over this net last week or so, we had um our boys' tennis team championship in Division I for tennis.
• 23:39
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um the team from Scarsdale um wins the Division I state team tournament, the Scarsdale boys tennis team, um, which on the back of a strong connection between players um beat Syacet four to three to win the New York State Division I title.
• 23:56
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um up in Flag Football, we had the Flag Football Championships in Class B.
• 24:01
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Yorktown um was the champion for the state, so champions for the state in our Division I for Flag Football.
• 24:11
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And finally, we had for the Boys Lacrosse State Championships in Class C.
• 24:17
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: That is Rye.
• 24:19
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So Rye won the Boys Lacrosse Um State Championship, Class C um Division I.
• 24:25
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So we want to say congratulations to the players, the coaches, the families and school communities who support and supported these remarkable teams.
• 24:32
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Your hard work and dedication continues to make Westchester proud.
• 24:37
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And again, we don't want to take anything away from your hard work and congratulations to those teams from Scarsdale, Yorktown, and Rye, along with the many other ones that we did celebrate along the way.
• 24:49
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We want to make sure to give the shout out for these teams as well.
• 24:55
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: In our parks, we're gonna switch over and think about um things that we have going on up in Meerstead.
• 25:01
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Westchester County has begun begun phase one of a major capital restoration project at the historic Meerstead estate in Mount Kiska, putting more than$3 billion into the preservation of the property's farmhouse and related structure.
• 25:15
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, this restoration follows the lifting of a long-standing order that granted autonomy over management of the property and unlocked additional funds for community use.
• 25:26
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: The restoration is part of the$5.4 million capital improvement initiative focused on safeguarding the it um architectural and historical integrity of Meerstead, one of Westchester County's most trusted landmarks.
• 25:40
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, the people that know would tell you that part of Meerstead was utilized in the revolution to overlook because of the height of it, et cetera.
• 25:48
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So there's so many pieces of history that can keep connecting us all together.
• 25:53
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: The farmhouse, which date back to 1860 in the early 1900s, is among the oldest buildings on the 130-acre estate, along with a horse barn.
• 26:05
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So let's take a look at the work being done at the Meerstead Farmhouse right now.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_06: We're at Meerstead, it's one of our 54 Westchester County parks here in Mount Kisko.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_06: And we're literally in front of the farmhouse at Meerstead, which dates back prior to the ownership of the prior owners, back to 1860.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_06: And the farmhouse is a very important part of this park.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_06: This was more of a dairy farm.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_06: There's a dairy barn here, there's a chicken coop.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_06: There was some dairy and some food produced from the animals that were here.
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_06: It's not in good shape, uh let to go for many, many years.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_06: What we're doing here is what we normally do with some of our older facilities.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_06: We envelope the facility.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_06: We save it, we protect it, we beautify it.
• 26:51
  SPEAKER_06: It's going to look like it did in 1860.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_07: We have two sections of the house here.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_07: We have a version of the house which was built in the 1800s, and then a version of the house which was built in the 1900s.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_07: We are waterproofing the entire perimeter to keep moisture and water from entering uh the structure itself.
• 27:07
  SPEAKER_06: The county began the restoration process of the main house.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_06: Now, with the recent formation of the not-for-profit Neerstead Conservancy, the county is providing direction and a path forward.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_06: Windows, if they can be saved, they'll be restored.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_06: There'll be porchwork done in the front, as well as really the full replacement of the roof.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_06: Anything that would be lead-based, asbestos, um, or mold removal will be taken care of during this phase.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_07: In the basement here, we have ripped out the old uh shoreing and we reframed the entire basement.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_07: Previously, before we put this new uh basement columns up, this whole house was supported by just old timbers, uh just right down to the dirt floor essentially.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_07: So, what we've done here is we've excavated out, poured footings, and then reframed the entire basement level over here to support the entire house.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_03: I'm involved with reviewing the drawings, which is what I have here, and we work with consultant, um highly qualified architects and engineering firms.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_03: When the project's complete, you'll see a brand new building, beautifully painted.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_03: We would like to restore the roof shingles to its historic um cedar shake shingles.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_03: All the stonework refinished the way we had intended, and it will then bring you back to history to what it once was.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_06: Then we come back for phase two and we restore the interior.
• 28:29
  SPEAKER_06: We also add uh water service and sewer service and all sorts of things that you need.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_06: Meerstead is listed on the National Register of Historic Properties.
• 28:39
  SPEAKER_06: Meerstead is Scottish for farmland.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_06: It brings you back to the days of farming, and this was a country estate, you know, in the in the 1900s.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_06: The dairy barn is also on the capital list for future work to transform as a public space for events and entertainment.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_06: The farmhouse was used for farming back in the 1800s.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_06: So we're looking to partner with not-for-profits as well as other groups and do some farm education, farm management, farm training, maybe some farming in residence here.
• 29:12
  SPEAKER_06: It's 130 acres.
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_06: It has a beautiful Georgian estate on it.
• 29:18
  SPEAKER_06: But it also has 2.3 miles of trails which go through bridges and meanders throughout the property.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_03: They're going to see this as a great benefit to the neighborhood, um, having been a dilapidated home for a while, and also to park patrons from wherever they're coming throughout the county will be able to enjoy this new improvement as part of uh their park experience here at Meerstead.
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_06: It's tucked away, but it has so much potential.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_06: Really, a special gem for this area in the county.
• 29:55
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: That historic renovation that's going to happen at Meerstead.
• 29:59
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We want to say thank you to our acting um commissioner for parks, recreation and conservation, Peter Tartaglia, who is starting that.
• 30:05
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, certainly all the members of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation.
• 30:09
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: That's the conservation part where the investments are maintained for us to deal with the 18,000, over 18,000 um acres and 54 different facilities that the park department has.
• 30:20
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And that is our responsibility in all of the roles that we have in maintaining properties, um, just like Mir State was.
• 30:26
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So phase one of the project includes the extensive renovation and restoration of the farmhouse's exterior and foundation, and it's expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
• 30:38
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Phase two is gonna uh focus on renovating the building's interior and upgrading the essential infrastructure, including the water supply and sewage disposal systems.
• 30:48
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So we're gonna continue to do that in the parks system and parks recreation and conservation.
• 30:54
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um speaking of parks, we have a bunch of great things that are happening as we head towards the 4th of July holiday coming up in about 10 days.
• 31:03
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um we have this Friday, June 26th, um Westchester County's pools opening day.
• 31:11
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So 11 to 6:30 p.m.
• 31:13
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um at Tibbett's Brook Park, Sprain Ridge Park, Saxon Woods Park, Wilson Woods Park, and Playland Park will be open daily through Monday, September 7th.
• 31:24
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Obviously, that's weather permitting.
• 31:26
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um there's not going to be admittance after 6 p.m.
• 31:29
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Admission fees do apply.
• 31:31
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Parking fees at Tibbetts and Playland.
• 31:33
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Westchester County residencies are requirement for admission except for Playland.
• 31:38
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um with a valid county park pass, you need that Westchester resident with a county valid county park pass, a New York State driver's license, or a New York State ID with a Westchester County address to get into all of those pools except for Playland.
• 31:53
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Right?
• 31:53
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Playland, you can just come in, have a great time in that zero debt pool.
• 31:57
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So again, the schools are opening 11, 630, um, starting Friday, June 26th.
• 32:03
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: The three beaches in Westchester County have been open since Memorial Day weekend, and even when the weather wasn't cooperated with us, it was open.
• 32:10
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, but this past weekend was a tremendous, tremendous opportunity um to see the parks in action, and I hope everyone got a chance to do that.
• 32:19
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: On Friday, June 26th, um, we have all of those beaches that are open, so we'll skip through all those because we already did that.
• 32:26
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: But the beaches are open as well, 11 to 6 30, Glen Island, Playland Park.
• 32:30
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, and on Saturday, the Croton Point Beach opens up on the June 27th.
• 32:36
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So it is not open on Friday, but um it is open on the 27th at Croton Point Um Park.
• 32:43
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We have Family Fund Day that's gonna come up on Saturday, June 27th, um, at Saxon Woods Park.
• 32:50
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um so enjoy the games at the pool.
• 32:52
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Participation is free, but admission fees do apply.
• 32:56
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Westchester County residency is a requirement for admission with a county park pass, a valid New York State driver's license, or valid New York State ID with a Westchester County address.
• 33:07
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Also on Saturday, our Heritage Days continue.
• 33:10
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: It'll be Irish Irish Heritage Day at Ridgebroad Park in Hartsdale.
• 33:15
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um they're going to be able to be going from 12 to 6 p.m.
• 33:19
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: There is admission for this.
• 33:20
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: General admission is for um is$10.
• 33:23
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Seniors and children, admission is$5.
• 33:26
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Children under 13 are free.
• 33:28
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Parking is free.
• 33:29
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: It's rain or shine.
• 33:31
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Seating is informal, so break sure to bring your blanket or folding chairs for seating on the lawn.
• 33:36
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Coolers are not allowed, and that's Irish Heritage Day Day on June 27th from 12 um to 6 p.m.
• 33:44
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Then on Sunday, we have the African American Heritage Festival, which is at Kensiko Dam Plaza.
• 33:50
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: That'll go from 12 to 6 p.m.
• 33:52
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Again, um live entertainment, line dancing, presentation of awards and scholarships.
• 33:58
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um they're gonna have for all six hours drama, um, poetry, ethnic foods, health and education vendors, free health screenings, cultural crafts, and much more.
• 34:09
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Again, rain or shine, that's Sunday the 28th.
• 34:11
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Like seatings informal, bring your blanket, folding chairs, so you can sit on the lawn.
• 34:16
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Coolers are not allowed either, but admission and parking for the African-American Heritage at Kenscoe Plaza is free.
• 34:24
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um overflow parking is going to be available at the Valhalla and North White Plains Metro North stations, and we'll have a free shuttle that goes back and forth to the dam from that parking.
• 34:34
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Again, it's um the shuttles from one to six, and again, it is free.
• 34:39
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, and of course, we have bicycle Sundays.
• 34:42
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, so the bicycle Sundays are on the Bronx River Parkway, making sure you got to travel that 13.1 mile loop from Westchester County Center to Scarsdale Road in Yonkers, it'll be close to cars, so it's open to walkers, joggers, non-motorized bikes, scooters, inline skaters, and e-bikes that are class one only.
• 35:04
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: There's many points of entry along the way.
• 35:06
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, free admission again, we're gonna have that.
• 35:09
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: That's from 8 a.m.
• 35:10
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: to 12 p.m.
• 35:11
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um the time goes from 8 a.m.
• 35:13
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: to 12 p.m.
• 35:14
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: during these hot summer months.
• 35:15
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um also is gonna happen on July 12th, July 26th, and then we go back in September.
• 35:22
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So we'll keep you up to date on those.
• 35:24
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, but again, that's the bicycle Sundays um that has continued to be a tradition here in Westchester County.
• 35:31
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And that's this week in Westchester.
• 35:34
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: This week we highlight the importance of participating in our democracy as registered voters across Westchester prepare to head to the polls for primary day.
• 35:42
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, they may not have election in every category, um, but you should check with the Board of Elections for your local municipality to see.
• 35:49
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um we were pleased that uh to have with us and welcome our White Plains mayor, Justin Brash, who shared the exciting developments taking place in the city from the future transformation of the former galleria site and new affordable housing opportunities, enhanced public safety initiatives, and just the busy calendar of summer events.
• 36:11
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And as our nation approaches its 250th birthday, we were honored to spotlight one of Westchester's greatest treasures, the Hope Broad Hope Broadside.
• 36:19
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We want to say thank you again to Stephanie Bradford and Courtney Fallon for helping bring this extraordinary piece of American history to life and for giving residents a preview of the exhibition that's gonna open on July 4th at the Newburger Museum of Art at SUNY Purchase.
• 36:35
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We celebrated the incredible accomplishments by our student athletes, and we took a look at the work underway at Mearstead, one of our county's most treasured landmarks in the nationally accredited and award-winning park system.
• 36:50
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: As summer officially gets underway, our parks are coming alive, the pools and beaches are going to be open, families are gathering, festivals are returning, and from residents from every corner of the county will have opportunities to celebrate, explore, and enjoy everything that makes Westchester such an amazing and special place to call home.
• 37:10
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And that's this week in Westchester.
• 37:12
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: I'm Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins, and thank you so much for watching.
• 37:15
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We'll be back to you if there's any news that we need to bring.
• 37:19
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Have a safe week.