Rye People: City Council Candidate Peter Jovanovich

With the November 3rd elections just around the corner, it's time for MyRye.com to introduce you to the candidates looking for your vote. This is your city and your election, so tell us what you think of the candidates and of our coverage. Leave your comments below.

Today we begin to introduce you to candidates for city council, starting with Peter Jovanovich.

Your Name:Peter Jovanovich

Position You’d Like To Have: Running for City Councilman

Your Day Job:

President of the Alfred Harcourt Foundation, based here in Rye. We give college scholarships to students from very disadvantaged backgrounds attending The City University of New York and The College of New Jersey. As president, I provide one-on-one counseling to each of our over 100 current Harcourt scholars. The foundation’s endowment is approximately $11 million. I was formerly chairman of Pearson Education, the world’s largest educational publisher.

If MyRye.com asked your co-workers for one word to describe you, what one word would they use?

Decisive.

Candidate closing statement at The Osborn Debate (October 19, 2009):

Your Political Affiliation:

Republican. In my view, the greatest issue facing government in New York, at the state, county, and city levels, is the need for fiscal discipline.

Why are you running for elected office?

Rye’s city government is mired in small controversies while major issues – taxes, spending, road repair – remain unaddressed. A change in the leadership in the Council is needed, and it’s my hope to provide some of the necessary focus to help reform City government.

City elections are coming up this fall. What should we know about the elections this fall? Who else on the ticket are you supporting?

It’s great that the citizens of Rye are getting a real choice on Election Day: two full slates of candidates offering differing approaches to managing the City. I’m running with Doug French for mayor, and Suzanna Keith and Richard Filippi for City Council.

What are the three most important issues facing Rye over the next five years?

1. Taxes. The City is becoming unaffordable for many residents because of the rise in property taxes. In the last seven years, the City has increased taxes 50%. Last year’s 4.5% tax increase, during the worst recession in 75 years, was ill-considered.

2. Growth in spending. With a 78% increase in government spending over the last seven years, Rye’s surplus reserves will be exhausted by the end of this year. We need to introduce new budget discipline, new kinds of labor agreements that allow greater flexibility to control costs, and new priorities for capital spending. We should cancel plans for a new police station (estimated to cost over $20 million) and concentrate capital spending on roads and bridges, pedestrian safety, and flood mitigation.

3. City Council performance. Rye residents have watched the Council waste hundreds of hours on various subjects without reaching a resolution. We have seen the last two City Managers come and go, so that there is no continuity in managing city affairs. Residents want a Council that listens to the public, makes the necessary decision, and then moves on to the next priority. 

Rye sustained $80 million in damage in the April 15, 2007 flood.  Is Rye prepared for the next “100 Year” flood? What are the most important things we need to do to prepare, how much will they cost and how should Rye pay for them?

Rye is not prepared for the next 100-year flood.

1. Install a sluice gate at Bowman Avenue Dam; County funds.

2. Widen and deepen the ponds above the dam; combination of State, County and City funds. A bond issue may be required.

3. Protect upstream wetlands; action by County, State and neighboring communities needed.

Teachers in Rye public schools have been operating without a contract for over two years due to a stalemate between Rye’s Board of Education and the Rye Teacher’s Association. What specifically should be done to resolve this stalemate, if anything?

This is not a City Council responsibility. The newly elected Board of Education of the Rye City School District is handling this issue.

Grade Rye’s handling of the following issues over the last two years on an A, B, C, D or F scale.

Flooding and flood mitigation (Bowman Avenue dam, Elm Place Wall, Central Avenue Bridge, etc.) -  B 

The City staff has worked very hard to get results; unfortunately, the State and FEMA have been slow to give approvals. Going back decades, the City has failed to take necessary steps to mitigate flooding.

Fiscal responsibility including taxes, budgeting and labor relations (Overall budget, taxes, litigation) - D

The City has made little progress in getting its fiscal house in order. It waited too long to react to recession, and should not have raised taxes 4.5%. Labor costs (salaries up 6%, benefits over 10% last year), are rising faster than can be sustained.

Public works including condition of sidewalks and roads and snow, leaf, garbage and recycling removal - D/B+ 

Anyone driving, biking or walking around Rye can see our roads and sidewalks are in poor condition. Snow removal in downtown lots could be improved. On the other hand, the City does a good job on recycling.

Safety including policing, fire and traffic - A/C 

Our Fire Department does an excellent job, but the City has been slow to act on pedestrian safety. According to Mike Genito, former City Comptroller, it took a child being hit on Boston Post Road to put in a crosswalk.

Schools including quality and labor relations NA 

Public recreation including parks and recreational programs - A

Rye’s recreational opportunities are excellent.

Other Issue:

1037 Boston Post Road  A multi-million dollar mistake. The City bought the building in 2006 for $6.2 million as a site for a new police station. But, because of the floods of 2007, it’s unusable as a police station. The value of the building has fallen by at least 30% (according to local realtors’ estimates). With a $5 million balloon payment due next May, City should sell the building and get it back on the tax rolls.

What are your three greatest contributions to Rye?

1. Service as Treasurer of the Friends of Rye Nature Center. So many people in Rye contribute to sustaining this 47-acre jewel of untouched land in the center of Rye, even during these difficult times. As a member of the Board, I’m working on long-term plans that will keep the Nature Center and its programs thriving.

2. Service on Rye’s Board of Architectural Review. Along with my fellow board members, I have worked to prevent some of the more egregious examples of bad architecture from diminishing the charm of our neighborhoods and downtown.

3. Investigative reporting for The Rye Record on issues like the illegal dumping at Beaver Swamp Brook, which has caused greater flooding, excessive overtime expenses in City government, and the operating losses at Whitby Castle.

What are the three best reasons to live in Rye?

1.  The Schools.

2. The marvelous open spaces such as the Nature Center, Rye Town Park, the Marshlands, Edith Read Sanctuary.

3. The community spirit in Rye in which so many volunteer to make Rye a better place to live.

Where can we find you on a Saturday morning?

In good weather, playing tennis or riding my bike, and in bad, working out at the Y. And always, taking our dog for a walk.

What are your three favorite restaurants in Rye that deliver?

After 17 years in Rye, we prefer to drive to Sunrise Pizza for takeout. Favorite pizza: half-white/ half-tomato. Also, ice cream at either Piazza Pizzeria or Longford’s.

What is your favorite restaurant in Rye for a family meal?

Café Livorno, in great part because of the service and Daniel, the consummate waiter. Rigatoni al Sugo is the entrée we all enjoy. Café Livorno, 92 Purchase Street, 967-1909.

Where do you live in Rye?

We live at 647 Milton Road, across from the wonderful marina and right behind Milton School. In our 17 years here, we have also lived on the corner of Hillside Road and Grandview Avenue, and on Locust Avenue.

How else are you involved in the community?

Working with my wife Robin, who’s been the editor of The Rye Record since 2000, we have contributed to probably every Rye non-profit, either with money or time, including The Rye Historical Society, the Rye Youth Council, Rye High School (though the Rye House Tours), The Rye Free Reading Room (particularly the annual library book sale), the Carver Center, Friends of Rye Town Park, Helping Hands, Rye YMCA, The Rye Arts Center, as well as Friends of Rye Nature Center, Edith Read Wildlife Sanctuary. We held the first fund-raiser for the Save the Bird Homestead.

For me personally, the most rewarding community activity has been writing profiles of people for the paper. It’s a delight to spread the word about individuals who lead life to the fullest and contribute so much to our community. And when a longtime member of the community dies, talking to family members about what made someone loveable and admirable, and publishing their recollections, is reward in itself.

Tell us your contact information:

Your web site: http://changeforrye.com
Your phone: 967-3456
Your email address: Pjovanovich@aol.com

Thanks, Peter!

Comments

[Judith A Hill]

http://www.lohud.com/article/20130524/COLUMNIST08/305240150/Phil-Reisman-There-s-reason-voters-cynical-about-Albany?gcheck=1&nclick_check=1

[Judith A Hill]

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA SAN JOSE,
BEFORE THE HONORABLE RONALD M. WHYTE, JUDGE
CASE NO.
JUDITH A. HILL,
PLAINTIFF,
VS.
MACMILLAN MCGRAW-HILL,
DEFENDANT.
THE CLERK: CALLING CASE C-93-20824, JUDITH HILL
VERSUS MACMILLAN MCGRAW-HILL

From the testomoney of George Simon

Q I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHEN PETER JOVANOVICH TOOK OVER THE JOINT VENTURE IN 1992. WERE YOU PRESENT AT A DINNER AT PETER B'S WITH MR. JOVANOVICH AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM?
A YES.

Q WHEN HE WAS FIRST MEETING THE EXECUTIVE TEAM?
A YES.

Q AND WHERE WERE YOU SITTING AT? WHERE WERE YOU SITTING RELATIVE TO JUDY HILL DURING THAT DINNER, IF YOU REMEMBER?
A I WAS SITTING TO HER LEFT, AND PETER JOVANOVICH WAS SITTING TO HER RIGHT.

Q OKAY. DID YOU -- DID YOU HEAR OR OBSERVE MR. JOVANOVICH, PETER JOVANOVICH, SAYING ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY TO JUDY HILL AT THAT DINNER?
A NO.

Q DID YOU HEAR ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT A MOLE OR A MOLL COMMENT AT THAT DINNER?
A I DIDN'T HEAR A DISCUSSION, BUT JUDY HILL TURNED TO ME AND
MR. GREEN: OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR.
THE COURT: WELL, THE QUESTION WAS, DID YOU HEAR ANY COMMENT BY MR. JOVANOVICH?
THE WITNESS: NO.

THE COURT: AND THE ANSWER WAS NO.
BY MS. KROP:
Q DID YOU HEAR ANYTHING FROM JUDY HILL ABOUT ANYTHING BEING SAID TO HER BY MR. JOVANOVICH?
MR. GREEN: OBJECTION.
BY MS. KROP:
Q ABOUT A MOLE OR A MOLL COMMENT?
MR. GREEN: HEARSAY, YOUR HONOR.
THE COURT: SUSTAINED AT THIS POINT.
MS. KROP: YOUR HONOR, MAY I APPROACH THE BENCH ON THIS SUBJECT?
THE COURT: . YES.

(SIDEBAR DISCUSSION OFF THE RECORD.)
BY MS. KROP:

Q WHEN YOU SAT -- AS YOU WERE SITTING NEXT TO JUDY HILL AT THAT DINNER, DID SHE SEEM, TO YOU, EXCITED OR UPSET ABOUT ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED?
A YES.

Q AND WHAT WAS THAT?
A SHE TURNED TO ME AND SAID THAT PETER JOVANOVICH ASKED HER TO BE HIS MOLL AND SHE SEEMED AGGITATED BY THAT,UPSET.

The below is taken from:
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
moll (m l)
n. Slang
1. A woman companion of a gunman or gangster.
2. A woman prostitute.

[Judith A Hill]

Phil Reisman writes about sexual abuse in the workplace and politicians.

http://www.lohud.com/article/20130515/COLUMNIST08/305150133

[Ray Tartaglione]

Copied from this week’s Rye Record;

Jovanovich Will Not Seek Reelection

Monday, 06 May 2013 00:00
By Rye Record staff

City Councilman and Deputy Mayor Peter Jovanovich declared his intention on Wednesday not to seek reelection this November.

“It’s evident that Councilman Joe Sack will be the GOP nominee for mayor,” said Jovanovich. “As we disagree on so many significant issues, it makes no sense for me to be on the ticket.”

He continued, “For one, I support our City staff. City Manager Scott Pickup’s performance in cutting expenses during the Great Recession, rebuilding the City’s reserves, and hiring a much-improved staff of managers has been outstanding. While he should have done a better job overseeing the Golf Club Manager, he has made great strides in remedying the situation. A much better Golf Club has opened this spring.

“If Scott Pickup is fired, as Councilman Sack has recommended, this City will lose a good man, a man who has raised his family here. We will also lose a part of our good will as a community.”

Jovanovich said that negotiating affordable labor agreements, protecting our neighborhoods through new land-use laws, and repairing our roads, bridges, and sidewalks —“rather than continuing to call for costly investigations and hire outside counsel to do work the City staff is capable of doing, and doing well” — should be at the top of our agenda.

The pressure from higher salaries, pensions, and health insurance for City employees puts the tax cap at risk, noted Jovanovich. “The State mandates pensions, but we can control the rise of the other two costs through goal-driven collective bargaining. City Manager Scott Pickup has worked diligently to get the PBA to agree to contribute more to their health care costs. He needs the continued support of the Council.”

The Councilman said that along with Rich Filippi, Doug French, and Suzanna Keith, he worked long and hard to plan and then help pass the infrastructure bond. “Councilman Sack voted against the bond, which voters approved 3 to 1 in last fall’s election.”

Having served on both the Board of Architectural Review and the Planning Commission, Jovanovich said land-use issues are of growing debate.

“Mayor French and I successfully resisted pressure to appoint ‘developer-friendly’ people to land use boards and commissions during our three-plus years on the Council. Rye’s land use laws need to be strengthened, not weakened.”

With seven months left in his term, Jovanovich said he would continue to press for repairing Station Plaza, improving intersections and sidewalks near schools and downtown, and redesigning the Theodore Fremd/Purdy intersection.

“There’s still much more to be done.”

[Judith A Hill]

http://polhudson.lohudblogs.com/2013/05/15/view-jcope-report-details-lopezs-history-of-sexual-harassment/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lohudblogs%2Fpolhudson+%28Politics+on+the+Hudson%29

[Hill v. Jovanovich McGraw-Hill]

Dear Judith,

We here in Rye can only imagine what you experienced at the hands of this filthy piece of crap Jovanovich.

As your lawsuit was making its way through federal court, this piece of crap Jovanovich and his sister moved to Rye.

It seems that the press was not so kind to this filthy piece of crap Jovanovich while he was defending your lawsuit. So what did he and his sister do? They decided to buy their own local newspaper, the Rye Record, I believe to control what is reported and how.

The Rye Record used to be a credible local newspaper. Once this piece of crap and his sister took over the reins, they turned it into the Buy Record.

Jovanovich and his sister now use this newspaper to promote their own personal and political agendas (fighting sex discrimination apparently not being one of them).

It seems to me that they disregard their journalistic integrity (what little they had) for the purpose of spewing propaganda for their political agendas and to cover up crimes and misconduct committed by their friends and political allies.

[Judith A Hill]

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA SAN JOSE,
BEFORE THE HONORABLE RONALD M. WHYTE, JUDGE
CASE NO.
JUDITH A. HILL,
PLAINTIFF,
VS.
MACMILLAN MCGRAW-HILL,
DEFENDANT.
THE CLERK: CALLING CASE C-93-20824, JUDITH HILL
VERSUS MACMILLAN MCGRAW-HILL, ON FOR PRETRIAL CONFERENCE.

MR. GREEN: YOUR HONOR, ONE POINT FOR THE DEFENDANTS?

THE COURT: YES?

MR. GREEN: OUR CONCERN IS ONLY WITH RESPECT TO THE LIMITATION ON OUR ABILITY TO REFER TO THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES THAT NAMED MR. JOVANOVICH AS RUNNING AMUCK AMONG THE DEFENDANTS WITH INAPPROPRIATE PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH WOMEN.

[Judith A Hill]

(c) Such unwelcome physical contact and verbal sexual harassment included:

(i) At plaintiff’s first meeting with JOVANOVICH, during a dinner at Peter B’s Restaurant in Monterey, as plaintiff passed JOVANOVICH to take her seat, JOVANOVICH grabbed her hand and told her to sit next to him.
(ii) Later, during the same meeting, JOVANOVICH looked directly at plaintiff and said,”I’m looking for a moll in the organization.”

The below is taken from:
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

moll (m l)
n. Slang
1. A woman companion of a gunman or gangster.
2. A woman prostitute.
________________________________________
[Probably from the name Moll, nickname for Mary.]

[Jim Amico]

And remember to always practice saying my name....LMAO!

[Hill v. Jovanovich McGraw-Hill]

Judith:

I can only imagine what a nightmare it must have been to work for such a pompous, arrogant, Jerk Off like Peter Jovanovich.

Unfortunately for us, we now have this Jerk Off doing his best to destroy Rye.

I wonder if when his sister Robin reads the transcripts of your sexual harassment lawsuit against this Jerk Off she will be putting it on the front page of the Buy Record.