Jovanovich To Run For Rye Mayor

Rye City Councilman Peter Jovanovich will run as an independent for Rye City mayor this fall, challenging Rye City Councilman Joe Sack.

Here is the announcement from Jovanovich. What do you think? Leave a comment below.

Jovanovich Declares Candidacy for Mayor of Rye

Councilman and Deputy Mayor Peter Jovanovich announced today that he is running for Mayor as an Independent. Through the petition process, he plans to be on the ballot this fall.

“I believe that the City of Rye can only be made a better place through the collaboration of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents,” explains Jovanovich. “The challenges we face are practical, not partisan; and we need volunteers from all points of the political spectrum.”

Here are some of the issues that he has addressed in his first term on the Council and will focus on as Mayor:

1. Infrastructure

Rye made a good step forward by approving the infrastructure bond last fall. But there is more work to be done: rebuilding the road bed and walkways at Station Plaza, improving traffic and pedestrian signals at Theodore Fremd/Purdy Avenue intersection, and upgrading crosswalks and sidewalks, particularly near schools.

2. Labor Negotiations

With the total compensation of City employees rising 7-8% a year, the City needs a new deal with its unions. In particular, the City must slow the rise in health care costs. The City Manager has advocated, in numerous negotiating sessions with our unions, to reform our labor agreements. “The Council must continue to support the City Manager in his negotiations with our unions,” says Jovanovich.

3. Environment

Working with members of the Sustainability Committee, Councilman Jovanovich enthusiastically supported the plastic bag ordinance. He further supports the Sustainability Committee’s agenda to preserve open space in Rye.

He pledges to protect our land use commissions from political influence. The Mayor and Jovanovich were pressured by the chairman of a Rye political party to fire the Chairman of the Planning Commission, and to appoint a “developer-friendly” replacement. They refused. Jovanovich states: “I promise to only appoint members to the land use commissions and boards who believe they are stewards of Rye’s neighborhoods, wetlands, and wetland buffers.”

4. Financial Sustainability

The City is now in excellent financial health because of the difficult decisions made over the last four years to deal with the worst recession in 75 years. Services were maintained while taxes stayed under the tax cap, expenses held flat, reserves restored, and our AAA rating reaffirmed.

5. The Rye Free Reading Room

The Recession put pressure on all City Departments and its non-profit partners like the Library. As Council liaison to the Library, Jovanovich worked closely with the Board of the Rye Free Reading Room to negotiate a sustainable labor agreement. He strongly promoted the use of bond funds to provide sprinklers and other improvements to the library’s historic building.

6. Golf Club

The Golf Club scandal revealed several shortcomings in the way the City of Rye conducts its business – particularly at the Enterprise Funds (Boat Basin and Golf Club.). First, the City needs stronger auditing oversight. Jovanovich proposes the City hire a full-time internal auditor, and, to supplement and provide further oversight, also contract with specialist outside auditors to review the Golf Club and the Boat Basin — places where a great deal of monetary transactions take place.

Second, to provide proper checks and balances in the operation of Enterprise Funds, Jovanovich supports new governance procedures, including the expansion of the Golf Club and Boat Basin Commissions to include citizens with financial expertise.

Third, reinforce the mission of providing low-cost recreation amenities. “We have lost sight of this goal: to provide affordable access to recreation,” says Jovanovich. “The cost of a pool membership at the Golf Club is now three times the average cost of other pools in Westchester. That’s not right.”

7. Playland

Councilman Jovanovich has strongly supported Sustainable Playland Inc.’s proposal, from its inception, to save the Park. If elected Mayor, he will work tirelessly to see this innovative approach to recreation in a parkland setting come to fruition.

Jovanovich says he will pursue a balanced approach to governing, combining sound fiscal management with improvements to Rye’s infrastructure and enhancements to its quality of life.

“That’s been my approach throughout my life in Rye,” he states. “Whether as a Director and Treasurer of the Friends of the Rye Nature Center, Council Liaison to the Rye Free Reading Room, or as a member of the Board of Architectural Review and the Planning Commission, I have concentrated on serving the best interests of Rye ¬without regard to political affiliation. If elected Mayor, I will continue in that manner.”

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and the candidate supplied bio:

Peter Jovanovich has enjoyed a varied career in book publishing, philanthropy, and public service.

Publishing

A graduate of Princeton University, he started in publishing as a college sales representative for Macmillan in 1972. He held various editorial and marketing positions in Macmillan’s College and Trade Divisions until 1977, when he was named a vice president of Macmillan Publishing and head of its trade division.

Mr. Jovanovich joined Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. in 1980 and held a series of positions, including President of HBJ’s Trade Division, Managing Director of HBJ, Ltd. (London), and President of Academic Press.  In 1989, he was named President and CEO of HBJ.

In 1992, Mr. Jovanovich was recruited to become CEO of Macmillan/McGraw-Hill School Publishing. In 1995, he became President of McGraw-Hill’s Educational and Professional Group. During his tenure, McGraw-Hill became the largest educational publisher in the world.

In 1997, Mr. Jovanovich joined Pearson, plc where he oversaw the creation of Pearson Education, which eventually surpassed McGraw-Hill to become the world’s largest education company with over $4 billion in sales and 20,000 employees. Mr. Jovanovich held the position of Chairman and CEO of Pearson Education until 2005, when, because of health reasons, he went on long-term leave.

Jovanovich also served as a director and Chairman of the Board of the Association of American Publishers. He was elected to the Educational Publishers Hall of Fame in 2007.

Philanthropy

For the past six years, Peter Jovanovich has served pro bono as president of the Alfred Harcourt Foundation, based in Rye. The Foundation provides college scholarships to low-income students from some of the lowest-performing high schools in the metropolitan area. Currently, the Foundation gives approximately $650,000 a year in scholarships supporting approximately 110 students, most of whom attend the City University of New York.

Uniquely, the Harcourt Foundation seeks students whose test scores are not stellar, but who have exhibited the personal strength to overcome significant life challenges. Through the provision of tutors and mentors, and the personal intervention of Mr. Jovanovich, who interviews each one of the students each year, approximately 75% of the Harcourt scholars graduate in four years. (The national average for low-income students is closer to 30%.)

Public Service in Rye

Peter Jovanovich was elected City Councilman in 2009, and for the last two years has served as Deputy Mayor. He has helped Rye restore its financial health, improve and invest in its infrastructure, and enhance our quality of life.

Mr. Jovanovich joined the Board of the Friends of Rye Nature Center in 2007, eventually serving as Treasurer. During the difficult times of the last recession, he worked with the Director and other Board members to make the difficult decisions necessary to save the “Friends” organization. Today, the Friends of Rye Nature Center is thriving: more programs are being provided to more children than ever before. 

He served Rye as a member of the Board of Architectural Review and the Rye Planning Commission. As Council liaison to the Rye Library, Jovanovich worked closely with the Board to negotiate a sustainable labor agreement. He strongly promoted the use of bond funds to provide sprinklers and other improvements to the library’s historic building.

His wife Robin, publisher of The Rye Record, has served as a director of the Rye Arts Center, and Vice-President of the Rye Free Reading Room. She is currently a member of the Board of Architectural Review. Her engagement in helping the non-profits around town is known throughout the community.

Robin and Peter have two grown sons, one a graduate of Rye High, and the other a graduate of Rye Country Day School. Both are married and living in Brooklyn.

Comments

[Judith A Hill]

Jury gives $450,000 to fired executive
By Ken Schultz
Herald Staff Writer
A former CTB/McGraw-Hill executive in Monterey who was fired from her $125,000 a year job was awarded $450,000 by a federal court jury for wrongful termination.
The jury of three men and five women in federal district court in San Jose also ruled the former Macmillian/McGraw Hill School Publishing Co. acted in bad faith when Judith Ann Hill, 41, was fired on June 10, 1993, from her position as vice president of finance.
In her lawsuit, Hill said that Peter Jovanovich, president and chief executive officer of what is now McGraw Hill School Publishing Co., owned by The McGraw-Hill Companies, flew to Monterey from corporate headquarters in New York to personally fire her after she complained of being sexually harassed by him.
Jovanovich told Hill at one point that "he wanted her to be his moll," said Novato attorney Nancy Krop, who represented Hill.
When Hill protested, "basically" that was the end of her career" with the company, Krop said.
Hill had also accused the company of sex discrimination and Jovanovich with sexual harassment in her lawsuit, but the jury ruled against her on those points, said company spokesman Steve Weiss.
The $450,000 judgment against the company, which later in 1993 became The McGraw-Hill Companies, was the maximum award allowed, Krop said.
"I think the company had to learn you treat people more humanely," Krop said yesterday.
Weiss said the jury award was likely the result of the company's failure to give Hill written warning that her job was in jeopardy before firing her.
Even so, "We do believe that we have a very valid basis for appealing the jury's decision," Weiss said. He added that the company hasn't decided whether to appeal.
Hill, the mother of two college-aged daughters, began her career as a $17,500 senior accountant and rose in 11 years to become the chief financial officer of the company's CTB division in Monterey, earning $125,000 a year, Krop said.

[P. StephenLamont]

Election Day minus 19: Peter Jovanovich, Matt Thomas, and Julie Killian continue their unlawful campaigns consisting of conflicts of interest and appearances of improprieties than run so wide and so deep that they tear at the very fabric of what has come to be known as election equality in this country and in the fact that it pertain to civil rights, tears at the very fabric of the Constitution of the United States. From this day forward from Ridge Street to Greenhaven and from North Street to the L.I. Sound let this be known as The Greatest Rip-Off of Rye Voters Ever Told.

[P. StephenLamont]

Another of Peter Jovanovich's legacy, an ATTACK on a son of Rye; what if he were YOUR son???

Andrew Dapolite Affair
iii. On or about March 5, 2013, Scott D. Pickup, City Manager in Rye, New York (“Pickup”) portrayed to the city council, on camera, that “he (Pickup) didn't have the ability to film a controversial Fire Department workshop meeting because he didn't have the staff available,” or words to that effect.
iv. Dapolite, one of the members of a two member department, was in the control room at City Hall on the night of February 9, 2013, and did record the meeting, contrary to the false claims of Pickup.
v. Defendant Jovanovich has refused to listen to these tapes; Jovanovich has instead chastised Dapolite for making the recordings.
vi. Where Jovanovich refuses to listen to the tapes, chastises Dapolite for making the recordings, in diametric opposition to the provisions in the Rye City Charter, failed in his responsibilities for making sure Pickup faithfully upholds, and follows, the law on residents’ behalves, Jovanovich negligently breaches his duty of reasonable care.

[P. StephenLamont]

nothing Matt (in over his head) Thomas can do about except feed quarters into his "parking meter" and hopes it finally sinks in...

[P. StephenLamont]

Tedc, this is Peter Jovanovich's RGC legacy, THIS, and there's not a damn thing Matt (in over his head) Thomas can do about it:
Rye Golf Club Affair
vii. As Deputy Mayor and Councilman, Jovanovich is responsible for making sure that City Manager Pickup faithfully upholds, and follows, the law on residents’ behalves.
viii. On June 14, 2010, auditors from the firm of O'Connor Davies Muns Dobbins presented a live report to the Rye City Council where, Jean Gribbins, the newly hired City Comptroller at the time, recommended that the auditors "take a deeper look" at the operations of one department in particular - Rye Golf Club; Jovanovich sat on the Audit Committee and, therefore, was already familiar with, and had a dialogue regarding, the meeting.
ix. On September 12, 2012, in a meeting of the Rye Golf Club Commission, it was revealed that the general manager of Rye Golf Club, Scott Yandrasevich, had a financial relationship with a staffing company that has billed the club over $2.2 million dollars in the last 18 months alone, unchecked by Pickup.
x. Manhattan law firm Brune & Richard LLP, determined that "Mr. Yandrasevich controlled a staffing company that, over a six-year period, was used to steal many hundreds of thousands of dollars from the City of Rye.”
xi. Pickup, told club-goers that Yandrasevich had no conflict of interest, that everything was above board, and that the city attorney had previously vetted the situation herself and found nothing wrong; the claim was publically contradicted by the city attorney.
xii. That same Brune & Richard report documented that Pickup, misled the public on Sept 27, 2012, when he – twice – said Rye's corporation counsel had reviewed Mr. Yandrasevich's relationship with the staffing company.
xiii. Where Jovanovich failed in his responsibilities for making sure Pickup faithfully upholds, and follows, the law on residents’ behalves, Jovanovich negligently breaches his duty of reasonable care.
c. Factual causation.
i. It must be shown that the particular acts or omissions were the cause of the loss or damage sustained.
ii. The causation between Jovanovich’s breach of duty and the harm that results to Rye Golf Club members increases the risk of harm, then the breaching party is liable in suit.
iii. At the September 12, 2012 meeting at Rye Golf Club an alleged staffing company that has billed the club over $2.2 million dollars in the last 18 months alone, went unchecked by Pickup.
iv. Where Jovanovich failed in his responsibilities for making sure Pickup faithfully upholds, and follows, the law on residents’ behalves, this instance provides the factual causation of the harm Jovanovich caused to occur.
d. Legal causation.
i. Jovanovich foresaw deficiencies at Rye Golf Club by the June 14, 2010, auditors’ report to the Rye City Council; Jovanovich sat on the Audit Committee.
ii. Seeing deficiencies at Rye Golf Club, Jovanovich had a duty to take care to avoid it.
iii. Where Jovanovich failed in his responsibilities to prevent the exploitation of deficiencies at Rye Golf Club, this instance provides the legal causation of the harm Jovanovich caused to occur.
e. Damages.
i. Damages place a monetary value on the harm done by Jovanovich.
ii. For most purposes connected with the quantification of damages, the degree of culpability in the breach of the duty of care is irrelevant.
iii. Once the breach of the duty is established, the only requirement is to compensate the victims of the Rye Golf Club affair.
iv. Where Jovanovich failed in his responsibilities to prevent the exploitation of deficiencies at Rye Golf Club, this instance provides for the recovery of damages or equitable relief by Plaintiff; in this action, subject to any amended complaint as of right, Plaintiff prays for equitable relief.

[P. StephenLamont]

lol...you think I read that garbage, Tedc??? It goes right from my mailbox to a recycling bin. We all know what went down at RGC...keep spending your money Mr. Jovanovich, just keep some aside in case you have to pay a nice $25k retainer. As for Mr. Thomas, I would remove yourself from this scene before you get neck deep in it; you are an accomplice, you aid, and you abet Jovanovich's unlawful candidacy...get the "picture????"...;)

[tedc]

PSL - check your mailbox tonight. Mr. Thomas has birthed a deep slime mailer on Rye Golf that bears zero resemblance to the facts nor reality. Peter Jovanovich must really think Rye people are stupid. What a foolish false note.

[P. StephenLamont]

Peter Jovanovich MUST REMOVE HIMSELF from his unlawful candidacy immediately and take his Rye Brook Campaign Manager with him. Draft Civil Complaint and Emergency Order to Show Cause available for a limited time only at http://www.iviewitholdings.com/home/News

[P. StephenLamont]

From the below analysis of the draft Complaint (lawsuit), and the Sack "Empty Chair Debate" video, it should be clear to the Rye City voters that Jovanovich and The Rye Record portray themselves, and have for many years portrayed themselves, as unrepentant, recidivist, incestuoans while Jovanovich holds public office and now seeks further public office which the Court must finally stop. The Southern District of New York will soon have the opportunity to speak. The Committee for Election Equality will applaud them for finding Jovanovich's and The Rye Record's behavior willful and for sending a loud and clear message that CHEATING ISN'T RIGHT!. Between now and November 5, VALUES WILL WIN AND WE HOPE THE WHOLE CITY OF RYE LISTENS!!!

[P. StephenLamont]

...and now, and since 08/01, Mr. Jovanovich is campaigning to be your Mayor, the Mayor of the City of Rye, a community he so negligently breached his fiduciary duties to uphold the rules of law.