White Plains · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in White Plains public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Fire Apparatus Repair Funding
The fire department needs extra money from the general fund reserve to cover repair costs for its fire apparatus — keeping emergency equipment running.
Rodent activity on Martine Avenue
A resident says rodent concerns are spreading through the city, with rats drawn to soft dirt and possibly worsened by upcoming construction. He wants to know if the city has a mitigation plan before the problem escalates.
Pedestrian and child passenger safety grants
Police picked up $35,000 in state grants: $6,000 for child car seat education and $29,000, mostly overtime, for seatbelt and dangerous-driving enforcement.
YWCA resident conditions at 69 North Broadway
A resident of the YWMA/YWCA at 69 North Broadway described reduced services, pest problems, lost security, missing hygiene supplies, and no carbon monoxide or smoke alarm inspections. She asked officials to intervene.
Cannabis delivery operations in Waller Avenue parking lot
A resident alleges legal cannabis distributors stage large tubs of product in the Waller Avenue parking lot for transfer to smaller delivery trucks, with no security, near a building where children pass through.
E-Bike Enforcement (May Luv Initiative)
The city's crackdown on e-bike delivery riders is showing results — 77 tickets and 34 warnings since May — but officials say many riders are transient and local ordinances won't stick. Education through restaurants and the BID is the main tool going forward.
Package deliveries blocking apartment lobbies
A resident says piles of delivered packages are blocking lobbies, trapping elderly and disabled residents. He wants an ordinance regulating how deliveries are left in apartment buildings.
Quality-of-life issues downtown: shopping carts, pigeons, rats, and parking meters
One speaker covered a grab-bag of downtown issues: shopping carts thrown off the City Center garage, a pigeon infestation on its top level, garbage overflow outside Nikki's Pizzeria attracting rats, and a request for parking meters on Hale Avenue.
Citywide rodent problem
A Battle Hill resident says rats remain a citywide public health issue, fueled by garbage left out overnight. He's asking for targeted sanitation enforcement, better department coordination, and a public update on the city's rodent control strategy.
Flock license-plate surveillance cameras
A resident asked whether the city contracts with Flock surveillance cameras, which capture license plates and vehicle details searchable nationwide without a warrant, and urged cancellation if so.
Shopping cart hazards from downtown garage
A resident says teens throw 30-50 shopping carts off a garage roof yearly and he was nearly struck. He's asking for cameras and enforcement before someone is killed.
Feral cat population control
The city renewed its partnership with volunteer trappers who catch feral cats for vaccination and spay/neuter. Last year about 55 cats were fixed and 67 sent for adoption — at a cost of no more than $8,000 a year.
FBI joint terrorism task force agreement
The city formalized cooperation with the FBI's joint terrorism task force through a memorandum of agreement.
Public Safety Building prisoner elevator rehabilitation funding increase
$606,000 in serial bonds will pay for interior wall, skylight and painting repairs at the Public Safety Building.
City Hall security contract
A resident questioned the proposal to spend up to $190,000 on private security at City Hall instead of investing in police foot patrols, asking what changed to make armed security necessary. The mayor said the contract is cheaper and frees officers for street duty.
Outdoor cat population and TNR program enforcement
A resident wants the city to renew its trap-neuter-vaccinate-return contract and pass an ordinance requiring sterilization of cats allowed outdoors, because some feeders refuse to cooperate and cat populations keep growing.
Film permit enforcement in Gedney Farm
A 43-year resident says a film production near his home skipped required resident notices and written approvals, and that the city failed to enforce its own filming permit rules. He's filed a FOIL request for the permit documents and plans to monitor all future permits.
Public Safety Staffing Expansion
Public Safety grows to $96.3 million, adding 2 fire and 3 police positions for 420 total. The department plans more community engagement, new events staffing, and City Hall security enhancements.
Anti-masking ordinance for law enforcement
Four speakers urged the Council to pass a law requiring federal agents, including ICE, to identify themselves and not wear masks in White Plains. They argue masked enforcement spreads fear, enables impersonation, and undermines accountability.
Ferris World Ball tournament at Gardella Park
A resident asked the administration to bring the community ball event back after it was shut down without community input following an incident, noting parking challenges but its value to the neighborhood.
Fire Department trench rescue training site
The Fire Department needs a deep trench site for annual rescue training. Burke Hospital is letting them use its 785 Mamaroneck Avenue property for free — the city only has to cover liability via an indemnification agreement.
Pedestrian safety at Mamaroneck Avenue and Heatherbloom Road
Park visitors cross near this intersection evenings and weekends, when the no-turn-on-red rule currently doesn't apply. The Commission backed making the restriction permanent for eastbound Gedney Way traffic.
Card Access Security System Upgrade
The City is replacing every controller, server and piece of software in its building card access security system, financed with $757,500 in five-year bonds.
Fire Station #7 Roof Replacement
The entire pitched roof at Fire Station #7 will be removed and replaced as part of the FY 2025-2026 capital program. It's funded from fund balance rather than new borrowing.
Immigration resolution and law enforcement identification ordinance
The Council adopted a resolution supporting immigrants, denouncing ICE enforcement tactics, and urging state and federal governments to ban officers from masking their identities.
Police Misconduct Settlement
White Plains is shelling out $5 million to settle with the family of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr., a 68-year-old Black veteran killed by police in his own apartment back in 2011. It closes a decade-plus legal fight, but it’s also a stark reminder of how costly and traumatic police misconduct cases can be for a city.