Bronxville Library Director Resigns; Takes Job as Director of Larchmont Public Library
Jan. 29, 2012: The lawsuit by the director of the Bronxville Public Library against the Bronxville Village Board of Trustees has been withdrawn. In the meantime, the director, Laura Eckley, has resigned effective February 3 to accept the post of director of the Larchmont Public Library.
The announcement came one day before the deadline for the village to reply to the suit in New York State Supreme Court in White Plains.
In acknowledging the withdrawal and her new position, Ms. Eckley said, "It has been both a privilege and an honor to work at the Bronxville Public Library for the past nine years and to serve as the director for the past three years. It has been the highlight of my career to be able to serve the community in which I have lived for over 30 years."
Ms. Eckley declined to give her new salary, but the latest announced salary for the Larchmont post is $121,000. The suit, filed in December, charged that the library's board of trustees cancelled a raise for Ms. Eckley at the request of Mayor Mary Marvin. The mayor's account of the affair will be given in her column in the Wednesday, February 1, issue of MyhometownBronxville.
The rescinded raise would have brought Ms. Eckley's salary to $100,000 from her probationary salary of $81,640. After the $18,500 raise was cancelled, she was granted a $3,500 a year raise and a $7,400 bonus.
The suit also sought a restraining order prohibiting Bronxville Village officials from "interfering" with library financial decisions.
Commenting on Ms. Eckley's resignation, effective February 3, Kathy Mullen, president of the library's board of trustees, said, "Laura has been a true asset to our library, and we appreciate her dedication and expertise. While we are sad to see her leave, we wish her all the best in her new endeavors."
Sean Abbott, a former board president who was the only one of the trustees to dissent from the decision to cancel the salary increase, said, "Laura Eckley's leaving Bronxville for Larchmont is a terrible shame. The shame is Bronxville's for having allowed this to happen. It's time for Bronxville taxpayers to really look at what's going on at Village Hall, which is where this folly began."
Government & History Directory
Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
337-6500
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Police Department
337-0500
Open 24 hours
Bronxville Parking Violations
337-2024
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400
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