The Vice-Chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators says he's concerned about the lack of progress over the $12.7 million state-of-the-art Memorial Field renovation project.

Williams was instrumental in obtaining the funding through the County Legacy Program more than two years ago. Now, he's written a letter to Mount Vernon Mayor Clinton Young and City Council President Karen Watts asking for an update and an explanation for the stalled project. 

Williams says he met with City Council members last month and was promised the project would be discussed at the Council's next meeting, and became concerned when it was not.

The Vice-Chair of the Westchester County Board of Legislators Lyndon Williams (D-Mount Vernon) has introduced legislation calling for Westchester County to create a permament memorial in honor of slain Mount Vernon Police officer, Christopher Ridley.

The memorial would be erected in front of the Westchester County Office Building at 85 Court Street where officer Ridley was gunned down. 

Ridley was killed January 25, 2008 when, while out of uniform, he intervened in an assault- in- progress on the street. He was later shot and killed by police who were called to the scene of the crime and apparently unaware that he was a police officer. 

Said Williams, "Three years since the death of Officer Christopher Ridley, it is only fitting and proper that a permanent structure should be erected to honor this courageous young man and that the county not let the sacrifice and memory of Officer Ridley be forgotten."

Ridley's father, Stan Ridley thanked Legislator Williams, saying, "My son's life ended at that plaza doing what he stood for and what he died for--caring for other people."

The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators issued a joint statement today in response to Sunday morning's fatal shooting of Pace University student Danroy Henry by Mount Pleasant and Pleasantville Police officers outside a Thornwood bar.

Chairman Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers) and Vice-Chairman Lyndon Williams (D-Mount Vernon) said "First we want to express to the family of Danroy Henry the profound sorrow that we feel throughout this community. The incident is any parent's worst nightmare."

They added, "These circumstances must also be difficult for the police officers involved."

Jenkins and Williams said, "We are concerned that the life of another young black man with a promising future has ended too soon. We will continue to closely monitor the investigation as law enforcement officials try to fully understand the circumstances of this tragedy."

Today, Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore commented in Yonkers that she is confident that her department's investigation into Henry's death will uncover exactly what happened.

DiFiore vowed, "This will be a careful and thorough review. All witnesses will be interviewed and spoken to and we will go about our work very dilligently and thoroughly."

She added, "We will make sure at the end of the day, we will not stop until we feel confident that we have all of the information that will lead us to learn and determine the exact events that led up to this young man's very, very tragic death."

Westchester County Legislator, Vice-Chairman Lyndon Williams(D-Mount Vernon) is proposing legislation calling for the creation of a local infrastructure jobs program that will put residents in Westchester's communities with the highest unemployment rates back to work and create jobs.

The latest figures for July 2010, show Westchester County has a 7% unemployment rate. That number is higher in such communities such as Mount Vernon and Yonnkers where the rates are 9% and 8.9% respectively.

County Executive Robert P. Astorino Thursday  vetoed a bill adopted Monday by the Board of Legislators that exempted 25 percent of management employees from contributing to the cost of their health care, saying the legislators’ plan was a “giant step backwards” in the county’s efforts to plug the $166 million deficit in its 2011 budget.

By a vote of 9-7, the Westchester County Board of Legislators voted to approve landmark legislation that would require non-union County employees to make contributions toward their health care coverage. The legislation requires workers to pay between 5 and 15% of the overall cost of the health insurance premium. It goes into effect July 1st. The proposal was part of County Executive Rob Astorino's initiative upon taking office to save taxpayers money. The change is expected to provide at least 325 thousand dollars in savings in the first six months.

The Westchester County Legislature's newly formed Special Committee on Health Insurance Savings has come up with an idea that could save the County and its employees thousands of dollars.