I was elected to the Town Board in 2003, in an election that broke state records for voter turnout. The community’s desire to “Save the Ridge” was the driving force in that election. Awosting Reserve, a 350-unit luxury housing development proposed on 2,500 acres of the ridge, had galvanized many of us to take a more active role in our community and government. Two years after we were elected, the state purchased the land, with the help of private conservation organizations like the Open Space Institute, and the Town Board passed new zoning laws that will help to protect the ridge in the future. It is hard to imagine a better outcome.
Town Government, at its best, should be about balancing the needs of our growing community. This includes preserving land that is crucial to protecting our water resources and rural assets, but also encouraging the right kind of development in the right places. Supporting a thriving business community in the hamlet is just as important as assuring that our farmers can keep their farms profitable and that those who work in our community can afford to live in our community.
What I love about this job is the variety of projects that we tackle. As the official “sewer lady”, I oversaw the conversion of our open-bed sewer system into a “green” technology—a reed bed system that has improved capacity, reduced odors, and saved money. With the help of Shingebiss, I was able to secure a federal TEP grant for sidewalks and drainage improvements in the central hamlet, the largest grant in Town history. As an avid cyclist, I have been concerned about the safety of our roads and our trail system. I actively worked on the renovations and recent purchase of the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, and have been working closely with the Ulster County Transportation Council to assure that adequate federal dollars are invested in our roads throughout the community.
My former life was split between business and the arts. I worked as a Corporate Credit Analyst and a private equity investor specializing in American manufacturing companies. I also taught Social Theory and the History of Photography at City College in NYC. Currently, I am the Executive Director of the Gunk Foundation, an operating foundation supporting the arts and the environment. Before joining Town Government, I was a board member of the Wallkill Valley Land Trust and the Gardiner Association for Responsible Development (GARD).
.jpg)