After the filing deadline for candidates to enter the 2011 Village of Cold Spring election, Philipstown.info solicited campaign statements from Mayor Gallagher, former Mayor Anthony Phillips, running for mayor; Trustees Bruce Campbell and J. Ralph Falloon, seeking re-election; and Catharine Square, also running for trustee. Their statements, listed alphabetically by office, appear below.
MAYORAL CANDIDATES
Seth Gallagher
In running for reelection as Mayor of Cold Spring I hope to continue working for the benefit of all Village residents. My first term as Mayor has been dedicated to rebuilding the financial foundations of the Village, improving the functioning and responsiveness of Village services, and implementing important infrastructure projects critical to the safety, security and quality of life for all residents. Working closely with the Village Board, Clerk Mary Saari, Highway Department Foreman Ed Trimble and his crew, Water Department Superintendant Greg Phillips and his crew, Police Officer in Charge George Kane and all our Police officers, as well as all the citizens who dedicate their time as volunteers on our boards, we have come very far in a very short time. And yet much remains to be done. And so I ask the residents of Cold Spring to re-elect me as Mayor for a second term, so that I can continue to work for you.
As Mayor, I have worked to rebuild and secure the fiscal stability of the Village. When I was elected in 2008, the Village was in debt as a result of poor management of our finances. I fully accepted my responsibility as Budget Officer and took measures to control spending. As a result, in 22 months, I was able to transform a general fund balance deficit of $95,000 into a fund surplus of $120,000, an overall gain of $215,000 for our Village. We all know that managing finances requires vigilance. As your Mayor, I will continue to keep our finances on track.
As Mayor, I have worked to cut expenses and increase revenues to lessen our need for property tax increases. The result is a net of over $140,000 in savings for taxpayers. Working with Town Highway Superintendent Roger Chirico and Special Board Chair Mike Armstrong, we changed our method of curbside recycling to “single-stream”, making it easier on folks to recycle waste. This change also cut $12,000 a year from our waste removal expenses, while adding an estimated $5,000 in annual revenues, for an expected benefit of $17,000 to the taxpayer. Legal costs have been reduced by an estimated $90,000 by using our own, highly qualified Village Attorneys for litigation. And I worked with Philipstown and Nelsonville, municipalities included in the Cold Spring Fire Company’s fire protection area, to share expenses for the Fire Service Award and Fireman’s worker’s comp, a reduction of over $15,000 in taxes each year.
Since taking office as Mayor, I have not only cut expenses, I’ve worked to increase revenues as well. Building Department revenues have increased by an expected $8000 annually, allowing permits to fund the cost of the Building Department. I led the effort to grant permits for use of the bandstand for weddings, which will mean a likely $1,500 in revenues during this fiscal year alone. Responding to the needs of our local businesses, I promoted the Off-Street Parking Waiver that is projected to generate at least $3000 annually for our Village. And I am currently promoting changes to the docking permit law that could easily net over $10,000 a year for the Village.
As Mayor, I promoted shared services with neighboring communities to save us all money and increase the quality of service. For the first time in our history, the Village established an inter-municipal agreement with the Town of Philipstown and the Philipstown Highway Department to share equipment. I am grateful to Town Highway Superintendent Roger Cherico for sharing his considerable knowledge and Department resources as well as his leadership on this issue. And just a few weeks ago we signed a new intermunicipal agreement with Putnam County to share services and equipment, and by so doing continue the effort toward cooperation for the benefit of all.
As Mayor, I worked to increase the safety and security of Village residents, and to improve our aging infrastructure. I led the initiative to secure that most important of resources: water. Under my leadership, the Village commissioned a Dam Engineering Study to analyze the condition of the Village reservoirs’ dams and create a plan for their maintenance and repair. That study rates our upper dam as “Unsound”, and our lower dam as “Inadequately Maintained”, and made clear the urgent need for action on critical infrastructure problems. With crucial assistance from Town Supervisor Richard Shea and the Town Board, I led a successful effort to secure legal and permanent access to our upper reservoir dam, a goal that had eluded the Village for decades. The Village now has the critical access we need to complete long-needed repairs and maintenance that will guarantee a safe future for our Village’s water supply.
The house fire on Christmas Eve 2008 was a reminder that our Village desperately needs infrastructure improvements to increase fire flow. I immediately began investigating, and learned that a study of Village fire flows, the rates that water flows from hydrants, had been conducted in 1992; but, sadly, the actions recommended were never taken. Under my leadership, we updated the study and are in the process of securing funding to scour and re-line the Main Street water main. This critical upgrade will both improve water quality and double fire flows.
As Mayor, I made improving the safety of our pedestrians and the quality of Village streets a priority. Working hand in hand with Ed Trimble and the Highway Department, I have increased the rate of sidewalk repair and replacement, and implemented several large repaving projects. Under my leadership, we have also begun the active implementation of major project to improve Main Street sidewalks, storm drainage and streetscape after years of delayed progress. Under the capable guidance of Trustee Bruce Campbell, this project is moving forward through the complicated bureaucracy of the Federal and State funding process. We are now only a few weeks away from signing the contracts that will mark the official start of this important project. Thank you to Bruce Campbell for his tremendous effort.
I was born here, and as the son of an elderly parent, I haven’t forgotten the debt we owe to the Seniors in our community, and I have worked hard to safeguard their interests. I fought to keep our Senior Center open and prevent the bussing of our seniors to Putnam Valley for meals. I am currently working with Putnam County and the Town of Philipstown to create a Senior Center at the former Butterfield Hospital site.
As Mayor, I have never forgotten that I work for you. That’s why I drafted a Village Customer Bill of Rights and Responsibilities that focuses on creating an open, welcoming and respectful Village Government. As a result, we address comments and questions from residents in a timely manner, and all Village staff and Boards are tasked to find solutions to problems and to avoid saying “NO” when sensible solutions can be found. I worked to improve the functioning and responsiveness of the Building Department and simplified the Building Permit Application from over twelve pages to two.
As a twenty-first century Mayor, I know how technology can be used to increase the flow and speed of communication. That’s why I expanded the use of the Village website and e-mail communications, including agenda information, news and announcements.
As chief operating manager of the Village I have made it a policy to work with the Trustees and encourage them to take on projects so that we can all get more done in service to the Village and the Village residents.
Since taking office less than two years ago, I have worked to provide effective, efficient and thoughtful management of your money and your Village, saving you money while protecting our infrastructure and delivering improved services. I hope that on March 15th you will vote for me so that I can continue to work for you.
Anthony Phillips
As a proud son of Cold Spring, I am both honored and humbled to declare my candidacy for mayor of the Village of Cold Spring, one of the greatest places in America. I want to pay tribute to my family — my wife, my sons, grandchildren and friends. Without their love and support, this campaign would not be possible.
It was an honor to have been elected your mayor for a period of 16 years, through the spring of 2009. During that time, my thoughts and actions were always meant to be in the best interests of our residents. We as a Village saw many improvements in infrastructure, as well as in the aesthetics of our beautiful surroundings during that period. Budgets for 15 of those years were kept in check, with tax increases set as low as possible. As you know, there was one fiscal year, 2008, where there was a deficit. I accept responsibility for it, though a full five-member board was aware of the circumstances leading to the problem. One step in correcting the issue was that we hired a certified public accountant that got us back on track and has continued to keep us on track.
Over the past year many residents have voiced their opinions to me regarding the appearance of our village and the administration of its government. We have lost valuable volunteers and appointed standing board members due to a management style which has been preferential to say the least. In addition, the “lack of transparency” I was accused of during the 2009 election process has manifested on a day to day basis in the current administration.
Residents and businesses are struggling through this relentless winter and a terrific strain is being placed on our highway department due to the lack of leadership from the administration which is causing larger lingering problems. For example, directing a full staff of highway and water department personnel to spend 2 days to fix a leak, on a private water line several weeks ago, showed lack of planning. Those days should have been spent clearing accumulated sow which has been piled up since December. Cold Spring is now facing a tough, uphill climb today to clear our streets as well as restore our infrastructure.
The village residents are being short changed by this administration and the lack of leadership is beginning to show more and more every day. I believe there has been enough time for me to see where improvements can again be made, which I will address in the coming weeks. As your next mayor, I would make sure that our village government represents our residents again, with a practical vision that will serve them now and far into the future. My eyes and ears are open and my heart has never been anywhere else than in the Village of Cold Spring.
I ask for your vote and support to take our Village back. On Tuesday, March 15, 2011, vote Anthony Phillips your next mayor.
Mr. Phillips did not furnish a photo with his statement
TRUSTEE CANDIDATES
Bruce D. Campbell
Bruce D. Campbell is seeking re-election as Village Trustee. A lifelong resident of Cold Spring, and resides at 25 Fair St. with his wife, Patricia (Nastasi) Campbell, and his son, Evan Duncan, who is a student at the College of Saint Rose, Albany, N.Y. Bruce attended Our Lady of Loretto Elementary School, Haldane High School, and Dutchess Community College. He retired from the Directorate of Information Management at The United States Military Academy, West Point, after 35 years of federal service in September 2009. He remains active at West Point as President of the Federal Managers Association, and is the Commodore of the West Point Yacht Club.
As an active member of the Cold Spring Lions Club, he has held positions as President, Zone Chairman, Leo Club Advisor to Haldane, and is currently the Membership Chairman. He recently served on the Haldane Board of Education (2006-2009), and as Vice President for 2 years. Bruce remains active at Haldane, and is currently on the Haldane Buildings and Grounds Committee as well as its Safety Committee.
His experience on the Village Board started back in 2002, when he was first elected as Trustee and served from 2002 to 2006. He decided to run again for a Village seat in 2009 and has currently served for the past 2 years as Trustee and was appointed by Mayor Gallagher as Deputy Mayor.
As your Trustee, he has also been appointed to the Audit & Finance Committee, Co-Chair of the Highway, Public Works Departments, Waterfront Development and Route 9D Corridor Safety. He is the liaison to the Village Recreation Commission, and the Special Board for a Comprehensive Plan/Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan.
Bruce states, “I’ve always tried to do what I thought would be beneficial to the residents of the Village of Cold Spring, and will always serve in that manner. It’s been a pleasure working with those from other boards within the village, the town and county, as well as State offices that support and assist in the supplemental funding of our projects. I took on duties as Chairman of the 4th of July Community Day celebration in the past 2 years as well as organizing our annual Senior Citizen picnic, and look forward to continuing to perform these duties in the future. I’ve gained experience in many areas of local government over the years and especially the past 2 years working with the Mayor on a daily basis. I will continue working for the residents of this Village if re-elected as your Trustee, and look forward to discussing my interests and my vision over the weeks ahead as I campaign.”
John Ralph Falloon
As I complete my first term as a Village Trustee I am proud and fortunate to have served the residents of our great community. As a young man and for most of my adult life, I have worked in service to the Village of Cold Spring. During high school, I was a member of the maintenance crew caretaking the Mayor’s Park Ball Fields and the lot that is now Tiny Tot’s Park. As a senior in high school I joined The Cold Spring Fire Company where I have volunteered for almost 25 years, working alongside members of our community to protect homes and businesses in Cold Spring and Philipstown. In 1999 I was honored by my colleagues in the Fire Company and elected Chief of the Cold Spring Fire Company, in 2003 they elected me President. In 2009, I gave up that post to run for public office as a Village Trustee. Over the years, I have enjoyed most working as part of a team with my colleagues — firefighters, and Village Board alike.
Among the Village Board’s accomplishment during my tenure as Trustee, there are a handful of which I am particularly proud. Our administration returned financial stability to the Village and improved government transparency, including the video recording and rebroadcast of our monthly meetings. We implemented a $45,000 NYSERDA energy grant to upgrade lighting, insulation and make other improvements to Village properties that will conserve energy and save money. Too we returned Community Day & the 4th of July Parade to the Village.
Looking to the future we are focusing on important improvements for residents and local business owners. We are addressing infrastructure, regulations and permitting necessary to open our Village dock more frequently. We are expanding dialogue with the Department of Environmental Conservation, Village residents and Boat Club members regarding a comprehensive remediation plan of the Manufactured Gas Plant on New Street. Too we are pursuing a contract with the State of New York for the Village’s stewardship of the “Dockside Property”.
Still, there are important projects underway that will benefit from the consistency of our continued collaboration. There is much work to be done to secure a home for the Village Post Office and a potential municipal center at the Butterfield site. An effective, inclusive process to render a Comprehensive Plan suitable for our Village is an important and attainable goal, and the Village’s improvement project for Main Street sidewalks and lighting has reached an important stage of engineering & planning. Finally we have been working with the Water and Sewer Department on important Village infrastructure, including repair and maintenance projects for our reservoir dams, water supply mains and Fire Hydrants.
I am hard working, honest, fair and committed to serving our community. I believe in the effectiveness of teamwork and I look forward to continuing my service to the Village as a team member on the Village Board of Trustees, and respectfully ask for both your support and your vote on March 15th.
Catharine Square
Today (Feb. 9) I announce my bid for Village Board Trustee to represent the Village of Cold Spring. I am a member of the Comprehensive Plan Special Board and The Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce. I am a former nine-year veteran police officer of the Dallas Police Department. I served my country in the United States Air Force during the first Gulf War, until I was honorably discharged on June 15, 1995.
Since I moved to this great community four years ago, I have attended well over 200 Village Board meetings, public hearings, town meetings and many other village-related meetings, giving me extensive knowledge of what has occurred and is occurring in our community. I have been heavily involved in my adopted village since I moved here and will remain involved as long as I am fortunate to live in this community.
I believe the concerns of our residents are not adequately represented in this current administration. We need leaders who will focus on the long-range health of our village and not on short-term schemes designed to gain political clout. Despite the tendency of many of our elected officials to use high-profile and emotionally charged public policy issues such as “village vs. town” or “village vs. county” to sway votes, most of our residents’ concerns are centered on protecting and improving the village’s public services, infrastructure and economy. Simply put, the residents want a better quality of life. We need elected officials who not only have the vision to make it happen, but most importantly the ability to make it happen. We need a Village Board that recognizes that the answer to our problems does not lie within a single interest, but in all of our combined wisdom. Ultimately, we need a Village Board that understands that the answer to our problems is to work together.
On March 15, for a professional, hardworking, easy-going and passionate representative of the people, vote to elect Catharine J. Square for Village Board Trustee.
