Election Day is Nov. 8, which, I realize, might be hard to miss given the contents of our mailboxes and the signs on every street corner.
Did you know that the Village of Cold Spring has candidates? Village elections are typically lively and eventful, but this season you’d be hard-pressed to know who is on the ballot and for what.
Though she is running unopposed, I encourage you to vote for Tweeps Phillips Woods in her re-election campaign. I served with Tweeps on the Village Board for four-plus months and found her to be a keen listener, smart, undramatic and sound in her thinking. She’s a strategic thinker who was extremely helpful finalizing our garbage contracts with Royal Carting and crafting a budget which didn’t dump the burden on the taxpayer. She understands the need for revenue and a long-term vision for infrastructure repairs.
Though it may be easy to glance over the village portion of the ballot, I encourage you to vote for Tweeps.
Joe Curto, Cold Spring
Trustee Woods has been a steady hand in local politics during challenging times for villagers. She has shown in her work that she is committed to making Village Hall a place that gets business done.
Her clear explanations during meetings and genuine curiosity to search for results that are best for all residents has been the type of work that every villager can appreciate and admire.
Woods’ approach to problems is both direct and results-oriented. She is not afraid to tackle tough issues head-on. When you speak to her about a concern, her answers are no-nonsense and her solutions common sense.
That’s the type of quality leadership our village needs and deserves. I look forward to casting my vote for Trustee Woods and encourage anyone who values our village and community to do the same.
Travis Fyfe, Cold Spring
I wanted to remind voters of the great job Tweeps Woods has been doing. I have known Tweeps for more than five years and find her to be a smart, caring and professional trustee and a good person. She takes a lot of time out of her schedule to make the village a place that she feels happy and proud to raise her family in.
Of course I do not agree with absolutely everything being done, but I feel that Tweeps listens and takes other peoples opinions into account. I am going to vote for Tweeps, and hope others do too, just to show her that she is appreciated and supported.
Karen Jackson, Cold Spring
I’m eager to vote for standing Trustees Tweeps Philips Woods and Laura Bozzi. We are so benefiting from having these smart, capable women at work for us on the Village Board.
We’re seeing so many good things happen around the village — sidewalks being repaired, EV chargers being approved in a village parking lot, a partnership between the Hub and the Cold Spring police for improved mental health response and support. We’ve finally got an agreement to reconnect to the Catskill Aqueduct. Oh, and a crazy fun Community Day!
A lot of the improvements Laura, Tweeps and the rest of the current board have been responsible for are easy to take for granted, but have helped us all feel more connected to and better served by local government. I love that village meetings are simulcast online so we can participate from home. That means a lot to busy people with families who want to stay informed and engaged. It’s great having these women on the board of trustees and on the ballot. Please vote for Laura and Tweeps on Nov. 8.
Caroline Kaye, Cold Spring
After 12 years on the Town Board and nearly a year as supervisor, I want to take a moment to inform the community of the unprecedented cooperation between the Town of Philipstown and the Villages of Nelsonville and Cold Spring. The villages and the town are working shoulder-to-shoulder with open communication, collaboration, and most of all, trust in each other. This benefits all of our residents.
Most recently the town worked with the Village of Cold Spring to ensure that a $10,000 New York State Energy Research and Development Authority grant was not wasted. Town Board Member Jason Angel and our new Climate Smart coordinator, Martha Upton, worked with Trustee Laura Bozzi and the Village Board to secure a grant that would have been lost were it not for their quick action and dedication.
Deputy Mayor Tweeps Phillips Woods has participated effectively in our joint sessions with the state Department of Transportation and other state representatives, building essential relationships that will serve us all well as we address, traffic, shared water supply and tourism management. Tweeps asks sharp questions and doesn’t shy away from tough topics.
It is a pleasure to work with all the Cold Spring Village Board members. They each bring enthusiasm and open minds to every item before them. I hope to continue to work with the Town Board and both village boards to bring the best value and quality of life to the residents of this amazing town. The good people you have elected to serve as your local representatives are doing an excellent job, and they are working very hard for you.
John Van Tassel, Philipstown
I write in support of Laura Bozzi for Cold Spring trustee. I have gotten to know her and her husband, Alex Wilcox Cheek, since they moved onto Garden Street. Both are terrific gardeners and friendly neighbors.
Many things strike me about Laura: One, she is willing to put in all the work required of a village trustee, even as she holds down a full-time, demanding job; she’s a modest, non-ideological but passionate environmentalist who focuses her village work on what is practical and needed; she’s well-versed on pockets of available funds at the state and national level for our many, expensive infrastructure challenges; and she listens to people.
Cold Spring is lucky to have her. Please join me in voting for her. You’ll find her name on the ballot.
Gretchen Dykstra, Cold Spring
The current board has completely changed the tenor of local government. Where once Village Hall felt like a battle ground, board meetings are calm and productive. Residents’ needs are being responded to professionally, courteously, and collaboratively. Over the course of the last several months, members of the current board have reached out to my neighbors and myself in the village to brainstorm ways to ameliorate the noise, traffic and parking issues, always with courtesy, respect and an open-mind.
In my 30 years in Cold Spring, this is new. Laura Bozzi and Tweeps Phillips Woods are bringing the best of themselves to their work for us.
Laura is a public policy professional working on issues related to climate change and health. She has spearheaded the addition of an electric-vehicle charger to one of our village lots, as well as launched a clean cooling and heating campaign. She has worked side by side with the mayor to secure our reserve water supply with the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Tweeps is bringing her institutional strategy consulting experience to bear on the improved structure and function of village government. Tweeps knows that productivity begins with employees feeling valued, heard and respected. From leading department heads meetings (new to village government), to finding creative budget solutions to hire much-needed additional labor, and updating our employee handbook, Tweeps has been deeply dedicated to serving the people who serve us — our loyal highway crew, water and wastewater team, clerical staff and police officers.
For the first time in many years, there is a real positivity and optimism in the village, and I want to see that continue. When you vote on Nov. 8, make sure you go all the way to the right and all the way to the bottom and vote for Trustees Bozzi and Woods.
Rian Keating, Cold Spring
It has been very reassuring this past year to see how professionally the Board of Trustees meetings have been conducted. More importantly, it’s been a relief to watch how nicely the trustees interact with each other and the public. There is respect, creativity and real work is getting done.
Trustees Laura Bozzi and Tweeps Phillips Woods will continue to bring positive energy and fresh ideas to Cold Spring, while also acting budget-minded and fiscally responsible. Please vote for them on Nov. 8.
Hilary Hart, Cold Spring
After getting to know Laura Bozzi as a neighbor and through working on a local board together, she has demonstrated qualities such as integrity and sensibility. As positions and priorities change, I value her character in our village leadership.
Laura’s expertise is particularly valuable as the village faces environmental and financial burdens. When working together, she processed concerns objectively and was thorough in considering both short- and long-term impacts. Laura cares for our village and I’m confident she understands the responsibility this position holds.
Heath Salit, Cold Spring
I’m writing in support of Laura Bozzi and Tweeps Phillips Woods to continue as village trustees. My husband and I moved to Cold Spring six years ago and, like many residents, are raising our young children in the village. Both of these candidates have demonstrated a commitment to the things that made us fall in love with Cold Spring, even while working tirelessly to make key improvements like pedestrian access, infrastructure and modernizing our government.
As trustees, they have proven that they can successfully find grants and other funding opportunities that allow Cold Spring to pursue green initiatives and public projects at no cost to taxpayers. Both candidates are dedicated to tackling the work necessary to prepare Cold Spring for our shared future while maintaining the character of the village. I look forward to their continued leadership and hope you will join me in voting Laura and Tweeps on Nov. 8.
Tracy Danicich, Cold Spring
I am writing in support of Laura Bozzi for village trustee.
Laura and I served together on the Zoning Board of Appeals during a time we dealt with some very challenging applicants. Laura demonstrated her ability to focus and learn quickly, to provide deliberative, thoughtful reasoning, and not rush to judgment.
Laura is not about politics, she is all about solving problems in the most effective way possible. I submit these are the characteristics we need in our village trustees and urge my fellow villagers to vote for her on Nov. 8.
Donald MacDonald, Cold Spring
We would like to express our strong support for Tweeps Phillips Woods and Laura Bozzi for Cold Spring Village trustees. We are lucky to have dedicated, intelligent candidates who love Cold Spring as much as we do, and who live and work in the village with us. Tweeps and Laura always listen thoughtfully to taxpayers’ priorities, and will continue to help move our village into the future without sacrificing the amazing reasons we live in this community.
Tom O’Quinn and Todd Seekircher, Cold Spring
Since becoming a Cold Spring trustee in April 2021, Tweeps Woods has been an extremely effective leader and team player in improving the village government.
Among many key strategic achievements, one has been to make Village Board meetings more accessible and transparent through live streaming and providing better access to village government to the community.
Improving the governance of our local public institutions gives folks a forum to participate and express ideas and also our leader’s tools to hear these ideas and discuss short and long-term strategic planning decision-making. This is crucial for basic local democracy.
Tweeps Woods has been working hard for you and getting the work done. Please consider voting for Tweeps Woods for trustee. And please, please vote.
Ben Cheah, Cold Spring
