Thank you Peekskill residents for your vote of confidence on November 3rd. I am pleased to continue serving alongside Drew Claxton, Deputy Mayor Bennett, Councilwoman Riley and Councilmen Schuder and Torres and I am thrilled that we are joined by newly elected Councilwoman McGowan. This was a significant mandate on the work we have been doing and the work we plan to do the next two years.
 
This election season was truly inspiring. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone who answered a door or came to a political forum to talk to us. Your dedication to seeing Peekskill become all it can be motivates me to set and achieve higher goals.
 
We have worked hard to improve the quality of life in everyone’s neighborhood and to revitalize our downtown; we are proud of what we were able to accomplish in less than 2 years. We acknowledge the significant challenges ahead of us but also see the wonderful opportunities these challenges offer us. As a team, working with all of our residents, we will build a brighter, livelier, more economically robust Peekskill. Your participation in all of our planning efforts is beginning to pay off as we begin building the Lincoln Depot Plaza, Peekskill Landing, the Riverfront trail way, Walgreens, and the Main Street Commons. We hope that you will continue to participate in the community meetings for the Central Ave./ Water Street corridor and the Central Firehouse. Your participation is vital to the City’s success.
 
In the midst of all of this revitalization and promise we remain fiscally prudent and mindful of the tax burden everyone already bears. We are a financially healthy city and the Council and I are working to preserve city resources without increasing your tax burden. We cut city taxes in 2009 and will keep them flat in 2010 and are analyzing 2011 projections. We are also working with the school district and the county to cut costs and share services.
 
I appreciate your vote of confidence in the job we have been doing and I am honored to continue serving you for the next 2 years.
 
Mary F. Foster
Mayor

http://www.westchestergov.com/boe99/link22.aspx

Please watch the Peekskill Debates at the Paramount Theater. You can watch the debate by clicking on the hyperlink below. It can also can be forwarded to anyone.

http://theblogcabin.com/homebase/mediaroom/

mms://v2.webcasting.com/archives/peekskill/10.21.2009peekskill-debate.wmv

For now, the video is playable only using Windows Media Player. By Wednesday, it will also be on the North County News website, NCN-TV page along with all the other debate videos for universal viewing without having to use Windows Media Player. Additionally, the debate is airing on Non-Governmental Public Access Cable TV.

Journal news Editorial Board

Click on the Menu Button and browse the library to locate the Peekskill Video.

NEW YORK --- The New York League of Conservation Voters, which works to make environmental sustainability a top political and policy priority in New York State, has announced its endorsement of Mary Foster for re-election as mayor of Peekskill.
Mayor Foster has put energy efficiency, parks and the improvement of air and water quality at the top of Peekskill’s agenda. Under her leadership, the city adopted a pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, expand recycling and support green innovation industries. Her administration has set objectives based on Westchester County’s Global Warming Action Plan to establish sustainability planning guidelines for municipal and private development projects.

Mayor Foster also sees the economic potential of renewable energy; the city recently submitted grant applications to develop hydro-electric capabilities at its reservoir, wind turbine and geothermal capabilities at the newly constructed water filtration plant and solar heating capabilities at two other municipal locations. Her administration is promoting green economic development by attracting clean-tech firms and green products businesses to the city’s industrial zone
“The City of Peekskill needs elected leaders who can meet today’s environmental challenges and lay the foundation for a cleaner, greener future,” said Marcia Bystryn, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters. “That's why the New York League of Conservation Voters is proud to endorse Mayor Mary Foster for re-election."
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The New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) was founded in 1989 as a nonpartisan, policy making and political action organization that works to make environmental protection a top priority with elected officials, decision makers, and voters by evaluating incumbent performance and endorsing and electing environmental leaders to office in New York State.

In order to cut through the political rhetoric and campaign season noise, I want to directly inform you of the Common Council’s decision to hire Rick Finn as our new city manager. Mr. Finn begins his new job on August 1, 2009. We are delighted to have him.

In December 2008 the Common Council and I appointed an all volunteer Citizen-led City Manager Search Committee. Every member of the common council submitted names for the committee and the final make-up of that committee reflected Peekskill’s diversity, demographically, professionally, and politically. In the end it was comprised of 9 volunteers Anita Creem, Fran Gibbs, Charles Jennings, Michelle Leder, Tuesday McDonald, Robert McEvoy (ICMA), Anne Nolon, Harry Porr (ICMA), and led by Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce President Ron Forehand. Because we decided to have a citizen-led search committee, the taxpayers saved at least $20,000 that would have been necessary for a professional search firm.

The committee screened over 50 applicants’ resumes and narrowed the field to the top 7 candidates. All seven candidates were interviewed by the Common Council and members of the Citizens’ Search Committee. The two best and most talented candidates were identified. At the end of this deliberative process, the Council and the search committee are thrilled to have attracted one of the best City Managers from a large pool of strong candidates.

Mr. Finn has a solid record of achievement in many areas that are crucial for Peekskill’s long-term growth, including: economic development and business outreach, neighborhood revitalization, sustainable development, operational improvements such as a customer service orientation in city departments, and strategic planning and goal setting.

While serving as city manager in Takoma Park, Maryland Rick led the city in a number of green and environmental initiatives and put a great deal of emphasis on redevelopment of underutilized properties. As Peekskill looks for ways to lower the property tax burden though energy conservation and as the city looks to jump start development of long-neglected and underutilized properties, Mr. Finn’s expertise will go a long way.

Mr. Finn also brings with him much needed expertise on attracting good-paying jobs and revitalizing city centers. As city manager in Elk Grove, Illinois, he managed an economic development project that saw the construction of an Industrial Park that hosted over 1500 firms that offered significant employment to local residents and contributed greatly to the local tax base. In Sun Prairie, Wisconsin Rick coordinated the redevelopment of the City’s downtown district, established two new industrial parks, and a business park. While in Takoma he also established the City’s Business Improvement District and Downtown Main Street Program.

The former Mayor of Takoma Park, Kathy Porter, worked closely with Rick Finn for five and a half years and credits him for bringing many improvements to the operations of city government, establishing and nurturing relationships with all levels of government and neighboring municipalities.

Rick is a native of New York State and currently resides in the Rochester area. He will be moving to Peekskill to begin his new position.

It goes without saying that if you spend any amount of time in government or politics you are bound to make some people unhappy. Mr. Finn’s record over the last 20 years is one of success and growth. And both the City and the Citizens’ Search Committee are confident in his long record of achievements.

Mr. Finn’s contract provides for a starting salary of $161,000, which is a 3.8% increase over the 2008 salary level for Peekskill’s city manager. Consistent with the Common Council’s new policy that ended the previous practice of issuing city-owned vehicles to staff, Mr. Finn is not being provided a car. Additionally, his relocation package is $5,000 less that the package offered to his predecessor in 2003. His vacation and sick days are consistent with what has been offered to previous city managers and his benefits are essentially the same benefits as other employees in city hall.

The Common Council expects Rick to work 12 hour days during the first few months in order to get up to speed with Peekskill’s business and to set goals for the departments so that the council’s priorities are met. Mr. Finn is eager to meet the business community and the City’s residents. Although he is committed to making Peekskill his home, Rick serves at the pleasure of the council and can be removed without cause, whenever the council chooses.

No doubt as the political season marches forward residents can expect wild accusations and unsubstantiated rumors. In each instance, like here, I will work to cut through the noise and clarify the facts. In my time as Mayor I have worked to demonstrate the politics in Peekskill does not always have to involve character attacks and slander of one’s reputation. It’s often an uphill battle to beat back the rumors and innuendo, but I intend on doing so and urge any resident or business person in Peekskill to simply reach out for the facts.

I look forward to our new city manager getting started on a positive agenda for Peekskill. And I hope you all welcome him warmly.

Sincerely,
Mayor Mary F. Foster

I want you to be aware that the New York State Assembly has passed a bill that would establish a County Commercial Assessment Ratio for Westchester County. Many are referring to this as the Condo Tax Bill or the Condo Assessment Bill.  I do not support such a bill and have discussed this with your NYS Assemblywoman and NYS Senator.

In spite of what has been written in the local newspapers, the NYS Assembly did not plan for this bill to affect condominiums. They drafted this bill to only apply to commercial properties and apartment buildings. Unfortunately the NYS Department of Real Property Assessment cannot state unequivocally that this proposed new legislation will not apply to condominiums; the Common Council and I met with their Regional Director the evening of June 22, 2009. This situation is unacceptable for Peekskill’s residents.

Therefore, if this legislation passes the Senate and is signed by the Governor without clarification about the status of condominiums, the City of Peekskill will protect its residents by drafting local legislation to make the Commercial Assessment Ratio not applicable in Peekskill.

I will keep you informed about the timing of the City’s steps in passing any local legislation that may be necessary to counter the Commercial Assessment Ratio Bill.


Sincerely,
Mayor Mary F. Foster

MAYOR FOSTER SEEKS RE- ELECTION

Incumbents point to Televised Work Sessions, Town Hall Meetings,Public Planning Processes, Tackling

Long-Neglected Infrastructure Projects, Bringing in New Commercial Development, Bringing in New Developers for Long-Stalled Development Projects, Tackling Litter, Increasing Police, Adopting New Laws that Protect Property Owners and Cutting Taxes as some of their accomplishments in less than 18 months.


Peekskill Mayor Mary F. Foster and Council members Drew Claxton and Andy Torres announced bids for re-election today. Foster, Claxton and Torres are part of a six-seat Democratic majority that voters swept into office in November 2007. Marybeth McGowan, a 14-year resident of the City, is seeking her first term on the council.

In 2007, Foster and her running mates campaigned on a platform that focused on open government, moving long-stalled projects forward, tackling the city’s long- neglected infrastructure, adopting laws that protect neighborhoods from poor development, combating litter, putting more police on the street, prioritizing commercial development to ease the property tax burden on homeowners and raising Peekskill’s profile in the region for cultural tourism.

“When I ran for mayor in 2007, I laid out an aggressive agenda that I wanted to accomplish,” said Foster. “Now the voters will have an opportunity to assess that record. First and foremost we promised an open government where everyone can see the work of the council and policy boards as the issues were discussed and decisions reached. There has never been this much access to the workings of government Public participation in the planning process has never been higher and the community has benefited from this approach.

I promised more police on the street, cleaning up the city garage, bringing on board an economic development specialist, controlling taxes, combating litter, protecting our homeowners and their quality of life, a development strategy that attracted commercial enterprise, and an emphasis on fixing the city’s long-neglected infrastructure. On each count we have had major success, despite the most difficult economic climate in a generation, and have done so while being fiscally prudent.”

Foster, a retired partner from Deloitte & Touche, LLP, was elected to the common council in November 2005 and was subsequently elected Mayor in 2007. She is seeking a second, two-year term.

The Democrats cite their record in attracting a Holiday Inn Express, a Walgreens, a developer for Main Street Commons, and several new businesses to the downtown and John Walsh Blvd.,  repairing the long-neglected James Street Garage, repairing the stairs and entrances to City Hall,  rehabilitating Main Street, and their ability to deliver the City’s first-ever property tax cut.