A Love Letter to the People of Mount Kisco
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
I have enjoyed the people, the streets, the parks, the activities of the big little village of Mount Kisco for 37 years. I have watched the children of Bedford Plaza grow into adulthood; I have watched my friends and colleagues grow into retirement and senior living at Woodcrest Village.
I have been involved with the boards of Bedford Plaza, Woodcrest Village, the Emergency Shelter Partnership and ACE, which is a nonprofit that develops affordable housing.
During my tenure on all of these boards, I have sought working relationships with the mayors, trustees and relevant village boards in office. The door of the current administration has been the most open and the most responsive.
Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) were conceived many years ago as a way to allow seniors to remain in their homes in the face of rising taxes that they could no longer afford. When ADUs were finally approved at the state level, they were proposed to local communities. They were refused by the current Mount Kisco board until the parameters met the needs and the character of Mount Kisco.
A little history. Six years ago, the incoming administration found that there were about 500 illegal dwelling units. A majority of those have been shut down. It seems to me that ADUs that are regulated, for which people must apply for approval and funding, are a good idea that could help longtime residents stay in their homes. Think of them as you would a mother/daughter apartment or an apartment over a garage.
Homeless people. Actually, they are not homeless; Mount Kisco is their home. What they lack is a place to lay their heads. During the last 20 years, the annual count of unhoused people has been about 20 people, plus or minus two or three. The concerns expressed in the last week have been the same for 25 years. I know how to solve the problem of unhoused people in Mount Kisco. Just ask me!
About the election. I don’t care to bring national politics into my wonderful Village of Mount Kisco. I seek a mayor who has integrity, vision and a backbone. I see that in Deputy Mayor Lisa Abzun. Will she be effective? I believe she will, but I don’t know. I’d like to give her the chance. I also support Jean Farber who has many years of experience and Karine Patino who has her ear to the ground in the community.
Thank you for your attention.
Phyllis Ruppert
Mount Kisco
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