Putnam Valley Supervisor Won’t Seek Re-election in November
Putnam Valley Supervisor Sam Oliverio announced Friday he will not be seeking reelection in November.
Oliverio, 67, was first elected supervisor in 2015 following 18 years on the Putnam County Legislature.
“It’s been a hell of a ride,” Oliverio remarked during an interview. “It was a really hard decision to make. It’s hard to say goodbye. It’s been terrific. I’ve accomplished everything I set out to do. I just feel it’s the right time to move on.”
Oliverio, a lifelong Putnam Valley resident and a 1971 graduate of Lakeland High School, said his decision to retire came after three months of contemplation.
“There is a great Kenny Rogers song about a gambler on a train who discusses his card playing philosophy with another individual. He tells this person that the key to always winning is to “know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em.” After 29 years of governmental service, I will be folding my hand and leaving the game,” said Oliverio, who was a town councilman from 1992-1996. “It’s not an easy job, but it’s the most interesting job I have ever had. I’m in good health now. You don’t know how long that will last.”
Oliverio said he was proud of the open space the town has acquired over the years and the building of the new firehouse. He said Putnam Valley is a desirable place to live with most homes for sale being on the market for only about a month.
“The last time that occurred was after September 11 (2001),” Oliverio said. “Since COVID, our home prices have jumped.”
While he served in public office, Oliverio was an assistant principal at Putnam Valley Middle School from 1999 to 2006 and assistant principal at Putnam Valley High School from 2006 to 2016.
Besides hoping to do some traveling after he retires at the end of the year, Oliverio said he was interested in running for the Putnam Valley Board of Education.
“My only regret is that I would have loved if this COVID thing had never occurred,” he said. “Having to close our Town Hall to just appointments and door screenings has really hit me hard. The days of the open door policy here at Town Hall are sadly over. Still, it’s really funny. I have had more phone calls, Facebook messages, texts and emails than ever before. That, I suppose, is the new reality. For me, I just wish we could go back to the old reality.”
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
