Carpenter, Chapin, Greenstein Get Nod in Talented New Castle Field
For the first time in three election cycles the residents of New Castle are presented with a competitive contest for supervisor. That’s good for voters because both candidates, Democrat Susan Carpenter and Republican Robert Kirkwood, have an impressive grasp of the key issues facing the town.
Coincidentally, but not surprisingly, the candidates have extensive planning experience. Carpenter is the current planning board chair, and Kirkwood, who formerly served as that board’s chairman and ran for supervisor in 1993, are in tune with not only the key development issues of the day but also how that relates to sewers, tax issues and attracting more commercial outfits.
Residents should feel fortunate that regardless of the outcome they will be well served. However, upon close review, the narrow edge goes to Carpenter.
There are plenty of areas where the two candidates agree. But Carpenter has resisted being lured into the somewhat exaggerated contention that Millwood and West End residents feel like the redheaded stepchildren compared to Chappaqua. There is tax inequity for sure, particularly for the West End residents in the Ossining School District where the failure by the county to undertake revaluation is costing them dearly. That is what is needed to achieve tax fairness, unless the town wants to spend more than $1 million to revaluate on its own.
Carpenter correctly maintains that the 293 units at Random Farms, Yeshiva and Riverwoods, which are in the Croton watershed and have longstanding septic problems, must be addressed through inclusion into a county sewer district that was town petitioned years ago. Kirkwood wants to include Millwood, its business district and Kisco Park but it doesn’t appear to be a realistic request because Millwood is outside the watershed, making sewers prohibitively expensive for individual property owners.
A key difference between the two candidates relates to the town’s handling of Chappaqua Crossing. Both would like to see extensive commercial use at the former Reader’s Digest site to increase the town’s commercial tax base, which is at a low 3.7 percent. Kirkwood also would like the site to attract more medical offices.
He is spot on with his assessment that the application was mishandled by the town, not through the complicated SEQRA process but by the mixed signals sent by the current town board. Still, with Summit/Greenfield bent on suing the town after supposedly spending about $10 million on the application, the looming question is whether either candidate will be able to work with the jilted developer to make a worthwhile contribution to the site.
In the town board race where all the candidates support increased commercial development, the nod goes to Democrat Jason Chapin and independent candidate Robert Greenstein. Chapin, the former town Democratic chairman, is a solid choice to return to the board, having been elected for one term 12 years ago. He would like to attract more commercial outfits to not only Chappaqua Crossing, which could also be developed into a health care hub, but to downtown, accompanied by offices and second-floor residential. A few new restaurants would also help invigorate the Chappaqua hamlet.
Greenstein, who decided to run after being one of the more outspoken Chappaqua Crossing critics, is a proponent of full transparency, something that was sorely lacking in the discussions with Summit/Greenfield. He’s smart and sharp and won’t be afraid to say what’s on his mind, providing an independent voice that needs to be heard on the current all-Democratic board.
Democratic incumbent Elise Kessler Mottel has been a hardworking supporter of the town for two terms. During her time on the board, she has worked to improve downtown Chappaqua, the town has maintained a strong AAA bond rating and taxes have been reasonable in recent years. But as the lone incumbent in the race, she must accept some of the responsibility for the morass into which Chappaqua Crossing sunk and the loss of the hamlet’s only full-fledged supermarket without a current prospect for a replacement.
Republican Richard Diefenbach is another talented member of this year’s field. He points out that the current board bungled Chappaqua Crossing but has unfortunately tapped into the fears of the Millwood and West Enders by encouraging rhetoric rather than finding solutions. His suggestions of making meetings more welcoming to encourage residents to be more involved should not fall on deaf ears.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/