Richard Seither - Background; Core Values; Why I'm Running

By Richard L. Seither

Dear Pelham Neighbors: I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and share with you the issues compelling me to seek election as the Republican Party and Village of Pelham (independent) candidate for the Board of Trustees - Village Finances, Open Government, and Responsible Development.

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and share with you the issues compelling me to seek election as the Republican Party and Village of Pelham (independent) candidate for the Board of Trustees - Village Finances, Open Government, and Responsible Development.

My Background - My professional background is in cancer research, initially as a laboratory scientist, and then as administrative director for three cancer centers in Virginia and New York. While working full-time and raising three daughters, I attended night school for my MBA to strengthen my finance and management skills. Since 2004, I have served as the administrative director of the National Cancer Institute-designated Albert Einstein Cancer Center in the Bronx.

In the decade that we have lived in Pelham, our love and appreciation for our Village has grown year by year. My wife and I love Pelham's charm and value its old-world village character. With my PhD/MBA education and administrative work experience, some of the skills that would make me an effective trustee include:

• The ability to collaborate with others, manage expectations, and get things done in a consensus, not autocratic, work environment
• The ability to develop and manage multi-million dollar budgets, and be accountable for my decisions
• Knowledge of capital projects including successful development of a 80,000 sq ft research building
• Extensive experience and success with obtaining large, multi-million dollar, Federal grants
• The ability to monitor service operations for efficiency and effectiveness

Why I'm Running - Last December, a neighbor alerted us to plans being explored by the Board to find a developer to demolish the landmark Boston & Westchester railway bridge over Highbrook Avenue in exchange for developing four or five homes in the adjacent Greenspace, one of a precious few undeveloped pieces of property in the Village. To learn more, a number of us began attending the Village Board meetings. It soon became clear that the railway and bridge issue was symptomatic of a broader problem with the Board's management process.

There are several issues that require immediate and aggressive research and consideration, but here are the three at the top of my list:

1. Village Finances - Quite simply, we need to get control of spending. We are facing an economic crisis that will require wise planning and hard decisions. While the Village tax represents less than 25% of your property tax bill, it is important that the Trustees exhaust all options to stop the annual spiraling increases. To me, the concept of shared services with our neighboring communities should continue to be explored. Any discussion of our tax base needs to be focused on reducing expenses, not growing our Village government. We need a Village government that is lean and nimble.

2. Open and Responsible Government - The current power base has controlled the Board of Trustees for the past seven years with little or no opposition. As a result, they are out of touch with the concerns of our residents and have often taken an autocratic posture. It is a dangerous precedent when the Board outsources critical roles such as fire chief, architectural review board, and planning board - no longer requiring them to live in Pelham, or in Westchester - only that they reside in New York State. Our Village is best served by the people who live here and have a vested interest in the outcome of their decisions. This election provides a chance to change business as usual. Our Board needs new faces, new blood, new ideas, new energy, and new accountability. Our Board needs to go out of its way to inform local residents about issues directly affecting them, seeking their input as a valuable resource, and respecting their right to air their concerns.

3. Responsible Development - Our approach to development opportunities needs to be balanced and responsible. When considering the merits of potential development, the Board needs to look beyond revenue generation, and consider all aspects of its impact on our Village - property values, flooding, services, schools, infrastructure, landmarks and preserving its character. The development of Marbury Corners is the example to follow: there was no expenditure of Village funds (unlike the recent $10,000 fee to develop a Request for Proposals); the Village did not sell off its property; it was a beautiful addition to our community with a negligible impact on our schools; it increased shoppers in our business district. It was truly a win-win. This is not the case for the Board's current development ideas for the property on 5th Avenue that includes demolition of our firehouse, nor the NYW&B Greenspace and Highbrook Bridge - both of which are historical landmarks and are included in Blake Bell's "Virtual Tour of Historic Pelham." Let's stop the Board from rushing to sell or swap our remaining land, which they hold "in trust," at the bottom of the market, as a short-term fix to our long-term problem of runaway spending. Indeed, our Village has that "It's a Wonderful Life" feeling. Let's stop the present Board from turning our "Bedford Falls" into "Pottersville."

Please exercise your right to be heard and vote Jenkins, Merrick, and Seither on March 16!