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Let's Hang Onto Our Mayor
Dear Editor:
The residents of Cold Spring need to hear about life at the Village office from a reliable witness- from someone who works there.
In the recent Village newsletter, the "nuts and bolts" were listed on the last page, but to most residents, they are what matters most. The water and sewer systems, the maintenance of streets, overall quality of life, police issues, the budgeting of taxpayer money and the acquisition of financial, cultural and commercial support from the county, state and federal government. These are the gears that grind every day at the office and on every street in our community, and for these we need Mayor Anthony Phillips to be re-elected.
Let's not forget who was in office when the water filtration plant was built or when improvements were made to the sewer plant and the waterfront. Mayor Phillips has been an advocate of traffic safety, acquiring state funds for improvements to our main roads. He knows the importance of local economy and built a kiosk at the base of Main Street that houses public restrooms and an office for the Chamber of Commerce. He has political clout.
He is a retired Marine who is a natural leader and is well equipped to deal with police issues that arise. He has extensive contracting experience and is a "hands on" Mayor when a sewer line breaks or a tree branch comes down, supervising the job so it is done right. Are these achievements proactive or reactive? They are both.
It is one thing to talk about ideology in government, but it's quite another to roll your sleeves up and get things done. On any given day, civic projects and politics are juggled with the mechanics of running a village, and Mayor Phillips juggles all of it very well. The residents don't hear about it because he doesn't blow his own horn. As for the insinuation that he is "partial" and favors "closed government," one more clarification is needed. There is often quite a difference between individual desires and the collective good of a village. The needs and visions of individuals vary greatly, but public policy and codes can only go so far in addressing them, not to mention that taxpayer money can only go so far in paying for them.
The historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., once said our country is suffering from "too much pluribus and not enough unum." Maybe Cold Spring is suffering from the same thing. Mayor Phillips will listen to intelligent discussion, and he knows a good idea when he hears one, but he only weighs how it will impact the Village as a whole. That's his job.
Even if I didn't know about the daily "nuts and bolts," I would vote for Anthony Phillips because his heart is in the right place. I don't feel he should be retired from office because of his deep-rooted ties to this community. His experience is priceless, and his genuine love of Cold Spring is what drives him. If we're looking for politicians who are straight shooters and have the right motivation, let's hang onto our Mayor.
Fran Pergamo
Cold Spring
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