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No One has Done More for Philipstown Than Mazzuca
Dear Editor:
I have been a member of the Philipstown Recreation Commission for over twenty-five years, and for about half of that time Bill Mazzuca has been the Town's Supervisor, the fifth one I have worked with. Bill and I have worked together toward common goals, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together.
Without Bill we would not have the Philipstown Park, the Philipstown Community Center, and the Philipstown Depot Theatre. I say this with confidence because I was there when other opportunities presented themselves and were shot down by previous administrations.
In the early 80's the Town had the opportunity to purchase an 80+ acre camp off lower Albany Post Road for $175,000. It was called Indian Lake Camp and as the name implies, it had a sizable lake, many camp buildings, and was altogether a beautiful site. A referendum was set, voted on, and approved by the voters of Philipstown. The Town Board then killed the deal. A few years later Open Space Institute (OSI) offered the Town a portion of the Hubbard Estate at Routes 9 and 301 for recreation purposes. Once again the deal was stopped. Nobody currently serving on the Town Board was serving then.
In 1996, when Bill Mazzuca was not only on the Board but Supervisor, two more exciting, unrelated, opportunities arose. First, OSI offered the Town a park-size portion of the Malcolm Gordon School, and second, the Garrison's Landing Association agreed to lease the Depot Theatre to the Town.
As chair of the Recreation Commission, I approached the Town Board with trepidation born of experience, hoping that history wouldn't repeat itself. Bill's support was crucial in moving the Town Board forward on those deals while at the same time safeguarding the Town's financial health. More recently, when OSI offered St. Mary's Hall at the Capuchin property to the Town, Bill worked again to make sure that the Town capitalized on this opportunity. All of these deals were complicated, but Bill was not afraid to step up and support what he knew was in the best long-term interest of Philipstown. Because of Bill's leadership, we now have a beautiful, active town park, a thriving theatre, and a bustling community center benefiting people of all ages.
Because of my involvement in Recreation I have attended countless Town Board meetings and workshops, and I have had the chance to watch Bill conduct the Town's business up close. We have many different people and constituencies in our community. I have watched Bill repeatedly work effectively with all of them.
I hope that when people decide which way to cast their ballots this November, they will keep in mind each candidate's entire record. I personally know of no one who has done more for Philipstown over the last decade and half than Bill Mazzuca.
Claudio Marzollo
Philipstown
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