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Trustee Candidate Seth Gallagher's Platform
"In my candidacy announcement last week I outlined the general topics of my concern, both as current Trustee, and going forward. More specifically, the issues I want to address over the next two years are: 1. Protecting the Environment, 2. Fiscal Responsibility, Oversight, and Accountability, and 3. Developing and Restoring Infrastructure.
"Protecting the Environment was an important part of my first two years as Trustee, both in the area of recycling but also in increasing the Village's level of energy conservation.
"Global warming is an urgent concern for all those living on our planet, and is something that we must address locally by reducing the amount of nonrenewable energy the Village consumes. Not only is this good for the environment, it is also good for our pocketbooks. This past year I arranged an energy audit by the New York Power Authority that pointed out ways to conserve energy. A large part of the report focused on changing the type of lighting as well as increasing the insulation in Village buildings, a project for which the Mayor and Sen. Leibell have secured funds. In the coming term I hope to also address updating some of the Sewage Treatment Plant's most inefficient motors and controls.
"Another area that I will be focusing on if elected for a second term is that of Fiscal Responsibility, Oversight, and Accountability. By this I mean that I want the Village to manage our taxpayer money in a way that is clear to the public, and to the standards that the Office of Comptroller sets for municipalities. The Village has not done as good a job as it should in this area, and as a result we are faced with critical budget overages. It is my goal to solve this problem by: 1. Clarifying the budget lines so that everyone can know what a particular line is for, 2. Expanding the budget report to include more information that can help us truly monitor the fiscal shape of the Village, 3. Ensuring that no appropriations are made if money is not available for that line of the budget, 4. Revamping the auditing process to catch claims that are incorrectly executed, and 5. Becoming a member of the auditing committee.
"A third area that will be a focus for the next two years is Expanding and Updating the Village Infrastructure in two important areas: a Senior Center and a Firehouse. The Village is now looking to both develop our first full service Senior Center, and build a new Firehouse in one project proposed for the Butterfield Hospital site. The Senior Center has been a long time coming and is long overdue. Seniors in Cold Spring and all of Philipstown need a place where they can meet and be provided a meal cooked on the premises. Over the last number of years it has become clear that the current firehouse cannot meet future needs. Just as the size and height of fire trucks change, so must the building that contains them. I want to ensure that the Village gets the best building at the best price, and that the needs of all its residents, present and future, are served.
"I will also push to restore the dock to the use I fondly recall it serving in the past, by reopening it for use by boats of public interest. Boats such as the John J. Harvey Fireboat, the Half-Moon replica, and other boats that used to dock in Cold Spring, such as the Clearwater, but no longer can. With the quadricentennial of Henry Hudson's exploration of the River fast approaching it would be a boon to all for these and other historic ships to be able to stop by our river village.
"As Trustee it is my goal to ensure the best management of taxpayer money, and to ensure it is used for the best good of all the residents."
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