Bedford Town Supervisor Ellen Calves Announces Re-Election Campaign

Ellen Calves has announced she will seek re-election as Bedford Town Supervisor on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines, citing the town’s progress on public safety, fiscal management, infrastructure, affordability, environmental sustainability, and community engagement during her time in office.

Calves, who has served as supervisor for the past 4½ years, said her campaign will focus on continuing responsible financial management while investing in infrastructure, parks, housing, downtown revitalization, environmental protection, and youth programming.

“Serving this community in this role for 4½ years has been an incredible honor,” Calves said. “Together, we’ve worked to strengthen our community, support our local businesses, invest in our infrastructure, and preserve the character that makes Bedford such a special place to live.”

Calves added that she has worked hard to make herself available and accessible to all residents, providing clear and frequent communications to the public to enable transparency, opportunities for engagement, and encouraging respectful civil discourse for productive problem-solving.

During Calves’ tenure, the town implemented a new town-wide police radio communications system, expanded wireless coverage, improved police-community engagement and training, and enhanced pedestrian safety through new sidewalks, flashing beacons, improved crosswalks, and upgraded street lighting.

The administration also completed an update of the town’s 20-year-old Comprehensive Plan following extensive public input, maintained the town’s AAA bond rating, and kept taxes within the tax cap despite rising costs. Additional initiatives included digitizing the building permit process with an online property portal, strengthening protections for historic homes and districts, purchasing a new senior bus with state grant funding, and expanding recreational and youth programming.

Calves also highlighted affordability and housing initiatives, including adoption of an enhanced low-income senior tax exemption, support for affordable housing projects on Valley Road and through the McLain and Doyle House renovation, and creation of a Housing Working Group to examine policy options for affordable housing development.

Environmental and resiliency initiatives undertaken during the term included expanding food scrap recycling drop-off locations, increasing the town’s electric vehicle fleet, adding six new fast charging stations in Katonah, assisting residents with septic and well water improvement funding, and achieving Silver Level Climate Smart Community certification from New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

The town also sponsored community events including Rev Up 250, supported volunteer recruitment for first responders, enabled farmers and community markets in Katonah and Bedford Hills, and enacted a moratorium on battery energy storage systems while local safety and zoning standards are evaluated.

Under Calves’ leadership, Bedford received several recognitions, including Gold Level “Town of Excellence” designation from the Association of Towns, a Traffic Safety Award from AAA, and recognition by SafeWise as the “Safest City in New York State” for two consecutive years.

Looking ahead, Calves said priorities for another term would include upgrading the Katonah playground and implementing a long-term parks and pools capital plan, advancing redevelopment planning for the Route 117 commercial corridor, expanding walk and bike paths between hamlets, improving efficiency and customer service in town permitting and review processes, enhancing youth engagement through the THRIVE prevention program, expanding open space preservation, supporting public art initiatives, improving clean water infrastructure, and pursuing acquisition and redevelopment of the Bedford Hills train station to support restaurant use.

Calves also said she would continue advocating for improvements to state roads and sidewalks and for additional state aid to municipalities.

“There is still important work ahead, and I remain committed to thoughtful, transparent leadership that reflects the values and priorities of our residents,” Calves said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue this work and respectfully ask for your support.”

Calves has received endorsements from the Bedford Democratic Party, Working Families Party, Eleanor's Legacy, New York League of Conservation Voters and the Westchester Putnam Central Labor Body AFL-CIO. Additional information is available at friends-of-ellen-calves.com/

The general election for Bedford Town Supervisor will be held on November 3, 2026.