Candidate Profile: Holly McCall For New Castle Town Supervisor

NEW CASTLE, NY — In 2021's general election, residents of the Hudson Valley will be voting for local officials. In anticipation, Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Holly McCall is seeking election as the New Castle Town Supervisor in November. The 43-year-old is running as a Democrat.

Learn more about McCall on www.dems4newcastle.com

Check out Patch's full Q&A with Holly McCall:

Family

Christopher (spouse), Alexander (son, 14), Jonathan (son, 13)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

BS International Business, Business Management, Roger Williams University

Occupation

Former management professional with eight years of increasing responsibility managing operations in a Fortune 200 financial services company. Functions included process, project and product management.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Chappaqua Central School District Board of Education (2018-2021), Vice President 2019-2021

Why are you seeking elective office?

I was raised in a family that values giving back and service to the community. I care deeply about my community and feel that my experience as a former Board of Education leader gives me a perspective and set of relationships that will benefit the Town of New Castle.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The most pressing issue facing our community right now is communication, collaboration and transparency. During the last year and a half I have witnessed breakdowns in communication related to major projects underway.

I believe that as a community we can work together to restore the tone of conversation back to one of collaboration and cohesiveness. And here’s how:

-We will set a collaborative and positive tone for interactions at meetings and hold ourselves accountable to that
-We will always listen
-We will look for ways to make information as easy to locate on our the website as possible
-We will seek to hold joint meetings with key municipal partners, such as the CCSD at least twice annually outside of any projects that may be underway

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

There is one other candidate seeking the same position. The critical difference is that we have already faced each other in a Democratic primary matchup where I was victorious and now she is seeking a rematch with the support of the Republican Party.

I have a vision for New Castle and my opponent has sought to make this election only about one issue. I support revitalization of the Chappaqua Hamlet using a rezoning tool (a form based code) already underway with the current town board which will be applied to a small, 6 acre area of our hamlet. My opponent opposes this approach and has offered no alternative plan. My vision for New Castle includes vibrant hamlets with attractive retail shops, dining and entertainment venues, with walkable residences which are connected to neighborhoods; by directing our future growth in already built areas we can preserve our green spaces and focus on conservation and sustainability; I envision a welcoming and inclusive community where families of all colors and abilities find our community accessible, supportive and that they are celebrated and embraced.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Equity & Inclusion
-Cultivate sustained progress of the Council on Race and Equity (CRE) including, but not limited to:
-Providing funding for programming and initiatives.
-Implementing suggested equity and inclusion policies into municipal operations.
-Supporting CRE members with empathy and sensitivity.
-Apply an Equity and Inclusion lens to town policies, hiring and advisory board membership, including the recruitment and development of diverse community leaders.
-Recruit diverse small businesses.
-Collaborate with Chappaqua Central School District and Ossining Union Free School District to integrate equity and social justice initiatives throughout the community.
-Increase housing diversity - with options for young adults, empty nesters, multi-household families - and offer multiple entry points into the housing market to encourage socio-economic diversity in New Castle.
-Highlight and celebrate the diversity in our community.

Sustainability & Conservation
-Earn the Climate Smart Communities Silver Certification.
-Protect watershed and sensitive areas, such as the West End.
-Earn Clean Energy Community Certifications.
-Expand solar panels and electric vehicle infrastructure.
-Preserve and expand existing green spaces.
-Encourage development on concrete and asphalt, not green spaces.

Thriving Hamlets
-Increase Walkability.
-Expand sidewalks and trails.
-Expand infrastructure to support hamlets such as extending sewer access in Millwood.
-Make hamlets welcoming and attractive to new residents by:
-Expanding arts and community events in our downtowns.
-Encourage more family-friendly businesses like an ice cream shop, diner and entertainment venues.
-Increase breadth of recreational opportunities.

Connecting People & Spaces
-Implement the vision of the Parks Master Plan.
-Pursue additional recreational amenities such as a town pool, a dog park and a Tertia Brook Trail, in collaboration with our Recreation and Parks Commission.
-Make the ChapLine a reality.
-Connect neighborhoods and hamlets with walkways.

Address airport noise and air pollution impacts on New Castle

Sewers & Wastewater
-Facilitate the conversion of both Riverwoods/Yeshiva and Random Farms facilities to more resilient management solutions to avoid environmental crisis.
-Apply the advocacy, resolve and resources to successfully connect residences CURRENTLY PAYING SEWER FEES to sewer lines.
-Pursue creative solutions for Millwood: Establish a Milwood Wastewater Task Force of stakeholders (business and residential property owners, town staff, county liaisons) to evaluate potential options such as a building a local package plant or hookup to the existing Campfire Road county sewer line.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

In 2012, I led a nationwide effort seeking fair access to credit for stay home parents. I worked with MomsRising and Change.org to collect over 50,000 signatures and presented them directly to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director. The CFPB took action following our discussion and made changes to the rules to reverse the unfair impact to stay home parents.

I served on the Chappaqua Central School District Board of Education during the 2020 pandemic. As a parent and member of the board of education, I was on the school reopening committee which led our District to safely re-open all buildings from day one in September.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

My father has always given me the advice of “everything will work out fine.” As a child they were comforting. As an adult, I’ve realized that it’s not the universe making everything turn out perfect, but a way of looking at all problems as being solvable. Being able to envision the positive outcome has allowed me to develop the skills to stay calm under pressure and find creative solutions to challenging problems.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I was elected to the Chappaqua Central School District Board of Education in 2018. As a key leader in an organization substantially larger than the Town government, I focused on responsible fiscal management, race, equity and social justice in the school community. I served on the Strategic Planning Committee, Facilities Committee, Health & Safety Committee and was Co-Chair of the Community Advisory Board on Racism and Equity. Prior to serving on the Board of Education, I was the Vice Chair and then Chair of the PTA at Roaring Brook Elementary School and Co-Chair of the Bell Middle School PTA’s Annual Craft Fair.

I have served as a Board Member for the Family and Home Network, an organization supporting families through information and advocacy. I am a member of the New Castle League of Women Voters, Rotary Club of Chappaqua, a founding member of the Board of Directors of Up2Us to Act, a non-profit promoting civic education and engagement and currently serve as Treasurer.

Find information about absentee and early voting here: Election 2021: New Systems For Early Voting In Westchester. To find all your candidates, as well as statewide, county and local propositions, follow the links offered by the Board of Elections:

• View the 2021 General Election Candidates List.
• View the 2021 General Election State Propositions.
• View the 2021 General Election County and Local Propositions.