Candidate Profile: Jennifer Bounds For New Castle Town Council

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.

Jennifer Bounds is seeking election to the New Castle Town Council in November. The 49-year-old is running as a Democrat.

Learn more about Bounds on dems4newcastle2021.com

Check out Patch's full Q&A with Jennifer Bounds:

Position Sought

Council member

Family

Husband Twan 49, Son Boden 17 HGHS Senior football and Lacrosse player, Bae 15 HGHS Sophomore Soccer and Lacrosse player

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Twan is the Deputy Director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit office of the Attorney General

Education

MBA/NYU. BA Public Policy/UChicago

Occupation

Operations Executive, 14 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

none

Why are you seeking elective office?

I was on the Business and Commerce Committee of the New Castle Council for Race and Equity and led the effort to bring diverse vendors to the farmers market. I originally decided to run to help make the CRE a permanent committee and help implement the 300 recommendations made by 100 volunteers. I also walk to the train, as do many of my neighbors, and I would love to have the chance to improve safety and walkability for all of our residents that walk and bike

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

There is not one pressing issue facing our district. Residents are concerned with the things that impact their daily lives. People in my neighborhood would like a sidewalk down Douglas Road to make their daily commute to the train or Bell Middle school safer. People in Millwood have long wanted sewers. People in the West End are concerned about retaining the natural beauty of their special environment. It's important to meet people where they are and help them solve the problems that they are most concerned about.

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

I have a business operations background and I love to dig in and do the work to solve large and small problems. I have a general business background and know how to break up big problems into smaller and manageable pieces and can keep projects on track with respect to budget and time, while keeping key stakeholders plugged into the process.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

The current office holder is not running.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

New Castle did a great job with the coronavirus and led the mask mandate effort.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

We can implement many of the big challenges facing our country on a local level. Municipalities have great control over conservation, sustainability, equity and inclusion, and walkability within their borders. We can make a measurable impact right here in New Castle if we dig in and do the work. We can reclaim our overgrown public lands and create spaces for people to connect and we can add infrastructure for walking and biking that improve our health and our relationships with one another.

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

I led the effort to rename Jean Craighead George Park ("JCG") which went from concept to dedication in less than 6 months. Very few parks are ever named after women, and JCG Park was overgrown town owned land that is in the neighborhood in which Jean lived for over half a century and wrote her most famous books. She was a lifelong conservationist and naturalist and restoring the park seemed like the perfect tribute to her life and work. I lead weekly cleanups to clear out invasive vines and other species to clear the way for the restoration. This project brought together the many groups that intersected with Jean from the Historical Society, her collaborators, conservations groups, the Chappaqua library and book festival and the memorial eventually built will pull on all of those areas her life and work impacted.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

When in doubt, do something

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

I am a bit obsessive when it comes to conservation and sustainability. When my ash trees were infested with the emerald borer I had them milled into flooring locally at White Oak Farm. I am restoring my own property and led local volunteer efforts to restore public property by removing invasive plants and adding natives which are more resource efficient, sequester more carbon, rebuild soil, and increase habit for pollinators and other life. We need to take a multi pronged approach to climate change that includes making big personal and municipal shifts.

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.