Glen Cove City Council Candidates: Meet Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews

GLEN COVE, NY — Glen Cove voters will head to the polls Nov. 5 to cast their ballots for mayor and city council. Patch reached out to all the candidates via email and/or Facebook to hear where they stand on important issues affecting the community.

Here are the responses for those who participated. The answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews

• Age (as of Sept. 1): 58
• Town of residence: Glen Cove
• Position sought: Glen Cove City Council
• Party affiliation: Democrat
• Family: Married, no children. Extended family includes a brother who is a retired colonel; his wife, also retired from the military; three nieces and two nephews on my side and four nieces and one nephew on my spouse's side of the family. And, quite frankly, I consider many of our good friends and their families in Glen Cove to also be family. From lighting a candle at our neighbor’s daughter’s bat mitzvah, to attending a memorial mass in tribute to a friend, to participating with fellow congregants and their families in the "Greening of the Sanctuary" every Christmas at the Presbyterian Church, it’s hard not to think of these folks as family as well.
• Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? I have no family members who currently work in government, however there is a strong civic thread that runs through my family. My brother and his wife were military, but are now retired. My mother was a public health nurse, which would be considered a "government job," but is deceased. My father was a police dispatcher for a while, but is also deceased.
• Education: I hold an associate of arts degree in business, a bachelor of arts degree in English literature, and a masters of fine arts degree in theatre. Additionally, I have administrative training via San Francisco's Support Center for Nonprofit Management.
• Occupation: By profession, I have been a voice and speech coach for more than thirty years, and I worked for many years in arts administration. Serving as founding director of a theatre company, and working in both the profit and nonprofit sectors, I have had ample opportunity to work first hand with the nuts and bolts of developing bylaws, designing corporate structure, managing budgets, and supervising personnel. These skills, coupled with sales experience and a strong work ethic, not only continue to serve me in my professional life, but will allow me to have a positive impact in our city government.
• Previous or current elected or appointed office: Current: City of Glen Cove Community Development Agency, City of Glen Cove Memorial Day Parade Committee
  
  Previous: City of Dallas Cultural Affairs Commission

• Campaign Website: FriendsOfGaitley.com

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

There are many pressing issues in our city from concerns over water and the environment, to the lack of opportunities for young people and the lack of affordable housing for seniors and young families. However, the two pressing issues that I hear from residents are concerns over rising taxes and how we are going to contend with rising population growth that will come with our current development. I share these concerns. Some of our financial woes are due to high tax breaks given to developers in the past. On this front, we can and must do better moving forward, including balanced incentives. There is also much that can be accomplished by making our city government leaner and more efficient. The mayor’s initiative to monitor overtime pay and the creation of the finance committee are steps in the right direction. I would like to see the finance committee’s work expanded in helping the city move into the 21st century on many fronts from completely automating the acquisition system to developing procurement procedures that truly get the city the best quality work at the best price. The recently-approved vetting process and policy for asset management are significant steps in the right direction. The city must know upfront the history of safety, insurance, and reliability prior to hiring vendors and contractors, and the city needs to be able to track assets. Having this information easily at hand can serve as a tool in choosing the best company for a job and can help in budgeting for the future. More public/private partnerships can also help ease the challenge of meeting the needs of the community without overburdening the tax base. Having run a theatre company for many years and having served on the Cultural Affairs Commission for a major city, I have seen firsthand how public/private partnerships can be part of the equation in enhancing quality of life and in developing a master plan for a city’s future. Partnerships can not only serve in helping fund events such as summer programs, special events, and cultural activities, they can also be part of a comprehensive plan in developing long term goals such as the creation of a community center to give more opportunities for our young people and families to have structured activities throughout the year. With rising population growth comes a plethora of challenges related to infrastructure, schools, sanitation, and emergency services. Also, with our current development, will come substantial transportation challenges. In addition to demanding a comprehensive plan as it relates to moving traffic in and out of the city, I support initiatives to encourage the addition of more train lines to our existing system and other improvements to the train service that can help those who depend on this form of transportation. Additionally, there is a real need for improvements in bus service, from improving our current Loop Bus line to run in tandem with the train and the countywide bus system, to insisting on the return of countywide bus service over the weekend. Granted, the NICE Bus and the Long Island Rail Road are not under city jurisdiction, but these services are critical to our residents. I look forward to joining with the mayor in pushing for these improvements.

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

My hope is that everyone running for council cares for this community and this is my general sense of things. We have different opinions on how best to serve the residents, but choosing to serve is a big task, and I applaud all who are willing to give the time and energy it takes to step up to the plate. I bring experience to the equation that will contribute to substantive change for our city. With my administrative background in having run a theatre for many years, with my technical skills crafting governmental structure for businesses and organization, and with deep friendships that I have developed over the years as an elder of my church, as a volunteer in the community, and as an advocate for residents, I not only have the technical savvy needed for the job, I have a firm and comprehensive understanding of the needs of the people. As I often say, "You have to know the people, to represent the people." My connection to people is what drives me, and this, coupled with my know-how and work ethic has earned me a reputation as someone who gets things done. I am a communicator. I work well with people in ideal situation and in situations that are far from ideal — as is the case in our current state of affairs. Yes, it takes arguing one's point — which I know how to do. Yes, it takes standing one's ground — which I know how to do. But it also takes listening and looking for the solution within the storm —which I ALSO know how to do. And, from my perspective, we need more of this in government, not less. These are all skills that I look forward to putting to work for the people of Glen Cove.

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

Over the past 19 months, I have attended every city council meeting and pre-council meeting except three. While there are ample opportunities for coming to consensus, working out problems, and finding realistic solutions, this does not occur often enough. We must move beyond bickering to find common ground and do our best for the city. At my core, I am an administrator and a communicator. Yes, I will fight and fight hard when it’s called for, but I will also put my skills to work with all around the table to do the people’s work.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Structure of government/charter: Having been on the ground floor of the creation of several non-profit organizations and with a background in administration, I have seen the importance of clear structure and procedure. In past years there have been many proposals suggested as it relates to the city’s charter. Some suggestions came from the charter commission that existed for several years, and other suggestions came from outside organizations and individuals. From these sources, I feel there were substantive ideas well worth exploring. I would like to see a charter committee created with a mission to bring clarity to some language in the charter that is ambiguous or does not necessarily serve the people. Examples are the procedure for appointing the deputy mayor, city attorney, and for replacing a council member in the event of resignation. From my perspective, the appointments of the deputy mayor and city attorney should be clearly the mayor's choice. When replacing council members in the event of a resignation, I would suggest there be a stated time lapse of a week between the time an official resignation is submitted to the council and when resumes are submitted for consideration for his or her replacement. If this were procedurally the case, it would give some needed "space" in what is often a difficult time. Additionally, it would give the public an opportunity to contact their representatives with suggestions on replacement candidates. Other options could also be explored. It is well worth revisiting our election process, taking into consideration the thoughts from the past commission, individuals, and community organizations.

More opportunities for community involvement and input: Glen Cove is rich in many ways — natural beauty, history, architecture — but our greatest asset is our people, our wonderfully diverse population. The more opportunities that we have to get to know each other and share in each other's cultures the better off we are in our forward march. I would like to see the city encourage more opportunities for us to come together as a city, to appreciate the gifts that we ALL bring to the table. This can happen through craft fairs, community projects, art exhibits, and music events that feature local talent. These events can be done on a budget! Citywide health and fitness events could also be coordinated by drawing on the major resources we have in the city via our fitness facilities and health professionals. These events could easily be coupled with existing festivals, thus highlighting the importance of fitness to a broader population while keeping the events fun. Why not have a Zumbathon including several different instructors as an early morning kick-off of a family fun day? Instructors may very well donate their time giving them exposure, providing the public a free exercise opportunity, and costing the city very little, if anything. This is just one idea. I would also like to see the city explore the establishment of a community center that would also double as a performing arts center. Funding could be sought through private/public partnerships and through outside grants. This will take significant planning and creative thinking, but we should make sure this plan is in the mix of things now so that as developers seek out opportunities, this goal can be part of the equation.

Public eucation and council liaison: Our public school system is one of the most important components we have as it relates to quality of life. Our children truly are our future and preparing our young people for the journey ahead helps assure that they make good choices for their lives, for their careers, and for the community. Given the importance of educating our young people and given that city government and our schools are the two largest taxing entities, I support having a city councilperson serve as a liaison to the schools. The mission of the liaison would be to support our children, the teachers, and find opportunities to highlight accomplishments and be supportive for the expansion of opportunities. One idea: perhaps there could be a collaboration between the school's media lab and city government in a way that would improve communication while at the same time offering valuable experience to emerging technicians and future broadcast professionals.

Transparency and access: Government works better in the sunshine. It works better when it is clear, open, and transparent for the citizens. With this in mind, here are initiatives I will push for. In an effort to make information more readily available to the public, I will encourage better promotion of both city council and pre-council meetings, a dedicated reliable system of transmitting live streaming of the meetings, and a revamped website enabling designated city staff the ability to easily make simple updates and upload forms. The page should also work in tandem with official social media pages managed by the city. Having worked in media and online promotion, I know how to get the word out. I look forward to putting these skills to work for the people of the city.

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

Successfully completed a highly competitive graduate program and held numerous leadership roles throughout my college career.

Worked as a union performer in the entertainment industry for close to 20 years prior to my involvement as a producer.

Founded and served as producing director of an opera theater company gaining both local and national notoriety. This experience also showed me first hand how public and private sponsorship can be used to significantly enhance community.

Created a non-profit organization to preserve a historic landmark. This involved coordination of several alumni organizations and community leaders to successfully preserve and maintain a valued building in the community. This opportunity helped me hone my skills in calling on the best that others had to offer, while also putting those skills to work within a framework of bylaws and foundation documents that could serve the mission for years to come.

Other relevant experience: Served as visiting professor - Berea College, research associate - Academic Language Therapy (Texas Scottish Rite Hospital), certified fitness trainer - American Council on Exercise.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

... from my mother. "Be yourself."

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

My commitment to the veteran community is strong and personal. With a brother who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan (retired colonel), with a dad who served in the Navy and a mom who served in the Cadet Nurse Corp during WWII, and an uncle who did three tours of duty in Vietnam, I am acutely aware of the challenges facing our veterans. I care about veterans, I value their contribution, and I believe they should be supported and honored at every opportunity. It is my honor and pleasure to serve on the Memorial Day parade committee for the city and I was especially honored to help coordinate this past year’s multi-faith Memorial Day weekend service held at the Presbyteriain Church. As most know, the service has been a part or Glen Cove’s rich history for many many years and what a privilege it was for me to work alongside clergy and our veterans in paying tribute to our war dead. In honor and in action, we must pay respect at every turn. I am a homeowner, a businessman, a volunteer, and your neighbor. Like you, I love our city and want to see it move from strength to strength. I am new to politics and new to Glen Cove city government, but I am not new to organizing, to problem solving, and to getting the job done. I have the background, the drive, and the communication skills to make a difference and hope you will honor me with your vote and give me the chance to roll up my sleeves and go to work for you.