VOM: Democrats Slam Mayor, Trustee Over Transparency Issue

Democrats on the Village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees are sharply criticizing the mayor for trying to block a motion calling for greater transparency at the Westchester Joint Water Works, which supplies water to the Village and Town of Mamaroneck.

At a recent meeting, Trustee Toni Pergola Ryan motioned for the board to pass a resolution to require the WJWW to put more information on its website and televise agency meetings.

"Mamaroneck village water customers were just hit with a 75 percent increase in their water rates," Ryan said. "People are angry and want and deserve more transparency."

The measure passed Oct. 12 by a vote of 3 to 1, with board member Marianne Ybarra casting the dissenting vote, but not before Mayor Norman Rosenblum attempted to block the motion, according to people who attended the meeting.

A Mamaroneck resident who attended the meeting said Rosenblum was "unprofessional and rude" to Ryan when she advanced the motion. "He spoke over trustee Ryan in an attempt to silence her," said Theodora Saal.

Tom Murphy, a Democratic campaign manager, said the dispute was based solely on politics. "If the idea isn't his idea, he's against it," Murphy said of the mayor.

Rosenblum has not yet responded to requests for comment.

Sid Albert, a Democratic candidate for Village of Mamaroneck trustee, criticized Ybarra for her no vote on the measure.

"I am shocked that anyone could vote against such a common sense idea to allow for greater public participation and access to information," said Albert.

In a statement, Ybarra said that she voted in favor of placing the matter on the agenda, but ended up voting no because she said the motion as stated by Ryan was "unclear."

"When I tried to clarify what the motion meant, it was repeated in different words," Ybarra said. "I, therefore, asked Trustee Pergola Ryan for clarification of her intent of the motion. Her response was unclear again; different words were used from the prior explanation. I, therefore, voted no."

The exchange at the meeting comes just weeks before the Nov. 2 election, when all three village trustee seats are up for grabs. 

Democratic incumbents Ryan and John Hofstetter, and Ybarra, the Republican incumbent, are on the ballot trying to retain their seats. Also running for the 5-year trustee term are Democrat Albert and Republicans Greg Sullivan and Mary Polanco Vozza. 

Ybarra said Albert, Hofstetter and Ryan have made WWJW transparency a campaign issue for "no good reason," because WWJW meetings are open to the public, press and LMC-TV already.

"Because the WJWW is a public benefit corporation and is required to abide by the NYS open meeting laws, there is no reason in the world why LMC-TV or any other newspaper, press organization can't attend any of their board meetings at any time. Therefore, there is no necessity or reason for the Village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees to vote on this matter," Ybarra said in a statement.

"I call upon my opponents to drop this artificial issue and devote their attentions to the serious issues facing our village," she said.