The Village Political System is Broken; Let’s Fix It

A month ago, I couldn't have imaged myself penning a post endorsing a candidate for local office.

Yet my experience of the past few weeks, as part of the Protect Irvington NY group has brought me to this place. The focus of that group is on community outreach, not politics. And yet in recent days, I've come to the realization that the two are inexorably intertwined.

The process by which the Continuum Proposal is being reviewed is quite different than that which Village residents are accustomed to for their own properties. Rather than seeking to ensure that the proposed facility meet the zoning requirements of the Village, the approach has been to seek to amend the laws of the Village to meet the economic desires of a single property owner. 

Most concerning to us is the fact that there has been little transparency to the process. We have repeatedly asked for an understanding of the exact steps in the approval process. Only this week have we been given any indication that the process will be shared publicly, hopefully in the coming days. Yet one step in the process is clear. The only way in which the Continuum project can be built is if the Irvington Board of Trustees gives its approval to amend the Village of Irvington code, by approving this Amendment, which has been authored by Continuum counsel.

In their closing remarks at the March 8 Irvington Candidates’ Forum, the incumbent Trustees gave as a rationale for their reelection “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

Yet, as the Continuum project demonstrates, the system is clearly broken.

That’s why I am endorsing Mark Gilliland for Irvington Village Trustee.

Mark has been active in the Irvington community, serving on the Environmental Conservation Board, Climate Protection Task Force, Green Policy Task Force and the Tree Commission and provided leadership for the ‘Love Em and Leave Em’ leaf mulching initiative.

More importantly, he has consistently spoken out about the need to more carefully analyze new development initiatives to ensure that they meet the needs of the entire community. He was outspoken on the waterfront rezoning initiative, helping to reshape the discussion.

All three candidates are good people and active members of the community. But the incumbents have been all too willing to allow flawed development ideas move quickly through the process. The only way in which we will bring change to that process is by bringing change to the Board of Trustees.

Mark Gilliland is a tireless worker and will bring energy and a commitment to protecting the interests of the entire Irvington community. Electing Mark to the Board will help us bring more transparency and daylight into a process where it has been sorely lacking.

I am personally* endorsing Mark Gilliland for Irvington Village Trustee. 

* this endorsement is mine alone, and does not represent the Protect Irvington NY group as a whole. The focus of the group remains community-driven and not political. Yet many members of the group have asked for guidance in Tuesday's election, which has led me to share my feelings here.