Opinion: Catherine Parker's Two Faces on Rye Public Health

RYE, NEW YORK—Recently, Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker sent out a friendly primer for her constituents via email newsletter about how best to stay safe this summer in Westchester. Namely, these helpful tips included advisories against “West Nile Virus spread by mosquitoes.”

In a bulleted list under the subject heading “To help eliminate insect breeding grounds,” the first item mentioned is to “[r]emove standing water around your home. After it rains, walk around and look for toys, flower pots or similar water-holding containers that should be overturned or put inside to avoid collecting water.”

While we at Heal the Harbor applaud the Councilwoman’s initiative and concern for keeping Rye families safe this Summer season, we wonder why this same sense of concern isn’t shared in her policy positions as a legislator.

In the videos below, find out more about how Ms. Parker time and time again avoided action to remove bird feces-infected water collection systems on Hen Island during her term as a Rye City Councilwoman. These systems, along with the lack of maintenance on Hen Island, encourage Westchester County’s largest mosquito infestation on record.