What are Scarsdale Residents' Priorities?

After over a year into his administration, Mayor Hochvert met with the Board of Trustees on Wednesday, May 16, at 6pm to discuss Scarsdale’s long-term list of priorities. Seeing as this gathering was not recorded and not transcribed, only those that could physically attend the meeting, the eight Board of Trustees members, Mayor Hochvert, and two Scarsdale residents, know of such priorities. Although the Mayor and Board mentioned the “Priority List” would soon become available on the Scarsdale Village website, I’m disturbed that this long-awaited, very important meeting was not recorded, broadcast, or even transcribed. There are facilities to record and broadcast. There are people available to take minutes. Why were measures not taken to properly log the event? Why are conversations pertaining to our town’s long-term agenda, agendas that directly impact our pocketbooks, our daily lives, and our families, are not easily accessible to us. Further, last Wednesday’s meeting was a prime opportunity for Mayor Hochvert’s administration to engage with the public. Unfortunately, it was held at an incredibly inconvenient time for, basically, anybody and everybody, so a mere 2 people were in attendance. 6pm on a Wednesday? People are still commuting home from work or cooking dinner for their families at that hour. Poor planning yields a non-existent crowd, making it nearly impossible for residents to be heard and remain up-to-speed on the current goings on around town. A cynic might say that pre-meditated measures are being taken by Mayor Hochvert and his administration to discourage public participation in our political matters…hmmm…I wonder.

Being a young, recent college graduate shaken to her core by contemporary American politics, I strive to be more politically engaged than ever before. Over the past few months, I’ve attended multiple Board of Trustees meetings in Scarsdale, all moderated by Mayor Hochvert and the Board of Trustees. I left each and every meeting feeling anxious and disappointed because it is blatantly apparent that public opinion is not welcomed at such meetings and also blatantly apparent that data-driven information is not used to enact inclusive, rational policies here in Scarsdale. Residents’ voices should be considered just as important as Mayor Hochvert’s voice and the voices of those serving on the Board of Trustees. This currently is not the case, and, to be frank, is unacceptable in our town of well-educated, civic-minded citizens.

Zoe Berg is a recent graduate from Barnard College and a Fox Meadow resident.