Somers Town Board Race: Q&A with Harvey Kriedberg

Editor's Note: We asked the candidates for Somers Town Board –Christopher Foley (D), Harvey Kriedberg (D), Anthony Cirieco (R), Bill Faulkner (R) – a series of questions before the Election on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Faulkner did not respond to the questions. Below are Kriedberg's responses. 

Patch: Why did you decide to run for election?

Harvey Kriedberg: I believe that Heritage Hills, which is 25 percent of the town of Somers population, needs a representative on the Town Board. The Town Board needs to be more open and responsive to the people of the Town. There is a lack of accountability and transparency for decisions they make.

Patch: What personal or professional experiences qualify you to serve as a town board member?

Kriedberg: In my professional career of 30 years in the New York City Public Schools I was a teacher, science coordinator, science teacher, assistant principal and principal of a 1,200-student elementary school with a staff of 60. I have a professional diploma in administration and supervision and experience in personnel and budget management. I was the president of the Heritage Hills Society for 4 years which is similar to managing a small town.

Patch: What are the top three issues facing town residents?

Kriedberg: There are serious issues that need to be addressed in town such as the Angle Fly Preserve agreement that the Town made with the Westchester County Board of Legislators in 2005. They received $2 million from the County and obligated the Town to build 224 workforce affordable houses by 2015. So far, none have been built. Serious consequences in the form of fines can result for non compliance by 2015.

Another important issue for the Town is the desire for Heritage Hills to have the Town purchase the Water and Sewer Companies which are currently owned by the Builder. The rates for the residents of Heritage Hills are the highest in Westchester County. The Town Board has been discussing this with representatives of the Heritage Hills Society for 10 years and is reluctant to do this. A faulty study was just completed and it was determined that the Town purchase was not feasible. The study showed that the average cost of water and sewer at Heritage Hills was $450 but in reality it was $1,150 per year. Money was wasted in this study by the Town.

A third issue is the Town’s lack of prioritized long term planning and developing an adequate reserve fund for dealing with the needed planned projects. As problems occur, no money is available to address them. This is poor administration. Drainage issues, roads that are crumbling, curbing that needs to be addressed, storm water and pond issues that need to be worked on, erosion in areas that created damage,  boilers in old buildings that need replacement. There is no money immediately available for this because there never was a plan to address this.

Patch: Describe your campaign platform or how you differentiate yourself from your opponents' platforms?

Kriedberg: I believe that town government needs to be more transparent and accountable to the people of the Town. Issues must be fully discussed with the residents of the Town before a decision is made. Plans for the future for capital renovation and establishing goals that are achievable are a must for good government. I am different from my opponents who believe that clinging to past practices will create an adequate future. It does not happen that way in this modern society.

Patch: Should you be elected, what would you like to achieve over the course of your term?

Kriedberg: If elected I would like to make our town government more efficient and use our tax dollars wisely. Careful planning for the future and the use of the town’s own Sustainable Somers Committee will give us an opportunity to put us in the 21st century and use modern ideas that will save us energy and money. I would like to see the town work with companies that will provide us sources of grants from government or private funding for planned projects so that the taxpayers will save money and keep our taxes low. 

Patch: Is there anything we haven't asked that you would like the public to know about you or your candidacy?

Kriedberg: I have the ability to work well with people and develop an atmosphere of collegiality. I understand that working with others implies the need to compromise so that the greater good in the long term can be achieved.

I am currently a Trustee of the Somers School Board and President of a large condominium complex at Heritage Hills. I have been a leader all my life and accept leadership roles so that important jobs are done in the right way. A member of the Town Council must be a leader within our community as a respected member of the Board. I can fill this role very adequately.