Cortlandt Will Be in Good Hands With Becker in Charge
Following someone who has put together the kind of record Cortlandt Supervisor Linda Puglisi has during her 30-year tenure is not an easy task, but Councilman Dr. Richard Becker has an impressive resume himself, and is more than qualified to take over the reins and ensure a smooth transition.
Becker, who has been on the Town Board for 14 years and served on the Zoning Board of Appeals for a few years prior, has the pulse of the community and has always taken a measured approach to issues. He has the managerial skills and background to run the town and lead it into the future. Becker believes in smart growth but won’t give away the store.
Without a doubt, residents will be in good hands with Becker at the helm.
His opponent, Laurie Ryan, recently retired after a productive teaching career and served a dozen years on the Hendrick Hudson Board of Education, where she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. She is certainly community-minded and has been running an active campaign.
However, Ryan has no past experience in local government and has not served on any town committees. Her claim of a lack of police presence in Cortlandt is puzzling, since the town hasn’t had its own police department in more than 20 years and has been served adequately by the state police and Westchester County police. Some of her criticism of Becker is also off base.
Perhaps Ryan should have tried for a seat on the Town Board first to get her feet wet instead of aiming for the top job, which Becker is more than well-suited for.
As for the two available Town Board seats, Councilman James Creighton has earned a second four-year term, and his running mate, Cristin Jacoby, a financial services professional who serves on the Zoning Board of Appeals, show promise.
The Republican/Conservative/Cortlandt United candidates, Tom Walsh, who is also on the ZBA, and Warren Smith, who has been active in Verplanck, have made some compelling cases and appear prepared to be effective councilmen. If unsuccessful in this race, they should consider making another run.
But this time around, Creighton and Jacoby get the nods to help Becker move Cortlandt Forward.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/