Vesce Best Equipped to Lead Peekskill to Greater Heights
Endorsement
There’s no denying that the City of Peekskill is on the rise in many ways. No longer is there a stigma attached as it has become a very desirable place to work, live and play.
Mayor Andre Rainey and the current Common Council have taken credit for the city’s resurgence, but in reality the transformation began during the previous administration, where a welcoming mat was laid out for investors and developers and the city’s finances rapidly improved.
As a councilman with former Mayor Frank Catalina, Vincent “Boo” Vesce played an integral part in changing the mindset at City Hall and lending his managerial and operational expertise. He was well respected by his colleagues on both sides of the aisle and, thus, was effective in debating issues and gaining consensus.
After a two-year hiatus, Vesce is now looking to return to City Hall, this time in the mayoral role, and voters are strongly encouraged to hand him the reins on Election Day.
Unlike his father, who served two terms as mayor, Vesce is a businessman first, not a politician, and that would benefit the council greatly, which currently has no one with Vesce’s skillset. He is level-headed and fair and comes from a pedigree of integrity and hard work.
Rainey has certainly exceeded expectations from his time on the council, where his focus was mainly issues with local youth. To his credit, he has never lost sight of helping young people and bringing a Boys & Girls Club to the city, as he is negotiating to accomplish, would be an asset to Peekskill.
He has also excelled as a spokesman and cheerleader for Peekskill and has had a much easier time advancing his agenda than his predecessor since the six other councilmembers are of the same mindset and party affiliation.
One major issue that Rainey and city officials mishandled was the controversial planned relocation of the Jan Peek homeless shelter to Washington Street, which currently is on the shelf. Rainey erred in signing a petition supporting CCHOP’s move since he would have had to vote on a required rezoning to make the address change happen. His leadership was also subpar in taking control of an often-frenzied atmosphere at City Hall during the heated debate on the shelter, and he failed to disclose the alternative location CCHOP was considering when frequently asked.
Overall, Rainey has done a commendable job as mayor, but Vesce has the resume, personality and know-how to do a great job and take Peekskill to the next level.
Common Council Race
Every level of government should have checks and balances, and the Common Council could benefit from a shakeup.
Of the six candidates in the race for three seats, the one standout who should not be overlooked by voters is Lauren Brady. Brady is the type of candidate every municipality would be lucky to have. She’s young, community-oriented, personable and a proven commodity. She and her sister started a non-profit organization that has brought attention to a little-known disorder that they have bravely championed. She also has been a firecracker in her role with the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce and is well-versed on the needs and wants of local businesses. Her potential as an elected official is endless.
One of Brady’s running mates, Luis Segarra, was unsuccessful two years ago running for the council but he did not let that discourage him, which is a plus for voters. Segarra would complement Vesce nicely and he has privately shown in the community that he is compassionate and has his ears to the ground to residents in need.
Of the three incumbent councilwomen running, Patricia Riley has shown the most independence and always treats residents with respect. She has proven to be a good listener and has a good-natured approach that is contagious.
Councilwoman Kathleen Talbot should be applauded for her environmental awareness with climate change and keeping tabs on the Indian Point nuclear power plants, while Vivian McKenzie has been consistent with her strong convictions. Newcomer Marion Mahon has not stood out in what is a capable field.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/