A Recap of the Village’s Accomplishments

POSTED: JANUARY 2012

BY MAYOR MARY MARVIN

As I sit at my desk planning on writing a column to recap the Village’s accomplishments and shortfalls in 2011, I have a sense I should be doing quite the opposite especially at this time of year. Instead of talking about unanticipated fund balances and contract negotiations, it seems more appropriate to take a breadth, take stock and be thankful and grateful for all the people that make our Village such a special place to live.

The staff at Village Hall is easily number one on the bountiful list. Due to the economic downturn, coupled with the need to keep Village taxes down, we have trimmed Village staffing by over 15% since I have been Mayor. We are operating with a smaller police force and public works crew than we have in decades and many of the administrative positions in Village Hall have disappeared or morphed into part-time. This is especially significant at a time when Villagers are justifiably requiring more and more services for their tax dollars.

Despite this, our staff remains professional, positive, fun loving and come to work with the best interest of the Village first and foremost on their minds and for that I am most grateful. And thankfully, they make a career with us. In our Public Works department, Sergio Papetti and his uncle, Luigi Mignardi, have given 60 years of service to the Village from just one family.

My fellow Trustees come in a close second on my grateful list. I am so fortunate to have colleagues who are true public servants who literally spend agonizing hours deliberating over even the smallest spending. Knowing that they are merely stewards of your money, they take their responsibilities so very seriously. They are also quite fun and make meetings a pleasure and thanks to my association with them through government, I am now blessed to call them my friends.

You often hear about the behavior of former electeds when new folks enter office and it is often a “good luck, you’re on your own and I will be taking my files.” Thankfully, in our Village, it is quite the opposite. Former Mayors Hand, Stein, Lee and Murphy have helped me every step of the way and continue to do so. I am only a call, an e-mail away from their wisdom and priceless advice. In fact, the “lady” mayors have taken to having periodic lunches together. Oh, if only walls could talk!
Equally selfless are the legions of Village residents who volunteer their time and expertise on the various Village committees. For every employee, we have two to three resident volunteers who are integral in making the Village operate at the level we do. They spend hours working on Village issues and respond to our requests on a moment’s notice.

The following are just small illustrations of the kind of dedicated volunteers that populate all our committees: the Finance Committee, Zoning Board, Planning Board, Design Review Committee, Citizens’ Advisory Committee, Library Board, Friends of the Bronxville Library, Green Committee, Ethics Committee, Cable TV Committee and the local garden clubs, Boulder Ledge and Bronxville Beautification Committee.

The Bronxville Beautification Committee dug deep into their own pockets this year to help us re-landscape the area near the train station and were hands on every step of the way. You may have seen committee member, Mary Rose Nielen, with her profession plans in hand, working side-by-side with the landscapers and our own Department of Public Works crew.

Just recently, we needed urgent advice from our Ethics Committee and Chair Bill Primps interrupted his work schedule to arrange conference calls with all members of the committee and we received a much needed and expedited opinion.

Our Green Committee, spearheaded by Mary Liz Mulligan, has put Bronxville on the map in terms of environmental initiatives through promotion of organic lawn care and recycling and reuse. As a result, Bronxville placed second in the County in the amount of our garbage that is recycled.

Residents including Richard Szypula, Don Henderson and Anna Longobardo have served twenty plus years on our land use boards, often functioning in times of tension and controversy, but always stalwart in their dedication to keeping our Village the beautiful place it is today.

The Village Finance Committee, all of whom are scions in the financial world, still arrive at Village Hall for 7:30AM meetings to review our audits and spending practices. Though quite small potatoes in their world, they give the Village’s business the attention they would give a major deal.

Finally, I am grateful to you, the citizens, for placing your trust in me to be your Mayor. With rare exceptions, you have been kind, gracious and so very civilized. Our love for this Village unites us all and I wish you all good things in 2012.

HTML Comment Box is loading comments...