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Lisa Katz

Town of New Castle Supervisor Lisa Katz Enthusiastically Honored for 10 Years of Service

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First Neighbors Bill and Hillary Clinton along with County and State Officials, Friends and Neighbors Offered a Host of Warm, Appreciative Remarks at Festive Town Hall Event.

‘Town Cheerleader’ and ‘The George Bailey of Chappaqua’ were among Descriptions of Town Supervisor Katz during the Celebration of her Decade-long Tenure.

“Never Stop Talking about what’s Right,” Katz Urged.

December 13, 2023, Chappaqua, NY–Admiration, reminisces and well wishes were offered at a Town Hall celebration held to honor Town of New Castle Supervisor Lisa Katz for her ten years of service–eight years as councilwoman and two years as New Castle town supervisor. First neighbors and honorary guests Bill and Hillary Clinton, fellow town board members and county and state public officials, family, neighbors and friends presented statements extolling Lisa’s accomplishments with an emphasis on her leadership style which several pointed to as open, amenable to compromise and distinctly non partisan. For her part, Katz told those gathered that she set out to treat everyone with respect regardless of “whether they were red, blue or purple.” She also reminded everyone to “be the light during times of darkness.”

Inside Press Photo Collage

The emphasis on accomplishments during Katz’s decade of public service–the launch of the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center (ChappPac), her most passionate endeavor, was notably mentioned several times–along with a focus on her distinctly non-partisan approach which some said helped win her the confidence of residents of every political persuasion.

“We are here today with ‘the woman of the moment’,” began New Castle Deputy Supervisor Vicki Tipp, who will be succeeding Katz as Town Supervisor at a swearing in ceremony on January 11 at ChappPac. Tipp cited Katz’s “steadfastness, dedication, and your tireless effort for 10 years…” “Many of us know that public service is not easy… “We’ve all seen you navigate so many challenges placed before you with resilience and determination. You have the capacity to stand so strong when the going gets tough and your energy and your enthusiasm really shines through in all you do.” She said that board members shared the values of inclusiveness and valuing residents–with Katz ‘the constant’ among them as the board changed hands–even when there was disagreement. “We will miss the fiery debates we’ve had,” said Tipp,” but ultimately the disagreements have made us stronger….” With Katz’s departure, Tipp said, “Things will be a little more boring and less colorful!”

‘Exhibit A and Exhibit B’: Secretary Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton

Hillary Clinton was invited to the podium. She thanked Katz for “committing yourself to public service and the leadership we have seen over so many years now. 

“You’ve already heard from everyone here that public service is not easy. Well, we can certainly agree with that,” the former Secretary of State and two time U.S. Senator and Presidential nominee, quipped. “People who willingly do it deserve our gratitude because we’ve got to keep our democracy going from the local level all the way to the top, and we can’t do it without good people willing to serve. And even when good people disagree, that’s part of the whole process to come to some kind of understanding and compromise. We’re kind of here as Exhibit A and Exhibit B as people who willingly do it.” At that juncture, she asked Exhibit B to come up to the mic.

“I’ll make it brief,” began President Clinton, “I like Lisa Katz.”

And then he continued: “We are living in a time where more and more people get whatever they call news in bite sized amounts real fast from sources which may not be accurate,” Bill Clinton said, “the result of which is to put us all in a defensive, untrusting angry frame of mind,  in which we believe that what really matters is our differences.

“As the old saying goes, ‘Just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they’re not out to getcha.’,” continued the former President to some chuckles. “What I want to say is: All over the world if you can get people to agree on a common end, and work from where they are toward that end together, 70 percent of the time, agreements are produced, and that’s a pretty good record.  If all that matters is our differences, we can’t get there.  Too often, people would rather tear the barn down than build it up.”  It’s so much more satisfying, Clinton concluded, to build up the barn. 

Town Board Member Jeremy Saland commended Katz’s foresight in establishing ChappPac, and said, “You made a really smart and difficult move.” He said taking chances, “a roll of the dice”  are also part of public service.  “If you don’t have the foresight, energy and vision to make it happen, you don’t belong up here.”…”You will be missed and I’m confident your voice is not gone.”

Holly McCall, who had run against Katz for the supervisor role two years ago, and who is  on the board, noted that “public service is not for the faint of heart or unmotivated, thin skinned or passive… In the past decade, you’ve proven yourself to be a fierce advocate for New Castle, a strong promoter of the arts, and a leader when it came to supporting the merchants and commerce in town.”

Town Board member Ally Chemtob said Katz who juggles marriage, parenting, and a law practice with public service, “makes it all look easy even when it’s not.” She added Katz’s leadership “comes from a place of love, from loving this community so much and only wanting what is best for it.”

New Castle Town Supervisor Lisa Katz with her daughter Arden and husband, Steve

State Assemblyman Chris Burdick presented a NYS proclamation to honor Katz.  Burdick said that Katz’s “spectacular leadership”  had helped rally many Westchester leaders to oppose a zoning requirement introduced by the Governor that he said was unfortunately wrong for different county municipalities.  “She  had to get into the trenches in dealing with a terrible plan… and to get the community to understand that it would upend local zoning.”  Burdick thanked Katz for her leadership, resolve, persistence  and deep understanding of her own community and also her loving family who gave her the room to do that.” 

County legislator Vedat Gashi said “public service comes with its challenges to self and to family.. to do that and do it on your own terms is impressive. On that note, he proclaimed December 13, 2023  Lisa Katz day in Westchester County, an honor the County bestows on community leaders.  State Senator Peter Harckham’s office also presented a proclamation honoring Katz’s work on a $16 million downtown infrastructure project.

Comments from Neighbors and Friends 

Warren Gottleib, a member of the New Castle Zoning Board of Appeals, said Katz led “with kindness, a big heart and humanity. She treated everyone with respect…

“I never for one second doubted that she was serving for the right reasons and her undivided loyalty was to the people of New Castle.  She wasn’t restrained by party politics… she put people in the community above partisanship.”  Gottlieb also said “she knew which battles were worth fighting. “She stood up for people. Lisa showed when local government listens to its citizens rather than succumbing to partisanship, it becomes a beacon of accountability, and fosters trust and collaboration for the betterment of the community.”  He called her service an “enduring gift to our community.”

Adam Brodsky, a member of the original Team New Castle which included Lisa Katz, together with former Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein, cited Katz’s “devotion and tenacity to move this community into the future” and that she was leaving New Castle “a vastly improved place.”  “She worked tirelessly to create a foundation of warmth and engagement… You literally and figuratively embraced this town over ten years of service and are the town’s cheerleader… With your love of the arts and Broadway, you spearheaded ChappPac.”  Brodsky said Katz also figured out how to break through the opposition and anger to Chappaqua Crossing and bring additional amenities to town. He commended her for her “openmindednesss to pursue any idea if you thought it would make our home a better place.”

Michele Gregson, who heads the Friends of ChappPac said she met Katz two years into being on the town board, and called her the “driving force” of the performing arts center,  “With the board, it has become a huge success. I’m incredible grateful to this woman… I’m blessed that our paths crossed here in town.”

Chappaqua-based singer and performer Frank Shiner said he chooses his friends in town very carefully–and that he considers Lisa Katz a friend whom he respects for her kindness. From the start, Shiner, had worked closely with Katz to foster the arts at ChappPac. “l remember her smile every time I walk around and meet the people of this town.”

Similarly Robert Fleischer, who is on the County airport advisory board as a New Castle appointee, said he was grateful for Katz’s friendship. He said Katz did her best to serve all the residents regardless of their backgrounds or political affiliation.  He said he also appreciated that “she helped New Castle be a steady beacon of light in standing up against antisemitism. Lisa has never stopped trying to make a kinder world.”

Former Town Board Member Chris Hildenbrand said he has always admired Katz’s intelligence, grace, charm and compassion for every issue and every resident.

Captain Jim McCauley, New Castle’s long time Marshall and Memorial Day committee chair, noted ‘the great job Lisa has done” and all she has done to respect the Veteran community. 

“It has always been about community for you,” said resident Roger Klepper. “And when there was an issue, you would always be our leader. You were always the person through whom our voices could be heard.”

Larry Liu, the former co-head of the New Castle Committee for Race, Equity and Inclusion, stated that he is an immigrant from China, “a country under dictatorship.”I always watch local politics with a sense of wonder and admiration. Sometimes the disagreements can be sharp and the criticisms can be brutal, but believe me, the alternative is unthinkable… It works because of leaders like you.” He said Katz reached out to the growing Asian American community in Chappaqua. “It’s not the grand gestures but the little things,” said Liu, “Your care and attention generated a lot of good will.”

Richard Diefenbach, a trustee to the New Castle Historical Society, said he moved to New Castle in 1996 when he covered Bill Clinton’s reelection campaign for CBS News. The same year, he also produced a 5oth anniversary story about the holiday classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” He cited the famous quote at the end of the movie: “No man is a failure as long as he has friends.” Turning to Katz, he said: “You are the George Bailey of New Castle. Thank you for making us all your friends.”

Katz was last to speak, thanking fellow board members, and town hall staff: “Without your tireless work, I wouldn’t be here.”  She said she set out to make sure that all residents “felt represented… we would always listen to your voice, even when we didn’t agree, we’d listen to you with respect. She added that she would always be the biggest cheerleader for the town, and said she planned to continue public service. She urged everyone that no matter how dark the world gets, “be the light” and always bring joy to those around you.”

“If you care about something, use your voice to make a difference… never stop talking about what’s right.”

She said that she has tried to come from a place of “yes” whether it was “You are not right. I am not right. But together if we put our minds together we can come up with something that’s better than anything any of us could have imagined.”

Katz added that whether it was talking about antisemitism or against gun violence, “it’s just not that hard to do the right thing.  It takes a little bit of courage. If you can put the politics aside, and put all the voices yelling in different directions aside, there’s a guiding star that you know is right.”

 

New Castle Stands Against Gun Violence in Rally Also Urging National Changes

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Survivor Described the Personal Impact of Gun Violence and County Officials Discussed New York Law Changes and Plead for Additional Changes at Federal Level to Make a Real Difference

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On Friday, dozens of people gathered at the New Castle Recreation Field Gazebo in Chappaqua in protest of continued acts of gun violence across the nation.

“Our country needs to do more to prevent gun violence,” said New Castle Town Supervisor Lisa Katz in her welcoming remarks following an opening prayer by Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe of Temple Beth El.

“When it comes to the safety of our children and fellow citizens, the toxic, hyper-partisan politics of the day must be set aside. We must come together in earnest to immediately effectuate change where there is common ground and at the same time create an environment for bridging the gap where more work needs to be done,” said Katz.

The call to action comes on the heels of the mass shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde, and Tulsa. As Katz, local and county public officials and members of Moms Demand Demand Action spoke, they looked out at concerned citizens attending wearing orange, the color which has become synonymous with the anti-gun violence cause. According to the Wear Orange website, the movement came about following the shooting of Hadiya Pendleton in 2013, after which her friends wore orange – the color hunters wear in the woods to defend themselves from other hunters – to commemorate her life.

“Gun deaths in our country are occurring at a staggering rate,” said Chief of Police Jim Caroll. “About one hundred Americans are killed every day and hundreds more are injured. The massacre in Uvalde was yet another grim reminder that in the U.S., children are much more likely to die by gun violence than any other cause…We have suffered too much at the hands of people who use guns to commit horrific acts of violence.”

Erin Fuller Brian, a Pleasantville resident and survivor of the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, went on to share her story: “My life was forever changed,” she said of experiencing the deadliest mass shooting in United States history.

Although she and her husband were fortunate enough to have escaped prior to the shooter opening fire, she described their fear and confusion in the ensuing chaos, and the years of trauma that followed.

Inside Press photo

Fuller Brian gave birth to two children during the pandemic, and became choked up as she described the ways in which the recent shootings have hit home for her and her family.

”To be perfectly honest, the anxiety I feel just about keeping them safe on a daily basis is sometimes too much to bear. I obsess over their safety constantly and have intrusive thoughts about what could potentially happen to them after experiencing just how fragile life is and how it could be taken away in an instant.”

“And then something like Uvalde happens,” she said. “Nineteen children and two of their teachers were slaughtered, and I am broken. We all are. We send our children to school assuming they will come home safe and alive. These parents and families and students are living in a horrific nightmare. I think about what I went through and how hard it was for me to process when I was 29 years old, but most of the survivors of this shooting are children. They are eight, nine, and ten years old. How are they supposed to move on from this?”

While Fuller Brian expressed her grief, she also shared a message of hope, offering ways for the community to get involved in the fight and prevent more lives being lost to gun violence.

Some of these include fighting for common sense gun safety legislation with organizations such as Brady, Moms Demand, or Giffords, donating to those efforts, voting for politicians who support gun reform, talking to friends and family, calling representatives, and joining the March for our Lives protests on June 11th in Washington, D.C., Manhattan, or one of the tens of other locations.

“Have conversations about this, especially with your friends who are responsible gun owners,” Fuller Brian said. “You’d be surprised how much common ground you’re able to find because the NRA wants us to believe that this is a left vs. right, red vs. blue, gun owner vs. non-gun owner issue, but it’s not. It’s a pro-safety vs. pro-violence issue, and I don’t know a single responsible gun owner who is pro-violence.”

“This should not be a partisan issue. This is common sense,” she said.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer expressed a similar sentiment, stating that: “We have a lot of work to do. We will do our share at the local government level in Westchester County, and we hope that we can put enough pressure on the existing decision-makers or vote and get some new decision-makers.”

Latimer referred to a comment made in a radio interview by Robert F. Kennedy in the wake of Martin Luther King Jr.’s death: “No one knows who next will suffer some senseless act of bloodshed,” Kennedy had said.

“I ask myself, what are the next places where this is going to happen?” Latimer told the crowd. “It could happen anywhere. It could happen when I sit at a restaurant in an outdoor setting, in a plaza, any place. If someone has access to a weapon of mass destruction, it depends on that day, if that person decides to shoot up every civilian in sight.”

New York State Senator Peter Harckham shared a legislative update on the steps which New York State is taking to increase gun safety, included in a package of ten more gun safety measures passed on Thursday to be signed into law by the governor.

Included in this package is an increase on the age restriction for purchasing semi-automatic weapons to 21, a ban on the purchase of body armor, such as the kevlar vests which rendered the bullets of the security guard in the Buffalo shooting useless on the armored shooter, microstamping technology to allow for the tracing of bullets, an expansion of red flag laws, a ban on long magazines and auto-feeders, and a proposal for tracking and reporting mechanisms for hate speech on social media to hold those platforms accountable, among others.

“While we continue to work hard in New York State to keep you safe and pass the laws that we’ve all been talking about, we need to get national movement because without national background checks and without some national regulations, the flood of guns is going to continue to come to New York.”

Instrumental music was performed by John Burton. On the way out, orange pinwheels were distributed to the audience to place around the gazebo and along the road to commemorate the lives lost in these tragedies and to ensure that the community’s effort for change is visible to all.

Getting to Know Lisa Katz

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New Castle Town Supervisor Lisa Katz   PHOTO BY Chad David Kraus

When Town of New Castle Supervisor Lisa Katz was growing up she always knew she wanted to be a lawyer, but she never thought politics was in her future. As a student at White Plains High School she was very involved in the school community as a managing editor of the newspaper, a cheerleader and on the tennis team, so it isn’t surprising that she got involved in New Castle first joining the Town Board in 2014, and then elected Town Supervisor last fall. 

“I started speaking out about Chappaqua Crossing. I thought it was too big. The project was changed, and it’s much better now. I met a lot of people at that time and Rob Greenstein approached me about running for office. I could either keep complaining or I could do something about it, and that’s what I did. The rest is history.” 

Katz has lived in Chappaqua since 2006 with her husband Steven, her daughter Arden, a sophomore at Rice University and her son Spencer, a senior at Horace Greeley High School. 

In 2008 Katz was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Her children were four and six years old when she began treatment. “We were too young to know how serious it was. To try to make it more fun for us our mother let us decorate her wig stand and put makeup on it,” says her daughter Arden. 

“Lymphoma made me realize what was important in life.” Katz is an honored hero of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and an Advocate who has given motivational speeches for the organization. 

Initially a corporate attorney, Katz made a switch to Estate Planning, Trusts and Elder Law after her bout with Lymphoma.  “When I had cancer sitting in the room with other chemo patients, people would say, ‘My doctor said I have to get my will together and get a health care proxy. And the lawyers are so matter of fact.’” She saw this as another opportunity to help people and opened her own practice in 2011. Katz loves this work, “I get to know my clients and to know about their families, their children, and their wishes for the future.”

The Pandemic has impacted her practice. “It has made my practice busier with healthcare proxies and wills.  People don’t want to think about it, but the Pandemic prompted people to start thinking about it.”

Katz developed a love of travel from her parents, and she has continued her passion for travel with her family. In December the family went to Alaska and two years before, prior to the Pandemic they visited Amsterdam and Munich. “I like to eat and travel, experiencing life.” Katz is quite adventurous and once ate a tarantula when she was on a food tour in Cambodia.

Theater is another one of Katz’s many interests and her daughter is her frequent companion on Broadway. “I’ve always been into theater, so I love seeing the shows with her. It’s a day in the city,” says her daughter Arden. 

Katz loves to cook and according to her family she’s quite good at it.  “I eat a lot of meals with my mom. She’s a good cook. I like breakfast food and she creates weird egg dishes.” says her son Spencer. 

Katz’s legal practice and the town keep her very busy but when she does have some spare time, she likes to read. “I’ll read everything.” Lately she is escaping into a book of poetry by Kahlil Gibran, and she has been listening to Audiobooks. The most recent was Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil which she was inspired to read after a brief trip to Savannah. 

In 2021 in her role as Town Board member, Katz organized a rally in the town to bring awareness to anti-Semitism.  This rally was personal for Katz. “I always want to fight against injustice, and anti-Semitism is on the rise. And it’s my past, my history.”

Katz has lots of ideas as to how to make the Town of New Castle even better than it is. She wants to figure out how to revitalize the hamlets and make New Castle a destination while keeping the charming feel. 

“There’s a way to accomplish both. To be a welcoming, vibrant, and exciting place to live while maintaining the feel we moved here for.” And she adds, “I’m looking forward to figuring out how we’re going to sort out the puzzle in a way that makes everyone feel included.” One of the first things she did when she assumed office in January was to initiate the Community Corner as part of the town’s e-Newsletter. She wishes to encourage people to share milestones in their lives.  “I think that we have the opportunity to connect with each other, open our hearts to each other. It fosters a sense of happiness.” And she adds, “Life is too short not to be joyful and spread joy.”

Katz is looking forward to the Memorial Day Parade in May, the first since the Pandemic. She also wants to have more community events. “We’re an amazing town with phenomenal people. I want to have events that bring our children in, bring our seniors in, bring everyone in, and get to enjoy each other, and everyone leaves happy.”

“We had the bonfire around Christmas time. We should have a Diwali festival and one for the Lunar New Year. We should have all different celebrations where we get to learn about our differences and the unique things we bring to the community.”

Her son Spencer is very proud of his mother’s role in town government. “I think it’s cool that she puts so much time helping the town. Her working for the town inspired me to join the Recreation Department too.” He serves on the Master Plan Subcommittee.

Katz just calls herself a “normal person” who fell into this. “I love it so much because I can see that we can do great things for our town, and it makes me happy to be able to help be a part of it.”

“I am a Democrat, but I believe that people aren’t defined by silos. People are people and I don’t care what party they are. It doesn’t matter to me. Politics aside, I just want to do what’s right for people,” says Katz.

Reflecting on her life, Katz gets inspiration from this quote attributed to Maya Angelou, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” She wears it on a necklace that she had made. “I try to make memories, and maybe it’s after the cancer, that quote speaks for itself and it’s very important to me.”

A Call for Unity as Bill and Hillary Clinton Swear in New Castle Town Officials

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PHOTOS BY Chad David Kraus
“What has really prepared me is simply the love I have for our town… I’m here tonight to build bridges… Let’s start by reconnecting with each other…”
– Newly Sworn in
New Castle Town Supervisor
Lisa Katz

Despite the challenges wrought from an ongoing pandemic, a 2022 inauguration of New Castle town and county officials still managed to deliver an overriding message asking for unity following a divisive election in town–along with words of admiration and appreciation for the Clintons who presided over the January 12th ceremony at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center.

On ChappPac’s signature purple-lit stage, the ceremony streamed live to those who had registered via a virtual invite. Among those who came in person were proud family members of the officials sworn in, and who, despite the pandemic, also had the opportunity for a meet and greet with the Clintons. In her remarks welcoming the Clintons, Lisa Katz thanked the Clintons “for always making time for your community in ways large and small,” she said. “You can’t possibly know how much our town appreciates you.”

President Bill Clinton swore in Lisa Marlo Spivack Katz as the newly elected Town Supervisor, and Christian Hildenbrand and Tara Kassal as newly elected Town Council members. Secretary Hillary Clinton swore in Vedat Gashi, as a re-elected County Legislator, Noah Sorkin as a re-elected Town Justice and Victoria Bayard Tipp as a newly elected Town Council member.

Remaining on the board until his term expires at the end of 2023 is town council member Jeremy Saland. Saland had served as deputy and acting supervisor until this past December after former town supervisor Ivy Pool resigned, relocating with her family to Chicago.

Gashi expressed gratitude for the role the Clintons played preventing an ethnic cleansing in his hometown of Kosovo–noting landmarks in Kosovo honoring them including a shop named ‘Hillary’ that he said, ‘sits on Bill Clinton Boulevard.’ Bill Clinton responded in his remarks: “One secret to our unity is not to be anti-immigrant… Anytime an election can be made about the people, you’re much more likely to a get a happier country, a more united country.”

As for the local election and the early evening event, Bill Clinton noted: “This is a celebration of Democracy… this is the way that Democracy is supposed to work.”

Vicky Tipp expressed the prevailing unity sentiment. She said she had “a lot of hope and optimism” that the new board might be “a community model to heal divisions,” and one to “foster a climate of inclusion and collaboration.”

The row of masked public officials on stage facing a largely empty auditorium was a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by Covid. For his part, Saland thanked County Executive George Latimer and Deputy Executive Jenkins “for exuding calmness and leadership throughout the pandemic.”

Left to right: Town Councilman Chris Hildenbrand, Town Councilwoman Vicky Tipp, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Town Supervisor Lisa Katz, President Bill Clinton, County Legislator Vedat Gashi and Town Justice Noah Sorkin

County Executive George Latimer introduced Hillary Clinton with his remarks, and later State Senator Peter Harckham introduced Bill Clinton. Statements were made by Assemblyman Chris Burdick, and also by town residents Robert Kirkwood, Zhengxi ( Larry) Liu, and Alexandra Chemtob. Rabbi Aaron Brusso from Congregation Bet Torah officiated with the opening invocation and his own remarks, too.

Latimer, before introducing Hillary Clinton, noted that as Secretary of State, “she had visited every possible place on anyone’s bucket list… that she and the President chose to live in Chappaqua and make this town their home is a statement about Chappaqua.”

Hillary Clinton offered that she “wished to support our local government to make the community the best it can be.” She noted the appropriateness of the event’s location inside ChappPac, which she called “a labor of love” by Lisa Katz.

Harckham applauded the ceremony as a “uniquely American tradition… we come together in unity… We are all vested in your successes,” he said.

Miaoyan (Barbara) Hou, Greeley Class of ’22

Bill Clinton shared that “Hillary and I have lived in Chappaqua together longer than in any other place… and 2 ½ times longer than in the White House.” He expressed fondness for the town, noting the Memorial Day parade, as one example. He called Chappaqua “a rich in history, diverse and wonderful place… America needs more of this–badly.”

Chris Hildenbrand called the Clintons “town treasures” and “part of the fabric of the community” after commending New Castle’s “many volunteers dedicating their precious time to the town” in the spirit of Hillary’s “It Takes a Village.”

Tara Kassal, who was sworn in remotely, stated she was looking forward to sharing her “expertise in the area of sustainable development.”

In closing remarks, Supervisor Katz called the new council members “a dream team transcending party politics… with a shared vision of inclusivity, unity and collaboration.”

Newly sworn in: Victoria Bayard Tipp
Newly sworn in: Christian Hildenbrand
Newly sworn in: Tara Kassal

New Castle’s Town Board Perseveres Through the COVID-19 Pandemic

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April 3, 2020  Chappaqua, NY– It seems like many moons ago that New Castle’s town board–spirits running high and sleeves rolled up to serve New Castle–gathered for a packed inauguration ceremony on January 27 when the idea of social distancing could not have been more remote, or the idea of working ‘remotely’ was not on anyone’s mind, either. It’s safe to say too that no one that evening was thinking of how local public officials might navigate a global pandemic hitting home come mid spring. But here we are, with town boards everywhere, and New Castle being no exception, thrust into the roles of informing and leading residents on the best personal safety practices as they keep abreast of and share highlights specific to New Castle, and include near daily updates from the county, state and federal sources.

With all this on my mind, and on many of my neighbors’ minds, I decided to engage in a conversation to see how my own hometown board is faring.

Speaking for the Town of New Castle, Deputy Town Supervisor Jeremy Saland explained the board has been closely consulting with first responders–the Chappaqua and Millwood Fire Departments, the Chappaqua and Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps–and with other ‘essential’ town hall staff who remain engaged in moving town business forward, too… all the while juggling multiple family responsibilities and/or even personal crises themselves.  

“It is a responsibility that we accept–delegating different things to different people…  But it’s also important to remember that everyone has a role, everyone plays a part,” Saland shared. “We also all need a good bit of levity to maintain our mental health, so I like to say, ‘all hands on deck’ sure, but also ‘all clean hands on deck’– we all  have come together; everyone has really been fabulous and pulling their weight.”

To that end, Saland described Ivy Pool’s leadership during this period as “exemplary.”

“She has been conferencing weekly with other Town Supervisors to ascertain how she can protect and best serve our respective residents: said Saland. “Both she and I have been on multiple conference calls a week with the County Executive advocating for our municipality, seeking clarity on critical issues and asking the important questions.

“Ivy has been a pillar for New Castle managing the municipality along with the incredible efforts of Jill Shapiro, our Town Administrator.”

In the meantime, as residents all collectively hope for the best but steel for the worst, they are grateful for town hall efforts that include updates shared several times a week via Town of New Castle eNews. The updates are also posted to social media on the Town of New Castle Facebook page and a second page called New Castle Community Discussions.

Regarding the impact on small business, board members Lauren Levin and Lisa Katz are working in consultation with the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce too on a variety of initiatives to help small businesses, and/or directly with area businesses themselves, many of whom are assuming volunteer roles, too. Katz also said she has been fielding general questions from the public about COVID-19 especially those regarding the new social distancing.

Similarly, led by Jason Lichtenthal, town residents are rolling up their sleeves via the New Castle Volunteer Match delivering goods and services to those most in need, too, on account of the COVID-19 impact. In the meantime, town board meetings have gone virtual; basically, town board members, town staff and first responders are all working cooperatively and largely from home following stay at home health and safety guidelines too while assuming their respective roles and responsibilities.

New Castle Town Board on the evening of the 1/27/2020 Inauguration ceremony (left to right): Deputy Supervisor Jeremy Saland, Lisa Katz, Supervisor Ivy Pool, Laura Levin and Jason Lichtenthal  Photo by Carolyn Simpson

Keeping regular and vital business moving forward is a key goal too–whether a simple reminder to fill out the U.S. Census or issuing the town tax bill, which was recently sent out.  Essential staff includes those preparing town documents. “They can’t just sit. Whomever can work among support staff are doing things from home. The goal is to keep moving things forward. The County and the Westchester County Board of Legislators have proposed a plan to assist taxpayers and address penalties that we continue to review.”

Commenting on the pandemic and its impact here at home: As of April 2, the town board confirmed the number of positive cases in New Castle: 51.  Saland emphasized that “while the numbers are important, they don’t tell the whole story.”

 “You also have to be smart when you look at the numbers; we are in Westchester, where the numbers, especially those in the hardest hit municipalities of New Rochelle, Mount Vernon and Yonkers, are outpacing everyone in the state–outside of New York City. “We must keep taking the steps necessary to mitigate who will get this illness.” The bottom line,” Saland added, “is that the borders between counties, cities and towns are superficial, and we all have to follow the best practices to stay safe.”

A key goal has been to protect the health of first responders in the frontlines as they institute safety protocol in their interactions with the general public. Saland said there is also a mechanism in place that facilitates assistance between departments and even other municipalities.  It is referred to as “mutual assistance between first responders.”

The general population of New Castle has been generally very cooperative; the New Castle Police Department remains vigilant and ‘on top of’ any trouble, he said, if issues arise. He said it’s important to remember too that sometimes an incident reported online in social media is not necessarily as it is described, either; rumors easily spread. Officers will be deployed as needed to investigate.

I asked about sanitation schedules, which are contracted out these days by SaniPro. “There is nothing that would indicate that will stop or that they will alter their schedule.”

The U.S. Post Office continues to provide its service, too, at their Chappaqua and Millwood locations. The Town does not coordinate with them, said Saland, as “they answer to the federal government.”

Finally, I asked Saland how he is personally managing.  He immediately tipped his hat to his wife Leslie Saland, a physician treating patients, who is also working from home with three kids. “She is doing a yeoman’s job. I won’t ever take credit for my wife’s work. She is as smart and kind as she is giving and hardworking,” he said.

Saland also noted: “I have the same fears and concerns as everyone else. I started my own law firm. After years as a prosecutor, I built it into a successful and thriving practice. As New York City and New York State shut down, I took a frightening hit.”

We are all truly in this together, he said: “As I stated on inauguration night: there is no difference between ‘us’ (the town board) here and ‘you’– we just happen to run for public office. Everyone needs to do their part in maintaining child-care, education, mental health and general wellness. We need to be kind and respectful to one another, all the while knowing that we are going to get on the other side of this. There is a mountain to climb but we will summit it together.”

“It’s critical that residents understand, and I’m stating this with complete sincerity, that the town board, first responders and town staff are genuinely doing their best and want to see this community not just merely get through this but to be in an even better place when we are done.”

“People should feel good and comfortable and confident about that cooperation: we are fortunate that we have a concerned, educated community that cares about each other beyond their doorstep and property lines. That’s critical to effectuating the government and country’s role to minimize the spread and break us free from the grip of COVID-19.”

I hesitated to ask, but did: “Are you bracing yourself for tragedies in this town?”

Saland answered: “Can I honestly say that we are not going to have a loss of life here? And assert that there are not going to be very sick people here, either? No, I can’t say any of that. Things may be very, very bad, for some, and that would be extremely unfortunate, but if we follow all the guidance, the chances of that are greatly reduced.”

The crisis in fact hit home for Saland over the past week as his family met the critical health needs of his dad. “My father was diagnosed with cancer a month ago, and surgery was scheduled for him to remove a kidney and part of his bladder at a New York hospital. Surgery was cancelled because the doctor was concerned because of COVID-19 patients at the hospital and the risk it posed to his health.”

“Fortunately, after the hospital canceled and another could not perform the procedure even though he was about a month away from their physician suggested deadline, a team at the upstate University Hospital in Syracuse came through. “This past Friday, we got the call from Syracuse, and he drove up that night before undergoing surgery the following morning.

“Other than the expected post-surgery pain, he is doing well and has a positive attitude. I haven’t seen him and likely can’t for some time, just as my mom couldn’t go with him to the hospital,” said Saland. “He was alone, because he is one of those people with immunocompromised health for whom we all have to do our part to safeguard.”