Top Concerns
Learn more about each of these important issues below.
Learn more about each of these important issues below.
The village has failed to perform the required pro forma on multiple developments. Read more
The codes were created as a win win win to redevelop and revitalize Main street. Read more
Time has come for a more balanced approach to future development led by a stronger leader. Read more
Nobody knows what’s going on, we need transparency with the water system site. Read more
In 2008 when I was elected Mayor of the Village of Farmingdale, our Main Street was dying a slow death. There were 26 empty stores, nothing to speak of in the way of color or flowers, and there was this feeling of “Being Stuck” on what it would take to reinvent our once vibrant downtown.
It was pointed out by multiple experts that there was a good, better, best way to implement new codes and studies. We choose the BEST way and undertook a 3-year study funded by a $250,000.00 State grant. The key component of this study was community involvement. We had a robust, engaged committee of business owners, homeowners and other interested parties participate in the process.
This Master Plan document is still available for review on the Village website. All my questions and concerns for this campaign are based on the current Mayors disregard for the planning and new codes and laws generated from this document, that he himself voted to accept in 2011.
This question was asked during the planning process and can be found on page I-16 of final Master Plan.
This is why I am running. I can’t stand by as this Mayor has repeatedly ignored and trampled the will of the people.
What could we have done with the Lost Revenue?
People ask me, “Are you in favor of a theater?”
By not asking the developers to step up as they made millions and we settled for crumbs, it is difficult to know what could have been if we had them pay their fair share.
What I do know is this. Roads need to be repaved, new equipment is needed yearly, and additional parking needs to be developed by the railroad and downtown for our future. We can’t expect to keep going back to the residents who are overburdened as it is, looking for more revenue. It is imperative that we ask developers who profit from our Village today to pay their fair share.
We want a theater in our community. We must develop a plan where we can set this as a primary goal and work towards attaining it. The development of a theater was included within the Master Plan and it remains the missing link towards our total revitalization.
We need more greenspace and as land becomes more and more scarce, we can’t pass up opportunities to ask developers to step up and provide us that greenspace in exchange for bonus densities. If the board had followed the Master Plan, Main Street could have had a beautiful pocket park.
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