Hyde Park welcomed its new Town Board on Jan. 1 with a festive swearing-in ceremony and reception attended by relatives, residents and even a family pet. Town Justices John M. Kennedy and David L. Steinberg were the first to be sworn in; Steinberg returned the favor and swore in the Town Board as well as Receiver of Taxes Nancy Sheehan. Two new council members join the board in 2008: Hannah Black (D) will serve the 3rd Ward in a slot previously held by longtime public servant Bob Kampf (D), who chose not to run for re-election after serving the town for 15 years. Valerie Hail (D), owner of Le Petit Chateau Inn in Hyde Park, will represent the 2nd Ward, replacing Carol Lally-Metz (D), who also did not seek re-election.
Town Supervisor Pompey Delafield (D) was sworn in for another term and expressed enthusiasm for Hyde Park’s outlook. “It’s the start of a new year and hopefully a lot of good things for Hyde Park,” he said. Delafield later appointed Staatsburg resident and incumbent 1st Ward representative Robert Linville (D) as deputy supervisor. Richard Perkins, an independent, returns to serve the town’s 4th Ward.
At 24 years old, Black is the youngest member of the board and is entering politics for the first time. Black, a graduate of F.D.R. High School and Binghamton University, lives in the Roosevelt Road area of Hyde Park and has specific goals in mind to help her constituents.
Her neighborhood, a large development located off Haviland Road, is constructed near swamps and wetlands and suffers from frequent flooding, said Black. “Improvements have been made, but a lot more can be done,” she said. “I’ll be constantly critiquing the area to see what can be done.”
Black studied political science and now works for New York State’s Unified Court System Children’s Center Program and says she’s ready to balance working for the state and working for Hyde Park. “They say being a board member is only part-time, but you should give it more than that,” said Black, who hopes to continue a legacy of public service created by her predecessor, Kampf. “Bob Kampf was an amazing representative,” said Black. “I’m really excited about continuing to give Hyde Park a good voice.”
Black admits to a mild case of first-year jitters, but is ready to start working. “I’d be too confident if I wasn’t nervous. I’m ready for the responsibility,” she said.
Delafield kicks off the New Year with unfinished business relating to the formation of a central sewer district in Hyde Park. The previous Town Board had hoped to pass a resolution during the final week of 2007 authorizing formation of the district, but according to Delafield, contracts with developer Pierre Gagne did not meet board specifications. “It would have been nice to have the previous board complete the job, but the developers threw in a few catchphrases we couldn’t live with,” said Delafield.
Gagne has agreed to construct the sewer treatment facility at a proposed mixed-use development, St. Andrews at Historic Hyde Park. The project is currently under review by the town’s planning board, which could take some time, said Delafield. New board members Hail and Black will be provided with materials pertaining to the sewer district and a vote will take place at a later date once all legal documents are constructed in a manner which meets the town’s needs, said Delafield. Delaying the sewer vote will have minimal effect on the project, said Delafied. “The time is not important, what’s important is making sure every ‘T’ is crossed,” he said.