In the race for Putnam County Executive are Kent Supervisor, Maureen Fleming and the incumbent MaryEllen Odell. HamletHub interviewed both candidates asking them each identical questions.

Interview with Maureen A. Fleming, Supervisor, Town of Kent

 

Tell us about your background

I am an attorney with extensive governmental experience in New York City’s Departments of Health, Sanitation and Correction. I am a member of the Putnam County Bar Association. I held two teaching certifications in elementary education and biology, so when my children were small, I returned to the workforce as a teacher before taking up the practice of law again. I understand the demands of balancing work and family life in Putnam, especially when parents are commuting. I have been Town of Kent Supervisor since January 2014. I have never raised Town taxes, I have reduced our debt service by 38%, maintained the Town’s Aa2 bond rating, and prioritized spending on essential quality of life services.

What do you think is the biggest issue facing Putnam County and how will you address it, if elected?

Taxes and spending are the biggest issues facing Putnam County. Young families and our seniors struggle to stay here; many leave. The budget is full of fat—unchecked spending at Tilly Foster Farm and the Putnam County Golf Course; lavish county events; high salaries and benefits for patronage jobs; leases and contracts handed to campaign donors. I will review the budget line by line and cut the fat. When we spend wisely, we can deliver the services county government is supposed to provide, all across Putnam. Staying below the tax cap isn’t enough—finding ways not to raise taxes, as I have done across four straight budgets in Kent—is what we need to aim for.

Some people in our community say that roads and bridges are in desperate need of repair. What do you think? How would you mitigate those concerns or change the situation?

I will get the County Highway Department back on the jobs it is intended to do. Crews are being deployed on construction projects like Tilly Foster Farm and the Friendship (Senior) Center in Philipstown. Because highway employees aren’t necessarily trained in construction, some work has had to be redone—multiplying costs to taxpayers. That’s work that should be going out to bid with construction professionals, creating jobs in Putnam. I will assess projects that have been put off or delayed, prioritize needs, budget carefully and get our highway crews back on our roads. As I have done in Kent, I will establish long-term priorities to stay ahead of infrastructure issues and maintain the infrastructure quality that taxpayers expect.

If elected, what three steps would you take to improve Putnam County’s financial footing?

1.    Freeze non-essential spending
2.    Stop the massive bonding—borrowing—for overpriced real estate projects
3.    Hire only qualified candidates for county jobs, so the government works effectively and efficiently

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision making process?

Committee and Legislature meetings should be scheduled when taxpayers can actually attend; starting meetings at 7 rather than 6pm would make it easier for commuters and people with families to participate. I will ask the legislature to allow public comment before any vote is taken, as I have done in Kent. Right now, comment before legislative votes is only allowed by special consent of the legislators. That means that the public, effectively, has little to no say in the actions of the Legislature. In Kent, I work for the taxpayer, and the taxpayer is always welcome to contact me directly. I will have the same open door policy as County Executive—I will be accountable to taxpayers.

What do you think makes Putnam County the perfect place to live?

Putnam County is a beautiful place to live. Our neighborhoods are safe, our communities strong and our schools competitive. We are surrounded by picturesque waterways and forests. We have natural and historic assets that surrounding counties wish they had protected as well as we have. Those assets give Putnam its special character. We pay a premium for our quality of life in our property taxes, because development opportunities are more limited than in Westchester and Dutchess. That means that we need to be thoughtful in our planning and investment. This fact is not a handicap—it’s a positive challenge that should drive entrepreneurship and creativity. We need development that expands our tax base and maintains our quality of life.

Why do you think a small business should open up a storefront in Putnam County?

We need small-site, entrepreneurial development that revitalizes commercial corridors. Putnam’s freelancers and telecommuters are growing in number—more people want to live and work in the County. There is a market in serving the needs of workers who are in-county all through the week, as well as in appealing to weekend shoppers and seasonal visitors. Tax dollars are being dumped into tourism and “destination” real estate like the County Golf Course without transparent assessment of actual taxpayer benefits, community impacts, and infrastructure strains. Local businesses serve everyone in Putnam, every day, and they keep our tax base strong. Building businesses that are resident-relevant and visitor-viable is smart for entrepreneurs all through the year, adds vitality to our communities, and provides local consumers with buying options that keep sales tax at work in Putnam.

If elected, what are your top 3 priorities?

1.    Cutting fat and excess from the County budget
2.    Ending patronage, cronyism, and nepotism
3.    Encouraging local businesses that keep profits in our communities and create the high-quality, well-paying jobs our families need

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To learn more about Maureen A. Fleming:

www.flemingforputnam.com

Facebook: facebook.com/flemingforputnam