New Castle Town Board Q&A: Michael Wolfensohn

Michael Wolfensohn is a Democratic candidate for a New Castle Town Board council seat. He is a former councilman and served from 2008-11, and is running for one of two council seats that is up for election. The interview was edited for formatting:

Patch: Tell me about yourself? 

Wolfensohn: Personally, I am someone who cares deeply about our town and its future and am deeply committed to giving back and public service. Professionally, I’ve worked in the financial services industry for the past 25 years and have lived in New Castle for 21 years am proud to currently reside in Millwood.

Patch: Why should people vote for you next month? [The interview was done in October]

Wolfensohn: I believe I bring experience of serving on the board along with knowledge of how to get things done, which is going to be critical for anyone elected to the board given the challenging and complicated matters the board will face.

Patch: Where do you stand on the Chappaqua Crossing retail plan? 

Wolfensohn: I am in favor of some kind of retail component there that preserves the integrity of the original design as well as the ability to have input on the types of stores and certain covenants that would provide restrictions to ensure that the development has a positive impact on the quality of life for our town.

Patch: If the town board approves rezoning and changing the master plan for the retail proposal before you take office, would you support repealing the changes? 

Wolfensohn: No, I would not. If the board approves the changes, I will respect their decision.

Patch: Would you support either a repeal of Conifer Realty's affordable housing special permit or a planned Article 78 lawsuit from local opposition? 

Wolfensohn: I would not as I have been advised by legal experts in this area that we cannot win a lawsuit and our insurance would not cover any punitive damages if we lose forcing the town to pay for legal costs which would end up being borne by taxpayers.

Patch: You were covered in news stories locally and internationally in 2010 due to calling New Castle police because of kids selling baked goods without a permit in Gedney Park, which you apologized for. With that story in the past, has it been a hindrance in terms of voters' perception of you or have you found that voters don't consider it relevant?

Wolfensohn: This is the first time in the campaign that the issue has been raised. So, no, I don’t think it has been a hindrance. In hindsight, I would have done things differently, but I apologized for how I handled it and it hasn’t really come up at all in the campaign until this question.

Patch: From what I have read, the town board's practice has been to interview volunteer board applicants in executive sessions, which are closed to the public. For example, I understand that was a contentious topic in a recent New Castle NOW story about the lack of a planning board appointee. In contrast, Mount Kisco's Village Board of Trustees does interviews in what are essentially ad-hoc work sessions, before regular meetings and before they're recorded. Would you support adopting that model, or do you feel the current model is superior? 

Wolfensohn: It’s not superior, but interviews and personnel matters should be handled privately for benefit of the applicant.

Patch: What changes would you like to see for downtown Chappaqua and downtown Millwood if you are elected?

Wolfensohn: I am excited about the plans for the beautification project that will include the repair and expansion of the sidewalks, and implementing some of our slate’s ideas for bringing more people into downtown such as holiday and seasonal shopping events to bring more people in for shopping and dining.

Patch: The town board is currently considering participation in a multi-municipal property revaluation effort. Would you support having New Castle participate? 

Wolfensohn: Yes, I am for revaluing the whole town. But as you’ve referenced here, I think it’s important that the entire county participate so we’re not the only ones making up the shortfall for the county taxes.

Patch: What is your position on the potential acquisition of the Twin Oaks Swim and Tennis Club property? If you support the town buying it, what use would you like to see on it? 

Wolfensohn: I think it could be a great solution to providing a resource the town needs and generating needed revenue. If the town were to purchase it, then we could move our town camp there instead of having to outsource activities such as swimming to private pool clubs. We could also use it for fields and other recreational activities, possibly on a year round basis.

Patch: What is your position on The Spa at New Castle, which is the proposed mix of condos, hotel rooms, spa and restaurant for the former Legionaries of Christ site off of Route 128? 

Wolfensohn: I think it could be a good use of the property and a way to generate taxes, but it will need to meet certain environmental criteria first.

Patch: Do you support extending Westchester County's sewer district to downtown Millwood? If so, what measures would you take to persuade county officials and lawmakers to approve it? 

Wolfensohn: Yes, I am in support of it and having everyone in the sewer district. When I was on the board, I worked with county officials to make it happen and will continue to work with them if I am elected to serve again.

Patch: What do you think of the town board's current relationship with the Chappaqua school board, as well as the school boards of its other overlapping school districts? What changes, if any, would you like to see for relations? 

Wolfensohn: Because our schools are one of the primary reasons people move here, it is imperative that the town board and school board work together. The slate is committed to finding ways to work better and more closely with the school boards that are in New Castle, especially the CCSD. As a community that is dedicated to education and a primary reason why residents move here, streamlined communication and a strong partnership between the town and school board is essential. To accomplish that objective, our slate has put forth several ideas to establish a Town/Education Partnership through a formal committee of two town board members, two CCSD members and two PTA members who meet on a monthly basis; hold meetings with administrators of the other school districts semi-annually to facilitate communication between neighboring districts; and consider the creation of a School Bus Project to study the feasibility of revitalizing school bus usage to make best use of existing resources and to provide families with two working parents better transportation options, particularly for after school activities.

Patch: Do you anticipate a time in the next two years when the town board may to vote to override the property tax levy cap? 

Wolfensohn: I would hope that would not be the case as we have always been fiscally responsible with our town budgets. That said, there are always situations and factors that you can’t anticipate in advance, but I hope that would not be the case.

Patch: What do you think of the master plan update process as it's arranged now? What changes, if there are any, would you make to it? 

Wolfensohn: I think it’s important for people to get involved in it. A lot of people acknowledge it needs updating, but in order for it be accurate, it needs to constantly be updated and improved upon. But, it also has to address more than the two issues that are hot right now because we are close to an election.

Patch: What lessons did you learn from your previous term on the town board? What would you do differently if you are elected?

Wolfensohn: I think I learned that it’s important to listen to everyone, but to remember that you represent the interests of ALL residents and not just a vocal minority. I pride myself on having served on the board with a record of never ducking a question; always returned a call or email within 24 hours and tried to help resolve matters brought to me fairly and efficiently.