Candidates for Village Board speak out

For the past several years, Sustainable Warwick has conducted “Green Screen” interviews with candidates running for local office in Warwick — Town Board, Village Board or School Board. The purpose is to give these candidates an opportunity to share their views on important local issues that relate to sustainability and environmental health.

The first such election of 2023 will be held on Tuesday, March 21 for a single seat on the Village of Warwick Board. Two candidates - Scot Brown and Mary Collura - are running. Each was asked three questions. Their responses appear below.

1. You are probably familiar with the new Village Comprehensive plan. Do you feel it covered all the necessary bases. What changes/additions would you like to add next time?

Brown was part of the team that created the Comprehensive Plan for the Village. He emphasized they wanted a plan with recommendations that would not “age out” Their goal was to include processes and structures that would adjust to a rapidly changing world. He is pleased that the Climate Smart Community section is already active and that the Village of Warwick has achieved the Bronze level (thanks to the efforts of Tom McKnight).

Collura said that she believed that the new Village Master Plan is comprehensive. She was impressed by the ability for citizens to give input to the proceedings and is pleased that the Village is already moving forward on some items. She is in favor of an annual “check up” so that the Village stays on track.

2. The Farmers Market started weekly compost collecting last year and it was very successful, but it was only open that one day per week and it closed when the Farmers Market closed. Would you be in favor of a permanent Village facility that could take organic compost and make the end product, the composted soil, available to the Village?

Brown, a backyard composter, is in favor of composting at all levels. He understands that the Village is supportive of composting. He understands that composting not only reduces the volume of the waste stream but creates a valuable product. He has researched the Rhinebeck pilot program and sees potential for a Village project. He also understands that the County is planning to create a food compost facility which would make it much easier to ramp up a food composting project in Warwick.

Collura is a supporter of recycling in general. She has heard about the Sustainable Warwick Farmers Market composting initiative and has concerns about the logistics of the Village’s participation. She feels composting would work better if the Village of Warwick partnered with the Town and Villages of Florida and Greenwood Lake to split costs and labor and make composting available to all town residents.

3. The Village of Warwick — and perhaps the Town of Warwick as well — is considering establishing a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program which would allow utility users to join together — to aggregate — and benefit from fixed electric rates that are usually cheaper than standard O&R rates. Is this something that you would support?

Brown has been researching this both from the point of view of lowering the costs to village households and encouraging the community to move away from fossil fuels. He is excited by the prospect of moving towards locally produced sustainable energy. He thinks that the benefits of community aggregation may make more sense at the Town or County level. In sum, he supports continued discussion and exploration of a CCA. He sees this type of idea can help to reshape our energy future.

Collura said that she thought that a CCA is a great idea and would hold off support for the current proposal until she had more information, she is particularly in favor of giving people options about their electricity and providing consumers with clean energy. She likes the idea of a flat rate. She said that she was in favor of exploring other providers than Joule Community Power. Any Village actions should be combined with outreach to the public and the residents should be well informed before any action is taken.

Two more rounds of Green Screen interviews will occur this year: for the School Board elections in May and the Town of Warwick elections in November, which will include candidates for the position of Town Supervisor to succeed Michael Sweeton, who will be retiring after more than 20 years in the position.