Q&A: Eileen Patterson, candidate for Village of Warwick mayor

What incident, circumstance or other motivation prompted you to run?

I am running because I believe fresh oversight will correct boundary lines that may have become blurred over the last two decades. During my third term as trustee, I became frustrated by the lack of information I was given to prepare for meetings. There were many times last-minute items were added to the agenda which made it impossible to make confident decisions. I felt as though majority votes, while not yet cast, were confirmed without proper discussion. That’s the reason I’m not running on a slate. I look forward to having a fully informed board made up of diverse ideologies and opinions.

What, specifically and concretely, would be your primary goals to accomplish if you win?

I will re-establish the role of mayor as facilitator where discussion will be encouraged, and decisions will be objective. In addition, I will provide more information to the residents, including updates on current projects and unexpected conditions. Next, I will review and adjust enforcement of policies and procedures that may have been skewed over time. I will also plan the pace and report the progress of necessary infrastructure improvements. It can’t all be accomplished at once but creating a plan is necessary.

What experience, education or other factor gives you the ability to be skillful in this office and accomplish your goals?

The next mayor must be experienced. In my three terms as trustee, I actively participated in the budget process, I helped define the roles of staff and the purview of the administrative boards, I participated in negotiating the village contracts and I created an employee manual to document how Village Hall should be run.

What would be your strategy?

My strategy is to ask and answer questions. I will reach out to the community and arrange neighborhood meetings to hear directly from the residents. I will oversee village hall, making sure that all employees are supported with the right training, which will ultimately benefit the residents. Sufficient training means less errors and ensures that everyone will be playing by the same rules.