Candidate Profile: Stephen Lennox For Lewisboro Town Board

LEWISBORO, NY — Election season 2023 is here and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Name: Stephen Lennox

Age: 37

Hometown: Lewisboro

Running for which office: Lewisboro Town Board

Education: Bachelors of Business Administration, Mount Ida College

Political experience: I am a first-time candidate for political office.

Work experience: For over a decade, I worked for our family-owned transportation business, which operated public school transportation as well as paratransit throughout Westchester County, employing nearly 500 people. For the last several years, I have been employed in local government. My combination of private sector and municipal experience is the right combination to bring an inclusive vision to town government.

Family: Wife and two children.

Campaign website: https://www.lewisborogop.com/

Why are you seeking this office?

My wife and I have two amazing daughters, and I want to ensure our town's foundation is strong for our children and grandchildren. I believe in reaching out to people of different persuasions and bringing them together for a common cause, moving Lewisboro into the future as a desirable place to live, work, and raise a family where all feel welcome.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidate(s) seeking this post?

I bring a fresh perspective and an actionable plan to address our town's pressing issues. Experience isn't just about time spent; it's about the quality of decisions made. While the incumbents held their positions, we've seen our infrastructure decline, taxes increase, and concerns go unanswered. Being an incumbent isn't synonymous with effectiveness. I respect their service, but it's time for proactive, responsible leadership that listens and acts.

What is the single most pressing issue facing your constituents and what do you intend to do about it?

The most important issue facing Lewisboro is the economy and a lack of sustainable development and growth. The town's current fiscal practices of borrowing at high interest rates during a time of record inflation are unsound. Relying on one-time grants from politicians in Albany and Washington to pay operating expenses is not an accomplishment. We would receive these grants regardless of who is on the town board. We have the lowest commercial tax base in the county, which places a huge burden on residential taxpayers.

Would you like to live in a community affordable enough to retire in and watch your children grow and prosper? My way ahead prioritizes smart growth to fund improvements to our parks, roads, and public buildings. We'll deploy modern technology to reduce permit times, create a long-term capital plan, and repeal exclusionary ordinances that inhibit local investment. My plan includes being honest and upfront about data, methods, and assumptions to address the most critical issues, like potholes and public safety, that impact the overall safety and convenience of all residents.

How would you address the affordable housing issue in the community?

Overregulation by the town board has eliminated options for different income levels. For our Lewisboro to flourish, current and future residents must be able to afford to live here. The current town board has used spot zoning and hurt property values. They’ve allowed developers to keep as profit monies other towns have required to be put towards infrastructure and traffic improvements. I'll actively involve residents in decision-making so everyone’s voice is heard. Regular town hall meetings and public forums will be essential to understand the unique challenges our residents face and work together on solutions and innovations such as overlay zones and a form-based code. This isn't just about building more houses; it's about creating a thriving, inclusive community where every resident can afford a home and enjoy a high quality of life.

How would you protect the drinking water in the community?

Clean water is a right, not a privilege. I will steward all our town’s resources, especially our natural ones. I will pass legislation to green our procurement and develop sustainable practices in all town policies. I will also create a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program to protect water quality for our inland waterways. The state legislature designated several of our local lakes as inland waterways over five years ago, but the current town board has failed to act.

The town of Southampton’s Water Protection Plan was written to protect drinking water, become a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, and shape federal and state actions affecting the town. By creating a local waterfront revitalization plan, we, too, would have the option to add water quality as a provision, which would require all land use and funding decisions by the state and federal government to be consistent with our plan's goals and objectives. This can improve water quality for private homeowners and water districts, preserve our lakes for recreational use, and protect them from harmful algae blooms.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

As a councilman, I'll ensure all legislation is posted a week in advance, with explanatory notes, fiscal impact, and equity impact statements. I will lead by example on day one, setting the highest ethical standards. Decisions must once again be made without any influence from personal interests. Accountability will be enforced. We should regularly review existing regulations to ensure they're still relevant and not overly burdensome. Sometimes, the best solution is to make people aware of problems to facilitate community-driven solutions. Just like choices in leadership, our town deserves choices in cable and internet providers. It's time to tune into the 21st century.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

In the private sector, I worked closely with the New York State Department of Transportation and the Westchester County Paratransit, which provided me with deep intergovernmental relations experience. More recently, I have seen the municipal view as a union employee in local government. Drawing from these experiences, I will empower our dedicated town employees so we can retain the best people and become more productive. We'll conduct a thorough needs assessment, ensuring we're going after funds aligned with our most pressing requirements while challenging systemic inequities. It's not just about obtaining money but ensuring it's used where it can make the most difference.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I believe in bringing people from across the political spectrum together for a common cause: moving Lewisboro into the future as a desirable place where we can all live, work, and raise our families. I intend to evaluate town committees, boards, and staff to ensure they reflect the diversity of our community and actively seek input from groups that historically might not have been part of the conversation. I not only spot the gaps, I know how to bridge them.