The Overlook is conducting a series of interviews with candidates running for office in the Nov. 4 election, offering readers an opportunity to hear directly from those seeking to shape their communities. In this installment, Senior Reporter Jim Rich sat down with both current Olive Planning Board member Edwin Maldonado, a Democratic nominee for the Olive Town Board, and Sarah Hemingway-Lynch, a Democratic nominee for the Olive Town Board who also serves on the Onteora School Board. Fellow Republican nominee Ellen Gallivan is also running. Voters will elect two of the three to fill seats vacated by current board members Victoria Read and Scott Kelder. Gallivan did not respond to multiple interview requests. [The following has been lightly edited for clarity and concision]:
What do you see as the single most important issue facing the town right now and how would you address it?
Edwin Maldonado: Well, I think that there are a couple of things. One is affordable housing, something that the town has been working on for a little while. And I want to help continue to go down that path and try to figure out ways to make some of the properties in the township affordable so that young people can stay if they’d like. The other thing is the comprehensive plan and that’s well underway. We should have a draft on that sometime before the end of the year. I would like to help craft and finalize.
Sarah Hemingway-Lynch: The most important issue right now is balancing economic development for Shokan and Boiceville, while protecting the rural character of the town. And I think we can do both of those things, but it requires thoughtful planning. Currently the comprehensive plan is close to being finalized, and that will serve as a blueprint for the community development. But the challenge is that we want to promote ways for people to make a living closer to home and encourage people to utilize local businesses and local stores. But we also need to protect the rural character. So that means thinking about the traffic patterns, the aesthetics, the parking, all of the things that come with the development of those two business districts. There is a real opportunity for balancing the rural character, the environmental protection needs, as well as creating beautiful places for people to live in and work.
Many residents often feel disconnected from local government decisions until an issue directly affects them. How would you improve transparency and communication between the town and residents?
Sarah Hemingway-Lynch: My background is in communication, advocacy and public policy, and it’s at the intersection of those three things that I want to be most involved. I came to Olive nearly 10 years ago and I brought three young children with me. And I have really loved living here. I feel very fortunate to be raising my family here and to be able to utilize the services that the Town of Olive provides. I want every other family to have the same experience. I think there’s an opportunity to digitalize some of the recreation services, meaning finding things online really easily, being able to register online to join classes or join day camp or other things that families would benefit from. And that’s just one tiny bit of what we could do. But more generally, I think being accessible, being proactive in terms of our communications out to the community and being receptive both again, on the website, and in the office in person to those who are utilizing the services.
Edwin Maldonado: That’s a great question. People do need to get more in tune with what’s happening in the town. And, and you’re right, they don’t feel compelled to do that until it affects them. So, I think we could use social media as a platform for bringing things to the people of the town. As you well know, there are lots and lots of people on social media, much more so than go on to the Town of Olive website to find out what’s happening. So, I like social media as a tool for getting the word out for different things.
What specific skills or experiences do you bring that make you the best candidate?
Edwin Maldonado: What I bring to the table is I’ve been a resident for over 26 years. Not long after that, I got involved. I was appointed to the planning board by back in 2007. I did take a brief two-year hiatus, but that puts me on the planning board for over 16 years. I also have a real estate background. Those 26 years I’ve been in real estate. That combination of things, having some local knowledge about the zoning and subdivisions and those types of things, and my real estate experience, will be helpful, especially with the comprehensive plan and changes for zoning in the future. And I love the town. I grew up in a small town in Greene County, in Athens. So I’m very in tune and aware of the rural character of our town and would love to try and keep it that way.
Sarah Hemingway-Lynch: I’ve run for office before and I’ve been on a board before. I was elected to the school board in 2022. So, I appreciate the role of governance and how to work together to keep the town moving forward. I have a background, as I said before, in public policy and communication and advocacy. So, this is the kind of work I love to do. And I hope it sets me apart. I also know a lot of young people and young families in the community. And so I’m hoping to bring more people into the conversations that need to be had about both preserving what we love and planning for what’s next.
Jim Rich is a senior reporter for The Overlook. You can reach him at jim@theoverlooknews.com.
