To understand the role of the Supervisor, it's important to know that our town has a Town Administrator and an Assistant Town Administrator. The Town Administrator's office functions as the Chief Operating Officer of the town and reports to the Town Board. As COO, the Town Administrator is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the town, and the town's department heads report to him.
So, who's the CEO of the town? It's the Town Board acting as a whole, and not the Supervisor individually.
So, what's the difference between the Supervisor and the other town board members? Under NYS law the Supervisor serves the following three additional roles:
The most important thing about the first two duties (setting the agenda for Town Board meetings and presiding over them) is that they be done in a fair, even-handed manner that fosters a constructive dialogue. Everyone – attendees, participants and fellow Town Board members – must be treated courteously, and meetings must not drag on endlessly. If you have been watching or attending Town Board meetings with any regularity during the past couple of years, you might well question whether that's been the case. For purposes of comparison, you may find it helpful to view the following meetings at which I have presided in my role as Deputy Supervisor during the last two years because the Town Supervisor was traveling: 4/10/24 and 3/26/25 [links to be added].
The third duty, the role of the town's Chief Fiscal Officer, is especially important at this juncture. Our town property taxes increased in 2025 for the first time in years, and are poised to continue rising for several more years. In addition, the town is undertaking projects that will need to be financed with tens of millions of dollars in long-term bonds, such as the Town Hall project and the Highway garage project. Accordingly, it is crucial for the Town Supervisor to be equipped with the necessary tools that a good education and professional experience provide.
My background is well-suited to this. In addition to being a lawyer, I am a former C.P.A. and I also have extensive investment banking experience in business roles in which I took the lead on large, sophisticated financial transactions.