[History on the Hudson: Susan Maggiotto]
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HI, I'M SPIKE BARKIN, AND THIS IS PART OF AN ONGOING SERIES CALLED CONVERSATIONS ON THE HUDSON, SPONSORED BY THE HASTINGS HISTORICAL SOCIETY.TODAY WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING WITH SUSAN MACIATO.
SO, WHEN, WHEN DID YOU, YOU, YOU WERE BORN IN BUFFALO, IS THAT CORRECT? OH, CORRECT, YES.
AND WHEN DID YOU MOVE TO HASTINGS? WE MOVED TO HASTINGS IN, UM, 1979.
WE WERE, WE MOVED UP FROM THE WEST SIDE TO RIVERDALE.
WE MADE THE PROGRESSION THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE MADE.
AND, UH, WE BOUGHT OUR FIRST HOUSE, UH, IN 1979 WHEN WE HAD THREE CHILDREN.
AND, UH, WE GRAD, WE OUTGREW THAT HOUSE.
WE ADDED A FOURTH CHILD, AND THEN WE MOVED TO THE HOUSE THAT WE LIVED IN FOR 41 YEARS AND JUST MOVED OUT OF, UM, IN 1984.
SO, WHY, WHY HASTINGS? WHY'D YOU MOVE TO HASTINGS? WELL, UH, WE WANTED A HOUSE AND WE HAD INVESTIGATED A LITTLE BIT, AND HASTINGS, UH, CHECKED OFF A FEW OF THE BOXES.
UH, WE STARTED ACTUALLY LOOKING UP IN YORKTOWN, AND WE MOVED DOWN TO PLEASANTVILLE AND ENDED UP QUITE, UM, IN HASTING.
I MEAN, IT'S A LONG STORY, BUT IT WAS PURELY ACCIDENTAL.
MY HUSBAND WAS ENTERTAINING HIS PARENTS WHO HAD COME HERE FOR THE BIRTH OF MY THIRD CHILD WHO WAS OVERDUE, AND HE HAD TO TAKE HIS FATHER OUT TO ENTERTAIN HIM.
SO THEY WENT, THEY WENT INTO, BACK IN THE, WHEN THE TIMES HAD REAL ESTATE LISTINGS, THEY WERE CIRCLING HOUSES TO GO AND LOOK AT.
AND THERE WAS A HOUSE IN HASTINGS.
UH, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO BUY A HOUSE AT THAT TIME.
THERE WEREN'T MANY AROUND, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY RIGHT BEFORE THE MORTGAGE RATES REALLY WENT UP.
AND THEY WENT TO, UH, SEE THIS HOUSE THAT BELONGED TO, UH, THE HERSCH'S AND THE HERSCH'S WERE EAGER TO SELL BECAUSE THEY HAD BOUGHT THEIR BEAUTIFUL HOME ON BROADWAY.
AND, AND SO THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD BOTH HOUSES AND THEY WANTED TO SELL THE HOUSE.
AND, UM, MY HUSBAND SAID, I, I THINK YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS.
SO I WENT TO LOOK AT IT AND IT LOOKED FINE.
AND THAT NIGHT I WENT INTO LABOR, HAD MY BABY, I HAD MY NEST.
AND OF COURSE, MY FATHER-IN-LAW TOOK ALL THE CREDIT FOR IT.
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S SO HARD? BUYING A HOUSE, HAVING A BABY, YOU KNOW, CAN MAKE IT ALL HAPPENED.
SO WHAT, WHAT WAS ON YOUR CHECKLIST? WELL, UM, I THINK THE SCHOOLS PROBABLY WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT, AND THAT WAS, UH, SOMETHING, BUT WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT HASTINGS.
AND, UH, WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW HAPPY WE'D BE HERE AND WHAT A WONDERFUL FIT IT WAS FOR US.
IT WAS JUST, UM, THE HOUSE WAS HERE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A LIVABLE HOUSE, WHICH I HAD BEEN LOOKING AT A LOT OF UNLIVABLE HOUSES,
UM, BUT IT WAS WONDERFUL THAT THE HERSCH'S, MARILYN AND HOWARD LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY REALLY INTRODUCED US TO HASTINGS AND, UH, WERE VERY HELPFUL WITH THAT.
YOU KNOW, A YOUNG, YOUNG FAMILY COMING IN.
UH, I REMEMBER, ONE THING I REMEMBER IS THAT THERE WAS VERY ACTIVE CREATIVE ARTS COUNCIL THAT OPERATED OUT OF THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
YOU REMEMBER THAT SPIKE? AND, UH, THE ART GALLERY WAS UP THERE.
AND IN FACT, WHEN THE BUILDING WAS RENOVATED IN 19 97, 19 98, THAT WAS VERY CONTENTIOUS BECAUSE WE HAD TO EVICT THE ART GALLERY FROM, FROM THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MUNICIPAL, WE NEEDED THE SPACE.
UM, SO ANYHOW, SHE, UH, THERE WAS INTRODUCED ME TO PEOPLE IN THE CREATIVE ARTS COUNCIL, AND THEY WERE MAKING AN EFFORT TO GET YOUNG PEOPLE INTO IT.
SO I MET A LOT OF YOUNGER MOTHERS THROUGH THAT AND THROUGH MARILYN.
SO WERE YOU HAPPY WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM? YES, I WAS VERY HAPPY WITH IT.
UH, MY KIDS ALL DID WELL, AND THEY GOT AN EXCELLENT EDUCATION.
THEY WENT ON TO GOOD COLLEGES.
UM, THE EASE OF IT, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I, YOU KNOW, I HAVE CHILDREN WHO LIVE IN OTHER CITIES WHERE FINDING SCHOOLS IS PROBLEMATIC.
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YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'RE ON THE SEARCH FOR SCHOOLS FOR YOUR KIDS.AND THE IDEA THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT, MY KIDS WENT FROM HILLSIDE TO FERGU TO HIGH SCHOOL.
I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF, THAT'S REALLY NICE WHEN YOU CAN HAVE, UH, A COMFORT LEVEL.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS.
LISTEN, THERE WERE THINGS THAT WERE NOT IDEAL TEACHERS, UH, DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, GEL WITH MY KIDS OR WHATEVER.
BUT ON THE WHOLE, IT WAS FINE.
AND MORE THAN FINE, I LIKED THE FACT THAT, UM, THE KIDS WERE REALLY, I FELT MY CHILDREN WERE FREE TO BE WHOEVER THEY WERE.
AND I FELT LIKE, UM, THEIR FRIENDS BASE WAS EXTENSIVE.
AND, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF FREEDOM NOT TO CONFORM TO ANY PARTICULAR PROFILE.
AND DID THEY GET INVOLVED WITH SPORTS? TOTALLY.
I I SAT ON MANY EVENTS FOR MANY YEARS.
YEAH, MOSTLY BASKETBALL, STARTING WITH CYOI DON'T KNOW IF CYO IS STILL AS BIG AS IT WAS, OR EVEN IF IT EXISTS, BUT IT WAS HUGE.
AND, UM, THEN THEY ALL WENT ON.
THEY PLAYED, ALL OF THEM PLAYED SPORTS.
I HAD THREE SONS AND A DAUGHTER.
AND, UM, UH, MY DAUGHTER PLAYED TENNIS.
AND THEN MY YOUNGEST SON PLAYED FOOTBALL BACK, UM, WHEN HE, HE WAS, UH, IN SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL HAD BECOME SO SMALL THAT, UM, HASTINGS COULDN'T FIELD A FOOTBALL TEAM.
DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? MM-HMM
AND THE SCHOOLS WERE TOGETHER, WHICH WAS AMAZING BECAUSE WE NEVER REALLY DID ANYTHING WITH DOBBS FERRY.
YOU'D THINK THERE WAS A BRICK WALL BETWEEN THE TWO COMMUNITIES.
AND, UM, WHEN HE WAS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL, THEY DECIDED THEY COULD FIELD THE TEAM.
SO THE COACH, HOW, WHY AM I BLOCKING HIS NAME? YOU KNOW, THE COACH, BIG GUY, HE WENT AROUND RECRUITING KIDS.
NOW, MY SON WAS NOT A FOOTBALL PLAYER AT ALL, BUT HE MADE IT SO ENTICING THAT HE JOINED THE TEAM AND HE PLAYED FOOTBALL HIS JUNIOR YEAR.
HIS SENIOR YEAR, BASKETBALL WAS HIS FIRST LOVE, HOWEVER, SO IN THE LAST GAME IN OF BAS OF FOOTBALL IN HIS SENIOR YEAR, HE GOT INJURED.
AND IT TURNED OUT HE HAD A BROKEN ANKLE, AND THAT KILLED HIS BASKETBALL SEASON.
SO, BUT HE LIKED, HE LOVED PLAYING FOOTBALL AND IT TAUGHT HIM A LOT.
AND IT WAS MY ONLY EXPERIENCE WATCHING A CHILD PLAY FOOTBALL.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT OF ALL THE SPORTS I'VE WATCHED MY KIDS PLAY, UM, I THINK NOTHING REQUIRED THE TEAMWORK THAT FOOTBALL DID.
AND IF ONE, IF YOU DON'T ALL PULL TOGETHER, THIS TEAM'S NOT GONNA MAKE IT, YOU KNOW? UM, AND IT WAS TRUE, UH, RIGHT UP TO THE END TO MY SON'S INJURY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED, I THE WAY THE PLAY WENT.
BUT, UM, I THINK THAT HE LEARNED A LOT FROM FOOTBALL, EVEN THOUGH HE HOBBLED AROUND ON CRUTCHES DURING BASKETBALL SEASON.
SO, BUT THE FOOTBALL TEAM'S NOW, DOBBS AND HASTINGS, THEY'RE NOT, IT'S STILL NOT A JOINT TEAM, IS IT? OR NO, MAYBE I DIDN'T MAKE THAT CLEAR.
WHEN HE JOINED, THAT'S WHEN THEY SEPARATED AGAIN.
THEY FELT THEY HAD ENOUGH, THEY, THAT THEY, THEY HAD ENOUGH POPULATION TO PUT A TEAM TOGETHER.
THAT'S WHY, WHY THE COACH HAD TO GO OUT AND GET NON PLAYERS.
'CAUSE HE HAD TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, GENDER SOME INTEREST.
AND THEY'VE BEEN SEPARATE TEAMS AND RIVALS EVER SINCE.
DO YOU THINK THAT BY COMBINING DOBBS AND HASTINGS IN ONE FOOTBALL TEAM BROKE DOWN, THAT SORT OF INVISIBLE WALL, THE BARRIER, UH, BETWEEN THE TWO? AND DO YOU THINK THAT'S REEMERGED NOW? NO, IT DIDN'T BREAK IT DOWN AT ALL.
I MEAN, MY KIDS ACTUALLY, MY KIDS HAD SOME FRIENDS FROM DOPPS FERRY.
BUT IN TERMS OF, UM, I MEAN, THIS GETS US INTO ANO ANOTHER WHOLE SUBJECT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND HOW MANY WE HAVE AND HOW DUPLICATIVE WE ARE, BOTH IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS ESPECIALLY.
AND, UM, I MEAN, MANY YEARS AGO THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT MERGING TEACHING DISTRICTS AND, UM, IT JUST WASN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
THERE WAS A CANDIDATE, UH, A PERSON WHO WAS
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ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, UM, WHO WAS ONE OF THE BEST SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES I'D, A PERSON I'D EVER SEEN.AND HE WAS UP FOR REELECTION AND HE IN HASTINGS.
AND HE HAD SAID AS PART OF THIS DISCUSSION THAT HE WOULD CONSIDER, CONSIDER LOOKING INTO CONSOLIDATING WITH DOBBS FERRY, HE LOST THE ELECTION ON THAT BASIS.
A NOW HE WENT ON, UM, TO BECOME A MEMBER OF OUR PLANNING BOARD AND CHAIRED THE BOARD AND WAS WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL IN THAT POSITION AS WELL.
SO IT WAS NOT A TOTAL LOSS, BUT THAT WAS HOW DEEP SEATED FEELINGS WERE.
UM, WHO WAS THAT? DO YOU REMEMBER HIS NAME? I WILL POSSIBLY REMEMBER IT BEFORE THE END OF THE INTERVIEW.
HOW COULD I FORGET IT? I COULD, DAVID, HE WAS ACTUALLY A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE, BUT I'M AT THAT POINT IN MY LIFE WHERE NAMES ALLUDE ME.
WELL, IT MAY COME, IT MAY COME.
FEEL FREE TO MENTION THE NAME.
YOU, SO I'M SURE EVERYONE IS KNOW, EVERYONE IS WATCHING.
MANY PEOPLE KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT.
WERE YOU WORKING AT THE TIME, WHICH TIME WERE TIME YOU WHEN YOU MOVED TO HASTINGS? NO, I DIDN'T.
I, UM, NO, I WAS HOME WITH MY KIDS.
WHEN MY YOUNGEST CHILD WENT TO SCHOOL.
I DECIDED THAT MAYBE IT WAS TIME TO LOOK FOR A JOB.
AND, UM, I ENDED UP IN A PART-TIME JOB WORKING FOR THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS.
DOING WHAT? WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY WHAT A SMALL TOWN IT IS.
AND, UM, I HAD BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, WHICH IS, HAS BEEN A HUGE PART OF MY LIFE.
AND MAYBE I'LL JUST TALK ABOUT THAT FIRST, BECAUSE, UM, BACK IN THE EIGHTIES AND EARLY NINETIES, I WAS PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL LEAGUE.
UM, AND IN THAT CAPACITY, WE WERE JUST THE HASTINGS LEAGUE AT THAT TIME.
UM, NOW LEAGUES HAVE MERGED, AND NOW HASTINGS IS PART OF A LARGER GROUP CALLED THE RIVER TOWNS LEAGUE, WHICH I'M AGAIN PRESIDENT OF.
UM, BUT AT THE TIME IT WAS JUST THE HASTINGS LEAGUE.
SO, UH, WE HAD A LOT OF LOCAL ISSUES.
AND I WOULD COME INTO VILLAGE HALL AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LEAGUE AND TALK TO NEIL HESS, WHO WAS THE MANAGER AT THE TIME, AND GOT TO KNOW HIM PRETTY WELL.
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ISSUES, RECYCLING WAS A HUGE ISSUE BACK THEN, AND THE LEAGUE WAS VERY, UH, POSITIVE ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO NEIL HAD PUT, UH, AN AD AND SOME ADS IN THE PAPER FOR A COUPLE PART-TIME JOBS.
AND I WENT TO PICK UP MY LAWN AND LEAF BAGS.
YOU REMEMBER, WE USED TO GET THESE BAGS.
AND AT THE TIME, THEY WERE GIVING THEM OUT AT THE GARAGE.
AND MY DEAR FRIEND WHO TURNED OUT TO ME, MY DEAR FRIEND, UM, WELL, LINDA CANIS, WHO WAS NEIL'S SECRETARY, AND, UM, MARIE, WHO WAS MARIE, THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, AND DPW ASSISTANT, UM, WE'RE DOWN THERE GIVING OUT THE BAGS.
AND WE WERE CHATTING AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING ABOUT MAYBE I SHOULD GET A PART-TIME JOB.
AND THEY SAID, WELL, NEIL IS ADVERTISING FOR TWO POSITIONS.
WHY DON'T YOU APPLY FOR ONE? SO I WENT AND LOOKED, AND ONE OF THEM WAS NOT IN MY WHEELHOUSE AT ALL.
THE OTHER ONE SAID, UH, PLANNING ASSISTANT, UH, RESEARCH, ONE YEAR JOB TO DO RESEARCH FOR THE PLANNING BOARD.
AND I SAID, WELL, I'M NOT QUALIFIED FOR THAT.
I WAS TRAINED TO BE A TEACHER.
UM, SO SOME WEEKS LATER I CAME INTO VILLAGE HALL AGAIN, AND LINDA NEIL'S SECRETARY SAID TO ME, NEIL SAID, YOU SHOULD APPLY FOR THAT JOB.
SO I SAID, WELL, I'M NOT, I DON'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE.
AND SHE SAID, HE SAID, YOU COULD DO IT.
SO I APPLIED FOR IT AND I DID IT.
AND IT WAS A PROJECT FOR ONE YEAR TO DO, UH, RESEARCH FOR THE PLANNING BOARD.
AND I DID IT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
F ANN MACIN WAS THE MAYOR, AND SHE DIDN'T WANNA PAY ANYMORE
SO NEIL OFFERED ME, I, I MEAN, JUST A, I MEAN, IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, BUT I THINK FOR THAT FIRST YEAR I WAS PAID $10,000.
AND HE SAID TO ME, UM, I'D LIKE YOU TO STAY ON THAT.
HE KNEW THAT I REALLY LOVED BEING THERE.
AND, AND HE KNEW THAT, YOU KNOW, I PROBABLY WOULD.
I THINK HE KNEW I PROBABLY WOULD TAKE IT.
AND AT THE TIME, VILLAGE HALL WAS SO CONSTRICTED THAT, UH, HIS OFFICE WAS DOWNSTAIRS IN THE BACK AND THEY
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GAVE ME A LITTLE DESK RIGHT OUTSIDE HIS OFFICE.AND ONE DAY I SAID TO HIM, YOU HAVE THE MOST INTERESTING JOB, NEIL.
YOU KNOW, SOMETHING DIFFERENT IS GOING ON EVERY DAY.
'CAUSE I SAW THE FLOW IN AND OUT OF HIS OFFICE, AND, UH, IT'S REALLY A GREAT JOB.
HE SAID, WELL, YOU COULD DO THIS.
I SAID, REALLY? HE SAID, YEAH, WHY DON'T YOU GO TO SCHOOL, GET AN MPA AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
UH, I WENT TO PACE FOR THE REASONS THAT IT WAS CLOSE.
I COULD PARK UNDER THE BUILDING.
UM, BECAUSE AT THE TIME I WAS CONSIDERING WHETHER I WOULD GO TO COLUMBIA OR PACE FOR THIS DEGREE.
AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE BEST DECISION THAT I EVER MADE BECAUSE I MADE SO MANY CONTACTS THERE THAT HELPED ME IN, IN LAUNCHING MY CAREER IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, I WAS, UM, I HAD GRADUATED.
I DID A PART-TIME AND, UH, I, YOU KNOW, I LEFT MY KIDS, MY YOUNGEST IN CHARGE OF THE OLDER ONES.
AND ONE DAY I WAS FEELING A LITTLE GUILTY 'CAUSE I WAS OUT TO SCHOOL TWO NIGHTS A WEEK.
AND, AND AT THE TIME, WE HAD A RULE, NO TELEVISION FROM SUNDAY NIGHT TO FRIDAY NIGHT, YOU KNOW, AND STRICTLY OBSERVED IT.
UM, SO I SAID TO HIM, DAVE, DO YOU MIND THAT MOMMY'S NOT HERE? YOU KNOW, TWO NIGHTS A WEEK? AND HE GOES, NO, I CAN DO ANYTHING I WANT
SO ANYWAY, UM, IT WAS SEPTEMBER, UH, OF 1997 AND NEIL SAID TO ME, THERE'S A MEETING TONIGHT AND OUR MAYOR LEE CANAL IS THE GUEST SPEAKER, AND I CANNOT GO.
AND I WANT YOU TO GO IN MY PLACE TO SUPPORT LEE.
AND I SAID, UH, NEIL, IT'S THE NIGHT BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS.
I CAN'T GO TO A MEETING THE NIGHT BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS.
HE SAID, SUSAN, IT'S ALL ABOUT CONTACTS YOU HAVE, YOU SHOULD GO TO THIS MEETING.
YOU SHOULD MEET PEOPLE AND EVERYTHING.
SO, ALL RIGHT, SO I GO TO THE MEETING AND I HAD, I MET ONE OF MY PROFESSORS FROM PACE THERE, AND HE SAID TO ME, UM, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I SAID, WELL, I'M WORKING PART-TIME, BUT I REALLY SHOULD LOOK FOR A FULL-TIME JOB.
AND HE SAID, WELL, SCARSDALE IS HIRING AS WE SPEAK FOR AN ASSISTANT TO THE VILLAGE MANAGER, SO WHY DON'T YOU SEND YOUR RESUME IN? AND I SAID, I DON'T HAVE A RESUME,
HE SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU MIGHT WANNA DO IT.
SO I WENT HOME AND COBBLED TOGETHER A RESUME AND SENT IT IN.
AND, UM, BOTTOM LINE, THEY HIRED ME.
UM, AND IT, SCARSDALE AT THE TIME WAS THE BEST TRAINING GROUND.
THERE ARE MANY LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGERS WHO WERE ASSISTANTS IN SCARSDALE BECAUSE THEY COULD AFFORD A LARGE STAFF.
AND I WAS ONE OF THREE ASSISTANTS TO THE MANAGER, PLUS THE MANAGER HAD A DEPUTY MANAGER.
AND, UH, SO I STAYED THERE FOR THREE YEARS WORKING FULL-TIME AND, UH, LEARNED A LOT ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
BUT THEN, UM, MARY CALLIS, OUR WONDERFUL VILLAGE CLERK, WAS RETIRING.
AND NEIL WANTED ME TO COME BACK, BUT I WAS ON A MANAGEMENT TRACK.
I DIDN'T WANT TO COME BACK AND BE THE VILLAGE CLERK, IS WHERE THE AJO AS THAT IS.
SO HE CREATED THE TITLE FOR ME FOR THE JOB OF A VILLAGE CLERK SLASH DEPUTY VILLAGE MANAGER.
AND, UM, ON THAT BASIS, HE LURED ME BACK TO BE HIS DEPUTY.
AND THAT WAS IN 19, UH, 97, I THINK.
'CAUSE I WAS IN SCARSDALE FOR THREE YEARS.
AND THOSE WERE WONDERFUL YEARS WORKING FOR NEIL.
YOU KNOW, I LEARNED A GREAT DEAL.
A YEAR AFTER I STARTED IN OCTOBER, WE DECIDED TO RENOVATE THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING.
THAT MEANT WE HAD TO VACATE THE ENTIRE BUILDING.
UM, WE HAD TO FIND A NEW PLACE TO OPERATE OUT OF.
WE HAD TO GET RID OF EVERYTHING IN THE BUILDING.
ONE OF THE DRIVING FORCES WAS THERE WAS NO ELEVATOR IN THE BUILDING, AND SO WE HAD TO PUT IN AN ELEVATOR, UH, BUT ALSO WE HAD TO CREATE MORE SPACE, WHICH IS WHEN THE ARTS COUNCIL WAS ASKED TO LEAVE BECAUSE WE NEEDED THOSE ROOMS FOR SPACE.
AND THE BUILDING JUST HAD TO BE MODERNIZED.
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A LOT OF THAT LANDED ON MY PLATE TO DO.AND WE ENDED UP AT THE BUILDING ON THE CORNER OF, UH, WARBURTON AND, UH, BROADWAY, SIX 15 BROADWAY.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD OFFICES THERE? NO, I DON'T.
WELL, IT'S, IT'S A MEDICAL BUILDING NOW.
AND ALL THE VILLAGE OFFICES CRAMMED INTO THE FIRST FLOOR.
WE COULD, I COULD REACH AROUND AND TOUCH EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, NEIL WAS RIGHT BEHIND ME.
THERE WAS A GLASS WALL BETWEEN THE OFFICES, BUT WE WERE ALL IN THIS VERY INTIMATE SPACE.
THE POLICE WERE IN THE BASEMENT.
THAT WAS THEIR LOCATION FOR THAT.
AND THE WHOLE THING LASTED A YEAR.
UH, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT THIS BUILDING.
MARCO GENERALI WAS THE BUILDING INSPECTOR AT THE TIME.
AND, BUT I WORKED WITH HIM JUST COMING TO THE SITE AND SUPER, YOU KNOW, I WASN'T THE SUPERVISOR PER SE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WATCHING A LOT OF THINGS.
AND, UM, AND THEN WHEN THE BUILDING WAS FINALLY FINISHED, IT ALL HAD TO BE FURNISHED.
SO THAT WAS SORT OF LANDED ON MY PLATE AS WELL, TO PICK OUT THE COLORS AND THE, THAT BLUE IN THE LOBBY.
I, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A DECORATOR.
WE WORKED WITH GI THESE'S OFFICES, AND WE HAD A DECORATOR, AND SHE HAD PUT SEVERAL COLORS UP FOR US TO CONSIDER.
AND WHEN SHE PUT THAT BLUE UP, WE SAID, OH GOD, NO, IT'S NOT AN OFFICE COLOR.
SO SHE PUTS THESE OTHER COLORS, AND WE ENDED UP GOING BACK WITH THAT SORT OF DEEPER COLOR.
AND, UM, IT TURNED OUT TO BE A REALLY NICE ACCENT TO THE BUILDING, I THINK.
AND AS IT TURNED OUT, A BACKDROP FOR ALL THE ART SHOWS THAT WE HAD THERE.
THAT WAS SOMETHING ELSE THAT, UM, HAPPENED WHILE I WAS THERE.
UM, IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT THAT WOULD MAKE SUCH A NICE VENUE FOR OCCASIONAL DISPLAYS OF ART.
AND IT STARTED OUT VERY CASUALLY.
IT WASN'T ANYWHERE ORGANIZED THE WAY IT IS NOW UNDER THE ARTS COUNCIL.
AND WE STARTED TO PUT PHOTOS UP AND OR WHATEVER.
ONE TIME WE HAD, UH, SCHOOL KIDS CAME, UM, AND THEY HAD ALL MADE SELF PORTRAITS ON THESE BIG BROWN PIECES OF PAPER.
AND THEN ALL THE KIDS CAME AND SAW ALL THEIR FRIENDS AND RECOGNIZED EVERYBODY.
BUT THAT GREW INTO SOMETHING REALLY NICE.
AND THEN IT BECAME, UM, A MORE, UM, FORMALIZED SPACE AND LIGHTING WAS PUT IN TO HIGHLIGHT THE PHOTOS AND EVERYTHING.
BUT THROUGH THAT ALL, GOING BACK TO MY BLUE COLOR, THE COLOR STAYED AS A NICE BACKDROP FOR ALL THE ART THAT WAS ON DISPLAY.
AND I SAW THAT SAME COLOR IN THE ALBRIGHT, A ART GALLERY IN BUFFALO, WHICH IS NOW CALLED A KG.
AND I SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, NATO BLUE, RIGHT? NAUSEA.
AND PEOPLE USED TO COME IN AND ASK ME FOR COLOR SAMPLES.
SO I, THEY LIKED THE COLORS ON THE WALLS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.
AND A WOMAN CAME IN ONCE AND SHE SAID, I LOVE THE COLOR IN THE HALL.
I SAID, HERE, I USED TO WRITE IT ON A PIECE OF PAPER.
I SAID, HERE, THESE ARE THE NUMBERS, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT IT IS.
SO SHE COMES BACK AND SHE SAYS TO ME, YOU GAVE ME THE WRONG COLOR.
UH, AND SO SHE, SHE TAKES, SHE GIVES ME THE PAINT CHIP OR WHATEVER SHE HAD, AND I SAID, WELL, LET'S GO OUT AND LOOK AT IT.
WE HUNG IT UP, WE PUT IT UP ON THE WALL.
IT WAS EXACTLY THE SAME COLOR
SO HOW LONG DID YOU STAY AS, UH, ASSISTANT VILLAGE MANAGER? UNTIL I RETIRED, WHICH WAS, UH, 9 20 17.
UM, YOU'VE, YOU DEALT WITH DIFFERENT VILLAGE MANAGERS.
'CAUSE WHEN NEIL DIED, IT WAS REPLACED.
UH, HOW DID YOU, HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH THE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES? ANALOG? YEAH.
WELL, NEIL UNFORTUNATELY BECAME QUITE ILL.
AND HE HAD TO HAVE SURGERY AND, UM, FOR THE, HE WAS OUT, I WOULD SAY ABOUT A YEAR.
AND I TOOK OVER AS VILLAGE MANAGER WHILE ALSO DOING MY JOB AS CLERK.
IT WAS AN EXTREMELY BUSY TIME, BUT IT WAS A WONDERFUL TIME.
UM, THE STAFF WAS EXTREMELY COOPERATIVE, YOU KNOW, UM, EVERYONE WAS PULLING TOGETHER IN THIS EMERGENCY
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SITUATION.I DID A BUDGET ON MY OWN FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I MEAN, I REALLY FUNCTIONED AS MANAGER.
THEN HE CAME BACK AND HE WAS ABLE TO WORK FOR SOME TIME, BUT THEN IT BECAME CLEAR HE REALLY COULDN'T DO THE JOB.
YOU KNOW, HIS CANCER HAD RECURRED.
AND, UM, SO THE VILLAGE DECIDED THEY NEEDED TO LOOK FOR A MANAGER, AND THEY DID A SEARCH.
AND I, UH, APPLIED FOR THE POSITION, BUT LONG, SAD STORY.
SO I HAD TO LEARN TO WORK WITH A MAN WHOSE JOB I HAD DONE AND DONE WELL AND WANTED.
I HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, AS YOU WELL KNOW.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY, I LOVED WORKING FOR THE VILLAGE.
THERE WASN'T A DAY THAT I WOKE UP THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO WORK.
YOU KNOW, I, I, I LOVED MY JOB, THE TWO PRONGS OF IT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS THE DEPUTY AND I WAS THE CLERK, AS THE CLERK, NEIL SAID TO ME, YOU ARE THE FACE OF THE VILLAGE.
EVERYONE WHO COMES IN HERE COMES INTO YOUR OFFICE.
AND I WANTED TO BE A WELCOMING, FRIENDLY, HELPFUL PLACE.
AND I REALLY TRIED TO DO THAT.
AND EVEN THOUGH I CONSIDER MYSELF BASICALLY INTROVERT, I WAS ABLE TO DO THAT IN A PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY.
AND I LOVED THE WORK THAT I DID WITH NEIL AS THE DEPUTY, WHICH WAS MORE SUBSTANTIVE KINDS OF THINGS.
ALTHOUGH THE CLERK HAS A VERY IMPORTANT STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE VILLAGE.
UM, SO I, I DID LOVE WORKING EVEN WHEN I WAS NOT IN THE POSITION THAT I HAD THOUGHT I COULD DO AND REALLY WANTED TO DO.
AND I DID ATTEMPT A COUPLE OF TIMES, UM, TO MOVE INTO OTHER COMMUNITIES AND POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO STAY CLOSE BY.
AND THOSE, THERE WERE TWO OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THEY DIDN'T PAN OUT FOR VERY UNUSUAL REASONS, ALTHOUGH IN BOTH CASES, I WAS THE FINALIST FOR THE POSITION.
UM, SO THEN I SAID, FINALLY I JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M STAYING HERE.
I'M GONNA STAY HERE AND MAKE THIS MY CAREER.
I USED TO, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE MOVED TO TOWN, COME TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE FOR ONE THING OR ANOTHER, AND I WOULD ALWAYS SAY TO PEOPLE, WHERE DID YOU MOVE FROM? AND IT USED TO BE IN THE EARLY DAYS, IT WAS THE UPPER WEST SIDE.
THEN WHEN PEOPLE GOT PRICED OUT OF THE UPPER WEST SIDE, IT BECAME BROOKLYN.
I THINK IN ALL THOSE YEARS, ONLY ONE PERSON TOLD ME THEY MOVED FROM THE UPPER EAST SIDE.
THOSE PEOPLE DIDN'T COME TO HASTINGS, BUT SOMEHOW THESE PEOPLE KNEW, MAYBE BECAUSE THEY WERE WHATEVER, ATTRACTED THEM TO THE WEST SIDE IN THE FIRST PLACE, ATTRACTED THEM, YOU KNOW, TO THIS SIDE OF, OF THE COUNTY.
I MEAN, SCARSDALE IS LIGHT YEARS AWAY FROM HASTINGS.
I KNOW SCARSDALE WELL, I WORKED THERE FOR THREE YEARS, AND I ALWAYS SAID, IF YOU'RE HAPPY IN SCARSDALE, YOU ARE NOT GONNA BE HAPPY IN HASTINGS.
UM, SO I, I'M REALLY BIG ON, YOU KNOW, THE POPULATION, AND I MEAN, THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO HASTINGS, I FOUND THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, WE JUST SOLD OUR HOME AND I MET THE NEW OWNERS AT THE CLOSING FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND I COULD IDENTIFY WITH THEM, YOU KNOW, A YOUNG COUPLE WHO LOVED MY OLD HOUSE AND WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT MOVING HERE AND WANTED TO RAISE THEIR FAMILY.
I MEAN, IT WAS JUST, I FELT LIKE I WAS SEEING MYSELF 40 YEARS AGO, AND IT WAS REALLY A GOOD FEELING.
SO, AS PRESIDENT OF THE LEAGUE, YES.
YOU ALSO HAD TO DEAL WITH, THROUGH THE YEARS, DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES OF PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THE LEAGUE AS WELL.
UM, SO HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO DO THAT? YEAH.
WELL, THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS WAS QUITE FORMATIVE FOR ME.
YOU KNOW, UM, THE LEAGUE OPERATES ON CONSENSUS.
THIS IS OUR, THE WAY WE COME TO OUR DECISIONS AND OUR POSITIONS.
YOU KNOW, I WANNA SAY SOMETHING, IF YOU DON'T MIND ABOUT THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.
WE ARE A TOTALLY NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION.
WE DO NOT SUPPORT OR OPPOSE CANDIDATES OR POLITICAL PARTIES, BUT WE
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ARE POLITICAL.AND I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET CONFUSED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE STUDY PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES AND WE TAKE POSITIONS ON THEM AFTER OUR MEMBERS, OUR MEMBERS STUDY THEM, AND OUR MEMBERS COME TO A GROUP CONSENSUS ON WHAT OUR POSITION SHOULD BE.
AND THAT ALLOWS US THEN TO LOBBY FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT POSITIONS, WHETHER IT'S ON THE ENVIRONMENT OR HEALTHCARE, OR VOTER, VOTER, UM, REGISTRATION REG.
WELL, THE WHOLE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER HAS TO DO WITH ACCESS TO THE POLLS FOR VOTERS.
ONE, WHICH IS UNDER ATTACK NOW, AS YOU KNOW.
UM, SO I, I THINK I, I LEARNED FROM THE LEAGUE, UM, HOW TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, HOW TO LISTEN, HOW TO, UH, I LEARNED THAT MANY MINDS ARE BETTER THAN ONE, THAT WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER.
AND THEN AS PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, I WAS PRESIDENT THREE SEPARATE TIMES.
UM, THAT WAS MY JOB TO GET PEOPLE TO, UM, LEARN HOW TO LISTEN TO EACH OTHER AND RESPECT EACH OTHER'S OPINIONS.
ALSO, THE PART OF THE JOB OF PRESIDENT IS FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE RIGHT JOB, BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE A HAPPY CREW.
YOU KNOW? UM, SO I LEARNED A LOT THAT WAY FROM THE LEAGUE, AND I'M STILL LEARNING.
AND, UM, WE'RE STILL FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT.
SO YOU'VE, YOU'VE LIVED IN HASTINGS FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
WHAT CHANGES, IF ANY, HAVE YOU SEEN? WELL, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE WATERFRONT CHANGE.
THAT'S ONE THING I HAVEN'T SEEN.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE, IT WAS RIGHT, A LOT OF THE BUILDINGS WERE STILL ON THE WATERFRONT, BUT I THINK ANACONDA HAD STOPPED OPERATING.
AND I DON'T KNOW THE YEAR THAT IT STOPPED.
IT WAS AROUND THE TIME THAT WE MOVED HERE.
AND, AND I REMEMBER THE OLD TIMERS SAYING, UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA SEE ANYTHING ON THAT WATERFRONT IN MY LIFETIME.
WELL, SADLY, I'M AN OLD TIMER, AND I'M NOT GONNA SEE ANYTHING ON THAT WATERFRONT IN MY LIFETIME.
IT'S INEXPLICABLE TO ME THAT THE CLEANUP OF THE MOST POLLUTED SPOT IN THE HUDSON RIVER HAS BEEN ALLOWED NOT TO HAPPEN.
I MEAN, MANY YEARS AGO, DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN GOVERNOR PATAKI WAS THE GOVERNOR? I DON'T KNOW WHAT YEAR THAT WAS, BUT HE WAS DOWN ON OUR WATERFRONT, AND IT WAS A BIG PRESS CONFERENCE DOWN THERE, AND HE TALKED ABOUT HOW IT WAS A NEW DAY, AND WE WERE GONNA GET THIS PLACE CLEANED UP, AND WE WERE GONNA SEE DEVELOPMENT THERE.
AND THEN WHAT'S HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, NOW THERE'S SOME CLEANUP AND CANAL COVE, IT'S JUST A STOP.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, UM, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SEE A WATERFRONT WITH NOTHING ON IT.
AND I KNOW HASTINGS, I'VE BEEN THROUGH SO MANY ITERATIONS OF PLANNING FOR THAT WATERFRONT.
I MEAN, THERE WAS A TIME IN THAT BUILDING BEFORE I WAS RENOVATED.
THE COURTROOM WENT ALL THE WAY BACK.
IT SPANNED THE BUILDING FROM EAST TO WEST.
DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? THERE WAS NO CONFERENCE ROOM BACK THERE.
UH, THEY HAD TO DO THAT TO CREATE ANOTHER EXCESS EGRESS ROUTE.
SO THEY HAD TO CUT OFF THE BACK OF THE COURTROOM AND CREATE THE CONFERENCE ROOM.
AND AT ONE TIME, THERE WAS A HUGE TABLE THERE FILLED WITH BLOCKS.
AND THE COMMUNITY COULD GO IN AND PLAY WITH THE BLOCKS AND BUILD WHAT THEY THOUGHT SHOULD THE WATERFRONT SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
I MEAN, THAT WAS JUST ONE OF MANY, MANY, MANY, UH, PLANNING PROJECTS FOR THE DAY THAT IT WOULD BE CLEANED UP.
AND HERE WE ARE NOT EVEN CLEANED UP.
AND I KNOW KNOWING HASTINGS, IT'S PROBABLY FINE BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT, SPIKE, WE'RE NEVER GONNA AGREE ON WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN DOWN THERE, WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN.
WE JUST, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE IT.
AND I STAND THERE WHEN I TAKE THE TRAIN INTO THE CITY, AND I LOOK OUT AND I SAY, THIS IS FINE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTEN, WE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT HOW WE NEEDED THE REVENUE FROM, UH, FROM TAX REVENUES, FROM THE WATERFRONT, AND WHAT A LOSS IT WAS.
THE VILLAGE HAS GOTTEN ALONG, OKAY.
THEY'VE MANAGED THEIR BUDGETS WITHOUT IT, EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, UM, THE, WHEN IT WAS OPERATING DOWN THERE WAS A BIG PART.
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OF OUR TAX BASE, BUT OVER THE YEARS, IT COMPENSATED FOR THAT.UM, SO MAYBE IT'S FINE THAT THINGS ARE THE WAY THEY ARE.
SO THAT'S WHAT HASN'T CHANGED.
WHAT HAS CHANGED? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT HAS CHANGED ABOUT HASTINGS.
YOU KNOW, I, RIGHT UP UNTIL I RETIRED, I SAW THE SAME KINDS OF PEOPLE MOVING HERE.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT, DO YOU REMEMBER, WHAT DID THEY CALL, THEY HAD A NAME FOR HASTINGS FOR A TIME.
WE WERE CONSIDERED THE NEW BROOKLYN HIP DISTURBIA, OR SOMETHING CRAZY LIKE THAT.
SO I, YOU KNOW, IT STILL HAS THAT SORT OF ARTSY KIND OF VIBE TO IT.
UM, WHICH I, I WISH WE COULD SEE MORE OF MAYBE THAN WE USED TO.
WE USED TO BE MORE VISIBLY ARTISTIC, I THINK, IN WAYS.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE IN THE ARTS LIVING IN HASTINGS, WHETHER IT'S VISUAL ARTS OR WRITING OR WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, EXCUSE ME, SO MANY WRITERS AND, UM, PEOPLE OF ALL KINDS THAT, UM, ADD SUCH VIBRANCY TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK IT'S STILL AS VIBRANT AS IT WAS.
WHEN, AS WHEN YOU WERE WORKING IN, UH, FOR THE VILLAGE, DID YOU DEAL WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT A LOT? YES.
AND CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE, THEIR DOOR WAS RIGHT ACROSS THE HALL.
I'VE NOTICED THE DOORS CLOSED ALL THE TIME.
I MEAN, I, I LOBBIED FOR YEARS TO GET A SIGN OUTSIDE THE BUILDING THAT THIS IS WHERE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS AND NEVER GOT IT.
UH, THERE USED TO BE A LITTLE SIGN WAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS THAT POINTED UP THE POLICE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT DIDN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT NOBODY KNEW WHERE IT WAS.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SORT OF DIFFERENT NOW.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE DAY THE DOORS WERE OPEN AND THERE WAS, I SAW A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH.
I WAS, YOU KNOW, UM, GOOD FRIENDS WITH ALL THE POLICE CHIEFS THAT WE HAD.
AND, UM, I SWORE IN EVERY POLICE OFFICER IT WAS ONE OF MY DUTIES.
UM, IT'S VERY SORT OF SAD TO ME NOW THAT, UM, I DON'T KNOW, AT LEAST HALF THE FORCE, PROBABLY MORE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I USED TO KNOW EVERYBODY AND IT WAS REALLY, UM, YEAH, I, I, I ENJOYED THE, THE POLICE OFFICERS.
I THOUGHT WE HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
ALTHOUGH I ALWAYS, I ALSO ASKED FOR A PANIC BUTTON UNDER MY DESK, AND I NEVER GOT THAT EITHER.
BUT I FIGURED, WELL, THEY'RE RIGHT THERE.
UM, AND WHAT ABOUT, UH, THE EMS AND, AND FIRE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT? YEAH, THOSE ARE JUST AMAZING GUYS AND WOMEN, YOU KNOW.
UM, AND I, I, THEY WERE ALWAYS VERY WELCOMING TO ME AT ANY OF THEIR EVENTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I LOVED DOING THAT.
YOU KNOW, JUST SUPPORTING THEM.
UM, YEAH, THERE, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT NEWER RESIDENTS REALIZE WHAT A SUPPORT AND BACKBONE OF THE VILLAGE, THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE.
UH, ESPECIALLY THE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS PURELY VOLUNTEER.
UM, IT SEEMS TO BE, I DON'T REALLY KNOW.
IT SEEMS TO BE, HAVE ENOUGH OF A STAFF TO SUPPORT IT.
I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE STATISTICS ON IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE REALLY IN NEED OF NEW MEMBERS, BUT I CERTAINLY, UM, IT'S A GREAT PLACE FOR A YOUNGER PERSON WHO MOVES INTO THE COMMUNITY AND WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY IN SOME WAY.
WELL, YOU'VE BEEN A FANTASTIC CONTRIBUTOR TO THE COMMUNITY.
IT HAS BEEN VERY INTERESTING TALKING WITH YOU.