Letter to the Community: A New Direction for Eastchester
By Niamh Hartnett Merluccio, Candidate for Eastchester Town Board
Sept. 15, 2021: For the first time in 30 years Democrats have a full slate of candidates, for Supervisor and two council seats, running for Eastchester Town Board.
Elections will take place on Nov. 2nd and during early and absentee voting. The Village of Bronxville is a part of the Town of Eastchester. We pay Eastchester taxes, we use Eastchester resources, and we vote in Eastchester elections. We’re calling our slate Eastchester Now, because now is the time for a new direction for Eastchester.
As a Bronxville resident for the past 24 years, I am proud to be one of the candidates for Town Board, alongside Eileen DeLucia, and John Eickemeyer who is our nominee for Supervisor.
Pictured (L-R): DeLucia, Eickemeyer, Merluccio
We are running because we believe that Eastchester deserves a Town Board that takes a 21st Century approach in planning for the future. Under the watch of Town Supervisor Tony Colavita, there has been no town master plan updated for over 24 years – and the existing master plan has been largely ignored. The simple fact is that the present Town administration is responsive only to a small group of political insiders who shut out differing views and whose main goal is to keep it that way.
The Eastchester Now slate wants to bring fresh new ideas that benefit Bronxville and Tuckahoe, starting with five key points:
- Fostering greater citizen participation in addressing local issues.
- Supporting local businesses and revitalizing our town and village centers.
- Launching green initiatives and improving our parks and playing fields.
- Promoting community policing to keep our homes and families safe.
- Developing partnerships between the town and the villages.
This election is particularly important for those of us in Bronxville. Our Village currently has no representation on the Town Board. That means we have no voice in how our tax dollars are spent by the Town. We all learned as children that taxation without representation is wrong. But Eastchester Now offers us the choice to have that voice – and I look forward to being Bronxville’s voice on the Town Board
It’s on all of us to have the difficult yet critical conversation as to where the Town of Eastchester goes next. Are we content with local government that doesn’t think twice about policies riddled with discrimination. A town board that believes that money from Albany comes with strings attached and would rather not fund local initiatives to benefit all the residents of Eastchester. Are we ready for a new chapter in Eastchester, Bronxville, and Tuckahoe – one with a better future for our children and those who live here?
We’ll be working hard until November to earn your support. But we’ll need your help to win this. You can find us at eastchesternow.com to learn more about where we stand, and our vision for a better Eastchester. I’m counting on Bronxville to come out and vote, and Bronxville can count on me.
Editor's note: MyhometownBronxville does not fact-check statements in letters to the editor, and the opinions do not necessarily reflect the thinking of its staff. Its objective in publishing letters to the editor is to give air to diverse thoughts and opinions of residents in the community.
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Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
337-6500
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Police Department
337-0500
Open 24 hours
Bronxville Parking Violations
337-2024
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400
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