Letters to the Editor May 23

Yes, the Lawler coverage was fair

To the Editor:

It’s unclear what meeting Alexander Goldfarb was thinking about when his letter to the editor complained that the May 4 Town Hall meeting for Congressman Mike Lawlor was unfairly portrayed by this newspaper. I was there and, as far as I could see, the portrayal was accurate. It’s fair to say that at least 80 percent of the audience was unhappy — or as The Recorder said, “disenchanted” — with the congressman. In fact, such reaction was expected. That’s why GOP leaders told members of their caucus not to hold these meetings.

So, why did Mike Lawler do it? Why did he hold this meeting knowing how attendees would react? Because he wants to be seen as bipartisan. Unfortunately, he’s not. As a young man with a potentially bright political career ahead of him, he dares not block the will of the Republican-led House of Representatives. Oh, maybe he’ll challenge them here and there, but in the end, he’ll go along to get along. 

Roger Savitt Bedford

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Rabies vaccine necessary for indoor cats, too

To the Editor:

Regarding the “Health Alert: Stray cat from Katonah died of rabies” appearing May 16, 2025.

This health alert reminds us that New York state law requires dogs, cats and ferrets be vaccinated against rabies. It should be further stressed that indoor-only cats be vaccinated as well as those venturing outside.

The purpose of vaccination is not solely to protect the animal but to protect the humans who interact with them.

There are various free and low-cost rabies vaccine options available in Westchester County. The Westchester County Department of Health offers a few free vaccine clinics per year and are an excellent resource for rabies information.

Judith Mason, DVM Katonah

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Property owner says his good news on PFAS became twisted

To the Editor:

I’m writing in response to the letter published in last week’s paper that somehow managed to twist my family’s good news about our water quality report into something negative. (“Pound Ridge writer takes issue with headline on PFAS letter,” May 16.)

First, I did not draft the headline the author took offense to. More importantly, I am not opposed to public water. What I do oppose is being forced into a costly water project that does nothing to benefit my property — a situation shared by many fellow property owners in the proposed district.The author’s assertion that public water is a silver bullet to PFAS contamination is simply not backed by the facts. The Aquarion Water Company, from which Pound Ridge would be purchasing its water, has been the subject of class-action lawsuits, including one currently pending, Vincent v. Aquarion Water Company. The litigation alleges that Aquarion knowingly provided PFAS-contaminated drinking water above the 10 parts per trillion limit, putting public health at risk.As Ian Sloss, a partner at Silver Golub & Teitell — the firm representing affected residents — stated: “Instead of removing these harmful chemicals, Connecticut Water and Aquarion have chosen to pass on PFAS-contaminated water to their customers, putting the health of hundreds of thousands of people at risk and contaminating their bodies and their property.”How can we trust this same company to provide consistently safe drinking water to Pound Ridge? The reality is that even with public water, we would still need an additional layer of protection in place, such as the reverse osmosis filtration system that my family has already invested in and has been proven to remove PFAS to non-detectable levels at our property. Yes, the science around PFAS and its public health impacts are still evolving. But so are the technological solutions, many of which are already working effectively. It’s shortsighted to impose a blanket infrastructure plan when more flexible, efficient solutions are available today.What’s also missing in the town’s plan is any real attempt to address the root causes of PFAS contamination and to educate residents on how to prevent further contamination. We need a plan that is scientifically sound, fiscally responsible, and democratically inclusive. 

Scott Fernqvist Pound Ridge

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Palladino: ‘Henry Ford would have hated Bedford’

To the Editor:

Henry Ford would hate Bedford. Not because of Bedford 2030’s outsized influence on local government that would make his gasoline-powered vehicles the scourge of the town — but because of this town’s inability to follow his simple philosophy: The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.

What better example is there of a failure to learn from past errors than the town board’s recent decision to repost the Bedford promoter position barely revised — after two years of zero measurable success by the town’s first promoter.

Calling it a “new” job description is generous. It’s nearly identical to the 2022 version, with one notable change: the promoter must now speak Spanish. Does anyone think the absence of foreign language skills was the reason the first promoter hired by the town board was an abject failure?

Even more concerning is that the job still centers on events, partnerships and hype, instead of a data-driven process that focuses on quantifying and analyzing the causes of Bedford Hills’ struggling business district, developing measurable goals, and creating actionable strategies to achieve the vision. 

Bedford Hills doesn’t lack charm, creativity, or community spirit. What it lacks is businesses. And no amount of lawn signs or pop-up events can fill empty storefronts. What we need is targeted, on-the-ground engagement with the hamlet stakeholders:

— Why are commercial spaces sitting empty?

— Why are businesses passing on Bedford Hills?

— What barriers exist to opening or staying here?

— What incentives, or disincentives, are shaping those decisions?

Until we ask these questions and build solutions based on the answers, we’re just repeating the same mistakes and are bound to suffer the same result.

The town board members appear content (again) to hand off their responsibility for hamlet revitalization to a consultant, spend taxpayer dollars without implementing metrics for success, and simply hope for the best when it comes to Bedford Hills.

And with no challengers to these elected officials on the ballot this fall, Bedford’s residents will pay the price for these unlearned lessons.

Michael Palladino Bedford