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Candidate Profiles for Mayor |
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Written by Jeff Radford
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Saturday, 11 February 2006 |
Phil Gasteyer
After eight years on the Corrales Planning and Zoning Commission,
including overlapping years on the Far Northwest Sector Plan task
force, Phil Gasteyer stepped down from that board last spring and
announced he would run for mayor.
The retired attorney played a crucial role on the P&Z board for
much of the past decade, not just because he chaired it for three
years, but because he was almost always the commissioner who
formulated motions for approval or denial —carefully and legally.
“I’m a good listener, I’m thorough and cautious —and I reach decisions,” he explained in his interview.
Gasteyer has mostly stayed out of the debate over Corrales’ sewer future, but says he favors:
• a pathways along Corrales Road in the “downtown” area;
• updating the Zoning Ordinance with provisions for historic preservation;
• extension of impact fees throughout the village to pay for roads, drainage and other infrastructure to serve new developments;
• diverting the governor’s proposed regional trail along the Corrales Main Canal and not through the bosque nature preserve;
• better, safer walking and bike routes for children to and from schools;
• attracting service-oriented businesses in the commercial district such as a pharmacy, insurance agencies, doctors and lawyers;
• an internal trail network for hikers and horse and bike riders; and
• districted elections, possibly with a system that allows village-wide voting on all candidates.
“I don’t have a yes or no answer on the idea of running a
large-diameter sewer line to Albuquerque,” Gasteyer said. “But I will
say it’s a shame that we’re stalling and delaying a decision on that
issue.
“If I’m elected mayor, I’ll push for a result.”
Born in a suburb of Chicago and raised in rural Indiana, Gasteyer says
he’s a child of the Depression. He admits that made him “a bit of a
frugal person.” His mother was a school principal and special ed
teacher; his father was an engineer with U.S. Steel.
He graduated from the University of Chicago with a pre-law degree in 1960
But law school had to wait since he was drafted into the Army during
the “Berlin Crisis” of 1960-61. He left active duty in 1962 but
continued as an Army intelligence officer on inactive status until 1967.
Recently married at that time, he and his wife (Corrales ceramic artist
Mariana Roumell-Gasteyer) taught in public schools in the
Washington DC area. He taught sixth grade physics and chemistry.
In 1966, referred by a soldier buddy, Gasteyer went to work as a DC legislative assistant to Oregon Congressman Al Ullman.
Gasteyer’s reports for the congressman’s work on the House Ways and
Means Committee attracted the attention of people in the news business;
he was hired as finance and business reporter for Newhouse publications.
He entered law school (Catholic University in DC) in 1969 taking night
courses while he worked full time. By the time he had his law degree in
1972, he was employed by the U.S. League of Savings Associations, which
represented the nation’s savings and loan institutions in the nation’s
capital. He remained with that organization (through a variety of name
changes and the S&L collapse of the late 1980s) until he retired in
1995.
For 20 years of that career, Gasteyer was in a senior management
position, as executive vice-president and then as general counsel,
representing about 4,500 institutions. He was the number two executive
for the DC office with more than 60 employees including attorneys,
economists, researchers, lobbyists and support staff.
Gasteyer feels that managerial experience will be useful in running Village government.
“I’ve chaired hundreds of meetings, and been a public speaker at
conventions all over the country,” he explained. “I offer the services
of an experienced executive and manager who is available for full-time
civic service.”
He pointed out that the other two candidates for mayor are at mid-career in their own businesses.
“I have lots of experience is using management and mediation skills, in
a business setting, which could be useful here primarily in getting
people to play on the same team.”
Gasteyer was called in several times by Mayor Gary Kanin to serve on
selection committees to choose among several applicants for key Village
staff positions. He helped choose the current Village Administrator,
Nora Scherzinger, for example, and feels she is doing a superb job.
Gasteyer says what Corrales needs now is to “re-connect.”
“We need to do a better job of re-connecting in several areas. We need
to re-connect our citizens who live in the sandhills and those who live
in the traditional irrigated part of Corrales and around the bosque.
“We need to re-connect with the other governmental units around us...
Rio Rancho, Albuquerque, the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District,
the highway department.
“And we need to do some re-connecting between the executive branch of
our government and the legislative branch... in other words, how the
mayor and the council work together to address the challenges the
Village is going to confront.
“So if I had to put a single word to all of this, I’d say it’s to ‘re-connect.’”
He feels Corrales has an extraordinary resource in its talented
residents to tackle challenges. “It’s really impressive how much
volunteer expertise we can call upon.”
For example, among our residents are people with expertise in traffic
calming. “Transportation flow and traffic safety are major problems for
Corrales,” the attorney pointed out. “There may be some things to
improve the situation on Corrales Road that we haven’t tried yet. There
are modern techniques in calming traffic and keeping it moving smoothly.
“I don’t dismiss out of hand the need for blinking yellow caution
lights or a stop-and-go during a portion of the day at certain problem
areas like Meadowlark, West Ella and Camino de Lucia.” Gasteyer said he
was not necessarily opposed to a stop light at Corrales Road and
Meadowlark Lane, “if competent professionals tell us that’s the way to
move traffic more safely and efficiently. But signals may only be
needed for a portion of the week or a portion of a day. We manage to
live with the ones we have around the elementary school.”
It’s the same principle, he said.
“We also have to make an effort to improve safety for pedestrians and
school children along the road,” and not just at Corrales Elementary.”
Gasteyer hopes that a fresh face in the mayor’s slot may improve
cooperation from the highway department to get better access through
the Alameda-528 intersection.
That could also help in gaining access to Highway 528 at Rio Rancho’s
Northern Boulevard, he said. “It’s time to take another stab at it.”
Gasteyer said he’s not a fan of speed bumps, but wouldn’t try to get
those on Meadowlark removed. “I have voted against speed bumps every
time they have been suggested for our own road,” he pointed out. “On
the other hand, I appreciate the fact that residents along Meadowlark
report a marked reduction in short-cutting traffic from Rio Rancho as a
result of the speed humps there.
“But where there are collector roads, like Meadowlark and Loma Larga,
we need to be attentive to the transportation needs of the over-all
community. I’m also aware that the fire chief keeps his fingers crossed
hoping the water tanker doesn’t break down when they go over speed
bumps to get to an emergency.”
Asked if he supports the aborted “pathways” project along Corrales
Road, he replied, “Very much so! The pathways project, and if we can
somehow or other acquire some land for it, for visitor parking
along our gallery area would be definite positive for life in our
village.”
Gasteyer is hopeful that coming recommendations for architectural
controls in the downtown area will be implemented. “I’m excited about
the work of Mary Davis’ committee which will preserve the architectural
integrity of traditional Corrales through a variety of steps.”
In his interview, Gasteyer declined to contrast his candidacy to others
running for mayor. But, he pointed out, “I can work harmoniously with
six of the eight candidates who are running for Village Council.”
Ben Schwartz
With his four-year term on the Village Council expiring, Ben Schwartz
has opted to run for mayor rather than seek re-election to the council.
He criticized, challenged and battled Mayor Gary Kanin and his key
administrators from the outset of his council term in 2002. Schwartz
alleged improper budgetary practices, heavy-handed relations with
councillors and lack of transparency in Village affairs. Early on in
his council term, Schwartz said he wanted to run for mayor.
Kanin is not seeking re-election as mayor, but is running for a seat on
the council instead. So Schwartz is vying with Phil Gasteyer and
Lyle Losack for the mayor’s position.
Schwartz vows to bring accountability and openness to Village
government if he’s elected. “I think it’s very important to finish the
job of getting our finances in order. That’s something our Village
Administrator has very courageously brought forward. She told us the
Village is $800,000 in reimbursements that had not been applied for. I
really want to know where all the money is and how we’re financing
government and how we plan to do it in the future.
“I’d like to create an atmosphere that is friendly and business-like in
dealing with the public. Very much on my mind is having a planning and
zoning process that is clearly understood by all and is fair in the way
it operates.”
Schwartz was asked whether he feels the P&Z process has not
operated that way in the past. “We’ve now got a top-notch building
inspector and we’re able to deal with the enforcement in a better
fashion. Many of the complaints among villagers is the impossibility of
enforcing regulations like noise. I’d like to see that process
completed.”
He has heard reports that the P&Z office has “been somewhat unresponsive” to residents’ complaints.
Among his proposed initiatives if elected mayor, Schwartz includes:
• a right-to-farm ordinance that protects villagers’ right to have livestock;
• establishing a no-kill animal shelter;
• installing a system of fire hydrants, fed by large, buried tanks of water at strategic points along the escarpment;
• expand offerings at the rec center; and
• establish better relations with governmental entities such as Rio
Rancho and Albuquerque, while insisting on Corrales’ independence and
separate identity.
Given animosities between councillors and the mayor in recent years,
Schwartz was asked whether he would fill the mayor’s role differently.
He replied: “Very much so. I would remove the drama from the council
meetings. We will have a community-oriented but business-like meeting
where we will deal with the issues in an information-based way. We will
engage councillors in constructive debate. That would be a big change
from the past.”
He added: “I pledge that I will follow the direction set by the
council. I do not believe that has been the case while Gary has been
mayor. Once the council speaks, it’s the mayor’s duty to implement the
directives of the council.”
Schwartz came to Corrales and set up his Corrales Garden Nursery
business in 1998. He moved here from a rural community in upstate New
York where he served two elective terms as assessor. He also
established two growers’ markets in that area. Among other retail
sites, he and his wife sold cut flowers at the World Trade Center in
Manhattan.
He was raised in the Catskills Mountains where farming was the economic
base. Attending Washington and Lee University in Lexington,
Virginia on a National Merit Associate Scholarship, he graduated with a
degree in English in 1969.
Schwartz returned to upstate New York to begin building custom homes.
He farmed on the side, and then in 1990, he and his wife went into
agriculture full-time, growing and delivering flowers and plants to a
wide distribution area.
After moving here, they joined the Corrales, Los Ranchos and Santa Fe
growers’ markets. Recently, he has worked with Santa Fe market
organizers to plan its move to a new site in the rail yard area.
Schwartz lists the following as his major accomplishments during his
term on the council. “Working with the Farmland Preservation Committee
to pass the farmland bonds was a big one,” he noted. “I think I did an
exceptional service in saving Casa San Ysidro Museum” by
initiating contact with Albuquerque City Councillor Miguel Gomez whose
effort over-turned Mayor Martin Chavez’s plan to dismantle and
remove the collection at the branch museum next to the Old Church.
“I was also the first councillor to publicly oppose the plan to pave a trail through the Corrales bosque.”
He said his leadership moved Corrales’ proposed development impact fee
program to completion, thereby saving taxpayers a considerable sum by
getting developers to pay for necessary off-site infrastructure in the
Far Northwest Sector such as roads, bridges and drainage works.
He also pointed to his initiative to purchase and install a new
recording and internet streaming system for Village Council meetings.
“I think that has the potential to greatly increase public
participation in the process of Village government.”
Perhaps most importantly, he forced a re-consideration of plans to
start a municipal sewer system for the “downtown” area that sent waste
water to Albuquerque’s sewers. He insisted that the mayor and Village
Engineer had not seriously considered alternative treatment methods
that would return waste water to the aquifer for re-use.
Largely through Schwartz’s efforts, the Village adopted a well water
monitoring program and is investigating whether to start a septic tan k
pumping program.
Although he has adamantly opposed what he calls “the big pipe” sewer
solution, Schwartz said he would respect and implement the Village
Council’s decision if it favored that approach. “It’s the mayor’s role
to carry out the council’s wishes. That’s the law.”
He expects a bond proposal to pay for some kind of waste water project be presented for voter approval within two years.
Schwartz promised he would let dissenting opinions be expressed at
public meetings, but “would not allow personal comments in the
Corraleños Forum” portion of council meetings.
Schwartz said the citizenry is demanding a Village government “that is
fully functional and can reach decisions. He expects a decision on the
sewer controversy “rather quickly” after the March 7 election.
He said he favors increasing the speed limit on Loma Larga to 30 miles
an hour south of Meadowlark Lane, but he makes no apologies for his
votes to install the series of speed humps on Meadowlark Lane. “It was
a reasonable response to a neighborhood problem.”
He knows that opponents will attack him for his votes against the skate
park. But he says he will support the project. “As mayor, I would
expedite the funding for the skate park, and I will ask that $20,000 in
Village funds be given to the skate park. I would not put the funding
of any other projects ahead of it.
“The concerns I brought up some years ago about maintenance and
supervision are real, but I also believe Corrales parents will ensure
that it is a safe and healthy environment.”
Schwartz said he is in favor of a pathway along Corrales Road. “I have
always been in favor of it. I think it’s a great thing.” But, he
cautioned, donations of private property will almost certainly be
necessary.” He faulted Mayor Kanin for allowing the project to more
forward for council debate before the property issues were resolved.
“The mayor should have the bugs worked out on a project like that
before it is brought in for extensive debate.”
Schwartz summed up by saying Corrales “needs a mayor who can promote
open debate, and bring the council to conclusions that are reasonable
based on really accurate information. We need a mayor who can lead
Corrales toward defining our own destiny.” |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 26 June 2006 )
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