by Marianne Olive
My journey here has come to an end, yet the road ahead for Nyack is only just beginning. The very small voting count (881) in a village with over 7,ooo people clearly tells Nyack that “we have no interest in politics and in the future of Nyack.” Why such a lack of enthusiasm and disinterest? Obama was successful in bringing people out to vote. American idol has more voters than in presidential elections. How can we get our youth, our citizens, our community to take part in decision making in our own Village.
I went door to door, trying to stress the importance of each and every vote, but, by the outcome, it did not work. I challenge the two remaining candidates, Richard and Denise, to set your goals high, to get the voters out by creative encouragement, to take Nyack to new levels of heights, to make it a better place for all of the community. Think about it’s future; the possibilities are endless. We need to move forward into the future and build a viable downtown, a new riverfront, a new gateway. Be tough, be smart, make expedient decisions. Don’t waste time on small petty things that slow down building progress. Work together and get along.
We all worked very hard on this campaign and our efforts did not go by unnoticed. Thank you Marie and Denise and Richard for giving me a good challenge. We should all consider working together, putting aside any political differences or personal grievances. Nyack does not recognize those differences and sometimes you must swallow your pride and move forward together for the good of all. Whoever becomes Mayor has a huge job ahead of them. Give them the help and support they need to do it well.
I have remained on the outside of this political agenda, but will be available for our next Mayor and board. You will find me to be fair, honest and hard working. I really enjoyed the excitement, the knowledge, the enthusiasm I experienced throughout this campaign process. Now I know it’s not over for me. It’s only the beginning…
