Plavchak challenges Pizzuto for Supervisor’s seat in Lloyd

By Mark Reynolds
Posted 10/26/21

In the Town of Lloyd, Dave Plavchak is challenging incumbent Fred Pizzuto for the position of Supervisor.Two council seats are up for grabs (one being vacated by retiring councilwoman Claire Winslow) …

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Plavchak challenges Pizzuto for Supervisor’s seat in Lloyd

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In the Town of Lloyd, Dave Plavchak is challenging incumbent Fred Pizzuto for the position of Supervisor.
Two council seats are up for grabs (one being vacated by retiring councilwoman Claire Winslow) with Republicans John Fraino and incumbent Lenny Auchmoody and Democrats Sal Cuciti and Lisa Green seeking the two seats.

A seat in the Ulster County Legislature for District 10 is being sought by Republican Gina Hansut vs. Democrat Gary Pregno. Republican Mary Beth Maio retired this year after serving in the Legislature for 12 years.

Fred Pizzuto
Democrat Fred Pizzuto is seeking re-election as the Lloyd Town Supervisor. He will be on the A Line/Democratic in November.

Pizzuto said his administration has, “accomplished quite a lot in these last two years and there are still many issues and projects that I would like to see through to the end. After many years the Tillson Avenue realignment project, which has been in the works since 1999, looks like it will be ready to begin this upcoming year along with major water and sewer improvements and overdue safety improvements at that intersection.”

“After passage as Town Law 11 years ago, I have begun the process to address and implement the Affordable Housing law. I will work in conjunction with RUPCO to meet our 10% requirement. We are in the process of restoring the parking lot at 75 Haviland Road with the assistance of a $250,000 grant received through the Walkway Over the Hudson; with that I also started the process to extend the parking lot to the west of 75 Haviland Road towards 9W for some well needed additional parking and would like to see that as well as the Highland Streetscape project through to completion.

Formerly Pizzuto was a Certified Mortgage Banker. In addition he received certification as a Certified Financial Planner from Marist College and spent 4 years as the Dutchess County Deputy Controller. He was also chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee overseeing a $400+Million budget.

“I have served on and chaired both the City of Poughkeepsie and Town of Lloyd Planning Boards and I am proud to say that this will be the second year I have produced a sound budget for the Town of Lloyd, staying under the tax cap and not increasing taxes; this was done without touching the Town’s un-expended fund balance.”

Pizzuto targeted a few issues facing the Town of Lloyd: Installing a long overdue backup generator to the town’s pumping station located at the Hudson River; Constructing a two million gallon water tank at the Town of Lloyd Water Plant to replace the long overdue aging tank; Working with Town of Lloyd engineers to develop a replacement plan for the Highland Water Plant, which is nearing the end of it’s economic life expectancy and Developing a long term repair and replacement plan for the Town’s aging water and sewer infrastructure.

Pizzuto offered his thoughts on present and future development and traffic in Lloyd.

“Some development may have minimal impact on the traffic on Route 9W. Regardless whether those concerned think that increased traffic will cease if we stop development to the Town of Lloyd’s 9W corridor, we all need to be aware that if it isn’t built here, it will built around us (Milton, Marlborough, New Paltz, Esopus/Kingston) due to our prime location and access to the Mid-Hudson Bridge, the Thruway and Kingston. We will still get the increased traffic and then some. If we manage the size of future developments, our tax payers would benefit from developers tax dollars to offset their taxes as opposed to not. But when all is said and done though, the problem is actually in the hands of New York State [Department of Transportation].”

Dave Plavchak
Republican Dave Plavchak is running for the first time for the position of Lloyd Town Supervisor, seeking to unseat incumbent Fred Pizzuto. Plavchak will be on the Republican and Conservative lines, rows B and C, in November and has the endorsements of the Town of Lloyd Republican and Conservative Committees. He has also served 10 years on the Lloyd Planning Board, two of which as Chairman.

“The Town Board meetings are more about political fighting and things do NOT get done. When speaking with Town employees, the morale is very low and various Town Departments do not work together well with the Town Board,” he said. “There is not a clear vision or direction for the Town. I want the residents to be proud of their town and be involved and I can provide the leadership necessary to move the Town forward.”

Plavchak said during his 41 years with IBM, in various Senior Management and Leadership positions, he has been held accountable to achieve tangible results.

“I had to work across many skill disciplines and with diverse groups of people toward common objectives...I obtained fiscal management skills, strategic planning skills, problem-solving skills and I understand how to integrate technology into solutions. I understand how to use analytical data to make decisions and separate facts from opinions. In my career and in my personal life, I am known as a person who possesses the ability to get things done.”

Plavchak worries about future generations financial ability to stay in Lloyd.

“Rising inflation, taxes and the increase in Real Estate prices could eventually make it unaffordable for long time residents,” he said. “This is especially true for seniors who want to downsize and stay in Lloyd and own a single-family smaller house.”

Plavchak said employing smart growth development principles will enable the town to grow the tax base and increase their commercial/retail tax revenues. He would like to revitalize properties that have been sitting idle for years by rewriting and restoring the Adaptive Re-Use law.

Plavchak said the current Supervisor failed to update the Comprehensive Plan during a moratorium that ended up costing taxpayers more than $90,000 in legal fees. He will create a committee to review the current Comprehensive Plan and review zoning changes they recommend.

Plavchak said contracts have expired with Police, Ambulance and the CSEA, and questioned why they have not been renegotiated for two years.

“I will know when contracts are set to expire, and I will have a plan to negotiate. Lastly, keeping our community safe is always important and we need to support our Law Enforcement agencies and help them get what they need to be effective and respected by all,” he said.

Plavchak understands that traffic is a growing problem in the Town of Lloyd, mostly along the Route 9W corridor, “but stopping development totally along the corridor will not fix the problem. We need help from NYS State Department of Transportation along with smart planning to create a better traffic flow along the corridor... I will continue to push for a comprehensive traffic study and solution beyond what we ask developers to do during the SEQRA process.”

Plavchak said the current Supervisor has made “zero progress” toward enforcing the Affordable Housing statutes in the code.

“If you attend Town Board meetings, every time this subject comes up there is another excuse of why nothing has been done,” he said. “Fixing this process and enforcing this code will be one of the issues I plan to work on quickly in 2022.”

Plavchak summed up his reasons for running for Supervisor in Lloyd, where he raised his family and made long-lasting friendships.

“Our town deserves visible and strong leadership who can work with other people and get things done. I will not let political differences or beliefs cloud my thought process and will rely on facts and sound decision-making to do what is best for all,” he said. “I am confident I can make Lloyd a better community and would be honored to serve ALL residents as your Town Supervisor.”

Lenny Auchmoody
Republican Lenny Auchmoody is running for re-election to the Lloyd Town Board. He is also associated with the town’s Conservative Party and will be on lines B and C on the November ballot.

“As a lifelong resident of Highland, I have always tried to give back to the community in which I live,” he said. “I have always been able to get people involved and work together to get things done on various projects. I have always been a team player and been able to get people to work together to accomplish projects and the tasks at hand.”

Auchmoody spoke to key issue facing the town.

“We need to get the Town Board, Planning Board, Zoning Board and the various department heads working together to effectively address and resolve the challenges that face the town on a daily basis. This is essential to move the The Town of Lloyd forward. If we work together, we can be an effective board and make great strides,” he said.

Auchmoody said it is imperative the Town of Lloyd have a plan to deal with future growth.

“If we don’t have a plan for development, our tax base doesn’t grow and we won’t keep up with our current inflation rate of 5.7%,” he said. “The assisted living project on Route 9W has been reduced by 1/3, that results in them paying 33% less in taxes than their original project plan. If we discourage development in the Town of Lloyd, we will lose these projects to neighboring communities and lose the benefit of contributions to our tax base. Traffic to the bridge will continue to be a problem without the benefit of increasing the tax base. Our proximity to the bridge, parks, recreational areas such as the Rail Trail and Walkway make Lloyd a very desirable area for development. How we develop the town smartly is of utmost importance.”

Auchmoody touched on how to provide affordable units in town.

“A few members of the Town Board have met with RUPCO on several occasions to have them make recommendations to the Town Board as how to effectively implement Lloyd’s Affordable Housing law that was passed several years ago. We are waiting for a response from RUPCO,” he said.

Despite all of his world traveling, “I have never found anywhere that I would rather live than Highland. I guess that is the main reason that I have worked so hard for many years, I will continue to work hard so my children and grandchildren can continue to live in Lloyd and enjoy the quality of life that I have had. The Town of Lloyd is a great place to live and raise families.”

Sal Cuciti

Democrat Sal Cuciti is running for a seat on the Lloyd Town Board and will be on the Democratic line on the November ballot.

“This is a great place to live but we are experiencing unprecedented development pressure and we are not ready. Our comprehensive plan was written during the financial crisis but this is not 2013 anymore, the world is radically different. Most of the issues we are going to face in the next ten years, from infrastructure and traffic to taxes and environmental impacts will be affected by the zoning laws,” he said. “I am the only candidate with professional experience and qualifications in this area and I want to use my training and knowledge to help the community.”

Cuciti is a registered architect and is a graduate of the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn where he studied planning, architecture and design.

“I have served on the Lloyd Planning Board for three years and for the past 30 years I have been a project manager for a wide variety of public works and infrastructure projects and I take pride in my work and my ability to communicate with people in a professional manner,” he said.

Cuciti believes zoning is the number one issue facing Lloyd.

“Preserving our quality of life and the scenic beauty of the town is going to require new zoning laws. We have to get some control over the size and density and also build in some green space requirements,” he said, adding that it is critically important to recruit people for the Planning and Zoning boards who will stand up for the values and the town.

Cuciti said he will keep the budget under the tax cap and will seek grants to rebuild the town’s aging water plant, “and will take millions of dollars to rebuild.”

Cuciti said recreation fees that developers pay need to be increased and how the funds are spent must be done in a far more transparent process, with residents giving input on how the funds are allocated.
On the looming traffic increases, Cuciti said lowering the apartment density and/or eliminating apartments along Route 9W would help the problem. He pointed out that traffic reports already show 9W southbound and Chapel Hill Rd eastbound are at Level F of Service and ¼ mile south of that, at the end of Blue Point Road, 800 apartments and town houses have already been approved.

Cuciti noted that in addition to a 130,000 sq/ft newly approved Assisted Living Facility, across from the Bridgeview Plaza, the developer will be proposing 178 cottages in the future.

“The Planning Board, by a vote of 5-2, found no [environmental] impact from that, including no impact to traffic or the more than 400,000 sf of buildings, many of them on steep slopes and all of them sharing one driveway. The way our Planning Board works has to change. As a Councilman I will fight to reduce the impact of over development. This is not to say stop development but the town needs smart development. We already have laws on the books that give us the power and control to manage things but we don’t live up to them.”
Cuciti said the code requires developers of 10 or more units to provide 10% of the total as affordable and Lloyd has not, to date, enforced this part of the code. He would push for an even higher percentage. He would have affordable housing added as a requirement of the site plan approval process.

“As a councilman I will stand up for residents and hold developers accountable,” he promised.

Cuciti favors marijuana dispensaries in town as a source of revenue and as an attraction for tourists. He said if the town board also decides to bring back adaptive reuse zoning with its huge density bonus, “then we have to study and consider how that affects the neighborhoods these projects are in. I also want to look at the zoning for the neighborhood of houses on Vineyard Ave near 9W. We can make that neighborhood beautiful which will enhance the hamlet and we can increase our revenue and our affordable housing stock.”

John Fraino
Republican John Fraino is running for Lloyd Town Councilman. He has the endorsements of the Republican and Conservatives and his name will appear on lines B and C on the ballot in November.

Fraino is running because, “I am dissatisfied with the lack of direction and in-fighting displayed by the current town board members. I am concerned about the low employee morale of town employees and the overall climate within the various departments. I know I can make a difference and improve the effectiveness of our town government.”

Fraino has worked for 41 years with IBM and has held several management positions.

“I have extensive experience with contract negotiations and best value bid selection. My experience as a Human Resource Advisor and Industrial Relations manager has honed my people management skills and enables me to work through difficult employee relations situations,” he said. Fraino touched upon a few key issues presently facing the town.

“I am concerned with our current rising inflation and its impact on the town’s budget and ultimately its impact to our taxpayers. Rising costs are inevitable, the only way to offset them is with service level cuts or by increasing the tax base by development. Obviously service cuts is not the long term solution, we need to have smart growth that does not put additional burdens on the town and school district. How and what we develop is critical...I would request an independent committee review of the Towns 2013 Comprehensive Development Plan and our Zoning laws. Growth of the town is not a bad thing, if it is conducted wisely.”
Fraino acknowledges that rising traffic levels in the Route 9W corridor is a concern.

“Ceasing development in Lloyd does not solve that problem, developers will find places to develop outside the borders of Lloyd and people will continue to drive through our town to access the river crossing,” he said. “Not only would traffic continue to be a problem but we have lost the tax revenue to neighboring towns. As I said earlier, we need to revise our comprehensive plan and zoning laws to encourage development in those corridors that increases our tax base with minimal impact to our residents.”

Fraino said two years ago a building moratorium not only cost $90,000 in legal fees, “but did not resolve any of the traffic or development concerns. I would lobby the NYS Department of Transportation to complete a comprehensive traffic study of the 9W corridor and the heavily traveled routes leading to it.” developers to provide portions of their projects for affordable housing.

Fraino said he would advocate to establish Affordable Housing in Lloyd.

“I would insist that any proposed projects meet the affordable housing criteria prior to being approved by the planning and town boards,” he said. “We need to ensure that the planning board and building inspector have well defined criteria that would make sure that all affordable housing laws are being complied with. The town should also have the ability to withhold issuance of approvals or Certificate of Occupancy if these requirements are not met...More regulation is not the answer, we need to ensure our town agencies have the legal authority to enforce existing laws.”

Fraino summed up his present outlook on running for office.

“At this stage of my life, I want to assure that the residents who choose to live in Lloyd may continue to afford to live here and enjoy the same or better quality of life that I have,” he said. “I would be honored to serve all residents of the Town of Lloyd, regardless of their political affiliation. I am confident that I have the experience and skills necessary to improve the performance of the Town Board.


Lisa Green

Democrat Lisa Green is running for the Lloyd Town Board and her name will appear on the Democrat line in November. She has received the endorsement of Eleanor’s List, an organization supporting pro-choice women who are running for office in New York State.

“Lloyd needs a fresh perspective on the Town Board. I love this town and believe I can help guide it to a bright and safe future,” she said.

Green is a lawyer, a 4 H volunteer and a mother.

“I care about our community and thanks to my law degree, I can review documents and ask questions to make sure we are following the law and holding developers to their obligations,” she said, adding. “I get along well with others and abhor petty personal fights.”

Green identified three important issues facing the town.

“Balancing inevitable development, both commercial and residential, with protecting our uniquely beautiful environment; finding opportunities to take full advantage of the Walkway Over the Hudson and building up Main Street as a haven for locals and visitors,” she said.

Concerning over-development and increased traffic in the Route 9W corridor, Green wants to review the town’s legal options, while consulting with the town’s attorney and working closely with the Zoning and Planning Boards to identify possible solutions.

“That said, I believe additional development along Route 9W is inevitable. We cannot pass up opportunities to build housing and attract businesses on that route, so we must find a sensible balance between necessary growth and tax revenue and maintaining reasonable traffic on our main corridor,” she said.

Green said she would review the Affordable Housing statute in the town code and then evaluate proposed developments to see, “whether the code covers them or allows for exceptions. On a broader level, I support efforts for affordable housing; I understand why families and adults want to live here and I don’t want them foreclosed from a comfortable life when the law and a concerted effort by elected officials and developers may make affordable housing a possibility.”

Green concluded her remarks, saying she hopes her neighbors, “recognize that every institution, including our Town Board, benefits from fresh perspectives and members who are willing to work graciously together for the common good.”


Wendy Rosinski
Democrat Wendy Rosinski is seeking re-election as the Lloyd Town Clerk. She has received the Republican and Conservative endorsements and will be on the Democrat, Republican and Conservative lines on the November ballot.

Rosinski served as Secretary to the Town Supervisor from 2008-2011; Deputy Town Clerk 2017-2019; Town Clerk 2019-2021; is a member of the Town of Lloyd Events Committee, Recreation Commission and PTA and is a former business owner.

“I enjoy working with the public and serving my community. I feel it is very important to be involved, whether it is volunteering or serving on a board or committee. I have served my community in some capacity since I moved to Highland 37 years ago. I have always been interested in the workings of the Town and truly enjoy being a part of it. My duties far exceed what the public actually sees and it makes the job very interesting and diverse. In the last two years as Town Clerk, I have made many positive changes and upgrades to the way the Clerk’s office operates. These changes are for the purpose of serving our residents, as well as non-residents, more efficiently.”

Due to Rosinski’s leadership and innovations there are now three Notaries in her office, which means a Notary is always available when the office is open. Her office now takes credit cards and e-checks for all transactions: water/sewer payments, town taxes and hunting licenses.

“I am committed to being a provider of reliable information and courteous, competent and efficient service,” she said. “My office is dedicated to the careful preservation of the Town’s official records, vital records and historical documents for the benefit of not only the current population, but also for future generations.”
Terry B. Elia

Republican Terry B. Elia is seeking re-election to the position of Lloyd Town Justice. He will be on the Republican, Democrat and Conservative lines in November. He has been on the bench since March 19, 1998
“When I served in the Military Police our motto was ‘of the troops and for the troops’ and as your Town Justice my motto is, ‘of the people and for the people’”.


Herb Litts
Republican Herb Litts is running for re-election to the Ulster County Legislature in District 9. He is on the Republican and Conservative lines on the November ballot and has the Conservative endorsement. He has served his town and county for the past 44 years.

Litts succinctly summed up his reason for running: for fiscal responsibility for County Government and he also favors smart growth.

Litts said although the issue of traffic in the Route 9W corridor is outside of his Legislative district, he noted that, “by working with the NYS Department of Transportation and the developers, solutions to each and every problem can be resolved with an acceptable level of service.”

Litts said there is no reason why developers cannot meet the requirements of the town code concerning the Affordable Housing stipulations.

Litts concluded by stating a core political belief.

“We need to keep control of our local government and not follow the irresponsibility and bureaucracy of State and Federal Government,” he said.


Gina E. Hansut

Republican Gina E. Hansut is running for the Ulster County Legislature in District 10. She will be on the Republican and Conservative lines on the November ballot. Though this is her first time seeking elected office, “I come from a long line of public service in my family and I wish to continue that tradition. I think public service is a calling and I wish to help others through this position.”

Hansut has worked on elections her entire life.

“I understand the position of what a County Legislator does and the responsibilities that go along with it,” she said. “I have attended many legislative meetings over the years and I am dedicated to community activities and organizations.”

Hansut noted that District 10 covers the Town of Marlborough and parts of Highland.

“I feel that the fact that I live in Highland and have worked in the Marlboro school system for nearly 20 years makes me the ideal representative for this position. I feel I have the pulse of both towns.”

Hansut said if elected, she will be working on county issues.

“The top issues of concern are Law Enforcement, social issues such as securing more mental health resources for our residents and Covid-19 and its impact on our communities and how to go forward with the knowledge we have learned,” she said.

“Housing for all the residents of our county is also an issue of concern.”

Hansut said providing more training opportunities, more funding and addressing police reform for Law Enforcement, which she believes is critically important in keeping our towns safe.

Hansut said Ulster County has, “incredible and respected police departments but we need to address the cutbacks to our mental health programs and see the new mental health center through, which is wonderful news.”

Hansut said she will be an advocate for Affordable Housing and economic growth, adding that, “I am always eager to learn and grow as a person and public official.”

Hansut said she will put a spotlight on tourism here in the southern section of the county.

“I believe in our government and the process, I am extremely excited as we take our county forward and would be very honored to represent our district in Kingston.”

Gary Pregno
Democrat Gary Pregno is running for the Ulster County Legislature in District 10, which contains the Town of Lloyd voting districts of 2, 3, 4 and 5 and voting district 6 in Milton. His name will appear on the Democratic line on the ballot.

Pregno has received the endorsements of the Ulster County Democrats; Town of Lloyd Democrats; C.S.E.A. Local 1000 AFSCME, AFL-CIO.

“It has always been my aspiration to bring information from the County to the Town of Lloyd all the benefits and items pertinent to the residents of Lloyd,” he said.

Pregno has answered the call when volunteers were needed.

“I have been President of Bridgeview, Chairman of the Town of Lloyd Democrats and for the last 12 years a member of the Town of Lloyd Economic Development Committee,” he said.

Pregno highlighted a few key issues facing Lloyd, especially, “ bringing tourism from the walkway to our businesses, the hamlet downtown needs a face lift and Lloyd’s Master Plan needs to be overhauled in order to set a direction for the town in the future. We already have brochures that I deliver to the walkway kiosk. The businesses could use structural appearance face-lifts and this could be accomplished through possible grants.”

Pregno said that due to the proximity to the Town of Lloyd with Milton, “I’d like to work to bring their parks and trails in conjunction with ours. Also we both have parks that allow large boats. We have the Bob Shepard and they have the deep water dock in Milton. Both are great for attracting tourists to town.”