Theresa Mohan

Dear friends and neighbors,

 

When I took office as Town Supervisor in January, voters had been clear about what they wanted to see change: greater transparency, more attention to needs that had gone unaddressed, and stronger long-term planning for our community’s future. I also heard something more fundamental. Many residents were not sure what our Town government does, how it differs from our two Villages, or even where to go when they need Town services.

 

That matters because the Town provides important services to residents across both Villages, including the ambulance and emergency medical services, recreation programs, the Town Justice Court, Town Clerk’s office, property assessment, tax collection, and funding our town library. I believed Town government needed not only to work better, but also to be more visible, understandable, and accessible to the people it serves.

 

At the end of my first 100 days, I shared with our community the changes we had already begun — strengthening financial and procurement practices, modernizing Town operations, improving ethics and governance, creating the Sustainability Advisory Board, and taking a more strategic approach to how the Town serves residents.

 

Now, nine months since taking office, we have delivered even more.

 

We have modernized the Town website and upgraded the internal systems we rely on for finance, taxes, communications, and administration. We have strengthened our procurement practices and are committed to competitively bidding significant Town contracts to promote transparency, accountability, and responsible use of taxpayer dollars.

 

Recreation also required immediate attention. After the department ended last year with a significant shortfall, we expanded the Recreation Commission and worked together to strengthen financial oversight, improve operations, and guide the department toward financial stability.

 

We created the Sustainability Advisory Board, which is expected to receive its first grant for a Town-wide tree inventory. We have made the Town’s annual independent audit an integral part of our public governing process and continued working to make Town government more visible, understandable, and accessible to residents.

 

We have also launched a comprehensive Facilities Master Plan to take a hard look at the condition and use of Town-owned buildings — including facilities that have been neglected for too long — and to develop a long-term roadmap for their future. The goal is not simply to produce another study. It is to understand what our buildings need, prioritize investments, improve accessibility, make better use of the spaces we already have, and put Pelham in a stronger position to pursue state, federal, and other grant funding rather than placing the burden on local taxpayers.

 

There is still important work ahead.

 

In the next term, I want to move the Facilities Master Plan from planning to implementation; and to launch a Town-wide strategic planning process that looks not only at our facilities, but also at our services and how Town government can provide greater value to residents. I am also committed to continuing the important work of building a financially sustainable Recreation Department. Together with my fellow Council members, we will also bring Pelham’s civic, nonprofit, school, cultural, environmental, youth, and service organizations together for a Community Summit where we can share our missions, identify opportunities to collaborate, and think creatively about our community’s future.

 

The first 100 days showed what was possible. The months since have shown that we can turn those early changes into real results that benefit our entire Town. I am asking for your support on November 3rd to continue that work — with the same focus on transparency, responsible stewardship, accessibility, and thoughtful planning for Pelham’s future.

 

To learn more about me and the other Democratic Party candidates running for office, please visit the Town of Pelham Democratic Committee website.

 

Sincerely,

 

Theresa

 

Theresa Mohan