LETTER: Richard Mecca’s Shoes

In a letter to MyRye.com, former Rye City Democratic Committee Chair Meg Cameron talks about who she thinks should fill Richard Mecca’s shoes in the upcoming Rye City Council election on Tuesday, November 8th.

GOP nominee Matt Fahey and Dem nominee Lori Fontanes are running to serve the final year of Richard Mecca’s four year council term. Emily Hurd has been serving since January after Mecca resigned for health reasons. Mecca passed away in the spring.

By Meg Cameron:

A while back, I had coffee with Matt Fahey and grilled him about his views. What I heard convinced me that he’d be a great addition to the Rye City Council.

As a former Council member, and a sailor who loves the Long Island Sound, Matt has a detailed grasp of Rye’s environmental issues from harbor silting to flooding.
Moreover, knows it’s imperative to update our zoning laws and green our energy sources.

Matt is a firm advocate of fiscal responsibility, without going so far as to be penny-wise, pound foolish. This is no surprise: on the City Council he consistently stood up for fiscal discipline and transparency. He has also served on the City’s Finance Committee. For what it’s worth, his positions on big-picture issues seem eminently reasonable to this life-long Democrat. More relevant to a local election, he’s committed to a nonpartisan approach to Rye’s issues.

The last point is crucial. Every effective Councilmember takes a nonpartisan approach to local government. Richard Mecca is a great example. He was the lone Republican on the City Council. His colleagues appreciated his deep knowledge of Rye, his skill as a temper-calmer and consensus builder, his common sense, and his great dedication. By the time illness forced him from office, he was loved by the rest of the Council. His shoes will be hard to fill.

Matt is running to serve out the remaining year of Richard’s term. I think he would be a worthy successor.