Table Turns on Mayor as New Majority Asserts Control: Nursery Field, Rye Golf Issues Challenged

“Good beginnings, bright beginnings, they matter,” said the Rev. Kate Malin of Christ Church Rye during the inauguration of the two new and one returning Councilmembers on January 1st.

The beginning of 2024 was not so bright for Rye Mayor Josh Cohn on Wednesday evening. The new Council majority – Councilmembers Cunningham, Henderson, Jensen and Nathan – swiftly delivered Cohn some of his own medicine, surprising him by filling an empty council seat with their own candidate and reversing some controversial decisions advanced by the Mayor.

Cohn’s Gang of Four (The Mayor, Ben Stacks, Carolina Johnson and Julie Souza) is now a dynamic duo of Cohn and remaining Gang of Four member Julie Souza, who Cohn named Deputy Mayor on Wednesday. After the Mayor presented Luke Walsh an award for meaningful contributions to public life in Rye, the meeting shifted into bitter irony mode:

• NEW COUNCIL MEMBER. First the new majority moved to fill Ben Stack’s empty seat by appointing former City Council member Sara Goddard to fill Stack’s seat until January 1, 2025. The resolution advanced by Councilman Nathan passed with Councilmembers Cunningham, Henderson, Jensen and Nathan voting in favor and Cohn and Souza abstaining (1).
• Second Councilman Henderson made two motions.
  • RYE GOLF FEE REVERSAL. The first was to reverse the Council’s prior approval of 2024 Rye resident fees at Rye Golf Club. The Club had been criticized by Henderson and others for a two tier system where new members are charged more for the same benefit. This motion passed with Councilmembers Cunningham, Henderson, Jensen and Nathan voting in favor and Cohn and Souza against. Details of the required policy reversal must be presented by the Rye Golf Commission at an upcoming Council meeting not later than February 7th.
  • VISIBILITY ON OPERATIONAL PRIORITIES. The second was a resolution for the City Manager Greg Usry to hold a work session to discuss with the council his operational priorities for 2024. This resolution was carried with the support of Councilmembers Cunningham, Henderson, Jensen and Nathan, as well as what appeared to be begrudging support from the Mayor. Souza abstained.
• NURSERY FIELD. Third, Councilman Nathan advanced a temporary two month pause of further preparation of construction plans and spending for Nursery Field to allow for further consideration. This passed with Councilmembers Cunningham, Henderson, Jensen and Nathan voting in favor and Cohn and Souza against.

The new majority has set their 2024 agenda. If the group stays unified, the Mayor and his new deputy will be titular heads only. And someone – maybe Rev. Kate Malin or Mayor John Carey Merit Award winner Luke Walsh – will need to teach our governing body lessons in team and consensus building.

(1) CORRECTION: We had previously reported Souza and the Mayor voted no on Goddard. They abstained on voting for Goddard, saying the group needed more time to consider candidates. Souza had also just unsuccessfully advanced Patrick McGovern as a Councilmember in the same debate.