Today meet city council candidate Maria Tufvesson Shuck.
Fall is underway, and that means elections are around the corner. The election will be on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, with early voting from Saturday, October 25, 2025 through Sunday, November 2, 2025. Our local early voting center is Resurrection’s Early Childhood Education Center at 88 Milton Road. You can find your election day voting location online.
In the City of Rye, there are active races for mayor and for three city council seats. Mayor Josh Cohn is ending two terms as mayor. Keith Cunningham, Jamie Jensen and Josh Nathan remain on the council with terms expiring December 31, 2027 (Nathan is running for mayor).
Bill Henderson, Julie Souza and James Ward have council terms expiring this December 31st (Henderson is running for mayor and Ward is running for council reelection).
Running for Mayor:
Bill Henderson (GOP)
Josh Nathan (Dem)
Rick McCabe (Ind)
Running for City Council:
Marion Anderson (Dem)
James Fee (GOP)
Robin Jovanovich (GOP)
Amy Kesavan (Dem)
Maria Shuck (GOP)
James Ward (Dem)
Now here is our MyRye.com interview with city council candidate Maria Tufvesson Shuck.
Your Name: Maria Tufvesson Shuck
Running for: Rye City Council
MyRye.com: Why are you running for Rye City Council?
Shuck: I am running for Rye City Council because I believe my education and life experiences together with my energy and can-do attitude will be an asset for all in Rye if I were to be elected to serve. This is my first time running.
Why are you running for Rye City Council now?
Shuck: I recently retired after 35 years as a lawyer in private practice with a large law firm. I have lots of energy to devote to new causes and I have been a keen observer of the Rye City Council and its workings over the last couple of years. I have been involved in the background, counseling City Council members about some Rye City issues over the last few years, in particular relating to Rock Chipping and Nursery Field. I was honored to be asked by Bill Henderson to join his ticket even though I was a registered Democrat. And once I understood that Robin Jovanovich and James Fee were also considering teaming up with Bill, I was all in. I believe our ticket has the experience and dedication to do what is right for all in Rye.
What is your party affiliation?
Shuck: Democratic party/Independent.
Please summarize your public service experience and contributions.
Shuck:
- Current Chairman and President of Lund University Foundation
- Former Chairman of the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce in New York; Chairman of the Search Committee for new President; Currently and since ten years on the Audit Committee
- Several Bar Association Committees in New York
- Law Clerk Stockholm Sweden: 1985-1987
Describe your core base of electoral support.
Shuck: Everyone in Rye who cares about Rye and does not care about political labels and political allegiances.
Opportunities and Cost Containment
What are the three biggest opportunities / challenges facing the City of Rye over the next 3-5 years?
Shuck:
- Flooding problems relating to the Blind Brook and the Beaver Swamp Brook. We must move forward faster to show actual results in solving this complex problem.
- Residential neighborhood as well as commercial district development. We need a new Master Plan so that we can continue to develop the Rye we have all come to love and not compromise our friendly neighborhoods and wonderful downtown.
- Repaving and cleaning up our roads and parking lots and other public spaces. We should work closely with the downtown business community, the Rye Garden Club and other volunteers to support the wonderful job they do in keeping our downtown and other areas decorated and festive. We should also explore what can be done with the empty lot by the Firehouse in the middle of town.
What is new about these opportunities and challenges in the last 12 months?
Shuck: It seems to me that both private and commercial development has increased and with that comes impact to existing dwellings and establishments as well as overall neighborhood cohesion.
What are the three biggest areas for cost containment with the City of Rye over the next 3-5 years?
Shuck:
- Stringent budgeting, strict monitoring of contractors and timely execution of our upcoming major capital infrastructure projects such as the mandated renovations of our existing courthouse and the updating of our public works structures at Disbrow Park, as well as Rye Golf Club’s pool renovation.
- Coordination with utility companies to optimize the dollars we spend on repaving our streets and parking lots. Pave once and save twice!
- Technology improvements; including digitalization of administrative processes.
City Management
Describe how you see the role of Rye’s City manager and her or his relationship with the City Council. Pick a. or b. and add any further explanation on the roles and responsibilities of the mayor, council members, city manager and how they interact.
Pick one:
- A: The city manager form of government: the council acts as a legislative body, responsible for setting policies, passing laws, and approving the budget. One member of the council often serves as mayor and the mayor’s role is usually ceremonial or limited in executive power. The city manager serves as the chief executive officer of the city.
- B: The mayor-Council form of government: power is divided between an elected mayor and an elected city Council. The mayor serves as the chief executive officer of the city.
Shuck: a. The city manager form of government: The Council should act as a legislative body, responsible for setting policies, passing laws, and approving the budget, while the city manager serves as the chief executive officer of Rye. The mayor should act as the Chairman of the Council, making sure that all Council members are heard and given the right to input. The Chairman should not have any kind of veto right or “superpower”. The mayor’s role is to be a leader of the City Council, to make the Council as effective as possible and to encourage open and full public discourse both within the Council and between the Council and the public.
The City of Rye has been without a permanent city manager since the end of March. Indicate yes or no on the following statements.
Shuck:
| Issue | Yes or No |
| The city is generally good at succession planning | I don’t have any relevant
information on this. |
| The current city manager search has taken too long. | I don’t have any relevant inside information on why it is taking so long. But it seems to me that we should be able to appoint someone soon. |
| A new permanent city manager should be in place by or before the fall election. | That would be good. |
Comprehensive Planning and Land Use
The city is finally taking steps to update its comprehensive (fka master) plan that dates back to 1985 and is in the process of selecting an external consultant to help develop the plan. How would you explain what this process is and why it is important to a fifth grader?
Shuck: This is a long-range planning exercise that results in a planning document to guide the current and future City Councils. It is not law but rather long-term guidance.
The process would likely start by hiring consultants to manage the project and such consultants would then solicit input from various experts and stakeholders.
I suggest that not only our commissions, committees and consultants are given the opportunity to have input, but that we also have town hall meetings where all residents of the city of Rye should be welcome to address the City Council, the committees, commissions and consultants.
The issues to be addressed are: zoning, future land use, commercial and residential development, public buildings and facilities, conservation and sustainability, flood mitigation, preservation of our green spaces, Rye Golf Club, public safety, traffic, bike and pedestrian safety, etc.
Land use and the control of development has been raised as an issue in Rye, fueled by a variety of concerns including flood control, rock chipping and the development of flag lots. Should more be done to bring transparency and control to land use decisions in Rye? If so, what are three of the top recommendations you would make?
Shuck: The Planning Commission, Board of Architectural Review and Zoning Board of Appeals are comprised of volunteers with the relevant expertise. Their hearings, agendas and minutes are available to the public and their proceedings are open to the public. There may be opportunities to further increase transparency, such as having the meetings telecast.
What benchmarks and data could the City publish on a routine, ongoing basis that could help residents understand the state of land use in the City?
Shuck: If there is an efficient and inexpensive way using statistical tools to summarize percentages of variations granted under Rye’s zoning and building controls, that is something that the City should consider providing to the public. I also believe that we should have a more transparent appointment process to the various committees and commissions we have so that those who are interested to serve know how to show their interest and where to turn.
Larger Development Plans
What are your current views on the development plan for the former United Hospital site just over the Rye City line in Port Chester? And what should the City be doing to represent its interests?
Shuck: I believe in collaboration and not litigation. I understand that the City will have an opportunity for input on New York State’s DOT study of the traffic impact on the Post Road, and we should of course make our voices heard and work hard to make sure the adjacent Rye neighborhoods are appropriately protected from the expected traffic and visitor increase
What are your current views on the development plan for the Rye Art Center on Milton Road? And what should the City be doing to represent its interests?
Shuck: The Rye Arts Center is a wonderful institution that serves the community and that we should be very proud of. The importance of the arts in today’s digital world cannot be emphasized enough. Due to the location of the Arts Center and its planned expansion, the City must carefully review the traffic impact and parking situation. Any change in zoning must be very carefully thought through so as not to create a precedent for other similar future requests. I also believe there is an aesthetic issue involved here with all the churches and historic homes on Milton Road. Any new large building ought to be designed with that in mind. Modern is great, but timeless may be better.
What are your current views on the plan to redevelop The Osborn retirement community on the Boston Post Road? And what should the City be doing to represent its interests?
Shuck: The Osborn is one of the City’s largest taxpayers and employers and a well-run institution that has been an important part of the Rye fabric for over 100 years. We should make every effort to make it possible for the Osborn to continue to thrive, while of course considering other residents’ valid interests. My understanding is that the project is proceeding according to plan and current zoning laws and that the City is already represented by the Planning Commission and Board of Architectural Review.
What are your current views on the plan to develop the Thruway property along the Boston Post Road purchased by Rye Country Day School? And what should the City be doing to represent its interests?
Shuck: Rye Country Day is another great Rye institution that we should be proud to have in our city. Now that Rye Country Day has bought the property and agreed to make the facilities available for public rental a third of the time, we should work with Rye Country Day in a constructive neighborly manner to make the project happen.
In addition to the current Nursery Field turf project, should Rye have more turf athletic fields, yes or no?
Shuck: If more turf fields are what people in Rye want and if we can afford to build and maintain them in an environmentally responsible way, then I don’t see a problem building them. We can also note that the new facilities at Rye Country Day will likely have artificial turf fields.
Flooding
What are the three flood mitigation measures the City should undertake with the greatest cost/benefit?
Shuck: Here I must defer to Bill Henderson’s experience and more detailed answers since I believe he and I are aligned on this issue. It takes quite some time to understand the history and current efforts related to this issue. If I were to be elected, I would absolutely dig into this and make it a priority. The damage done in each storm far exceeds a small tax increase for other projects, so this is important to all of us in Rye. On this issue, I also want to acknowledge the work of Carolina Jaramillo-Johnson, Chair of the Flood Advisory Commission, who has been spearheading this issue in Rye for over fifteen years.
- Blind Brook; making the sluice gate at Bowman Dam operational to efficiently slow the flow of water downstream.
- Blind Brook; updating bridges and other parts of the watershed, enlarging the downstream culverts and undersized stream channels.
- Resiliency and emergency response projects and preparedness to mitigate the effects of flooding both along the brooks and in other areas.
What are some of the ways the City can realistically expect to pay for some of the more expensive flood mitigation projects (including infrastructure)?
Shuck:
- Federal funding
- NY State funding – Rye just received a state commitment for the rebuild of two bridges owned by the County; the Oakland Beach Avenue and the Playland Parkway bridges, and that is great news worth about 20 MUSD.
- Rye City Budget for smaller local projects, in particular resiliency and emergency response projects
What are a few of the most effective but least expensive measures the City can take in regards to flood mitigation?
Shuck:
- Preserving existing trees and planting more trees that absorb water and reduce runoff.
- Improve local storm water systems.
- Improve preparedness and emergency response by the City’s employees and resources such as the police, the Department of Public Works and the Fire Department.
Deer Management
The City is assembling its first deer management committee, realizing that the massive overpopulation of deer has decimated our parks, our native plants and gardens and has been one of the factors contributing to the spread of invasive species.
Shuck:
| Issue | Yes or no |
| We have a serious deer overpopulation problem | Yes |
| I support a scientifically informed deer management process, including an ongoing culling program if recommended by experts | Yes |
| If indicated, I would support a culling program utilizing trained and licensed sharp shooters if recommended by experts | I do not believe we are allowed to use sharp shooters in Rye. Professional bow and arrow hunters would be the solution. |
City code allows for a maximum fence height of six (6) feet on most private property – this is ineffective at deterring deer.
Proper deer fencing in a high deer pressure area should be eight feet (8) feet or higher. Would you support a change in City code that raises the max fence height to eight (8) feet or higher where six feet is currently indicated so residents can protect their private property from deer browse?
Shuck: No – In this case I don’t believe in treating the symptoms of a problem. We know the root cause, so I am all in favor of addressing that – culling the deer. Any remaining issue is something I hope we can live with. For those who love their gardens, there are organic yard treatments to be used as deterrents. But currently we are fighting a losing war with the number of deer running around our neighborhoods and on the streets of Rye, causing traffic issues and spreading tickborne diseases.
Lightning Round
Shuck:
| Issue | Yes or
No |
One sentence explanation. |
| Rye is prepared for the next “100 year” flood. | No | Since little seems to have happened since the last big flood, there is still a lot of work to do. |
| Rye should update its Comprehensive / Master Plan. | Yes | The level of development is increasing at a rapid pace, and it is not a moment too soon to up- date the Plan. |
| Rye should have additional restrictions on residential development. | Yes | The allowable Floor Area Ratio, how it is calculated and what is included therein should be reviewed. It seems as if new construction always goes to the limit. This drives up the prices for the benefit of some but may not be in the interest of all in Rye. |
| Rye should have additional restrictions on commercial development. | Yes | When it comes to the central business district and the heart of town, we need to retain the character while still allowing for mixed use buildings which are already a salient feature of our town. Restricting building height would be a start. |
| Rye should take steps to preserve the character of its downtown / central business district. | Yes | We have a wonderful downtown that is movie material. Let’s keep it that way. |
| The City does a good job supporting its local merchants. | I am not a merchant so I don’t know, but we should make sure the downtown parking lots are in good condition. | |
| Rye should be more pedestrian and bike friendly. | Yes | Rye has made great progress over the last couple of years with additional crosswalks and bike lanes, but more could be done. Forest Avenue needs a sidewalk starting at Apawamis Avenue and continuing to Grace Church Street, and I believe that is in the works. |
| I voted for (or would have voted for) the City’s tree law. | I believe in a law that requires permits for removal of trees of a certain size, location, condition and species. The current law is complex, and I hope that we can simplify it and make it more user friendly. | |
| Rye should either find a way to enforce the leaf blower law or eliminate it. | Yes | The leaf blower law is a good thing, and we should keep enforcing it. A friendly reminder or two in person to your own or neighbor’s landscaper is usually all it takes. |
| Rye should aim to completely ban gas leaf blowers within 2- 3 years. | Yes | That is a great goal to have, but we should be flexible if the technology is not all there at such time. We should not discourage residents from keeping trees and it may be that we should keep a short window open for gas blowers during the peak of the falling of leaves season. |
| Landscapers should be registered with Rye so practices such as leaf blowers can be more closely controlled. | No | Most landscapers are already required to register with the county. I believe that is sufficient. |
| I voted for (or would have voted for) in favor of the artificial turf installation at Nursery Field. | Yes | I followed this issue closely and after all that was said and done, it turned out that the real turf and soil was heavily contaminated from its prior use as a nursery. Putting down artificial turf was also a cost-effective way to try out something new thanks to the group – Let the Kids Play – that raised the funds for the field. We should be thankful for such community engagement and encourage more of such activity. |
| Sustainable Westchester’s Westchester Power program should be the default electricity provider for residents. | No | I do not believe that people should be defaulted into an option for a choice of electricity providers; each person/family should make their own deliberate choice. |
| Rye Playland will be in good hands with Westchester County. | Rye Playland is in the hands of Westchester County since the County owns it. Whether the County engages managers or not, Playland and or its manager is ultimately controlled by the County. | |
| The Pride flag should be
raised each year on City flagpoles. |
Yes | This is the current city policy, and I see no reason to change it. |
| The current road conditions in Rye are acceptable. | No | They are much improved, but could use more improvement, especially our downtown parking lots. |
| Rye needs to reduce its deer population by active management that might include sharp shooters. | Already answered above. | |
| Rye should have its own designated, year-round off- leash dog park (similar to what Port Chester has). | No | I love dogs even though we currently are dog-less. I spent a lot of time in Rye Town Park with our dog and that seemed fine to me and my friends. We also have the Playland beach which is a wonderful place for the dogs in the winter. I go there often in the winter just to enjoy the activity and scenery. It is fantastic. |
Tell us about you:
How would your friends and family describe you in one word?
Energetic.
What is the kindest thing someone has ever done for you?
I experience small acts of kindness every day from my husband.
What is your day job?
I recently retired from the practice of law after more than 35 years as an international lawyer. I was a partner in a law firm where I focused on global restructurings for large corporate groups. Since I am retired from my main job, I have time to commit to the important and time-consuming position of being on the City Council.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why, and who would you take with you?
Shuck: I would go with my husband John and our two sons, John and Carl. Being with them is priceless and where we go is not important.
What is your current favorite streaming / TV series?
Shuck: Frasier.
What is your favorite movie?
Shuck: Anything with Eddie Murphy.
Where do you live in Rye and how many years have you lived in the City?
Shuck: We live on Brown Avenue. We have been here 32 years.
What affiliations do you have with organizations in Rye?
Shuck: My husband and I belong to Rye Presbyterian Church, the Apawamis Club and the Manursing Island Club. We are also members of the Historical Society, Rye Town Park, the Jay Center, the TWIG and other local non-profits, and we try to support the Carver Center every year. When our sons were in school, we supported all their various sports teams: soccer, baseball, hockey, squash etc. Both our sons were high school and college athletes so that meant many hours of support and fun every week of the year.
What are three of your favorite food takeout / delivery restaurants in or around Rye?
Shuck:
- Village Social
- Aurora
- Ruby’s
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Shuck: First and foremost being with my husband, two sons and ours and their friends, then, taking care of our 100-year-old home, walking and biking around Rye, skiing (mostly in Stratton nowadays), playing golf and generally being social and active.
Thanks, Maria!
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