Passionate, honest, committed, cooperative, knowledgeable, experienced

Hi all!

I’ve tried pretty hard to stay publicly neutral in the Town Supervisor race. In a small community, that’s the safer strategy. Fewer awkward run-ins at Bread Alone. Less chance of accidentally becoming the subject of a forty-person text thread. But at a certain point, staying quiet stops feeling honest. And, quite frankly, “playing it safe” has never really been my thing.

I want to begin by saying that anyone willing to step forward and run for public office deserves respect and appreciation. These are people with families, responsibilities, personal struggles, and very full lives who are choosing to put themselves under public scrutiny because they care about this community. That scrutiny, accountability, and tough questioning are part of democracy, and they matter. But at a personal level, we owe one another the ability to disagree without cruelty or vitriol. If we want good people to participate in public life, we have to create a civic culture where disagreement does not become dehumanization. And regardless of the outcome, I look forward to working constructively with whomever the people of Rhinebeck choose to be their Town Supervisor.

As for me, I’m very happy to support Debbie Hecht for Town Supervisor in the Democratic Primary.

When I decided to run for Village Board, it was because I believe a place like Rhinebeck should aspire to the very best of Democratic leadership: thoughtful, respectful, participatory, and grounded in a genuine commitment to one another. In a healthy community, disagreement is inevitable. We bring different priorities, experiences, and ideas to the table. Democrats have never suffered from a shortage of ideas; where we struggle is in bringing people together well enough to actually accomplish something.

This is an important moment for Rhinebeck. What’s really at stake in this race is not just one project or one controversy. It’s how Rhinebeck navigates growth and change over the next decade, and whether we can do that in a way that still feels connected to the people who actually live here. This race reflects two genuinely different approaches to leadership, community engagement, and how Rhinebeck navigates growth and change. And I think it offers voters an opportunity to vote not simply against someone or something they dislike, but for the kind of community they want to build together.

As a business owner myself, I want Rhinebeck to thrive economically. I want local businesses to succeed and our village center to remain vibrant and healthy. But strong communities require balance. Economic vitality depends on residents too, not just visitors. Protecting the character of the place people actually live in and love matters. A community only works if the people who live here can still recognize themselves in it.

Over the course of this race, Debbie has consistently struck me as someone who approaches these questions carefully and thoughtfully. Whether people agree with her on every issue or not, she genuinely values listening, collaboration, and civic participation. I think she wants people to feel heard and to know that their opinions matter. And she understands that good solutions come from listening carefully to the people who actually live here, not just the loudest voices in the room.

I appreciate that Debbie has been clear about being fully committed to the role, and about approaching growth and development carefully, especially when it comes to environmental review, infrastructure, and long-term community impact. To me, that reflects the kind of collaborative and empathetic leadership that actually gets things done well in a community like ours.

Character matters a great deal in local government. No supervisor governs alone. The job depends on board members, staff, volunteers, committees, and residents all working together in good faith. Local government is not The West Wing. It’s an endless mix of major decisions about development and housing alongside debates about parking, snowplowing, chickens, and whether a bench is historically appropriate. It’s funny how quickly an issue stops feeling small once it starts affecting your own day-to-day life. I believe Debbie understands both the scale and the humanity of local government, and that matters.

But most importantly, Debbie approaches leadership with humility and a genuine willingness to listen and learn. And if she earns the trust of voters and becomes our next Town Supervisor, I think she will carry the weight and responsibility of that role carefully, thoughtfully, and with a deep commitment to serving the community well.

And that’s why I’m supporting Debbie Hecht for Rhinebeck Town Supervisor.

Jennifer Neufeld

Dear Neighbors, 

 As most of you know, Elizabeth Spinzia is not running for Rhinebeck Town Supervisor at the end of her term.  Two Democrats will be running in the upcoming primary: Debbie Hecht and Amanda Miller. Debbie Hecht is currently serving as Rhinebeck Deputy Supervisor.  Amanda Miller has not been involved with our town government.  She was voted onto the School Board, which is a three year commitment, but resigned early. Amanda recently resigned from her very active role on the board of the Rhinebeck Chamber of Commerce in order to run.  

 As you know, The Rhinebeck Chamber of Commerce's mission is to support businesses and promote development that brings tourists to Rhinebeck.  I have friends who own businesses here and I want them to thrive, but not without consideration for other factors. 

Unfettered development has already placed an out of scale French Chateau in the middle of Rhinebeck.  Whether you value the spa as a resource or not, its architecture and scale paid no respect to the town's scale and character.

Rhinebeck now has three approved hotels in various stages of development.  How much can our infrastructure absorb?  The Chamber's own mission statement says that they exist to promote Rhinebeck as a destination for tourism and to "advocate for the business community as it relates to local government and planning." There is no mention of preservation, environmental protection, or quality of life for the people who actually live here. Development is the goal and Amanda represents those interests.  If you think Town is crowded now, just wait. 

In addition, the Chamber also supports the Six Senses project, proposed on the border of the Town of Clinton, where my husband and I have a Currant Farm.   The Town of Rhinebeck has filed an Article 78 lawsuit to stop this project, arguing that its environmental impacts don't stop at town lines and could have lasting consequences for Rhinebeck (and Clinton)  residents and the broader region, from traffic and infrastructure strain and to the health of shared waterways. Amanda Miller wrote a public letter to the Rhinebeck Town Board supporting Six Senses on behalf of the Chamber.  If she is elected, she will obviously move to end the lawsuit. 

Original plans for this project would bring 240 overnight guests, 150 employees and up to 400 event guests, with 600 plus car trips in and out daily plus delivery and service vehicles.  It would include 54 buildings totaling 148,000 square feet, 10 swimming pools, a 21,000 square foot spa, outdoor event spaces,  retail shopping, and a restaurant for guests only. Additionally 18,500 gallons per day of treated wastewater would be released into the Crum Elbow Creek, a Class A trout stream.  Environmentalists are worried that the wastewater will contain microplastics and that the project will affect the water table. It goes against the Clinton Comprehensive plan, and if approved it will set a precedent for similar projects to follow. 
It is worth noting that Six Senses has recently made moves to scale back the project's footprint, which many believe is a direct response to the pressure of the ongoing lawsuits.  This is exactly why maintaining legal pressure matters.  If Amanda is elected and moves to drop the Rhinebeck lawsuit, there is every reason to believe Six Senses will reverse those concessions and restore the project to its original scale or larger.  

I know that  many people in Rhinebeck and Rhinecliff have had a difficult time with the Planning Board and that many in Rhinecliff feel that they have been treated as second class citizens.   I have felt that too.  After speaking with Debbie, I can assure you that she will not tolerate arrogant or unfair behavior from any boards under her watch and she will treat Rhinecliff equally. 

Debbie is not Elizabeth 2.0.  She is very much her own person.  She is good and fair and genuinely engaged.  As Deputy Town Supervisor she will hit the ground running.  She is a founding member of the Town's Communication Committee, a longtime member of the Rhinebeck Democratic Committee, and co-founder of Rhinebeck and Red Hooks first Pride organization- BeckHook Pride.  Debbie has worked at the Starr Library as both an employee and a volunteer.  She is a staunch environmentalist, a community organizer, a wife and mother and holds a PhD in Classics from Columbia University.  She believes in consensus building and listens to all sides and leads with both her head and her heart.  She cares about how public money is spent and wants Rhinebeck to thrive, but not at the expense of the people who live here or the environment.  

Come hear Debbie Speak and ask her the tough questions yourself!! Sunday, March 22, 2-4pm at the Starr Library. Hosted by the Rhinebeck Democratic Committee.  Amanda was also invited but has decided not to participate.  For more information on the Six Senses Project, visit commonsenseshv.org
Amanda's letter to the Town Board, written on behalf of the Rhinebeck Chamber of Commerce, is in the public record and linked below- 


Your neighbor, 
Carolyn Marks Blackwood

Dear Rhinebeck friends,

I miss home. 

My childhood hometown of 9000 people was destroyed by economic development.

My second home in Wilmington, North Carolina was destroyed by strip malls and shopping centers and economic development.

Preservation has kept Rhinebeck alive for hundreds of years. It must be at the forefront of any candidate’s platform. 

The last five years have been so sad in the village. City people buying up the village homes without putting their kids in the schools so that classroom numbers have dropped dramatically. The price of homes getting so high that our teachers can’t afford to live in the community anymore. Empty houses on Halloween. Sinterklaas driven out. A town full of strangers on the weekend because there’s no room for the people who actually live here.

It’s not the place my family moved to. It’s not the place that I’ve written two very loving books about. 

I hope Debbie wins. I hope preservation conquers the hospitality industry. What’s next? Data centers?

Hilarie Burton