Candidate Profile: Lisa Abzun For Mt. Kisco Mayor

MOUNT KISCO, NY — Election season 2023 is here and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Lisa C. Abzun, the current Deputy Mayor of Mount Kisco, is running for Mount Kisco Mayor.

I’ve been working within the Mount Kisco community for over 30 years. Whether as a local business owner, an attorney, a parent volunteer, or as a community organization leader, I have been creating responsive solutions for Mount Kisco; solutions that keep the community thriving. I am one of the original organizers of the Kisco 5K Road Race/ Kids Fun Run creating an annual inclusive community event that promotes health, friendly competition and good cheer.

I am a co-founder of the Mount Kisco Arts Council, a local nonprofit organization that has been bringing artists and the community together for close to 10 years. I am also an active member of the Emergency Shelter Partnership and of Latino Providers - both of these organizations work across local communities to share information and provide resources to underserved populations, those living with short term food and shelter insecurity and all working to help provide solutions to improved access with regard to community mental health services.

My background and life experiences are as diverse as the Village I serve. I am a local business person with a small landscaping company, a freelance analyst in the field of secondary data research, an artist, a Reiki practitioner and a percussionist. In 1992, I received my Juris Doctor degree from Pace University School of Law and counseled clients locally, leaving the practice in 2003 to raise my children.

As Mount Kisco Deputy Mayor since 2021, I have been able to draw on my legal background to parse through complex issues, to create and pass local legislation, and to advocate for all of Mount Kisco’s voices.

Pedestrian safety is extremely important in our community. Mount Kisco is a walking community, and we live with some of the highest trafficked roads in the area. I have been dedicated to creating an enhanced pedestrian-oriented Village that places safety first. I have been working with law enforcement and continuing with clear communication with State and County stakeholders to address safety issues that support the pedestrian experience.

I have been advocating for and I am proud to have voted on going forward with a Village-wide Complete Streets study that will address pedestrian safety and traffic calming solutions. This study will be a comprehensive document that will assist the Village in obtaining grant funding for implementing the short- and long-term plans and recommendations that are developed. The nationally recognized Complete Streets is an approach to planning, designing and maintaining built environments that enable safe, convenient and comfortable access for all users of all ages and abilities regardless of their mode of transportation. I encourage visiting
smartgrowthamerica.org to find out more. The Complete Streets study will be instrumental in informing future Village decision-making.

As a community we must acknowledge the need for comprehensive telecommunications infrastructure so that emergency services and healthcare providers, schools, residents, and businesses can use all opportunities afforded by 21st century technologies. There continues to be areas within Mount Kisco where people do not have reliable cellular service in their homes. This is an issue that goes to the heart of health, safety and welfare. I am committed to moving Mount Kisco forward responsibly so we all can stay safe and connected. Mount Kisco should not be a community that suffers from digital inequity. This requires accurate data from reliable sources, thus creating sound strategy and implementation of solutions particular to Mount Kisco that create access for all.

I will advocate for responsible creation of housing that is financially reachable for more people, especially those working in public education, healthcare and those raising families, those in the community for whom it is important to age in place, persons living with disabilities and volunteer emergency service providers. I am looking toward a future of flexible, accessible, multi-generational and multi-cultural community spaces that are sustainable and reflect the fabric of experiences of all who live in the Village.

The administration that I am serving with has been able to access over $18M dollars in grant money due to a fiscally sound and measured capital plan and the ability get critical infrastructure projects completed while saving tax dollars. The administration under which I serve has made extensive repairs to the seat of our municipal government, historic Mount Kisco Village Hall, to the firehouses that house our volunteer fire companies, to the dilapidated water department building and our antiquated wood water and sewer lines. The administration which I serve has adopted the Village’s first Emergency Management Plan, and has established an Emergency Management Committee to improve the Village’s emergency preparedness and response for all types of situations - from active shooters to environmental hazards.

My opponent, Mr. Cindrich, despite having served as mayor for 14 years, ignored all of these critical infrastructure needs. He permitted Village Hall, a historic landmark, to fall into a terrible state of repair — flooded basement, leaking roof, rotting mouldings, and an elevator that was unusable for years. Mr. Cindrich for years ignored the crucial repairs needed to our three firehouses, placing great strain on our volunteer firefighters. And despite having come from a law enforcement background, Mr. Cindrich ignored the need for emergency preparedness, including the call for action against climate change. Mr. Cindrich has already shown that he lacks vision and foresight for a safe and interactive future that requires modern approaches to solutions as we head into the second quarter of the 21st century. Voters dismissed Mr. Cindrich six years ago because he lacked a breadth of view, and I am confident that voters today will do the same because he hasn’t changed.

I am not merely a candidate; I am a dedicated community member with a history of service and advocacy in Mount Kisco. Having grown up in the Village, and raising my own family here, my eyes are firmly set on a vision of the future that includes everyone, leading with empathy, respect, and understanding. I acknowledge that the Village has diverse perspectives and differing viewpoints. To govern well and to be an effective leader requires civil dialogue and reflection, calm and reasoned consideration of complex issues and competing positions. Seeking out expert advice, relying on accurate information, and applying best practices - this has been the hallmark of my public service as Deputy Mayor and this will be my guiding principle going forward should I be elected as Mayor of Mount Kisco on November 7th.