Changing Times For One Local Government

After years of talking about it, Nyack has changed the way it runs the day-to-day operation of local government by hiring a full-time village administrator.

Jim Politi is Nyack's new village administrator, bringing 18 years of previous experience as a village manager and a department head in New York State municipalities.

Politi,  a Newburgh, N.Y., resident, comes to Nyack after working as a village manager and superintendent of public works in Walden, N.Y. Nyack Mayor Richard Kavesh says that Politi was selected from a field of more than a dozen applicants because of his knowledge and experience.

"Jim knows how to prioritize, manage and motivate," says Kavesh, who was elected last November. "He's a proven municipal leader with experience completing dozens of capital improvement projects on time and under budget."

Politi managed an aggressive capital improvement program during his tenure in Walden, a community of comparable size to Nyack in Orange County. As village manager, he was in charge of budget preparation and managed a staff of 90 full-time and part-time employees.

Prior to Politi's appointment as village manager he served as superintendent of public works in Walden and Fishkill, N,Y.  Politi received a BA from SUNY New Paltz in Sociology and Political Science and has completed a graduate study program in public administration from SUNY Albany.

Among his many skills, Nyack's new administrator brings the proven record necessary to repair and upgrade Nyack's streets and infrastructure, Kavesh said.

"Streetscapes are important," says Politi. "Businesses need it but improving the look of a downtown is too much of a burden for small business owners to do alone."

In Walden, Politi supervised $5 million in grant awards to improve the village's infrastructure.  "It's important to work with community and the state to rebuild Main Street and maintain the quality of life that residents expect," he says.

Nyack's pending streetscape initiative is planned to revitalize both sides of Nyack's Main Street between Broadway and North Franklin St. It will include completely new crosswalks, paving, sidewalks, and lighting, plus benches and trees spread out along the entire length of the project. Work is expected to begin this summer and be completed by the end of the year, Kavesh said.

Politi's annual salary will be $83,720. His first day of work was May 20.

Until hiring Politi, Nyack's day-to-day operations were overseen by the village treasurer working in conjunction with the mayor. In Nyack, the mayor's position is part-time.