Michael Reynolds
The other Town Board candidate endorsed by the Gardiner Democratic Committee this year is a good example of a highly energized relative newcomer to involvement in local civic affairs. “I am interested in serving on the Town Board because I would like to end the social polarization that exists in this town,” says registered Democrat Michael Reynolds, age 50. Reynolds and his wife have owned property in Gardiner for about 12 years and have lived here for three, on a farmstead that was built during the Civil War. “We decided to move to Gardiner full-time to raise our son, and it was like moving home. Gardiner is a very special place because the diverse community and beautiful landscape offer an incredible combination of opportunities for a rich and peaceful life.”
Reynolds studied at Bergen Community College in New Jersey and founded a large seafood wholesale business in New York City called Wild Edibles. He has also owned and operated several technology companies in the hardware integration and software development industries, and is currently a consultant providing technology solutions to the health care market. He sees his business experience in the IT field as preparing him to bring some outside-the-box thinking to the workings of Gardiner Town government. For instance, “In these times, it would be easy to create better transparency through the use of technology solutions,” he notes.
Reynolds jumped with both feet into local civic engagement soon after becoming a full-time Gardinerite, volunteering for the Open Space Commission. “Our charter is to protect open space and preserve agricultural lands for future farming sustainability in this area. A year ago, the Kiernan Farm was awarded a grant and is now preserved forever,” he says proudly. The Commission is now “moving forward on acquiring funding partners in conjunction with a federal grant that has been accepted for the Hess Farm, located near the hamlet of Gardiner. I was involved in the application process of this grant, and I am heavily involved in seeing this through.”
Although this experience has given Reynolds insight into the mechanics of how decision-making works at the Town level, he feels that “The process is slow, and I have witnessed this in my short experience…This can have a negative effect on people deciding to put forth efforts that can potentially provide creative ideas and projects.” With regard to complaints about the 2008 Zoning Law, “The interpretation of the law is the charter of the Planning Board, but this needs to be accomplished in a more efficient manner,” he says. “The tweaking of the law can be accomplished through analyzation of the current processes and historical data. I think that the local residents who have been landowners for generations and the newer transplants (like myself) need to arrive at amicable solutions that take both viewpoints into account.”
Like most of this year’s candidates for office in Gardiner, Reynolds is making a plea for greater willingness to compromise and consensus. “In order for anything to work, all the parties involved need to have some compromises, or it is imbalanced and will not be supported. People have different priorities, but everyone living here needs to look at the total picture and not only what serves them.” He sees the cell tower issue as one where, with further dialogue and accountability, such compromise can be achieved: “I support the cell towers. They bring revenue, convenience and security for people in the town. We live in a time where connectivity is extremely important. I would like to think that the visual eyesore can be solved, and would need to know more about the possible solutions.”
“To me, the most important issue is addressing the financial instability that is currently affecting everyone. If elected, I can assist in providing real solutions that drive the enhancements for the Town and protect and preserve what we presently have,” says Reynolds. “Saving the Ridge, the Library, Town Hall and the pole barn in the park are some examples of former initiatives that are true enhancements to the community.” However, “Any spending that occurs needs to be done very carefully…on my watch, it would be important to look at the long-term financial plan before any spending would occur. My idea of a good expenditure would be one that enhances the quality of life for the Town’s residents without creating a future financial burden.”
In Reynolds’ view, the Town of Gardiner “absolutely need[s] a long-term vision, but with the caveat that it doesn’t bog down forward progress, as is currently the case…Remember: If you stop moving forward, you die.”
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