Ron Bonagura
The newcomer to public service on Gardiner’s Republican ticket is a lifelong resident whose family roots in the area extend back to the early 1900s. Ron Bonagura, 61, is not enrolled in a party, but picked up the Conservative nomination as well as the GOP’s (as noted above, the Independence Party endorsement is still unresolved as of this writing). His mother’s side of the family once owned the Ireland Corners Hotel and the Gardiner Hotel, while his paternal grandfather and uncle ran a dairy farm on the parcel at the end of Phillies Bridge Road that now belongs to actor Robert de Niro. That grandfather was an artist whose work was recently shown at the Gardiner Library. Bonagura’s father Jack served as Town of Gardiner justice, councilman and supervisor in the 1970s.
Young Ron played Little League with the Gardiner Giants and went on to earn his MS at SUNY-New Paltz. He taught chemistry at Roosevelt High School in Hyde Park for 34 years and has taught AP chemistry at New Paltz High for the past five years. Although he has not been active in town government, he is a director of the Affirmative Evangelism Fellowship in Pine Bush, which works with high-risk kids from Harlem, the South Bronx and Union City, New Jersey. This ministry created Chapel Field Christian Schools, which “has become a strong academic, music and athletic powerhouse within the Orange County school districts,” says Bonagura. “I have also been on the board of directors for St. John Bosco, headquartered in New Paltz, for the past four years. This state- and county-funded organization nurtures 18 children within three houses in New Paltz, Wallkill and Walden.” He is also a deacon and elder in charge of outreach for his church in Newburgh. Married for 41 years, he has raised several foster children along with his own children in Gardiner.
So why run for town office now? “It’s always good to get new, competent people involved in Town government — new energy that perhaps the incumbents have less of. Much like passing a baton in a race, you pass it to someone who is new and fresh with energy for the job,” says Bonagura, a supporter of term limits. “I would like to be part of the creative process that can enable Gardiner to move forward in these demanding economic times. I would like the level of services to continue (roads, fire, rescue, Town offices, recreation, Library, hamlet development, sewer, new business) in spite of revenue decline…I can most certainly bridge differences and get people to work together.”
In Bonagura’s view, problems tend to arise when a town has only one political party in charge: “In the past few administrations, the board seemed to put into effect some initiatives that benefited the goals of a few, rather than the townspeople as a whole. The new Zoning Law was put into effect without fully considering the rights of landowners who have had small pieces of property that they would have liked to sell or build on. This type of initiative should have been examined more thoroughly. This could always be a problem if the Board is unanimously controlled by one party, regardless of which one. A Board can become narrow-minded under those circumstances.”
The candidate has not advocated wholesale scrapping of the 2008 amendments to the Law, but looks forward to the ZIC’s recommendations: “I am happy that a review committee is in place to study the Zoning Law to see how it can be adapted to meet the needs of those presently living in Gardiner and those who wish to build in the future. In order for issues to be resolved in a timely manner, you need strong, competent leadership… I will make sure that town planning is not done with a particular ideological bent. I have noticed that some towns are being manipulated by an overly aggressive ‘green’ philosophy that is needlessly bankrupting town budgets and taking away property rights.”
Like the other contenders for the two open Town Board positions, Bonagura stresses finding ways to economize on town expenditures. “Gardiner has spent a significant amount of money in the past on outside consultants, lawyers and engineers. I think that we should keep these services local, at more affordable fees. I would look for ways to cut down on these expenses when possible. I believe that you can be fiscally conservative and get things done without overburdening our taxpayers. During this time of economic recession, we need to spend money on necessities and keep our heads above water until the storm is over.”
An open public discussion process is key to making spending decisions that will sit well with Gardiner taxpayers, in Bonagura’s view. “The vote for the purchase of the new fire truck was a wakeup call. The Fire District received enough flak for not adequately publishing the vote, and that should not happen again for any public vote, which is a good thing. Public input is always a necessary ingredient to major spending initiatives. Initiatives beyond necessities should be done through private fundraising, like the Open Space purchase for the Kiernan property. This will give the more fortunate residents of Gardiner the opportunity to voluntarily contribute to the civic good without burdening the less affluent residents.”
“Public input must occur as all sides of issues are considered and discussed, so a right and fair conclusion will be the end result, benefiting the whole — not just a part of the community,” Bonagura says. “Patient, considerate and open minds need to come together to hammer out all issues that pertain to the residents as a whole. It goes without saying that the willingness to compromise should be a part of this crucial process.”
Again, the ongoing cell tower controversy is an area where compromise seems to be needed. “As a citizen of Gardiner who must walk out to a special place in my yard to use my cell phone, I am in favor of cell towers, which will allow all citizens to have adequate reception. I believe the locations under consideration are acceptable, and if elected I would do all that I can to erect the towers as quickly as possible.”
“I love this town! It has it all: great people, great land, great new businesses and plenty of activities and recreation to enjoy,” enthuses Bonagura. “I believe in keeping taxes reasonable, attracting businesses, protecting property-owners’ rights, protecting the environment, farmland, open space, viewsheds and quality of life. If Town government cannot achieve a balance of all these issues, it is not an effective government.” ++
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