Means not letting the divisive and corrosive tenor of the national conversation disrupt our work in Chatham.

Means being civil with each other because we have to work together.

Means being laser-focused on what is best for Chatham and its future.

We value our farms and agriculture, rural character and natural beauty.  We cherish and respect our entire community.

But, Chatham faces challenges that require serious attention, and there is no time to waste. Dems are committed to:

• Strengthening Town Governance

  • We believe responsibility for overseeing Chatham’s government must be shared equally by all members of the Board, pursuant to New York law.  There is no chief executive officer.

  • We believe guardrails are critical — who can make decisions, who can act on behalf of Chatham, and who is accountable  for how the Board and town employees perform.

  • We believe constructive engagement from Chatham’s residents — whether in Board meetings or through public comment — is just as important as what the Board does. 

  • We believe in listening to the diverse voices of Chatham’s Board Advisory Committees.  We need to hear all perspectives.

• Thoughtful Planning

  • We believe in prioritizing Chatham’s outstanding needs, but considering estimated costs, in developing a reasonable, responsible budget.

  • We believe in helping local businesses flourish, as the Board did in establishing the Board Advisory Financial Planning & Economic Development Committee.

•  Looking For Housing Solutions

  • We believe recent zoning changes aren’t enough - we need to aggressively push for the use of Chatham owned land in the development of affordable housing.

  • We believe Chatham should work with the Village and Ghent — our neighboring towns, and the County — to look for opportunities to collaborate on development of housing.

  • We believe Chatham should seek the advice of housing professionals (engineers, consultants) that can help get this work done.

• Developing A Solid Solar Program

  • We believe in supporting the effort to offset Chatham’s energy costs by installing solar collectors on town properties, wherever possible.

  • We believe in drafting a solar law that provides the best protection for Chatham and its rural character, while recognizing that the State has significant authority on the issue.

• Enhancing Public Safety

  • We believe past efforts on speeding have helped, but more work needs to be done.  We will pursue increased enforcement of posted speed limits in Chatham. 

Our Candidates

Rick Werwaiss -
A past longtime resident of North Chatham, where he raised his two daughters, Rick was initially elected to the Town Board in 2021. Since then, he has served on Chatham's Board Advisory Grants Committee, Board Advisory Financial Planning & Economic Development Committee, Board Advisory Broadband/Cellular Committee, and Board Advisory Climate Smart Committee. He served as President of the North Chatham Free Library for over 25 years.

Currently on staff at Albany Law School, Rick has almost 4 decades of experience in nonprofit management, land-use planning, financial management, and conservation.

Rick has identified the importance of expanding housing options for members of the local workforce, and expanding broadband to encourage economic development. Somehow, he also finds time to be a pig farmer at Lovers Leap Farm in Kinderhook.

Lisa Simonetti -
Almost immediately upon moving with her wife Robin to Chatham almost 3 years ago, Lisa joined the Tri-Village Fire Company, where she completed training in exterior firefighting, as well as becoming an EMT.

Having recently retired from a large law firm, where she focused on defense of class actions and government investigations in the consumer financial services space, Lisa has thrown herself into working for Chatham in a variety of ways, serving on:  the Planning Board; the Board Advisory Financial Planning & Economic Development Committee; and the Friends of Chatham Preservation Fund, which was created to preserve our important farmland, natural resources, and rural beauty.

Lisa is a graduate of UCLA and Loyola Law School, neither of which, to her great frustration,  prepared her for learning to garden.