How a town critic became a Gonçalves supporter

Dear Editor,

As a resident and advocate for the Oakridge Water District, I have often been one of the loudest critics of town government. I also believe in acknowledging effective leadership when it benefits our community, and Tony Gonçalves has delivered exactly that.

In recent years, Oakridge has seen major improvements to its water infrastructure, ensuring higher quality water for all residents. Even before taking office as Town Supervisor, Tony took the initiative to lead upgrades at the water and wastewater plant, bringing together the operator, consulting engineers, and government partners. His steady commitment led to the largest investment in our water system in two decades: the expansion and enhancement of our treatment plant to address PFAS contamination. Thanks to Tony’s efforts, Oakridge is among the few districts that have proactively tackled water safety challenges ahead of regulatory mandates.

Equally important, Tony secured major federal and state grant funding, which significantly minimized the cost burden for district ratepayers. Collaboration with the Westchester County Department of Health, engineering consultants, and our legislative representatives at the state and federal levels has been instrumental in bringing this project to near completion.

Beyond water quality improvements, Tony has worked in partnership with NYSEG to harden our electrical infrastructure in Vista, resulting in a substantial reduction in community outages.

Public service at its best means ownership, follow‑through, and results that improve daily life. Tony Gonçalves has shown what that looks like and he has earned the community’s support.

-Erica Agro, South Salem