Lucas and Daniels outline visions for North Salem

NORTH SALEM, N.Y. - Voters are set to head to the polls to decide North Salem's next supervisor, with Republican incumbent Warren Lucas looking to fend off a challenge from Democrat Katherine Daniels.

Ahead of Nov. 3, Lucas and Daniels also engaged in a debate moderated by the League of Women Voters on Oct. 21. (Read the full story on page 10.)

North Salem News offered both candidates the opportunity to address voters before Election Day and explain, in their own words, their qualifications, what they see as the most pressing issues in North Salem and their plans if elected. (Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.)

KATHERINE DANIELS

Please outline your career, leadership, and educational accomplishments.

I am an attorney practicing intellectual property and media law for 30 years. I have served on the North Salem Town Board since 2021. I am a volunteer EMT with the North Salem Volunteer Ambulance Corps. I chair the Town’s Climate Smart Leadership Team and the Capital Planning Committee. I am past President and Trustee on the North Salem Board of Education (2006-2019). I served on the North Salem Comprehensive Planning Committee and Energy Advisory Panel. I am Co-President of the North Salem Bridle Trails Association and a former Trustee of the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library. I am a member of St. James Episcopal Church and sing in the choir. I am a graduate of Middlebury College and Brooklyn Law School. I was born and grew up in Boulder, Colorado, known for its forward-looking investments in preserving open space. I have lived in North Salem, a beautiful town with a similar mission, since 1996.

What are the most important issues facing North Salem, and why are you the most qualified to address them?

The Town Board must reclaim its authority as the governing body of the Town. We have ceded too much power to the Supervisor. For years, we have lacked long-term planning and financial discipline. The Board invested in cost-saving technology, but the Supervisor refuses to use it. Terabytes of Town information are stored on the Supervisor’s personal laptop, but not available to the Town Board or to the public. If we want to protect this special place we call home, we should be recruiting and training the next generation of Town leaders. It is not happening under this administration. We can do so much better.

If elected, what will be your top priorities over the next year?

• Responsible Fiscal Management: I will safeguard taxpayer dollars through more disciplined budgeting and spending.

• Strong Public Services: I will support our police, fire and emergency medical services and promote volunteerism.

• Environmental Stewardship: I will promote sensible environmental policies that balance conservation with the needs of our residents and businesses.

• Transparency and Accountability: North Salem residents deserve open and honest government. I will ensure that town decisions are made with transparency, meetings are accessible and communication with residents is clear and consistent.

• Community Engagement: Our town is strongest when residents are heard. I will encourage public participation, listen to concerns, and work collaboratively with community groups, volunteers, and local organizations.

• Infrastructure and Planning: I will pursue grants and plan for smart investments to improve infrastructure, including roads, drainage and public facilities, to ensure long-term sustainability.

On a personal level, what is the most important piece of advice you have received?

Have faith in your commitment to North Salem and you will succeed.

WARREN LUCAS

Please outline your career, leadership, and educational accomplishments.

I graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) with a Bachelor of Science degree and spent 32 years at IBM, retiring as a Business Unit Executive. I led a large part of IBM’s software business in New York and New Jersey, responsible for approximately $500 million in annual sales and an 85-person sales and technical support team.

In 2009, my fellow Town Board members asked me to become Supervisor. I left IBM in 2010 to focus fully on North Salem, bringing the skills I had learned in business: teamwork, problem-solving and getting projects done. I have served on the Town Board since 1990.

I co-founded the East of Hudson Watershed, where I serve as Treasurer and on the Executive Committee. I am Treasurer and an Executive Board member of Sustainable Westchester, President of the Westchester Putnam Association of Town Supervisors, Past President and Executive Board member of the Westchester Municipal Officials Association, and Chair of the Northern Westchester Watershed Coalition. I have been a member of the North Salem Lions Club for 35 years.

What are the most important issues facing North Salem, and why are you most qualified to address them?

Taxes and fiscal discipline are among the town’s most important issues. We must meet residents’ needs and provide reliable services while controlling costs and keeping taxes manageable. That requires careful budgeting, long-range planning and outside funding to limit the burden on local taxpayers.

As Supervisor, I have helped secure more than $53 million in outside funding to date, managed town finances and advanced infrastructure projects. North Salem received the State Comptroller’s highest fiscal health rating for the 2025 budget year and maintains an AA+ bond rating. I remain accessible and take pride in helping constituents.

If re-elected, what will be your top priorities over the next year?

North Salem prides itself on its rural character and environment. Our capital projects and work as a Certified Climate Smart Community have improved town efficiency, reduced our carbon footprint and saved taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. I will continue this work and plan capital projects carefully.

Safe drinking water is a priority. I will continue work to remediate contaminants in the Pabst and Croton Falls water systems, work with residents as the Croton Falls sewer project advances and coordinate with the EPA on solutions for Salem Acres. I will continue pursuing grants to reduce local costs.

Heavy rainfall has damaged property in several areas. I will continue drainage work in Purdy’s Ridge, Peach Lake and Candlewood Lake, and pursue new windows and insulation for Lobdell House, the 1884 town office building, to improve efficiency.

These projects require investment. I will seek state, county and other funding, oversee the work carefully and deliver practical solutions while keeping the local tax share manageable.

On a personal level, what is the most important piece of advice you have received?

My mother’s advice was, “Be kind, be sweet, be nice.” I try to live by those words by treating people with respect, listening to their concerns and remembering that we share a community, even when we disagree.