From Presidents to Mayors, Part 2

– By Paul Hicks –

The first part of this article covered the period from 1904 through the 1950s and can be read if you go to our archives for the 03.09.07 issue.

When Rye became a city in 1942, it gained home rule independence from the Town of Rye, completing a process that began with its incorporation as a village in 1904. During Rye’s evolution as a separate entity over more than 100 years, its municipal government has been headed by 23 individuals (called presidents until 1927 and mayors thereafter).

Together with their colleagues on the Village Board of Trustees and later on the City Council, these civic leaders have collectively had great influence on the development of Rye as a distinctive community. Unlike many other municipalities, Rye’s political leaders have been unpaid volunteers, and few have gone on to seek higher office. Although there are no term limits, the Rye system has tended to encourage a healthy turnover among those who seek and hold these government positions.

Beginning in the 1920s, Rye’s political leadership shifted from members of the local business establishment, which was long led by Theodore Fremd. Many of the new leaders were New York lawyers and businessmen, reflecting the post-war suburban and commuter growth that William Whyte described so well in his 1956 classic, “The Organization Man.”

During the same period, Democratic and Republican party affiliations replaced local independent parties in council and mayoral elections. Former House Speaker Tip O’Neill said that “all politics is local,” but it is also said that, “there is no Republican or Democratic way to fix a pothole or collect the garbage.” Regardless of who controlled the political majority, preservation of Rye’s residential character has remained a top priority over the years.

An important event occurred in December 1964 when the new city hall was dedicated, giving Rye’s seat of government a higher profile. Made possible by the generous gift of a former mayor, John M. Morehead, the project was spearheaded by then mayor Clay Johnson. It was also during his term that Rye acquired the Rye Golf Club property and moved to a council/ manager form of government that has served the city well for more than three decades.

Clay Johnson’s immediate successor, Edmund Grainger, is best known for his heavy involvement and effective leadership in the fight against the proposed Rye-Oyster Bay Bridge. Calling him its “implacable foe,” the Rye Chronicle praised him for lining up “powerful forces within both the state and federal governments” that persuaded Governor Rockefeller and Robert Moses to abandon the project. If the bridge had been built, Rye might today resemble the Whitestone section of the Bronx.

In January, 1974, John Carey became the first Democrat to serve as mayor of Rye, and during his two terms in office the city, like its residents, had to contend with fuel shortages as well as high rates of interest and inflation. In order to obtain additional revenues without raising taxes, greater emphasis was placed on expanding the tax base through corporate development. Getting a Marriott hotel rather than a Post Office distribution center produced a double advantage.

The pursuit of new revenue sources expanded when Republicans swept back into power in 1981 with Fred Hunziker as mayor. A heated and prolonged debate focused on whether expanded facilities at Avon and other corporate locations would cause more traffic, flooding and sewer problems than the additional tax dollars were worth.

Occasionally over the years deliberations and debate have not been as civil as most people would prefer. When David Gile left the council in 1983, he wrote an open letter in which he quoted Harry Truman’s remark that “If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.” Gile then added, “but the use of verbal blow torches really isn’t necessary.”

Campaigning against the ills of one-party domination and the “bulldozer politics” of their opponents, two Democrats were elected to the city council in 1985. However, Republican Mary Ann Ilse became the first female mayor of Rye in that election, and of the seven members of the council, four were women. One of the notable achievements of the Ilse mayoralty was the assumption of garbage collection services by the city, producing substantial savings for the taxpayers.

Rye’s see-saw politics returned a Democrat, Warren Ross, to the mayor’s office in 1989. Although an attempt to get funding for an affordable housing project failed, several significant conservation measures were adopted during his term. Despite major cuts in state revenue sharing, Rye’s finances remained sound with the help of an improving economy and expense control.

Stabilization of real estate taxes continued through the succeeding term of a Republican mayor, Ted Dunn, without undercutting infrastructure investments and services. Creative solutions were also found for disposing of the Parsons property and for upgrading the catering facilities at Whitby Castle at no cost to the taxpayers.

As indicated in this brief summary, Rye has been admirably served by its many volunteer civic leaders. This historical snapshot does not include commentary on the accomplishments of Mayor Steve Otis and his colleagues on the council since 1998, as they warrant a separate look at a future date.