Politics on the Hudson

I finally got a chance this week to catch up with Westchester County Legislator Ursula LaMotte, R-Bedford, who has announced she will leave the board at the end of this term. LaMotte, who holds the title of Republican caucus minority whip, came on board after winning a special election in May 1995.

She said she was leaving for personal, not professional, reasons. “I really enjoy the job and I’ve felt I’ve contributed to things that have gone on in Westchester,” she said. But “I’ve got family all over the country and it’s hard to get to see them” with the board’s meetings schedule.

She decided, she said, that, “In fairness to the job and to my husband and everybody else it would probably be a good time to bow out.”

LaMotte said she was satisfied with the progress she had made on issues such as the distribution of “East of Hudson” money for projects in the New York City watershed, health-care concerns, and airport noise complaints.

She also serves on the deer task force. “We haven’t figured out what to do with them, but hopefully some day…” she said with a laugh.

LaMotte said she planned to stay in Westchester and remain active on various boards. But, she said of her legislative seat, “I’d just like to go before I feel like I’m really tired of it.”

The Democratic candidate for the seat is expected to be Peter Harckham of Bedford, a 46-year-old media consultant who will officially announce his candidacy on Sunday. Republican party officials say a number of people were interested in the seat, but the likely party choice is Wendy Gerber Friedman, a 49-year-old free-lance journalist who lives in Lewisboro.

The district – officially legislative District 2 – covers Mount Kisco, Bedford, Pound Ridge, Lewisboro, North Salem and part of Somers.

(With reports from Sean Gorman.)

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