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Frank Catalina, who takes office Wednesday as new mayor of Peekskill, said things will change once he is in office, from little items to big items.
"There will be open communication," Catalina said.
Catalina said people at meetings will be allowed to speak without a time restriction and residents will no longer be harassed at City Hall.
"We will be rebuilding morale and restoring fiscal sanity," Catalina said.
Catalina said he plans to welcome intelligent development that will expand the tax base.
"We want to make Peekskill a destination for more than dinner and a show," Catalina said. "We want people to be able to live and find a way of life. 2014 is going to be a great year, I am very enthusiastic."
County Legislator John Testa said 2014 looks bright locally. Testa was part of the new coalition that appointed Michael Kaplowitz as chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators and Jim Maisano as vice chairman.
"This will have tremendous influence for creating a more professional, bipartisan and results oriented government," Testa said.
Testa said he is looking for significant process with the Lincoln Depot Museum. Testa, who is president of the museum, said they are projecting a late spring/early summer grand opening.
"I am excited about the museum phase of the project reaching completion with the artifacts in place and the museum theme developed," Testa said.
State Sen.Greg Ball said he is looking forward to a 2014 session of the state Legislature and said his top focus is to pass his New York Jobs For Heroes Program, which would create a state contract preference for small businesses in New York State owned by service-connected disabled veterans.
"The next session must be focused on reducing taxes and creating jobs to create a better business climate here in New York State," Ball said.
Ball said he also wants to deliver mandate relief and enable public-private partnerships.
"Public-private partnership legislation will enable a new innovative finance model that will open New York State to business, allowing us to maintain our crumbling infrastructure without passing the bill down to taxpayers and ratepayers," Ball said.
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