Town Board critic taking the helm as new supervisor

Town Board critic taking the helm as new supervisor

By Chris McKenna
Times Herald-Record
cmckenna@th-record.com
Woodbury - His new seat might get hot in the days ahead. But the small, bare office John Burke now occupies in a corner of Woodbury Town Hall felt cold yesterday morning as he settled into his new job, clad in sweater and jeans.

Burke, who beat former Supervisor Sheila Conroy in an election two months ago, started work Sunday and will be sworn in tonight, taking his place on a Town Board he's more accustomed to questioning from the audience, particularly during this past rancorous year.

Only two days after picking up his keys to Town Hall, the retired high school principal faced his first local-government challenge: a storm that dumped 8 or more inches of wet snow on Woodbury's roads and required mobilization of the plows.

Maybe that was an omen.

More difficult plowing lies ahead, including working with three board members who support a 451-home development proposal that Burke and others spent the last year fighting - a controversy that lingers on, thanks to a court challenge.

Once a board critic, Burke will now feel its pain: by day, fielding calls from irate residents and managing a $15 million budget and more than 100 employees; by night, catching flak at board meetings.

It won't be all headaches: Burke said the town's department heads have welcomed him and given him tours since his election victory.

But as the only Democrat on a five-member board, he might find himself on the losing end of votes, especially those involving land-use decisions.

"I plan on maintaining my positions, knowing full well that five people vote," Burke said yesterday. "I've not given up my right to make an individual vote on things I feel very strongly about."

Maybe the thorniest issue of all on the horizon is a potential land war with neighboring Kiryas Joel.

Burke said he's willing to meet with Kiryas Joel leaders but sounds no more willing than his predecessor to consider a compromise that would allow the Hasidic community's high-density housing to spread into Woodbury's rural fringe.

That goes for any annexation of Woodbury land into Kiryas Joel: "If the solution is for part of Woodbury to be no longer be part of Woodbury, I'm not interested."