This article was updated at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 23 to reflect that Robin Jovanovich and Maria Shuck are registered Democrats who are running on the Republican ticket.
Rye City Council candidates found common ground on most issues at last Tuesday night’s election forum, but the slates split sharply over the city’s continued default participation in Sustainable Westchester — a countywide renewable energy program.
While Democratic candidates James Ward, Marion Anderson, and Amy Kesavan backed keeping residents automatically enrolled in the greener electricity option, Republican ticket candidates Maria Shuck and Robin Jovanovich opposed the program, saying residents should make that choice themselves.
James Fee, the 36-year-old rounding out the Republican council slate, did not attend the debate, saying he faced circumstances beyond his control. The League of Women Voters and Osborn co-sponsored debate held at the Rye Middle School.
The Sustainable Westchester program supplies renewable energy through Westchester Power, a community initiative that allows participating municipalities to buy renewable electricity in bulk.
The City Council voted earlier this year to continue the program and to make participation the default option, meaning residents are automatically enrolled unless they choose to opt out for another energy provider, like Con Edison. If the city was not enrolled in Westchester Power, Con Ed would be the default provider and residents could choose a different energy source, but not Westchester Power.
That vote fell largely along party lines, with Republican mayoral candidate Bill Henderson and Councilman Keith Cunningham voting against the measure. They argued that the program can often cost more than Con Edison’s rates and objected to its automatic opt-in setup, which they see as deceptive.
The program has removed 328,000 metric tons of carbon in 2024, which is equivalent to the environmental benefits of removing 76,000 cars from the road or planting 5.4 million trees, according to Sustainable Westchester Executive Director Noam Bramson, the former Democratic mayor of New Rochelle.
Rye has opted into the plan since 2019, along with 26 other municipalities in Westchester with 130,000 residents and small businesses.
Democrats say the policy helps the city meet sustainability goals and fosters competition with Con Edison, while Republicans argue it limits residents’ ability to make their own energy decisions and many may not even be aware they are automatically enrolled.
Shuck, 65, a registered Democrat running on the Republican ticket, was skeptical of Sustainable Westchester, saying she does not believe the program actually delivers renewable energy to residents. Instead, she suggested it functions through the purchase of certificates that financially benefit intermediaries rather than directly advancing green energy use.
“I haven’t opted out, I am still buying that power, but I don’t believe the choice should be made for me,” Shuck said. “I’m a free citizen and I should be able to make my choice, and the choice should be clearly stated by the city of Rye if they have opted in for me.”
Jovanovich, 74, a registered Democrat also running on the Republican line, agreed that the city should not be making the choice for residents. But she also criticized Con Edison for raising rates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She suggested the best approach would be to let residents actively choose whether to opt in or out, rather than setting a default one way or the other.
Additionally, Jovanovich wants to pressure ConEd to halt its latest controversial rate hikes, something Kesavan, the 47-year-old Democrat, also agrees with.
Photo Alison Rodilosso
Westchester Power “gives us a place to put our money aligned with where our values are, and I think that’s an important choice as a consumer,” Kesavan said, referencing the program’s efforts to combat climate change in a region that is 93 percent dependent on fossil fuels like gas and oil.
Anderson, 69, also on the Democratic ticket, supported the default opt-in program, saying that it will only pertain to new people moving to Rye, and that it’s up to the city and the council to educate the community on their options.
“Anyone who wants to opt out can opt out, and it’s up to us to provide the education to the community,” she said. “I think there’s a misconception that a major part of our ConEd bill is the actual bill and not the delivery. The delivery is the part that costs so much money. The sustainable part is a little more than the ConEdison part, but if you are a concerned citizen and you are looking for sustainability efforts, then I prefer to support this.”
Ward, 57, voted for default opt-in on the council and said he continues to support the program.
The Democrat said choosing Westchester Power was the only way for the council to give residents more options. Sticking with Con Edison, he added, would have meant residents had to find their own alternative energy supplier, which he said might have been confusing.
“Sustainable Westchester found the cheapest contract for us to get into,” he said. “Yes, they’re fixed, yes rates sometimes are higher, sometimes they’re lower,” Ward said. “But if you don’t like it, you can opt out. Opting out takes two minutes.”
On nearly every other topic, however, candidates offered similar views. When asked if the city should reassess older homes, all candidates opposed the measure, citing potential financial strain on retirees and long-term residents who tend to live in Rye’s oldest homes.
They also shared priorities around capital spending, emphasizing flooding prevention, pedestrian safety, and maintaining Rye’s parks and recreation spaces.
Photo Alison Rodilosso
Questions on small businesses and downtown vitality brought consensus as well. Candidates called for better communication between the City Council and the local merchants’ association, the Chamber of Commerce, and improvements to parking.
Shuck occasionally broke from the other candidates, suggesting that making Rye more walkable and bike-friendly could help stimulate small businesses. She also proposed that the municipality help its next city manager live in Rye, saying residency would be an important quality for the new hire.
Kesavan repeatedly emphasized the importance of developing an updated comprehensive plan in any future city planning.
“We need to finally adopt a master plan, and I mean it, let’s get it done,” she said. “Let’s plan how we’re going to promote cell service, parking solutions, safe streets, all while maintaining our quiet charm.”
There are four open City Council seats. Election Day is Nov. 4, with early voting beginning Oct. 25.
