Two candidates vie for District 8 seat on Orange County Legislature

Orion Russell Blake

Why are you running for County Legislator?

I am running because the issues I confront farming affect great swaths of land across the county in the Wallkill and Moodna watersheds, the black dirt region and beyond and I have found through personal experience and what I’ve heard from community members that the county is resistant to change and even considering forward, long-term thinking. Generally, the county is suffering from decades of one-party rule and it’s time to shake things up.

What are the top three things you aim to accomplish if elected?

I’d work to reinstate the county’s Green committee. The legislature used to have this body, but dissolved it before the last election cycle. The public might be divided on climate change but we all want to protect a clean, healthy local environment to live in; and the county should resume directing that.

I’d encourage the establishment of community land trust(s) as a solution for affordable housing by directing community development funds etc. to their projects and giving them Right of First Refusal. I grew up in this county, and have seen most of my peers find this a challenging area to afford. We have a housing crisis and we have not brought all the tools at our disposal to bear.

And I aim to use the influence of my seat in the legislature to push for the end of the contract with ICE at the Orange County Correctional Facility. It is a great shame that we have a long-standing relationship with this agency, and an entire wing with 200 cells available for their use.

Why are you the best candidate for this position?

The county and my opponent, the incumbent serving for the last three terms, a professional engineer and county representative on OC Soil and Water Conservation Board, are generations behind in tackling local soil subsidence and flooding issues. The Wallkill is the worst flood-prone watershed in the state. In my private life, with my startup Flooded Farm, I have devoted myself wholeheartedly to implementing peatland rewetting and paludiculture, which will ensure an agricultural future for our region. It is the adoption of this type of flexible, innovative and generational thinking that I will bring to a swath of county issues.

Barry Cheney

Why are you running for County Legislator?

Having served 12 years as a County Legislator I have established a record of getting things done for all the residents of Orange County as well as those in the District I represent. I am committed to building on the county’s strong financial foundation, while ensuring that we continue to deliver high-quality services in the most cost-effective way possible. My chairmanship of the Physical Services Committee plays an important role in maintaining our highway infrastructure and growing and enhancing our parks through the acquisition of Camp LaGuardia, along with other significant improvements throughout county parks. With the support of my colleagues in the Legislature, I am proud to have provided $740,000 county funding to partner with the Town of Warwick in the creation of the Longhouse Trail. Annual funding was secured for the Greenwood Lake Commission, along with a special allocation of $70,000 to support a critical study of water quality which will address long-standing environmental concerns and strengthen the Commission’s eligibility for substantial future grant opportunities.

What are the top three things you aim to accomplish if elected?

My goals for the next term are to maintain the county’s stable financial position without increasing the property tax rate, which is currently the lowest it has been in over 50 years. I would also work to maintain the fund balance at the current level to provide a fund to draw from during an economic downturn and to support programs impacted by cuts in State and Federal funding. Further, I will work to maintain funding to municipalities for Open Space grants, support continued funding for the Greenwood Lake Commission, and maintain projects that support agriculture.

Why are you the best candidate for this position?

My candidacy represents a continued commitment to providing the residents of District 8 and the entire county with a responsible approach to running government like a business and approaching problems with an engineer’s practicality provided by my almost 40-year career as a civil and environmental engineer where I solved problems faced by government. Further, my background as a local elected official in the Village of Warwick provides me with a unique perspective in understanding how county government supplements and supports local government.