Question the Candidates: III Phil Johanson

If elected, what would you do to promote open government in Larchmont?

If elected, I would promote open government along several fronts. First, on a personal level, I would be sure to be as accessible and approachable as possible so our residents would feel comfortable expressing opinions and offering feedback directly to me. Five board members who are actively listening and keeping an open mind at the one-on-one level can gather and bring back to the full board a great deal of information. Second, I fully support the current board’s actions this past year of setting up office hours and moving up the board meeting agenda Those Who Wish To Address the Board. The difficulty here is that even though the forums are available for all to be heard on any and all issues, few take advantage of this. I have sat through nearly every board meeting for the last two years, often alone in the village courtroom. So what do we do? As Trustee, I would strongly encourage in every conversation I have and every public forum available for residents to take advantage of what is already an open process. Stand up, be heard, make your issues, thoughts, feedback and criticism count. As a consensus builder I have a reputation and experience in bringing people together. This talent will serve the community well.