Annual Library Budget Vote & Trustee Election

Tuesday, May 7.

The vote for the Cornwall Public Library’s annual operating budget and Trustee election will be held in the Library on Tuesday, May 7 from 9:00 am – 9:00 pm.

Operating Budget:

Click here to view the Proposed 2024/2025 Library Operating Budget. There will be a special budget informational session on Tuesday, April 30 at 7:00pm to answer questions about the library budget. The public is invited to attend.

Trustee Candidates:

Allison Barry

I have been a resident of Cornwall for 15 years and a dedicated library patron since childhood. The library has been a constant source of knowledge and inspiration for me. As a trustee, I will bring this inspiration and my passion for the Cornwall community to the Library Board.

For the past 2 years, I have volunteered as the Treasurer and bookkeeper for the Friends of Cornwall Library, the non-profit organization supporting the library’s additional programming beyond the approved budget. I am the Director of Annual Giving at the West Point Association of Graduates. I hold a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from University of Rochester.

My vision for the library:

I envision the Cornwall library as a vibrant community hub of learning and engagement for people of all ages. I want to see the library flourish while continuing to offer a welcoming space for everyone seeking knowledge.

I am committed to:

Advocating programming that support the needs of the Cornwall community, through literacy series, local events, and broad-based appealing speakers.
Working with the library board to develop goals and strategies that provide a sustainable growth trajectory.
Supporting initiatives that make the library inclusive to all members of our community.

Why I am running:

Libraries are essential to a healthy and thriving community. I am running for the library board because I want to ensure our library has the resources it needs to continue serving Cornwall for generations to come.

Thank you for your support!

Elizabeth Bristow

Elizabeth Bristow would be hard pressed to identify only one favorite book, but if you twisted her arm she would say that her favorite novel is The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and her (current) favorite nonfiction work is The Source: How Rivers Made America and America Remade its Rivers by Martin Doyle. Elizabeth teaches civil engineering at West Point, and she has lived in the Cornwall area since 2007. She holds a Bachelor of Science and two graduate degrees in civil engineering from Texas A&M University. She joined the New Windsor Volunteer Ambulance Corps in 2008 and has since served as a driver, an EMT, a line officer, and become a life member of that organization, and she is a member, with her family, of St. Marianne Cope Parish in Cornwall on Hudson. She is the proud mother of Thomas, 5 (the President of the Pete the Cat Fan Club) and Isabella, 3 – a budding Ramona Quimby.

Why I want to become a library Trustee: Institutions like the Library are the heart and soul of Cornwall – what transforms us from a group of people who happen to live in the same place into a community. These institutions should be fostered, protected, and provided for – without them, we lose something far more important than the monetary value of the building or the books or any of the services they provide. When I moved to the Cornwall area seventeen years ago – from Texas, 1500 miles away from friends and family – the Library was one of the first local places I encountered, and it was the one, more than any of the other great local organizations, that made me realize that it was all going to be okay, that Cornwall is a wonderful place to live and to learn and that I could – and ultimately did! – make a home here. I’ve felt since I was a small child that libraries are magical places: they’re storehouses of potential, offering knowledge that anyone can access if they just find the right book. Since my first trip to a library at the age of three, they have given me far more than I’ve given back to them. I just want an opportunity to pay down my tab, and to do what I can to serve and protect our local treasure.

Emily Davies

My name is Emily Davies and I live in Cornwall on Hudson with my husband and three small children. My husband and I grew up in Orange County and quickly knew that the Cornwall community is where we wanted to be. I’m an outdoor enthusiast and spend my free time outside exploring this area’s natural beauty with my little ones. I am fortunate to work locally as a pediatric occupational therapist for Crow Speech Clinic on Main Street as well as provide services for children throughout Orange County.

When my first child was small, the Cornwall library was a natural haven for me as a young mom. Not only have my children benefited from exposure to early literacy but I have met and connected with other wonderful families in our area as well as been able to take advantage of many programs and resources as an adult. I’ve experienced firsthand how instrumental a library can be for the lives of people within that community, through my own early childhood memories of family story times, spending countless hours during graduate school in my university’s library pouring over research articles and textbooks, and now as an adult raising my own children. I believe the Library is one of Cornwall’s greatest assets. I would be honored to serve as a member of its Board of Trustees to help support its wonderful staff and actively be a part of guiding the library’s future.

Chris DeFilippi

Chris DeFilippi has been a Cornwall resident since Fall 2021 and lives with his fiancé Austin and French bulldog, Rocky. He is the Founder of Hazen Consulting Group, a consultancy that specializes in optimizing processes, data and technology for schools, startups, and nonprofits.

Most recently, Chris and Austin launched Rocky Bagel.

Chris is currently serving as Vice President of the Orange County Arts Council and Strategy Director at Runway for Recovery. Previously, Chris has served on the board of Take The Lead Women.

“I have seen firsthand how important a library is to a community. At 14, I started my first job at the Richmondtown Branch of the New York Public Library. I spent seven years working in the children’s room; shelving books, hosting weekly read-aloud sessions and helping families find the best books for their children. You can still quiz me on the Dewey Decimal System!

I would love the opportunity to serve as a library trustee. I hope to leverage my background and experience to support the library’s growth and development while ensuring it continues to offer wonderful, rich programming and resources to Cornwall residents.”

Chantal Martineau

I moved to Cornwall eight years ago with my husband and (then one, now two!) children. I’m the author of two books and more magazine and newspaper articles than I can count. I’m also an educator who has taught children from pre-K to high school. If you have school-aged kids, you may recognize me as the coordinator at the COH Elementary School Garden, where I can be found reading the kiddos books on plants, coaching them on best composting practices, or just digging around in the dirt with them.

As a writer, teacher, and mom, I’m a passionate supporter and champion of libraries. I’m running for library board to serve an institution that provides our community with more than just free access to books but opportunities to broaden our horizons and connect with our neighbors through its programming. I want to see the Cornwall Library continue to thrive and expand its offerings. Above all, I want to be a part of the good work it does providing a nurturing and welcoming place for all.

Lucinda Poindexter

My name is Lucinda Poindexter. I have lived in Cornwall-on-Hudson for 22 years and raised our four children here with my husband Dan. My first career was in college textbook publishing as a software and acquisitions editor. Soon after moving to Cornwall I opened 2 Alices Coffee Lounge, in part to help build community and showcase local products and artists. Since selling 2 Alices, I have been working in nonprofit positions related to food, agriculture and small business advocacy. Most recently, I was the Executive Director for seven years at Chester Agricultural Center whose mission is to help grow an equitable and inclusive regional food system through affordable land and infrastructure leases, sustainable agricultural practices, training, and an innovative housing model for farmers and farmworkers.

I previously served as a trustee at the Cornwall Public Library from 2005 to 2010. I would be honored to serve again in this role. The Library is integral to our community and an important public asset for all our residents. My experience in nonprofit management and community-building efforts will help me to serve effectively on the board, support policies approved by the board, maintain fiscal oversight and ensure that the CPL provides the best possible services to our community.

Gregory N. Rocco

Gregory N. Rocco is an artist, community activist, and writer. Born and raised in South Philadelphia, Mr. Rocco has dedicated the majority of his life to the arts; studying sculpture and illustration at The Pennsylvania Academy of The Fine Arts, working at The Franklin Institute Science Museum as an exhibit builder and carpenter. He was commissioned to work on: The Statue of Justice (located at Brooklyn Borough Hall), and other works located at The National Civil War Museum at Gettysburg and also designing commemorative medallions.

Furthering his career in the arts, Mr. Rocco relocated to Los Angeles and began working in the Film Industry; as an art director, set decorator, and property master. His talent and artistic flair caught the attention of industry executives; landing him a fruitful career in Hollywood; where he worked alongside Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, and David Fincher—to name a few.

In the early 2000s Rocco moved back to the East Coast to raise his family and has been living in Cornwall, NY ever since.

He now works as a commissioned artist, writer, and community activist in the Hudson Valley region and South Philadelphia.

Reasons why he’s interested in this role:

Frequent at the library (across locations)
- Has a strong rapport at the Cornwall Public Library with staff
- Curated an art exhibit at the library (in 2023)
Leader
Professional
Service oriented
Well connected in the community

Gregory states that he wants to have a positive impact in the Community that is a breath of fresh air for him.

Amy Stermer

Amy Stermer is an educational professional with more than 20 years of experience. A former classroom English and writing teacher at both the high school and college levels, Amy is currently employed at New York Medical College as an Assistant Director in the Office of Academic Excellence. She has a BA in English from SUNY Buffalo, an MA in English from the University of Maryland College Park, and a secondary education certificate from Grand Valley State University. In the past, she has produced documentaries, written for newspapers, performed in bands, and coached Girls on the Run teams. Her hobbies include reading fiction, listening to nonfiction, running, and baking bread for friends.

I am interested in becoming a Cornwall Public Library Trustee to advocate for one of our community’s most valuable resources. Despite our constant access to information and amidst the 24-hour news cycle, I believe public libraries remain essential as one of our last indoor community spaces. There’s no admission fee to enter the library, and there’s no expectation that you will spend any money or give up any of your own resources. Instead, the library provides you with what you need: books, a quiet space, programs for all ages and interests, fellowship, and a variety of services that either don’t exist elsewhere or are limited to many due to cost and access.

I have spent my career in education, and education is, I think, ultimately at the heart of the library’s purpose. I fully support our library’s commitment to free speech, along with its practice of making a wide range of materials available and allowing patrons to decide what they will and won’t read, watch, and hear. Our local library is our community’s investment in public knowledge, engagement, and preservation, and I am excited to help fulfill its mission of connecting “people, information, and ideas to inspire learning, provoke curiosity, advance knowledge, and strengthen our community.”

Voter Qualifications:

All residents of the Cornwall Central School District, who are registered to vote, are eligible to vote in this election.
New voters are required to register in person.
An Application for Absentee Ballot is available to print from our website (here), to pick up in person at the library, or by contacting the Cornwall Public Library at (845)534-8282.

The Application(s) for Absentee Ballot must be received by the Cornwall Public Library, 395 Hudson St., Cornwall, NY 12518, by 5:00 pm, Tuesday, April 16, 2024 if the ballot is to be mailed either way, or by 7:45 pm, Monday, May 6, 2024 if the ballot is to be hand-delivered and NOT mailed either way.