Meet the Candidate: Teresa Stockburger

In 30 years, Teresa Stockburger sees herself sitting on the front porch of her Oak Street home in Brewster, watching the “whippersnappers” go by and feeling encouraged by a “thriving” community of young people. 

Stockburger, a registered Republican who has sat on the Village of Brewster Board of Trustees for four terms, is running for reelection. She’s seen potential for change since she and her husband Rick moved here from Virginia in 1992 and is optimistic about revitalization and urban renewal efforts. 

She’s hoping to continue contributing to the turn-around, which includes new water and sewer systems, by updating the village’s comprehensive plan, hearing builder suggestions for Main Street and getting more input from residents.

When asked what she envisioned for the revitalization, she said it’s up to local folks—“however the community wants to change their community.”

“We don’t have a vision of it being Katonah, we don’t have a vision of it being Chappaqua, we want this to be a Brewster that’s focused on transit-oriented development,” she said, noting that the train was what brought her here because she could walk to the station. “We want young people from New York City that want to come up here and start families.”

During her time on the board Stockburger has acted as sanitation commissioner. The village has seen a lower garbage bill, which she negotiated, and a bigger emphasis on recycling, she said. She’s also active in sprucing up the area, as she’s taken the lead on holiday and welcome banners, and the flower baskets that hang in the spring. 

“It’s bringing beauty to the community,” she said.

Concerns of Stockburger’s include the number of rented properties in the building, especially when the “owner isn’t even in the area at all.” She also wants to revisit the sign law, which does not allow for a business to use trademark colors, she said. She considers it somewhat restrictive and therefore burdensome.

When she’s not attending village meetings and events, Stockburger is running her Mary Kay cosmetics business. She’s also a church elder at her Presbyterian church in Croton Falls, and a member of the Landmarks Preservation Society of Southeast.

Stockburger enjoys walking to Main Street and eating at places like Jack and Jill pool hallhttp://southeast.patch.com/listings/jack-jill-lounge when she’s not up to cooking. She and her husband take home improvement seriously, too.

“We’re constantly adding value to our property,” she said. “I don’t know why others don’t do that, but that’s not going to stop me from wanting that for myself and for my neighbors.”

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Stockburger is running on the Best for Brewster and Conservative lines. Village of Brewster Board of Trustees incumbent Christine Piccini is running for reelection this year, as is Mayor James Schoenig. Richard Allen is challenging Schoenig and Erin Meagher is running for trustee.