by Mindy MacLaren It's October, leaves are falling, and residents will be looking to clean up their yards. Each Fall, and to a degree, in the Spring, thousands of bags of leaves and yard debris are put to the curb to be taken to landfills by local garbage service companies. Penfield has already undertaken steps … Continue reading Alternatives to Leaf Pick Up
By Mindy MacLaren I attended last night's public informational hearing on the Shadow Pines Master Plan, designed by BME Associates, and presented by landscape architect, Andrew Spencer. The Town Hall auditorium was full of interested residents and four of the five Town Board members were present. While those who spoke or asked questions after the … Continue reading My Comments on the Shadow Pines Master Plan
(Pictured above: the 1847 William Higbie Homestead and my home). By Mindy MacLaren As the daughter of a visionary leader in the revitalization of some Rochester's oldest industrial buildings, the idea of them as important pieces of the landscape, history, and future of a place was instilled in me from a young age. In my … Continue reading My Experience as an Historic Preservationist
By Mindy MacLaren On Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019, a public hearing was held to give Penfield residents the opportunity to speak to their neighbors who have volunteered to sit on the 2020 Comprehensive Plan Committee; the Town's planner (Zach Nersinger), engineer (Mark Valentine), and Director of Development (Jim Costello) were present as well. My comments … Continue reading My Comments to the 2020 Comp Plan Committee
By Mindy MacLaren As a founding member of the ‘Save Shadow Pines’ group, now known as the ‘Friends of Shadow Pines’, I take great pride in what our grassroots group of Penfield residents was able to do regarding the 211 acre former golf course. We effectively communicated to the public why it should be purchased … Continue reading Penfield Deserves Proactive Leadership
Are you interested in politics? Do you want to make a difference in the Penfield community? Have you ever considered running for local office? If so, local elections are coming up in November, 2019, and the Penfield Democrats wants you! Seats up for grabs are those of town supervisor, two board members, and one town … Continue reading PenDems Wants You!
On Monday, 10/22, a candidate forum was held at UR Medicine hosted by the League of Women Voters of the Rochester Metropolitan Area. Prior to Election Day, this is the closest thing we're going to get to a debate between candidates Lunsford and Cooney and incumbents Funke and Robach for State Senate seats in the … Continue reading Watch the Candidates’ Forum!
By Mindy MacLaren When I first met Jen Lunsford last November, the thing that most stood out to me about her was her ability to communicate effectively. She attended the monthly meeting of the Pen Dems and was voted in as a new Committee member that evening. When Jen contributed to the conversation to a … Continue reading Meet Our Next State Senator from the 55th: Jen Lunsford!
By Mindy MacLaren I initially started writing this post in March, 2017, but never finished it, having been waylaid by other commitments. I realize one blog post can't stop the wheels of government, but given what has been lost since then, I'd feel better knowing I had raised an alarm, at least in writing. Better … Continue reading Penfield’s 1st Public Library Demolished for Dental Office
By Mindy MacLaren For the past several months, the Penfield Democratic Committee has been working diligently creating a survey to gauge where residents stand on a variety of local issues. While we will use the feedback gleaned from this survey to develop a platform for future candidates, our hope is that Penfielders of all political … Continue reading Have Your Say!
The New Penfield Optimist 