Get to Know Our 2025 Candidates for Town Supervisor and Town Board
- kathrynrygg
- Oct 14
- 13 min read
October 14th, 2025
What's the most important thing you can do for the environment in this election?
Cast an informed vote!
In an effort to learn more about their environmental priorities, Color Penfield Green invited our candidates to join our September meetings. Both candidates for Town Supervisor and all four candidates for Town Board accepted our invitation and we had a dynamic, lively discussion with all of them. We are grateful that they gave us their time during this busy election season.
Because many of our readers are not members, we also asked the candidates to answer a set of questions relating to sustainability. Their responses are below and in alphabetical order by candidate.
The Candidates
Penfield Town Supervisor
Penfield Town Board
Candidate for
Penfield Town Supervisor
Kevin Berry
What do you think are worthy short term practical goals of the Active Transportation Plan?
Penfield’s Active Transportation Plan should focus on making it easier, safer, and more beneficial for residents to walk, bike, and engage in other non-motorized travel.
The first short term, practical goal is to make active transportation safer. This begins with maintaining the infrastructure already in place so that sidewalks, crosswalks, and trails remain free of hazards such as cracks, holes, or uneven pavement. Visibility must also be maintained by trimming back vegetation, whether the responsibility falls to the town, county, or state. We also must actively work toward safety interventions that will take a bit longer and require more planning, coordination and funding. This includes improving intersections that present safety concerns with context-specific measures such as better lighting, high-visibility crosswalks, pedestrian signals, or flashing beacons. On designated roads, wider shoulders and bike lanes are needed to provide safe space for cyclists. Around schools and in residential zones where speeding is a concern, traffic calming measures could be introduced to protect pedestrians and cyclists. A short term objective is to obtain buy in from the county and state to complete projects within their authority. Another is to obtain as much funding, such as grants from outside the town as possible for town projects.
The second short-term goal is to improve connectivity so that active transportation becomes a practical option for more residents. This means filling sidewalk gaps along major corridors and near schools, while also ensuring that neighborhoods are connected to parks, trails, and community destinations.
In addition to safety and connectivity, the plan should include pilot initiatives that allow the town to test projects on a small scale. Temporary bike lanes, crosswalks, or other measures can help determine cost effectiveness, user satisfaction, and overall impact before full-scale investments are made.
The third short term goal is to put in place a mechanism to ensure that the active transportation efforts will be continuously monitored and supported by strong public engagement. Progress should be evaluated through surveys, usage data, and community feedback to ensure that the initiatives are effective, widely accepted, and cost efficient. Education will be equally important. Residents should have access to clear information about the plan, its implementation, and how to use new infrastructure safely. Regular town halls and workshops can build transparency, strengthen public trust, and encourage community participation in making Penfield a safer and more connected place for active transportation.
How can an elected official help Penfield reduce what is sent to landfills - especially organic materials like yard waste and food scraps?
Reducing what we send to landfills requires both creativity and practical action. I would lead town staff in collaborating with community organizations to expand educational opportunities at our Community Center, offering a broader variety of classes that help residents avoid excess food waste and encourage composting. At the same time, the town must make it more convenient for residents to use existing drop-off programs by improving access and awareness. We also need to take a thoughtful look at the possibility of leaf pickup. In addition, the town could actively encourage the use of compost bins at community events, public facilities, and individual residences, reinforcing sustainable habits across all aspects of community life.
What role can elected officials play in making our new program, the Penfield Pollinator Pathway, a success?
Elected officials can play a key role in expanding upon the work already underway to make the Penfield Pollinator Pathway a lasting success. This begins with ensuring that plantings on town properties and public spaces prioritize native species that support pollinators. The town should also reduce unnecessary mowing to allow meadows to thrive, creating healthier habitats. Demonstration gardens can highlight the beauty and value of native plantings while inspiring residents to incorporate them into their own yards. Expanding the distribution of native seedlings will further support this effort, while targeted outreach to youth and schools can help build the next generation of environmental stewards. Finally, the town should actively pursue grants and partnerships to provide resources that grow and sustain the program. Much of this is already in place, but we must engage in continuous improvement and expansion of these efforts.
Many people are concerned about the grid not being able to keep up with electrification of homes, businesses, and vehicles. How can we ensure that that won’t be a problem here in Penfield?
Some communities in Upstate New York already face this problem. Penfield needs to stay ahead of the curve. The supervisor must coordinate with RG&E ensure our grid is ready, whether that means planning for substations, feeder lines, or future capacity. Every new project must include a check to be sure our infrastructure can keep up. We must continually review building codes to ensure encourage energy-efficient homes and businesses, support a variety of energy sources, and expand charging options for electric vehicles. By pursuing grants, we can bring in outside funding to save residents money while strengthening our energy systems. Penfield can prepare for emergencies through a working Energy Resiliency Plan. The Town must work with residents through education and outreach to make sustainability something we all share in.
With smart planning, strong partnerships, and community involvement, Penfield can build a cleaner, more reliable energy future for everyone.
The Rochester region is relatively climate-safe and people will be moving to the area from all over. What is your vision for future housing in our community?
Penfield needs to be designated as a pro-housing community. That is crucial for the town to obtain grant funding for infrastructure improvements. The Penfield sewer system is aged and requires upgrades already. Penfield will need to quicken the pace of upgrading its sewer system in order to meet the increased demand. We need to focus on workforce and generational housing - housing that young people and seniors can afford. Many rural parts of the town are on septic and it works for them. There are other areas that are not on the sewer system and this prevents the construction of denser developments, such as reasonably priced apartments, that are appropriate for those areas. My vision is that Penfield will have a variety of housing options that fit a diverse community - a community in which new teachers at our schools, for example, can afford to live. Designation as a pro-housing community shows our commitment to supporting housing growth, especially affordable, diverse and accessible housing through our policies, zoning and practices.
We advocate for municipal composting; solar and wind; preserving green space; as well as new, sustainably built housing developments. All of these are important, and all of them compete for land. How does Penfield strike a balance?
This balance is important in order to protect our environment, encourage growth, and maintain and even improve the unique character of Penfield.
We need to review our codes to ensure that they support this balance.
We need to engage in location-based zoning. This puts housing near transportation and solar on large rooftops and less valuable land, for example. We need to ensure that land use is not siloed and makes the use of land more efficient. An example of this is partnering with farmers to use composted materials from residential areas to nurture their land. Another is placing solar panels on large public buildings.
The Town government needs to ensure that our codes, plans, practices and partnerships all coincide to make the best use of the limited and precious land in Penfield.
Learn more at the candidate's website here.
Candidate for
Penfield Town Supervisor
Jeff Leenhouts
[Joint response from Jeff Leenhouts,
Candace Lee, and Bob Ockenden]
What do you think are worthy short term practical goals of the Active Transportation Plan?
We are continuing to expand sidewalks, with about $250,000 invested each year in new sidewalk installations. The Active Transportation Plan will give us better data to guide where sidewalks, bike lanes, wider shoulders, and crosswalks with flashing lights should be placed. As we improve Town roads and advocate for changes on County and State roads, this plan provides concrete evidence to support those improvements.
How can an elected official help Penfield reduce what is sent to landfills - especially organic materials like yard waste and food scraps?
Composting is difficult for a municipality to manage alone, but we can make progress by providing resources, education, and potentially land for this service. It is regularly discussed as we look at improving brush and leaf programs. Towns like Henrietta, which operates a combined brush, composting, and leaf site, provide a model. On the east side, available land is the challenge. However, there is a group of local leaders, including Legislator John Baynes and Sue Hughes-Smith, exploring an east side composting IMA that could provide a sustainable solution.
What role can elected officials play in making our new program, the Penfield Pollinator Pathway, a success?
Communication is key. We will continue to share updates through Town communications and highlight community participation. For example, when I recently visited the Scribner Road students planting pollinator seeds, we shared it on social media, where it reached hundreds of residents and generated strong positive engagement. By promoting these programs, we build awareness, encourage participation, and demonstrate the benefits of pollinator-friendly practices.
Many people are concerned about the grid not being able to keep up with electrification of homes, businesses, and vehicles. How can we ensure that that won’t be a problem here in Penfield?
This is a valid concern. We are working closely with RG&E to ensure Penfield has the infrastructure to support current and future development. The Town has taken proactive steps by adopting a Renewable Energy Systems Code, which sets standards for EV charging, solar, wind, geothermal, and battery storage. We are also adding multiple new public charging stations with grant funding and have already converted all streetlights to LED. These investments both reduce demand and help balance energy use.
The Rochester region is relatively climate-safe and people will be moving to the area from all over. What is your vision for future housing in our community?
To plan responsibly, we are conducting a Fiscal Analysis and Housing Impact Study. This will provide data on housing needs, who needs it, and whether our infrastructure can support it. The study will conclude within 6–8 months and serve as a model for evaluating any new development, from apartments to senior living facilities.
Supporting seniors to age in place with dignity is one of our top priorities, and we want to balance growth with maintaining the quality of life that makes Penfield so desirable.
We advocate for municipal composting; solar and wind; preserving green space; as well as new, sustainably built housing developments. All of these are important, and all of them compete for land. How does Penfield strike a balance?
Penfield has taken a multi-pronged approach to sustainability. We’ve protected green space by preserving Shadow Pines, where we’ve planted new trees, installed EV chargers, and engaged students in pollinator projects. At the same time, we’ve advanced clean energy by earning a Clean Energy Community designation, converting streetlights to LED, and investing in electric vehicles for Town operations.
Balancing land use requires careful planning, which is why we are updating codes like our Environmental Protection Overlay District (EPOD) and adopting policies like the Renewable Energy Systems Code. In addition, our Sustainability Engineer is focused on coordinating these efforts, ensuring we use grant funding effectively, advance renewable energy, and develop plans like the Climate Action Plan and Active Transportation Plan with community input. By combining strong planning with smart investments, Penfield can both preserve its character and lead on sustainability.
Learn more at the candidate's website here.
Candidate for
Penfield Town Board
Jon Getz
What do you think are worthy short term practical goals of the Active Transportation Plan?
I believe that the goal of any active transportation needs to identify ways that the community can become less dependent on the automobile and more focused on encouraging pedestrian and bike friendly infrastructure.
Penfield has historically focused on motor vehicle transportation. Connecting the often disjointed sidewalk system, working with trail connections, creating feasible bike lanes and developing better access to mass transit are short term goals our community can achieve.
How can an elected official help Penfield reduce what is sent to landfills - especially organic materials like yard waste and food scraps?
Recycling and composting are key factors in the reduction of land fill use.
Education and partnerships with community organizations like Color
Penfield Green is a meaningful way to have community involvement in
educating neighbors about the benefits to our environment as well as each
resident's property. As a composter, I find it to be enjoyable as well!
The CPG Holiday tree pickup is the very type of community focused programs I support and would like to help with!
What role can elected officials play in making our new program, the Penfield Pollinator Pathway, a success?
I suggest proactive messaging by the town as well as scheduled informal and formal meetings with engaged community members is one way to move this program forward. Once example included more neighborhood gatherings to show the benefits. Elected should help communicate and assist in developing ways to get out the message.
Many people are concerned about the grid not being able to keep up with electrification of homes, businesses, and vehicles. How can we ensure that that won’t be a problem here in Penfield?
Communication and advocacy in relation to Rochester Gas & Electric is necessary to make sure our community is ready for grid the demand in power use changes. The Town should be always looking for ways to lessen the burden of the grid. One example where I believe the town missed an opportunity to act forwardly was the lack of was no consideration in placing solar panels on recent massive public investments like the Penfield Public Works garage. The Town should be at the forefront of technology and clean energy. Another opportunity is to investigate incentives for projects to consider more renewable energy sources when projects are being considered.
The Rochester region is relatively climate-safe and people will be moving to the area from all over. What is your vision for future housing in our community?
In October of 2023, the Town of Penfield finalized a well-researched comprehensive plan that provided a strong framework for a vision of the future of the community. It took into consideration our history, needed development, and common goals set forth by our community members. I believe much of the plan is in line with my thoughts about the future of our community.
Penfield, like many communities across the county, state and country, has seen a significant increase in the market value of single-family, pre-existing homes, with fast turnaround from listing to closing. People need affordable places to live. Penfield is a wonderful community for housing options. These options require meaningful advanced planning so that each developmental “footprint” has a goal of carbon neutrality.
We advocate for municipal composting; solar and wind; preserving green space; as well as new, sustainably built housing developments. All of these are important, and all of them compete for land. How does Penfield strike a balance?
I believe the key word is balance. I admit my bias is focused on the preservation of green space as once development occurs, it is very challenging to go back. That said, I respect the need for growth. While it can take more work, I suggest that such balance can be had when partnerships are made with the Town, residents and developers to show the long-term value in creating sustainable housing and other projects. I also believe that there are many opportunities to remediate areas that were developed and now need attention.
Learn more at the candidate's website here.
Candidate for
Penfield Town Board
Bill Lang
What do you think are worthy short term practical goals of the Active Transportation Plan?
I think that the goal of any active transportation plan is to identify ways that the community can become less dependent on the automobile and more focused on encouraging pedestrian and bike friendly infrastructure. Penfield for most of its existence has been designed solely with the automobile in mind. This focus has led to a lack of a true town center, or character. We need to get our citizens involved and design a town that reflects what Penfield truly is.
How can an elected official help Penfield reduce what is sent to landfills - especially organic materials like yard waste and food scraps?
One of the best ways is to advocate for residents to consider composting or recycling. Sending organic (yard) materials to landfills is incredibly detrimental to our environment and should be avoided at all costs. Better partnerships with community organizations should be of the utmost importance and can help "spread the word" of the benefits to our environment as well as each resident's property.
What role can elected officials play in making our new program, the Penfield Pollinator Pathway, a success?
Much like composting, the Penfield Pollinator Pathway program suffers from a lack of partnership and public relations advocacy. As an elected official it is important to convey the messages and benefits of this program and to show tangible ways that the program can benefit each resident.
Many people are concerned about the grid not being able to keep up with electrification of homes, businesses, and vehicles. How can we ensure that that won’t be a problem here in Penfield?
Partnerships and advocacy in relation to Rochester Gas & Electric will continue to be important as our grid evolves and the demand changes. The Town should be always looking for ways to lessen the burden of the grid. I am disappointed to see that there was no consideration for the placement of solar panels on recent massive public investments like the Penfield Public Works garage. The Town should be at the forefront of technology and clean energy.
The Rochester region is relatively climate-safe and people will be moving to the area from all over. What is your vision for future housing in our community?
The Town of Penfield is evolving from a suburban sprawl community to a mature development community. We need to look at future housing development in targeted areas that can ensure public transit connectivity, infill of vacant or underutilized land and affordable options for all.
We advocate for municipal composting; solar and wind; preserving green space; as well as new, sustainably built housing developments. All of these are important, and all of them compete for land. How does Penfield strike a balance?
Penfield, much like any community, will always struggle to find a true "balance" in relation to all of the issues listed, however the Town Government should always have relevant debate when it comes to sustainably built housing, preserving green space, composting, and clean energy options. It should always be about doing the work and having challenging conversations. When those things happen the community can truly benefit and strike a balance.
Learn more at the candidate's website here.
Candidate for
Penfield Town Board
Candace Lee
See joint response with Jeff Leenhouts.
Learn more at the candidate's website here.
Candidate for
Penfield Town Board
Bob Ockenden
See joint response with Jeff Leenhouts.
Learn more at the candidate's website here.
Color Penfield Green is a non-partisan organization and does not endorse any political candidate(s). We look forward to collaborating with whoever holds office in January, 2024.