This is the second time that Barbara has aspired to the office of Village Trustee, and this time she intends to close the seven-vote gap that marked her near-victory in March of 2007. She has spent the intervening year attending almost every meeting of the Village Board as well as most of those of the Town Board.

Although a “newbie,” Barbara has deep roots here, in the form of her mother, her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. She has immersed herself in the community, serving actively with the Rhinebeck Historical Society, Wilderstein, the Church of the Messiah (in its weekly food pantry and special events), and Rhinebeck’s Democratic party. Over the past two years she served on the Rhinebeck (Town) Budget and Finance Committee, which is now undergoing reorganization. Due to her involvement and interest, it’s not an exaggeration to say that Barbara knows more about the workings of the village than many long-term residents.

Retired now, with time and inclination to listen to the ideas and concerns of village residents, Barbara has had a distinguished professional career. As a Registered Nurse she went on to get an MBA in health care administration. For eleven years she was a top sales person for Kaiser Permanente North East, representing Kaiser to national corporate clients. In the later years of her career she returned to nursing practice, as a Visiting Nurse in NYC.

Barbara considers that her first responsibilty as an elected representative of village residents would be to listen carefully to their concerns and to encourage their input. She feels that one of the Board’s major responsibilities is to involve its constituents in the preservation and improvement of village life.

She wants to investigate and promote opportunities for sharing services with the town and the school system, in order to improve efficiency, reduce duplication, and save tax money. This seems more imperative than ever as we face an increased pace of development once the town’s Comprehensive Plan goes into effect. There will be changes, happening rapidly and impacting heavily on the village’s traffic, infrastructure, services, and quality of life.

Contact Barbara at: barbarakraft5@gmail.com

Svend has lived in Rhinebeck since 1985. He and his wife Patricia have raised three children here and now have a granddaughter in the Rhinebeck schools. Recently Svend’s mother has become a Rhinebeck resident also.

Svend obtained his degree in sociology and social work from S.U.N.Y. New Paltz and has worked for the past 22 years at the Astor Home, where he serves now as a Family Specialist. His professional work complements the qualities that Svend brings to community life - empathetic listening, negotiating and mediating skills, a strong sense of community and family values, and a calm, moderating temperament.

Svend’s involvement in village and town life has been significant. He is completing his second term (a total of 4 years) as Village Trustee, serving as the Board’s liaison to the department of streets, parks, waste removal and recycling. He is currently a member of the Rhinebeck (Town) Recreation Committee and served formerly as Director of Rhinebeck Connections (now known as Young Rhinebeck) and as a board member of the Dutchess Arts Council.

Svend has selected three priorities from the 15 or so issues and initiatives he would like to explore or develop:

- To continue working with the Town Conservation Advisory Committee (C.A.C.) on a village-town Tree Plan, which would establish a Tree Ordinance, a citizen Tree Board, and a Master Plan, all designed to preserve and enhance one of the village’s most significant resources.

- To advance, with input from the community and a landscape designer, his plans to enhance the two village-owned properties on Crystal Lake which now serve as passive parks, in order to create more welcoming spaces where people would like to congregate;

- To research garbage pickup and recycling programs, with an eye to expanding recycling in the village and reducing costs to citizens. Realizing the difficulty some have in purchasing the blue bags, Svend hopes to make them available on weekends and evenings.

Among the other issues which Svend considers high priority are additional pedestrian crosswalks, turning lanes at the traffic light, promotion of west side businesses, improving the appearance of the village garage, and ‘greening’ the village operations through enlightened management of its vehicles, buildings, and energy use.

Contact Svend at: ditters1@frontiernet.net