2025 Candidate Survey

On Tuesday, November 4, 2025, Penfield residents will have the opportunity to vote for the position of Town Supervisor and for two positions on the Town Board. These offices, through the establishment and enforcement of zoning ordinances, wield a great deal of influence over the future development of the town. For that reason, Preserve Penfield has prepared a questionnaire for candidates to help gauge their attitudes with respect to issues of concern to our organization.

Candidate responses to our six questions (received as of this writing) are published below. We will update this page to include additional responses if or when they become available.

1. What is your ideal vision for the Town in the next 3 - 5 years with respect to its business community, greenspace, and community character? Is the town heading in that direction?

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Mr. Leenhouts.)

  • My ideal vision is that in the next three to five years Penfield will become a more vibrant and enjoyable community. I want to lead a deliberate effort to revitalize empty commercial spaces, with as many local business owners as possible. The protection of greenspace is important because it is an important part of Penfield’s history and character. The town also needs a thriving business community and social spaces that people want to go to. There have been some positive developments, but the town needs visionary leadership to push the town forward. The town will move in the right direction, forward, when it follows the Comprehensive Plan and input from the residents. They are the guides.

Town Supervisor Candidates

  • I don’t believe that the town is currently headed in any specific direction at this time. As I have mentioned in the past, the Town of Planned Progress has turned into a punchline. We have a comprehensive plan but rarely, if ever, follow it. The Town needs to consider that plan as the guidebook for development moving forward. While it is important to preserve the character of Penfield, we must also continue to cultivate future growth in the town that reflects a cohesive vision.

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Mr. Ockenden.)

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Ms. Lee.)

  • 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. Penfield continues to be a sought-after  community for area residents. At the same time, some empty nesters are looking to  downsize to smaller, single-story homes or other housing options. People need  places to live. Penfield is a wonderful community for such housing options. 

    Moreover, our Penfield community has a long history of wanting to maintain open  spaces. I believe the community wishes to keep our open spaces as it is part of our  identity. 

    The Town also has many opportunities to work with current community businesses  with locations that have historically been our commercial-retail areas and should  work with those businesses interested in investing in those areas.  

    There is a balance that can be reached by working within the comprehensive plan  goals and continuing to assess the plan as to what may be working or what may  need further attention if it is not feasible.  

    The Town can move in the right direction as long the proper process is followed by  our Town government and the best interest of the community is considered a  priority. 

Town Board Candidates

2. In your opinion, what type of development is most critical to the Town’s future, and what should the Town government be doing to guide or encourage it?

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Mr. Leenhouts.)

  • Generational and Workforce Housing is the most critical development need for the town. To me, it isn’t right that many young adults who grew up in Penfield cannot afford to return to their hometown and have a home of their own. It isn’t right when people who raised their families in Penfield must leave the community they’ve invested so much in just to find an affordable place to retire. First and foremost, Penfield needs to obtain a Pro-Housing Community designation so that it can obtain grant funding to assist with these matters. This will allow the town to have, in appropriate and accessible areas, housing that young people and older residents can afford.

Town Supervisor Candidates

  • It is my belief that quality housing stock, that is affordable, should be the most critical development moving forward. For too long the housing development in Penfield has been out of reach for most buyers. The costs associated with the large-lot or cluster lot planned single-family home developments far exceed the return in tax dollars. 


    We should also be looking at ways to decrease the amount of vacant retail space which permeates in locations like Panorama Plaza and the Baytown Plaza area. True mixed use housing is an option in these locations that should be explored.

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Mr. Ockenden.)

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Ms. Lee.)

  • I believe [the] town should work on creating affordable homes for fellow  community members and work to revitalize areas of our town to assist our business  community in making these areas stronger with better land use management. 

    I suggest a review of Town code and laws are crucial to having a better framework  for parties to work with. I also suggest we need to enhance infrastructure as there  as some serious needs in these areas.

Town Board Candidates

3. What can the Town of Penfield do to mitigate problems with the volume and hazard level of motor vehicle traffic? How should the success or failure of such actions be judged or measured?

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Mr. Leenhouts.)

  • The town needs to partner with County and State officials to mitigate traffic problems. We need to take a safety-first approach. The intersection of Routes 250 and 441 has a crash rate almost six times higher than the average for a similar intersection. That is unacceptable. We need to collaborate to solve these problems using proven traffic calming methods and technology, and to obtain as much funding assistance from the federal, State and County governments as possible. The measure of success should be the metrics regarding safety of motorists and pedestrians, and crash rates.

Town Supervisor Candidates

  • Many of the main thoroughfares in Penfield suffer from an accident rate that far exceeds the regional average. On the most highly traveled routes (Route 441 and Empire Blvd) speed is one of the key contributors to that accident rate.

    We need to partner with our layers of government (County, State, Etc) to lower the speeds on these routes, increase enforcement and embrace some of the new “technologies” to decrease accident rates (ex. enhanced pavement markings, road diets, etc.)

    The measurement of success will have to be a metrics driven approach. Looking at decreasing the accident rate, increasing public transportation usage, etc.

    We also need to look at street lighting, especially on Empire Boulevard where street lighting is almost non-existent. A further step would be increasing pedestrian safety to encourage walking. Sidewalks should be protected sidewalks, and crosswalks should be better marked.

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Mr. Ockenden.)

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Ms. Lee.)

  • This issue requires multi-layers of thinking and work. I suggest the Town  can truly work with our County and State officials as well as local law enforcement.  Modification of speed limits, better traffic awareness and enforcement are some  easier ideas to work on this issue. So too, is better education. I have found the  County Sheriff’s Department very willing to work with us on this issue. 

    Certain Town roads may need to have speed limits reduced. Traffic patterns and the  study of key problem areas also help in developing the best options to remediate  this significant issue in our community.  

    Success or failure of actions may be quantified by seeing if there are reductions in  accidents and by obtaining some community feedback.

Town Board Candidates

4. (Incumbents Only) What were the pillars of your platform in the previous election in which you took part? Have you achieved what you set out to do? What did you learn?

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Mr. Leenhouts.)

Town Supervisor Candidates

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Mr. Ockenden.)

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Ms. Lee.)

Town Board Candidates

5. (Non-Incumbents Only) In the last few years, what major projects or commitments have you undertaken? Have you achieved what you set out to do? What did you learn?

  • I am currently a Town Councilperson running for Town Supervisor. The major commitment that I made when I ran for Town Board in 2023 was to listen to the residents of Penfield. I have earned a reputation for doing just that. By doing that, I have advocated for the health and safety of Penfield residents and for development that makes sense and follows code, among other things. I have also listened to residents on an individual basis and provided successful constituent service to them. I have achieved what I set out to do because I listen to everyone and make the best decision I can for the residents of Penfield. I cannot make everyone happy all of the time, but I can ensure they know why I voted as I did. I learned that I cannot make the necessary substantial progress that Penfield needs in a timely manner by being a part-time Town Councilperson. To do that, I need to be the full-time Supervisor working with the Town staff at Town Hall.

Town Supervisor Candidates

  • As the Director of Development in the Town of Irondequoit I can think of many successes that we have achieved in the last few years. Those include:

    • Designation as a NYS Pro-Housing Community

    • Designation as an Age-Friendly Community

    • Development of several large-scale housing projects to meet the demand of our older adult population.

    • Applying for the NYS Downtown Redevelopment Initiative, working with community partners to develop public/private partnerships and envision a true walkable live/work community.

    • Partnering with community organizations like Walk/Bike Irondequoit, Color Irondequoit Green etc to increase awareness and funding for projects of community interest.

    • Setting the foundation for a full rewrite of the Irondequoit Comprehensive Plan.

    The work is never complete and we continue to look at ways to encourage smart development, increase walkability/bikeability and provide safe mobility options. 

  • Professionally, after 30 years of trial work I recently refocused my legal  career to work more as a mediator. I have been fortunate as this focus has grown, and I have been selected to facilitate many “higher profile” cases and have been  glad to see many parties come together to work solve the problems without  litigation.  

    I have also been working with the State and Monroe County Bar Associations to  provide input on new bills as well as reviewing/amending current laws. We have  seen many positive modifications because of this work.

Town Board Candidates

6. If elected, will you support investing Town funds in the preservation of open space, such as bonds to preserve agricultural land?

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Mr. Leenhouts.)

  • The preservation of open space is important in general. It is also important to Penfield in particular because of the town’s agricultural heritage and unique character. I would support investing Town funds, such as bonds, to preserve open space if that is the will of many of the town residents.

Town Supervisor Candidates

  • I believe in the preservation of open space when the option is available to the Town. I also believe that the preservation should be the will of the people and should be done in a financially responsible way. Legacy costs relative to preservation of open space need to be considered as well as ensuring that it meets the demands of the comprehensive plan.

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Mr. Ockenden.)

  • (At this time, we have not received a response to our questionnaire from Ms. Lee.)

  • Yes, with input of our community and the utilization of a strategic plan  that works for the best interest of our Town.

Town Board Candidates