To The Editor:
As someone who has served alongside Councilman Ramon Fernandez on the Peekskill City Council for the past four years, I feel compelled, to offer some insights into my experience working with him. To be clear, I personally like Mr. Fernandez. He is very personable, and I have no doubt he loves this city. He is also a devoted family man. That said, in my opinion, I do not believe he is qualified to serve as Mayor of Peekskill for the following examples.
During our time on the council working as colleagues, there are multiple occasions when I have questioned his competency and commitment to the business before the city and its impact on our residents. Councilman Fernandez is often late to meetings, is often unprepared as if he hasn’t read materials provided by staff and frequently repeats discussions that have occurred and concluded as though he is hearing them for the first time. These behaviors suggest a superficial approach to governance.
One concerning example that stands out to me occurred during the 2024 budget process. The City Manager proposed a budget with a 4.65 percent increase. The Common Council worked diligently to craft a budget that would lower the proposed rate and ease the burden on the taxpayers. Yet at the conclusion of the budget negotiations, when the final resolution came to a vote, Councilman Fernandez voted against the common council budget which had a lower tax rate than the city manager’s budget. His vote would have effectively supported the higher increase proposed by the City Manager.
What I realized at that moment was that he fundamentally misunderstands the budget process and had the rest of the council not proceeded with the revised budget, taxpayers could have been saddled with a much higher tax increase.
Beyond issues of competency, events of the last year have called Councilman Fernandez’s integrity into question. Earlier this year it was revealed by his own admission during a state judicial investigation that Councilman Fernandez requested favors from a sitting judge in Peekskill to accommodate a friend. Although a technical lapse in statute of limitations limited the City’s ethics committee’s ability to rule on the matter, the facts of what transpired were fully documented and released publicly.
Rather than taking responsibility, Mr. Fernandez portrayed himself as exonerated and celebrated the outcome publicly. He never wholeheartedly apologized to the community, instead blaming others and dismissing the matter as a political attack. And while the ethics committee could not take action based on the statute of limitations Councilman Fernandez became the first sitting councilmember to be formally censured by the majority of the council. This is not a distinction any public servant should carry, let alone someone aspiring to serve as mayor.
Peekskill is at a pivotal moment. We are experiencing growth in our downtown, revitalization of our waterfront and increased investment in arts and culture. Our city deserves a leader who is prepared, principled, and committed to ethical governance.
That is why I support the reelection of Mayor Vivian McKenzie and cannot in good conscience support my colleague, Councilman Fernandez. I urge voters to do the same.
Sincerely,
Patricia Riley
Peekskill City Council
