Peekskill”™s Mayor Andre Rainey has announced that he will not be seeking reelection and he told the Business Journal that making the decision was not an easy task.
“It was up in the air for a pretty long time, maybe since probably September, October. I had begun discussing that I was reconsidering running for office,” Rainey said. “I was really, really not sure if I was going to do it.”
Rainey said that were it not for the Covid-19 pandemic, his decision might have been different.
“It hasn”™t been the best year for our family with this pandemic. I can”™t say much more, but we lost family, we lost friends,” Rainey said. “I just can”™t commit this year to focus on running a campaign, running a city, running a business and raising three children all at the same time after a pandemic. There are some things I need to focus on, get everything back into perspective. Hopefully this year is a lot better than last year.”
Rainey said that his business, Noo Moves entertainment, which he founded in 2010, has been hard hit by the pandemic. Since the business is largely involved in booking performers and arranging for entertainment at parties and other gatherings, Covid restrictions essentially wiped out most sources of business income.
“It”™s not to say I”™ll never get into politics again. I”™m not done with politics,” Rainey said. “There”™s still a lot to be done. I don”™t want to let the city down nor do I want to let the city Democrats down by not being able to fully commit to running a campaign in order to continue the process.”
Rainey had served two years on the Peekskill City Council before being elected to the mayoral post in 2017, defeating Republican Frank Catalina. Rainey was reelected for a second term as mayor in 2019. Rainey said that he fully intends to serve out his term and fulfill every responsibility. He said that much remains to be done to build the city”™s economic activity, attract new development and create new housing opportunities. He said that having already attracted developers such as Ginsburg Development Cos. and Wilder Balter Partners, Peekskill is in a good position to attract more.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to help build a 21st century city that offers hope and opportunity to everyone who calls Peekskill home,” Rainey said. “At the end of this term, I will be proud to leave a Peekskill that is not only financially secure, but one that is greener, more economically diverse and inclusive.”
Rainey cited his chief accomplishments as helping Peekskill secure a $10 million economic development investment from New York state, $6 million in other grants to assist with projects including the revitalization of Fleischmann”™s Pier and the installation of electric charging stations.
He said that a major effort of his administration was to attract new development including market-rate and affordable housing, completion of a new central firehouse and reestablishing the city”™s Human Rights Commission. Rainey also was proud of securing an arrangement to have the Boys & Girls Club operate the Kiley Youth Center under a 50-year lease with the Peekskill Housing Authority along with $2.7 million in funding to support the effort.
Rainey said, “There is still a lot of work to do this year to keep the momentum going. I intend a positive transition to ensure that whoever the next mayor is, he or she has everything they need to continue the progress.”
Last October, the Peekskill Democratic City Committee placed notices in the media inviting people interested in running for mayor to submit their resumes for consideration. The nominating committee is expected to soon make known its recommendations for candidates to run for mayor and the Peekskill Common Council.
Drew Claxton, chairman of the Democratic committee, was quoted as saying about Rainey, “He has had such a positive and tremendous impact on this city and shown what is possible when we elect progressive, forward-looking leaders.”
“In this city everybody wants to be included. Everybody wants to be involved,” Rainey said. “That”™s a great thing. People want to be involved in government. We”™ve done a lot of things to give people the opportunity to be involved and I want to be sure the next leader of this community believes it”™s not about the recognition; it”™s about the accomplishments of the people in this community.”
