After 18 years, mayor eyes fresh activism
“My father used to tell me, ”˜The time to leave a situation is when things are going good.”™”
Clara Lou Gould, Beacon”™s first woman mayor, took dad”™s advice. In May, she announced she would not seek a sixth term of office.
“I decided it was time to move on to other things,” said Gould, who sat through more than 800 meetings and as many workshops during her 18-year run as mayor. “It”™s time for others to move Beacon forward, but I think I”™ve got the city on a good path.”
Beacon has certainly lived up to its name: It has become southern Dutchess County”™s “beacon” and poster child for urban revitalization. A thriving factory community until the 1960s, urban renewal bulldozed it into a rundown community of empty storefronts. Today, it”™s a ray of light shining on the Hudson, “thanks mostly to the community”™s continued involvement,” said Gould modestly.
Gould, a native of Cold Spring, came back to Dutchess County and moved to Beacon because “that”™s where my husband”™s job took us.” Back then, a couple could live on one income and since jobs were scarce, Gould started volunteering at the hospital (Highland Hospital, now defunct.) “When the Nabisco factory blew the whistle, I knew it was time to start dinner,” said Gould.
When urban renewal reared its ugly head in Beacon (as it did across many cities in New York), the city started to decline. “I sat on that ”˜urban renewal”™ committee, and I saw many beautiful old buildings razed to make way for ”˜progress,”™ but instead of progress, Main Street became rundown. In retrospect, I wish we could have prevented it. We were fortunate that we were not chosen to put an arterial roadway in here, as they did farther north. We don”™t have a six-lane highway to contend with.”
Gould and fellow members of the city”™s garden club decided to do something to spruce up the sad-looking cityscape. “We started planting flowers. It got to be so beautiful that the merchants who were still here began to care for them. I was glad it inspired them. It was a start, even though a small one.” When Tom Pagones asked Gould to run for mayor, she was stunned. “I wasn”™t even enrolled in a party. But he and others thought I would be a good candidate and do well for the city.” And so, the lady who liked to see things bloom soon became the city”™s first woman mayor.
What really helped turn Beacon around, says Gould, was Scenic Hudson coming into the picture, pitching Manhattan”™s Dia museum to buy the closed Nabisco plant. “Of course, there was controversy over a not-for-profit taking over the property because it mean it would go off the tax rolls. But we tried to see the long-range effects Dia would bring us. It was well-known and respected. It would bring visitors to Beacon, and that meant people would come to shop here. That was the turning point.”
Today, Dia:Beacon is one of the jewels in the city’s growing crown. Main Street began to come to life, attracting restaurants, artists and entrepreneurs. “People really started to care again,” said Gould. “Then we were chosen as the site for the Institute for Rivers and Estuaries by Governor Pataki. Foss Beacon Group is building a beautiful hotel and convention center at the waterfront, partnering with Scenic Hudson. Beacon is on its way up. And as dad said, that”™s the best time to leave.”
Will Gould miss those late-night meetings or public comment sessions, some of which could get downright cantankerous? “No ”¦ but I”™m glad people came and spoke, even if it was negative. What Beacon needed was that interaction between its government officials and the residents. I think I”™ve helped bring the community together with its leaders, and I hope it will continue.”
At her last public meeting Dec. 17, Gould joined with the city council in passing the city”™s comprehensive master plan unanimously. Former Councilman Steve Gold, still mayor-elect at press time, was expected to take over for Gould Jan. 1. “I think Steve will do a good job for the city,” said Gould. “We agree in principle on many things, and he”™ll find his own style and way of doing things. But I am sure he”™ll keep the city moving forward.”
Gould says she is most proud of five accomplishments: “Getting the public to come out and participate. I did my best to improve communications between the public officials and the community, and I think we see the results all around us,” said Gould. The others? “Our Main Street is rejuvenated; we have Dia and the arts community; the Beacon Institute; and Scenic Hudson”™s plans to help build a waterfront the entire community can enjoy and be proud of, and the open space preservation we have worked so hard to achieve.”
Gould intends to keep up her volunteer activities, and “now I will have the time to devote to it, especially when it comes to health care. I was very involved with the hospital when we had one, and would like to become more involved in the health care concerns here in Beacon and around the region. I still love to garden and I”™ll have more time to do it. Being the mayor of a growing community is more than a full-time job and whatever I”™ve done to make it better, I am glad for it, because I truly believe in public service. Now I”™d like to contribute in other ways.”
One way Gould will be able to contribute is by being on the other side of the dais: “I”™m a private resident now,” said Gould with a chuckle, “so I can go down to City Hall as one of the residents if I have something to say.”