City of Rye, Mayor

Mayor, Steven Otis

Read the Mayor's Annual Messages

Steve Otis is serving in his tenth year as Mayor of the City of Rye having been elected on November 4, 1997 and reelected twice, in 2001 and 2005.

His service as Mayor has been marked by innovation, success in obtaining outside funding to implement community projects, and the use of public participation to involve the community in important decisions. His priorities have included controlling property tax increases, addressing deferred infrastructure repairs, emergency management, recreation, and environmental protection.

During his term in office the City of Rye:

o Established the City of Rye Traffic and Transportation Committee to translate citizen recommendations on traffic safety problems into implemented improvements.

o Conducted an extensive Recreation Master Plan process and passed the recreation bond issue to support building of new athletic fields and rehabilitation of the Damiano Community Center.

o Has maintained Moody's financial highest rating, Aaa, through good economic periods and downturns. Re-instituted the City's valuable Financial Trends Report.

o Acquired three important parkland parcels to reduce flooding, preserve open space, restore wetlands, enhance historic preservation, improve recreation, and improve Long Island Sound water quality. These parcels include the Rye Nursery property and Rye Meeting House property, both on Milton Road.

o Passed two bond Issues to support needed rehabilitation of the City's two firehouses.

o Rehabilitated, modernized, and reopened the City's long closed Police Department Firing Range.

o Won selection to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Project Impact, a program to assist communities in using creative methods to become more disaster resistant which Rye used to improve training, educate the public on disaster preparedness, and advance flood control and other local projects.

o Combined efforts with the Town of Harrison in successfully advancing the Beaver Swamp Brook Restoration Project at the border of the two communities which includes wetland restoration, flood control, and environmental clean-up.

o Succeeded in using public/private partnerships to improve facilities at Rye Town Park including restoration of the restaurant facility, two pavilions, and restoration of the Duck Pond for water quality improvement. These efforts included using an innovative RFP process to bring competition to the selection of a restaurant vendor and bringing over $1.9 million in outside private and public funding to repair park facilities without additional burden to the taxpayer.

o Established a Senior Citizen Advocacy Committee to better serve the needs of senior citizens.

o Reconstructed Whitby Castle at Rye Golf Club and secured a financial partnership with Restaurant Associates to operate the Castle.

o Began cable television coverage of City Council meetings.

o Upgraded numerous municipal laws including house size, lawn equipment noise, construction noise, fences, and signs.

Mayor Otis has made seeking outside funding sources a priority in order to address community needs while controlling increases in property taxes. City projects and activities where Mayor Otis has been involved have had the benefit of over $14 million in outside private sector and governmental grants and loans since he took office. 

Steve has advocated public participation, open government, and careful planning in the City decision-making.

Steve became Mayor after many years as an active volunteer in Rye and a long career in state government. As Mayor he has used his experience working with local, county, and state officials. He is a longtime member of the Executive Committee of the Westchester Municipal Officials Association  and served as the organizations President for the 2005-06 term. He is also Vice Chair of the Long Island Sound Watershed Intermunicipal Council.

In Rye, Steve served as a member, and then Chairman, of the Conservation Commission/Advisory Council. He also was a member of the Rye Recycling Committee, the Rye 2000 Solid Waste Task Force, and was a volunteer at the Disbrow Park Recycling Center before the City implemented its curbside pick-up program.

Steve initiated passage of Rye's Wetland's Law, co-authored the Rye Environmental Guide, and was a recipient of the Edith G. Read Conservation Award in 1991. While on the Conservation Commission, Steve was active on many local land use issues.

In addition, he has founded a number of community efforts including the Beaver Swamp Brook Intermunicipal Working Group. Since 1995 this group of Rye and Harrison residents has led clean up and anti-flooding efforts for the brook and drafted the plan that the municipalities are now implementing. Steve also helped found the Rye Dog Owners Club to encourage dog owners to pick up after their dogs and educate dog owners on safety issues.

Steve is Counsel and Chief of Staff to State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer. At the state level he has worked on a wide variety of issues including environmental, budget, transportation, education, criminal justice, and issues affecting local governments. Steve directs Senator Oppenheimer's legislative program and the work of the Senate Democratic Task Force on Women's Issues, which the Senator chairs.

Steve was very involved in the effort to save the Jay Property and has worked to resolve a variety of issues facing local residents with the Thruway Authority.

Steve began his state government career in 1980 when he was selected as a New York State Senate Fellow, a full-time program for graduate students. He was assigned to State Senator Jeremy S. Weinstein, now a State Supreme Court Judge, for whom he worked until 1985 when he joined Senator Oppenheimer.

Before becoming Mayor Steve served as Vice Chair of the Westchester County Environmental Management Council. He continues as a Member of the Board of Directors of the NYS Association of Conservation Commissions.

Steve belongs to a number of community organizations including the Rye Free Reading Room, Rye Historical Society, Jay Heritage Center, Friends of the Rye Nature Center, Friends of Rye Town Park, and the Friends of Read Wildlife Sanctuary.

He holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration, NYU; a J.D., Hofstra University School of Law, and a B.A., Hobart College. Steve and his wife Martha live on Lynden Street. Martha is Senior Vice President at Hachette Book Group. As Mayor Steve serves as liaison to the Rye Free Reading Room, Rye Senior Advocacy Committee, Conservation Commission, and the Rye Merchant's Association. He also serves as a member of the Rye Town Park Commission and the City of Rye Audit Committee.  He previously served on the City of Rye Master Plan Task Force and as Co-Chair of the City of Rye Project Impact Steering Committee.

To Contact Steve Otis either telephone (914) 967-7404 or email: mayor@ryeny.gov

City of Rye, Council Members

Please select the appropriate link below to access information on individual Council Members.

Andrew C. Ball

Mack Cunningham

Paula Gamache

Catherine Parker

George S. Pratt

Joe Sack