To the editor:

It is troubling that Michael Volpe used his letter to the editor, dated March 14, as a forum in which to level baseless attacks on Pelham Preservation & Garden Society (PPGS), including that the PPGS acted with a political agenda. First, PPGS is demonstrably non-partisan. PPGS board members occupy the right, center and left of the spectrum. My wife is a 12-year PPGS board member, and I can confirm that PPGS’s decisions reflect careful consideration of public perception and institutional mission, as well as consensus input from its politically diverse board members. Further, PPGS has evenhandedly assisted Democratic and Republican administrations by leading on many initiatives that the village could not afford or for which the village lacked the requisite expertise. Second, Mike Volpe’s assertion that PPGS “backed” the Republican ticket has been publicly discredited by the Republican candidates themselves. Third, PPGS is not opposed to all development as alleged in the letter. In fact, PPGS recognizes that smart development, consistent with the village’s aesthetic and cultural “ethos,” is healthy and desirable. Finally, PPGS has played a vital role facilitating open and informed dialogue on issues critical to the village (such as the developments in question) by helping to ensure that relevant information (whether favorable or not) is publicly available. In sum, Mike Volpe is wrong on the facts, and I hope that the village’s new leaders draw the right lessons from his misguided attacks on PPGS.

Matthew E. Kaplan
205 Elderwood Avenue