Filed Under: County | Westchester

Board of Legislators
800 Michaelian Office Building
148 Martine Avenue, White Plains, NY 10602
(914) 995-2800
www.watpa.org/wcbol

The Board of Legislators represents constituents in 17 districts and appoints its members to one or more of 12 standing committees. In addition, short-term sub-committees of Board members, professional consultants, representatives of local government, business and environmental organizations, and interested citizens are appointed to research, review and recommend action on proposed legislative initiatives. Elected to two-year terms in odd-numbered years, each of the 17 members of the County Legislature represents approximately 50,000 people and maintains a phone line at the County office building to receive and respond to requests from constituents. By law, the Board must meet at least monthly, but it usually meets twice a month, with additional meetings when called by the County Executive, the Chairman of the Board, or a majority of the Board members.

Meetings are open to the public and minutes are posted on the County’s Web site. A meeting schedule is available from the Board Clerk.

The Board affects Westchester’s environment through legislation, budget appropriations and confirmation or veto of the County Executive’s nominees to environmental agencies or boards.

Of the legislature’s 12 standing committees, the following five have the most impact on Westchester’s environment: Budget and Appropriations, Environment, Health, Legislation, and Public Works.

The legislature can also appoint sub-committees for specific projects. Recent examples include the Sub-Committee on the Croton Watershed and the Sub-Committee on the Westchester County Airport, which report to the Environment Committee.  

The League of Women Voters of Westchester (914) 949-0507 maintains a directory of County officials, commissioners and directors, advisory boards and their contact numbers, as well as maps of County, State and federal legislative districts. The Directory of Officials, Westchester County, Cities, Towns, Villages is available upon request.