Michael Zierler

Several decades ago, Michael discovered New Paltz during a fling climbing in the Shawangunks. When he was offered a job at Marist College as Assistant Professor in the Biology Department, New Paltz was the only place he and his wife looked for a home. They had fallen in love with this town, and 25 years later, they still love calling it their home. Michael began his civic work as a member of the New Paltz Environmental Conservation Commission. He later chaired that commission. He co-chaired the New Paltz Open Space Committee, which oversaw preparation of the community’s open space inventory, a plan for the conservation of open space, and a successful $2,000,000 open-space-bond referendum. He was elected twice to the Village Board of Trustees, where he also served as the Deputy Mayor. He was appointed to the Village’s Planning Board in 2011 and chaired that board for several years. He is currently on the advisory councils of Historic Huguenot Street and The Mill Brook Preserve.

Michael is trained as a facilitator in land-use conflict resolution. He has trained others in these skills, and has facilitated meetings concerning two local projects, one being Woodland Pond. He is an avid reader of science fiction, general interest science, urban planning, and history.