Editorial Philosophy & Community Feedback
The Pelham Engagement Project is independent and resident-created. It is not affiliated with any candidate, political party, or governing body. It does not endorse candidates or advocate for particular policy outcomes. It exists to make public information easier to find and understand.
Mission
To increase civic awareness and engagement in local matters in Pelham, NY — by making public information accessible, understandable, and actionable for every resident.
How this site works
Where the information comes from
It depends on the page, and the page says so. Facts, tax figures and the Gov 101 pages are drawn from official government sources — adopted budgets, published tax rates, and the village, town, county and district websites. Current issues are drawn from local news coverage and official meeting records. Nothing here is sourced from rumour, social media, or private conversations. Figures that appear in more than one place are stored once, with their date and source, so the same number cannot drift between pages.
How issues are chosen
Issues are included when a topic has appeared at least twice in public meetings or local coverage, with more than one party involved. Where possible, the two most recent sources are cited.
How candidate information is handled
Drawn from candidates' own statements as published in the Pelham Examiner and other publicly available information — not from independent interviews, because this site does no original reporting. All candidates in each race are presented through the same six-slot template. Where the public record does not fill a slot, the profile says so, so that a short profile reads as a gap in the record rather than as a judgement about the campaign.
How AI is used
Meeting summaries are generated from official recordings and transcripts, then reviewed before publishing. The Ask Pelham assistant answers only from the sources listed below. Both are labelled as AI-generated wherever they appear, and both link to the original recording or document. Names the transcription could not resolve are marked rather than guessed at. Always check the original source before relying on anything here.
How errors are corrected
Anyone can report an error using the form below — no account, no name required. Corrections are logged publicly with the date, so the record of what was wrong stays visible rather than quietly disappearing.
What this site does not do
It does not endorse candidates. It does not take positions on policy questions. It does not replace official sources — for anything that affects your money, your vote, or a legal deadline, check the government's own page. And it is not a newspaper: it does not do original reporting.
Email updates
If you sign up for updates, your email address is used only to send you civic updates about Pelham. It is never shared or sold.
Who funds it
Self-funded by Katie Keenan, a Pelham resident. No advertising, no outside funding, no sponsorship from any campaign, party, or governing body.
Sources used by this site
Tax data and government information come primarily from official sources (Westchester County, village and town websites, school district). Current issues and election coverage draw from local news coverage, primarily the Pelham Examiner. Meeting summaries are generated from official public recordings and are independent of any news outlet.
Note: The Village of Pelham (pelhamny.gov) and Village of Pelham Manor (pelhammanor.gov) websites block some automated tools. Information from these sources was verified manually and reflects what was published at time of review. The Ask Pelham AI does not browse the web, so it cannot retrieve live information from these or any other sites. Always check the official village websites directly for the most current information.
This site reflects what is in the public record — what was said at meetings, printed in the Examiner, or published by the village, town, district or county.
Add your voice: attend a meeting, write a letter to the editor, or send feedback here.
Corrections log
Errors are corrected quickly and publicly. Recent corrections:
Park name — "Fini Park", a transcription error in meeting summaries and the fireworks issue, corrected to Feeney Park (in New Rochelle). Reported by a resident through the feedback form on October 7.
Westchester County tax percentage — updated to note this is a general estimate; directed readers to Town Receiver for their specific bill.
See something wrong? Use the form below.
About this project
I grew up in Pelham with a front-row seat to local government — my mom served as a trustee and then Mayor of the Village of Pelham Manor. Civic engagement was part of our family culture.
When I moved back as an adult with my husband and kids, I kept hearing the same thing from friends: local government was hard to follow, information was scattered across different websites and meeting agendas, and it wasn't clear how a resident could actually make a difference.
I spent 15 years at Bloomberg LP building tools that helped financial professionals make sense of complex, fast-moving information. I used that same skillset — combined with AI tools — to build this site. I'm not a reporter or editor, just a Pelham resident who wanted to make it easier for neighbors to stay informed and get involved.
In the news: the Pelham Examiner published my letter introducing this project. Read the letter →
— Katie Keenan
Want to get involved?
This project is better with your input. If you spot something wrong, have a suggestion, or want to help — whether that's verifying meeting summaries, flagging issues to track, or something else entirely — I'd love to hear from you. Use the forms below.
Something looks wrong?
Share an idea, or lend a hand
Whether you spotted something to improve, have a suggestion, or want to help with this project — we'd love to hear from you.