Editor’s Note: The Peekskill Herald’s “10 questions …”, column is for readers to know more about those who work in city government or education, own businesses, and support our city’s development. Today’s column features Richard Rogers, President of Peekskill’s Business Improvement District Board (BID).

Tell us what brought you to Peekskill and when.

My wife Karen and I, and our doggies, moved to Peekskill in 2001. On the surface, there were all these practical reasons: close proximity to Manhattan, where I worked at the time; a sense that Peekskill was on the move and would continue to grow; the splendid reasonably priced housing stock, and a vibrant and diverse community.

But there was also my family’s and my own long association with Peekskill. My family owned a farm in Peekskill during the Great Depression where my great aunt, it was said, gave work to those who came knocking at the back door and afterwards made them a meal and gave them a place to sleep for the night. And, as a child, my mother and I spent many a summer vacation at the Peekskill Dude Ranch. You can definitely say that Peekskill felt like home to me even before I moved here.

You’ve nearly completed one term as President of Peekskill’s Business Improvement District (BID) Board — what does this role entail?

First, let me say what an honor it is to serve as the President of the all-volunteer Board of Directors. We’re a cross section of business, artist, and government leaders whose sole focus is addressing the issues facing our business community and helping resolve those issues, and being proactive to promote the downtown. I work closely with our part-time executive director, Bill Powers, who handles policy and project implementation, day-to-day administrative functions, supervision of the flea and farmers markets, and interacts with city departments.

As president, I chair the BID’s monthly meeting where we address those issues facing the business community and gather reports from city representatives. Bill and I, along with Carol Voisey, the Executive Director of the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce, and the City Council liaison to the BID, Brian Fassett meet regularly with our City Manager, Matt Alexander, to discuss our issues directly with the City. In addition to advocating for the business community, I attend grand openings, ribbon-cuttings, and special events, and when needed, I roll up my sleeves and help in whatever way I can.

What steps does the BID take to reach the Spanish-dominant population?

From business investment to buying power, the Latino community is a critical economic partner in Peekskill. We currently have two Spanish-language board members who represent the Latino business community as well as all downtown business interests. All of our important communications are printed in both English and Spanish, including minutes of monthly board meetings.

What are some of your short-term and long-term goals for the BID?

We do have limited funding and staff resources, so we have to prioritize what and how we do things. Bill likes to say, “We do a lot with a little.” I would like to see the return of the free shuttle service we funded last year with the city – it was a successful partnership and has a lot of potential. I would also like to see how we can supplement the city’s DRI [Downtown Revitalization Initiative] marketing efforts once they are announced. Lastly, I would like to explore how we can tap into the upcoming 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution [in 2026]. Peekskill played a critical role in our nation’s Independence. County and state tourism officials indicate there will be opportunities to attract national and international tourists next year.

What are two to three policies the City of Peekskill can implement to support the BID?

There are three: We are looking forward to the city’s branding and marketing efforts to promote Peekskill in a big way to attract more visitors and tourists and encourage residents to shop and dine Peekskill, and to make Peekskill a destination location. The return of the shuttle service between the waterfront and the downtown would also support the downtown. We are also working with the city to continue its focus on quality of issues like code enforcement, especially related to trash collection, and providing appropriate levels of police protection in the downtown.

You are also a managing partner at Just Happy Dogs, a home-based dog daycare. How did you come to enter this industry? What kinds of dogs do you have at home?

I have to credit my wife Karen for that one. She’s been in dog rescue since the 1990s and is on the board of a miniature pinscher rescue organization. In the Great Recession of 2008 which resulted in massive job losses across the United States, including my own, we decided to harness the knowledge we had gained in the dog rescue business to bootstrap a for-profit dog-specific products business under the name, Five Barking Dogs!

After a decade, we decided to wind that business down and get into a more service-oriented dog related business and, thus, the birth of Just Happy Dogs. While not in the BID, it’s a business we truly love. We only take a maximum of four dogs at any given time, giving us the opportunity to enjoy the dogs who are our guests and who have become part of our family.

We also have three dogs of our own — all rescues — a German Shepherd and two miniature pinschers, one of whom is nearly 18 and half years old.

You wrote Looking for Love Online (1997, Macmillan), a book about how to successfully navigate dating on the internet. What was the main piece of advice in the book? Do you think your book holds up in the current era of dating apps? How do you think online dating has changed over the last 25 years?

Wow! Twenty-five years is like an eternity as far as the Internet is concerned. In fact, the Internet didn’t really exist in the way we know it today. You had to use an online service, the biggest of which was America Online (AOL). Looking for Love Online was one of the first books to be published on the topic and was published at a time long before it became mainstream. I think America Online’s Love@AOL, where I hosted a virtual advice show and early entrants like Match.com helped change the perception of meeting online from odd to ordinary.

Today, there are many avenues and services to meet people online. While it might be easier to fool people today due to advances in technology and the sheer number of people online, the advice is still the same. People are still people and if you are observant and stick to the proper steps of advancing your online relationship from virtual to phone to video to meeting, you can still weed out the fakers from the honest people and find a partner, if that is what you are looking for.

You met your wife online — how did you know she was the one?

Yes, I sure did. I met Karen, my future wife, while I was under contract for the book. She was a journalist so we clicked on a professional level. I lived in NY and she lived in California so we never thought about meeting each other but we did, and I knew she was the one as soon as she stepped off the plane in NY.

What is your favorite place to go in Peekskill and why?

The Paramount Hudson Valley is the place to go! I attended the Paul Robeson event last year and it was an internationally-acclaimed performance that provided a comprehensive and fresh perspective on Paul Robeson. There are also a lot of great restaurants to try in downtown – too many to mention here. While not in the BID, my new favorite location is Fleishmann’s Pier – it serves as a spectacular lookout for the Hudson River.

What would you like to say to the Peekskill community?

The BID does a lot with a little. I would encourage folks to shop and dine at downtown businesses. These are our neighbors, the ones who hire local employees, support our local nonprofits, and contribute to the tax base. They deserve our support. And, residents should enjoy our rich history by taking a self-guided historic tour of downtown or attend a Paramount performance – they have an amazing lineup of talent scheduled for 2025. Lastly, I invite everyone to enjoy the myriad events held downtown–from the Peekskill St. Patrick’s Parade to Juneteenth, to Pride in the Park, to the Oz Festival.

In addition to being BID Board President, Richard Rogers is the manager and senior tax analyst at H&R Block, located at 1027 Park St.