NEW ROCHELLE, NY (May 31, 2026) — The New Rochelle Democratic City Committee promotes itself on its website as a model of transparency, declaring that its “committee meetings are open and publicized, fostering an environment of transparency and collaboration.”
Its own co-chairs say otherwise.
In a written response to questions from Talk of the Sound, co-chairs Rhiannon Carr Navin and Dale Barbaria acknowledged that the committee’s monthly meetings are “not generally publicized.” Notice of meetings is sent by email to Democratic District Leaders only. No notices appear on the committee’s website. None appear on its Facebook page, which has not been updated since October 31, 2025 — nearly seven months ago.
The meetings are held at City Hall Annex, Room B01, at 90 Beaufort Place — a publicly owned facility maintained at taxpayer expense. Residents pay for the building, its utilities, its security, and its upkeep. The co-chairs did not address the question of whether the NRDC pays a fee to use City Hall Annex. Talk of the Sound has confirmed through other sources that it does not.
Under New York law, the city cannot bar members of the public from entering a meeting held in a public building. But knowing to show up requires knowing the meeting is happening. The NRDC has taken no steps to make that possible for ordinary residents.
The stakes of that opacity are not abstract. New Rochelle is effectively a one-party city. Every elected official representing New Rochelle — from City Council to the United States Congress — is a Democrat, with a single exception on the City Council. The Democratic City Committee, which helps select and support those candidates, conducts its business in a public building while keeping the public in the dark.
The committee does offer a Zoom option for its meetings. But Carr Navin and Barbaria said in their response that the video call “is not used for broadcasting or otherwise for public viewing.” It is available only to district leaders, elected officials, and candidates who cannot attend in person.
The agenda for the May 28 meeting, obtained by Talk of the Sound, shows reports were scheduled from federal, state, county, and city elected officials, along with reports from NRDC subcommittees and discussion of new business. The meeting notice also included an attachment listing a resignation from the committee.
The contradiction between the committee’s public-facing claims and its actual practice is not subtle. The website states the organization maintains “a year-round dialogue with our community” and that community voices are “a constant force driving our actions and policies.” The co-chairs’ written response describes a meeting structure accessible in practice only to party insiders.
By contrast, the New Rochelle Republican City Committee — which meets at various locations like the American Legion Post 8, Holy Name Church and, a few years ago, at City Hall — operates with more publicly accessible communications. Committee chair Denise Ward told Talk of the Sound that general party meetings are noticed by email and social media, and that residents can be added to the committee’s notification list simply by emailing the committee or contacting any officer. “Other than DL meetings, we do allow non-GOP registered people to attend,” Ward said.
The NRDC’s response did outline several ways an interested Democrat could eventually learn about the committee — through its website contact form, its Facebook page, or by contacting the Westchester County Democratic Committee. But none of those pathways involve proactive public notice of when and where meetings are held.
The gap between the NRDC’s website language and its actual practice raises a straightforward question: if the meetings are truly open, why doesn’t anyone outside the party know they’re happening?
This article was prepared with the assistance of AI tools under the direction and editing of Robert Cox.
Contact: robertcox@talkofthesound.com | WhatsApp: +353 89 972 0669