Councilman, Retired Cop Join Race for Yorktown Highway Super
The field of candidates for highway superintendent in Yorktown became more crowded last week with two more hopefuls announcing their intention to try to succeed departing Eric DiBartolo.
Councilman Dave Paganelli and retired police officer and current local business owner Thomas Diana both maintained they were well-equipped to manage the 32-employee Yorktown Highway Department and its $4.9 million budget.
Paganelli, 58, who managed and then owned Traveler’s Rest restaurant for 30 years and is currently serving the second year of a four-year term on the Town Board, said he joined the Teamsters union last year when he was looking for a career change and has been operating heavy construction equipment and tow trucks.
“I have been in food service since I was 16 years old. I wanted to do something different,” he explained. “My area of expertise is more in management and I truly believe this is a managerial position. I believe 80% of what our constituents expect from our town is probably related to highway. My intent is to serve Yorktown is whatever capacity I can.”
Diana, 56, began his 25-year police career with the Yorktown Police Department in 1981 as a K-9 officer. He spent 14 years as a sergeant with the Cortlandt Police Department from 1986 to 1999, before spending his final six years in law enforcement with the Westchester County Department of Public Safety. Since 2003, he has owned/operated Comfort Heating, a full service fuel oil delivery company.
A lifelong Yorktown resident whose uncle served as the town’s building inspector in the 1960s, Diana stressed he had the skills and experience to follow and expand on DiBartolo’s years on the job, which pays an annual salary of $125,000.
“My 30 years of working in public safety, with mechanical and heavy equipment and project management work makes me an ideal candidate for this elected position,” Diana said. “As a public safety officer I developed extensive skills in working with the public, conflict resolution, budget preparation, managerial skills and grant writing capabilities. These skills position me well to manage the Highway Department.”
Diana will be seeking the Democratic Party endorsement, a nod Steve Gardner, also a lifelong town resident, also covets. Paganelli will be looking for the Republican Committee’s blessing. Reportedly, as many as nine candidates have expressed interest in the highway superintendent position.
“I don’t feel this is a political job,” Paganelli said. “You don’t make legislation. You have an indirect effect on the budget. This is all about managerial and people skills. I think I’m a unifier, a person that can bring everyone together.”
While Paganelli feels his relationship with the Town Board would give him an advantage as highway superintendent in lobbying for funding and equipment needs, Diana is confident his experience dealing with elected officials also would serve him well in the position.
“It definitely gives me a little bit of an advantage because I’ve had to deal with public complaints and conflict resolutions,” Diana said. “My attention to detail is paramount. If a cop doesn’t do things right, bad things could happen. I have no problem jumping in a truck, jumping in a trench or running a piece of heavy equipment if necessary.”
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