Mt. Pleasant Incumbents to Run Again; Picinch, New Candidates in Mt. Kisco
The three Mount Pleasant Town Board incumbents up for re-election this year are officially running for another term while there appears that two first-time candidates are in line to take over on the Mount Kisco Village Board.
Mount Pleasant Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi will be joined on the Republican ticket by two-term incumbent Councilwoman Laurie Smalley and Councilman Thomas Sialiano, who has served on the Town Board for about 15 years over two stints.
“I think we have a very strong ticket, a tremendous amount of experience in the boardroom,” said Sialiano, who also has 10 years of prior experience on the town’s Planning Board and a short stint on the Architectural Review Board. “It takes a long time to learn how to be an excellent councilmember and an excellent official. We’re essentially running a $50 million business and it’s a very serious matter.”
They will be challenged by Democrats Joe Bonanno, the party’s supervisor candidate, and former councilwoman Francesca Hagadus-McHale and political newcomer Evan Echenthal for the board seats.
Fulgenzi, in his seventh year as supervisor, made known his intentions to run for re-election in early February, mentioning multiple projects that he wanted to see through to completion, including the update of the town’s Master Plan. At that time, it wasn’t official that Smalley and Sialiano would run for re-election.
Smalley said completing the Master Plan update and seeing the town work toward encouraging the development of some senior housing options are two key priorities. She said she had weighed whether to run again but concluded that she wanted to continue contributing to the community.
In Mount Kisco, Mayor Gina Picinich has been endorsed by the village’s Democratic Committee; however, the two other seats up for election this year will see changes.
Incumbent trustees Peter Grunthal and David Squirrell have opted against running for re-election, and will be replaced on the Democratic slate by attorney Karine Patino and resident Anne Bianchi.
In addition, Deputy Mayor Anthony Markus has confirmed he is running for village justice later this year.
As of now, there aren’t any known Republican or independent party opponents lined up.
Despite Picinich having been endorsed by the party, she said she is not running with Patino or Bianchi. Petitions that are being carried must be submitted to the Westchester County Board of Elections no later than Mar. 25.
“A candidate has to stand up and give the community a reason to vote for them and the simple reality is there is a lot going on in this community and I have not been able to complete my letter and my strategic plan yet,” Picinich said.
Grunthal, who has served two seven-year stints – 2003 to 2010 and 2014 until now – said it’s time to give other people a chance to serve.
“It’s truly time to pass the baton on to new blood,” Grunthal said.
Meanwhile, Squirrell indicated that he wanted to devote more time other interests with out being more specific. He will complete his first two-year term before bowing out in December.
Markus, who is on the Village Board for the second time, previously serving for 14 years, will be looking to make the leap to replace Justice John Donohue, who is leaving the local bench. Markus is a partner in his Mount Kisco law firm Markus & Sheridan and currently handles matters related to divorce and Family Court issue. Early on in his legal career, he practiced criminal law.
“That opportunity presented itself and I thought it would be a good idea for myself and the community and so that’s why I made that decision,” Markus said of his nomination.
If Markus becomes village justice, a trustee would have to be appointed to serve the remaining year of his unexpired term.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
