Winners in Local Races in Westchester and Putnam Declared
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Lost in the shuffle of the higher profile congressional and state races on Election Day may have been a slew of contested and uncontested local races in Westchester and Putnam counties.
Westchester
In the Town of Cortlandt, Councilman Robert Mayes, who was appointed in February to fill an empty seat created when Dr. Richard Becker was elected supervisor last November, defeated Verplanck resident Warren Smith, 9,611-7,031 to fill the final year of Becker’s unexpired four-year council term.
It was the Smith’s second failed attempt to join the Town Board, having come up short last November as well.
In the Village of Mount Kisco, Deputy Mayor Lisa Abzun and Trustee Karen Schleimer were re-elected running unopposed.
Voters also overwhelmingly approved two separate propositions to increase the maximum Length of Service Program Award for fire department and ambulance corps members from $400 to $750 a month.
In New Castle, Holly McCall, who lost last year’s supervisor race, defeated Councilman Christian Hildenbrand, 4,356-2,744, to serve the final three years of former Councilwoman Andrea Sanseverino Galan’s unexpired term. Hildenbrand was appointed to the board in January.
In the Village of Ossining, Mayor Rika Levin and Trustees Dana White and Manuel Quezada were reelected with no opposition, as was Ossining Councilwoman Jennifer Fields-Tawil.
In the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, trustees Ann Gallelli and Leonard Simon and Village Justice Sam Watkins, Jr. earned new terms.
In the City of Peekskill, Councilman Brian Fassett won an unexpired term running solo, and the Peekskill Library proposition was approved 70 to 30 percent.
Putnam
Assemblyman Kevin Byrne was elected Putnam County Executive running unopposed. He will succeed MaryEllen Odell, who was term limited.
Putnam Clerk Michael Bartolotti earned a new term, also running unopposed.
On the Putnam County Legislature, in District 5, Republican Greg Ellner was victorious over Democrat and former Kent Supervisor Maureen Fleming, 2,748-1,596. Ellner will succeed Legislator Carl Albano, who is retiring.
In District 9, Erin Crowley triumphed over board Chairman Neal Sullivan, 2,889 to 597. Sullivan was on the Conservative line and did not run an active campaign.
In District 6, incumbent Paul Jonke was re-elected to a new term running unopposed.
In the Town of Kent, Republican Shaun Boyd bested Simon Carey, 3,103-2,208 for an open seat created when Councilwoman Noelle Botte resigned in September to move to Florida.
In the Village of Brewster, incumbents Mary Bryde and Tom Boissonnault were reelected running unopposed, as where incumbents Laura Bozzi and Tweeps Woods in the Village of Cold Spring.
In Putnam Valley, Robert Nachamie was elected town justice, while in Philipstown, Adam Hotaling was elected highway superintendent.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
