BY MAX ZAHN AND STEPHEN ROMANO
Every candidate for village office in Manhasset on Tuesday won his or her race, as each of the mayoral, trustee and village justice elections had only one person on the ballot.
Munsey Park Trustee Frank Demento will replace Sean Haggerty as village mayor. Demento received 71 votes.
“I’ve got a great relationship with Frank,” Haggerty said. “We’ve seen challenges in the village. I have a tremendous amount of support for him.”
Trustee Patrick Hance won his bid for re-election with 71 votes, while resident Lawrence Ceriello also garnered 71 votes as he takes over the seat vacated upon Demento’s elevation to mayor.
Ceriello said his renewed interest in joining village government stems from his concern over some quality of life issues, which he raised with village officials.
“I think the roads need attention,” he said. “That’s not surprising given their age and use. The village has done a good job repairing roads as needed but perhaps it’s time to take a more holistic view of the situation and consider various options for repairing the roads.”
“We also need to consider ways to reduce the property crimes that ticked up recently in Munsey Park,” he said.
Ceriello ran for village office once before 26 years ago, when the incumbent mayor, Arthur Schulteiss, defeated him in what Ceriello called “a spirited election.”
In Flower Hill, Mayor Bob McNamara and Trustees Brian Herrington, Jay Beber, Kate Hirsch and Frank Genese, all incumbents, were elected.
McNamara received 70 votes; Herrington, 72 votes; Beber, 68 votes; Hirsch, 69 votes; and Genese, 71 votes. There were no write-in votes.
McNamara, who was appointed mayor following Elaine Phillips’ state Senate victory, was elected for a special one-year term to finish out Phillips’ term.
“My commitment to the board out of the gate was to complete Elaine’s term,” McNamara, a resident of Flower Hill for 35 years, said. “We’re in good shape now in the village. We’ve replaced some trustees and got some good ones on the board. We’ve been bringing in some heavy hitters on the various committees, and we’re putting together a strong team.”
When he was appointed, McNamara told the board he would finish out Phillips’ term
Herrington and Beber were re-elected for two-year terms. Both have served on the board since 2015.
In Plandome, Mayor M. Lloyd Williams won his re-election bid with 42 votes; so did Trustees Katie Saville (44 votes) and Donald Richardson (45 votes) as well as Village Justice James D. Kiley (46 votes).
In Plandome Heights, re-elections were secured by Trustees Daniel Cataldo, Gus Panopoulos and Norman Taylor as well as Village Justice Cye E. Ross. Each received 33 votes.
In Plandome Manor, Mayor Barbara Donno (18 votes) and Trustees James Baydar (17 votes) and Matthew Clinton (18 votes) won their re-election efforts.
