For Williston Park Trustee Barbara Alagna, it’s back to business after being sworn in at the Williston Park Village Board reorganization meeting on Monday night.
The difference is that this time, she was elected to her position on the board.
Last year, Alagna was appointed to the board to fill a vacancy created when Beth Swenson-Dowd was appointed as associate justice in the village.
She was expecting to run unopposed, but overcame a last minute challenge from Jim Bumstead to prevail in the election.
“I am looking forward to the new term. I think it was a good election and I’m happy that I was reelected,” she said. “It’s not different. I have to work as seriously next year as I do now. It’s a very comfortable fit for me.”
Having worked as secretary to the zoning board of appeals from 2000 to 2006, Alagna said Williston Park Village Hall was a familiar atmosphere to operate in.
“Now it’s different because I’m involved and I can express myself on the issues,” Alagna said.
She said that since her appointment to the board occurred she has found herself ” just looking at every expense, doing with less, picking up revenue wherever we can.”
She said she’s also become comfortable in working with her fellow board members.
Alagna is the village board’s liaison to the senior committee and the newly formed welcome committee.
She said she’s closely following developments with the Cross Street School and is looking forward to seeing the results of the traffic study commissioned by the Mineola School Board.
Alagna said she favors the idea of a community center on the site if the group of residents pursuing the concept can come up with a funding plan.
She said it’s “just not fiscally responsible” for the village board to put together a lease bid on the Cross Street property.
“It’s a large sum of money and it’s simply not in the interests of the whole village,” Alagna said.
