Newly elected Mayor James Avena was sworn in by the Village of Manorhaven Board of Trustees last Wednesday night at the board’s organizational meeting.
Avena, who received 505 votes in the June election, beating former Mayor Gary Pagano, who received 371 votes, said he was happy to be serving the village in a new role, after serving as a trustee.
“I think I can do a good job in this position,” Avena said. “I really do, and I’m going to try hard.”
Avena said that his main priority is to organize his government and build a foundation. He said he first wants to set everything up so he can work comfortably.
“Right now, I just have to get my government set up and get organized before I do anything else,” he said.
As part of the reorganization, Avena named Steven Leventhal, the managing member of the Roslyn general practice firm Leventhal, Mullaney & Blinkoff LLP , the village attorney.
Both Leventhal and the village attorney position had been the source of a heated dispute between Avena and former Mayor Giovanna Giuta.
Avena and Trustee Priscilla von Roeschlaub, who was also sworn in on Wednesday, were part of a council majority that appointed Levanthal village attorney in Aug. 2015 to replace James Toner. Toner had been appointed village attorney by Giuta in 2014.
Both Giuta and Toner maintained that only the mayor had the authority to appoint the village attorney and challenged Levanthal’s appointment in state Supreme Court.
Two months later, the court declared Toner the village attorney, stating that his removal was in violation of New York village law, which says that the mayor has the responsibility to appoint “all department and non-elected officers and employees subject to the approval of the board of trustees.”
In addition to serving as village attorney, Leventhal and his firm were appointed to serve as special counsel to the village’s Board of Zoning Appeals and special counsel for purposes advising the Architectural Review Board.
Avena said that having served the past year as village trustee he was confident in being able to lead the village.
He said he’s going to push several projects that he’s supported for years, including fixing parking problems, improving the snow removal process and working closely with buildings and public works.
Joining Von Roeschlaub and Avena in the swearing in was Ken Kraft, who was elected in June after receiving 449 votes.
Kraft, a retired Nassau County police officer, said he intended to seek improvements in code enforcement, parking conditions and the roads.
Sharon Natalie Abramski was also sworn in for a two-year term at the meeting, replacing Leslie Gross as village clerk-treasurer.
Abramski recently served as the deputy village clerk. She will also serve as the record access officer, FOIL officer and records management officer.
Norma Joanna Gonedes was sworn into the open deputy village clerk position for a one-year term.
