The East Williston Village Board reorganization meeting on Monday night marked the end of an era in the village, as David Tanner was sworn in as mayor and Nancy Zolezzi left the office after 12 years on the job.
Two new board members, Bonnnie Parente and Caroline DeBenedittis, were also sworn in at the meeting.
Tanner was sworn in by Nassau County Clerk Maureen O’Connell, who was formerly a village trustee. Former mayor Anthony Casella swore in DeBenedittis and former state Sen. Michael Balboni swore in Parente.
Zolezzi and Deputy Mayor James Daw, Jr. both chose to step down rather than stand for re-election.
“We all have full-time jobs, but this is a full-time job,” Zolezzi said.
Zolezzi praised the board members she worked with during her three terms in office and thanked her husband, Joe, for making it possible for her to do the job. The Zolezzis work together in their Williston Park auto body repair business.
Daw offered his thanks to village employees who he said made it possible to fulfill promises made to village residents by its elected officials. He also thanked all of the voters in the village.
“I’d like to thank the people who’ve voted for me and I’d like to thank the people who voted against me for keeping me on my toes,” Daw said.
After being sworn in Mayor David Tanner said, ” I look forward to serving each and every one of you.”
During the business meeting that followed the swearing in ceremonies, Tanner said his first priority is to improve the village Web site, which he said would be relaunched in the near future.
He also introduced a resolution to convene a public hearing to set the village water rates on May 9. The new village board unanimously approved his motion.
In response to a resident’s question about the village exploring alternatives to getting its water from Williston Park as it currently does, Tanner said the village has studied the feasibility of constructing its own wells and said options are being explored.
“We obviously are a captive audience,” said Tanner, who noted that East Williston’s water rates will rise to mirror a rise in the water rates in Williston Park.
After the meeting, Tanner said the village water rates, currently at $2.99 per thousand gallons of water, will rise to $3.83 per thousand gallons.
A note of controversy was injected into the celebration when one resident raised the issue of an anonymous post card sent near the end of the recent election campaign bearing the message “Keep the east in East Williston.” It was an allusion to the fact that village trustee candidate Robert Shannon was raised in Williston Park and that his contracting business is not in East Williston.
“After reading the material mailed during the election, I felt I shouldn’t live in East Williston anymore,” resident Artie Toohig said.
When Toohig suggested that DiBenedittis was responsible for the post card, DiBenedittis angrily replied, “I never sent that letter.”
Trustee Michael Braito said DiBenedittis had told her fellow board members that she had nothing to do with the past card, and he said they accepted what she had said about it.
“I truly think it was from a resident who was in support of her, but did not choose the right words,” said Braito, who had written a letter to the Williston Times denouncing the postcard.
Asked how she felt about taking her seat on the village board, DiBenedittis, who has served as village recreation committee chair for the past seven years, said, “Excited. Ready to work.”
