Sgambati edges Popper in N. Hills

Richard Tedesco

The incumbents carried the day in the Village of North Hills election on Tuesday, but Deputy Mayor Dennis Sgambati barely outpolled independent challenger Roberta Popper to gain re-election.

Village of North Hills Mayor Marvin Natiss ran unopposed and was re-elected for his third term as mayor of North Hills, along with running mates Sgambati and Trustee Gerard Cohen. 

Sgambati narrowly won his third term in office by 22 votes, with Sgambati drawing 315 votes to Popper’s 293 votes.

Natiss drew 542 votes, while Cohen received 457 votes. 

Sigmond Semon was also re-elected for another term as village court justice, receiving a total of 512 votes. He has held that position since 2003.

Natiss, Sgambati, Cohen and Semon ran together as candidates of the Homeowner Party.

“I’m happy. I’m happy that the Homeowner Party all won,” Natiss said. “I’m looking forward to continuing to do service for the village.”

The primary issue in the campaign was the use of a $37 million village fund amassed through fees paid by developers for construction projects.

Natiss said his goal is to construct a parking garage to accommodate commuter parking at the Long Island Railroad station in Manhasset.

Popper, who is an alternate member of the village zoning board of appeals, said the money should be used in part to make Lowell Kane Park a more active space with concerts and activities for senior citizens. She said a village recreation director could be hired to oversee park programs.

“They should be using it. Do something to make this a village,” Popper said. “It’s a peculiar village. My ideas were to at least make it a village to give it amenities.”

She said prospects for a parking garage to benefit North Hills residents is unlikely because of congestion around the station. She said she thinks the village should establish a shuttle bus service for North Hills commuters, which also could be used to benefit senior citizens in the village.

Sgambati said he also favors the parking garage project and would like to see the village obtain a golf course for residents. 

Sgambati and Popper said the close result between them was because their names were in close proximity on the ballot, with Popper’s name in column A over Sgambati. Popper and Sgambati said it appeared to voters that the two candidates were running against one another and that they could not vote for both candidates.

“The way the ballot was set up, it was people having trouble understanding. I won by 22 votes, but at the end of the day, a win is a win,” Sgambati said.

Natiss said he also felt the ballot confused voters.

“No one deserved re-election more than Dennis Sgambati,” Natiss said.

One issue Sgambati and Popper agree on is the development of a park on a two-acre tract bordering the southern side of the Long Island Expressway service road between the Shelter Rock Road and New Hyde Park Road exits.

Natiss recently completed a term in office as president of the Nassau County Village Officials Association, and remains a member of that organization’s executive committee.

Natiss, who has been mayor of North Hills since 2003, is a partner in Natiss & Gordon, a law firm located in Roslyn Heights. Natiss has been a practicing attorney in New York State since 1961.

In addition to his duties as deputy mayor, Sgambati is a member of the village zoning board of appeals, the planning board and the architectural review board. He had served on the village board from 1992 to 1997 and ran for a trustee seat again when he said Natiss asked him to run with him in 2003. Sgambati owns Island Taping Inc.,  a New York City contracting company.

He is a member of the NCVOA, the North Shore Land Alliance and the Nassau County Planning Federation. He also is past president of the Estates II board of managers.

Cohen is vice president of the Links Homeowners Association and a member of the New Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce. He also is a representative of the Acorn Ponds Homeowners Association. He owns and operates Storage 1-2-3 Inc. and Fire & Record Storage Facility in New Hyde Park.


Share this Article