Jeffrey Brown elected as new Old Westbury trustee

Teri West
New Trustee Jeffrey Brown. (Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Brown)

Newcomer Jeffrey Brown was elected as a Village of Old Westbury trustee Tuesday while incumbent Trustee Cory Baker was re-elected for a second term.

Baker received 130 votes and Brown received 125 to earn four-year terms.

“It feels great,” Brown said Wednesday morning. “A lot of people are asking me how it feels to be in politics and I’m telling people I’m not a politician I’m a public servant and that my sole objective is to make the Village of Old Westbury the very best it can be.”

Cory Baker, right, was re-elected to the board Tuesday. (Photo by Teri West)

There were no write-ins, unlike the election held four years ago that landed Baker a seat on the board. Baker and Trustees Marina Chimerine and Leslie Fastenberg were all elected as write-in candidates that year.

Fastenberg did not run for re-election this year, citing tension with fellow board members. Brown will be filling her seat.

Brown is a partner at Carle Place-based Leeds Brown Law. He has four children – ages 11, 9, 8 and 6 – who attend schools in the East Williston school district.

“I’m going to be very readily accessible to any resident,” Brown said. “I have a law firm that’s really local, and I’m really going to give it everything I have to try and make a difference.”

He said he plans to work toward enhancing village property values by trying to create a more communal experience for residents and consulting with experts.

“I think it’s a very special community,” he said. “We have our own police, we’re very proud of that, the school districts are amazing … I’m not saying i have all the answers but I’m willing to listen to people that do have information and have meetings with residents and the board to implement a plan and strategy.”

Baker is an anesthesiologist with ProHealth.

“I believe that I have the ability to – in working with the other members of the board – to lead this village forward in a collaborative manner,” Baker said. “My feeling is that Jeff Brown will be a great addition to the board. He brings a tremendous amount of insight.”

Turnout was lower than the 2016 election in which Mayor Fred Carillo was re-elected for what he said would be his final term. That election drew 238 voters.

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