Munsey Park Mayor Sean Haggerty has chosen not to run for re-election in March due to the increasing demands of his job at Endeavor Plus Inc., a startup health care company, he said on Monday.
He served as mayor for a single term of two years and before that served as a trustee for two years.
“I’m most proud of allowing residents to have access to me when they had an issue or a problem,” he said. “I get a lot of calls on my cell and emails, and I take pride in returning those as quickly as I can.”
Haggerty took office as mayor in March 2015, soon after the completion of the restoration of Copley Pond, which had been a major cost for the village. As a result, the budget for the fiscal year 2015-16 included a 10.8 percent reduction in expenditures.
The budget also included a 5.9 percent decline in revenues, offset in part by a 1.6 percent increase in the village’s tax levy.
“A lot of the time, the difference is just a few dollars here, a few dollars there,” Haggerty said of the budget in March 2015. “There’s not really a lot of money freed up for us to throw around.”
Haggerty chose not to single out an item of legislation of which he was most proud.
Since a pair of burglaries last November, Haggerty has explored additional security measures in the village, including the installation of security cameras at all entrances and exits.
“We still have a long way to go,” he said of the effort to install the cameras. “There’s still a lot to be learned on how it can help the village and what the costs are.”
At Board of Trustees meetings over the past two months, the village has hosted presentations on the subject from security camera companies as well as Nassau County police.
“Residents should give their feedback to the board on whether they feel the cameras are appropriate,” he added. “I hope the board will follow through with it.”
Haggerty said he will likely be one of the residents giving feedback.
“I’m available still as a resident to help in any way I can,” he said.
Asked if he would run for the position again, Haggerty said, “If down the road the village needs someone to run for a position, I’m always here to help” but “I’m not planning to take two years off and come back.”
Deputy Mayor Frank DeMento will run for the mayoral seat unopposed.
“I’ve got a great relationship with Frank,” Haggerty said. “We’ve seen challenges in the village. I have a tremendous amount of support for him.”
DeMento served as mayor from 2013 to 2015, and has served as deputy mayor for the past two years.
Resident Lawrence Ceriello will run for the seat vacated as DeMento is elevated to mayor.
Haggerty said he will use some of his newfound free time to watch his son, Brendan Haggerty, play varsity lacrosse for Manhasset High School this spring.
“I will be happy to see those games,” he said.
