Mayor Scott Strauss told Blank Slate Media on Wednesday that he is not running for re-election.
Deputy Mayor Paul Pereira said he will be running for mayor of Mineola this March.
Trustee Janine Sartori, who was appointed in November to finish Dennis Walsh’s term, and resident Jeffrey Clark also plan to run for election to the board of trustees, according to a press release from the New Line Party,
Elections for the Village of Mineola will be held on Tuesday, March 15 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. according to the village’s calendar.
Currently up this year include the mayor’s seat, the seats held by Trustees George Durham and Janine Sartori as well as the village justice.
Strauss said Durham will not be seeking re-election this year.
Scott Faigrieve, the village justice, is currently finishing out a two-year term after being elected in September 2020 to finish the unexpired term of the late Justice John P. O’Shea.
Strauss will be finishing his fourth term on the board. He was first appointed trustee in 2010 and elected mayor in 2011. The mayor will finish his term one year after overseeing numerous projects and combating COVID-19 in the village.
The village raised $2 million from community benefits agreements created with developments Morgan parc and Modera Metro Mineola, which are contracts to provide local amenities or mitigations to the neighborhood.
Funds from agreements have led to improving the village’s water system, which has 52 miles of mains.
A new Water Department building on Westbury Avenue is on its way as well as a new firehouse to replace one that had to be torn down because of a truss in the roof becoming too unstable.
The cost of these projects was $26 million, the mayor said to residents at a Mineola Chamber of Commerce meeting last September.
With the help of grants, and a persistent effort to find money, Strauss said, all the changes came with a tax increase of 0.75% to taxpayers.
More recently, Strauss pushed the MTA and LIRR expansion project to make sure there were no problems with the Harrison Avenue parking garage, which opened up in December. The building was delayed multiple years due to different issues, but Strauss kept it out of the village’s hands until it was in perfect condition.
When asked why he is not running for re-election, Strauss cited time and workload. Strauss is currently the assistant vice president of corporate security at Northwell Health.
If elected mayor, Pereira’s seat on the board would become vacant. Someone would have to be appointed to fill his seat and finish his current term, similar to what Trustee Sartori is currently doing for Walsh’s term.
Pereira was first elected to the board in 2008 and became deputy mayor in 2011. He has lived in Mineola for over four decades and has the support of Strauss, per the New Line Party’s press release.
“Paul has consistently fought to keep our Mineola way of life,” the statement reads. “He worked to lower debt and hold the line on taxes. He has voted time and time again to invest in infrastructure such as roads, sewers and clean water. Paul is the natural choice to succeed Mayor Scott Strauss and has his full backing.”
Sartori moved to the village with her husband and two sons 17 years ago from Staten Island. Before her appointment to the board, Sartori was on the Mineola Board of Zoning Appeals for four years and has been active in the community through school organizations.
“Janine has taken her position very seriously,” the party said. “She has attended many events and meetings on behalf of the Mineola residents she was asked to serve. Her Degree in Finance and long history of involvement in our schools and community make her a solid choice for election as a Village Trustee this year.”
Running for the seat being vacated by Durham is resident Jeffrey Clark. Clark has been a Mineola resident for 35 years with his wife and six children.
He is currently a warden on the fire council of the Mineola Fire Department, where he previously served as chief. In addition, Clark was previously president of the Irish American Society and chosen as Grand Marshal for Mineola’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
“Jeff has also coached his and many other children through the great athletic programs found in Mineola,” the release says. “He is a great choice because he understands what it takes to keep Mineola a community of friends and families.”
According to the village, no other residents have filed petitions to run for mayor or the trustee positions as of Thursday.
This article will be published as more information becomes available.
