Old Westbury voters will see familiar names on the ballot when they vote for the board of trustees June 21; however, Old Westbury mayor Fred Carillo says this is his last time running for the village’s top spot.
Carillo, who has been on the board for 20 years, eight of which he served as mayor, said this election, in which he and trustees Ed Novick and Marina Chimerine are all running unopposed, will be his last.
“I have a lot of energy, but I think it’s time for other people to take over,” Carillo said, who is anticipated to head into a four-year term. “Four years is enough time to give the other trustees whatever institutional knowledge I have and carry on. Hopefully my legacy will prove worthwhile.”
Carillo, 73, said during his next term he’s going to try and continue to address some of the criticisms he’s faced and work for the betterment of the village. Under his leadership, he’s helped improve the village website, maintained a budget with no tax increase and led the charge on a massive road repair project, which was done with a bond within the budget. He wants to continue to increase transparency and village safety, and said the village is also in the process of streamlining the building department and combining the planning board and architectural review committee.
“Instead of people going to two different places at two different times, now they can go to one and make it much quicker,” Carillo said.
He served his last term with new trustees, but it worked well, Carillo said.
“We have new trustees that are very passionate, they have a lot of energy and we all work very well together,” Carillo said.
He noted that in addition to the real estate development business he’s been running for the last 50 years, he spends ample time in the village, not only as a resident but to find out what the community’s needs are.
“There are lots of programs we’re looking into to make the village more secure and respond to the needs of residents,” Carillo said, noting that he aims to be accessible by giving his cell phone number to residents. “I’ve always been hands on and try to do the best I can.”
Joining Carillo on the ballot is Chimerine, a resident of Old Westbury for more than 17 years who joined the board in June of 2015 and serves as commissioner of public works, as well as Novick, the village’s budget officer who has lived in Old Westbury since 1989 and served as trustee since November 2015.
The Old Westbury village elections take place Tuesday, June 21 from noon to 9 p.m. at Village Hall, 1 Store Hill Rd., Old Westbury.
