More than the usual sized crowd was on hand on April 5, as the Village of Westbury held its reorganizational meeting.
There were, in essence, two celebrations that evening. In the first, two village trustees and Mayor Peter Cavallaro were sworn in to new terms. In the other, Village Justice Thomas Liotti celebrated his 30th year leading the court, and donated what he called his proudest possession—a civil rights award he earned in 1997. Read story here.
Running unopposed under the banner of the Action Party, Cavallaro and Trustees Vincent Abbatiello and William Wise won their respective seats. For the mayor, it was the start of his fourth term. He was first elected in 2009 to succeed Ernest Strada, who served 28 years.
Abbatiello was tabbed to succeed the late Joan Boes in 2018 and won an election in 2019 to complete the last two years of her term. Wise has been in office since 2006.
Liotti presided as Abbatiello and Cavallaro took their oaths of office. Wise was absent.
The mayor noted that the village justice has sworn him in the last three times; Strada did the honors for his first term.
“He’s always very gracious to come here and do the honors,” Cavallaro said.
Cavallaro apologized to the assembled for having to endure “the reorganizational matters that we have to go through legally.”
Clerk/Treasurer Robert Juliano read the agenda verbatim while the mayor commented on occasion to explain or clarify an item.
He got to make a slew of appointments, most subject to board approval and a number at his sole discretion.
For the third year in a row Cavallaro tabbed Trustee Steven Corte as first deputy mayor and Trustee Beaumont Jefferson as second deputy mayor.
“Each has served in those capacities for a couple of years and they do a tremendous job and I appreciate their support and their service as deputy mayors,” Cavallaro noted.
After Juliano stated that the mileage compensation rate for employees using personal vehicles on village business was the IRS-set 56 cents per mile, Cavallaro observed, “I told you before that this was going to be boring and dry. So we’re approving mileage compensation.”
Among the appointments were Clerk/Treasurer/Registrar of Vital Statistics Robert Juliano, Associate Village Justice Elizabeth Pessala, Village Attorney Anna Vikse, Assistant Prosecutor Luigi Vigliotti, Justice Clerk Kevin Kopetic, DPW Superintendent Phil Fulgieri, Village Historian Gary Monti and Official Photographer Ray Muntz.
The elected officials were chosen commissioners of the village departments: Cavallaro (finance, public works); Corte (buildings and planning, liaison to senior citizens); Jefferson (personnel and recreation); Wise (public safety); and Abbatiello (claims auditor and Westbury School District liaison).
Corte also serves as the village assessor while the mayor named himself and Wendy Liotti—wife of the justice—to three-year terms on the Westbury Arts Council and Jefferson to a one-year term.
Named as chairs to the various boards were Gary Monti (Board of Appeals and Landmark Preservation Commission); Louis Martins (Planning Board); Vincent Abbatiello (Sexual Harassment Committee); Steven Lutz (Plumbing Examiners Board); John Pollak (Electrical Examiners Board); and John Nedd (Taxicab Commission).
All were one-year terms.
The following were named (with length of term in parenthesis) to various boards:
Board of Appeals: Dominic Abbatiello (5), Jo Ann Fresa, alternate 1 (4), Anthony Bulzomi (3), alternate 2.
Board of Assessors: Steven L. Corte (1), Lina Cesare (1).
Planning Board: Linda Troncoso (7), Dr. Christine Bauer (2), alternate 1, Peter T. Cavallaro (1), alternate 2.
Parks Commission: Karin Campbell (5).
Labor Grievance (ad hoc): Jo Ann Fresa (1), Perry Esposito (1).
Taxicab Commission: Kevin B. Shakil (3).
Plumbing Examiners Board: Steve Lutz (3).
Sexual Harassment Committee: Steven Corte (1), Peter I. Cavallaro (1), Vincent Abbatiello (1).
Capital One Bank, Valley National Bank, JP Morgan Chase and Peoples United Bank were named as depository banks.
The Westbury Times was designated as official newspaper.
