|
|
(January 28, 2004) For the first time in a very long time, there will be no contest in the Village of Larchmont elections slated for March 16. The incumbents, Republican Mayor Ken Bialo and Trustee Liz Noyer-Feld, and Democrat Trustee Marlene Kolbert, are all running for second terms without opposition, and there are no other open positions up for election. Both Village parties held caucuses on Tuesday, January 27, and both declined to nominate candidates to oppose the incumbents. Asked why the Village Republicans had decided not to run a candidate against Democrat Marlene Kolbert, Party Chairwoman Marian White told the Gazette, "We have two fine incumbents, and we feel the Board works well together. There isn't a lack of interest on the part of the party, just a feeling that the Board works well now." In recent history, the Village Republicans have not always run a full slate of candidates in every election. Mayor Cheryl Lewy, a Democrat, ran unopposed in all four of her reelection campaigns from 1994 to 2000. However, for over two decades, the Village Democrats have always had a candidate running for each position, and the decision to run only one candidate came as a shock to some Democrats. “This may not be the time to ask this question,” said former Democrat Trustee Judy O’Gorman at the close of the party caucus, “But where are our other candidates?” “Over the last several months we reached out to numerous talented people in the Village, many of whom were interested but felt this was not the right year for them,” said Carol Miller, Democratic Chairwoman. When asked for comment on the lack of opposition, Mayor Bialo said, “I have worked hard to bring our Board together in order to get things done. We have voted unanimously, I believe, on every major issue. This is people before politics in action.” He went on to note, “Without the distraction of a partisan election on March 16, we can continue to devote our full attention to projects currently underway and to preparation of a budget in a difficult year.” Returning Trustee Kolbert agreed on the benefits of attending to the budget without the distraction of a campaign. “We will still do the meeting, greeting and reaching out to the community,” she said. “It is incumbent upon the incumbents to still do that outreach.” In their respective caucuses, the incumbents each took the opportunity to review what they have achieved in the past two years and set out what’s left to do for the next term.
Looking to the future, Mayor Bialo pledged to continue work on many Village issues, including Flint Park improvements, renovation of the Metro North station, finishing the construction related to Westchester County’s storm water overflow facility (SSO), and trying to keep down tax increases.
The Gazette will be publishing more from the candidates
in the next weeks and opening a special campaign
section. Though there will be neither a debate nor a contested
campaign to report on, there
will
be biographical
information,
interviews with the candidates, and other statements.
|
||||||
Mayor Bialo, an attorney with the firm of Emmet, Marvin & Martin,
stated, "I think we've delivered on our promises. Village
government is more open." The Republican Chairwoman
displayed a printed list of 44 accomplishments the Village
Republicans could point to since the March 2002 election,
and the Mayor went on to describe some of these in greater
detail. 
Trustee
Marlene Kolbert, a long-term Larchmont resident who has served
on the Mamaroneck School Board and as President of the League
of Women Voters, will be continuing efforts to implement the
recommendations of the Larchmont 2020 Task Force, on which
she served in 2000. She noted that the streets were cleaner,
the Board was working on recreation and open space, the Parks
and Trees Committee was investigating canopy trees. There
was still work to be done on a tri-municipal technology effort.
(See 
Returning
Trustee Liz Noyer-Feld, who grew up in Larchmont and worked
in communications in the George H. W. Bush White House, said
she was proud of her record on the Board, and has many plans
for a second term. "We need a teen center for middle
and high school kids," she said, "And I want to
keep working on affordable senior housing."(See: 
Print This Article--For best results, highlight text, print selection