Cedarhurst village results are in

Though it was an uncontested election more than 300 Cedarhurst residents stepped into village hall on Tuesday to cast a ballot for a mayor, a trustee who serves as deputy mayor and a trustee.

Mayor Andrew Parise received 310 votes for a fifth term in office, while Deputy Mayor Ben Weinstock and trustee Ari Brown both collected 286 votes for their third and fourth terms, respectively. All terms are four years.

Brown, who was the first village resident to vote on Tuesday, said that this election represents a good American story, where government works the way it should and residents receive the services they pay for. “Where the economy is bad we have less than 10 percent in vacancies,” Brown said, who referring to Cedarhurst’s commercial area. “This is a mixed community where everyone gets along and the board works together the way government should.”

It is nice to be appreciated and recognized for doing a good job, said Weinstock, who also voted early in the morning. “It is a very strong endorsement of what we do,” he said. “It is hard to imagine this many people voting [for us] if they weren’t satisfied. It is what we do: Deliver services they expect to receive.”

Being in the public sector since the 1950s, Parise has seen the ups and downs of municipal government, but thinks that the residents of Cedarhurst are happy with the way the trustee and village function.

“It is their way of saying we are doing a good job,” said Parise who added that the board works as a cohesive unit and he was happy with the turnout.

The village board which also includes trustees Ronald Manzilotta and Myrna Zisman is expected to focus on ensuring that the sewer consolidation project with the county moves forward, the business district remaining strong and smaller projects such as installing a pavillion with a dance floor in Cedarhurst Park

The new terms of office begin on April. Though there is no official swearing in ceremony, the board members will sign an oath of office, Parise said.