Rockville Centre's new mayor, trustees take office

Rockville Centre Mayor Francis X. Murray and Trustees Nancy Howard and Michael Sepe, who took office at noon on July 4, were sworn in on the evening of July 5 during a brief organizational meeting at Village Hall.

Former Mayor Eugene Murray administered the oath of office to his son, the newly elected mayor. Howard, Fran Murray’s RVC United Party running mate, who was named deputy mayor, was sworn in by former Trustee Jack Matthews. State Supreme Court Justice Timothy S. Driscoll swore in Sepe, who also ran on the RVC United Party ticket. The trio will join Concerned Citizens Trustee Ed Oppenheimer and independent Kevin Glynn, both of whose terms run through 2013, on the village Board of Trustees.

In one of his first official acts, Mayor Murray reappointed all village department heads, managers and staff, including Village Administrator Frank Quigley, Police Commissioner Chuck Gennario, Village Attorney Tom Levin, Deputy Administrator/Comptroller Michael Schussheim, Parks and Recreation Superintendent Tony Brunetta, Building Department Superintendent Dan Casella and Senior Services Director Dr. Cyd Charrow. John Peters will continue as Information Technology director and Jeff Kluewer will stay in his position as Rockville Centre’s public relations counsel.

But there were changes in both the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Planning Board. At the BZA, Bob Schenone took over as chairman and Gregg Rinn, whose term ended, stepped down. His seat was filled by Joseph Kelly. At the Planning Board, all members remain, but Chairwoman Mary Beth Kearns was replaced by David Resnick.

And in another personnel change, Murray’s pastor, Msgr. William Koenig, the rector of the parish of St. Agnes Cathedral, was named to the village’s Board of Ethics and its Human Rights Commission.

In brief remarks, Fran Murray talked about three generations of his family, volunteerism and his path to the mayoralty. He said he learned about volunteerism from his father, Gene, who had learned about it from his father, William S. Murray, who was Rockville Centre’s postmaster, among other things.

The new Mayor Murray thanked the RVC United Party and committee, his family and his running mates, as well as outgoing Mayor Mary Bossart, Deputy Mayor Chuck Joyce and Trustee David Krasula.

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