Residents meet candidates for trustee and village justice
For the second year consecutive year, Sea Cliff held its Meet the Candidates over Zoom. The three candidates, running for village justice and village trustee are running unopposed.
Meet the Candidates serves as an opportunity for Sea Cliff residents to hear from those running for local office. The candidates answer questions from the public and do their best to explain their goals if elected, and more generally what they’re like as people. The event has been organized and run by the Sea Cliff Civic Association for more than 40 years. Ann DiPietro, president of the civic association and a longtime resident, acted as the mediator for the evening.
Running for the position of village justice, Robin Maynard is an estate lawyer whose firm operates in Manhattan and Manhasset. She has lived in Sea Cliff for over 20 years, and currently serves as the village’s associate justice. In addition, Maynard previously served as a village trustee, as well as a variety of roles in numerous organizations over the years.
“Sea Cliff is really a village that is run by the community members,” Maynard said, “and service to the community has always been a very important part of my life.”
Tannaz Nasirzadeh-Balooch, who is running for trustee, is the newest of the three to Sea Cliff, having moved to the village six years ago. Nasirzadeh-Balooch, who was born in Tehran, Iran, and grew up in Denmark, owns and runs the wellness company Helix & Gene with her husband. She has been a member of the board of directors of the North Shore Coalition Against Substance Abuse for five years, as well as on the Traffic and Safety Committee.
“It is such a privilege and honor to raise my children in a community where involvement is so important,” Nasirzadeh-Balooch said. “...It’s very important to me to maintain the integrity of what’s already been established in this beautiful village.”
The third candidate, Nick Pinto, has already served one term as a village trustee, and is running for his second. He works as an attorney specializing in criminal defense, and practices primarily in federal courts. Pinto moved to Sea Cliff in 2005, and before he became a trustee he served on the Zoning Board for three years. Although he ran out of time in his introductory speech, Pinto still managed to explain the work he’s done as a trustee, including rewriting the Board of Trustees’ code of ethics with fellow trustee James Versocki.
“We’re hopeful it’s going to help this village maintain the high ethical standards that our residents deserve,” Pinto explained.
The floor was then opened up to questions from the community, which had an estimated 100 Sea Cliff viewers, with potentially more, as many families likely watched on shared accounts. The candidates answered 20 questions, ranging from issues regarding marijuana use and speeding in town to outdoor dining and the environmental issues facing Sea Cliff.
One highlight included what their plans would be for the property on 325 Prospect Ave, formerly owned by New York American Water, until it was acquired by the village last year.
“The greatest use for that building would be as a public space for the arts, a creative space,” said Pinto.
Maynard said she’d like to see the building become a multi-use facility. “I’d like to see the building brought back to its original splendor,” she said, “and then be used for various types of events.”
Meet the Candidates ended with Maynard, Nasirzadeh-Balooch and Pinto reiterating their hopes for Sea Cliff, their appreciation of the village and its citizens, and then they encouraged residents to vote.
