Jan. 29, 2014:  The Bronxville Village Republican Committee has tapped incumbent trustees Anne W. Poorman and Guy Longobardo to run for reelection to the Bronxville Board of Trustees.  

Nominated at the party's January 23 caucus, Poorman and Longobardo will appear on the March 18 village election ballot for the two open trustee seats on the five-member board.

Betsy Harding, chairwoman of the Bronxville Democratic Party, reported that the party did not nominate any candidates at its January caucus.

A trustee for nine years, Poorman served for five years on the zoning board before she was appointed to finish trustee Mary Marvin's term when Marvin ran for mayor. During her tenure as a trustee, Poorman was appointed as liaison to the Bronxville Police Department, the Bronxville Department of Public Works (DPW), and the planning and zoning boards.

Longobardo, elected in 2012, is finishing his first term as trustee. He has served as trustee liaison to the Bronxville Public Library, the Bronxville Village Justice Court, and the Bronxville Building Department. He has also worked on issues related to affordable housing and flood mitigation.

Poorman noted that both she and Longobardo worked directly with the Bronxville Police Department and the Police Benevolent Association to resolve issues when labor negotiations stalled, and the board reached an agreement with the union. She stated that one of her prime goals for her next term is to reach a contract agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents DPW employees.

"Their impressive snow clearance is a reminder of how valuable our DPW employees are to our safety and streetscape appearance," Poorman said.

Longobardo praised work done by village officials and employees at all levels to restore electric power and reestablish safe conditions in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. "The relationship we developed with the Con Ed teams here helped get the power on in Bronxville faster than in the vast majority of other area communities," he said.

Asked about the impact of several major construction projects potentially proceeding in the village at the same time, Poorman pointed out that Bronxville does not face the regular development challenges other communities do.

While the trustees realize that the flood remediation and the Kensington Road projects may occur simultaneously, she stated, "Flooding near our school has been a trauma for the community that must be addressed." Poorman added that the village worked hard to obtain one of the last major grants to help absorb the flood mitigation project's multimillion-dollar cost. "So it's now or never," she said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will fund 75 percent of the project. The village and the school will share equal responsibility for funding the remaining 25 percent of the project's cost.

Longobardo stated that work on flood mitigation, to begin in the fall, will provide long-term benefits not only for The Bronxville School but also for nearby residents who have suffered damage from flooding over many decades.

Poorman feels that the significant long-term benefits of the Kensington Road project will outweigh the short-term challenges during construction. "We will increase our tax base, increase parking, and remove a blight to our otherwise well-kept community," she said.

"Obviously there will be inconvenience as the project moves forward through the construction process," Longobardo said, but she added that, in the long run, the Kensington project will be a "win-win" for the village. He noted that the environmental cleanup would have cost the village between $8 and $10 million. The developer will bear that cost.

Bronxville government, Poorman said, pledges to do its best to minimize disruptions by assembling a team of top-tier professionals.

Longobardo recognizes that the next couple of years will present challenges as a result of the projects that are being undertaken in the village. "While there is a sense of change, there is also the opportunity to move forward," he said. "The activity, though it may produce some short-term inconvenience at times, will benefit the village and its residents for decades to come."

Both Poorman and Longobardo will have the immediate job of overseeing major staff changes at village hall. With the retirements of Village Administrator Harold Porr in March and Village Treasurer Bob Fels in April, Poorman noted that the village will lose 32 years of key collective experience. "These vital jobs are noticed by the general public only when something goes amiss," she said, "not when our affairs run smoothly."

Mayor Mary Marvin stated that, with the coming loss of Porr and Fels, "the expertise, hands-on service, and experience of trustees Poorman and Longobardo are invaluable to the continuity at village hall."

Pictured here: Trustees Anne Poorman and Guy Longobardo, both nominated by the Republican Party to run for reelection.

Photo by N. Bower