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Bayville Goes to the Polls

Bayville will vote for Village trustees at an election to be held next week, on June 17th. Of the village's six-member Board of Trustees, three positions are up for election. Paul McBride and Timothy Horgan will not be running for re-election, leaving Douglas Watson and four newcomers to vie for the remaining positions. Two political parties are represented in this contest: the Taxpayer Party, of which Mayor Siegel and the current Board members belong, and the Bayville Family Party. The Leader interviewed the candidates.
Doug Watson has served on the Board of Trustees since 1992. Married with three children, he has lived in Bayville since 1980 and is employed in the auto body field. "I'm looking forward to finishing things we have on the burner right now, like beautifying the downtown area. We plan to create new sidewalks and landscape the area. Since we've already landscaped the planting island down by the Stands, both Village entrances will be welcoming. We're also about to see some of the vacant commercial properties become revitalized, like the Poseidon Cove, old Pig & Whistle, and Steve's Pier. With Diane Yatauro's help we've raised Bayville Avenue by the amusement park to prevent flooding. I feel I'm qualified for this position because of my involvement in the negotiations for all these improvements, and I can't help but be proud of them."
Peter Valsecchi, Jr., of the Taxpayer Party was raised in Bayville. Married with three children, this is his first foray into local politics. He is a vice president for a sheet metal company. Regarding his qualifications, he told us, "I've been working with the Bayville Little League for 12 years and have been vice president of the Bayville Community Little League for four. I've also been a member of the Town of Oyster Bay Youth Sports Commission since 2006. I've been going door-to-door asking residents what changes they'd like to see. Overall people seem pretty happy with life in our community. People are looking forward to the West Harbor Drive renovation that will start in the Fall. This party's been doing a good job and I want to be a part of it."
Kate Naughton of the Taxpayer Party was raised in Lattingtown and has lived in Bayville since 1991. She is single and works full-time for Cablevision. This is her first run for office. She commented, "I think communication is a concern for those residents who say this is not an open administration. I know that if you go to public meetings you feel it is open, so I'd like to see what we can do to facilitate more openness. I serve on the Environmental Committee and would like to see more "green" initiatives, like the use of cloth bags at the supermarket. I've helped create the green market that takes place Saturdays during the summer in the commons. For these reasons I feel qualified for the position. I want things to keep moving forward and to make life here better. It's my turn to give back to the community."
Michael Trama of the Bayville Family Party, is married with three children and was raised in Bayville. He is employed as an assistant director of nursing at Stony Brook's State Hospital. He discussed the importance of there being a two-party system. "There's a need to bring new views to the table and to communicate the needs and wants of the people. The mayor's not doing a bad job, but there have been recent issues in which the majority was vocal but the government went against their views; for instance, the issue of placing additional antennas on our water tower. I also feel the need for better communication. Right now Board meeting agendas are handed out at the meetings. These should be made available ahead of time. Also, attendance and voting records should be easily accessible. If you want this information now you have to go through a lot of paperwork. It should be made available on the Internet, along with links to useful Government websites. We could also use booklets spelling out what needs to be done during an emergency. I think we could learn from other villages that have rebounded from tough times by reaching out to them."
Joseph Russo of the Bayville Family Party, is married with one son and has lived in Bayville since 2000. He is employed in the information technology field. This is his first political race. "The cornerstone difference between the two parties in this election is that we (the Bayville Family Party) believe that the trustees should be providing information to the community instead of making the community come to them." In addition to the issues raised by his running mate Tramm, Russo raised the following issues: "We should enhance our programs for children over age 12. Kids used to spend time at the Bayville Community Center, but no more. It needs to be refurbished and used more. At the other end of the spectrum, our seniors could use more activities. Bayville might be able to save money by combining their purchases with other villages, because there is savings in volume. It's done now to a small degree, but there are other areas where savings are possible." He added, "We want the benefit of a 2-party system. One party on the Board does not allow for a vibrant exchange of ideas. We offer the opportunity to have alternate ideas."
Be sure to vote from 6 am to 9 pm at the Bayville Firehouse and Village Hall, Tuesday June 17th.

-Chris Roberts