Mount Kisco Election Preview

MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. - Mount Kisco voters will head to the polls on Nov. 4 with two seats on the Village Board up for grabs.

Seeking re-election will be trustees Theresa Flora and Angie Garcia-Guerra against challengers Heather Bryant and Tammy Brown. Flora and Garcia-Guerra will be running on the Republican and Village Inclusive Party (VIP) lines, while Bryant and Brown are on the Democratic line.

Mayor J. Michael Cindrich (R, VIP) will be running unopposed for another term.

Before the election, The Mt. Kisco-Bedford Times offered the candidates an opportunity to address voters and explain, in their own words, their qualifications and what they see as the most pressing issues within the community. (Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.)

TAMMY BROWN

Please outline your career, leadership and educational accomplishments.

I spent 20 years advocating for workers as a union lawyer before retiring from District Council 37 and earned my BA at Cornell University and my JD from Rutgers University Law School. My many affiliations and titles include: NYS Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislators Annual Legislative Conference in Albany; SOMOS Inc. Puerto Rico Conference, 2024; Election Chair, NAACP - Peekskill Branch, November 2024; Coordinator, Voter Registration Day in Peekskill, 2024; former Secretary of FFR and MELSSA; former Chairperson of the Mount Vernon Taxi Commission; and former Mount Vernon District Leader.

What are the most important issues facing Mount Kisco, and why are you most qualified to address them?

Keep property taxes under the tax cap: I will collaborate with village, county, and state officials to identify grants and other funding sources to finance village projects. Practice fiscal responsibility to save costs and maintain and support our infrastructure by acting early. The objective is to ensure the village can thrive and prosper while making sustainable financial decisions.

Preserve our parks and walking trails: I will advocate for resources to enact reasonable safety protocols to ensure the preservation of our open spaces. Open and green spaces help make Mount Kisco an inviting community. We need to make a plan for investment, seek grants, and put a properly trained and supervised task force in place to monitor and oversee these areas.

My career has been dedicated to public service and community advocacy. As an Assistant Corporation Counsel, I advised the Zoning Board and City Council. As an attorney for District Council 37, I provided legal representation to union members. These experiences have given me a deep understanding of how local government operates and how policy decisions impact people’s lives. Serving as a Trustee would allow me to apply my legal background and public service experience to help Mount Kisco thrive. I will make it my mission to help guide our village with honesty, compassion, and commitment.

If elected, what will be your top priorities over the next year?

Establish a Police Community Relations Council in the village to set goals and expectations for our village. Schedule regular meetings with Westchester County Police Department and, based on those discussions, develop and institute a plan to accomplish our goals, including safe driving information for teens, bicycle safety, support for local businesses, and community events geared to engaging police and residents.

It would benefit the town to have a dedicated grant writer to take advantage of funds available at different levels of government. Grant writing is a needed skill that requires preparation and research, crafting a proposal, then making submissions.

HEATHER BRYANT

Please outline your career, leadership, and educational accomplishments.

I was born and raised in Mississippi. In 2004, I moved to NYC to pursue a Master of Arts in Classical Voice. I became interested in government and later earned a Master’s in Public Administration from Baruch. Working for several years as a research assistant at a nonprofit, I collected financial data and supported advocacy efforts. When my husband’s job took us overseas, I volunteered at the American Library in Paris and later at a community farm in London. Since moving to Mount Kisco, I’ve volunteered at The Pantry and with the Mount Kisco Elementary School Association, and served for three years on the Mount Kisco Public Library Board of Trustees—acting as President for the past 18 months. I love teaching a performance class at Hidden Treasures, an arts program for adults with disabilities, and performing with the band Ten-88.

What are the most important issues facing Mt. Kisco, and why are you the most qualified to address them?

As a parent, my top concern is pedestrian and public safety. I will aggressively pursue grants to accomplish the Complete Streets plans and return taxpayer dollars to our community. For public safety, we can advance a community policing plan supported by evidence-based strategies without a heavy price tag. The Mayor’s law enforcement expertise and understanding of protocols and contracts will help us work with the Westchester County Police Department (WCPD) to secure a fair contract with measurable goals. We’ll establish a Police Community Relations Council to ensure consistent communication between the Board, WCPD, judges, nonprofits, first responders, and residents. We’ll also set goals to align the number of Spanish-speaking officers with our Spanish-speaking population and to increase outreach engagements that build rapport. Finally, we can explore field placements for those pursuing NYS CASAC certification to provide qualified, low-cost support for unhoused residents struggling with alcohol.

Another top priority is our local economy. Maintaining low property taxes requires revenue from a thriving business district and County and State grants. We see empty storefronts throughout town. We must collaborate with Economic Development Corporations and the Chamber of Commerce to understand business needs. Through collaboration, we can strengthen our reputation and bring state and county dollars back to Mount Kisco.

I will reestablish a communication plan to ensure residents know about budget hearings, new legislation, and other pertinent information. The Board of Trustees must transparently explain their decisions. The public deserves to know why we are the only municipality in Westchester that did not join the Con Ed rate case, why Saturday parking fees were introduced, why 2025 legal fees were nearly $865K–that’s $520K or 150% over budget!

The gears of government move through hard work and collaboration. I am committed to tackling difficult problems and enjoy creating successful strategies. I listen willingly, particularly to dissent. We can learn from even our most vehement opposition. Lastly, I believe in using data and information to make decisions and build narratives for grant-writing purposes.

If elected, what will be your top priorities over the next year?

My first-year priorities include creating a communication plan, collaborating with WCPD, volunteer first responders, and nonprofits to support those who are homeless or struggling with addiction, advocating relentlessly to the state to improve our roads, and maximizing grant opportunities for Mount Kisco.

THERESA FLORA

Please outline your career, leadership and educational accomplishments.

I am a 35-year resident of Mount Kisco and a retired Baccalaureate prepared Registered Nurse, having received several “Nurse of Distinction” awards. 

I was first elected to the Mount Kisco Village Board in 2023 and appointed Deputy Mayor the same year.

I was named a 2025 “Woman of Distinction” by Assemblymember Chris Burdick.

As a conservationist and nature lover, I am a founding member of “Protect Leonard Park,” a small group that helped fight off a cell tower project there in 2022. I can often be found picking up trash in Leonard Park, St Mark’s cemetery, and around the Village, and have inspired residents to do the same.

I helped facilitate the Leonard Park ballfield renovations/drainage, Teahouse restoration, lights in Kirby Plaza, the creation of the Will Jennings Garden, and helped enact additional protections for Leonard and Flewellyn Parks, and St Mark’s cemetery, something I am very proud of having accomplished. I am currently working on the Village website update with Trustee Angie Guerra.

I am a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Mount Kisco Historical Society, Board liaison to the Italian American Club of Northern Westchester, the Mount Kisco Senior Center, St. Francis of Assisi Women’s Association, the Complete Streets/Pedestrian Safety Committee, Hispanic Heritage Festival Committee, Sesquicentennial Steering Committee, Wilfred Jennings Garden Committee, and the Teahouse Restoration Committee, all of which are Mount Kisco based groups.

I am a member of Westchester Disc Golf Enthusiasts, and received their “Volunteer of the Year” award in 2023 for my advocacy and care of Leonard Park.

What are the most important issues facing Mount Kisco, and why are you most qualified to address them?

Reducing costs and controlling taxes by prioritizing what’s absolutely necessary before incurring any more debt is imperative, and protecting our residential zoning districts.  

My opponents’ solution to addressing affordability is to abolish single family zoning. The Village/Town of Mount Kisco provides more affordable housing than any other community in northeast Westchester County. The concept of rezoning residential one family zoning districts, and allowing attic and basement apartments is detrimental to the Village. 

I am the most qualified to get the job done because for the past two years as Deputy Mayor, I have gained the experience, exhibited integrity, transparency, sound judgment, and the deep dedication and commitment necessary for a public servant. 

I have a proven record of success, having accomplished much in two short years, and I am not afraid to make difficult decisions. I work hard and make myself accessible in service to all the residents of Mount Kisco on a daily basis. 

If re-elected, what will be your top priorities over the next year?

• The Preston Way Bridge replacement.

• The WCPD contract.

• Employment of a part time grant writer.

• Revitalization of the Economic Development Council to discuss creative ways to draw people into the Village. For example: a performing arts center.

• Recruiting new businesses and promoting the Village as a hub for economic activity.

• Continuing to promote community-building through events like the Hispanic Heritage Festival, and other community events such as “Mount Kisco Day” in Leonard Park.

• Passing a “local landmark law” to preserve the historic character of the community by protecting our historic structures and artifacts around the Village.

• Budgeting for, and beginning repair work on the 1828 Stone Arch Bridge.

• Continuing protection of the drinking water supply, especially the Leonard Park wells.

• Helping to facilitate improvements around the Flewellyn Pollinator Garden, with an adequate and attractive wall. 

• Planning community gardens.  

• Promoting better maintenance and surveillance of our trails.

• Promoting the arts and activities that bring joy and improve our quality of life. 


• Keeping the Fox Senior Center where it is currently located, and planning for facility upgrades and maintenance.  

• Encouraging community dialogue and free speech, ensuring all are heard. 

• Improve communication between Village Hall and residents. 

• Continuing requests to our County and State officials for help with the vagrancy/alcohol issues in our community. 

ANGIE GARCIA-GUERRA

Please outline your career, leadership and educational accomplishments.

I have lived in Mount Kisco since 2019. First elected in 2023, I sit on the village’s Complete Streets Committee, Climate Smart Committee, Steering Committee, and am the chair of the Hispanic Heritage Committee. I was also a member of the grass roots organization that fought off the siting of a cell tower at Leonard Park.

Last year, I organized the community’s first Hispanic Heritage Festival. It was a community collaborative event that highlighted the valuable contributions of the Hispanic/Latino community to Mount Kisco and our country. 

My inclination to social services led me to identify and add resources to the Village’s website. The additions included resources for immigration, worker’s rights, healthcare, domestic violence, and legal services. I hope that these resources will help inform residents as they navigate through varying challenges faced by our community.

My accomplishments as an educator can be measured by each and every child who sat in my classroom during the 10 years that I worked as a teacher. In some cases it was a child that was struggling and needed additional support. In other cases it was a child that was ahead of the curve and needed an advocate to place them in an advanced class. Many times it was a child that just needed an engaging teacher. My professional accomplishments can be measured in each of their journeys and the role I played in helping them traverse it. 

One of the leadership accomplishments which I am proud of is my development of Mount Kisco's Hispanic Heritage Festival. In its second year, it's a festival that celebrates the Hispanic community and honors the value it adds to Mount Kisco and the country. I've actively sought out sponsors, partners, and vendors in our local community and beyond. I've spent countless hours planning to ensure that the festival is an appropriate representation of my people and culture. All the while, ensuring that we do it in a fiscally responsible way.

My educational accomplishments include a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Brooklyn College, a Masters in Education from Pace University, and a Master of English from Lehman College.

What are the most important issues facing Mount Kisco, and why are you most qualified to address them?

The most important issues facing Mount Kisco are fiscal responsibility and transparency. I believe these to be the most important issues due to the current cost of living and lack of true leadership in government. I am the most qualified to address them for a number of reasons. First, I have acquired a strong understanding of how our town works during my two years as Trustee. Second, I actively engage with the residents and businesses in our town. This connection is key to ensure that the community's needs are met. Third, serving as Trustee is purely a civic matter for me. This makes me qualified because it enables me to be completely transparent and to be driven by nothing more than the interest of our town and its residents.

If re-elected, what will be your top priorities over the next year?

My top priorities will be fiscal responsibility, community engagement, and resident safety.  I will make it a priority to identify and support growth opportunities that provide long-term benefit to our town. I will make it a priority to grow community engagement. I will make it a priority to engage residents in civic matters and, when possible, to get more residents involved. Last, but certainly not least, I will make resident safety a priority. Whether it's protection of our park or pedestrians, I will continue to pay attention to the concerns raised by our residents and diligently pursue courses of action to protect us all.