Carmel Councilmen Robert Kearns and Frank Lombardi easily won their party’s endorsement to pursue new offices this fall at the Town of Carmel’s nominating meeting on Feb. 9.
Kearns earned the Carmel Republican Committee nod for town supervisor over incumbent Mike Cazzari 53-24. Lombardi defeated Mahopac School Board Trustee Tanner McCracken 23-4 for party leaders' blessing in the race for Putnam County Legislature District 8.
Like many other elected officials across New York State, Cazzari, who won reelection in November, had his two-year term cut in half after a new law shifted all elections to even-numbered years. Cazzari on Tuesday said he hadn’t yet decided whether to stay in the race and force a primary.
Kearns, the youngest person ever elected to the Town Board, would be Carmel's youngest-ever supervisor if elected.
Asked if he was surprised by the margin of victory, Kearns told Mahopac News the support was thanks to the effort he has put into outreach in the community and within the GOP.
“I’ve been working my butt off,” Kearns said. “I took time to go and sit with I would say 90 percent of the committee to kind of just sit down, listen to what they want to see in their next town supervisor. I gave them my plans where I think the town needs to go and how I can bring the town to that next step and move our town forward. I gave them the opportunity to ask me questions—but also not just to listen to me; I want to listen to them. I wanted to hear suggestions from them to what they thought was best for our community and I think that that resonated with a lot of the committee members and that’s why they put their trust in me.”
Kearns said his top priority is finishing “long overdue” projects, including developing Swan Cove, building a community recreation center at Sycamore Park, and completing improvements to Carmel Water District 2. He said he was able to stop the Carmel Water District 2 project from moving forward and “spending $28 million,” and said officials are now “looking at about $15 million in savings for the taxpayers in Carmel.” Kearns said he wants to see the project “get off the ground and finished in a timely manner,” and said Swan Cove is ready to go out to bid after he has met weekly since August with the project’s engineer and design team.
If elected, Kearns said he would prioritize having a “more transparent, accountable” government.
“My door’s always going to be open,” he said. “As a town councilman, I pride myself on being one of the most accessible elected officials in Putnam County, and I will continue to do that as town supervisor. I think it’s very important that residents are able to pick up the phone and get a hold of their town supervisor. If they have issues, they should be able to call me and I should be able to offer help or guidance wherever I can.”
Meanwhile, Lombardi’s victory over McCracken solidified his position for the seat that opened up after current Putnam County Legislature Chair Amy Sayegh—who backed Lombardi to succeed her—decided not to seek reelection.
“I am humbled and proud to announce that I have received the endorsement of the Carmel Republican Committee for County Legislature last evening with nearly 90 percent of the vote,” Lombardi said in a Facebook post. “I want to wholeheartedly thank county legislator and my friend Amy Sayegh for her nomination to fill her seat. I look forward to working with all of the endorsed Republican Party candidates during this election and look forward to continuing to serve the people of our town.”
Lombardi later told Mahopac News that election to the Legislature would be a continuation of his service on the Town Board.
“I look forward to serving the people of the Town of Carmel and District 8 as I have in the past,” he said. “I’m happy to have the complete support of many elected officials in Putnam County and beyond and the campaign for County Legislature and look forward to knocking on every door to earn every vote.”
McCracken told Mahopac News he plans to stay in the race.
If both Lombardi and Kearns are elected to new positions in November, the Carmel Town Board will have two vacancies—leaving the board down to three. If elected supervisor, Kearns and the remaining board members would have the power to appoint two additional members.
Asked about his plans, Kearns said it was premature to look that far ahead with a potential primary on the horizon.
“If there was an opportunity where we had to appoint somebody, I would have to discuss it with our town attorney,” he said. “I believe that legally we would have to appoint one board member. If Frank and I both win and there are two seats open, I think legally you would have to appoint a fourth board member.
“But I am a big believer in elections and democracy,” he continued. “When Mr. [Steve] Baranowski resigned not too long ago, I was the one who fought for a special election because I believe the residents of the community should choose who serves them.
“I think that was very apparent when [highway supervisor] Mike Stern ran as a write-in campaign. The community wants a say, and they deserve a say. So if I don’t have to appoint somebody, I would not appoint somebody. But I have not thought that far ahead. I’m not thinking about that at this moment.”
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here