Mahopac Central School District residents will head to the polls June 2 to vote on the Mahopac Public Library’s proposed 2026-27 budget and elect three members to the library’s Board of Trustees.
Voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Mahopac Public Library, 668 Route 6.
The library's proposed 2026-27 budget totals $3.13 million, an increase of about $129,000 (4.3 percent) over the current year. The largest increases are in personnel costs, with salaries rising by $50,000 and payroll taxes and benefits increasing by $75,000. Spending on library materials would increase by more than $18,000, while utilities are projected to rise by $13,000. Professional fees would also increase by $10,000.
The budget offsets some of those increases through reductions in several areas, including building repairs and maintenance, furniture and equipment purchases, capital improvements, and debt service. The library expects to receive about $22,000 more in non-tax revenues, largely from higher interest earnings and increased support from the town of Carmel and Putnam County. The remaining funding would come from a proposed property tax levy of $2.92 million, an increase of approximately $106,500, or 3.8 percent, over the current year.
Library officials said that although the proposed budget includes the first increase to the tax levy since 2020 it remains below the state tax cap. Library Director Michele Capozzella and the Board of Trustees said they worked to limit the increase while addressing rising operational costs.
“This budget enables us to continue to enhance the lending collection, both physical and electronic, meet the diverse interests of patrons, provide good stewardship of our facility and grounds by continuing necessary maintenance, repairs and improvements, and strengthen relationships with community partners,” she said in a statement. “The staff remains committed to a high level of service. During the past year, the library has expanded programming for adults, children and teens using the input.”
Candidate Profiles
Four candidates are seeking three available trustee seats, each carrying a three-year term. Incumbents Eugene Boesch and Diane Travis are seeking re-election, while challengers Annysa Polanco and Mary Killean Zayani are also on the ballot.
Here is a closer look at the candidates:
EUGENE BOESCH
Boesch, who has been on the board for eight years and currently serves as president, said he hopes to continue supporting the library’s role as a community resource.
A Mahopac resident for nearly four decades, Boesch holds a doctorate in anthropology and archaeology and has served on several historic preservation organizations, including the Westchester County Historic Preservation Advisory Committee and the Carmel Historical Society.
He said serving as a trustee has given him valuable insight into library operations and their relationship with local government and the community.
ANNYSA POLANCO
Polanco is an organizational development practitioner and operations leader with experience in nonprofit, cultural, and corporate institutions.
She currently serves as chief of organizational development at Community Change and previously worked at the Museum of Modern Art and Penguin Random House.
Polanco said libraries are important community gathering spaces that provide education, connection and opportunity. She also volunteers at her daughter’s elementary school and is a founding member of Connective Tissue Community, a civic engagement initiative.
DIANE TRAVIS
Travis, a 47-year Mahopac resident, retired after a 44-year career teaching English and Advanced Placement literature in the Lakeland Central School District.
She has served on the library board for the past three years and currently works on the Personnel and Long-Range Planning committees.
In addition to her role as trustee, Travis volunteers with Drivers for Seniors of the Mahopac/Carmel area and supports several community organizations, including Community Cares and the Putnam/Northern Westchester Women’s Resource Center.
Travis said she hopes to continue supporting the library’s mission of providing access to information, education, culture, and recreation.
MARY KILLEAN ZAYANI
Zayani recently returned to Mahopac after living on the West Coast for several years. She is a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist in both New York and California.
She currently works part time for LifeStance Mental Health and a Silicon Valley-based mental health app. In California, she worked in community mental health centers and maintained a private practice.
Zayani also serves as secretary of the Dixon Lake “Save the Lake” Restoration Project. She said she hopes to give back to the community where she was raised.
For more information, residents may contact Capozzella, who also serves as election clerk, at 845-628-2009, ext. 107.
Article provided by Mahopac Public Library
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