Rockville Centre mayor unseated

Francis X. Murray unseated a sitting mayor and beat back a challenge from a young upstart to become the new mayor of Rockville Centre.

The election was one of many village contests for mayor's offices and trustee seats around Long Island Tuesday.

Murray, 60, whose father, Eugene Murray, was the village mayor from 1987 to 2007, is a small-business owner and member of the RVC United Party. He unseated Mary W. Bossart, 59, of the Concerned Citizens Party, who has been mayor since 2007.

Murray said his father has "been on my side forever" and "is ecstatic."

College student and RVC Grass Roots Party candidate Michael J. Leboff, 21, also ran. He is entering his senior year this fall at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn.

Candidates Nancy Howard, 50, and Michael Sepe, 40, ran on the RVC United Party line and won. Trustee David A. Krasula, 63, from the Concerned Citizens Party, was unseated.

LAUREL HOLLOW

Incumbent Michael Jay died May 20, just after he finalized a nominating petition to remain on the board of trustees, and Tuesday he was re-elected.

The 65-year-old attorney had served on the board since 1997, was running unopposed and was still on the ballot. Mayor Harvinder Anand said he'd appoint a replacement in July.

LLOYD HARBOR

Mayor Leland Hairr was running on the Quality of Life ticket with incumbent trustees Jean M. Thatcher, Leland Deane and Hilary P. Rolih -- and the slate held on to its seats.

George Schwertl, the challenger for Hairr's position who made his first run for office on the Lloyd Harbor Families Party line, and trustee candidates Sandra Bianco, Kieran McGowan and Danielle Sulger were not successful.

BRIGHTWATERS

The Citizens Party, which has governed the village for more than 30 years and currently controls four seats on the five-member board, won control of all seats on the trustee board.

Incumbent Robert Fischer, an electrical engineer, and challenger Tim Cox, the dean of students at Bay Shore High School, won seats.

The Common Good Party, which formed in 2008 and held one seat on the board, lost that when incumbent John Valdini, who owns a construction company, was defeated. His running mate, challenger Patrick Fawcett, who owns a retail pharmacy business, also lost. Each seat carries a term of two years.

"My biggest thing is to provide a unified voice," Cox said. "It's very important to repair divisions and get people to work together instead of working by party lines in the way that I think we had created here."

OLD BROOKVILLE

Mayor Bernard Ryba and trustees Michael DerGarabedian and Marilyn Genoa touted their loyalty to the multivillage Old Brookville police department, even as neighboring villages wavered. They were re-elected.

They defeated Ryba's opponent, Ariel Aminov, and trustee challengers Michael Izzo and William "P.J." Gooth, who had criticized the establishment's lack of transparency as the process unfolded.

UPPER BROOKVILLE

Upper Brookville's two incumbent trustees -- Michael Schwerin and Barbara Kelston -- retained seats. They had said they had taxpayers in mind when they advocated controlling long-term police costs associated with the multivillage Old Brookville police department.

The pair defeated challengers Peter Pappas and Bradley Marsh.

SANDS POINT

Barry Miller, the head of private equity for the New York City comptroller's office, unsuccessfully challenged incumbents Katharine Ullman and Marc Silbert in a contest for two trustee seats.

MANORHAVEN

Incumbent trustees and lifelong residents Rita di Lucia and John di Leo Jr. retained their seats, fighting back challenges from Vincent Mitchell and Gerald A. Volpe.

NORTH HAVEN

Incumbent board members Jeffrey Sander and Russell "Jim" Smyth Jr. defeated a challenge from Lawrence LaRose, a five-year resident of the village.

NORTH HILLS

Three candidates sought two trustee seats in a race where a $37 million village fund became a campaign issue. Incumbents Dennis Sgambati, the deputy mayor, and Gerry Cohen defeated challenger Roberta Popper, who said the administration has "been sitting on it for quite a while."

BELLPORT

Will Veitch, who ran unopposed, became the new village mayor despite a challenge from write-in candidates.

A write-in candidate was also expected to win a trustee seat; incumbent James Vaughan was the only person who signed up in the race for two seats on the five-member board of trustees.