Challenge from new slate in Lloyd Harbor

All of the incumbents up for re-election on the Lloyd Harbor Village board are being challenged in this week's contest.

But Mayor Leland Hairr, who is running on the Quality of Life ticket with incumbent trustees Jean M. Thatcher, Leland Deane and Hilary P. Rolih, says there is no need to change anything. In fact, their campaign slogan is "Maintain the Momentum."

"We think we've had a lot of accomplishments," said Hairr, who is seeking his fourth term. "So we hope to be re-elected to keep the momentum going forward."

Hairr touts the party's experience, fiscal management and ongoing capital improvement projects such as the reconstruction of West Neck Road/Lloyd Harbor Road, the major thoroughfare in the village of about 3,700 residents. In campaign literature and in an interview, Hairr points out that he and the six trustees on the board have obtained federal, state and county grants for the village's highway and police departments and for stormwater management. He also highlighted the current administration's efforts on park improvements, the renovation of Village Hall, deer culling and code revisions that control the "McMansion" effect.

"Everyone who is a trustee has been involved with village government prior to becoming a trustee," said Hairr, 69, who runs an environmental consulting firm. "We've tried to move up to trustee positions people who understand our village government, know our village and are intent on trying to preserve the quality of the village."

But George Schwertl, 46, the challenger for Hairr's position who is making his first run for office on the Lloyd Harbor Families Party line, said that in speaking with some residents in recent months he found they didn't realize Lloyd Harbor has a mayor.

"They didn't know about the mayor, they didn't know about the boards," said Schwertl, a resident of the village for four years. "I've gone to some of the meetings and no one shows up. Our goal would be to get more residents involved."

Thatcher, who is deputy mayor and seeking her fourth term, said that the board makes every effort to reach out.

"When anybody new moves into the area, we welcome them with a package with a guidebook of the area" and information about Lloyd Harbor's government, Thatcher said. "We advertise all positions, we have a newsletter that comes out approximately every six weeks with announcements, events, interesting history. I think that says more about them than what we do."

Thatcher, 62, is chief operating officer of a malpractice insurer. Deane, 59, is a plastic surgeon, and Rolih, 52, is the principal of four healthcare-related firms.

Running with Schwertl are Sandra Bianco, Kieran McGowan and Danielle Sulger. Bianco, 44, is a stay-at-home mom; McGowan, 44, is an executive with an insurance company; and Sulger, 40, is a business owner.

Schwertl said his team would like the board to be more visible, responsive and reachable through an updated village website and especially via email.

"The biggest concern is the lack of communication with the residents," said Schwertl, an automotive industry manager and married father of eight. "People should know there is a mayor that you can reach out to and discuss issues with. And that's what I will do."

Schwertl said he and his campaign mates will also work to make sure that there is no commercial development, that new buildings retain the character of the neighborhood and that the village is kept crime-free. A top priority will be to work to get more utility lines underground for aesthetics, safety and dependability, he said.

Both the mayor and trustee seats are for four years. Voting is Tuesday from noon to 9 p.m. at Village Hall, 32 Middle Hollow Rd.