Longtime Village Resident Enters Race for Pleasantville Trustee

A village resident with roots going back to childhood has entered the race for a trustee’s seat on the Pleasantville Village Board in the upcoming election in March.

Pedestrian Committee member Yemi Pickard Healy announced last week that she is a candidate for the board and will run on the Pleasantville Voice Party line in the nonpartisan election.

Healy is one of three declared candidates for this year’s contest. Earlier this month Francesca Hagadus announced her candidacy for one of two seats while incumbent Trustee David Vinjamuri is running for re-election.

After serving one term, Trustee Michael Peppard confirmed in December that he wasn’t going to seek another term.

Healy said she was running to improve village walkability and safety and to strengthen communication between the village and its residents.

“I have a long-term vested interest in the village,” she said. “Me and my siblings all went to school here, my father ran the local cable station PCTV and my mom was a crossing guard. I am very local and very involved and feel as a board member I can add value just by listening and facilitating communication.”

Healy works full-time as a financial coordinator in New York City. She and her husband, Jon, live near Roselle Park and have three children ages seven, five and two. She is expecting another child in June.

Healy said she was compelled to run after her children were in a car that was involved in a traffic accident on the Saw Mill River Parkway last June.

“They were being driven to school and a health vehicle ran the light,” Healy said. “Fortunately, my kids were unharmed. It’s why I want to work with the village and with residents to improve that crossing.”

After the accident, Healy became involved with efforts to strengthen safety on the state-owned road. She joined the village’s Pedestrian Committee and started keeping track of residents’ concerns and suggestions to send to state and county officials related to safely crossing the Saw Mill Parkway.

“I’ve been in communication with different people on the state and county level about the dangers kids face crossing the Saw Mill on their way to school,” Healy said. “This is a big issue.”

Increasing communication between the village and its residents is also crucial for Healy.

“More hands on deck are always needed,” she said. “Social media is a good outlet for people to quickly log their complaints and it’s a valued form of communication. I’d also like to see a suggestion box.”

Important to Healy is representing young families on the board, especially those living on the other side of the Saw Mill Parkway. Although the four current trustees have children in the Pleasantville School District, Healy said another board member with a young family would offer better representation to a community that consistently attracts that demographic.

Her campaign will also focus on sustaining village walkability.

“There is strong pride in Pleasantville that comes with the decades-long custom of walkability,” Healy said. “We should invest in that pride.”

Also running for re-election for a sixth term will be Mayor Peter Scherer. All seats carry three-year terms.

The village election is scheduled for Tuesday, Mar. 19.

Nominating petitions are available through the Westchester County Board of Elections at www.citizenparticipation.westchestergov.com/run-for-office, and must be submitted by Tuesday, Feb. 13. Pleasantville residents interested in running may also contact the village administrator’s office at 914-769-1940 or administrator@pleasantville-ny.gov.