Schiliro Defeats Arden in No. Castle Supervisor’s Race; DiGiacinto, Reiter Win
Democratic Councilman Michael Schiliro ousted Republican incumbent Howard Arden in the North Castle supervisor’s race Tuesday night vowing to restore civility and respect to town government.
Schiliro comfortably defeated Arden by capturing 56 percent of the vote (1,881-1,472) with 10 of the town’s 11 districts reporting, according to the Westchester County Board of Elections late Tuesday night.
Republican Barbara DiGiacinto (1,770 votes) and Barry Reiter (1,760 votes), an independent running on the Democratic line, finished first and second, respectively, to take the two council seats. They finished well ahead of Jose Berra (1,343), another independent who also ran with Democratic endorsement, and incumbent Republican John Cronin (1,282).
Schiliro, who said that he found “Re-elect Jack Lombardi” signs left on his property early Tuesday, referring to the iconic North Castle public servant who served 44 years as supervisor, promised to take the town in a new direction.
He said the old Lombardi signs were a symbol to retain what was good from the past and incorporate it into the future.
“It was a message that I’m excited about taking the town forward from here,” Schiliro said at Gavi Restaurant in Armonk where he and his supporters gathered to wait for the results. “I really am, to have the privilege and honor to be your supervisor and have a terrific board.”
During the campaign the Democratic slate and DiGiacinto all stressed that they would help restore civility and respect to the town government. During the past two years the often deeply divided town board, with Arden, Cronin and Diane DiDonato-Roth in the majority, repeatedly clashed over a wide assortment of issues and with supporters of both factions at public meetings.
Schiliro said that there will still be disagreements but the level of discourse will improve.
“We’re going to work together,” he said. “We’re going to disagree. We’re going to disagree respectfully. We’re going to get things done and take this town into the future.”
DiGiacinto called the result “a great, great night for North Castle.”
“Today was really judgment day,” DiGiacinto said. “I am so happy. I wanted more than anything for Mike to be our supervisor. I wanted to see the change that I think, obviously, we’re going to see.”
Arden, who walked from down the street from his Election Night headquarters at The Beehive Restaurant to personally congratulate Schiliro, said he was disappointed at the results but felt satisfied that he had accomplished most of what he set out to do two years ago. North Castle will reap the benefits into the future, Arden mentioned.
He said the controversy that erupted in early October when the Brynwood Golf & Country Club partners spent $78,000 to help DiDonato-Roth and Cronin in their re-election efforts before the primary likely cost him. Brynwood has proposed 88 luxury condominiums and a golf course redesign.
“I was obviously tarnished with that but there was nothing I could do to control that,” Arden said. “I was not involved with that at all. The public has spoken. They obviously want to go in a different direction and that’s democracy. That’s the way America works.”
In the town justice race, Doug Martino defeated Linda Trummer-Napolitano 1,791-1,392. Martino will succeed longtime Town Justice Robert McGoey who is retiring after 40 years on the bench.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/