As the March elections approach for the village of Larchmont, the Board of Trustees will face changes to its leadership as some of the board’s stalwarts will transition out. After serving two consecutive terms, Mayor Anne McAndrews, a Democrat, is stepping down from her position.
McAndrews, 70, who has lived in the village since 1985 also served five nonconsecutive terms as a trustee before becoming mayor in 2012.
“I’ve got the projects that were very important to me off the ground,” McAndrews said, citing infrastructure, the Palmer Avenue Streetscape, electric improvements and improvements to the water system.
At the Democratic caucus held on Jan. 26, Trustee Lorraine Walsh, a Democrat, was one of three candidates nominated; Walsh was picked to fill McAndrews’ position. As of press time, Walsh, 52, appears to be unopposed. If she runs unopposed, this will mark the 10th consecutive village election that the local Republican Party has sat out.
McAndrews has nothing but faith in Walsh, who served as deputy mayor this past year.
“I think she’ll do a fabulous job,” McAndrews said, adding that she’s leaving the village “in good hands.”
Because there is a year left on Walsh’s term as trustee, an interim trustee would be appointed to finish out her unexpired term.
Walsh, who has served five years as a trustee, believes her knowledge of the “ins and outs” of the village will bode well for her, should she be elected mayor. The focus of her platform includes updating all of the systems within Village Hall to be more technologically advanced and seeing current projects to completion, including upgrades to the water system. Walsh would also like to work on green initiatives for the village, making it a more environmentally friendly and energy-efficient place to live, citing LED lights as an initiative she’d like to begin. She said another important part of her platform is to work with the Chamber of Commerce to ensure retailers success within the village.
“I want to work closely with [the Chamber of Commerce] to bring new business to the village, and keep the retail space vibrant,” Walsh said.
Trustee Peter Fanelli, a Democrat, will seek re-election for his third term on the village board.
“I’m looking forward to continuing what the board has already started, in terms of dealing with the infrastructure and the needs of the community,” Fanelli, 56, said.
Like McAndrews, Longtime trustee, Marlene Kolbert, a Democrat, will step down from her seat on the board.
“I’ve been on the board for 14 years,” Kolbert said.
Kolbert, 78, who moved to Larchmont in 1966, also spent six years on the school board, serving four of those years as president.
“I thought after 20 years of service, it was time for someone else to take over,” she said. “I have loved every minute of my time on the Board of Trustees.”
Taking over for will be Carol Miller, a Democrat and current co-chair of the Traffic Commission. Miller, 60, has lived in Larchmont since 1985, and is a part-time lawyer in Manhattan.
Miller said she will need to be brought up to speed in terms of the budget process, but she is looking forward to working on making infrastructure improvements to roads and lighting, and possibly creating bike lanes.
Like Walsh, Miller hopes to bring life to the businesses in downtown Larchmont.
“I am interested in doing whatever I can to help the merchants come up with strategies for the business district,” she said.
Members of the Larchmont village Board of Trustees are elected to serve two-year terms with no annual compensation. Elections will be held on Tuesday, March 15.
