Residents may or may not know, but should know, village elections take place this November 6. And for the first time in many years there is a contest. Four candidates vie for two open trustee seats. There are four village trustees in all. Village residents will also vote for mayor, with one candidate up for that position. Can you guess?

Sloatsburg has a long history, a tradition perhaps, of incremental change. The shape and character of the village have remained essentially constant for many years. And often the decisions that determine the particulars of what Sloatsburg is and isn’t are made at Village Hall. The mayor and board of trustees make the money decisions, pure and simple. And, together, they oversee the rules related to local commerce, taxation, fees, services, and signage, among other things. Keep in mind that village trustees are ordinary Sloatsburg residents who take extraordinary time from their personal lives to serve the community — and receive nominal payment to log long hours.

The Village Board, which includes the Village Clerk and Village Attorney, meets the second and fourth Tuesday of every month, and most often the Board holds discussions and conducts business before an empty room. Now might be the time for your voice to be heard.

Mayoral Candidate (Democratic/Conservative)

Carl Wright is up for his 9th non-consecutive term as Sloatsburg mayor. Wright, known throughout the village and beyond, has made it a policy as mayor to seek counsel and partner with the village trustees on issues and appointments. He also has an open door policy and on most mornings willingly greets residents who arrive at his office with good news or complaints.

The office of mayor has sole authority to make appointments for the village, including the appointment of village clerk, highway superintendent, deputy mayor, and various village boards and committees, such as planning board and zoning board of appeals members.

Sloatsburg Village Justice

Current Justice Thomas J. Newman is running unopposed for another term of office. The Sloatsburg Village Justice Court is opened Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Village Trustee Candidates (Republican)

Mark Reimer and Barbara Berntsen are both current trustees up for re-election. Reimer is seeking a fourth term, having been first elected in a contentious November 2000 election that appears to be the most recent populist uprising of Sloatsburg residents.

“My platform has been to eliminate the politics from village government and focus on how we can best work together to serve residents,” Reimer said. “These are the underlying principles of “The Partnership for Sloatsburg”. We seek to preserve the semi-rural, rustic character of the village through good zoning built upon defendable legal foundations.”

Reimer is currently Deputy Mayor, Commissioner for the Village Department of Public Works, Commissioner to the Rockland County Sewer District #1, and a Captain for the Westchester County Department of Correction. More information about Reimer and his activities can be found here.

Berntsen is seeking her third term on the board. First elected village trustee in 2004, Berntsen is a local businesswoman whose voice has been instrumental in reviving historic and business renovation in the village’s central business district.

Perhaps best known for her work in helping to save and restore the Jacob Sloat House, Berntsen worked actively during all phases of the campaign to prevent the mansion from demolition and redevelopment of the site as a rental housing project. Now known as Harmony Hall and listed on the State and National Registries of Historic Places, Berntsen is currently president of the Friends of Harmony Hall, a non-profit group that continues the Hall’s restoration work as well as provides cultural programming with such events as the Highlands Bluegrass Festival.

As trustee, Berntsen is a Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, and Youth Services. Other community service involves chairing the Downtown Revitalization Committee and acting as Scholarship Committee liaison with the Ramapo Central School District.

Berntsen’s stated goals as trustee are to maintain a balanced budget, pursue economic development opportunities that respect the character, environment and historic significance of the village, improve the expansion of the downtown area, and pursue equipment upgrades for the Sloatsburg Fire Department.

Village Trustee Candidates (Democrat/Conservative/Independent)

Two well-known residents have thrown their hats into the ring for seats on the Village Board: Thomas Buckley Jr. and Daniel O’Leary. Buckley, a lifelong Sloatsburg resident, has been Chief Fire Inspector for the Town of Ramapo for 35 years, as well as former chief and president of the Sloatsburg Fire Department. A Food Pantry board member and past member of the Planning Board, Buckley believes the Village Board could use some turnover.

“I felt the need for a change in the village,” Buckley said. “There are things that people are concerned about. I think our thing is really a fresh look. Whether it’s budgeting ideas or refinancing the debt and using people in the community that have wonderful expertise — it’s really a new look.”

O’Leary concurred with Buckley that the board could use new voices, and the two are running in tandem, hoping to rally their natural constituencies to block vote. Although both are running as Democrats, Buckley said their fiscal conservative perspectives regarding village finances won over the Conservative Party, which endorsed the pair.

“I really feel that the board has become complacent,” said O’Leary, a union man who is currently a member of the Sloatsburg Zoning Board of Appeals and past member of the Planning Board. He was on the village’s Comprehensive Master Plan Committee and former president of the Pine Grove Lakes Board of Trustees. O’Leary was also active throughout his son’s scouting life with Boy Scout Troop 46.

“It’s little things, not one thing,” O’Leary said, speaking of the decisions of the current board dynamics and decisions made over time. “They’ve never really had any serious challenge. It’s almost as if they want to run unopposed. We’ve had two lawyers arrested. We’ve had a building inspector arrested. At what point are you culpable?”

Both men feel they bring a particular skill set to the task of trustee. And have ideas on changes they’d like to see.

“I’m concerned about the fire department and equipment in the fire department; being a member for all these years I have concerns as far as equipment replacement,” said Buckley. The Sloatsburg Fire Department met with the Village Board earlier in the year in a series of workshops to develop a plan to replace outdated gear and equipment.

“One of my issues is service to the village,” said O’Leary, explaing that Village Hall hours could be coordinated to better serve the working people of the village. “There’s no reason why that village office cannot be open one night a week so that when you get off your train at night, you can renew your parking pass or go pay your taxes or get leaf bags. Or anything.”

“It’s really about a new look,” Buckley explained, saying he and O’Leary would bring a fresh perspective and approach to running the village. “It’s just a new look,” he said. “Maybe they’ve looked at it, maybe they haven’t — but we know we will look.”

SloatsburgVillage.com would like to thank all candidates for their cooperation on this article.

* Party affiliation denotes official endorsement by and representation of that particular party for the upcoming village election.