The Journal News (Westchester County, NY), November 3, 2005, Thursday

Copyright 2005 The Journal News (Westerchester County, NY)
All Rights Reserved
The Journal News (Westerchester County, New York)

November 3, 2005 Thursday

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 12A

HEADLINE: Clarkstown hopefuls talk housing

BYLINE: Christina Jeng

BODY:
Christina Jeng
The Journal News
CLARKSTOWN - Affordable housing for senior citizens and emergency service volunteers are among the top issues discussed in the race for Town Board.
The candidates - longtime board members John Maloney and Ralph Mandia and challengers William McCue and Frank Borelli - are seeking to fill two seats. All said housing was a priority they would address if elected, along with taxes, development and town aesthetics.
"We're working on housing for volunteer firemen and ambulance corps," said Maloney, a Democrat and 32-year board member. "We're also working on housing for our seniors who helped build this town."
McCue, a Democrat, said, "It's imperative that we find housing for them or else they won't be here very long." He and Borelli, a member of the Republican and Better Clarkstown parties, said they would look to control overdevelopment. Borelli, owner of Ducey Insurance Agency, said his business experience would help him curb taxes.
"I understand how to cut cost and how to provide services at the same time," he said.
Mandia, a Republican and 16-year board member, said he hoped, if re-elected, to have a location and bids to construct about six to 10 affordable townhouses by the end of next year. He has also proposed a stronger litter law to maintain the town.
"Clarkstown has more shopping and more traffic than any other town in Rockland County, and therefore more trash and more careless people," he said.
Also up for re-election this year is Town Clerk Patricia Sheridan, a Republican.
"In 28 years, I've never had a complaint," she said. "We service them immediately when they come in, we never let the phone ring more than three times and no one waits for service at our window."
Challenger David Carlucci, a Democrat and staff assistant to Rep. Eliot Engel, said he would stagger office hours to be open during evenings and weekends and would make documents available online, if elected.
"My vision is to bring the Clarkstown Town Clerk's Office into the 21st century," Carlucci said.
Running unopposed is Town Supervisor Alex Gromack, a Democrat, who reiterated his commitment to tackling drainage issues, preserving open space and hamlet revitalization.
Reach Christina Jeng at cjeng@thejournalnews.com or 845-578-2497.
The Gromack File
Born: Dec. 30, 1953.
Personal: Married, 1 daughter.
Occupation: Town supervisor.
Education: St John's University, 1976.
Career: County legislator, 1983-90; assemblyman, 1990-2004.
Activities: Coats for Kids; Bicycle Safety Fair; Very Special Arts Festival; United Jewish Appeal; Mental Health Association of Counties; Vietnam Veterans of America; Rockland County Children's Museum; Haverstraw Arts Alliance; Rockland PAL; Retired Senior Volunteers; New York Head Injury Association; board member Camp Venture and county Boy Scouts.
The Borelli File
Born: Nov. 19, 1962.
Personal: Married, 3 children.
Occupation: Insurance broker.
Education: Gettysburg College, 1985
Career: Insurance broker, principal, Ducey Insurance Agency.
Activities: Chairman, Leadership Rockland and Police Chiefs Foundation of Rockland; vice chairman, Industrial Development Agency of Rockland; former president, New City Rotary Club; Independent Insurance Agents of Rockland; board member, Workforce Investment Board.
The Mandia File
Born: June 6, 1944.
Personal: Married, two children.
Occupation: Town Board member.
Education: Adelphi College, Garden City, 1971.
Career: Retired facilities management and security maintenance executive, Texaco.
Activities: Member, American Legion; member and past trustee of New City Sons of Italy; member and past president, West Nyack Rotary Club; board member, West Nyack Rotary Foundation; former board member, county Girl Scouts; former board member, Jawonio; government liaison, Hi-Tor Animal Care Center.
The Maloney File
Born: Feb. 19, 1924.
Personal: Married, two daughters.
Occupation: Town Board member.
Education: St. Joseph's Seminary and College, 1946; master's, Fordham School of Social Service, 1952.
Career: Retired, certified social worker, ARC.
Activities: Former board member, Martin Luther King Center; board member of Rockland County Arthritis Foundation and TOUCH; former adviser at Fordham University School of Social Service; chaplain, Nanuet Fire Department; volunteer, Nyack Hospital and Northern Manor Geriatric Center; deacon, St. Anthony's Parish; chaplain, county jail.
The McCue File
Born: Aug 19, 1934.
Personal: Married, four children.
Occupation: Safety, compliance coordinator.
Education: High school equivalence; one year of business courses at Rockland Community College.
Career: Structural ironworker in Manhattan out of trade union, 1995-97; safety coordinator, DCM Steel Erectors, 2001-03.
Activities: Navy veteran of the Korean War; Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 851; member, Disabled American Veterans; member, United Ironworkers Local 40, Manhattan; Ancient Order of Hibernians Division II; member, St. Augustine's Church.
The Sheridan File
Born: March 5, 1932.
Personal: Married, three children.
Occupation: Town clerk.
Education: Mother Cabrini High School in Manhattan; Mandl School of Allied Health, 1953; certified municipal clerk, International Institute of Syracuse University in 1984; continuing professional education, New York State Town Clerks Association Inc.; state notary public.
Career: Deputy purchasing agent for Rockland County.
Activities: Rockland County Town Clerks Association; American Cancer Society .
The Carlucci File
Born: April 3, 1981.
Personal: Single.
Occupation: Staff assistant to Rep. Eliot Engel.
Education: SUNY Rockland; Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, 2002.
Career: Financial planner, American Express, 2002-03.
Activities: Trustee, New City Library; chair, Building Committee; member, Knights of Columbus; former trustee, SUNY Rockland, former member, St. Augustine's Parish Council; volunteer, ARC of Rockland.