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Port Chester Elects A New Mayor: Richard 'Fritz' Falanka

This story has been updated.

Richard "Fritz" Falanka was elected mayor of Port Chester on Tuesday with 2,009 votes. Falanka is a former village clerk and village manager.

Richard "Fritz" Falanka was elected mayor of Port Chester on Tuesday with 2,009 votes. Falanka is a former village clerk and village manager.

Photo Credit: Provided
Democrat Gregory K. Adams lost to Republican Richard “Fritz” Falanka in the Port Chester mayoral race on Tuesday, by an unofficial count of 2,009 to 478 votes. Adams is a village trustee.

Democrat Gregory K. Adams lost to Republican Richard “Fritz” Falanka in the Port Chester mayoral race on Tuesday, by an unofficial count of 2,009 to 478 votes. Adams is a village trustee.

Photo Credit: Provided

PORT CHESTER, N.Y. – Republican Richard "Fritz" Falanka was elected mayor of the Village of Port Chester on Tuesday, defeating Democrat Gregory K. Adams by an unofficial tally of 2,009 to 478 votes, according to the Westchester County Board of Elections.

Falanka, 73, is a former village clerk and village manager. He was nominated by the Port Chester Republican Committee.

Adams, a former deputy mayor, was on the Village Board from 2007 to 2010. He was re-elected in 2013 and is still a trustee.

Longtime Mayor Dennis Pilla, decided not to seek a fifth term.

Port Chester is faced with a long list of local issues to tackle including the Starwood/United Hospital project, repairing the Marina Bulkhead, the amnesty program, a proposal to pursue city status, code enforcement and the annual budget. An affiliate of Starwood Capital Group plans to turn the former United Hospital site into a $450 million mixed-use development.

Falanka said he's looking forward to "getting back to work for the village I love."

Falanka promised to work with Republicans and Democrats alike to "move Port Chester in a direction that our residents deserve. We have a lot of issues that face our community and we need to work together as a team.”

Falanka sent this email of thanks to Port Chester residents:

"I would like to thank the people of Port Chester for electing me as their next Mayor. It will be nothing short of an honor and a privilege to once again serve the community that I was born and raised in and hold so dear to my heart."

"Special thank you to my opponent, Trustee Greg Adams, for his efforts and the positive campaign that he and his team ran. I look forward to working with him and the other Trustees to tackle the tough issues that we face, and move Port Chester forward," Falanka wrote.

"As your Mayor I pledge to ensure transparency and civility, treating all residents with the respect that they rightfully deserve. I will be a Mayor for all of Port Chester maintaining an open door policy and listening to the concerns and suggestions of our residents," Falanka said. "As I have said since the beginning of my campaign, I truly believe Port Chester is embarking on its greatest decade. I am eager and excited to begin my term and hopefully accomplish the many goals on my agenda. The time for talk in this Village is over. It is time for us to come together as a community and work to get things done. We must all work cooperatively to make Port Chester a better place. Let us all unite to help Port Chester reach its full potential." 

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