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Two Vie For North Castle Board Seat In Special Election

ARMONK, N.Y. -- Two candidates are vying for a North Castle Town Board seat in a special election on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Guy Mezzancello, left, and José Berra, right.

Guy Mezzancello, left, and José Berra, right.

Photo Credit: Contributed & Tom Auchterlonie
Guy Mezzancello

Guy Mezzancello

Photo Credit: Contributed
José Berra

José Berra

Photo Credit: Tom Auchterlonie

One candidate is incumbent José Berra, who has the Democratic, Independence and Conservative lines. Berra was appointed to the seat after it became vacant when MIchael Schiliro becoming town supervisor.

The other candidate is North Castle Planning Board member Guy Mezzancello, who has the Republican line.

Berra, who is an attorney, has also worked as an accountant and in finance. Mezzancello is an electrical contractor and does work for municipalities and schools. He is also on an apprenticeship reviewing board for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. 

This is Berra's second time as a candidate. Last year he unsuccessfully sought a Town Board seat, finishing third behind Barbara DiGiacinto and Barry Reiter. He is now one of their colleagues and has praised the current board for the job it is doing. Berra attributes his third-place showing to name recognition, having kept a lower profile in town before then.

Both candidates have taken similar positions on a number of notable issues. 

The pair each oppose two ballot referendums, one of which would change the Town Board so that council members are elected by wards instead of at-large. The other would expand the board by adding two council seats. The two items are the subjects of a Nov. 13 special election.

“Any time you divide anything, you divide everybody,” Mezzancello said about the ward system.

Mezzancello's view is that members elected to their ward would only be accountable to it. He also argues that North Castle's population is too small to justify the system. Asked about expanded seats, Mezzancello says it will be “just more red tape.”

“I am very strongly against them," Berra said about the ballot items. "I think they are bad for the town.”

Berra, who called the ward system, "divisive," believes that council people under the system would have incentive to focus on issues that are just important to their ward instead of paying attention to what is good for the town. Speaking about the added seats question, Berra cited higher cost as a reason to be opposed, along with characterizing it as unwieldy. 

As a way to reach out to the community and learn about residents' concerns, both candidates praised DiGiacinto for holding meetings in North White Plains.

Berra and Mezzancello both favor adding parking to downtown Armonk. Mezzancello said it has to be done "quickly" and suggested some sites where parking could be added. Berra said that at times parking is “too tight.” He attributed the issue to Armonk' success and talked about how people come love coming to it.

The candidates were also asked about the town's master plan update. Each expressed support for having public involvement. Mezzancello suggested having residents from different parts of town involved. Berra praised the town's planner for his role in the process and brought up Westchester County's role in providing support.

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