Mamaroneck REVIEW THE
June 24, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 26 | www.mamaroneckreview.com
Ex-Dem chairman, village critic to seek primary By JamES PEro Staff Writer
Orlando Strong
Southern Westchester County recently honored the victims of the June 12 mass shooting in Orlando, Florida with two separate candlelight vigils. The LOFT LGBT Community Center in White Plains and the village of Mamaroneck both memorialized those lost in America’s deadliest mass shooting with songs, prayers and statements from elected officials. For coverage, see page 6. Photo/Chris Courtney
Larchmont looks to extend development moratorium By JamES PEro Staff Writer As the village of Larchmont’s temporary moratorium on residential development ticks down, the Board of Trustees will look to extend the ban for three more months in order to flesh out its new planning vision.
If extended, the moratorium would mark nine consecutive months without any residential development throughout the village. On Monday, June 20 at a Board of Trustees meeting, the village board voted unanimously in favor of initiating a round of public hearings that would
consider the benefits of a threemonth extension on the current moratorium, which expires on July 15. According to Mayor Lorraine Walsh, a Democrat, the board— which has been formulating the village’s new proposed site plan laws since January—is still in the midst of reviewing a num-
ber of facets of what those laws would entail. Among the topics of discussion, she told the Review, are specific floor-area ratio requirements, setback alterations, excavation regulation and storm water requirements. moratorium continued on page 10
Democratic candidates for the village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees’ three open seats will contend with an unexpected challenger, as Stuart Tiekert, a critic of the current village government, has gathered the necessary number of signatures to primary for the Democratic line. Just last week, Democratic Party leaders chose Viktor Tafur, Keith Waitt and incumbent Trustee Leon Potok as their full slate for the upcoming November election. This week, Tiekert secured his spot in a Democratic primary, gathering the minimum of 228 signatures required to appear on the primary ballot. While Tiekert, 66, hopes to run for a seat on the board in the November general election as a Democrat, he has consistently been a vocal critic of the Democratic village board majority, which has held the board since 2011. “I’m choosing to run now because I have been disappointed with the majority leadership for the last several years,” he said. “There doesn’t seem to be a strong agenda about the things I’m interested in.” Among the items that Tiekert believes have gone unaddressed by the current majority are
what he describes as a flawed procurement policy; the system by which contracts are awarded by the village. “Contracts are awarded without competitive procurement that our policy requires,” Tiekert said. To quell what he views as a flawed process, Tiekert explained, he would attempt to bring change and oversight to the table. “I would urge my board members to make sure the village [manager] follows procedure,” he said. Tiekert said he’s unsure whether or not he would run for office as an candidate, but would consider the option if he fails to survive the Democratic primary. Having spent many of his active years in the village advocating for the environment— both on the recycling committee, now known as the Committee for the Environment, and on outings with Save the Sound— Tiekert said he plans to bring environmental causes to the forefront. “As a coastal community, our harbor and water quality is important,” he said. “We seem to be on a path that doesn’t improve it.” Tiekert—who is currently a district leader in the town of Primary continued on page 8