Sleepy Hollow Trustee Candidates Participate in Virtual Public Forum

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March 10, 2021

By Robert Kimmel–

On Wednesday, March 10th, Sleepy Hollow residents had an opportunity to see and hear from each of four candidates running for the village’s three open Board of Trustees seats in this month’s election.

The four contenders participated in a candidate forum online via a Zoom webinar co-sponsored by The Rivertowns League of Women Voters and Mothers Out Front Westchester Rivertowns. To view a video of the debate, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cUGok98IRI.

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The coming election on Tuesday, March 16, will have Mayor Ken Wray unopposed on the ballot pursuing his seventh term as well as Katherine Baldwin who will be running to continue in her post as Village Justice.

While three of the trustee candidates are members of the Unite Sleepy Hollow party, which has directed the village’s policies in recent years, a fourth contender is challenging that trio for a seat as a trustee. He is Daniel Convissor, known locally as a biking enthusiast, who has identified his party as Change for the Better.

Seeking to return for a third term as a trustee, Denise Scaglione is a Unite Sleepy Hollow candidate, as are her two running mates, Jared Rodriguez and Tom Andruss. While Rodriguez and Andruss are relatively new to the village’s political scene, both are deeply involved in community activities.

Among her pursuits as a trustee, Scaglione has advanced proposals for the restoration of the Pocantico River and recreational designs for the new Common. A village resident since 1999, she has a degree in business administration and has been active in volunteering with athletic organizations at Sleepy Hollow High School and the elementary Parent-Teacher Association of the Tarrytowns. She lives in Philipse Manor with her husband and two sons, and is office manager at a local preschool.

Following a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and Architectural Studies degree from Tufts University and a Master of Science degree in Real Estate Development from New York University, Rodriguez has an extensive list of accomplishments. These include management of civic energy and water usage projects, as well as consulting on transportation, zoning and development. He co-authored a national report on buildings and climate change for the United Nations. Rodriguez is also the Vice President of Garner Arts Center (to learn more about him, visit: www.jaredtrodriguez.com).

Rodriguez noted that he is of Latino descent and is actively engaging with members of the community who are not now directly represented by the Board of Trustees. “It’s very important all candidates actually engage with this community to get out the vote, which is historically lacking,” he said.

Andruss has lived in Sleepy Hollow since 2007, and is an active member of the Village Planning Board. He received a BA degree from Vanderbilt University and an MBA in Information Systems from the Fordham Gabelli School of Business. He has been a past President of the Philipse Manor Beach Club and a member of its Board of Directors. He volunteers as an assistant coach in the AYSO soccer and worked voluntarily with the Westchester Leukemia Society.

With his schooling and experience, Andruss’ expertise involves the use of technology for global disbursements of business-to-business payments. With that knowledge, he has been with a New York City accounting firm and is presently employed by a global payroll company.

As an independent, write-in candidate, Convissor ran against Wray for the mayor’s post in 2019, but gathered few votes. His challenge for a trustee seat in the coming election is heavily based on his pursuits for advancing environmental aspects, improving transportation in and around the village and cost-cutting. He noted that soon after arriving in Sleepy Hollow in 2013, he became a member of the village’s Environmental Advisory Committee and has presented numerous proposals before the Board of Trustees.

Convissor is Director of Bike Tarrytown which promotes the concept for “improving the economy and health of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown by fostering bike culture and infrastructure.” He gathered educational credits while attending SUNY and NYU, and focused on budgetary aspects of New York City and the national government. Convissor has worked extensively for developers, handling work flows statistically, improved computer databases and systems for various programmers and organizations.

The nine polling locations in Sleepy Hollow will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Day. Residents who have questions should contact the Board of Elections at 914-995-5700, or the Village Clerk at 914- 366-5106, or 366-5113.

The co-sponsors of the March 10th trustee debate, The Rivertowns League of Women Voters and Mothers Out Front Westchester Rivertowns are non-partisan organizations, which state they, “do not support or oppose individual candidates or parties.”

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