Brown and Four Others Sworn Into Newly Refreshed Tarrytown Board
By Barrett Seaman–
Oftentimes, when Tarrytown’s trustee meeting room is packed with people, it’s because some controversial issue is on the agenda. Not on Monday night, December 6th. The mood was entirely festive as enrobed Village Justice Kyle C. McGovern prepared to swear in a new mayor and four trustees before a packed village hall.
Former Trustee Karen Brown, who won a three-way race for mayor in November, was quick to observe that she was the first woman to sit in the mayor’s chair since Eileen PIlla served for ten years in the 1990s. “It’s been a long time coming,” said Brown to enthusiastic applause.
“This election was not about who will change or will not change Tarrytown,” she said. “Change is coming. It’s here. This election is about how we will meet change.” The question, Brown went on, is whether the village would deal with it through divisiveness and acrimony, “or will we do it with innovation, collaboration and joy.”
Joy was certainly evident Monday night as the five officials—all Democrats–were sworn into office. Following Brown’s oath of office, Judge McGovern swore in returning trustee Becky McGovern (who happens to be his sister-in-law) and David Kim, who was appointed in September 2020 to fill the vacancy created when then-Deputy Mayor Tom Butler took over from the retiring mayor Drew Fixell. He then gave the oath of office to newcomer Effie Phillips-Staley, a non-profit executive, and to Thomas Mitchell, an education administrator who was appointed to fill in for Mayor Brown’s vacated trustee chair.
“Here we go, Tarrytown,” said Mayor Brown. “We have a great team up here. I know we can get some important things done for our village.”
To watch the December 6 meeting, visit: https://www.tarrytownny.gov/village-trustees/pages/current-board-of-trustees-meeting-video?fbclid=IwAR0Bnvuq7aclp9TKJHKnqTv11CQBSyJLYAH1wcigOP4iqINFFWzqc4wxIdY or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t58aEGWE3g&t=5s
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