Sleepy Hollow’s New TAG Party Wins the Lion’s Share of Open Trustee Seats

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March 19, 2024

By Barrett Seaman–

The Transparent Accountable Government (TAG) Party, founded by first term mayor Martin Rutyna, took two of the three open seats on the Sleepy Hollow Board of Trustees in what will be the last March election for the village.

Attorney Lauren Connell, an incumbent trustee who was originally associated with the Unite Sleepy Hollow party, won re-election with 670 votes, at last count, second only to her fellow TAG candidate Patrick Sheeran, a Rutyna selection to fill a vacant seat last year. He had at last count 685 votes.

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Placing third with 510 votes, enough to win the remaining open seat on the Board of Trustees, was Unite Sleepy Hollow candidate Jim Husselbee, an attorney who for many years served in leadership positions for the school district.

Candidates Matthew Presseau and Jim McGovern, who ran alongside Husselbee under the Unite Sleepy Hollow banner, and unaffiliated candidate Charles Zekus, a retired Sleepy Hollow Police Officer, fell short of gaining a Board seat.

Also on the ballot was a referendum on whether to move village elections from March to November so as to coincide with other county, state and national elections. That passed overwhelmingly—by about a three-to-one margin at latest count.

With the outcome certain, even before the last votes were counted, Mayor Martin Rutyna offered praise for all the candidates.”Thank you all for running a great race,” he said while celebrating at Patrick Sheeran’s Beekman Ale House. “Congratulations to Patrick, Lauren and Jim Husselbee. I look forward to working with all of you.”

Tom Andruss, who succeeded former Mayor Ken Wray as head of the Unite Sleepy Hollow party, said just after the outcome became clear, “As a coalition, Unite Sleepy Hollow, all I can say is thank you to our candidates. Unite Sleepy Hollow is proud to have run a completely ethical and effective campaign. This race is what small town American elections should be all about–informed voters, honest candidates and great ideas.” The Unite Sleepy Hollow team “looks forward to serving the whole community–residents and businesses alike in the years to come.” But, he acknowledged, “the people have spoken.”

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