Zollo Looking to Run for Tarrytown Mayor on Independent Line

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Trustee Doug Zollo is setting his sights on the mayoral seat.

April 22, 2021

By Rick Pezzullo—

Longtime Village of Tarrytown Trustee Doug Zollo is trying to secure an independent line to run for mayor in November.

Zollo, 71, who has been on the Board of Trustees since 2005, has been collecting signatures since April 14 in an effort to have Village Alliance appear on the ballot. Running with Zollo for three available trustee seats are former Tarrytown Fire Chief Terence Murphy, who ran unsuccessfully in 2016 as part of Tarrytown First, Ida Doctor, a resident of Highland Avenue, and Peter Bartolacci, who lives on Miller Avenue.

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The foursome has until May 25 to submit a minimum of 100 signatures from qualified, registered voters to the Westchester County Board of Elections.

“I think I am best suited to be mayor at this time,” Zollo said. “My main goal is to protect the character of the village. It’s a community we are all very proud of.”

Current Mayor Tom Butler, who has served in that capacity since last September after Mayor Drew Fixell stepped down for personal reasons, will leave the board at the end of the year after 16 years of service.

In February, Tarrytown United and the Tarrytown Democratic Committee endorsed a slate of candidates, led by Trustee Karen Brown, who is running for mayor. Brown, who has lived in Tarrytown since 1995 and has been on the board for five years, is founder and co-owner of Hudson Barter Exchange with her husband, Kevin.

Joining Brown (who declined to comment on Zollo’s possible challenge) on her ticket for three trustee seats are incumbents Becky McGovern and David Kim and newcomer Effie Phillips-Staley.

Zollo, a 35-year resident of Tarrytown, owns a manufacturers representation firm that sells paper and plastic products, along with a property management company with his wife that operates from a building on South Broadway.

The registered Independent said he had sought the endorsement of Tarrytown United but was rejected and discouraged from running.

“At this level of government, it shouldn’t be whether you are a Republican or a Democrat,” said Zollo, who previously served one term on the board from 1999-2000. “It’s not about personalities. It’s about what is best for the Village of Tarrytown. That’s what democracy is about.”

Zollo recently chaired the village’s Police Reform Committee and was one of three trustees who opposed the removal of Stanley Friedlander as chairman of the village’s Planning Board.

He said one of his main objectives as mayor would be protecting the village from “massive development.”

“We have to have a more holistic approach to development in the inner village and station area,” Zollo said. “We have to make more common sense, merit-based decisions on development.”

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