Democrats Sweep Peekskill Elections

Editor's Note, Nov. 10: This article was written before 100 percent of Peekskill's election districts results were tallied. Click here for the total unofficial results.

____

Nov. 9, 2011

Enthusiastic high-fives and hugs were passed around the Peekskill Democrats headquarters on Main Street Tuesday around 10:45 p.m. as final unofficial results were announced.

Incumbent Mayor Mary Foster and her slate for City Council- Kathleen Talbot, Darren Rigger and incumbent Don Bennett-swept the election winning all four contested seats.

“I guess Peekskill likes what it sees,” said Foster, who maintained a very calm demeanor as the final numbers rolled in.

The Mayor defeated her Republican challenger Tony Washington with about 59 percent of the votes, or 1,538 votes, with 86 percent of the city's results tallied.

Democratic City Council candidates Don Bennett, incumbent; Kathleen Talbot and Darren Rigger, each won about 19 percent of the votes, while their Republican challengers Barbara Kerasiotes, Joe Brady and Steve Woods garnered about 15 percent each. The result details are at the end of article.

“I think it is safe to say Peekskill is a democratic city!” announced Peekskill Democratic City Committee member Mike Morey, who was announcing the poll numbers all night. The crowd whistled, clapped and cheered.

Mayor Foster will serve her third two-year term, Bennett will serve his third four-year term as City Council member and Rigger and Talbot will serve their first, replacing current council members Patricia Reilly and Joe Schuder, who did not run for re-election.

Foster, 59, is an executive director at Grant Thornton, LLP, and was first elected Mayor in 2007, after serving one term as a councilwoman. The mayor was raised in Yonkers and is a 33-year resident of Peekskill. She says her experience as a professional CPA and as mayor for the last four years equips her to fill the position of mayor for another two-year term. She will earn $13,500 per year as mayor, which is a part-time job.

Foster’s campaign focused on continuing the revitalization of downtown Peekskill, renewing a focus on cleaning up the Monument Park area, attracting families to the city, attracting commercial and technological business and employing the city’s retail and tourism strategy to bring tourists to the city. Read Foster’s full biography .

Washington, 60, ran against Foster on a campaign that criticized the city’s financial condition, spending habits, and relationship with citizens, calling it unfriendly. Washington unsuccessfully ran for city council in 2009’s election.

Of the city council candidates on Mary Foster’s slate, Deputy Mayor and councilman Don Bennett has served as a council member since 2003. Bennett works as an account executive at Pamal Broadcasting.

Kathleen Talbot is an experienced graphic designer and clinical social worker and has served two terms on the New York State Democratic Committee.

Darren Rigger is an owner and partner of Dynamic SRG consulting firm, is the former chairman of the Peekskill Democratic City Committee and ran for the United States Congress District 19 seat in 2006, but lost the primary to John Hall, who he then worked for as a staffer. City Council members earn $8,500 per year for their part-time jobs. Read their full bios . 

Of the city council candidates on “Tony’s Team,” as the campaign has labeled it, Joe Brady has served on the city council before, from 1996 to 2000. Brady is a Senior Account Executive for Castle Oil Corporation. Barbara Kerasiotes is a retired teacher who also had a career in marketing, sales, accounting and management. Steve Woods is a lifelong Peekskill resident and works at Turner Logistics, a Division of Turner Construction, as the Supply Chain Product Manager for electrical/emergency power. Read their full biographies .

___

Final numbers as of 6 a.m., according to the Westchester County Board of Elections unofficial tally of 19 out of 22 Peekskill election distrcits:

Peekskill Local Elections:

• Mary Foster (D,WF), 1,538
• Tony Washington (R, C) 1,080

• 1,556
• Kathleen Talbot (D, WF): 1,428
• 1,392
• 1,140
• 1,121
• 1,207

County Legislator Race - for full story click .

• John Testa (R, C, IN), District 1, incumbent: 4,521
• (D, WF), District 1: 2,739
• (R, C), District 9: 3,665
• (D, IN, WF), District 9: 4,391

The Field Library proposition to raise its annual budget by $19,000 was approved by voters, with 64 percent of the votes.