Head of the Harbor residents elect a new village mayor

Head of the Harbor will have a new head of the village government.

Village planning board member Mike Utevsky ousted Mayor Doug Dahlgard in the village election Tuesday. Incumbent trustee Jody Ogden and challenger Lisa Davidson won two trustee seats, defeating incumbent Gordon Van Vechten and challenger Mike Braaten.

The victors all ran on the Heritage Party line, which will hold a majority on the five-member village board.

The winners said they expected to be sworn in on April 1.

Utevsky, 74, a real estate attorney running for office for the first time, said Wednesday he believes the election results showed a desire among residents to see change in village government.

“I don’t think it was our specific policy proposals but more of a desire to have more openness and inclusiveness in government, and I only hope I can effect some of the changes people are looking for,” Utevsky said.

Among the changes Utevsky campaigned on is opening one of the access roads to Stony Brook Harbor for residents.

Dahlgard, 79, who was seeking his sixth two-year term as mayor, said Wednesday the results came as a “surprise” to him and others.

Dahlgard said some voters may have been upset with the board's recent controversial decision to grant a special permit to the Monastery of the Glorious Ascension to build and operate a new 3,341-square-foot church on its 4.6-acre North Country Road property.

The property is in the village’s historic corridor and listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places and National Register of Historic Places. It also is the home of the Timothy House, an 1800s-era residence that housed descendants of the Smith family who founded Smithtown. Opponents have argued allowing a church there would change the village's historic corridor for the worse.

Dahlgard defended the board's vote.

“We followed the village code and the facts and we really didn’t have a choice,” Dahlgard said. “You have to follow facts and the code. But whether that was the cause of the vote, I just don’t know.”

On what his plans are following the election, Dahlgard said he has been discussing it with his wife, but he planned on taking a “bit of a hiatus.” However, he said he will still be involved with issues important to him in the community such as land use and water quality.

In other contested village races:

EAST WILLISTON

Incumbent Anthony Gallo and challenger Rushi Vaidya defeated incumbent James Lark for two open trustee seats.

Vaidya received 203 votes, while Gallo received 196 votes and Lark garnered 166 votes.

Trustees are paid $7,500 annually and serve four-year terms.

Voters also approved a proposition to change the age that volunteer firefighters in the village receive retirement benefits, from 65 to 62, while also making other amendments to the village’s Benefit Length of Service Award Program, a retirement benefits program for first responders. The final vote tally was 199 for and 56 against. The changes will take effect in 2025.

GREAT NECK ESTATES

Challenger Lilia Shemesh defeated incumbent Michael Smiley for an open trustee seat by a tally of 198 votes to 159. Shemesh will serve a one-year term. Trustees are not paid.

NORTHPORT

Challenger Richard F. Boziwick and incumbent Dave Weber Jr. defeated incumbent Ernest Pucillo for two trustee seats.

Boziwick led vote-getters with 1,018 votes, following by Weber with 859 and Pucillo with 376.

Trustees are paid $11,369.50 annually and serve four-year terms.

VALLEY STREAM

Incumbent trustees John Tufarelli and Sean Wright of the United Community Party beat challenger Anthony Bonelli of the Achieve Party for two village trustee seats. Tufarelli was the top vote-getter with 1,317 votes followed by Wright with 1,225 votes and Bonelli with 167 votes. Trustees serve four-year terms and receive a $19,000 annual salary.