New Hyde Park board swears in new trustee

Donna Squicciarino, an accounting consultant for the Village of New Hyde Park, has become the second woman trustee in the village's 86-year history.

Squicciarino, 42, was sworn in Tuesday to finish Robert Lofaro's term. Lofaro, a longtime trustee, was elected mayor in March. The term expires in 2014.

At the start of the meeting, the board approved Squicciarino's resignation as accounting consultant, a role she began more than a year ago. She works part-time as district treasurer for both the Sewanhaka Central High and Mineola school districts. Before that, she worked at Fleet Securities and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

"I've come to know a lot of people," said Squicciarino, a mother of two. "When an opening presented itself, I was really compelled to want to help."

Lofaro said there was no shortage of interest in the job, noting that he met with about a dozen candidates. Most were already in village-appointed positions, such as the zoning and architectural review boards.

In the end, Lofaro said, Squicciarino's financial skills were key.

Squicciarino, as a trustee, is tasked with beautifying the village and will serve as a liaison to the clerk's office. Paramount, she said, is "trying to maintain a suburban lifestyle; we don't want it to turn it into a city."

The first woman to serve on the board was Florence Lisanti, whose term expired in 2001, the village said.

Of joining the board, Squicciarino said she brings a "different point of view."

"I'm a mother, I have young children," she said. "I know I bring some diversity to the table, so that's a good thing."