Mount Kisco Village Board candidates address top issues

Four candidates weighed in on issues facing Mount Kisco, from left, Tom Luzio, Michael McGuirk, Sean Moran and Jennifer Vallejos.

By MARTIN WILBUR

For the fourth consecutive Mount Kisco election, there are four candidates vying for two Village Board seats.

This cycle features one incumbent, Trustee Tom Luzio, running for reelection for the first time with fellow Democrat Michael McGuirk. They are opposed by independent candidates Sean Moran and Jennifer Vallejos, who appear on the MTK United line. Seven-term board member Karen Schleimer is leaving her post at the end of this term.

Luzio, a criminal defense attorney, spent most of his career in the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and served as chief of its Narcotics Bureau. Earlier in his career Luzio also spent time in the Queens and Brooklyn district attorney’s offices and the FBI, and later worked for the state attorney general. He is vice president of the Mount Kisco Rotary.

McGuirk, a professional musician, has served on the village’s Planning Board since 2021 and has been its chair since 2022.

Moran is a former Yonkers police officer who served in the Patrol Division and the Emergency Services Unit. He transferred to the Yonkers Fire Department in 1999 where he spent 25 years before retiring as an assistant fire chief. He volunteered and served as vice president of the Westchester County Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team.

Vallejos is a teacher with 22 years of experience and works at Mount Kisco Elementary School. She earned a master’s degree in education with bilingual certification and a bachelor’s degree in speech sciences from the University of Maryland. Her family’s connection to Mount Kisco began with her and her husband’s desire to enroll their children in the Dual Language Program offered in the Bedford Central School District, where she was already teaching.

Last year, Vallejos participated in local community service events as a member of the National Charity League.

 Q: Why did you decide to run for the Mount Kisco Village Board?

Tom Luzio: I am running again for many of the same reasons as in 2024: I love Mount Kisco and want to maintain all the good things we have now and to bring in fresh ideas for the future. Over the past year, this board has focused on continuing to improve our infrastructure. We have obtained over $8 million in grants to that end. One might say it’s unfinished business: I am not simply reacting to today's events; I want to help plan what the next 10 to 20 years will be like. That starts with infrastructure.

I engage regularly with various groups to continue helping Mount Kisco be a safe, accessible, welcoming, diverse and vibrant community. Similarly, my support for our volunteers has been unwavering since day one — for our fire companies, EMS, Chamber of Commerce, Mount Kisco Elementary School, Historical Society, MK Arts Council, Trail Team, Conservation Advisory Council, MKFM, Legado Latino and more. Our volunteers deserve a trustee who recognizes their contributions and provides the collaboration they need.

Michael McGuirk: In 2025, Mount Kisco almost lost out on a big win. Community members from the Complete Streets Committee joined together with an engineering firm to recommend Village Board adoption of a Safety Action Plan. The plan proposed new, safer pedestrian crossings and improved intersections for the village’s most dangerous traffic locations. Two trustees voted “no” on applying for grants to implement those safety improvements. Fortunately, the grant applications passed with a bare majority. Just three months later, the village was awarded a $7 million federal grant to implement the plan. A few months later, Westchester County awarded the village $1.3 million for Complete Streets.

Dedicated community members can achieve amazing outcomes, and they need a responsive, engaged board to move their work forward. I am running because I want to support those efforts and to continue to collaborate with residents and village staff to provide the infrastructure and services our village deserves. I am committed to prioritizing the needs and safety of all in Mount Kisco. My success in leading the Planning Board and my proven dedication to serving the village demonstrate the kind of trustee I will be.

Sean Moran: As a retired Yonkers fire chief and former police officer, my life’s work has been spent serving and protecting others. Running for village trustee is another opportunity to give back, to listen to the unheard voices and wholeheartedly do my part in giving back to a community I truly care about.

Over the years, I have become increasingly concerned about Mount Kisco’s aging infrastructure, public safety and quality-of-life issues. During my campaign, I have become acquainted with frustrated residents who feel their voices go unheard. Our residents deserve open communication, transparency, accountability and a local government that listens and turns words into action. When our residents attend board meetings, they do not deserve to be made to wait upwards of five hours in order to express their concerns in three minutes or less. They feel their voices go unheard.

For me, this goes far beyond politics. This is about bringing our community back together for the common good.

Jennifer Vallejos: Over the past few years, it began to feel as though local officials were losing focus on what matters most to our residents and our community. As I stood at the podium presenting data and sharing concerns with the board, I was also listening to my fellow residents. It became clear that Mount Kisco needs stronger, community-focused advocacy. Mount Kisco needs change, and Sean Moran and I are running to be part of that change. Change doesn’t mean forgetting what makes Mount Kisco special. It means recognizing where we can do better and having the courage to move forward. I believe our Village Board should include community members who are willing to ask questions, bring new ideas and put residents’ needs at the center of their decisions.

I commend everyone who has served as a trustee. It is not an easy job and deciding to run was a decision I did not take lightly. I have always avoided politics, but I felt compelled to get involved because politics should not drive the decisions that shape a small town, rather listening and advocating for all residents should. 

My priority for the Village Board is simple: rebuild trust through transparency, open dialogue and collaborative decision-making. Together, we can address our infrastructure needs, tackle shared challenges and make “community first” decisions. As a mother raising my family here and an educator serving this community, I care deeply about Mount Kisco’s future. I want the very best for our residents, our families and our entire village.

Q: The Preston Way Bridge has been closed for more than 10 months and the village has still been unable to go out to bid to build its replacement. What would you advocate to move the process along more rapidly and address traffic congestion the detour has caused?

Vallejos: The abrupt closure of the Preston Way Bridge is more than a single bridge closure. It is the failure of a critical roadway connection to businesses, school routes, shopping and everyday necessities. Residents are struggling to get to work, access groceries and manage daily routines. The closure created major disruption, hurt local businesses and pushed people away from Mount Kisco as a dining, shopping, business and residential destination.

For 10 months, residents have repeatedly asked for timely, transparent and factual updates regarding the closure, project status and traffic mitigation plans. Residents should not have to plead for basic information during public comment. Our community deserves answers, accountability and a clear timeline that is not beholden to an election year. Infrastructure failures impact our entire community. 

As a trustee, I will encourage the mayor and village manager to leverage the experience and strengths of our board members to help move this project forward. We must work proactively with all responsible parties to advance bidding and construction, address delays and engage state and county leadership to help expedite the process. Traffic relief must be an immediate priority. Residents and local businesses cannot afford to continue navigating persistent gridlock and detours without meaningful support.

With the holiday season approaching, I will advocate for a meeting with the Westchester County police to explore placing dedicated traffic officers at key intersections. This support should extend beyond the holidays, with a plan for morning and evening rush-hour coverage. Residents deserve to know what is being done, who is responsible and when they can expect measurable results through clear, coordinated action and communication.

Luzio: Despite multiple “yellow flags” from DOT and a load limitation order in early 2025, I was the only board member who called for immediate action on a replacement. After it closed in December 2025, I called an emergency meeting where we made it clear we must take whatever actions were necessary to replace it — as soon as possible.

In early 2026, we executed the RMAs, obtained MTA’s commitment to pay $1.5 million for the force labor during reconstruction and submitted our design plans. In May, we provided a redesign after the DOT questioned new parameters regarding certain abutments. Throughout the summer, we successfully lobbied the DOT and our elected officials for additional funds. We worked hard on traffic measures, successfully lobbying the state and county to synchronize lights on their roads and instituting measures designed to slow traffic on some of our “cut-throughs.” More recently, I proposed that we authorize overtime for police officers to direct/assist traffic in the downtown area during the evening rush hour this holiday season.

McGuirk: NYSDOT, the village manager, and our engineering team are responsible for designing and approving plans for a safe bridge that will last for generations to come. It is a process that understandably takes time. Unfortunately, this work did not happen in March 2025, when DOT load-limited the structure. Trustee Luzio was the only Village Board member supportive of taking action at that time.

An informed population is crucial during times like this. The Village Board should hold periodic public meetings with our consulting engineers to explain the current status of the project and provide a source of authoritative information. This approach to information sharing is necessary to counter misinformation in the community and should be standard practice during any emergency or unplanned disruption.

The village cannot control the volume of traffic, but we can provide a means to keep intersections clear. During the upcoming holiday season, traffic enforcement officers should be placed at key intersections during high-volume hours. The village’s traffic engineer has recommended readily achievable mitigations to reduce speeding on secondary streets, and the village should act on those recommendations to provide relief to residents of the streets experiencing increased aggressive driving. They can also ensure that signals outside of the village center are well-timed.

The unplanned closure of the Preston Way Bridge is a burden to every resident, business owner and visitor. The village should explore offering incentives to the winning contractor in exchange for early completion of the bridge.

Moran: The Preston Way Bridge closure and the impact it has had on our residents, local businesses and daily traffic is unacceptable. While I understand there are complicated issues involving the village, the MTA and the state, these complications cannot continue to stand in the way of progress.

If elected, my priority will be to bring all parties to the table, establish clear responsibilities, identify exactly what is preventing the project from going out to bid and work to set firm deadlines for moving forward. I will advocate for a stronger involvement from our state and county representatives in order to seek the answers we all keep asking. We need to establish clear responsibilities and hold everyone accountable for moving this project forward and getting the work done.

Equally important is addressing the extreme traffic congestion that our residents are dealing with daily. As a retired fire chief, I also understand the importance of maintaining safe and efficient routes for emergency vehicles. I have witnessed first-hand EMS and ambulance drivers unable to get around the congestion and cars that are blocking the box. I believe a push for an immediate and continual review of traffic patterns, signal timing and traffic details are necessary. Adjustments need to be identified and acted upon now. Numerous residents have told me that they avoid town at all costs these days. They deserve regular, straightforward updates about where the project stands. Businesses and residents are suffering. This cannot continue. As we approach the one-year mark of the Preston Way bridge closure, we must find ways to provide relief while we wait for construction to begin.

 Q: What steps would you like to see taken by the village to curb the quality-of-life concerns that have been raised to make residents, merchants and visitors to Mount Kisco feel safer?

Moran: Everyone who lives, works, shops and/or visits Mount Kisco deserves to feel safe and comfortable in our community. We need to take an immediate, proactive approach to address the quality-of-life issues the village continues to encounter.

First, I will advocate for a more visible law enforcement presence in our downtown areas, business districts, parks and other areas where residents and merchants have continually expressed concerns. I would like to review the Westchester County police contract and find ways to work closely with them to help address recurring problems before they escalate. As a former police officer, I know that police presence does make a difference. My goal is to work with the county police to find solutions and allow everyone in our town to feel safe.

Second, I believe the village needs to listen closely to our residents and business owners. These concerns should be at the forefront and should not simply be stated at the board meetings, hardly acknowledged and then forgotten. There needs to be follow-up, accountability and measurable action, something we are not currently seeing.

As a former member of the Yonkers Police Emergency Services Unit, vice president of the Westchester County Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team and volunteer in the Employee Assistance Program for the Yonkers Fire Department, I know the importance of working with county agencies and outreach organizations to address mental health challenges, homelessness and other social service needs in a compassionate and effective way.

Vallejos: Safety and quality of life start with listening to our residents and local business owners, taking their concerns seriously and working collaboratively with law enforcement. The everyday experiences of our community matter. Children walking to school, older adults navigating our streets, families going about their daily routines and local businesses serving our residents all deserve to feel safe. As a community, we demand a proactive approach to maintaining safer streets at all hours of the day. That means visible patrols, effective traffic enforcement, meaningful prevention efforts and consistent collaboration with law enforcement. We cannot afford to wait until an incident occurs before acting.

Our focus must be on identifying concerns early and developing practical solutions that protect residents and preserve our quality of life. Communication and transparency are equally important. Social media should not be the primary place residents learn about public safety concerns or important community updates. Residents deserve timely, accurate information directly from village officials through reliable, accessible communication channels. Clear communication builds trust, helps prevent misinformation and allows families to make informed decisions about their safety. Residents may not expect every problem to be solved overnight, but they do deserve to hear, “I hear you, and I am going to get to the bottom of this.” Concerns should be acknowledged, investigated and followed by meaningful updates and action.

As a trustee, I will advocate for active listening, proactive prevention, visible patrols and transparent communication. Our residents deserve a Village Board that takes their concerns seriously and works collaboratively toward realistic, measurable solutions.

Luzio: Mount Kisco, like nearly every Westchester village or town, has seen its crime rate drop for nearly 30 consecutive years. We must keep working with the county police to keep it that way; I restarted the quarterly meetings that had been ignored for two years, to ensure that we do exactly that. These meetings enable us to discuss our residents’ concerns in real terms, including the scope and cost of enforcement measures. After our police implement those, we analyze the effects in the next meeting. We are looking for precision policing — to identify recidivists and focus our resources primarily on them.

The biggest challenge with quality-of-life issues is that virtually none of these offenses are penal code violations, so we can’t set bail and jail time is extremely unlikely. That has been the case for at least 25 years, if not longer. Although we recognize the scope is relatively small (two dozen recidivists among our 11,000 population), we still must address the problem. I have proposed a treatment court, not unlike the one I created in Westchester County for felony drug offenders. I gathered experts in the field of drug and alcohol addiction and in mental and physical health, along with our judges and police. That group agreed that a treatment court would help and would not be too costly. As a community, we must approach this with compassion.

Other measures include improvements to the business district and other areas, such as better lighting, increased police patrols and reminders to lock car doors. Finally, I caution folks to get their crime news from primary sources, not social media, where opinion often overshadows the facts and simply damages our town’s reputation. In a very real sense, Facebook is also hurting our quality of life. I know folks want immediate responses, but based on my law enforcement experience, we must let our police analyze the facts, apply the law and act when and if needed. While these quality-of-life offenses exist, our crime statistics remain low. Let’s keep it that way.

McGuirk: Mount Kisco is a safe community. Many of us walk the village at all times of day and feel confident in that safety. Some report feeling less safe when they observe folks publicly struggling with addiction or mental health challenges. We should take these concerns seriously and strive to improve conditions so that all can share that feeling of safety.

Mount Kisco is fortunate to have several support organizations which provide life-saving services to those in need. The village must welcome and support those organizations and their vital work. We must also partner with the Westchester County Police to make sure neighbors who are struggling receive the support they need, while ensuring that they are accountable for their actions. The village should explore the idea of a treatment court that could provide pathways toward treatment and violation-appropriate consequences. Accountability for one’s actions is important, and if the seriousness of offenses escalates to criminality, consequences should escalate appropriately.

A downtown business district bustling with families shopping, eating and walking is less likely to be a destination for anyone looking to avoid scrutiny. Thriving local businesses and neighbors who take pride in their neighborhood will support the beneficial activities we want to see throughout the village.

Q: How would you assess the health of the downtown business district and what would you work toward to make improvements?

McGuirk: Mount Kisco’s central business district is walkable, accessible by car and transit and desirable to customers and entrepreneurs. Our extensive system of neighborhoods with sidewalks, built around the train station, and our offerings of restaurants, cafés and shops provide an ideal village setting.

Mount Kisco’s excellent infrastructure — with municipal water and sewer — gives us unique advantages over our regional neighbors when folks are looking to invest in the area. The potential for our downtown is significant, but the brick-and-mortar retail landscape has changed. The car-based model of regional neighbors driving to Mount Kisco for all their needs is dwindling. Businesses that provide a unique, in-person experience are thriving, and they still draw folks from surrounding communities. Pubs, specialty shops, personal training and personal services all seem to be having success.

Downtown businesses need a reliable customer base, and our village is full of residents looking for a special, walkable local experience. The village should support the Building Department in quickly reviewing new businesses and take steps to minimize friction in the approvals process so that downtown vacancies are filled and businesses are bustling. The village should work to create connections between new businesses and our residents. Any new efforts should include significant dialogue with the Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Council and residents.

Moran: I believe Mount Kisco’s downtown has so much to offer but it is not living up to its potential. We are so fortunate to live in a diverse community with a walkable town that’s filled with wonderful restaurants, unique shops and activities for all ages. These are strengths we should be building upon.

While we have many successful businesses, we also have vacant storefronts, parking and traffic issues and quality-of-life issues that can discourage people from spending time downtown. A strong and safe downtown will benefit all. Not only does it create jobs and supports our tax base, it gives our community a sense of pride. I believe we have the foundation for a thriving downtown, but we need leadership that is willing to work with our merchants, listen to our residents and turn ideas into results.

One of my priorities will be to establish a stronger relationship between village government and merchants. We need to hear directly from business owners about challenges they face and then strive to work together to find practical solutions. I believe we should make it easier for businesses to open and operate in Mount Kisco by reviewing our approval processes and eliminating unnecessary obstacles (all while maintaining appropriate standards). I want to see a village government that actively supports its existing businesses while encouraging new investment.

Vallejos: A thriving downtown is the heartbeat of Mount Kisco, and strengthening it starts with listening to the people who know it best — our local business owners and residents. By establishing open channels of communication with merchants and the Chamber of Commerce, we can ensure town policies truly support our local economy rather than create unnecessary burdens.

To keep our business district vibrant, we must focus on fundamental enhancements that draw visitors and keep existing businesses from closing. That means improving safety and walkability through well-lit crosswalks and clean sidewalks, alongside practical parking and accessibility solutions. To address empty storefronts, we should actively partner with property owners and economic leaders to streamline permitting, attract diverse new businesses and market Mount Kisco as a premier regional destination. Through proactive support, dine and shop-local campaigns that highlight local stores and restaurants and collaborative problem-solving, we can fill vacant spaces, support our small businesses and keep downtown a welcoming place to shop, dine and gather.

Luzio: While the Preston Way Bridge closure is causing measurable problems for local businesses, we are working hard to fix it. I hope those most affected will soon see that progress. Dozens of new businesses have opened in Mount Kisco over the past year, including numerous restaurants and health and wellness facilities. The economic landscape has changed dramatically, and Mount Kisco is changing with it. Folks continue to come here to shop, enjoy our restaurants, taverns and dozens of health and wellness studios and access our medical care facilities. Statistics say that folks want an “experience” when they shop or visit a place — the opposite of the convenience that Amazon offers. Our new businesses provide that to their customers. We should continue to promote events like SeptemberFest and the MK Arts Council concerts to entice folks to visit our town and its shops.

Our Building Department has changed a lot over the past two years. I know this change has affected certain projects. I will advocate for the resources they need to improve efficiency and help folks get projects across the finish line. We can’t be stagnant as our local economy continues to evolve. We should encourage sustainable redevelopment of existing properties.

Q: Mount Kisco has had its bond rating reduced by the ratings agencies. What would you do to restore fiscal health and restore the rating?

Luzio: Restoring the bond rating and fund balance is important. However, the village approved a plan to spend reserves on infrastructure projects until the library debt expired. This insulated property owners from a spike in taxes. The minor downgrade was, in technical financial terms, correct, but we have been on a 10-year infrastructure improvement program. I am not only thinking of what we look like today, but what we will look like in 10 years. The village still had sewage lines that were made of wood. We are replacing those with a grant we received five years ago. We now have over $8 million in grants available to improve multiple areas throughout the village.

McGuirk: Mount Kisco has healthy finances, as confirmed by the most recent auditor’s report. We are well served by village staff. The capital planning overseen by the village manager has netted the village significant grant funding for improvements. The village has accomplished much-needed upkeep and upgrades to buildings and infrastructure with reduced impact to taxpayers. All of that has allowed for minimal increases in property tax rates. The village manager has explained that reserves are at a low point, but our debt service is also due to ease significantly. This has been consistently articulated as part of the capital plan, and offers the primary explanation for our rating downgrade. We should continue careful capital planning and focus on building up reserves to the levels recommended by rating agencies.

To ensure that our rating increases, we also must address the consistent, slow decline of Mount Kisco’s taxable value. The Village Board must do the hard and uncomfortable work of discussing with the public our long-term budgetary challenges and explore opportunities for shifting this downward trajectory. Working together, we can create change that benefits Mount Kisco’s families and businesses and supports affordability. Long-term planning can be daunting, but it is the responsibility of village leadership to move forward with it anyway. 

Moran: Maintaining the financial health of Mount Kisco needs to be one of the village’s top priorities. A reduction in our bond rating is something we need to take seriously. This can lead to higher borrowing costs, which could ultimately affect our taxpayers.

I want a clear understanding of what led to the downgrade and what specific steps are necessary to improve our financial standing. This starts with transparency, responsible budgeting and making sure we are spending taxpayers’ dollars wisely. I believe the village needs to be more responsible with how it manages taxpayer money. A lower bond rating can mean that the village must pay higher interest rates when borrowing money for projects, ultimately costing the taxpayers more. My first step would be to take a close look at where our money is going, how much debt we have and find out why our financial rating was lowered. We need to identify unnecessary spending, make sure we have enough money set aside for emergencies and prioritize projects such as roads, bridges and water infrastructure. The key is planning instead of waiting until something becomes a costly emergency.

Fiscal responsibility isn’t simply about cutting costs. It’s about planning, setting priorities, making smart investments and being accountable to the taxpayers.

Vallejos: Responsible financial management means budgeting carefully, being transparent and planning for the future. With Mount Kisco’s bond rating reduced, the community needs to understand why it happened and take clear steps to improve the village’s financial health. I would support a thorough review of the village’s finances and a clear plan to address the issues behind the downgrade.

 Infrastructure spending must be part of this financial plan. Roads, sidewalks, drainage and other village infrastructure need proper maintenance, but these projects must be planned practically with a full understanding of what we can afford. I would support prioritizing the most urgent needs, planning for long-term maintenance items and carefully reviewing how projects are funded to avoid taking on unnecessary debt or placing an unfair burden on taxpayers. Investing in maintenance at the right time can also help prevent more expensive repairs in the future.

Residents deserve regular, easy-to-understand updates on the village’s finances, debt and infrastructure spending. Restoring our bond rating will help Mount Kisco borrow money at lower interest rates, reducing costs for taxpayers and freeing up resources for essential services and improvements.