New Councilmen Eager for Head Start on Budget

It was time for the Council to start anew at its 2012 Reorganization Meeting on Tuesday night. To celebrate, the council welcomed two new members—and a new council president—to ring in the new year.

Councilman Glenn Schiffman was voted to be president of the borough council unanimously by his fellow council members. Additionally, Schiffman was appointed as a Class III member of the Bloomingdale Planning Board by Mayor Jon Dunleavy.

As for some fresh faces, the council welcomed John D’Amato and Ray Yazdi into its ranks following their election this past November. Both men seemed eager to get to work on addressing what is perhaps Bloomingdale’s number one issue heading into 2012: the budget.

“[Stabilizing taxes is] really what has to be our main focus for the whole year,” said D’Amato. “There are other issues going on, but right now myself, Ray Yazdi and the whole town, that’s our main focus.”

Yazdi, who has several years of experience working in the financial services industry, said he could not have agreed more, also adding that decisions made by the council—budgetary or otherwise—need to be in the best interests of all Bloomingdale residents.

“I’m big about the numbers, the budget process and how our budgeting and the town’s spending impacts taxes,” said Yazdi. “We have to make sure that we take care of our residents, our senior residents and our kids. “Whatever it is for the best interests of the borough, that’s what I’m for.”

Some residents hope 2012 brings about more consistency and cooperation amongst borough council members, whose public discussions have been known for in recent times.

“This last year, I was mortified by how the members presented themselves to the taxpayers, and I’d like us to be a little bit gentler,” said Bloomingdale resident Wendy Connolly.

Both new council members assured members of the public that this issue is on their minds as something to address right away. Both would like to cooperate and constructively resolve disputes with their fellow council members, as well as any other member of the community.

“My idea is to work with everybody here. I think we can discuss things privately. We need to discuss things calmly and meet common ground,” said D’Amato. “We’re not always going to agree on everything-I don’t agree with the mayor on some things-but I have a relationship with him and there is common ground. I think that will start.”

Added Yazdi, “I would like to see people to get along better, to be more cordial and to get along as a united council. We can disagree and debate on things, but just do it in a nicer way.”