By John C. O'Connell
An estimated 1,963 votes were cast in the village election, or about 9.3 percent of all registered voters.
All four United Community Party candidates and their supporters gathered at the Andrew Fatscher American Legion Hall Tuesday night to await election returns, and were thrilled with the results.
Cahill, who ran uncontested for re-election, received 1,626 votes, or 83 percent of the total votes cast, according to unofficial tallies early Wednesday morning. Cahill received almost 300 more votes than he did in his fist mayoral bid in 1999.
No other candidate for mayor has twice run unopposed in the 78 years of the Village of Valley Stream's incorporation.
"There have been so many people here for us and we appreciate all of you," Cahill said to an enthusiastic crowd of well-wishers of various party affiliations. "We have a great team and I am very proud that we didn't go negative during this campaign. It's not about political issues, it's about Valley Stream issues. Thank you all."
Later, Cahill added, "I'm very happy with being honored to run unopposed twice, and I'm very happy to have these two trustees that continue to work so hard to keep Valley Stream one of the best places to live on Long Island."
In the contested at-large election for two village trustee positions, Antun and Cirenza defeated their challengers by margins of almost three to one, winning in every one of the 27 village election districts, according to the latest unofficial figures available at press time. Nearly three of every four votes cast for trustee were for Antun or Cirenza.
Antun garnered 1,423 votes, about 37 percent of all votes cast for trustee. (Voters could choose as many as two trustee candidates.) "I don't take anything for granted, and I didn't take this election for granted," said Antun Tuesday night. "I especially want to thank my family and friends, who gave me such support. ... I want to reach out and thank all those who voted to keep the Cahill team together, and I want to assure them that we take this responsibility very seriously and will continue to make Valley Stream the best it can be."
Cirenza received 1,385 votes, about 36 percent of the votes cast for trustee. "I thank each and every one of you," he said. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here." Cirenza said that his campaign has been rewarding. "It's good to have so many people pulling for you. I want the residents to know that we will continue on to get things accomplished for the village, and that if anyone in the community has comments or problems, get in touch with me and I'll bring it to the board and we'll try to get it accomplished."
The other candidates for trustee, Mary Salg and Bill Freda, received 500 and 519 votes, respectively, each getting about 13 percent of the votes cast.
"It looks like congratulations are in order for Mr. Cirenza and Ms. Antun," Freda said Wednesday morning. "We put our issues forth. That's about all we can do; it's up to the people to vote. We gave it our best shot. It wasn't good enough, but I would have been more encouraged if there was a larger turnout.
"I'll continue what I've been doing, coming to board meetings and trying to keep the board on the straight and narrow the best I can," Freda continued. "If they sway, I will advise them of that. If they sway too far, I'll hit them with a [lawsuit]."
But he won't run in the next election. "I would defer to another candidate," Freda said. "Let them try to convey the message to the people in a different way. I've had my turn now. I'd try to give someone else a turn."
Salg said she was glad she ran. "We fought a good fight, and congratulations to them," she said. "I think we had a wonderful working team. I think we would have done better if we had a mayor on our ticket. ... It was a pleasure to run with Bill. We work very well together. We helped each other out. We expected to do a little better, but we didn't, and that's life."
Bogle, who ran unchallenged, received 1,620 votes, or 82.5 percent of the total vote. He said that every campaign develops its own personality, and that he "liked the personality of this campaign." He said that he would take this victory and "build on it in the future, and the Cahill team has a great future."
Reflecting on starting his 15th year on the Valley Stream bench, Bogle said, "I've learned that nothing is carved in stone, and you have to adapt to changing situations with different individuals. In the end, your goals are always the same, but you have to recognize there are always different factors to consider as the years go by."
An official canvassing of votes was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Wednesday on the Village Green.
Cahill, a retired New York City police sergeant, was first elected to village office as a trustee in 1995 and served as deputy mayor under former Mayor James Darcy. After Darcy was elected to the state Assembly in 1998, Cahill was appointed mayor on Jan. 4, 1999, and then elected mayor in his own right two months later in an uncontested race.
Bogle was appointed village justice in 1988 and has won re-election in each term since.
Cirenza was elected trustee in 1995 and 1999 and has been Cahill's deputy mayor. Antun was first elected trustee in 1992 as a member of the Valley Stream Citizens' Party Coalition, and in 1999 with the United Community Party.
Salg ran unsuccessfully for trustee in 1996, but this was Freda's first try at elective office. He served on the village Planning Board from 1991 to 1995 and was deputy village treasurer from 1995 to 1999. Freda and Salg ran on the Integrity Party line.
