Thursday, October 1, 2026
Sea Cliff Village Hall will seem a little empty in the coming months, as two of its longest serving employees, Village Trustee Kevin McGilloway, has retired and Deputy Clerk Patricia Guy announced she will be doing the same in May. Both are leaving after decades of dedicated service to the community.
In an emotional moment at the village board’s organizational meeting on Monday, Sea Cliff Mayor Elena Villafane bade a tearful goodbye to McGilloway and Guy on behalf of the community.
McGilloway was first elected as a trustee in 2014, and reelected three more times before serving as deputy mayor for two years. Previously, he had been on the Zoning Board of Appeals for three years as a member, and then for five years as chair.
“From my personal perspective, Kevin was an invaluable resource fighting for the community, and with laser focus getting to the heart of the matter,” Villafane said. “He was generous with his time, insightful with his analysis, and incredibly hardworking.”
McGilloway will not be leaving public service entirely. He will continue to serve as president of the Coalition Against Substance Abuse, a position he has held for four years, and as a member of the 325 Committee, which will be deciding what to do with the 325 Prospect Ave. property.
“If there’s anything I can do in the spirit of volunteering, I’m more than happy to participate,” McGilloway said. “I’m retiring, not dying.”
A long-time resident of the village, McGilloway has lived in Sea Cliff since 1987, raising his four daughters in the village with his wife, Jane.
Deputy Clerk Guy, known colloquially as Pat, has been a public servant for the village for 29 years, the longest serving employee in Village Hall today. Villafane could not hold back tears as she thanked Guy for her nearly three decades of service.
“For most of us, Pat has always been the melodious voice at the end of the phone with the answers to all our questions,” Villafane said. “Village Hall will be a lesser place as a result of Pat’s absence.”
In her role as deputy clerk, Guy has had numerous and varied responsibilities. She works under the village clerk notarizing documents, writing up landscaping and plumbing licenses, and a myriad of other tasks. She said her favorite part of her time in Village Hall has been interacting with residents.
“I’ve just loved working here so much, in this place with all of the amazing people I’ve worked with who have come and gone,” Guy said. “I’ve especially enjoyed getting to meet people from the community, it’s been one of the true perks of the job.”
Guy has lived in Sea Cliff for the last 43 years with her husband Jack, and raised her son and daughter, who live in Virginia and Glen Head respectively, in the village. When she is retired, she has a few projects around her house that she’d like to focus on. She also mentioned that she’s been thinking of taking a trip to Europe, and possibly Scotland, as well.
A large part of why both Guy and McGilloway are retiring, they said, is because they want to pass the torch to the next generation. Both believe the younger parents and community members of Sea Cliff are stepping up and taking part, and hope to foster that sense of civic responsibility.
“The younger people are very smart, they’re on top of things,” Guy said. “They’re going to do such great things for our community, it’s wonderful.”
“As long as this next generation steps up, which I see them doing, Sea Cliff is in great hands,” McGilloway added. “In the future, despite any challenges that may come, I think we’re in good shape.”
