VOM Board Appoints Member to HCZM Commission

The Village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees voted last night to have George Belsito fill the vacant position on the Village of Mamaroneck Harbor and Coastal Zone Management Commission (HCZMC), which became available after former Chair Steve R. Goldstein resigned May 19.

Belsito, who attended Mamaroneck High School and completed 34 credits in civil engineering at Westchester Community College, worked with Westchester Joint Water Works for 37 years. 

Goldstein cited village officials' attempts "to inappropriately influence and control" the commission as his reason for departing. In his letter of resignation, he also stated the HCZMC had become a hostile environment for volunteers.   

Yesterday's vote was between two candidates—Belsito and Nick Allison, an IT Director at the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation and former village trustee.

Thursday's agenda only included a resolution to vote on Belsito, but Trustee Toni Ryan made a motion to include Allison as he submitted his resume and expressed interest in the position at the end of last year, she said.

Both Ryan and Trustee John Hofstetter expressed concern over the way in which Belsito's nomination was handled, saying the usual review process involved was not followed.

"...the urgency to rush and fill this, while I understand it's a land use board, is interesting to me," Hofstetter said. 

Ryan and Hofstetter voted in Allison's favor.

Belsito won by a 4-1 margin, with everyone but Hofstetter voting in his favor.    

Editor's note: An earlier version of this article erroneously stated that Belsito had a degree in civil engineering.