The Mamaroneck community comprises three municipalities: The Town of Mamaroneck, The Village of Mamaroneck, and The Village of Larchmont. The Town of Mamaroneck is hosting its Town Supervisor elections this fall on Tuesday, November 4th (the chief executive for towns in New York State is called supervisor, not mayor). For the first time in recent memory, two candidates will appear on the ballot for supervisor – incumbent supervisor Jaine Elkind Eney and challenger Melissa Manice.
Manice is campaigning with Tina Sadarangani who is on the ballot for Town of Mamaroneck Council member. Together, their campaign is centered around what they define as  “collaborative solutions and smarter spending.” As parents of current students in the Mamaroneck School District, Manice and Sadarangani recall  many hours spent on the sidelines at recreational sporting events.
“We would hear parents complain about this and that, and we were waiting for someone to step up and make a change. When we realized that nobody was going to do this, we decided to step up,” explained Manice.
Elkind Eney’s campaign is inspired by  previous successes as town supervisor. She highlighted that she has fought for multiple millions of dollars in grant money from state and county governments to improve infrastructure and spearhead the Westchester Joint Waterworks Project.
“In order to keep the town affordable, we apply for as many grants as possible to make sure that residents aren’t paying for our projects through their taxes,” said Elkind Eney. She credits herself with the success of the full-time opening of the Hommocks fields, the renovation of the Hommocks Ice Rink, and the spearheading of projects for safe and illuminated sidewalks throughout the town.
Although the problems with the fields are top priorities for both candidates, Sadarangani emphasized that they stand for more than just the fields. She observed, “Our community is on an unsustainable route. There is an inefficiency where we get our resources and services.” To combat this, Manice and Sadarangani are looking to bring fresh eyes and a modern vision for facilities, infrastructure and recreation services that the Town of Mamaroneck provides..
Elkind Eney is also looking towards the future–she wants to plan for it. For the first time in 60 years, this past year, her team conducted a comprehensive plan. “This is a blueprint for the future of the town. It’s a roadmap of what we want to do and where we want to go. Without it, we would be disorganized.” Additionally, she has created a five-year financial plan for capital projects.
Manice and Sadarangani see a different type of planning necessary. Instead of continuing the slow fights against problems like flooding and field space, they want to help the community to find the root cause of problems. They also want to make sure that when amenities are proposed  all possible outcomes are considered including factors like the overcrowdedness of the town and the school district..
Most students at MHS are not old enough to vote in the upcoming election, but both candidates stressed that it is important for students to stay engaged and aware of the implications of the election. “Elections have consequences at all levels, and local government touches your life on a daily basis,” remarked Elkind Eney. Both candidates want to hear from students about  their opinions and experiences with the problems that lie in the hands of the town supervisor. Sadarangani invites students to “think about what is it that would make my community better and stronger to improve my quality of life.” The election is historic and one that will change the trajectory of the Larchmont-Mamaroneck community.