Former Mount Pleasant School Board Member Wins Seat As Write-In Candidate

MOUNT PLEASANT, N.Y. -- A town divided by two failed bond votes this school year rallied behind the Mount Pleasant School District on Tuesday -- easily passing its budget and electing a write-in candidate.

This vote tally sheet sums up the story for Mount Pleasant on Tuesday night.
Photo Credit: *Provided*

Mount Pleasant students took part in a school election rally on Sunday in Thornwood.
Photo Credit: *File photo*

A photo from Sunday's rally in Thornwood where more than 250 people came out to express support for Mount Pleasant's proposed school budget.
Photo Credit: *Provided*

Jon Craig

05/20/2015 3:30 a.m.

Mount Pleasant's school budget passed by an unofficial margin of 1,322 yes votes to 679 no votes.

John Piazza of Valhalla, a lifelong town resident, entered the race late at the urging of parents who were upset with unsuccessful bond votes in November and March for proposed new construction at Westlake High School and Westlake Middle School. \

Piazza served on the school board from 2006-2009, and entered the race as a write-in candidate who favored approval of new construction at the Westlake school campus, which is in Mount Pleasant.

Tuesday, Piazza was the third-highest vote recipient with 1,040 unofficial votes. But that was enough to win one of the three open seats on the school board. pending verification of the unofficial results.

The top vote recipients were Thomas McCabe with 1,548 votes and Colleen Scaglione Neglia. with 1,516 votes. More details on Mount Pleasant and other school board elections can be found here.

More than 250 "Friends of Mount Pleasant" held a rally in Thornwood on Sunday to publicize the open school board seats -- along with their support for the school district's 2015-16 budget.

Mount Pleasant Board of Education President James Grieco and school Trustee Vincent D'Ambroso did not seek re-election on Tuesday.

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