Board member looks back on 38 years of service
By S. ALEXANDEr GEROULD, Special to the OBSERVERArticle Photos
WESTFIELD - For almost 40 years, one face on the Town of Westfield Board has remained constant as the other faces around him changed.
Now, however, that won't be the case.
Carl Vilardo, who has served on the board for 38 years, will not be taking his usual seat when the new political season begins. Vilardo, who sought re-election to the board on Nov. 3, will be replaced by political newcomer David Spann.
"It was a long run," Vilardo said, "but sooner or later you've got to come down."
Vilardo was first appointed to the town board in 1971.
Town of Westfield Supervisor Martha Bills said the board would miss the conservative and hardworking Republican.
"Carl has been an excellent town board member, hard working and knowledgeable," she said. "He has been a great representative for the farming community. Fiscally conservative and practical, he not only saved money for the taxpayers but also brought an important point of view to the table in town discussions. Over his terms of office, his service has been a valuable asset to the community. Carl is one of those caring people who are willing to give their time and talents to make Westfield a special place. We will miss him."
Lou Habig, head of the Westfield Republican Party, praised the amount of time Vilardo spent serving the town.
"I think it was an outstanding run of 38 years that he put in," Habig said. "He's been a valuable member and a real contributor and represented the farming community. He was a very conservative member who was fiscally responsible."
Vilardo said that, while board members may have had their disagreements, they were still able to work on issues and remain friends. He also pointed to several projects which the town has worked on, discussed, or is planning to begin while he has been on the board. These include the East Main water project, wind turbines, job creation and extending water and sewer to Forest Park, the Edgewater condominiums and Shorehaven.
"One of the things that sticks in my mind is there were a bunch of good board members who never held a grudge against anybody," Vilardo said. "We may have disagreed, but we still worked together."
Now, with some time off, Vilardo said he might attend town board meetings once in a while to see how everything is going. But, he also won't mind having a relaxing night at home either.
"I'll probably sit back in my chair, put my feet up and fall asleep," Vilardo joked.
A Westfield resident all his life, Vilardo graduated from Westfield Academy and Central School and married the former Roberta Casler of Mayville. He has three children and several grandchildren, and he owns and operates a 200-acre grape farm with his son.
"I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the people I served with," Vilardo said of his time spent on the board. "I don't want any fanfare. I didn't do anything special."
