Incomplete vote counting for the Great Neck Library’s Board of Trustees seat shows Chayim Mahgerefteh in the lead with 1,163 votes as the clear winner.
His closest opponent, Trustee Scott Sontag, whose four-term seat on the board was up for election, received 398 votes, leaving a 765-vote gap between him and Mahgerefteh. Of the two other candidates, Aliza Reicher garnered 450 votes and Sara Rivka Khodadadian received 96 votes.
As of 11:23 p.m. Monday night, approximately 144 proxy votes remained outstanding and were slated for counting Tuesday.
Mahgerefteh and Sontag were contacted for comment by Blank Slate Media at midnight.
“I am humbled to have been elected and I pledge that I will do my very best to represent the interests of all Great Neck residents,” Mahgerefteh wrote to Blank Slate Media on Tuesday, “I want to thank all those who entrusted me with their vote. I also thank Mr. Sontag for his leadership the past several years. I am excited to work with the other trustees for our community.”
In the election for two uncontested nominating committee seats, Daniel Pitt Stoller, with 1,027 votes replaced Marietta DiCamillo for a three-year term. Joanna Stolove secured 1,017 votes, taking over Marianna Wohlgemuth’s role on the committee.
All library positions’ terms will start in January 2024.
Mahgerefteh, a Great Neck resident and CPA Tax Senior at Deloitte in the hedge fund group, has expressed his goal to enhance the management of taxpayer funds allocated to the library. He has cited prior instances of fiscal mismanagement, particularly the high legal fees incurred by the library due to various legal disputes and litigation.
In a statement, Mahgerefteh emphasized his commitment as a trustee to safeguarding public finances against wasteful expenditure. He wants to reinvest these saved funds into extending Sunday operating hours at the library and bolstering tutoring services for students.
During the election, all candidates voiced their commitment to opposing book banning.
“I want the library to have more books, not less,” Mahgerefteh said, “I am proud of Great Neck’s diversity and want there to be books all people can relate to.”
