Sagaponack Trustee Misses Deadline To Get on Ballot

There will be only one name on the ballot for Sagaponack Village’s June 17 vote on two trustee seats, since one incumbent missed the deadline to turn in his nominating petition.

Trustee Joy Sieger met last Friday’s deadline, but Trustee Patrick Guarino said this Friday that he had been called away on an emergency business trip and was unable to collect the signatures he needed and turn in his petition on time. Now Guarino intends to wage a write-in campaign to keep his seat.

No one else turned in a nominating petition.

On Tuesday, Guarino received 16 write-in votes in the Sagaponack School Board election. He said that prior to the school board election, some district residents approached him and asked if he would serve if elected, and he agreed. Incumbent School Board member Fred Wilford, who was the only one on the ballot, won with 40 votes.

Sagaponack Village Clerk Rhodi Winchell said that if there are no write in votes, the village trustee seat will be considered vacant and the mayor will appoint someone to fill it for one year, until the next election.

Guarino was appointed to the village board two years ago to replace then-Trustee Alfred Kelman, who moved out of the village. Guarino went on to win at the polls last June, for a one-year term. Now he is seeking his first full, two-year term.

Guarino is a former international oil company executive vice president, and he said he currently sits on two corporate boards, one private and one public. He also manages a real estate portfolio and was one of the founders of the village in 2005, he said.

The 2011 Sagaponack Village elections will be held June 17 from noon to 9 p.m. at .