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As is custom, this will be my final column until post Labor Day and it is bittersweet. As I introduce you to our new village treasurer, Lori Voss, I will also be saying farewell to our superintendent of public works, Rocco Circosta, who has been a beloved village presence for the past 10 years. It has been a year of unprecedented internal change at Village Hall, and our staff has risen to the challenges and changes in a truly admirable way. Treasurer Bob Fels left us after 24 years of steadfast service to our village and Lori Voss arrived on June 23 to assume the role. Born in Philadelphia, Lori graduated from Penn State with a degree in English and followed up with an MBA from LaSalle University. She has been a CPA for 24 years and worked in the private sector until 2007, when she joined the Village of Mamaroneck as deputy treasurer. Lori and her husband, Robert, live in North Salem. Lori is a stickler for detail and even interviewed our auditors before accepting the Bronxville job. As a result of their glowing opinion, Lori had high expectations, which she said have been exceeded, and has found everyone in and out of Village Hall, “helpful and welcoming.” Lori is technologically sophisticated and wants to move our village in that direction. Chief on her list is the ability for all residents to pay any village charge by credit card, both online and at Village Hall. She believes the more technology we employ, the more services we can offer residents. Lori would even like to see Saturday hours during tax season. She is also attuned to fraud prevention as we roll out more credit card options. Internally, Lori is already tightening our procedures from the simple matching all packing slips with invoices to an internal e-pay system for our bills so we minimize check writing and, with it, staff time. Sadly, at the end of this month, Rocco Circosta is leaving us for a wonderful opportunity in the private sector at Peckham Industries, a White Plains-based road construction material supplier. Rocco came to us from the Village of Ossining 10 years ago, where he also held the position of superintendent of public works. Ossining has four times the residents of Bronxville and Rocco laughingly admitted he was worried he would not be busy enough in our small village. That was never the case. In addition to amazing interpersonal skills that allowed residents great comfort in reaching out to him, Rocco concentrated a great deal of energy on a coordinated, proactive capital program to improve our aging infrastructure. Thanks to Rocco’s initiatives, our storm drain and sewer system and roadway conditions are constantly monitored and improved, and he leaves us a very cogent blueprint to follow. When asked what he would do if he had an additional 10 years with us, Rocco believes the sewer and storm drainage systems must be constantly cleaned and consistently maintained with capital outlays. In addition, Rocco believes lighting throughout the village must be upgraded and made much more energy efficient, and our DPW work facility must be improved to reflect the equipment and staff needs of a 2014, not a 1942, operation. Known for his hands-on approach and genuine love of our village, Rocco was often here on weekends just to check on projects. His open, warm and engaging style will be missed on a daily basis. Rocco takes care of each assignment speedily; there is never a need to ask him twice. He has a friendly, yet professional, manner. His love of Bronxville Village is evident in every task he undertakes. The respect we have for him is shared by his colleagues throughout the county. When asked to describe his years in Bronxville, the words “amazing and rewarding” quickly came to his lips. That’s how the village feels about its time with him, too.
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