Former Trustee Seeks Election to Hastings Board

HASTINGS-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – Marge Apel will be seeking re-election to the board of trustees in Tuesday's election, having served on the board for six years. However, Apel has not served since 2007. 

The 66-year-old was nominated by the Hastings Democrats in January and will be running unopposed along with Nicola Armacost for the two open seats on the board.

“I have the experience, I’ve been on the board for six years,” Apel said.  “I know the issues, I was instrumental in getting the Comprehensive Plan put through.  That was my big push in those days and my desire now is to implement it.”

Apel, who has lived in Hastings since 1979, works as the director of career development at Manhattan College and said she is looking to return to the board to offer a voice familiar with the issues.

“I think having the background and knowing what we went through is vitally important because we went through a lot of changes in how we dealt with the planning and the zoning board in those days and how we deal with the developers,” she said.  “Now those plans are in place and knowing the background of that property is going to be very, very helpful.”

Along with implementing the Comprehensive Plan, Apel said another important issue in the village is the traffic.

“We did look at calming the roads on Broadway and working with the state, which was vitally important,” she said.  “Some people like it, some don’t, but we’re looking to protect the walkers.  One way you calm the traffic is you narrow it down and you slow the traffic up. For some, I think that’s been very positive.”

The largest impending issue in the village, according to Apel, is the waterfront cleanup and how to approach it moving forward.

While Apel hasn’t been a trustee since 2007, she said watching the issues unfold over the years has given her the desire to return to the board.

“I knew these issues were still there and I had taken a great interest in those and I want to come in and help move those along,” she said.  “I feel like it's time, things are happening now and I want to be there and be helpful.”

Elections are on Tuesday in Hastings with Joseph DiSalvo running unopposed for village justice and Apel and Armacost running unopposed for the two seats on the board of trustees.  All three were nominated by the Hastings Democrats.

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