The village of Ossining welcomed a new mayor and he is the first Puerto Rican-born mayor ever to serve in Westchester County.

The board of trustees voted to make 67-year-old Miguel Hernandez mayor through the end of the year after Eugene Napolitano resigned last month. Deputy Mayor Marlene Cheatham briefly succeeded Napolitano until the board appointed Hernandez. Despite having only seven months to do so, Hernandez plans to work hard for the people of Ossining. He comes from a family of public servants and says he is happy to carry on in that tradition.

Not everyone was happy about Hernandez?s appointment. Don Debar plans to run for mayor under the Working Family Party ticket and says the appointment of Hernandez was a violation of the open meetings law. Hernandez has already said he will not seek re-election in November and is supporting current board trustee Bill Hanower as the Democratic candidate to succeed him.

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