After serving the Town of Marlborough as Supervisor for a total of 10 years, Al Lanzetta lost his seat in the November election. At his last board meeting on December 13 he took a few moments to thank his fellow board members and the public for their support and to highlight a few of the board’s accomplishments during his tenure.

“The Town Board and I have been able to broaden the tax base and control taxes by supporting businesses with additional infrastructure, including improved roads, extending water and sewer by 2,600 feet in the Route 9W corridor and changing the building and zoning codes,” he said. “We were able to do this at a reduced cost to taxpayers because of our good relationships with our other governmental partners, especially [late] NYS Assemblyman Frank Skartados and present Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson as well as [late] NYS Sen. William Larkin and current NYS Sen. James Skoufis.”

Lanzetta said they updated the town’s Comprehensive Plan, developed a local waterfront revitalization plan and identified the town’s historic resources, which he gives credit to fellow Councilman Howard Baker for his dedication.

“Because of this planning, we have been extremely successful in seeing taxpayer monies returned to Marlborough in the form of grants,” he said, which were secured by volunteers Rosemary and Gerry Wein.

Lanzetta said the crowning achievement of his administration has been in improving the town’s economic development and by increasing recreational opportunities.

“It’s hard to believe that it was 12 years ago that I signed the acceptance of the $1 million gift to the people of Marlborough to secure the first free public access to the Hudson River. The Milton Landing Park started as a labor of love by the Milton Fire Company and has grown into a beautiful planned area with a brand new deep water dock and an adjacent renovated historic train station for community use.”

Lanzetta said the state, in recognition of the economic potential of the landing park, has provided funds that will be used to turn it into an, “anchor for agri-tourism, recreation and for cultural events. None of this would have happened without the many volunteers and the ongoing support of the community.”

Lanzetta thanked the late Tony Falco for building a new hiking trail on the southern side of town, and the many volunteers who will transform the TOMVAC building into a future community recreation center. He said state officials were able to secure a total of $800,000 for this project.

“I am so proud to have been a part of the many positive things that have happened over the past years that I was Supervisor. I have made many new friends and have enjoyed the collaborations I have had with constituents and other governmental officials and agencies,” he said.

Lanzetta reserved a special recognition for the town hall staff and all of the departmental employees.

“They are truly the people who keep the town running, I can tell you that we are blessed to have especially competent people watching out for our community’s safety, health and welfare and I know I leave the town in good hands,” he said.

In a subsequent interview, Lanzetta said he got into politics around 2005 because he wanted to make sure there was more transparency in local government and more respect for the citizens of the town. He ran and won the Supervisor’s position. In 2006 he began negotiating for the purchase of riverfront land that eventually led to the purchase and transformation of this into the Milton Landing Park. Lanzetta lost re-election in 2010 but ran again in 2016 and won back his old position that he held through 2021. He said during the last six years the Town Board has been, “more pleasant and more understanding and everybody has their special thing they got involved in. It was not contentious at all, it was a pleasure.”

When Lanzetta is asked why he kept running for supervisor, he simply responded, “because I always felt that I could do a better job.” He pointed out that when he was not in office no one was going after grant money for the town. He estimates that during the last six years the town has applied for and received more than $2 million for various town initiatives.

“The different projects we did were phenomenal and two of the last six years we had to operate under Covid,” he said. “I was the first one to shut everything down and with masks and the whole bit.”

Lanzetta said the board developed two municipal parking lots in town, one by the Captain Supply and another by the Marlborough Market that can provide much needed parking for about 30 vehicles.

Lanzetta also secured $250,000 from Assemblyman Frank Skartados to install sidewalks in Marlborough, especially in the neighborhoods south of Western Avenue to promote a walk-able community and provide a safe way for children to walk to the Marlboro Library.

Lanzetta said he was unable to convince the Department of Transportation to implement key elements of a $120,000 traffic study the county paid for when it came time to re-pave Route 9W. He said the DOT, however, did install a blinking light crosswalk in the center of the Marlboro hamlet and put in sidewalks across from St. Mary’s and by the Falcon Music venue during the paving project.

Lanzetta acknowledged that last week was his last Town Board meeting.

“It’s sweet and bitter,” he said but plans to take time to simply relax.

“I have six grandchildren and a beautiful wife, Cindy, who is still on the Planning Board, so we’re taking it day by day.”