New Castle Democrats Choose Slate for Fall Elections

The New Castle Democratic Committee has announced a slate of candidates for town offices:

• Victoria Alzapiedi, Candidate for Town Supervisor
• Hala Makowska, Candidate for Town Board
• Jeremy Saland, Candidate for Town Board

The vote was unanimous, officials said.

A number of New Castle residents approached the New Castle Democratic Committee (NCDC) this spring in the hopes of securing its endorsement to run for Town Supervisor and Town Board, said Jerry Curran, Co-Chair of the New Castle Democratic Committee. The candidate selection process was transparent and thorough—all applicants were interviewed by the NCDC’s Nomination and Candidate Development Committee. Applicants were then invited to make a presentation to the entire NCDC before its members voted at their May 11 meeting.

“We believe that this is the right ticket to move New Castle and its residents forward together,“ Curran said. “They represent a cross section of our multidimensional community and will work together in the best interest of all residents for the betterment of our Town.”

More About the Candidates from the NCDC

Victoria Alzapiedi:
A former public interest attorney and social justice entrepreneur, Victoria is a management consultant and the Founder and Principal of Breakthrough Insight Consulting, LLC - focusing on leadership development, executive coaching, and organizational effectiveness with businesses, teams, and individuals. Victoria has extensive experience working in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors – creating and leading innovative initiatives, partnerships, and collaborations.
“I’m running for Town Supervisor because I love living in New Castle – we are a wonderful community and we’re fortunate to wake up every morning in this beautiful setting with engaged, generous, and caring neighbors. I believe that the residents of New Castle deserve a leader who sets a positive and inclusive tone – where all residents have an opportunity to participate in helping to make our community the best place to live. We need a leader who brings people together – who is transparent about process -- knows how to find common ground – and builds bridges and understanding instead of creating division and conflict. I believe that I am that leader.”
Victoria grew up in Brooklyn, NY and has lived in New Castle since 2008. She is a member of the New Castle Conservation Board, a District Leader for the New Castle Democrats, and was the Chair of the New Castle Coyote Awareness and Safety Advisory Committee. Victoria received her Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, her JD from University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and her BA from SUNY College at Purchase.
Hala Makowska:
“Local government has an enormous impact on our quality of life, the services we come in contact with and the value of our property. We have both an opportunity and a responsibility to enhance New Castle’s future and I am running because I believe that good governance can make a difference in our daily lives.”
Hala is a 16-year resident of New Castle and has served on the Millwood Task Force, as a volunteer firefighter and is currently the Chair of the Millwood Board of Fire Commissioners.
Jeremy Saland:
“With a young family, I am keenly interested in sustaining and improving the quality of life for all of New Castle’s residents. Whether we are keeping our community safe, giving our children ample opportunities to succeed or addressing the ongoing and challenging housing and development issues, together as a community we need to find answers and solutions The strongest advocates for our community start with our neighbors, friends, local leaders and business people, elected officials and public service providers who have a vested interest in our community today and well beyond tomorrow. Although we may not share the same view on every issue, with common goals and working together we can identify the ideas and implement the plans to move New Castle in the right direction.”
A resident of New Castle since 2006, Jeremy is a criminal defense attorney and former treasurer of the Small Law Firm Committee of the New York City Bar Association. Prior to establishing his law practice, he worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Robert Morgenthau’s Manhattan District Attorney’s Office where he was assigned to the Domestic Violence Unit and was one of the original prosecutors in New York’s first ever Identity Theft Unit (now the Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau).
Jeremy has volunteered in New Castle as his children’s soccer, t-ball and baseball coach and currently serves as a Town Prosecutor after being appointed with bipartisan support by both Democrat and Republican Town Boards each year since 2010.