Oyster Bay Town Board Elects New Council Member

The Town of Oyster Bay recently elected a new member to the town board after Councilman Christopher Coschignano announced his resignation earlier this week.

Massapequa Park resident Thomas P. Hand, who was selected earlier this month by the Nassau Republics to run in November, was elected during the town board meeting held on Tuesday.

Neither Coschignano's resignation nor Hand's appointment were previously announced. Coschingano claimed he would not run for re-election but did not state if he would finish his term.

“I’ve come to a point in my life when my service to my family needs to take on a more prominent role,” Coschignano said according to a report in Newsday.

He was appointed in a 4 to 2 voted with Councilman Anthony Macagnone and Councilwoman Rebecca Alesia both voting against.

Macagnone chose to vote against electing Hand because he felt it was "wrong" to appoint someone who had been officially designated by the Nassau Republicans group, according to the Newsday report.

Alesia voted against because she felt that it was "inappropriate" to elect his at this time, but that she would vote for him in November, Newsday reports.

Hand, who previously served as Chairman of the Massapequa Water District Board of Water Commissioners as well as an officer on the Executive Board of the Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners Association, pledged to bring his business acumen and work ethic to the Town Board.

His goals include increasing overall operational efficiency, continuing to streamline government costs and protecting the interests of the Town’s taxpayers.

He also served as an associate board member of Junior Achievement of New York and is a Trustee for the Christina Renna Foundation, a non-profit organization which assists in research for children’s cancer.