Four Sleepy Hollow residents just won the first voting rights case under New York's John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act. The Mount Pleasant Town Board voted unanimously on March 10th to settle, agreeing to restructure how the town elects its leaders.

The core issue was straightforward. Mount Pleasant's at-large election system meant all board members were chosen by the entire town. Hispanic residents make up 47% of Sleepy Hollow's population, but that concentration was never enough to win a seat under the at-large structure. The result: every person ever elected to the board has been white.

The settlement expands the board from four to six members. Two seats become single-member districts — one for Pleasantville, one for Sleepy Hollow. District elections start in 2027. The town pays $1.425 million in attorney fees, mostly covered by insurance.

Why it matters: Mount Pleasant is the first municipality in the state to settle under this law. Every town in Westchester that still runs at-large elections should be watching. There are 43 cities, towns, and villages in this county. The question of who gets a seat at the table is not abstract — it determines who shapes zoning, policing, school funding, and development.

Listen to the full story on today's episode at www.iliveheremedia.com

Ossining Breaks Ground on 108 Affordable Apartments: Station Plaza is a $96 million development near the Metro-North station with geothermal heating and cooling. State financing includes $57.2 million in tax-exempt bonds. Westchester County contributed $4.4 million from its New Homes Land Acquisition program.

Cross County Center Gets a Four-Acre Park: Marx Realty began construction on a public park that will serve as the "front door" to Cross County Center in Yonkers. The park includes a boardwalk, café seating, and event space. A 60,000-square-foot retail expansion accompanies it. Completion expected fall 2027.

Prevailing Wage Legislation Introduced: County Executive Ken Jenkins introduced the Lessor Prevailing Wage Act, requiring landlords who lease property to the county to hire contractors paying prevailing wages on construction projects.

Mount Pleasant has 43 municipalities to keep company with in Westchester. How many still use at-large elections? We are looking into it. If you know your town's system, reply and tell us.

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