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Nate Mitchell & Kevin Timoney Vying For Opportunity To Steer Village Forward While Focusing On Preservation
By Tina Traster
This is a mayoral race unlike any other in recent history in the Elysian Village of Piermont.
The tense dynamics in this political season are borne from a controversial development proposal on Main Street that catalyzed activism, ongoing costly litigation, ugly social media wars, and a political reshuffle that began long before the mayoral race.
On Nov. 4, village residents will decide whether to vote for a two-term trustee who played a controversial role in the development proposal and its fallout, or a zoning board member who is campaigning on the promise to reunite the cleaved village.
Both Village Board trustee Nate Mitchell, who is running on the Democrat ticket, and Kevin Timoney, the independent candidate, agree downtown development must adhere to strong principles and zoning codes that maintain Piermont’s sui generis charm and historical aesthetics. But how each got into the race differs vastly and might be part of the criteria for how voters cast their ballots.
Timoney, for example says, “It’s time to take another look at our zoning rules. They need to reflect who we are, to protect our natural beauty, and to support thoughtful, balanced growth – without losing what makes Piermont special.” The candidate vows to bring his New York City professional experience handling large budgets and complicated contracts to town.
Mitchell also recognizes the need to address downtown zoning but retrospectively says the CBM (Central Business Multi-Use) district zoning, which he voted for, was undertaken without adequate public input and was tied to the needs of Piermont Developers LLC. In April 2024, the developer revealed a color-rendering for a boxy, modern three-story 14- unit residential proposal that sent a gasp of horror reverberating through the packed chambers of the Planning Board meeting. A big part of Mitchell’s campaign platform is tied to the notion that the village board had not exercised transparency throughout the zoning amendment process.
The CBM zone was created to make more of the downtown properties zoning compliant rather than non-conforming. Mitchell says he voted for the CBM in March 2023 but adds only because he traded a concession for otherwise being the sole potential “no” vote at the time. (The vote was 4-0). The board agreed to remove two properties at the south end of Main Street from the CBM district, even though Mitchell had asked for four to be removed. Then Mitchell made a motion to pass the local law.
In the aftermath of the Planning Board meeting where the developer revealed its plans, a series of propulsive events threw the village into chaotic litigation (which is ongoing), energized a local group of the development’s opponents to seek political control of the board, and reshuffled the political map.
Four-term Mayor Bruce Tucker decided not to run for another two-year term, saying it is time for new blood.
Planning Board Chairman Daniel Spitzer stepped down amid the controversy. Mitchell, who was serving his second term as trustee, resigned from the village board in September 2024 after it was discovered that he was communicating with the neighbors who brought the initial lawsuit against the village. According to email and text conversations revealed in a FOIL requested by the developer, Mitchell’s communications show he was floating the possibility of making Robert Zitt, one of the leading activists, the village’s next attorney, if he successfully wins the mayor’s seat. Zitt is married to Valentina Zitt, one of the four litigants in the lawsuit against the village.
In Nov. 2024, Mitchell regained a seat of the board of trustees in a three-way race for two board seats. He also ran an unsuccessful mayoral primary campaign against Tucker in 2021.
Local Law Declared Null and Void But Appeal Is Pending
Rockland County Supreme Court Justice Hal Greenwald last October declared Piermont’s adoption of the local law creating a multi-use Central Business District (CBM) zone invalid, effectively stopping Piermont Developers LLC’s application to construct a multi-family housing project at 447-477 Piermont Avenue. However, in August, the developer filed an appeal, claiming the court improperly decided the merits of the case on an application for a preliminary injunction. It argues that preliminary relief is supposed to be temporary (pending a full hearing) and the court decided the merits of the case before the developer or the village were given a chance to answer the petition. The developer is also arguing the challenge brought by the neighbors was beyond the four-month statutory requirement to challenge passage of a local law. The neighbors filed 418 days after the law was passed. The developer says the court should not have heard the untimely challenge.
Appeals cases notoriously drag on for months or years before they are heard. In the meantime, Piermont voters must decide who will steer the boat.
If elected, Mitchell says, “Regardless of what happens with the appeal, I will ask to repeal the (CBM) law so we can go back and look at it.”
Mitchell, 50, who grew up and has spent his entire life in Piermont, touts his record of civic engagement, which includes serving on the village’s Planning Board, Department of Public Works, and the Parks Commission. He has served as the Chair of the Comprehensive Plan Committee and as a liaison to the Rockland County Hazard Mitigation Plan. He has also been a member of the Fire Department for 15 years and is Director and Accountability Officer for the department. He is a member of the Civic Association. Mitchell’s mother still lives in the house where he grew up; Mitchell rents an apartment in Piermont.
“The non-compliance dates back to the 1970s,” said Mitchell, referring to the village’s zoning. “It’s a longstanding issue that needs a considered approach. It’s not the simplest nut to crack, and I’m not sure it’s a critical emergency today.” Regarding the CBM, Mitchell says consultants brought in to help the village navigate the local zoning law “were heavily influenced” by the request from the developer, adding that bringing village buildings into compliance was a “side effect, not a primary goal.”
Timoney, who was appointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals Jan. 2023, was disturbed by the vitriol the controversy dusted up, especially online, and the subsequent litigation. “My husband and I would be scrolling through the comments and wondering ‘where did we move to’. This is crazy, All this divisiveness.”
The candidate is also the founder of the Piermont nonprofit BTND Run Club, which stands for “Better The Next Day,” and meets Sunday mornings for runners.
Timoney, 46, relocated from New York City three years ago and bought a house in Piermont with his husband, where they live with their five-year old daughter. The candidate, who grew up in Clarkstown, works at the Office of Technology and Innovation, where he oversees New York City IT contracts. He manages a team that works closely with minority- and women-owned businesses, and handles projects across public safety, 311, infrastructure, applications, and cybersecurity.
“My role includes managing budgets, ensuring compliance with local laws, and negotiating with vendors,” he said, adding that he works from home two days a week. “What sets me apart from my opponent is that throughout my career, I’ve led teams, managed large budgets, and delivered results that balance cost-effectiveness with quality outcomes.”
Mitchell says, “quality of life, public safety and the environment, both natural and built,” are top priorities to him, adding he serves as the Chair of the Waterfront Resiliency Commission, which is tasked with flooding issues. The candidate concedes the village has suffered a blow and has been impacted. Asked to address parallels between division in the village and in the nation, he said neighbors have to find “what they share in common to build consensus.”
Commenting on the national animus, Mitchell said he is a registered Democrat, but the tragedy of the party has been its performative approach and virtue signaling, adding “we have to bridge that gap.”
Speaking about the American divide, Timoney said, “for better or worse, Nate and ‘myself’ have at least given Piermont a dialogue as to how they want to shape the future.
Piermont’s annual mayoral stipend is $12,000, according to Tucker.
