The Suffolk County Village Officials Association proudly recognizes Ray DiBiase for his outstanding leadership and longstanding service to the Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson. A member of the Village Planning Board since 2005 and its Chairman since 2013, Mr. DiBiase has guided the Board with professionalism, fairness, and a steadfast commitment to sound planning and the preservation of Port Jefferson’s historic character.

With more than four decades of experience in civil engineering and transportation planning, Mr. DiBiase has helped shape transportation and land use policy across Long Island. His work includes contributions to the Suffolk County 2035 Comprehensive Plan, municipal transportation planning for communities such as East Hampton and Riverhead, and his important role in the development of Port Jefferson’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2014, which continues to guide the Village’s long-term planning and development. 

His distinguished career, professional leadership, and dedication to public service exemplify the spirit of the Paul J. Rickenbach Jr. Award.

Mayor John Valdini, his wife Colleen and two children, Patrick and Mary Kate, moved to Brightwaters 30 years ago. Within two months of moving into the village, he became involved with the Park’s Committee and started attending village board meetings. After many years of volunteering as a coach, serving on committees at the Great South Bay YMCA and serving as president of the High School Parent’s Athletic Sponsors, he was elected as a village trustee and then mayor four years ago. His background in the construction and restaurant businesses, along with the many years of professional experience in organizing, scheduling, budgeting and customer service, have been the guiding factors in preparing him for his role as mayor.

From the first day as mayor, a major goal of his was to inform and communicate with the residents as much as possible about their village to maintain the upmost transparency. This has kept the office staff very busy
with sending out emails, updating social media outlets and maintaining the village website, in addition to composing informational mailers. Mayor Valdini believes residents should not only know about community events but also the workings of the village. The Village of Brightwaters continues to go above and beyond
by live streaming their monthly meetings on Facebook. This gives all the residents the opportunity to be involved if they can’t be physically present. As the mayor of a small village, Mayor Valdini highly supports holding a wide variety of community events in an effort to bring business to the storefronts as well as getting
the community together. By bringing new and longtime residents together at existing and new events such as the Village Block Party in the downtown area and the Summer Cocktail Party at the Head of the Canal, a sense of “village” is created that everyone wants while enjoying the beautiful amenities Brightwaters
has to offer.

Through the mayor’s experience in construction, the village has been able to run projects in-house, resulting in tremendous savings on contractor fees. During his first year as mayor, the village community cabin located in Wohseepee Park was fully restored. The cabin was originally built in 1929 by the Boy Scouts
and was in desperate need of repair. Through monetary donations and material and labor donations, the village was able to complete the project at no cost to the residents. Other completed projects, to name a few, have included restoring the village’s historic bridges, downtown sidewalks, 1500 feet of bulk-heading
and installing a veterans’ walkway. Current projects include the renovation of the 75-year-old Walker Beach bathrooms and bringing them up to ADA compliant standards as well as the renovation of the iconic gazebos at the top of the canal in Ackerson Plaza.

The mayor is also very proud of the work the village board and staff have accomplished in the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic in the community and workplace. Instead of canceling everything, the village decided to adjust and create new ways that residents could enjoy their village and community during those troubling times.

The mayor is fiscally responsible and focuses on the little details as he feels they make all the difference in the quality of village life. Fixing simple things like dirty signs and unkempt areas, and providing new flags in the village square and flowers in the flower boxes are always on Mayor Valdini’s radar for improvement.
The mayor sees himself as a “working mayor” who still volunteers at events and is frequently the first to arrive and one of the last few to leave.

Rob Calarco is the Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Relations – Long Island for Governor Kathy Hochul. In this role, Rob and his team are the conduit through which the Governor’s office interacts with local partners including municipalities, not for profit entities, labor organizations, businesses and more. His team helps to coordinate various state agencies to ensure the delivery of effective and efficient state government in the region. In addition, Rob helps inform policy decisions by providing the Long Island Region’s perspective and priorities within the Chamber.

Prior to his current role, Rob served as Assistant Regional Director for Region 1 of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, consisting of Nassau and Suffolk Counties. As Assistant Regional Director, Rob assisted in running the day-to-day operations, ensured regional staff executed the agency priorities and directives, and communicated to executive staff the challenges and issues affecting the region. In addition, Rob served as the main point of contact between the DEC and various state, county, and local elected officials; as well as the many advocacy organizations within Region 1.

Prior to the DEC, Rob spent 20 years working in Suffolk County Government, primarily in the Suffolk Legislature. Rob served 10 years as Legislator for the 7th Legislative District, during that time he was elected by his peers to serve as Majority Leader, Deputy Presiding Officer, and Presiding Officer. To achieve leadership positions in a legislative body (18 members), Rob built coalitions and brokered compromises among people with very different ideologies. He also helped steer the county’s annual $3.9 B operating budget and $350 M 3-year capital plan.

Rob was born and raised in Auburn in Central New York where he graduated from Auburn High School. He earned a B.A. in Political Science from Dowling College and a M.A. in Public Administration and Public Policy from SUNY Stony Brook. He currently lives in Patchogue with his wife and three children.

Nicole Salerno Morton has devoted more than 35 years to serving public entities across Long Island through her work in insurance and risk management. As a second-generation leader of Salerno Brokerage Corp., she built upon the foundation established by her father, Nicholas Salerno, whose integrity, vision, and commitment to public service continue to guide the firm today.

Over the course of her career, Nicole has become a trusted advisor to villages and municipalities throughout the region. Her firm proudly represents more than 125 public entities on Long Island, many of them here in Suffolk County, providing insurance programs, risk management guidance, and practical solutions to help protect public assets and strengthen local communities.

Nicole is known for her hands-on approach, her deep understanding of the public sector, and her ability to navigate an increasingly complex insurance marketplace. She has long believed that insurance is only one part of the equation—proactive risk management, strong policies, and forward-thinking leadership are just as critical. That philosophy has helped her clients stay protected, insurable, and resilient over time.

In addition to her work locally, Nicole contributes her expertise on national advisory boards, helping shape broader conversations around public entity risk and insurance.

This Partnership Award from the Suffolk County Village Officials Association is especially meaningful, as it reflects the relationships Nicole has built over decades:  partnerships grounded in trust, responsiveness, and a shared commitment to the communities we all serve.

Mary A. Mott exemplifies the highest standards of public safety service, leadership, and community dedication. A volunteer EMT-CC and active member of the East Hampton Village Emergency Medical Service since 1986, Mary has responded to more than 7,800 EMS calls over the course of nearly 40 years of service to her community.

Throughout her distinguished tenure with East Hampton Village EMS, Mary has held numerous leadership positions, including multiple terms as Chief (1997–2000, 2007–2010, and currently serving 2023–2026), Assistant Chief, and Captain/Training Officer. Her peers have recognized her commitment and professionalism with honors including Member of the Year (2009, 2012), the Chief’s Award (1995, 2011), Suffolk Regional EMS Council Honorable Mention ALS Provider of the Year (2013), and Educator of the Year (2018).

Mary’s impact extends well beyond emergency response. For more than three decades, she served as a Suffolk County EMS Certified Instructor Coordinator and was the New York State Department of Health Lead CIC for the Sag Harbor EMT program from 1990 through 2023. She has trained generations of EMTs, instructed continuing medical education programs, evaluated candidates for New York State BLS certification, and provided CPR and First Aid training to community members and East Hampton Town and Village lifeguards. In 2024, she further demonstrated her commitment to the future of public safety by founding an EMS Club for local high school students interested in careers in emergency services.

In addition to her EMS service, Mary devoted 35 years to education as a Physical Education and Health teacher at Montauk Public School, where she also coached junior high athletics and activities. Her lifelong dedication to mentorship, leadership, and public service has had a lasting and meaningful impact on the residents of Suffolk County.

Mary A. Mott’s extraordinary record of volunteerism, leadership, and commitment to community safety makes her a most deserving recipient of the Suffolk County Village Officials’ Association First Responders Award.

Dennis Siry has been involved in village government for more than 25 years. He has been mayor of the Village of Amityville since 2017 and was elected as a trustee in 2011.  Dennis served as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals from 1998-2011 and from 2005-2011, he served as Chairman of the Zoning Board.  He  was also a member of the Amityville Code Revision Committee.  Currently, Dennis is president of the Suffolk County Village Officials Association and has served on the Executive Board for many years.

Mayor Siry is a retired veteran New York City firefighter with 30 years of service. As a Lieutenant, he spent the latter part of his career in the Specialized Marine Operations unit of the FDNY.  In addition, Mayor Siry is a recent graduate of the Energeia Partnership at Molloy University, an organization committed to educating Long Island leaders for the benefit of all people who live and work on Long Island.

In addition to serving as mayor, Dennis is very involved in his community.  Since 1997, he has coached soccer, CYO basketball and Little League baseball and served as President of the Amityville Soccer League from 2005-2011. He remains active as a community volunteer and is a member of the Amityville Lions Club.

Mayor Siry has been an Amityville resident since 1970.  He has been married to his wife Nancy for 39 years and they have three grown children, Bonnie, Kelly and Dennis.  Mayor Siry is the proud grandfather of two-year-old Leona Bove.

Dave has been a SCVOA supporter and advocate for years, most notably as an expert speaker on zoning and planning issues at many Municipal Training workshops. He is a founding partner of Brown Altman & Dileo, specializing in real estate law, commercial litigation, and environmental law. With extensive experience in land use and zoning, municipal law, commercial and residential transactional real estate, and corporate practice, he provides comprehensive legal counsel across a broad spectrum of matters.

Throughout his career, David has represented commercial and residential real estate developers, lenders, and national and local retailers. His practice encompasses all phases of site development with particular expertise in developing sites for the retail petroleum industry and wireless telecommunications—and extends to complex litigation and transactional matters before municipalities throughout Long Island and New York City. His notable work includes:
Rezoning and developing a five-acre commercial parcel in Smithtown, New York, for national retail development.
Securing approvals for zoning changes, special permits, and variance relief for regional petroleum retailers in various Long Island communities.
Collaborating with religious organizations on Long Island to obtain the necessary zoning approvals for developing and renovating places of worship and associated infrastructure.
Drafting and negotiating commercial leases for national retailers and the food service industry, as well as for lending institutions, including a significant negotiation for a 20,000-plus square foot office and retail space for a leading commercial lender.
Representing an iconic Montauk, New York resort property in a $22 million refinance and financial package.
Assisting in the subdivision of a 24-acre industrial parcel in Calverton, New York.
Working with property owners, managers, and wireless telecommunications providers to zone, develop, and lease properties for telecommunications services across Long Island and New York City.

In addition to his practice, David is actively involved in professional and community activities. He is a member of both the New York State Bar Association and the Suffolk County Bar Association. Demonstrating his commitment to community service, he serves as President of The Townwide Fund of Huntington, Inc., and has developed the Real Estate Practicum at Hofstra University School of Law for second- and third-year law students. He also contributes regularly as a continuing education instructor for the Suffolk County Village Officials Association.

David earned his JD from Hofstra University School of Law and his BA from the State University of New York at Binghamton. He is admitted to practice in New York, as well as before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Bruce S. Hopper is a lifelong resident of the Village of Amityville and deeply committed to serving the community he has always called home. His career with the Department of Public Works (DPW) began more than 35 years ago, when he was hired as a maintenance man. Through his dedication and strong work ethic, he quickly advanced within the department, earning a promotion to foreman within just a few years. Bruce’s leadership and extensive experience led to his appointment as Superintendent of Public Works in June 2011, a role in which he continues to serve with distinction.

Throughout his tenure, Bruce has played a vital role in the development and upkeep of Amityville’s municipal infrastructure. He was instrumental in the construction of the village’s municipal building, ensuring that the project met the highest standards of efficiency and functionality for the community. His responsibilities extend beyond daily operations, as he manages and oversees the maintenance of roads, parks, and public facilities, ensuring the smooth operation of essential services for residents.

Bruce’s leadership has been particularly crucial in times of crisis. He spearheaded the village’s cleanup and rebuilding efforts following numerous storms, most notably Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy. Under his guidance, the DPW worked tirelessly to restore public safety, clear debris, and rebuild damaged infrastructure, helping the community recover and emerge stronger in the wake of natural disasters.

Bruce remains dedicated to the well-being of the Village of Amityville and its residents. His deep-rooted connection to the village and unwavering commitment to public service make him a respected and valued leader. 

Edward P. Romaine was elected Suffolk County Executive in November of 2023, the most recent chapter in a lifetime of service to the residents of Suffolk County. Prior to his election, Mr. Romaine served as Brookhaven Town Supervisor for 12 years, where he championed environmental and quality of life issues while significantly strengthening the Town’s finances.

Well-known for his fiscally conservative policies, Mr. Romaine achieved and maintained the Town’s AAA credit with Standard & Poor’s. Under his leadership, the Town complied with the New York State Property Tax Cap in each of his adopted budgets; achieved structurally balanced and sound budgets, established and increased Town-wide reserve funds; delivered four consecutive years of surpluses; and reduced $31.1 million in pipeline capital debt. 

Mr. Romaine has been a strong advocate for improving the quality of life for residents. Under his administration, Brookhaven embarked on a mission to clean up every neighborhood and demolished hundreds of abandoned “zombie” houses. He introduced a package of legislation that strengthened the Town’s housing codes and aggressively prosecuted problem landlords who negatively impacted neighborhoods.

Mr. Romaine has also been a longtime champion of environmental issues. His initiatives include the completion of two solar arrays at facilities in Manorville and Holtsville generating 3.1 MW of DC power; removing more than 67 million pounds of green waste from the waste stream and converting it to garden mulch and compost; cutting Brookhaven’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2020; and enacting legislation that will forever protect the Carmans River, which was unanimously approved by the Town Board and embraced by residents, environmentalists and the building community. Under Mr. Romaine’s environmental policies, Brookhaven has annually been named a Tree City USA since 2016. 

Supervisor Romaine began his career as a history teacher in the Hauppauge School District, where he taught for 10 years. In 1980, he entered public service as the Town of Brookhaven’s first Commissioner of Housing and Community Development and was later appointed Director of Economic Development. As a member of the Suffolk County Legislature, serving from 1986 through 1989, Ed was known as a fiscal conservative, sponsoring cost-saving measures such as the Suffolk County Tax Cap. He established a record as a fighter for the environment by authoring Suffolk’s first Clean Water Act. 

In 1989, Ed Romaine was elected Suffolk County Clerk and served in that office for 16 years, taking an active role in increasing productivity and improving access to official records. He is recognized as a pioneer in the government’s use of technology and was chosen “2001 New York State County Clerk of the Year.” 

In 2005, he was again elected to the Suffolk County Legislature, representing the First Legislative District and re-elected in 2007, 2009 and 2011. As a County Legislator, he preserved countless acres of open space across eastern Brookhaven, the North Fork and Shelter Island. He sponsored numerous pieces of landmark legislation, including “Michael’s Law,” which banned explosive fuel gels; the State’s first local law to regulate helicopter traffic; and established the LIPA Oversight Commission. He also reduced the tax burden on residents by promoting smart government initiatives and real tax reform. 

Ed Romaine earned a B.A. in History from Adelphi University and a master’s in history from Long Island University. He resides in Center Moriches, New York with his wife, Diane. 

Anthony H. Palumbo represents the 1st Senate District, which includes the northern portion of the Town of Brookhaven, and the Towns of Riverhead, Southold, East Hampton, Southampton and Shelter Island. Previously, Senator Palumbo served in the New York State Assembly for several years, first being elected to the 2nd Assembly District in 2013. 

Senator Palumbo is known as being an outspoken advocate for Suffolk County taxpayers and a strong proponent of law enforcement and the area’s first responders. As the Ranking Minority Member on the Senate Code’s Committee, he has led the fight against the dangerous bail reform laws that have made our communities less safe and has been steadfast in his opposition to the anti-police rhetoric and policies coming out of Albany.   

Throughout his tenure in the State Legislature, Senator Palumbo has worked closely with former State Senator Ken LaValle and Assemblyman Fred Thiele to protect our natural resources and clean drinking water, and is a champion for the region’s tourism, agriculture, fishing and spirits industries. 

Prior to serving in the State Legislature, Senator Palumbo worked as a Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney, where he prosecuted major crimes and drug traffickers. He has taken that background to Albany, where he’s fought to keep our communities safe, hold public officials accountable and enhance the quality of life that makes Suffolk County unique. 

Senator Palumbo has continued to show the drive and vision families on Long Island need and deserve in state government. His very first piece of legislation was a massive tax-cut bill that would save the average Suffolk County resident over $2,500 annually. That same year, he accomplished a rare feat for a freshman GOP Assemblyman by sponsoring and passing major legislation that helped first-time homebuyers and younger residents save thousands.  In his first term in the New York State Senate, Senator Palumbo passed the Peconic Bay Region Community Housing Act—bi-partisan legislation to help make the dream of homeownership on Long Island more affordable.  

In addition to his proven record as a tax reformer, Anthony hasn’t shied away from tackling the tough quality of life and public safety issues Long Island families face. He was a leader of the movement to reform and repeal Common Core, supported and passed a constitutional amendment stripping corrupt politicians of a taxpayer-funded pension and supported significant investment in improving our water quality and environment.  He has also made education a top priority and is a strong advocate in the battle to ensure Long Island taxpayers receive their fair share of school aid and infrastructure funding. 

Currently, the Senator’s top priorities are getting our economy back on track post-pandemic so our small business can thrive and repealing the controversial bail and discovery reforms harming our residents and local law enforcement. Senator Palumbo will continue to lead and maintain his commitment to defending Suffolk County values and enhancing the quality of life on the East End.  As a lifelong resident of Suffolk County, Senator Palumbo loves our communities and will continue to build on his record of protecting and serving them. 

Senator Palumbo attended Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania on a baseball scholarship and earned a degree in Government and Law.  He received his law degree from St. John’s Law School in Jamaica, New York.  Anthony and his wife, Tracy, reside in New Suffolk with their two children.

Hon. Raymond Fell

President Emeritus

Mayor, Village of Bellport

Hon. Ray Fell
Mayor, Village of Bellport
2018 Recipient of the
PAUL F. RICKENBACH, JR. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

Hon. Sandra Schroder
Mayor, Village of Sag Harbor
2017 Recipient of the
PAUL F. RICKENBACH, JR. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

Hon. Timothy Hogue
Mayor, Village of Dering Harbor
2016 Recipient of the
PAUL F. RICKENBACH, JR. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

Thomas Trumpeter
Police Chief, Village of Lloyd Harbor
2022 Recipient of the
PAUL F. RICKENBACH, JR. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD