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Brancati is Mount Kisco's first permanent Village Manager since James Palmer left more than a year ago to take a similar post in Bronxville. Gennaro Faiella, a retired New Castle Town Administrator, served as Interim Village Manager in the meantime.
The Village Manager is the top administrator in Mount Kisco. The position is analogous to a schools superintendent or a corporate CEO.
Brancati is a former Lewisboro town supervisor, having served from 2008-09. Prior to that, from 2006-07, he served as a town councilman after having been elected to fill an unexpired term. He added that his other professional roles included serving as a staff assistant for Vice President Al Gore during the last two years of the Clinton administration, working for Congresswoman Nita Lowey for five and a half years at her White Plains office, and working for Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney for almost two years at his Newburgh office.
Brancati currently lives in Somers, although he still owns his home in Goldens Bridge, a hamlet where he grew up and where his parents live. His father, also named Edward Brancati, is chairman of the Golden's Bridge Board of Fire Commissioners.
Recalling trips to Mount Kisco when he was growing up, Brancati mentioned going with his mother to feed ducks at Leonard Park - later on, his wedding photos were taken in front of the pagoda - and heading to the movies. He is also a member of the Mount Kisco Presbyterian Church.
Brancati holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Richmond and a master's degree from New York University.
Village Board members paved the way for Brancati's appointment when they voted to remove a requirement from the village code requiring a Village Manager to become a Mount Kisco resident within 90 days of taking office. The requirement itself is technically still in place, as board members tabled legislation that would relax the criteria. Potential options include requiring residency within a certain radius of the village, along with having to live within Westchester County.
The legislation will be taken up at a later date, according to Mayor Michael Cindrich.
The reason for removing the residency requirement is due to problems that arose during the search for a permanent administrator. Cindrich cited having to sell a home that took a property value hit during the recession, along with having to uproot kids from school, as examples.
Brancati took office shortly after the appointment vote on Monday.
Cindrich noted Brancati's experience in dealing with constituency services. He also said that his experience makes him "more than qualified" to hold the position.
Village officials also had praise for Faiella, who attended his last board meeting while serving in the post.
"Thank you, Jerry, for your service to the people of Mount Kisco,” Cindrich said.
In his farewell remarks, Faiella thanked the board for giving him the opportunity to serve, and for the work of village staffers.
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