Yorktown Highway Superintendent Candidate 'Prepared' to Work Hard, 'Ensure Victory'

Yorktown Councilman Dave Paganelli, a candidate for the position of Yorktown highway superintendent, has secured the Republican and Conservative Party Lines following the Primary Election on Sept. 10. 

Paganelli, who was elected to the town board in 2011 for a four-year term, issued the following statement:


"This was a very stressful Primary with much negativity. But with the help of a wonderful family, awesome friends who worked tirelessly, and all the people who held the course…I say Thank You, Thank You, Thank You…We all together hold our heads up high, proud of our victory.

Now is the time to put the past behind us and work together to continue to keep Yorktown on the right track. We are prepared to continue to work hard with our parties, Republican and Conservative, to ensure victory in November."

Paganelli won the Republican Party Line despite not being endorsed by the Yorktown Republican Party committee. 

He has lived in Yorktown since 1982 and ran Travelers' Rest Restaurant on Route 100 for the last 10 years, but decided not the renew his lease in July 2012. Paganelli has been in the food and service industry from 32 years – he started working as a waiter in 1979 and worked his way up to manager and operator of the restaurant.

Since he left the food industry, he has been doing towing work and driving heavy construction equipment.

Paganelli's opponent in the election is lifelong Yorktown resident Thomas Diana, who has secured the Democratic Party Line for the position of Yorktown highway superintendent. 

Diana is now the owner of Comfort Heating Inc., a fuel oil company in Shrub Oak. He runs his business along with his wife Donna and two other employees. 

He has more than 25 years of experience as a law enforcement officer in Yorktown and Westchester County. He first entered the public safety field in 1980 as a K9 officer for the Yorktown Police Department. Diana later worked for the town of Cortlandt's police department for 14 years where he was a patrol division commander until the town board closed down the department. Diana also worked as a police officer at the Westchester County Police Department.

The highway superintendent is responsible for managing the department's $4.9 million budget and 200 miles of roads and bridges. He also oversees the maintenance of highway trucks and equipment.