Jeffrey Pravato Appointed Massapequa Park Mayor

This story was posed by Edward Robinson. It was written by Chris Boyle.

Jeffrey Pravato has been appointed Mayor by the Massapequa Park Village Board.

Pravato, who served as  Deputy Mayor of the Village since 2008, was unanimously elected Monday as a replacement for James Altadonna, who recently stepped down from his post after 12 years to take a new position as Town Clerk for Oyster Bay.

The new mayor, who has been on the Village Board for 12 years, had been filling in as Interim Mayor since Altadonna left office last month.

Beaming with pride as his children held the Bible for him, Pravato was sworn in as Mayor by Nassau County Legislator Michael Venditto, R-Massapequa, who said that this particular duty was both a professional and personal pleasure for him.

“It’s not every day that you get to swear in a colleague into government office, and it’s not ever day that you get to swear a friend into office...I have the privilege to get to do both of those things tonight,” Venditto said. “Jeff Pravato has been a good friend to me, and a good friend to our Village for quite some time now...he’s really worked his way up through the ranks, and he’s certainly worthy of becoming our next Mayor.”

Pravato aid that he hoped to continue the good work of the outgoing James Altadonna.

“Mayor Altadonna was a mentor to me, and serving under him for 12 years was an absolute honor...I wish him only the best,” he said. “Going forward, we’re going to keep on improving our Village every way we possibly can, and, most importantly in this day and age, we have to continue being fiscally responsible.”

Taking up Pravato’s previous position as Deputy Mayor is Village Trustee Teresa Spinosa, who also sworn into office by Venditto.

“Everything I said about Jeffrey goes double for Teresa,” he said. 

Spinosa, an 11-year veteran Trustee of Massapequa Park, said that she would rely on her training as a Certified Public Accountant to help keep the Village’s finances in check when it comes to residents’ hard-earned tax dollars. 

“I feel that I’m ready for the next step,” she said. “I’m a CPA...I have a strong financial background, and I feel that I bring that to the table when going the budget, and I always keep the fiscal health of the Village in mind when doing the day-by-day operations, and my goal is to continue to do that as Deputy Mayor.”

Pravato confirmed that a search in going on to fill the now-vacant Trustee spot; news concerning possible replacements is expected to be produced at the next Village Board meeting in two weeks, he said.


The New Mayor must face voters in a March 2014 election.