Thomaston Trustee Karen Lynne Siegel said she intends to run to retain her seat on the village’s board of trustees despite missing the state-mandated deadline to submit the necessary paperwork to appear on the ballot.

Siegel, according to village officials, was required to have a Certificate of Acceptance submitted to the village by Thursday morning in order for her name to appear on the ballot in Thomaston’s March 21 election.

Siegel, in an email to Blank Slate Media, said she has been tending to personal matters in Costa Rica and attempted to have the paperwork submitted to the village on time.

She said the shipping company was unable to fulfill having the paperwork submitted to the village by Wednesday despite efforts by her attorney to help expedite the process. President’s Day on Feb. 20, she said, also threw a wrench into the plans of getting the documentation submitted on time.

“I do intend to run again as a write-in candidate,” Siegel said in the email.

Siegel was appointed to the board of trustees on April 11 to fill out the remaining term of Jill Monoson. She has lived in Great Neck since 1959 and graduated from Great Neck North High School. A state-licensed psychologist, Siegel attended Touro College and has served on the Great Neck Community & Adult Education Board of Advisors.

She also served on the village’s Landmark Preservation Commission, which recommended that the Tower Ford be granted landmark status last year. The village subsequently granted landmark status to the building in February 2022 following months of highly-contentious meetings between village officials and residents.

The longstanding building was a hot-button issue since July 2021, when initial plans were submitted, and subsequently withdrawn, to develop a five-story apartment complex.

Also running in the village’s March election are Mayor Steven Weinberg and Trustee Burton Weston. Both candidates are running unopposed.