Residents of Port Washington North, Flower Hill and Baxter Estates will head to the polls on Tuesday March 15 to vote for 11 positions up for election including eight trustees, two justices and one mayor.
But their choices on the ballot will be limited with all races uncontested.
In Port Washington North, Village trustees Steven Cohen and Michael Malatino are seeking re-election for two-year terms. Both positions pay $1,500 a year.
“I’m running again because we’ve done good things and I’m passionate about Port Washington North and quality of life,” Cohen said. He said he’s also passionate about being innovated.
Cohen said one of the major accomplishments he had while in office is the restoration of the Bay Walk, with phase two already being developed for this summer.
“Used to have outages on a regular basis. If our infrastructure hadn’t been upgraded we would’ve been in a very bad situation,” Cohen said.
Cohen said one of the major issues including maintaining resident’s quality of life. Including the traffic signs, speed limits, and tree policies.
“People move to Port Washington for a reason,” Cohen said. “The reason they come here is for a quality of life.”
The election will take place noon to 9 p.m. in Village Hall at 71 Old Shore Road.
In Flower Hill, trustees Randall Rosenbaum, Karen Reichenbach and Gary Lewandowski are running for re-election as well as Mayor Elaine Phillips and Village Justice Dennis Reisman. All positions are unpaid.
Reisman is running for the first time after being appointed Village Justice by Phillips after Justice Bruce Byrne moved out of the village and resigned his position.
Prior to his appointment, Reisman had served as acting justice for five years, filling in for Byrne when he was not available.
“I was honored to accept the appointment,” Reisman said. “In order to continue in that position, I am now required to run for election.”
Reisman, who also serves as Flower Hills’ village justice, said he has been in legal practice for more than 38 years and has extensive litigation experience. He also served for 20 years as an arbitrator in the Nassau County District Court, adjudicating civil actions.
“As the acting justice of the village, I have presided over hundreds of traffic violations and village code violations giving me the experience to serve as the regular justice of the Village of Flower Hill,” Reisman said.
He said village justices deal primarily violations of traffic laws and ordinance.
“In dispensing justice, I have always tried to be just and fair yet courteous and compassionate with all the individuals who have come before the court charged with violations,” Reisman said. “I will continue in the same vein.”
Phillips is seeking a third term as mayor and said she plans on updating the village website and get more online, to help residents fill out forms.
“This is a big step for government,” she said. “We think we a new website and it’ll make things easier for permits.”
During her administration, Phillips said there haven’t been any tax increases due to strong fiscal management by her and the other trustees.
“I’m as good as the team around me,” Phillips said. “I believe we’ve done a great job.”
She also said one of problem areas in the village is the traffic along Port Washington Boulevard. She said she wants to use traffic cones on Port Washington Boulevard to help reduce congestion.
“Traffic gets backed up into middle lane,” Phillips said, referring to the left hand turn on Middle Neck Road. “It’s an accident waiting to happen.”
Reichenbach, who is running for re-election as two-year term trustee in the Village of Flower Hill, said she has represented the residents of the village fairly and with integrity and will continue to do so if re-elected.
“I have faithfully carried out my duties to the village for two terms,” Reichenbach said. “Experience in village governance is important to maintain momentum. Right now, we have a great group of trustees anchored by an excellent mayor. We all make every effort to represent our residents in an honest and straightforward manner. Each of us brings different skills to the board, which results in a good balance of knowledge and experience. The Village of Flower Hill is in good hands.”
Reichenbach has headed the Tree Committee, working with the Board of Trustees, Mayor and Village Administration to achieve Tree City USA status with the National Arbor Day Foundation. She is also the village’s representative on the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee.
If re-elected she said she intends to continue to monitor the villages finances and make sure the expenditures are necessary to maintain the quality of life in the village.
She said one of the biggest problems in the community has to do with the safety of drinking water.
“The mayor and I serve on a committee sponsored by Residents for a More Beautiful Port Washington that has been very effective in serving the Port Washington and Manhasset peninsula’s water issues,” Reichenbach said. “Gov. Cuomo has just funded a study of our aquifer. The committee also successfully stopped Queens from opening wells that were closed for many years, which would have had a negative impact on our drinking water.”
All board positions are unpaid according to village administrator Ronnie Shatzkamer.
Voting will take place at Village Hall at 1 Bonnie Heights Road from noon to 9 p.m.
Baxter Estates trustees seeking another term two-year term include Douglas Baldwin and Alice Peckelis. Current trustee Christopher A. Ficalora is seeking an unexpired one-year term and Justice Elizabeth Kase is seeking a four-year justice term.
The election will take place noon to 9 p.m. in Village Hall at 315 Main St.
