Republican incumbent Town of Hempstead Clerk Nasrin Ahmad and Democratic challenger lawyer Jasmin Garcia-Vieux are both calling for the clerk’s office to become more Web-friendly to town residents.
Ahmad, who was appointed by the Town Board in November following the resignation of Mark Bonilla, said she her office needs to examine the handling of licenses and create downloads for forms to “streamline” things and make the lives of residents “simpler and easier.”
“This is what I’m looking into, rather than having people wait on line and fill out forms the old fashioned way,” Ahmad said. “I would also like to put more information online about free services.”
Ahmad said if elected she plans to “brainstorm” with her staff on what online improvements could be made.
Garcia-Vieux said the town should have more printable forms online.
“The best case scenario would be to be able to file forms online. Not everybody has the time to take off from work to access their local government,” Garcia-Vieux said.
She said the town should have information posted online on what documents residents must provide for various licenses and permits
Garcia-Vieux also said she would extend office hours in the clerk’s office at least two days each week for residents’ convenience.
Ahmad had been chosen to run for Bonilla’s post when she was selected by the town board to replace Bonilla as town clerk in early September, after Bonilla was removed from office following his conviction on an official misconduct charge in July.
A Salisbury resident, she has been an administrative supervisor in the clerk’s office for 15 years.
“I started as a filing clerk. I worked my way up. I’ve been serving all residents in the Town of Hempstead,” Ahmad said.
She said she considers it an “honor” to be able to run with the “brilliant people” she has worked with during her time in the clerk’s office and has enjoyed the campaign.
“I wanted to be able to talk to people see how I can improve and make things better for them,” Ahmad said.
She said she is carrying on her office’s policy of waiving all fees for replacement birth, death and marriage certificates to Hurricane Sandy victims.
Ahmad began her professional career at Barclays Bank Regent Street in foreign exchange, securities and trusts and loans after earning a diploma of higher education in environmental sciences from Canterbury College in the United Kingdom. She continued her career at First National Bank of Long Island before taking an administrative position in the publishing field.
A civic activist, she founded the East Meadow School District’s Multi-Cultural Committee in 1992. From 1994 to 1997, she was chairwoman of the East Meadow district’s Human Dignity Committee. She is currently a member of the South Asian Political Action Committee, working to foster government involvement in the South Asian American community.
Garcia-Vieux is currently a managing attorney for New York City-based Smith & Brink, P.C. She is member of the firm’s complex business litigation group with a primary focus on investigation of insurance fraud in New York.
She is a member of the and Long Island Bar Association and the Long Island Hispanic Bar Association. She is also involved in the local PTA administration committee where she lives in Levittown.
“I became a lawyer because I wanted to help people. I chose to run because I’m concerned about the direction the town is heading,” Garcia-Vieux said. “I thought the way to change things is to get involved in the process.”
She said she had not been “heavily involved” in town politics, but was approached by the Town of Hempstead Democrats to run against Ahmad.
In addition to putting more information and forms online, she said she wants the town to expand the languages it uses for its forms.
“I’d like the town to recognize the change of demographics in the Town of Hempstead and I’d like the town to make the forms available in multiple languages,”
Both Ahmad and Garcia-Vieux said they have been conducting door-to-door campaigns to meet voters and posting lawn signs.
Both candidates have experience as working mothers. Ahmad has three adult children. Garcia-Vieux is currently raising three children with her husband.
