As you are well aware there are two trustee seats up for re-election Trustees Manny Zuckerman and Clara Pomerantz , who have served the village with many years of distinction and very little fanfare are seeking your support.
I have resided in East Hills for over 35 years.
During this time my family has gotten to know many of you. I have also had the pleasure to volunteer for many committees and serve as the Architectural Review Board chair and founding member, the Zoning and Tree Review Committee and various other positions, in order to give something back to a community that has given much to my family.
This tenure has allowed me to know and work closely with the existing Board Of Trustees, Mayor Koblenz as well with one of the opposition candidates.
It is these experiences that compel me to talk about why it is important that Manny and Clara are re-elected.
In a few words , so that the Village of East Hills can continue to flourish. This is a Village that has experienced :
• The creation of an award winning park.
• A flat tax base for many years while the neighboring areas have had substantial increases.
• One of the lowest crime rates in Nassau County despite cut backs in policing.
• Substantial increase in property values as compared to neighboring prestige communities.
• Maintenance of streets , snow removal and other efficiently run services.
The opposition party which may be well intentioned, will have you believe that because they have done volunteer work or that they have “stomped their feet.” and “raised their voices” they are qualified to replace Manny and Clara.
In fact, they cannot give a reason for you to vote for them other than the use of the word “change” and the suggestion that a lack of public fanfare is proof of a silent conspiracy.
The reality is that most residents speak only of the accomplishments of a well run board of trustees.
One opposition member has a history of resigning her positions on numerous committees whose membership she ironically now claims is the reason for your vote.
My time working with her showed this behavior as she disguised it “as taking a stand.”
It appeared to me to be a refusal to work within the framework of a committee made up of fellow residents that reflected other points of view, or not willing to accept a legal framework dictated by the State of New York.
I believe there was very little achieved by these premature resignations which were based upon a rush to judgment instead of working through the issues.
Nor is this a style that is conducive to getting things done.
There were times I had to prevent her from making up her mind prior to hearing homeowners or professional representatives’ technical presentations.
I could only conclude that she felt that no one else had a point of view of any value. This was not only immoral but could have exposed the Village to litigation if it was not stopped.
In addition it is also imperative that her running mate must have some meaningful experience within the workings of a local government to understand how to get things done .
My many years of working with trustees Zuckerman and Pomerantz have made it obvious that the Mayor has built a team of the peoples’ representatives that not only have the pulse of the community but know how to get things done without fanfare.
The opposition will have you believe that a dignified and efficient methodology of “just get the job done” is out dated and a sign of weakness.
What a shame!
Spencer A Kanis
Village of East Hills
