Candidates vying for the position of Great Neck Park District commissioner addressed ways to prevent tax increases for residents along with other issues facing the parks during a virtual forum on Tuesday night.
The forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters of Port Washington-Manhasset, featured the five candidates seeking to fill the seat of longtime Commissioner Robert Lincoln, who announced in September that he would not seek re-election. The candidates are Gary Aquilon, Dorothy Feng, Victoria Goodman, Grace McGirr and Vanessa Tamari.
The election will be held on Dec. 14.
Aquilon, a park district employee for two decades with professional tax preparer and budgetary experience, said he will strive to be a “people’s commissioner” who brings transparency to residents on what is happening in the parks. His work in the financial sector, he said, will be invaluable to the district.
“I want to listen to people’s needs and interests,” Aquilon said. “I feel that there needs to be a change and I think I’m the one to do it.”
Feng, the co-president of the Parkville PTO and the Great Neck Chinese Association, touted her abilities as a “good listener” and “hands-on learner” that she believes will serve the community well, if elected.
“As a park commissioner, I promise to make sure our beautiful parks and facilities continue to be the source of fun and recreation for all of our residents,” Feng said.
Feng received an M.B.A. in marketing management from St. John’s University and an academic diploma in data analytics from NYU. She runs a small commercial real estate company and has experience as a business analyst.
“These financial skills will allow me to evaluate different proposals and their financial impact,” Feng said. “I lead by example and let’s work together as Great Neck residents to improve our beautiful parks and facilities.”
Goodman, a Great Neck resident for 23 years who has experience working in the fashion industry, graduated from Queens College with a major in political science. A self-described “avid tennis player,” Goodman said she has used the Parkwood facilities to serve as co-captain of Long Island Women’s Interclub Tennis League.
“I will strive to impress upon our residents that the Great Neck parks are extensions of our own backyards,” she said. “For the ever-growing population of apartment-dwelling residents, the importance of parks and green space cannot be overstated.”
Goodman said her goals include helping create “safe spaces for social interaction and private reflection,” repair maintenance and beautification of the parks, sharpening the budget, and reducing costs while providing necessary programs to residents.
“Our tax dollars must be put to work smartly,” she said. “We must deliver, not only security and supervision, but also the best entertainment, social events and diverse recreational initiatives for every single resident.”
McGirr, whose professional background in the hotel group sales industry and as an associate at Goldman Sachs spans more than 20 years, said her experience working and participating in the programs throughout the park district led her to run .
“I’m a leader and a team player with expertise in fiscal budget management, financial analysis, client service, policy development, event program and project management, vendor management, and technology implementation,” she said.
McGirr, who has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management and n M.B.A. in management and human resources, has served on the Parkville and E.M. Baker PTOs.
“When I take on a role I am passionate about it,” she said. “I delve into it, asking questions, listening, learning, sharing what I have learned and being an advocate to achieve results.”
McGirr, whose husband, Will, serves as senior supervisor for the park district, said there would be no conflict of interest, if she were elected. Aquilon attested to Will’s integrity, agreeing with Grace that there would be no conflict of interest.
Tamari, a park district resident for more than 25 years, has been a volunteer throughout the community, serving as co-president of the Great Neck North Middle School PTO from 2019-21 and as a parent representative on the school district’s Shared Decision Making Committee. She, her husband, and two sons, she said, are also active members of the park district.
A lawyer with more than a decade of experience practicing insurance defense, she said her legal background will serve the residents of the park district in an effective manner.
“Through my work with these cases, I have learned the importance of preventative maintenance of grounds and facilities and conducting frequent inspections to ensure repairs are done to avoid accidents and injury,” she said.
Tamari said she has also managed a real estate investment portfolio with properties on the east and west coasts. She touted her ability to maintain budgetary and financial records that would also be an asset to the district, if elected.
Avoiding tax increases and generating revenue for the district were topics many residents had on their minds, especially with the lingering financial impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
Maintaining programs and services to the community, the candidates agreed, is something the district should prioritize. McGirr said looking into grants or state programs that could alleviate the taxpayer burden would be worthwhile. Potentially utilizing solar power, she said, is also a possibility she would like to see explored.
“If we went solar, that would reduce our costs and then, hopefully, be able to increase our programs,” she said. “I know people think that if we’re cutting money we’re cutting programs, but I would like to see the decrease through solar or grants or funds to cut those costs.”
Aquilon said using neighboring parking lots in Great Neck Plaza that may not be fully utilized at times could get more cars and more revenue into the park district. The lack of visitors in the parking lot, Feng said, could partly be attributed to the pandemic.
Goodman said she would want to take a closer look at the budget and see what staffing needs are being fully utilized for park maintenance but stressed the importance of retaining the programs that serve the community. Tamari said potentially expanding programs that do generate revenue so that the district can offer events and concerts that are free to park district residents could also be another option.
The park district election will occur on Dec. 14 from 1 to 9 p.m. Information on polling placescan be found online at https://www.gnparks.org/571/Elections-of-Commissioners.
The candidate forum can be found online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVqsShD5O3g.
