Three Flower Hill trustees seek re-election, run unopposed

Jessica Parks
Trustee Jay Beber is seeking re-election for his second full term with the Flower Hill Board of Trustees. (Photo courtesy of the candidate)

Only familiar names are expected on the ballot for the upcoming election in the Village of Flower Hill on March 19.

Deputy Mayor Brian Herrington, Trustee Jay Beber and Trustee Frank Genese are all seeking re-election for two-year terms but are currently facing no challengers.

Village Justice Dennis Riesman is running uncontested for another four-year term.

After serving as trustee for more than two years, Herrington was appointed as deputy mayor by Mayor Bob McNamara in January 2017. He is seeking his third full term.

He was not available for comment at the time of publication.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Herrington currently serves as the director of government affairs at the Hawthorne Gardening Company. Previously, he filled the same role at the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, worked as the assistant director of intergovernmental affairs at in the state attorney general’s office and as former Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy’s deputy chief of staff.

In an earlier interview with Blank Slate Media, he said that with his experience he believed he would be comfortable in a trustee role.

Beber is running for his second full term after being appointed to the board in 2014.

With the help of his experience in graphic design, Beber has spearheaded the redesign of the village website with the goal of making village information as easily accessible as possible.

He has a mission to keep residents informed while saving money doing so.

“My background gave the village access to great services and great pricing and my availability as a retiree lets me design and produce the communication pieces we need to keep residents informed,” Beber said. 

Beber also creates the village newsletter in which he incorporates one of his pet projects by sending out useful information to residents.

Recently, he included a section of the newsletter that listed all of the emergency numbers in and out of the village for residents to cut out and put on their refrigerators.

When sending out the newsletter, Beber said he implemented a program from the U.S. Postal Service that has cut the cost of mailing by more than half.

Six months ago, Beber said he helped create a visual database that documented all of the construction that was currently occurring or had been completed in Flower Hill over the past year.

In his next term, he looks forward to tackling the challenges and opportunities that the incoming 5G network introduces.

The 5G network is expected to have higher speeds and be more cost-effective than its predecessor, 4G.

Beber would also like to improve the village’s good neighbor policy to ensure that older residents are accommodated in the case of a village-wide emergency.

“As the oldest trustee, I admit this may be a bit self-serving,” he joked.

Beber was in the printing business for 40 years. He opened the first store that focused solely on Apple computer products for use in desktop publishing. He retired a few years back.

Genese is running for his second full term. He was appointed to the board in December 2016 after McNamara filled former state Sen. Elaine Phillips’ seat, which left a trustee spot vacant.

As a trustee, Genese said some of his favorite accomplishments have dealt with upgrading village infrastructure and beautification efforts.

He said the board has added playground equipment to Flower Hill County Park and has worked to beautify the village’s traffic triangles and entrances into the village.

“I think we’re looking forward to continuing to be very much a resident-friendly village where the residents really are No. 1 and we try to do everything we can to provide the best service for them,” Genese said. 

He said the village staff strives to build personal relationships with residents, which aids in developing their trust.

Genese is employed as an architect and is a 17-year resident of the Village of Flower Hill.

He said serving in village government is important to him because he lives in the community and wants to make sure it continues to provide that kind of environment for future generations.

Residents can cast their votes at the Flower Hill Village Hall at 1 Bonnie Heights Road in Manhasset from 12 to 9 p.m. March 19.

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