Readers Write: G.N. park candidates ran a clean race

The Island Now

Due to this newspaper’s letter submissions schedule, I’m writing this letter on the morning of the Great Neck Park District Commissioner election, when the outcome of the election is unknown.   However, no matter which candidates win the two contested commissioner seats, I would like to commend all seven candidates (Frank Cilluffo, Laura Cohen, Sharon Epstein, Eileen S. Falk, Neil Leiberman, Commission Chair Dan Nachmanoff and Jeffrey Meir Stein) for the honorable, ethical, clean, hard-working races that they all ran. 

Throughout the race – which began many months ago – I never heard any of the candidates say anything derogatory about any other candidate.  Each candidate focused on his or her own qualifications, dedication and ideas for the Parks District.   It reminded me of judicial races, where ethical rules do not allow judicial candidates to bad-mouth other candidates.  However, here the candidates acted with decency without any ethical rules requiring them to do so.   This was impressive in an era when so many political races – even local ones – are marred by ugliness. 

Whenever I saw the candidates together, campaigning at the same locales such as the ice-skating rink, the candidates were genuinely friendly towards one another. 

In addition to presenting their own ideas for the parks, the candidates also solicited ideas from the public – in the best tradition of representative government.

Also, from what I observed, the Park District candidates’ election signs remained up.  There seemed to be no sign stealing, other than one isolated third-hand report.  (Sign stealing is one of my minor pet peeves, as it requires candidates to keep killing trees and wasting scarce time and money printing and putting up new signs.)

Best wishes and congratulations and happy holidays to all!

Liz Berney, Esq.

Great Neck

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