A Great Neck Parks District work session briefly turned into a political debate on Tuesday when board Chairman Dan Nachmanoff, who is running for re-election, addressed charges by Neil Leiberman, one of his two opponents in the race, that he had ducked a debate sought by the League of Women Voters of Port Washington-Manhasset.
Nachmanoff, who is a retired dentist, said at the end of the board meeting he had been willing to debate Leiberman on Dec. 1, but withdrew a commitment to the event when he learned that the debate conflicted with a meeting of the Greater New York Dental Meeting in New York City.
“These events are scheduled years in advance,” he said of the dental meeting, adding “I made a commitment to do it.
As he spoke, Nachmanoff placed on the table various materials he said he picked up from the meeting of the dental group.
Leiberman, a retired guidance counselor and the husband of Great Neck News columnist Karen Rubin, responded to Nachmanoff’s comments by saying Nachmanoff had an obligation to debate him.
“As a public official, sitting next to the American flag, I would make every effort to get everyone out to vote,” Leiberman said.
Nachmanoff said the personal campaigning done by both candidates made the debate unnecessary.
“You have contacted everybody, whether they wanted you to or not,” Nachmanoff said to Leiberman. “There isn’t a soul in Great Neck that doesn’t know about you or me.”
Nachmanoff and Leiberman are running in a three-person race for one of two open park commissioner seats that voters will decide on Tuesday.
Retired New York City police officer Frank Cilluffo, former president of the Parent-Teacher Association at E.M. Baker Elementary School and founder and owner of Body Dynamics Inc. Sharon Epstein, insurance broker Eileen Falk and North Shore Hebrew Academy executive board member Laura Cohen are all fighting for a two-year position formerly held by former Commissioner Ruth Tamarin, who recently resigned for personal reasons.
Nachmanoff and Leiberman are opposed by North Shore Décor owner Jeffrey Meier Stein, who is running for office for the first time.
Nachmanoff said he was willing to debate on Dec. 3 on the condition that both Leiberman and Stein agreed to be present.
It would not be fair to have a debate with just two out of the three candidates attending, Nachmanhoff said.
Leiberman said he preferred to debate on Dec. 1 so that newspaper accounts of it would appear before the Dec. 9 election, but would also have participated in a Dec. 3 debate.
But Stein did not respond to the League of Women Voters’ request. He told Blank Slate Media that this is his busy time of year with North Shore Décor.
In addressing Leiberman’s complaint, Nachmanoff said he had received a letter from Leiberman, asking him if it was more important to attend a debate among the parks district candidates, or attend dental professionals meeting.
Leiberman said that while he respected Nachmanoff, if he was in Nachmanoff’s position, he would want to get the word out to the public about his stances, and try to get people to the polls.
Residents of the Great Neck Park District, which includes all Great Neck villages and unincorporated areas – with the exception of Great Neck Estates, Harbor Hills, Lake Success, Saddle Rock and University Gardens – can cast their votes on Dec. 9 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., at one of four polling sites.
The polling sites are Great Neck House, located at 14 Arrandale Ave., E.M. Baker Elementary School, located at 69 Baker Hill Road, Great Neck Social Center, located at 80 Grace Ave., or at the Manhasset-Lakeville Firehouse, located at 97 Jayson Ave..
