Katz, Dolan elected to sewer districts’ seats

One incumbent commissioner and a first-time candidate won in the elections on Tuesday in the Belgrave Water Pollution Control District and the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District.
Patty Katz received 354 votes of the total 379 ballots cast in the uncontested Great Neck Water Pollution Control District election to replace outgoing Commissioner Deena Lesser.
A Great Neck sewer district official said the 25 write-in votes were not cast for serious candidates.
Incumbent John Dolan received 92 votes to win re-election as a Belgrave Water Pollution Control District commissioner.
Efforts to reach Dolan for comment were unavailing.
Katz said that although her race was uncontested, she did not “take anything for granted” and was thrilled with the outcome.
“The community really did get out and vote and support me. It was the wonderful efforts of my friends and family who helped make this possible,” she said. “My intention is to carry forward the legacy Deena Lesser created.”
Katz, who will be officially sworn in on Jan. 5, said it will be a “great honor” to work with the district’s superintendent, Christopher Murphy, and commissioners, Steve Reiter and Jerry Landsberg.
Once she is officially in office, she said, she wants to enhance efforts to reach out to the community on the workings of the sewer district.
“The sewers are not the most glamorous positions, but it’s a very vital part of our community,” Katz said. “I think it’ll be a good thing to have a little more education for people.”
She was raised in Great Neck, and after leaving for a few years after she graduated from college, returned to the peninsula about 14 years ago.
About 10 years ago, Katz said, she joined Reach Out America, a nonprofit group that advocates for the environment, voting rights and world peace, among other issues. She currently serves as its vice president.
She founded the group’s Green Committee after joining and seeing that there was no environment-based committee.
Katz said she chaired the committee for nine years and helped create initiatives that placed recycling bins throughout the park district and held seminars on how to properly dispose of unused medication.
Former North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman appointed her to the town’s Ecological Commission, of which she is still a member.
Katz is also a member of the town’s Environmental Legacy Fund for Land Preservation.
“I grew up here so I’m very happy and very honored to represent the residents here,” she said. “I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and starting to work in January.”
Commissioners receive $80 for every meeting they attend.
The Great Neck Water Pollution Control District is located at 236 East Shore Road and serves the villages of Great Neck, Great Neck Plaza, Kensington, Thomaston and Saddle Rock as well as parts of Manhasset.
Dolan has served as a Belgrave Water Pollution Control District commissioner since 2005.
He is a member of the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department and formerly served as a captain.
Belgrave commissioners receive $100 for every meeting they attend.
The district administers sewage services for University Gardens, Russell Gardens, western parts of Great Neck Plaza between Great Neck Road and Cuttermill Road and the unincorporated areas on the peninsula.