Village of North Hills Trustee Gail Cohen is running in an uncontested race for re-election to her position on the village board in a June 19 election.
Cohen was appointed to succeed her late husband, Gerard, as trustee by North Hills Mayor Marvin Natiss last year.
Her husband died suddenly after winning re-election as trustee last summer. Cohen is running in the special election for a three-year term on the board.
“I want to continue this legacy of what he started,” Cohen said. “It’s been fulfilling, but bittersweet of course.”
Cohen said she has enjoyed the experience of serving on the village board and is looking forward to continuing to work with her fellow trustees.
“I’m happy to be part of this great team. I’m looking forward to serving our village for the next three years,” she said. “The board is a terrific group of individuals. We’re very united in keeping North Hills a premiere residential community.”
Gail Cohen, 55, is president of the Ernst Van-Praag New York Group of Ernst Van-Praag, Inc., a marketing firm. She also owns and operates Storage 1-2-3, Inc., a self-storage facility, and a file and record-storage facility, in New Hyde Park that was formerly her husband’s business.
“I think I’ve been a valuable asset to the board,” she said.
Cohen is a member of the Nassau County Village Officer’s Association, the Greater New Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce and the New York State Self Storage Association.
She is also a former regent of the Film Society of Lincoln Center.
Natiss appointed Cohen to the position in what he described as a “natural segue” last year.
While she is running unopposed, Cohen did not dismiss the possibility of a write-in candidate emerging at the last minute for next week’s election.
“I’m not concerned but in an off-year election you still want to get your residents out to vote,” she said.
Voting will take place at the North Hills Village Hall from noon to 9 p.m. on June 19.
