HELP WANTED. Position: Mayor of Great Neck Estates. Upcoming election, March 19th.
Requirements: Capable of making cost-effective decisions and experience in cost benefit analyses.
While there is already one candidate applying for the job, David Fox, a democracy is ill served by uncontested elections. This is not to impugn all.
George Washington served well. But looking over the resume of Mr. Fox (by the way, he is the incumbent mayor) it reads in some sections like the aftermath of another Hurricane Sandy.
To be fair, not all is bad with this applicant. He recently was honored with the Janusz Korcgak Award from the Shomrim Society.
Mr. Fox is also willing, he says, to volunteer his time at no remuneration despite having a full-time occupation.
Even though most people work full time and also ask for no monetary compensation raising and/or mentoring children, doing charity work, supporting civic and religious organizations, etc., a summary of Mr. Fox’s work as mayor deserves mention in the same breath a tornado might exhale.
First, the police booth. Turned to rubble.
It was cherished for its charm and vintage architecture. And adequately served the needs of a small village with little crime.
Replacement cost? $750,000. A cost-effective effort at preservation? Priceless.
Second, the municipal parking lot, uprooted of its forest of meter poles, ever described in eulogies as user friendly. Cost of replacement? Two Muni-Meters at $300,000.
Any saving from maintenance costs will take 30 years. Wait five, another payment technology will be at hand.
Third, the beautiful park land gracing the Village Hall, sheared in half. It would make way for nine additional parking spaces.
A gentle setting for over 10 decades, the street in front begged to offer place. Even the municipal lot, a hike not 10 steps yonder offered requisition.
The dollar cost in this case could not be determined at this time.
A FOIL request has sat mired three and a half weeks in some Fox-hole of incumbent privilege.
Fourth, the tens of thousands of dollars that were ripped from resident’s pockets and swallowed up by tree service companies promising damage relief come the next big storm.
Residents were not braced against fines reaching $2,500 per day strong, and a dubious measure the mayor enacted held sway. But the winds blew the other way.
While 550,000 Long Islanders out of 1,100,00 saw their power restored within six days, Great Neck Estates residents waited at least 10.
One particular study, done in Pennsylvania, showed that tree trimming programs are effective in reducing power outage times by 20 percent to 30 percent. But the mayor was awash in arrogance aloft advice by other studies showing factors also important to consider – all brought to his attention and dismissed.
Uncontested elections can empower candidates into acting as though victory was by landslide.
The noise in the forest is deemed silent when ‘choice’ does not avail. Hopefully though, a write-in candidate will materialize on the ballot come Tuesday, and offer a clearing breeze.
In this regard, the name Howard Hershehorn has been suggested by a number of residents. He is presently a trustee. And while he has absolutely no hand in this letter, disaster relief would be certain.
Richard Shein
Great Neck
