Barring a successful last-minute write-in vote, the only real question about the seven uncontested election contests in the Villages of Williston Park and Mineola is how many people will turn out to vote.
Village of Williston Park Mayor Paul Ehrbar and Deputy Mayor Kevin Rynne are running in tandem for re-election to second terms as members of the Integrity Party in the village election on March 18.
Rynne had run for a trustee as a member of the Representative Party when he was elected 2010 while Ehrbar had run on the Integrity Party line. Village Trustee Teresa Thomann is seeking re-election for a second term as an independent candidate.
Village Justice Kevin Kiley is also seeking re-election as village justice.
Village of Mineola Deputy Mayor Paul Pereira was nominated to run for re-election as trustee as a member of the New Line Party along with Judge John O’Shea, who is seeking another term as village justice.
Mineola Trustee Paul Cusato, a member of the Home Party, is seeking election to a fifth term.
All three candidates for trustee in Williston Park have emphasized their experience in trying to draw voters to the polls.
“I’d like to continue to improve the overall quality of the village, maintain my personal level of contacts with all residents and continue to make improvements to the village infrastructure,” Ehrbar said
He cited “numerous challenges” the village has faced over the past four years, which Ehrbar said included coping with the state-mandated tax cap and local road repairs.
Ehrbar, who ran the DWI program in the Nassau County Department of Probation before retiring, was elected to the Herricks School Board in 1994. He continued to serve on the Herricks board for the next six years, three of those years as president.
Ehrbar is the second in his family to serve as mayor. His wife, Doreen, served as Williston Park mayor for six years, from 2000 to 2006.
As her husband’s campaign manager, she recently said campaign plans called for planting lawn signs around the village.
Rynne said his primary focus is to keep an eye on taxes and maintain the status quo.
“I think we have a good board in place right now and I want to keep thing going in the right direction,” he said. “I think Paul’s doing a great job and I think this board’s doing a great job for the village.”
Thomann said her concern over pressing issues that will have a long-term impact on the village prompted her to run after she considered stepping down because of family obligations.
An earlier term in office was interrupted by her family responsibilities. In 1994, Mayor Vincent Fay appointed her as the first woman on the village board to replace John Riordan, who left the board to become village justice. With an infant son, Karl, and two daughters, Diana and Stephanie to look after, she decided not to run for re-election.
“I decided to run because there are a couple of outstanding large issues that require experience to bring to the table,” Thomann said.
Thomann has cited the ongoing dispute with the Village of East Williston on how much the Village of Williston Park is charging for water it supplies its neighbor village as one of the key issues that needs to be addressed.
“I think it’s incumbent on both sides for the sake of their residents to bring alternatives to the table to resolve this,” Thomann said.
Polling in Williston Park will take place in the American Legion Hall at 730 Willis Avenue from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
In Mineola, party designations haven’t put Pereira and Cusato on opposing sides with each expressing admiration for the other.
“We look at Paul [Cusato] as a very solid citizen who does a good job. We’re kind of in step more or less,” said Walter Hobbs, president of the New Line Party after the party endorsed Pereira.
He said there was consideration given to Pereira and Cusato running together.
“I’m not running against Paul. We’re not running against each other,” Pereira said. “There’s no issue. People like what Paul has done for the village all these years.”
Pereira and Cusato, both lifelong Mineola residents, have supported the plan to develop the village’s business district – a major focus of the village board.
“In the next decade we’re going to see great things in the village, including tax relief,” Pereira said. “I want to continue to be part of the team that will take the village where we envisioned it will be in the next 10 years.”
Cusato, 65, a 47-year member of the Mineola Fire Department who’s served on the board since 2004, has said he’s seeking re-election to another two-year term because he enjoys working with his fellow trustees.
“It’s just great to be a trustee of the village. We’re moving along. The guys are great,” Cusato said. “We just respect one another’s opinions and we work very well together.”
The most significant aspect of the Mineola election could be that this is the last trustee race for two-year terms. The village board changed the trustee terms to four years after next year’s elections, when the three seats up for grabs will be for three-year terms. That will enable all future trustee elections to occur two years apart.
The polls in Mineola Village Hall at 155 Washington Ave. in Mineola will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on March 18.
