Murray for mayor of Rockville Centre; Howard and Sepe for trustee

It says a lot of good about a community when so many private citizens come forward to volunteer their time and talent in the service of their village. The residents of Rockville Centre have much to be grateful for in that regard, as seven of their fellow citizens have shared their ideas and energy, their sincere concern for the village and, in the case of all but one, their impressive credentials during the recent campaign. Many other villagers have pledged to support and work with them.

Rockville Centre residents have important choices to make on Tuesday, when they will go to the Recreation Center to cast their votes for a mayor and two members of the village Board of Trustees, who will serve for the next four years. They will also have the opportunity to cast a ballot for incumbent Village Justice William J. Croutier Jr., who is running unopposed.

The five-member board now includes Concerned Citizens Mayor Mary Bossart and Trustee David Krasula, who are both seeking re-election. Deputy Mayor Chuck Joyce, who ran on the Concerned Citizens ticket during the last election, will be stepping down. Concerned Citizens Trustee Ed Oppenheimer, whose term runs through 2013 and independent Trustee Kevin Glynn, whose term also expires in 2013, complete the current board.

Challenger Francis Murray is running for mayor on the RVC United Party slate, and is joined by trustee candidates Nancy Howard and Michael Sepe.

Michelle Sewell joins Bossart and Krasula on the Concerned Citizens ticket.

Michael Leboff, a 20-year-old college junior, declared himself an independent candidate for mayor, receiving a lot of publicity at the time, but lately he seems to be missing in action. Although he did meet with Herald editors for an endorsement interview last week, he had little in the way of a platform and seems ill informed about the workings of the village. He didn’t participate in the candidates forum on June 8, saying he’d be out of town. He hasn’t given us a reason to take his candidacy seriously.

So the stage is set: it’s Murray vs. Bossart for mayor while Howard, Krasula, Sepe and Sewell compete for two trustee seats in an at-large election.

Bossart is a highly educated, articulate and passionate advocate for Rockville Centre, dedicating herself to preserving and bettering the village she clearly loves. But she has failed to build strong support from a number of stakeholders, including many in the business community, developers, residents and those in the school district who have been unhappy with her approach and her administration’s policies. She can come across as combative and inflexible. While Bossart cannot be faulted for problems she inherited — and for the worst economy since the Great Depression — when things get tough, it’s not the time to go into battle with your own constituents. We need a mayor who can foster harmony through conciliation and communication.

Francis Murray also clearly loves the village, and has volunteered for numerous organizations for many years, getting to know Rockville Centre residents from all corners of the community. The son of former Mayor Gene Murray, he says he is the person who will bring people together for the good of the village, something we’re seeing in the many different supporters he has attracted. As a successful businessman, Murray says he has the right experience to lead the village through the trying economic times that lie ahead. We believe his positive, can-do approach can help to revitalize Rockville Centre. But we caution him, and the others we are endorsing, that there are some very serious and complicated issues on the way. If our mayor and board lack specific knowledge and expertise, they will have to be certain to surround themselves with people, including independent experts, not just local volunteers, who have it. Good intentions are required, but so is expertise.

Of the trustee candidates, we are particularly impressed with Michael Sepe. He has good, practical ideas and has clearly done his homework. He is well-spoken, on point and appears to have a capacity for details.

It’s a tougher choice among Nancy Howard, David Krasula and Michelle Sewell. Krasula has a depth of knowledge and expertise regarding village issues and obviously cares passionately about his community. But we are troubled by his sometimes strident tone and a seeming animosity toward the school district, a vital and significant part of the Rockville Centre community. The reluctance or inability to bargain and mediate a dispute with the schools and the Fire Department last year led to a low point in the Bossart administration, and we believe that Krasula’s and Bossart’s perspectives were largely responsible for that.

On the other hand, Nancy Howard has long been involved as a volunteer with the village schools and would bring that relationship and other people skills to her position as trustee. She adds balance to the Murray-Sepe ticket.

And while obviously an accomplished professional who is more than willing to serve her community, Michelle Sewell is a relative newcomer to the village and its organizations. We think she should continue her volunteer work and consider running for office after she has had more local experience.

We urge residents to vote for the entire RVC United Party slate on Row B. We think Murray, Howard and Sepe will complement Oppenheimer and Glynn. They are all independent thinkers, and we believe they will create a board that can set Rockville Centre on the right path and lead the village through the next four challenging years.