Bonilla has earned another term

The town clerk’s position in Hempstead encompasses a range of administrative tasks, from managing a department of more than 100 employees to overseeing the issuance of vital documents such as marriage licenses, birth and death certificates, passports and an array of permits, and keeping all those records up to date.

It is not a job that demands much interaction with constituents — like, for instance, a representative of a legislative district — but incumbent Republican Town Clerk Mark Bonilla has made it a habit to send out Hempstead’s Mobile Town Hall, from which he and his staffers work with members of the public who are in need of those documents.

Making it easier for them to get everything from commuter parking lot permits to child safety identification kits is an example of positive public service. Whether it’s helping parents keep their children safer or seeking to create an ID card for seniors, Bonilla has made the clerk’s office more responsive to residents’ needs. He takes constituent relations seriously, and expects the people who work for him to act respectfully and professionally when handling residents’ requests.

Many permit applications can be accessed through the town’s website, and updating its technology is part of Bonilla’s agenda. He also makes it a point to visit schools and show young people, especially young Hispanics, what they can achieve. Bonilla is understandably proud of being the first Hispanic elected to a townwide position in Hempstead.

His Democratic challenger, Steve Anchin, brought up the idea of conducting an audit of the clerk’s department to find ways to reduce spending and eliminate waste. There’s no doubt that scrutinizing how a department goes about its business is a good way to improve efficiency and cut unnecessary expenses.

We look forward to the town clerk’s office making that proposal a reality — but under the leadership of Bonilla, whose experience and mastery of his job have earned him our endorsement for another two-year term.