Meet the library, school board candidates

When Rockville Centre residents go to the polls on May 19, they will have many things to cast their ballots for.

In addition to voting for the school and library budgets, residents will also have to decide who will be sitting on the library’s Board of Trustees.

There is a three-way race for two library board seats this year, with incumbents Eileen Burke Bucaria and Andrea Cascardi Maher being challenged by Jason Paulsen, who also ran last year.

On the school board, incumbents Liz Dion and Mark Masin are running unopposed.

Eileen Burke Bucaria

Burke Bucaria is running for her fifth term as a library trustee, having already served for 15 years.

“I still think I have a lot to offer in terms of experience,” Burke Bucaria said. “I have the experience of working the public sector as a teacher. I think that brings a different element to the board.”

Burke Bucaria said she is a patron as well as a trustee. She said she tries to see the library from the patron’s point of view, and over the years has worked to maintain the building and update the services that the library provides.

“There’s always the dangers that someone becomes entrenched, but I think it’s just the opposite,” she said. “I think I bring a proven record of conscientious dedication. And because I’m involved in a lot of other things in the community, I have a good sense of the needs and patrons of the library.”

She said that she is proud to have been part of a few major capital projects during her tenure, including the installation of the library’s new HVAC system. Burke Bucaria also said she’s proud of how the library has managed to stay relevant and keep up with the changes of the 21st century.

“One of the things that I’ve been really proud of is that I have rarely missed a board meeting,” she said. “Being there and hearing from people and being part of the decision process, I think is a very important part of being a board member.”

Andrea Cascardi Maher

Cascardi Maher is running for her second term as a library trustee.

A former PTA president, Cascardi Maher also has years of experience with books as a former editor and literary agent for children’s and young adult book publishers.