Sea Cliff’s Colin Bell pledges to protect North Shore environment and strengthen infrastructure in Nassau county district 11

Colin Bell, a lifelong Sea Cliff resident and longtime public servant, says his two decades of government experience have prepared him to “get things done” for Nassau County’s 11th Legislative District.
Bell, 46, began his municipal career in 2003 with the Town of Oyster Bay’s Workforce Development Program, helping unemployed residents secure training and job placement with federal funding. He later rose to deputy commissioner of the town’s Department of Intergovernmental Affairs, and is now deputy commissioner of environmental resources. “I’ve administered more than $100 million in federal and state aid without ever dropping a ball,” Bell said. “There’s not much in municipal government that I haven’t had exposure to.”
Bell said his decision to run stems from a deep connection to the North Shore community where he was born and raised. “Sea Cliff is a diamond in the rough,” he said. “I want to preserve its small-town character and protect the quality of life that makes it special.”
He cited his opposition to a proposed battery-energy-storage facility in nearby Glenwood Landing as a catalyst for entering the race. “That was a dangerous proposal,” he said, faulting current leadership for failing to resist such projects earlier in the process. He criticized the state’s RAPID Act — which allows energy-infrastructure siting decisions to bypass local zoning — for lacking transparency and local input. If elected, Bell said, he would encourage every municipality in Nassau County to develop its own zoning codes for battery storage facilities “closest to the people,” ensuring that local conditions and safety concerns are reflected in the law.
Throughout the discussion with reporters at a Herald roundtable, Bell repeatedly tied economic progress to infrastructure investment. He pointed to his role in securing an $8.7 million state Downtown Revitalization grant for Hicksville, emphasizing that “a thriving economy starts with safe, attractive downtowns where businesses want to be.”

Environmental issues also dominate his campaign agenda. Representing a district that “hugs Hempstead Harbor,” Bell said he regularly hears complaints about water quality, stormwater runoff and communities without sewer systems. He supports expanding those systems, installing stormwater filtration devices and advancing “green infrastructure,” such as rain gardens and bioswales. He also wants to expand shellfish restoration to protect local waters.
In the wake of recent coastal flooding, Bell said that Nassau County must prepare for rising sea levels. He favors updated building codes to require higher base elevations for homes in flood zones, raising critical roads and widening drainage pipes — measures he helped implement after Superstorm Sandy through the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery.
“We have to face the reality of rising seas,” he said, explaining that municipalities must plan for long-term resiliency through zoning updates and hazard-mitigation investments.
He added that while he supports green infrastructure, he opposes energy proposals like the Propel NY Energy transmission line and the Glenwood Landing battery project in their current forms, citing transparency and safety concerns.
Ultimately, Bell said, voters should choose him because of his proven record in government. “In 20 years, I’ve learned how government works and how to get things done,” he said. “I think that experience is valuable for the people of this district.”