By Jeff Lipton
In Lawrence, an extremely contentious election was shaping up, as Deputy Mayor Dr. Jack Levenbrown appeared to be set to battle it out with Simon Felder for the right to replace Mayor Lawrence Blatte, whose term limit expires this year. After the Lawrence Association Nominating Committee decided on Felder as its choice but was overruled by the association's Board of Governors who chose Levenbrown, Felder decided to bow out of the election in the interests of community unity.
There is no question that a contentious election in a small community such as ours would not be a good thing, Levenbrown said. It could tear apart the community.
As a result, Levenbrown will be running for the mayor's post uncontested. If Felder decided to challenge him, it would have been the first contested election in the village since 1988 when Levenbrown first ran for trustee and won.
I've been involved in Lawrence for 25 years, said Levenbrown, who has been village deputy mayor since 1996 and was president of the Lawrence Association for 10 years before 1988.
As for being mayor, Levenbrown said, It's very exciting to be in a position I've been training for all these years. I don't have to learn the ropes. I know it all very well.
I want to make Lawrence the premiere village in Nassau County, he added.
The mayor's post is a two-year term and Blatte is completing his third two-year term, which is the limit.
In other Lawrence elections, Martin Oliner, a member of the Lawrence Association, is seeking Dr. Levenbrown's vacated trustee seat which would be Oliner's first village board seat and Margaret Carpenter is seeking reelection to a second term. Both elections are unopposed.
The polling hours on June 18 are 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Lawrence Village Hall, 196 Central Avenue.
Atlantic Beach
In Atlantic Beach, Mayor Stephen Mahler is seeking his fourth two-year term on June 18 in an unopposed contest.
We've accomplished most of the things I want to accomplish, said Mahler, adding that the village built five bulkheads during his period as mayor. The village celebrated its 40th anniversary on Sunday, June 2.
He also has overseen the complete rehabilitation of village hall and instituted a successful sticker parking program.
In his next term in office, he wants to obtain grant money to rehabilitate some of the roads. That's my primary focus right now, he said. The roads take a terrible beating on Ocean Boulevard. We're always pouring money into Ocean Boulevard. In a small village, we spend a lot of money.
Since he has been mayor he said the village has been hit with an average 2 percent tax hike. This year the tax rate increase was 3.9 percent, mainly to pay off the bond on the new village hall. The tax increases have been negligible. I think the village is running very smoothly, Mahler said.
Also seeking reelection are Janice Goorland and Samuel Mevorach, both of whom are seeking their second term.
The polls are open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at village hall, 65 The Plaza.
Hewlett Bay Park
In Hewlett Bay Park, Mayor Mitchell Sahn is seeking another two-year term, while Andrea Soskel is seeking reelection to a two-year trustee position. Nina Kreisner is running for a trustee post being vacated by Joseph Fife, who decided not to run for reelection.
Village Justice Stephanie Kaufman is seeking another four-year term. Polls will be open noon to 9 p.m. at Village Hall, 30 Piermont Avenue.
Hewlett Neck
In Hewlett Neck, Mayor Mitchell Dix is running for reelection to the two-year post, while trustee Aaron Kagan is seeking his two-year seat as village trustee. The polls will be open noon to 9 p.m. at the Keystone Yacht club, at the foot of Woodmere Boulevard in Hewlett Neck.
Woodsburgh
In Woodsburgh, trustees Edmond Mukamal and Marc Stern are running for reelection to the two-year posts. Polls will be open noon to 9 p.m. at the Keystone Yacht Club.
