by Anthony Bottan and Mary Malloy
In East Rockaway, two incumbents are running unopposed for trustee seats. The village justice seat is unopposed as well.
In the weeks leading up to the March 18 election, the Herald will be running stories about the candidates: what they stand for, what they hope to accomplish, and why they would be the best man - or woman - for the job.
Below are brief biographies of the candidates.
David Penso, Lynbrook Pride Party
Lynbrook trustee candidate
David Penso has been a resident of Lynbrook since 1957, and a member of the Lynbrook Auxiliary Police for 32 years. He was a member of the Lynbrook Board of Education for nine years.
Penso was elected in March 2005 as a Lynbrook village trustee. His goal, he said, was to be a voice of the residents on the vllage board. "My concern has always been to do what is in the best interests of our residents, the people that pay our bills. I believe I have accomplished that over the last four years." Penso said he does not believe in one-party domination and feels that if that occurs, the special interests in the village will have unchecked access to village hall. "The Lynbrook Pride Party has only the best interests of the entire village at heart while our opponents do not. If re-elected, I will continue to represent the needs of the entire community, not a select few"
Penso and his wife, Joanne, have two daughters, Michelle and Lauren.
Tom Miccio, Lynbrook Pride Party
Lynbrook trustee candidate
Tom Miccio is a lifelong resident of Lynbrook. He served on the village board for 16 years, the last five of those years as deputy mayor (2002-07).
He was instrumental in the building of the village pool and was a part of the village's downtown revitalization. He was the liaison to the Building Department and the Recreation Department.
Miccio has been self-employed for the last 16 years as a accountant and tax professional. He has coached soccer and basketball teams through the recreation department, and is a lifelong member of Our Lady of Peace Church. He and his wife of 25 years, Marie, have two children: Mark and Katherine.
"I am running again because I believe the village is headed in the wrong direction," said Miccio. "We need to make tough decisions in these very tough times, and we need to provide oversight over the current administration to maintain a check and balance over our government."
Mark Panzavecchia, Lynbrook Pride Party, Lynbrook village
justice candidate
A partner at Panzavecchia & Associate's Garden City office, Mark A. Panzavecchia's principle practice areas are in personal injury, negligence, toxic tort litigation, premises liability, criminal defense, and commercial litigation. He has successfully tried numerous civil and criminal cases in New York, Florida, and in Federal Court. "I am really proud that I represented three 9/11 families, pro bono, and the widows got more than they were initially offered," he said.
Prior to joining the firm, Mark worked for nearly six years as an assistant district attorney with the Bronx County district attorney's office. where he had extensive jury trial experience by trying to verdict over fifty criminal cases, including murder, organized crime, gang offenses and narcotics.
"My goal is to do my job as efficiently as possible and be fair to the residents and the village." He and his wife, Andrea, live in Lynbrook with their children Ryan, Brooke and Jack.
Hilary Becker, New Vision
Party Party
Lynbrook trustee candidate
A certified property manager, he is president and founder of Becker Real Estate Services, Inc. based in Lynbrook. He holds numerous positions with trade associations and is an adjunct professor at Long Island University School of Continuing Education and Molloy College. Becker is president of the Lynbrook Youth Athletic Association, head coach of a youth wrestling program and a girls self defense program; past member of Catholic Charities Real Estate Committee, vice chairperson for Franklin Hospital Medical Center advisory board, chairperson of the St. Raymond's Stewardship Committee, and president of the Board of Directors of MOMMAS House. His was chosen as the Humanitarian of the Year from the Institute of Real Estate Management.
Becker and his wife, Geralyn, have four children: Noelle, Joe, Dave, and Tom.
Mike Hawxhurst, New Vision Party
Lynbrook trustee candidate
Since moving to Lynbrook in 1995, Hawxhurst has become a member of the Citizen's Budget Committee, Lynbrook School Board Building Utilization Committee, Winter Celebration Committee, and the Lynbrook Village Summer swim team. He has also been involved in the planning of the annual Lynbrook Expo and Lynbrook Summer Celebration and served as an assistant for Lynbrook Titans lacrosse and St. Raymond's CYO swim team. He is an executive director, regional portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley. He holds a Master's Degree in Taxation from St. John's University and a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting with a Minor in Economics from SUNY Albany.
"I am running for trustee to help the families of Lynbrook in these tough times, people are hurting." he said. "...we must do all within our power and to fight to keep our Lynbrook residents and their families safe, thriving and prosperous."
Hawxhurst and his wife, Melissa, have two children, Hannah and Sarah.
William McLaughlin, New Vision Party, Lynbrook village justice candidate
William McLaughlin, a lifelong resident of Lynbrook and has been a member of the Lynbrook Fire Department since 1970, serving as a Warden of the Fire Department since 1987. He was a New York City Firefighter for 20 years, and retired in 1993 to practice law full time.
McLaughlin is experienced in handling all types of personal injury files from intake through trial. He has Supreme Court trial experience in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Rockland Counties, and extensive experience in depositions, all real estate legal issues, Surrogate Court, and criminal defense work.
He is currently principal of Law Office of William J. McLaughlin. He earned his Juris Doctor from St. John's University School of Law in 1983 and previously served as a partner of O'Brien, McLaughlin & Kenny from 1996-2003
McLaughlin and his wife, Marianne, have four children: Meghan Zelles, Brian, Kevin and Kara.
EAST ROCKAWAY
Bruno Romano, E.R. Pride Party
East Rockaway trustee candidate
Bruno Romano, a nine-year village trustee and 40-year resident of East Rockaway, is running for his third term in office on the board.
He is liaison to the ER Fire Department, Senior Citizen Center, the Beautification Committee and the DPW. He initiated the E.A.R.N. program for community businesses and was instrumental in continuing the flu immunization program for the village's senior citizens. He helped increase the budget for the village's road improvement project, was a key cog in the Tree Planting program, and authorized the building of the 9/11 Memorial.
He and his wife, Theresa, live in East Rockaway with their sons Anthony and Joseph.
"My objective," Romano said, "is to continue the many wonderful programs and events which we have in our village. I also look forward to continue working with our businesses in an effort to prosper in today's economic situation."
Irene Villacci, E.R. Pride Party
East Rockaway trustee candidate
Trustee Irene V. Villacci was elected as a trustee of the Village of East Rockaway in 2005. She serves as the liaison to the department of Public Works, the Ethics Board, the Library Board, the Tree Advisory Committee, the Houses of Worship, the Special Events Committee and the CATV Committee. She is also a member of the Village's Recodification and Negotiations Committees. Villacci recently began her term as a Vice President of the Village Foundation of East Rockaway. She has lived in East Rockaway since 2000. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the New York State Bar Association, and the Nassau County Bar Association.
"I have enjoyed immensely working with various committees and departments of the village on various projects, and on new laws that have made life in East Rockaway that much more enjoyable," she said. "I look forward to continuing the work that our current administration has begun, and especially to continue my work with the residents."
Steve Siegel, E.R. Pride Party
East Rockaway village justice
candidate
Steve Siegel has been a village justice of East Rockaway for the past five years and is seeking a second full-term.
He is a member of the board of directors for the Peninsula Counseling Center, and past board member of the Treatment and Research Advancement (TARA) Association for Personality Disorder, and Hofstra University School of Law. He currently works at the Law Offices of Steven Siegel in Garden City. His responsibilities include handling medical malpractice cases and other complex negligence actions. He is also assistant district attorney for Queens County in Kew Gardens, New York, in its Special Victims Bureau.
Siegel said he is most proud of his youth internship program, which he started two years ago, in which students from junior high school through college learn the workings of the judiciary system. "It's the most meaningful work I have ever done," Siegel said. "This work is greatly gratifying."
