By:Nicole Falco
The election is scheduled for March 16. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, Coffman and Fare were the only candidates who submitted petitions at Village Hall. Once again, Coffman is running on the United Community Party ticket, just as Mayor Edward Cahill, Deputy Mayor Guido Cirenza, Trustee Joann Antun and Judge Robert Bogle did when they were all re-elected last year. Fare, a first-time candidate for trustee, is also running on the United Party ticket.
Zabatta, who remarried in the fall of 2002 after being widowed, plans to retire to South Carolina.I don-t know how much time anybody has, Zabatta said, I have the opportunity to be [in South Carolina] and my term was up. The timing was right, [though] I do hate to leave Valley Stream.
We-ll work together for the betterment of the village, Cahill said of the board members and the two candidates. [Running on the same ticket] keeps the board unified ... that doesn-t mean we don-t have our differences.
Prior to serving on the Village Board, Coffman was a member of the Village Planning Board, having been appointed by former Mayor John DeGrace. Coffman served on that board for five years before being tapped to run alongside former Mayor James Darcy now a Hempstead town councilman eight years ago.
Public works is my life, Coffman said. I take pride in my community. We have started a lot of projects to rebuild the community-s infrastructure that I-d like to see through.
Recent projects initiated by the board include road improvements, renovations to the Hendrickson Park pool complex and park refurbishments. I-m really proud of our work, Coffman said.
Coffman is a 32-year resident of the village, where he raised two daughters, Leslie 22, and Susie, 18, both of whom are now in college. He is a member of New York No. 1 Elks Lodge and American Legion Andrew Fatscher Post 854, and a former member of the Wheeler Avenue School PTA and Central/Memorial PTSA. Coffman is a fleet manager for the New York City Department of Sanitation, overseeing 80 facilities and 500 pieces of equipment.
Coffman-s running mate is a lifelong Valley Stream resident who teaches technology at South High and owns a driving school, Driver Safety Associates. Prior to working at South, Fare taught at Central High for 16 years. He currently serves on both the Village Planning Board and the Architectural Review Board.
I never leave the village, Fare said. I live in Valley Stream. I work at Valley Stream South. I-m in the fire department. I-m in the historical society.
A former captain of the Valley Stream Fire Department, Fare is a 23-year volunteer who currently serves as treasurer. He is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Taxpayers Association, the Republican Club, the Central High School Alumni Association and the Wheeler Avenue School PTA. Fare and his wife of 13 years, Ronni, have three children, Samantha, 11, Jessica, 8, and Andrew, 5.
Fare said his decision to run came easily. Knowing of his longtime involvement in the community, friends and neighbors often bring their problems and concerns to him. Becoming a trustee has been a lifelong goal. I always wanted to be a trustee, Fare said. I always wanted to be in government to help out my friends and neighbors.
Proposition
Also on the ballot will be a proposition to modify the Defined Benefit Service Award Program for Valley Stream-s volunteer firefighters. The program is common in communities throughout New York state that rely on volunteers. It was made possible by a bill passed by the state Legislature, and initiated in 1991 as a way of alleviating the difficulties of recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters and emergency service technicians.
Through the program, firefighters can receive pensions. Currently, firefighters are entitled to $20 a month for every year of credited service up to 20 years, with a maximum monthly benefit of $400, which they must be at least 65 to collect. The proposed modifications include lowering the age of entitlement to 62 and increasing the maximum monthly benefit to $600, or $20 a month for every year of credited service up to 30 years. The estimated annual cost of the modified plan is $265,000, up from approximately $160,000.
In explaining his support for the proposition, Mayor Edward Cahill said, They are volunteers. They do a great job. They respond 24 hours, seven days a week. They are at the scene of almost everything that happens in Valley Stream.
