Thursday, October 1, 2026
Former Rockville Centre Mary Bossart expressed disapproval of current Mayor Francis Murray’s recent letter to village residents at the village board meeting on Nov. 7.
The letter, entitled “My first 100 days as your Mayor,” was sent to residents as an explanation of what his administration found when it took office in June and what it has been doing since.
In the letter, the Mayor highlights fiscal difficulties, electric department deficits, infrastructure neglect and poor working relationships as problems left by the previous administration.
“The Village in the past two years has failed to deal effectively with current economic conditions, thereby assuring tenuous budget conditions for the current fiscal year,” the letter stated. “There has been an exodus of qualified people from Village departments and low morale among those who remain.”
During the special public comment section of Monday’s board of trustees meeting, Bossart delivered a prepared speech reproaching Murray for some of the perceived implications of the letter.
“It was with surprise and dismay that I received your letter last week detailing your first hundred years in office,” Bossart said. “I was surprised because, although you won the election in June, apparently for you the campaign is not over.”
Bossart went on to refute accusations of an ineffective administration and provide reasons for difficulties the current mayor is facing. Bossart detailed, among other actions, her opposition to the original application by AvalonBay, which when changed, resulted in additional money for the village.
“I think it will take some doing for your administration, young as it as at [this] time, to measure up to this standard of fiscal responsibility,” Bossart said.
The reason for a delay in a rate increase for the electric department, Bossart said, was a difference in opinion among the previous board, which resulted in a split vote. She continued by noting that the roadwork being done in the village was a long process that began during her own administration.
“Being a Monday morning quarterback is easy, but it’s not helpful,” Bossart said. “It is past time to leave campaign mode.”
Mayor Murray did not respond at the meeting, but said the next day that a large majority of the reaction he has received in regard to the letter has been positive.
“When we were running for office, peoples’ main concerns were parking, our fields and a lack of communication from the village board, so the letter, we felt, had to be said,” Murray said. “It wasn’t against anyone personally, it was just what we’ve found there.”
Murray also noted that though he has not spoken with Bossart directly, he would like to.
