Trustee Penso pushes the envelope and runs for third term
He was elected to the Lynbrook Village Board in March and has served on the Lynbrook school board for six years. But David Penso is not about to rest on past laurels. He has decided to run for the school board again. Penso's decision to run for trustee surprised many, but he says his decision to continue to serve on the school board should not.
"It was always my intention to run for the school board again," said Penso. "If there had been a conflict with running for the school board, I would not have run for trustee. There is nothing more important that making sure the school board does everything right for students."
Making sure the right personnel are in the right places and that the school's financial integrity is above reproach are among a school board member's prime responsibilities, according to Penso. This term, one of his missions, if he's re-elected, will include being diligent that students who live outside the district do not illegally attend district schools.
"Students who do not live in Lynbrook should not attend Lynbrook schools," said Penso. "With increased testing requirements, resources become stretched when students come from outside the district."
Penso said he plans to push for more specific documentation to prove residency, and a key element will be to not only monitor, but to follow through with action. "When we find someone that attends schools living outside the district, actions will be put into place to have that student transferred to the school district in which they live," said Penso. "No one is more diligent than me on this issue."
Penso, who is married to a Lynbrook teacher and has two daughters, is more than willing - he is eager - to serve on both the village and school boards. "I think we can bring a closer, better working relationship between the village and the school district with my serving on both boards in that capacity," he said. "My serving in both positions can bring more positive outcomes than not."
The owner of a top hat business in Malverne, Penso said that what he brings to the school board is "the concerns of the community." He said he is often sought out by residents who express their concerns to him and ask that he bring the issues to the board. Penso is fond of telling them, "My voice is your voice."
One of the issues of this campaign is sure to be the televising of school board meetings. On that issue, Penso said, "It's the same way I felt six years ago. I don't see a problem with televising board meetings. The school district does a great job - why not get it out there?"
According to Penso, the caveat is that "only half the school district residents would be able to view it, because of the difference in cable access. I don't know if that can be addressed now, but I would like to see more productive use of the school district channel, such as the videotaping of school plays, sporting events or staff interviews."
Asked how he planned to balance the responsibilities of village trustee and school board member, Penso produced a poem from his wallet. "I keep this as a remembrance of why I do what I do," he said, and read from the poem, "You make time for what you want to do. For those things you don't want to do, you have no time."
The candidate who won't quit
No one can call Larry Lombardo a quitter. With four unsuccessful campaigns behind him, the Lynbrook resident has decided to run for the school board again this year.
"I'm like the Little Engine that Could," said Lombardo. "But this time I will."
The retired New York City Transit Police sergeant first ran for the school board in 1996, because he felt "residents didn't have the proper communication with the school board." Subsequent campaign issues have included gang violence, bullying, the questionable conflict of school board members negotiating contracts involving their spouses, and the basic desire to get involved.
"I feel like the school board wants us to give them our tax dollars and not ask any questions," said Lombardo. "I'm here to ask the questions they don't want to hear."
Lombardo, married to Lydia and father to a junior at Lynbrook High School, has been known to raise difficult questions at school board meetings, and said he is usually dissatisfied with the answers he receives. He has called the members to task on safety issues, incidents of alleged bullying and his interpretation of the "zero tolerance" policy the district has in place. He categorizes his solutions as grass-roots and fundamental.
"When I saw bullying as an issue, I went to Father Breslawski at Our Lady of Peace parish and asked him to speak to the students about racism and tolerance," explained Lombardo. "I feel we are united and will not tolerate this kind of behavior in Lynbrook."
In part, Lombardo decided to run again when there was a hate crime allegedly committed in the high school that he said the school district was not forthcoming about. He raised the issue at the April 20 school board meeting, saying, "If I don't bring up the issue, it would not be brought out in the open."
Lombardo also says he takes credit for the suspension of a student who was allegedly still in school after being arrested. "If I didn't notify residents and the proper authorities, no action would have been taken," he said. "I'm not trying to bring down the school board, but I see it like a corporation. The school board is like the board of directors who oversees the corporation. Then you have the superintendent, who is like the CEO. The shareholders are the taxpayers, who have a right to all the information. I see it as a team that should be
cohesive."
Also on his platform is the push to get school board meetings televised. Lombardo says he has done his homework and contends that there is no reason why the meetings are not televised. "We pay enough taxes. I think everything should be out in the open," he said. "This way, if I am elected, people can see if I am doing what I promised I would."
With two school board seats up for votes and three candidates running, Lombardo had to choose which incumbent's seat he would pursue. Asked why he was taking on vice president Dave Penso, Lombardo said, "I question his devotion." He said is worried that Penso doesn't have the time to devote himself equally to the village board, to which he was elected in March, and the school board.
"Penso is a paid official for the Village of Lynbrook," explained Lombardo. "If there is a school event and a village event, where do you think he will go? You need to give the students 100 percent of your time, and with his current position, Penso cannot do that. But I can."
An ongoing desire to serve
It is nothing short of amazing that Alicemarie Bresnihan has been a member of the school board for 30 years. This year she is running unopposed.
Married for 50 years and the mother of nine children, Bresnihan has been a constant in the lives of countless Lynbrook students, and will no doubt continue to be as long as she has the desire to serve.
Comments about this story? KBarone@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 202
Candidates Forum
Monday, May 9
8 p.m., Lynbrook High School
Hosted by the Joint Councils of PTA
