Miller to succeed Blakeman on Hempstead town board

State Assemblywoman  Melissa “Missy” Miller (R-Atlantic Beach) is expected to be appointed to the Town of Hempstead board as the representative for the Third Councilmanic District succeeding Bruce Blakeman who will became the Nassau County executive on Jan. 1.

“It has been an honor for me to be able to serve in the New York State Assembly to help the people in my district and all around the State,” Miller posted on Facebook On Feb. 9.  After much soul searching, I have decided to resign from my seat as of this Coming Tuesday.”  

Miller, a lifelong Atlantic Beach resident, has served the 20th Assembly District for the past five years in that time has shown that she can work across the aisle and has become an effective elected officials by co-sponsoring bills in Albany with Democrats and advocating for the disabled community, an issue that hits home as she is the parent of a special needs child, her son Oliver.

“It is no secret that the reason I ran for the Assembly was because of my experiences as a parent of children with special needs,” Miller posted. “I wanted to make a difference and represent the most vulnerable people in our society, people who desperately need a voice in government.”

She was also at the forefront of advocating for the legalization of medicinal marijuana as Oliver suffers from hundreds of daily seizures due to having suffered a pre-birth stroke. The  medically prescribed oil form of marijuana with a low concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC — the compound that gives users a high — could substantially reduce the frequency and severity of the seizures.

“COVID has not been easy for anyone, especially those with special needs, many who could not get much of the care that is so vital to their well being, and Oliver was no exception,” Miller wrote on Facebook. “He has regressed and is very frail. I can no longer in good conscience bring him to Albany every week for the next 4 months.”

Miller wrote that being a town councilwoman will allow to continue serving the public, while caring for her son. “I do believe in the adage, ‘out of adversity comes opportunity.’

Blakeman in his second stint as a town councilman has been on the board since his appointment in 2015. The Valley Stream native who lives in Atlantic Beach began his political career on the town board in 1993 was elected to the County Legislature and went on to serve as the presiding officer from 1996 to 1999. Blakeman has also served as a commissioner for Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from 2001 to 2009. He had lost a series of elections before winning election and re-election to the town board, and defeating Nassau County Executive Laura Curran this November.  

 "Missy Miller has been a champion for our community in the state assembly, and will continue her great work as a member of the Hempstead town board.," Blakeman said in a statement. "I look forward to working closely with her and the rest of the town board to best serve our shared constituents. Missy has the compassion, Intellect, energy, and drive to make a positive impact on all the residents in the third district."

The Third Councilmanic District consists of Atlantic Beach, East Atlantic Beach, Inwood, Lawrence, Meadowmere Park, North Valley Steam, South Valley Stream, and a portion of Cedarhurst, Elmont, Franklin Square, Malverne, Valley Stream, West Hempstead and Woodmere. 

With Miller moving to the Hempstead town board, a special election must be held to fill the vacant seat as the vacancy happened before April 1. The elected person fills the unexpired term and then can run in the general election for the full two-year term.

The 20th A.D. encompasses Atlantic Beach, Cedarhurst, Hewlett, Inwood, Lawrence, Woodmere, Long Beach, Lido Beach, East Rockaway, Island Park, Oceanside and parts of Valley Stream.

Inwood resident Sasha Young, who runs Gammy’s Pantry in the Five Towns Community Center in Lawrence posted on Facebook. “She is and will continue to be amazing!! We are honored for Missy Miller to represent us in any capacity and have complete faith that she will do awesome things for our communities!”