By Anthony Rifilato
The five-year seat up for grabs is currently held by Dennis Meekins, of Baldwin, and is being challenged by Baldwin residents Linda Degen and Ralph Rose, both of whom have run unsuccessfully for the board in the past. Those candidates maintain that more needs to be done to improve quality of life in Baldwin, and that officials need to focus on saving taxpayers' money.
Sanitary District No. 2 commissioners oversee a $7.5 million budget and establish rules governing solid waste removal, recycling, and code enforcement for Baldwin, Roosevelt and South Hempstead. Commissioners are paid $7,500 a year.
Last year, the board was shaken up after two commissioners, Ron Gilchrist of Roosevelt and Thomas Forte of South Hempstead, lost their seats to Baldwin residents John Cools and Brian O'Connor, which led many to believe that commissioners from Baldwin only had a vested interest in their hometown. All current candidates said they would represent the entire district, not just Baldwin.
Other issues, which were touched on last year, are still being addressed by candidates, including hiring and promotional practices, code enforcement and holding the line on taxes.
(Editor's note: Because we cannot obtain an official list of candidates from Sanitary District No. 2 until July 21, this roster may be incomplete. If you are running for the board, please contact the Herald at 516-569-4000 ext. 282. We will run additional profiles next week if necessary.)
Dennis Meekins
Dennis Meekins, the incumbent, has been on the board since 1988. A Baldwin resident for more than 60 years, Meekins was instrumental in creating Sanitary District No. 2's recycling program and has worked on many of the district's projects, including the Big Sweep, the Business of the Month, the Classy Cans project and the street-sweeping project. He served as chairman of the Board of Commissioners from 1999 to September 2001.
"In the last few years, the board has taken great steps to clean the district," said Meekins.
Meekins said that Sanitary District No. 2 has also improved code enforcement district-wide. If re-elected, Meekins said he would address the need for legislation in order to step up programs such as the Keep America Beautiful and Classy Cans Project.
"We're just looking to improve," he said.
Meekins worked for Pepsi-Cola for more than 17 years in addition to owning and operating a Baldwin business with his wife, Dina. He has also owned a home-improvement business for more than 30 years.
Meekins was the recipient of the Joe Langford Award in 1978 for his service to the youth of Baldwin. In 1990, he received the New York State Certificate of Merit for Community Service and a Certificate of Appreciation for his help with the Dollars for Scholars program. He was also honored as the Baldwin Republican Club's Man of the Year in 1999.
Meekins is a member of Keep Baldwin Beautiful, Long Island Sanitation Officials Association, the New York State Association of Solid Waste Management, the Knights of Columbus, the American Legion Post #246, and the Baldwin Republican Club, in which he served as a committeeman.
Meekins explained that he is concerned with the entire district and said that Sanitary District No. 2 is addressing the litter problem adequately. "It's a problem that exists in all municipalities," Meekins said of litter issues that affect the district. "Sanitation is doing everything they can."
Linda Degen
Linda Degen, of Baldwin, a medical secretary, part-time bus driver and mother of a 6-year-old son, is running on a platform of reform. She is a member of the Baldwin Community Association and the Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, among other groups, and this is Degen's second run for the board.
"My campaign last year focused on political patronage," said Degen, 43. "I do feel that some positive changes have been made."
But there are still issues that need to be addressed, she said, namely taxes, which she said are rising steadily. "I feel that from my experience, there are definitely ways we can cut that budget," she said. Specifically, Degen said that money can be saved by eliminating some senior positions through attrition and determining whether or not a position is necessary.
Degen also remains adamant about restricting the use of district vehicles for personal use. But she is also campaigning with quality-of-life issues in mind. One of her new initiatives would include working with the county to impose an ordinance on store owners that would require them to be responsible for not only the cleanliness of their sidewalks, but 18 inches into the street as well. Degen said that forcing store owners to be more responsible for the upkeep of their store fronts "will make a huge difference."
"That's something I will work very hard on," she said.
Degen also said more needs to be done to stave off trash buildup in Baldwin, such as businesses who put out garbage early, which is an eyesore, she said.
'You can't put out your garbage until 7 p.m. the night before pickup," she said.
Degen also maintains that she will be a voice not only for Baldwin, but for Roosevelt and South Hempstead as well. Last week, Degen spoke at the South Hempstead Civic Association meeting to emphasize that point.
"I think the board should appoint a representative to South Hempstead and Roosevelt as long as there are five commissioners from Baldwin," she said. "I promised them that if I win, I'll represent them."
Ralph Rose
Ralph Rose, 51, is not new to this race, either. If elected, Rose said he doesn't want a salary or benefits. "This time I'm running for free," he said.
This is his fifth attempt, but he remains optimistic that residents will be drawn to the issues he wants to address, primarily that the district, because of its small size, should be providing the best service.
Rose is a 33-year veteran of the Town of Hempstead's Sanitation Department and a 19-year veteran of the Baldwin Fire Department. He also is active in the Baldwin Chamber of Commerce and Baldwin Bombers football, and is a church youth leader.
Rose maintains that the work of a Sanitary District No. 2 commissioner should be on a volunteer basis, without such an exorbitant salary and benefits packages, arguing that school board members and fire commissioners are not paid. He also said that commissioners should have two-year term limits. "I believe in volunteerism," said Rose.
He said he is sticking to the agenda he pursued last year, namely that the district can be run more effectively. He lauded district employees, but said that more needs to be done to keep the district clean. "It could be streamlined a lot," said Rose. "I think it could be run more effectively."
Rose said that in order to do this, district contracts need to be reviewed. He said that the way contracts are now meted out seems like patronage. "I want to make sure they're buying the best product," he said.
Rose also said that the use of Ford Expedition SUVs by supervisors isn't economical. Though he said the recent street-sweeping initiative on Grand Avenue is a positive, he is concerned that the program will be cut back because of the county's fiscal crisis.
If elected, Rose said he would like the district to try a pilot program in which a used street sweeper would be purchased from New York City through a bidding process, something the Town of Hempstead does regularly. This way, more special projects can be done in the district. "I'm tired of seeing stuff on the street," he said.
Candidates Forum
The Baldwin Community Association will stage its third annual Sanitation Commissioner Candidates Forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters, on Wednesday, July 23 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Coral House in Baldwin. The public is encouraged to attend, and questions can be submitted at the forum.
The Sanitary District No. 2 election will be held on Thursday, July 31 from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the following locations: Sanitary District No. 2 office, 2080 Grand Ave., Baldwin; Covert School, Long Beach Road and Willow Street, South Hempstead; and Queen of the Most Holy Rosary gymnasium, 196 Centennial Ave., Roosevelt. For questions, call the sanitation office at 223-3207.
