Oceanside Sanitation District No. 7 OKs $8.9M budget

Election set for Sept. 15

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With the Oceanside Sanitation District No. 7 election fast approaching next month, the district’s board of dommissioners finalized its $8.9 million 2021 budget, which will include a 1 percent tax cut for the community.

“On the budget committee, we wanted to execute a 1 percent tax cut, and did research through our ac-countant and discovered that we had to cut about $90,000 from last year’s budget,” board Chairman Austin Graff said. “We were able to accomplish it.”

To arrive at the budget, the commissioners trim-med planned expenditures, deciding not to purchase a new sanitation truck and cutting other budget lines. Commissioners also plan to dip into a $5 million surplus, accrued by staying under budget in previous years, to fund the truck. Last year they voted for no tax increase, and this year, Graff said, they wanted to take it a step further. The spending plan also includes regular deep-cleaning of trucks and equipment as the coronavirus pandemic drags on.

“I think the other taxing authorities in Oceanside are raising taxes and increasing costs for the taxpayers,” Graff said. “Oceanside sanitation is reducing the cost and providing the same great service to the community.”

The board of commissioners approved the budget on Aug. 13, and the Hempstead Town Board will vote on it by Sept. 15, which is also the day of the sanitation district’s commissioners election. The election was originally scheduled for June, but it was postponed by executive order of Gov. Andrew Cuomo because of the pandemic.

Board Co-chairman John Mannone and Commissioner Ryan Hemsley are running for five- and two-year terms, respectively. Hemsley must run because he took over the term of former commissioner Matthew Horowitz, who stepped down from the board in January, citing conflicts with his job. Because Hemsley assumed office in the middle of the term, he must run and win to finish out the two years. Hemsley works as a sheet metal worker in Queens and is a member of the Local 28 union. Mannone, an attorney, has been a board member since 2015.

Hemsley said he planned to run again because he wanted to help make a difference on the board, and to oversee projects, such as replacing aging recycling bins and garbage pails in the community.

“My goal in the future is to keep the workers healthy, just like we did during the pandemic, to keep everything in motion and to look out for the community as much as possible,” he said, “and to be as transparent as possible on the board.”

Mannone did not respond to a request for comment.

Graff said there were seven potential candidates who took applications to run for commissioner, but none had been turned one in as of press time on Monday. Candidates must collect 25 signatures on a petition and send them into sanitation headquarters by Sept. 4 to be eligible to run. The petition offers the opportunity to run for the two-year or five-year seat, and Graff said he was unsure how many people planned to return their petitions.

Dawn Whritenour, a bookkeeper, said she planned to run for commissioner because as a 17-year resident of Oceanside, she has seen too much controversy come out of the district, citing past lawsuits and the misspending of taxpayer dollars.

“I know that within the municipalities, there is waste as well as possible fraud,” Whritenour said. “I have an opportunity to utilize my skills in a way that would hopefully reduce these concerns.”

She added that she believed the board should have commissioners with no ties to sanitation to avoid conflicts of interest.

Oceansider Dan Ramos, the owner of Danny’s Drive-in Cleaners, said he also planned to run for a seat, citing his desire to remain community-driven, much like his endeavors with the Oceanside Knights of Columbus, the St. Anthony’s Parish and the PTA.

“I have been interested in running for Oceanside sanitation for several years, but did not see running against friends and acquaintances run for open positions,” Ramos said. “This year I choose to run to help my community to improve what we have in Oceanside sanitation. Many look to criticize corruption, yet ignore the strides that have been made since 2013.”

He added that he had experience and leadership for the position, and that he planned to be transparent while stopping wasteful spending.

The election is slated for Sept. 15 from 3 to 10 p.m. at sanitation headquarters, at 90 Mott St. in Oceanside. Graff said that social distancing will be enforced, and lines will be set up outside to limit the number of people in the building at a time. Voters must wear masks when they come inside to cast their votes.

“I encourage everyone to come out to vote for your sanitation commissioners,” Graff said. “It’s important to participate in local government, and this is the way for taxpayers and residents to actively participate in who governs their garbage.”

 

Full candidate profiles will appear in the Herald after the Sept. 4 deadline.