The following information was submitted by the Citizens’ Party candidate, who is running unopposed for Mayor of Floral Park.
Thomas J. Tweedy is seeking election as mayor of Floral Park. Tom serves as deputy mayor and has been a village trustee for 10 years. He was reelected to his fifth term last March. Tom is running on the Citizens’ Party ticket with fellow Citizens’ Party candidates, Trustee Mary-Grace Tomecki, Trustee Dominick A. Longobardi and the Honorable Village Justice Douglas J. Hayden, all of whom are seeking re-election. Tom was first appointed by former Mayor Ann Corbett in 2001 and, today, serves with Mayor Kevin Greene and Trustee James E. Rhatigan.
Tom is a lifelong resident of Floral Park, having graduated from Our Lady of Victory in 1970, Xavier High School in 1974 and Boston College in 1978. Professionally, Tom is a principal in Edwin S. Tweedy, Inc., a member of the Floral Park Chamber of Commerce and a 68-year family owned general construction-construction management firm. Tom and his family are familiar to many. Tom and his wife, MaryAnn, are 30-year homeowners and neighbors in the West End. They have two children: Michael, a 2007 St. John’s grad working in data management with Quest Diagnostics and Caitlin, a 2009 Boston College grad who is pursuing her Master’s Degree in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education at Hunter College.
The quality of life we enjoy has been enriched through Tom’s hard work and advocacy on behalf of the village from outside our borders. Recently former Mayor Phil Guarnieri said, “Our success in derailing the Third Track would not have happened without the tireless efforts and consistent effective lobbying by Tom Tweedy.” Tom appeared at public information forums in Garden City, the Legislative Breakfast of the Nassau County Village Officials Association, civic associations in New Hyde Park and Garden City informing those residents of the progress made by the Floral Park Third Track Task Force, which Tom served as chairman. Tom presented at the MTA/LIRR scoping hearings in Floral Park and Mineola, at every LIRR Commuter Council Annual President’s Forums and advocates tirelessly wherever and whenever he can against this unwanted and unneeded Third Track Megaproject. He wrote dozens of Letters to the Editor, which reverberated not only in Floral Park but throughout the Capitol in Albany and MTA Headquarters in New York. Tom attended scores of press conferences, planning meetings, strategy sessions, and public forums with elected officials and concerned citizens along the entire length of the Megaproject’s destructive path.
His deep desire to represent his Floral Park neighbors brought him to the hallowed halls of Washington, DC where he, along with Trustee Mary-Grace Tomecki, attended and presented testimony to a Congressional Committee hearing regarding Noise Abatement. While in Washington they also met with Senator Schumer’s staff continuing to press for equitable relief from helicopter flyovers. After many months, meetings and unrelenting lobbying, Sen. Schumer’s office directed the creation of a northern route, which provided relief to Floral Park’s skies. This provided what we sought: an equitable distribution of helicopter flyovers. Those directives were most assuredly due to the efforts of Trustees Tom Tweedy and Mary-Grace Tomecki. They continue their advocacy for equitable distribution regarding all aircraft and have appeared and presented before the FAA and ERHC at JFK, Westbury, Teterboro and other facilities in Queens and Long Island.
Tom presently serves as Commissioner to both the Department of Buildings & the Department of Public Works. Tom and DPW Superintendent Steve Siwinski re-organized the management within the supervisors unit. Responsibility and accountability are the new philosophy. Their organizational innovation has realized significant improvements in the quality of the work performed by our DPW forces each day. The completeness of the work, the preparation and planning for work and projects has been streamlined. Now, more projects are being completed by our own forces. This is providing savings. Tom respects and protects our most valuable resource: our employees. Tom oversaw the purchase of new recycling and sanitation trucks. Our new larger capacity sanitation trucks and split hopper recycling trucks provides a safer working environment for our employees and a more efficient collection process for our residents. This new equipment also freed up parking spaces at our Recreation Center and eliminated the noisy recycling yard at the end of Mayflower. Last summer, Tom supported our supervisor’s implementation of a pilot program regarding road repairs.
Tom also promoted the expansion of our recycling programs into our local schools. This united effort with our schools has realized savings in tipping fees while positively impacting Long Island’s complicated refuse problems. Tom is now exploring a pilot program for e-recycling: the disposal of used computers, printers etc. which should again lower fees. Former Mayor Phil Guarnieri said, “Tom recognizes the myriad of details required in a complicated series of outcomes almost intuitively. That is a quality that makes him a real asset not only on the village board but especially at Public Works.” Tom is also the liaison to the Architectural Review Board, the Electrical, Plumbing and Grievance Boards.
Tom has served as Fire Commissioner, Recreation Commissioner and Library Commissioner. At each of these posts, Tom has left his mark. As Fire Commissioner, he oversaw the replacement of the Alert Company’s 1500 gal. Engine. As Recreation Commissioner, he oversaw the expansion of recreation offerings to our residents as well as expediting a home field for Titans football. At the Library, he oversaw the cupola restoration, roofing and HVAC projects. Tom has also served as liaison to the Recreation & Pool Committees, Citizens with Disabilities Committee, 4 Village Studio, Cultural Arts Committee, Beautification Committee, Resident Committee and Ethics Committee.
Tom’s is a 29-year member of the West End Civic Association; he served in every executive position culminating as its President in 1992-93. Tom is a 27-year member of the Citizens’ Party. He has served as Captain, Vice Chairman and two-terms as Chairman. He managed Little League baseball, tournament and summer league baseball teams, coached Floral Park Indians basketball and soccer teams. Tom served as a director and officer of the Floral Park Indians Athletic Association. He was a 12-year certified basketball referee as a member of IAABO. He was a member of the Architectural Review Board and the Recreation Committee. He also served as president of the Lexington School for the Deaf PTSA for three years. During that tenure he spearheaded the effort of the 4201 State schools for the blind, deaf, emotionally and physically challenged that were facing unilateral elimination of state funding, funding that remains in place to this day, but future funding is being threatened by Albany.
Serving others is a Tweedy tradition. Tom’s mother, the late Anne Tweedy, looked upon service to the community as a form of civic stewardship, an investment in the community she loved. Tom embodies that enthusiastic spirit and regards his service as both a privilege and honor. Tom looks forward to the opportunity to serve this great village of Floral Park in an even greater capacity as mayor; always striving to keep Floral Park a great place to live.
