Running unopposed next month in the village elections, Floral Park Mayor Tom Tweedy has announced that he will seek a third term.
“This will be my final term,” said Tweedy. “Serving this village brings me a great amount of joy and pride.”
Tweedy, a member of the Citizens Party, was appointed as a trustee in 2001 by former Mayor Ann Corbett.
“I spoke with each of the members of our board and I had their full support before moving forward with my decision to run again,” said Tweedy. “As a Citizens Party member, when a candidate comes in as a trustee, there’s a chance to move around in the different committees and roles; when you get to the top, you have a good idea about how everything in the village works.”
Tweedy said the key to running the village successfully comes from good fiscal planning and providing the services that Floral Park residents expect.
“There are remarkable people in this village, charitable people,” said Tweedy. “Living in a full-service village comes with a cost though.”
One of the main reasons Tweedy made the decision to seek a third term was to oversee and complete some of the village projects that are in place already, such as the pool construction and the ongoing drainage issues near the adjacent Belmont Park property.
“We’re ahead of schedule with the pool construction and I am confident that we’ll get it done in time,” said Tweedy. “We’ve formed a team to be able to push the project forward and we have a great team pulling together for the pool, especially with the superintendent and pool manager.”
Tweedy said he’s a third-generation engineer, projects like the pool construction are within his expertise.
Tweedy mentioned the drainage issues nearest Primrose, Calla, Daisy and Zinnia. The flooding has affected Floral Park and Elmont residents who live near the northwest corner of Belmont Park since the 1970s.
“Along with Senator Jack Martins and Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, we are close to a solution with NYRA (New York Racing Association) and moving forward with the project,” said Tweedy.
He explained that the process rests with the state at this point, waiting for the state franchise oversight board to green-light the project and sign rights over for local officials to begin work. Belmont Park is state-owned property.
“I don’t think we are being held up on purpose, but the process is a deliberate one,” said Tweedy. “Everything has been done as a partnership; we’ve been neighbors for 111 years; we’ve had a very good relationship over the years and they are an important neighbor.”
The cure for the flooding plight will be a recharge basin (sump) that spans approximately two acres. Surveyors have been brought in and the easement for the project is about four acres in total. There is a smaller, existing basin that had reduced flooding, built in the 1980s, but it’s just not large enough to handle the water runoff from the area.
“Floral Park has a stake in Belmont Park’s future,” said Tweedy. “It’s a job creator for our area; it’s the anchor for horse racing in New York.” Belmont Park provides more than 20,000 regional jobs and operates 365 days a year.
Tweedy said he has full support from his wife and children in his decision to seek a third term.
Village elections will be held on Wednesday, March 18, from noon to 9 p.m. at the recreation center. In addition to Tweedy, trustees Dominick Longobardi and Lynn Pombonyo and village Justice Douglas Hayden are also running unopposed.
“People want to continue to come here to Floral Park, build here, live here, raise their families here,” added Tweedy. “It’s a great place to live.”
