Mayor Scott Strauss was sworn in by Nassau County Clerk Maureen O’Connell.

Downtown development was the message at last week’s Organization Night in Mineola. Mayor Scott Strauss, and trustees George Durham and Dennis Walsh, were sworn in to new terms after winning an uncontested election in March.

“Many years ago, Mineola residents came together to create a master plan…a roadmap for strategic development in the village,” Strauss said. “[Also] to ensure that our community had a plan for fiscally responsible growth for a revitalized downtown.”

Strauss, who’s serving his third term as mayor, and the village board are facing a crucial decision with the looming 266-unit Village Green apartment complex, which has been hotly contested and debated in recent public hearings. Mineola already has three rising apartment complexes in the 275-unit Mineola Modera and its senior housing component 36-dwelling Hudson House from Mill Creek Residential Trust. Developer Kevin Lalezarian’s 315-unit complex on Old Country Road is still progressing and may or may not add another should the Village Green be approved.

Trustee George Durham was sworn in by Bob Hinck.

“Residents care about what happens here,” Strauss said. “This is the true spirit of Mineola. Two years ago I stood before you and shared that our master plan was being implemented. I’m pleased to tell you our master plan is working.”

Durham, sworn in by former mayor Bob Hinck, is also entering his third term and served as a member of the Community Planning Committee for six years on the village’s Master Plan. He was chairman of the Sub-Committee on Downtown Revitalization and sat on the Village Fence Committee.

“We have invested infrastructure,” Durham said. “New roofs at Village Hall, the firehouse, water department and historical society…we have commissioned studies based on traffic, parking, water systems, new growth and development and reviewing our master plan to make sure we’re still heading in the right direction.”

For more photos from Organization Night, click here.

Walsh, a retired NYPD cop, attained his second stint on the board last month. He was sworn in by former mayor and current Senator Jack Martins.

Trustee Dennis Walsh was sworn in by Jack Martins.

“I’m just thankful for everyone that came out to vote,” Walsh said. “I want to thank [Barbara] my wife because without her, I wouldn’t be here.”

The mayor and two trustee seats are the last spots on the village board that will run under previous two-year terms. In September 2013, the village board approved increasing trustee stays to four years.

Strauss, Durham and Walsh have secured three-year spots on the board in March. During the 2016 election cycle, two seats occupied by Deputy Mayor Paul Pereira and trustee Paul Cusato will be eligible for a four-year term. All five seats won’t hold four-year commitments until 2018.