Polls closed at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9, and in the early hours of the following morning, the results were in — Frank Cilluffo was reelected for a fifth term as Great Neck Park District Commissioner.
Election turnout was high, and the race was closer than usual, with Cilluffo with 1,871 votes and 56% of the vote compared to his challenger, Justin Maze, who got 1,468 votes.
Over 1,000 more residents voted compared to last year—a 30% increase.
Each year, one of the three park district commissioners is up for election on a revolving basis.
Cilluffo has been a park commissioner for over 10 years.
He immigrated to the United States from Italy as a teenager, worked as an electrician, and served as a police officer for the NYPD for 20 years.
Cilluffo seemed to run a campaign based on the goodwill that he had gained in the community during his long tenure as commissioner.
In November, Cilluffo posted, “From managing our budget responsibly to expanding parkland, launching new programs, and creating community events that bring our residents together, I have a proven track record and I’m ready to continue delivering for you.”
Cilluffo has been active on social media this campaign season, showcasing his participation in the community through attending holiday events, Rotary club meetings, and hockey matches.
Maze, meanwhile, touted his active role in the community as president of the Great Neck Soccer Club and chair of the United Parent-Teacher Council Recreation and Athletics Committee as relevant experience.
The main focus of Maze’s campaign was the potential alienation of a section of King’s Point Park so that it could be sold and developed as a parking lot for the United Mashadi Jewish Community of America’s private community center.
Efforts to reach Cilluffo and Maze were unavailing.
Maze did not openly state opposition to the alienation of the Kings Point property on his website or social media platforms, but he has signaled his stance in this regard.
Maze dedicates the first of two issues on his campaign site to Kings Point Park, saying, “Our parkland is a long-term asset for our entire community, and we must protect what we have.”
Nancy Sherman, a trustee for the Village of Thomaston, supported Maze because she believed Maze was against the park’s alienation.
Sherman posted on the Facebook community group page, Great Neck Guardians, “Please vote this Tuesday, December 9, for Justin Maze for GN Park District Commissioner. He will protect our parks- not give them away!”
Great Neck Guardians is a Facebook group with over 800 members that raises awareness about different development projects in the community.
While Cilluffo has served as commissioner, the park district has come out in support of the King’s Point Park alienation, provided it is compensated with a lease of land from the Village of King’s Point that is almost double the size of the land proposed to be alienated.
The park district does not own Kings Point Park; instead, it leases the property from the Village of Kings Point.
Although the park district does not have the authority to alienate the parkland, the park district agreed to amend the lease with the village in order to allow the sale to go through if New York State allows the Village of King’s Point to alienate the land.
