Leonard Symons is seeking re-election to the Town of Oyster Bay Board, a position he was first elected to in 1989. Symons has been a resident of Plainview for almost 25 years and says he has gained a great deal of knowledge about all areas of the Town of Oyster Bay, and not just his hometown, during his tenure.

"I think it is probably well-known that Plainview is a Democratic area as opposed to other areas in the Town of Oyster Bay," said Republican candidate Symons. "I have always taken a great deal of pride in my listening skills and my ability to work constructively with those of different political persuasions, different view points and different towns. I find that I am very comfortable with where I live, with whom I work and the public at large."

Symons boasts that town taxes are lower than they were in 1989, when Symons was first elected. If re-elected, Symons said he would not change the fiscal conservative policies that have been in place during his tenure. "Looking back to 1989, there was double-digit inflation and we lost Grumman, our largest employer, which cost us over 20,000 jobs and Governor Cuomo substantially cut back state aid," said Symons. "When you think about what we have accomplished in our Township without cutting services, I defy anyone to find another township that is run as well as the Town of Oyster Bay."

Another section of his resume that Symons is most proud of is being a 'strong advocate' of an Aquifer Protection Overlay District (APO) and, if re-elected, this is something that he would like to dedicate more time to. "I was one of the lead architects of the modernization of our zoning code," he said. "It would be very important to add an APO, which sets forth rules and regulations about development in the special groundwater protection area and rights and responsibilities of citizens all with a view toward protecting the quantity and quality of our water supply. I deem that critically important."

What Symons is most proud of is something he believes is very important to town government - night meetings. Symons sponsored the resolution that called for regularly scheduled night meetings, making it easier, in his opinion, for more residents to attend. "This allows the public to come down and give their opinions as well as educate this board," said Symons. "We have better government in the town since night hearings."

Symons is an amateur meteorologist and is known as "Lenny The Lawyer," weather-breaker on WCBS-FM, WPIX-TV and News 12. He first became interested in meteorology when he was the weatherman in his first grade class. He has a digital weather station at home complete with a satellite dish accessing Doppler radar, the latest satellite pictures and a host of other weather information. Symons helped develop a disaster preparedness plan for the Town and has led the fight to institute State-wide Special Needs Legislation, which was signed by New York State Governor George Pataki, to provide for the evacuation of those in need of aid during an emergency.

Symons is trained in emergency management and is the chief architect of the living document known as the Town of Oyster Bay Emergency Response Plan. "I have a motto in the Town of Oyster Bay with regard to emergency management - prepared today; even more prepared tomorrow," said Symons. The objective of emergency management is to save lives and protect property and also deals with natural disasters as well as the events of Sept. 11.

"We have an emergency response plan in which there are designated responsibilities for various elected officials, commissioners and people with authority in the town and when the disaster took place not in our hometown but nearby, we activated our emergency response plan and we became immediate partners with the city, state and the federal government in providing aid," said Symons. "If citizens were not sure how important emergency management is, after Sept. 11 they should have a much better point of view."

Symons is active in community, religious and sports organizations and served as attorney to the Washington Avenue Civic Association and as attorney and trustee for the Manetto Hill Jewish Center. He was the 1991 recipient of the congregation's "Crown of the Good Name Award" and also served on the Board of Directors of the Mid-Island YM-YWHA Community Center, on the Community Advisory Board of Central General/North Shore Community Hospital in Plainview and is a member of Nassau County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and the Nassau East Kiwanis. In addition, he was active in the Plainview-Old Bethpage Soccer Club for over ten years serving as trustee, division head and coach and is also a member of the Greater Long Island Running Club.

Something that is very important to Symons is acting as chairman of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Memorial Day Parade committee for the past several years. He was honored in 1992 by Plainview V.F.W. Post 5942 for meritorious and distinguished service in furthering the aims of that organization and, in the summer of 1994, was named Man of the Year by the Mid-Island Lodge of the Knights of Pythias.

A graduate of New York University and Brooklyn Law School, Symons was admitted to the Bar in 1969 and maintains a law office in Mineola. He participates as a pro-bono legal advocate for breast cancer victims and is a former Nassau County Assistant District Attorney and recipient of the 1992 Frank Gulotta Criminal Justice Award given by the Nassau County Former Assistant District Attorney's Association. As a member of the Nassau County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, he continues to pursue his legal education and expand the scope of his legal expertise.

Symons and his wife, Carol, a speech and hearing pathologist, are the parents of three children, Heather, Jeffrey and David.