Attorneys representing the Town of Hempstead recently proposed an April 11 election as the first step toward implementing a court-ordered ward system government.

Although a majority of the town board believes that dividing the town into separate districts for the purpose of conducting local elections is inadvisable, a federal judge has ordered the division so that minority residents of the town will be able to elect their own representative. The US Supreme Court declined to hear the town's appeal of that order.

In a letter to District Judge John Gleeson, attorneys for the town suggested that the current councilmembers discontinue holding office on May 1 and that new councilmembers, elected from districts at the proposed April 11 election, be seated on that date.

Nominations for councilmanic offices and balloting for them would be conducted pursuant to New York state laws which govern special elections. Terms of office for councilmembers seated on May 1 from wards one, three and five would run until Dec. 31 while councilmembers elected from wards two, four and six would serve until Dec. 31, 2003 to maintain the staggered terms provided for under the Hempstead Town Code. All councilmembers elected following the expiration of the initial ward system terms would serve for four years.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs in the case that resulted in Judge Gleeson's order have said throughout the proceedings that ward districts should be implemented and elections held as soon as Hempstead's appeals have been exhausted.