The members of the Ten Member Nominating Committee of the East, elected by the Resident Electors of the East, have unanimously nominated Harold P. Hecken to be the candidate for mayor of Garden City. If elected in the Village election on March 16, he will serve for a 2-year term.

In addition, the Nominating Committee has also unanimously selected Peter A. Bee to be the trustee candidate from the East to serve a 1-year term.

Both candidates names will be placed in nomination at the meeting of the Resident Electors of the East at 8 p.m. in the Stewart Auditorium on Tuesday, Jan. 19.

Hal Hecken is presently completing the first year of his fourth-year term as Village trustee representing the East. During that time, he has served as Commissioner of Police, Finance, Public Works, Building and Planning, liaison to the Library Board, and the Mayor's Committee on St. Paul's, and chairperson of the Environmental Board. Hecken has also served on the Traffic and Recreation Commissions and the Finance and Negotiating Committee on St. Paul's and the Deputy Mayor of the Village.

Hecken has been involved in Village affairs for many years. He served on the EPOA Board of Directors for 11 years, having been president from 1984 to 1986. He has also served with the following organizations: Garden City Kiwanis Club; Republican Club; Garden City Casino; Cathedral Vestry; Garden City Community Fund and others.

He is presently employed by the County of Nassau in the Department of Recreation and Parks as Director of Management Analysis. Since entering public service, Hecken, who is a graduate of Cornell University, earned a Master's of Public Administration. He is a veteran of the Korean War.

In their letter nominating Hal Hecken, the Nominating Committee members wrote that "Mr. Hecken has been a trustee since 1992 and has represented all the residents of Garden City with distinction. It is noted that Hal has demonstrated a broad understanding of Village operations and an enthusiastic demeanor of dedication and professionalism. He gives high priority to the gathering of information and has the ability to balance considerations in order to make reliable decisions for the progress of Garden City."

Peter Bee has served as Village trustee since 1993. During that time he has served as Fire Commissioner, Police Commissioner, chairman of the Traffic Commission, chairman of the Commission of Cultural and Recreational Affairs and currently Commissioner of Building and Planning.

Active for many years in Village affairs and prior to becoming a Village trustee, he has served as director of the Eastern Property Owners' Association, School Board trustee at large (a position held for a 3-year term), and president of the Eastern Property Owners' Association.

A graduate of St. John's University and St. John's Law School, Bee is a partner in the firm of Bee, Eisman and Ready in Mineola.

In renominating Bee, the members of the Nominating Committee said, "Peter has demonstrated his in-depth knowledge of Village operations and has worked untiringly for all residents of the Village of Garden City."

The members of the Ten Member Nominating Committee include: James Brady, chairperson; Maureen Clancy; May Conti; Steve Dooley; Carolyn Dunckelman; Roger Eltringham; Walter Engels; Nick Epsicopia; Gerry Moratti; and Dick Stancs.

The names of the two candidates will be placed in nomination by the chairman of the Nominating Committee at the Jan. 19 meeting of the resident electors of the East at 8 p.m. in the Stewart School auditorium. A Resident Elector of the East is any resident who lives in the eastern section of the Village east of the center of Franklin Avenue.

Should any resident elector wish to place in nomination any other candidate or candidates, that Resident Elector need only to present a petition bearing the proposed candidate's name and signed by 15 Resident Electors (including addresses) of the East at the Jan. 19 meeting. Should that happen, a run-off election will be held on Feb. 2 at the Stewart School and the winner of that election will become the Community Agreement's candidate in the Village election to be held March 16.

If no additional nominations by petition are received at the Jan. 19 Resident Electors' meeting, nominations will be closed and the secretary of the EPOA shall cast one vote on behalf of the Resident Electors of the East, designating candidates Hecken and Bee as the candidates of the Community Agreement Party. They will then run unopposed in the Village election on March 16.