When the Central Property Owner's Association's (CPOA) Nominating Committee unanimously selected Barbara Miller for the position of mayor, it was the first committee to ever bring forth a woman candidate for the position. Miller earned 107 votes during the March 18 election and said she's "confident" she'll do a good job serving Garden City in this capacity.

During her tenure on the village board, Miller has been commissioner of Finance, a member of the Traffic Commission and chair of the Audit, Public Information and Human Services and Ethics committees. She's served as fire commissioner, chair of the Traffic Commission and chair of the Environmental Advisory Board. Under Miller's leadership, the annual report has been brought out in a more timely and cost effective manner for the past three years.

Miller's record of sustained leadership has endured for almost 10 years. "I remain committed to enhancing the communication process among the board of trustees, executive staff and most importantly, between the board of trustees and the residents," she said.

Miller encouraged and supported Mayor Robert Lewis to hold board of trustee work sessions in public, which had not occurred previously but "have been important to the communication process between the board and the residents," she said.

As commissioner of Finance, Miller initiated a work session in public to review the last fiscal year's and this year's village finances as a prelude to the ongoing 2003-04 budget process. "This was the first time such a session was held and I believe that it will facilitate a very thoughtful and efficient budget process this year," she said. Following the March 20 board meeting, Miller presided over the budget briefing process.

She strongly advocates residents joining their respective Property Owners Association (POA) and becoming active participants in their community. She believes that resident volunteerism in the POAs and on the village's various commissions/boards is a hallmark of this village's unique form of government.

A nurse for 40 years, Miller has held tenured positions in academia for 30+ years and is a researcher, author/editor, consultant and therapist for 25+ years. She has a private psychotherapy practice in Garden City and is the coordinator of the Teaching of Nursing Master's Program at New York University. Recently she submitted a $1 million grant to the nursing faculty shortage, a crisis that impacts the health care of her community and the nation. Miller was recently recognized for her leadership in professional organizations by the New York State Nurses Association, which inducted her into its Leadership Institute.

She is a 23-year Garden City resident and resides on Tenth Street with her husband, Russell, an orthopedic surgeon. They have two grown children, Nadia and Randy, and a grandchild, 15-year-old Amber Miller, a sophomore at Garden City High School.

During last Thursday's board meeting, Lewis applauded Miller's work ethic, saying, "She's a fast learner. Every challenge I've assigned her, she's met."

Miller will be officially sworn in as the newest mayor of Garden City during the board's organizational meeting Monday evening, April 7.