I am extremely proud to be Garden City's first woman mayor - and first nurse to hold this position - I am proud to join the other 67 women or 11 percent of the 616 mayors servicing New York State. I want to take this opportunity to thank three women of this community who were trustees before me: Maureen Clancy, Judith Asselta and Eileen Collins - these three women paved the way for me. Thank you for leading and encouraging me to step up to the plate. I hope I am paving the way for other women to serve as trustee and/or mayor in the future.

Fortunately I have an excellent team to work with. I have worked with trustees Lundquist, Bee, Mauk, Negri, Segerdahl, Watras, and Rothschild previously either in their leadership positions in their respective property owner association or as fellow trustee. I am confident that with the leadership, diversity and stability of my board, coupled with the guidance of Village Administrator Robert Schoelle, and the competency and expertise of his executive staff, this board will move forward on the major issues at hand. I plan, with the support of the board, to maintain a productive level of "creative tension" during regularly scheduled work sessions, which will provide us with critical thinking time so that the decisions we make will be best for the village as whole now and future, decisions that will maintain the residential integrity of Garden City while balancing the needs of the residents and the commercial sector and keep Garden City a special place demonstrating that the Community Agreement non-partisan form of government works.

I held my first organizational/goals meeting work session in public on Tuesday, April 8. The board of trustees decided to schedule, as a regular feature, a work session for a specific topic and objective on the first Thursday of the month board meeting. It will be held from 7:30 to 8 p.m.; it will be a meeting in public. The papers and property owners associations will be notified on a regular basis. All are encouraged to attend and listen. The board wants to hear from you.

On a more serious note, I know that we all support our president's efforts to fight terrorism. I encourage all residents to fly the American flag daily and display yellow bows on the flagpoles or front doors. According to Minauti Davé, the symbolism of the yellow ribbon stems primarily from the 1973 song Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree, which actually told the story of a prisoner coming home after doing "his time."

However, it was Parsons, a prior folklorist for the Library of Congress, who studied the uses of yellow ribbons and he concluded that the tradition later took on a different message - it was displayed by people in honor of a loved one who was separated from them, or it could mean that a person was in danger or being held against his or her will. I believe that yellow bows symbolize unity and pride for the American troops fighting the war in Iraq as well as a display of support for those who have been captured. I suggest that it is comforting to both the armed forces as well as their loved ones to see how our community supports those who are fighting in the war and is a sign that they are not forgotten and that they are in our thoughts and prayers.

As a display of our support, the village has erected yellow bows on the flag poles at the village green and village hall, as well as on the village clock at Franklin and Stewart. As your mayor, I would like to know which of our residents or his/her loved ones are involved in this war. I would like to lend my support. It takes a village. Please let me know what I and the board of trustees can do to support you and them.

The board of trustees and village staff join me in extending wishes for a very happy Passover and happy Easter to all residents of our village. Working under a special permit from the village, food establishments on Seventh Street, New Hyde Park Road and Franklin Avenue have placed tables and chairs outside their shops and restaurants for your convenience and enjoyment. Please stop by to let the merchants know that you appreciate their efforts and enjoy the many fine tastes of Garden City. Residents in the Village of Garden City are very fortunate in having a vital business community comprised of merchants who are committed to serve us from their shops along Franklin Avenue, Seventh Street and New Hyde Park Road. I urge each of you to continue to patronize these local businesses throughout the year. Also while you are in their store, take a minute to comment on their selection and quality and where appropriate, compliment them on their attention to customer service.