Incumbent village trustee Robert Rothschild proved victorious in the Jan. 30 Estates section runoff election, besting his opponent, John DeMaro, the Estates POA Nominating Committee's selection for village trustee. Rothschild received 437 votes while DeMaro received 197 votes. Rothschild successfully sought re-election to a position he has held for the past four years.

A Garden City resident since 1983, he has been a resident of the Estates section since 1986. He has been an active and contributing member of the Garden City community since moving here, and his involvement with the Property Owners Association of the Estates section of the village dates back to the early 1990s.

He has served as president of the POA as well as its vice president, director and member on various committees, including the Nominating Committee. He has chaired the Traffic Committee for the Estates POA, a position in which he was responsible for the presentation of resident requests for traffic control changes within the Estates area. His many years of experience with the POA has given him the opportunity to obtain a first-hand understanding of the various commissions that form the village government.

Rothschild said he has advocated the importance of a balanced and vibrant commercial district to enhance quality of life and to stabilize the tax base. In 1996, he was appointed by the mayor to be the Estates POA representative on the Business Planning Coalition. This coalition, made up of residents and business owners, formulated the plan to revitalize the village commercial district, which plan was accepted by the village board and is being successfully implemented to this day.

In 2003, after serving as president of the POA, Rothschild was elected village trustee, a position he currently holds. As a member of the board of trustees, he has served as chairman of the Traffic Commission, chairman of the Environmental Advisory Board, liaison trustee for the Recreation and Planning Commissions, the Architectural Design Review Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Police Department and Chamber of Commerce.

He has always encouraged residents to participate in village activities. As a member of the village Audit Committee, he supported the appointment of village residents to the Citizens Budget Committee. This committee will review village expenditures and budget costs focusing on the necessity, the method and the means by which particular services are provided to the public. The committee members will be expected to offer possible recommendations to slow the ever-increasing tax burden on village residents. Serving as the chair of the Public Information Committee, Rothschild managed the development of the Village Facts newsletter regarding the status of St. Paul's and the presentation of options available for the property. He also assisted in the defeat of the Roosevelt Field expansion that would have adversely impacted Garden City with traffic and other environmental issues.

The Estates POA, along with the Estates Election Committee, extend congratulations to both Estates runoff candidates, whose members said both ran very good election campaigns. Additionally, members extend "congratulations and continued success" to Trustee Rothschild, elected as Estates trustee candidate. Rothschild will join all other sections candidates on the unified ballot for the village-wide election in March.