As many of you will recall, I have recently accepted, with regret, the resignation of Trustee Mauk as both chair and member of the Mayor's Committee on St. Paul's. As of this writing, I have not yet named a replacement, although I hope to do so imminently. In the meantime, the work of the committee goes on. As I write this on March 5, a committee meeting is scheduled tonight, at which AvalonBay was expected to present some initial visual images of preliminary options for development. Following review by the committee, current plans contemplate that the options will, in turn, be presented to the board of trustees. The next step in the process would then be for the proposals to be provided for public reaction. Daylight Savings Time began a few weeks earlier this year. As of March 9, you should have turned your clocks ahead one hour. The board of trustees rescheduled last Saturday's last work session to review the proposed 2008/09 Operating/Capital budget to today, Thursday, March 13, at 7 p.m. The regular board of trustees meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 20, was rescheduled to Thursday, March 13, at 8 p.m. The meetings will be held in the Board Room at Village Hall.

The annual village election will be held Tuesday, March 18, from noon until 9 p.m. at Village Hall, 351 Stewart Avenue. Village residents will be voting for the following candidates:

John L. Mauk Trustee 2-year term

John J. Watras Trustee 2-year term

Nicholas P. Episcopia Trustee 2-year term

Donald T. Brudie Trustee 2-year term

Since the incorporation of the village in 1919, members of the board of trustees in Garden City have been elected by a non-partisan vote of residents in accordance with the policies of the Community Agreement.

Absentee ballot applications to be used in conjunction with the General Village Election on March 18 are available at the Village Hall, 351 Stewart Avenue. Village Clerk Brian Ridgway must receive all applications by March 17 if the ballot is to be mailed. For personal application, the deadline is March 18. I encourage residents to periodically utilize the village's website for information regarding the village's operations, as well as items of seasonal and special interest. The address is www.gardencityny.net. Also please be aware that I have a village email address and would be delighted to hear from village residents about their concerns - it is as follows: MayorPBee@gardencityny.net.