Every election year I find myself compelled to write after spending months of reading letters supporting candidates for the mayoral and city council races. This year in the latest round of letters I almost laughed out loud for the reasons that people gave as a need for change in the city of Glen Cove. Among them were large "apartment complexes, rape of the landscape and destruction of beautiful trees." With all due respect, does anyone remember what the area of the current Avalon apartments was like? A tumbledown building in a parking lot of broken glass and debris is the answer to that question. That was what one saw upon entry to Glen Cove. That was preferable to what is there now? I think not! Rape of the landscape? Removal of toxic waste of a designated super site is rape of a landscape? Comments like that can't be taken seriously by anyone, can they? The fact of the matter is that Glen Cove has been nationally recognized as a city that has successfully tackled polluted land and made it viable acreage again. Signs of progress are evident throughout the city. That progress is because the strong leadership from our mayor and city council has prevailed. Comments about the candidates running against the current administration seem naïve. With all due respect to the candidates and their supporters it takes more than being a nice guy, a good listener, an avid golfer and a veteran attorney to run a city. It takes experience in government at the city, county, state and federal level to run this municipality. Can a veteran attorney or someone who says "he can do better" obtain the hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants needed from the federal or state government to help the city continue its progress? Would they even know how run a city council meeting? What qualifies these individuals to take on this job other than their desire to do so? Anyone desiring to serve his community needs to be appreciated but it would be a great service to the voters to first come with the qualifications to do so. Mary Ann Holzkamp and her city council have had a long history of service to this community. Mary Ann was a city council member for eight years who worked closely with her then mayor, Thomas Suozzi, before seeking the office herself. She had a full understanding and working knowledge of how to run the city before she became its first female mayor. She and her city council have worked long and hard to see plans that are currently so evident on the city streets come to fruition. She is honest, tough-minded and a true advocate for Glen Cove. She was part of the team that originally envisioned a better city for all of us. Her goal has been all along to see that dream materialize. I have had the honor and privilege of being Mary Ann's friend for many years. I personally know how much being the mayor of this city means to her. I know how seriously she views her role and the decision-making involved with the job. I know she loves Glen Cove and ardently believes in its vitality. In closing, I would ask the voters to think about qualifications for public service and leadership. If you truly do so and put partisan politics aside, the choice for the next mayor is obvious, Mary Ann Holzkamp. Wendy Drewes

One of the greatest and most memorable periods of my life was campaigning for mayor of Glen Cove two years ago. Though I didn't prevail, the experience allowed me to meet so many incredible people who have positively shaped my life in our city. While I have retreated from the public scene in Glen Cove for business and personal reasons, I remain attuned to the issues we face as a city and am concerned for our future.

I respect the Holzkamp administration, as it is not an easy task to run a city no matter how big or small. I personally like and admire Ralph Suozzi as a hard working, down to earth individual who is a class act and true family man. My vote this year, however, will be cast for Drew Fonrose. I feel comfortable in this personal endorsement because Drew is my friend and I therefore possess unique insight into the man he is.

Drew doesn't have the Democratic machine in Glen Cove behind him. He doesn't have a well-known last name. You won't see his television campaign and you won't hear him on the radio. After a 12-year Democratic rule in Glen Cove, Drew is the consummate underdog. So if you're looking for Drew, you will find him in the unlikeliest of places for someone during campaign season. Where is that, you ask?

You will find him at church on Sundays. You will see him busy at work during the week at his downtown office on Glen Street. You can find him listening to people's stories at the Housing Authority and advocating on their behalf. You can find him walking in the many beautiful parks Glen Cove has to offer. You can find him researching city ordinances and keeping city officials on their toes during city council meetings. In short, you can find him doing all the things a good elected official does. But he does it every day, all year around. There is no "political season" for Drew. There is only doing the right thing. That's what he is about.

That's it. No glitz. No glamour. No polls. No television. No radio. Just Drew doing the right thing. That's who he is.

I love calling Drew my friend. I sure would like to call him my mayor.

Jed Morey

Having met Drew Fronrose on numerous occasions at city council meetings I can state sincerely that he is a man of dedication, integrity and true value. Over the last few years I have witnessed Mr. Fonrose challenge the mayor and her council on the city's finances, budget and taxes. Surprisingly the mayor refuses to answer any questions related to financing and accounting. She defers them all to Councilman Norman; it is a strange and unprecedented phenomenon that seems to be tolerated by the voting public. The mayor is simply either unable or unwilling to answer these questions. One must attend a city council meeting to witness this first hand. Is this why Glen Cove is in a financial crisis? Is this why our bond rating is at a historic low. Is this why taxes are so high and rising? Image if Mayor Giuiliani refused to answer questions about a budget deficit at a New York city meeting? Why hasn't the all-Democrat city asked for an independent audit of the city's finances in over 10 years? With the current administration I have more questions than answers. On election day there is only one answer ... vote for Drew Fonrose and his slate of city council candidates. Vote Row A.

Roberta Crocchiola