As six Great Neck villages (Great Neck Estates, Great Neck Plaza, Kensington, Russell Gardens, Saddle Rock and Thomaston) prepare for uncontested elections next Tuesday, March 21, Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean A. Celender held a big re-election kick-off party at Daruma Japanese restaurant. Mayor Celender is running for her fourth term as mayor.

The traditional kick-off celebration for the United Residents' Party, of which Mayor Celender and current trustees Ted Rosen and Jay Ferkin are candidates, was hosted by longtime village supporter and popular Plaza merchant and restaurateur, Yoshi Hirashima of Daruma. Well-wishers and supporters were treated to a delicious spread of Yoshi's famous Japanese cuisine.

Mayor Celender, the first woman mayor in the Plaza, was elected to her first term in 2000. She served previously as deputy mayor to former Mayor Robert Rosegarten, and prior to that she was a trustee during the administration of the late Mayor Allan Gussack.

Encouraged to enter politics by Mayor Gussack, Mayor Celender is an environmental and planning consultant since receiving her master's degree in Geography from Arizona State University and a bachelor's degree in Geography/Cartography from Briarcliff College. She is the founder and president of JAC Planning Corp., a leading Long Island WBE firm, specializing in planning and environmental consulting for over 20 years, located on Bond Street in the Plaza.

Mayor Celender believes her strengths have been in effecting changes to foster "quality of life issues," including: working with the board of trustees and the VGNP Traffic and Safety Committee in implementing traffic safety and calming initiatives (three grants totaling in excess of $850,000 have been received from New York State Department of Transportation during her administration); beautification projects, such as the Master Plan for Jon's Park in association with the Great Neck Park District; public art projects including the recently completed Trompe L'oeil mural on Maple Drive; promoting public awareness of safe driving, walking and biking; working hand-in-hand with the village's Historic Preservation Committee to preserve and designate a dozen historic buildings for local landmark status in the Plaza; and introducing ground-breaking legislation to establish an inclusionary affordable house program that became effective on Jan. 1, 2006 (the first of its kind on the peninsula).

As a professional urban planner, Mayor Celender has been instrumental in writing and assisting the village to secure numerous other grants, in addition to the NYSDOT traffic calming grants, during her administration, including a project for NYS Quality Communities Program, Shared Municipal Services Incentive Program, three CLG Historic Preservation projects, New York State Council on the Arts for a 3D/4D GIS Pilot Simulation Project, and Historic Self-Guided Walking Brochure and Tour Map and Interpretive Bronze Markers as a New York State Main Street grant from the Empire State Development Corporation.

Mayor Celender is also active in many community organizations, and currently serves as a director on the boards of the CLASP Children's Center, Great Neck Plaza Management Council (The BID), Water Authority of Great Neck North, Great Neck Chamber of Commerce, Great Neck Arts Center and Chairperson of the Vigilant Fire Liaison Committee. Ms. Celender has been a staunch supporter of child care services and is actively involved as a member on the Commission on Child Care for Nassau County since 1998. She previously served as a public member of the Nassau County Rent Guidelines Board from 1994 to 1997.

The Village of Great Neck Plaza will hold elections on Tuesday, March 21, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Village Hall, Gussack Plaza. Running with Mayor Celender are her running mates, Ted Rosen and Jay Ferkin, both running for trustee. All three elected offices are for two-year terms.

In the Village of Great Neck Estates, two sitting trustees are running for re-election. Trustees Howard Hirshmann and Edy Zinger are both running uncontested, for two-year terms. Great Neck Estates elections are Tuesday, March 21, noon to 9 p.m., at Great Neck Estates Village Hall, 4 Atwater Plaza. Kensington Mayor Bonnie Golub is running, uncontested, for another two-year term as mayor. Also, Village Justice Martin Bergstein is running, unopposed, for another four-year term. Two new trustee candidates, Gregory Keller and Howard Diamond, are running in uncontested elections for new two-year terms. Kensington elections are Tuesday, March 21, noon to 9 p.m., at Kensington Village Hall, 2 Nassau Drive. In Russell Gardens trustee Matthew Bloomfield is running an uncontested election for another two-year term. A new candidate, Kenneth Sonnenberg, is also running an uncontested election for a two-year term as a trustee. Mr. Sonnenberg is running for the trustee seat currently held by Dorothy Zuckerman, who is not running for re-election. Russell Gardens elections are Tuesday, March 21, noon to 9 p.m., at Russell Gardens Village Hall, 6 Tain Drive. Two uncontested candidates are running for two, two-year terms as trustees in Saddle Rock. Saddle Rock trustee and deputy mayor, Robert A. Steinberg, will be retiring and not seeking re-election. Alan M. Freedman is running for Mr. Steinberg's spot and trustee Gila Aizer is seeking re-election to her second term. Saddle Rock elections are on Tuesday, March 21, noon to 9 p.m., at Saddle Rock Village Hall, 18 Masefield Way. Two trustees are running for re-election to two-year terms in the Village of Thomaston. Both Lynn Kleinman and Lawrence Sneag are running unopposed. Thomaston elections are Tuesday, March 21, noon to 9 p.m., at Thomaston Village Hall, 100 East Shore Road.