After weeks of speculation that the 2001 Village of Mineola election would be so heated, it would add to the legacy of the village's tough political elections of the past, noise created by this election will not even be a whimper. Mayor John P. Colbert, Deputy Mayor Lou Santosus and Trustee Elizabeth Conlon will all run unopposed.

The candidates expressed gratitude that they were unchallenged, a sign that the village residents are satisfied with the way the community is run. During her acceptance speech for the nomination of the Hometown Party, Conlon stated that this past year on the board, which is comprised of Colbert, Santosus, Maryanne Warnecke and Linda Fairgrieve and herself, was her best of the previous six years. "Everyone was cooperative and we were working well together. I think that is really wonderful for us, but in the long run, it's even better for the residents. I'm quite pleased that we're not going to have dissension within the ranks because we certainly didn't need it," she said.

Since the mayor, deputy mayor and trustee Conlon will all assuredly be re-elected, the village board will remain intact for at least another year. The trustees and mayor will have the opportunity to continue a working relationship in which they know each other pretty well. "I think that helps a lot, especially when there's no animosity on the board. Everybody is pulling in the same direction. When you do that, I think you accomplish a lot more," said Santosus.

For the deputy mayor, he will continue a stint that began in 1994. Prior to that the deputy mayor served from 1983 to 1989. "Hopefully the public likes the way the members of the board are working with one another. We don't always agree on everything, but we tend to work things out for the betterment of the community," Santosus said. "I think people have seen what we've accomplished over the last couple of years with the firehouse, the well, the library and the pool. I think they're looking forward to the future projects."

Conlon will continue her tenure on the board, one that began in 1995. She said a tremendous benefit to an uncontested election is that now the board can concentrate on getting its work done. "We have more time to spend on the residents and do the work we're suppose to be doing rather than running for re-election," she said. "I think it's a very positive thing for the people and for us too."

Mayor Colbert has been the mayor of Mineola since 1994 and will be the village's mayor for at least another two years. Prior to that, from 1989 to 1994, Colbert served on the village board as a trustee. For the mayor, it is the second consecutive time and third overall he is running uncontested. "I look at it as a confidence in the team spirit that has come out of the village board," he said. "No one man can do the job alone. It has taken a lot of people in a concerted effort to work together to make the suburban quality of living in Mineola a fact."

Mayor Colbert is looking forward to another two years in the position. "It's been an honor to have been mayor for the last seven years. We look forward to serving the public in the next two," he said. "I also want to congratulate Lou Santosus and Betty Conlon on their nominations. Lou has been a great deputy mayor. Both Betty and Lou have strived to keep Mineola on the move during their last terms in office."

Now, the village board will turn its attention to certain projects in the works including the downtown revitalization project to beautify and revitalize the downtown business district, the reconstruction of the Mineola Boulevard bridge, the depression of the roadway on Roslyn Road underneath the railroad tracks and the refurbishment of 2nd Street and Union. "There are a lot of projects that are in the works and luckily I will be able to see them through," Colbert said.

Although Mayor Colbert, Deputy Mayor Santosus and Trustee Conlon are running unopposed, they still must be re-elected on March 20. Residents are encouraged to vote.