Residents are encouraged to vote for one of the following two candidates running for a seat on the Board of Fire Commissioners for the Syosset Fire District. Voting will take place at the Syosset Fire Department headquarters located at 50 Cold Spring Road on December 12 from 2 to 9 p.m.

(Frank Vasile submitted the following statement.)

Commissioner Frank Vasile is running for his first full five-year term as Syosset Fire Commissioner. Vasile was appointed in June by the board to fill the vacancy created by the departure of commissioner and previous Board Chairman Ronald Geraci, who accepted a full time position on the District's staff.

Since joining the Board of Fire Commissioners in June, Vasile has been active on several key committees, including the Budget, Insurance and District Employee committees. Vasile also played a key role in helping the board reduce the Fire District's annual budget by 28 percent for the coming year.

"I have enjoyed working with my colleagues on the Board of Fire Commissioners and the Chiefs of the Syosset Fire Department over the last six months and look forward to the opportunity to continue working with them over the next five years", said Vasile. "I believe that my combination of fire service, business, financial and community service experience have helped me already make an impact on behalf of the residents of the Syosset Fire District and the dedicated men and women of the Syosset Fire Department."

Vasile grew up in the Woodhaven section of Queens, where he was very active in community groups including the local Chamber of Commerce and St. Thomas the Apostle Church. He attended St. John's University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in finance. He went on to spend 15 years in positions of increasing responsibility in the banking industry, focusing his efforts in mortgage banking and related areas. In 2004, Vasile left the banking arena to become a founding principal in Precision Land Services, a now Syosset-based firm specializing in title insurance and transaction settlement services. His firm now provides services in 41 states and recently opened a new office in New Jersey.

He and his wife, the former Alicia Camacho of Muttontown, have three children and have lived in the Syosset Groves section of town since shortly after their wedding 15 years ago. Vasile has served as a volunteer sports coach for his children over the years in addition to being a member of the Syosset Fire Department's Engine Company No. 5, headquartered on South Oyster Bay Road, for the last 14 years. He is also a member of the Syosset Rotary and has been an active member of St. Edward's Parish since 1991.

(Stuart Zucker submitted the following statement.)

Stuart Zucker, an 11-year resident of Woodbury, has 26 years of experience in financial services and over 20 years managing his own business. As a volunteer in the Syosset Fire Department over the last three years, Zucker is a top responder for all emergency calls.

Zucker spends his time seeing first hand the needs of the Fire Department. He understands the challenges and objectives in maintaining a top ranked department - listening to the needs of the chiefs of the department, employees of the district and focusing on the issues that they face each and every time they respond to an emergency call will be the focal point of his energy.

Zucker also knows that the community must be heard, and said that more important they must be satisfied. Zucker's financial acumen will hopefully set positive examples throughout the district, in the hopes of continuing the process of fiscal responsibility, and conservative spending. He said he is ready to share his wealth of knowledge and experience with the members of the Fire Department and the entire Syosset and Woodbury community.

A proud father of two, Zucker's son Daniel attends Syosset High School and his daughter Ariana is a volunteer EMT in Syosset. His wife Meryl is a member of the Ladies Auxiliary in the Syosset Fire Department.

Zucker's dedication to his family and devotion to his work portray commitment, passion and leadership. His friends at the Fire Department describe him as both ambitious and meticulous. Zucker looks forward to serving and protecting this community over the next five years.