Viki DeJong, Democratic candidate for Hempstead Town Council 6th District, recently began her campaign against Republican Gary Hudes, who was previously appointed by the town, ran for office, and was defeated in the last election.

The sixth council district includes Levittown, East Meadow, Merrick, North Merrick and parts of Wantagh. This is the first time candidates for the Hempstead Town Board will be running for councilmanic districts, following a ruling in January by the Supreme Court that the municipality, the largest township in America, must be divided into six different districts. Previously, candidates ran at large until this ruling, which came in response to a lawsuit claiming that the previous system was in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

DeJong, a resident of Salisbury, is a long-time community activist who currently serves on many town and county problem-solving committees, including Supervisor Richard Guardino's Town of Hempstead Cellular Tower Task Force.

The task force was formed at the town level in response to citizens who were worried about placement of cell towers. It's purpose is to designate sites that are acceptable to cell phone companies, yet situated as far away as possible from schools and homes. According to DeJong, there is currently a moratorium on the construction of new towers.

DeJong has also chaired for 20 years a countywide group called the Citizens Committee for Civic Action, whose attention was first directed toward an incinerator in Hempstead, and has since branched out to other economic and social issues.

One such issue is the proposed development of the Roosevelt Raceway property. "We are not necessarily in opposition to development, so much as we oppose a piecemeal plan. As a group, we aim to get the kind of development that is needed, that can be accommodated economically, that won't deplete water or electric resources, or interfere with the traffic flow."

DeJong unsuccessfully ran for office on the town level in 1987, and for a seat on the legislature in 1997. "Back then, Democrats just did not get elected," she said. "To be honest, the last two times I ran, it was primarily a very good way to get the issues out. When you have any one party system, they can be very selective about what issues to concentrate on. This time, of course, there is a much better chance of me being successful."

DeJong is presently employed as a legislative advisor to the Town of Hempstead Democratic Caucus.