A Word From The Publisher
A Vote For TheCommunity Agreement

On Tuesday, March 20th voters in Garden City will go to the polls to vote for trustees and mayor. The election will take place at Village Hall from noon until 9 p.m.

Outsiders who didn't know better might wonder why there are no challengers in the official village elections each March. In fact, democracy is alive and well in Garden City, but the most divisive aspects of it are moderated by the Community Agreement.

Under the Community Agreement, each of the four Property Owners Association chooses two trustees to serve on the Board of Trustees. The seat of mayor rotates among the different sections, and generally goes to the senior of the two trustees.

Candidates are interviewed and selected by the POAs, but occasionally challenges are made by other POA members. If this occurs, there is a runoff election, so there is an opportunity for the residents to express their wishes.

Once the POAs have all selected their candidates, the names of the candidates are then placed in unopposed nomination for the official March election. While challenges are theoretically possible in this election, we can't remember any in recent years.

During their tenure on the Board, members serve as liaisons to different departments in village government, such as recreation, police, fire and public works. In that way, a member gains experience and in theory at least when he or she becomes mayor has intimate familiarity with all aspects of running the village. Peter Bee, the incoming mayor, has served for fourteen years on the Board in virtually all of the relevant positions, in addition to the time he served the Eastern Property Owners Association.

Compared to the acrimony that happens in some other Village (where we have sister newspapers) Garden City's system is smooth and promotes harmony in the governance of the Village.

We urge voters to go to the polls on Tuesday, not because there are choices to be made, but because it shows support of the Community Agreement which has served the Village so well.

Meg Morgan Norris

Publisher