On Tuesday, March 15, the Village of Roslyn will hold a contested election for the mayor's office. The following are statements issued to The Roslyn News by both of the candidates.

I have been a resident of the Village of Roslyn for 14 years. I am married with three children, two of them currently in the school district.

For the past 11 years, I have been the owner of a construction business.

I am a person who will always show sensitivity for residents' opinions and concerns regarding village matters.

I am determined to cease the high-handed and wrong-headed priorities applied to the commercial development of our few remaining open spaces in the village.

I will strictly enforce and strengthen zoning regulations to ensure that we maintain the suburban character and historic nature of our village. In this regard, I will do everything in my power to make sure new construction and expansion and existing buildings fit within the character of our village.

I will do my utmost to contain and reverse traffic congestion, pollution and decreased pedestrian safety. Specifically, I would work to increase parking availability and increase traffic safeguards throughout the village.

To better communicate with all our residents I will be shortly delivering a web-based portal to view town hall meetings at any time in the convenience of your home, to allow residents to discuss amongst their neighbors all of the issues on the agenda, to also form constituencies groups, to give clear voting directions to your administrations, all in an effort to "let freedom reign."

For too long, our village government has been unresponsive and insensitive to the concerns expressed by our residents.

To give an example of this, over 100 signatures I collected to oppose the size of the Forest City Daly senior development north of the Roslyn Viaduct was ignored by the current village administration.

They further ignored and overrode the objections of all residents attending the Dec. 2, 2003 village hall meeting where it was decided that this residential development would be allowed to double in size of what zoning allowed. Now we have an unprecedented four-story apartment building as tall as the viaduct and a proposed 112-unit townhouse taller than the viaduct looming on its way.

We the residents of Roslyn Village must take back control of our affairs. I will be a mayor who cares as much about our quality of life as I am about how to integrate an acceptable and responsible level of commercial development into our community.

As your mayor, I will work ceaselessly to accomplish this goal. Working together, I know there is nothing we can't accomplish in making Roslyn Village a better place to work and live in. Therefore, I humbly ask for your support on Election Day, March 15.

I am running for re-election as mayor of Roslyn and I'm asking for your support.

Many of you know me or have had contact with me in the past. For those unfamiliar with me, I would like to give you some background.

My wife Diane and I have lived in Roslyn since 1982. We own and operate Diane's Desserts and Trattoria Diane on Bryant Avenue. In the mid-nineties, I joined with many other concerned citizens to prevent a Super Stop & Shop from opening in the middle of our village. My involvement in that effort led to my nomination and election to the board of trustees. I served three terms on the board as a trustee, during which time I also participated in the Master Plan Committee, a group that helped draft a map for the village's future. In 2001, I was nominated and endorsed by both political parties in Roslyn Village for the office of mayor. I have had the privilege of serving as mayor since that time.

Some of the highlights of my administration:

* Roslyn successfully settled all litigation with Stop & Shop

* Careful fiscal auditing and oversight policies were put in place

* A capital program to end storm water infiltration in the sewer system, which was costing taxpayers many dollars, was instituted

* A major road repair program throughout the village was begun

* Restoration of the Clock Tower at no expense to taxpayers was undertaken

* Beautification of the entrances to the village was accomplished

* Two bus shelters, funded through state grants, were installed

* No increase in our village taxes budget for 2004/2005

* Agreement was achieved with Nassau County to repair the Grist Mill

* A Parking Trust Fund (contributions by developers) was created

* Respect and courtesy at all village meetings

* Laws were enacted to preserve green belts and steep slopes

In the next two years I hope to finish the revitalization of our downtown by creating a pedestrian path along the waterfront from the grist mill to the point of the harbor, at no cost to our taxpayers. The trustees and I plan to develop parking for merchants and shoppers, to update our Master Plan, to carefully manage (in partnership with the community) land use and development, to protect and preserve our environment and to involve more and more residents in village activities.

The continued protection of our tax base, the careful oversight of village finances, the well-being of all our neighbors, the preservation of historic Roslyn and regulation of responsible development are my commitments to this community.

I have been, once again, endorsed as a candidate for mayor by the Clock Tower Party and the Community Party of Roslyn, but I need your vote to make our goals a reality.

On March 15, please vote to re-elect Nolan Myerson and Marta Genovese as village trustees and for me, John Durkin, as mayor. I very much appreciate your support.