Josie Pizer, the only person to file a petition as an independent candidate in the Great Neck Library annual election that will be held on Monday, Oct. 30, has withdrawn from the race. Pizer was running for the Nominating Committee seat currently held by Marie Franzoni.
No information had been released as to why Pizer withdrew but, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, she was appointed by the Great Neck Library Board of Trustees to fill Douglas Hwee’s trustee seat, which has remained unfilled since Hwee’s removal from the board without any explanation to the public this past summer.
Pizer’s seat will run through January 2019. According to the library, the Nominating Committee did not have enough time to select a candidate to fill Hwee’s vacancy prior to the election.
Voters will elect two people to the Board of Trustees for two four-year terms running January 2018–22 and two people to the Nominating Committee for two three-year terms running January 2018–21 to fill the seats expiring in January 2018. Those elected will take office at the Library Association Annual Reorganization Meeting on Jan. 30, 2018.
As an independent candidate, Pizer was running against endorsed candidate Cheng “Carey” Ye, wife of Weihua Yan, who’s the endorsed candidate for the Board of Trustees seat currently held by Marietta DiCamillo.
For the other Board of Trustees seat, currently held by Michael Fuller, the endorsed candidate is Dr. Barry Smith.
For the other Nominating Committee seat, currently held by Omer Soykan, the endorsed candidate is Samuel Gottlieb.
Elections will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., followed by the Board of Trustees annual meeting. Residents living north of Northern Boulevard vote in the Main Library community room, 159 Bayview Ave. in Great Neck. Residents living south of Northern Boulevard vote at the Parkville Branch, 10 Campbell St. in New Hyde Park.
Eligible voters must be 18 or older, residents of the Great Neck School District and either valid Great Neck Library card holders by Oct. 2 at 5 p.m. (or at least have applied for a card prior to this date) or registered voters with the Nassau County Board of Elections.
