By Kathianne Boniello
If you were waiting for a chance to see your local elected officials or their challengers face-to-face, look no further than the East Bayside Homeowners Association's candidates' night slated for next Tuesday.
Most if not all the northeast Queens politicians who represent the EBHA's area and are running for re-election were expected to attend, said civic leader Frank Skala, including: U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Bayside); his Republican challenger, Dr. Ed Elkowitz; state Assemblywoman Ann-Margaret Carrozza (D-Bayside); state Sen. Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose); and his Democratic challenger Rory Lancman.
The event, slated for 7:30 p.m., is to be held in the common room of All Saints Church on the corner of 215th Street and 40th Avenue. The meeting, which is hosted and organized by the EBHA, is open to the public.
Skala, president of the EBHA, said candidates for next year's borough president and city council races were also invited to introduce themselves to the community, including: Councilman Sheldon Leffler (D-Hollis), who is running for borough president; Councilman Mike Abel (R-Bayside); former Board of Education member Carol Gresser, who is seeking the borough president's post; and civic leaders Tony Avella, Jerry Iannece, and Joyce Shepard, who are all running for Abel's seat.
Candidates participating in the EBHA event do so under Skala's strict guidelines, which prohibit those running for re-election from sending representatives in their place and limit the number of assistants they bring.
Skala said the candidates are required to show up in person because assistants “can't promise you anything.”
The civic group has been holding candidates' nights in every election year since 1974, Skala said.
The group was also slated to give out its 2000 Community Service Awards.
The group was expected to honor several individuals, including: Bernard Haber, Community Board 11 chairman; Andrew Ippolito, president of the Property Civic Association; Roz Liston, managing editor of the Times-Ledger Newspapers; Anthony Lombardi, 111th Police Precinct community affairs officer; businessman Jack Oshier; Harris Sarney, principal of Bayside High School; and Mandingo Tshaka, president of the Bayside Clear-Springs Council.
Reach reporter Kathianne Boniello by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 146.