The Garden City Park Fire and Water district commissioner race was apparently settled by 1 vote, with Rob Mirabile defeating Joe Wendling in the Tuesday election, the district said.
The numbers are unofficial and will be finalized at the Tuesday commissioner meeting, the district said. A total of 303 votes were submitted in the race, according to the district.
Former Fire Chief Joe Papa was also elected to New Hyde Park fire commissioner in a race he ran unopposed in.
Steve Flynn also won a third term as commissioner of the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire and Water District in a race in which he was unopposed.
Papa will replace the outgoing Ernest Gentile and Mirabile would replace Kenneth Borchers, who did not seek re-election after serving the district since 2007.
Mirabile first became chief of the Garden City Park Fire Department in 1991 when he joined Hillside Heights Engine Co. 3.
Professionally, he works with the department of public safety at Adelphi University, operates the food truck Roscoe’s Roadside serving old-fashioned hot dogs and is a content creator on YouTube for Axle’s Garage.
The Garden City Park Fire and Water district covers parts of Garden City Park, Manhasset Hills, parts of New Hyde Park, parts of Mineola, parts of North Hills, parts of Roslyn, parts of Williston Park, parts of Albertson and parts of Garden City.
“I’ve held every rank over the years including chief of the department,” said Mirabile in a previous interview with Blank Slate Media. “I have intimate knowledge of how the board of commissioners interacts with the chiefs and rest of the department.”
The New Hyde Park native said he wants to give the department the space and resources necessary to do its job.
“Sometimes I saw that the board would overstep and run the department instead of the chiefs,” Mirabile said. “I feel that the chief who’s elected by the members of the department should be running it and have the board provide resources he or she needs.”
Mirabile defeated Wendling, a resident of the district for 52 years, who said he’s running with the main priorities of safety and responsible spending.
“I will do our best to serve our community, keep our water safe and healthy and prevent both unnecessary expenditures and building in our district,” Wendling said.
Professionally, Wendling is a private investigator for the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park School District, the same role he held for Herricks over a decade ago.
Wendling is a former NYPD detective, a position he retired from in 1987 after over 18 years on the police force after having enlisted in the Marines in 1966. On top of his police service, Wendling was previously the director of operations of Mount St. Michael’s Academy in the Bronx.
For Papa, the New Hyde Park native has been a member of the village’s fire department since April 1, 1997.
His experience includes being chief and deputy chief and serving as both a captain and 2nd lieutenant for the Active Hook & Ladder Co. 1.
“With my experience as chief I think the district is going in the right direction right now,” Papa told Blank Slate Media. “It’s a good time for me to help out and move it in the right direction.”
The fire district, which serves the village and unincorporated areas in North New Hyde Park, is governed by a three-member board of commissioners that each serves three-year terms. The terms are staggered and a new seat becomes available each year.
Professionally, Papa is a lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department.
“I’m going to be responsible and keep us moving forward, that’s what I’m here for,” Papa said. “I’m hoping to keep everyone in the department, taxpayers in the district and community happy.”
Flynn, a foreman for the Public Works Department in the Village of Plandome, was first elected as commissioner of the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire and Water District in 2016 when he defeated incumbent Donald O’Brien.
A lifetime resident of Manhasset, he has held the position of 1st and 2nd lieutenant in his department and captain from 2000 to 2006.
The Manhasset-Lakeville Fire and Water District takes in all of Manhasset except for Plandome, half of Great Neck and some of northern New Hyde Park.
The Manhasset-Lakeville Water District serves approximately 45,000 customers who use 7.4 million gallons of water a day within the service area of 10.2 square miles, according to the water district’s website. Eighteen wells at 13 locations provide water to Manhasset and portions of Great Neck and North New Hyde Park.
Flynn will continue serving with Commissioners Brian Morris and Mark Sauvigne.
