I recently received an email from one of my Manorhaven buddies who grew up with me in this wonderful village back in the ’50s and ’60s. Although he now lives in Florida year round, I made the choice in 2015 to return to the village I loved. An article from AARP listed Manorhaven as its choice for the 10th Most Livable Small town using its index for small towns to include engagement, housing, neighborhood, transportation, environment, opportunity and health, which was a pleasant surprise.

I am extremely proud to say that I made every effort to improve our quality of life in Manorhaven during my four-year term as trustee where I was able to see almost all of my 13 proposals/recommendations come to fruition during my two terms in office. Mayor Jim Avena and my fellow trustees supported almost all of my efforts during those four years as we saw improvements in the cleanliness of our village as well as enforcement of illegal occupancy.

Although my fellow trustees delayed our Pilot Program for Alternate Side of the Street Parking (snow emergencies) for one year, Mayor Avena and I were finally able to get their votes to put that program in place the following winter, which proved to be a success for the residents of our village.

In May 2017, after a Village public hearing regarding my proposal for a “Parking Sticker Pilot Program” was presented to our residents, about 40 residents in attendance voiced their opposition with varied unrelated reasons to this pilot program. My fellow trustees decided to table this idea, although Mayor Avena was in agreement with giving this pilot program a try as our parking availability has only continued to worsen, particularly in the “Beachhaven” area of Manorhaven, and will eventually affect Manhasset Isle as two-family homes continue to be built throughout our village.

Since returning from Florida in early April, I learned that the mayor and trustees will once again be looking for re-election. Although the mayor and my fellow trustees differed on various occasions, I believe that Jim Avena should be given strong consideration by the residents of our village who truly care about Manorhaven and the direction it may be going in the upcoming years.

Jim Avena, whose party originally ran against me in 2016, backed every one of my 13 proposals and we were able to work hand-in-hand during my four years as trustee. Improving the living conditions was at the top of our list back in 2016. However,  something more important and critical occurred back then. Jim Avena brought a special expertise to our Village that had not been seen over many years. I was particularly impressed with his accounting and financial background that dated back to his years as president with Cantor Fitzgerald in New York City from 1978-1993. He was able to raise our S&P (Standard & Poor’s) rating from a borderline negative rating to an AA+ rating, the second highest rating awarded to any municipality.

His background and efforts helped our Village secure funding from Nassau County in addition to a consistent balanced budget, which resulted in surplus funds that made paving of our Village roads possible after years of disregard. I also feel that Jim Avena has kept the residents’ well-being in mind by his “stop work orders” for various projects within our Village since 2016.

Although our past board worked together on many improvements to Manorhaven regarding Manorhaven Blvd, snow emergencies, code enforcement, the Nature Preserve, and Morgan’s Dock Park that have helped attract many new businesses to our small community, I am confident that Jim Avena of the Manorhaven Residents Party should be considered the best candidate for mayor of the Village of Manorhaven.

My distaste for winters in New York were the only reason I left my position as trustee to enjoy the climate in Florida, but I have never stopped caring about this Village that I have loved since coming here originally in 1948. Please be sure to vote on Tuesday, June 21.

Ken Kraft

Trustee 2016-2020

Village of Manorhaven