North Hempstead Town Supervisor Candidates: Meet David Redmond

MINEOLA, NY — Voters in the Town of North Hempstead on Nov. 5 will cast their ballots for supervisor, with incumbent Democrat Judi Bosworth seeking her fourth two-year term against Republican challenger David Redmond.

The supervisor is one of the most significant and powerful roles, acting as presiding officer over meetings of the town board and voting on matters before the panel; carrying out decisions made by the board, fielding concerns from residents; and acting as the treasurer of the town and representing the town in its financial affairs.

Villages that will vote for North Hempstead town supervisor include Baxter Estates, Kensington, North Hills, Roslyn Estates, East Hills, Kings Point, Old Westbury, Roslyn Harbor, East Williston, Lake Success, Plandome, Russell Gardens, Floral Park, Manorhaven, Plandome Heights, Saddle Rock, Flower Hill, Mineola, Plandome Manor, Sands Point, Great Neck, Munsey Park, Port Washington North, Thomaston, Great Neck Plaza, New Hyde Park, Roslyn, Westbury, Great Neck Estates and Williston Park.

Patch reached out to both candidates via email and/or Facebook to hear where they stand on important issues affecting the community.

Here are their responses.

David Redmond

• Age (as of Sept. 1): 33
• Town of residence: Mineola
• Position sought: North Hempstead Town supervisor
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Family: Single
• Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering.
• Occupation: Technology consultant, 15 years.
• Previous or current elected or appointed office: None.
• Campaign Website: DavidPRedmond.com

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

A shortfall in leadership, especially in the key areas of project management and hiring, which also includes an incredibly slow rollout of online features for the building department, which has been backlogged for several years. I intend to use my technical background to guide the town into the 21st century of governing and resident services. Most importantly, we can improve our quality of life with innovations for government without losing a human touch.

See also: North Hempstead Town Supervisor Candidates: Meet Judi Bosworth

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My understanding of science, technology, engineering and math sets me apart. With the position of supervisor being an executive office, it is more critical than ever in today's modern economy for our leaders to have a technological understanding, as local governments continue to increasingly adopt and implement these solutions. I am part of a bridge generation that first learned traditionally, and then came of age during the technological revolution. This afforded me a unique opportunity and viewpoint that will serve me well in public office, and unites me with all others across the generational spectrum. I understand where we have come from, and the current struggles faced by younger generations.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

The failures range from a still lagging building department, with multi-year wait times for working families waiting on their paperwork to be processed and approved, taking over two years to hire the wrong superintendent of highways, who resigned in four months, to something as simple as having an animal shelter without services for cats, which other towns have had for many years, and residents have been asking for since Supervisor Kaiman was in office.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

A Supervisor Redmond will bring a new level of efficiency and savings achieved by proper project management and hiring practices. The implementation of technology solutions to improve the timeliness of services that residents have come to expect in the modern age will be a top priority. A good credit rating for the town is not being put to good use if services take too long, or don't even exist, for the average resident.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I've worked with international airline clients in private business to accomplish a common goal of implementing new federal regulations, requiring transmission of passenger data to homeland security prior to takeoff clearance for each flight. A plane could not leave the tarmac before our real time collected data was transmitted with complete accuracy. I've worked with utility companies to ensure the proper installation of energy assets via electronic monitoring, to state and local code, with a work schedule record of 12 straight days of 16-hour overnight shifts. I've consulted with local organizations and small businesses to help them navigate solutions for their diverse industries. Every industry is seeking to adapt to the information age, including local government, and I look forward to achieving more, at larger scale, with all of you in our great town.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

... given to me by my father while working on home improvement projects: Measure twice, cut once — which applies to many other endeavors in life as well!

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am tired of the national nonsense that is exhausting all of us. I will be focused on local solutions for local problems that must be solved by us, not characters in Washington, D.C. I enjoy hearing all of your stories and feedback throughout my life, and also while on more recent campaign trails. I can never un-hear what you have shared with me, and I will continue to carry it with me as I progress in serving you. My civil service began at the age of 17 as a volunteer firefighter. We serve everyone regardless of their ethnic background, religious affiliation, voting registration, and lifestyle. I've seen the look of appreciation on people's faces after all types of fire service calls and it is a strong motivator for me to keep serving the public. I will utilize my unique skill set and knowledge base to get the town to where it needs to be in all aspects of its regular business and services offered. Residents have waited for too long on the same outstanding problems, they won't have to wait much longer if they adopt new leadership in 2019.