There are three candidates running for two seats on the Jericho Board of Trustees. Current Trustee Peter Piro is resigning. The candidates are incumbent Stanley Garfunkel, Gloria Jacobson and Edward Salina. Voting will take place in the Jericho Middle/High School gymnasium on Tuesday, May 20 between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.

The following information was edited from material submitted by the candidates themselves.

Gloria Jacobson said that she spends a great deal of time in the library, taking advantage of library programs and facilities with her three children and on her own. "As my children have grown and our community has evolved, I feel we must update procedures and services to reflect the changing needs of our community," said Jacobson.

Jacobson said that her past experiences in education, programming and marketing will be advantageous to the library board. She received a young artist grant from the city of New York to attend Pratt Institute and she graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts in Painting and Art Education. She also has a Masters Degree in Art Therapy from Pratt Institute.

Jacobson is licensed by New York City and New York State in Special Education and Art Education. She taught Special Education in New York City for 10 years.

Along with her husband, Jacobson owns and operates a small business, for which she acts as a sales representative and director of marketing. She has created programs, which have increased revenue and the business's customer base.

Jacobson has been active in numerous organizations, which she said have given her further business and organizational skills that would augment her work on the library board. Before moving to Jericho, Jacobson lived in West Hempstead and served as president of the local chapter of Hadassah, where she was honored as Woman of the Year. While on the board of the West Hempstead Jewish Center, she worked as the liaison to create a satellite program for the South Shore Y. The program provided programming for West Hempstead senior citizens, teenagers, and children. In addition, she worked with teams to create a Saturday morning preschool program and a Monday-Friday day care program in the temple.

Since moving to Jericho about nine years ago, Jacobson has worked to raise funds for Tobay Hadassah, for which she has been honored with a gala dinner and the Myrtle Wreath Award. "I feel that my creative abilities, training in group dynamics and problem solving will be an asset to the library board," she concluded.

Incumbent Stanley J. Garfunkel holds a doctorate in Business (Marketing) from the City University of New York and has taught fulltime at Queensborough Community College for more than 30 years. He has served as the chair of the Business Department (1990-1993), vice-chair of the Academic Senate, and a member of the Faculty Executive Committee. He has also taught adjunct courses in marketing in the M.B.A. programs of both Hofstra University and Adelphi University.

Garfunkel has authored text materials for Random House, authored a number of articles, made presentations at American Marketing Association Educators' Conferences, served as an expert witness in marketing, and completed numerous real-world consulting assignments.

Garfunkel has served as a member of the board of trustees of the Jericho Public Library for the past five years. "I have very much enjoyed the experience," said Garfunkel. "I believe that as a board, we have managed to reduce unnecessary expenses while at the same time introduce new programs and upgrade the existing facility. Our accomplishments include teen space and a teen librarian, updated computers, a new small meeting room, Wi-Fi, audio books and tapes, and upgraded security."

Garfunkel also said that while on the board, they have managed to complete a number of large, expensive projects, such as the new HVAC system and new roof, without any call for a bond issue. "By carefully monitoring expenses, we have been able to trim the budget increase for the coming 2008-2009 year to just under 3 percent," he said. "We are constantly trying to improve the library for the residents of Jericho, and I would like to continue to be a part of this effort."

He and his wife Gail have lived in Jericho for the past 20 years. The couple's two children are graduates of Jericho High School and the University of Pennsylvania, and both live and work in Manhattan.

Dr. Edward Salina is responsible for all aspects of personnel management, administrative and instructional technologies, as well as the overall management of the seven school libraries in his current position as the Assistant Superintendent of Administration for the Roslyn Public Schools.

Salina holds a bachelor of science degree in engineering as well as a masters and doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Salina was the principal of the East Hills Elementary School in Roslyn from 2003-2007. He said that his responsibilities included creating a student-centered learning environment that promoted the educational, social and emotional needs of all students.

He has also been a member of the Health and Safety Committee, Committee on Special Education and the district crisis team in the Roslyn School District.

If elected next week, Salina's primary goal as a library trustee is to bring his experience and expertise in technology, information resources and educational organizations to further the development of the library. He said that he believes his unique educational background will also serve to complement the existing areas of expertise of the board. "I will apply a systems approach and bring proven collaborative leadership skills to the board's shared vision of excellence," said Salina.

Salina has been a resident of Jericho for 13 years. He and his wife, Penny, have two children currently attending the Jericho Public Schools.

Compiled by Denise Nash