The Hicksville Community Council hosted a “Meet the Candidates” forum Dec. 1 to give the two candidates running for Hicksville Water Commissioner, and four men making a push for the Fire Commissioner position, a chance to introduce themselves to the community.
William Schuckmann is running against Warren Uss for Hicksville Water Commissioner. Schuckmann, a 37-year employee of the Hicksville Water District, managed an $8 million budget while serving as its superintendent since 1999. He is a former commissioner of the Hicksville Fire District, Chamber of Commerce and Community Council board member, former fire chief, and is celebrating 40 years of service to the Hicksville Fire Department. “As the Hicksville Water District’s Superintendent for the past 12 years and an employee for 37 years, I fully understand what it takes to manage a complex water system serving over 45,000 people,” Schuckmann said. “If elected Water Commissioner, I will dedicate myself to assuring Hicksville Water’s continued water quality excellence.”
The other Water Commissioner candidate is Hicksville Water District Chairman Warren Uss, a third-generation and lifelong resident of Hicksville. For over 35 years, Uss has been an active member of the Hicksville Fire Department and currently works within the district as a fire-alarm dispatcher. He was the captain of Emergency Company #5 and served on countless Fire Department groups, including the Training and Budget Committee, chairman of the Department By-law Committee, Welfare Committee and Grievance Committee. One of Schuckmann’s top achievements during his tenure was starting a new program to test every fire hydrant in Hicksville on a yearly basis, which hadn’t been done previously.
Michael Azzue, Scott Skrynecki, Harry Single and Ray Nami are the four men in the running for Hicksville Fire Commissioner. Azzue, a 32-year member of the Hicksville Fire Department and lifelong Hicksville resident, was an officer in the Hook & Ladder Co. 6 for 12 years, former employee of the Hicksville Fire District and past president of the Exempts Association. He was named Firefighter of the Year in 1988, and he’s also an advisor of Hicksville’s Junior Fire Department. Azzue said what he brings to the table is unique experience which gives him a different perspective on the Fire Commissioner job than the other candidates.
Skrynecki, a lifelong resident of Hicksville, says that he’s committed to continuing the fine family tradition of service to the Hicksville community, which started with his grandfather, ex-captain Fred Hasbrouk. He hopes to bring an educated and experienced perspective to the budget process, while still maintaining a high level of service and protection. Skrynecki is an active member of Hicksville’s Engine Co. #7, a former Air Marshal with the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, former Delaware police officer and he’s also the director of the Office of Investigations in Nassau County. “In addition to my emergency management, Homeland Security experience and fire management experience as a Hicksville firefighter, my budgeting and waste fraud abuse detection skills are really what sets me apart,” said Skrynecki.
Harry Single, a Hicksville resident of over 30 years and current president of the Hicksville Community Council, is a former New York City police officer and retired U.S. Justice Department federal agent. “I’m a Hicksville resident of 35 years, and 32 of those years I’ve been volunteering somewhere in town,” Single said. “I’ve put a lot of time in many organizations. That’s one way of making this town a better place.” Single added that in his previous five-year term as Hicksville Fire Commissioner, he helped the board lower the budget by 9 percent.
Ray Nami, a Hicksville resident of 26 years, has been a fireman at Engine Company 3 for the past 10 years. “We have to cut costs and tell the taxpayer what’s going on,” said Nami, when asked what he would like to see improved in the district. “From the legal advice all the way to every single vendor, I intend to have competitive bidding. You’re supposed to bid everything over $25,000.”
The 2011 election will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 13 from 3 to 9 p.m. at 2 locations: Hicksville Fire Station #1 (20 East Marie Street) and Hicksville Fire Station #4, located on Levittown Parkway.