Councilman Anthony J. Santino

Councilman Anthony J. Santino of East Rockaway was re-elected to his third full term as a member of the Hempstead Town Board in the November 2001 general election.

Councilman Santino has had a distinguished career in government service. An eight-year veteran of the East Rockaway Village Board, Councilman Santino was elected a village trustee in 1983 at the age of 22. He was re-elected in 1987. He also served as the village's Deputy Mayor for two of those eight years.

Mr. Santino is a summa cum laude graduate of St. John's University . In addition to his service to the Village of East Rockaway , Councilman Santino has enjoyed a varied career in government on the federal as well as local level.

He served for four years as Executive Assistant to then Congressman Norman F. Lent, eventually becoming the congressman's district office manager. Subsequently, he served as a Special Assistant to the Nassau County Board of Supervisors. Prior to his service on the town board he was the town's Director of Communications for six and one-half years.

Councilman Santino is active in a wide array of community organizations. He is a charter member of the Msgr. Walsh-St.Raymond's Council of the Knights of Columbus, a Fourth Degree member of the Cardinal Mercier Assembly of the Knights of Columbus, the Order Sons of Italy in America, the Kiwanis Club of East Rockaway, and the St. Raymond's Parish Holy Name Society. He also serves as a lector at St. Raymond's R.C. Church .

In addition, Councilman Santino is a member at-large of the Iroquois District of the Nassau County Boy Scouts of America. The councilman is also a member of the St. John's University Alumni Association and the New York #1 Elks Lodge located in Lynbrook , New York .. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the American Committee on Italian Migration and an associate member of Division #3 of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

Councilman Santino's service to the veterans of the community was recognized in 1999 when he was inducted into East Rockaway American Legion Post #958 as a 'Friend of the American Legion.' He is a member of the Sons of the American Legion.

Councilman Santino is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including being named "Man of the Year" by the Georgia Wright Animal Guardian Foundation, the Order Sons of Italy in America , the Iroquois District of the Boy Scouts of America and the Shanti Fund -- a charitable organization of Indian-Americans. In 1998, the councilman was the honoree at the Elmont-based Kerala Cultural Center 's annual Indian Independence Day celebration. He has also received the Public Service Award from the American Committee on Italian Migration.

Councilman Santino is also the recipient of the "Champion of Youth Award" of the Link Counseling Center of Lynbrook, New York. He has received the East Rockaway Board of Education's highest educational award, the 'Friends of Education Award' in recognition of his 'tireless efforts on behalf of the school district.' He was also named "Man of the Year" at the annual joint brotherhood breakfast sponsored by Oceanside 's Rocky Marciano Lodge of the Order Sons of Italy in America and Trophy Lodge of B'Nai Brith. The East Rockaway Kiwanis Club named Councilman Santino its "Kiwanian of the Year" for 2002. The National Council of Young Israel awarded the councilman its Public Service Award in March 2004.

As a member of the Hempstead Town Board, Councilman Santino has worked diligently to reduce the size and cost of government, provide town residents with tax relief, and promote environmentally responsible business growth that spurs the economy and creates jobs for town residents.

Councilman Santino is the author of a landmark measure that brought library service to previously unserved residents of some of the town's unincorporated communities. The creation of the Bay Park Library District is a first-of-its-kind effort to expand library service in New York State through the creation of a library district that contracts with an existing, neighboring library -- this model is being used by communities across Long Island to expand library service to previously unserved communities.

Councilman Santino was honored by the Bay Park Civic Association and presented with its 'distinguished service' award in recognition of his tireless work to establish the Bay Park Library District.

In recent years, Councilman Santino has been the moving force behind the town’s successful efforts to close the Oceanside Motel, he led the community opposition that turned back Nassau County’s attempt to move the First Police Precinct headquarters out of Baldwin, and he spearheaded the town’s efforts to renovate Hewlett Point Beach, build a new soccer field in Oceanside Park, a new skate park in Baldwin Park, and the complete renovation of Woodmere Dock.

Born in Corona , Queens , Councilman Santino moved to East Rockaway during childhood. A product of the East Rockaway public school system, Councilman Santino continues to reside in East Rockaway, his home for the past 35 years.

The Fourth Councilmatic District of the Town of Hempstead includes Baldwin, East Rockaway, Hewlett, Island Park , Oceanside , Rockville Centre, South Hempstead, and a portion of Lynbrook .

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