By Paris Popack
My name is Paris Popack, and I am seeking to be the Mayor of the Village of Lawrence because it is a continuation of a decades-long pattern of service and devotion to our Village.
My involvement with the Village of Lawrence on many diverse levels has been an on-going process which has included the privilege of serving as President of a rejuvenated Lawrence Civic Association which, under my tenure, kept residents informed of Village affairs with its monthly meetings and monthly “Watch Dog Bulletin.” I have also served on the Village’s Park Commission which I was invited to join after successful terms as Lawrence Women’s Tennis Club President and Chair of the Play for P.I.N.K. breast cancer fundraiser tournaments.
During this time, I supported the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Volunteer Fire Department by donating equipment and a training wall, which is used weekly. I serve as the Lawrence Chair and sponsor of the LCFD Memorial Day Parade, with the Village of Cedarhurst, which has been lauded for instilling a record number of participants and spectators, a warm spirit of community, and gratitude to fallen heroes for our freedoms.
As Lawrence Village Trustee, and now as Deputy Mayor, I am continuing the effort to enhance our Village by spearheading the renovation and expansion of the Zion Park Playground, proceeding with a plan for improved village lighting, co-chairing the Lawrence Country Club Centennial Celebration, advocating legal action and protecting neighbors from illegally placed businesses, placement of monitored security cameras, increased police protection, and working daily with Village staff, other governmental agencies, and utilities to ensure that all Village services (including candidly responding to questions, concerns, and suggestions) are rendered promptly and efficiently, and without any increase in taxes.
My fellow Lawrence residents, my name is Paris Popack, and I am running for Mayor without a slate of accompanying trustee candidates. Originally, I was fortunate enough to have two outstanding Lawrence residents volunteer to run with me and offer their time and talent to their fellow Lawrencians. Unfortunately, one candidate was unable to continue and the other, upon discovering that Aaron Felder and Shlomo Gottesman were also running, unselfishly stepped aside, confident, as am I, that they have no conflict of interest and have a vision to best serve the Village without the need for a contested trustee election.
Happy to lead with Aaron and Shlomo, I am running for Mayor because I am, as I have always been, 100 percent devoted to Lawrence and Lawrence alone, unencumbered by any obligation or fiduciary responsibility to any other County Authority or Village. I am completely independent, owing no appointed position to any elected official, nor having any political aspirations beyond serving the residents of Lawrence as their Mayor.
I am running because I am not a developer, but rather, a resident (and driver) who is against over-development and for responsible development. I own no commercial properties in Lawrence or Cedarhurst and have no business or financial arrangement with either Village. I have never taken any action, nor threatened legal action, against the Village of Lawrence, nor could I contemplate doing so, and then aspire to be its Mayor.
I am running to be your Mayor. I am not soliciting the assistance of any political party, nor injecting state, town, or county politics into our local affairs.
I am running on a record of demonstrated service to Lawrence, no tax increases, no hysterical accusations, no over-development, continued responsive service to maintain our high quality of life, public safety, and cooperative, effective government.
I have lived in Lawrence for 29 years with my husband and family, sent my children to school here, have voted in every Village election, and tried my best to help a wide range of government, educational, philanthropic, religious, and civic organizations. I genuinely love and understand the Village of Lawrence, and to serve it, is for me, not just another government job, but rather the fulfillment of a calling. Driven by neither ego nor ambition, I want to work with everyone to keep Lawrence the beautiful home we all appreciate, and I ask you to help me to do so.
