WPOA Committee Nominates Trustee John Watras for Re-Election

The Western Property Owners' Association (WPOA) will hold its annual resident electors’ meeting Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m. at Homestead School. Nominating Committee chairman Maureen Traxler will present the committee’s selection of John Watras for re-election as village trustee, and place his name in nomination as the western section candidate for the March 2012 villagewide election.

In addition, there will be discussion of a proposal to upgrade the senior center facility on Golf Club Lane, as well as ideas for a recreation center for all residents and the current status of St. Paul’s School.

The WPOA will ask for volunteers to serve on its Nominating Committee for officers and directors, whose terms expire in April. Please be reminded that the WPOA annual membership drive is underway. Western residents can pay their annual dues of $20 at the Jan. 17 meeting.

Watras, who is currently serving as deputy mayor, has volunteered his service as a trustee for the past eight years. During that time, he has served in many capacities, including trustee liaison to the Garden City Historical Society, the Garden City Public Library, the Garden City Police and Fire Departments and the Environmental Advisory Board among others, and has held the board position of finance chairman.

Several years ago, along with his fellow western section trustee Gerry Lundquist, he proposed and helped establish the volunteer Citizens Budget Review Committee. He joined the WPOA in 1995, and prior to his election to the village board of trustees, served in various directors’ positions and as WPOA president.

Watras has been involved in the securities industry since 1986. A graduate of Hofstra University with a business administration degree, he became a director of The New York Stock Exchange in 1994. He is currently a partner and managing director for Concept Capital Markets LLC. During his career, his responsibilities have included institutional sales and money management for corporations, and he held compliance and principal responsibilities on the trading desk for Blackford Securities Corp.

Watras and his wife, Beth, moved to Garden City in 1994. They have two children, Jonathan and Melissa, who attended Garden City schools. Watras serves as chairman of the Development Committee for Little Village School, and is a member of the board of directors of the Tanners Pond Environmental Center/Garden City Bird Sanctuary.

The western section of Garden City is bordered on the north by the main line of the LIRR, on the east by the west side of Tanners Pond and Edgemere Roads, on the south by Cambridge Avenue and on the west by Jefferson Street. Visit the WPOA website at www.gcwpoa.com for more information.