League of Women Voters quits as sponsor of North Hempstead event

For decades, the League of Women Voters of Port Washington-Manhasset hosted North Hempstead's annual State of the Town address. Traditionally, the supervisor would update constituents on town developments and answer questions from the crowd over lunch. 

This year, the town hosted the event itself. There was no question-and-answer session after Supervisor Jennifer DeSena concluded her speech March 9 in a sun-soaked room inside the town-run Harbor Links Golf Course.

The League withdrew as a partner after the town last year barred residents from asking DeSena questions following her speech. DeSena, a registered Democrat who runs on the Republican line, was first elected supervisor in 2021 and is running for reelection in November.

"After much internal discussion over a period of months, and a sense of loss for our community, the LWV of PWM decided that the lunch no longer aligned with its mission," League president Regina Goutevenier said in an emailed statement. "The League will redeploy the significant effort that has gone into this event for about three decades into activities that are nonpartisan, educational, and actively engaging voters." 

DeSena said in an interview she did not see the need for holding a question and answer session.

"The purpose is for me to give the information out, to the public, to the community leaders," DeSena said. "This is not a candidate forum."

Sean McCarthy, a Democrat challenging DeSena for supervisor, attended last week's event in his capacity as a Port Washington Police District commissioner. He said in an interview he was "disappointed that [DeSena] elected not to take questions."

"There are very few opportunities for our residents to directly ask our elected officials questions, and expect answers," McCarthy said. 

The town covered the expense of the event, which cost $3,374, North Hempstead spokesperson Umberto Mignardi said. There was no ticket cost for the event. Last year, the League charged $45 for entry. 

The Manhasset-Port Washington chapter of the League, founded in 1937, is a nonpartisan political organization with a three-pronged mission to "encourage informed and active participation in government, to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and to influence public policy through education and advocacy," Goutevenier said.

The League had hosted the State of the Town since at least 1986, when John Kiernan was supervisor, according to Newsday archives. Kiernan was expected to address a "variety of issues, including garbage disposal." 

Goutevenier said early State of the Town addresses were held in conjunction with "lunches held in local restaurants, composed mainly of League members and voters, with only a few town officials."

Wayne Wink, the town clerk from 2014-21 and a councilmember from 2002-07, said in an interview that supervisors always answered questions following their speeches. Wink, a Democrat, ran for supervisor in 2021 but lost to DeSena.

"Sometimes it would be very softball questions, sometimes it would be a little more back and forth," Wink said. "That's what every supervisor did."

DeSena said the event had stretched too long in recent years, sometimes up to four hours. This year, it lasted about two hours.

"People have work," DeSena said. "Not everybody are ladies who lunch."

The supervisor insisted the State of the Town should not be a "political event."

"It's a government event, where I report on the state of the town," she said. "To allow people to ask political questions, it's just not fair to everybody who came to hear what is it that the town has done this year."

By Joshua Needelman

joshua.needelman@newsday.com

Joshua Needelman covers the Town of North Hempstead for Newsday. A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate, his work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.