Denise Ford celebrates impending retirement

Party gathered at The Saloon in Long Beach’s West End

By BRENDAN CARPENTER bcarpenter@liherald.com

Denise Ford, who has served as a Nassau County legislator for 20 years, decided against running for reelection this fall. To celebrate her upcoming retirement, a healthy group gathered at The Saloon for a party last Tuesday.

The 72-year-old Ford was elected to the legislature in 2003 shortly after her husband, Harry, a 27-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department, was killed in a fire in Queens on Father’s Day in 2001. She’s an enrolled Democrat but caucuses with the Republicans. The announced she would not seek reelection in March.

Ford’s decision came after much thought and during a major redistricting process in the county. She was one of the legislature’s best-known members. Democrats and Republicans can be expected to wage a vigorous fight for her seat.

“I had been considering doing this for a while and I felt that this was the best time for me to go,” Ford said in a past interview. “I will miss representing my district because I really do love the people that I represent. But I think it’s time for somebody new to take over and be the guardian of legislative district four.”

Ford’s district includes Long Beach, Lido Beach, East Atlantic Beach, Point Lookout, Island Park and parts of East Rockaway, Woodmere, Oceanside, Lawrence and Cedarhurst. She said her main reason for not seeking reelection is to spend more time with her family.

“I’m getting older, with grandchildren, and there’s just some family situations that I want to focus on,” she previously said about her retirement decision. “I have served 20 years and I think that is an adequate time for somebody to be in an elected position. And so I just felt it

DENisE

ADDREssiNG attendees at her retirement party last week. She was joined by Michael in my gut that this was it. This was the year to go.”

Brendan Finn, and Patrick Mullaney, who is running to replace her in the next election, and Chris Fiumara.

Ford also currently serves as the chair of the Public Safety Committee and the vice chair of the Government Services & Operations Committee. She is also a member of the Planning, Development and the Environment Committee, the Economic and Community Development and Labor Committee and the Minority Affairs Committee.

During her term in office, she has been honored for numerous achievements within her community.

The Long Beach Chamber of Commerce named her

Woman of the Year in recognition of her leadership, and by the Michael Valente Lodge. The Sisterhood of Temple Emanu-El also honored her as a “Woman of Valor”. Ford has been a resident of the Long Beach community for over 35 years. She stepped down as the president of the West End Neighbors Civic Association in 2003 when she was elected to the Legislature. She is currently a member of a variety of organizations such as the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW and Kiwanis.