Candidate Profile: Leigh-Ann Barde For Islip Town Council

LONG ISLAND, NY - Suffolk County residents will be hitting the polls next month to elect several local representatives.

In addition to local town and village races, residents should look into who will be running to represent one of the 18 legislative districts in Suffolk County. This year, Election Day falls on Tuesday, November 5.

In anticipation of the big day, Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Leigh-Ann Barde, 34, of Central Islip is running for Islip Town Council. She lives with her husband, Roc Romain, 42, and their four sons: Anthony (10), David (8), Vincent (4), and Nicholas (2), two of which are autistic.

Challenger Barde (D) earned her Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies and is currently a stay at home mother. She has also been a community activist for the past 5 years.

Check out Patch's full Q&A with Barde below:

Patch: The single most pressing issue facing our community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Barde: I believe the single most pressing issue that residents are facing across Islip is over-development. I believe that we need smart development that takes into consideration the needs of local residents and the capabilities of local infrastructure.

P: What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

B: I believe that my opponents have not been transparent or receptive to their constituents; I will be. I am running to work for Islip Town residents, not big dollar donors and developers.

P: If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

B: The current town board has failed the residents of Islip in many ways; from the deteriorated parks, the unusable, polluted beaches, to our pothole riddled roads, all the while raising our taxes sky high.

P: Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

B: My team and I are committed to transparency; we will be updating the town's website and publishing our votes publicly on it, and we will holding more monthly meetings in the evening. We are also committed to suspending the Bay Shore parking meter program, and voting against the Island Hills Zoning change.

P: What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

B: I have successfully contributed to five victorious political campaigns, and I have been an active member and volunteer in my community for several years. I have been a baseball coach for 5 years and the Vice President of the Central Islip Little League, and I continue to be an active member of my children's PTA and SEPTA, and I am currently working on Legislator Gonzalez's Early Intervention Task Force. I have consistently advocated and continue to advocate for children, both my own and those of my community.

P: The best advice ever shared with me was ...

B: "When you have decided what you believe, what you feel must be done, have the courage to stand alone and be counted.”- Eleanor Roosevelt

P: What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

B: I would like voters to know that I am dedicated to improving quality of life in Islip for all residents. Each hamlet is unique; with its own identity and issues, and residents deserve a say in what changes occur in their hometown. I would like residents to know that I am fighting to be their voice.