Sunday, April 27, 2025
Glen Cove Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck has announced her bid for a third term, emphasizing her administration’s accomplishments in infrastructure improvements and financial stability. She was first elected as a City Councilwoman in 2013, and served three terms before becoming mayor in 2022. During her tenure, Panzenbeck has prioritized fiscal responsibility, revitalization of public spaces and infrastructure projects, including extensive repairs to Morgan Park, John Maccarone Memorial Stadium and other municipal facilities.
Alongside Panzenbeck, the Glen Cove Republican Committee has announced its slate of candidates for the upcoming election. Incumbents Grady Farnan, Michael Ktistakis and Kevin Maccarone will seek re-election, while first-time candidates Dan Grabowski, James Greenberg and Ellen Pantazakos hope to earn seats on the City Council.
In an interview with the Herald, Panzenbeck discussed her motivations, achievements, and vision for Glen Cove’s future.
Herald: What initially motivated you to run for mayor?
Panzenbeck: I never intended to run for mayor or get involved in politics. I served three terms as a city councilwoman, and at one point there was no candidate willing to run for mayor. I was asked repeatedly, and at the last minute I finally agreed. My deputy mayor (Donna M. McNaughton), who became a great friend when we served on the council together, convinced me that I should do it.
Herald: Why are you running for a third term?
Panzenbeck: I don’t like to brag, but I truly believe my administration has accomplished a great deal over the past three years. I don’t take credit alone — I have a fabulous team. As a leader, I see my role as steering the ship while my team pushes, assists and helps make things happen. My motto is to ‘keep the momentum going.’ We have ongoing projects that need to be completed, and I feel I’m the person to see them through.
Herald: If you’re elected, what would be your first priority in office?
Panzenbeck: One of my biggest priorities is the repair and improvement of our golf course. The driving range collapsed and the pro shop was covered in mold, forcing operations to move to a trailer. We built a new pro shop, and my goal is to continue improvements. In our capital plan, we’ve scheduled a new sprinkler system installation for the fall. The current system is the original one and no longer functions properly. Without a good sprinkler system, you can’t have a nice golf course.
Herald: How would you fix the city’s finances?
Panzenbeck: When I took office, Glen Cove had a $4.2 million deficit. I followed the budget set by a previous mayor, and by the end of last year, the deficit had been reduced to about $384,000. We’ve worked hard to improve city finances while keeping tax increases minimal. In fact, we’ve only had one tax increase — this year, at about 1.9 percent. Our strategy is simple: stick to budgets, cut unnecessary spending, and identify new revenue streams. That’s what we will continue to do. We must be financially responsible while still providing essential services to our residents.
Herald: What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the city right now?
Panzenbeck: We don’t want to increase taxes, so we have to work hard and we have to work smart. I have a wonderful team of department heads, and we have so many great city workers and we all work together to get things accomplished. Finances are always something, because everybody wants everything and they don’t necessarily want to pay more taxes.
We have major water infrastructure, and I’m probably the first mayor that has put so much money into water infrastructure, and time and it’s complicated, because we need to improve it while we’re using it. We have major repairs and refurbishments going to all of our water plants, and you know when I talk about the water, it’s not (just) the above-the-ground water, it’s the water that flows in the ground, too. We just have to continue to work on all of these things.
