300 watch as Andrew Hardwick sworn in as Freeport mayor

The state's second-biggest village saw a sea change in its government last night when Andrew Hardwick was sworn in as Freeport mayor, becoming the first person of color to lead the waterside community.

[Bull Connor]

John Duffey Jr wrote:

I wish the new Mayor of Freeport and his team all the best i have known him all my life and he has ALWAYS been fair and open to change!! Its up to the people of Freeport to want to change Mayor Hardwick can only help those how want to help themselves. It should be about race its about who can do a better job for the residents of FREEPORT!!

"Change"....LOL!

Another liberal buzz word. Turning into a crime ridden, murderous city is also "change".

[Proud Citizen]

Well, I was hesitant, but has has alredy made change -- he changed his salary to a higher one.

[Cop and Marine]

He makes 120,000 kool-aid drinker. Newsday has always had an axe to grind with freeport you idiot. The Deputy Mayor is going from a once a month voting board member to a full time employee. He gave himself and the other trustee a 1500 dollar raise so the Deputy Mayor wouldn't be singled out--by Newsday--you dolt. Wait til he fires the 12 Republican patronage job holders-who do nothing- and cancels the 500,000 dollar a year legal contract to the former mayor's brother-in-law you will see some nice cost saving measures. Perhaps in the future you should stick to topics you know about moron.

[Proud Citizen]

I'm not sure why I'm responding to someone who can't link 3 coherent sentences together, but HIS raise was $1500; the others averaged around 25%. And if we're talking about relatives being hired, his wife was hired as a consultant. About the only thing you got right was that Newsday always has an axe to grind. In this case I'll be glad when they expose more of what's going on with this administration.

[MerrickEngineer]

So let me see if I understand this, your new mayor, who ran on fiscal responsibility, has created a NEW "full-time" position for his deputy major, who I know already has a full-time private sector job (Turns out I do work with his company), and then gives himself and other board members a raise to HIDE the fact from Newsday. GOOD LUCK FREEPORT!.

About the mayor giving his wife a job, I refuse to believe that. That would be pretty bad.

To be honest with you, I liked the direction Freeport was moving in, I finally stared to look like a village again. Great job with the Nautical Mile too.

[Proud Citizen]

MerrickEngineer, I still have hope for Freeport and I absolutely love living here. I get the whole idea of bringing your own people in; that's what happens in politics -- but he is replacing positions with people who do not appear to be qualified.

I am aware that there are a few people that have private sector jobs that they'll continue to hold...

Time will tell what this will bring but I am not happy and I'm not sure why more people aren't speaking up.

Thanks for the post!:)

[Freeport Resident]

Mayor Andrew Hardwick accomplishments (errors):

• Unapproved Trade trip (vacation) to china your cost $9,000+

• A recording device discovered in an office at Freeport's Martin Luther King Jr. Park - where lifeguards say they may have been videotaped changing into and out of their swimsuits - newsday

• After giving themselves raises, the newly elected mayor and trustees of Freeport, the state's second largest village, now make more money than the elected officials of Hempstead, the state’s largest village - newsday

and to think its only year one, geesh.