Mayor Ernest Davis

City Hall

Office of the mayor

Mount Vernon, NY 10550

March 21, 2002

Dear Mayor Davis,

I hope that this letter finds you and yours quite well. As you probably recall we had talked about having an assembly revolving around the winners of the Jon Breen Memorial Fund essay contest annually awarded at the Mount Vernon High School. Each year, with the cooperation and coordination of Mr. Paul Court, the Jon Breen Fund sponsors this essay contest and this year’s topic is Freedom versus Security: A Delicate Balance.

During our conversation at the radio station last year, you indicated that a broadcast of an assembly regarding this contest was one of your interests. I would like to offer this thought. I suggest that the winners of the essay contest read their award winning essays to the senior class, and that a “question and answer” session follows regarding the topic. Along with this effort a panel discussion could accompany the reading of the essays. The panel could be chosen by you, in concert, with Mr. Paul Court or the Principal, Dr. Turner. I believe this event would be quite important and would stimulate the proper “public-policy” debate that we all believe is essential to our democracy. I hope that you will give thoughtful consideration to this concept.

With all that in mind, I look forward to seeing you again at either the tennis courts, or at your office, or at the radio station.

Regards,

Richard J. Garfunkel