Superbowl Sunday brought a new round of snow to the area. On top of the snow we received from the previous week, Garden City became a winter wonderland. Neighborhoods became a snowy adventure for the kids. Snow piles became sledding escapades. Photo by Regina Moran
BY RIKKI N. MASSAND
The 2021 Village of Garden City election, set for just over a month from now on Tuesday March 16, was deemed “the most important election in Garden City’s history” by Rich Catalano, candidate from the Estates section of the village
BY RIKKI N. MASSAND
At its February 4 meeting the Garden City Board of Trustees approved several new construction change orders and an increase of $200,000 for the services of New York City-based construction management firm CNY Group for stabilization work on the historic St. Paul’s building.
CNY Group, whose project executive for St. Paul’s is village resident Walter Beal, will continue its oversight of the stabilization and abatement work that has taken place since the start of 2020.
Also on February 4th the Village Board approved a $32,282 change order for Westar Construction Group, Inc. of Syosset, for additional shoring and joist replacement of an approximate 300-square-foot area at St. Paul’s first floor main entrance foyer.
Walter Beal joined the trustees and village administration for the Zoom meeting and explained that the change order for Westar was negotiated down to $32,282.
“They (Westar Construction) had presented a much larger change order to me and I had told them they are not entitled to anything until the Village Board of Trustees approves it. They are aware of that, and I negotiated the cost based on the hours they performed their work down to $32,282 before you tonight. I believe this is a justified cost,” Beal said.
Speaking during the February 9 meeting of the Central Property Owners’ Association (CPOA) held at the senior center.
Catalano said that candidates from the Community Agreement Party, or CAP, including himself and CPOA candidate Yvonne Varano, a former member of the Citizens’ Budget Review and Advisory Committee (CBRAC) the majority already have multiple years’ of experience in village government on the Board of Trustees.
He said that includes eightyear trustee, current Deputy Mayor Robert Bolebruch (the Western POA’s candidate for mayor) as well as Village Trustee Stephen Makrinos, who along with Bolebruch is a trustee candidate from the Western POA, and Trustee Mark Hyer from the Eastern POA. Collectively, the trio already has 18 years of experience on the Village Board, See page 24
Village Administrator Ralph Suozzi said the first floor, near St. Paul’s main entrance, simply “collapsed” and the flooring would be shored so workers at the project site can go in and out of St. Paul’s safely. According to Beal, Westar Construction performed the work stated in the change order “at their own risk, and this started as they opened the door one morning and the floor was in the basement.”
He added that this was never the condition noted when Thornton Tomasetti performed its first structural review and prepared a report (initiated in 2018) to the village.
Structural issues with the floor apparently had been deteriorating, although slightly, as the other stabilization work was progressing at the historic building over the past year.
For the roof work, Beal said sometime in November when the lifts took project workers above the flat roofs, Westar Construction took photographs and noticed the damage in the aftermath of high winds
In this week’s issue we feature several articles discussing transparency in government, especially regarding the Open Meetings Law.
Back in 2019 we found that during that year the Board of Trustees held at least seventeen conference calls, some of which we believe may have violated the Open Meetings Law. Contrary to what is stated in an article this week by the Community Agreement Party, the advisory opinion which we received said that if the board took any actions based on those meetings, a court could nullify those actions.
Under the law, public boards can only meet privately for very limited reasons, such as discussing the employment records of a specific person, discussion of ongoing legal actions; collec-
tive bargaining negotiations.
Things you can’t do in executive session: discuss eliminating an entire department, such as the fire department; discuss selling a piece of property, such as the property at Franklin Court.
Transparency is more than the law - it is a philosophy of seeking input from the people when making decisions. It’s basically “crowd-sourcing” government.
Should the board have decided to eliminate the paid fire department? There are arguments that could have been made on either side. But the public never got to hear them.
Email: Editor@GCNews.com
Like all politicians, the three incumbent trustees running for re-election properly tout their experience in office. Unfortunately, like so many politicians, they also refuse to explain or even apologize to taxpayers for their failures as Trustees. I think residents deserve some explanations.
Why did Trustees Hyer, Makrinos and Bolebruch vote to waste over a hundred thousand dollars of taxpayers’ money fighting taxpayers who sought a few handicapped parking spaces on 7th Street? In all their years in office, why did they fail to ever make a motion for a clear public referendum on St. Paul’s despite spending untold sums of taxpayers monies on its upkeep and its fencing during their time in office?
Why was a no bid contract issued and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent for plans on the best way to destroy the Edgemere firehouse before hearing the residents’ committee’s free proposal that would rehab the firehouse for cheaper than rebuilding? Why have no studies been done to determine whether bigger fire apparatuses are needed for an area that is almost entirely single family homes rather than business or apartment buildings?
Why did they fail to take action last year after telling the MTA that the installation of the first few 120 foot poles at the Merillon Avenue LIRR Station was a breach and the MTA, in response, proceeded to put up half a dozen more monster poles destroying the neighborhood including the play area Strawberry Fields?
Why are they angling to shut down the casino? Why did they, by their excessive fee demands, destroy the Jay Gallagher Tournament, a village treasure? Why did they treat the Andy Foundation the same way?
It appears that they seek to destroy the good in the village and allow the bad to proceed without challenge. These three trustees, Trustees Hyer, Makrinos and Bolebruch have fully demonstrated
their inability to be good stewards of not only taxpayers’ monies but also Garden City’s community spirit. They leave a trail of unexplained, unacknowledged failures on the very board they seek re-election to next month. Trustee Makrinos even served on the Board’s Third Track Committee which allowed the ongoing destruction of the estates section by the MTA and its minions. He has never apologized for his failures on the Third Track Committee or even explained them but nevertheless keeps on voting against any attempt to remedy what he has wrought.
Residents deserve better. Vote the FABGC slate on March 16.
Charles P. Kelly
We want to know that the members of the board will not only adhere to the letter of the law, but also to its spirit. See page 34
To the Editor:
Although the FABGC has generated a lot of discussion about a number of hot-button issues, I’m cautious about their relaxed approach to facts: the “decision” to demolish the west firehouse; building an $80 million dollar recreation facility at St. Paul’s and allowing guests from the GC Hotel to rent casino court time.
However, there is one common thread to all of these. Not one of them has been implemented. They are all IDEAS, things the Board of Trustees has considered over the years. There has been no vote or decision to demolish the firehouse; there have been public presentations, including the three options of demolition, repair and repair & expansion. The St. Paul’s recreation facility?
A suggestion shared with residents to get things finally moving on St. Paul’s. No decision, no vote. Selling the Casinodiscussion was held on this as one possibility among others. A brief informal conversation with the GC Hotel to see if they were interested in possibly renting some court time happened. But it went no further.
My point is this. I want a Board of Trustees who investigates new ideas. I find absolutely nothing wrong with looking at options for a very old fire-
The FABGC candidates state that they are for adherence with the NYS Open Meetings Law (OML) and for increased transparency. Their statements imply that our current Board of Trustees and the Community Agreement candidates does not adhere to the OML and does not support full transparency – this is simply not true.
Statements have been made online and in an article in this paper dated August 30, 2019, that found that in the 15-month period from January 2018 until March 2019, the Board of Trustees held at least 17 conference calls that included the entire Board, insinuating that the Board of Trustees was not complying with the OML. Of these, 8 meetings were subsequently reviewed by the NYS Committee on Open Government at the request of this newspaper (the others being deemed not to be of any issue). The Committee issued an Advisory Opinion that did NOT identify any adverse findings with respect to any actions of our Board of Trustees.
As to transparency, anyone who attends meetings of the Board of Trustees can clearly see the open dialogue that takes place among the trustees when discussing the various matters impacting the Village as well as the detailed approval process of contractual arrangements.
The Community Agreement candidates support complete and full transparency to the residents of Garden City. In today’s paper, Deputy Mayor Bob Bolebruch outlines his plans to enhance communications with the residents.
We welcome all Village residents to visit our new website (www.gardencitycap.org) to learn more about the candidates; the history of the Community Agreement; the recent accomplishments of your Board of Trustees and the plans for the future; information on voting; where to meet the candidates; and how to volunteer.
Also follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/gardencitycap and Twitter: @gardencitycap
To be clear, the OML is the “law” and the current Board of Trustees and the Community Agreement candidates will, of course, always comply with all laws.
See page 34
In October of last year, three parking spots on Seventh Street were designated as handicapped spots. Lines were painted, signs were installed, and three small curb cuts were made. Total cost: probably no more than a few thousand dollars.
What should have been an unremarkable and relatively inexpensive event was actually the culmination of the Board of Trustees’ inexplicable and costly fight against our own residents who are disabled. The BOT ended up spending over $100,000 in a legal battle which embarrassed many and drew the attention of CBS News.
In 2017, a group of residents with disabilities which limit their mobility asked the Village to designate three of the 60 parking spots on Seventh Street as handicapped. Gerry Kelly, who was then the president of the Western Property Owners’ Association, contacted the Village on behalf of the residents. Mr. Kelly himself suffers from multiple sclerosis and uses a walker, but he proudly supports the businesses on Seventh Street. Although there are a few handicapped parking spots behind the businesses, not all of them have a rear entrance and others have rear
entrances which have steps or are too narrow to enter using a wheelchair or a walker.
Mr. Kelly made the request to the Village’s Traffic Commission, which was chaired by Trustee Mark Hyer, and he presented a petition signed by over 200 residents in support of the proposal.
Handicapped parking spots have been added throughout the Village over the years, including at the pool, the library, the post office, St. Joseph’s and St. Anne’s, and have been added without controversy and without expensive studies. This time, though, Trustee Hyer refused to grant the request of Mr. Kelly and the residents who signed the petition. Instead, he recommended that the Village pay $20,000 to a consultant to decide whether to designate the three spots. He was joined in the recommendation by Deputy Mayor Bolebruch, who also served on the Traffic Commission.
After hiring the consultant, Trustee Hyer’s Commission denied the request for the three parking spots. The motion to deny the request was made by Deputy Mayor Bolebruch, who, as he was making the motion, said “I can’t
See page 35
Open House Saturday, Feb. 13th 12-2pm
This beautiful Colonial has been exquisitely renovated throughout with superior craftsmanship and meticulous attention given to every detail. The home features a formal living room, an elegant formal dining room, a sundrenched family room with a gas burning fireplace, an enclosed screened porch and a gourmet kitchen with top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances including 3 ovens and a breakfast eating area. The second floor boasts 3 nicely sized bedrooms, a gorgeous bathroom and an office. The basement recreation room with its own new heating and cooling system is perfect for entertaining. The professionally landscaped grounds offer beautiful foliage and a nice private setting. The home’s many updates include the roof, Hardie board siding, Andersen windows, boiler, central air conditioning, kitchen, bathrooms, whole house water filtration system, flooring and the basement recreation room. The overall condition along with the proximity to the schools and park make this an exceptional value and the perfect place to call home!
Offered at $839,000
Please stop by the open house or call us for a private showing.
Stephen Baymack
Licensed Real Estate Associate Broker Mobile: 516.216.0244
sbaymack@coachrealtors.com
Laura Baymack Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Mobile: 516.537.3050 lbaymack@coachrealtors.com
Saturday & Sunday, Feb. 13th & 14th 1-3pm
Ready to make this fabulous brick and clapboard ranch your own?
This 4 bedroom/4 bath ranch is situated on 200x173 irregular shaped property on a quiet tree-lined street. An enviable floor plan with over 2000 sq. ft. of living space. Two-car garage, all hardwood floors under wall to wall carpeting, new roof - 2015, new CAC - 2017, new gas boiler - 2008 Stroll to town, and an easy commute to Manhattan.
Opportunity is knocking! Ready to renovate or build new on this value packed block!
Offered at $1,149,000
Taxes: $24,921.57 (without basic STAR exemption of $908.00)
Karen Guendjoian, SRES, ABR, CHMS
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Mobile: 516.578.8395
kguendjoian@coachrealtors.com www.kguendjoian.coachrealtors.com
St. Paul’s is an issue that has perplexed this Village for over 28 years. I believe we should continue on the path that the Board of Trustee has set out. After 25 years of debate, presentations, consultants and inaction, the current Board of Trustees has started the process to finally decide what should be done with this building. As was told
to the Board of Trustees and the community by our outside consultations, Beyer Blinder Belle, the first step is to stabilize and preserve what we have. I have always believed that this must be done. Every resident must have the right to choose whether to save this building or not. If we did not stabilize the building, that choice would have been taken away from those residents who want to preserve this building in some adaptive reuse. This stabilization activity included removing the vines from the building that was causing further damage and preserving the Tiffany stain glass in the chapel. The next step is to abate the building of the various chemicals contained in the building. This must be done even if we decided as a community to demolish the building. There comes a time for action and this Board of Trustees did exactly what needed to preserve the building so that the residents can finally decide what should be done.
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Q) Once the Board formulates a plan for St. Paul’s, do you support holding a referendum to allow resi-
I want the residents of Garden City to determine the fate of St. Paul’s based on feasible adaptive uses and professional cost estimates. As Mayor, I will immediately form a committee of residents with legal, financial, real estate, construction, engineering, architectural and historic preservation experience. St. Paul’s Main Building has suffered
years of neglect and poor maintenance due to a myriad of bad decisions made by past and present Boards of Trustees. Unfortunately, the current Board of Trustees has provided minimal information to the residents which will change under my leadership. St. Paul’s is a complex project that requires expert analysis to achieve consensus as to potential development. I will require a thorough evaluation of the issues and costs, as well as a schedule of public information meetings and a timeline for a referendum. The future of St. Paul’s should be decided by the residents — not eight trustees who have limited development experience.
St. Paul’s Main Building, built in 1871, was commissioned by Cornelia Stewart in honor of her husband Alexander Turney Stewart, the founder of Garden City. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, St. Paul’s is an important part of our Village’s history and legacy. Since the purchase of St. Paul’s in 1993 by the Village for $7.25 million, numerous uses have been considered by past Boards and committees, including municipal, institutional, assisted living
Valentine’s Day falls on Sunday, February 14, 2021 this year and despite the Covid-19 pandemic and recent snowstorms, Garden City restaurants are ready and enthused to offer patrons terrific, festive and holiday-themed dining and beverage packages and options all weekend long.
Read on to discover the many cuisines and options, located in the heart of the Village of Garden City, with details on where, when and how you can enjoy their Valentine’s Day offerings:
Craving some fresh Brooklyn-style pies, calzones, and salad? Grimaldi’s Pizzeria and Italian at 980 Franklin Avenue will be open on Friday and Saturday open from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 pm and this Sunday, February 14 the restaurant is extending dine-in hours to 10 p.m. as well.
Grimaldi’s is offering four different seating times for this year’s Valentine’s Day dinner. Reservations for Sunday can be made for the following blocks: 4:00 to 5:30, 5:30 to 7:00, 7:00 to 8:30, and 8:30-10:00 p.m. Grimaldi’s asks for customers to make dine-in reservations no later than Saturday, February 13.
Delivery from Grimaldi’s is available through UberEats, DoorDash and GrubHub. Popular appetizers include their house-made soups, eggplant rollatini and oven-roasted portobello mushroom. Vegan and gluten-free items are available. Call the restaurant at (516) 294-6565 to learn more.
Another northern Franklin Avenue establishment, Smok-Haus located at 7 12th Street in Garden City has its many delectable barbecue cuisine and side dishes available for take-out or dine-in this Valentine’s Day. Smok-Haus will be open Sunday from noon to 8:00 p.m.
Owner/chef Manny Voumvourakis of Smok-Haus Enterprises, LLC says the unique menu is tailored with options for two people or more. It includes Smok Haus’ marinated, grilled pulled chicken; taco options from pulled pork, grilled shrimp,
and chicken; the “house-rub, smoked ribs’’ or brisket and barbeque slider rolls; chicken wings, Loaded Nachos and a variety of shareable potato-skin-on fries with toppings such as Mexican Street fries and Greco Fries with tzatziki, pico de gallo and a choice of meat. While dining-in is available, to inquire on specials or place orders, call Smok Haus at 516-400-7100 or visit the website, www.smok-haus.com
Calogeros will be offering a special three course Valentines Day menu, which will include appetizers such as lobster bisque, crab cakes, burrata cheese with arugula, fresh figs and truffle honey. Appetisers include filet mignon in a truffle butter sauce, Fuitta di Mare (fettuccine, shrimp, calamari, lobster, scallops in a fra diavlo sauce, and lobster ravioli. Dessert is included with a choice of chocolate truffle cake, New York cheesecake or lemon sorbetto.
Calogero’s is located at 919 Franklin Avenue. Call 516-294-2922 to order, or order online at www.calogerosgardencity.com . Deliver is available.
Prost Grill & Garten at 652 Franklin Avenue in Garden City, just south of Seventh Street and Franklin’s “T-Zone” set the scene for guests with its fabulous Valentine’s day decor, welcoming in the weekend. Jim at Prost, the village’s German beer haus and restaurant, tells the News that their Valentine’s Day (Sunday February 14) open hours will be noon to 9 p.m.
“We are offering several specials on both Sunday and Monday for our valentine’s.
Chef Dave is offering two entree specials along with our regular menu; a filet mignon with green beans and mashed potatoes as well as penne alla vodka with choice of chicken or shrimp. Our appetizer is a shrimp cocktail and dessert features a Valentine’s lava cake,” he said.
Other popular menu items at Prost Grill & Garten include Pat Lafrieda-blend beef burgers; Bavarian pretzels, potato pancakes, honey maple glazed pork chops and more.
And as always, Prost’s varieties of seasonal and craft beers and cocktails are also available.
Delivery is also available through GrubHub. Please visit Prost’s website at prostgrill.com or call (516) 427-5656 for more information.
Town Meat Market at 156 Seventh Street in Garden City will be preparing many special Valentine’s weekend Filet Mignon dinners. Get your Benjamin Franklin’s ready. Town Meat’s Valentine’s Special set at $100 includes a few “perfect pairs” with two filet mignon steaks, two lobster tails, two housemade side dishes and an order of chocolate-dipped strawberries.
Town Meats is open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from Monday through Saturday, and on Sunday Valentine’s Day from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Their free local delivery to Garden City residences and businesses will remain available every day except for Sunday.
Call Town Meat Market at (516) 747-1422 or visit www.townmeatmarket.com to place an order.
Revel Restaurant at 835 Franklin Avenue offers American cuisine with globally-inspired influences. Revel’s owner Jim
Doukas told The Garden City News that customers have continued to enjoy the selections of fresh seafood, prime Black Angus Beef, housemade pasta -- that are prepared with all fresh, local and artisanal ingredients.
Revel is open for both indoor dining at the restaurant and with outdoor dining in its heated tent, conveniently located by Village Parking Field 9E. Please note, reservations are required.
Revel will be offering a Valentine’s Day Brunch on Sunday, February 14.
It will consist of two courses for $39 per person.
During the evening, the Valentine’s Day Candlelight Dinner at Revel will feature the Chef’s Special a la Carte Menu. Revel’s hours for the Valentine’s Day weekend are Friday, February 12 from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; Saturday brunch on February 13 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., then Saturday evening dinner from 4:00 to 10 p.m.
Sunday will begin with the Valentine’s Day Brunch from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. followed by Valentine’s Day Dinner, 4:00 to 10:00 p.m.
For takeout orders or to make reservations, please call Revel at (516) 246-9111. To view its full menus online, please visit
“The counselors and staff at the Summer Program are exceptional!”
The
Long Island Sales Data From One Key MLS
Nassau County Median Sale Price
Sold Price: $1,300,000
Date: 01/14/2021
Style: Colonial 5 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1 half bath
Total taxes: $21,690
Lot Size: .34 acres
MLS number: 3254395
The Seller’s Team: Stephen and Laura Baymack, Coach Realtors Fennessy Associates
The Buyer’s Team: Stephen and Laura Baymack, Coach Realtors Fennessy Associates
This gracious brick Center Hall Colonial located in the heart of the Estates Section of town boasts a 100x150 foot lot and enjoys an abundance of living and entertaining areas. The spacious, sunlit living rm w/wood-burning fireplace flows to the formal dining rm, comfortable family rm & sleek kitchen featuring ample granite counters, white cabinets & stainless steel appliances. Primary bedrm, second bedrm & full hall bathrm complete the main level. Three generous-sized bedrms on the second floor offer plenty of room for study, sleep and storage, along w/full hall bathrm. Bsmt offers huge recreation rm ideal for all kinds of family activities & gatherings w/outside entrance plus a powder rm, laundry rm & separate office/bonus rm. Professionally landscaped grounds w/mature plantings offers a private backyard getaway w/2 stone patios & room for a pool. Proximate to town, shopping, parks & LIRR station. Charming style, flexible floor plan & gracious elegance make this a unique opportunity!
Sold price: $992,500
Date: 02/05/2021
Style: Colonial
3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1 half bath
Lot Size: .17 acres
Total taxes: $21,504
MLS number: 3259931
The Seller’s Team: Ann Collins, Daniel Gale Associates
The Buyer’s Team: Ann Collins and Diane Piscopo, Daniel Gale Associates
Fabulous Mott Colonial in Move In Ready Condition, Located on overiszed plot of 125 deep. This lovely home has Living Room and Family Room with fireplaces. Charming moldings, hardwood floors, beautiful windows and doors looking out on the oversized backyard. The bedrooms are large size with a master suite/bath, plus new large hall bath and two bedrooms. The basement is finished with laundry, mechanicals, and egress window. A great home for entertaining and a home to be sure to see and buy!
Sold Price: $735,000
Date: 01/27/2021
3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1 half bath Style: Colonial
Total taxes: $20,050
Lot Size: .14 acres
MLS number: 3254498
The Seller’s Team: Linda Mulrooney and Mary O. Krener, Daniel Gale Associates
The Buyer’s Team: Jiang Zhang and Lin Pan, Lin Pan Realty Group
Mott Colonial on lovely block In The Northwest section . This Home Sits On 60 X 100 Property W Large Beautiful Rear Deck in nicely landscaped private yard. Entry foyer leads to large LD w/Fpl. Ample sized DR off sunny kitchen with Southern exposure. Den/Office and Powder Room complete the first floor. Second level has large Master BR w/walk-in closet and en-suite Bth,.Hall Bth and two more BRs .This well-built Mott home awaits Your Personal Touches To Make It Your Very Own! Great location W/ Easy Access To Village, Lirr And Parkways.
This informational page is sponsored by Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Houses featured on this page were sold by various real estate agencies
From page 8
dents to decide on it?
The Board of Trustee should not formulate the plan for St. Paul’s, the residents should. The other group has said on their calls that they will form a committee and determine what the best options are and the give the community two choices. I disagree. This project, regardless of direction, would be the largest investment this village has ever made. The choices and the final decision must be made by the residents. Understand this, no matter which choice is chosen, not everyone will be happy. Here is what I would do: make a decision within 6-12 months. Let’s have multiple people present their ideas over the next three months. Each group that is interested in presenting their idea can be provided all the latest information that we have on the building. This includes consultant reports, the restrictions since it was made parkland in 2004, and the use restrictions that exist because of the Kenny lawsuit which was settled in 2002. As to the possibility of demolition, the residents would be provided with the costs and types of demolition.
Then the residents’ ideas can be evaluated that may include whether to have a community center, save the entire building or half of it, or just restore this building. Those ideas with a solid plan should be presented to the Board of Trustees. Let’s say that we have 6 great ideas. We then vote as a community on the direction that we want to go. After the vote we further investigate the top three ideas as to the cost to develop, potential revenue streams and the estimated ongoing operating costs . We will be assisted in this analysis by various experts to determine the total cost and ramifications of each choice. We then review those choices and we then have the residents vote once again as to whether to move forward on what we hope will be a financially feasible idea that the majority of the residents would support. If the residents vote against the idea, then demolition of the building will need to be considered if the idea for adaptive reuse cannot be appropriated enhanced. This will never be a unanimous decision, but it will be one that is made by our community. By stabilizing the building as discussed in Question 1, we now have the time to make this decision.
n
Q) How will you enhance communications with residents and encourage residents to become more involved in Village government?
As to communications, the Board of Trustees recently sent out a village-wide mailing that was very well
received by the community. It provided highlights on many of the key projects. I plan to issue this newsletter semi-annually and will be encouraging residents to provide their email addresses so we can distribute the update electronically.
I would also like to enhance our communications as follows:
• Hold semi-annual town hall meetings in-person and by Zoom. At these meetings, I, along with the other trustees and administrators, will provide updates on all of the key open projects. There will also be ample time for a Q&A session with the residents. Once we can meet in-person, I would like to hold a reception after the meeting so the residents can interact with the Board of Trustees and the Village administrators as well as meet some of their neighbors.
• I would also like to fully modernize the Village’s website to make it easier for residents to quickly find information and easily engage in transactions with the Village (e.g., call for a special pick-up, report any non-emergency issue such down branches or potholes, listen to replays of meetings, etc.).
• In addition, I would like to explore the possibility of a new mobile app for the Village with much greater functionality that will allow the residents to interact with Village for information, to request services, pay tax and water bill, and directly contact Village administration. I believe that a mobile app will be how most residents will prefer to interact with the Village in the future.
The Board of Trustees always welcomes the involvement of residents in Village government. The following are some ways that residents can get involved:
• Attend the Board of Trustees monthly meetings
• Attend their section’s monthly POA meetings to hear from their section’s trustees and provide feedback to be considered at future Board of Trustee meetings
• Volunteer to serve on committees through their POAs such as:
◊ Citizens Budget Review and Advisory Committee
◊ Architectural Design Review Board
◊ Cultural & Recreational Affairs
◊ Civic Beautification Committee
◊ Planning Commission
◊ Zoning Board of Appeals
• Attend meetings of boards and commissions of the Village that are open to the public such as the Environmental Advisory Board and Traffic Commission
In addition, to the above opportu-
From page 8
(Care Matrix) and housing. In 2004, St. Paul’s and the 48-acre property was designated parkland, limiting development to municipal or public use. As a member of the Mayor’s Committee for St. Paul’s, we were charged to seek adaptive reuse at little to no cost to taxpayers. The Committee recommended private development for housing and community spaces by experienced, well-funded developers. In 2008, Avalon Bay was selected as the developer and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was executed. As a member of the Mayor’s Committee, I was in favor of condominium housing adaptive reuse and opposed a rental housing development plan proposed by Avalon Bay. In a 2008 Village referendum, the Avalon Bay’s proposal for rental housing received the least number of votes. Since then, St. Paul’s Main Building has been allowed to deteriorate, in search of a viable adaptive reuse.
n
Q) Once the Board formulates a plan for St. Paul’s, do you support holding a referendum to allow residents to decide on it?
Absolutely. The residents must decide by a public binding referendum, not eight trustees with limited experience While my opponent has said he is for a referendum, there seems to be no record of him ever putting forward such a motion in all the years he has served on the Board. Once a plan or plans are developed by the Board of Trustees in conjunction with the findings and recommendations made by the Resident’s Committee, I will seek a resolution to have a public binding referendum for either adaptive reuse, historic demolition or another scenario. Among the scope of work items for demolition that will need to be considered is a Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) to map and catalogue all of the historic building elements and artifacts. Such a survey and documentation is in addition to the required abatement of contaminated materials.
n
Q) How will you enhance communications with residents and encourage residents to become more involved in Village government?
As Mayor, residents who attend Board of Trustees meetings will be able to discuss matters that affect our community without a limit on their speaking time and without interruption or insults by members of the Board. All trustees will be required to listen to resident’s concerns. Cell phones must be silent and put away during public meetings. Since Board of Trustees members and residents are taking their personal time to be involved in civic
matters, we should all respect our collective efforts to make For A Better Garden City. Complex matters which may require more time for discussion will be addressed at Special Resident Meetings convened by the Board of Trustees. To accomplish this, the Board of Trustees, at my direction, will reach out to the POAs, residents and other community groups to schedule Special Resident Meetings. As Mayor, the Board of Trustees will respectfully address all residents and, above all, listen to the issues brought before the Board of Trustees by our residents and neighbors. I will seek to include all residents in open, transparent discussions with members of the Board of Trustees. n
Q) What is your vision for maintaining and improving village infrastructure such as roadways, sidewalks and parking fields?
The Department of Public Works is responsible for maintaining the infrastructure of Garden City, which includes our roadways, sidewalks, sewer system, snow removal, sanitation, water supply, traffic and street lighting. The latest Village Operating Budget shows an increase in costs for the year 2020-2021 when compared to 2019-2020 for street maintenance, street lighting, sanitary sewers, sanitation, street cleaning and recycling. Approximately $380,000 a year of sidewalk repairs are required to be done by property owners according to the FiveYear Capital Improvement Plan. The Village spends about $200,000 each year to maintain Village-owned sidewalks and curbs. The budget for road work is approximately $1.7 million a year, with the same amount budgeted annually until 2025. Roadway maintenance also includes Village parking lots, which are more costly to maintain. Roadway failure increases rapidly after approximately 15 years of service, as does the cost to make repairs. The Village has approximately 214 miles of roads maintained on a 20-year cycle, with about 10 miles of roads repaired each year. As Mayor, I would review the current Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan to develop a strategic plan to accelerate repair of roads that are reaching their useful life and develop a list of priority roads and parking fields that need more urgent maintenance. Accelerating road maintenance by 10% can potentially reduce costly repairs by as much as 25%. For example, residents have complained of bad road conditions on Stewart Avenue, east of Village Hall and on Stratford Avenue in the Western Section. Concrete paved sidewalks, when displaced, can result in a tripping hazard and potential legal action. Sidewalk heaving is caused by
WE ARE OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR LUNCH AND DINNER Sun -Thurs 11:30-9pm Fri & Sat 11:30-10pm
Available January 4 through April 3 for lunch and dinner, Take Out Only
FAMILY MEAL #1 - $30 PLUS TAX
One 18” Pizza with choice of Spinach and Artichoke Dip Or Grimaldi’s Mixed Salad & Complimentary 2 liter bottle of soda
FAMILY MEAL #2 - $40 PLUS TAX
One 18” Pizza, One Order of Penne alla Vodka, Choice of Spinach and Artichoke Dip Or Grimaldi’s Mixed Salad & Complimentary 2 liter bottle of soda
FAMILY MEAL #3 - $45 PLUS TAX
Two 18” Pizzas with choice of Spinach and Artichoke Dip Or Grimaldi’s Mixed Salad & Complimentary 2 liter bottle of soda
FAMILY MEAL #4 - $80 PLUS TAX
Two 18” Pizzas, 1/2 Tray Chicken Parmigiana & Complimentary Bottle of Cabernet OR Pinot Griegio
Four Seatings Available: 4-5:30 5:30-7 7-8:30 and 8:30-10 It’s your night... Make it special We Are Open For Inside Dining at 50% Capacity
You must wear a mask to and from the tables. Thank you for your cooperation Now Accepting Reservations For Parties of 6 or More
A $25 fee will be applied if canceling within 3 hours of reservation.
SUNDAY - THURSDAY 11:30-9
FRIDAY & SATURDAY 11:30-10
LENT STARTS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17th Now Accepting Reservations For Valentine’s Day Sunday, February 14th
Sue Gillin has been a successful listing and selling agent in the Garden City market for over ten years, bringing a wealth of sales and marketing experience to Compass. Her creative edge as a home stager offers sellers a clear advantage in getting the best return on their investment. Prior to her real estate career, Sue led her own sales team at Xerox, allowing her to sharpen her negotiation skills. Whether working with buyers or sellers, her honesty and open lines of communication have always been the key to her success.
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson susan.gillin@compass.com M: 516.655.5662
“We are so lucky to have found Sue Gillin and to have worked with her on our first home purchase! I had many must-haves on my home checklist and Sue was able to find us a home that met all of our criteria! We had many questions during the home buying process and at each home we viewed, Sue was able to answer or find answers to our questions very quickly. We worked with Sue for almost 2 years, but she never rushed or pushed us into buying a home. Sue is very trustworthy and honest, we never felt like she was trying to get us to buy a house just to make a sale. Sue truly cares about finding the right and perfect house for you, and won’t stop until she does!“
- Tiffany & Chris, Vassar St.
Want to shake off the stress of the past year? Adelphi University’s Performing Arts Center will bring a three-day, funfilled improv series to audiences beginning Friday, February 19.
The series, “Change is the Only Constant,” featuring a talented cast of actors from Adelphi, will include four high-octane improvisational performances that are guaranteed to bring audiences lots of laughter. Shows will take place on Friday, February 19, at 7:30 p.m, on Saturday, February 20, at both 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., and on Sunday, February 21, at 2 p.m
Saturday’s “After Dark” performance at 9:30 p.m. will include more adult themes, while Sunday’s afternoon show will be family-friendly.
"In a time when it feels nearly impossi-
ble to keep up with the news or plan ahead, it seemed fitting to create a piece of theatre that celebrates adaptability," said Lauren Brickman, director of the show. “Change is the Only Constant” is a joyful acceptance of letting go and focusing on being present in the moment. Each performance will be an opening night and closing night as no two showings will be exactly the same."
The PAC continues to bring events and productions to audiences online during these times of limited in-person gatherings. See more about other upcoming Adelphi PAC offerings and ticketing at pac.adelphi.edu
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required for access to each livestream. For more information and to register, visit bit.ly/AUPACchange.
The Eastern Property Owners Association is seeking applications for candidates to be considered for Junior Ambassador positions for the years 2021–2023. This program is designed to introduce high school sophomores entering their junior year to Village government through participation in EPOA meetings, attendance at government meetings and promoting civic participation in our community. This is an exciting opportunity for students to become involved in local affairs and to learn about our unique form of local government.
The Junior Ambassador program is designed as a two-year commitment encompassing junior and senior years. Preference will be given to students who reside in the Eastern section of Garden
City and whose families are dues paying members of the EPOA.
The application itself details the responsibilities of the position. Students who attend Garden City High School may obtain an application from the Social Studies Department office or on the EPOA website.at www.gcepoa.org.
High school sophomores who attend private school may obtain an application from the website. Completed applications can be mailed to EPOA, P.O.Box 7525, Garden City, N.Y. or submitted to contactus@gcepoa.org.
All interested sophomores are encouraged to apply. The deadline is Thursday, April 22, 2021. A brief interview will be conducted as part of the interview process.
City OPEN HOUSE | Saturday, February 13th | 12:00–2:00
Exquisite Spanish Mediterranean style Colonial featuring 3 bedrooms and 2.55 baths, located mid-block on a 80 x 100 manicured lot in the desirable Estates section. From the moment you pull up you will be impressed by the exceptional architectural details such as the heavy carved wooden front doors, 2 terraces, large windows & red-tiled roof. Once you step inside, you will experience the wonderful circular flow and emphasis on indooroutdoor living. The main level features an oversized living room with stunning gas fireplace, den/office, formal dining room with large bay window overlooking private yard, sun room with sliders out to expansive paver patio, high end Chefs kitchen with Wolf and Sub Zero appliances, granite countertops, wet bar with 78 bottle wine refrigerator for easy entertaining, a mudroom and powder room. Upstairs there is an enchanting master bedroom with fireplace, en suite bathroom and terrace as well as two additional sun-lit bedrooms and full hall bathroom. Other highlights include: CAC, 1.5 car garage, finished basement, gorgeous resort-style backyard and close proximity to LIRR. Offered at $1,375,000.
Village Hall is open. Office hours are 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Visitors are required to wear a face covering, maintain social distancing of six feet and sign in to a Visitor’s Log outside of the office they are visiting. Furthermore, while multiple people can enter Village Hall, only one person will be admitted into each office space at a time and are asked to abide by employee instructions.
With regard to the pending litigation against the MTA/LIRR, the Village has been informed that the action has been filed and the order to show cause for an injunction and to compel the LIRR to perform a supplemental environmental impact study has been signed. The court has scheduled Feb. 25 as the day that the defendants must have their opposition to the application filed.
In anticipation of the Village’s upcoming bond sale, Village Treasurer Irene Woo, along with fiscal advisor Capital Markets Advisor, LLC (CMA), held a ratings call with Moody’s
Investor Service, Inc.
On February 3rd, Moody’s issued the Aaa rating with a stable outlook, citing in their credit opinion, “the village benefits from strong fiscal management, ample reserves and liquidity, and a manageable debt though its pension and OPEB liabilities are elevated. Strong financial management continues to contribute to annual surplus operations.”
The Village will be issuing $6.8m of bonds for various Village improvements, and $43.1m of Bond Anticipation Notes (BANs) for the Water Fund Emerging Contaminants Well Treatment on six well sites on February 9th. “They are very much aware of our five-year plan, and listed long-term financial planning as one of the Village’s credit strengths,” Village Treasurer Irene Woo said. In addition, the Village will be refunding $1.5m of bonds originally issued in 2010.
Village Administrator Ralph Suozzi thanked Ms. Woo and the Finance
130 Fifth Street, Garden City, New York 11530 • 516-747-3535
Rev. Msgr. James P. Swiader, Pastor
Rev. Prasanna Costa, Associate Pastor
Rev. Msgr. William Koenig, In Residence
Deacon John J. McKenna
Ash Wednesday February 17, 2021
Distribution of Ashes at Services in the Church:
7:00 AM, 4:00 PM, and 7:30 PM
Distribution of Ashes during these Masses in the Church:
8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, and 12:10 PM
Daily Celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass During Lent
Monday through Friday at 12:10 PM in the Church Stations of The Cross During Lent
Stations of The Cross will be prayed communally on Friday mornings at 9:30 AM in the Church following 9 AM Mass
Eucharistic Adoration
Every Friday from 1:00 - 3:00 PM in the Church
Taizé Prayer
A service of song, silence, and contemplation
Wednesday, March 24 from 7:30 – 8:30 PM in the Church
Department for their “steady stewardship of Village finances.”
Deputy Mayor Robert Bolebruch, Finance Chairman, added, “Accomplishing what Moody’s said does not come easy. It comes with a lot of hard work.” The Moody’s report can be viewed in full on the Village’s website under the Finance tab.
The Board of Trustees approved a fund transfer, as well as change orders related to the ongoing stabilization work at St. Paul’s during its February 4, 2021 meeting:
CNY Group: Trustees approved a $200,000 expenditure for CNY Group to continue Construction Management Services for the St. Paul’s building stabilization work. This is a continuation of the service originally approved at the March 28, 2019 Board of Trustees meeting. Funds are available in the St. Paul’s Recreation Facility Capital Project account.
Westar Construction Group, Inc.: Trustees approved a $32,282 change order for Westar Construction Group, Inc. for additional shoring and joist replacement of an approximate 300 square foot area in the first floor main entrance foyer. According to Walter Beal of the CNY Group, upon entering the foyer crews observed the flooring had actually collapsed into the basement. Funds are available in the St. Paul’s Recreation Facility Capital Project account.
Thornton Tomasetti: Trustees approved a $15,000 change order for Thornton Tomasetti to provide investigation services to assist the Village in better understanding the damaged roof and to provide conception recommendations to repair these areas. According to Mr. Beal, the flat roofs endured additional damage due to Hurricane Isaias and recent high winds. Funds are available in the St. Paul’s Recreation Facility Capital Project account to cover this change order. Village Treasurer Woo noted that roof damage costs could be added to the total request for FEMA reimbursements, as the damage was due, in part, to Hurricane Isaias.
Stained glass preservation bids are expected back Feb. 23. The project could be awarded at the March 1 Board of Trustees meeting. Preserving and protecting the stained glass windows is an eight-week process, according to Mr. Beal. Proposals are also
being sought for the phase II environmental report to begin investigating abatement. Mr. Beal noted that the abatement process could begin before building stabilization is complete.
Online tax payment availability
The online tax payment system for the current 2021-22 tax year is only unavailable until February 18, 2021. As of February 19, 2021, only water bill payments will be accepted online. Online tax payments will resume on June 1, 2021 for the new 2021-22 tax year. For current tax balances or payment methods available, contact the Tax Department at 465-4156.
The Garden City Fire Department is looking for help from our community. Snowfall, and plowing, can often hide fire hydrants under a large amount of snow making them impossible to find quickly. In the event of a fire, firefighters have to locate and shovel out fire hydrants before hooking up to them. Precious time is lost during this process. Please don’t let your neighborhood hydrant remain “undercover.” Keep the fire hydrant closest to your residence or business clear of snow. A 3-foot clearance on all sides is needed.
The Board of Trustees will hold 2021-22 Budget Work Sessions via Zoom beginning March 9, 2021 between 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Here is the full schedule:
• Work Session 1 - March 9, 2021
• Work Session 2 - March 18, 2021
• Work Session 3 - March 24, 2021
• Work Session 4 - March 30, 2021
The Board of Elections provides the Village with a listing of residents who are permanently disabled. When the ballot has been finalized, the Village automatically sends those residents absentee ballots. All other residents have the option of requesting an Absentee Ballot Application for one of the several reasons listed on the Application, including, but not limited to, if they are out of the Village on Election Day, have a temporary illness, or under the Governor’s Executive Orders, they do not feel comfortable coming out of the house to vote due to concerns of contracting COVID.
If they do want an Absentee Ballot, they must fill out an Absentee Ballot Application, which is available in both English and Spanish on the Village website under “Business Office.” This form needs to be filled out and either mailed to the attention of the Village Clerk, Karen Altman, at 351 Stewart Avenue, or dropped off to her atten-
This isn’t about the community agreement process. It’s about the board of trustees performance.
The current board of trustees performance for the last 8 years has been abysmal. By not getting bids for projects, not following open meeting law, spending money on firehouses we don’t need, allowing monster poles to destroy the village and leaving the casino to hang out to dry, we believe we need a change in our village government. Our FABGC candidates look forward to following the community agreement, following the open meeting law, and working alongside the POA’s to solve the many issues that face our village.
We believe our village founders would welcome that. Learn more at fabgc.org
n Plumbing repairs
n Drain cleaning
n Heat repairs
n Installation of appliances
n Installation of toilets & sinks
n Water filtration systems
Detector disabled:
On February 3rd the Garden City Police and Firefighters responded to the Residence Inn for a report of a fire alarm. Upon investigation, it was determined a smoke detection device was disabled, activating the alarm.
Excessive speed:
A truck driver was arrest ed on Clinton Road on February 4th for alleged ly driving with 13 license suspensions and excessive speed.
Sleepy raccoon:
Officers responded to Amherst Street for a report of a raccoon sleeping under a seat of a bus occupied by students on February 4th. The children safely exited the bus and a Police Supervisor safely removed the raccoon. No injuries were reported.
Identity theft:
A victim’s reported to Garden City Police that personal information was used to open an unauthorized cell phone account.
Fraudulent listings:
A Realtor reported that another company fraudulently advertised online properties exclusive to their business. Another Realtor reported that a house they are listing was fraudulently advertised online as a rental.
Shovel that snow!
Numerous residences and businesses were issued warnings for a village code violation for not clearing their sidewalks of snow and ice. As of Feb. 6, five premises were cited for noncompliance.
Alarm activation:
On February 6th the GCPD and GCFD responded to the Residence Inn for a CO alarm activation. The area of the alarm activation was cleared by firefighters and the alarm was reset.
Pump stolen
A water pump was reported stolen from the rear property of a Franklin Avenue restaurant on February 7th.
Storm calls:
Garden City Police responded to 24 storm-related calls on February 7th, including power outages, traffic light malfunctions, alarms, auto accidents, hazardous conditions and
a disabled auto.
Carbon monoxide alarm
GCPD, GCFD and National Grid responded to a Wellington Road residence for a CO alarm activation on February 7th. GCFD and National Grid cleared the scene. No injuries were reported.
On February 8th GCFD and GCPD responded to Adelphi University for an alarm in the Science Building. It was determined the alarm was activated by a significant water leak. The building was closed until the condition could be corrected.
Multiple suspensions:
On February 8th a 29-year-old motorist was arrested for driving on Rockaway Avenue with six license suspensions, excessive speed in a school zone and uninsured operation.
Credit card fraud
A victim’s identity was used to open an unauthorized credit card account and to file for unemployment benefits.
Multiple violations:
As a result of a traffic investigation on Franklin Avenue at 9th Street on February 8th, a motorist was charged with driving with a suspended license, suspended registration, uninsured operation and defective brake lights.
Unauthorized charges:
On February 9th Garden City Police investigated a report of unauthorized charges against a victim’s credit card account. Another victim’s personal information was used to open an unauthorized insurance policy account.
Suspended license:
On February 9th a motorist was charged with driving on Stewart Avenue at Nassau Boulevard with a suspended license, unregistered operation and an obstructed plate.
Unemployment fraud:
Between February 3rd and 9th Garden City Police investigated 11 reports of victims’ identities being stolen and used to file false unemployment claims.
2021 Brand New Build - Stunning 5 Bedroom, 4.5 Bath, true center hall colonial on 104x124 private lot (Room for pool w/ lot variance)
4348 sq. ft. PLUS an additional 2000 sq. ft. of finished basement recreation space!
This gorgeous home is a perfect blend of modern amenities paired with classic charm. Designed by a mom of 5 to include all the bells and whistles that an active family desires! Offering a gracious floor plan, 3 floors of finished living space, bluestone walkways and patio, landscaping, outdoor lighting, camera surveillance, cable connections, wifi-ready and wired ceiling speakers. 8 zones of gas heat including 5 zones of radiant heating, 3 zones of central air.
Exquisite architectural attention taken including: Coffered ceilings, wainscot, crown/base moldings, raised paneling & white/red oak floors throughout including herringbone entry foyer with built in bookshelves.
The 1st Floor plan consists of: White chef’s kitchen with Sub-Zero/Wolf appliances, large center island and separate butler’s pantry. Family room with gas fireplace opened to kitchen. Formal living room with gas fireplace, formal dining room, white marble powder room, mudroom & 1st floor laundry.
The 2nd Floor offers a stately primary suite, with 2 walk-in-closets, ensuite white marble bath with separate stall shower, claw foot tub, and double custom vanity. 4 additional generous bedrooms and 2 full baths.
No stone was left unturned!
Offered at $2,495,000
Contact me at 516-865-2448 for further detail and floor plans
Nancy Giannone
Licensed RE Salesperson, CBR Mobile: 516.865.2448
ngiannone@coachrealtors.com
The Denton Avenue Bridge, built in 1888
BY BILL BELLMER, GARDEN CITY VILLAGE HISTORIAN
The historic Tanners Pond Road railroad bridge is about to be demolished. Also referred to as the Denton Avenue bridge because the road north of it is Denton Avenue, the present bridge was built in 1888 and is one of the oldest structures in Garden
City, as well as on the Long Island Rail Road. It has abutments of ashlar construction, meaning masonry made of large square-cut stones with a rough-hewn surface. As the LIRR was first built through this section in 1837, it therefore replaced a previous span of the valley when the line was double-tracked. In 1944 it was modified a bit with the addition of con -
• Flexible 25-day minimum
• A variety of indoor and outdoor activities
• Optional aftercare to 6:00pm
and staff at The Summer Program are
Architectural rendering of replacement bridge
crete above the stonework abutments. The LIRR incorrectly considers the whole structure to have originated at this time. Although the bridge has no datestone, the 1888 construction drawing for it is in our files. At 13 foot 9 inches height [signed one foot less per regulation] it is only three inches lower than code requirement.
The bridge spans a valley which starts at Hillside Ave. and continues south past the Edgemere Rd. RR bridge [which was built by Stewart for his railroad and has an 1871 datestone] and on into Franklin Square. The valley once had a stream, now in an underground culvert in the Village except for the lake on the golf club property, which flowed ultimately to Hewlett Bay on the south shore. The bridge is wholly within the Village, the north border at that point being a block north of the railroad.
The name Tanners Pond derives from a pond of that name once located in a hollow northwest of New Hyde Park Rd. and Marcus Ave., referred to as early as 1685 as owned by a Nicholas Tanner. Denton Ave. was once also called Tanners Pond Rd. before it was renamed relating to
Joseph Denton, an influential figure who lived on Jericho Turnpike nearby, in what is now the McDonalds restaurant. So in Garden City it was the road to Tanners Pond. Before the golf course was constructed in 1916, the road also extended due south in the valley to Courthouse Rd. and Garden City Rd. in Franklin Square, but that part was then relocated to the top of the hill south of the railroad and renamed Edgemere Rd. south of Stewart Ave.
The present bridge is to be replaced with a concrete one, also a single lane per the request of the Village. The most recent online rendering of June 2020 from the LIRR Third Track project shows traffic signals on both sides of it, although accidents rarely occur now, since those who use the bridge are familiar with the passage protocol. No more recent renderings or descriptions of the project are available online. The reconstruction could have cleaned and preserved the original stonework with an added span just south of it for the third track, thus providing a logical excuse to retain the single lane.
From page 18
tion at Village Hall. Residents can also request the form via email at kaltman@ gardencityny.net or, if they do not have access to a computer, they can call 4654051. It will be mailed to them unless they want to come to Village Hall to pick it up.
The last day for the Clerk to receive applications for absentee ballots to be mailed to a qualified voter is March 9, 2021. The last day for the Clerk to mail absentee ballots to qualified vot-
ers is March 10, 2021. The last day for the Clerk to receive personal applications for an absentee ballot from the applicant or the applicant’s agent is March 15, 2021. Upon receiving a personal application, the Clerk will deliver the absentee ballot to the applicant, or his agent. Whichever method is used to submit the Application and obtain the ballot (i.e. via mail or personally), the Village Clerk must receive the ballot itself no later than the close of polls on Election Day.
From page 1
Catalano said.
Catalano said that while members of the For a Better Garden City slate, most notably mayoral candidate and Architectural Design Review Board (ADRB) member Cosmo Veneziale, may have volunteer experience none of them has served as an elected village official before.
“It’s a very important election and there are five candidates on the other side (For a Better Garden City). If you look at The Garden City News and online there is a lot of noise out there and this will be a very contested election. The good news is that there’s just five more weeks to go. I encourage you to think about the candidates’ slates -- the FABGC has five new people like Yvonne and myself would be, but we are just two of the five. Let’s consider that with the magnitude of the village -- we have a municipal budget approaching $75 million and very significant issues out there as far as St. Paul’s, village water remediation to go on (for contaminant 1,4 dioxane) and the firehouse project (Village Fire Station No. 2 at Stewart Avenue and Edgemere Road). I just think having our trustees’ experience is very valuable. That remains something that voters in Garden City need to consider as they go to the polls,” Catalano said.
After 38 years, Catalano, a CPA and Hofstra University alumnus recently retired from Manhattan-based accounting firm KPMG. He also serves on the boards of three not-for-profit organizations and has experience as an audit partner. He’s lived in Garden City for over 20 years.
“I retired last September and have three sons. As I was getting ready to retire, I was thinking to myself about how I can give back and volunteer. KPMG has a mandatory retirement age of 60 so I was thinking about this right in the middle of the pandemic in 2020, and while I continue to volunteer on my other boards I saw the opportunity to give back in the village -- so I saw the opportunity to submit my resume for consideration by the Estates’ POA. I was happy to be interviewed, to be ultimately selected as a candidate for trustee and to get to meet the other CAP candidates over the past six weeks or so,” he said on Tuesday.
Among the special guests for the CPOA this week were Garden City Deputy Mayor Robert Bolebruch, Trustee Mark Hyer, Trustee Stephen Makrinos (on Zoom) as well as CPOA candidate Yvonne Varano.
Catalano also informed those at the CPOA meeting that for any resident voters not wishing to line up at Garden City’s Village Hall on Election Day -Tuesday March 16 -- there is a feasible absentee ballot process they can follow.
Also at Tuesday’s evening meeting, Interim CPOA President Ed Finneran
announced that at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 there will be an all-four property owners’ association public meeting and “Meet the Candidates Night” at St. Paul’s. Finneran said this will likely be limited to 50 in-person attendees, though the exact event capacity could change depending on if the smaller Cluett Hall or the larger St. Paul’s Fieldhouse are ultimately the host venue; the location remains indefinite this week but will be one of the two.
Finneran also commented that the goal as of early February was stated to have a Zoom feed and real-time participation, with a question and answer period organized for candidates at the March 2 event. Technological details such as Zoom participation are yet to be finalized as well.
The March 2 event will take place exactly one week prior to the next CPOA meeting, as well as a week before the first 2021-2022 Village Budget work session on March 9. Both meetings would also start at 7:30 p.m.
Village Trustee Louis Minuto, who represents the Central section, delivered a comprehensive update on Village Board and other municipal government news, including on the most recent ‘Triple A’ -- Aaa bond rating for Garden City. For yet another year, Moody’s Investor Services issued the village the Aaa stable rating with a stable outlook, noting Village debt and fiscal outlook and citing in their credit opinion, “the village benefits from strong fiscal management, ample reserves and liquidity, and a manageable debt though its pension and OPEB liabilities are elevated. Strong financial management continues to contribute to annual surplus operations.” A press release was posted on the Village of Garden City website on Monday, February 8 after the rating came in on February 3. Trustee Minuto commented on Tuesday that the Aaa financial rating of Garden City is a very big deal, and “it doesn’t align with rhetoric floating around social media” primarily by FABGC.
“There may be a lot of different opinions in town, but when Moody’s comes along to say you are at Aaa that is usually a pretty good sign and very significant going into the 2021-2022 municipal budget season,” Trustee Minuto said.
Trustee Minuto said there is much value having people who have served as part of their POA and village leadership, noting during Tuesday’s meeting that he “learned as much from the CPOA Nominating Committee on what it is like to be a village trustee, as they learned from me discussing my career background.”
“The process and interviews serve as a good moment to ask what it’s like and what the Board role is about. The people in the FABGC, did they try to become their POA’s nominees or did they get denied in that? I don’t know. Why would
you want a job without going through an interview -- every job has an interview process, no? Other than having their POA’s tell you no, I can’t really understand. And despite growing up in the village, it was not until as a resident and a parent that I started to attend the POA meetings and learn about the organizations and the people in the CPOA -- with the people running from the FABGC slate, I have not seen any of them participate or speak about issues at any Village Board meetings,” Minuto said.
During the meeting held on Tuesday night February 9, Susan Gammage Munn - a member of the CPOA’s Nominating Committee -- spoke over Zoom.
“Within our POA I was selected to be on the Nominating Committee from the folks that voted in our election, after I raised my hand and said I was interested, after volunteering to be on that ballot. The Nominating Committee is elected to represent the Central POA in nominating candidates for the Board of Trustees. That should give people comfort in knowing how the POA process works -- we raise our hands and then we’re elected to the Committee. Secondly the Nominating Committees operate in different roles in volunteer life, as I know from serving on many Nominating Committees over the course of my nonprofit lifetime. I felt the CPOA Nominating Committee I just served on did a very fair job and was very thoughtful and respectful of each other -- I knew no one else nor have personal relationships with Nominating Committee members. We did a good job discussing the criteria, as well as understanding what we felt was the best for the village. It was entirely professional, not personal, and we are proud of the folks we have chosen to represent the Central section,” Mrs. Gammage Munn explained.
Trustee Minuto noted that there is the possibility that two or more people from one of the four POA’s could be elected, while one of the other POAs has no one elected. That would leave a void from the two seats on the village’s eight-person governing board has now. That the CPOA is the smallest, Trustee Minuto says, could be at a distinct disadvantage in such a scenario.
“There’s much we can say about the whole Board transparency issue though online the picture gets really twisted -we as a Board are not allowed to meet in private; we have to meet only in public. I don’t get where it comes from or how it’s invented that we are not transparent. And when we have an executive session talking with lawyers, Village Counsel (Peter Bee’s firm) about potential litigation or any human resources issues, then yes that is required to be done in private. But we do have the New York State Open Meetings Law to com-
ply with and we must speak in the open, there’s nothing behind a veil. I know there’s a tagline about transparency -- unless someone can point to a specific circumstance then I honestly don’t know, from three years serving on the Village Board, that I don’t know where that concept of non-transparent comes from. But it may be a fun thing to say for the FABGC challengers -- though I can say I have not seen one of the five FABGC candidates participating via Zoom for any of the Board of Trustees’ meetings, not one of them, though I see their leader,” Minuto told the CPOA audience on Tuesday night.
Trustee Minuto spoke about one concern, should the election result not result in the CAP candidates on the Board, is “to date, in village history the political b.s. was kept out of the day-today running of Garden City and most of the decisions are cut-and-dry.”
“I think it is great that everyone is jazzed-up about this year’s election and that people are putting time and effort into it -- but I just wish they had come through the POA’s system so we could have channeled that spirit of volunteerism into some real things we need to do in the community. Remember the Community Agreement is to keep the politics and political parties out of the village government, and like it or not right now -- what is going on is the formation of a political party (FABGC) that happens to be most detrimental to the people who live in the Central section….because the top vote-getters in the election will go in as village trustees, regardless of where (which POA) they are from. While cars may be flipping over on the front lawns of Cathedral Avenue residences (in the Central section) there may be a majority from another area of the village -- the East, the West for example -- who may not prioritize the traffic concerns of the Central; the Central POA has the least population of any of the four Garden City POA’s,” Trustee Minuto commented.
Heather Nielsen, the Central POA’s Secretary and member of its Board of Directors, said it is frustrating to read the Facebook posts by some residents indicating that the POA’s and the Village Board “keeps voting for the same people over and over again.”
“I think most people do not show up and often not enough put their names into the hat for nominations, and the person can be nominated because there were no other candidates. Secondly there have definitely been times when I served on our Nominating Committee that we did interview a candidate that was the incumbent, but through the process we identified the fit for the position and went with a new person. So it’s definitely not that Nominating Committees vote for the same people every time -- it does not happen that way at all,” Nielsen said Tuesday night.
BY MELISSA JAEGER
Calling all last-minute Lotharios! It’s not too late to make the lady, the little lady or the man in your life feel special on Valentine’s Day.
While we may not have candy at the Exchange, we do have a great selection of reasonably priced gifts for your loved one. We have rose bouquets that look so real, you can’t help but touch them for yourself! Check out the sterling and cubic zirconia heart pendants, CZ heart studs, and many other lovely pieces from the Jewelry Garden on Nassau Boulevard. All the pieces are new and authenticated. In addition, we have an assortment of consigned pendants, bracelets and earrings. For the younger loves, we have adorable bears, bunnies, duck and ballerinas from Bearington Bear. They’re too cute for words! Don’t forget the men in your life. We have wool scarves, leather portfolios and cuf-
flinks, leather cigar cases.
We’re open on Friday until 4:00 and Saturday noon to 4:00. Speak with one of the volunteers and we will help you pick out the perfect gift that fits within your budget. We even have jewelry bags and gift bags to help wrap up your gifts to go!
Just a reminder that we are open late on Wednesdays until 6:00pm. It’s a great chance to shop in peace and quiet, for those of you who work. We get newly consigned merchandise almost every day! Not comfortable with coming into the shop? Please shop online and come to the Exchange to pick up. I continue to update the TGCHS website with photos of our newest merchandise! Be sure to check out www.tgchs.org or go to our online store at: stores.myresaleweb. com/at-stewart-exchange. We also post photos on the AT Stewart Exchange Facebook and Instagram pages.
When you do come into the Shop, please follow our established sanitizing
protocols and social distancing rules to keep everyone safe. Please, now more than ever, wear your mask. We’re wearing ours. And please use our hand-sanitizer when you enter the shop. And, to keep you feeling safe while shopping, we just purchased an air purifier.
Unfamiliar with the Exchange Consignment Shop? We are housed in The Garden City Historical Society (TGCHS) Museum on 109 Eleventh Street (in the basement of the building). All the proceeds from the Shop sales directly benefit TGCHS. In addition to our best sellers – jewelry (costume and fine), lamps, mirrors and crystal (Waterford, Baccarat, Tiffany) -- we accept silver, pocketbooks, china, furniture, artwork, and collectibles. All items are in new or nearly-new condition.
Up until nine months ago, we did consignments by walk-in. With the virus, we have had to take measures to safeguard our customers, consignors and
volunteers. Having appointments helps to keep down the numbers of people in the Shop at any point in time and reduces wait-times to consign. Consignments are now done Wednesday through Friday 11:00am – 2:00pm by appointment ONLY, so please call (516)746-8900. Unsure if your items are appropriate to consign? Email photos to store@ atstewartexchange.org and be sure to include sizing info. Please be sure items are cleaned and polished, ready for sale.
All the profits from the Consignment Shop support the maintenance and upkeep of TGCHS Museum. Thanks to your generous support, work on the outside of the Museum continues.
The Shop is located at 109 Eleventh Street. Shop Hours: Tues–Fri: 10:00–4:00 p.m., Wednesday til 6:00 p.m.;Sat: Noon–4:00 p.m. Please call (516) 746-8900 For more information.
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from Tropical Storm Isaias “and a couple of other wind events that blew some of the flat roofing off the roof.” His team recommended that Thornton Tomasetti perform an inspection for the repairs that will need to go out to bid.
The stained glass window bid package was finalized and put out to bid, and walkthroughs of the bid were set to take place on Wednesday, February 10. Bids for the work will be due on Tuesday, February 23.
“We coordinated the bid insurance requirements between Village Attorney Peter Bee’s office and Village Treasurer Irene Woo’s office. We anticipate being able to make a bid award recommendation to the Board of Trustees at their first meeting in March (Thursday March 11). After that we will get the insurances and contract together with the intention of starting in early April,” Walter Beal said. Beal outlined an eightweek process for safe removal of the historic stained glass.
Also on February 4 the Board of Trustees approved a change order of $15,000 for services from structural engineering and design firm Thornton Tomasetti, which was first brought into the St. Paul’s project with Beyer Blinder Belle in the third quarter of 2017. At this time, Administrator Suozzi attributes the impacts to the roofing systems at St. Paul’s to the high wind and harsh weather events of the last several months including Isaias in August 2020. The change order of $15,000 stated “to provide investigation services to assist the Village in better understanding the damaged roof and to provide conception recommendations to repair these
areas.” Suozzi says Thornton Tomasetti will conduct a detailed investigation and prepare a cost estimate for the repairs of the roof and exterior areas. As that wraps up, there will be a correlated second step to the process of sealing the building’s roof against the elements. Suozzi hopes that can be put on the trustees’ agenda for Tuesday, February 23.
Beal also told the Board of Trustees that the project managers are seeking proposals from engineering firms for a Phase II Environmental Conditions report, “because we are at a point where even though there’s some damage to the flat roofs we could begin investigating the abatement.”
Bob Orosz asked when the stabilization work “will stop and when the abatement would begin.”
Walter Beal replied with an overview of the sequence. “The abatement process has technically begun and thus we’re seeking proposals from an engineering firm to prepare the report that would get us to the point where we can put together bid packages and put that out to bid. We are not waiting for stabilization of the building to be 100% complete before we start that process as it is ongoing now,” he said.
Orosz then asked about a timeline for the next stage to be implemented, and also how proposals will come forward to the village. Beal said it would take one to two months at least to secure an engineering firm, which he said would probably take another four weeks to issue a report.
Village Administrator Suozzi said he’s already received one engineering firm’s proposal but in the course of due diligence he is “circulating to other
engineering firms” so they can provide their proposals to the Village, “based on the same specifications so that we get the best price for the work.” He confirmed that this would likely take about a month, or just slightly longer.
“I would like to receive bids from five other firms so that we have a broad spectrum of proposals. I will circulate them to Mr. Beal as they come in,” Suozzi said.
Orosz asked how engineers will be able to inspect the St. Paul’s site to evaluate the scope of work Garden City has outlined in bid packages. “I can’t see how firms can offer proposals without visiting the St. Paul’s site. To do it from books and past experience is not what we have here. And as the professionals look into the abatement of the building they are going to find more and more things that could be done to stabilize the building. I am afraid of going on and on with the stabilization,” Orosz commented.
Beal clarified that this was not correct; environmental engineers will not be tasked with looking at structural components and “things along the stabilization route.” They will instead be identifying and quantifying contaminants existing within St. Paul’s.
“I agree with you that the building will continue to deteriorate however environmental engineers will not be looking toward that end of things,” he said.
Suozzi said the one engineering firm that has submitted its proposal is already familiar with St. Paul’s.
“They have already been on the grounds and their proposal is very specific, so the other firms will be allowed to visit the site as well, but they also are
starting from a specification template that’s well-refined. They most likely can submit to us their numbers and magnitude based on that alone but I’d encourage them to visit the site,” Suozzi said. Orosz asked about providing bidders with the past reports by other firms’ that put together information on what work might need to be done, and Suozzi replied that the Village of Garden City’s website contains the prior history of the St. Paul’s site and overall he would expect firms vying for the work to be well-informed. Orosz referenced one report performed a decade ago as he’s such shared files with the village administration and trustees before, though he says at present “there’s even more damage on top of what existed, as those prior reports indicated.”
Suozzi believes Orosz has raised a fair question and the existing data and information on the environmental aspects of the building should be noted.
“It would be wise to point the bidding firms to the website though conditions may have since changed or gotten worse. I believe within the scope of their profession, firms would have a pretty good idea of what they’re looking for. But, to your point I will provide direction to that information -- I do know we have a large history of St. Paul’s data on the website,” he said.
During public comments Eastern Property Owners’ Association President Steve Ilardi asked about new damage observed at St. Paul’s, caused by Tropical Storm Isaias last August, and if the expenses related to it would be reimbursable by FEMA. Village Treasurer Irene Woo said the Village can include the costs in the municipality’s request for FEMA reimbursements.
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BY BOB MORGAN, JR.
I guess I could write about the two major stories of this week, the Super Bowl and the second impeachment trial of Donald J. Trump, but I wrote about the Capitol riot and the NFL recently, so I don’t think I have enough new thoughts on either topic to fill an entire column.
As for the Super Bowl, my brief observation is it was obviously a memorable performance by 43-year old Tom Brady, but at least as much credit should be given to the suffocating Tampa Bay defense. My strongest memory of the game is of Patrick Mahomes retreating under relentless pressure from the Bucs defense and forced to heave the ball as best he could. I have to think that Bucs’ defensive coordinator (and former Jets head coach) Todd Bowles definitely made a case for another shot as a head coach.
As for the impeachment trial, there are substantial constitutional issues as to the permissibility of proceeding against a former President and we all know the outcome in any event -acquittal on a largely party line vote. You can be strongly critical of Mr. Trump’s behavior after the election, and on January 6 in particular (as I am), and still believe that this divisive trial with a preordained result is not in the public interest.
In any event, I was searching for an issue that, once the impeachment saga is over, might allow for a bipartisan agreement in the best interests of the country. Maybe immigration fills the bill.
There are two basic challenges in setting immigration policy. The first is national security. The United States is a rich, successful country, but we simply cannot accommodate each year the tens of millions of people from around the world who would like to come here. While immigration has always been an important part of American life, and significant numbers of new residents are welcome to start a new life here, there are limitations. Our governmental and social resources are not infinite and our workers, particularly in lower wage sectors, cannot compete against an
endless flood of newcomers. There is also a social issue relating to the speed at which individual immigrant cultures can be assimilated into the larger society without creating undue tensions.
The second key challenge concerning immigration is that there are approximately 11 million illegal aliens living in the United States and something does need to be done to regularize the status of most of them over time. (The small minority who are criminals, etc. need to be deported.)
From the time of President George W. Bush, here have been efforts to create a path to citizenship, but most efforts have languished. The closest to such a path was President Obama’s Dreamer program, but that did not involve legislation and was legally dubious.
Although the Biden Administration will be loath to admit it, a number of the steps taken by the Trump Administration have helped to make the border much less of a tense hotbed and to make it clear that immigration laws will be enforced. (This is not to endorse everything done by Mr. Trump or indeed by President Obama at the border.) In addition to the symbolic building of the wall, requiring immigrants to return to Mexico for adjudications, ending policies where entrants are admitted into the country and entering into agreements with Honduras and Guatemala have slowed the crush to enter.
The less tense border and strengthened immigration enforcement creates the possibility of legislation straightening out the situation of current undocumented immigrants without making it look that we are tolerating open borders.
The initial actions by the Biden Administration like declaring a moratorium on deportation (overturned in the courts), ending agreements with Central American nations and apparently weakening the power of ICE enforcement agents are not helpful to a legislative accord, but there still is time. This is something important that President Biden and his Republican opponents could accomplish, if (big if) the political will is there.
The views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper or its publisher.
Vinny Muldoon Owner and Garden City Resident
attention to detail no matter what size your project is.
The Property Owners’ Association of Garden City Estates (“Estates POA”) is seeking residents of the Estates who are interested in serving on the Estates POA Nominating Committee or the Estates POA Board of Directors.
The Estates POA Nominating Committee consists of fifteen residents of the Estates Section of Garden City serving in three classes of five members, each class serving for three years. The Nominating Committee is responsible for nominating candidates for Garden City Village Trustee, the Board of Education Trustee, and Estates POA Board of Director positions. The duties of the Nominating Committee members are to attend meetings in November to interview candidates for open Trustee positions and in March to interview candidates for open Director positions, as well as to attend monthly meetings of the Estates POA. This year, one class of Nominating Committee members is open for appointment and scheduled for election. Any Garden City Estates resident who maintains his or her principal residence in the Garden City Estates Section as determined in accordance with the election laws of the State of New York may be considered a prospective candidate.
The Estates POA Board of Directors consists of fifteen residents of the Estates Section of Garden City serving in three classes of five directors, each class serving for three years. The Board of Directors is involved with all issues of the Estates POA except as specifically delegated to the Estates POA Officers or the Nominating Committee. The Board of Directors shall have the power to take such action as shall be necessary to promote the interests of the Estates POA. Directors are expected to attend monthly meetings of the Estates POA. This year, one class of the Board of Directors is open for appointment and scheduled for election. Any Garden City resident who maintains his or her principal residence in the Garden City Estates Section as determined in accordance with the election laws of the State of New York and is a dues-paying member of the Estates POA may be considered a pro-
spective candidate.
If you are interested in applying for the Nominating Committee, please submit your request and application materials in writing to the Estates POA Secretary, Peter Agnetti at peteragnetti@gmail.com. If you are interested in applying for the Estates POA Board of Directors, please submit your request and application materials in writing to the Nominating Committee Chairperson, Daniel Cendan at gcestatesnominatingcommittee@gmail.com, or any Committee member. Your application must include a resume which states your name, address, telephone number, email address, professional and other relevant experience such as involvement with the Garden City community, as well as a statement as to your qualifications and reasons for interest in the position. Your application may also be sent by mailing the material to Property Owners’ Association of Garden City Estates, P.O. Box 282, Garden City, New York 11530. The deadline for receipt of applications is Friday, March 12, 2021.
The Estates POA and the Nominating Committee encourage all Garden City Estates residents to get involved and volunteer their time and to attend monthly Estates POA meetings. Our next meeting is Tuesday, February 16, 2021 at 8pm at the Garden City Senior Center.
Please join the Estates POA by either (1) going to our website www.gcestates. org and clicking on “Become a Member” and then on the link “Join” or (2) providing your name, address, telephone number, and email address along with a check made payable to “Property Owners’ Association of Garden City Estates” to the Estates POA, P.O. Box 282, Garden City, New York 11530. The dues are $20 per household, $15 for senior citizens.
The Members of the Estates Nominating Committee are: Peter Agnetti, Daniel Cendan, Joseph Colletti, Michael Daab, John DeMaro, John Farrell, Joesph Jabour, Gary Limoncelli, Michael Maguire, Kimberly Pupke McGraw, Jeff Minett, Nancy Minett, Jeffrey Rathgeber, Paul Rovelli, and Christine Williams.
Margaux Griffin is an exceptional student and accomplished athlete who has proven herself both in and outside the classroom. She challenges herself academically and is an AP Scholar with Honors, a member of both the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society and has made the Principal’s List throughout her school career.
While maintaining a rigorous course load, Margaux pursues her passion for sports and is a valuable and leading member of the varsity golf, tennis and basketball teams. She has participated on the golf team since the seventh grade, has played on the tennis team since her freshman year and joined the basketball team as a sophomore. She has consistently been named a New York State Scholar Athlete and just recently received the Outstanding Physical Education Student Award.
Submissions are from staff, students, or parents. To nominate a GCHS senior, please contact Assistant Principal for Guidance and PPS Mandi Stefankiewicz at stefankiewiczm@gcufsd.net.
Garden City Senior Center Open
Garden City Recreation and Parks’ Senior Center is now open.
Our hours will be 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We will be practicing social distancing so no exercise or group activities will take place at this time Anyone visiting the Center will be required to wear a mask during their visit.
The Garden City’s Department of Recreation and Parks will offer an adult art class this fall. This 10-week program will teach the beginner as well as the advanced student the art of painting portraits and landscapes/ still-life in pastel from photographs. Arleen Rueth Urban, the instructor for this program, is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America.
Classes will be held Fridays beginning February 12 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. in St. Paul’s Cluett Hall. The cost of this program will be $140. Please note: Masks must be worn during class and each participant must fill out a COVID survey sheet before each class to attend. This class is open to adult residents who reside in the Inc. Village of Garden City.
The first lesson includes a por -
trait and landscape demonstration. At that time, a supply list is provided. Demonstrations will be available as needed throughout the program. Each student will receive the individual attention required as they move at their own pace and level of expertise.
To register for this session, please visit the Recreation and Parks office at 108 Rockaway Avenue. If you have a password, you may register online at gcreconline.gardencityny.net.
Recreation and Parks is pleased to announce that senior exercise with Felicia began the week of October 26. Due to COVID restrictions, this program will no longer be a drop in program. Participants will need to pre-register, wear masks and fill out a COVID form, and space will be limited. Classes will take place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 10 a.m. In order to attend a class, you must pre-register. You may pre-register up to two days before the class you want to attend by calling the Senior Center between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 385-8006. For a Monday class, you may call the Friday before. Space is limited.
Town Park Point Lookout, 1300 Lido Blvd., Point Lookout
Family Fun Fridays
Remember the Titans
February 12 • 7 p.m.
Jumanji: The Next Level February 19 • 7 p.m.
Incredibles II
February 13 • 2 p.m.
The Notebook
February 13 • 7 p.m.
Guardians of the Galaxy February 20 • 2 p.m.
When Harry Met Sally February 20 • 7 p.m.
Dolittle (2020)
February 14 • 4 p.m.
Arctic Dogs
Coco February 21 • 4 p.m.
February 15 • 2 p.m.
Ghost
February 16 • 7 p.m.
Toy Story 4 February 17 • 2 p.m.
Moonstruck
February 18 • 7 p.m.
Movies open to Town of Hempstead residents only.
Join us for a virtual meet-up, Teen Games: Among Us on Tuesday, February 23 at 4:30 p.m.–5:10 p.m. and 5:20 p.m.–6 p.m. Grab some snacks and join us as we play the popular game Among Us! Registrants will need the Among Us game downloaded on either their PC/laptop or mobile device in order to play. Patrons can sign up for only one of the two 40-minute sessions. This program is for tweens and teens in Grades 6–12 only.
We will be using Zoom Video Conferencing for this virtual program. Please register via Eventkeeper (www. gardencitypl.org) to participate in this virtual program. Registration begins on Tuesday, February 16 at 10 a.m. Registration ends two hours before the start of the program. Registrants will receive an email with the login information to Zoom one hour before the start of the program.
Join us for a virtual meet-up, Tween Watercolor Craft on Thursday, February 25, 5:00 p.m.–5:40 p.m. Join us on Zoom as we paint with watercolors on canvas! Registrants will be asked to pick up their craft kit in advance in order to participate in this virtual craft program. This program is for tweens in Grades 4–7 only and is a joint program with the Children’s and Young Adult Departments.
We will be using Zoom Video Conferencing for this virtual program. Please register via Eventkeeper (www. gardencitypl.org) to participate in this virtual program. Registration begins on Tuesday, February 16 at 10 a.m. Registration ends two hours before the start of the program. Registrants will receive an email with the login information to Zoom 1 hour before the start of the program. This program has been funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.
Earn community service by creating positive messages for Garden City Public Library patrons! Each volunteer will receive 10 message cards to color, decorate, and write positive or library/ book themed messages. These message cards will be placed in books throughout the library in order to brighten the day of the patrons who check them out. Messages will be placed in books in all three departments, including Children’s, Tweens and Teens, and Adult Reference.
To participate, please register online via Eventkeeper (www. gardencitypl.org). Registration began Tuesday, February 2 at 10 a.m., and is ongoing until April 2 and more slots will be added as message cards become available, so check Eventkeeper regularly. Volunteers can sign-up for one slot at a time and can
only sign up for an additional slot after submitting their message cards. Registrants will be asked to pick up their message cards at the library in order to participate in this community service program. Volunteers must return 10 completed message cards in order to receive community service. Volunteers will receive 2 hours for every 10 message cards they submit, at the discretion of the Tweens and Teens Department. This program has been funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.
Earn community service by wrapping and decorating books for the Garden City Public Library’s Tweens and Teens Department’s Mystery Book Display! Each volunteer will receive a bag of 5 books to wrap at home; the paper used to wrap the books should then be decorated by drawing, coloring, and writing positive or library/book themed messages. Volunteers must provide their own wrapping supplies. Volunteers should not use regular wrapping paper unless they are able to still draw, write, or color somewhere on the paper they are using to wrap. These books will then be used as part of our Tweens and Teens Mystery Book Display, in which tweens and teens can take a mystery book home with them – to keep as a gift!
To participate, please register online via Eventkeeper (www.gardencitypl.org). Registration began Tuesday, January 26. Registration is ongoing until March 26 and more slots will be added as books become available, so check Eventkeeper regularly. Volunteers can sign-up for one slot at a time and can only sign up for an additional slot after submitting their books.
Registrants will be asked to pick up their bag of books at the library in order to participate in this community service program. Volunteers must return 5 decorated and wrapped books in order to receive community service. Volunteers will receive 2 hours for every 5 wrapped and decorated books they submit, at the discretion of the Tweens and Teens Department.
Earn community service by painting ornaments for the Garden City Public Library’s Tweens and Teens Department’s Tree Ornament! Each volunteer will receive 3 ornaments and a set of paint pens to decorate their ornaments at home. Paint pens must be returned to the library. These ornaments will be used to decorate our new ornament tree each month!
To participate, please register online via Eventkeeper (www.gardencitypl. org) at 10 a.m. on the following dates:
• Shamrock Ornaments: Register 2/23. Ornaments must be submitted by 3/4
• Egg Ornaments Register 3/23. Ornaments must be submitted by 4/1
Registrants will be asked to pick up their ornaments at the library in order to participate in this community service program. Volunteers must return 3 decorated ornaments and their set of paint pens in order to receive community service. Volunteers will receive 2 hours for every 3 ornaments they submit, at the discretion of the Tweens and Teens Department. This program has been funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.
Stop by Garden City Public Library and grab one of our craft kits or prizes during the month of February! The Tweens and Teens Department is partnering with the Children’s Department to provide fun Grab and Go bags with extra crafts and prizes from previous programs for patrons to take home. Bags are on a first come, first serve basis and are available from February 1 to February 28 while supplies last. Patrons should only touch what they plan to take. Only one bag per patron per visit. This program has been funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.
Earn community service by participating in a Garden City Public Library Tweens and Teens program in February and March! In order to receive community service, volunteers must participate in the program and then fill out a survey reviewing the program. Each volunteer will receive 1 hour of community service for every completed survey they submit, at the discretion of the Tweens and Teens Department. Surveys will be emailed to program registrants only after the program is completed and they have attended the program. To participate, volunteers must register online via Eventkeeper (www. gardencitypl.org) for each program they wish to attend separately.
Would you like to be a reviewer for the Library? Need community service hours? Then become a Volunteer Teen Reviewer. This program is for tweens and teens in Grades 6–12. The Library is looking for teen reviewers to review books and media in the YA collection as well as digital content, such as ebooks and audiobooks, available on Nassau Digital Doorway. There might be a book you've already read in our physical or digital collection that you can write a review on!
Browse the physical collection here: http://encore.alisweb.org/ Browse the digital collection here: https://nassau.overdrive.com
Submit a review here: https://
www.gardencitypl.org/submit-a-teenreview/
Reviews will be used to update the Tweens and Teens Library Review Page (https://www.gardencitypl.org/ category/teen-reviews/) as well as update our social media pages. Reviews are subject to approval by the Young Adult Librarian. Please make sure to follow the guidelines for reviews in order for the review to count toward community service.
Earn community service by submitting a photo, video, or other content for us to add to the Library's Tweens and Teens Facebook and Instagram pages! Ideas for submissions include book reviews, artwork, poetry, short stories, personal essays, photos of food you’ve cooked or baked, or any other creative idea you have for content. Not all submissions will be used on our social media and submissions including photos of people are not allowed. Submit social media content here https://www.gardencitypl.org/ social-media-submission/ .
Follow Garden City Library’s Tweens and Teens on Facebook and Instagram! The Young Adult Department has been using both social media platforms as a tool to post updates, announcements, digital resources, ebook recommendations, and more during this time of social distancing. Here are the Facebook and Instagram pages for the Garden City Public Library Tweens and Teens Department:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ GCPLTweensTeens
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ GCPLTweensTeens
If you're interested in participating and want to learn when new virtual events will be happening for tweens and teens (Grades 6–12), or if you have any questions, email Young Adult Librarian Laura Giunta at https://www.gardencitypl.org/young-adult-department/ contact-the-young-adult-tweens-teensdepartment/ .
If you are interested in helping to come up with some programming ideas or social media outreach ideas for tweens and teens in Grades 6–12, consider joining the Teen Advisory Board Online applications are available at https://www.gardencitypl. org/teen-advisory-board-application/ Applicants should be in Grades 6–12. Email Young Adult Librarian Laura Giunta at https://www.gardencitypl. org/young-adult-department/contactthe-young-adult-tweens-teens-department/ if you have any questions.
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their role in U.S. history. Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history. The Children’s room has many books and biographies honoring African Americans and the history of their struggles. Some of those books include: “ Dream March: Martin Luther King, Jr. & The March on Washington ” by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, “ Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History ” by Vashti Harrison, “ 28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed The World ” by Charles R. Smith Jr., “ Jackie
Robinson Breaks the Color Barrier ” by Bo Smolka, “ Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad ” by Louise Chipley Slavicek, “ A Ride to Remember: A Civil Rights Story ” by Sharon Langley and Amy Nathan, “ Rosa Parks and The Civil Rights Movement ” by Terri DeGezell, and “ The Tuskegee Airmen ” by John M. Shea. Read all about these celebrated leaders of Black History. https://www.history.com/topics/ black-history/black-history-month
Once again, we were pleased to help promote the PARP Reading program with the Garden City School District and PTA. Librarians Barbara Grace, Donna Furey & Kristen Sweeney presented via Zoom two programs highlighting new books, authors not to be missed and an overview of databases. The zoom meetings were held on January 13, 2021 to discuss K–second grades and then on January 20 for third–fifth graders. All information presented can be found on the Garden City Public Library website at www.gardencitypl.org.
The Garden City Public Library will be closed on Sunday, February 14 and Monday, February 15 – Presidents’ Day.
There will be no garbage pickup on Monday, February 15.
The holiday week collection schedule will be as follows:
Western half of the Village (west of Rockaway Avenue): Garbage - Tuesday and Thursday; RubbishWednesday, February 24
Eastern half of the Village (east of Rockaway Avenue): Garbage - Wednesday and Friday; RubbishWednesday, February 24
Residents scheduled for recycling on Monday, February 15th, are asked to put their recyclables out on Presidents’ Day.
In a story in the February 5th issue, “Chaminade student starts GoFundMe page for local business” the story stated that Kelly Martinez, owner of Garden City Skin Care, had to take out business and personal loans to keep her business
Hey, remember “driver’s ed” in high school? The above photograph shows high school students in front of the original Garden City High School (today’s Middle School) around 1940. The photograph is staged as everyone including the teacher was told to look at the girl in the car. The writing on the car reads “AAA Dual Control Driver Training Car courtesy Pontiac Motor Division.” If any of these students are alive today they would be in their upper 90s - God bless them.
When I took driver’s ed in high school it was during the summer. However, clearly this photo was taken when the weather was colder. Interestingly, check out the various footwear the girls on the left were wearing back in those days.
Jeanne Elizabeth Keating 2/12/62 - 4/12/15
Hiking in summer to the top of Bear Mountain
Strolling through Central Park in the snow
Waking to birds on a Mattituck morning
Walking the dunes on Montauk shore
Sporting events with me going crazy
"Are you with this guy?"
They'd say in amazement
"Yes, he's with me."
You'd say with a smile
"Though I wish he'd calm down
Once in a while."
afloat during the pandemic shutdown.
Ms. Martinez said that she did not take out a personal loan, but took out a business loan as a safeguard in case her business has to close again.
Do you have a service to advertise?
Our Service Directory is sure to bring results. Call 294-8900 for rates and information.
Thank you for always taking my side and for always having my back
Thanks for all the memories and thanks for all of the laughs.
Happy Birthday, Jeanne! Love Always, Matt
page 2
house in need of repair. After all the outcry about St. Paul’s just sitting there, at least the village trustees started the conversation back up again. Maybe it wasn’t the best suggestion, but it did get things going (and again, was not implemented at all). Looking at the Casino to be sure there weren’t other ideas that were in the best interests of all residents – seems responsible to me. If every new idea is going to be used against our officials, nothing can move forward. Coming up with innovative possibilities, testing the waters, hearing from residents and then moving (or, as in these cases not moving) forward is exactly what our village trustees should be doing.
On Tuesday, March 16, I’m voting for the candidates of the Community Agreement Party. They have all been vetted and approved by their respective property owners’ association. They know how a village functions. Leo Stimmler Cosmo is highly qualified
To the Editor:
I am happy to currently serve as a volunteer on Garden City’s Architectural Design Review Board (ADRB), a board I have served on for the past 10 years. As such, I have come to know Cosmo Veneziale, FABGC candidate for Mayor and fellow member of ADRB. Cosmo contributes excellent architectural reviews during our monthly meetings and it is clear he has considerable
Email: Editor@GCNews.com
knowledge and expertise in architecture and wants to contribute his talents to our Village. His professional specialty is historic preservation and restoration.
In my opinion, it appears that many of our current challenges as a Village involve planning, design, historic preservation, zoning, and construction estimating in association with projects such as Edgemere Firehouse, St. Paul’s, 3TC, and the Casino, to name a few. Cosmo is uniquely qualified to serve our Village and guide us through these challenges.
Every Mayor and trustee brings their life experience to the job and I value the diversity of talent in our Village. Garden City is a community of intelligent and civic minded individuals that crave transparency and discussion. It is not my intent to criticize the Community Agreement, nor to support FABGC. I am writing this to support Cosmo, who would make an excellent Mayor.
Celia
Petersen
To the Editor:
Bruce Chester was a founding member of ReVAMP (Resident Voters Against Monster Poles), which is proud to endorse Bruce for election as Trustee from the Estates Section in the March 16, 2021 village election.
Bruce is running on the FABGC (For a Better Garden City) slate with Terry Digan, Mary Flanagan, Tom O’Brien, and Cosmo Veneziale. Since last March,
when the first of the 120 foot Monster Poles was erected at the Merillon Avenue LIRR Station after hundreds of trees were torn down, Bruce has been engaged in crafting ReVAMP’s response to the project’s devastating impacts by making calls, sending letters, recruiting members, drafting press releases, arranging press conferences for elected officials, gathering information, presenting arguments to the Board of Trustees, and helping to organize ReVAMP’s overarching response to the ongoing damage caused by the MTA.
In fact, Bruce argued in support of litigation after the first few poles went up and the fact that the Board of Trustees eventually authorized litigation is in no small part a result of Bruce Chester’s direct and affirmative efforts on behalf of the Estates Section and the entire Village. Indeed, Bruce was instrumental in bringing ReVAMP from the first meeting of a few neighbors sitting socially distanced around a backyard to a group with hundreds of resident members and supporters that has achieved significant results in the absence of vigorous leadership from our current Board of Trustees.
As someone with an impressive background as a business owner who has already worked hard for the Estates Section and gotten results, Bruce Chester will bring strong, transparent, and responsive government to the Estates and to the Village at large.
In contrast, the Estates POA Community Agreement Party nominee
never participated in ReVAMP, but simply expresses “disappoint[ment]” at the Merillon Avenue damage with no indication he supports any attempt to remedy the situation (see our nearby letter on the topic). His failure to take a position on this, like his failure to announce his support for a referendum on St. Paul’s, for a work stoppage with an immediate needs-assessment on the multimillion-dollar firehouse plan at Edgemere Road, or to say that RFPs should be a staple of village government, presents a sharp contrast to FABGC and Bruce Chester, whom we are proud to endorse wholeheartedly in the upcoming March 16th election.
Richard F. Corrao President, ReVAMP
Note: For more information about Resident Voters Against Monster Poles (“ReVAMP”) and For a Better Garden City (“FABGC”), please visit (https:// www.facebook.com/revampli) and (https://www.fabgc.org).
To the Editor:
In recent months, Trustee meetings have been as follows:
In person, Field House, No Zoom
In person Cluette Hall, no Zoom
Zoom only
Zoom and in person
Yet there has been ZERO notification in advance of the where, when, or type of these very important opportunities for residents to ask questions. And
From page 3
Please also mark your calendar for Tuesday, March 16, 2021 for the in-person election at Village Hall from 12 noon to 9 pm.
If you will be out of town or have any concerns over COVID-19, it is very easy to vote by Absentee Ballot:
• The application for an absentee ballot is on the Village’s website.
• You can also obtain the application by emailing or calling Karen Altman, Village Clerk (kaltman@gardencityny. net and 516-465-4051).
• If your reason is related to risks associated with COVID-19, in Section 1 of the application check the box “temporary illness or physical disability”.
We look forward to continuing this conversation in the weeks ahead.
Sincerely,
Bob Bolebruch, Candidate for Mayor
Steve Makrinos, Candidate for Trustee from Western POA
Rich Catalano, Candidate for Trustee from the Estates POA
Yvonne Varano, Candidate for Trustee from the Central POA
Mark Hyer, Candidate for Trustee
from Eastern POA
In the balance of this letter to the editor, we provide further information on Open Meeting Law for the residents’ background.
What are Open Meeting Laws and when do they apply to our Village government?
Open meeting laws governs how public meetings are conducted by the Village. It includes how and where a meeting can take place and includes the notice period that the Village must provide prior to a meeting as well as the need to maintain minutes from the meeting.
According to the Committee on Open Government, there are exclusions from open meeting laws for Executive Sessions.
Executive Sessions are meetings that are not open to the public, where the contents of the discussion are treated as confidential. Before an executive session may be held, a motion to do so must be made in public, indicating the reason and carried by a majority vote of a board’s total membership. According to NY State, allowable reasons for executive sessions include:
(a) matters which will imperil the public safety if disclosed;
(b) any matter which may disclose the identity of a law enforcement agent or informer;
(c) information relating to current or future investigation or prosecution of a criminal offense which would imperil effective law enforcement if disclosed;
(d) discussions regarding proposed, pending or current litigation;
(e) collective negotiations pursuant to article fourteen of the civil service law;
(f) the medical, financial, credit or employment history of a particular person or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person or corporation;
(g) the preparation, grading or administration of examinations; and
(h) the proposed acquisition, sale or lease of real property or the proposed acquisition of securities, or sale or exchange of securities held by such public body, but only when publicity would substantially affect the value thereof.
Another vehicle involves “exemptions”. Section 108 of the Open Meeting Laws includes exemptions, and when an exemption applies, supersedes the Open Meetings Law.
One of the exemptions, section 108(3), pertains to “matters made confidential by federal or state law.” Judicial decisions have for decades indicated that legal advice given to a government board by its attorney is subject to the attorney-client privilege and is, therefore, confidential. Therefore, when an attorney offers legal advice to his or her client, such as a board, and the advice is given to or shared with the board during a gathering of the board, the attorney-client privilege applies, and is exempt from the coverage of the Open Meetings Law. In a technical sense, a matter of that sort would not be an executive session, but rather a matter falling outside the scope of the Open Meetings Law.
All of the meetings cited in the article complied with the substance and spirit of the law, in particular, Sections (a), (e) and (f) of the executive session above or an exemption under section 108(3).
registration for Zoom has been very restrictive.
For the Feb 4th meeting I was not able to find out the online link to the meeting until 3:15pm the same day -despite requesting the information on Feb 2nd.
Mysteriously, I was informed that I could not inform anyone of the link.. Only Village Clerk, Karen Altman, can give out the link. WHY? Aren’t Trustee meetings open to all residents? In the past no signing up procedure existed! Seems undemocratic to me.
My recommendation: All BOT meeting plans should be “prominently” displayed in the Garden City News, and the Village website, at least a week prior to each meeting. I made this request to Mayor Trouve a year ago. She did state the coming meeting information, for only one issue, in her column, but nothing during the last 6-9 months. Trustees complain about low attendance at meetings. Lack of notification could be one reason.
Another could be that Trustees are NOT REQUIRED to answer questions posed by residents. That rule is ridiculous and undemocratic!
It defies logic and is related to verbal abuse of residents who ask reasonable questions.
I trust that my recommendations will be implemented. Otherwise, residents are rightfully allowed to conclude that Trustees are intentionally suppressing meeting attendance. I believe yes!
Email: Editor@GCNews.com
Meeting “Roulette” must end. George M. Salem
P.S. Next two BOT meetings are scheduled for Tues., Feb 23rd, and Thurs., March 11th.
“Special
To the Editor:
The Estates Property Owners Association “Community Agreement Party” nominee (“E-CAP Nominee”) for Village Trustee, Richard Catalano, is evidently “very disappointed” over the MTA’s installation of Monster Utility Poles.
Of course, ReVAMP remains unaware of anyone who applauds their installation, or of the E-CAP Nominee’s whereabouts during our long and lonely fight against them.
Some current Trustees have implied that you’re less qualified to lead or even comment on Village concerns without spotless POA or BOT meeting attendance records, so we wonder if the E-CAP Nominee’s absence from our fight similarly disqualifies him from leadership here?
If not, his December 19, 2020 nomination statement, a short and largely meaningless string of sanitized corporate-speak, might (given its failure to even mention the Monster Poles at all). Instead, he emphasized Villagewide financial matters or issues like the Edgemere firehouse that emanate from other sections without offering even a glimmer of his actual positions
on each. This vague and finance-focused introduction struck some as a subtle and disturbing omen of the Nominee’s possible intention to adopt the current BOT’s preference for running Garden City “like a business” rather than like a proud and storied Village.
While there’s nothing wrong per se with what the E-CAP Nominee chose to highlight, it’s peculiar he didn’t think the biggest issue impacting the Estates in years (the LIRR and Poles) warranted mention until a month-and-a-half later after we had repeatedly inquired.
The E-CAP Nominee has since used most of his public “airtime” talking finance and POA nominating processes; but promised fiscal stewardship isn’t impressive, it’s a mandatory and expected prerequisite for the job, and with each lecture on election process not accompanied by dialogue on the issues, we’re reminded of the danger in selecting leaders without widespread knowledge of the principles and positions for which they stand.
For all his respectable bona fides, and not doubting his good intentions, we’ve yet to see evidence that the E-CAP Nominee has the will to fight the MTA, improve the BOT’s currently secretive and arrogant culture, or stanch its repeated broadsides against Garden City’s treasures (e.g., Monster Poles / Merillon corridor, Strawberry Fields, the Casino, Franklin Mews, GCNews, Cathedral Nursery School, Edgemere Firehouse, six-figure law-
suits against handicapped residents, Andy Foundation, Jay Gallagher Tournament, etc.). If anything, his careful and guarded tone portends more of the same from a BOT not famous for its candor.
Most tellingly, the entire Community Agreement Party recently referred in this newspaper to ReVAMP and other Monster Pole opponents disparagingly as “special interests” to which the more preservationist FABGC candidates are beholden. What an invaluable insight into how certain current Trustees and CAP candidates view their fellow neighbors, who’ve been deeply wronged by the MTA and ignored by a current BOT too often happy to change or allow major changes to Garden City without much say from residents.
It’s worth reminding current Trustees and CAP candidates that residents angry about the Third Track Project aren’t some nefarious cabal of dark actors being funded by foreign mercenaries---we are your constituents and neighbors who’ve been greatly harmed. Ask CAP what is wrong with being beholden to constituents anyway? Also ask CAP why they’re okay spending $10,000,000 on a firehouse we already have, but need smelling salts to contemplate funding a fight against property-value butchering Monster Poles?
If you’re tired of slick but empty packaging, tired of masterminds tamSee page 36
From page 3
believe I am doing this.” Among the reasons given by the Commission was the cost, which, relying on their consultant and a Village employee, they said would be over $400,000. When one resident inquired as to how it could possibly cost $400,000 to designate three existing parking spots as handicapped, Trustee Hyer referred to a need to re-do drainage systems and move utility cables. Trustee Bolebruch agreed, claiming that they would “literally have to change the entire sidewalk,” and “put in a five-foot wide strip the entire length of Seventh Street to give access to handicapped individuals.”
Upon hearing of the position taken by the Board of Trustees, a college classmate of Kelly’s offered to have his firm represent Kelly pro bono. The lawsuit was not about money. Kelly never asked for or received any money. It was about having three spots designated as handicapped.
The law firm sent Trustee Makrinos, who had taken over as Traffic Commission Chair, a letter outlining the Village’s obligations under the ADA. The BOT ignored the letter, forcing the
matter into litigation. The Board was apparently acting at the behest of the President of the Chamber of Commerce, who had announced that he did not know of any merchants on Seventh Street who were in favor of designating handicapped spots. It is not clear if the Trustees did any poll of the merchants themselves to confirm that this was true, nor is it clear if the Trustees turned to the Chamber of Commerce President for other advice regarding compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Trustees currently running for reelection – including Hyer, Bolebruch and Makrinos – have dismissed residents’ concerns as “special interests,” but evidently think differently of the concerns of the President of the Chamber of Commerce.
Once the litigation was started, an attorney representing the Village said that the Village’s defense was that Mr. Kelly was not disabled. (For anyone who does not know Mr. Kelly or is unaware of his condition, please see the CBS News story, which can be found at https://newyork.cbslocal. com/2019/10/30/man-with-ms-takes-oncity-for-right-to-street-parking-americans-with-disabilities-act/)
Despite efforts by the judge to have the Village resolve the dispute through mediation, the BOT fought on. They replaced the usual Village counsel with a national law firm, which brought in an attorney from Los Angeles to appear on the Village’s behalf.
Finally, in August of 2019, after the Village had incurred over $100,000 in legal fees and expenses, the Board of Trustees agreed to designate three handicapped parking spots on Seventh Street. The moving of the utilities and re-crowning of roads which Trustee Hyer said would be necessary never occurred. Likewise, as anyone who goes to Seventh Street can see, the “five foot wide strip” which Deputy Mayor Bolebruch claimed would be needed is not there. The cost of designating the three spots was the cost of some paint, a few signs and three small curb cuts.
The biggest expense, of course, was the legal fees caused by the BOT’s inexplicable, losing battle over three parking spots. The three trustees behind the Board’s actions – Hyer, Bolebruch and Makrinos – are all seeking reelection, and Deputy Mayor Bolebruch is seeking to become Mayor of our Village.
For a Better Garden City (FABGC) is
unable to explain the Board of Trustees’ actions on this handicapped parking issue, nor does it understand the Community Agreement Party’s decision to renominate the trustees involved. Garden City deserves better.
On March 16th, residents will have an opportunity to vote for a FABGC candidate for Mayor, Cosmo Veneziale, and four FABGC trustee candidates, Tom O’Brien (East), Terry Digan (Central), Bruce Chester (Estates) and Mary Carter Flanagan (West).
If you share the concerns of FABGC, please consider joining this effort by emailing info.fabgc@gmail.com and visit our website fabgc.org. You can also contact our outreach contacts and your neighbors: Cosmo Veneziale, Mary Carter Flanagan, Tom O’Brien, Terry Digan, Bruce Chester, Mickey Paxton, Donald MacLeod, Effie Campbell, Deidre Orr, Arlene Chianese, Betsy Lenhart Andromidas, George Salem, Rich Corrao, John Cantwell, Charlie Kelly, Sivan Chapman, Josh Chapman, Mike Ryder, Molly Fiedler, George Evans, Michele King, Glenn King, Nancy Trabulsi, Kerry Koslo, Jonathan Martin, Bill Kavan, Remy Bernardo, Amy McGoldrick and Neil McGoldrick.
The Garden City News
F riday, February 12, 2021,
From page 35
pering with Village assets, and tired of being answered with either silence, contempt, or corporate fluff and double-speak when you question it all, then vote for FABGC, including ReVAMP’s very own Bruce Chester on March 16, 2021.
We know where Bruce Chester was during the fight against the Monster Poles (see our nearby letter endorsing Bruce) and we know he and his FABGC running mates support residents seeking to responsibly protect and preserve our beautiful Garden City.
Good luck to FABGC’s Bruce Chester, Cosmo Veneziale, Mary Carter Flanagan, Tom O’Brien, and Terry Digan on March 16th.
Submitted by ReVAMP members Betsy Lenhart Andromidas, John Cantwell, Peter Cannazzaro, Richard Corrao, Matthew Hess, and Enis Mehmet.
For a Better GC candidate
To the Editor:
I would like to discuss the reasons for my candidacy for the Board of Trustees representing the Central Section.
I am a lifelong resident of Garden City and proud to say that I am a graduate of the Garden City School System. I have not been fully active in formal village politics, but like many, I heard the stories of POA and BOT meetings; senior citizens being laughed at, “thank you for your comments” to residents after two hour waits, and thinly attended meetings month in and month out. Why would anyone go? As an avid reader of the GCNews, I was aware of the Casino Saga, the Monster Poles, a $10,000,000 firehouse, and sadly, the loss of the Jay Gallagher Tournament where I had the great joy for many years finishing my player’s season with one of the most wonderful days that Garden City had to offer both parents and young players. Friends I had grown up with and took their sport to Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, would return to their home town with their players to compete, enjoy and finish the day supporting our stores on 7th St. When people ask me to describe a “perfect day” in Garden City, I think of that day, with literally thousands of kids playing on Garden City’s beautiful fields. And all the while raising dollars for several great charities.
As FABGC was first formed, like many, I felt they were attempting the impossible, trying to unseat a group that had been in power for decades, that had the infrastructure of the Village supporting them. I read the articles in the GC News every week like most residents and was keenly interested in anything that might be able to fix the broken Board of Trustees that I was so concerned about. Late last year, several
Email: Editor@GCNews.com
FABGC members started to speak to me about running in the Central Section. Strangely enough, I was as impressed with the other potential candidates FABGC was speaking to at the time, also in the Central Section, as I was with those that I was speaking with. Clearly FABGC modus operandi was not to put an ad in the paper and hope someone would answer it and interview for the BOT position. There was going to be no “hey we only have one candidate, what can we do?” for them. They were relentless and passionate and driven and wanted to compete, and win, for all the right reasons. I was encouraged to run by multiple FABGC members that believed the Village needed some non-political Trustees. They did not care that I had not served 10 years on the Traffic Committee. They did not care that I was not one of 10-20 people that attend BOT Meetings. They wanted people with integrity, that would listen, and had strong business backgrounds combined with common sense. They seemed to want people that had been involved and contributed to the Village and didn’t care whether it was charity, church, sports, village government or organizing the Tasting Charity as my lovely wife and I have done for years. They believed it was important to honestly represent the views of the taxpaying residents. The FABGC organizers convinced me that those were the key attributes needed by the Village after the many questionable things that have occurred that resulted in the loss of confidence in the Trustees by many residents. . After more phone calls than I can remember, too many coffees at Starbucks and many nights of thought, I was not only flattered to be considered, but was convinced my background, experiences and 35 years of Wall Street could help the Village that has done so much for my family and I.
I know many of the 8-12 people that were organizing FABGC, many who sign their letters to the Garden City News and are “Outreach Coordinators. As to my fellow candidates, I know Tom O’Brien well. Tom it goes without saying is an impeccable human being that I have known since we were little kids playing at Tullamore Park. As part of the process, I meet Cosmo, Mary and Bruce and soon realized that we had a lot in common and as a group we could achieve a lot. We have a tremendous team. Cosmo has not only expertise but decades of POA experience. He was Garden City Citizen of the Year! Mary has a legal and judicial background that will serve us well. Mary is a judge. A judge! Bruce is an Insurance executive dealing with corporations and villages. Tom has decades of experience working with Fortune 500 companies as a consultant. None do business with the Village, and all FABGC members were insistent that none could if they served.
I have an almost 35 year career on Wall Street, years of economics, and will bring finance expertise to the issues that confront the Village. And while all of our skillsets are important, like any organization, they are meaningless if we can’t listen and work with the residents, village employees and each other. I look forward to making sure the residents finally receive accurate information to develop informed opinions on the issues which we will do our best to fairly represent. And we all firmly believe that we have a lot of work to do to repair the mistrust and apathy that the residents feel towards their village government.
There have been several decisions made in the past by Trustees on behalf of the residents that were more than just disappointing, they were outright disturbing. The Handicapped Parking fiasco, the attempts to oust the Casino, the Edgemere Road Firehouse, the expensive no-bid contracts and the many others outlined by FABGC.
The biggest issue that the Village has faced for almost 30 years, St. Paul’s, needs to be addressed in an intelligent fashion, with honesty and openness, and being decided through a referendum. Listening to last Thursday’s BOT Meeting, I was shocked to see we were spending $200,000 to repair the floor of St. Paul’s that had fallen thru to the basement months ago. It seemed to be news to everyone. St. Paul’s, 30 years and no leadership, and many of this board have been on it for near a decade. Our Deputy Mayor says “I’m for a referendum”, but as I read back issues of the GCNews, I find not one time he has ever made that motion. Talk is cheap. We need leadership.
The current trustees have been dismissive and condescending to many residents that have voiced a different opinion from their own. This has to stop. The Board of Trustees represents the taxpayers of the Village. We are their friends, their neighbors, their coaches, and they are our representatives. Senior citizens should not be ridiculed or have the police called in because a passionate speaker looks the wrong way. We need to be civil. This is our home. This is our Village.
As we look to the future, FABGC has discussed the need for the accomplished and talented people in our Village to contribute to various committees they are committed to forming. No one wants to spend thousands of hours contributing their expertise and time to help the Village to have it ignored by our Deputy Mayor and the BOT like they have the WPOA Fire House Committee. This BOT can’t have it both ways. You cannot complain that residents don’t participate when you laugh at them and then ignore their work product.
It is my hope, our hope, that the residents of Garden City are not exhausted
and fatigued from all the rhetoric and will take the time to become familiar with the issues and vote.
Terry Digan Garden City farewell
To the Editor:
After twenty three and a half years in Garden City the Josephs Family is moving to Florida. Thanks to the ongoing COVID situation it appears there will be few in person farewells. Wouldn’t be right to disappear without a trace so a letter to the editor will have to suffice. A lukewarm substitute for a handshake and a cold beer but there you have it. Perhaps it’s not until one is about to leave that the real impact of living in this remarkable place hits home. Memories made through soccer, marching band, track & field, road races, the pool, the parades, block parties, street fairs, church fairs or even a simple stroll down Seventh Street shape the scrapbook of our lives. More friendships, laughs and good times than we can count – all because we raised our family in Long Island’s friendliest first class top flight A#1 town: Garden City 11530. With apologies to Samuel Johnson, ‘when a man is tired of Garden City, he is tired of life; for there is in Garden City all that life can afford.’ Remember, the strength of the town is in its people. Thanks for everything GC and keep up the good work! Cheers Mateys, Nancy & Russ (Florida Man)Josephs Hoops
To the Editor:
My name is Timmy O’Hanlon and I’m a senior at GCHS. I should be writing to once again invite you to be a part of a special event, Hoops for Hope. Sadly, due to Covid-19 restrictions, we can’t hold the event this year.
At the second annual Hoops for Hope last year, students and faculty district-wide, administrators, and members of the community all came together in the Garden City High School gym to cheer on the Challenger basketball team. All of the money raised was donated to the Bobby Menges I’m Not Done Yet Foundation, a foundation started in Bobby’s memory charged with raising money to help adolescents who are battling cancer.
When I was a freshman I attended a Challenger game when my brother Michael volunteered to help a Challenger team member play. I was really looking forward to Hoops for Hope this year because Michael, now a freshman at GCHS, was going to team up with me to plan the event. Next year Hoops for Hope will be back and Michael will be chairing it. Once again the game will be played in Bobby’s memory and I look forward to hearing that once again the gym was full.
Timmy O’Hanlon
February 12, 2021
BY ERIC LEIBERMAN AND SARAH FALTER
The biggest travel trend to explode out of the time of Corona is ad-VAN-turing – basically a freewheeling adventure in a tricked out van (sleeker than an RV but with most if not all the comforts of a studio apartment on wheels). These high-tech, luxury mobile campers are designed to be self-sufficient, carrying their own water, electricity, toilet, galley kitchen, even solar panels for energy so you don’t have to plug in, but can still have enough power in reserve to run the heat at night. Bottom line: you have incredible mobility and freedom to explore.
In mid-December, we took off with an indefinite week-long itinerary from Sonoma, California, in a Moterra camper van which we picked up in San Francisco.
We spent our first day skiing at Heavenly Resort in Lake Tahoe, California (we stayed overnight a couple blocks away from the parking lot, which made getting first chair easy!).
From there, we drove down to Death Valley National Park, spending one night at the Panamint Springs RV park and another at the trailhead for Telescope Peak (fairly desolate this time of year). We were really impressed with how our van got us safely to the base of mountain treks without issue, thanks to the four wheel drive.
Though the mid-December days were short and the nights were cold, we were cozy and comfortable in our van with round-the-clock heat and cooking amenities. And
ad-VAN-turing in a Moterra camper van: Arch Rock Campground, Valley of Fire State Park © Eric Leiberman/goingplacesfarandnear.com
snuggling up on the roof of the van with wine in hand made for some glorious stargazing (we lucked out our first night in Death Valley with a mind-blowing Geminids meteor shower).
After Death Valley, we made our way to Zion National Park, Utah, stopping along the way in Las Vegas, Nevada, to pick-up a quick dinner. The Angels Landing & Narrows hikes are not to be missed. And being able to pull over at picturesque lookout points for homemade (van-made) lunches made the experience in the park all the more unique and special.
On our way back from Zion, we spent a night in Valley of Fire State Park (about an hour east of Vegas). We were shocked we hadn’t heard of
this Nevada state park before. The massive red rocks and scrambly canyons made us feel like we were exploring communities and dwellings straight out of The Flintstones! We spent the night at the spectacular Arch Rock Campground. While making our way back towards the Bay Area (by way of Los Angeles), we were already planning our next adVANture for summer 2021 - we’re thinking the Pacific Northwest. As fabulous as it was to explore the National Parks in the off-season (we hear Zion especially can get unbelievably crowded and Death Valley is known to have some of the most extreme temperatures in the world), we’re looking forward to our next trip with warmer weather and longer days for exploring.
Moterra Luxury Camper Vans Lets You Pave Your Own Path
You’ve probably now heard of glamping – luxury camping. Now Moterra Campervans offer a novel way to experience the national parks and wilderness by luxury camper van, which also provides amazing self-sufficiency.
With all the luxury of a 50-foot long RV, the Moterra camper vans, at 19-foot long, are much less cumbersome to drive and park, and can even be used in easier-to-book tent camping spots in national parks, so you can stay away from the busy RV parks.
You don’t even need to plug into electricity because the vans are powered with rooftop solar panels and auxiliary batteries (not noisy generators); or have to plug into a water supply, since they hold between 16 and 24 gallons of fresh water, or bathroom, since they have their own sink, even their own bathroom facilities (port-o-potty; some actually have its own shower), and with their own galley for cooking and refrigerator, these camper vans give a new level of mobility.
Moterra’s fleet of specially outfitted Mercedes Benz Sprinters, tricked out by Sportmobile, come with bluetooth audio, cruise-control and touch-screen navigation. A backup camera, blind spot sensors and lane assist technology make maneuvering a breeze. You don’t have to stay in an RV park, but can go wherever tents are allowed.
They are outfitted with absolutely everything you need for camping,
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from sleeping stuff (memory foam pillow!), to cooking (marshmallow skewers) and dining, cleaning supplies, amenities like chairs and table, inflatable solar lights, even bear spray.
There are two models to choose from: The High Roof which we rented is perfect for couples- it includes a queen sized bed in the back, galley kitchen, sink, indoor shower and portable toilet. The Pop Top, which sleeps four, is perfect for families - it has a double bed down below and a double bed up in the Pop Top. While the Pop Top does not have an Indoor Shower, it offers a solar shower that can be used outside as an add-on, and also has a sink and stove. Both models are rented for $339 a night.
BY MARJORIE GOTTLIEB WOLFE
President Joe Biden’s dogs, Champ and Major, have come to live at the White House. An “indoguration” virtual fund-raiser to celebrate Major’s journey from shelter pup to First Dog raised more than $20,000.
Shown below is a tongue-in-cheek list of the activities/chores/thoughts of Joe Biden:
(thinks): 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, 6 floors, eight staircases, three elevators, bowling alley….)
“What I love most about my home is who I share it with.” (Tad Carpenter)
Contact Dave Barry at The Miami Herald re: his ideas for preparing your home for your new dog (“I’ll Mature When I’m Dead”). “So before you introduce your new dog to your home, you need to remove all chewable objects, including shoes, clothing, rugs, draperies, chairs, sofas, slow-moving children, and anything that has a plug.”
Note: His dog, Lucy, eats, among other things, photo albums.
Have “elevator music” installed in Family Elevator. Easy listening choices of music should include:
“Who Let the Dogs Out” by Baha Men
“How Much is That Doggie In the Window” by Patti Page
“Gonna Buy Me a Dog” by the Monkees
Have paw.com deliver two PupLounge Memory Foam Bed & Toppers Bolsters. (Jill says the ultrasoft faux fur topper looks great.)
Dogs move into White House. Champ falls asleep in his new dog bed by the
Add-ons available include hammocks & bike racks, and services such as prebought groceries.
The Moterra fleet is positioned for adventuring in Yellowstone, Wyoming; the Grand Tetons; Utah; Glacier National Park (Montana); Las Vegas and California.
Moterra, founded by Gabe Aufderheide and Trevor James who were formerly with Backroads, the renowned active travel company, also offers packaged and customized tour itineraries.
All-inclusive packages consist of: rental and cleaning fee; day-by-day personalized itinerary with directions and destination info; pre-booked campsites, handpicked and booked in advance where possible, or GPS locations for
off-the-grid dispersed camping spots; scenic routes; activities suggestions.
For example, a 13-night/14 day Mighty 5+ Grand Canyon: featuring Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Bryce National Park, Zion National Park, Monument Valley and Grand Canyon National Park is priced from $5999.
A six-night/seven-day family-oriented Yellowstone Handpicked Highlights package features Yellowstone National Park and The Grand Tetons National Park (from $4699).
Moterra operates out of Jackson, WY, Whitefish, MT, Salt Lake City, UT and San Francisco, CA. Check website for deals, discounts on early bird bookings, extended trips, Spring 2021
discounted add-on for one-ways, and gift cards.
Moterra Camper Vans, 1565 Berger Lane, Jackson, Wyoming 83001, 307200-7220, info@gomoterra.com, gomoterra.com.
© 2021 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com, www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karenrubin & travelwritersmagazine.com/ TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar. wordpress.com & moralcompasstravel. info. Send comments or questions to FamTravLtr@aol.com. Tweet @ TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook. com/NewsPhotoFeatures
fireplace. Major runs around the South Lawn.
Ordered the following items via Amazon:
Pup-Peroni Prime Rib flavor dog snacks
Newman’s Own Dry Dog food
10” “fabdog Pizza Squeaky Dog Toy”
Big Fab Cheeseburger Squeaker Dog Toy”
Happy Howie’s ll-inch Beef Woof Stix dog treats
Check with Jill if Champ can have Bellyrubs Country Style Chicken Strips Jerky Dog Treats
Day 2
Checks for signs that dogs are bored: Uncontrollable barking Digging
Chewing up furniture, shoes, and other items in reach
Excessive licking
Day 3
Play scent games in the Pastry Kitchen. Introduce dogs to Pastry Chef.
Day 4
Call Mark Cuban on “Shark Tank” to discuss K9 Masks for Dogs, selling for $49. (He thinks it’s a brilliant idea!)
Day 5
Check with the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) to see if dogs need a shot for the COVID-19 virus.
Day 6
Photocopy list of Best Dog Movies: “Lassie Come Home” 1943 “101 Dalmations”
“Lady and the Tramp II—Scamp’s Adventure
“Marley & Me”
Day 7
Check with Kamala (AKA “Momila”) about B-A-R-K Mitzvahs. Does one say “Mazel Tov” or “MUZZLE-TOV”?
Day 8
Hang the following sign in the sitting room located in the Southwest corner of White House: “IF YOU WANT A FRIEND IN WASHINGTON, GET A DOG.” - Harry Truman
Day 9
Tweets Doug Emhoff: MerriamWebster has added “Second Gentleman” to its dictionary. Congratulations.” Doug tweets back: “Well, now it’s official.”
Day 10
Reads report: “…a study of 1,000 Medicare patients revealed that people with a dog visited their doctors 16% less than those who don’t have a dog. Call Dr. Fauci to check accuracy of study. Completed crossword puzzle. Clue: movie star and conscientious dog walker. Answer: Gary SCOOPER.
Day 11
Ordered Nora Ephron’s book (“I Feel Bad About My Neck and Other Thoughts On Being A Woman”).
Ms. Ephron wrote: “When your children are teenagers, it’s important to have a dog so someone in the house is happy to see you.” White House?
Read review of Martha Teacher’s new book, “When Harry Met Minnie.” Order from Amazon.
Day 12
Provided Jill with an alphabetical list of dog walkers in the local area:
Capital Critter Sitters, Go Dog Go, Fairy Tails, Peticular Charm Pet Care, Underdogs Pet Care, and Wagtime. Check online what dog-walkers typically charge in Washington, D.C. Findings: Fees range from $14 - $20 per 15-minute walk and $20 for a 30-minute walk.
Day 13
Biden asks Doug Emhoff the meaning of the following expression: “A hunt vil keseydr zayn af yener zayt tir.” Emhoff tweets: “A dog always wants to be on the other side of the door.”
Day 14.
Biden asks a White House visitor NOT to call his dog, Major, a “Heinz 57 Dog”—a mixed breed dog—or a “mongrel.”
Day 15
At the suggestion of “Second Gentlemen,” Biden practices saying “Zol zein shtik!” (Silence. Be quiet!
Let’s have some quiet!), especially while wandering around the Oval Office. Little success!
Day 16.
A White House visitor from the Delaware Humane Association shares the following quote: “If you’re not the lead dog, the view never changes.”
Day 17.
Joe reminds Jill to order “Cordog Bleu”—the gourmet dog treat—for “Love Your Pet Day” (Feb. 20)…and a supply of K-9 masks for dogs.
Day 18.
Joe talks to Jill about getting a cat. They both share a story told by Zero Mostel: “My mother was a wit, but never a sentimental one. Once when somebody in our house stepped on the cat’s paw, she turned to the cat and said sternly: ‘I told you not to go around barefoot.’”
Day 19.
Joe agrees 100% with Kinky Friedman: “Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love can make him wag his tail.”
Day 20
Kamala stops in to ask whether it’s true that “Dogs eat, cats dine.”
Day 21.
Joe purchases an ll” x l4” sign and has it delivered to the White House: “NOBODY EVER PUTS UP A SIGN THAT SAYS ‘GOOD DOG.’”
Order 2 Wagg Tagg Dog ID tags with GPS scan tracking.
Day 22.
Received a note from Mike Lindell (“My Pillow” guy), asking if he can send me some bedding products since they are no longer available at Bed Bath &Beyond and Kohl’s. (Joe’s always won-
dered how soft is Bill Gates’s pillow.) Jill had the best answer: “Microsoft.” (Well, SHE has the doctorate in education!)
Day 23.
“Second Gentleman” shares a Henny Youngman (“Take My Life, Please!”) story about the angry older Jewish women who complained about the fare at the Swan Lake Inn, located in the Catskills.
They would “kvetch” that the food was terrible (“shremlekh”)…AND SUCH SMALL PORTIONS.
Youngman would reply, “Madam, the food at the Swan Lake Inn is fit for a king. Here, King! Here, King!”
Complete crossword puzzle with these 4 clues:
“Peter Pan” dog
“The Wizard of Oz” dog “Garfield” dog
“Dennis the Menace” dog Day 25.
Called Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen, to explain something called the “spousal bump.” Tom Margenau says the term “made him chuckle; that it sounds like some kind “dirty dancing” move done by an old married couple in a shady nightclub!” In reality, it refers to the extra benefits a wife would get as a spouse on her husband’s Social Security record.
Called stock broker re: “Cockroach Theory” and “Sell Rosh Hashanah, Buy Yom Kippur.”
The “Cockroach Theory” is when a co. reports bad news to the public, there’s usually a lot more bad news behind the scenes that may come out later. The “Sell Rosh Hashanah, Buy Yom Kippur” explanation: Traders looking at action over the 8-day period within the highest holy days on the Jewish calendar, say
they spotted a pattern, in which the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 2.03% falls during Rosh Hashana and subsequently is bought, pushing stocks higher, when Yom Kippur kicks off.
Called Health Paws Pet Insurance for current rates for my dogs now residing in the White House. I’m thinking of Ward 71, that presidential suite inside Walter Reed Medical Center. I hope no-one says.
“Insurance coverage is like a hospital gown. You never have enough coverage.”
Called broker back re: “dogs of the Dow” investment strategy. It has been around more than 20 years, and still works. The strategy automatically selects the most UNDERVALUED stocks—the DOGS—of the Dow Jones Industrial Average index, and it replaces them when different stock in the index meet the dog criteria.
“Second Gentleman” watches as Major runs around the South Lawn. He tactfully reminds me that “Dogs do not play games with you except fetch.”
Ask Jill to try this experiment to determine whether dogs can or can’t
count. Try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give Champ only two of them.
Received a letter from a second grader:
Dear President Biden: Can you help me solve this Common Core math problem?
Jack has a cat and Jill has a pail of water. If Billy has $5.00, how many figs will his dog eat? Write your constructed response using a bar graph. Thank you.
Enjoyed the Peanuts Classics cartoon:
[caption] “This is the part of our ride that I hate… Every day this big stupid GERMAN SHEPHERD comes running out and chases our bicycle. He doesn’t quit until I throw my shoe at him…I’m running out of shoes.”
Joe and Jill can be heard singing the Country song titled, “If You Really Loved Me, You’d Know How to Spell Shih-Tzu!”
MARJORIE GOTTLIEB WOLFE is the author of a book titled, “Yiddish for Dog & Cat Lovers.”
BY TOM MARGENAU
I was recently going through some old family photo albums with my grandkids. One album covered the reasonably short period of time we lived in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In fact, we only lived there for about eight months. If you want to know why we didn’t stay there very long, here’s a clue: We moved there on Jan. 1, 1977, and the temperature that day never climbed above zero! And in August, it was pushing 100 degrees with oppressive humidity. We just weren’t used to weather extremes like that. So we moved on to greener pastures (and a more temperate climate) the first chance we got.
Anyway, that photo album had a picture of the South Dakota State Penitentiary. My grandkids asked why I had a picture of a prison in with all the other family and travel photos. And that’s because I spent a fair amount of time there as part of my job with the Sioux Falls Social Security office.
And if you are wondering why, let me start with a short history lesson.
For the first half-century or more of the program, people who were getting Social Security benefits who ended up in prison still got their checks while they were incarcerated. The rationale was this: These people worked and paid taxes and earned their Social Security benefit, so they should get that earned benefit no matter where they lived -even if that was behind bars. It was their money, after all.
Part of my job in Sioux Falls had me paying a weekly visit to the state pen to handle any Social Security business for the inmates. That sometimes included routine matters such as helping a convict replace a lost or stolen Social Security card, or helping an older con with a minor Social Security issue. But most of my time during those prison visits involved taking claims for Social Security disability benefits from desperate young men who had heard through the prison grapevine that the government was handing out free money (in the form of Social Security disability checks) to inmates. That got me frustrated because I knew all the paperwork I was filling out was for naught, as all of those kind of claims were going to be denied.
But the kind of thinking that allowed incarcerated people to take their Social Security checks to jail, or apply for Social Security benefits while in jail, changed in the 1990s as the country and Congress got more conservative. I recall newspaper stories and other media reports highlighting prisoners who were supposedly “living the good life” with their Social Security checks, having far more disposable income than your average convict.
And public opinion did a complete 180-degree turn. The rationale went
from, “It’s their money, and they can take it along to prison if that’s where they end up” to, “It’s the taxpayers’ money, and we are already footing their room and board in prison, so they don’t need their Social Security check.” Voters started clamoring for change, and Congress couldn’t act quickly enough to stop paying Social Security benefits to people behind bars.
So, since the 1990s, the rules have said that Social Security benefits cannot be paid for the time that a person is confined to a jail, prison or certain other public institutions for committing a crime. Or to be more precise, benefits are suspended if someone is convicted of a criminal offense and sent to jail or prison for more than 30 continuous days. Notice that conviction is the key. Lots of people end up in jails while they are awaiting trial or pleas. But until there is a conviction with prison time involved, benefits will continue.
It’s also important to note that while the convict’s benefits are suspended, if he or she has a spouse or child getting monthly Social Security dependent checks, those benefits will continue.
Of course, most people don’t spend the rest of their lives in prison. When they are released, Social Security benefits will be reinstated, effective with the month following the month they get out.
Speaking of getting out, I’ve heard there is a rumor in many prisons that younger convicts -- or, rather, soon-tobe ex-cons -- believe that as soon as they are released, they can waltz into their nearest Social Security office and sign up for Social Security disability benefits and have those checks start flowing into their bank accounts. There simply is no truth to that rumor. Of course, anyone has the right to apply for Social Security disability benefits. But no one will get those benefits unless he or she meets all of the rather stringent qualifying criteria. For example, he or she must have worked and paid Social Security taxes in five out of the last 10 years. And he or she must have a disability that is so severe it is expected to keep them from being able to work for at least a year. Or he or she must have a condition that is terminal.
So far, I’ve just been talking about Social Security benefits. But the Social Security Administration runs another program for the federal government called Supplemental Security Income. SSI pays a small monthly welfare stipend (usually around $800) to low-income elderly people and to people under age 65 with disabilities who are down on their luck. SSI payments come out of general tax revenues, NOT out of the Social Security trust funds.
Anyway, SSI payment rates have always depended on a person’s living arrangements. And if you are living in a place where the government foots the
bill for all your expenses (like in a jail or prison), then you simply don’t qualify for SSI while you are there. In other words, Congress didn’t have to change the law to ban SSI checks from going to prisoners. The law has always made sure that didn’t happen.
But once a person who was previously on SSI gets out, his or her federal welfare checks can be reinstated. However,
if that person has been in jail for a year or more, he or she must file a whole new application for SSI.
If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has a book with all the answers. It’s called “Social Security: Simple and Smart.” You can find the book at creators.com/books. Or look for it on Amazon or other book outlets
e had our second snowstorm in less than a week, but purchasers were still going out searching for their next “place to call home.”
I have observed the most qualified and serious families and individuals venturing out with their masks, gloves and booties to view homes, condos, coops and even rentals. The buyers and tenants figure there would be less competition at this time of the year than waiting until the spring rush, when the weather is more conducive for those snow birds and snow flakes to re-enter the market.
Most important and understandable is that if you are older or have health issues, the Covid-19 Pandemic has put a lot of fear and concern for your wellbeing into the public’s psyche and stopped you from buying.
However, that being said, the demand is still extremely strong and the activity is greater than I have seen in a multitude of years. Our inventory as of January 2021 year over year has been reduced drastically.
Comparing the 2 month period of from November and December 2020 as per One Key MLS, has been reduced by 36.39% in Nassau County. This statistic is due to the pent up demand that had occurred due to everyone being housebound and not being able to go out and look at homes during the March-June 2020 time period when governor Cuomo shut everything down; while the Covid-
19 Pandemic and its inherent infection rate was escalating, substantial job losses and many incomes being reduced. The buyers were out in full force purchasing with an insatiable appetite in the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2020.
BY PHILIP A. RAICES
As of January 2021 the absorption rate was 2.8 months; which means as of January it was calculated by the number of available listings divided by the number of contracts and with this analysis to show the number of months for a typical home to go under contract, assuming it is priced at fair market value. The average selling price in Nassau County was $760,509, the median price was $623,000, meaning half of the sold homes were above that price and half were below. The average original listing price was $798,903. The median original listing price was $639,000, again, whereby half were above the original listing price and half were below.
So homes were selling within about a 5% range of the original asking price. The change in demand which declined 6.87% covering December 2020 and January 2021 is another figure that is closely looked at to show how strong the market is for purchasing. This is
BY CHARLYN FARGO
February is American Heart Month, a time when we focus on heart disease, the No. 1 killer of Americans. President Lyndon B. Johnson, who suffered a heart attack, issued the first proclamation in 1964. Since then, U.S. presidents have annually declared February American Heart Month.
Each year, 1 in 3 women are diagnosed with heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. My mom suffered from heart disease most of her life, and at the age of 89, her heart gave out.
This year, as we continue to battle COVID-19, taking heart-healthy steps are even more important because the coronavirus can have harmful effects on the heart and vascular system. Our home lockdown means many of us are engaging in unhealthy lifestyle behaviors -- such as eating poorly, drinking more alcohol and limiting physical activity -- that can contribute to heart disease. How can we get back on track? Con-
the change in the number of contracts over the selected period (2 months, 3 months, etc.). It is smoothed by dividing that difference by the sum of the listings for the period (this normalizes this statistic so it can be better compared with the Change in Supply).
For example, if you selected a 2 Month Comparison Period, and the total number of contracts went from 155 (2 months ago) to 121 today, and the total number of listings went from 1,000 (2 months ago) to 1,200 today, then this number would be -1.55. So was it the first snowstorm back on December 16-17, 2020 that may have caused the reduction in demand?
Over the next few months going into the spring, we will know whether or not the demand to purchase is cooling off or strong and how this will factor into determining prices and inventory. With all this information is it to your advantage to list your home now or wait until the spring?
If in fact the stats in demand are not related to the weather but more that prices have gone to almost an unsustainable level for the average purchaser and they are backing away for now we shall see over the next few months. It will also provide more time for those buyers who are continuing to save for
sider the DASH eating plan. It’s been proven to reduce risks for cardiovascular disease by lowering blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein (bad) cholesterol levels. While similar to the Mediterranean diet (also considered heart-healthy), the DASH plan is lower in sodium and includes low-fat dairy. It is also rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. Compared with the Mediterranean, red wine and olive oil aren’t in the spotlight.
To get started, pick one or two goals to work on at a time. Try replacing some
that ever important down payment to jump off the fence and become a qualified and credit worthy purchaser. Lastly, those who are venturing out to purchase today regardless of weather must be very qualified and motivated minus the tire kickers that will be out during the spring and summer months. The question arises do you want the most serious legitimate buyers or the spring tire kickers, lookers and worse those small amount that might not have an intention of purchasing but whose devious agenda is to potentially steal and abscond your personal possessions? The choice is yours, but now is a fantastic time to strike while the market is still very hot.
Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 39 years of experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S). For a “FREE” 15 minute consultation, a value analysis of your home, or to answer any of your questions or concerns he can be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate.Com Just email or snail mail (regular mail) him with your ideas or suggestions on future columns with your name, email and cell number and he will call or email you back.
of your protein or carbohydrates with a serving of vegetables at lunch or dinner, or build your breakfast around fruit, such as fresh or frozen berries, and lowfat Greek yogurt. Try eating fish or seafood twice a week, or swap a soda with water flavored with a lemon or cucumber slice.
The good news is that, in most cases, heart disease is preventable. The key is a healthy lifestyle, which includes not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol, treating high blood pressure and getting
at least 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity physical activity.
Q: Is extra weight a risk factor for breast cancer?
A: A new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute finds excess weight is an established risk factor for postmenopausal breast cancer. Researchers pooled data from 10 different cohort studies to see if losing excess weight after age 50 might lower the risk. Losing just 4.5 pounds made a difference. Higher weight loss was associated with even lower risk. Loss of at least 20 pounds was associated with lowest breast cancer risk, even if some of the weight was gained back.
Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with SIU Med School in Springfield, Illinois. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD.
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INVITED ESTATE SALES BY TRACY JORDAN is doing VIRTUAL TAG SALES and ONLINE AUCTIONS now! Sell the contents of an entire house or sell just a few things! You can host your own sale on invitedsales.com and Facebook and Instagram or we can do it for you. We can photograph, advertise and handle the winning pickups for you within a week! Don’t worry about your closing date, we can get your house ready on time! We are a one stop service for all your needs when you are moving or selling a property! Selling, donating, discarding and cleaning out services can be done to meet your time frame with minimal stress. Contact info@invitedsales.com for more information or call 516279-6378 to schedule a consultation or receive more information.
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Dependable pet sitter will walk and feed your precious pet while you work or travel. Also available to board small dogs. Many excellent references. Call 516-971-3242
DRIVE OUT BREAST CANCER:
Donate a car today! The benefits of donating your car or boat: Fast Free Pickup 24hr response Tax deduction Easy to do! Call 24/7: 855-905-4755
Advertise in our newspaper!
If you own a business or have a service to provide, we’ll create professional advertisements to promote it and help you be seen by thousands of local readers!
Call 1-516-294-8900 to inquire!
VACATION RENTAL
ATLANTIS, BAHAMAS
TIME SHARE RENTAL
July 3-10, 2021
Corner Premium 1BR Unit,
Bldg 7
Sleeps 4
On the Atlantis Marina 7 nights, $2,000 Call: 516-742-3176
Location: 1400 Old Northern Blvd. 2nd Floor, Roslyn NY 11576. Total approximately 700 sq feet. Two large interior offices, one about 250 sq feet and the second approximately 450 sq feet. Offered for rent at $1100 (per month). Within a large office suite on the top floor of a beautifully maintained building. Perfect for attorney, financial professional, or as a Long Island satellite office. INCLUDED: Shared kitchen, conference room, elect/ac/heat, common area cleaning and elevator. furnished (optional). Plenty of parking. Contact: Lisa Sicurelli, lsicurelli@ambabstract.com or call 516-626-0900.
OUT OF TOWN REAL
STUART FLORIDA FOR SALE BY OWNER
Gated Community
Beautiful 2,441 sq.ft. home on small scenic lake w/screened lanai.
3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath
Two car garage
Large lush plot w/185’ frontage.
Award winning golf course and clubhouse w/gourmet dining and social activities.
Gym, tennis, pickle ball, pools, dog park.
Mixed ages.
10 mins to Hutchinson Island
Ocean beaches / downtown
Stuart restaurants and shops.
30 mins to PBI
$170,000/ $2,500/mo fees.
Info/pictures call 516-551-1905 NO BROKERS
Place an ad for anything you need in our classifieds section! Call 294-8900 for rates and information.
EXPERIENCED ORGANIZER
Need an extra pair of hands around the house?
Experienced organizer will help turn clutter and chaos into efficient spaces.
No job too small
Available weekends and evenings. Call Liz 917-679-5553
JACK’S CUSTOM FRAMING
We can frame anything! Quality Care & Workmanship Thousands of frames to choose from!!
Over 30 years in business! 92 Covert Ave, Stewart Manor 516-775-9495
WE HAVE THE HELP YOU NEED
HHA, LPN, Nurse’s Aide, Childcare, Housekeeping & Day Workers. No Fees to Employers. Call Evons Services 516-505-5510
Well maintained colonial style dwelling with open floor plan
• 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath
• Attached 1car garage
• Approximately 1800 sq ft.
• Located in a very desirable HOA Community w/ pool.
• Less than a 1/2 mile to historic Saratoga Race Course and Downtown Saratoga
• Fantastic rental property (Track season, NYC Ballet and Polo tournaments)
Values are on the rise !!!!
Get a head of the increasing spring market Prices !!!!!
List Price $489,000
Photos available upon request Call Jack 516-840-8616 Legacy Real Estate
STEPHANIE A.
D’ANGELO, ESQ.
Elder Law, Wills & Trusts
Asset Preservation, Estate Planning, Probate & Estate Administration/Litigation 901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530 516-222-1122
www.dangelolawassociates.com
AMBIANCE
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
*Handyman & Remodeling
*Kitchen Installations
*Furniture Assembly
*Finish Carpentry
*Minor Electrical & Plumbing
28 year GC Resident Lic & Ins H18E2170000 Call BOB 516-741-2154
FREE ESTIMATES
Extensions, Kitchens, Baths, Basements, Carpentry Work, Porticos, Siding, Dormers, Stone, New Construction & Conversions, Mason Work, Stone.
Insured. Please Call 516-581-9146
LAMPS FIXED $65
In home service. Handy Howard. 646-996-7628
MADE IN THE SHADE
CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS
Blinds, Shades, Shutters, Draperies
Top Brands at Discount Prices! Family owned & operated www.madeintheshadensli.com 516-426-2890
MASONRY
All types of stonework Pavers, Retaining Walls, Belgium Block Patios, Foundations, Seal coating, Concrete and Asphalt driveways, Sidewalks, Steps.
Free Estimates
Fully Licensed & Insured
#H2219010000
Boceski Masonry Louie 516-850-4886
THE GENERAC PWRcell
a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a FREE, no obligation, quote today.
Call 1-888-871-0194
FAMILY CARE CONNECTIONS, LLC
Dr. Ann Marie D’Angelo PMHCNS-BC
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Advanced Practice Nurse Care Manager
Assistance with Aging at Home /Care Coordintion
Nursing Home & Assisted Living Placement
PRI / Screens / Mini Mental Status Exams
Medicaid Eligibility and Apllications 516-248-9323 www.familycareconnections. com
901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530
PAINTING & PAPERHANGING
MICHELANGELO
PAINTING & WALLPAPER
Interior, Exterior, Plaster / Spackle, Light Carpentry, Decorative Moldings & Power Washing. Call: 516-328-7499
TUTORING
CERTIFIED TUTOR AVAILABLE
Long Island teacher with 9 years of experience
Masters Degree and NYS certifications in Childhood (1-6) Early Childhood (B-2) and Special Education. Available evenings, weekends and school breaks, including summer.
Virtual or in-person. For more information call Caitlin 516-287-6304
LONG ISLAND TEACHER
available to tutor ELA, social studies, special education, study skills, Living Environment, life skills, help with remote learning. Vaccinated with mask or over Zoom
Tailored to individual needs
Highly qualified Call LL 516-456-6849
MATH TUTORING
ON-LINE & F2F
ALL MATH
(Grade 4 First Year College)
ACT, SAT, AP, GRE
All Placement Tests
Very Experienced, specializing in all Private and Public schools, (Chaminade, Kellenberg, Sacred Heart, etc.)
We offer Math tutoring from experienced and award-winning teachers at very reasonable rates.
We offere a choice of on-line 30 minute “homework help” or 55 minute “test prep help”, limited face to face. (masks) Richard 516-567-1512 educationtimeincrgs@outlook. com
PROFESSIONAL HOME & OFFICE CLEANING
You’re just one call away !! from a clean home or office. Thorough and Professional Cleaning at affordable rates! Call today for Free Estimate Anna: 516-360-8340
SERVICES
A & J MOVING & STORAGE:
Established 1971. Long Island and New York State specialists. Residential, Commercial, Piano & Organ experts. Boxes available. Free estimates. www. ajmoving .com 516-741-2657 114 Jericho Tpk, Mineola NYDOT# 10405
DISH TV
$59.99 for 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Call 1-800-609-9405
PASSION FOR SENIORS. CERTIFIED HHAS, Companions & Homemakers. 24 hour care available. Also Nassau locations. Trained in Dementia and Alzheimer’s care. Call 718-850 -3400
The Western Property Owners Association (WPOA) Board of Directors is seeking applicants for positions as Officers and Directors. While these are volunteer positions, the benefits, in terms of learning how your local government operates and being a part of your Village government system, can be very uplifting. As a director, you can help bring events for families to the Western Section.
To date, the WPOA has received several applications, and those can -
didates will be contacted. In addition, the WPOA would like to extend the invitations for additional candidates to apply. There are a number of open positions particularly in the areas of Programs/Publicity, Membership, Recreation and Playgrounds, Finance and Taxes, Police/Fire and Safety and Technology. The WPOA President works with incoming directors to choose a position that fits their area of interest.
If you’d like to have some additional information before applying to the
Board, you can contact RoseAnn at ravernice@optimum.net.
WPOA terms of office begin in April 2021. Any resident of the Western Section of the Village who is interested in seeking office or joining the WPOA Board of Directors can submit a letter of interest and a resume to: RoseAnn Vernice, President, Western Property Owners Association, PO Box 7976, Garden City, NY 11530 or by email to ravernice@optimum.net.
The deadline for submission of applications is Monday, March 1,
2021. Applications will be reviewed by the Nominating Committee, and interviews will be conducted, as needed. The Committee will present its nominations at the April WPOA General Meeting.
The Western Section of Garden City is bordered on the north by the main line of the LIRR, on the east by the west side of Tanners Pond and Edgemere Roads, on the south by Cambridge Avenue and on the west by Jefferson Street.
It is with pleasure that the Eastern Property Owners Association of Garden City announces that it will once again award a $1000 scholarship to a graduating high school senior who resides in the Eastern section.
The candidates, or their family, must be dues paying members of the EPOA. They must be currently attending public or private high school and plan to attend college full time in the fall. The focus of this
scholarship is community service. Candidates may obtain an application from the Garden City High School Guidance Office or on the EPOA website at www.gcepoa.org.
Should you have a question, you can call Barbara Garry at 248-1486. All interested eligible seniors are encouraged to apply. The deadline for applications is Friday, April 16, 2021
The next meeting of the Property Owners’ Association of Garden City Estates is scheduled for Tuesday, February 16 at 8 p.m. at the Garden City Senior Center, 11th Street and Golf Club Lane. Come hear all five candidates from the Community Agreement Party: Deputy Mayor/Village Trustee Bob Bolebruch, Village Trustee Steve Makrinos, Village Trustee Mark Hyer, Central POA Candidate for Trustee Yvonne Varano and our Candidate Rich Catalano. Each candidate will introduce themselves and speak about their backgrounds and qualifications.
All residents of the Estates Section are invited to attend. After the candidates speak, there will be reports from our committee members, commission representatives and Village, Library
and School Board trustees on current topics affecting our community. There will be an opportunity for residents to comment on these, and other, issues.
Mark your calendars for the Village Election on Tuesday, March 16 at Village Hall from 12 noon to 9 p.m. You may apply for an Absentee Ballot up until March 9. Your vote is important!
If you are a resident of the Estates section, please join the Estates POA by either (1) going to our website https://www.gcestates.org/ , clicking on “Become a Member” and then on the link “Join” or (2) sending a check made payable to “Property Owners’ Association of Garden City Estates” in the amount of $20 ($15 for seniors 65+) with your name, street address, email address and phone number.
The Central Property Owners’ Association (CPOA) is seeking candidates for Officers, Directors and Nominating Committee Members. All terms of office shall commence immediately following the Annual CPOA Election meeting on Tuesday, May 11, 2021.
Candidates are being sought to fill Officer and Director positions on the CPOA Board. The President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer shall serve one year terms expiring in May 2022. Directors shall serve two year terms expiring in May 2023 and three year terms expiring in May 2024.
Candidates are also being sought to fill Member positions and Alternate
Member positions on the CPOA Nominating Committee. Members and Alternates shall serve one year terms expiring in May 2022 and two year terms expiring in May2023. Residents of the Central Section who are interested in being considered for an Officer, Director or Nominating Member position can secure an application from the chairperson of the Nominating Committee, Tom Simpson at747-2174 or janenthomas@msn.com. The deadline for the return of a completed application form is Monday, March 1, 2021.
The Garden City PTA’s annual Parent University program began this week, with virtual sessions continuing throughout the month. The virtual workshops, appropriate for parents with students pre-K through 12th grade, are facilitated by area professionals and district personnel. The free workshops are sponsored by community organizations, including educators, to best reflect current topics and trends. It is an opportunity to sharpen parents’ skills as we work together to raise healthy, well adjusted, and successful children. Studies prove when communities, caregivers, and educators work together to create supportive and safe environments for children to grow and learn – they thrive. For more details and registration information on the remaining sessions, visit www.gardencitypu.com.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has continued on into another calendar year, we are going to begin to further feel the financial impacts. Specifically, budget cuts to Medicaid programs for homebased and community services are already feeling the loss of funding, as service agencies have seen a decrease in state reimbursement, an increase in the cost of PPE for programs, and an overall threat of further cuts to the budget. With these cuts, the financing that fuels the necessary and mandated programs
for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to the direct support professionals who support them will be decreased or lost.
The executive boards and members of both Garden City SEPTA and the Garden City PTA have expressed our serious concerns about the loss of funding to our educational programs at the state level. Medicaid can and does directly reimburse school districts for many services, from nursing services, to speech-language pathology, audiology, occupational and physical therapy, personal care services, counseling and psychological services and specialized transportation. These services are utilized by many in our community and a loss in funding would be detrimental to many of your own neighbors.
Please join us in sending petitions to our state representatives and the governor, voicing your concern over these cuts to funding as the 2022 New York State budget begins to take shape. Pre-written templates are available at https://www. votervoice.net/GARDENCITYPTA/ campaigns/79752/respond; you also have the option to edit the message to include your own comments and concerns. Speak out and advocate for the programs that are essential to so many families, from Garden City and all over New York State.
To celebrate this year’s PARP theme, “The Reading Connection: The Readers, The Dreamers, and Me” and our One School/One Book selection “Dear
Dragon,” students in K-5 are participating in an optional February Pen Pal activity. Students from different Garden City schools who registered for the activity have been matched according to the grade and will send a handwritten letter to the pen pal in the mail. Letter templates are being provided to the students to help them compose their special letters. All students participating in our February Pen Pal activity are asked to send their letters to the Pen Pal by February 28. Don’t forget the stamp!
• Monday-Friday, February 15-19: Winter Recess
The Garden City Board of Education has a number of upcoming budget sessions to plan for the next school year. This year, to keep everyone informed and make the process interactive, we have initiated a Google form for people to submit their GC Budget questions or concerns to the PTA. You can find the link on the Garden City PTA website: main landing page and also under the page’s Advocacy tab. The PTA will relay any information to the Board of Education or provide answers to questions.
• Feb. 23: Proposed Budget Discussion
• March 9: Proposed Budget
Discussion - Work Session
• March 23: Proposed Budget Discussion
• April 7: Proposed Budget Discussion - Work Session
• April 20: Adoption of Budget 2021/2022 - No changes after this point
• May 4: Budget Hearing
• May 18: Budget Vote, 6 a.m. – 9 p.m., Garden City High School
Join
The PTA is proud to support all students and provide a connection between home and school. We are pleased to offer quality programming to students and parents throughout the school year. None of our endeavors would be possible without your continued support. To renew your membership for the 2020-2021 School Year, please visit www.gardencitypta.org and click on the “Membership” tab. Thank you for your active participation in the Garden City PTA!
Let’s Connect @GardenCityPTA
Website: www.gardencitypta.org
To Get Real Time InformationTurn on Notifications
Facebook: Facebook.com/ GardenCityPTA
Instagram: Instagram.com/ GardenCityPTA
Twitter: Twitter.com/ GardenCityPTA
Join the conversation and invite your friends.s
BY MARY MAGUIRE
The Drama/Literature Department of the Community Club of Garden City and Hempstead will present a very entertaining and educational program on Tuesday, February 16 at 1:30 at the Garden City Casino entitled “The Battle of the Books”. Five members of the club – Pat Heaney, Mary Maguire, Renata Rego-Monteiro, Karen Reiter and Willa Ward -will present five minute commercials on favorite books of theirs. These are titles that they believe everyone should read at least
once in their lifetime. They hope to convince the audience to turn their choice into the listeners “next great read.”
A hand out will be prepared and distributed containing various links, web-sites and other suggestions to guide the audience in the process of selecting volumes to add to their bucket list. The help that periodicals such as Book Page, Bookmarks or the flyer Library Reads can offer in this process will be explored. Websites such as Goodreads, Historical Fiction Review, and Long Island Reads will be offered
as vehicles to explore. Checking in on the websites of various Nassau County Libraries to discover the titles of Zooming Book Discussions can provide another source of inspiration. Also, checking with Amazon, USA Today, the New York Times Book List or the NY Times Sunday Book Section (available to browse in the library) to find out the names of the most popular current titles in each genre can be helpful.
The audience will then be able to make suggestions of books that influenced their lives. If time permits the
discussion will also entertain programs or series that members would recommend viewing on PBS, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hoopla or Hulu.
Sources for buying used books –including the wonderful Friends of the Garden City Library Book Shelves that are replenished twice a week, Powell Books or Abe Books will be introduced.
All are welcome! There is a $5 fee for guests. If anyone is interested in joining the Community Club, please contact our club office at 516-746-0488.
Stay informed about your community with a weekly subscription to our newspapers.
With current events, announcements, restaurant reviews, puzzles, and much more, there’s always something for everybody to enjoy!
NOTICE OF FORMATION
Notice of formation of Comfort Cakes LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/24/20. Office: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to 70 Roosevelt St. Garden City, NY 11530. Purpose: Any lawful purpose
GC 1154
6X 01/15,22,29,02/05,12,19
NOTICE OF FORMATION
Notice of formation of Movie Making Mike LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/15/2020. Office Location: Nassau County. SSNY is designated as an agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail a copy of process against LLC to: 12 Main St, Westbury, NY 11590. Purpose: any lawful act.
GC 1155
6X 01/15,22,29,02/05,12,19
NOTICE OF FORMATION
Notice of formation of MIND ALCHEMY NEW YORK LLC
Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 10-132020. Office located in NASSAU COUNTY. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC 2148 ISABELLE COURT, NORTH BELLMORE NY 11710. Purpose: any lawful purpose.
GC 1164
6X 01/29, 02/05,12,19,26,03/05
NOTICE OF FORMATION
Notice of formation of SCRUB ESTHETICS LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 10-13-2020. Office located in NASSAU COUNTY. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC 2148 ISABELLE COURT NORTH BELLMORE NY 11710. Purpose: any lawful purpose.
GC 1165
6X 01/29,02/05,12,19,26,03/05
NOTICE OF FORMATION
Notice of Formation of On The Ballpoint LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/11/2020. Office location: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to; 166 Oceanview Rd East
Rockaway NY 11518-1021. Purpose: Any lawful purpose
GC 1167
6X 02/05,12,19,26,03/05,12
NOTICE OF FORMATION
Notice of formation of Crab And Bull Provisions LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 10/20/20. Office located in Nassau County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC to 227 lawrence St. Uniondale NY 11553.. Purpose: any lawful purpose.
GC 1168
6X 02/12,19,26,03/05,12,19
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING BY THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
Pursuant to the provisions of the General Municipal Law and Chapter 200 of the Code of the Incorporated Village of Garden City, New York notice is hereby given that the Board of Appeals of said Village will meet in the Village Hall at 351 Stewart Avenue, Garden City, New York on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. to take action on the following matters:
1. APPEAL OF MR & MRS MATTHEW MATHERS for a variance of the provisions of Section 200-46.C of the Village Code, permitting the erection of a 540 sq. ft. second floor rear addition, at the existing dwelling known as 17 ROOSEVELT STREET (Map of Stewart Manor, Block 22, Lots 53, R-6 district) the construction of which would:
A. cause the required (15.0’) aggregate of side yards to be no less than (13.98’) with respect to the proposed addition.
Building Department application # 2020-8944, John E. Stumpf, R.A.
2. APPEAL OF CALOGERO & JENNIFER
FALZONE for a variance of the provisions of Section 20015 of the Village Code, to allow the issue of a building permit for the erection of a 93 sq. ft. first floor addition with 504 sq. ft. second floor above at the rear and side (while demolishing and reconstructing a 114 sq. ft. one story portion), and a 141 sq. ft. front porch, at the dwelling known as 72 WYATT ROAD (Map of Country life Development, Block O, Lots 259, R-6 district) the granting of which would;
A. cause the allowable building area of (1,429 sq. ft. or 25.0%), to be exceeded by (170) sq. ft. (1,599 sq. ft. or 27.96%) ~
Building Department application # 2021-9194, John J. Viscardi, R.A.
3. APPEAL OF ROSS & JACQUELINE HUBBARD for a variance from provisions of Section 200-15 of the Village Code, allowing for the issue of a building permit to construct a 178 sq. ft. rear addition, with a 350 sq. ft. second floor above and at the side, at the dwelling known as 145 BRIXTON ROAD (Map of Garden City Estates, Lot 35, Block 24, R-8 district).
The granting of which would:
A. cause the allowable building area of (1,600 sq. ft. or 20.0%), to be exceeded by (73) sq. ft. (1,673 sq. ft. or 20.91%)
Building Department application # 2020-8952, plans of John J. Viscardi, R.A.
4. APPEAL OF MICHAEL & MARINA CHEN for a variance of the provisions of Section 200-15, 200-31 and 200-46.C of the Village Code, so as to permit the erection of a 433 sq. ft. first floor rear addition, and a 195 sq. ft. front porch while maintaining 301 sq. ft. second floor and previously installed A/C compressor, with the addition of a second compressor; at the corner dwelling known as 48 STRATFORD AVENUE (Map of Shaw Gardens, Block 8, Lots 1, R-8 district) the granting of which would:
A. cause the allowable building area of (2,744 sq. ft. or 25.0%) to be exceeded by (49) sq. ft. (2,793 sq. ft. or 25.44%) ~
B. cause the required front yard setback of (30.0’) to Stratford Avenue be reduced to no less than (27.22’) with respect to the proposed porch~
C. cause the required front setback for freestanding cooling equipment of (37.5’) from Stratford Avenue, to be reduced to (35.97’) with respect to the previously installed A/C unit.
Building Department application # 2020-7903, John J. Viscardi, R.A.
5. APPEAL OF DAN & ROSA MIGNONE for a variance of the provisions of Section 200-52 of the Village Code, to allow for the issue of a
mechanical permit to maintain; (2) two ductless heat pumps and an A/C compressor in the side yard; and a fence permit for the maintenance of a 4’ fence, at the dwelling known as 38 WYATT ROAD (Map of Country Life Development, Block D, Lot 61, R-6 district) the granting of such will:
A. cause freestanding heating and cooling units to be as close as (8.5’) to the adjoining property line, where (10.0’) is required~
B. allow (9.5’) of (4’) fence to be as close as (48.7’) to Wyatt Road property line, where (50.0’) is required.
Building Department application # 2020-8942, John J. Viscardi, R.A.
6 APPEAL OF BRUCE & ANN MARIE WATTERSON, for a variance from provisions of Section 20015 & 200-52.H of the Village Code, allowing for the issue of a building permit to construct a 116 sq. ft. rear addition, and the maintenance of two (2) previously installed A/C compressors at the side of the dwelling known as 25 BRIXTON ROAD (Map of Garden City Estates, Block 75, Lot 33, R-8 district) the granting of which would:
A. cause the allowable building area of (1,500 sq. ft. or 25.0%), to be exceeded by (158) sq. ft. (1,658 sq. ft. or 27.6%) ~
B. allow the A/C compressors to be as close as (6.5’) to the adjoining property line where (10.0’) is required.
Building Department application # 2021-9192, plans of John M. Riffle, R.A.
7. APPEAL OF CHRIS & DANIELLE GIACALONE in accordance with the provisions of Section 200-52.A of the Village Code, allowing for the maintenance of two a previously permitted A/C compressors in the side yard of the premises known as 69 KINGSBURY ROAD (Map of Country Life Development, Block T, Lot 342, R-6 district), the granting of which would:
A. cause the (50.0’) required front setback from Kingsbury Road for accessory structures, reduced to no less than (48.5’).
Building Department application # 2020-8754
8. APPEAL OF MR. & MRS. NESTOR MARTINEZ for a variance of the provi-
sions of Section 200-52.H of the Village Code, to allow for the issue of a mechanical permit for a previously placed A/C compressor in the side yard of the dwelling known as 77 RUSSELL ROAD (Map of Mineola Plaza, Block 13, Lot 22, R-6 district) the granting of which will ~ A. cause a freestanding A/C compressor unit to be maintained at (6.4’) to the adjoining property line, where (10.0’) is required~ Building Department application # 2020-9024.
9. APPEAL OF MARCO & LESLIE DIBENEDETTO for a variance of the provisions of Section 200-15 & 200-46 of the Village Code, to allow the issue of a building permit for the construction of a 17 sq. ft. first floor addition and 7.3 sq. ft. Bay window at the front, with a 98 sq. ft. one story rear addition; at the premises known as 77 WILSON STREET (Map of Shaw Gardens, Block O, Lot 17, R-8 district) the granting of which would: A. cause the previously granted (September 25, 1964) allowable building area of (1,936 sq. ft. or 26.8%), to be exceeded by (141.2) sq. ft. (2,077.2 sq. ft. or 28.84%) ~ B. cause a (6.0’) horizontal extension of the existing aggregate side yards that will total (15.20’), where (21.60’) is now required.
Building Department application # 2021-9094 , Leo J. Pyzynski, R.A.
10. APPEAL OF GERARD E. OCONNOR for a variance of the provisions of Section 200-15 of the Village Code, to permit the construction of an 88 sq. ft. outdoor kitchen in the rear of the premises known as 123 KENSINGTON ROAD (Map of Garden City Estates, Block 46, Lot 6, R-12 district) the granting of which would:
A. cause the allowable building area of (2,400 sq. ft. or 20.0%) to be exceeded by (76) sq. ft. (2,076 sq. ft. or 20.6%).
Building Department application # 2020-8891 , Kevin Natalie, L.A.
11. APPEAL OF JOSEPH & NADIA PELLICANO for a variance of the provisions of Section 200-15 of the Village Code, to issue a building per-
mit for the erection of a 116 sq. ft. first floor rear addition; at the dwelling known as 114 KINGSBURY ROAD (Map of Country life Development, Block S, Lots 332, R-6 district) the granting of which would:
A. cause the allowable building area of (1,500 sq. ft. or 25.0%), to be exceeded by (103) sq. ft. (1,603 sq. ft. or 26.71%) ~
B. reduce the required rear yard setback of (25.0’) to no less than (21.8’).
Building Department application # 2020-9022, Thomas J. Scavo, R.A.
12. APPEAL OF NIMISH & SARANI DOSHI for a variance of the provisions of Section 200-47.A of the Village Code, to permit the installation of a 15 sq. ft. pre-manufactured egress well in the side yard of the existing dwelling known as 146 KENSINGTON ROAD (Map of Garden City Estates, Block 35, Lots 65, R-12 district) the construction of which would:
A. cause the egress well to be as close as (1.0’) where (5.0’) is required, where a (2.6’) side yard setback currently exists.
Building Department application # 2021-9215 , Daniel Fabrizi, R.A.
13. APPLICATION & APPEAL OF MR. & MRS. ROBERT FERRARI in accordance with the provisions of Sections 200-45 and 200-70, and a variance from section 200-15 of the Village Code, allowing for the issue of a building permit for the construction and maintenance of; a 20’ x 40’ in-ground swimming pool with 6’ fence and 675 sq. ft. Pavilion, in the rear of the premises known as 107 WETHERILL ROAD (Map of
Garden City East, Block 137, Lot 4, R-20 district), the granting of which will:
A. cause the allowable building area of (5,221 sq. ft. or 20%), to be exceeded by (918) sq. ft. (6,139 sq. ft. or 23.5%).
Building Department application # 2021-9216 , Daniel Fabrizi, R.A.
END OF CASES
The Board may transact any other business that may properly come before the meeting.
DATED: February 4, 2021
Garden City, New York 11530
Karen Altman Village Clerk
The Incorporated Village of Garden City does not discriminate on the basis of disability for admission to, access to, or participation in its programs, activities or public meetings, and has designated Karen M. Altman, Village Clerk, as Disability Compliance Coordinator. Persons with a disability who wish to attend a meeting should contact Karen M. Altman at least 24 hours in advance of meeting at: 351 Stewart Avenue Garden City, New York 11530 (516) 465-4051
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
NEXT MEETING:
TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2021
GC 1169 1X 02/12
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Notice is hereby given that bids for the following will be received at the Garden City Union Free School District, Business Office, 56 Cathedral Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530 until 10:30am Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at which time and place bids
will be opened and read aloud. PRINTING AND MAILING OF THE BUDGET BROCHURE AND BUDGET NOTICE 2021 –2022 SCHOOL BUDGET. Copies of the specifications and instructions may be obtained at the aforesaid Business Office between the hours of 8:30 am through 4:00 pm, Monday –Friday up to the time of the bid opening.
Dana DiCapua
Asst. Supt.
for Business & Finance
Garden City Union Free School District
GC 1170 1x 02/12
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING IN RELATION TO A PROPOSED LOCAL LAW NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Garden City, New York, will hold a public hearing via Zoom at 8:00 p.m. on the 23rd day of February 2021, upon the following: A Proposed Local Law Amending Chapter 193, Article XIV of the Village Code Entitled “Parking Non-Operational Vehicles in Residential Districts”.
Dated: February 5, 2021 Garden City, New York
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK
KAREN M. ALTMAN VILLAGE CLERK
The Incorporated Village of Garden City does not discriminate on the basis of disability for admission to, access to, or participation in its programs, activities or public meetings, and has designated Karen M. Altman, Village Clerk, as Disability Compliance Coordinator.
Persons in need of any special accommodation for a disability who wish to attend a meeting should contact Karen Altman at least 24 hours in advance of meeting at:
351 Stewart Avenue Garden City, New York 11530 (516) 465-4051
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
GC 1171 1X 2/12
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING IN RELATION TO A PROPOSED LOCAL LAW NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Garden City, New York, will hold a public hearing via Zoom at 8:00 p.m. on the 23rd day of February 2021, upon the following: A Proposed Local Law Adding Chapter 69, to the Village Code Entitled “Storage of Construction Materials and Construction Equipment on Residential Property”.
Dated: February 5, 2021 Garden City, New York BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK
KAREN M. ALTMAN VILLAGE CLERK
The Incorporated Village of Garden City does not discriminate on the basis of disability for admission to, access to, or participation in its programs, activities or public meetings, and has designated Karen M. Altman, Village Clerk, as Disability Compliance Coordinator. Persons in need of any special accommodation for a disability who wish to attend a meeting should contact Karen Altman at least 24 hours in advance of meeting at:
351 Stewart Avenue
Garden City, New York 11530 (516) 465-4051
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. GC 1172 1X 02/12
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING IN RELATION TO: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Garden City, New York, will hold a public hearing via Zoom at 8:00 p.m. on the 23rd day of February 2021, upon the following: “Village of Garden City’s Plan” with regard to the Governor of the State of New York’s Executive Order 203, entitled “New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative”.
Dated: February 5, 2021 Garden City, New York BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK
KAREN M. ALTMAN VILLAGE CLERK
The Incorporated Village of Garden City does not discriminate on the basis of disability for admission to, access to, or participation in its programs, activities or public meetings, and has designated Karen M. Altman, Village Clerk, as Disability Compliance Coordinator. Persons in need of any special accommodation for a disability who wish to attend a meeting should contact Karen Altman at least 24 hours in advance of meeting at:
351 Stewart Avenue Garden City, New York 11530 (516) 465-4051
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
GC 1173
1X 02/12
Robert A. Bolebruch
From page 12
nities for residents to contribute their time and talent, I would also like to set up two new committees to tap into our incredibly talented residents:
• GC 2030 – This would be a committee focused on a long-term strategic planning to consider how to the Village should evolve over this decade. Topics to be discussed will include the post-COVID business environment as it relates to maintaining the vibrancy of our Franklin Avenue, 7th Street and New Hyde Park Road business districts considering the changes as in the retail industry and commercial real estate, development of our recreational facilities, and how new technology may impact the operations of our Village long-term.
• Operations Improvement – This committee would supplement our Citizens Budget Review and Advisory Committee who conduct an annual review of the budget. The committee would consist of residents with expertise with finance, information technology, human resources and operations who would meet throughout the year to consider other opportunities to improve the overall operations of the Village.
Finally, I would expand the mission of our Environmental Advisory Board to the address sustainability as it relates to reducing the Village’s carbon footprint and its impact on the environment. The Village has already taking steps such LED lighting, solar powered recycling containers and reducing the use of chemicals on our ballfields. Other areas to be considered will include acquiring electric vehicles, installing charging stations and implementing solar power at the Village’s facilities in the future. I would welcome the participation of residents who have an interest in this important area, including our high school students.
n
Q) What is your vision for maintaining and improving village infrastructure such as roadways, sidewalks and parking fields?
This is an area that the Board of Trustee has invested heavily in over the last several years. We now pave four times the number of roads that we used to in the Village. We have also repaved several parking lots in the Village with the goal of repacking them all in the next few years. We have had all of our roads evaluated and rated so that we can address the ones in greatest need.
Infrastructure also includes our water system. We are in the process of replacing our 86-year-old water tank. In addition, we started a process of renovating all of our wells in the Village. We have done at least one well per
year. We replace all the pumps, electric and machines and bring each well up to today’s standards. Most importantly, the Village has been very aggressive in responding to the “first in the nation “standard for 1,4 Dioxane released by NYS in July 2020 which is one part per billion. No other state has this standard nor does the Federal government; other states are considering it. The Village is moving as quickly as possible to install the equipment necessary to comply with this new standard. More information on the status of the water remediation project will be provided to the residents shortly.
We have replaced all our lights in the village with LED lights which will save our Village over $100,000 in annual electricity costs. We have been working on our water main pipes throughout the Village and have replaced or reclined out village pipes. Lastly, we have dramatically improved the equipment and vehicles. The updated plows, sweepers, trucks, cars and various DPW facilities have or are being replaced. This has been going on for the last eight years.
n
What is your vision for keeping the business districts attractive to new businesses?
As far as the business district goes, we must provide them the support and atmosphere that will enable them to thrive. We worked with the Chamber of Commerce to start and expand the promenades. This year we expanded the nights that 7th street was not closed which enabled many businesses to not only survive but to thrive. We enabled restaurants and other businesses to utilize their outdoor space in ways that was never imagined. We eliminated parking spots for outdoor dining. We enabled businesses like spin classes to be held outside.
Going forward we need to continue to listen to our businesses, especially the small businesses, and see how we can help them more. We need to look at 7th Street and address numerous issues there to continue to entice not only our residents but our neighboring communities to want to shop or dine there. We need to also address the needs on Franklin Avenue and New Hyde Park Road as well Let’s work to get the owners, renters and village all on the same page. Let’s also look at the lack of parking and figure out a way to address that as well.
As to long-term planning, I look forward to working with the residents and members of the Chamber of Commerce who would serve on the GC 2030 committee discussed above to find innovative ways to continue to maintain the vibrancy of our business districts in the future.
From page 12
Cosmo Veneziale
soil conditions that can hold water and, during freezing, cause frost wedging. Sidewalk heaving can also be caused by tree roots, especially with the large specimen trees common in our Village. As Mayor, I would explore sidewalk construction designs that will not require cutting tree roots, which can cause trees to fall and lead to home and property damage. “Soft paving” designs have been used successfully in many suburban and urban streetscapes that can save trees and provide for less costly sidewalk replacement. n
What is your vision for keeping the business districts attractive to new businesses?
COVID-19 has impacted all of our lives, and especially our commercial business district. Before the pandemic, Garden City had a vibrant business environment on Franklin Avenue and Seventh Street. Franklin Avenue has even been dubbed “Restaurant Row”
for its variety of restaurants. However, with the loss of Lord & Taylor and the repurposing of Sears by NYU Langone as a not-for-profit organization, Garden City will lose approximately $500,000 or more in annual taxes. Still, our business district is well established and will return strong after the pandemic is under control. As Mayor, I would begin discussions with local business owners and the Chamber of Commerce to determine how the Board of Trustees and residents can support our business district. Above all, we cannot ignore public safety guidelines established by our state health officials and our own personal responsibility during the pandemic. As Mayor, I would involve residents who have business development experience to assist the Board of Trustees. I would evaluate parking, streetscape design, enforce business garbage collection, marketing promotions and other potential improvements to keep existing businesses and attract new businesses.
Garden City resident Joe Farkas is presented with a proclamation from Town of Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann in recognition of his dedication and commitment to stimulating economic growth during an opening celebration for the new At Home superstore at The Shops at Nanuet. The 101,488-sf store is part of the former Macy’s, which was acquired by Farkas’ Metropolitan Realty Associates and redeveloped as a modern 220,000-sf retail space that is fielding interest from retailers.
Continued from page 9
Revel’s website, ww.revelrestaurant.com or check out its Instagram, @revelgardencity.
Walk Street restaurant at 176 Seventh Street will be serving up many New American and contemporary cuisine for its Valentine Specials throughout the weekend.
Starting on Friday, February 12 Walk Street has a special on its lobster ravioli in a vanilla champagne cream sauce, as well as a grilled boneless 16 oz. ribeye steak with baked potato and creamed spinach.
“We will have a very special chocolate Valentine’s Day dessert for two available for dine-in and to-go orders. Dinner reserva-
tions start for all three days at 4:30 p.m.” said Walk Street’s Robert R. Kloepfer, Jr. Sunday brunch is also from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Visit www.walkstreetgc.com or call (516) 746-2592 for reservations, to place to-go orders and for more information.
Chelsea Takami will be playing live from 6:30 to 9:30 on Saturday night, February 13th. Primehouse will be running its three course surf and turf special throughout the weekend. Enjoy an appetizer, filet mignon paired with a lobster tail and dessert for $75 pp. Add a three course wine pairing for an additional $25 pp.
Primehouse is located at 910 Franklin Avenue. Call 516-416-4264 for more information and reservations or go to www. primehousegardencity.com
Jason Wotman, owner of Mighty Quinn’s BBQ at 829 Franklin Avenue has a Valentine’s Day special package for Sunday: a 1/2 lb. of brisket, 1/2 lb. of pulled pork, a 1/2 rack of spare ribs plus a pint of Mac and Cheese, a pint of sweet potato casserole, a pint of coleslaw and for dessert, a pint of bread pudding -- all for $59.
The Mighty Quinn’s Valentine’s Day deal is available for customers in either dine-in or takeout. There will be additional drink specials on the beer selection as well as unique Valentine-themed cocktails for those who choose to dine-in.
Place your order at Mighty Quinn’s of Garden City by calling 516-544-2844, on the website mightyquinnsbbq.com “or just just walk on in” and placing the order while taking in their mouth-watering barbecue aromas.
Prime Fine Catering, located at 4 Nassau Boulevard South in Garden City, has several Valentine’s Day specials available on its extensive menu. ‘Prime Fine’ has been serving the palates of community members and their families for over 17 years.
“You can get our restaurant-quality food and variety in the comfort of your own home. We tell everyone all you need is the wine,” Executive Chef/Business Owner Henry Barone told The Garden City News.
Starters for Valentine’s weekend, February 12 through 14, will include baby arugula salad; baby organic greens; a grilled portobello mushroom salad; heart-shaped three-cheese ravioli, ‘Classic Colossal Shrimp Cocktail’ and lobster bisque, among its many choices.
Prime Fine Catering’s Main Course choices for Valentine’s include Wood Roasted Salmon with potato and red pepper hash and grilled asparagus; a roast Rack of Lamb with creamy herb polenta; Grilled Pork Porterhouse; Filet Mignon with roast carrots and potato croquettes; Butternut Squash and Ricotta Manicotti with Tuscan Kale, plus Surf N’ Turf with mashed potatoes and more featured Main dishes.
Dessert options for Valentine’s 2021
include Nutella Tiramisu, a Key Lime Tart with ‘Margherita berries and vanilla whipped cream, New York Cheesecake with a chocolate cookie crust, a BananaGinger Creme Brulee with candied ginger crisps, plus Prime Fine’s “24 Karat Chocolate Truffle Torte” and many others. To view the full Valentine’s weekend menu or to place your order, visit the website Primefinecatering.com or call 516-5053255. Prime Fine Catering asks customers to provide 24-hour advance time for pickup orders over the weekend. The Nassau Boulevard location is ready for Garden City to place and receive orders any time from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, as well as 7:00 to 3:00 on Sunday, February 14.
Please be advised that due to facility maintenance, the Tennis Center will be CLOSED Wednesday February 17, Thursday, February 18 and will reopen Friday, February 19 at 4:00 p.m. The Center will be closed due to facility maintenance. Contract tennis will be made up at the end of the season during those missed days.
Please see our lessons schedule for the upcoming Presidents Week.
All Saturday (2/13) and Sunday (2/14) tennis lessons/programs are ON.
All youth and adult tennis lessons/ leagues are OFF during the week of February 15 including Saturday, February 20.
Any questions, please call the Tennis Center at 483-2525.
Just a reminder to tennis contract holders that tennis contracts are ON during the days that the facility are open during Presidents Week. Any questions please call the Tennis Center at 483-2525.
Please know that prime tennis contract court times are still available for this indoor season at the Community Park Tennis Center! For more information and pricing, or if you are interested in joining a contract group, please call Steve Espey at (516) 4654075.
We kindly remind all of our tennis players to please reframe from entering the tennis courts until your scheduled time begins. If you are early, please wait in the Tennis Clubhouse until one minute before your court time and then proceed to your court. In order to create a courteous environment we ask players to please end at the specified time. Do not finish a set or play one more point so that the next scheduled group has the opportunity to start on time.
To stay better connected with Community Park and other Recreation news we invite everyone to “Like Us” on our Facebook page, facebook.com/gardencityrecreation.
On Thursday, February 4, the girls travelled to face Oyster Bay. Though they put up a valiant fight, the squad fell by a 19-8 score. The wins were earned as follows: Saber by senior co-captains Riley DeGearo (1-2) and Annaliese Etienne (3-0) and sophomore Alexa Andron (3-0); Foil by junior Captain Sophia Ortiz (1-2).
On Saturday, February 6, the team travelled to Great Neck North. The girls were just down 5-4 after a close first round. In the second, GC again won four of the nine bouts and thus trailed 10-8 after two. But in the third, GNN took 6 of the nine bouts and the match by a score of 16-11. The wins were earned as follows: Saber by Riley DeGearo (1-2), Annaliese Etienne (2-1), and sophomore Alexa Andron (2-1); Foil by
Sophia Ortiz (1-2) and junior Kaitlyn Fuoco (1-2); Épée by senior Captain Fran DiStefano (1-0), and sophomores Dian Wakeman (2-1) and Cate Rovelli (1-2).
On Monday, February 8, the girls earned a home win against Wheatley which unfortunately did not have a complete squad. Foil wins were earned by juniors Melissa Ng, Kaitlyn Fuoco and Kate Papas. There are two meets left in the season on Wednesday 2/10 at Syosset and at home on 2/11 against Cold Spring Harbor, which also unfortunately does not have a complete squad this season. Depending on the result of the Syosset meet, the girls will finish the regular season at either 6-5 or 5-6 and hope to qualify for the Team County Championships.
The Garden City’s Department of Recreation and Parks will offer an adult art class this fall. This 10-week program will teach the beginner as well as the advanced student the art of painting portraits and landscapes/still-life in pastel from photographs. Arleen Rueth Urban, the instructor for this program, is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America.
Classes will be held Fridays beginning February 12 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. in St. Paul’s Cluett Hall. The cost of this program will be $140. Please note: Masks must be worn during class and each participant must fill out a COVID survey sheet before each class to attend. This class is open to adult residents who reside in the Inc. Village of Garden City.
The first lesson includes a portrait and landscape demonstration. At that time, a supply list is provided. Demonstrations will be available as needed throughout the program. Each student will receive the individual attention required as they move at their own pace and level of expertise.
To register for this session, please
visit the Recreation and Parks office at 108 Rockaway Avenue. If you have a password, you may register online at gcreconline.gardencityny.net.
Garden City Recreation and Parks is pleased to announce that this winter the Recreation Staff will conduct a four week gym program on Saturdays for children in grades 2–5. This program will consist of organized games and activities in a supervised setting.
Note: Children must wear a mask to participate and bring a signed Covid form to each session. Children must bring their own water bottle clearly labeled with their name. Parents will not be allowed in the gym during the session. Drop off and pick up will take place on the west side of the fieldhouse (drive up). Once the children are in our facility, they will not be allowed to leave unless picked up by an adult. Please be prompt. Space is limited for this program.
The registration fee for this program is $40. This four-week program will begin on February 6 and will run in
St. Paul’s Field House according to the following schedule:
Grades 2–3: Saturdays from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
Grades 4–5: Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Sneakers must be worn for any activity in the field house and only water is allowed in the facility.
Please visit the Recreation and Parks Office at 108 Rockaway Ave. with a $40 registration fee made payable to the Inc. Village of Garden City, or, if you have a password you can register online at www.gcreconline.gardencityny.net.
Garden City and Parks will offer a four week after school program in St. Paul’s Fieldhouse for children in kindergarten and 1st grades beginning the week of February 9. This program will consist of organized games and activities in a supervised setting.
PLEASE NOTE: Kindergarten is now filled. Children must wear a mask to participate and bring a signed COVID form to each session. Children must bring their own water bottle clearly
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labeled with their name. Parents will not be allowed in the gym during the session. Drop off and pick up will take place on the west side of the fieldhouse (drive up). Space is limited for this program.
The registration fee for this program is $40. To give everyone a chance to join this program each child may register for only one day per session. This four week program will begin on the week of February 9 and will run in St. Paul’s Field House according to the following schedule:
1st Grade: Wednesdays or Fridays from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Sneakers must be worn for any activity in the field house and only water is allowed in the facility.
Note: Once the children are in our facility, they will not be allowed to leave unless picked up by an adult. Please be prompt.
Space is limited. Please visit the Recreation and Parks Office at 108 Rockaway Ave. with a $40 registration fee made payable to the Inc. Village of Garden City, or, if you have a password you can register online at www. gcreconline.gardencityny.net.
The Trojans added three more wins in the past week to get to four in a row. This brings the boys record to 6-2 for the season with two matches left.
The week started on Thursday, February 4 at Oyster Bay High School where the Trojans scored at 16-11 win. The sabre squad led the way going 6-3 with senior captain Grant Scarangella leading the way with a 3-0 performance, followed by junior Alex Pasqualina with 2 wins and Nicholas Michael with 1 win. The épée squad went 5-4, led by senior co-captain Sean Maas, who went 3-0, and 1 win each for senior co-captain Ryan Bradley and sophomore Michael Siragusa. The foil squad also went 5-4, with 2 wins each for senior captain Andrew Burns and junior Jordan DeNaro and 1 win for junior Joe Armstrong.
Next up was another away match at Great Neck North High School on Saturday, February 6. The boys
scored a decisive 17-10 victory, but the match was much closer than the final score indicated. 12 of the 27 matches came down to the final point as the score was tied at 4-4, with the next point winning. The Trojans showed their composure, winning 8 of those tight matches. Overall, it was another true team effort as épée and foil both went 6-3 and sabre went 5-4. Within the épée squad senior co-captain Sean Maas had another great day, going 3-0, coupled with single wins from the rest of his senior squad teammates, Ryan Bradley, Aidan Rosenblatt and Logan Morrison. The foil squad was again led by senior captain Andrew Burns, who went 2-0 along with 2 wins each for juniors Joe Armstrong and Jordan DeNaro. The sabre squad was led by junior Alex Pasqualina, who went 3-0 along with 2 wins from junior Nicholas Michael.
Finally for the week was a home match hosting Wheatley High School,
and the boys claimed another 17-10 victory. The sabre squad was dominant, going 7-2, led by senior captain Grant Scarangella, who went 3-0 along with 2 wins each for juniors Alex Pasqualina and Nicholas Michael. The foil squad went 5-4, with 2 wins from senior Captain
Andrew Burns, along with 2 wins for junior Jordan DeNaro and 1 win from junior Joe Armstrong. The épée squad also went 5-4 led by senior co-captain Sean Maas, who went 3-0. Sean has gone undefeated in the last 4 matches with a 12-0 record. Senior co-captain Ryan Bradley and senior
Aidan Rosenblatt also contributed 1 win each.
The boys team is coached by Kevin Oliver, and the final two matches of the regular season will be February
10 against a strong Syosset team, followed by a final home match against Cold Spring Harbor on February 11.
The 2021 GCHS Trojans Basketball season is underway after a delayed start. NYS gave the go ahead to start “high risk sports” on Feb 1. The season, unfortunately, will be a shortened season comprised of 8 games and no playoffs. However, the coaches and players are excited to get back on the hardwood and are ready to compete.
Head coach James Hegmann enters his 8th season with an impressive (8637) record and has establish Garden City HS as a championship level basketball program. The Trojans were conference champs 2017, 2018 and 2019.
While winning a county championship in 2018. This year the Trojans boast one of the best backcourts in Long Island. Seniors Luke Long and Tommy Franz return as 3 year varsity starters. Co-Captains Long and Franz have been selected by Newsday as 2 of the top 100 players on Long Island. As juniors, Long was selected to the All County team while averaging 18pts/6rebs/3 Ast. Franz was selected to the All Conference team averaging 13pts/5reb/5Ast.
The Trojans took a big hit (pun
intended) when 3 year varsity player, 6’6” senior big man Jack Downey went down with season ending injury. Downey is rated as one of the top wide receivers in Long Island, and is working hard to be ready for football season.
Enter 6’5” senior Jack Scali, who will be asked to step in and be a force inside. Heady guard senior Matt Jordan returns and is expected to have an impactful season. Seniors Nate Lau and Aidan Magnotta will add much needed depth under the boards.
SENIORS: Thomas Franz, Matthew
Jordan, Nathanael Lau, Luke Long, Aidan Magnotta, Jack Scali
JUNIORS: Brian Downey, Christopher Eckna, Tarell Joseph, Robbie Martino, Jackson Perisa, Andrew Scattareggia, Kyle Wood
SOPH: Quinn Long
Congratulations to all the student-athletes for making the team. Best of luck on season! The Community of Garden City is rooting for you! The Trojans open up 2/10 on the road at Great Neck South.
GO TROJANS!
Garden City, NY
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100 Hilton Ave, #708 Garden City, NY
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111 Cherry Valley Ave, #308 Garden City, NY
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3276531. $3,950.
