Friday, February 19, 2021
Vol. 98, No.26
FOUNDED 1923
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There’s No P lace Like Home
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LOCALLY OWNED AND EDITED
Christina Ric cobono
Lic. R. E. Sales person
M 516.524.159 7 christina.ricc obono@ellim an.com
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Have your cake
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Senior Spotlight PAGE 29
FENCING TO THE PLAYOFFS
© 2021 DOUGLAS 110 WALT WHITMAELLIMAN REAL ESTATE. EQUAL HOU SING N ROAD, HUNTING TON STATION, NY OPPORTUNITY. 11746. 631.549.740 1.
Police reform plan to be discussed at hearing BY RIKKI N. MASSAND
Both the boys and girls fencing teams at Garden City High School will be heading to the playoffs, as high school sports work through a modified season. See pages 62 and 63
Auditor gives thumbs up to Library financial statements BY RIKKI N. MASSAND At its meeting held Monday, February 8 over Zoom, the Garden City Public Library Board of Trustees heard positive comments from its auditor on having clean financial statements. Auditing firm PKF O’Connor Davies provided an “Unmodified Opinion” -the highest level of assurance -- on the Library’s financial
statements. The statement was delivered by H. Chris Kopf (partner) and Senior Manager Melissa Szot. The professionals presented information about the firm’s examination of Garden City Public Library’s audited financial statements and supplementary information for the fiscal year that ended May 31, 2020 (the 2019-2020 fiscal year). PKF O’Connor Davies
noted how Library and Village Finance administration worked within appropriate accounting policies and fairly presented the Library’s financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles). The auditing firm encountered no difficulties in conducting the Library audit last year, and no journal entries were proposed
At its meeting on Tuesday, February 23rd, the Garden City Board of Trustees will review a Police Reform Plan that was formulated in compliance with an Executive Order of New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. The Governor’s order required all municipalities with police forces to review the operations and culture of the departments, to determine the needs of the community and address any issues of racial bias that are identified. Currently the Garden City Police Department consists of 52 swornin officers and 14 full-time civilian employees. The department is comprised of the Patrol Division, Detective Division, Community Policing Unit and GCPD Traffic Enforcement. The department also has parttime parking enforcement staff and school crossing guards, and the GCPD oversees volunteer Special Police Officers. The Village of Garden City Committee on New York State Police Reform held its meetings on October 6, October 21, November 4 and November 18 of 2020. Garden City’s Police Reform Collaborative Committee consisted of a representative of each of the village’s four property owner associations; a bureau chief from the Nassau County See page 59
Village files suit against MTA over giant poles BY MEG MORGAN NORRIS The Village of Garden City has filed suit in Nassau County Supreme Court, challenging the actions of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Long Island Railroad in installing 93-foot metal utility poles on the south side of the railroad’s right-of-way. The poles are part of the LIRR’s third track development. According to court papers, the Village has accused the defendants of willfully disregarding the state’s environmental review process when it decided to relocate the poles from the north side to the south side. The village has asked the court to order the poles to be removed and that a supplemental environmental impact study be completed. The defendants are expected to respond on February 25th
See page 61
Comm. Club ‘Life through Art’ class PAGE 12 Discovering Death Valley’s treasures PAGE 45