The Garden City News (2/26/21)

SNOW

SEASON

New local laws ban junk cars, construction debris from properties

BY RIKKI N. MASSAND

At its February 23 meeting the Village Board of Trustees held public hearings and subsequently unanimously approved two local laws, described by Trustee Brian C. Daughney as addressing “quality of life issues.”

One of the new laws says that no “non-operational” vehicles may be stored on residential properties for more

than 60 consecutive days (or more than 90 days in a three month period).

The other new law prohibits the outdoor storage of construction materials or equipment on residential properties

Violations would be enforced by the Garden City Police in the form of warnings followed by fines.

Village Attorney Peter Bee described Garden City Police

in safeguarding the community as “a department utilizing compliance protocols where possible rather than strict enforcement.”

“There’s a general philosophy of trying to bring citizens into compliance before full enforcement takes place -though obviously this is a discretionary area for the police commissioner,” Bee said.

Police Commissioner

See page 40

BY RIKKI N. MASSAND

With an “us against them” mentality pervading at the Garden City Board of Trustees’ meeting on Tuesday, February 2rd, village-level political infighting took center stage. Several Board members confronted residents who participated via Zoom, as well as some who have commented on village matters in various other forums, including the Letters’ pages of The Garden City News and social media.

Some notable people mentioned by name at the meeting were not present, most notably the mayoral candidate, Western Section resident Cosmo Veneziale. His mayoral race opponent, Deputy Mayor Robert Bolebruch of the Community Agreement Party (CAP), commented on points Veneziale has made in the past, including comments regarding the village’s municipal water supply. Bolebruch referenced an unidentified Internet post and Facebook comments about the performance of the Board.

Social media comments

Deputy Mayor Bolebruch and Trustee Brian Daughney lambasting comments that have appeared on Facebook and on other social media, “as false and misleading.” None of the trustees read aloud the exact social media comments to which they referred.

“I have been hearing there’s lots of commentaries made on social media and regrettably I think some people aren’t paying attention to the things this Board of Trustees, our Garden City Water Department and Village Administrator Ralph Suozzi and our experts have been saying for two years-plus now. I want the village to repeat what has been stated in the past and hopefully people see it, read and listen and come to know what is going on with the municipal water supply and system. As is often the case there are lots of misstatements and misinformation spread on social media. I think it is important to say this and I ask permission from the Board to allocate funding tonight so the Village can put out a written statement that mirrors what we have said about the water in the past and with some adding on to it -- it will be sent directly to every resident in Garden City so they receive correct information,” Trustee Daughney said on Tuesday evening.

The Board accepted Daugney’s suggestion and will print and mail its statement on the Garden City drinking water supply and how the Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) remediation systems at village

Village crew clears snow near the gazebo during a recent storm. Photo courtesy Ann DiTroia

Report on police reform

This week the Village has released a comprehensive plan for police reform as mandated by New York State. The 173 page report can be found on the Village’s website. We hope residents will take a look at it because the police department clearly put a lot of thought and effort into its development.

The report details many of the current operations of the department and looks for ways to strengthen its commitment to justice in community policing. We were very impressed.

Across the nation last spring and summer there were a number of terrible and shocking incidents in which Black people were injured or killed by police. We’ve always been supporters of the police, but those incidents really challenged those positive feelings.

The common thread in many of the incidents was that they quickly escalated out of control. In several incidents, minor traffic stops ended in death.

So we were especially glad to see that the GCPD’s report particularly emphasizes training officers in de-escalation techniques. Currently officers receive such training at the police academy, but under new policies there will also be ongoing in-service training for officers.

The only part of the report we’d like to see changed is the stance on police body cameras. The report suggests taking a “wait and see” approach to see how the Nassau County police use them. We think the Village should consider forging ahead and getting them sooner. Body cams protect everyone from officers to suspects.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Email: Editor@GCNews.com

Is this the transparency you want?

To the Editor:

The lengths some residents will go in an attempt to silence the truth is astounding. This certainly isn’t the Garden City I know.

In a further attempt to censor and restrict opposite points of view, the “Garden City NY Residents Group” Facebook site has now decided to screen my social media posts. They have very simple rules, as explained by the administrator, who is a community organizer for the For A Better Garden City (FABGC) group, and additionally by the leader of FABGC. One such rule prohibits videos, which the administrator mentioned several times but then allowed the FABGC candidates to post their video meeting. The “Garden City Sustainability” Facebook site has restricted my ability to post or comment on its website as well. In addition, the administrator posted several times of her support for FABGC and her intention to not allow me to post anything on her website. I decided to leave this site, which is obviously biased. Now the Facebook site, “You Know You’re From Garden City When…” has also prevented me from posting or commenting. This leaves the “Garden City Moms and Dads Group” and “Garden City, NY Residents - Free Speech” sites as the only Facebook pages that will allow me to freely participate. Ask yourself if this is the transparency that you want.

FABGC and their followers are showing all of us who they really are. BELIEVE THEM.

Robert A. Bolebruch, Deputy Mayor

Former trustee: time for change

To the Editor:

Garden City has a unique form of government which elects a Mayor and Trustees through its four property owners’ association. Their chosen candidates are rarely contested. Their candidates’ election receives little attention. Our residents usually acquiesce in this process. But times have changed. Residents are upset and angry at Board

decisions and its treatment of residents. Five concerned residents have decided to run together for Mayor and Trustees so that they can change the Board to serve the good of the community and to treat residents with respect.

Before you decide to vote, consider these Board decisions.

St Paul’s: On July 20, 2018, the Board unveiled a design concept for a new recreation center at St Pauls. Since then, the Board has spent and is budgeted to spend $7,400,000 to stabilize the building for which there is no use.  Isn’t that backwards? First find the use. Then spend the money. There is no end in sight for St Paul’s except as a money pit. Moreover, the Board asserts that it can legally build what it wants without a vote by the residents and refuses to give the residents that right. It’s time to stop the spending, determine a use and submit a proposal for a vote by the residents. (I was Chair of the Mayor’s Committee to Save St.Pauls)

Sale of Ball Fields:  The Board sold its ball fields near the pool on Cherry Valley Ave to the Town of Hempstead to raise money to balance the budget. There was no public discussion of the sale. To sell Village property for such a one-time purpose was indefensible. Land is irreplaceable. It’s time to have a Village policy providing for a public hearing on the sale of Village property.

Sale of Parkland: The Board sold parkland to the Mews owners on Franklin Court for their use and to erect a fence to exclude their neighbors. There was no public discussion of the sale. After a public outcry, the Board repurchased the property for $58,000 more than it bought it. Rather than take down the fence, a Village employee unlocks and locks the fence gate each day.

MTA Poles: The Board approved the Third Track Project. The MTA erected giant poles by the Merrillon Ave Station that mar and devalue residential property. The Board failed its oversight responsibility. When I was a Trustee (2005-2009), the Board opposed the Third

CAP incumbents - running from their records

SUBMITTED BY FOR A BETTER GARDEN CITY

Since its inception, For A Better Garden City - FABGC has promised to improve the dynamic between the Board of Trustees and residents by committing to open and respectful interactions between all parties. We intend to change the way the BOT operates. All of the key issues on which FABGC has been raising awareness are symptoms of the disease that is a lack of transparency and respect for the residents.

Conversely, the CAP candidates continue to dodge all the actual questions residents have asked over and over while telling residents that they are “setting the record straight.” In their letter, the only item cleared up for residents is that a vote for the CAP candidates will result in more half-truth answers and more secret discussions on the fate of the Village.

A recent post on social media has further heightened concerns amongst residents about whether the candidate for mayor tried to silence a concerned resident who wished to advise residents about the contaminants in our drinking water. No one would have blamed our

Village government for putting chemicals in the ground 70 years ago, but our government is absolutely responsible for being honest with residents about the dangers we face today. This issue illustrates how critical it is to have transparency in our local government, as we all know that the water quality will be an issue going forward in our Village.

Casino: Politically motivated about face

On the Casino, CAP completely ignores the actual questions that have been asked by residents and instead chooses to reference recent “very active negotiations.” They did not address why those resident members have been left in limbo for 3 years and they did not address why we are only just now discovering that conversations were had with private investors. If the trustees have been discussing changes to the Casino property in secret, which Village recreation facility is next??

3TC negotiation failures not admitted

On the monster poles, the CAP candidates are now claiming “empathy”

See page 64

This year, there is much more on the ballot than candidates

SUBMITTED BY THE COMMUNITY AGREEMENT PARTY CANDIDATES

The Community Agreement, which was adopted in 1919 was simple. The spirit of the agreement was to have the trustees of our village elected by a non-partisan vote of residents. The four Property Owners’ Associations are the conduits that vet and interview the slate of candidates. At all times, each section of the village has two of its residents on the Board of Trustees, assuring equal representation. One of the goals of this arrangement was to keep politics out of the village. I think we would all agree we have too much politics at the federal, state and county levels.

An individual interested in serving as a Trustee submits his/her resume to the Nominating Committee of the Property Owners’ Association of his/ her residence. That individual is then required to appear for an interview, before their Nominating Committee. After due deliberations, one candidate is chosen to be nominated to represent that section of the village. There are established procedures for any resi-

dent to challenge that selection and have a runoff election within their section.

The Mayor and the Trustees have always been nominated and elected pursuant to the provisions of the Community Agreement, a course of procedure which has enabled the village to secure the services of citizens with outstanding qualifications, experience and abilities. All of whom have served without any financial compensation.

All candidates on the current ballot, representing the Community Agreement, Yvonne Varano, Rich Catalano, Mark Hyer, Steve Makrinos and Bob Bolebruch, have been vetted and screened by their respective nominating committees - over 40 resident volunteers in total.

The opposition states that there is nothing wrong with not following the traditions of the Community Agreement and having a contested election. We respectively disagree for the following important reasons:

• None of the candidates on the FABGC slate have ever served as a

See page 64

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Village: Garden City water is safe

SUBMITTED BY THE VILLAGE OF GARDEN CITY

Recently there have been intentionally inaccurate or otherwise misinformed posts on social media regarding the quality of our water and the Village’s efforts, goals and activities regarding our water system.

We assure you that our water is tested daily and thoroughly in accordance with all state and county mandates. It meets all standards.

As we have stated for several years, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Garden City continues to aggressively address the issue of Village-sourced water and water contaminants. Most of the information contained in this release was previously stated at various public Board Meetings held during the last 2-3 years, but specifically at a Meeting held on September 19, 2019 and in our public release sent out during the week of October 25, 2019.

What are emerging contaminants?

Emerging contaminants, particularly 1,4-Dioxane, are not unique to Garden City or almost any water supply system across the country. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (called PFAS) and contaminants such

Village reiterates information related to water system, quality

as 1,4-Dioxane are extremely soluble, which means they easily dissolve in groundwater, allowing them to travel far below ground. Plumes containing these various contaminants can migrate for miles and could be conjoined from multiple sources. These contaminants require specialized treatment systems because conventional water treatment methods do not remove them. On Long Island, many communities share the various underground aquifers for their sources of water so problems in one village or town are often linked with bordering villages or towns.

What are the standards for these chemicals in our water?

The Federal Government, through the Environmental Protection Agency, has not set any enforceable standards for 1,4-Dioxane. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1,4-Dioxane is a “likely human carcinogen” and has been found in groundwater at sites throughout the United States yet it has refused to take steps to set a national standard.

In the summer of 2019, the State of New York proposed enforceable standards for these emerging contaminants for the first time. The standards were

subsequently formally adopted in early 2020. In New York State, the standard is set at 1.0 parts per billion for 1,4-Dioxane and 10 parts per trillion for PFAS.

But what exactly are standards? Why isn’t our water “pure” and how can we get “pure” water?

It is important to understand, as frustrating as it might be, that there is really no such thing as “pure water” or one actual standard for “safe” water.

In this region, many point to New York City water as “pure” and New York City likes to promote its water as the best in the country. It is not. Many studies actually list the water in other parts of the country as cleaner or containing less chemicals and pollutants. Chemicals and pollutants, natural and man-made, including those that occur in the ground, in a water supply source and also in the delivery systems themselves, impact water quality and the concept of safety.

Returning to the topic of standards from emerging contaminants such as 1,4-Dioxane, New York State’s standard is the strictest in the country, and before its adoption in early 2020, New York State had no such standards. Therefore, under the concept of “safe”

the water that we all have been drinking for decades was considered “safe.”

Other states still have not adopted any standards, and of those that have, all of them allow for more of these contaminants in their drinking water.

“Meeting standards” is a murky and imperfect system for anyone to assess “purity” or “safety” because standards are imperfect measures often set on local levels. In New York, as of 2020, water that contains less than 1.0 part per billion for 1,4-Dioxane is deemed “safe” in New York. Some would argue that no amount of these emerging contaminants is safe. However, another state might have adopted a standard of 2.0 parts per billion because it believes that higher allowable standard is proper and supported by science (or for whatever other reasons). In that location, the water is deemed “safe”. Many states and the Federal EPA have no standards for 1,4-Dioxane or other emerging contaminants, chemicals or pollutants. Since New York adopted a standard only in 2020, does that mean that before such time the water was not safe? No - under pre-2020 standards, it was deemed safe.

See page 38

Third Track Committee has failed Garden City

BY JAMES KUMPEL

Eight months. That is how long it took for the Garden City Board of Trustees to finally overcome the resistance of its own Third Track Committee in confronting the MTA and its contractors for willfully violating its commitments to residents and the community, devaluing Third Track-adjacent properties, and creating an industrial monstrosity that degrades all of Garden City. If remediation options for the monster poles and nine stories of electromagnetic fields are limited, it is attributable to the dithering and cowering Third Track Committee, which could not even recognize its best bargaining chip was a timely standstill order imposed on a deadline-obsessed 3TC.

Tens of millions of dollars. That is a conservative estimate as to the destruction in real estate value of hundreds of homes near the Main Line in Garden City alone due to the elimination of many hundreds of trees and natural barriers by the MTA/3TC and the erection of obscenely massive steel poles near residences and parks (in contravention of plans submitted to the state and local officials).

Hundreds to thousands of dollars of higher property taxes per household. This is the tangible effect on every

Garden City household bearing the burden of the reduced real estate values of hundreds of Estates properties in the vicinity of Merillon Station resulting from the MTA/3TC intentionally ignoring commitments AND the Third Track Committee refusing to take timely steps to legally challenge their breaches of commitments in memoranda of understanding, environmental impact statements, and recently enacted NY State laws.

Prescient warnings from former Mayor Episcopia

Former Mayor Nicholas Episcopia was crystal clear with his valedictory update in 2017 that the newly formed Third Track Committee (which still includes Trustees Brian Daughney and Stephen Makrinos) was not being transparent to the Board. He further encouraged the Board, POAs, and residents to press the Third Track Committee on what they have done “to protect residents whose homes are at risk”. Episcopia highlighted that the Mayors of Mineola and Westbury “expected givebacks” from the MTA in exchange for their support of the project, without regard for property owners “adjacent to or in the vicinity of the Main Line” and he worried that the committee was going down the same path. That con-

cern was borne out by the givebacks of improvements to Stewart Manor and Nassau Boulevard station grounds, which were completely unrelated to the burdens and encroachments imposed on residents near Merillon Station.

In 2017, then-Mayor Daughney and the Board acknowledged residents’ fears about “our ability to rely upon the MTA/LIRR for promises being made” but insisted that “because it chose to talk to the MTA/LIRR instead of merely complaining about the proposal, the Village’s concerns are being more fully acknowledged and addressed.”

In June 2017, GC News noted that Floral Park’s Third Track committee includes residents and small business representatives along with trustees, in stark contrast to Garden City’s committee. Also, in contrast to Third Track representatives on the New Hyde Park and Floral Park Boards of Trustees, there is no routine public reporting of updates and changes by the Third Track Committee, which could—as happened with the Monster Poles—result in a shocking change to residents who are kept in the dark.

Doublethink is required to accept MTA/3TC arguments

George Orwell’s 1984 highlighted the raw exercise of power and bureaucratic

use of “doublethink” to have powerless residents suspend disbelief to accept clear contradictions. In its design submissions to the villages and the state, the MTA committed to moving both utility poles and buried utility lines from the south of the tracks (adjacent to homes and parks) to the north of the tracks, near the industrial warehouses, parking lots, and industrial facilities that populate Atlantic Avenue east of Nassau Boulevard. The MTA also noted that 90’ utility poles would be built where prior poles had already existed and that their very size would reduce the NUMBER of utility poles. Indeed, the MTA committed that the only visual impacts from the Third Track might be the presence of barrier walls and sound walls. The MTA’s March 3, 2020 renderings of Merillon Station showed nary a utility pole in sight. Would that such were the case.

Two weeks later, during the pandemic lockdown orders of March 2020, 3TC began erecting 120’ steel poles (93’ high) SOUTH of the tracks without clear notice to residents or consultation with local officials. 3TC later claimed that an email generically referencing the relocation of some poles along the rightof-way served as notice. After the Third

See page 39

Perfectly situated mid-block in the heart of the Estates Section of town, this beautiful Colonial was expanded and provides a most desired open floor plan layout. The home features a spacious living room with a fireplace, an elegant formal dining room with built-in cabinetry, a mud area and a gourmet kitchen with radiant heat, an island and a breakfast area that is completely open to a spacious sun-drenched family room. The second floor boasts a primary bedroom suite with a cathedral ceiling, 2 walk-in closets and a bathroom with radiant heat, an ensuite bedroom and two additional bedrooms that are serviced by a full hall bathroom with radiant heat. The basement offers a generously sized recreation room and gym with exceptional ceiling height and radiant heat. The home is proximate to the park, school and two different Long Island Railroad stations. The location, design and overall condition make this the perfect place to call home! Offered at $1,549,000 Please stop by

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Art lecture planned for Community Club meeting

“Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose” by artist John Singer Sargent

The Art Department of the Community Club of Garden City and Hempstead is very proud to present a live lecture by Marc Kopman on the life and work of the remarkable artist John Singer Sargent. It will be held on Wednesday, March 3 at 1:30 at the Garden City Casino.

When groups of ladies are asked whom they would commission to paint their own portrait if they could pick any artist, living or dead, his is the name most chosen, with Jean Auguste Dominique Inges coming in second.

Marc has enchanted our members with lectures last March on Mary Cassatt and on The Art of Flowers back in November. He has delivered marvelous lecture series on art history, from Renaissance time to the present day, at Hutton House on the LIU Campus for the past ten years. The series he is to present this spring sold out in record time.

Visitors are most welcome. All requirements governing the COVID19 pandemic will be strictly adhered to. Masks will be in place and refreshments will not be served.

His name is often associated with the Madame X Scandal that was the hot topic of discussion in Paris over a shoulder strap that was painted in, what some considered to be, a suggestive manner.

Get rid of your unwanted items by placing an ad for them in our Classifieds! We have reasonable rates, and you’ll have prompt results! Call our Garden City office at 294-8900 for rates and other info.

WE ARE OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR LUNCH AND DINNER Sun -Thurs 11:30-9pm Fri & Sat 11:30-10pm

Grimaldi’s Family Meals Are Back!!

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

*Additional Items May Be Purchased at Regular Menu Price. Toppings Available for Additional Cost. May Not Be Combined with any other coupon, discount, offer or Groupon. Prices Do Not Include Tax or Gratuity, Available for Take Out, No Substitutions*

DURING LENT

Antipasto/Tomato & Mozzarella

Assorted Pinwheels

One Large Calzone per Table with side of sauce

Unlimited Pizza with Toppings

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.

TAKEOUT & DELIVERY

SUNDAY - THURSDAY 11:30-9

FRIDAY & SATURDAY 11:30-10

Garden City Real Estate Market Information

RECENT REAL ESTATE SALES IN GARDEN CITY

Sold Price: $1,258,000

Date: 02/23/2021

Style: Colonial

4 bedrooms, 3 full baths

Total taxes: $16,113

Lot Size: .14 acres

MLS number: 3262725

The Seller’s Team: Sean McCoyd, Coach Realtors Fennessy Associates

The Buyer’s Team: Stephen and Laura Baymack, Coach Realtors Fennessy Associates

Attractive Stone Faced Mott Built 4Bdr 4Bth Center Hall Colonial featuring impressive: 2nd Fl Main Suite W/ Vaulted Ceilings, enormous Kitchen-Great Room Addition & Extended Basement Area. This Mid block home sits tranquilly among other unique homes in a wonderful small town Norman Rockwell like setting. Superb location deep in the Villages sought after Mott Section (a trendsetting area developed in the late 1930’s by the heirs of the Mott Apple Juice fortune). Spacious built to last home in impeccable condition w/elegant design & decor throughout. Extensive gut job renovation performed. Leaving no stone unturned painstaking time and expense paid to ensure all millwork, craftsmanship and finishes maintain a traditional look and feel. Premium Southern exposure property in close proximity to Blue Ribbon Award winning schools, restaurants, shopping & transportation. Quality homes like these are becoming increasingly difficult to find.

46 Prescott Street

Sold price: $950,000

Date: 02/17/2021

Style: Cape

3 bedrooms, 3 full baths

Lot Size: .16 acres

Total taxes: $17,749

MLS number: 3264024

The Seller’s Team: Elizabeth Breslin, Coach Realtors Fennessy Associates

The Buyer’s Team: Jennifer and Joyce Consolazio

Move right in! This beautiful home was renovated in 2012 and offers a lovely family room adjoining kitchen with island and dining area. Living room, office/bedroom and full bath complete the first floor. The 2nd floor offers a spacious primary bedroom with walk in closet, 2 additional bedrooms and hall bath. The basement is spacious and offers a recreation area, storage, utilities and laundry. Beautiful backyard oasis for outfoor gatherings. Renovations include, new kitchen, new baths,windows, roof, heat, central air conditioning.

136 Washington Avenue

Sold Price: $880,000

Date: 02/17/2021

4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1 half bath

Style: Cape

Total taxes: $14,4500

Lot Size: .22 acres

MLS number: 3250621

The Seller’s Team: Margaret Bzdewka, Keller Williams Realty

The Buyer’s Team: Farrah Vaswani, Realty Connect USA

This informational page is sponsored by Douglas

Classic 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath cape cod features living room with fireplace & built ins, hardwood floors throughout. Spacious formal dining room for entertaining. Kitchen and main bath have been beautifully renovated. Full unfinished basement, enclosed sunroom, circular driveway & slate roof add to the charm of this well maintained home.

Elliman Real Estate

Houses featured on this page were sold by various real estate agencies

The Welcoming Club of Garden City

The Welcoming Club created movie night kits for Valentines Day weekend, complete with popcorn, wine, candy and film recommendations.

What's New?

The club organized an asynchronous Valentines Day themed-movie night over the Presidents’ Day holiday weekend. Members were invited to purchase movie night kits complete with popcorn, wine, candy, and festive film recommendations. We hope you all enjoyed a cozy night in and thank you to everyone who took part to support the INN! Registration for Miles for Meals ends Monday, March 1! Sign up now and order your t-shirt for this two-week virtual run/walk/cycle challenge taking place April 5–April 18 to support the INN. Additional information for

the event can be found on the club's Facebook page.

There are still spots available for Couples Night Trivia on Saturday, 3/6 at 8:30 p.m.! Enjoy a night of socializing and some friendly competition, all in the comfort of your own home. Tickets are $40 per couple and include an hour-long professionally run trivia game, custom GC tumblers, dessert for two, entry into our Grand Raffle, and a chance to win the winning prize. Secure your spot now by emailing Danielle at welcomingclubsocial@gmail.com.

The Welcoming Club is now offering virtual Texas Hold ‘Em poker lessons

and hosting beginners games! Each class will be approximately 1 hour + 30 minutes of guided game play. Lessons are taught by the club’s very own poker extraordinaire Jax Russo Curtin! If you are interested, please email Jax at jax. russo.curtin@gmail.com to sign up. Each lesson costs $15 and all proceeds from the event go to the INN. Please visit our Facebook page for more information on available dates.

Tickets are on sale now for two virtual cooking classes with The Cooking Lab! On Saturday, 3/20 at 6 p.m. we’ll be cooking up risotto and chocolate souffle, and on Thursday, 3/25 at 6 p.m. Greek chicken souvlaki is on the menu. You are invited to join us for one or both! Tickets are $35 per class and you will be responsible for buying your own groceries. A shopping list will be provided ahead of time. Please reach out to Deborah at WelcomingClubBunco@ gmail.com to sign up today!

Follow Us!

Facebook: The Welcoming Club of Garden City Instagram: @gcwelcomingclub

Join A Group

Book Club: Enjoy a good book amongst friends. The book club meets every 6 weeks to discuss the page-turner of choice. For upcoming book club events, please email WelcomingClubBookClub@ gmail.com.

Craft Club: The craft club is a great way to meet with friends and get crafty. No experience necessary. We meet every few months to create a seasonal craft. If you are interested in joining, please email GCCraftClub@gmail.com.

Supper Club: Bring your significant others out for this one! This is a great way to make new friends as a couple. You will be paired up with 3-4 other couples to set up a rotation of dinner events. Host your new friends at home or head out to try local restaurants. Please email GCSupper@gmail.com for

more information.

Bowling Club:No experience necessary! We are looking for new faces to join our Wednesday league. Occasional pacers are welcome. Anyone interested, please contact Ellen (Diller05@aol. com) Carol (santa060@yahoo.com) or Liz (mcdea@aol.com).

Bunko: This simple dice game is usually played in a group of 12. It is a great way to meet people and make new friends. The game is easy to learn and fun to play. If you are interested, please contact WelcomingClubBunco@gmail. com.

Toddler Activities: A great way for you and your little ones to make new friends. Activities include stroller walks each week around our beautiful village and a visit to the park. We also set up playgroups with kids of similar age. Please email welcomingclubtoddleractivities@gmail.com for more information.

Golf: Golf lessons at Cherry Valley Club are always a big hit! Golf pro Ed Kelly helps us GCWC ladies improve our golf game. If you are interested in reserving your spot for the fall 2020 session, email WelcomingClubGolf@gmail. com.

Tennis: Tennis lessons and group play begin soon! We play at the Garden City Community Park courts behind the pool. All levels welcome, groups will be formed based on experience. Spots are limited so please contact WelcomingClubTennis@gmail. com to reserve a spot for the 2020/2021 season!

Come join the fun and make a difference! We invite you to join the club! For just $37 a year you will have access to lots of great events and many fun members-only clubs and events. Complete the easy online membership form today at www.thegardencitywelcomingclub. org in the “Join” section of the website. While you are there, browse the site for lots of great information about the club.

Chess is fun, educational, and online

The Long Island Chess Nuts, Long Island’s largest and oldest chess club for children, has gone viral! This non-profit organization started over 25 years ago in Garden City, bringing the benefits and joy of chess to all children. Having had over 2,000 students throughout Long Island attend their in-person

classes each year, they recently started offering online chess programs. Studies have shown that playing chess not only increases confidence and self-esteem, but it also improves reading levels, math scores, and overall school grades. Don’t miss out on joining what is rapidly becoming a very popular “sport” for

children across the U.S.!

The online programs have been enthusiastically received! They are being held for all levels, from beginners to advanced players, and from 1st grade through college level. In fact, a new class for Beginners is starting soon. Registrations are also currently being

Let your voice be heard!

accepted for the spring and summer sessions. In addition, ask about their online chess programs offered through local libraries! For more information, please email chessnuts25@gmail.com or call (516) 739-3907.

Is there an issue in your community you want to discuss? Want to respond to something you saw in our paper? Then write a letter to our editor and bring it to everyone’s attention! Send your letter to editor@gcnews.com and we’ll publish it for you!

OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY & SUNDAY 1-3PM

183 ROCKAWAY AVENUE, GARDEN CITY

This spacious 4 bedroom, 3 bath ranch has been beautifully renovated and perfect for both entertaining or family living. The first floor features an open concept formal living room w/ gas fireplace and formal dining room, an eat-in kitchen, family room, master bedroom with en suite bathroom, 2 additional bedrooms and a full bath. The second floor features a bedroom, full bath and a large office. It is the perfect place to work from home or for separate guest quarters. The finished basement is enormous and has a recreation room, a home gym, a game room, laundry room and utility room. The home features hardwood floors, central air, a 2-car attached garage and a rear patio with gazebo. The private and beautifully landscaped backyard overlooks the golf course and is the perfect retreat. This home is situated on park-like property and is in close proximity to the LIRR, 7th street shopping, restaurants and the Garden City Golf Club. Don’t miss this one!

Asking price $999,950

MICHELLE McARDLE, SRES,

Diligence. Professionalism. Integrity.

No matter what your real estate needs may be, Maureen Lagarde is here to help. Your professional consultation is just one phone call away.

Choral Evensong for Lent from Cathedral Choir

The Cathedral Choir in the snow just before evensong in February

The Choir of the Cathedral of the Incarnation will present a Choral Evensong for the season of Lent on Sunday, March 7 at 4 p.m. All are welcome to join either in-person at the Cathedral or online via the Zoom app. Music sung at this Evensong will include the Jesus College Service (Magnificat & Nunc dimittis) by the Welsh composer William Mathias, on the day of the

50th anniversary of its premiere. Also included on the program is the anthem Like as the hart by Herbert Howells, all sung by the Cathedral Choir. Registration is free but required to attend in person. No reservation is necessary to join via Zoom. The link to register or to join online is listed at the Cathedral website at incarnationgc.org/ connect.

EPOA NomComm seeks director candidates

The independent Nominating Committee of the Eastern Property Owners’ Association (EPOA), which nominates candidates for officers and directors of the EPOA, is accepting resumes from interested East residents who would like to serve on the board of directors beginning in the 2021/2022 year. The first meeting of the new term will commence in September 2021. We generally have one meeting per month from September through early June.

All directors and officers of the EPOA must be dues paying members of the EPOA ($20 annually).

If you are interested in serving as a director of the EPOA, please send a letter and resume stating your interest and qualifications (including any community service experience) to the Corporate Secretary of the Eastern Property

Owners’ Association, P.O. Box 7525, Garden City, NY 11530. Alternatively, you may email your information to contactus@gcepoa.org. No sitting EPOA director or officer serves on the nominating committee that interviews candidates for officers and directors of the EPOA.

Applicants will be contacted by the committee chairperson to set up an interview when they begin the nominating process. The deadline for receiving applications is March 29.

To learn more about the EPOA, how to become a member, upcoming events, and matters concerning the East, you may visit us at our website (www.gcepoa.org), on Facebook (@ GardenCityEPOA), on Twitter (@GC_ EPOA), and on Venmo (@GCEPOA).

THI S WEEK AT ROTARY

East Nominating Committee seeks members

The EPOA has announced that the Independent East Nominating Committee is currently looking for members for the coming year. This fifteen-member group is responsible for interviewing and selecting candidates for both Village and School Board Trustees from the East. This is a critical committee and one that plays a key selection role for two important Village positions. To be considered, you must currently be a resident of the Eastern section of the Village and a dues paying member of the EPOA ($20 annually).

Members elected to this committee

will serve on a rotating term basis, meaning that within each year only five members will be replaced. For this year, 5 members will be selected and assigned a term of three years. The time commitment for each year is a few weekday evening meetings in the fall.

Anyone interested in participating on the Independent East Nominating Committee should submit their name, address, and resume, including a summary of prior community service, to contactus@gcepoa. org. The deadline for submission is March 29.

What Services Does the Rotary Club Provide?

Many prospective members along with folks in general often ask “What is Rotary’s purpose and what services does it provide?

The fact that we have listed the services of the Mineola-Garden City Rotary Club many times, does not mean that these services don’t bear repeating – or, in fact, added to!

In addition to routine services our Club provides are efforts and contributions toward needs as they may arise and for which we can provide funding.

But, traditionally, ongoing services in which our Club has participated throughout the years include: RotaCare, created by our Rotary Club in 1992. RotaCare provides free medical care for those in need. The Gift of Life program provides lifesaving surgery to children from all over the world. We continually support the annual Alford Family’s Thanksgiving Day Program for homebound seniors and those in need. Our Club awards scholarships to both the Garden City and Mineola High School seniors. It supports the Rotary Leadership Program (RYLA) for young students on Long island. Our Club assists the Salvation Army’s bell ringing project to raise funds by ringing the bell during the holiday season. We have distributed dictionaries for every third grader in both Garden City and Mineola throughout many years. Then, along cones a project which during this time of

the COVID-19 pandemic is of greatest importance.

Delivering Masks – One of Rotary’s Most Timely and Needed Services

As previously reported, Mineola Garden City Rotary has responded to the district’s Million Mask Challenge begun several ago. Supported by the Rossi Foundation, Rotary volunteers have been delivering 10,000 masks to be divided between several entities in need.

This past Friday, February 23, Past Club President Joanne MeyerJendras and Althea Robinson, Club Publicity Chair provided 1,000 masks to fellow Rotarian Diana O’Neill, retired Executive Director and current Board Member/Treasurers of the Garden City-based nonprofit Long Island Volunteer Center (LIVC).

Established in 1904, the LIVC is the local resource center matching individuals and groups to nonprofit organizations seeking volunteer support to advance the impact and reach of programming that depends on social capital as the backbone of their operations.

The donated masks will support collaborative work in conjunction with the LIVOAD (Long Island Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster). (The upcoming prom boutique gown giveaway co-sponsored with Nassau Community College, and a Summer of Service campaign geared, is to engaging youth volunteers.)

GC native named to Adelphi Board of Trustees

Monika Mohacsi, a 2015 graduate of Adelphi University, and daughter of Garden City residents, was recently elected to the Board of Directors at Adelphi University.

Monika Mohacsi graduated from Adelphi's Honors College with a BS in physics and continued her combined studies plan at Columbia University, earning a BS in electrical engineering in 2015. That year, she joined the engineering firm Jaros, Baum & Bolles, where she is currently a senior project engineer. Mohacsi has served as a member of the ACE (Architecture Construction Engineering) Mentor Program of America, an afterschool program for high school students, and currently participates in Professional

Women in Construction (PWC) as a member-at-large for the mentorship committee. She was recently nominated and accepted into the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation (BWAF) Emerging Leaders Program, a New-York-based professional development opportunity.

Also elected to the Board were Suhit Gupta and Steve Jones.

“All our new trustees are an excellent complement to the dedicated group of board members who guide our University’s success and future,” said University President Christine M. Riordan. “Our University and board begin 2021 benefiting from their expertise, leadership and unique commitment to our community and our mission.”

editor@gcnews.com to put your engagement or wedding announcement in this paper. Getting married?

Rotarians Althea Robinson, and Joanne Meyer-Jendras (right) present 1,000 masks to fellow Rotarian Diana O’Neill, retired executive director and current board member/ treasurer of the Garden City-based nonprofit Long Island Volunteer Center (LIVC).

114 MONROE STREET, GARDEN CITY

This charming Ranch rests on impressive 80x100 lot in the highly desirable Western Section. Features LR with FP, updated kitchen, MBR with master bath, 2 additional BRs with hall bath. Full basement rec room, office with plenty of storage, utility room & laundry room. Beautiful backyard with brick patio perfect for entertaining. SS alarms, CAC, hardwood & new built-in Vac. ML#3278656 | $968,000

214 STEWART AVENUE, GARDEN CITY

Beautiful storybook Tudor, architect Olive Tjaden designed. Located in the heart of the Estates Section, close to LIRR and the Garden City Country Club. Entertainment sized living room, formal dining room. Updated: kitchen, baths, windows, double driveway and new front landscaping. ML#3245203 | $1,220,000

227 WASHINGTON AVENUE, GARDEN CITY

Classic & graceful brick Colonial boasts 5 bedrooms and 3.5 baths with hardwood floors. First floor features a formal living room, formal dining room, eat-in kitchen, 2 bedrooms, half bath, full bath, laundry room and entrance to yard. Second floor has 3 bedrooms, a full bath and 3 hallway walk-in closets. Plenty of recreational space in the basement with tall ceilings. ML#3229707 | $4,500

111 15 STREET, GARDEN CITY

Sunny first floor 2 BD, 1 bath Coop in beautiful GC Interior features: family rm with custom woodwork & sunny southern exposure. Windowed kitchen with gas stove, washer/dryer, ample storage & silestone. Entire home has brand new carpeting & newly painted. ML#3281117 | $359,000

Overweight truck

An Oceanside company was cited for the operation of a large tractor trailer on Franklin Avenue on February 17th while allegedly 47,000 pounds overweight. According to police, the truck also had a defective suspension system and a defective tire.

Underground truck

The driveway of a Stewart Avenue apartment house collapsed on February 17th, causing the rear of a sanitation truck, which was making a scheduled pick-up, to become trapped in a large hole. No injuries were reported.

Bomb threat

Garden City Police responded to Adelphi University for a bomb threat received via email. With assistance from Adelphi Public Safety, a thorough investigation was conducted, and all appeared to be in order. The investigation is ongoing.

Fire alarm

GCFD and GCPD responded to a fire alarm at a Garden City residence on February 17th. Burnt food was determined to be the cause.

Stormy days

Garden City Police responded to 20 storm-related calls on February 17 and 19, which included auto accidents, disabled vehicles, alarms, and hazardous conditions.

Automated scam

A resident received an automat ed phone message on February 18th stat ing there was a warrant for her arrest followed by instructions to push another number for further information. The victim noti fied Garden City Police, who determined the call was a scam.

Vehicle entered

Garden City Police are investigating the theft of multiple items from a vehicle parked on Meadow Street on February 19th.

Multiple violations

On February 19th Garden City Police arrested a 55-year-old motorist for allegedly driving on Stewart Avenue with eight license suspensions, possession of a forged registra-

tion, unregistered vehicle, uninsured vehicle, and uninsured operation.

Auto theft arrest

After investigating a January 30th incident at the Residence Inn, on February 20th Garden City Police arrested a 24-year-old man for the alleged theft of an auto and violation of a court order of protection against another

Stolen truck plate

A 32-year-old man was arrested for on February 20th for allegedly driving a tractor trailer on Clinton Road with a stolen license plate and a defaced vehicle identification (VIN) number.

Forged tags

A 24-year-old man was arrested for driving on Clinton Road on February 20th while allegedly having a forged registration tag, unregistered vehicle,

FOR SALE BY OWNER

uninsured vehicle, and tinted windows.

Leaving the scene

The Department investigated a report of a vehicle leaving the scene after striking the rear of another vehicle on Old Country Road on February 20th.

Excessive speed

A 22-year-old motorist was charged with driving with excessive speed on Washington Avenue on February 21st as well as possession of a forged registration, unlicensed operation, unregistered vehicle, and uninsured vehicle.

Multiple suspensions

A 24-year-old motorist was charged with driving on Stewart Avenue on February 21st with multiple license suspensions from New York and Florida, possession of a forged registration, child not wearing a seatbelt, unregistered auto, and uninsured auto.

Upon an investigation at TD Bank, on February 22nd Garden City Police arrested a 51-year-old man who

See page 48

175 Meadow Street , Garden City, NY

Newly redone expanded cape midblock with great yard space on 60 x 100 lot. Close to Garden City desirable schools, park, shopping, and transportation. This property is as must see with all its updates, modern lighting, and renovations. All new updated kitchen with modern appliances and open floor plan. This home has 4 bedrooms and lots of storage space. All new modern 1st floor full bathroom with Bluetooth speaker technology. Enclosed sun room overlooking large fenced in yard for privacy. Large basement home theater/media/rec room with all new electric and carpeting, new washer/ dryer appliances in laundry/ storage room. Attached garage with entry into the convenient mud room. New beautifully paved front porch and walkway. Amenities include CAC, new water filtration system, new alarm system, updated electrical panel. Move right in with plenty of space for all. Low taxes with star and all tax exemptions. Unique sale conditions favorable to buyer.

Asking Price $825,000

Call or email OWNER to schedule appointment or more details. Gina 516-232-6577 gbella922@aol.com

Our goal is to restore transparency and engagement so that we can continue with our unique form of government under the Community Agreement. Vote (FABGC)

For A Better Garden City on March 16th.

The recent actions by the current Board of Trustees have made our challenge necessary to preserve our local govermnment. We look forward to doing everything we can to be fiscally responsible while maintaing the heritage of the town we love.

For A Better Garden City (FABGC ) is completely committed to working alongside our POAs and our residents to solve the many issues that face our village. Learn more at fabgc.org

Cosmo Veneziale Mayoral Candidate

Tom O’Brien Eastern Trustee Candidate

Bruce Chester Estates Trustee Candidate

Mary Flanagan Western Trustee Candidate

Terry Digan Central Trustee Candidate

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.

Covid-19 precautions for Village Elections

The Village is taking all safety precautions to keep poll workers and resident voters safe during the Village Election, which will be held Tuesday, March 16, 2021, from 12 Noon to 9:00 p.m. at Village Hall, 351 Stewart Avenue, Garden City:

• Poll workers and voters must wear masks

• Disposable gloves and face masks will be available

• Pens will be used once (voters can take them with them after voting)

• Tables and voting machines will be wiped down with disinfectant wipes every 30 minutes

• Social distancing will be observed

at all times

• The Village is renting a tent so in the event of inclement weather and/or a large crowd, voters can wait under the tent under social distancing guidelines

BANs, Bonds & Refunding Bonds

On February 9, the Village sold Bond Anticipation Notes (BANs), new Bonds and Refunding Bonds. The Village closed on the BANs and new Bonds on February 18. The closing for the refunding bonds will be held on March 2. The results of the sale are as follows: BANs:

the net interest cost is $57,754 or 0.1340 percent. This was a phenomenal result, according to our fiscal advisor they have not seen interest rates this low on BANs.

New Bonds:

Fidelity Capital Markets who offered $148,714.65 in premium and a TIC of 0.26 percent. The Village was able to achieve a net savings of $45,769 on this deal.

The Village sold $43,100,000 in BANs for the Water Fund Well Treatment projects. There were eight bidders, with the winning bid going to BofA Merrill Lynch, who offered a 1.00 percent coupon rate with $373,246 in premium. The interest due at maturity (February 18, 2021) is $431,000, however, netting out the premium offered,

The Village sold $6,809,000 in Bonds for various Village improvements. There were four bidders, with the winning bid going to BNY Mellon Capital Markets who offered $542,399.26 in premium. To comply with IRS tax laws, the premium was used to downsize the par value of the bonds to $6,360,000. The True Interest Cost (TIC) is 1.417 percent with a 23-year maturity. The total interest to be paid over the term of the debt (23 years) is $1,669,758; that is roughly $73,000/year.

Refunding Bonds:

The Village was able to refund the remaining debt of $1,485,000 on 2010 bonds. There were eight bidders, with the winning bid going to

Deputy Mayor Robert Bolebruch, Finance Chairman, noted that a 1.4 percent interest rate over 23 years is impressive considering that a 10-year bond today trades at 1.35 percent. “We’re going out not 10 years but 23 years and we are only paying .05 percent more than a 10-year. That shows the kind of work that you did. Excellent,” he said, praising Village Treasurer Irene Woo and her Finance team.

Trustee Brian Daughney added, “The results of these bond issuances and refinancing is third-party validation that we know what we’re doing in the Village. We’ve been very good at managing our finances. We’ve gotten and kept our Aaa rating. But it’s more than that – they know what we’re doing; they see what plans we have for the future. The Village deserves some plaudits for keeping this in place and keeping things going at a very low cost.”

See page 48

OPEN HOUSE Saturday, Feb. 27th 1-3pm & Sunday, Feb. 28th 11-1pm

Brixton Road, Garden City

Spectacular, turn-key home located on a quiet street in the Estates section of Garden City. This bright and spacious house boasts more than 3,300 square feet of beautiful living space and is perfectly laid out for family living or entertaining.

5 bedrooms, 4 baths, wood burning fireplace, updated kitchen, tons of storage including a large cedar closet. Basement includes an expansive playroom and a home gym.

Numerous updates including new exterior, windows, HVAC system, water heater, landscaping, bluestone/paver patio, and a master bathroom renovation. LIRR station is a 4 minute walk. Taxes have been lowered due to successful grievance.

Mayor Theresa Trouvé

Zoom Town Hall Meetings

The candidates will answer your questions

We want to hear from you!

On Tuesday, March 2nd at 7:30 pm,

Yvonne Varano, Central POA Trustee Candidate

Rich Catalano, Estates POA Trustee Candidate

On Thursday, March 4th at 7:30 pm,

Bob Bolebruch, Mayoral Candidate

Steve Makrinos, Western POA Trustee Candidate

Mark Hyer, Eastern POA Trustee Candidate

On Monday, March 8th at 7:30 pm, All five candidates

You must be a Garden City resident to register for the Town Hall meetings. To register, send an email to your POA with your name and address and specify which meetings you want to attend. You will be emailed the link to the Zoom meeting on the day of the meeting.

Eastern: contactus@gcEPOA.org

Estates: gcestatespoa@gmail com

Central: info@gccpoa.org

Western: gcwesternpoa@gmail.com

Vote the Community Agreement Party to Preserve Your Village

You probably received a mailing last week from the FABGC (“we’re not a political party”) group. This big, glossy and very expensive mailing went to every house in the Village.

FABGC’s five candidate slate means

• A voting bloc with extremely limited experience that takes over your Board.

FABGC wants everything to go to bid, no matter what the contract

• Professional service contracts are allowed for a reason and have always been used properly by the Village. These contracts allow the Village to engage the best possible person for the job.

FABGC wants to “start” Citizen Committees

• There are currently dozens of citizen committees throughout the Village. These include Planning, Architectural Design and Review, Recreation and Parks, Citizen Budget Review and others. POAs also have their own citizen committees.

• The BOT also engages ad-hoc committees as needs arise – such as the current Cathedral Avenue Traffic committee.

FABGC wants to establish an Environmental Committee

• The Citizens Environmental Advisory Board has existed for years.

FABGC claims to support the Community Agreement and the POAs

• FABGC Zoom calls profess their support for these long-standing Village institutions.

• But FABGC’s social media posts mock the POAs as a “disaster” and compare them to the Soviet Union. These are exact quotes.

FABGC claims to support the Village election process and “demand transparency”

• How were the FABGC candidates selected? There was no public solicitation of candidates and no public interview process. They avoided the POA nominating process that allows residents to examine their views. Yet their slate would take over the BOT.

The result: Five candidates—no experience—unprecedented negative change

In contrast, who are your Community Agreement Candidates

• A unique mix of experienced Trustees from the East and West along with new candidates from Central and Estates. A great combination!

• A group who has already dedicated years volunteering for Village government service.

Vote for Bob Bolebruch, Stephen Makrinos, Mark Hyer, Richard Catalano and Yvonne Varano on March 16 at Village Hall or by absentee ballot

Paid for by The Committee to Elect Mark Hyer

WHY YOU NEED TO VOTE ON MARCH 16TH!

Ths year our historic 102-year-old Community Agreement and our Property Owners’ Associations will be on the ballot.

A new political party, FABGC, has been established to oppose the candidates s elected by the POAs based on our traditional form of governance.

What will this mean to the village and to you if the opposition candidates are elected on March 16th?

For the first time in village history, your Board of Trustees would be completely controlled by a Mayor and 4 Trustees that have no prior experience as Trustees!

These individuals would be accountable to the new FABGC political party and its leaders when it comes to decide how to spend your hard-earned tax dollars!

Our unique non-political form of governance will be replaced by contentious elections each and every year -pitting neighbor against neighbor - forever dividing our wonderful Village!

Bob Bolebruch, Mayor

Steve Makrinos, Trustee from Western POA

Rich Catalano, Trustee from the Estates POA

Yvonne Varano, Trustee from the Central POA

Mark Hyer, Trustee from Eastern POA

Bob Bolebruch Rich Catalano Yvonne Varano Mark Hyer Stephen Makrinos

n Plumbing repairs

n Drain cleaning

n Heat repairs

n Installation of appliances

n Installation of toilets & sinks

n Water filtration systems

We pride ourselves on having the most professional and qualified plumbers in Nassau County. Neat clean and courteous.

Garden City PTA News

Final Days for PARP Pen Pal Letters

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 were provided to the students over Winter Break 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 28th. Don’t forget the stamp!

Take Action: Support Funding for Special Education Services for GC Students

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.

Upcoming Board of Education Budget Meetings

The Garden City Board of Education has several 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 under the page’s Advocacy tab. The PTA will relay any information to the Board of Education or provide answers to questions.

• 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

Mark

Your Calendars! Important School & PTA Dates to Remember

• Monday, March 1: PTA School Supplies Sale website opens

• Wednesday, March 3: PTA Health & Safety Awareness Day at High School

• Monday–Friday, March 29–April 2: Spring Recess

Join the PTA, Support Garden City Schools

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.

News From the Children’s Room

The Full Snow Moon

From around the world for two nights – February 26 and 27, 2021 –the moon will likely appear full to the eye on both nights as it lights up the nighttime from dusk till dawn. In North America, we call the February full moon the Snow Moon or Hunger Moon. As dusk turns into darkness on February 26, you may see a bright star pop out rather close to the moon. That’s Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion.  Look skyward on Friday night to catch the best view of this full moon!

It’s known as the Snow Moon due to the typically heavy snowfall that occurs in February. Other Native American names for this moon are: Make Branches Fall Into Pieces Moon, Raccoon Moon, and Hunger Moon.

https://www.almanac.com/content/full-moon-february

Presidents' Day

Presidents' Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February; Presidents' Day 2021 happened this year on Monday, February 15.  The library has a selection of books on all the presidents -  from A to Z!   Come on in and check them out!

February is Library Lover’s Month!

Going to the Library has always been a fun event. What’s better than going into the building and losing yourself in an entire room of bookscan't you just imagine what fantasies you can fulfill?  So much to explore!   Should we go to space today? Solve a mystery? Laugh out loud?  Read some historical fiction? Read a magazine?

The library is an adventure, and I for one, Love the Library!   So, if you are looking for a warm and friendly place to “come in from the cold” why not show your appreciation for National Library Lover’s Month, and visit the Garden City Public Library or check out a library book online?

February is Black History Month

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

Early Winter Programs & Events in the Children’s Department

We have been planning for winter/ spring programs which include: February 1, 2021 - March 1, 2021     (Pre-recorded video)  10:00 a.m.–10:40 a.m.

PREMIERE OF A TIME FOR KIDS WITH A VALENTINE’S CRAFT.

Registration on Eventkeeper at www.gardencitypl.org is required to get a craft, and began  January 19 at 10 a.m.  All crafts must be picked up in advance of the program beginning January 19.  The craft will be led by Miss Karen in a pre-recorded video.  A separate registration is required for each child.   Only those children registered will get a craft.  In addition, the taped program will be available for multiple viewings until March 1, 2021 with no registration necessary.

February 3, 2021–March 2, 2021   (Pre-recorded video) 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.

FAMILY ZUMBA

This fun family program will get you up and moving. It is for children, tween, teens and their families. Join Liana from LI Fit Moms for Zumba. This pre-taped program will be held via Zoom. It will be available for multiple viewings for one month after the premiere date. No registration required.

February 23, 2021–As long as supplies last BAGGED MYSTERY PRIZES! The children’s room has a selection of Mystery Prizes that they have bagged to grab and go!  This is located in the children’s room outside of the Librarian’s office.   Please feel free to come in and take one to go!  This program is for children in preschool and  Grades K-5.  Remember, “no peeking” - you get what you get.  One per person, per day.  Supplies are limited

March 24, 2021, 4:00–4:45 PM MAKE A SPRING CRAFT WITH MISS BARBARA & MISS DONNA

This program is for Children in Grades K–5  Registration is required on Eventkeeper (www.gardencitypl. org) beginning March 9 at 10 a.m. with a separate registration for each child.  The program will be held outdoors on Library grounds.  Crafts will be distributed prior to the start of the program.  Rain date is March 25.  Each participant should bring a mat or towel to sit on.

March 31, 2021, 10:30–11:15 a.m. COLOR YOUR OWN SPRING-THEMED BAG WITH MISS BARBARA & MISS DONNA

This program is for pre-school children (ages 2–5 not yet in kindergarten).  Registration is required on Eventkeeper (www.gardencitypl.org)  beginning March 16 at 10 a.m. with a separate registration for each child.  The program will be held outdoors on Library Grounds.   Bag & Crayons will be distributed prior to the start of the program.  Rain date is April 1 at 10:30–11:15 a.m.  Each participant should bring a mat or towel to sit on.

It’s What’s Happening for Young Adults at the Library

Message Cards for Patrons

When you check out a book at the Garden City Public Library over the next few weeks, you might get a surprise message card created by one of our teen volunteers! Message cards have been placed like bookmarks in books throughout the Children’s, Young Adult, and Adult Departments to send positive messages and brighten the day of patrons who check them out. This community service program has been funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library. Thanks to the tween and teen volunteers who helped make message cards for the program and to the Friends of the Garden City Public Library who funded the program. Make sure to stop by the Library and check out a book to see if you get a message card from one of our teen volunteers!

Teen Mystery Book Display

For the Winter-Spring 2021, take a "Mystery" book wrapped and decorated by our Teen Volunteers! Tweens and teens are encouraged to take home one of our wrapped “mystery” books that are on display for a surprise read. Will your "mystery" book be a total dud or will it become your new favorite book? The only way to find out is to take a chance and take one of our “Mystery” books home! Books are free for patrons to take home. Patrons can take home more than one wrapped "Mystery" books. Books can be any genre, target reading ages 12–18, and were published within the last two years. The display and books will be available as books last. Books have been wrapped and decorated by teen volunteers in Grades 6–12 and were donated by Young Adult Librarian Laura Giunta. Thanks to the tween and teen volunteers who helped make our display possible.  Make sure to stop by the Tweens and Teens Room to take home one of our mystery books!

Teen Ornament Tree Display

Stop by the Tweens and Teens Room to see our Teen Ornament Tree! Each month, the tree will be decorated with new ornaments, created by our teen volunteers! The theme for February is hearts, and each volunteer decorated three wooden heart ornaments using acrylic markers for the tree. This community service program has been funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library. Thanks to the tween and teen volunteers who helped make our tree display possible and to the Friends of the Garden City Public Library who funded the program. Make sure to stop by the Tweens and Teens Room to see the decorated heart ornaments and stop by next month to see what new ornaments are on the tree!

Tree Ornaments for Community Service

Earn community service by paint-

ing 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: Registration began 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.

Teen Advisory Board Meeting

The next meeting of the Teen Advisory Board is Tuesday, March 9, 5 p.m.–5:40 p.m. The meeting is for Tweens and Teens in Grades 6–12. 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, March 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.

If you are interested in helping to come up with some virtual 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.

Teen “Nailed It!”

Dessert Decorating Challenge

Join us for a virtual meet-up, Teen “Nailed It” Dessert Decorating Challenge on Thursday, March 11, 5 p.m.–5:40 p.m. Try to decorate four cupcakes or four cookies based on a surprise challenge before time runs out! Registrants will be asked to have four plain cupcakes or four plain cookies prepared before the start of the program and also have decoration supplies available, such as frosting, icing, food dye, sprinkles, fondant, and candy. Registrants will be given the theme for the challenge at the start of the program and will then have 20 minutes to decorate their cupcakes or cookies based on the challenge. 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, March 2 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.

Teen Crafternoon: DIY Masks on Zoom

Join us for a virtual meet-up, Teen Crafternoon: DIY Masks on Tuesday, March 16, 5:00 p.m.–5:40 p.m. Registrants will be asked to pick up their craft kit in advance in order to participate in this virtual craft program. Please note that an iron or dryer must be used to set color after coloring the mask. 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, March 9 at 10:00 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. This program has been funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.

Tweens and Teens Dungeons and Dragons

Join us for a virtual meet-up, Tweens and Teens Dungeons and Dragons on Thursday, March 18, 4:30 p.m.–6 p.m. Learn how to play the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons by participating in one of our monthly Dungeons and Dragons Meetup! Beginners are welcome! Each meetup will feature a new self-contained, one-shot adventure and players will be assigned premade characters to play as.

We will be using Zoom Video Conferencing for this virtual program. For more information about Zoom, visit their website at zoom.us. Mobile users should download the Zoom app onto their device before the start of the meeting. Please register via Eventkeeper (www.gardencitypl.org) to participate in this virtual program. Registration begins on Tuesday, March 9 at 10 a.m. Registrants will receive an email with the login information to Zoom one hour before the start of the program.

Message Cards for Community Service

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.

Mystery Books for Community Service

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.

Attend a Program in February and March for Community Service

Earn community service by participating in a Garden City Public

It’s What’s Happening for Young Adults at the Library

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.

Social Media Challenges for February

For the month of February, participate in our social media challenges to earn community service credit! February’s challenges are as follows:

• Art: Create a piece of artwork that incorporates a heart or hearts in some way

• Writing: Write a poem, story, or essay about love, whether it be about romance, friendship, family, or any other type of love you can think of

• Food: Make a Valentine’s Day treat

• Question of the Month: What fandom do you love the most and why?

• Reading: Read a book by a black author for Black History Month If you participate in the challenges, earn community service credit by submitting so we can share it on our Facebook and Instagram pages!  Submit for the Art, Writing, Food,

and Question of the Month Challenges here: https://www.gardencitypl.org/ social-media-submission/ . Submit a 300 word book review for what you read for the Reading Challenge here:  https://www.gardencitypl.org/submit-a-teen-review/

Grab and Go Bags

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.

Volunteer Teen Reviewers Needed

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 collec -

tion 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.

Teen-Created Social Media Content

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 Tweens and Teens on Facebook and Instagram

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-theyoung-adult-tweens-teens-department/ .

Teen Advisory Board Applications Now Available Online

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.

Library safety: 60 minute visits, contactless, virtual options

During the COVID-19 pandemic the Garden City Public Library’s most important priority is to prevent the spread of the virus and to protect the health and safety of Library users and Library employees.

While visiting the Library, masks must be worn over the nose and mouth at all times, visits are limited to 60 minutes in the Library, and visitors must sit six feet apart from others at Library tables.  In conjunction with these rules, patrons also may not rearrange furniture closer together, or consume food or beverage during their library visit.  Study rooms and computer areas remain closed. Congregating in groups is not allowed.

To reinforce the rule of 60 minutes in the Library, a pass will be given to each person after they arrive, which lists the end time for their library session that day.  Time in the library will be monitored by security personnel, and concerns addressed by the Librarian-in-Charge.   The Library reserves the right to require visitors

to leave who are not following the above rules and other Library policies.

Library materials should be returned only to the front book drop or inside the lobby on carts marked “RETURNS ONLY.”  Items will be checked in and backdated to their return date after 96 hours quarantine.  Patrons should note that the Library resumed collecting fines on overdue materials on December 1, 2020. Although fines will accrue on overdue materials, they can be paid online ($5.00 minimum) or on your next visit to the Library.  Also note, the Friends of the Library are not accepting book donations at this time.

Librarians may assist patrons with questions about reading or other information needs by phone or email as well as in the Library.  Patrons seeking staff assistance at the Library must keep six feet distance and stand behind floor markings and desk partitions. Patrons who wish a staff consultation

(Reference, Readers Advisory) must sign in the log book.  For contactless assistance, Librarians can also help patrons find the reading, media or information they seek through the many virtual services offered. For academic assistance or online learning, Librarians can suggest one of the databases, where a research article can be sent to your email account, or printed for you to pick up.  To reach a Reference Librarian for assistance, call the Library at 516-742-8405 x5236 or enter your question in the form on the Library’s website at www.gardencitypl.org .

The Library will not hold meetings or programs in the library building until further notice.  For virtual programs, please check the Library’s website and Calendar of Events at www.gardencitypl.org as well as the Library’s Facebook pages for updates and information on the Library’s online resources, services and virtual programs.

The Library has a range of services including virtual or contactless

options to meet the needs of residents. To check out items using the contactless EXPRESS Pickup service seven days a week, simply call the Library or visit the website at https://www. gardencitypl.org/express-pickup/. Visit the library’s website www.gardencitypl.org for many online services, media resources and virtual activities.  There are ebooks and downloadable audiobooks, streaming music and concerts, movies and television programs to watch.  Take an online course or try out a craft project.  For students, online tutoring is available, and job seekers can choose from several tools available online as well. Choose among these options at the Virtual Library at https://www. gardencitypl.org/databases/.

The procedures above will be continuously reviewed by the Library Board and Administration, as needed for safety. The Library is continuing to work with the Village to ensure the safety of Library employees and visitors and to provide excellent library service.

Several Garden City residents were among more than 1,800 students named to The University of Scranton’s Dean’s List for the 2020 fall semester. The Dean’s List recognizes students for academic excellence. A student must have a grade point average of 3.5 or better with a minimum number of credit hours during the semester to make the Dean’s List.

The students are:

Gabriel Ragusa, a senior biology major in the University’s College of Arts and Sciences.

Michaela M. Andriola, a freshman early and primary teacher education major in the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies.

Emily A. Butler, a freshman health administration major in the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies.

Alexa K. Cassese, a freshman health administration major in the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies.

Mary G. Haggerty, a freshman occupational therapy major in the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies.

Jessica F. Yoo, a freshman occupational therapy major in the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies.

Erin K. Healy, a sophomore nursing major in the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies.

Samantha R. DeLaCruz, a junior counseling and human services major in the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies.

Katie M. Tubridy, a junior early and primary teacher education major in the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies.

Alexis G. Pagonis), a senior exercise science major in the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies.

Tylar G. Smith, a senior early and primary teacher education major in the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies.

Owen P. Ascher, a sophomore accounting major in the University’s Kania School of Management. n

Northeastern University is pleased to recognize those students who distinguish themselves academically during the course of the school year. The following Garden City students were recently named to the University’s Dean’s List for the fall semester, which ended in December 2020.

Mason Kufs, majoring in civil engineering

Anne Crinnion, majoring in computer science/environment science

Alex D’Aloisio, majoring in computer science

Zachary Fowler, majoring in mechanical engineering

Alexander Patten, majoring in mechanical engineering

Marena Ramirez, majoring in media arts/communication stud.

To achieve the dean’s list distinction, students must carry a full program of at

College Notes

least four courses, have a quality point average of 3.5 or greater out of a possible 4.0 and carry no single grade lower than a C- during the course of their college career. Each student receives a letter of commendation and congratulation from their college dean.

n

Christina Guida of Garden City was one of more than 300 students who received degrees as summer graduates of the New York Institute of Technology Class of 2020. Guida graduated with a MS and studied Energy Technology.

n

The following Garden City students were named to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2020 semester at Quinnipiac University:

Caroline Cudahy, Ellen Gaine, Daniella Giammona, Steven Martocci, Cara Rumsey, Kaitlyn Stoyer

To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must earn a grade point average of at least 3.5 with no grade lower than C. Full-time students must complete at least 14 credits in a semester, with at least 12 credits that have been graded on a letter grade basis to be eligible. Parttime students must complete at least six credits during a semester.

n

New York Institute of Technology congratulates the 463 students named to the Fall 2020 Dean’s List. To qualify for this academic honor, a student must earn a GPA of at least 3.5 and complete 12 or more credit hours without any incomplete grades. Garden City students named include:

Timmy Cassese, Steven Correa, Stephen Cosola, Caitlin Mahland n

New York Institute of Technology congratulates more than 1,300 students who were named to the Fall 2020 Presidential Honor List. To qualify for the Presidential Honor List, a student must achieve a minimum semester GPA of 3.7 and complete at least 12 credit hours without any incomplete grades. Local students named include:

James Dicairano

Matthew DiCairano

Brandon Pizzingrillo n

William Duff of Garden City, a member of the Class of 2023, has been named to the Fall 2020 Dean’s List at Stonehill College.

To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must have a semester grade point average of 3.50 or better and must have completed successfully all courses for which they were registered.

n

Hope Kelly of Garden City was named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence for the Fall 2020 semester at Johns Hopkins University. To be selected for this honor, a student must earn a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale in a program of at least 14 credits with at least 12 graded credits.

Hope Kelly is the daughter of Gerry

and Liz Kelly and attended Garden City High School.

Hope is majoring in classics and plans to graduate in May 2022.

n

Tess Marguerite Curtin of Garden City was named to The University of Alabama Dean’s List for fall 2020.

A total of 13,128 students enrolled during the Fall 2020 term at The University of Alabama made the Dean’s List with academic records of 3.5 or above (on a 4.0 scale), or the President’s List with academic records of 4.0 (all A’s).

n

A total of 1,453 students were named to College of the Holy Cross’ Dean’s List for outstanding academic achievement during the fall semester of the 2020-21 academic year. The following Garden City students made the list:

Zoe Caponegro, a member of the Class of 2021, majoring in English

Kevin Gorman, a member of the Class of 2021, majoring in history

Leif Johnson, a member of the Class of 2021, majoring in economics

Clare Casey, a member of the Class of 2022, majoring in political science

Alice Russo, a member of the Class of 2022, majoring in mathematics

Christian McGannon, a member of the Class of 2023, majoring in economics

Jessica Toscano, a member of the Class of 2023, majoring in sociology

Kathryn Cappello, a member of the Class of 2024, majoring in undeclared

Frances Curley, a member of the Class of 2024, majoring in undeclared

Timothy Smalls, a member of the Class of 2024, majoring in undeclared

To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must pass four or more letter-graded courses with no failing grades during the semester and earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

n

James Madison University is pleased to announce that the following Garden City students made the president’s list for the Fall 2020 semester.

Brian Colamussi, who is majoring in interdisciplinary liberal studies.

Melissa Whitney, who is majoring in nursing.

n

Jacquelin Morris of Garden City earned Dean’s List honors at The University of Tampa for the Fall 2020 semester. Morris is a senior majoring in allied health. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.75 or higher to be eligible for the dean’s list.

n

Liam Dougherty of Garden City was named to the Dean’s List at Rochester Institute of Technology for the 2020 Fall Semester. Dougherty is in the computer science program.

Undergraduate students are eligible for Dean’s List if their GPA is greater than or equal to 3.40 for nine credits of traditionally graded coursework; they

do not have any grades of “Incomplete,” NE, D, or F; and they have registered for, and completed, at least 12 credit hours.

n

James Madison University is pleased to announce that the following Garden City students made the Dean’s List for the Fall 2020 semester.

Katharine Jushchenko, who is majoring in history.

Cathryn Tateosian, who is majoring in media arts and design.

n Seton Hall University is pleased to announce the following Garden City students who qualified for the Fall 2020 Dean’s list and to congratulate them for their outstanding academic achievements:

Bridget Kenney and Colleen Sullivan

After the close of every semester, undergraduate students completing all courses with a GPA of 3.4, with no grades lower than “C”, qualify for the Dean’s List.

n James Cashwell of Garden City was named to the Dean’s List at Villanova University for the Fall 2020 semester. To qualify for the Dean’s list students must achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or above.

n Alexandra Michael, a sophomore at Cornell University, has been named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence during the Fall 2020 semester.

n Purchase College announced the names of students who were named to the Dean’s List for the fall semester. Students who have earned this academic honor have maintained a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher and taken a minimum of 12 credits. For BA and BS programs, a semester GPA of 3.50 is required. For BFA and MusB programs, a semester GPA of 3.75 is required. The following Garden City students were named to the Dean’s List:

Andre Gavrin who is studying Psychology.

Sam White of Garden City who is studying Psychology.

n Emmanuel College in Boston has named Elizabeth Derderian of Garden City to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2020 semester. To earn a spot on the Dean’s List, Emmanuel students must achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or higher for a 16-credit semester.

n Lana Hess of Garden City has been named to the Dean’s List at Washington and Lee University for the fall 2020 semester.

To qualify for the Dean’s list, students must achieve at least a 3.5 grade point average with a minimum of 12 credits. Lana, a pre-med and classics major, is a graduate of Garden City High School.

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Some good news on the coronavirus front

BY BOB MORGAN, JR.

Strictly for what it's worth, I received my first dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine on Saturday. The injection was close to painless and the whole process was completely uneventful. It was relatively easy to sign up now that am over age 65. I had no side effects whatever from this dose, although my understanding is that the chances of some symptoms is greater after the second dose, which will be administered in four weeks.

I will admit that getting vaccinated, and the possibility that my life will soon be less affected by Covid-19, has made me considerably more optimistic about the disease. Nevertheless, apart from my own personal feelings, I believe that there is growing evidence indicating that the worst days of the disease will be behind us in the next few months. Of course, none of this is to dismiss in any way the enormous human toll of this virus, which has now claimed 500,000 American lives and sickened (sometimes severely) millions more. It is merely to point out that there are real signs of light at the end of this tunnel.

Johns Hopkins medical professor Marty Makary sets out much of the optimistic case. In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece on February 18 called “We’ll Have Herd Immunity by April”. Dr. Makary points out that reported Covid cases have dropped by 77 percent since their peak on January 8. Dr. Makary believes that this sharp decline can only be explained by natural immunity in much of the population that already has had the virus. He believes that in combination with vaccinations, herd immunity will be achieved by April.

A study by Mattthew Conlen and Charlie Smart in The New York Times on February 20 reaches generally similar conclusions. The study estimates that at the current rate of vaccination, herd immunity could be reached by July. If the pace of vaccination is speeded up, the immunity could be reached by May. Even relaxing social distancing would get

to herd immunity in around June, although at the cost of more deaths. The study does point out the possibility of virus mutations delaying progress.

There are encouraging reports from abroad. According to the BBC, the rollout of the vaccine in the United Kingdom is having a “spectacular impact” on stopping serious illness. In the case of persons over 80, one vaccine shot reduces the risk of being admitted to the hospital by more than three quarters.

The news from Israel is even more optimistic. Israel is a leader in vaccination, with more than 80 percent of Israelis over age 60 inoculated, and 32 percent of the total population. The incidence of the virus has dropped sharply among all age groups. Also very significantly, Israeli researchers preliminarily found that the Pfizer vaccine appears to stop the spread of the virus in addition to preventing contracting it.

None of this is to declare total victory over the virus. As noted above, the emergence of mutations could produce strains of Covid that are partially or completely immune to vaccines. No vaccines are completely effective and a small number of inoculated people will still contract the virus. A percentage of people will, for a variety or reasons, be unable or unwilling to be vaccinated.

Still, while it certainly not time to throw away the masks and attend potential superspreader events, there are definitely signs of hope on the horizon. There is an understandable desire to avoid complacency in the public, but  our political and health leaders would do well to recognize the significant strides in fighting the virus and avoid gloomy predictions that the virus (and lockdown measures) will drag on more or less indefinitely. It is not a certainty, but most likely 2021 will be the last big year of Covid, and there is great cause for hope that in a few short months the virus will mostly be retreating in our collective rear view mirror.

Jazz Ensemble to be featured in statewide showcase

Jazz Ensemble

The Garden City High School Jazz Ensemble’s fall 2020 holiday performance was selected to be featured in the New York State Band Directors Association Virtual Symposium’s Pandemic Performance Showcase.

Due to spacing limitations posed by the pandemic, the ensemble was split into two groups this year, each of which recorded and submitted a song to the NYSBDA for consideration. Thanks to the help of Stratford Avenue School technology teacher Michael Davola, who has been a friend of the GCHS Jazz Ensemble over the years, the students presented “Frosty the Snowman” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” under the guidance of Jazz Ensemble director Daniel DellaMonica. Both pieces were chosen, and will take the spotlight from March 5–7 alongside some of the top band programs in the state.

Despite the split ensemble structure and other changes that include wearing masks and playing with bell covers over, the Garden City musicians have

prevailed.

“I am so proud of all of the band students this year,” Mr. DellaMonica said. “How they are able to still practice daily, despite all of the restrictions, is nothing short of remarkable.”

Students’ enthusiasm for their musical involvement is conveyed through feedback from seniors and Jazz Ensemble co-managers Sarah DeCicco and Ryan Padala.

“I really missed playing with my classmates last spring due to the pandemic,” Sarah said. “Being able to come together and to make music has meant a lot to me in my senior year.”

"The number one thing that Mr. DellaMonica has always taught us is to never stop playing no matter how challenging the music may be,” Ryan said. “I’m so grateful that despite the pandemic, we have been able to do just this."

The students are now working on creating more music that they will share this spring.

2021 Eastern POA Scholarship

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.

We

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

Are you a professional?

Members of the

perform their holiday program for the Virtual Performance Showcase. Photo courtesy of Garden City Public Schools

The A.T. Stewart Exchange Consignment Shop

BY MELISSA JAEGER

gloves. We have a sneeze guard on the desk to keep you safe while paying (or consigning). And we recently purchased an air purifier for the Shop which cleans and re-circulates the air in the Shop every hour.

While we want to see you in the shop, we want to make it easy for you to shop in the safety of your home. That’s why we launched our online store last April. Since then, we ‘ve been building the online inventory. And now it’s easier than ever to spend your money! It’s as easy as

1 – Type atstewartexchange.org

2 – Shop and peruse the almost 200 items posted on our site. We add new items weekly

3 – Pay by PayPal

4 – Pick up in the shop, or make arrangements with us if you cannot make it in]

Come check out our flour sac towels and tote bags. If you like the Inis Fragrances of Ireland, we have a nice line of lotion, cologne, sachets and oil diffusers, all with that fresh scent.

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!   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 remember to use our hand-sanitizer when you enter the shop.

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 waittimes to consign. Consignments are now done Wednesday through Friday 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. 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.

I know many of you are nervous about going into the stores. I’ll admit I limit the places I go in order to minimize my exposure. But the Exchange isn’t your ordinary store. We take great care to keep our customers safe – requiring mask-wearing and requiring use of hand-sanitizer and

Make us your one-stop destination for shopping. Whether it’s home décor, personal (jewelry, scarves or pocketbooks) or gifts for the brideto-be, a house-warming, or the man, woman or child in your life. Our merchandise is in mint condition. And our line of NEW gifts and merchandise are purchased new through the NY Gift Show. We have a super line of enamel hinged boxes – lions and tigers and things, holiday bunnies and eggs and other seasonal ones. St. Patty’s Day is coming up.

If you’re not comfortable coming in, please shop online at atstewartexchange.org and come to the Exchange to pick up. We also post photos on the AT Stewart Exchange Facebook and Instagram pages.

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 take/accept silver,

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. Get

GCHS Senior Spotlight: Giovanna Mascia

Giovanna has stepped up to help those impacted by the pandemic. She has made a valuable difference, particularly in the community of Corona,

Queens, which was hit hard by COVID19 and job loss in 2020.

Giovanna volunteered at a food drive hosted by the New York Hall Of Science in November. When she learned of the event, she immediately wanted to get involved and help those in need during the holiday season. As Giovanna handed out turkeys and other food items and assisted with flu shots and COVID19 test preparations, she was deeply touched and grateful for the things she had.

Giovanna saw firsthand how many families were facing hardships as she witnessed the long lines and helped the event run smoothly after the pantry spent months planning for it. Giovanna’s school, community and family are proud of her for assisting others during such difficult times.

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.

WPOA seeks applicants for officers, directors

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 candidates 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.

a gift for some-bunny special!

Giovanna Mascia

Cathedral offers Lenten Bible study

Dean Michael Sniffen preaching online at the Cathedral of the Incarnation

The clergy of the Cathedral of the Incarnation are offering an online weekly Bible study in the season of Lent. Each week will engage the lessons for the upcoming Sunday. “This is an opportunity to go ‘behind the scenes’ in the sermon preparation process,” said the Very Rev. Dr. Michael Sniffen, Dean of the

Cathedral. The preacher for the upcoming Sunday will lead the conversation and share their unique approach to the text. All are welcome to attend.

The series will take place online via Zoom and no registration is necessary. The links are available at the Cathedral website: incarnationgc.org/connect.

EPOA seeks Junior Ambassadors

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 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.

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.

MINT CONDITION WYNDHAM WEST UNIT

NYT business editor to speak at Adelphi event

Enjoy the amazing Wyndham life-style offered by this stunningly renovated open floor plan condominium. Exotic Brazilian Cherry Hardwood Floors - Designer Kitchen with Gorgeous Imported Italian Granite and Top-Shelf Profile Stainless Appliances - Expansive Custom Closets - Spa Baths! All finishes using the highest quality materials available

The Wyndham Community Includes:

• Valet Parking (2 garage spots)

• 24/7 White Gloved Concierge

• Indoor Heated Pool

• Gym with Exercise Room

• Party Room

• Meticulously Landscaped Grounds

Call Today and Live Wyndham in Style!

Offered at $955,000 or For Rent at $6,000

Email: PatShroyer@optonline.net

Adelphi University will host Ellen Pollock, business editor of The New York Times, on Thursday, March 4, for a discussion about pressing issues of today. The event, “Keeping Up With the Times,” from 7 to 9 p.m., is part of Adelphi's Great Minds, Great Conversation series.

The discussion will be moderated by Steve Jones, Adelphi alumnus and president and chief operating officer of Skyview Networks. The event will focus on current affairs, the role of reporters, and decisions CEOs are making when it comes to Corporate Social Responsibility.

“Press freedom is an essential thread in the fabric of our democracy -- now more than ever,” said Jones. “Join us for a discussion about the role media and business play in society and the responsibility we citizens have to understand how these forces are shaping our lives and our children's future.”

Pollock joined The New York Times as editor of Business Day in 2017 from Bloomberg Businessweek, where she was the magazine's first female editor. She previously worked at The Wall Street Journal for 18 years as a reporter and editor. Articles Pollock worked on at the Journal won Pulitzer Prizes in 2003 and 2005. Jones is no stranger to the media industry either. While studying for his bachelor's in social sciences at Adelphi in the 1980s, he was hired as a DJ at WLIR/Long Island. He later worked as a writer, producer and programmer for ABC News Radio. During his career, Jones has held senior management positions at the Walt Disney Internet Group and ABC News, winning multiple Edward R. Murrow Awards, a Peabody and others. He also serves on the Adelphi President’s Advisory Council.

The event is free and open to the public. To register, visit bit.ly/AU3-4-21.

Garden City Kiwanis announces scholarship

The Garden City Kiwanis Foundation has announced that applications are now available for the 2021 Kiwanis Service Scholarship. The scholarship is open to any high school senior residing in the Garden City School District and is awarded in recognition of a student’s commitment to community service. Applications have been provided to

the Guidance Department of Garden City High School and to many of the private high schools in the vicinity. Interested students should contact their guidance department. The application may also be obtained by emailing Carole Russo at cartaxpro@aol.com. The deadline for submitting an application is April 16, 2021.

Steve Jones, president and chief operating officer, Skyview Networks

Ellen Pollock, business editor of the New York Times

The Kordes K orner

John Ellis Kordes

PhotograPhy history

Here is a rare view taken from the upper floor of the Hilton Avenue building at the southeast corner of Seventh Street. It shows two library buildings. The old one from 1956 (originally the G.C. Company building built in 1912) and the new modern library building in the foreground. It is still under construction in this photograph so that dates the photo to 1972.

The new library opened in 1973 and the old one was torn down and replaced with a parking lot. The new library’s modern design surprised a lot of people and even today many still don’t like the outside’s dark appearance. However, the inside is very open and well lit sooo... “You can’t tell a book by its cover” -- can you?!

News from the

Ethical Humanist Society of LI

Thursday, March 4 from 7 to 9 p.m. on Zoom:  “Making Sense of The Radical Right” Sponsored by the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island

A discussion on how to understand the beliefs and practices of the radical right and how to address them.

Discussion led by Dr. David Sprintzen.

David Sprintzen is an emeritus pro-

GCHS alumna receives award for speech research

Gabriella Reynolds (right) with her son, Sebastian, and husband Luke

2006 Garden City High School alumna  Gabriella [Ienna] Reynolds was recently awarded the University of South Carolina’s Breakthrough Award provided to doctoral students for outstanding achievements.

fessor of philosophy at LIU, author of several books, including two on Albert Camus, and one entitled “Critique of Western Philosophy and Social Theory.”

He is a long-time member of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island.

To attend: https://us02web.zoom. us/j/896985586

For more information, call the Ethical Humanist Society office, 516-741-7304.

Gabriella  is in the final stages of her dissertation project evaluating the use of frequency modulation systems in a phonological awareness intervention for children with dyslexia and hearing loss. Gabriella is also a recipient of a  Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Global Small Student Grant international award, which was used to support her research.

Gabriella is a Norman J. Arnold Doctoral Fellow and Sharon Webber Doctoral Student Scholar as well as a Presidential Fellow – currently leading the Presidential Fellows Advisory Council.

Her research has resulted in five peer-reviewed publications and she has conducted presentations on numerous topics. One such publication, titled “ Environment and Emergent Skills in Preschool Children With Hearing Loss” concluded that it is essential that children with hearing loss become active participants during shared book reading and their reading development as a whole.

Gabriella is a 2010 graduate of Georgetown University and 2014 Graduate of Gallaudet University where she obtained her master’s degree in speech and language pathology. She currently resides in Colombia, South Carolina with her husband Luke, a fellow speech pathologist and their son Sebastian.

Virtual Women’s Retreat with Nancy Witter at GC Comm. Church

BY MELVA VICTORINO

How many mirrors do you have at home? What sizes are they? Do you see yourself in a full-length mirror, or from a dimly lit bathroom mirror, fogged by steam after a hot shower? Whatever the size or how many mirrors you have, who do you see? Do you ask, “Who is THAT Woman in the Mirror?”

To help us see ourselves in the mirror, join us at Garden City Community Church (GCCC) on a special Virtual Women’s Retreat offered through Zoom.  It will take place on Friday night, March 5 at 8:00 – 9:00, and on Saturday morning, March 6 at 10:00 a.m.–12:00 (Noon).

So many things are happening a little differently this year, and our

Women’s Retreat is no different. While this is a new format for us, there will be no shortage of Joy, Fun, Laughter, and Contemplation in this Spiritfilled time together.

It will be even more special with Nancy Witter once again gracing us once more with her charm, grace, inspirational jokes, and true-to-life experiences in her own way of drawing laughter to bring home the message to us that we are important and fantastic. Nancy said, “Laughing makes the message even easier to follow. I want to inspire women to find how great they are – they never give themselves enough credit. Women don’t realize all what they do; they need to take a second to realize they’re really good and not to take themselves for granted.”

Nancy is a Certified Life Coach, award winning stand up comedian, motivational speaker, and author of the books, “Who’s Better Than Me? A Guide to Living Happily Ever After” and “All Grown Up…Now What Do I Do?”  Doing comedy for 20 years helped to make her an even more effective motivational speaker. She loves making women laugh while offering encouragement and inspiration through her motivational and comedy and speeches.   Her message to the audience is simple but powerful. She reminds us that we are important, and that we need to give ourselves credit for all we do... large and small.  She asks us to see ourselves through the same benevolent lens (mirror) as we view others. Laughter is a powerful, fun, stress reliever.  Nancy combines the magic of motivation, con-

tent and humor so her audiences leave feeling happy, hopeful and looking at each other saying, "Who is that woman in the mirror?"

Nancy Witter is funny, inspiring and fun to be with.  She is beautiful on the inside and reflects her beauty outward as well. She was Ms. Senior New York and second Runner-Up Ms. Senior America.

Laughter is a powerful and fun stress reliever.  If laughter is the best medicine, then Nancy offers the best prescription for our health and wellness. After being with her, we will end up opening our medicine cabinets (behind the foggy mirrors) and throw away all the prescription bottles that guarantee us “wellness” and “happiness.”   Nancy’s hilarious, insightful, unique talks both entertain and empower women. Nancy wants every woman to feel good about herself and her life. Nancy says, “Life is hard enough, so we need every bit of confidence and self-respect we can muster. She doesn’t care if you just parallel parked into a great parking spot, received your PhD in Archeology, got 20% off a great pair of shoes, or just gave birth to triplets. After each one of these events, large and small, you should roll your eyes upward and with a sly grin say to yourself, I’m better than you.”

The Rev. Lynn Sullivan, Senior Pastor of GCCC and Ms. Margie Price will add to the festivity of this retreat by infusing their own way of seeing ourselves. This gathering is intergenerational and is a good time for women of all ages to enjoy a pleasant time together. GCCC encourages all to come,

invite their friends, coworkers, grandmas, moms and daughters to have fun and focus on our social and emotional health and our need for that.

To register and RSVP, please email churchoffice@thegccc.org. We hope to see you online, it won’t be the same without you! GCCC hopes that out of this Women’s Retreat, we might be able to really see, “Who is THAT Woman in the Mirror.”

Come and join us at GCCC all week long. We have many ways you can participate in worship, programs, ministry services, and events, virtually or in limited in-person activities. We have started re-opening our in-person Sunday Worship Services following Re-opening Worship Guidelines. For information on how to pre-register to attend the service, please contact the church office at churchoffice@thegccc.org. To get information regarding our other 2021 virtual worship services and programs, visit our website www.gardencitycommunitychurch.org.

Garden City Community Church is part of the United Church of Christ and is an Open and Affirming congregation that welcomes people of all ages, races, gender identities, and sexual orientations to participate in the life of our community. The physical church of Garden City Community Church is located at 245 Stewart Avenue between Whitehall Blvd. and Kensington Road. For more information, email  churchoffice@thegccc.org or call (516) 746-1700. And as previously mentioned, you may also visit our website at  www.gardencitycommunitychurch.org.

Musical program by singer-entertainer Jim Papa

BY KATHY MCCORMICK

On Wednesday, January 6, at the Garden City Casino, the General Program Committee presented an afternoon of music and entertainment featuring Jim Papa. Jim was born in Brooklyn, New York and his first word was “hop,” a reference to the number one hit, at that time “At the Hop”. At the age of eight a group of scout leaders were putting together a Christmas show they had all the scouts try out, and much to everyone’s surprise Jim blew them away. They were so impressed they gave him the lead. At the age of

ten, Jim’s family moved to Flushing New York where he developed his style and love of music. There he learned to read music, play tenor saxophone, performed in several plays and was in his high school band.

Jim entertained us with songs from Frank Sinatra, the Beatles and of course Elvis. He has a great personality and voice and it was a great performance. Having a lighthearted afternoon of music bringing back memories of olden times, especially with songs from Sinatra, was a perfect fix for this COVID world we have been living in. It was

Conversational, opinionated, wordsmith?

We’re looking for writers in our community to compose articles on local topics, opinions, reviews, worthy places to visit on Long Island, and even pieces of fiction. We aim to feature at least one new article and writer each week in our Discovery magazine section.

Email submissions: editor@gcnews.com

• Attach article and any photos (1MB), along with your name and contact info.

• Articles must be between 1,500 - 3,000 words. • Each writer will be reimbursed a stipend of $25.⁰⁰

wonderful to have a live performance. In 2001, Jim decided to live out his dream and made his company Magical Music a full time venture. Since then, he has entertained at hundreds of Weddings, private parties, fundraisers and more. Jim has become one of the area’s busiest and most requested entertainers. Everyone enjoyed the program and left with a smile on their face.

If anyone is interested in joining the Community Club please contact our club office at 516-746-0488 on Tues., Wed., or Thurs. between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Jim Papa

Nancy Witter

Fireworks at Village Board meeting as candidate slates clash

wells is addressing emerging contaminants.

Daughney believes this will address any posts online that the Village of Garden City “ignored issues regarding emerging contaminants or trying to put a spin on this issue for apparently their own self-interested and misguided purposes.”

“As we have stated for years, New York State did not even address these issues until early 2020. Even now the water industry is still experimenting in different technologies to address how to address emerging contaminants. We point out to you that many commentators and scientists in the area of water quality didn’t even identify the issue and started referring to them as emerging contaminants only in 2018. The biggest thing I have heard lately is ‘why aren’t we tying into the New York City water system, as that will solve all our problems’ -- that idea is incorrect and it’s missing important information. In 2019 at one of our Board meetings we had consultants including James Roberts (senior VP at H2M Architects + Engineers) who spent 34 years working for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection which is in charge of the city’s water system. His last 10 years at the DEP was spent in charge of the water supply and delivery of the NYC in-city water system. He was a deputy commissioner, and quite frankly he is far more qualified to address this issue than anyone making posts on this topic on social media. Garden City residents would benefit from listening to Mr. Roberts’ analysis,” Trustee Daughney said.

Daughney noted that the information will be updated with current developments and the complete literature will be mailed to every village resident.

Of note, he also said the “infrastructure and technical issues involved with potential tie-in to the New York City water supply would require millions of dollars to pay for, and it would take years to implement….the existing water system of New York City is designed to deliver water to that geography (the five Boroughs) and the extension of the delivery infrastructure beyond the Nassau County line will require study, investment, improvements and agreements that would likely take years to execute. It would be subject to extensive environmental and land use law/zoning reviews by all those involved and it would likely trigger a state comprehensive planning effort,” Trustee Daughney explained.

Trustee John Delany offered to make the motion for the Village Board to suspend the meeting rules and add an agenda item Tuesday, to authorize up to a $5,000 expense for the publishing and mailing “of Garden City water information so that our residents have complete

information and knowledge.”

Ultimately Trustee Daughney made this motion, seconded by Trustee Colleen Foley. The Board unanimously approved suspending the rules to discuss the new Board action, but Tuesday’s Board vote on actually allocating this $5,000 expense was not unanimous. It was a rare 7 in favor with 1 opposed: Trustee Louis Minuto voted against it.

“I am not on Facebook but I know a lot of the FABGC political party is speaking to themselves a lot. I am not so sure replying to the lies put out there (online) is worth spending $5,000 -- it is my point of view and I understand that the other seven trustees are feeling compelled to put this information out. I just don’t see the need to dispel what is said, and I think they mostly talk to themselves,” Minuto said.

Daughney says he “totally understands” where Minuto is coming from with this opinion because of the expense and the necessity for the municipality to address comments and opinions posted online. “It is incredibly frustrating to consistently be fighting falsehoods, lies and rumors but I just feel it is important to address,” he said.

Remediation at water wells

After a resident’s question during the meeting, Village Administrator Ralph Suozzi said the AOP treatment systems for Village of Garden City wells “are on a very aggressive schedule and will go online (live) immediately. We have every intention of meeting water protection deadlines of the summer 2021 pumping season.”

During the meeting, members of the Board and members of the For a Better Garden City group traded barbs. The For a Better Garden City group is seeking to elect five members to the Board during the upcoming March 16th village election.

Others participating were stalwarts of the POA and volunteer municipal boards or community groups, including Environmental Advisory Board member and East resident Leo Stimmler, who called out Veneziale for apparent support of former Environmental Advisory Board member and attorney Nick Rigano.

Stimmler, who is a current member of the EAB, said that the Community Agreement candidates including the current trustees of Bolebruch and Trustees Mark Hyer and Stephen Makrinos will be better than the “recently-formed FABGC at protecting our drinking water.”

mayor, has become a disciple of Nick Rigano who was described by Veneziale as a prominent environmental attorney….On Tuesday March 16 I will vote for Deputy Mayor Bolebruch, Trustees Hyer and Makrinos and the CAP candidates ,” Stimmler commented.

According to an article in Newsday on December 11, 2020 Rigano is counsel with Melville-based Rigano LLC, which represents Long Island Pure Water, an advocacy group seeking to have Long Island tap into New York City’s water supply instead of seeing Nassau municipalities spend many millions to treat Long Island’s groundwater. Trustee Daughney has noted that the New York City water supply includes the addition of fluoride and the County Health Department forbids this among local Nassau-based drinking water suppliers (municipalities and water districts).

According to the Newsday article, Rigano confirmed that his group received funding from major chemical corporation Dow Chemicals. That aspect has sparked a flurry of negative reactions from Garden City residents and elected officials.

FABGC candidates respond

Veneziale was not at Tuesday’s Zoom meeting to speak for himself and clarify his positions. However, his FABGC co-candidates including Tom O’Brien (Eastern POA), Bruce Chester (in the Estates), Terry Digan (Central POA) and Western POA resident Mary Carter Flanagan all attended, and two spoke during public comments. The FABGC has pointed out that its weekly Zoom meetings are attracting upwards of 80 and often 100 village residents to each live session.

Following Tuesday night’s Board meeting, FABGC responded to The Garden City News’ request for reaction to trustees’ implications:

“The CAP candidate for Mayor (Bolebruch), in his efforts to silence Nick Rigano, and leading to Nick’s well publicized resignation from the Village Environmental Advisory Board in October of 2018, is consistent with a deeply troubling pattern we have highlighted in our articles of going to great length to silence resident input. This is not good government and Garden CIty deserves better,” FABGC said in its statement.

Regarding the characterization of Nick Rigano aired during the Board meeting, the FABGC offered this clarification:

“We would like to remind the residents that Nick’s statement regarding his Environmental Advisory Board resignation ‘solely relates to the public being notified so residents could make an informed decision.”

nizes the complexity of our municipal water issue -- one of the cornerstones of our campaign in the village is transparency. Mr. Stimmler, Mr. Veneziale is not stating Nick Rigano as his lawyer but he is just recognizing him as an environmental attorney with expertise, as well as a Garden City resident and former volunteer (EAB member),” she said.

Mary Carter Flanagan also addressed recent comments on social media.

“From what I saw, was brought up by a resident who I do not believe has anything to do with FABGC but someone who just is concerned -- and I think this was from the Village’s letter on the water system to residents in Garden City that has triggered posts on social media. It’s not anything that FABGC has stated online. As far as our issues and the Village Board’s transparency, it does not go to the issue of what decisions the Village has made and the path we are on for our water treatments. It is not something I or any FABGC candidates have taken a position with or criticized the Village on,” she said.

Trustee Minuto shot back and said she can’t make a statement on behalf of the FABGC candidates not purporting facts “if you are running as a block, and your own candidate for mayor commented online several times, supporting the guy (Rigano) who is secretly working at Dow Chemical which makes 1,4 dioxane,” he said. Carter Flanagan replied that there is no truth to what Minuto stated.

Deputy Mayor Bolebruch said Veneziale made an online comment, where apparently he has referenced and supported previous points Rigano made to village officials in 2018 and 2019, “that there should be a complete investigation of what the Village had been doing,” but this is a topic we have communicated to our community about more than any probably any single topic that we have done.

“I have stated it many times that this village has been over a year ahead of almost anyone else out there -- we hired the best experts in the country and the village, with Administrator Suozzi, has been coordinating with all the infrastructure and things we are working on with village wells. Yes many people see the discoloration of water and the filters which a lot of it has to do with the brand new water tower (on Old Country Road) and to where we are tapping in to other communities to share the water supply with them. None of four of you said anything directly but Cosmo did come out and post online about the infrastructure investments and more going on that there should be an investigation into what’s going on in the village water system. This is basically misleading the residents and telling people this Board has not been addressing this topic, that From page 1

“To comply with Gov. Cuomo’s new water standards that were just enacted last July the Board of Trustees including (the aforementioned three) voted to spend millions of dollars to remove 1,4 dioxane from our water supply. In contrast it appears to me that Mr. Veneziale, Deputy Mayor Bolebruch’s opponent for

Western section candidate Mary Carter Flanagan told the Board and residents listening over Zoom on Tuesday:

“I for one and all of FABGC recog-

Village: Garden City water is safe

From page 6

Relevant to the social media posting that claims that we must tie into the New York City Water System to solve all of our water issues, consider this fact: Water in the New York City Water System is fluorinated. Some people believe that fluoride is not a beneficial additive to water and causes all sorts of problems for humans; in other words, fluoride is not “safe.” In fact, Nassau County prohibits fluoride in water. So, doesn’t that mean that New York City water is unsafe?

Let us be clear on the central point: No one at the Village level is ignoring the standards and the science to address improving our water.

What are we doing to improve our water?

The Village Water Department and Board of Trustees created an action plan in early 2019 to get ahead of any potential issues. At the September 19, 2019 public Board Meeting, the Board approved an additional $5.1 million of spending on our Water System to address 1,4-Dioxane and PFAS, in addition to the $16,450,000 previously approved. Since that time, we have committed millions more to implement additional systems and technology. It is important to note that the Village’s Water Supply is tested daily to ensure all standards in regard to safety and quality are being met. The Village continues to spend and invest in infrastructure to ensure the safety of Village water.

The Village has also filed litigation with many other municipalities to hold the manufacturers of these contaminants accountable because the Village firmly believes residents and ratepayers should not be held liable for the expense of cleaning up the mess left behind by the companies responsible for the pollution.

Notwithstanding that the Village has until May 2022 to meet the new emerging contaminants standards, we expect that every well in our water system will satisfy all New York State standards for these emerging contaminants within the next six months. Several of our wells already meet these standards.

Do we wish we could do so sooner? Of course, but anyone arguing that the Village has ignored these issues is wrong and trying to put a spin on the issue for apparently their own self-interested or misguided purposes. As we state above, New York did not even approve these standards until early 2020 and even now, the water industry is still experimenting with different technologies to address how to remove emerging contaminants. We point out to you that many commentators and scientists in the area of water quality didn’t even identify the issue and first started referring to them as “emerging contaminants” in 2018. We note for you that one

of the loudest Village critics on social media stated as follows in two published articles in December 2018 (note the date – December 2018):

Emerging contaminants, 1,4-Dioxane and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), in the groundwater and drinking water supply are the new environmental crisis … There are several factors contributing to why the issues associated with these emerging contaminants are only recently surfacing … Advances in technology have enabled us to modify and enhance existing methods in order to detect lower concentrations and limits of 1,4-Dioxane, as well as many other emerging contaminants. These advances have allowed us to have an awareness of just how prevalent these chemicals are in our environment and an understanding of what needs to be done to limit the public from harmful exposure.

So why can’t we tie into the New York City Water System?

One of the Village’s Water Consultants, H2M, presented certain information on these issues at the September 19, 2019 public meeting held by the Village. Mr. James Roberts, PE, spent 34 years working for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, which is in charge of the New York City Water System. His last 10 years at NYC DEP were spent in charge of the water supply and delivery system for New York City’s in-city water system. His title was Deputy Commissioner. Mr. Roberts is, quite frankly, far more qualified to address this issue than anyone making posts on this topic on social media.

At the prompting by Members of the Board, Mr. Roberts addressed the idea of whether the Village would be able to obtain water from New York City. The takeaway? This theoretical solution involves massive technical, monetary and political issues. None of these can be solved by our Village alone or in less than a period of 5-10 years. This information is based not only on the expertise of Mr. Roberts, but also reflects discussions that the Village had with New York City. Again, facts disclosed and discussed previously in Village Board Meetings and Meetings of the Environmental Advisory Board. We summarized some of the issues and problems in our October 2019 release:

• Even if New York City were willing to do so, and there was no third-party opposition, the infrastructure and technical issues involved would require millions of dollars and take years to implement. Who would pay for it?

• The existing New York City Water Distribution System in Queens is designed to deliver water to that geography. Extension of the delivery infrastructure beyond the Nassau County line would require study, investments, approvals, agreements, etc., and would

likely take years to execute. It would be subject to extensive environmental and land use review by all the involved agencies and would likely trigger a comprehensive planning effort.

• These changes would require upgrades or new systems to reach the Nassau County border, let alone Garden City, including new infrastructure through other villages. It would require a new water pipeline to supply us with water from the New York City System. Who is to say that these other villages would be so quick to agree to the digging and disruption?

• The New York City System applies fluoride to its water supply. Fluoride is currently not approved by the Nassau County Department of Health. Further, while not believed to be an issue that is impossible to overcome, water chemistry and the application of corrosion-inhibiting chemicals such as orthophosphate in the New York City supply would require careful testing within the Village to ensure there were no unintended consequences, particularly with issues where galvanized and lead service lines exist. The Nassau County Department of Health prohibits any use of fluoridation in water in Nassau County and therefore any New York City water would have to be treated (another added cost) to remove the fluoride.

• It is unlikely New York City would enter into an unconditional agreement to provide potable water to the Village. It

is reasonable to expect that in the event of a drought or catastrophe, New York City would be compelled to serve its constituents first and reserve the right to cease supplying the Village. Thus, we would still be required to maintain our own water system as a backup and keep it working and in compliance with state and local health standards, including incurring the cost of treatment to meet applicable 1,4-Dioxane and PFAS standards. Tying into the New York system would not save us any money.

Where does this leave us?

The Village embarked on steps to address these issues well before many other Villages and Towns. We expect our systems to be fully operational to address these emerging contaminants within the next six months, if not sooner. Thus, we will have solved the issue well before any shovel to tie into the New York City Water System would have touched the ground. As we have said many times, and as anyone who has attended our Meetings during the last two years would have heard loud and clear, the Village Board wants every resident to know that it is acting to address these issues, is committed to fixing the issues and is fixing these issues. We have hired the best and brightest. There is no cheap or easy fix but we are acting quickly and responsibly at every turn.

Village of Garden City Mayor and Board of Trustees

Third Track Committee has failed Garden City

Track Committee sent an April 8, 2020 letter to the MTA protesting a litany of violations of signed agreements, the MTA brazenly responded that all activity was conducted on the LIRR right-ofway and required no permissions and no notifications.

A subsequent FAQ presentation from the LIRR Expansion team indicated that the poles were extra tall to avoid trees. Of course, all nearby trees had been cut down previously, so that argument is laughable. The industrial East Atlantic Avenue section of Garden City Park has no trees and would require no such massive poles. However, honoring the MTA’s commitments would have required interruptions to some train schedules at a time when trains were 10% occupied and the incremental cost/ time to 3TC of moving buried utility lines north of the tracks.

That same FAQ indicated utility lines could not remain buried because they needed to be above-ground for “redundancy”. And cost. And scheduling. In other words, buried lines could not remain buried because they are cheaper to maintain above ground— although now subject to more atmospheric weather and wind events.

Now the number of monster poles, multiple new wooden poles, and scores of new wires connected to them (from two- to nine-stories high) have multiplied many-fold while generating untold levels of electromagnetic fields. We are done with low-hanging spaghetti wires hidden from view; the MTA/3TC produced sudoku-like matrices of high voltage wires in full view of the Northern Estates. The MTA’s vision of a Modern LI apparently has no trees, lots of industrial poles, and nine-stories of electromagnetic fields irradiating entire neighborhoods.

Complete reversal in Third Track Committee posture

Following an April 8, 2020 letter to the MTA, which detailed a wide range of violations of the Memorandum of Understanding (shepherded by former Mayor Daughney himself), the Third Track Committee went into hibernation, avoided any overt actions to follow-up its accusatory missive, and pursued no legal interventions to cause 3TC to cease-and-desist their willful actions. Indeed, following a blunt response from the MTA that its subcontractors would continue with their plans on MTA right-of-way property, the Third Track Committee essentially contorted itself to echo whatever rationalizations were provided by the MTA/3TC.

In a bizarre July 2020 public statement, the committee took a report from Beveridge & Diamond and proclaimed that it had little chance of succeeding in court, so getting a variety of trees to remediate the fourteen monster poles

was as good a solution as possible. Let’s move on, nothing to see here. After lollygagging for three months, the committee’s public pronouncement was an indefensible undermining of the legal remedies available to the Village and its residents.

NY Public Authorities Law § 1020-ii specifically addresses utility poles related to the Long Island Power Authority. Until ownership is passed, the MTA claims the law is inapplicable to them. However, the MTA is not in the business of erecting, owning, and maintaining utility poles and will release them to LIPA/PSEG in the future. This MTA argument is a bald-faced attempt to retrospectively rationalize a subcontractor’s cost-driven decisions during the COVID-19 lockdown that violate the spirit of the new law.

The Third Track Committee acknowledged that the NYPA law did not specify penalties for its violation. Given the recency of this law, it is unfathomable that the committee obsequiously accepted prognostications about court interpretations of a new law without consulting with firms that had successfully litigated against monster poles on Long Island.

Open questions for the Third Track Committee

What new information was conveyed to the Third Track Committee after April 8 that completely changed its posture from defending Garden City residents to dutifully mirroring MTA/3TC talking points? Is it that the MTA/3TC refused to change course after a single written correspondence?

Was the Memorandum of Understanding with the MTA unenforceable or poorly constructed? The committee never explained its 180 degree turn in handling the monster pole issue after April 8, 2020, so Garden City residents remain in the dark about this jarring reversal more than 300 days later.

What has the Third Track Committee derived from its presumably ongoing discussions with the MTA since its July 2020 surrender? Are the year-long discussions toward a final landscaping plan in abeyance? What is the status of its application for supplemental landscaping funds to help the neighborhoods adjacent to the project? How and when will the nearly $2 million in community benefit funds be released and deployed to remediate the Estates section? The committee’s silence is deafening.

While Mayor Trouve and Trustees Minuto & Hyer have supported the affected Garden City residents from the outset, the rest of the Board of Trustees has largely succumbed to the Third Track Committee’s appeasement strategy that would permanently enshrine the blight wrought by the MTA/3TC. What an execrable outcome in contrast to

the Third Track Committee’s self-congratulatory 2017 press release which pronounced that the MTA had “committed—in writing—to the promises that had been previously communicated to us.”

When you find yourself in a hole, first stop digging

That Will Rogers adage applies to the March election for Garden City trustees. When certain trustees have enabled and emboldened a hostile counterparty to abuse their agreements with the village, the first step to fixing the problem is replacing said trustees.

Some folks have mischaracterized the slate of FABGC (For a Better Garden City) candidates as an existential threat to life as we know it in Garden City. The irony is that the POA candidates have submitted fear-mongering letters, ostensibly from the “Community Agreement Party”, making wild accusations of FABGC attempting to upend the village’s form of government. As Col. Sherman T. Potter often exclaimed: HORSE HOCKEY.

Elections are not rituals for 200 people to merely affirm the anointed candidates of small unelected nominating committees. Elections are the very gears of democracy empowering citizens to choose representatives who reflect their concerns, priorities, and values. The absence of alternatives in many prior

village elections has depressed turnout and participation since outcomes were never in question.   Isn’t it unsettling that representatives within the village government on the “Community Agreement Party” portray electoral opponents (who are civic-minded fellow GC residents) as “rogues” and interlopers?

This year’s FABGC candidates have emerged to present Garden City voters with a choice: endorse the status quo or replace certain trustees with people who have all agreed to transparency, open meetings, communication, fiscal responsibility, and a path forward on long-standing village issues. When incumbent trustees tout “experience”, residents should rightly question whether they like the outcomes attributable to that experience.

If you are happy with the handling of the MTA’s nine-story electromagnetic fields and monster poles, the proposed $10 million firehouse, the Casino imbroglio, and the ousting of the Cathedral Nursery School, then endorse the status quo and you will get similar outcomes. If you seek change, you should choose different (FABGC) representatives who will not continue down this rabbit hole of questionable decisions that have eroded Garden City’s quality-of-life. When you are in a hole, first stop digging.

New local laws ban junk cars, construction debris from properties

From page 1

Kenneth Jackson said in enforcing the Village Code and its subsections the GCPD will normally issue a warning and then “go back after a certain period of time to observe if there is compliance thereafter.”

Construction materials storage

The local law on “Storage of Construction Materials and Construction Equipment on Residential Property” adds in Chapter 69 to the Village Code, as residents will no longer be permitted to store materials used for construction projects taking place at their home or elsewhere outside, as there is apparently a visual degradation and “unsightly” appearance presented to Garden City neighbors and those out exploring the community, such as potential home buyers.

Village Attorney Bee clarified that this pertains to materials related to or used for construction projects.

“Construction equipment is defined as the equipment and supplies commonly used with construction and construction projects. Storage of such materials and equipment would be

prohibited on residential property for longer than nine months after a homeowner completes a project (typically the projects that would get a certificate of completion from the Village’s Building Department) or for 30 days in any 90 days in any period if no project was completed; or for an aggregate of more than 45 days in any calendar year,” he said.

The prohibitions on construction equipment would not apply if the materials are stored on a Garden City residential property “in a neat, orderly and safe fashion as determined by the Village Superintendent of Building.”

Trustee Daughney said that this represents a quality of life matter. But he made the important distinction that the new local law would not impact any current projects or projects that homeowners have received a valid certificate from the Building Department for “while you are doing the project.”

“I think it is important that we keep construction equipment and materials out of people’s yards. This applies to post-construction and post-permit stuff... It is not fair to neighbors. If you have finished redoing the patio or some

masonry you have nine months to get rid of it. The materials can attract vermin and are unsightly,” Daughney said.

Junk cars

The other Local Law, amending Chapter 193, Article XIV of the Village of Garden City Code Entitled “Parking Non-Operational Vehicles in Residential Districts.” Village Attorney Bee said the law, as proposed before the Board, defines the issue with the phrase “non-operational vehicle in meaning any vehicle that cannot be lawfully driven on the public on public streets for more than 60 consecutive calendar days or an aggregate of 90 days within a six-month period.”

The new local law also prohibits such vehicles from being parked for longer than 90 consecutive days in a residential district, Bee explained.

Trustee Daughney noted this as a quality of life concern if residents have “junk cars parked in their yard.” There are parts of the country, many states in the South, where “yard cars” are often considered landmarks rather than a neighborhood eyesore.

Trustee Daughney said the cars’ appearance and stationary spot on

driveways or on properties “is not fair to people’s neighbors.” No other trustee offered a comment on this. But East resident and Rec. Commission member Judy Courtney asked how this local law would be monitored in the village. Mayor Theresa Trouvé’s replied that the GCPD would enforce this just as with any other village law. Courtney then probed further,

“I believe that when there are other ordinances associated with your property, unless you get a complaint it is not necessarily enforced and ticketed -- does a resident have to make a complaint against their neighbor for this offense, and if so what is the fine?” she asked.

Village Attorney Bee clarified, “as with any other local laws the violation can come to the attention of the GCPD in any number of ways, including if officers on patrol see an abandoned vehicle sitting at the same residence day after day or neighbors might make a complaint. The local law’s penalty for any violation would be the same as for any other violation of Village Code which from recollection I believe is $1,000 per day. Ultimately the Village Justice would set the fine,” he said.

Fireworks at Village Board meeting as candidate slates clash

From page 37

is unfair and it is just not right. We have put information in The Garden City News, we’ve mailed out flyers, held meetings and brought in experts (from H2M) -- it is erroneous to say that this Board of Trustees has not been open and ahead of the curve on this just not telling the truth or transparent,”

Bolebruch commented.

As a final point, the deputy mayor spoke to the community about drinking bottled water, whether individual (12 oz.) or large water tanks of several gallons:

“All the water you get, whether Poland Spring, Deer Park, Nestle, all of them or whether you get the large gallon tanks -- the plastic bottles have

1,4 dioxane. If they ever get frozen or too hot, the 1,4 dioxane comes out from the plastic into the water that you drink. Even if you are storing them very well with temperature-controlled settings. How about the pallets that were trucked in on or sitting in some warehouse that might be freezing or at 90 degrees in warm weather, before you purchased it? The reality is that the Board of Trustees

is aware of every issue and it is frustrating to us as the board, let alone people running for trustee positions, because we have communicated this to our residents over and over again. It should never be an issue brought into the March 16, 2021 election campaigning,” Bolebruch said.

From page 2

Track Project.

Handicap Parking: The Board denied the request of Gerry Kelly, a handicapped resident, for 3 handicap parking spots on 7th street. The Board forced him to sue the Village to vindicate his rights under the American Disabilities Act. After the litigation began, the Board replaced its Village Counsel with new counsel experienced in the rights of the handicapped. The Board then quicky settled the case. It granted Mr. Kelly’s request and paid its new counsel over $100,000 in fees and expenses. Mr. Kelly’s rights under the Act were clear. His request should have been granted at the outset. The Board owes him an apology for its shameful conduct.

Retaliation: The Board attempted to destroy the Garden City News for criticizing it by revoking its designation as the Official Village newspaper and stopping news releases about Village activities. This mean-spirited attempt failed when the Board discovered its action was illegal.

Now is the time to restore the values that made Garden City a great place to live and raise your families.

Vote Cosmo Veneziale, for Mayor and for Trustee Candidates, Tom O’Brien, Eastern Section, Terry Digan, Central Section, Bruce Chester Estate Section and Mary Carter Flanagan, Western Section

Thomas M. Lamberti

Vote Cosmo for Mayor

To the Editor:

The undersigned members of the WPOA Firehouse Committee endorse Cosmo Veneziale for Mayor of Garden City in the March 16 elections. Although not the official position of WPOA Firehouse Committee (which does not make endorsements), this endorsement is based on the well-formed opinion of the undersigned members.

As a well-respected architect and member of Garden City’s Architectural Design Review Board, Mr. Veneziale was a key member of WPOA Firehouse Committee who volunteered countless hours in preparing a detailed restoration plan for the Station 2 firehouse on Edgemere Road. The Committee’s plan preserves an iconic firehouse while also saving taxpayer money, and is a superior alternative to the design plans from PKAD, the outside architect approved by the Board of Trustees, who estimated that the cost for demolishing and reconstructing the firehouse from their designs may total $10,000,000. If elected Mayor, he has assured us that neither he nor his architectural firm will receive any compensation for his restoration plan for Station 2 and will not bid for any architectural services contract with the Village.

Mr. Veneziale was also instrumental in shaping the Committee’s position

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Email: Editor@GCNews.com

that the Board of Trustees have a fiduciary duty to the residents to review certain due diligence documents with regard to firehouse plans, that have not been yet been produced, including a Needs/Risk Assessment for Fire Station 2. His opponent in the Mayor’s election, the incumbent Deputy Mayor Robert Bolebruch, has not agreed that the BOT should produce or review the due diligence documents before spending more Village funds on PKAD’s exorbitant design plans, which currently cost up to $342,000. Mr. Bolebruch has never acknowledged that there is problem with the Village hiring PKAD on a no-bid, non-competitive selection process.

We believe that as Mayor, Mr. Veneziale will return transparency and accountability to our Village government. His professional background will enhance vetting and oversight of outside service contracts, and he will end the excessive use of no-bid contracts. He supports the review of needs assessments and risk analysis for expensive Village projects like the Station 2 firehouse. He supports allowing residents to be heard, free from the fear of being attacked or ignored by the Trustees at public meetings.

We encourage our friends and neighbors to vote for Mr. Veneziale for Mayor on March 16, and to vote for candidates for Trustee who share similar positions and values that will help restore good governance to our Village.

Members of the WPOA Firehouse Committee

TJ Michon, Remy Bernardo, Stephen Gorray and Carl Russo WPOA suspends Firehouse Comm

To the Editor:

Since the early days of the incorporation of the Village of Garden City, the Western Property Owners Association has proudly been a part of Village government and the Community Agreement process. The WPOA has also always welcomed resident participation, and in fact, just as those men and women who serve on the Village Board of Trustees, the WPOA officers and directors also volunteer in service to our community.

In good faith, the WPOA Board of Directors proposed the establishment of a Firehouse Committee in the fall of 2019 to participate with the Village in the process of upgrading Station 2 on Edgemere Road. The Board announced the Committee’s formation at a general membership meeting and asked for volunteer members.

Over the ensuing year and a half, this Committee worked as a cohesive group and developed a concept that could preserve the original firehouse while expanding it to meet GCFD future needs. Most important, the Committee brought the firehouse project into focus for many Garden City residents, as

it worked toward helping the Village shape the best possible project.

However, some of the Committee’s members, none of them members of the WPOA Board of Directors, preferred to follow a “political” path not endorsed by the WPOA.

The WPOA followed its procedures in the formation of a Nominating Committee which presented its selection of candidates at the Association’s Annual Resident Electors Meeting in January. With no additional petitions or challengers, a vote of residents was taken, and Bob Bolebruch and Steve Makrinos became the Western Section candidates for mayor and trustee, respectively. The WPOA Board of Directors stands behind its residents’ vote and commitment to the Community Agreement Candidates.

To address the current situation concerning the Firehouse Committee and to safeguard the Western Property Owners Association as an entity, the Board of Directors recently voted unanimously to suspend its Firehouse Committee. Any opinions expressed by members will be considered their own, and not on behalf of the WPOA.

The WPOA Board will revisit the Station 2 project and the WPOA’s participation in the process following the Village election.

WPOA President RoseAnn Vernice and the WPOA Board of Directors

Stop the rhetoric

To the Editor:

I take great offense to the WPOA Firehouse Committee’s letter in the February 18, 2021 issue of the Garden City News entitled “Still Waiting.” For Committee members to state “no substantive response was received from the Mayor or the BOT addressing the content of the February letter” is emphatically untrue.

I personally responded to WPOA President RoseAnn Vernice on behalf of the majority of the WPOA Firehouse Committee in a lengthy letter dated February 9, 2021 in an attempt to address some of their concerns. The letter, which was sent to Ms. Vernice on February 9, 2021, is below:

I have recently been informed that you have not received a response from the Board of Trustees to your letter that was hand delivered dated February 3, 2021. I apologize that no one has responded to your letter, so let me try to address some of your concerns.

Your request that the BOT postpone any action or expenditure of funds regarding PKAD’s design plan is an easy request to comply with. As I have stated multiple times on the night of your presentation on Dec. 1, 2020 and in response to several other inquiries since, our Board has no plans for any additional action or expenditure of funds. We are waiting for PKAD to make its presenta-

tion, in public, to the BOT.

Additionally, there are some residents who continue to state that the BOT has voted to demolish Fire Station No. 2. No such vote by the BOT has ever taken place.

As for the additional reports you have requested, we will proceed after PKAD makes its presentation. Your group provided a concept as an alternative to the work PKAD is doing. We will allow PKAD to make its presentation and be able to share with the Village how they determined their design and what analysis they performed. As I have stated several times, just as your group was able to make their presentation, PKAD will have the same opportunity.

Once again I apologize for any delay in regards to your letter.

Just because you didn’t receive the answers you wanted to hear, you’re taking this route to attempt to further discredit myself, personally, or this Board of Trustees. It’s time to stop this rhetoric.

Robert A. Bolebruch Deputy Mayor

Impeccable skill set

To the Editor:

It is very exciting to see some new faces and candidates for the next Village of Garden City Board of Trustee election. I was very happy to see among them Yvonne Varano who is running as a BOT nominee for the Central section. I have known Yvonne in a variety of capacities over the years and had the absolute privilege of working alongside her when she was President Elect of the Garden City PTA and I was President and later when she became President. One of the things that Yvonne always strived for was clear and open communication which her position demanded as she interacted with several dozen PTA committees, committee members, as well as school district department heads and town organizations. Yvonne has a way of establishing a rapport of mutual respect with all who work with her.

I know that Yvonne has had an illustrious professional career in financial services and has been recognized for her acumen as a financial analyst but one of the biggest smiles I have seen on Yvonne’s face has been during our time involved with the Senior Tea at GCHS given for the senior citizens of our town. Her pure joy in organizing the gift baskets for the seniors, and helping organize the tea, was truly inspiring. And that’s Yvonne, she can go from “Wall Street” to a homegrown event with the greatest of ease.

As a corporate trainer for 25+ years, I have developed a keen sense of character in people. I can wholeheartedly say Yvonne is a person of the utmost integrity, dedication and commitment

From page 41

in any job she presented with. She demonstrates an impeccable skill set in listening, evaluating, setting priorities and successfully communicating within a team. Garden City would be in the hands of an excellent advocate for our town with Mrs. Varano as member of the Village Board of Trustees.

Cristina Kilberg

Election & St. Paul’s To the Editor:

Without question, what to do with the St Paul’s building is the largest financial challenge facing our Board of Trustees.

The present Board has done nothing to engage the residents in a dialogue to create a plan to resolve the 28-year dilemma. Absolutely nothing! As a member of FABGC I am certain that if our slate of five -- a new mayor and trustees, would make a resolution of St. Paul’s a high priority -- including a Village-wide referendum: 1) to develop the property at an unthinkable, roughly, $100 mil; or 2) demolish the structure and create a much- less-costly usage to benefit all the residents.

There are dozens of good reasons to vote for the FAB slate and platform. But, my message today is that a vote for FABGC on March 16th, is a vote to “call the question” once and for all of what to do with the 150-yr old structure. It is my opinion that a referendum to demolish would win over development.

To vote, you have 2 choices: 1) in person, to vote on Tuesday March 16th, at Village Hall only, Noon to 9pm, or 2) by absentee mail. For the latter you must obtain an application from the Village Clerk, Karen Altman (516-465-4051). The application is also online and at the Village Business Office. The application must be returned to Ms. Altman early next week. She will then, soon thereafter, send you the actual ballot -- which MUST be in her office by 9PM on the 16th.

In short, this election is the most important for Garden City in memory, and is hotly contested. Please vote,”For A Better Garden City.”

George M.Salem.

Ex-trustee endorses Cosmo To the Editor:

In 1997, I became a trustee to save the heart of our village. During 1995-1996 the BOT announced their intention to sell and demolish Village Hall, our Police Department, and Fire Department to develop massive supermarket in its stead. This action would have gutted beloved businesses on Seventh Street and substantially increased traffic on Stewart and Franklin. Residents were neither consulted, nor had a say in the intended demolition and construction; however, the board of trustees had already spent hundreds-of-thousands of dollars on consul-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

tants and plans no one wanted. While this plan that would have devastated dozens of small local businesses ultimately failed due to grassroots pressure, all of the trustees who initially pushed for the project were re-nominated by their POAs and re-elected by their members. Although I was next in line to become mayor, I left the position after two terms, because I believe in term limits. A person should not be mayor just because of the number of years they have sat in a chair.

I hope that my track record of putting the village first, above profits, can assuage the minds of voters who have concerns regarding a multi-party election in our village. From my unique perspective, as a former trustee, a resident of the village for 40 years, and a litigation attorney, I sincerely believe a contested election and change in our BOT leadership is in the best interest of this village, and does not contravene the spirit of the Community Agreement.

As a prior POA candidate and trustee, nominated by the CPOA, I personally benefitted from our one party system; however, I can attest that unless multiple candidates are presented to voters, Garden City does not actually have an election for Trustee, but rather a selection process. For decades, the vote by the residents has been an empty gesture as POA Nominating Committees have preordained trustees well in advance Election Day.

Competition at the ballot box gives voters meaningful alternatives and choices. I was elected trustee without opposition, receiving all of 212 votes; however, all I truly needed was one vote as the POA candidates have historically run unopposed. Under the protocols prescribed by the POAs, I could have literally elected myself. When asked by others how I was elected to the position, I would explain it was simply “The Moscow Free Elections” - there was no other candidate presented to voters.

Recent articles published in The Garden City News itemized those issues to confront BOT in the near future: the water tower, a new firehouse in the west, fallout from the third track construction project, St. Paul’s, and The Casino. The primary issues facing the BOT are clearly related to infrastructure and would be best addressed by someone with a successful technical background on largescale construction projects. Our mayor should be elected based upon merit, knowledge, and skill in the most relevant forum, and I believe that individual to be Cosmo Venezia.

My father, an Army Colonel, instilled in me the core principle that leadership sets the example for others to follow. Leaders are problem solvers. Leaders Listen. Leaders put others before themselves. Leaders encourage accountability. Most importantly, leaders consider and accept the consequences of their actions or omissions to act for those who will be

affected by their decisions.

Regretfully, the leadership required to successfully steward the Village has been in short supply over the last number of years. Leadership on the part of the Board of Trustees requires the ability to identify those matter that need to be addressed by the Village, articulate the steps needed to make a determination on those issues, and consider any adverse consequences by delay or inaction.

Significant leadership issues stemming from the top down at the BOT have caused a breakdown with regards to integrity, transparency, and communication with residents. This has created an openly hostile environment between villagers and the BOT that I never experienced in my tenure as a trustee or in my forty-years as a politically active resident. Transparency will always be obscured when elected officials do not respectfully and consistently engage with their constituents.

On those meetings I presided over, it would have been unconscionable for village residents to be belittled or be mocked by the trustees. In a meeting I frequented of late, I witnessed a village resident seeking the assistance of the BOT armed with information on how other villages have responded to similar issues; however, the BOT response was to tell that resident to move out of Garden City if they don’t like their inaction on the matter.

The very first thought members of the Board of Trustees should have in their relations with their constituents is to how to help, not how to hinder. The only proper response to a handicapped resident seeking accommodated parking should have been, “How can we help?”

The mandate of the ADA is simple: those individuals who have disabilities have a right to reasonable accommodations. The hiring of experts and lawyers to deny handicapped village residents what they are clearly entitled to is merely a subterfuge in “seeking cover” and is not just shameful, but costly to the village.

Residents are entitled to know what the BOT thinks, what they intend to do, when they will act, and why they believe that course of action is in the best interests of the village. It is an antithesis to their claims of transparency when the BOT is willing to cavalierly spend money without clear articulation to villagers of their intended goal, and the present need for the project, even after funds have been allocated. The Board of Trustees on occasion has used the phrase “money is cheap”. As a small business owner, village taxpayer, and someone who is intimately familiar with how village projects are funded, I can say with all resolution that money is NOT cheap. Now, the residents of the village have the right by use of the ballot box to consider if the money being spent on a number of projects in the village without being fully vetted or articulated is in our best interest.

By way of example, the board alleges “no decision” has been made concerning

the West’s firehouse; however, without resident input, they allocated half-a-million dollars, for engineering and architectural plans. The BOT engaged in a No-Bid contract process expending $342,000 on plans for a single firm with a questionable background. A simple online search of PKAD leads to many unanswered questions.

To state, “a decision has not been made” when they have allocated the cost equivalency of a house is textbook political Gaslighting. How often did the trustees or village counsel visit or inspect Firehouse 2 in the last 10 years to ensure the building was maintained as it could and should have been. While the BOT is spending hundreds-of-thousands of dollars to determine if they should to raze and replace 90-year-old brick and stone firehouse with a new $10,000,000 structure, they fault The Casino members for failing to take care of their 120-year-old wooden structure, which is in fact village property. The failure of the BOT to address the issue of the casino is so remarkable in its hypocrisy that now, one month prior to the election, they are entirely reversing course after ignoring the matter for over three years. When a government does not engage their constituents consistently, and in a civil manner, the transparency of an official’s action will be fundamentally obscured. For over half-a-year, the WPOA sought information from the village for the new structure slated for their section; however, they were stonewalled. In an effort to assist, a Freedom Of Information Act request was hand delivered to the village on December 7, 2020, which was copied to the Mayor and Board of Trustees, seeking information that should be both readily available and be part of the Needs Assessment given to the village’s chosen architectural firm, PKAD. Village residents are entitled to know the process by which PKAD was selected, what were the instructions given to them, what information was made available to them, and why was the village’s architectural review board was not included in this process.

Nearly three months has passed and no response is forthcoming to my FOIA requests, nor did I receive a response to my letter sent to the Board of Trustees. Neither intervention nor assistance by Deputy Mayor Bolebruch was forthcoming. The silence on the issue was deafening, but not unexpected. It has been a pattern for years. Consider what has occurred - or more apply not - with the ‘monster poles’.

The failure to address the issue of the ‘monster poles’ when the opportunity first existed YEARS AGO is another example of the Board of Trustees not placing the village residents first. Each resident should read the memorandum of agreement with the MTA & Long Island Railroad for themselves. It contains procedures that clearly should have been addressed by the Board of Trustees long before any issue occurred or required litigation to remediate. The

old phrase, “If you take the king’s money you have to dance to his tune” appears to be true in this case where the village received money to renovate train parking fields, choosing not to utilize those funds to explore how to bury the lines. If the BOT’s Third Track Committee had reviewed the plans and considered what villagers truly needed, I do not believe they would have settled upon herringbone brick parking fields.

The failure of the board of trustees can be directly attributed to a reluctance and outright refusal to reasonably communicate with their constituents. The explanation or justification for the exclusion of the Andy Foundation and Jay Gallagher Tournament not being able to return to Saint Paul’s as a result of trustees wanting “more money” from each of the groups is contrary to the reason why this is such a fantastic village. Out of one side of their mouth the trustees will say “money is cheap,” but out the other side, they seek to extort more money from non-profit groups renting village facilities to fundraise.

The role of a leader requires that you step up, and put your name behind your convictions. The numerous unsigned letters that have run in this paper espousing a position that the Community Agreement (originally named The Gentlemen’s Agreement) is the only way to run the village is without foundation in law or fact. If that is the case, on a national scale, would those same individuals espouse the benefits a single party system where the position of President of the United States of America is selected then rotated to each region - North, South, Midwest, and West regardless of population? I suspect not. Is this system in the best interest of voters on a local level, as the POAs are advocating? This former trustee says no.

True leaders are problem solvers. True leaders set an example. True leaders put others before themselves. True leaders encourage accountability. On March 16, 2021, you will have the opportunity to choose your village leadership. Who do you trust to solve your problems?

Vote early and vote often.

Bruce A. Torino, Esq.

Questions about water notice

The following letter was addressed to Village Administrator Ralph Suozzi and shared with the Garden City News: Dear Mr. Suozzi,

Thank you for your recent letter (“Important Information about Your Drinking Water”), which I received in the mail on February 22, 2021, a notice alerting Garden City residents such as my wife and I of significant concerns about the purity and safety of the Garden City water supply. I have read this notice carefully and am writing to ask you for answers to several questions I have based on what I think you say in this notice.

As I understand it, concern seems

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Email: Editor@GCNews.com

to be focussed on the presence of three chemicals [“perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and i,4-dioxane”] in water samples tested, each of which seems to have undesirable “health effects,” more specifically “in animals … effects on the liver and immune system and impaired fetal growth and development.”  In addition, you report that “The United States Environmental Protection Agency considers PFOA and PFOS as having [sic] suggestive evidence for causing cancer based on studies of animals exposed to high levels of this [sic] chemical over their entire lifetime.”  In other words, the EPA has “evidence” that PFOA and PFOS are likely carcinogens. Moreover, you say that “Laboratory studies show that 1,4-dioxane caused liver cancer in animals exposed at high levels throughout their lifetime. … [and that] Other types of cancer have also been reported.…”  Yet you also hasten to reassure us that “consuming water with PFOA, PFOS or 1,4-dioxane at the level detected does not pose a significant health risk.” [italics for emphasis added]

I include all this just to make sure I understand the essence of what you believe about the potential “health effects” of  these three chemicals and your beliefs about the risks they pose to citizens who might choose to drink or prepare food using Garden City water.

So again, if I have understood you correctly, I would like to pose a number of questions which I really think deserve clear, precise answers so that we all are additionally reassured that Garden City water is safe and will be even safer, at least by May 25, 2022, by which date you will have taken effective corrective action to reduce the “MCLs” (“maximum contaminant levels”) of these chemicals to comply with New York State’s requirements and the “deferral” issued by the New York State Department of Health postponing “enforcement actions” against the Garden City water system will expire.

Are these the only potentially dangerous chemicals present in the water supply?  (I would be shocked if the answer to this question were “yes.”)  If not, what are the potentially dangerous levels for these other chemicals and at what levels are they currently present?

On what basis did the State Department of Health establish the MCLs that they did for PFOA, PFOS and 1,4-dioxane?

What is/are the source(s) of these chemicals? That is, why are they in the water in the first place? ( With names like those, I would guess they are not naturally occurring substances.)

To say that “There is no evidence of 1,4-dioxane cancer effects in humans” is not to say that there are no such effects or that evidence of such effects cannot be found.  Has the EPA or any other agency attempted to do relevant tests to

find evidence that 1,4-dioxane (or PFOA or PFOS) induces cancer in humans?

As noted above, you say that “consuming water with PFOA, PFOS or 1,4-dioxane at the level detected does not pose a significant health risk.” [italics for emphasis added] At what level, in excess of the NY State Health Department MCL standard, of each of these chemicals would a “significant health risk” be posed?  Will we be notified if and when those higher levels are reached?

Are Brita or Pur other water filtration devices available in stores or for permanent installation in kitchens effective in removing these chemicals from drinking water?  How effective? What is “advanced oxidation process wellhead treatment” exactly?  Is that the same as “emergency interim wellhead treatment systems”?  How do these “treatments” work on these chemicals to neutralize or eliminate them?  Similarly, what does “polishing of PFAS” mean?

You say that “these interim treatment systems are scheduled to be operational during the summer of 2021.”  Am I correct in concluding that these systems are not now working to purify the water?

As has become increasingly clear over the last several decades, but especially over the last several years, environmental protection appears to be a good deal less important to some people than environmental exploitation and abuse in the (false) hope of shortterm economic gain.  And as the Flint, Michigan water crisis, cover-up and indictments have highlighted, public trust in government officials’ ability and willingness to protect the public against the worst of those abuses has been significantly eroded.  As I noted at the outset of this letter, I do appreciate your having provided the information you did provide, but I would ask you respectfully to be even more forthcoming and vigilant and, should it turn out that someone or ones have been negligent in dumping these and other toxic chemicals and thereby polluting our water supply (see question 3 above), to take steps to hold such people accountable.

Stewart Ronk

Better at safeguarding water?

To the Editor:

There are major differences between the Community Agreement Party and the recently formed FABGC when it comes to safeguarding Garden City’s water. To comply with Gov. Cuomo’s new water standards enacted last July, the Trustees-including Deputy Mayor Bob Bolebruch, Trustee Stephen Makrinos and Trustee Mark Hyer- voted to spend millions of dollars to remove 1,4-dioxane from our water supply.

In contrast, it appears that Cosmo Veneziale, Deputy Mayor Bolebruch’s opponent for mayor, has become a disciple of Nick Rigano, who he describes as a “prominent environmental attorney” in the Jan 29th issue of the Garden City News.

What mayoral candidate Veneziale neglected to mention is that Mr. Rigano is suing the NYS Dept of Health in an effort to overturn the new state standards for 1,4-dioxane. Why? Instead of spending millions of dollars to remove the contaminant, Rigano wants Garden City connected to the NYC water supply. According to Mr. Rigano, NYC water is cleaner because it comes from upstate reservoirs, in contrast to Long Island’s aquifers that he said have been impacted by industrial waste.

Our Village trustees invited experts to evaluate Rigano’s proposal. There are technical, monetary and political problems with the NYC water plan, these experts said. What if, for example, after spending millions of dollars there is a drought and NYC cuts off the water supply to Long Island? The truth is, even if we were to connect to NYC water, we would still need to remediate our current water supply.

There is also the issue of time. Mr. Rigano’s proposal, even under the best conditions, would take years to complete. Meanwhile, the installation of the AOP remediation system began last year and has been completed at more than half of the Village’s wells. Cf. Garden City News, Sept 27, 2019

Dow Chemical, the company that manufactures 1,4-dioxane, is being sued for contamination clean-up costs by more than two dozen Long Island water providers, including Garden City, who allege that the chemical manufacturer knowingly allowed 1,4-dioxane to pollute the drinking water.

Instead of joining the lawsuit and pursuing Dow Chemical, which is what the Village has done, Mr. Veneziale’s “prominent environmental attorney” is receiving funding for his suit against the NYS Dept of Health seeking to overturn the new 1,4-dioxane regs. His organization is being funded by no other than Dow Chemical. Why? Perhaps it is cheaper for them to connect to NYC water than to cover the cost of remediation. (Cf. Newsday Dec 11, 2020 & Wall St Journal Dec 29, 2020)

If Mr Rigano’s lawsuit against the NYS Dept of Health is successful, Dow Chemical might not be held responsible for their actions and the cost of paying for the remediation of the 1,4-dioxane would be left to the taxpayers.

It is troubling that Mr Veneziale didn’t include all this information about drinking water in his

Jan 29th communication to the Garden City News.

On Tuesday, March 16th, I’m voting for Deputy Mayor Bolebruch, Trustee Stephen Makrinos, Trustee Mark Hyer and the other candidates from the Community Agreement Party. Leo Stimmler

Leadership & effectiveness

To the Editor:

Mark Hyer is the kind of leader we need to keep as a Trustee in our Village. It was his actions and leadership that helped improve the quality of life for my family and my neighbors.

Living close to the work train tracks that run through the Eastern section of Garden City, our house would shake in the middle of the night as the MTA/ LIRR ramped construction activities in the area and used the Saint James Street corridor as a place to haul and stage locomotives and materials. My family and I were regularly (and randomly) losing sleep from these overnight work trains and didn’t know who to turn to. I reached out to Mark for help and watched as he started a dialogue with the MTA/LIRR and other elected officials, invited the MTA’s representatives to Garden City to meet with me and other concerned residents at an EPOA meeting, forged a memorandum of understanding with the MTA/LIRR to improve communication and safety standards for work trains through the Village, and ultimately achieve a significant reduction in overnight work trains that disturb our sleep. Mark listened, acted, and delivered in a way that helped preserve the quality of life for my family and my neighbors, and for that I am especially grateful.

Make no mistake – the March 16th Election in our Village is a contested election. It’s an election between experienced leaders like Mark Hyer, who have years of experience working in the Village and been vetted by Property Owners Association committees (comprised of a large number of residents with many years of service to our community), and others who are circumventing the Community Agreement and ALL of us as Garden City residents just to seize power. This latter group has little to no experience running a Village, working with their neighbors, or honoring the Community Agreement structure that’s successfully governed this Village for over a century. Spending just a few minutes researching the Garden City Community Agreement and the slates of Trustee candidates makes this plain to see.

Think of the many things our Village Trustees are tasked with doing and the amenities and services we expect and enjoy in Garden City. Think about how much you pay in Village taxes and how those dollars help make Garden City

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Email: Editor@GCNews.com

such a special place for you and your family. Now think about the Village being run by a group of outsiders with virtually no experience and no interest in governing the Village in the way that is has been for the past century. Scary, isn’t it? That’s what’s at stake.

Do not take this Election and our Village for granted. If you care about your quality of life and want to preserve you and your family’s investment in our community, vote on March 16th (or via absentee ballot before) and vote for Mark Hyer and the other candidates who honor the Community Agreement and have earned the support of the Property Owners Associations. That’s what my family and my neighbors will be doing.

Paul Dircks

Go Fund St. Paul’s

To the Editor:

Having been a resident of Garden City for quite a number of years I have witnessed the Village’s management of the Saint Paul’s school and campus, a unique and historical asset of Garden City and in fact, the entire of Long Island.

Its history and its relationship to the settlement of Long Island goes well beyond Garden City; it includes the entire New York and metropolitan area. While I could easily expand on that thought I’ll keep this letter brief.

Given the very likely interest in the preservation of Saint Paul’s by a community much larger than Garden City, I would like to put forth the idea to the town fathers that a “Go Fund Me” page be set up so as to allow the entire New York metro community, rather than simply Garden City residents the opportunity to contribute to the preservation of Saint Paul’s.

I’m fairly certain that there are many residents in New York and specifically Long Island that would love to be able to be a financial resource to the preservation of the historic Saint Paul’s school and campus.

Terence Tener

Offended by the FABGC

To the Editor:

I moved to Garden City from another nearby village to retire. I always admired the beauty and amenities of Garden City and the people I knew there loved the village and had a tremendous sense of community. I’m happy I moved and am proud to call myself a Garden City resident.

City, I think that is a problem. Also, I learned from talking to my neighbors that the FABGC candidates are defying the community agreement that’s governed Garden City for many years and not working with the property owners associations. What arrogance! I cannot fathom voting for candidates for mayor and trustee who have shown with their campaigns that they are unwilling to work with their neighbors and show no respect to the governing structure that helped make Garden City what it is. These are not the people who should be running Garden City.

Mike Mihalos

Tom O’Brien: Why I serve

To the Editor:

This letter is in response to a question from Trustee Bolebruch questioning my service to the Village of Garden City.

Thanks for your post Bob. I am not political, but I have served when my community has asked. Here is why I am now running. Frankly, I have been discouraged by the series of consequential decisions made by our trustees that have had a negative impact on our village over the past decade as outlined in my letter in the Feb 19th issue of the Garden City News. The low point for me, however, was the mean-spirited and indefensible action of our trustees to “go to the mat” engaging two different attorneys over 1½ years to oppose a request for handicapped parking on Seventh Street. Bob, explain to us how the WPOA Directors unanimously supported handicapped parking and why you as their nominated representative (as well as all of the Trustees), voted against handicapped parking for our fellow residents with disabilities. Our POAs, one of the mechanisms for community input, does not seem to be heard by the Trustees.

When I was approached to consider running for Trustee by the For a Better Garden City team of concerned residents, I saw that it offered a unified path to make an impact on issues of concern to our residents, and to assure transparency while also preserving representation from the 4 sections of the Village. This has been missing for too long.

of a solution that allows all residents to vote for trustees based on where they stand on issues and their commitment to transparency. That is why I am now running as a Trustee Candidate for the East Section along with Cosmo Veneziale, Mayoral Candidate; Terry Digan, Trustee Candidate for the Central Section; Mary Carter Flanagan, Trustee Candidate for the Western Section; and Bruce Chester, Trustee Candidate for Estates Section. Together we will restore tradition, transparency, respect, and the values we have all come to admire about the beautiful town we live in and love- Garden City!!

Every Wednesday at 8pm we have been hosting extremely popular Town Hall Meetings for all our residents where they have been able to openly ask any questions of all the candidates For a Better Garden City (FABGC) noted above, and share their concerns and ideas about current issues, as well as some of the decisions that have been made by the current Board of Trustees that have negatively affected Garden City. Please consider participating in our Town Hall Meetings by going to our website FABGC.org and clicking “Events”.

Tom O’Brien Trustee Candidate for the East Section

Support Hyer, POA

process

To the Editor:

Mark Hyer, the Community Agreement Party’s candidate for Trustee from the East, is currently serving his fourth year of his second term as a Village trustee. Given the amount of misinformation regarding the nominating process spread by the FABGC group and its candidates, we would like to set the record straight.

We are six volunteers from the East among hundreds over the years who have become actively involved with their Property Owners’ Association (POA). Why? To serve the interests of our GC neighbors. The POAs act as a civic association for residents. New volunteers are always welcome and always needed. We are the opposite of a clique. To claim otherwise is simply not true.

An important part of the POAs’ mission is to provide a mechanism for nominating candidates for election to the volunteer Village Board of Trustees and the School Board. This is where the independent Nominating Committees come in to play. These committees are comprised of residents—your neighbors—who volunteer their time to interview and recommend nominees to their POAs. Any resident of a particular section may interview. The POAs advertise widely for residents who wish to serve as either Village or School Board Trustees. It is a completely open process. To claim otherwise is simply From page 43

However, I am troubled by the upcoming village election. Most of all, I am offended by the For A Better Garden City (FABGC) group. I looked at their flyer (which I am sure was expensive) that was mailed to me and some of their promises sound nice. However, their candidates for village trustee have virtually no experience running a village. For a village as large as Garden

Related to transparency, on Feb 20th the Garden City Resident Facebook page had a posting by environmental attorney Nick Rigano that our village water is contaminated, that you and fellow trustees appear to have known about this since 2013, and that you wrote to Nick telling him that it was “irresponsible” for him to disclose this important water issue to the public. Is this true??? When the issues confronting our village are so great …….it just reaffirms why Garden City is in desperate need of a unified and transparent path to address these issues, while still preserving representation from all residents across the village. I want to be part

See page 61

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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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NOTICE OF BIDDERS

Sealed bids MUST be RECEIVED BY AND DELIVERED

TO:

THE PURCHASING DIVISION

Incorporated Village of Garden City

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE

INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF GARDEN CITY

GARDEN CITY, LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK

NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL ESTATE

FOR UNPAID 2020 VILLAGE TAXES

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on March 19, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. at the Village Hall, 351 Stewart Avenue, in the Village of Garden City, New York, pursuant to direction of the Board of Trustees of said Village, I, the undersigned, Treasurer of said Village, will sell at public auction the following described real estate in said Village together with any improvements thereon, to discharge the unpaid 2020 Village tax, interest and other charges which may be due thereon at the time of the sale. Such real estate will be sold subject to any unpaid assessments thereon levied by said Village prior to the date of such sale and any unpaid tax liens for years prior to 2020 purchased and held by said Village, and subject to the provisions of the New York State and Federal Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Acts, as amended, insofar as the same may be applicable to the owners of any said following described real estate. Purchasers will be required to pay the amount of their respective bids to the undersigned within ten days after the sale, pursuant to the provisions of Section 1454 of the Real Property Tax Law of the State of New York, as amended, and upon such payment shall receive a written certificate of sale describing the real estate purchased and the sum paid therefor. Please be advised that the Incorporated Village of Garden City intends to bid-in for any and all parcels to be sold at this year’s sale. Therefore, any and all tax liens sold at this sale will become village-owned tax liens.

Please be further advised that if the owner of any residential property is experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic and files a Declaration of COVID-19 Related Hardship form (RP-1102-DS) on or before March 18, 2021, said sale shall be delayed until after May 1, 2021, pursuant to NYS Legislation adopted December 28, 2020, (2020 Sess. Law News of N.Y. Ch. 381 (S. 9114) (McKINNEY’S)

The following is a list or statement of the real estate upon which such 2020 tax is unpaid, with the amount of such 2020 tax, together with interest and other charges due thereon to March 19, 2021.

REPUTED OWNER

OF GARDEN CITY LAWNS

Continued from page 45

Irene Woo, CPA, CMFO Village Treasurer

Garden City, New York February 19, 2021

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 Altman at least 24 hours in advance of meeting at:

351 Stewart Avenue Garden City, New York 11530 (5l6)465-4051

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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351 Stewart Avenue Garden City, New York 11530 between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 4:30 P.M., UNTIL 11:00 AM EDT, THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud, for furnishing the following:

SKID STEER LOADER

Specifications, Form of Bid, and other information may be obtained from the office of the Purchasing Division at the above address or you may download the bid specifications from the New York State Contract Reporter website at the following web address: https://www.nyscr.ny.gov/contracts.cfm

This bid specification will be listed under the Agency Name of:

Inc. Village of Garden City

Rosemary Monahan Purchasing Agent

Dated: February 26, 2021

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NOTICE OF BIDDERS

Sealed bids MUST be RECEIVED BY AND DELIVERED

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to Section 15-104(3)(c) of the Election Law, the following matters are designated and set forth in relation to the General Village Election for 2021:

SE DA AVISO QUE, de conformidad con la Sección 15-104 (3) (c) de la Ley Electoral, los siguientes asuntos se designan y establecen en relación con la Elección General de Aldeas para 2021:

A. The General Village Election for 2021 shall be held on Tuesday, March 16, 2021

A. Las elecciones generales de la aldea para 2021 se llevarán a cabo el Martes 16 de Marzo de 2021.

B. The polls shall be open from 12 o'clock noon to 9:00 o'clock in the evening.

B. Las urnas estarán abiertas desde las 12:00 en punto del mediodía hasta las 9:00 en punto de la noche

C. The General Village Election shall be held at the Village Hall, 351 Stewart Avenue, in said Village.

C La elección general de la aldea se llevará a cabo en el ayuntamiento, 351 Stewart Avenue, en dicho Villa

D. The names and addresses of all those who have been duly nominated and the office and term for which they have been so nominated are as follows:

D Los nombres y direcciones de todos aquellos que han sido debidamente nominados y el cargo y plazo para el que han sido nominado son los siguientes:

Community Agreement Party

TITLE OF TERM OF NAME OF ADDRESS OF OFFICE OFFICE OF NOMINEES NOMINEES

Mayor 2 Years Robert A. Bolebruch 6 Kenmore Road

2 Years Yvonne Varano 20 First Street

1 Year Stephen S. Makrinos 101 Stewart Avenue

Justice 4 Years Allen S. Mathers 111 Cherry Valley Avenue #516

Partido del Acuerdo Comunitario

TÍTULO DE PLAZA DE NOMBRE DIRECCIÓN DE LA OFICINA OFICINA DE NOMINADOS NOMINADOS

Alcalde Dos Años Robert A. Bolebruch 6 Kenmore Road

Fideicomisario Dos Años Richard A. Catalano 82 Whitehall Boulevard

Fideicomisario Dos Años Mark A. Hyer 43 Wyatt Road

Fideicomisario Dos Años Yvonne Varano 20 First Street

Fideicomisario Un Año Stephen S. Makrinos 101 Stewart Avenue

Justicia del Pueblo Cuatro Años Allen S. Mathers 111 Cherry Valley Avenue #516

TO:

THE PURCHASING DIVISION

Incorporated Village of Garden City

351 Stewart Avenue Garden City, New York 11530 between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 4:30 P.M., UNTIL 11:00 AM EDT, THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud, for furnishing the following:

WATER MAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON MEADOW STREET, GROVE STREET, COMMANDER AVENUE, AND LINDBERGH STREET

Specifications, Form of Bid, and other information may be obtained from the office of the Purchasing Division at the above address or you may download the bid specifications from the New York State Contract Reporter website at the following web address: https://www.nyscr.ny.gov/contracts.cfm

This bid specification will be listed under the Agency Name of:

For a Better Garden City Party

TITLE OF TERM OF NAME OF ADDRESS OF OFFICE OFFICE OF NOMINEES NOMINEES

Mayor 2 Years Cosmo Veneziale 104 Monroe Street

Trustee 2 Years Thomas J. O’Brien 28 Chestnut Street

Trustee 2 Years Terence P. Digan 65 Third Street

Trustee 2 Years Bruce J. Chester 220 Kensington Road

Trustee 1 Year Mary Carter Flanagan 64 Harvard Street

Partido Para Una Mejor Garden City

TÍTULO DE PLAZA DE NOMBRE DIRECCIÓN DE LA OFICINA OFICINA DE NOMINADOS NOMINADOS

Alcalde Dos Años Cosmo Veneziale 104 Monroe Street

Fideicomisario Dos Años Thomas J. O’Brien 28 Chestnut Street

Fideicomisario Dos Años Terence P. Digan 65 Third Street

Fideicomisario Dos Años Bruce J. Chester 220 Kensington Road

Fideicomisario Un Año Mary Carter Flanagan 64 Harvard Street

KAREN M. ALTMAN Village Clerk Secretaria de la Villa

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, 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:

Incorporado Villa de Garden City no discrimina por motivos de discapacidad para la admisión, acceso o participación en sus programas, actividades o reuniones públicas, y ha designado a Karen M. Altman, Secretaria de la Villa, Coordinadora de Cumplimiento de Discapacidades. Las personas que necesiten algún alojamiento especial para una discapacidad que deseen asistir a una reunión deben comunicarse con Karen Altman al menos 24 horas antes de la reunión en:

351 Stewart Avenue Garden City, New York 11530 (516) 465-4051 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m GC 1180 1X 02/26

Rosemary Monahan Purchasing Agent

Dated: February 26, 2021

GC 1177

1x 02/26

NOTICE OF BIDDERS

Sealed bids MUST be RECEIVED BY AND DELIVERED TO:

THE PURCHASING DIVISION

Incorporated Village of Garden City 351 Stewart Avenue Garden City, New York 11530 between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 4:30 P.M., UNTIL 11:00 AM EST, THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud, for furnishing the following: 2021-2022 GROUNDS MAINTENANCE CONTRACT

Specifications, Form of Bid, and other information may be obtained from the office of the Purchasing Division at the above address or you may download the bid specifications from the New York State Contract Reporter website at the following web address: https://www.nyscr.ny.gov/contracts.cfm

This bid specification will be listed under the Agency Name of: Inc. Village of Garden City

Rosemary Monahan

Purchasing Agent

Dated: February 26, 2021

GC 1178

1x 02/26

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, March 10, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. to take action on the following matters:

1. APPEAL OF JAVIER CASTELLANO for a variance of the provisions of Sections 200-52 of the Village Code, to authorize of the issue of permits for the installation of a generator in the front yard of the premises known as 134

CHERRY VALLEY AVENUE

(Map of Garden City Central, Block 20, Lots 4, R-20 district), the granting of which will: A. reduce the Cherry Valley Avenue front setback of (55.0’) for freestanding equipment, to no less than (46.6’).

Building Department application #2021-9183.

2. APPEAL OF MICHAEL & NANCY CROWLEY for a variance of the provisions of Section 200-52 of the Village Code, so as to permit the installation of a 22kW standby Generator, and the maintenance of 42.0’ of 4.0’ high fence in the front yard of dwelling known as 142 CAMBRIDGE AVENUE (Map of Garden City Boulevard, Block-, Lot 21, R-8 district), the placement of which would ~ A. cause the front setback from Whitehall Boulevard for freestanding generating equipment of (50.0’), to be reduced to no less than (30.4’) ~ B. allow the (4.0’) high fencing to be as close as (0.0’) to the Whitehall Boulevard front property line, where (50.0’) is required.

Building Department application # 2021-9162

3. APPEAL OF AHMADULLAH TOKHI for a variance of the provisions of Sections 200-15, 200-31, 20046, 200-52 and 200-61 of the Village Code, so as to permit the erection of a 1,735 sq. ft. second floor addition, with a 66 sq. ft. raised rear porch; an 11 sq. ft. bay window and 61 sq. ft. porch with 56 sq. ft. monumental stair at the front; convert 408 sq. ft. two car garage to habitable space, finish existing 1,127 sq. ft. basement; install a brick veneer exterior siding, and construct a contagious driveway/walkway of 553.0 sq. ft. in the front yard

(demolish 22 sq. ft. first floor rear portion); at the premises known as 19 RAYMOND COURT (Map of Raymond Court, Lot 41, R-6 district) the construction of which would:

A. cause the allowable building area of (1,648 sq. ft. or 25%) to be exceeded by (279) sq. ft. (1,927 sq. ft. or 29.21%) ~ B. cause the required front yard setback of (20.0’) to be reduced to no less than (16.6’) (where 17.8’ exists) with respect to the proposed Bay window ~ C. reduce the aggregate of side yards to (23.9’) where (25.0’) is required, with respect to the masonry veneer ~

D. exceed the formulaic (500) sq. ft. of driveway permitted by (53) sq. ft. ~

Building Department application # 2021-9166, Todd O’Connell, R.A.

4. APPEAL OF BARRY & NICOLE FRANKENSTEIN for a variance of the provisions of Sections 200-15, 200-31 and 200-46 of the Village Code, so as to permit the erection of a 147 sq. ft. first floor side addition with 160 sq. ft. porch at the front, and a 306 sq. ft. second floor addition above, and the maintenance of a previously constructed 35 sq. ft. front portico; at the premises known as 63 HUNTINGTON ROAD

(Map of Country life development, Block O, Lot 227, R-6 district) the granting of which would;

A. cause the allowable building area of (1,587) sq. ft. or (25%) to be exceeded by (82) sq. ft. (1,669 sq. ft. or 26.29%) ~

B. reduce the required front yard setback of (30.0’) to no less than (27.75’) with respect to the portico ~

C. cause a horizontal extension of the existing (5.5’) minimum side yard reducing it to (4.9’), where (8.0’) is now required ~

D. cause the aggregate of side yards to be no less than (13.8’), where (19.0’) is required and (14.4’) is existing.

Building Department application # 2021-9214, Rudolph S. Shatarah P.E.

5. APPEAL OF

MICHAEL & MEG ENG for a variance of the provisions of Section 200-15 & 200-46 of the Village Code, so as to allow the issue of a building permit for the erection of a 207 sq. ft. one story rear addition with a 20 sq. ft. roof over entry, and finish a 1,091 sq. ft. basement (demolish existing 127 sq. ft. rear porch); at the dwelling known as 27 KILBURN ROAD (Map of Garden City Estates, Block 74, Lots 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 284 sq. ft. (1,784 sq. ft. or 29.7%) ~

B. cause the required aggregate side yards of (18.0’), to be reduced to no less than (17.3’) ~

C. cause the required minimum side yard of (8.0’) to be reduced to no less than 5.24’ with respect to the rear addition.

Building Department application # 2021-9247, Barbara M. Ruggiero, R.A.

6. APPEAL OF EDWARD & LOIS ALDRICH for a variance of the provisions of Section 200-31 of the Village Code, to permit the construction of a 239 sq. ft. first floor side addition with a 231 sq. ft. second floor above, and a 33 sq. ft. front portico, at the existing corner dwelling known as 22 ROXBURY ROAD (Map Garden City Estates, Block 79, Lot 1, R-8 District) the granting of which would:

A. reduce the (20.0’) required front yard setback along Chester Avenue to no less than (16.6’) with respect to the side addition ~

B. reduce the (25.0’) required front yard setback to Roxbury Road to no less than (23.5’) with respect to the portico.

Building Department application # 2021-2993, Daniel Fabrizi, R.A.

7. APPEAL OF 5 GEMS LLC. for a variance of the provisions of Section 200-15, 20028.1 & 200-62 of the Village Code, to allow the issue of a

building permit for the erection of 1582 sq. ft. second and third floor additions (while demolishing a 602 sq. ft. atrium) at the front, at the existing building known as 975 FRANKLIN AVENUE (Map of Garden City East, Block 153, Lot 13, C-4 District) the granting of which would:

A. cause a (1,582) sq. ft. expansion of the current (25,200) sq. ft. (2.1 FAR); to (26,782) sq. ft. or (2.23) FAR, where (1.3) FAR is now permitted ~ B. cause a vertical addition exceeding ( 40.0’ ) in height (where 48.0’ currently exists and 51.5’ is proposed) ~

C. to not provide (8) off-street parking spaces.

Building Department application # 2020-8785, Combined Resources Inc.

*(Note said building was conforming when altered in 1984).

END OF CASES

The Board may transact any other business that may properly come before the meeting.

DATED: February 19, 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, APRIL 13, 2021 GC 1179 1X 02/26

riday, February 26, 2021 The Garden City News

From page 20

Courts to re-open for in-person hearings March 1st

Garden City Justice Court will reopen for in-person hearings the evening of March 1, 2021. All capacity and distancing requirements that we adhered to during the initial reopening in October will still be in place. Safety is our first priority. We will be operating well within the State’s guidelines. We will continue to promote remote conferences as an option for defendants that can’t appear due to health reasons, or do not feel comfortable enough to appear, as well as using remote conferences to keep our in-person attendance as low as possible. Our plea by mail program, in conjunction with telephonic conferences with attorney-represented defendants, has been very successful. Using these alternative methods of adjudicating cases is right in-line with the State’s recommendations.

2020 Stormwater Management Program Annual Report

The draft of the Village’s 2020 Stormwater Management Program Annual Report is now available for public review on the Village’s website, www. gardencity.net, and at Village Hall and the Library. The Village Stormwater Management Program Plan Documents are also available for public review at Village Hall. Comments and questions on the Village Stormwater Management Program can be submitted to 465-4017.

A Gift of Historical Significance

Howard Kroplick and Al Velocci of the Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society have offered to donate nine original Motor Parkway concrete posts and related ribbon wire to the Village. These gifts would add to the historical appreciation of the site near Stewart Field. It should be noted, however, that upon installation, the County might take ownership of the items under the terms of the Village/ County lease. The value of the donation is approximately $1,800. The posts are permitted uses by the County/Village lease of the Stewart School/Motor Parkway Parking Lot area (subject to County approval of installation).

The Mayor's Update

Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Plan

adopted

The Garden City Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Plan, which has been posted on the Village website for viewing since January 22, 2021, was adopted by the Board of Trustees Tuesday evening following a public hearing. Garden City Mayor Theresa Trouvé and Police Commissioner Kenneth Jackson thanked the community stakeholders and representatives who participated in the collaboration. The Village participated in this collaborative effort while conducting a full review of Garden City Police Department policies and procedures. As a result of changes in legislation and input from the Garden City Reform Committee and Nassau County’s Police Reform Initiative, PACT (Police and Community Trust), the GCPD has made modifications to its policies and procedures as outlined in the plan.

“This plan reflects the Village of Garden City’s and the Garden City Police Department’s commitment to serving all the people both equally and fairly. When applying the guidance presented by the state to the existing policies and procedures in effect, it was gratifying to realize that a great deal of the improvements in standards and practices this process was created to achieve, are already in place. The Village is committed to improving upon this strong foundation and will continue to promote fairness, transparency, trust, and legitimacy while working towards reducing racial disparities,” Commissioner Jackson said.

Several comments were received regarding the Garden City Police Reform Plan. The majority of the responses were supportive of the plan; two contained statements and questions, not suggestions, and one email contained The People’s Plan, which was submitted by a representative of Long Island United to Transform Police and Community Safety.” To view the plan, visit the Village website, www. gardencityny.net or click here.

Garden City Reform Committee members include Mayor Trouvé; Trustee Mark Hyer; Reverend Earl Thorpe, Church of the Garden; ADA Ali

The Office Cat

From page 18

allegedly attempted to use forged identification documents, a forged debit card, and forged papers to withdraw money from another person’s bank account. The man was charged with four counts of possession of a forged instrument, identity theft, two counts of attempted larceny, and two counts of forgery.

Suspended license

On February 22nd a motorist was charged with passing a red traffic light on Stewart Avenue at Rockaway Avenue and driving with a suspended license.

Identity theft

Between February 17th and 23rd the Garden City Police investigated eight reports of victims’ identities being stolen and used to file false unemployment claims.

Ajamu, Bureau Chief, DA’s Office; Alan Schwartz, Defense Attorney; Lauren Scarantino, EPOA; Donald Brudie, CPOA; Nancy Minett, Estates POA; Nicholas Vernice, WPOA; Ralph Suozzi, Village Administrator; and Inspector Steven Braun.

Parking Non-operational Vehicles in Residential Districts

Trustees adopted a Local Law regarding parking non-operational vehicles in residential districts. “Non-operational vehicles” shall mean any vehicle which cannot be lawfully driven upon the public streets for any reason, including but not limited to such vehicle being unlicensed or unregistered with the Department of Motor Vehicles, in a state of disrepair, or incapable of being moved under its own power, which status as non-operational has existed for a period of more than 60 consecutive calendar days or an aggregate of 90 days within any six-calendar month period. It is hereby prohibited for any person to park or store, or permit others to park or store, any non-operational vehicle on any property, whether public or private, within any residential district in the Village of Garden City for longer than 90 consecutive days. Any person who violates any of the provisions shall be guilty of a violation. Each and every calendar day that a violation shall exist shall constitute a separate violation of the provision(s) and the owner of the property shall be held liable for each separate violation. To read the Law, click here.

Storage of Construction Materials and Equipment

Trustees adopted a Local Law regarding the storage of construction materials and construction equipment in residential property zones. The Board has received numerous complaints from residents regarding the issue and has determined that the prolonged storage of construction materials and construction equipment in residential zones has an adverse economic effect upon property values of neighboring homes and can create a public nuisance and habitat for vermin. It shall be unlawful for the owner or lessee of any residentially zoned lot or property

to place, store, deposit or keep (or allow for the placement, storage, depositing or keeping of) construction material or construction equipment on any residentially zoned property within the Village for longer than nine months following completion (as reasonably determined by the Superintendent of Buildings) of the construction project for which the material or equipment was used (or related to) on such residential lot; or more than 30 calendar days within any 90 calendar day period; or other than as provided under clause more than an aggregate of 45 calendar days in a calendar year. Any person who violates any of the provisions shall be guilty of a violation. Each and every calendar day that a violation shall exist constitutes a separate violation of the provision(s) and the owner of the property shall be held liable for each separate violation. No monetary fine shall be imposed until the Village has provided the owner or lessee 10-day written notice of violation. Should the owner or lessee not cure the violation within 10 days, the owner or lessee will be subjected to a fine of not less than $200 for each violation. To read the Law, click here.

St. Paul's School Building

Stabilization - Maintenance Bond

Trustees accepted a $740,282 maintenance bond that guarantees for 18 months the completed stabilization work at the former St. Paul’s School Building. Westar Construction Group, Inc., of Syosset, was the contractor.

Stewart Field Additional Parking area - Maintenance Bond

Trustees accepted a $391,500 maintenance bond that guarantees for 18 months the completed work at the Stewart Field additional parking area. Coastal Contracting Corp., of Huntington Station, was the contractor.

2021-22 Budget Work Sessions

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

Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call 294-8900 or visit us online www.gcnews.com to request information & rates

Hitting the Highlights of Death Valley National Park

BY KAREN RUBIN, LAINI MIRANDA, DAVE E. LEIBERMAN & ERIC LEIBERMAN TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM

Tourism began in Death Valley in 1926 with the opening of the first hotels. It became a national monument in 1933 and was elevated to a national park as recently as 1994 with the expansion of 1.3 million acres. It is mind-boggling to realize it is the largest national park outside Alaska, at 3,422,024 acres – twice the size of Delaware – 93 percent of that designated protected wilderness.

A basin below sea level, there is drought and extreme heat, but the towering peaks, rising as high as 11,000 feet that ring the basin, get snow. There is even a waterfall. Periodic flooding over millions of years has carved and smoothed ragged rock - a cautionary tale of nature’s power and unpredictability - while oases provide refuge for wildlife and people. Most surprising of all is the diversity of life that has adapted to this harsh location, no more surprising than that there are people here – indeed, the Timbisha Shoshone American Indian tribe are repopulating the area around Furnace Creek.

Death Valley is a land of extremes and constant surprises that excite the senses and force you to pay attention. You are never merely a casual observer, but an active participant, often getting to test new skills.

Because Death Valley National Park is so vast, so massive (1000 miles of paved and dirt roads, with gasoline and water as much as 78 miles apart) and conditions that can be fairly treacherous, you are advised to research and plan out what you want to do not only to max-

Walking the ridges into Artist’s Palette at Death Valley National Park © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

imize what you see but for safety’s sake.

We research the most popular hikes (alltrails.com is a great source) and highlights of Death Valley, set them into geographic areas, calculated an estimated amount of time to visit, mixed up hiking with less strenuous touring, and driving time (there is no public transportation in the park) and took into account the time of day – you don’t want to be at the far end of a trail when the sun has already begun to set.

So we had cleverly notched one of Death Valley’s most popular highlights, Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, timing are arrival in the late afternoon, and on our way back into the park from our Air BnB in Beatty (20 miles away), we explored Rhyolite Ghost Town, which was also high up on our list of “must-sees.”

etched out hiking in Golden Canyon, 20 Mule Team Canyon, Badwater Basin, Artist’s Palette, and finish with the sunset at Zabriskie Point.

10:30 am to 1:30 pm).

Feeling absolutely exhilarated after the hike, we drive through the 20 Mule Team Canyon – driving it actually feels more like an amusement park ride. There is a narrow, winding one-way only road that takes you through. You are reminded that this place used to have mule teams hauling out borax. It’s perfect after the hike – a 15-minute drive through.

Then on to Badwater Basin, probably one of the most famous sights in Death Valley – this extraordinarily expansive, giant salt flat covers 200 square miles; it doesn’t look it but can walk 7 miles across, ringed by mountains.

At 282 feet below sea level, we are standing at the lowest point in North America.

For our first full day, we’ve

Our first hike, Golden Canyon trail, is the most popular in Death Valley and for good reason. It hits on all cylinders: the absolutely dramatic landscape, patterns and colors of the rocks, but also, the trail itself. The section between the Red Cathedral (really gorgeous) and the turn-off to the spur trail to Zabriskie Point is particularly exciting – you walk a narrow cut in a rounded rock and then over a formation we dub the “Stegasaurus” – like a dinosaur’s back. The full loop is 4.5 miles, winding past Manly Beach and Gower Gulch, just about every step a joy. The morning sunlight brings out the golden hues in the eroded badlands, competing with the cliffs of Red Cathedral. (The hike takes us from

The pool and boardwalk are easily accessible from the parking lot off Badwater Road, but for the best views of the salt polygons, walk about a mile out onto the salt flats. Look behind you to the cliffs of the Black Mountains to the east, where there is a sign high above marking sea level. You also can see Telescope Peak in the Panamint Range to the west; at 11,049 ft, this peak is over two miles above you.

“Nowhere else in America can you see such a dramatic vertical relief over such a close distance.”

(https://www.nps.gov/places/badwater-basin.htm)

It’s 4:30 pm and there are long shadows, and interesting formations and patterns in the salt.

We drive the nine-mile loop-deloop roller coaster of Artist’s Drive to Artist’s Palette, to see the richer color of the cooler, late afternoon  February 26, 2021

Continued on next page

Hitting the Highlights of Death Valley National Park

Continued from previous page

sun, and scamper across the rolling ridges, literally into the multi-colored palette itself – yellow ochre, burnt umber, sienna, rust, copper, rose.

Artist’s Palette is one of the most popular places to watch the sunset, but we decide to go to Zabriskie Point for the sunset – missing it by five minutes. Even so, it is a gorgeous sight as the rocks take on warm colors and a full moon rises.

We check into the Ranch at Oasis,

order out dinner from the menu and sit outside on the lovely terrace adjacent to the restaurant (which also has outside dining, properly spaced). It is sheer perfection (as was the steak with an espresso rub, fantastic!).

We drop our things in our hotel room and dash to the Olympic-sized pool – absolutely magnificent, naturally warmed to a constant 87 degrees by hot mineral springs. The water feels silky, and as we swim we delight watching the stars overhead. (www.oasisatdeathvalley.com)

The biggest surprise of all is how diverse Death Valley is. The landscape is not a monotone at all, but a riot of colors, textures, contours. Each hike we take, each highlight we explore is spectacular in its own way, exciting and thrilling, exacting surging emotions and senses.

The next morning, we get up before sunrise to get to Zabriskie Point (about a 7-minute drive away) to watch the brilliant display as the rocks seem aflame with sunlight

© 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

Should I Take the Lump Sum Option From My Pension?

BY CARRIE SCHWAB-POMERANTZ

Dear Carrie: I’m about to retire, and I have to decide between taking a lump sum or lifetime income payments for my pension. I’m leaning toward the lump sum. Is this a good idea? -- A Reader

Dear Readers: My first thought is to say congratulations! A pension in any form -- whether taken as a lump sum, as lifetime income (sometimes called a pension annuity) or as some combination of both, is a valuable and increasingly rare benefit. This is an important retirement decision. Take your time and weigh all the options carefully. A lump sum can seem alluring, no doubt, but consider tax implications as well as the potential benefits of spreading out payments over a longer period of time.

I also want to point out that one choice isn’t universally better than others. The best choice for you will depend completely on your individual circumstances. Let’s take a look at some of what you need to consider before making this very important decision.

Start by Understanding the Math

As you start to do your analysis, it can be helpful to compare the raw numbers. As an example, let’s say you’re trying to decide between a $300,000 lump sum or lifetime income of $2,000 per month. This amounts to an annual return of 5.17% if you live another 20 years. In other words, if you were to take the lump sum and invest it on your own, you’d have to earn an average annual return of 5.17% to equal income of $2,000 per month for 20 years. However, this isn’t quite an apples-to-apples comparison. The lifetime income payments include a return on some of the original contributions along with investment returns. Additionally, it is guaranteeing you’ll receive the same amount of income if you live (SET ITAL) beyond (END ITAL) 20 years. The 5.17% from investing the lump sum is a return on (SET ITAL) your (END ITAL) money. Your actual investment results may wind up better or worse that this -- with no guarantees.

Complicating the analysis is whether income from your pension has a costof-living adjustment (COLA), which can increase your payments to help keep up with inflation. This is a major factor because, without a COLA, you can lose considerable purchasing power over time.

Your Health and Life Expectancy Are Key

Let’s continue with the example above. If you take the lump sum, the longer you live beyond 20 years, the higher your annual return will need to be to match the lifetime income payments. Conversely, the shorter your life, the more valuable the lump sum. Take an honest look at your health and family history of longevity before you make your decision.

Think About the Impact on Your Loved Ones

If you opt for lifetime income payments, you may have choices that would reduce your monthly payments but continue to pay lifetime income to your spouse or another survivor. A lump sum, on the other hand, could provide more flexibility or benefits for other beneficiaries.

Consider the Rest of Your Finances

If you have considerable financial resources -- brokerage, 401(k), IRA, business assets -- and other sources of reliable monthly income (for example, Social Security or rental income), you may have less of a need for another source of lifetime income. Taking a lump sum could help you pay off debts. On the other hand, if you’re concerned about covering your essential monthly expenses and you like the idea of having a source of guaranteed monthly income, that could favor the annuity over a lump sum.

Be Honest About Your Investing Skills, Interest and Desire for Control

Managing a lump sum takes skill and discipline. If you work with a financial advisor or if you’re an experienced investor and you’re willing to put in the time, the lump sum could be a good fit, but make sure to consider fees. However, if you’re uncertain about your investment ability or you would rather spend your time doing other things in retirement, lifetime income could be a better choice.

Weigh Your Risks

Either choice involves a certain degree of risk. If you choose a lump sum, your employer transfers all investment risk to you. You could do better -- or worse -than the lifetime income option. Another concern is longevity risk, or the possibility that you’ll overspend and run out of money.

On the other hand, there are risks with choosing lifetime income -- for example, dying prematurely, missing out on better investment returns or having the pension assets lose value if the plan isn’t adequately funded. The federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) provides a certain amount of protection for private pension participants; if you work in the public sector, your employer generally offers guarantees through the federal, state or municipal governments.

Think About Taxes

If you take monthly income, your payments are subject to ordinary income tax. If you take a lump sum in cash, it’s immediately taxable and you’ll be subject to 20% federal (and potentially state) mandatory tax withholding. With a few exceptions, distributions taken prior to age 59 1/2 are subject to a 10% early withdrawal IRS penalty. Withdrawals do not need to begin until age 72.

Alternatively, you could likely roll over the lump sum into a traditional IRA or potentially into another employer plan and defer taxes until you take withdrawals in the future.

You May Have More Than One Option

Sometimes you don’t have to make an all-or-nothing decision. Depending on your plan, you may be able to take a portion of your plan balance in a lump sum and the rest in a series of income payments. Other options might include starting the pension at a later date. Be sure you understand the details and how these arrangements would impact your total payout.

As you can see, choosing between a lump sum and lifetime income payments is a complicated decision. As you weigh your options, it can be very helpful to

consult with a trusted financial advisor. If you’re married, it’s also essential to consider your spouse. Your choice will impact both of you for many years, so take the time to make an informed decision. Whatever you decide, congratulations on your retirement. You’ve worked many years to earn your pension; now you get to enjoy its benefits.

Note: Each investor needs to review an investment strategy for his or her own particular situation before making any investment decision. Examples provided are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be reflective of results you can expect to achieve. Annuity guarantees are subject to the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company or entity that pays the lifetime income.

Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, Certified Financial Planner, is president of the Charles Schwab Foundation and author of “The Charles Schwab Guide to Finances After Fifty.” Read more at http://schwab. com/book. You can email Carrie at askcarrie@schwab.com. The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal or investment planning advice.

COPYRIGHT 2021 CHARLES SCHWAB & CO., INC. MEMBER SIPC.

DIST. BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. (#0221-1PLB)

CARRIE

A family tradition begins in the pandemic

BY ANGELA DE CAPRARIIS-SALERNO

Since March 2020 we have been following the directions of the CDC and Dr. Anthony Fauci, and staying isolated from the world. We have binge watched Schitts Creek, The Crown, NCIS reruns, and Longmire. I became fascinated by The Great British Bake Show, and was inspired to bake bread, cookies, cakes, and pies until my husband complained his waist line had expanded. I organized our closets twice, and re-read all seven Harry Potter books and Louise Penny’s mysteries. I became addicted to Rummy Q on line and You Tube adorable kitten and puppy videos. Then there was only one thing left to do, clean out the attic.

So one day when my energy level was extremely high I entered the attic with one goal in mind, get rid of STUFF. I was moving along at a pretty good pace, when I found tucked away in a dark corner my wedding gown which had been professionally cleaned and hermetically sealed in a humungous box almost 30 years ago. Styles have changed, wedding gowns today are not demure befitting a bride of years past, rather they seem to be styled to be provocative and extravagant. Just watch Say Yes to the Dress. No one would consider wearing my rather chaste gown today, and so it was saved and stored for what? Nevertheless, I moved the large box to check for any damage incurred over the years, and happily found none. Sadly thinking there are an untold number of wedding gowns worn for just the one day only to later be left to deteriorate in attics or in the back of closets. I pushed the box back into the corner and continued going through STUFF.

Later that evening as my husband and I discussed the day’s all-too disturbing events of the pandemic. I looked over at the living room wall where on display enclosed in a gold leaf frame, hung my beautiful long lace Christening gown which had been hand-made by my grandmother in England years ago. The dress had been worn by me in England where I was born during WWII, then by my brother here in the states, and later sent back to England where throughout the years, my five boy cousins were

dressed in it for their baptisms. Later it was returned to me, the only granddaughter. I had an inspiration! Our grand-niece was expecting a baby boy, if the wedding dress was still in good condition, why not I offer to have the dress reconstructed into a baptismal outfit for her baby and future babies born into the family? Her sister is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology and undoubtedly knew a designer who could accomplish this feat. The more I thought about it, the more I was enthralled with the idea. Almost thirty years ago I had purchased the gown from the original Kleinfeld’s in Brooklyn, and if the silk had remained as beautiful as it was then, the amount of material would be more than enough to make a Christening gown. Being married late in life we do not have any children to pass the gown to, but now the gown like so many wedding gowns forgotten and tucked away forever would be going to a very good purpose.

I reasoned, if Her Majesty’s children all wore a hand-me down Christening gown, why not all our grand-nieces embrace this tradition? To have an idea become reality takes a great deal of communication, thought, talent, and patience. My first call was to the grandmother of the soon-to-be-born baby boy. She listened to my suggestion, and loved the concept. Then I contacted our grand-nieces and shared with them what I had dreamed up. Both the momto-be, her sister and their cousins, our other three grand-nieces, were captivated with the idea. A dear friend of the FIT graduate who actually reconstructs wedding gowns into Christening gowns was contacted. We were on our way, especially when the day came and Baby Julian William was born.

Modern times necessitate changes, my suggestion of a gown was not received with enthusiasm. As suspected I was a bit behind the times and even though I explained that Kate and William dressed their two baby boys in a replica of Queen Victoria’s children’s’ Christening gown I was reminded that this is the USA and we do things a little differently here. Baby boys wear little suits or facsimiles of them. My concern

was what if in the future a baby girl is born? Does the tradition end with her? All involved remarked that this was a very good point, so after much deliberation we came up with a solution. Most definitely there would be enough material to make an ensemble which could be worn by both a baby boy and baby girl, but everything depended on the condition of the almost thirty year old dress.

Finally the day of reckoning came when I was to remove the wedding dress from the almost three decades old coffer. I held my breath as I slit open the tape, opened the box and carefully unfolded the mounds of tissue paper enveloping the dress. With the exception of years’ worth of wrinkles, the gown had been preserved amazingly, and was as exquisite as the day I had worn it on that bright May day. We had met the first hurdle.

The owner and designer of Elizabeth’s Dandelions in New Fairfield, Connecticut was contacted. She was appraised of our project, and we were assured it could be accomplished once she had the dress. The second hurdle had been met.

We searched the internet for uni-sex outfits, but none appealed to us. So we pulled out our sketch pads and began drawing what we envisioned for this unique venture. Emails with ideas and suggestions flew back and forth across cyber space. Then the magical day came when the beautiful design was shared with us. It was amazing! This was the best gift my husband and I could imagine for our nieces.

Early in the week before Christmas, I received an email. The ensemble was complete, it had been brought to the post office and mailed to me via priority over-night mail. But we had no

Decline in Social Security Staff Equals Decline in Social Security Service

BY TOM MARGENAU

Imagine that you owned a successful business that was gaining 10,000 new customers every single day. And all the market projections said that trend would continue for many more years. Would you be hiring new staff and opening new outlets to keep up with the demand? Or would you be cutting back on employees, reducing office hours and closing facilities?

If you were in the private sector, I guarantee you would be doing the former. But in the wacky world of government funding and operations, the latter is the norm.

Take, as an example, my former employer: the Social Security Administration. In each of the last eight years, around 10,000 people a day have been retiring and signing up for Social Security benefits. And that is expected to continue for another dozen years or more. In other words, SSA workloads are booming!

So, what has been our government leader’s response to that? Budget and staffing cuts. During the last four years, the Trump administration ordered a 15% across-the-board cut in government staffing, including the SSA.

And if you think that the Trump cuts were merely reversing all the growth in government that happened during the Obama years, well, you simply are wrong. Let’s just use the SSA as an example. Between 2010 and 2016, the agency’s budget dropped by more than 10%. During that same period, its beneficiary base went up by 12%, and its fixed costs increased by about $300 million each year.

And if you also think that the SSA, just like any other government agency, has a bloated administrative budget that could stand some trimming, well, think again. Out of every dollar collected in Social Security taxes, less than one penny goes toward running the agency that maintains earnings records for almost every American and pays monthly benefits to 1 out of every 6 Americans. You would be very hard-pressed to find one single successful business in the private sector that works with a 1% overhead.

When I started working for the SSA in the early 1970s, I was one of about 82,000 relatively happy and proud employees working for one of the best-run agencies in all of government. The SSA consistently won awards for public service and administrative responsibility. I liked the phrase one of my co-workers always used: “The SSA is an honorable institution engaged in a noble public purpose.”

Local Social Security offices were well-run, clean and efficient. I worked in several of those offices in small towns and medium-sized cities across the country. They were pleasant places to work and pleasant places to visit. I en-

joyed the time I had to sit down with the people who came in to file for any of the various kinds of Social Security benefits. I was able to not only explain all the often-complicated Social Security rules that applied to them but also simply chat with them and ask them how their day was going. I always kept in the back of my mind that even though this was just an everyday job for me, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the customer I was dealing with. I tried, and maybe more importantly, I was given the opportunity, to make sure it was as pleasant as possible.

Unfortunately, now it’s a different world and a different SSA. Those 82,000 employees I worked with in the ‘70s and ‘80s have been trimmed down to about 60,000. Of course, the catchphrase for staff reductions is “work smarter, not harder.” Well, catchphrases can only go so far.

With reduced staff and resources, it’s all about numbers, efficiency and time management. Walking in off the street to visit a pleasant local Social Security office to ask some questions and possibly file for benefits while having a little chat with a happy employee is a pipe dream. Today, you must call the SSA’s toll-free number and wait on hold for a long time (some readers have told me an hour or more) to make an appointment. And then you will probably wait weeks, or even a month or more, for that appointment. Then, when you finally get to the office, it’s “take a number, and sit down, and wait until you are called.” And sadly, the SSA rep you finally get to talk to has not had the training I had and does not have the time that I had and probably does not have the esprit de corps that I had.

(Let me quickly note here that you, as a potential SSA customer, can “work smarter, not harder” by using the agency’s website, https://www.socialsecurity.gov, to conduct much of your Social Security business.)

There are other SSA workloads that are also suffering. For example, the disability story is a pretty bleak tale. It takes the SSA almost three months to process a claim for disability benefits. About 65% of those first-time claims are denied, and that means there are hundreds of thousands of people who file appeals. In fact, there are currently over 1 million people waiting for a disability hearing in front of an SSA judge. The average wait time for that hearing is more than 600 days. Those numbers keep getting worse as SSA’s budget and workforce are continually reduced.

And of course, all the problems I’ve highlighted here about staffing cuts have only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis -- making it even more difficult to get through on the phone and almost impossible to get into a local Social Security office. That crisis is

going to eventually end. But the SSA’s funding crisis will probably not end anytime soon. As long as people keep clamoring for smaller government and less government spending -- well, they are just going to have to live with the consequence. And the consequence, as is so evident with my former employer, is reduced services.

I know this column comes across as just the musings of an aging codger pining for “the good old days” that are sim-

ply gone. And they certainly are never going to come back if we continue to cut the budget and gut the staff of an “honorable institution engaged in a noble public purpose.”

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. T.

COPYRIGHT 2021 CREATORS.COM

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

REAL ESTATE WATCH

Making plans to downsize or upgrade

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

Over the years I have met many homeowners who were contemplating with the idea of downsizing and the work in the process that goes along with it.

It can boggle many minds due to what has to be accomplished, from deciding with whom to hire to sell the home, de-cluttering and the preparation as well as any repairs that may have to be considered that will be necessary to optimize its functionality and look to the future buyers.

Questions arise as to deciding on the timing of when to sell, where to move and what will we need to feel comfortable within a certain defined budget? There are so many more questions to be asked and decisions to be made that it can be overwhelming for those who haven’t had to deal with so many issues in maybe 10-30 plus years or more.

It’s not as simple as it use to be, especially for those of you who are older and the pressures of moving are bit more challenging than it was in the past.

First things first, you should make a list of what the most important items to be addressed. The easiest way is to depend on a Realtor and invite them over to have a discussion with them. They have the expertise and knowhow as they have hopefully been in the business for many years and have been guiding sellers as well as buyers through the arduous and sometimes complicated process to prioritize what are the most critical and crucial things to consider first.

I always tell sellers to view their homes through the eyes of a buyer and walk around with their Broker to closely look at the interior and exterior and be as critical as possible to see what items need to be addressed eg. repaired or upgraded within a certain budget.

This can be determined after observing what really needs to be done to make their home presentable to purchasers. Big ticket items like renovating a kitchen and bathrooms may not be an easy decision to make because one must decide do I want to sell quickly and not recoup my total investment (usually it is approximately 65%) to make the home salable or just sell as is? Is my home a knockdown? But who do I want to attract end users who will pay me more or developers who because of their costs and profit mindset will not provide the same sale price?

it less stressful to come to positive and pragmatic decisions leading to logical solutions.

Once you have ascertained what needs to be done in your home to prepare it for sale; then the next step (and you can do this simultaneously too) is figuring out whether you are staying local, moving to where your children and grandchildren reside or moving somewhere that you always wanted to retire to; maybe an exotic location like Costa Rica, Dominican Republic etc.

“next place to call home.”

You as the homeowner need the professional advice and opinion of a broker who has been around the block a multitude of times to be able to assist you and weigh the pros and cons of which path to pursue to maximize the monies that you will receive at the closing table. You might ask yourself, would you want to upgrade your home now and enjoy those amenities and improvements for a few years before selling?

Also during this Covid-19 Pandemic discussing and setting the ground rules with your broker with respect to buyers during showings as they must wear their masks (there have been recent studies that have shown wearing 2+ masks provide added protection for those around you) at all times, gloves, if opening doors or cabinets and booties or taking their shoes off when entering your home to reduce tracking in dirt.

There are so many variables in the mix that relying on your broker to help with your plan and timeline and to listen to other opinions will surely make

Most important are you looking for a smaller home, townhome, gated community/HOA, condo or coop, or possibly a rental, because you are done with being an owner and want to stay more liquid. However, you might be at a stage in your life with a growing family that upgrading to a larger home would be the way to go. How many bedrooms and baths will you need? Are you looking for a mint/diamond move in condition place, cosmetic repairs, painting etc or one that may need an experienced contractor to do a full gut renovation? Obviously a place that needs a full redo could provide you a better opportunity to negotiate the sales price than one that is in mint condition. This could potentially be the most advantageous route to do the renovation your way and to also build in immediate appreciation after all the work is completed. However, you have to decide if you love the upgrades that the current owner has completed and are willing to pay the premium for them. You must be just as discerning as possible in having as clear cut a plan as possible to know what your needs and wants are before proceeding to search out your

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 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.). He will provide you with “free” regular updates of sold and new homes in your town via the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island (MLSLI) or go to http://WWW. Li-RealEstate.Com and you can “do it yourself (DYI) and search on your own. For a “FREE” `15 minute consultation, as well as well as a “FREE printout or digital value analysis of what your home might sell for in today’s tumultuous Covid-19 pandemic market without any obligation or “strings” attached. He can also provide a copy of “Unlocking the Secrets of Real Estate’s New Market Reality, and our Seller’s and Buyer’s Guides for “Things to Consider when Selling, investing or Purchasing your Home.

You can email or snail mail (regular mail) him with your request or ideas, suggestions or interview you for a specific topic and a Q & A for a future column with your name, email and cell number. He will email or call you back and respond to your request ASAP as long as he has your complete name, cell, email and/or full home or business address. Again, for a “FREE” 15 minute consultation, he can also be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@ TurnKeyRealEstate.Com to answer any of your questions and concerns in selling, investing, purchasing, or leasing residential or commercial property.

A family tradition begins in the pandemic

Continued from page 51

idea the postal service was coming to a veritable stand still. Cards received had been post marked fifteen days earlier. Notices arrived via email from companies that explained customers should expect delays due to the unforeseen number of packages being sent through the all ready under staffed postal service. A crippling snow storm came and went, and the package still was not delivered. The postal distribution center was contacted and we were informed the overnight box remained at the center and had not been picked up

for delivery. We had no alternative than to wait, but in desperation twice daily I tracked the package with the same results. Then early on Christmas Eve morning, I received an email from the designer, “It’s on its way. You should get it today!” And indeed we did. When I carefully opened the red, white and blue priority box of the USPS, I silently said a little prayer of thanks. Inside was a pure white box secured with satin ribbon and a little card which printed on one side stated, “These Dandelions were created for you out of love from Aunt Angela in honor of your Baptism Day, ” and on the opposite

side was a picture of me in my wedding gown. What a lovely surprise!

But the most beautiful surprise was the ensemble itself. The three pieces, blouse, rompers and skirt were made exquisitely. I personally was overwhelmed by the workmanship. The thought that the once forgotten wedding dress which had languished in the attic for almost three decades was now a thing of beauty to be worn by our family babies in the years to come thrilled me beyond words. I immediately contacted everyone involved and sent a photograph of the three pieces to my nieces, all whom responded with absolute joy.

Then unexpectedly on Christmas day, we received the wonderful news that in July another baby would be coming into this world, and this baby would wear the appropriate pieces of the amazing Christening ensemble.

Reflecting on this news, I realized that when I began the chore to clean out the attic during this pandemic I had no idea a chain of events would be initiated, and a beautiful family tradition subsequently established for future generations. My wedding dress no longer remained hidden in the attic, rather it would live on into posterity.

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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. Visit us at www.invitedsales. com for a listing of our upcoming Virtual Tag Sales and Weekly Auctions!

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OUT OF TOWN REAL ESTATE

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Roslyn Office space for SubletIMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY

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.

SERVICES

HEALTH SERVICES

CNA: MALE & FEMALE CAREGIVERS

Will provide proof of negative COVID test. Exp w/Dementia, Alzheimers & Parkinson patients. Caring and dependable. Driver references available. Derrick 917-363-8924

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

SERVICES

TUTORING

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.) Good link with athletes. 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

SERVICES

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

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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

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PAINTING & PAPERHANGING

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Interior, Exterior, Plaster / Spackle, Light Carpentry, Decorative Moldings & Power Washing.

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TUTORING

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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

Adelphi’s spring show schedule starts February 28

Adelphi University’s popular Live from Adelphi series, which brings Broadway and cabaret stars live to in-home audiences from the Performing Arts Center (PAC) Concert Hall, starts its spring schedule with a tribute to Ethel Merman, continuing with a celebration of the classics of the American songbook and the Café Carlyle’s legendary Bobby Short, an evening with noted Broadway composer Joe Iconis and family, and a collection of some of the biggest pop songs of all time.

All shows will begin at 5 p.m. Tickets are $20 for each show. Registration and more information is available at bit.ly/ LiveFromAU.

“Everything The Traffic Will Allow,” Klea Blackhurst’s award-winning and critically acclaimed tribute to Ethel Merman, took New York by storm in 2001 and has continued to wow audiences and critics alike nationwide ever since. On Sunday,

February 28, Adelphi’s PAC will stage and livestream the show.

Accompanied by musical director Michael Rice on piano, Klea brings bright new interpretations of Merman’s signature songs such as “I Got Rhythm,” “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” and “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” as well as rarely performed obscurities including “Just A Moment Ago,” “I’ve Still Got My Health,” and “World Take Me Back.” Experience Klea’s crackling wit and powerful vocals as she performs her brilliant, savvy valentine to one of American theater’s greatest stars.

On Sunday, March 21, T. Oliver Reid: “Distingué: A Tribute to Bobby Short” takes the PAC Concert Hall stage. After being part of the company of 13 Broadway shows, award-winning cabaret artist T. Oliver Reid celebrates the classics of the American Songbook in this tribute to the

Café Carlyle’s legendary Bobby Short. No smoke and mirrors here - just the incomparable Reid, Lawrence Yurman on piano and Ray Kilday on bass, sharing the songs the way Bobby would’ve done them.

The series will present Iconis & Family on Sunday, April 11. Broadway composer Joe Iconis (“Be More Chill”) has been called “the future of musical theater” by The New York Times. When Iconis isn’t writing, he’s playing concerts with his beloved family of collaborators. An Iconis & Family concert is a completely unique theatrical experience - part rock gig, part classic show-tune singalong, part immersive theatrical event. The shows are electric mixtures of songs from musicals and stand alone songs -- a family gathering you don’t want to miss!

On Sunday, May 2, “Rock ‘n Radio: Music’s Biggest Hits” will rock and roll down memory lane with an evening of

music and memories straight from the radio featuring some of the biggest pop songs of all time. Groove along with a talented cast of Broadway and cabaret singers to over eight decades of chart-topping hits from the greatest names in music history including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Carole King, Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Elton John, and Adele - just to name a few.

For those who miss the live premiere of any of the shows, all will be available for three days after the live broadcast.

PAC’s Live From Adelphi series is presented by RJ Productions, Spot-On Entertainment and Adelphi. The concerts are performed and streamed live on Sunday afternoons at 5 p.m. Eastern. The recording is then available until the following Wednesday at midnight for those unable to watch live.

Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results! Call our Garden City office at 516-294-8900 for more information.

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.

Lecture - “Is Journalism Dead?” with John Ellis Kordes Tuesday, March 16 at 1 p.m.

Please visit the Senior Center as John Ellis Kordes presents “Is Journalism Dead?”. As newspapers and magazines go out of business and network news rating are declining, will journalism survive? The internet and social media are taking over,

what does that mean for news as we know it? Mr. Kordes will take a look at the state of the media in America today and in the future.

Adult Art Class at Cluett Hall

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.

Do you have a ser vice to adver tise?

Our Service Directory is sure to bring results. Call 516-294-8900 for rates and information.

Senior Exercise with Felicia

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.

“test

not true.

Further, it avoids partisan politics and popularity contests such as what we are seeing currently play out on social media by a select few who have refused to engage in this open process.

If someone doesn’t want to appear before the nominating committee, that is his or her choice. All that person needs to do is collect 15 signatures on a petition and challenge the nominating committee’s designee in advance of the Village-wide January Resident Elector’s meetings. Fifteen signatures is hardly a barrier. If that happens, a primary within that section is automatically held following the Resident Electors’ meetings, as required by POA procedures, in which all section residents may vote, and not just POA members as some have inaccurately reported. As before, the primary information is widely advertised. To claim otherwise is simply not true.

One of the main benefits of the 102-year-old Community Agreement is that it ensures equal representation for each section on the Village board. Although we live in the East, where almost 40% of residents reside, we don’t want to upset that equal balance. It is part of being a community.

Equally important to the nominating process is that it produces candidates who are thoroughly informed about the many issues, big and small, that Trustees need to address. The nominating committees are prepared to ask candidates questions that will challenge their knowledge of residents’ concerns, both in their section and Village-wide. Their willingness to serve is obviously vital but an awareness of the huge amount of time required of a Trustee and the basic operations of Village government is a necessity.

Which brings us to the current Community Agreement Party candidate from the East—Mark Hyer. Mark is running for his third two-year term on the BOT. Mark’s professional background in law enforcement—he served more than 20 years in the NYPD before retiring—gives him a unique perspective on how government interacts with its constituents. For example, while overseeing the community affairs activities within the 10 precincts comprising Brooklyn North, Mark interacted with community leaders and elected officials on special projects. Both professionally and as a Village volunteer, he has proven to be knowledgeable, dedicated and easily accessible to residents who have requested his help.

Mark investigated and recommended the new ambulance service adopted by the BOT early in 2019. It provides 24/7 service with two state-of-the-art ambulances staffed by an EMT and a paramedic. The ambulances are stationed

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Email: Editor@GCNews.com

at the St. Paul’s campus. Previously, Garden City relied on Nassau County to provide ambulance coverage staffed by one EMT and required one Village police officer to drive the ambulance and another to accompany it, taking two officers off patrol for the duration of the aided case.

Mark has a good working relationship with Senator Kevin Thomas, Assemblyman Ed Ra, Town Supervisor Don Clavin and County Legislator Laura Schaeffer. He has worked with them on numerous issues affecting our Village, such as the idling trains along St. James South and the parking lot at Stewart Field. He has helped residents with numerous issues when they have reached out to him. One example is a sidewalk dispute along East Drive that Mark helped resolve satisfactorily. In another case Mark supported the efforts of two Village residents to stop using pesticides in Village parks.

Mark has voted to go forward with litigation to remove the “Monster Poles” and he supports a Village-wide referendum on the disposition of St. Paul’s.

As a long-time member of the Garden City Volunteer Fire Department, Mark has served his neighbors throughout Garden City when they are most in need.

As Mark himself has said, he “understands as a Village Trustee the responsibilities of a Village official who must safeguard taxpayer’s money, deal with personnel issues, unions, operational policies and procedures and also act as our local legislators.”

We fully support Mark Hyer for a third term on the Village BOT. He is proven to be a responsive, fair, knowledgeable, and a tireless worker on behalf of the residents of this Village. And we support the time-proven process that has brought us a person of his excellent qualifications.

Please vote for Mark Hyer and the other highly qualified candidates of the Community Agreement Party—Bob Bolebruch, Stephen Makrinos, Richard Catalano and Yvonne Varano—on Tuesday, March 16, at Village Hall. Absentee ballots are also easily available through the Village website.

EPOA President Steve Ilardi

EPOA Past Presidents (2019-2009): Tom Hogan, Joe Moody, Christine Mullaney, Judy Courtney, Walter McKenna

Time to set record straight

To the Editor:

What the Community Agreement Party doesn’t say. Their half-truths, non-truths, misinformation is totally on the Community Agreement Party. Village parkland sale in Franklin Court is just one example. Spending $100,000 on attorney’s fees to fight a resident’s request to install handicapped parking spaces on Seventh Street is another.

Now the trustees seem to say that a referendum to demolish St. Paul’s will be held. Why not hold the referendum on the demolition of St. Paul’s before spending $200,000 to replace a collapsed floor?

A month or so ago a resident said, in the Garden City News, that he made five calls to a Board of Trustees member and asked for a return call, and never got the return call.

A few Trustees have said they would quit the Board of Trustees if they didn’t get their way. Beat the rust - quit now!

Edward Weille

Past, present and future

To the Editor:

I am Yvonne Rogowski Varano, and I am the CPOA’s candidate for Village Trustee. After you have read about where I stand on certain matters, my professional and volunteer experience, my deep roots in the community and my general love for the traditions and preservation of the history of Garden City I hope that you will feel compelled to vote for me.

First and foremost, I believe in transparency and listening to the concerns of all residents. Each resident has something to contribute and citizen involvement should be a key factor before making major decisions. For example, I strongly believe that a final decision on St. Paul’s should be made by referendum.

For St. Paul’s I would like to create an advisory board with representatives from each POA selected to represent the ideas and concerns of residents. The advisory board would meet as needed and/or prior to approving funds or projects related to the building and grounds. This advisory board would report back to their POA on a monthly basis. I envision this board working similarly to existing boards such as the environmental advisory board (EAB).

I am in full support of renewing the Casino’s longstanding license agreement. I believe the Casino, which was established in 1895 and is one of the oldest tennis clubs in United States history, is an asset to the village and should be preserved. It is a special institution that deserves a place not just in Garden City’s past but in its future as well.

In regard to the Edgemere Firehouse, the situation is investigative. No decision has been made at this point. It is apparent that the firehouse’s condition needs to be addressed. My view is that the look and feel of the building should remain the same given its location in a residential area. Resident’s voices need to be heard on this important decision. If elected I hope to be influential in the conversations and information flow on this subject.

The LIRR poles at the Merillon Avenue railroad station are atrocious and have destroyed the beautiful land-

scape. A lawsuit has been filed but I would work hard to assure that situations such as this do not happen in the future. We need to be ahead of attempts to change the landscape of our village. I understand what makes Garden City an exceptional place to live and I want to preserve the quality of life and traditions that make Garden City so unique. My goal is to update and modernize without completely destroying the past.

I am a supporter of sustainability initiatives, safety and being environmentally friendly. The world is changing rapidly, and I would like the village to be at the forefront of positive change on these fronts. We also need to embrace technology changes for the good of the village and to potentially lower costs. We need to strength communication and the relationship between the village board and the residents. This starts with the POA’s. I believe that good things come out of the POA’s. The Central POA has spent a great deal of time trying to address the traffic issues in the central section and has come up with a plan for a Road Diet for Cathedral Avenue which I would fully support.

I would approach all decisions for the village with the same research and analytical skills I used for over 20 years in my profession. My professional background is in finance. I retired from Jefferies as a Managing Director in Equity Research to raise my children. For most of my career I was at Merrill Lynch where I was responsible for researching small and large cap industrial companies and making investment recommendations to institutional clients. The village is constantly facing new challenges, and I believe my ability to analyze situations would be an asset to the board.

I have been involved and volunteering in the village for more than 2 decades in so many different capacities. I have held many leadership roles in the PTA starting out as VP of Budget just as the 2% tax cap was being implemented and spent much of my time communicating and answering questions on what this would mean for our schools. I then served as President Elect and PTA President. I was responsible for overseeing activities for all seven schools and close to 4,000 students. As President I attended every PTA meeting working with hundreds of parent volunteers, teachers, principals and the board of education. I know how to work with people, communicate, resolve issues and deliver results.

One of my cherished PTA leadership roles was Co-Chairing the 77th year of the Sr. Class party and Skit Night. This is a traditional event that usually draws close to 600 parents, caregivers and students combined. Another social

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The

event I enjoyed volunteering for was the Senior Tea held at the High School in the spring. For 7 years I was a member of the committee that held this event for the benefit of our village seniors.

Outside of the school district, I am a member of St. Joseph’s Parish Council and I have been a lector for the church for over 21 years. I have also volunteered as a coach for the GCAA and Centennials. I am a lifetime member and volunteer for the Girl Scouts and have volunteered for numerous special events held in the community such as Prom-a-Palooza.

I have first-hand experience in village government having volunteered for the CPOA on the Citizens Budget Review and Advisory Committee also known as CBRAC. As a member of CBRAC, I have had the opportunity to sit down with village department heads and comb through every line item of the budget. I am not afraid of challenging, questioning and pushing for answers.

Born and raised in Garden City, I am proud graduate of the Garden City High School. My husband and I are parents to three children that were also born and raised in the village. I am a person who has deep roots in the community and a love of the many wonderful traditions that make Garden City such a special place to live.

I believe I represent Garden City’s past, present and future. I am running on a platform of transparency, communication and keeping with the historical beauty and traditions of Garden City. Please come out on March 16th and Vote for me for village trustee. I will do my very best to serve the village by listening to the residents and preserving the history and traditions that bring us all together as a community.

Yvonne Varano System has served well

To the Editor:

The italicized paragraphs below are excerpts from an article published in 1946, which is available in full online at the Village website.

The article describes events surrounding the only other time in the 100-year plus history of the village that a full slate of a group of residents elected not to adhere to the “Gentleman’s Agreement,” and how this issue was resolved when it occurred in 1930. The article is a little long, but I think it is worth reading given the historical significance of our upcoming village election on March 16.

“On July 19, 1919 the new Village of Garden City was launched, with the election of its officers being distributed in accord with the provisions of the Community Agreement.

“The spirit of neighborly confidence and accord which was evidenced at that first Village election has continued ever

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Email: Editor@GCNews.com

since, with the result that candidates nominated pursuant to the Community Agreement for membership on Garden City’s Board of Trustees have never faced     an opposition ticket on election day.

“Only once, during the 27 years of the existence of the Village, has the “Community Agreement” method of selecting the mayor and trustees of the Village been challenged. That one exception involved the village election of 1930, when 3 of the trustees and the mayor of the Village were to be elected. Under the provisions of the “Community Agreement,” each of the three sections (at a meeting of its own electors only) selected one candidate for Village Trustee and all sections joined in nominating those three upon a ticket entitled “Community Agreement Party.”

“A small group of new residents in the Western Section of the Village-unmindful of the “Community Agreement,” but realizing the voting strength of the Western Section of the Village at that time-undertook to nominate three other candidates as village trustees, all of them being residents of the Western Section.

“As soon as this action became known, a committee of citizens from all sections of the Village united in issuing a statement to all residents of the Village, the content of which justifies inclusion herein. It contained the following statements:

“Since our Village was incorporated, eleven years ago, there has never been a time when we have not had cause for pride in our public officials and their accomplishments on behalf of our community.

“Just prior to our Incorporation there was fear in the minds of some of the residents in the Central and Eastern Sections that if they threw in their lot with the Western Section they would find themselves governed by officials chosen by that portion of the Village. The Western Section was numerically strong enough to outvote the other two. That fear was dissipated when there was presented to a joint meeting of all sections-a so-called “Declaration of Community Policy”which was dated May 15, 1919, and bore the signatures of a number of the more prominent citizens of all sections. It had no binding force from a strictly legal standpoint! It was not represented that it had. It was a “Gentleman’s Agreement”!

“In its preamble was this: ‘We, the undersigned property owners being desirous of effecting the incorporation thereof as the Village of Garden City, and thereafter desiring to assure its future as a Village in which the representation of the three main sections, namely, Garden City East, Old Garden City and Garden City Estates, shall be and continue to be fairly apportioned’;

“It was given by gentlemen to gentlemen and accepted in that spirit.

“Its terms have never been violated!”

“Under its operation, this Village has enjoyed a form of Community

Government by broad representation which has given Garden City an evenly balanced and efficient administration.

“The method followed in the selection of its candidates by each of the sections has always been to call a meeting of the electors of its own section and then and there choose the man or men it desired to be nominated as its representatives. Having done this, each section would report its choices to the other sections, which would accept the candidates of the others without question, and at the polls all sections would support them as the Candidates of the ‘Community Agreement Party’.

“This year the Community Agreement is threatened.   Nomination has been made of candidates for Village Trustee, in opposition to the three who have been nominated under that agreement. If we keep faith, the Eastern Section is entitled to one of these, the Central Section to one and the Western Section to the third.

“The independent ticket disregards our Community Agreement, as well as the rights of the East and Center. Its Nominees are all residents of the Western Section, indicating an attempt to confine the selection of Candidates to the Western Section only, through control of the vote of the Village.

“We are not in politics! We want to keep politics out of our Village government. We want our splendid Village government to continue; and we want to keep the faith!”

The committee which issued that message was composed of 32 members from the Western Section (the section which could probably have elected all of the Trustees had it wished to violate the terms of the Community Agreement), 8 from the Central Section and 5 from the Eastern Section.

“The immediate result was that the candidates who had been nominated in opposition to the “Community Agreement” candidates voluntarily withdrew, with the unanimous approval of their sponsors, and complete harmony and accord were restored.”

Although the motives of the “Western Group” in 1930 may have been more parochial than those of the FABGC party, there is substantial likelihood that some sections of GC will lose their representation entirely by the next round of elections if we proceed with the vote involving the FABGC party. For example, the Central Section has less than 10% of our population. While FABGC claims that voters will likely choose candidates based on party (which would mean that all sections would continue to be represented if the FABGC party wins the election), there are many reasons why voters might choose to split their tickets, which would likely result in selection of candidates from the most populous sections, and exclusion of representatives from some sections. As examples, one

might choose to vote for two trustees in their own section to have more say about their local issues, or because they are friends or neighbors with the two candidates of different parties in their section, or because some might favor “divided government.”

The lack of representation for one or more sections would result in a classic case of “taxation without representation” for less populous sections, and lead to conflict in our community. Although we have many issues in common, the Community Agreement provides for equal representation among the sections because it recognizes that different parts of the village may have different priorities and concerns. For example, the Estates section may be most concerned about the Monster Poles, the Central Section about “cut through traffic” or commercial development on Franklin Avenue, while the Eastern Section may prioritize impacts of commercial development to the east, or historic ground water contamination. We need to assure that the different concerns of local property owners are addressed.

The FABGC party nominating process also did not demonstrate the transparency and fair process it proclaims to espouse. Nominees for the Community Agreement Party have been carefully vetted by POA nominating committees in a process that is open to all residents, including the FAB nominees. In contrast, the FABGC nominees were selected in an opaque process based on personal connections, and were not subject to the same open and competitive process as the CAP nominees. In view of this, some might understandably question if such inconsistency might also emerge when dealing with various policies FAB now claims to support.

No process is perfect, but the “Community Agreement” has worked well for over 100 years to produce a great community, for the most part free of divisive local politics. The FABGC members are good friends and well intentioned, but the process they are pursuing inadvertently risks upsetting this process and politicizing and polarizing our village. There is common ground or outright agreement on most of the issues FABGC supports, and many of these issues have already been addressed. Like the “Western Group” in 1930, either the FABGC candidates should withdraw, or we should find some negotiated solution to resolve this before we all go down a path we may come to regret.

I realize that at this point it may not be possible to negotiate a solution, so I also would like to make an appeal to voters on election day. While I do not doubt that the FAB candidates truly want to improve our village, please realize that you are not voting for candidates or even for certain policies, but for the sys-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Email: Editor@GCNews.com

tem of government that has served us well for over 100 years. Please vote for the Community Agreement Party candidates. It should be an easy decision. Robert Foxen

Improve vaccine distribution

To the Editor:

The state’s vaccination program is failing our most vulnerable residents. Our medical professionals have known since the beginning that COVID-19 is more likely to cause severe illness and death in the elderly and those with underlying conditions. Yet with millions eligible for the vaccine and a limited number of doses available, there is an ongoing mad scramble to obtain appointment, with shifting rules and overloaded web sites and call-in numbers. Seniors in particular have had difficulty navigating the system. The result is that those who are most vulnerable often cannot get the vaccine they desperately need.

I have joined with colleagues on both sides of the aisle and across the state to call for a pre-registration system, such as is used in New Jersey, Illinois, California and Florida. Residents should be able to enter their contact information with vital statistics such as age, occupation and underlying conditions. The state and/or local government can then use the database to identify and

prioritize those most at risk so that they can get an early appointment.

I am also advocating that the state open a mass vaccination site at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum similar to the sites at Yankee Stadium and Citifield, where thousands are being vaccinated every day.

While the numbers are improving, Long Island’s positivity rate has been the highest in the state for weeks. Moreover, demographically Nassau County has a higher percentage of seniors than in other regions in our state and country.

A mass vaccination site at the Nassau Coliseum makes perfect sense. The location is ideal with easy access and plenty of space and parking to accommodate staffing and provide the necessary protocols to maintain safe social distancing. As the supply of doses begins to flow increase, the site could also help handle larger amounts of individuals daily.

We must do more to protect our residents, including our most vulnerable. These commonsense measures will more quickly reduce the numbers of serious illness and assist our county and region to emerge from the pandemic.

Richard J. Nicolello Presiding Officer Nassau County Legislature

Adelphi breast cancer program receives grant

The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation has renewed its commitment to support the Adelphi Breast Cancer Program, with a 2021 grant providing services to underserved women through its BEST program (Breast Education, Screening & Treatment). The BEST project primarily serves African American and Hispanic women over the age of 40 on Long Island. Says Adelphi program director Reyna Machado: “Over the past sixmonths, we have received a 70 percent increase in calls to the hotline.” Machado says women have been delaying getting routine mammograms due to fear of COVID-19. Further, challenges regarding transportation, food insecurity, homelessness and fears of deportation have all been exacerbated by the pandemic. We are so grateful to the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for their renewed funding which will allow us to ensure these barriers do not interfere with a patient's ability to obtain life-saving treatment.

The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization with the mission to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable New Yorkers. The Foundation is

named for Frances Xavier Cabrini, an Italian-American Roman Catholic nun who advocated for immigrants, children and poor people. In 1946, she was canonized a saint by Pope Pius XII in recognition of her holiness and service to mankind and was named Patroness of Immigrants in 1950

Alfred F. Kelly, Jr., chief executive officer of Visa and chair of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation Board., says “As the largest healthcare foundation in New York State, it is a vital part of our mission to be on the front lines assisting during this pandemic. We are working to get urgently needed funds across the state to organizations supporting New Yorkers most in need.”

Last year’s grant allowed the Adelphi Breast Cancer Program to hire a new Spanish speaking social worker, Adriana Valencia from Baldwin, and promote current staff member Angelica Medina of Westbury to the position of outreach program supervisor

The Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program provides education, health referrals and licensed social work services to people affected by breast cancer. The hotline number is 800-877-8077.

IN MEMORIAM

Grace C. Adipietro

Grace C. Adipietro, 84, died peacefully on February 20, 2021 in Garden City, NY. Mrs. Adipietro was born on December 25, 1936 in Valley Cottage, NY to Joseph Orlando and Rose Arnone.  She later moved to Brooklyn, NY and graduated from Fort Hamilton High School. After graduation Grace married her high school sweetheart Frank J. Adipietro in 1955.  They started their family in Brooklyn, NY before moving

to Garden City, NY.

After raising four children, Grace returned to work and eventually started her own medical billing business which she managed for almost 30 years. She was an avid golfer and was well known for her quick wit and boisterous laugh.

Grace was much loved and will be sorely missed by her sister Constance Gallagher; her four children and their spouses, Frank Adipietro (Mary Ellen), Debra Wright (Tom), Lori Ann Conway (Tom) and Joseph (Mary Ellen); as well as her six grandsons of whom she was so proud, Kenneth Wright, James Wright, Thomas Wright, David Adipietro, Liam Adipietro, and Mark Adipietro.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank J. Adipietro.

Funeral services will be held at 9:30am on Saturday, February 27th at St. Joseph’s R.C. Church, 130 Fifth Street in Garden City, NY. Interment to follow at Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury, NY.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Grace C. Adipietro to: Cops for Kids with Cancer at www. copsforkidswithcancer.org.

Latin Club celebrates Saturnalia

Students created decorations for Saturnalia. Photo courtesy of Garden City Public Schools

Garden City High School’s Latin Club celebrated the ancient Roman Saturnalia festival with several activities. The club traditionally hosts an annual event that features food, decorations and games. Despite adjustments necessitated by the pandemic this year, students found creative and enjoyable ways to observe the holiday and explore its history.

Each cohort decorated a Saturnalia bush on separate days and virtual com-

petitions created by club officers and National Latin honor Society members drew excellent participation for friendly challenges. Students acted out their favorite myths, dressed as Roman historical figures and textbook characters, developed their own discus throw with homemade projects, created posters based on Latin quotes and teamed up for trivia questions, all in a digital format with use of video recordings, photos and Google suite resources.

Grace C. Adipietro

CAP incumbents - running from their records

From page 3

and refer to the installation of the poles as “unfortunate.” How about answering why action wasn’t taken in March or April? How about answering why, when residents were begging for action, the trustees and POA were publishing a defense of the LIRR instead of supporting residents? How about answering what the Village’s 3rd track committee knew prior to the installation of the poles? How about answering why Nassau Blvd and Stewart Manor train stations got a rehab at the expense of residents near the stations actually impacted? This is not a special interest. This is a glaring lack or representation not acknowledged by the CAP candidates. Without accountability, it is sure to continue, and any resident in Garden City could find themselves unrepresented.

Western Section FirehouseDefense of No Plan

On Fire Station No. 2, CAP’s response is that no decision has been made! Taxpayers have spent $342,000 without a competitive bid for incomplete plans for construction of a new firehouse, and the WPOA firehouse committee continues to be stone-walled. The CAP candidate for mayor, who appears to be spearheading the project, has yet to respond to the question about how PKAD was chosen, and what special skill they possess that no other firm possesses that

precluded them from a competitive bid process. And the FOIL request on this topic has not been responded to after more than 2 months.

St. Paul’s Costs Minimized by CAP Candidates

On St. Paul’s, CAP candidates reference minimal “maintenance” costs, but fail to address that taxpayers are now spending millions to stabilize the building due to the years of neglect. Those costs aren’t excluded simply because you avoided maintenance for many years. In addition, the three incumbent candidates are now taking the position that there should be a referendum on St. Paul’s. In their years on the BOT, not one of these candidates made a motion for the Board of Trustees to vote on committing to a referendum.

Blaming Community Organizations

On community organizations and events, the CAP candidates are silent on the extreme hike in rent for the Andy Foundation Tag Sale and blame the Jay Gallagher organizers instead of taking any responsibility for their rate hike. The tournament’s goal was to raise money for charity and the trustees tried to squeeze some revenue out of them which ended the tournament. As to the Cathedral Nursery School, just like the Jay Gallagher tournament, the CAP candidates seem to simply be shifting blame and not acknowledging how

they could have treated their neighbors better.

Handicapped Parking

On handicapped parking, the CAP candidates are presenting a false narrative of these events which is evident to anyone who took the time to read the eye opening article submitted by FABGC on this topic. No explanation was provided as to why in this situation a consultant was retained when one had not been retained for other additions of handicapped parking spots in the village. Even more alarming is that no one has disclosed whose decision it was to hire this “consultant” who by all accounts gave bad information to the Board of Trustees which was relied upon to the tune of over $100,000 in legal fees. The credibility of that consultant’s report is called into question by the Village’s failure to rely on it in court.

No Bid Contracts

On RFPs, the CAP candidates seem to be defending the Board of Trustees’ decision to hire PKAD without getting any other bids simply because they are legally allowed to do so. They argue an exemption for the RFP requirement because this particular design firm “had a specific skill set as it related to its consideration of Village Fire Station No. 2.” The CAP candidates in no way acknowledge that doing business in this way is not in the best interests of the taxpayers of the Village. Moreover, the

question posed to the deputy mayor in September about what the process was that led the BOT to hire PKAD remains unanswered in this article signed by the Deputy Mayor. The FOIL request to the village on this has still not been responded to.

Is this the experience residents want to vote for?

Do you really see any fresh perspective in this CAP article purporting to “set the record straight”? Do you actually feel like your concerns have been addressed? Is this the experience that residents are looking for in its Board of Trustees? FABGC thinks it is not.

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, Neil McGoldrick, and Gerry Kelly.

This year, there is much more on the ballot than candidates

From page 3

trustee and they would control your Board of Trustees as a bloc, if elected – they would decide how each and every one of your hard-earned tax dollars is spent. This has never happened before in the history of the Village. The Community Agreement and POA process provides a combination of experience and fresh perspectives – the Mayor candidate is always meant to have many years of trustee experience before taking on this important role.

• Garden City has avoided divisive partisan politics for over 100 years with few exceptions. If the FABGC slate was elected, our Village will likely continue to have contentious elections in the future.

• With politics comes scare tactics. Some residents who live near the tall utility poles have concerns regarding the impact of tall utility poles on their property values and quality of life. However, the FABGC compounds their concerns by making claims that there are now dangers of electromagnetic fields despite there being no scientific evidence to support this claim. This claim, for political purposes, potentially impacts the home values of these homeowners. Just this week, the FABGC

made various claims on social media about our water supply despite the recent Village communications to the residents that clearly states that our water is acceptable for all uses, including drinking and food preparation, and that our Village is moving as quickly as possible to install the equipment necessary to meet the new NYS MCL limits. These claims could impact all of our home values.

• With political parties come the potential for political favors, quid pro quos and everything else that each of us dislikes about the partisan politics in our country. We were selected only based on our backgrounds and qualifications and we are not accountable to any person, political party or special interest agendas. Instead, we will represent each and every resident of our village – all 22,500 of them.

• Given how the vote will take place, there is a very real possibility that the Village will not have equal representation by section, it is not “unlikely” as the opposition wants you to believe.

The “Constitution” of Garden City, the spirit of the Community Agreement, is brilliant. Thus, the reason it has been the “ruling law” of Garden City for over 100 years. Before you vote, we urge you to read the Community Agreement and

its history. It is on our website, gardencitycap.org. Once you have read it you will understand how important this election is not only for current residents but for our children and all future residents.

Today our village residents find themselves in a very divisive political election campaign for volunteer village positions that is pitting neighbor against neighbor. Both sides are spending thousands of dollars in ads and raising money from village residents to fight against other village residents. Residents who have dedicated years and countless hours of service are being attacked and slandered. The negative social media campaign of the FABGC on this paper’s website and on Facebook truly represents a low point in our Village’s history. They may believe that their ends justify the means, we respect-

fully and strongly disagree.

This is by no means representative of our traditional Garden City values. Where has our civility gone?

If you believe in and support our Community Agreement and our traditional Garden City values, you need to have your voice heard on election day and vote for the Community Agreement Party candidates or one day you may come home to a Garden City you no longer recognize.

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

Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call our main office today 294-8900 for more information.

Local author interviewed for book about aviation

Local resident, author  Lana Mae Noone, was recently interviewed for the upcoming book,  "Boeing 747: 50 Years of An Aviation Icon",  by  Ingo Bauernfeind.

Mrs. Noone discussed her personal recollection of the 747 jumbo jet's part in the Vietnam Operation Babylift in April, 1975.

President Gerald R Ford greeted the flight when it arrived in Oakland, California, April 2, 1975 and authorized the extraordinary humanitarian effort known as Operation Babylift.

Mrs. Noon has worked on behalf of the Vietnam veterans and civilians involved in Babylift and co-authored the acclaimed Vietnam Babylift Play, Children of the April Rain. Please contact her at Lana@Vietnambabylift. org regarding staged readings which are may be presented outdoors as well as indoors.

Lana Mae Noone with Vietnam veterans Philip Wise, and Artist Doc Bernie Duff, gifting the Welcome Home painting to the Gerald R Ford Presidential Library, Grand Rapids, Michigan. The painting shows President Ford greeting the first Babylift arrivals. Donated to the Gerald R Ford Presidential Library by the artist at the Vietnam Babylift Ceremony,.

Accepted on behalf of the Library by the late President’s son, Steve Ford. The President’s brother Richard Ford also attended the Ceremony.

Travels with Alice: A virtual trip to Cuba

Long Island artist Alice Sprintzen takes participants on a virtual trip through Cuba where vibrant art and culture are around every corner. This Zoom/PowerPoint presentation, which includes slides and videos of the art, dance and music of Cuba, will take place on Monday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m.

In 2018, Alice traveled to Cuba with the Peters Valley School of Crafts where she met with craftspeople in their studios, popular and folk musicians and attended modern and contemporary dance performances.

Alice Sprintzen is a jewelry artist and teacher, having taught at Oyster Bay HS, LIU Post, the Newark Museum and the Art League of LI. Her craft books are  “The Jeweler’s Art: A Multimedia Approach; Jewelry - Basic Techniques and Design ”  and  “ Crafts, Basic

Techniques and Design.” Her avant garde jewelry has appeared in publications including  “Humor in Craft,” “500 Pendants; The Art of Jewelry - Plastics and Resin,” Newsday and Elle Magazine. Alice has exhibited throughout the U.S. and is currently represented by the Hen’s Nest Gallery in Washington Depot, CT. Her work can be viewed at www.alicesprintzen.com>

This event is sponsored by the Ethical Humanist Society of LI. The contribution amount is $20 per Zoom window. To sign up, email office@ ehsli.org and instructions will be sent. Or, send a check to EHSLI, by March 5 to: 38 Old Country Road, Garden City, NY 11530. Include email with the check. The Zoom link will be sent when the contribution is received.

Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call 294-8900 or visit us online www.gcnews.com to request information & rates Litmor Publishing's Community Newspapers

Alice Sprintzen in Cuba

GCHS Girls Varsity Fencing wins thrilling quarterfinal playoff

On Monday, February 22, the girls hosted Jericho in the quarterfinals of the Nassau County Team Championship Playoffs. They had lost to Jericho in the regular season by a score of 16-11 and sought to avenge that loss and advance in the playoffs.

This match was an absolute nail-biter. GC started the first round strong with a saber sweep by senior co-captains Riley DeGearo and Annaliese Etienne and sophomore Alexa Andron. But Jericho came storming back and swept the next six bouts in foil and épée. Notably, of these six bouts, four were tied 4-4 before Jericho scored the final touches. Thus, at the end of the first, Jericho led 6-3.

In the second round, GC fought back

and won two out of the three bouts in each weapon. These wins were in saber by Riley DeGearo and Alexa Andron; in foil by junior Melissa Ng and freshman Ana Gaztanga; and in épée by sophomores Cate Rovelli and Dian Wakeham.

GC had leveled the match 9-9.

In the final round, saber earned two wins by Riley DeGearo and Annaliese Etienne – GC 11, Jericho 10. After Jericho won the next two foil bouts, they were up 12-11. Next, junior captain Sophia Ortiz took the piste and leveled the match at 12-12 in an exciting bout. It would come down to épée. First, Cate Rovelli won a thrilling 5-4 bout to put GC up 13-12, but Jericho took the next épée bout to tie the match 13-13. In the final épée bout, Dian Wakeham took the

Freshman Ana Gaztanaga beats her opponent’s blade

Sophomore Cate Rovelli scores in one of her two huge wins!

Junior Melissa Ng lunges to attack in foil

Junior Foil Captain Sophia Ortiz with a critical win to tie the meet at 12-12

Alexa Andron (left) also with two key saber victories

Senior Saber Co-Captain Riley DeGearo (left) went 3-0!

Sophomore Dian Wakeham (left) went 2-1 and won the clinching bout!

GCHS Girls Varsity Fencing wins thrilling quarterfinal playoff

strip and traded touches with her Jericho opponent. After what seemed like an eternity, the score was tied at 4-4 and the fencers met with their coaches for some last minute advice. The director called the fencers back to en garde; Ready fence… and with that Wakeham found her mark to score the final touch and win the match! Final Score: GC 14 – Jericho 13. Simply outstanding! Congratulations to the team on advancing to the semi-finals! They have no easy task in front of them as the team will face Great Neck South, the defending 2020 Nassau County Champions who were also an undefeated 11-0 during this regular season. We wish the girls and Coach Appelman the best of luck!

Are you a professional?

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Garden City’s Dynamic Duo

Gotham City has Batman and Robin. Garden City has Luke Long and Tommy Franz. The dynamic duo are lightning up the courts with long range shooting and a “run and gun” style of offense.

Seniors co-captains Long and Franz were both selected to the Top 100 players on Long Island Team. They are the highest scoring backcourt on the Island, with Long averaging 29 (ppg) and Franz 21 (ppg). They both are three year varsity starters, and have enjoyed a highly

successful varsity career. As juniors, Long was selected All-County and Franz was selected to All-Conference teams. In a shortened 8-games season, the boys have put on a show. In a recent game vs New Hyde Park, the Trojans won 94-77. Luke Long had 47 pts while hitting (10) 3 pointers, and Tommy Franz had 30 points, hitting (5) from behind the arc. None of their success has happened by chance. These two players have dedicated hours of time

in the gym and local GC parks. Their summer AAU season and Showcase Tournaments were cancelled. College recruiting across the basketball world has taken a huge for all players. In a normal HS season, they would have 22 games to show what they can do. They have only an 8-game season and no coaches and fans are allowed to attend. It has been a tough pill to swallow for all players.

Garden City’s Dynamic Duo are in

their final week of their Trojan careers. They have done themselves, families, coaches, school and community proud. They are a shining example of what happens when you dedicate yourself to a craft. In a time of quarantines, masks and weekly COVID tests, they rose above and seized the moment.

Congratulations to Luke and Tommy on their great Garden City High School basketball careers. Finish strong and enjoy the memories.

Senior Co-Saber Captain Annaliese Etienne (left) with two critical wins

Luke Long and Tommy Franz

Tommy Franz Luke Long

GCHS Boys Fencing wins first round of playoffs

The Trojans entered the Nassau County Fencing Playoffs as the fourth seed and took on the fifth seed Great Neck North High School, who they beat earlier in February. The squad from GNN was determined and ready to give the Trojans a fight, and not go down easy. It was a thrilling meet where the score was tied five times and included three overall lead changes.

Junior saber Alex Pasqualina lead off the meet with a strong 5-1 performance to set the tone that GC was ready to take on whatever GNN threw at them. Next up was junior saber Nicholas Michael, who lost a tough match 5-4, bringing the overall score to 1-1. Finishing off the 1st round of sabers, was senior captain Grant Scarangella with another tough back-and-forth match, with Grant com-

ing out on top, 5-3, and GC back up 2-1.

Next was the foil squad, led by senior captain Andrew Burns, who extended the lead to 3-1 with a 5-3 win in the first foil match. GNN got one win back from junior Jordan DeNaro, while junior Joe Armstrong finished off the first round of foils with the first shutout (5-0) of the match to bring the GC lead to 4-2.

The épée squad of seniors Sean Maas, Ryan Bradley and Aidan Rosenblatt ran into the strong squad from GNN and lost the next three matches with GNN taking the overall lead 5-4 at the end of the first round. Coach Oliver gathered the boys, they regrouped, and came out determined to get the lead back.

The second round opened with two GC saber wins from juniors Nicholas Michael and Alex Pasqualina. Nicholas’

match was a true battle as he fought back twice to take the lead in his match 3-2, only to have the next three points trade back-and-forth to a 4-4 tie, before Nicholas struck first to secure the win. Alex again came out strong with another 5-1 win. Next up, senior captain Grant Scarangella had a tough match that was another back-and-forth battle that ended in a 5-4 loss. GC and GNN tied at 6-6.

Coming into the second round the foil squad had seen enough and was determined to send a message. Junior Jordan DeNaro led off with a dominant 5-0 win, followed by senior captain Andrew Burns with another 5-0 win, and rounded out by a 5-3 win by junior

Joe Armstrong. GC takes a 9-6 lead. The épée squad had another tough round losing its three matches, finishing the second round tied at 9-9. The boys showed their resilience and came out of the second round break, louder than ever, and cheering each other on. Junior Nicholas Michael started off the third round for the saber squad with a tough loss, and GNN going up 10-9, and 4 wins away from ending the boys season. As senior captain Grant Scaranagella came out for his next match, the boys cheering and stomping got louder, and Grant delivered with a 5-0 shutout, bringing the match back to a 10-10 tie. Next up was junior Alex Pasqualina, who had already gone 2-0

Junior Saber Nicholas Michael (right) evens the score as he catches his opponent flat-footed.

Senior Saber Captain Grant Scarangella (right) literally has his opponent from Great Neck North jumping off the strip

Senior Foil Captain Andrew Burns (right) on his way to the match victory.

Junior Foil Jordan DeNaro (right) finds his target.

GCHS Boys Fencing wins first round of playoffs

for the match, outscoring his opponents 10-2. Alex did it again with another 5-1 win, and GC was now up 11-10.

The clapping and stomping was now getting louder as the foil squad, which so far had gone 5-1 in the match, was up next. Junior Jordan DeNaro continued the foil dominance with 5-0 shutout bringing the score to 12-10, two wins away from the next round of the playoffs. Next up was junior Joe Armstrong, who also had gone 2-0, outscoring his previous opponents 10-3. Joe got off to an early lead, but his GNN opponent fought back and got within a point, before Joe finished him off with a 5-3 win. GC up 13-10, and with senior cap-

tain Andrew Burns up next. The rest of the team could sense the victory coming as Andrew stepped on the strip, already having won his first two matches. Andrew had a tough back-and-forth match, and his opponent from GNN was game, and not going down easy. After some encouragement from his coach and his teammates, Andrew turned the pressure up and finished off his opponent and the match with a 5-3 victory.

The boys congratulated one another on a hard fought match, knowing that next up is the number one seed, Syosset High School, which went undefeated for the season. Good luck boys!

G C R E CR E AT ION A ND PA R K NEW S

2nd Session of Saturday Gym Program

Garden City Recreation and Parks will conduct a second session, 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 March 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 am 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.ne

Furry friends and foreign language

On Thursday, Feb. 11, students in Ms. Acierno and Mrs. Gutiérrez’s Spanish 2 classes read and analyzed an authentic infographic and accompanying website about the benefits of pet adoption, all in Spanish. Remote and in-person students worked together to explore and discuss the pet adoption process, positive outcomes and true adoption stories in Spanish, as well as practice their reading comprehension skills.

Photo courtesy of Garden City Public Schools

Junior Saber Alex Pasqualina (right) goes toe-to-toe with his opponent from Great Neck North.

Junior Foil Joe Armstrong (right) out-lunges his opponent from Great Neck North.

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