Friday, February 26, 2021
Vol. 98, No.27
FOUNDED 1923
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Bring It On Home
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Brian Pryke
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Choral evensong
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Virtual Valentines PAGE 12
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Fireworks at Village Board meeting as candidate slates clash
SNOW SEASON
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.
Village crew clears snow near the gazebo during a recent storm.
Photo courtesy Ann DiTroia
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
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 See page 37
GC Village Board: Water supply is safe PAGE 6 Jazz Ensemble to be featured statewide PAGE 30