Friday, October 24, 2025
Vol. 102, No. 43
Garden City O Agent of the ffice Month
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Michelle McA
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NYS tech grant bolsters GCPD Trustees eye funding for water works, sewer projects BY RIKKI MASSAND
Commissioner Kenneth Jackson thanks Governor Kathy Hochul for state funding that enabled the Department to purchase state-of-the-art technology to bolster the Department’s crime fighting capabilities. Governor Kathy Hochul was in the Village October 15 visiting the Garden City Police Department to highlight more than $21 million in state investments that are modernizing law enforcement technology and equipment across Long Island’s law enforcement agencies. The visit included a tour and demonstration featuring the Department’s state-of-the-art technology purchased with the State’s law enforcement technology grants. The Garden City Police Department utilized $465,000 in law enforcement technology funding to purchase a
Skydio X10 Drone and license plate readers, and to implement a modern computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system both in the Department’s headquarters and patrol vehicles that enables officers to respond to dispatch calls more efficiently. CAD technology allows officers to use a caller’s cell phone to locate them much more accurately, even if the individual is moving. This technology also provides a Records Management System (RMS) as part of the modern CAD, allowing the police department to use integrated data to identify patterns of inci-
dents and implement more targeted policing. Commissioner Kenneth Jackson thanked Mayor Ed Finneran and the Village Board for their support and the Governor for the grant. “It’s been a lifesaver for us. Our response times are going down and our crime stats have been very well received. As a member of the State Chiefs Board and Nassau County Chiefs Board, we appreciate all the assistance that you gave to all the communities. I represent all of them in Nassau County See page 30
From the ongoing saga over the future of St. Paul’s to the many functional systems that keep the Village of Garden City running, municipal infrastructure continues to draw scrutiny—and grant funding remains essential for upgrades and modernization. At its meeting on Thursday, October 9th, the Garden City Board of Trustees approved an application for a $600,000 New York State Parks, Preservation and Heritage Grant through the NYS Office of
Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP)—the maximum award amount. The proposed restoration of the historic Water Works building on 11th Street carries an estimated budget of up to $3 million over roughly three years. Superintendent of Public Works John Borroni explained that D&B Engineers & Architects of Woodbury will prepare and submit the application for a fee of $11,500, covered by the Water See page 30
Board discusses literacy, screen time & fiscal health BY KASSARA MCELROY At the Garden City Schools Board of Education meeting on October 21, the district’s literacy program took focus as parents raised concerns about gaps in students’ writing skills. During the public comment period, one parent shared that her fourth grader struggles to differentiate nouns and verbs, while another described a seventh grader unable to properly address a letter or use basic punctuation
despite excelling academically in other subjects. Parents called for more structured instruction and noted that heavy Chromebook use may be affecting handwriting and literacy development. District officials responded that technology is used mainly to support instruction, assuring parents that students are not spending excessive time on devices at the expense of traditional learning. They also highlighted ongoing professional development to See page 30
Mayor, trustees address WPOA PAGE 6 Diwali’s light shines bright PAGE 18