Serving New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Garden City Park, North Hills, Manhasset Hills and North New Hyde Park
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Friday, December 6, 2019
Vol. 68, No. 49
N E W H Y D E PA R K
HOLIDAY GIFT & DINING GUIDE
VOTE OKS TWO LAKEVILLE ROOMS
SUOZZI CALLS FOR MILLER’S FIRING
PAGES 27-38
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Ex-GCP water, fire commish eyes old post
TURKEY TROT TERS
Cooper cites rising water rates, fire response times as reason for return BY TOM M CC A RT HY Former Garden City Park Water and Fire Commissioner Alan Cooper is looking to take back his post from 12-year incumbent Kenneth Borchers next Tuesday. Cooper, A Garden City Park native who served as Garden City Park’s water commissioner in the late ’90s and early 2000s, said that rising water rates and fire response times in the district drove him to run for his old post. The Garden City Park Water District Covers parts of Garden City Park, Manhassett Hills, parts of New Hyde Park, parts of Mineola, parts of North Hills, Parts of Roslyn, parts of Williston Park, Parts of Albertson, and parts of Garden City “One of the big issues on the water district side is the recent increase in our water rates,” Cooper said. After not increasing rates for many years, the board has voted
to increase the rates by approximately 60 percent over the next two years, Cooper said. He said that when he was on the board that they would “strategically plan” how to avoid rate increases and even decreased water prices in his first year. “That is an unheard-of rate increase and shows a lack of longterm strategic planning,” Cooper said. “When I was on the board, we would strategically plan our infrastructure upgrades so we could estimate the funding we would need in the future.” Borchers is eeking a fifth term and said that under his leadership, the district has seen many changes in water safety standards and testing requirements. “An integral part of being commissioner of a water district is the need to be well-versed on all aspects of the process of getting safe, clean water to our customers,” Borchers said. Continued on Page 51
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FLORAL PARK-BELLEROSE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Kindergartners at the Floral Park-Bellerose School participated in the school’s Turkey Trot. See story on page 63.
Flynn, O’Brien face off for water/fire commish BY R O S E W E L D ON Manhasset-Lakeville Water and Fire District Commissioner and Chairman Steve Flynn is being challenged for his seat by former Commissioner Donald O’Brien, on Tuesday, Dec. 10,
the second time both men have run against each other. The commission oversees both the fire and water districts, which cover the same geographic area, but the two are technically independent of each other. They serve approxi-
mately 45,000 people, who use7.4 million gallons of water a day, in an area that includes Great Neck, Manhasset and New Hyde Parrk, according to the water district’s website. The commission ensures that Continued on Page 51
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