At the beginning of the last New Hyde Park Village meeting, village mayor Daniel Petruccio and the board gave a village proclamation to resident Ashley Marie Paul for rescuing a little dog she found wandering on the street.
A few weeks back she found the dog and brought him to New Hyde Park Village Hall. Both she and the dog were cold and wet. Village clerk Patrick Farrell took Ashley and the dog to the vet in the village and they checked for a chip to see if they could find the owner. Having found none, Ashley then made signs and posted them throughout the village and up and down Jericho Turnpike and before long the owner was located. Farrell said, “I heard, Ashley, that you cried when the owner was finally found because you had fallen in love with the dog and hated to give it up. “Farrell added, “If more people were as sensitive and as caring as Ashley, the world would certainly be a happier place to live.”
The mayor then opened the meeting with an announcement by village secretary Janet Bevers of a long list of communications to the board. The first asking for the use of Marcus Christ Hall and the announcement of the New Hyde Park Little League Parade on April 10 from 10 a.m. She also read a list of requests for license renewals of restaurants, for dances, games, carter, peddler/solicitor, tow car owner, limousine owner. Plus, a long list of landscapers. The list may be found at New Hyde Park Village Hall, corner of New Hyde Park Road and Jericho Turnpike. The mayor then called for reports from trustees starting off with trustee Richard Coppola.
Trustee Richard Coppola
Trustee Coppola announced that the Auxiliary Police car was back in service. He also announced that the Chamber of Commerce meeting was held on Feb.18 and he will report on the meeting at the next village meeting. He warned that the New Hyde Park Fire Department is holding its fundraising drive by sending a letter to each resident. He stressed that if the letter does not state it’s from the New Hyde Park Fire Department, residents should not send any money and if there is a doubt please call the department for confirmation.
Further, he announced that on May 2, the New Hyde Park Fire Department would be holding the Nassau County Memorial Service at 6:30 p.m. at New Hyde Park Memorial High School, on Leonard Boulevard, New Hyde Park.
Coppola also announced that the New Hyde Park Little League is currently sending out registration forms. Further, they will hold their first golf outing on May 3 at North Shore Towers. Details may be obtained by contacting the New Hyde Park Little League or by calling New Hyde Park Village Hall at 354-0022 for further information.
Coppola also announced that the village is inspecting the two parks in order to get them ready for the spring and summer.
Deputy Mayor Robert Lofaro
Deputy Lofaro was absent for the meeting, but Mayor Petruccio said that a huge celebration was planned for the coming weekend to honor the years of service to the village by retiring DPW assistant Mark Farina.
He also reported that renovation work was moving along nicely at the village theater. Mayor Petruccio said it would be a wonderful place to showcase events in the village and further it would be a place for the young people in the village that currently have no place to congregate. Further, volunteers are needed to help out.
Trustee Donald Barbieri
Trustee Barbieri said he recently met with the Cultural Commissioner Lisa Miranda who is also involved with the New Hyde Park theater. He said she was reaching out to all residents who might have new ideas for the theater and for a children’s theater. Please contact her or him at village hall.
On Feb. 27 and Feb. 28 there will be a Model Train exhibit at Marcus Christ Hall, adjacent to New Hyde Park Village Hall. Trustee Barbieri said to be sure to bring the kids and enjoy this exhibit that is so very entertaining for everyone. Barbieri also announced that he and clerk Farrell and DPW Superintendent James McCloat would be going to Hauppauge to meet with DOT landscape architects to further discuss their plans to complete the Operation Main Street and the Jericho Turnpike project. He will report on their meeting at the next village meeting.
Trustee Lawrence Montreuil
Trustee Montreuil reported that during the month of December 37 building were permits issued. He added that it was a decrease from November, but he added that always happens at the end of the year. He did say it was a three percent increase over last December, but he said it was about six percent below last year’s numbers. He said, “As I look back on the last four years I have been tracking these numbers we seem to have pretty steady decline in building permits, but I think it should be noted that each and every one represents a lot of work by the building department. Plus, the work that the Architectural Review Board for the site planning that is involved with each request. So there is a lot that goes along with each application for a building permit. Residents should be proud of the amount of research that goes into each application to make sure it is just right for the village.”
Trustee Montreuil also said that the Architectural Review Board has three pending cases on its docket which makes sure that every new building in the village is esthetically correct before permits are issued. Further, last Wednesday was “court night” in the village and at that time 12 building summons issued in the village will be heard. He said, “I should also point out that after a lengthy investigation the building department settled on a case regarding an illegal apartment in the amount of $15,000. I just want to make sure residents know that the fines are stiff. It may take a while but eventually illegal building residents will be fined.
“Further, the building department also sent out notices to all the real estate companies in the area advising them of the new sign laws that have been put into effect.”
Mayor Daniel Petruccio
Mayor Petruccio said that he has noticed that solicitors are out in his neighborhood. He said, “The good news is, in the interest of safety, they now all wear bright orange vests. That actually makes it easier not to answer the door, if you don’t wish to be solicited because the bright orange vest is a dead giveaway. Unfortunately, we don’t have the power to stop this, but we can choose not to answer the door.
“We also received information from the County of Nassau Senior Citizen Affairs asking for nominees for the 2010 Nassau County Senior Award and the only requirements are that all persons entered must be at least 60 years of age and must live in Nassau County. Further, employees of any organization are not eligible.”Petruccio continued, “We are starting the budget process and we will get the numbers from the various department heads to put into the budget. The budget meetings are open to the public, however, the public is not allowed to participate in those meetings.”
Open to the Public
In response to a question about the DOT and the Jericho Turnpike project, trustee Barbieri said that the DOT is marking where utilities are and where there will be change in traffic lights when they finally do start resurfacing the turnpike, but he said it should be sometime in the spring into summer. Barbieri added, “After the traffic lights are changed the village is then free to do its project without them interfering. ”Barbieri continued, “Some of the traffic lights will be eliminated and it was anticipated that the traffic light on 10th Street and the light by Yesterday’s Diner are two lights they anticipate moving since there will be a ‘right turn’ only at those corners and no left turn. That’s what has been discussed, but until they finish their survey, nothing is definite. When I meet with them I will ask some of your questions and will report back what has been discussed.
“Further, it has been discussed, but I am not sure it will happen, that planted medians will be on installed on Jericho Turnpike and that would definitely eliminate the need of some of the stop lights, but as I said before, I don’t know what definite changes are to be made, but I will let everyone know.” Barbieri said he thought that the light will now be installed with “count downs” that have been installed in other communities,
New Hyde Park Clerk Farrell said when he goes, with Barbieri, to meet with the DOT, he will get a copy of the plans and bring them back to the village and they will be available to the residents to see just what is planned.
