Prior to the regular meeting, Mayor Tweedy called upon Chief Everett Ulmer to present his annual report to the mayor and board of trustees. Fire Chief Ulmer read his annual report for the year April 20, 2010 to April 19, 2011. Following his report, Chief Ulmer introduced the newly elected staff for 2011-2012.
Fire Chief John B. Kelleher, Jr.
1st Assistant Chief Vincent F. Modica
2nd Assistant Chief Luciano D’Amore
3rd Assistant Chief Daniel Bennett
4th Assistant Chief Brian P. Naughton
Mayor Tweedy said that through all the years he has been on the board, he thought it was most appropriate that as the political calendar started, an organization that pre-dates this village, the fire department, its calendar also started. It is not the fire department who follows the village, but rather it is the village who follows the Fire Department.
Mayor Tweedy, on behalf of the board, the mayors before him, especially former Mayor Kevin Greene, and all of our village residents, extended his deepest appreciation for the sacrifices Chief Ulmer has made, the leadership he has shown, the professionalism he has demonstrated and for bringing a sense of calm and security to everyone he met. You always knew you were in good hands when Chief Ulmer was there. Because of Chief Ulmer’s dedicated work, the Fire Department is in full compliance with members’ physicals. This is a very impressive accomplishment and is an indication of Chief Ulmer’s dogged determination to get things right. Under Chief Ulmer’s leadership, a good amount of grant monies were obtained for the department’s use. Many emergencies occurred in the village during Chief Ulmer’s tenure without the loss of any lives; a tremendous tribute to Chief Ulmer and to our great Fire Department as a whole. Mayor Tweedy thanked Chief Ulmer’s wife, Kathleen, for the support she has given Everett in his endeavors and for the support she has given to us all. Mayor Tweedy thanked Chief Ulmer on behalf of the board and a very grateful village.
Trustee Tomecki, who has been fire commissioner for just two weeks, thanked Chief Ulmer for his dedicated service to the village and said evidence of this could best be illustrated through a personal story. A few years back, Trustee Tomecki’s mother fell ill and she called for emergency assistance. The first responders were our Police Department and Chief Ulmer. Chief Ulmer’s professionalism that day and the sense of calm he brought to the situation will never be forgotten. Trustee Tomecki said that incidents such as hers occur every day in Floral Park, but that a newfound appreciation is formed when you see first hand the great work of our Fire Department and our Police Department. Trustee Tomecki thanked Chief Ulmer for all the good work he has done and that he will continue to do.
Former Fire Commissioner Trustee Rhatigan said that Chief Ulmer’s report mentioned the number of calls the Fire Department responded to last year but it failed to mention the number of calls that Chief Ulmer responded to personally. Not only was Chief Ulmer always on the scene of an emergency, but he was often the first one to respond. Trustee Rhatigan said Chief Ulmer has set a tone for the department which will be very difficult to maintain but that he has every faith in our incoming chief and his staff that they will do so, too. Trustee Rhatigan said, “Do it well for yourself, do it well for Everett and do it well for the Floral Park Fire Department. Chief Ulmer made us proud and I know you will make us proud, too.”
On motion by Trustee Longobardi, seconded by Trustee Fitzgerald, and carried unanimously, the board approved the request from John Lewis Childs (School Plus Program) for their students to visit Centennial Gardens on Friday, May 6, 2011 (rain date Friday, May 13, 2011) from 4 to 5 p.m., pending certificate of insurance.
On motion by Trustee Fitzgerald, seconded by Trustee Rhatigan, and carried unanimously, the board approved the request of Daisy Troop No. 1622 to use Centennial Gardens for their bridging ceremony on Thursday, June 2, 2011 (rain date Thursday, June 9, 2011) from 3:30 to 5 p.m., pending certificate of insurance.
On motion by Trustee Rhatigan, seconded by Trustee Tomecki, and carried unanimously, the board approved the request of Floral Park Bellerose School to permit their annual “Olympic Day Parade” with police assistance on Wednesday, June 15, 2011 (rain date Thursday, June 16, 2011) starting at 9:15 a.m. with parade route as outlined in their request.
On motion by Trustee Tomecki, seconded by Trustee Longobardi, and carried unanimously, the board approved the use of Centennial Hall’s parking field by the Town of Hempstead to conduct the town’s Child Car Seat Safety Inspection Program on Sept. 22 and 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
On motion by Trustee Longobardi, seconded by Trustee Fitzgerald, and carried unanimously, the board approved the block party permit from the residents of Crocus Avenue between Pansy and Gladiolus Avenues on Saturday, May 7, 2011 in accordance to Section 32-12d of the village code.
Trustee Fitzgerald offered Resolution No. 2011-95 authorizing officials of the Incorporated Village of Floral Park to attend conferences in order to further the education of said officers and personnel of the Village of Floral Park.
Department of
Public Works
Trustee Longobardi reported that spring is definitely in the air. The Department of Public Works has begun its annual thatching and seeding of our parks and facilities. The lawn sprinklers are being prepared for the season. Restoration of park benches in Memorial Park has begun. The leftover sand and salt from the harsh winter is being swept from the streets. The winter season in general, the snow, the ice and plowing can be very hard on our roadway surfaces, leaving them in need of repair. Many of the potholes are being filled and roadway patchwork projects are underway.
The reconstruction of Landau Avenue that began in the fall has resumed. Sod has been planted along the areas between the new curbs and sidewalks and the new roadway construction is moving along.
The village tree replenishment program is underway as well. Locations where new trees are to be planted have been cleaned and filled with topsoil. The planting of these trees is scheduled to begin this coming week.
The village’s very active recycling program will be targeting the local businesses in the coming months. An effort to work with our local chambers is underway to better improve recycling within the business districts.
A joint Lions Club/village restoration project is underway at Lions Park on the corner of Tulip Avenue and Atlantic Avenue. The goal is to have all the new plantings at Lions Park completed by Memorial Day.
The Department of Public Works has resumed its yard waste collection schedule. A sure sign that as our residents get their properties ready for the beauty of the coming summer, so do the hard working members of the Public Works staff on all of our village properties.
Covert Avenue Chamber
Of Commerce
Trustee Longobardi reported that he had the pleasure of joining Mayor Tweedy and Police Commissioner Steve McAllister as the mayor hosted a meeting with several members of the Covert Avenue Chamber of Commerce. The meeting focused on several issues that the Chamber members wanted to discuss with our new mayor, including parking, beautification initiatives and community involvement. An overall theme to the meeting was how the Covert Chamber can work to provide a great shopping district for our residents while at the same time be good neighbors to the surrounding communities.
On motion by Trustee Rhatigan, seconded by Trustee Longobardi, and carried unanimously, Mayor Tweedy recessed the meeting at 8:40 p.m.
