Since the beginning of the year, the Village Board has been very busy with developing plans for three major capital improvement projects (2014 Road Improvement; South 14th & 6th Ave. Drainage/Village Hall Parking Lot Reconstruction; and Reconstruction of the Tennis and Basketball Courts at Memorial Park) working on the budget, proposing an offer for a new contract with the CSEA Union, developing reorganization plans for the Building Department and Clerk’s Office, and finally, continuing to manage the Operation Downtown (Jericho Tpke) Project.
Let me start with the Operation Downtown Project, a project that will create a more pedestrian friendly Main Street with traffic calming and horticultural elements on Jericho Turnpike. But this project, which for years has been government bureaucracy at its worst, has now turned into a tremendous inconvenience for our local businesses, shoppers, and residents. The constant setbacks we are having with the pace, schedule, and methods of our contractor who is performing the work has been nothing less than a total disappointment. We truly apologize, but look to celebrate when the work is finally done. We’ll try even harder to get it right.
And finally, the Village Board adopted a new budget that holds taxes within the State mandated 1.8 percent tax cap. We had our Bond Rating upgraded to AA+, which will help keep interest costs down on future debt issues. And thank you to State Senator Jack Martins in securing several grants that will help with our capital improvements in several areas of the village.
