Village of East Hills Deputy Mayor Manny Zuckerman, and William Gavin, director of Parks and Recreation inspected the generator at Village Hall before Snow Storm Jonas hit New York. The generator is used to power the Village Hall and theatre. It allows electricity for lights, heat and even hot showers and was open at all times during the storm.
Zuckerman is credited with securing a grant to pay for a part of the costs and overseeing its design and construction.
“Our objective was to create a sanctuary for residents, old and young, when their lights go out,” said Village of East Hills Mayor Michael R. Koblenz. “I thank Manny for ably handling the project from start to finish.”
While the generator was not called into use, notice of the availability was sent to all residents before the more than two feet of snow fell on the community.
“All the members of the board stood ready to be called to Village Hall, day and night, to have a virtual ‘war room’ to deal with emergencies,” Zuckerman added. “We set up this facility to deal with Hurricane Sandy. At that time, we rotated into the Village Hall to ensure that all our residents were fully accommodated. Some residents just charged their iphones, others even had their meals in the Village Lounge. We had so many thoughtful residents and businesses who contributed food for the residents who sought refuge at the village. It was a wonderful testimonial to the unparalleled caring and concern in our village.”
