The Village of Manorhaven board of trustees met for their regular monthly meeting on June 28 to approve local law nine and discuss projects soon to be underway in Manorhaven.
Local law nine amends “Village Code Chapter 147 (Vehicles and Traffic), Article III (Parking, Stopping and Standing), Section 147-48 (Schedule XII: No Parking Certain Hours) to eliminate the prohibition against the parking of vehicles other than trucks and boat trailers on either side of Nesaquake Avenue from Sitsink Drive East to Manhasset Avenue between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., except Sundays and legal holidays.”
Also approved at the meeting was the Port Washington Water Pollution Control District monthly disposal fees of $66,808, the purchase of a skid steer for $14,900 and backhoe for $34,500 from the Port Washington Water District, the motion to engage Walden Engineering to apply for the next round of sewer grant applications and the motion to utilize Municipal Audit Services to audit gross tax receipts that may be due to the village for two years.
Village clerk Sharon Natalie Abramski also stated that the village is looking into a local law regarding the installation of cell nodes on phone poles after having attended a meeting of the mayor’s association.
“They were talking about how a lot of the phone companies are kind of, I don’t want to say sneaking them in, but because there are no local laws in any villages about the boxes that you see on the phone poles—the big brown boxes, they’re like transmitters of cell towers—so we want to be able to regulate what they can put up, how they can put up, if we have to inspect them for certain things,” said Abramski.
Mayor Jim Avena explained that the village is in a financially stable position to utilize the $5 million bond to make improvements to the sewers and roads.
“I think that the residents are ready for the improvements to our roads and sewers,” said Avena. “We’ve completed our studies regarding roads and sewers. Interest rates right now are extremely in our favor. I think now is the time to strike. Our credit rating is high, we got the [$50,000] reduction on our fire bill.”
The board of trustees also voted for the World Trade Center monument to be moved outside next to the 9/11 Memorial.
Avena discussed that the village has been notified they will be receiving a $350,000 grant for phase three B of Morgan’s Dock in September of 2018 from Nassau County Community Block Grant.
“Finally Morgan’s dock will be completed this year after four years,” said Avena. “We’re really excited about moving forward.”
Manorhaven resident Caroline DuBois said during public comment, “I think you should borrow the money and start the work immediately because with the hurricane season coming up. You should harden the shoreline, finish the plantings.”
Abramski explained that the village is unable to borrow money because if the village were to incur any costs before the funds become available, the county would not reimburse the village.
“I think there should be a local law, it’s common in other villages, that any project that has not put a shovel in the ground in one year or has not spent earnest money on an architect or engineer, have it in our local law that project has to start from scratch,” said DuBois regarding her second point and the Thypin Steel property.
During public comment Avena shut down rumors regarding the Thypin Steel, stating, “We have nothing before us about what they are planning to do. Before anything moves forward they have to come with all the necessary approvals. There are no rumors that are reliable at this time.”
