Deputy Mayor Lynn Pombonyo
Police Department
The Sept. 2 and 3 openings of our Floral Park schools were successful and exciting for all. Our school resource officers, who are FPPD officers, have met with new school administrators, including Superintendent Anthony Lubrano and his staff, and Floral Park-Bellerose School Principal Lauren Quezada. The first District Safety Committee meeting followed, with our police and school personnel sharing important guidelines, procedures and updates relating to student and staff safety. This valuable partnership and collaboration will continue throughout the school year.
In the area of village safety, our police are conducting targeted operations to enforce “blocking the box” prohibitions. Our data shows that 97 summonses for obstructing an intersection have been issued this year to date. The most summonses have been issued at the intersections of Tulip Avenue at Verbena Avenue and Tulip Avenue at Caroline Place.
Every motorist is required to wait before entering an intersection until there is space for his/her car on the other side of the intersection. Not doing so will not only prevent pedestrians from crossing safely and prevent traffic stopped at the green light from moving, but it will also incur a sizable fine and points on one’s driver’s license. Our Police will be continuing this important targeted operation.
In August, our Police were involved in 714 incidents. Of these, 241 were traffic stops, 24 were traffic accidents, 68 were aided cases also involving our ambulance service and Rescue Company, 52 were suspicious person reports, 29 were citizens needing assistance and 6 were welfare checks.
Throughout the month of August, police issued 177 traffic summonses. Several of the most frequent violations included failure to stop at stop signs (26); disobeying traffic control devices (six); and illegal stopping/standing/parking on a highway, in this case, Jericho Turnpike (11).
Our FPPD will continue its focus on parking enforcement, and a total of 1154 summonses were issued in August. These included expired parking meter summonses (397); overnight street parking between 3 AM and 5 AM violations (254); parking over the four hour limit (72) and parking under the LIRR trestle without a permit (47).
During August, FPPD detectives followed up on reported crimes requiring further investigation. These included incidents of identity theft (unauthorized use of private property or records), and domestic incidents and court order enforcement. Two arrests were made in August, yielding a total of 31 this year to date.
Following two horrific homicides in Bellerose, Queens, last week, our detectives communicated with the NYPD Detectives to get updates on the criminal investigation and the apprehension of the suspect, who was arrested last Wednesday in Manhattan.
The August Motor Carrier Safety Detail focused attention on the intersections of Jericho Turnpike at Tulip Avenue and Jericho Turnpike at Plainfield Avenue, as those intersections are two of the Village’s most accident-prone locations. The detail completed twelve truck inspections and issued 47 moving violations. One driver was placed out of service for a licensing violation and four trucks were put out of service for brake and load securement violations. One truck was towed from the inspection site. The Detail will now focus on truck inspections at other accident-prone locations in the village.
The Library
Thanks to all who participated in this past Saturday’s sunny Lawn and Book Nook Sales. Our vendors displayed a variety of interesting items to sell to our generous customers who came to support our Friends of the Library. At the end of the day, both sales totaled $700, to be used by our dedicated Friends for special Library programs and materials.
October’s coming attractions for adults will include An Introduction to AI. This event is being presented especially for seniors who want to learn more about this technology. AI will take place on Thursday, October 2nd, from 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
Our teens will be celebrating Taylor Swift’s new album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” dropping in a few weeks. At our Library’s listening party, our teens will decorate CDs and enjoy snacks. This memorable event will take place in the first-floor community room on Friday, October. 3 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Registration is ongoing for FPPL’s Urban Explorers bus trip to Chinatown and Little Italy. The bus departs from the Library on Oct.29th. Call the Library at 516-326-6330 for the exciting details.
During the month of October, FPPL will be sponsoring a drive to support the Great Giveback. The Great Giveback is an annual event during which libraries in Nassau and Suffolk Counties unite to “give back” to the communities that support them. This year, Floral Park Library is sponsoring a drive to support the Ronald McDonald House by accepting donations of new children’s pajamas for children undergoing treatment at area hospitals. A donation bin will be located in our FPPL lobby. The Great Giveback will run from Oct. 1 to Oct. 31. More important details about this special cause to follow.
Chambers of Commerce and Our Businesses
This Saturday, Sept. 20th, at 10:00 AM, join our businesses, Chambers of Commerce and Village Board as we cut the ribbon to officially welcome The Paddock Public House on Tulip Avenue. Co-owners Bill Barry (of Uptown Taco on Tulip) and Liam McGreevy proudly opened this popular pub earlier this year. All the best to The Paddock!
The Covert Avenue Chamber of Commerce is in full planning mode. On Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m., the Chamber will enjoy a dinner meeting at Shintaro Asian Bistro. Come and join us to finalize plans for the Oct. 4 Street Fair.
This year’s Covert Avenue Street Fair has it all: our beloved Covert Avenue businesses, a big variety of vendors, bargains, food truck rally, live music, DJs, Kids’ Funzone, craft fair, face painting, inflatables, raffles, and more, so come on down to Floral Park and Stewart Manor!
Our Floral Park Chamber of Commerce promises to have its next great turnout at its Thursday evening, Oct. 9 meeting at 6 p.m. at Trinity Restaurant on Jericho Turnpike. Check out the details and come to network with us:
Trustee Frank Chiara
Department of Public Works
As mentioned in my previous report, some of our Village roads will be receiving much needed repairs. The Department of Public Works (DPW) has scheduled the repairs on the following dates and times:
- Saturday, 9/20: Milling on Florence Street, Remsen Lane, and Roger Place. (Roads will remain open to traffic during milling)
- Tuesday, 9/23: Paving on Florence Street, Remsen Lane, and Roger Place. (Full road closures during paving)
- Wednesday, 9/24: Milling on Vanderwater Road and Beech Avenue. (Roads will remain open to traffic)
- Saturday, 9/27: Paving on Vanderwater Road and Beech Avenue. (Road closures during paving)
- Tuesday, 9/30: Milling on Cunningham Street, Iris Avenue, and Lowell Street.
- Thursday, 10/2: Paving on Cunningham Street, Iris Avenue, and Lowell Street. (Road closures during paving)
Some of the road work will be performed when school is not in session to avoid any disruption to service for our schools.
The Highway Department has been actively maintaining village infrastructure. All roads have been swept, and crews collected electronic waste throughout the village. In addition, 20 locations were seeded and topsoil was applied where tree stumps had previously been removed, helping to restore green space and improve curb appeal.
The Parks Department has continued its seasonal maintenance work across village properties. All parks and building lawns were mowed and maintained, while bushes were trimmed at both village hall and Heritage Park. Parks crews also addressed property maintenance violations by cutting overgrown grass at designated locations. Additionally, several broken sprinklers in the parks were repaired.
The Maintenance Department ensured all Village buildings were thoroughly cleaned. Crews also set up for the Sept. 11 ceremony held on the village hall lawn, which was a beautiful and respectful tribute—thank you to all involved. The fire headquarters building was also cleaned as part of routine upkeep.
Sanitation crews collected 50 tons of household waste, 10 tons of paper, 4 tons of plastics and 15 tons of bulk rubbish.
Conservation Society
Recently, Ann Moynagh of the Conservation Society constructed a mini fairyland to the right of the garden entrance. It’s truly a special addition, enhancing the beauty of the gardens. This is just one more feature that demonstrates the dedication and hard work of volunteers like Ann, who help make the gardens a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the natural surroundings. A heartfelt thank you to Ann and all of our volunteers for the time and effort they put into maintaining the gardens.
William Kelleher, a Life Boy Scout, is working toward his Eagle Scout rank. For his Eagle Scout project, he will be beautifying the garden and the Fountain of Remembrance at Centennial Gardens. To help fund his project, William will be hosting a pancake breakfast at Applebee’s on Sunday, September 21, 2025. The last seating will be at 9:30 AM. All are welcome to attend and support William in this worthwhile endeavor.
I wanted to remind everyone that the next weed-out event at Centennial Gardens will be on Saturday, Oct. 6, at 9 a.m. Volunteers are always welcome!
4VS
This week on Four Village Studios, viewers can tune in for insightful local programming. At 9 9 p.m., catch The South Floral Park Mayor’s Quarterly with the Honorable Nyakya T. Brown, featuring special guests SFPFD Chief Kevin Bellamy and Trustee Randy Jacques, who will provide “The Autumn Update” on key developments in the community. Immediately following, at 9:30 p.m., tune in to The Floral Park Mayor’s Report with the Honorable Kevin M. Fitzgerald. This episode will feature an informative segment on “The Energy Performance Contract: An Overview”, offering a deeper understanding of the village’s energy efficiency initiatives.
For details on other programs, visit the 4VS website at www.4vs.org.
Trustee Jennifer Stewart
MTA/LIRR
The LIRR strike has been averted for now. A cooling-off period has begun, extending into 2026. For the latest updates, please visit the MTA’s website and social media pages.
Locally, work continues along Atlantic Avenue as the MTA/LIRR completes the final touches on the signal shed. Please use caution when traveling along Atlantic Avenue between Rose and Carnation Avenues, and expect closures when heavy machinery is in use.
Cultural Arts Committee
The village is planning a fireworks extravaganza for June 20, 2026, at the Recreation Center. We’re excited to kick off the summer and celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday with a bang! Mark your calendars and get ready for an evening of fun and community.
Fire Department
Our village is proud to welcome volunteer Alexa Benvenuto to the ranks of our Fire Department volunteers. As you heard earlier this evening, we also approved 77 members for the 2024 Fire Service Award Program. We are incredibly proud of our Floral Park Fire Department.
In the past two weeks, I had two amazing opportunities as fire commissioner. First, I spent a few hours with the Floral Park Fire Department at the Nassau County Fire School in Bethpage. This fire academy is ranked among the top five in the nation, and it’s easy to see why. There are countless scenarios for firefighters to train on, including an LIRR train, a multi-story building, cars, trucks, simulated houses, and even a two-level garden apartment complex—where I watched our brave men and women work tirelessly to extinguish a fire. That was just the first fire they put out.
The incredible men and women of the Floral Park Fire Department drive 45 minutes to fire school, work hard for about 3 hours, then drive the fire trucks back to Floral Park and clean the equipment. Altogether, they spend about five hours on a Monday evening training to be fully prepared to fight any type of fire in the Village. They are truly angels among us.
On that note, the Fire Department is extremely grateful to all residents who responded to their mailing in support of the FPFD. If you haven’t yet, please watch for the second mailing and be as generous as your means allow.
The second amazing opportunity I had this past week was to honor Firefighters Peter Bilardello and Paul Szymanski as they celebrated 50 years of service to the Floral Park Fire Department. My colleagues on the board and I had the privilege of recognizing this incredible milestone over the weekend.
Both Paul and Peter are active members of Engine 3, located on Atlantic Avenue. Paul Szymanski followed in the footsteps of his uncle Stanley and his father John, both of whom served as chiefs in Floral Park. Peter Bilardello also followed his father, John, a past Chief of the FPFD. The family tradition continues, as Peter’s son, Pete, is also a current department member. Paul is a retired Nassau County Fire Marshal, and Peter is retired from Con Edison.
Their commitment to protecting our community is truly inspiring and deeply appreciated. Through countless emergencies and long nights, they have shown unmatched courage, dedication, and compassion. Their legacy stands as a shining example for generations of firefighters to come. We are forever grateful for all they have done to keep Floral Park safe.
Finally, we look forward to seeing all our residents at the Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day Parade this Saturday, Sept. 20! Wear your favorite green and come out to celebrate. The parade will run from Carnation to Plainfield to Tulip Avenue, ending at Fire Headquarters. The Honorable Doug Hayden will serve as emcee, and the amazing Dominick Crisetelli—at over 100 years old—will be our Grand Marshal!
Trustee Michael Longobardi
Building Department
Since our last meeting, here are a few updates on ongoing building projects around town:
- 99 Covert Avenue (Proposed Restaurant): Construction is ongoing and expected to be completed by the end of the year.
- Covert Avenue – Fire Property: Second-floor framing is in progress, with roof construction set to begin next. Completion is expected in Spring 2026.
- 50 Carnation Avenue (Storage Expansion): A zoning application has been submitted to expand the existing storage buildings. This case was heard at the April 10 Zoning Board meeting and the June 17, Board of Trustees Special Use hearing. The next step is a presentation to the Architectural Review Board; the date will be announced.
- 144–162 Jericho Turnpike (Proposed Mixed-Use Development): A formal application has been received for this large-scale development (formerly Stella’s). Meeting dates will be announced once scheduled.
- 32 Orchid Subdivision & 116 Miller Avenue: Construction of two new homes at 32 Orchid and one at 116 Miller is expected to begin shortly.
- 212 Jericho Turnpike (Formerly Firestone): Renovations are ongoing. Upon completion, the property will feature three new storefronts, including a new auto repair shop.
Please note that the state building code requires the installation of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in existing one—and two-family homes. These devices are considered essential life safety equipment.
The proper placement and successful testing of these alarms must be verified during the final inspection of the building permit to receive a certificate of compliance for any interior work.
Smoke alarms are required in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms, and on each additional story of the dwelling, including basements and habitable attics. Carbon monoxide detectors must be installed outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including basements.
If you have any questions, please contact the Building Department.
Recreation and Pool
Fall baseball, soccer, and Titans programs are currently running at the Recreation Center. Registration for the Screaming Eagles Hockey program is open until Sept. 28. You can register online at fpsports.leagueapps.com. The season begins the week of Oct. 5.
Registration for all fall programs is ongoing and takes place at the pool building.
The Recreation Center will also host the annual Liz’s Day on Saturday, Sept. 27, with a rain date of Sept. 28. Liz’s Day is a Floral Park nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research and the development of treatment. We hope to see everyone there to enjoy a great day and support this very worthwhile cause.
Repairs and upgrades to the Fuller Street entrance will begin shortly. The fence will be replaced, and a new ADA-accessible ramp will be installed from the sidewalk into the park.
Town-Village Aircraft Safety & Noise Abatement Committee (TVASNAC)
The next TVASNAC meeting will be held on Monday, Oct. 27, at Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington St.. If you wish to make a noise complaint regarding air traffic, you can call 1-800-225-1071. You may also visit the village website, where links to TVASNAC noise complaint resources can be found on the homepage under the TVASNAC contact information section.
Emergency Management Committee
Mayor Fitzgerald and I met recently with relevant department heads (police, fire, public works) to review procedures, discuss various scenarios, and evaluate response plans. I want to thank everyone for their time and expertise. We will next follow up with our emergency management committee, on one of the most important committees in the village—one that we hope we never need to activate.
Rest assured, the Village, along with our partners at all levels, is fully prepared to respond to whatever may come our way. Stay safe!
Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald
This Thursday, Sept. 18, is the next meeting of the Belmont Park Community Advisory Board, of which Trustee Chiara and I are both members. As you’ve probably noticed, there’s still a lot of work going on at Belmont. I’m hopeful we’ll receive some exciting updates on their progress, as well as confirmation on whether everything is still on track to open next fall.
On behalf of the board, I’d like to extend our congratulations to our neighbors in South Floral Park, who will be celebrating their centennial this weekend. Thank you for being such great neighbors to our village over the past 100 years.
I’d also like to thank everyone who came out on Tuesday for the 9/11 ceremonies. It seems that more residents take part in it each year, which is always heartening to see.
Finally, we have a number of exciting events coming up in our Village over the next couple of weekends. This weekend is the Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day Parade, followed by the Covert Avenue Street Fair, Homecoming, and Liz’s Day next weekend.
