The Baxter Estates Board of Trustees discussed a range of issues at its recent meeting, from election scheduling and administrative staffing rules to insurance costs and the end of the village’s longtime loose-leaf collection service, on Monday, Nov. 10.
Trustees voted to hold the next village election on Wednesday, March 18, and to appoint Angela Smith and Stuart Herman as election inspectors.
The board also introduced a new local law, which would allow the village to appoint a village treasurer and deputy treasurer who live outside Nassau County but in neighboring Queens or Suffolk counties.
Mayor Nora Haagenson and trustees said the measure aims to make hiring easier for small municipalities like Baxter Estates, where high housing costs make it difficult to find and retain qualified staff.
“It’s very expensive to live on the North Shore,” said Haagenson. “This change gives us more flexibility.” A public hearing on the bill will be held at the board’s next meeting.
During the meeting the board also discussed preparations for the annual winter celebration on Dec. 3, which will benefit the Toys for Tots program.
Trustees reviewed complaints about speeding and traffic safety on Central Drive, Locust Avenue, and other village streets. Haagenson said signs reminding drivers that “through traffic does not stop” have been installed, and police have been patrolling the area more frequently.
Officials also noted ongoing frustration with Nassau County’s failure to repair fencing along Central Drive and Tandra Place, despite repeated requests over more than a year.
“They fixed the fence on Central, but not the one around the corner,” the mayor said. “We’ve been asking for nearly two years.”
Public comment focused on the recent discontinuation of the village’s loose-leaf collection service, which had been offered for decades.
Resident Nina Lauicchia said her elderly mother relied on the program and criticized the village’s notice citing safety and environmental concerns.
“The real reason is the contractor retired,” Lauicchia said. “We’ve had this service for years. Why can’t we find someone else?”
Village officials explained that the longtime contractor, who had performed the service for many years, declined to renew his contract and that no other qualified bidders exist.
“We reached out to every landscaper who’s ever done business in the village,” Haagenson said. “No one provides this service anymore.”
Officials said the Town of North Hempstead and neighboring villages also do not offer loose-leaf pickup and the required specialized equipment makes it an unprofitable venture for most contractors.
While trustees acknowledged residents’ frustration, they said reinstating the service is unlikely in the near future.
“This year is done,” Haagenson said. “We’ll continue to look into options, but there’s no one willing to take it on.”
