Deputy Mayor Lynn Pombonyo
Police Department
Once again, we are thanking our Floral Park Police Department, Department of Public Works, Fire Department and Village Hall staff for their challenging, round-the-clock service to our Village during the Blizzard of 2026. For three days, from Saturday, February 21st to Monday, the 23rd, our first responder teams communicated with each other and the Village Board, sharing updates and coordinating emergency management efforts. Our Police Department supported all by pushing disabled cars out of the way of plows and ambulances, and assisting at all snowy medical and fire-related emergency calls. Thank you, once again, from a grateful Village.
Our School Resource Officers (SROs), partnering with the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, is again sponsoring “Operation Safe Child” in our elementary schools. Operation Safe Child is a New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services program that offers free ID cards for children to promote child safety. Each ID card includes the child’s biographical information, fingerprints and photograph. The goal is to electronically share vital information about a missing child quickly to increase the chances of a safe return. Parental/guardian permission is required for participation in this statewide program.
And finally, FPPD urges all motorists to drive using your regular headlight beams unless a situation arises when brighter beams are needed to see something. Motorists who always drive with their high beams on can blind oncoming motorists as well as those directly in front of you. Consistent driving with high beam headlights can cause accidents, injuries and, horribly, fatalities. Please help keep our roads safe.
The Library
With March come Spring and more festivities at our Floral Park Library.
Beginning tonight, “The Quiet Reading Book Club” is meeting. Patrons are invited to bring a good book to the Quiet Room, read for an hour, then chat about their books and other topics. For future meetings, check: floralparklibrary.org
Next, we have yesterday’s 122nd birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel (and his Cat in the Hat). Our library’s celebratory “Read Across Floral Park” also began yesterday, on March 2nd.
To “Read Across Floral Park” all you have to do is take a photo of someone reading in Floral Park or nearby. Photos may feature reading to a child (and vice versa), an adult or a pet; friends reading to each other; reading in groups such as teams; and reading in other enjoyable Floral Park or neighboring settings. Photos may be emailed to: readacrossfloralpark2026@gmail.com
before Monday, March 16th. Four photos will be randomly selected for gift cards to: Tulip Bagels, Village Pizza, Gyro Village and Tulip Bakery.
And there’s more! “One Thousand Books Before Kindergarten” is an Early Literacy program for children and their parents, guardians and caregivers. Caregivers may start by reading one book (any book) to a newborn, infant or toddler, then another and another, and keep on reading anytime, anywhere. The goal is to have 1000 books read to a child before he/she reaches Kindergarten. What a beautiful way to inspire the joys of books and reading from our children’s youngest days! More exciting details and instructions are on the Library website.
Yes, there’s still more. Check out the Library Events Calendar. There you’ll find such favorites as the Empire State Defensive Driving course on Saturday, March 21st; Game Nites for Grown-ups on Tuesday, the 24th; and FPPL Urban Explorers Visit the Frick Museum in Manhattan on Thursday, the 26th (register in person at the Library’s Adult Reference Desk starting Thursday, March 5th).
Join our March festivities, featured only at our fabulous Floral Park Library!
Chambers of Commerce and Our Businesses
Coming up this week will be the Floral Park Chamber of Commerce March Dinner Meeting. Join us for stimulating discussions about our local businesses, and their roles in and contributions to our Village. All are invited to Swing the Teapot on Verbena Avenue, Thursday, March 5th at 6:00 PM for interesting Chamber and Village updates, too. For meeting registration and membership information, contact: floralparkchamber.org
Our Covert Avenue Chamber will be welcoming new and longtime members to a dinner meeting on Tuesday, March 24th at 7:00 PM, location to be determined. Come to network and share Avenue and business updates. For membership and other interesting Chamber information, visit: covertavenuechamber.org
And, be sure you spring into Spring, especially for the upcoming holidays, by SHOPPING, DINING AND CELEBRATING LOCAL right here in Floral Park and Stewart Manor. Enjoy!
Cheers for Floral Park Memorial High School!
This Friday, March 6th, our two Varsity Basketball Teams, the Girls and the Boys, will be competing in their respective Nassau County Championship games. With a winning record of 17-5, the FPM Girls Team will play Plainedge for the Nassau County Girls Varsity Basketball Championship at 5:30 PM at the State University at Farmingdale. In the following 8:00 PM game at Farmingdale, the FPM Boys Team, with a winning record of 20-2, will play Friends Academy for the Nassau County Boys Varsity Basketball Championship.
We are all proud, excited and wish them both great games! GO KNIGHTS!
Trustee Frank Chiara
Department of Public Works
On Sunday, February 22nd, our Village experienced the worst blizzard in the past 10 years. Crews worked through the night, conducting continuous plowing operations from Sunday into Monday morning. They faced severe blizzard and whiteout conditions, making it extremely challenging for our plow drivers. A travel ban was in effect until Monday morning at 11:00 AM.
By Monday afternoon at 12:00 PM, our crews had cleared all Village roads, just in time for the travel ban to be lifted. Some residents were inadvertently blowing snow back into the plowed roadways, creating hazardous situations. Despite these challenges and wind gusts of up to 50 mph, our Department of Public Works (DPW) crews did an outstanding job.
A significant amount of snow has been relocated and is currently being stored in the parking lot on Stewart Street, across from the tennis courts. It will take some time for these large piles to melt and for us to be completely free of the snow.
Additional tasks accomplished by our crews included shoveling all Village sidewalks and building entrances, removing snow piles from parking lots and other areas, and salting roadways to improve safety. Sanitation collection was canceled on Monday, February 23rd, but services resumed the following day. During collection, our sanitation crews removed 30 tons of household waste, 3 tons of paper, and 1.5 tons of plastics. Bulk pickup services were canceled for that collection cycle.
Sanitation services are back on a regular schedule this week, with bulk pick-up scheduled for Wednesday, March 4th. DPW crews are continuing to remove snow and address areas that still need attention. With the snow and cold weather, we are now entering pothole season, and DPW crews are actively working to repair them. Please call the DPW to report any potholes that need to be filled at 516-326-6320.
Centennial Gardens and Conservation Society
Some of you may have seen the front page of the Floral Park Villager this past week. On Friday, February 13th, and Saturday, February 14th, the Village and the Conservation Society celebrated the Great Backyard Bird Count at Centennial Gardens. Participants came out to count the number of birds they observed and submitted their lists to the National Audubon Society. Researchers use the information submitted to learn more about how birds are doing, how to protect them, and how to safeguard the environment we share.
Thank you to everyone who attended! A special thanks goes to Don Haug for his instrumental role in organizing this event as well as keeping the bird feeders filled with various types of food to attract a wide range of species. Additionally, thank you to Doug Cioffi for his amazing photographs of the birds.
4VS
Four Village Studio (4VS) has a Community Billboard that features a scrolling display of local events and meetings sponsored by community organizations, schools, government, and 4VS. The Billboard is on air every day when 4VS programs are not being broadcast. To have your announcement included on the 4VS Community Billboard, please write, email, or fax the studio. For more details on how to submit an announcement, check the 4VS website.
Programming for the month of March is available on the 4VS website. Please visit the website at www.4vs.org for the latest scheduling and program updates.
Trustee Jennifer Stewart
Fire Department
During the month of February, your neighbors and friends in our all-volunteer Fire Department responded to 45 calls for service. Rescue responded to 13 calls, and NYU Langone responded to 85 calls. The Floral Park Fire Department also responded to 5 mutual aid fire calls, for a total of 148 calls.
Once again, the wonderful FPFD participated in our Storm Management Meetings and stood on call at all fire houses throughout the duration of the blizzard, overnight from Sunday, February 22, through Monday, February 23. The Village of Floral Park is fortunate to have such dedicated members of our fire service.
Tonight, this Board approved Wyatt Wrage and Christopher D’Amato as new members of the Floral Park Fire Department. We welcome them both and thank them for their anticipated service.
Cultural Arts Committee
As the weather begins to warm, thoughts turn to our Summer Concert Series. This year, we begin with a literal bang as we celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary on June 20th at the Recreation Center with music, games, a village-wide picnic, and fireworks. Our regularly scheduled concert series will begin the following week.
MTA
The MTA is interviewing construction companies for the station renovation projects at the Bellerose and Floral Park Train Stations. We will share more information as it becomes available.
Trustee Michael Longobardi
I would like to begin by thanking our Police, Fire, and DPW Departments for all their hard work and dedication during the recent Blizzard of 2026. They were out throughout the Village during the storm, clearing roads, responding to emergencies, and keeping everyone safe. Thank you for all you do for our great Village.
Building Department
The Village of Floral Park would like to thank all homeowners and businesses who have complied with regulations and cleared fire hydrants of snow and ice. Per Village Code, clearing snow and ice from hydrants in the areas adjacent to your property is the responsibility of the property owner, occupant, or other person having charge of the premises within 12 hours following the cessation of precipitation. Noncompliance will lead to a summons and possible fine. Please help keep everyone safe!
Here are some updates on the various construction projects in our Village:
- Work on the West End Drainage Project started last week. Visit our village website for the scope of the work, the proposed schedule, and ongoing updates as they become available.
- Any additional meetings for the Stella’s mixed-use development project will be announced once scheduled. Please continue to visit the village website for updates.
- Construction work for the proposed restaurant at 99 Covert Avenue will continue for the next several months and is expected to be completed in Spring 2026.
- Covert Avenue Fire Property construction is well underway and is estimated to be completed in the Summer of 2026.
- The Storage Post at 50 Carnation Avenue has submitted a zoning application to expand its storage buildings. This case was approved with conditions by the Board of Zoning Appeals, the Board of Trustees, and the Architectural Review Board. The buildings will next be reviewed by the Building Department for permitting. Construction start dates will be announced once they are known.
- Construction of the two new homes at 32 Orchid subdivision and one home at 116 Miller Avenue, is expected to begin in the next few weeks.
- The renovation of 212 Jericho Turnpike, formerly Firestone, is ongoing. The owner will operate an auto repair shop in the rear portion of the first floor and retail business space in the rest of the building.
- 60 Plainfield Avenue, the King Arms Building is still undergoing fire restoration; a date for pre occupancy is not currently available.
Recreation and Pool
Quick update on weather conditions: the courts and walkways continue to be cleared, but the cold weather is preventing us from opening due to the melting and re-freezing of ice. Once everything clears, hopefully with the next few days of warm weather and rain, we should be able to open.
We are in the process of ordering grass seed, and we have discussed with DPW what types of delays we might face due to the amount of snow that is still on the fields. The Recreation Center is doing its best to stay on track to open on time. While we do not anticipate a specific delay, we will not have a definitive answer regarding any potential delays until we get some dry time on the fields.
The new pool program is in the works, and hopefully within the next month we will be sending out notifications to everyone to start creating their profiles on the new system. Fingers crossed the snow melts in time to add water to the pool.
Town-Village Aircraft Safety & Noise Abatement Committee (TVASNAC)
The next TVASNAC meeting will be held on Monday, March 23rd, 2026, at Town Hall, One Washington Street, Hempstead. 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.
Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald
I would like to thank everyone at DPW, the Police Department, and our great Volunteer Fire Department for all their hard work during the Blizzard. Trustee Stewart mentioned the Fire Department being on standby, and I would like to clarify that being on standby means that members of the Fire Department stayed at the Fire House throughout the storm in case there was an emergency. I’d like to thank them for leaving their homes and volunteering for many hours by remaining on site during the storm.
With regard to the fire hydrants, unfortunately there were about 50 Notices of Violation issued for not clearing snow from hydrants. Of those, about 5 or 6 people received fines due to noncompliance. Thank you to everyone who cleared away the snow, including those who received notices. Those who received fines will have to go to court and speak to the judge. Hopefully, next time we can do better.
Lastly, I’d like to thank the Long Island Press and the Floral Park Villager for being with us tonight. Thank you for your continued coverage.
