Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald
Former Mayor George Farrell
Prior to the meeting a moment of silence was held for former Mayor George Farrell, along with flags being lowered to half-staff this week in his memory. Mayor Farrell was born in Jackson Heights NY, attended Xavier High School, earned a BS at Fordham and his JD at Brooklyn Law School. He honorably served our country in the US Army from 1952 to 1953 including being deployed to Japan during the Korean War.
In January of 1963 he was appointed to Village Trustee and later served as Mayor from 1963 to 1965. It was during his term that the pool was first built. Then in 1966 he was elected to serve our community in the NY State Assembly which he continued serving as a ranking member until 1974. After leaving the Assembly he co-founded the now prominent Long Island law firm of Farrell Fritz.
Besides his professional career and raising a family, George sat on various non-profit Boards including Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Rockville Center, Chairman of the Board of Winthrop University Hospital and was integrally involved in a public health startup the American Health Initiative.
We honor and thank former Mayor Farrell for his lifelong service to others and hold his family in our prayers.
NYRA
This past week NYRA installed the arborvitae along the fence near Mayfair and Hazel Place. I would once again like to thank NYRA for having the fence moved back from its original placement, building a mini-berm which raised the height and planting the arborvitae which will further protect the residents along the border with the parking lot from noise and lights
Thank You
On behalf of my family, I would like to thank all of my colleagues in the Village along with the many residents that reached out to us this week offering their condolences. Floral Park certainly is a special place and it is residents that make it so
Deputy Mayor Lynn Pombonyo
Police Department
New York State and the Village of Floral Park have important laws relating to BLOCKING pedestrians and traffic. The first law prohibits BLOCKING THE BOX, which means a driver may not pull into an intersection unless he/she can pass all the way through it. Many of our busiest intersections have very noticeable cross-hatch markings as reminders. Please check out our FPPD’s highly popular Facebook page for a very strong message about BLOCKING THE BOX, and the fines and points that result as our FPPD engages in enforcement. BLOCKING THE BOX is dangerous and illegal.
The second law prohibits BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK. Please keep in mind that, when a vehicle is parked in a driveway and extends over the sidewalk, pedestrians, including children walking to and from school, are forced to walk in the street alongside moving vehicles. BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK is also dangerous and illegal.
The third law prohibits BLOCKING THE STREET by double parking. Especially at the holiday season, there are inconsiderate drivers who think that it’s okay to double park while they quickly run into a store, or while they wait for relatives and friends to run in for a minute. Not true! On Tulip, Covert and Plainfield Avenues, double parking causes other drivers to dangerously move into the opposite lanes of traffic and congestion in the lanes in which the vehicles are double parked. On Jericho Turnpike, other drivers must quickly change lanes to go around the double parked vehicles, or stop and wait, also causing serious traffic congestion. BLOCKING THE STREET by double parking is also dangerous and illegal.
At the holidays, we enjoy celebrating with families and friends. Please remember that, while we are celebrating, our FPPD is protecting us 24/7. Our day tours of Officers are out working for us on Christmas and New Year’s Day, and our night tours of Officers will be doing the same on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Let’s thank our FPPD for their service, especially on the holidays when they work while many of us celebrate.
And, please be respectful, courteous, grateful and safe on the roads throughout this splendid holiday season. Thanks to all of Floral Park’s very competent and responsible drivers who make our Village a safe place to live, work and raise our children.
Conservation Society
Winter arrives this week. Enjoy a brisk walk on the path around Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary just before dusk. In the western/northwestern sky, you will see the sun going down through the trees of the Gardens and that Hillcrest area, especially on Raff Avenue and Floral Parkway. The glorious colors of our Floral Park sunsets are not to be missed!
And, in 2024, enjoy monthly views of the Gardens and its colorful trees, bushes, flowers, birds and animals with your 2024 Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary calendar. Get yours by going to ChristineKozak.com , clicking on Menu, then Store, or by visiting our delightful Swing the Teapot restaurant on Verbena Avenue. Calendar profits go to the Floral Park Conservation Society for Gardens enhancements.
Chambers of Commerce and Our Businesses
Great appreciation goes to our two Chambers of Commerce (Floral Park and Covert Avenue) and our businesses for their gifts of bright and sparkling, Christmassy welcomes to the holiday season. They partnered with the Floral Park Junior Woman’s Club, the Villages of Floral Park and Stewart Manor, and Santa Claus for two beautiful tree lighting festivals, to the delight of hundreds of children and families.
Let’s keep the spirit and excitement going in our Villages as we SHOP, DINE AND CELEBRATE LOCAL throughout this holiday season.
And, while you’re taking in our beautifully decorated businesses, take a walk or ride through our neighborhoods where our children and families are dazzled by the sparkling lights and glistening displays at our Floral Park homes. Thank you, one and all, for making Floral Park the perfect place to spend the holidays.
May Christmas, the holiday season and the New Year bring joy and peace to Floral Park, our Nation and the World.
Trustee Frank Chiara
I wanted to remind all patrons that the Floral Park Library will be closed on Christmas Eve, December 24th and also on Christmas Day, December 25th. All of our community events are posted on the library’s website at www.floralparklibrary.org. Please check the website for more information.
On behalf of the Library Staff, our Volunteer Firefighters, my Family and myself, I would like to wish all of our residents a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season, and a healthy, safe and happy New Year.
Trustee Jennifer Stewart
DPW
Department of Public Works crews performed final clean up and collection of leaves on Village roads and parks, as well as the cleanup of storm drains. Stop signs have been installed on Bryant Avenue and Hinsdale Avenue. Please be aware of this traffic change.
Sanitation crews have collected 30 tons of household waste, 10 tons of paper and cardboard, 4 tons of comingle plastics and glass, and 16 tons of bulk rubbish. An amazing 80 beautiful trees have been planted this fall around our Village.
During tonight’s Board Meeting, we voted to surplus a 2007 and a 2009 vehicle. This is a testament to the meticulous work our mechanics do to maintain our vehicle fleet.
In an effort to be responsive to residents’ needs, we have made changes to the sanitation schedule for the upcoming Holiday weeks. For the weeks of 12/25 and 1/1, all recycling including blue box pick-ups will be collected with paper and cardboard. In other words, whatever day your cardboard gets picked up, you may also put out glass and plastic recycling during those weeks.
Additionally, please see new 2024 sanitation schedules in Village Items and on the Village web site or call DPW at 516-326-6320, this includes Recycling Changes for 2024.
4VS
Some programing highlights for the week of December 25th are:
The Author Corner with Stephanie Larkin, Stephanie presents “You Be the Author” The Five Character Types & Seven Basic Plots, “Inspiring Stories” with Bill Corbett Jr. and “The Center for Science, Teaching & Learning” with Dr. Ray Ann Havasy.
MTA
A few residents have recently reached out to me with concerns about trains idling along the Hempstead Branch. I have been in contact with the MTA and they have found no irregularities in train schedules and the time they spend idling along the Hempstead branch. With more specific information such as dates and times, we may be able to investigate further. If this is of concern to you, please reach out to me at jstewart@FPVillage.org, or leave a message for me at Village Hall by calling 516-326-6300. In addition, please let the MTA know at MTA.info.
Trustee Michael Longobardi
Building Department
Plans have been submitted for a proposed pharmaceutical lab located at 100 Jericho Turnpike. A special use permit hearing is tentatively scheduled for the January 16th board meeting. Covert Avenue fire property has received site plan approval from Nassau County. The fire building at 266 Jericho Turnpike has been approved to start structural repairs. Floral Park hosted the required IDA public hearing for Centennial Holdings LLC at Village Hall on December 13th and the IDA board approved that resolution at their meeting this morning. The Village building permit has also been approved and construction is expected to start in January. Progress continues at the Tulip Avenue Pizza Bar and Hagen Daz locations.
Pool and Recreation
Our annual Recreation Center tree lighting was Friday, December 8th at 7 PM at the multi-purpose rink. It was a great night with many residents and children enjoying the beautiful weather, with no rain, skating on the new multipurpose rink, hot chocolate, music, and of course a visit from Santa. Thank you to Superintendent Kurt Meyfohrt and the entire park staff for all their hard work to make this night a fun, enjoyable one for our residents.
There are just a few days left to our 2nd annual pool registration ‘12 Days of Christmas sale’ which ends this week. You can purchase a Summer 2024 Pool Membership at 2023 prices. It makes a great family gift. These are available at the pool building tomorrow and Thursday from 9 AM to 6:30 PM and Friday from 9 AM-4:30 PM.
And some reminders: The park has started winter hours closings at 4:30 PM each day. Session II winter/spring 2024 registration will open Tuesday, January 9th at the pool building. Senior program registration only will take place on January 9th from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Open registration for all will be at 7 PM-9 PM that same day. Open registrations will continue each day from 9:30 AM-7:00 PM. Details and applications are available in the lobby at the information table and online at the Village website. Floral Park Little League registration for the 2024 season is now open and runs through January 7th. Details are available on the Floral Park Little League website at www.floralparklittleleague.com. The 2023 leisure passes will expire this month. It is time to renew and get your 2024 leisure pass which is required for our park facilities. However, if you have a resident pool pass from 2023, that is also considered your leisure pass and will not expire until June 2024.
Town-Village Aircraft Safety & Noise Abatement Committee (TVASNAC)
There is no December meeting; the next meeting will be in January. If you want to make a noise complaint regarding air traffic, you can call 1-800-225-1071. You can also go to the Village website www.fpvillage.org which has the links under the TVASNAC noise complaint contact information page on our home page.
On behalf of myself and my family, I would like to wish my fellow board members, Village staff and workers and our great residents a Merry Christmas, and a Happy, Healthy New Year. Thank you for all you do and may 2024 be a blessed, healthy, and prosperous year.
