Deputy Mayor Lynn Pombonyo
Police Department
In addition to the typical enforcement duties performed by our Police, there are two others that are less well known.
The first is our Motor Carrier Unit, led by Sergeant Brian Naughton. In September, there were two truck inspection days, both on Jericho Turnpike. A total of 28 trucks were inspected and 124 summonses were issued for violations. In the most recent inspections, seven vehicles were taken out of service along with two unlicensed drivers, and two vehicles were towed. Truck violations included faulty tires, unsecured hazardous materials and improperly secured cargo. During the seven inspection days since April, our vigilant Motor Carrier Unit has issued 367 summonses for truck driving and equipment violations.
Another area of focus and directed patrols is motorbikes. Bicycles that are powered by pedaling or electricity, such as e-bikes, and travel at speeds less than twenty miles per hour do not require a driver’s license, registration or insurance, although e-bike drivers must wear helmets.
On the other hand, motorbikes that are not powered by pedaling or electricity and operate at higher speeds are considered motorcycles. A driver’s license, registration, insurance and helmet are required. Our Police are focusing on the illegal use of such motorbikes that are operated by other than pedaling or electricity, and our Officers are strictly enforcing the laws to protect the safety of all: the motorbike operators, pedestrians and other drivers.
With the opening of school, our School Resource Officers (SROs) are beginning their classes for students on all facets of safety, and the challenges that impact our students’ lives. Our SROs also train educators to lead our students in doing emergency drills properly (such as lockdowns and others), and they are doing that now. This year’s SRO is Officer Kelly Murphy, with Lieutenant Doherty, Sergeant Viscusi and Officer Softy also certified SROs. They make valuable contributions to our students’ educations and safety.
Conservation Society (FPCS)
It’s been a challenging five days for our Parks Department, Village Hall and FPCS as water from Friday’s heavy rainstorm blasted from the Nassau County recharge basin into all areas of Centennial Gardens, causing flooding between four and eight feet high in most places.
Superintendent Kurt Meyfohrt of our Parks Department, along with Gardens staff, Don Haug, Tom Gill and Walter Dreyer, are painstakingly cleaning surfaces; relocating Gardens furniture and other items back to their original spots; and removing many containers of debris. This may be a lengthy process, so the Mayor and Board of Trustees are urging all to stay out of the Gardens for now until all is made cleaner, reorganized and safer. We’ll let you know when.
It is important for all to remember that our beautiful Gardens reside with a Nassau County recharge basin. The job of this recharge basin is to collect water from the local street storm drains and spillways to minimize flooding as much as possible. Last Friday’s rainstorm was extraordinary with eight inches of rain falling on western Nassau County and throughout the region. This recharge basin did its job in preventing massive flooding in most of our streets. Unfortunately, the excess water from a deluge like this flows from the recharge basin into the Gardens (or sumps in most places), causing inside flooding.
As we have done before, FPCS, our Parks Department, Department of Public Works and all of us in Floral Park will return our Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary to its bright, beautiful and unique award-winning splendor.
All the while, we are getting ready for our annual FPCS Fairie Forest Festival on Saturday, October 28th and the Family Fairie House Contest going on right now. Visit the Floral Park Centennial Gardens Facebook page for flyers and photos.
Chambers of Commerce and Our Businesses
It’s fall and that means the Covert Avenue Chamber of Commerce Street Fair is coming to Floral Park and Stewart Manor on Saturday, October 14th. It’s the Fun-Filled Community Celebration and Family-Friendly Fun Fair that we all love!
Colorful Fall Mums and Big Prize Raffles will be on sale this Friday, October 6th from 9:30 am to 2 pm at 57 Argyle Road in Stewart Manor, right behind Body Works Day Spa at 58 Covert Avenue.
And speaking of fall in Floral Park, our appreciation goes to the Liz’s Day Committee for a bright and sunny day with families and friends gathering to raise funds for Cold Spring Harbor Lab and breast cancer research. Another best day in Floral Park!
Trustee Frank Chiara
Fire Department
On Friday, October 13, 2023 our Fire Department will be conducting school fire drills at Our Lady of Victory, John Lewis Childs, Floral Park-Bellerose School and Floral Park Memorial High School. The Fire Department will also be holding a contest at these schools, where all students are invited to draw something fire-safety related as to keep students engaged and aware of fire safety. Winners will be chosen from each one of the schools with prizes awarded on Fire Prevention Sunday.
On Sunday, October 15, 2023 from noon to 2:00 pm the Floral Park Volunteer Fire Department will be having a fire prevention afternoon at the Carlton Street Parking Lot. All are invited to enjoy free music, hot-dogs and soda while seeing live demonstrations on how our firefighters fight certain fires. This is a great opportunity to see how firefighters use certain apparatuses to put out various fires. Safety tips on how to prevent fires will be shared with attendees. Anyone interested in volunteering can have questions answered at the event and be given instructions on how to sign up. Volunteers are needed so please consider becoming a Fire Department Volunteer.
Library
The 4th Annual Library Lawn Sale has been rescheduled to Saturday, October 14, 2023 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Stop by this wonderful event, browse and shop the many items that will be offered for sale.
On October 4, 2023 at 2:00 pm receiver of taxes Jeanine Driscoll will hold a Tax-Exempt Seminar, to explain all exemption available to tax payers that will help them lower their tax burdens.
On Thursday, October 10, 2023 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Nassau County Legislator John Giuffré along with the Nassau County Police Department Community Affairs, Nassau County Office of Crime Victim Advocate and Nassau County Office for the Aging will hold a seminar on the topic of senior scams, how to identify them, how to report them and how to recover should they ever become a victim.
Anyone interested in learning how to prepare meals, the library is having 2 upcoming cooking events. Chef Naela will be demonstrating how to prepare Mediterranean Delights on October 12, 2023 at 6:30 pm. For the little one’s ages 2 through pre-school, there will be a Mommy and Me with Chefs of the Future class on October 13, 2023 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. They will be preparing English muffin pizzas and caramel apple nachos for dessert.
Details for these events and many others for the month of October can be found on the library website at www.floralparklibrary.org. Just a reminder, the library will be closed on Monday, October 9, 2023 for Columbus Day.
Trustee Jennifer Stewart
Department of Public Works
On Friday September 29th, 2023, Floral Park received the remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia which dropped approximately 9 inches of rain in our area. This was the most rainfall seen in our area in decades. DPW crews monitored rain conditions throughout the day, responding to flood issues.
Nassau County and Village drainage systems were overwhelmed due to the excessive amount of water being discharged into storm drains. Our Village sump on the Belmont Racetrack property behind Clover Avenue was at capacity pumping water out all day. At approximately 2:00 pm drainage systems at the following intersections were stressed beyond capacity: Hickory Street and Cedar Place, Clarence Avenue and Plainfield Avenue, Primrose Avenue and Clover Avenue, Mayfair Avenue and Clover Avenue and the dead end of Clover and Maple Avenues. All these areas were experiencing major flooding making roads inaccessible and blocking all vehicle traffic during school dismissals.
DPW responded to flood locations and found 3 feet of water at these locations. Roads were closed to allow DPW crews to wade through flood waters waist high to check for possible obstruction and to attempt to accelerate the drainage process. Crews remained on duty throughout Friday night cleaning up our Village.
I would like to thank DPW Superintendent Kevin Ginnane, DPW General Supervisor Kevin Pearsall, Deputy Superintendent Joe O Grady and the rest of the DPW Staff for all their efforts dealing with this unprecedented rain fall.
Along with this unprecedented amount of work, in the last two weeks, DPW crews continued their regular schedule of maintenance work, they planted fall mums around the Village, set up for Liz’s Day in our wonderful Recreation Center and continued to mount our amazing Veterans banners.
4VS
Four Village Studio programs can be viewed on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays. Here is a sampling of what you can watch this week: The Author Corner with Stephanie Larkin, featuring conversation with poet Nicolette Elsie; Wes Houston Presents Bill Scorzari, singer songwriter and guitarist; FPFD: Red Alert with Larry King, AEMT featuring “The Nassau County Fire Service Academy” with Chief Instructor Robert Hughes, Jr.; along with many other productions. Fun fact, last week, some board members used the weather tab at 4VS.org to stay up to date with the incoming storm.
MTA/LIRR
We have been informed that the planned weekend work that would impact Floral Park has been put on pause indefinitely. The Village will inform residents if and when the MTA/LIRR informs us of the new dates. A reminder, Village parking permits are required to park under the railroad station in the commuter lot from 5:00 am to 5:00 pm. Neighborhood aides are dispatched to the railroad daily and are ticketing those cars without a permit. Permits are $100 annually, for Village residents only, and can be obtained at Village Hall from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. If those times do not work for you, please send me an email and we will find a solution, jstewart@fpvillage.org
The Village continues to work with the MTA to come to a resolution on our outstanding issues in our MOU. Please visit MTA.info should you have a complaint about anything MTA related.
Trustee Michael Longobardi
Building Department
County approval is still pending for the Covert Avenue fire property. Foundation work will start once that has been issued. The status is the same for the old Centennial Hall property. Taco Bell on Jericho Turnpike is complete and open for business. The cleanup at the fire building at 266 Jericho Turnpike is complete and the engineers are now assessing the building’s structure and plans to move forward. The new multi-purpose rink is now open for use. The additional items to address with the surfacing will be performed in the spring time. Tonight, we will have a public meeting regarding the new application for a Haagen Daz store to open at 153 Tulip Avenue. This will be a welcomed addition to Tulip Avenue along with the Gyro Village and Pizza Bar slated to open soon, as well as a compliment to the great variety of food establishments that already exist.
Pool and Recreation
This past weekend, after the rain finally subsided, Liz’s Day took place at the park on Sunday, their alternate rain date. What a difference a day made. Weather was warm and beautiful and the event was very well attended again this year. The day included music, bouncy houses, food, mums, and pumpkins for sale, and most important the fundraising which had everything from shirts and sweatshirts, to the wine wall raffle and the many, many donated baskets. Thank you to all who attended and helped support this great cause to find a cure. Thank you to Superintendent Kurt Meyfohrt and his staff for the preparation and cleanup after the heavy rains, so the park would be ready for Sunday. Fall activities and sports continue at the park. I was advised today the finishing touches have been added to the rink for hockey and the Hockey League would be starting shortly. The Touch Football League will also be ready to start soon.
Town-Village Aircraft Safety & Noise Abatement Committee (TVASNAC)
The next meeting for TVASNAC, the Town-Village Aircraft Safety & Noise Abatement Committee of the Town of Hempstead will be on Monday October 23, 2023 at Cedarhurst Village Hall, 200 Cedarhurst Avenue in Cedarhurst at 7:00 pm.
Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald
NY Forward Grant
Last week the Village of Floral Park held a community meeting to present and discuss our application for one of the $4.5 mil NY Forward Downtown Revitalization Grants that are available this year from New York State. In the past few years, we have filed for the NY Downtown Revitalization Initiative Grants. This year after meeting with the New York State teams that administer the grants, we decided to apply for the NY Forward Grant and center it around improvements for Tulip Avenue’s Business District. This application was filed last Friday and as always, we hope to be chosen. If we’re not, we will continue to use this exercise to see what improvements can be made. The application is available on our website www.fpvillage.org.
I would like to thank Superintendent Renee Marcus and Deputy Mayor Lynn Pombonyo for all of their work and diligence in putting together a well-designed and thoughtful application.
West End Civic Association
This Thursday, October 5th, Glen Kozak, Vice President of Facilities and Operations of Belmont Park, will be the guest speaker at the 7:30 pm West End Civic Association’s monthly meeting at the Floral Park Recreation Center. He will be presenting an update on NYRA’s plans for the redevelopment of Belmont Park and what will be taking place over the next few years.