The East Williston School Board opted to join a growing number of other school districts in a lawsuit to prevent the planned end of the county guarantee, which obligates the county to make up the tax revenue shortfall caused by tax appeals.

The Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association is currently encouraging Nassau County school districts to join in the legal fray by signing contracts with Hamburger, Maxson, Yaffe, Knauer & McNally, which has been retained as counsel for the suit.

“I think the county is trying to shove its problems onto us,” board member David Keefe said.

Board vice president Robert Freier said that Nassau County legislator Richard Nicolello couldn’t explain to Freier why he was voting to rescind the guarantee.

“Nobody knows what the cost figures to be because the county won’t release it,” board president Mark Kamberg said.

Lorna Lewis, superintendent of schools for East Williston, has estimated that the shortfall in county funds if the guarantee was eliminated would cost her district more than $600,000 annually, which would represent a 1.3 percent increase on its current budget.

The board voted unanimously to participate in the lawsuit.

Bethpage, Carle Place, Elmont , East Rockaway, Garden City, Jericho, Lynbrook, North Shore, Plainedge, Port Washington, Rockville Centre, Roslyn and West Hempstead have already agreed to join in the suit, according to Lorraine Deller, executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association.

The Herricks School Board voted to table action on joining the lawsuit last week based on concerns about the language of the contract it must sign with the law firm representing the respective school districts.

But Herricks Superintendent of Schools John Bierwirth said he favors joining the effort to thwart the county’s plan to eliminate the guarantee after several decades without consulting state officials.

“That’s the issue,” Bierwirth said. “This is not the way to do this.”

Bierwirth expressed concern about the impact on the Herricks district, which he said isn’t easily calculated at this point.

“There are significantly different numbers out there on what the district’s liability is,” he said.

On a legislative front, Kamberg and board member Barbara Slone have met with representatives of several schools districts on the North Shore aiming to form a lobbying group to mitigate the impact of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed property tax cap, cut unfunded mandates and compel public service employees to contribute to their pension funds and health care packages.

“They are trying to work as a lobbying entity,” Kamberg said.

Slone said the group wants the tax cap to be set at 2 percent or at the level of the consumer price index, whichever is higher. Other ideas include raising the retirement age up from 62 years and creating a new form of 401-K contributory accounts.

The group, which includes the Manhasset, Port Washington, Roslyn, North Shore, Jericho and Oyster Bay school districts, according to Kamberg, is seeking advice from attorneys at Guercio & Guercio.

Guercio & Guercio represented school districts in successfully overturning former Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi’s legal initiative to eliminate the county guarantee two years ago.

“East Williston is bracing itself for a budget that could mean a loss of teachers and services,” Kamberg said.

Lewis reiterated the need for dumping mandates and enacting pension reform in recounting a meeting she and other school district superintendents had with state Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel.

“We believe that the legislature needs to revisit that,” Lewis said.

She suggested that a 3.5 percent contribution level would be appropriate.

A few families braved the frigid temperatures on Saturday morning for what was an intimate and informative inaugural meeting with the Williston Park Welcoming Committee.

The Welcoming Committee, the brainchild of Village of Williston Park Mayor Paul Ehrbar and his wife, former mayor Doreen Ehrbar, aims to provide a basic orientation about the village, and its services and activities, to families who have recently moved into Williston Park.

Over bagels and coffee, the Ehrbars, Trustee Barbara Alagna, the village board liaison to the committee and Welcoming Committee members Rae Carmanica, who formerly served as village clerk, Marilyn Wotruba, former deputy mayor Maryann McDermott and Rose McCarthy chatted with the families in a reception room on the third floor of the Williston Park Village Hall.

They also gave the families attending a booklet of information they prepared about the village, including information about village government, parking regulations, snow etiquette rules, the public library, parks and recreation, village activities and local churches. A folder containing the booklet also included ads and promotions from several local merchants, a map of the Willistons and Albertson and a folder of information from St. Aidan Church.

“We want to welcome you,” Doreen Ehrbar told the assembled residents. “No matter how long you’re in the village, there’s always something you don’t know.”

They were told about the summer concerts at the gazebo, the annual Easter Egg hunt and the April “Make A Difference Day” when student residents of the village pitch in to a clean-up effort that coincides with the Town of North Hempstead’s Earth Day.

For Heather and Jeff Flashner, who had previously lived in Hoboken, N.J., moving to Long Island was something they had been planning for some time.

“We knew we’d want to move to Long Island eventually,” Heather Flashner said, adding that she’s enjoying the change.

“I can walk to everything. I can walk to the train. Pretty much everything you could want is nearby.”

That includes her parents, who live in Rockville Centre.

“It’s a very nice neighborhood. It’s very comfortable,” said Su Lee, who attended the informal breakfast meeting with her husband, Andrew Sul and their two children Alyssa and Aaden “to know this village better and to meet neighbors.”

Christina and Michael Conway, the children of Lisa and Andrew Conway, said they were both enjoying making friends in the village since their family moved into the village several months ago. Both youngsters are baseball players and Michael has already made it onto the roster of a travel team.

All of those attending the welcome breakfast meeting had moved into the village during May or June of last year.

The Welcoming Committee, which plans to make the orientation meetings a bi-annual event in the spring and fall, scheduled the January meeting just to get the initiative started.

“I’m happy anybody came today, with the weather the way it is,” Alagna said.

The event drew a unanimously positive response from all those who attended.

“This is wonderful,” said Andrew Sul, who said he wanted to get involved in helping those less fortunate in the community.

“We’ll get you involved, don’t worry,” Mayor Ehrbar said, smiling.

Those who didn’t make it to the meeting will still receive the information folders presented to those who did attend. Doreen Ehrbar and Alagna said they planned to personally visit each family that couldn’t make it to the meeting and deliver the orientation information to them personally.

Reach reporter Richard Tedesco by e-mail at rtedesco@archive.theisland360.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x204

The Sewanhaka Central High School District Board voted in favor of entering into an agreement with the law firm of Hamburger, Maxson, Yaffe, Knauer & McNally to oppose the ending of Nassau County’s guarantee of tax revenues lost in tax challenges.

Bethpage, Carle Place, Elmont , East Rockaway, Garden City, Jericho, Lynbrook, North Shore, Plainedge, Port Washington, Rockville Centre, Roslyn and West Hempstead have already agreed to join in the suit, according to Lorraine Deller, executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association.

The East Williston School Board also voted to join in the lawsuit earlier this week.

The county guarantee, which was enacted by the state legislature in 1948, acknowledges that Nassau County is responsible for tax revenue shortfall due to appeals in its tax assessments. If the county guarantee ended, school districts would be responsible for making up the money tax revenue for revenue shortfalls. Two years ago, then Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi failed in an to end the guarantee.

The Nassau County Council of School Superintendents and the Nassau-Suffolk School Board Association have endorsed the lawsuit, according to board attorney Douglas Libby. The lawsuit fees would be capped at $5,000 per school district, however the superintendent council projects 50 districts signing on, which would then bring the fees to only $2,000 per school district, Libby said.

Board member David Del Santo expressed his concern about Sewanhaka joining the lawsuit.

Del Santo noted that the geographic area that is part of the Sewanhaka district contains four elementary districts – Elmont, Floral Park, Franklin Square, and New Hyde Park. They could separately elect to join the lawsuit, he said.

“The Sewanhaka School District also participating is really adding a double cost to our taxpayers,” he said. Del Santo suggested that the board determine if the other districts were joining the suit before making their decision.

But Board president Jean Fichtl said she was not concerned if the other districts did join.

“I believe it shows a stronger support if all 56 districts participate,” said Ficthl, referring to the total number of school districts in Nassau County.

Board member Michael Jaime of Elmont said he wanted to consult with the school board members in that district before taking a decision on the issue. His suggestion to table the matter drew no support, and he abstained from voting.

Five members voted in favor of joining the lawsuit and three abstained.

A shouting match erupted on the floor of the Nassau County Legislature Monday when Republican Presiding Officer Peter Schmitt announced that he would limit questioning on a budget issue to 15 minutes – six of which was allocated to Democrats.

Schmitt announced at the outset of the meeting his decision to enforce a rule that limited questioning regarding $12 million in revenue from a red-light camera program which was approved in 2008 but had not been allocated.

He said his intent was to limit partisan “dickering.”

The Legislature, he said, would have 15 minutes to discuss the issue. As the minority, Democrats were allotted six minutes out of that time.

“I have no idea who is the showman of the day,” said Schmitt. “I’m not going to have one or two members on either side of the aisle regurgitate everything that’s been said about this issue within the past two and a half years.”

“That rule is called inhibiting free speech in my mind,” said Democrat Judith Jacobs of Woodbury. “For the last 12 years nobody has ever limited what people could say.”

“Your absolutely right,” said Schmitt. “In the last 12 years we used to sit here go for hours on end and we used to go home at 11 and 12 o’clock at night. It was a show and I’m not going to have it.”

Citing legislative rules, Schmitt initiated the time limit which allowed him to set or alter the terms of debate and discussion.

“This has been beaten to death. This has been here for over a year,” said Schmidt. “Everybody knows what the problem is.”

Diane Yatuaro, the Democratic minority leader from Glen Cove, said when Democrats had the majority in the Legislature, they never stopped people from asking questions.

“I’m not the one turning off microphones,” responded Schmitt. “I’m not going down this road.”

“I turned off the mics because there was an issue of people talking when others were,” said Yatuaro.

“It was just conveniently when the Republicans were talking,” Schmitt quipped.

“We will not be quieted – ever!” shouted Yatauro.

Yatuaro said she doesn’t sit on all the committees, so she needed to hear more regarding the bill on Monday.

“Read the transcripts,” said Schmitt. “Bring yourself up to date. Do what we are supposed to do as legislators.”

The Democrats will be looking for legal remedies because this will not stand in this caucus,” Yatuaro said.

“Who are you to judge who can speak? … that’s ridiculous!” Yatuaro said.

“Stop with this nonsense,” said Schmitt as he pounded the gavel.

“This is not nonsense. How dare you silence us!” yelled Yatuaro.

After allowing a five-minute break, Schmitt relented and allowed Democrats to ask more questions without imposing a time limit.

The measure was eventually approved by a unanimous vote.

Reach reporter Rich Jacques by e-mail at rjacques@archive.theisland360.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x203. Follow Rich Jacques on Twitter at twitter.com/richjacques.

For the fifth straight year, the Water Authority of Great Neck North unanimously approved the Albrecht, Viggiano, Zureck & Company, P.C. for its internal auditing but agreed to investigate other firms for future jobs.

The board accepted AVZ’s offer which fell $610 less than last years quote before discussing the possibility of changing auditors next year so there would be no questions raised “of any familiarity causing a problem, not necessarily intentionally or non-intentionally,” said Water Authority Vice Chairman Howard Miskin.

All board members present agreed that it would be a good policy to begin to look at other options beginning in May.

“The best policy might be to put out an RFP and the same firm can apply then the board can discuss if there is somebody out there makes a better presentation and go with that,” said board member Jon Kaiman

Board member Ralph Kreitzman agreed with Kaiman regarding the RFP but suggested that a change in auditors could possibly result in a large fee increase due to unfamiliarity with the books in the first year of service and that a judgment should be made next year to determine whether it is worth the switch.

A suggestion by board member Robert Graziano to flip the internal auditor to the external auditor also received favorable response from he board.

Without a vote, the board tentatively agreed to seek the possibility of change and to examine the possible material financial disruption in doing so.

All board members, except J. Leonard Symanksky, were present at the meeting on Watermill Lane.

Reach reporter Rich Jacques by e-mail at rjacques@archive.theisland360.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x203. Follow Rich Jacques on Twitter at twitter.com/richjacques.

The Long Island Rail Road announced this week that they had begun environmental review of the proposed replacement of the Colonial Road Bridge in Great Neck and extension of an existing pocket track – despite the continued opposition of Village of Thomaston Mayor Robert Stern.

Stern said this week that the LIRR continues to ignore questions concerning a proposed pocket track extension in Thomaston.

“When the railroad learned of my opposition to the pocket track extension they stopped talking,” Stern said.

According to the LIRR, the proposed extension of existing pocket track in Thomaston will bring immediate benefits to Port Washington Branch customers as well as safer, modern bridge, but Stern disagrees.

“Their statement is remarkable by their omissions and less than candid about their plans,” Stern said.

The LIRR’ study is scheduled to review the proposed replacement of the Colonial Road Bridge in Great Neck and extension of an existing pocket track crucial to improving service on the Port Washington Branch.

“When will construction begin?” “Why is the track being built first if the bridge is so dangerous?” Stern asked. “Why can’t the bridge be upgraded without the pocket track extension?”

The LIRR has insisted that the $36 million Colonial Road Improvement Project will only be done if a pocket track extension is included in the bridge upgrade. The extension will enable the LIRR to turn trains faster and provide better rush hour service and seat availability from Great Neck and stations west of Great Neck.

According to the LIRR, the addition of the pocket track will also set the stage for more service enhancements when the $7.3 billion East Side Access Project brings the LIRR to Grand Central Terminal for the first time in 2016, significantly improving commuting time for tens of thousands of customers along the entire branch.

The LIRR agrees that repairs or replacement of the Colonial Road Bridge is much-needed, but it has not came up with a plan to fix the bridge that does not include a pocket track extension and for the installation of a new drainage system at track level that will eliminate a flooding problem that often hampers train service.

LIRR President Helena Williams said: “This $36 million project will create construction jobs while replacing a 100 year old bridge and extending an existing railroad siding near Great Neck that will improve service for 43,000 customers who use the LIRR’s Port Washington branch each day.”

Village of Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender said she hoped to see the LIRR increase service to Great Neck, but said the LIRR’s proposal needed to be publicly debated before work began.

“The service on the Port Washington Branch historically has been a major attraction for people living and working in Great Neck,” Celender said.  “Better and more frequent train service benefits the community, and that’s the promise here.  I urge residents of our community to take advantage of the LIRR’s environmental review process to learn more about the proposal, weigh the pros and cons and express your concerns. Ultimately, we want the LIRR to do what is best for the entire Great Neck peninsula. This includes ensuring that any new construction plans minimize disruption to the community and mitigate negative impacts.”

According to the 2010 LIRR Customer Service Satisfaction Survey, the improvement to LIRR service that is most valued by our customers is increased service frequency. In Great Neck, the extension of the existing turning track would provide the infrastructure to turn more trains during peak hours.

“So why have they recently cut service?” asked Stern? “”They don’t even pay attention to their own survey unless it suits them.”

The LIRR said public participation will be an integral element of the environmental review, which gets underway this month in compliance with the federal National Environmental Policy Act review process.

The LIRR plans to begin holding public information meetings in February, reaching out directly to invite the local residents as well as Port Washington Branch customers to attend as soon as locations, dates and times have been finalized.

The Great Neck Plaza Board of Trustees approved a $5.7 million budget and salary schedule Jan. 20, which includes a zero percent increase in taxes to residents for the fourth consecutive year and a $200,000 decrease in spending.

“I’m proud that we can deliver a less spending budget and no tax increase,” said Village of Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender on Monday.

Celender said the village is holding the line when it comes to spending.

“To be able to do it when you’ve have lost assessments, you have to either decrease costs or lower taxes,”  said Celender.

The 2011 budget is about $200,000 less than last year and includes $30,000 for a possible increase in costs for the The Great Neck Vigilant Engine and Hook & Ladder Co., Inc., a state-mandated 3.5 percent pay raise for seven union workers and a 1.7 percent pay raise for about 20 non-union village employees. The mayor and other members of the board of trustees did not receive pay raises.

To cut costs, village officials removed a $175,000 project from the budget, which would have included the installation of a new muni-meter parking system and restriping for the municipal parking garage on Grace Avenue.

“Instead of doing it all at once, we are going to do it over time,” said Pat O’Byrne, the village administrator.

With most departments taking cuts and demand for services such as snow removal, garbage and beautification expected by residents, Celender said the 2011 budget process was as hard as she has seen in her 11 years as mayor.

A public hearing will be held later this year to discuss the expected increases to the Vigilant fire services contract. No date has been set for the meeting.

The frightening potential of the Internet to damage the lives of innocent people became all too apparent last week when officials closed down a Facebook page reporting on the alleged sexual activity of girls at Uniondale High School and other schools in the county. The page came to be known as the “Nassau County Nasty List.”

Sadly by the time that responsible adults became aware of the list it was too late. The barn doors were closed but the horses were already out.

Officials at the high school say they don’t know who created the page. The Nassau County Police are investigating but it is unclear whether the pond scum responsible for this site can be charged with a crime – if they ever get caught.

A Nassau County Police spokesman said that the “cyber bullying” that didn’t exist 10 years ago has become a serious problem. He said the investigation into the “Nasty List” was “unique” because the page was posted anonymously.

In the year 2011 an Internet posting can be viewed by thousands, even millions, of people in less than 24 hours. It’s called “going viral” and it was a wonderful thing when millions of people suddenly discovered the video of singer Susan Boyle when it was posted on YouTube. But it becomes a frightening thing when the Internet is used to damage the reputations of innocent people.

William Lloyd, the Uniondale Schools superintendent, issued a statement in which he said the district does not have jurisdiction over the activities of students outside the school including what they post on social networking sites. However, he said, the offensive posting did include the Uniondale High School logo, which is “a direct violation of copyright laws.”

He added that the school has a “zero tolerance policy regarding bullying and cyber-bullying.”

The people who created this site must be held accountable. If they are high school students they should be expelled or at least suspended. Better yet, they should be used as tackling dummies by the Uniondale football team.

The suicide of a gay Rutgers College student last year demonstrates how very serious and harmful cyber-bullying can be.

Facebook needs and has the resources to be more vigilant. The company cannot allow its website to be used to destroy people’s reputations. No serious newspaper would consider posting this type of alleged information about a person who is not a public figure.

The parents of the young women who were trashed on the “Nasty List” should hold CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s billion-dollar feet to the fire.

Blank Slate Media Editorial

Well, not three but 30 cheers to Larry Penner of Great Neck for his letter in Fri., Jan. 21, 2011 Page 11 issue of the Great Neck News:

“Ackerman wrong on staff cuts, Congressman out of touch with country’s financial woes!!”

My experience with the congressman consists of 5 two- to three-page letters sent to his Great Neck (Northern Blvd.) office and his Washington office, with no answer, at least a doze e-mails that did not go through, several telephone calls that were answered with recordings, and they had to with me, a constituent voicing my opinion with 68 percent of the American public for him not to vote for Obamacare.

I believe our Congress member Ackerman does not know or care who pays his salary and benefits.

He is part of why the approval rating for Congress is 11 percent.

Hopefully, in the next election that Congressman Ackerman will run in, his opponent will send him into retirement. I will be in the forefront of this cause.

Gerald Sussman

Great Neck

At the recent Williston Park Village Board Meeting, Mayor (Paul) Ehrbar commented on the difficulties faced by the village Department of Public Works during the recent snow storms.

While I commend the mayor’s efforts to enforce the parking ban during storms, I believe he missed two significant problems in his remarks.

First, the DPW has changed the plowing pattern in the village. Part of the reason the village has a parking ban during snow storms is to facilitate curb to curb plowing. In the 30 years I have lived in the village that has always been the practice.

This year however the plowing pattern has changed to three feet from the curb on each side of the street. Following the storm, when residents begin on street parking, the additional unplowed street area causes the cars to park far out into the street resulting in many street becoming almost impassable one lane paths.

Second, whatever brain trust decided to start a major road reconstruction and repaving program at the start of winter should be held accountable for the mess left behind. The streets are full of ruts, dips and raised man hole covers that make driving a dangerous and uncomfortable experience. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to plow roads in such poor condition.

Did no one realize the road work would have to be suspended for the duration of the winter? Did anyone even bother to ask if the job could be completed before snow and freezing temperatures set in?

Mayor Ehrbar stated that it is the “responsibility of the village to make the roads as safe as possible and passable.”

In that regard, Mr. Mayor, the village has done a less than adequate job.

John Brody

Williston Park

I am writing to clarify the recent article on Jan. 21 regarding village agendas.

It was stated that the Village of Kensington sends a mailer a week in advance to residents reminding them of the upcoming board of trustees meetings.

However, the following steps are also taken. The village maintains an e-mail distribution list for all residents who prefer e-mail notification and notifies them via e-mail a week in advance of a meeting.

As well, agendas are posted on the village website at least a week in advance of a meeting and on signboards throughout the Village. Our website maintains copies of past agendas and we post pending legislation. We do all this because we believe it is important to keep our residents informed of any and all important information pertaining to the community.

If any resident would like to be added to the e-mail distribution service, please contact the village clerk through the website at www.villageofkensingtonny.gov.

Susan Lopatkin, Mayor

Village of Kensington

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s recent inauguration speech hit all the right notes, but left many wondering how he will be able to keep all his promises.

Just how many of Cuomo’s proposed budget, regulatory and good government reforms may be dead on arrival once reaching Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver or Republican state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos’ desk.

With 100 of 150 votes in the Assembly, Silver is in the drivers seat. Silver controls his own members via lulus for chairing committees, passage of legislation, office budgets, staffing and mailings along with renewal of gerrymandering district boundaries every ten years after reapportionment. With his majority, he can let many members off the hook when controversial bills come up for a vote.

Likewise, Skelos has similar powers in his chamber but with only a one vote margin. He is unable to let members off the hook when voting on controversial bills.

Both Silver and Skelos along with their respective loyal members, have powerful backing. These include various special interest pay-for-play lobbyists, powerful teachers, health care, state employees and other unions along with trial lawyers, business and developers. There are hundreds of Albany’s infamous State Street lobbyists representing clients who donate millions of dollars to both the Assembly and Senate campaign committees. Just how much of Cuomo’s $26 million dollar campaign war chest came from the same sources.

Cuomo has talked the talk. Lets see what happens when he announces his first new fiscal budget for 2011 on Feb. 1.

Will it be adopted on time by April 1, 2011? Will it include specific cuts agency by agency and program by program to meet a $10 billion dollar plus and growing deficit. How will he deal with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s $9 billion dollar shortfall in its current Capital Program? How will he balance pressures to maintain or even increase school aid to New York City, our own Great Neck and other local community based districts on Long Island along with neighboring Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and other suburban counties along with upstate’s school districts while at the same time placing a cap on property taxes?.

New York businesses and individuals combined owe over $13 billion dollars in uncollected state taxes according past reports released by the state Tax Department. Will he support a more aggressive approach in attempting to collect some of these revenues, rather than increase back door borrowing or user fees and taxes for those who play by the rules?

Will he deal with unions who want to maintain the status quo concerning pensions, medical health benefits and annual salary increases to at a minimum keep pace with inflation? Will he be able to reduce unfunded state mandates on local municipalities some of which are passed down from Washington as the price to pay for acceptance of both state and federal aid? Can he consolidate some of the thousands of duplicative, inefficient and sometimes overlapping local school, sewer, water, library, parks and other municipal authorities to foster more efficient delivery of services and savings to taxpayers that are protected by local special interests?

How will he consolidate or eliminate many of the 700 plus state authorities? Some of these have already completed their respective missions or duplicate those of others? Will he be willing to take on the Wicks Law, which forces people to hire up to four prime contractors rather than one? Some argue that this law significantly increases the cost of capital construction projects. Cuomo faces a more difficult balancing act than any circus juggler.

With all the clowns he will deal with in the Albany legislative circus, we can only wish him well in his endeavors to train the out of control spending lion.

Larry Penner

Great Neck