With about 20 inches of accumulated snow throughout the Great Neck community after Monday’s blizzard, public workers have spent numerous hours clearing the roads and sidewalks before, during and after the storm for the safety of village residents.

Even though many village officials reported no problems with snow removal after Monday’s storm, this was not the case in the Village of Russell Gardens.

Michael Jurcsak, the superintendent of the village’s department of public works, said as of Tuesday afternoon, there were still five sidewalks out of 18 that needed snow removal. He said the village is behind in this process because there is only one machine available to clear the sidewalks because the other machine broke down.

“The equipment failure slowed down the process and we still have four miles of sidewalk to clear,” Jurcsak said. “Our machines are 15 to 16 years old that have band-aids on them and can only move four miles per hour. It is our goal to have the sidewalks plowed and salted with calcium chloride within the next two days.”

Jurcsak said he prioritizes residential needs when removing snow from the village. The first area his four-person staff works on is clearing the main roads, they then work on residents’ driveway aprons and surrounding fire hydrants, then parking areas on South Middle Neck Road, and lastly the sidewalks.

“The main areas where people traverse are our top concerns during the snow removal process,” Jurcsak said. “We want to make sure these areas are well lit and salted. We also listen to specific complaints from residents and take care of them as best as we can. We are always trying to please our residents and are hopeful to find a happy medium with them so they are pleased.”

In the Village of Great Neck, Mayor Ralph Kreitzman said the village’s department of public works team was out salting and sanding the hills and dangerous corners before the storm began in the 1.4 square mile village.

“Our department of public works guys worked over 24 hours,” Kreitzman said. “They did a magnificent job cleaning up the roads which look great now. I have received lots of compliments from residents who said the department of public works did a great job during this storm.”

Kreitzman said the Village of Great Neck is nowhere near the budgeted amount for snow removal because this was an early season storm.

“We have a substantial amount of money allocated for laborers and materials for snow removal,” Kreitzman said.

Village of Great Neck Estates Public Works Superintendent Ernest Garvey said village roads were cleared by Monday at about 3 p.m. Garvey said 10 men worked 27 straight hours to plow and sand the streets in Great Neck Estates.

Garvey said the staff is now working on clearing the snow from the catch basins because warmer temperatures are expected at the end of the week along with rain on the weekend.

“The roads are safe to drive on right now,” Garvey said. “We have to look out for major flooding on our streets after a storm like this with the anticipated weather that is supposed to be in our area throughout the week.”

Village of Great Neck Estates Mayor David Fox said village residents were cooperative during the storm by taking their cars off of the streets after he called for a snow emergency at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

“We have been notifying people all-year to clear the streets so the public works team can remove snow effectively during a storm,” Fox said. “The residents listened to our requests and the members of the department works did an unbelievable job plowing, salting and sanding the roads.”

Village of Thomaston Mayor Bob Stern said all his village roads are open and clear. Stern said the village had money budgeted for this storm and said there were no power failures in the village during the snow storm.

All roads in the Village of Saddle Rock were open on Tuesday. Village clerk Donna Perone said she received no phone calls about any power failures or emergencies in the village during the blizzard.

In the Village of Kensington, Police Chief Lieutenant Michael Conlon said the village was lucky that there was no ice on the roads after the storm.

“For the amount of snow we had, the entire clean up process went very smoothly,” Conlon said. “Residents were compliant leaving their cars off of the streets which helped remove the snow. Our roads have a black top and there is nothing preventing people from driving around the streets of Kensington.”

Newly-elected state Sen. Jack Martins told the Great Neck Village Officers Association last Wednesday that he intended to use his experience as mayor of the Village of Mineola to work closely with the association’s members and be a voice for villages and towns.

“As a local official, I have dealt with an continue to deal with many of the issues that you deal with on a day to day basis,” said Martins, a Republican elected to four consecutive mayoral terms in Mineola.

Martin’s appearance at Saddle Rock Village Hall before officials from the Democratic stronghold in Great Neck was one of his first since being confirmed the winner in the tightly-contested 7th District state Senate race against Democratic incumbent Craig Johnson, which was called after an appeals court backed his victory earlier in the day.

The Great Neck Village Officers Association is comprised of the nine incorporated villages and includes other local community organizations and special districts, such as the Great Neck Public Schools, Great Neck Park District, Great Neck Library, Water Authority of Great Neck North, as well as the elected officials of the unincorporated sections of the Town of North Hempstead on the Great Neck Peninsula, and county and state representatives serving Great Neck.

Martins, who is scheduled to be sworn in Jan. 5, said one of is first jobs as a legislator will be to try and advocate to correct some of the ‘inefficiencies’ of the consolidation bill and the premise it represents: that local government is not efficient.

In 2008, then state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo proposed a bill known as the Empowerment Act to encourage the consolidation of local governments bill, which was signed into law last year and took effect in 2010.

“We may have the opportunity to turn the corner on adding some important touches,” said Martins, who expects January amendment initiatives by Republicans on the bill backed by now Governor-elect Cuomo. “I certainly don’t think we will have the ability to appeal it.”

Joined by the New York Conference of Mayors, the Association of Towns, the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York and the Association of Fire Districts of the State of New York, state Assemblywoman Michele Schimel has led recent efforts to amend the bill. Martins praised Schimel for her efforts and pledged continued support for her efforts.

“You have to give her a tremendous amount of credit,” for taking on the governor-elect,” he said.

Regarding school consolidation, Martins warned against state mandates which he said would add an additional layer of expenses that wasn’t there before and recommended that school issues remain local.

“I believe each school district should have the ability to make that decision for itself,” said Martins.

Kensington Mayor and Village Officers Association board member Susan Lopatkin inquired about possible initiatives that the new GOP majority plans to pursue to get government ‘out of the way’ of smaller municipalities, a plan she says she supports.

“It comes from a core philosophy and I think you are going to see a lot of discussion about that,” said Martins. “There are nine state senators from Long Island and I think all will be actively working towards providing that kind of relief.”

When questioned by Manhassett-Lakeview Water District Chairman Andrew DeMartin about the delivery of pending state grants to 7th District organizations, Martins said one of his first responsibilities will be to ‘throw back the curtain on this’ and give everybody an evaluation of where those grants are.

“One thing I can assure you is if grants are there, I have no intention of holding anything up,” said Martins. “If they are not there you will be notified immediately.”

Regarding public transportation, Martins said funding issues should be distributed equally and not more so on suburban commuters than those who use mass transit in the city of New York.

“I don’t think the issue is between Democrats and Republicans,” he said. “Wouldn’t it be great, just for a moment, if we just left the railroad to manage that which it already has before deciding to continuously expand?”

Martins suggested having the Long Island Railroad come to the Great Neck train station and paint areas which had been allowed to deteriorate before deciding to rebuild a spur or another line. “Let’s just consider those things that are important,” he said.

Searching for resources, Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender requested Martins’ support in Albany for help with efforts to obtain state funding for village upgrades.

“I just wanted to know what your position might be going into the Senate on trying to preserve funds for those kind of great programs where communities are looking to rebuild their downtowns?” she said.

According to Celender, even a community like Great Neck, which has been affected by the recession, is looking for ways to improve in order to survive the slumping economy.

“Your support, knowing you have been a mayor of a downtown … will be invaluable,” said Celender.

Martins said he recognized Celender’s expertise and acknowledged that a more regional approach is needed in providing state funds to development as a means to get projects moving.

The state’s two costliest programs – education and state entitlements – will be looked at first in terms of cuts to generate money, according to Martins.

“If you are going to cut and find savings, you are going to have to do it with those programs in mind,” he said.

In terms of budget cuts, Martins said it is the responsibility of local legislators to make sure that Long Island, which has traditionally been considered to be the ‘ATM for New York state,’ is not protected at the expense of local schools, hospitals and local communities.

“There are going to be cuts across the board and there will be a shared sacrifice, but it certainly will not be at our expense disproportionately to that which it otherwise would not be,” said Martins.

In his first year as Mineola mayor, Martins said he instituted across-the-board budget cuts, personnel changes, froze discretionary spending, and closed the budget deficit he inherited. He also developed a debt management plan to address a $33 million dollar debt.

Is it just a case of one person’s risk being another person’s reward – or is it something else?

That was the question put to Town of North Hempstead officials regarding a parcel of land which was recently accepted by the Town Council as ‘open space’ after apparently being rejected by the Village of Kings Point earlier.

At an Oct. 5 meeting, Town of North Hempstead council members accepted a parcel of undeveloped land located on Middle Neck and Split Rock roads, owned by Great Neck developer Frank Lalezarian.

According to published newspaper reports, Lalezarian was turned down by the Village of Kings Point before approaching the Town of North Hempstead with the land offer, where it was unanimously approved by the Town Council.

Kings Point Mayor Michael Kalnick and Deputy Clerk Kathleen Conroy were unavailable for comment.

Town of North Hempstead spokesperson Collin Nash said the town accepted the donation to add to its open space.

“As a matter of public policy, the town is interested in preserving open space when it has the opportunity and resources to do so,” Nash said. “We have acquired property in the town through grants, environmental legacy fund dollars, and gifts of property in the past and will continue to do so consistent with our goal of preserving open space when the opportunity presents itself. This was just such a case and so the town accepted the gift of land located in Kings Point.”

In an e-mail to the Great Neck News, local resident Javid Zarabi wrote that Kaiman accepted a piece ‘worthless marsh land property’ from Lalezarian ‘for the sole purpose of taking the property off the tax roles and to give the developer a deduction worth $1.5 million off his taxes.”

There is a price to be paid for everything, and there is no free lunch, according to Nash, who confirmed to Blank Slate Media that property donated by Lalezarian will ultimately be taken off the tax roles by the Town of North Hempstead.

“You can’t have one of the greatest towns around and have no open spaces,” said Nash. “The bottom line is that we have to have open space somewhere.”

Zarabi suggested that it’s wrong for Kaiman and the Town Council to reward Lalezarian with the tax break and accept the land.

“This is unacceptable and another example of self serving, bad government in our town under (Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jon) Kaiman,” said Zarabi.

Lalezarian did not respond to a request for comment made to his office by Blank Slate Media.

According to Nash, the land issue is a done deal with no further discussion planned.

In another matter related to Lalezarian, the Village of Great Neck Plaza Board of Trustees recently announced a Jan. 5 public hearing to consider a revised building plan for an undeveloped lot on Great Neck Road owned by Lalezerian.

A new art show, Mirage, is coming to The Great Neck Arts Center Art Gallery in January. It features the work of internationally acclaimed artist Fareen Butt, who uses the unique medium of precious and semi-precious stones and metals combined with pigment and applies the mixture to canvas.

The show, free and open to the public, begins with a complimentary reception with the artist on Sunday, January 16, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the arts center.

Butt’s work has been exhibited internationally in Dubai, Pakistan, New York and Egypt. She has upcoming shows scheduled for Canada, France, Germany, Bangladesh and India.

The artist’s gemstone technique is a cross between South and Far East Asian, blended with European classical methods including an application process similar to that of Pointillism, a style associated with the French artist, Seurat. Influenced by the traditional Japanese Nihonga technique, Ms. Butt creates works in which she mixes pigments with minerals.

More than seven years ago, Ms. Butt began studying and experimenting with this technique, and started to use minerals more traditionally known to geologists and rock collectors for their physical characteristics and abilities. Her works can contain pure gold and silver, as well as sapphire, onyx, witherite and minerals derived from meteors.

The artwork was conceptually inspired by sacred landscapes and the Sufi and Vedic philosophies of light, and formed by various legends and religious belief systems, physically depicting places believed to be sacred by cultures around the world.

“Expressed through the solid, exceptional medium of gemstones and precious metals, the works embody the opulent existence of permanence and omnipresence found to permeate from these landscapes,” Butt said. “Like a mirage on the horizon, there is a more ethereal perspective upon these lands captured by the paintings.”

The Great Neck Arts Center Gallery show, which runs from January 16-March 20, is open Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Gallery is located at 113 Middle Neck Road, above the Clearview Squire Cinemas, with a main entrance facing the Maple Drive municipal parking lot.

For further information about the show, call The Arts Center at 829-2570 or visit its website, www.greatneckarts.org.

Representatives of the Great Neck Library asked the Town of North Hempstead’s Board of Zoning Appeals last Wednesday afternoon for five zoning variances needed under current plans for a $22.5 million construction to renovate and expand the library’s main building at 159 Bayview Ave.

“The library’s board of trustees decided it was in the public’s interest to be here and seek variances for this project,” said Paul Bloom, the library’s counsel. “We feel the variances we are seeking will benefit the community as a whole if they are granted.”

Daniel Heuberger of Dattner Architects said the purpose of the construction project is to renovate and expand the main library by 8,645 square-feet with an additional wing on the east side of the building. He said there will be changes to the children’s area and the audio and visual room. Other different features at the library will include a new young adult area, a new reference area, removal of the mezzanine area and a glass window overlooking the pond.

The five variances sought by the library include lot coverage, parking deficiencies, building a fence around the library, floor area, and rainfall retention.

With the construction of the new wing, the library would occupy 21 percent of the lot coverage, which is 1 percent over the town limit by 1,500 square-feet.

“We told the community there would be no plans to raise the height of the building,” Bloom said. “We need this additional building because the age of the building is showing and it is time to keep the facility up-to-date with modern times. This 1 percent difference is de minimis and we hope the board will realize this.”

Severak residents who spoke at the hearing said the most substantial problem with the library site is that there is insufficient parking available and that the library’s plans don’t sufficiently address the problem.

The town requires the library to have 165 spots for library patrons, but the current lot only has 92 parking spaces. Bloom said there is an additional 66 spots on Bayview Avenue for library patrons to park which is within walking distance of the facility.

Ralene Adler, who uses the main library three to five times a week, said the variance the library is asking for ignores residents’ requests for more on-site parking.

“This variance is not justified because there is ample space at the library,” Adler said. “The library has not made any attempt to remediate the situation and is only asking the town board of zoning appeals for relief forcing residents to park on the street. Bayview Avenue has fast moving cars and would not be safe for seniors and toddlers who have trouble crossing the street.”

Jane Totura said she can never find any parking at the facility and does not think the variances should be granted.

“Parking on Bayview Avenue is not the answer,” Totura said. “Bayview Avenue is very dangerous, especially at night, because there are parts of the street that does not contain a sidewalk. If it is snowing, raining or any type of bad weather, I don’t want to walk from Bayview to the library. It is also not fair that the elderly can’t use the facility because there is a lack of parking.”

Zoning Board member Paul Aloe questioned if the library would have sufficient parking with the proposed plans to build an additional wing and how many parking spaces are occupied by library employees.

Harold Lutz, a traffic engineer from VHB Engineering, conducted a parking analysis report on two weekdays and one weekend and found that with an 8,600 square-foot expansion, the library would be able to support all of its patrons with the available on-street parking.

“We have a study that shows no increase in attendance will occur with the additional building,” Bloom said. “The study took special events under consideration and we don’t anticipate additional hoards of people coming to the new facility. We want to efficiently utilize our space and needs to continue serving the public.”

Great Neck Library board of trustees President Andrew Greene said that about 20 to 30 employees work in the main library. Bloom said the library has 54 parking spaces that are 10 by 20 feet and 38 spots that are 9 by 18 feet. Bloom said the library would prepare alternative plans to create more nine by 18 feet spots for library visitors and would address where employees are allowed to park.

“We believe in our plan, certify it, and will not come back for more variances,” Bloom said. “We will come back with a modified parking plan to pick up more spaces for library visitors.”

Another variance the library was seeking related to a requirement for the library to have a fence between any adjoining property. Bloom said because the library is surrounded by Udall’s Pond, a state law prohibits the library from putting up a fence within land of the Department of Environmental Conservation.

“Out of all the variances we are seeking, this one is incapable of being achieved,” Bloom said.

Village of Saddle Rock Mayor Leonard Samansky said the village and the library came to an agreement last January and February allowing for parking to take place on Bayview Avenue and to not build a fence on the property.

“I am not endorsing the project, but I am endorsing the library’s request for variances in parking and no construction of a fence on the south side of the property,” Samansky said. “I don’t want to see any changes to the plan that could have any increased type of negative impact on the village.”

The fourth variance that the library was seeking related to floor area, which says only 31 percent of the area is allowed to be used while the library currently occupies 41 percent of the space. Bloom said the library has been non-conforming with this regulation since 1970.

The final variance sought relates to the requirement that the property have sufficient rainwater drainage. All of the library’s rainwater currently flows into Udall’s Pond. Town code requires the library to collect 2.5 inches of rainfall and Bloom said 91 percent of the property will follow the code with the proposed project. Bloom said the remaining 9 percent of the runoff comes from the library roof and the library has plans to install sedimentation tanks to collect rainwater from the roof and filter it before discharging the sediments into the pond.

“The water will be clean as it can get before it goes into the pond,” said Gregg Schiavone, vice president at RMS Engineering.

Village of Great Neck resident Elizabeth Allen said she disagrees with the library’s plans for expansion, but is happy the library is fixing its rainfall retention problem.

“It is not necessary for the library to expand because it will only create further burdens we will have to embrace,” Allen said. “By eliminating spaces, there is an increased chance I would not be able to use the library because I don’t want to walk two-thirds of a mile on Bayview Avenue. Having on-street parking is an insincere offer by the library. I don’t understand why the entire project has to happen with an expansion to the library.”

Stanley Romaine was the only person who supported the library’s request for the five variances.

“The library is falling down and needs to be updated,” Romaine said. “I visit the library often and it is very antique with the roofing and elevator having significant problems. The street parking being offered by the library is adequate because the facility is never that crowded or busy. Let us build a better library for Great Neck.”

Zoning board attorney Gerard Terry said a decision usually takes 60 days, but this case could take longer because the library plans to supply the zoning board with new plans regarding parking availability.

Continuing a 12-year tradition, the boys basketball teams at New Hyde Park Memorial High School and Herricks High School played in the Coaches Versus Cancer Classic pre-season tournament to raise money for cancer research earlier this month.

Sewanhaka High School and Levittown Division High School were the other teams that helped complete the field that has always included four squads since Coach Mario Espinosa started the tournament during his tenure at New Hyde Park. Herricks, Mineola and Carle Place rounded out the original field.

Sewanhaka beat Herricks in the final game of the two-day tourney, but both schools came up big for the cause, contributing $1,000 each. Another $2,000 in donations was collected at the door from fans who attended the games, to make this year’s tournament the record fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

“This is the most they’ve collected for any of the schools,” said Don Rood, New Hyde Park Memorial basketball coach, who succeeded Espinosa.

The format of the tournament has changed. And over the years – apart from New Hyde Park and Herricks – the teams also have changed, according to Rood.

None of the four teams involved in this year’s tournament are considered to be serious threats to win their respective conferences. But for one night before their seasons began in earnest, all four teams were winners in an effort that tallied points in a way much different than those that are reflected in the box score of a basketball game.

And next year, Coach Rood intends to keep the tournament going.

“We’re going to maintain the tradition,” he said.

Taking its next step toward consolidating elementary schools in the Mineola School District, the Mineola School Board unanimously approved an agreement in principle to lease the Cross Street School to the Solomon Schechter Day School of Nassau County at last week’s meeting.

Mineola Superintendent of Schools Michael Nagler declined to disclose details of the prospective five-year lease of the Cross Street School, which will be the first of two elementary schools the district will successively shutter in the next two years. The lease could start in July, depending on the board’s approval of the rental agreement.

Nagler said there are ongoing negotiations about using the Cross Street sports fields.

“That’s probably the biggest stumbling block,” Nagler said, adding that the likely outcome would give the community access to the fields two days each week.

The Schechter school currently has a student population of 250 and is located in Glen Cove.

The private secular high school is proposing an expansion of the gym at Cross Street, creating a theater space, upgrading two science rooms and redoing the parking lot at Cross Street, according to Nagler, who said the rental agreement gives the tenant responsibility for paying utilities.

“Barring anything you tell me now that’s going to be unacceptable to them, this is what we’re going to do,” Nagler said.

In response to a question from board member John McGrath, Nagler said the lease rate would be less than $10 per square foot.

School board vice president Christine Napolitano said either party should have an option to cancel the lease after two years. She said that stipulation would enable the district to take the building back “for whatever reason.”

McGrath raised a question about bus traffic at the school, with 25 buses required to transport the students, who come from disparate communities in Nassau and Queens Counties.

“If you don’t foresee a high school of 250 kids at Cross Street, vote ‘no’,” Nagler said.

The board gave Nagler a green light to continue negotiations with Schechter

A pro forma amendment of the resolution requiring the school board to declare that there was no need to review proposed changes to the Hampton Street School under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, prompted a reaction from board member Irene Parrino, who said she opposes taking the $2.1 million to expand the school from the capital reserve.

“I think the capital reserve should be paid with a bond, not from the budget,” she said.

The SEQRA resolution passed 3-2, with McGrath and Parrino opposing it.

Additional improvements at Hampton Street will include a new library, computer center, art classroom, music classroom, Academic Intervention Services classrooom and a speech classroom.

Fifth graders at Denton Avenue School are becoming virtual world travelers this semester, interacting with students in classrooms around the world on the Internet through a program called the Flat Classroom Project.

The flat classroom was originally conceived by high school teachers Vicki Davis and Julie Lindsay, working in North Carolina and China, respectively. In September, at the urging of Denton School fifth grade teacher Lisa Parisi, the duo helped facilitate the first Elementary School Flat Classroom Project. Flat classroom takes its name from the concept of flattening classroom walls through flat computer screens.

The Denton Avenue students are among the first group of elementary students participating in it. “A Week in the Life…” is the first project the students are working on, with the objective of giving elementary school students in other countries and other parts of this country a window into one another’s lives and environments.

“The goal for this project is to look at other kids around the world, not only the differences but the similarities,” Parisi said, adding that her intention also is to “open up the world enough for them so that whey they become policy makers, they can’t possibly go to war anymore.”

For openers, Parisi and her teaching partner Lauryn Tiedeman have divided their fifth graders into groups with the assigned tasks of developing information in five areas: school time activities; languages and clothing; housing and transportation; leisure time activities and food and celebrations.

Their students are now in the process of developing video and audio presentations in those subject areas to exchange with their peers abroad and across the country. The other schools participating in the project are the American School of Bombay in Mumbai, India; The Falcons School for Girls in London; the International School of Prague in the Czech Republic; Yew Chung International School in Beijing; The Phoenix School in Salem, Mass., the Mill Creek School in Geneva, Ill., and Yarmouth Elementary School, Yarmouth, Maine.

The idea is for the students to collaborate with their peers in four of the other schools to produce a presentation on each topic in multimedia form.

“One of the things we’ll do in the end is to see what each group comes up with,” Parisi said.

Initially, they’ve exchanged questions and answers about basic aspects of their lives and school routines. And they’ve started communicating in chat rooms through Edmodo, a chat room specifically set up for the “Week in the Life…” project.

The Denton School students have already engaged in interactive writing projects with students in other schools in the U.S. They’re currently engaged in a science project with a school in Nevada, and another project with a school in Brazil, so interacting with children in other parts of the world is just another school activity to them.

“To my class, it’s just another thing they’re doing,” Parisi said.

But at least some of the students in Parisi’s class sounded as though they appreciated the opportunity to gain insight into the routines and culture of their peers in what may as well be other worlds.

“You get to see what other people do and you get to know about other people,” Tanya Sarin said. “We get to see what other people are thinking and doing.”

Erica Lorenzana said she’s enjoying her part of the project, learning about foods and celebrations.

“It’s fun to communicate with people. I get to find out what other people celebrate and what they eat around the world,” she said.

Nicolas Ryan, who is focusing on housing and transportation, is interested in finding out “how they get around and how it’s different for us.”

Alexandra Gootman focused on the technical aspect, saying, “I think it’s really cool because we can put pictures on,” but added, “It’s like so different. I really want to see what they do.”

On the Internet, through the flat classroom Web site, https://aweekinthelinfe.flatclassroomproject.org, they’ll be able to do just that.

A trio of robbers held up a Garden City Park gas station early Wednesday morning and fled the scene with cash and cartons of cigarettes, the Nassau County Police Third Squad reported.

Third Squad detectives said three black male suspects wearing masks and gloves entered the BP Gas Station at 2298 Jericho Turnpike, manned by two male employees, at 1:13 a.m. on Dec. 22. One suspect moved behind the cash register and pointed a black handgun at one of the station employees while the other two suspects removed an unspecified amount of cash from the station register and took 10 cartons of cigarettes.

The suspects then forced the second victim to lie on the floor while they took his wallet and its contents.

The three suspects all fled on foot southbound through the station parking lot, hopping a fence at the back of the parking lot to get away.

Detective ask anyone with information about the robbery contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.

The Hillside Islamic Center plans to appeal last week’s unanimous ruling by Town of North Hempstead board of zoning appeals denying an application for a variance that would have permitted the center to demolish a house it owns on Second Street to create more parking space for members of the center.

Approval of the variance – a source of heated controversy among New Hyde Park residents – would have enabled the center to create 18 additional parking spaces to accommodate its growing membership. Residents said they feared that the variance would have set a precedent, and suspected that the Islamic Center intended to purchase more houses in the neighborhood to open more parking spaces.

In its written decision on the case, the board cited town law, noting that the applicant must show “unnecessary hardship” and demonstrate several stipulations, including “that the requested use variance, if granted, will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood.”

In its conclusions, the board said, “While the apoplicant’s stated purpose of relieving its neighbors of the burden of on-street parking may be commendable, the additional off-street parking, in excess of the requirements of the Code, is not required for the Center.”

The members of the zoning board of appeals has a policy to not discuss their decisions with the media.

A source close to the zoning board said that changing the use of the property from residential to commercial in a neighborhood composed of residential properties is something the board would never be likely to approve.

“If you could pick up parking that you need by buying houses and knocking them down, that would pick apart a residential neighborhood,” the source said.

The source said that an appeal to the Nassau County Supreme Court would be a “futile effort” in this case.

“We’re not going to give up,” said Abdul Aziz Bhuiyan, one of the Hillside Islamic Center’s leaders, who said the center planned to appeal the ruling and reach out to the community members to seek an amicable resolution.

“We’ll meet with the communities and hope to address the concerns that we have,” Bhuiyan said.

Bhuiyan said he felt the center had not presented its case effectively, and hopes to convey center’s objectives more effectively.

“We’re misunderstood,” he said. “It was not reallly addressed properly. There were some things that maybe could have been handled differently.”

Representing the Islamic Center at the September hearing, attorney Raymond Smolenski said the Islamic Center had no plans to create more parking spaces. Smolenski declined to comment on the case until he had a chance to review a copy of the board’s decision

An appeal of the ruling could be filed in Nassau County Supreme Court within four months of the board of zoning appeals decision. The court could then issue a ruling on it, or remand the case to the town zoning board of appeals for a second review.

More than 150 New Hyde Park residents attended the September hearing on the variance and Third Street resident Edward Weiss had presented a petition to the zoning board signed by 800 residents who opposed the board giving the Islamic Center the variance.

Civic associations led the opposition at the September hearing with e-mail alerts, and expressed approval of the zoning board’s decision to turn down the center’s variance request.

“The New Hyde Park community applauds the town for denying the variance to convert the lot from residential to a parking lot,” said Marianna Wohlgemuth, president of the Lakeville Estates Civic Associaiton. “This was not about religion. This was about changing the nature of the community. We vigorously oppose any change that would disrupt the town.”

Wohlgemuth said that the idea of effectively rezoning residential property for commercial would only put further stress on New Hyde Park at a time when there is a shortage in available housing.

Wohlgemuth expressed the consensus view of residents who objected to the variance in saying that she’s certain the Islamic Center also would seek to demolish two other houses it has bought in the area with the intention of ultimately expanding its space.

“Their motives are not pure,” Wohlgemuth said.

Wohlgemuth suggested that since most of the center’s members live in Herrricks, they should look to relocate the center there.

Bhuiyan acknowledged that communications sent by members of the Islamic Center without knowledge of the center’s leadership had been a source of misunderstanding about the center’s intentions.

At the September hearing, Jim McHugh, president of the New Hyde Park Civic Association, introduced a letter into evidence that was sent to residents in September 2009 by Mohammed Kahn, a trustee of the center, to several residents in the neighborhood requesting a meeting to discuss acquiring their properties. Kahn was named as the applicant in the zoning board case.

“We can and will build around you if necessary but would prefer not to do so to maintain the good relationship that we enjoyed over the past few years,” the letter stated.

I am feeling nostalgic for a bygone age when leaders actually led. At a time when most of us suffer from information overload, we often fail to recognize the minutiae of the world around us. And we very often ignore the telltale signs that history does in fact repeat itself.

As I mentioned in a previous letter, for the past 10 years this village has not elected a trustee that wasn’t first appointed by Mayor Jean Celender: Gerry Schneiderman in 2000; Shelly Goodman in 2007; Rafe Lieber in 2008; Pam Marksheid in 2009; and Marion Green in 2010. Some went on to resign; others went on to be elected.

When complacency takes hold, as it has been allowed to do in the Plaza for the past decade, the very decisions that affect our property values and our quality of life begin to be made based on political ego that only addresses the needs of a few interested parties – those few include Gerry Schneiderman and Marion Green who count on a village paycheck and pension to serve as part-time trustees (and a part-time mayor that draws a full-time salary).

Gerry Schneiderman considers his 10-year reign of terror successful because he arranged to fix a few broken bricks on a sidewalk, supported Restaurant Week by eating out a few times, picked out a few flower pots for the village, and cashed about $100,000 in village paychecks. As a taxpayer, I am not sure that qualifies as a good return on our investment.

Let the suffering stop. A statement that might sound overblown to some, but one that is based on the notion that our local government has failed us. In fact, our local leaders are so disinterested in the needs of this community that they simply refuse to discuss their positions on the issues at hand and explain why they have imposed legislation as they have.

Gerry Schneiderman and Marion Green are a big part of the problem. They do what they can to ensure low voter turnout as they refuse to debate those that challenge them. Instead, they rely heavily on absentee ballots by a group of people who are discouraged from knowing that they have options, particularly those in the assisted living centers. And they have spent years working to ensure that our local government is less than transparent as they draw stately salaries and full benefits for their very part-time work.

At a time when many of us count our homes (apartments and houses all the same) as our most significant and important investment, we should be appalled that as a community, we have allowed the value of that investment to be driven by a group of financially inept trustees who have done everything possible to erode the business district that keeps our taxes at bay and our home values high.

As we go forward, I hope this community will rise up against political greed and ineffectiveness, and turn toward a local system that is transparent and open. In March 2011 help send the mayor a clear message that her reign is coming to a political end and that she will in fact be held accountable for her actions.

In March 2011, give the people of Great Neck Plaza what they deserve by voting Gerry Schneiderman and Marion Green out of office. It’s time to finally give the people of the Plaza a voice in local government.

Michael Glickman

Great Neck

The mayor and the Board of Trustees of the Village of Great Neck Plaza, in proposing amendments to the current zoning laws relative to the Business “B” district in the Village of Great Neck Plaza, are demonstrating a commitment to the vitality and sustainability of our downtown retail and commercial businesses.

The zoning regulations pertaining to the “B” district, which comprises a major portion of the downtown retail/commercial area, have not been addressed by village government in almost 20 years. Not surprisingly, the “B” district has also seen the least change or development over that same time frame.

The amendments being considered focus on permitting mixed-use development and additional building height. Properties in the “B” district are currently commercial, primarily retail, with two- and three-story properties also housing office space and community services.

The limited residential space that exists currently has been either grandfathered or allowed by variance to the current “B” district code. The zoning amendments being considered would permit a property owner to build to three floors – two additional floors if the current building is only one; one additional floor if the current building is already two floors. New construction would be limited to residential space. The amendments would also permit the conversion of current second or third story commercial space to residential.

The new economy is bringing pressures – and opportunities – to both the commercial and residential sectors here in Great Neck as well as villages and cities across our nation.

Great Neck Plaza, with its central shopping and dining district, the LIRR station, and many of the region’s finest medical/health care professionals, all within walking distance, provides the conveniences of an upscale urban community while offering the amenities and benefits of a suburban lifestyle, including great parks, library system and great schools.

Offering property owners the option of building/converting current “B” district space to mixed-use offers additional revenue streams as well as making available the type of transitional residential rental space – small studio and one-bedroom apartments that attract young singles and just-married couples – that are not readily available in our village today. Attracting this demographic to our downtown will also have the ripple effect of being beneficial to our stores, which, as in any village downtown, depend primarily on the patronage of local residents for survival.

The Board of Directors of the Great Neck Plaza Business Improvement District support the proposed amendments to the Business “B” district zoning codes. We believe this can help promote innovative, sustainable development, help our local retailers and will not overburden the village or our school district.

Board of Directors,

Great Neck Plaza Business Improvement District

Great Neck