The New Hyde Park Village Board anticipates struggling with difficult financial issues in the year ahead due to burgeoning employee pension and health care costs, but Deputy Mayor Robert Lofaro sought to assure residents at Monday night’s board meeting that the trustees will work to hold the line.

“2011 will again be a challenging year for us with the budget,” Lofaro said. “We’ll try very hard to keep taxes in check for the residents of the village,”

After the meeting, Lofaro said that part of the pressure on village finances will come from a previously negotiated increase of 3.8 percent for the Department of Public Works employees, now in the fifth year of a six-year contract. He noted that the village will benefit from overall salary reductions in the wake of the retirements of DPW Superintendent Jim McCloat and Edward Kotarski, DPW administrative assistant.

Lofaro is anticipating additional pressure from assessment appeals when assessments are set on April 1. The board is planning budget work sessions for February and March, Lofaro said.

“We could actually reduce costs and we’d still have to raise taxes,” Lofaro said.

Lofaro reported that the board is currently interviewing candidates for the DPW administrative assistant position. Thomas Gannon was tapped to be the new DPW superintendent while retaining his position as head of the village building department, which effectively represented a cost-cutting move.

In a move to centralize village offices, Lofaro said the offices of the DPW, building department and village clerk will now be co-located in Village Hall. The DPW office had been located at its base of operations on Stewart Avenue.

Refurbishment of the second floor theater in Village Hall has been completed, and Lofaro said the board will likely hold one of its January meetings in that space. He thanked village clerk Pat Farrell for coordinating the design of the theater with the assistance of resident Jerry Limoncelli.

The project was largely funded with an $80,000 grant from outgoing state Sen. Craig Johnson, and Lofaro also thanked Johnson for his effort.

But acknowledging newly-elected state Sen. Jack Martins, Lofaro noted that the board plans to meet with Martins and his staff soon to discuss the village’s needs. “He’s hitting the ground running and wed’ll ask him for help as we’d ask any other elected official.”

Trustee Donald Barbieri reported that the state Department of Transportation will be reviewing the village’s plans for revamping Jericho Turnpike with bulbouts – rounded sidewalk corners – and other new features early next year. Those changes are part of an upgrade of the village’s business district that has been in process over the past several years.

“Soon into the new year, the final plans will be in the hands of the DOT. We’re getting near the end of the project,” Barbieri said.

In an effort to bring in an extra level of protection to the public while taking some burden off local firefighters, the Village of Great Neck Plaza Board of Trustees agreed to look into a proposal which could require emergency response plans in buildings to specify responsibility for the proper function of emergency systems.

At a regular meeting Dec. 15, Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender said the issue, brought to her attention by the fire department, was something that might need deployment.

“The village is looking to focus the responsibility and liability to the facility itself, not on volunteer firefighters,” said Celender.

If the plan goes through, each building would be required to designate and train personnel to maintain and reset alarm systems.

“Not Joey fireman who wakes up at four in the morning and is half punch drunk and wants to go home,” said Great Neck Plaza Commissioner of Public Services Michael Sweeney.

The board agreed to schedule the proposal for discussion during the second board meeting in February.

Also at the meeting, the board heard objections by Sweeney to a Dec. 9 written proposal from the Manhasset-Lakeview Water District requesting a standardized road opening permit for repairs to fire hydrants, water mains and service lines.

“For lack of a better term, it appears to be self-serving for the water district,” said Sweeney. “My only concern is that they want an over encompassing building permit that allows for the excavation at their beckon call.”

Sweeney said the water district could literally come to Great Neck Plaza, dig up a street, then patch it up without supervision. “If someone is not here not to baby sit it … I’ll be chasing tail after the fact.”

Celender said working with the village is usually “simple” for most districts and authorities. She stated no need to grant the request.

“Mr. Sweeney has given us ample reason as to why we are not doing it,” Celender said.

The board unanimously agreed to have the mayor send a response letter back to the water district requesting that the situation be handled in a different manor.

Also discussed at the village hall:

• The board formally authorized the clerk to advertise a Jan. 5 public hearing to consider the revised building for 245-65 Great Neck Road. “I’m sure there is something we are going to have to do with respect to it, so we’ll do what we can do and if we have to continue it we’re just going to keep them on,” said Celender.

• The board authorized the advertisement of public bids for the replacement of the village street sweeper. “They’ve done the best job they can do to repair it, but it’s time,” said Celender.

• The board approved a conditional use permit for Advance Hair Removal, which will move to 5 Great Neck Road from its current location at 9 Bond Street.

• Deputy Mayor Ted Rosen arrived late. All other board members were present and on time.

At a regular meeting of the Village of Kensington Board of Trustees on Dec. 15, Lt. Michael Conlon was honored for 25 years of distinguished service to the community.

For his service, Conlon, the village police commander, was presented with a watch by the board of trustees.

“I feel very humbled that they recognized it. All I did was stick around long enough,” Conlon said, adding that the award came as a surprise to him.

Village of Kensington Mayor Susan Lopatkin said the award, presented on behalf of village residents, was fitting because Conlon is a hard working person of honesty and integrity.

“He’s an exceptional person and a wonderful police officer,” said Lopatkin.

Born in Ireland and raised in Queens, Conlon says he still enjoys coming to work as much today as when he began working for the village police 25 years ago.

“Part of the uniqueness of working with this village is the personal touch,” said Conlon, promoted to his current position in April.

The next scheduled meeting of the board is set for Jan. 19 at 8 p.m. in village hall.

After requesting a “serious dialogue” with the county regarding budget issues, it was actually the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority themselves who didn’t have much to say on Tuesday.

With the media waiting outside the door, NIFA board members emerged just before 7 p.m. from nearly three hours in executive session and spoke briefly in the auditorium of the Marriot Long Island Hotel and Convention Center in Uniondale regarding the possibility of a takeover of Nassau County books.

In a short statement, NIFA chairman Ronald Stack apologized for keeping the press waiting longer than expected before presenting basically the same message the board presented at the last their meeting in September.

“The board of directors of NIFA continues to be concerned about the 2010 budget,” Stack said, adding that they were worried that Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano’s budget remains unbalanced.

NIFA has cited potential budget risks involving ticket surcharges for the Long Island Expressway and Sunrise Highway, red light camera expansion and additional bonding for tax refunds which the watchdog agency says needs to be addressed.

Since September, budget changes have been made by the county Legislature and Mangano, including an additional $23 million in proposed budget cuts which were announced at a press conference just last week.

“These cuts mitigate the threat of budget risks associated with state legislation,” said Deputy County Executive Tim Sullivan, in response to NIFA’s announcement Wednesday.” Because of strong management practices, the 2010 budget will end with a surplus. Throughout 2011, we will manage our finances and ensure the fiscal year ends in balance.”

Just days before NIFA’s scheduled meeting, Mangano himself said there is “always risks” involved with any budget. And while NIFA has doubts, he seemed confident with is plan.

The county executive is “not very concerned” about the NIFA review, said Mangano communications director Brian Nevin, last week.

The dialogue between county personnel and NIFA increased in the days leading up the Tuesday’s meeting.

On Monday, Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos ripped NIFA, stating the agency ‘could have saved the county at least $5.21 million in 2011 if they had refinanced certain county debt under their management, as was requested by the comptroller.’

According to Maragos, NIFA which was established in 2000 by the state Legislature to oversee the county’s finances and assist in remaining financially stable, has a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that the county pays the lowest interest rate expense possible on the $1.65 billion county debt under its management.

“The inaction of NIFA to refinance county debt and save at least $5.21 million in 2011 is reckless and irresponsible.”

On Tuesday, NIFA board members said Maragos was inaccurate in his statement.

Maragos was “absolutely, totally untrue and frankly uninformed,” said Stack.

NIFA board member Christopher Wright said the Maragos statement was the “third of its kind” and “we would rather have serious dialogue from the county.”

The NIFA issue is one of many making headlines for Mangano recently.

Recent newspaper reports say Mangano wants to raise Nassau’s sales tax by 0.25 percent to 8.875 percent.

The county executive told Blank Slate Media last week that he was not seeking an increase in the county tax rate. Mangano said he has not approached the county Legislature regarding a tax hike and that he simply “inquired” about proposed tax legislation on a recent trip to Albany.

“Is the county executive in support of raising taxes? Absolutely not,” said Nevin. “If a sales tax was to pass and the county executive was to support it, it would just bring in gravy.”

With no plans to raise taxes or let up on significant budget cuts which have defined his first year in office, Mangano multiyear plan calls for no tax increases over the next four years.

“He’ll cut everything to the bone before he does that,” said Nevin.

Optimistic that the cash-strapped county can right the ship and steer clear of possible intervention from NIFA, which could take control of county finances if a shortfall of 1 percent of the total budget exists, Mangano said he has it covered.

“We have contingencies for all the risks,” said Mangano.

Mangano said he is “proud” to have “tackled some monumental problems” inherited when he assumed office in January.

During his first year, Mangano has eliminated the energy tax, removed of a property tax imposed by his predecessor and a reduced the county workforce to its lowest levels since the 1950’s, according to his staff.

The energy tax issue remains fodder for his opponents who say he has not made of for the shortfall in revenues from the cuts.

Mangano said he has offset revenue shortfalls “10 times already” in the last 12 months by reducing costs.

“We made up for the energy tax, it’s just a political football,” Mangano said Friday.

With pension and health care cost on the rise and unfunded state mandates coming down from Albany, Mangano removed a tax burden of $484 billion over four years as part of a multi-year plan after inheriting a budget that was in “terrible shape,” said Nevine. “When those costs are increasing at double digits but our overall budget is increasing by less than one percent, he has made some significant cuts.”

NIFA said it will meet again on Dec. 30 at 10 a.m.. No location was been set for the meeting.

After a meeting with Long Island Railroad’s representatives to discuss options, Thomaston Mayor Robert Stern’s remains opposed to the railroad’s proposal to link a pocket track extension project with needed repairs to the 113-year-old Colonial Road Bridge.

Stern met with LIRR officials Dec. 13 at the Long Island office of U.S. Sen. Kristin Gillibrand to discuss the track extension project, which the mayor says is a “bad idea” for Thomaston.

The LIRR’s $40 million plan calls for the replacement of the bridge, drainage improvements and an extension to the existing pocket track that allows trains to turnaround by 1,200 feet to accommodate a 12-car train.

Stern says the pocket extension is a good idea for the LIRR, but a bad idea for the dozens of homeowners who live along the track, many of whom have signed a petition protesting the proposed 1,200 foot track extension which would reach the intersection of Windsor Road and St. George Road. The existing pocket track allows the LIRR to turn a 10-car train around before Port Washington ends behind the house at 15 Shadow Lane.

“I see and understand what the LIRR is trying to do and it is good for the railroad, but bad for the community,” Stern said on Friday. “The proposed track extension into a residential neighborhood is a bad idea, made without consideration of the rights of 25 resident’s homes directly adjacent to the track.”

Feeling less than satisfied with the LIRR’s refusal to address the bridge issue separately, the mayor has called for more studies before the $40 million LIRR plan to upgrade the Port Washington line, and ultimately connect to Grand Central Terminal, goes into effect.

The LIRR says it has been working closely with the mayor for three years while looking at all options; although they have remained firm in their efforts to address the project as “one whole issue,” according to Joe Calderone, LIRR vice president of public affairs who attended last week’s meeting. “It makes sense,” he said Friday.

One of the alternatives is “no bridge,” according Calderone, who was asked directly by Blank Slate media if the bridge could be fixed without the costly pocket extension. “We are going to follow the environmental review process,” he replied.

Stern says the bridge repairs and drainage problem can be solved without adding the extra track.

According to the LIRR, Great Neck is a prominent location to extend the pocket track because it has reverse commuters and would provide people with more flexibility and seat opportunities when using the LIRR. They say not having a longer pocket track would only harm LIRR customers who use the Great Neck rail road station.

“It would be beneficial to everyone along the Port Washington Branch,” said Calderone.

The LIRR has said it is working with the community to benefit whoever uses the Port Washington line and welcomes comments from residents with recent dialogue has centering around a noise reduction wall which was proposed by Stern at Monday’s meeting.

At the Nov. 17 meeting, residents asked the LIRR to think of alternative sites for the pocket track not near their homes. Williams said the LIRR will examine alternative suggestions under federal guidelines of the national environmental procedure that could take five to six months to evaluate.

“Let’s talk about the wall and we can forget about the bridge. That’s what they want,” said Stern, regarding recent calls from the LIRR to follow the environmental review process.

Stern has pushed hard for repairs since 2007, warning the LIRR and other elected officials, including U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-New York), and state Sen. Craig Johnson (D-Port Washington), that a “dangerous condition exists” regarding the bridge which does not comply with state Department of Transportation sight standards and creates flooding during heavy rainstorms that causes delays on the Port Washington line.

The Village of Thomaston plays a major role in the Long Island Rail Road’s plans to upgrade the Port Washington line and, ultimately, connect to Grand Central Terminal. Long Island Rail Road President Helena Williams has stated that Thomaston is a key juncture on the Port Washington line because line goes from two tracks to one in Great Neck and there is no other turnaround until a train reaches Port Washington.

Williams said a longer pocket track at Great Neck would ensure that more trains would be available on the LIRR’s second busiest branch, increasing service and reliability on the line.

“Immediate access into Grand Central Terminal from Long Island would save commuters 20 minutes to get to work,” Williams said. “We are conscious of Port Washington branch customers because they have high property values and we understand they depend on the LIRR for property values. Faster and more train rides will keep homes on Long Island filled, which is important for the vibrancy of the region.”

The Long Island Rail Road currently stops only on Manhattan’s west side at Penn Station with about half of the rail road’s commuters travel to the east side of Manhattan either by subway or bus after arriving at Penn Station. Williams said the LIRR to add east side access into Grand Central Terminal in 2016.

Williams said the pocket track would be used during the morning and evening rush hour commutes and would not be a storage facility to hold trains overnight. Williams said a turn around consists of the engineer performing a brake test to see if the train meets Federal Railroad Administration requirements and does not make any noise, especially since it is located in a deep ravine.

The Dec. 17 meeting was not attended by Sen. Gillibrand.

“Mayor Stern reached out to the senator’s office and requested assistance with securing a meeting with the LIRR to express his concerns with a local LIRR proposal,”said Kristin Walsh, Gillibrand’s Long Island regional director.

An elderly Queens woman who was struck by a car while crossing Jericho Turnpike in New Hyde Park on Friday night has died of head injuries she received, Nassau County police report.

Joan Van Grembergen, 75, of Bellerose Manor succumbed to her injuries over the weekend after suffering serious head trauma in the accident, police said. No charges have been filed against the 18-year-old Garden City resident who struck Grembergen and an unidentified 80-year-old woman who were crossing from north to south together near 214 Jericho Turnpike. The driver’s Nissan Xterra struck the two pedestrians at 6:24 p.m.

The New Hyde Park Fire Department responded to the scene and transported both victims to a local hospital, according to police. The 80-year-old woman, whose name has not been released, suffered a broken femur from the impact.

Members of the New York Islanders brought some holiday cheer to ailing youngsters at area hospitals earlier this week.

Islanders forwards Blake Comeau, John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Matt Moulson and goalkeeper Rick DiPietro visited patients at Steven and Alexandra Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park. Islanders forward Frans Nielsen, defenseman Jack Hillen and goaltender Dwayne Roloson visited patients in the children’s ward at Winthrop University Hospital.

A small group of young patients seemed awed at the presence of the hockey players, who gave them gifts and signed T-shirts, jerseys and caps for them.

“This is definitely my favorite one of all the things we do for the community. It makes you realize that hockey isn’t everything,” said Nielsen.

Young Carl Zaharia, who wore his Islanders jersey and cap, was visibly pleased to be spending time with a few of his sports heroes.

“It feels cool,” he said. “When I grow up, I want to be a hockey player.”

Zaharia’s jersey was already adorned with some autographs collected when he recently got to drop the puck at a ceremonial opening face-off of the game.

“It was fun,” he recalled. “I was nervous.”

Another young patient, Sal Maher, said it was “good” to get a hockey stick from the Islanders’ Hillen.

“We have a practice later, but this is the most important thing today,” Hillen said. “It’s great to see these kids happy.”

Seeing the children at Winthrop put Roloson in mind of his two sons, Brent, age 9, and Ron, age 7.

“For us, it’s a great honor to come here and put smiles on kids’ faces when they’re going through tough times,” Roloson said.

Both incumbents won re-election in the races for commissioner in the New Hyde Park Fire District and the Garden City Park Water/Fire District.

New Hyde Park Fire District Commissioner Michael Bonura won re-election over Harold Hugli in a race between former chiefs of the New Hyde Park Fire Department for a five-year term. Bonura prevailed convincingly over Hugli, 465 votes to 253 votes.

In the Garden City Park Water/Fire District race, incumbent Commissioner Kenneth Borchers won re-election to a three-year term over Joseph Wendling 305 votes to 155 votes.

Bonura, 46, has been one of five commissioners of the fire district for the past two years. Bonura was chief of the New Hyde Park Fire Department in 2006 and was captain of Protection Engine Company No. 2 in 1995.

A 22-year resident of New Hyde Park, Bonura said he was grateful to his supporters for the work they did in visiting voters on his behalf. He also expressed thanks to the residents who came out to vote on such a cold day.

“I’m ecstatic. I thank all the residents for coming out and putting the right man back in office,” Bonura said.

He said he interpreted the results of the election as an endorsement for his platform to keep improving fire equipment in the district, while being mindful of the tax burden in the local residents are carrying.

“What I continue to do for the community and the fire department is provide the best equipment for the fire department and the best protection for the residents,” Bonura said.

He has been in the process of submitting applications to the Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program to secure $149,000 for the purchase of a new heavy rescue vehicle to replace the current 26-year-old truck. He’s also looking to secure a $100,000 capital improvement grant to repair sinkholes in the fire department headquarters parking lot.

Borchers, 48, is a former lieutenant of the Garden City Park Fire Department with 29 years in the department.

He overcame accusations from Wendling that Borchers was not an independent voice on the water/fire district board because he is employed by Chris Engle, another water/fire commissioner, who runs a Boars Head distribution business.

“It’s all politics,” Borchers said. “I’ve lived in this area my whole life. I’ve always wanted to serve the community.”

Borchers has pledged to continue the ongoing upgrade of the water quality and service, as water mains and valves are slated for replacement south of Jericho Turnpike.

While all fire district commissioners are unpaid volunteers, water district commissioners receive a per diem of $2,000 to $3,000 per year, depending on the number of meetings they attend.

In March of this year, many basketball insiders questioned the sanity of Williston Park resident and former Hofstra University head basketball coach Tom Pecora.

After nine years atop metropolitan New York’s premier Division I hoops program, Pecora traded a 10-minute commute to Hempstead for an E-Z Pass over the Long Island Sound to take the helm of men’s basketball at Fordham University.

Fordham University? Five wins and 51 losses over the past two campaigns and one winning season in the past 18 years cast the Rams as the Atlantic 10 Conference doormat and virtually defined the depths of college basketball. The Rams have not seen success since Digger Phelps 1971 26-3 NCAA quintet propelled a long and illustrious career at Notre Dame followed by Tom Penders string of seven NIT bids ended with his 1985 departure to Rhode Island and Texas.

Why on earth would Pecora surrender a lifetime seat on the Pride bench to attempt a miracle resurrection at an Ivy League-quality institution in the middle of one of the city’s toughest neighborhoods? What was he thinking? If you question the decision, you do not understand Tom Pecora, New York born and bred Tom Pecora. If you don’t know the coach simply referred to as “TP,” you will soon. And much sooner than the insiders thought you would.

Last Saturday night, in front of the first sold out contest in more than six years at Fordham’s cozy 3,200 seat Rose Hill Gymnasium, TP belied his critics with the signature win of his career over perennial local icon St. John’s University – a job he was destined to attain and then passed over without an interview in lieu of Steve Lavin’s seven-year sabbatical from UCLA.

For the record, it was Fordham’s first victory over the Red Storm in more than 10 years. Down by 20 before halftime and trailing by an equal margin midway through the second half, it appeared to be another typical Ram loss. Twelve minutes later, after a pair of 16-0 runs, the Fordham faithful stormed the court in a ritual normally reserved for championships. A new day dawned in the Bronx.

This was nothing new to the down to earth Pecora, who had become adept at taking down the rivals from Queens during his tenure at Hofstra. What was remarkable was how he has begun turning a culture of defeat into a future of promise in only his ninth game (and fifth win this year- a coincidence or irony?) at Fordham.

Pecora is a basketball lifer. He was Jay Wright’s (Villanova’s current head coach) lead assistant and chief recruiter at Hofstra when they landed a diamond named Speedy Claxton and turned a dormant campus into chaos with a pair of NCAA Tournament bids not witnessed in over 20 years.

A member of Adelphi University’s Hall of Fame after graduating from Martin Van Buren High School, hoops took Pecora on a vagabond adventure including coaching stops at UNLV, Loyola Marymount, Farmingdale State and Nassau Community College. Uphill battles have never phased him – and never will.

After two consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament in 2000 and 2001, Wright bolted Hofstra to restore the legacy of the Villanova Wildcats, who had fallen on similar, but not nearly as hard, times as Pecora has inherited with the Rams.

Worse yet, Pecora assumed a team headed for a more competitive conference (the Colonial Athletic Association) based mainly in the deep South.

Pecora suffered early with a roster not nearly as athletic as it needed to be, but quickly became a force in the continually expanding CAA. Unfortunately, his greatest notoriety would not come from a conference championship, but a 2005 NCAA snub that gained national attention when CAA darling George Mason (which Hofstra had beaten thrice that season) took an at-large bid to the Final Four. A bitter pill for Pecora despite producing six twenty win seasons while recruiting four of the school’s top six leading scorers.

So you begin to see why the Fordham opportunity established another challenge for Pecora.

Rebuilding a program? No problem. Pecora, disdained by opposing coaches for virtually owning the local high school and AAU recruiting circuit, particularly for talented guards, would benefit from Fordham’s conference affiliation. The A10 is Northeast and Midwest centric, commonly gets multiple bids to the NCAA Tournament and plays the NCAA qualifying tournament at a neutral site while the CAA’s rare at-large berth is a weekend of home games for the majority of conference entrants.

Then again, it’s all about giving a college education to these kids for Pecora whose clean record in a competitive environment is exemplary. And who can refuse the merits of a Fordham degree. Getting to understand Pecora now? Just wait a few years and watch the Rams butt heads with the best in America – both academically and athletically. Saturday night was just the beginning.

Pecora expected it would take time to energize the fan base at Rose Hill, eradicate the losing mentality penetrating the attitude of returning players, convince incoming recruits and make the A10 schools take notice. There will be failures along the way before more success emerges. But Pecora’s belief, resilience and positive energy will once again prove fruitful. It may have arrived a little early and need to be tempered but the foundation has been set. Saturday was evidence of that.

This is why I sat on my couch last Saturday night and rooted long and hard for Tommy Pecora.

TP is a winner for his kids, a winner for his institution and a role model for those who need to believe good things happen to good people. A new attitude exists at Fordham University and it is Williston Park’s own Tom Pecora that fosters this.

Take a drive to Rose Hill and enjoy; Fordham’s future is bright.

The Mineola board of trustees at its meeting last week cleared the way to the Winston Manor residential project, cleared the way for a Chipotle restaurant to open next spring and declined to consider a special permit to Great Neck Games until the company complies with terms stipulated in a prior application.

The village board voted unanimously to let the Winston Manor project proceed without further evaluation of its environmental impact on the neighborhood where it is to be built on Jericho Turnpike across from the county executive building. The board’s declaration, required by the State Environmental Quality Review Act, opens the door to let construction of the seven-story multiple-unit rental complex begin.

Village board attorney John Spellman said he anticipated that the board would give a final green light for revised plans for the Winston at next week’s board meeting.

“I expect they’ll act on it,” Spellman said.

This will be welcome news to Polimeni International, the developer that agreed to shift its plans from constructing a condominium on the site to making it a rental property, avoiding interference from neighboring Garden City. Since the project is within 300 feet of the Garden City border, the village of Garden City would have been entitled to offer input on a condominium.

Polimeni told the board he was changing the nature of the project to primarily circumvent opposition of Garden City officials, who had privately told Mineola officials they wanted to put the kibosh on the condo. Polimeni also said current economic conditions also prompted him to shift to a rental project.

Winston Manor is the latest project intended to help transform Mineola’s downtown area, by increasing the number residents in area and, thereby, offering more potential customers for local businesses. The Winston rental configuration will contain 275 units – down from the 285 condo units originally planned – including 165 one-bedroom apartments and 110 two-bedroom units.

A new location for the Chipotle Mexican Grill Restaurant chain will likely open this spring in the shopping center in the northeast quadrant of the intersection at Jericho Turnpike and Herricks Road.

Thomas Pantelis, a lawyer representing Chipotle, said there would be no additional construction needed for the restaurant franchise to open the 2,800-square-foot eatery in close proximity to Panera and Maxell’s in the same shopping center.

Laurie Madsen, real estate manage for Chipotle. said the peak traffic hours at the location would likely be noon to 2 p.m., when the chain projects handling 100 customers per hour, with a take-out dinner rush between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. drawing 60 customers per hour.

“We do a lot of our business at lunch time,” Madsen said.

Pantelis said a brick facade will be maintained on the building housing the restaurant.

Trustee Thomas Kennedy offered an impromptu testimonial to the quality of the food at several Chipotle’s in the neighborhood where he works in lower Manhattan, noting they often have long lines at lunch time. “It’s worth the wait,” he said.

Village of Mineola Mayor Jack Martins chided landlord Michael Korff about a non-functioning clock in a clock tower he had previously agreed to put in the shopping center.

“The clock was supposed to work. We would appreciate some cooperation in getting the clock to work,” Martins said.

Martins suggested giving Chipotle a conditional approval, based on stipulations on garbage storage and deliveries, and the board voted unanimously to do so.

Martins was visibly impatient with representatives of Great Neck Games, the center’s owners who came to the board seeking a special permit to install fans, replace grass medians around the building with sidewalks and put up a PVC fence to replace an existing chain link fence.

Martins told Great Neck Games principal Hamid Delafraz that the fence was supposed to have been replaced when the board approved a building expansion for the company two years ago, and noted a receiving dock on Jericho Turnpike the company had agreed to shutter was still operating. A temporary certificate of occupancy had been issued by the village more recently, although those conditions, and others, had apparently been ignored.

“As we stand here today, the building extension is in place and none of the conditions have been met,” Martins said. “If I understand correctly, you’re coming back to negotiate conditions for things that you were supposed to do already.”

Another principal of the company, Victor Hatami, claimed the company just received a variance from the fire marshal to do some of the stipulated work three weeks ago, and said he had been coming to Village Hall frequently to sort out the situation.

But village building department superintendent Daniel Whalen told Martins that Hatami had come in to complain about the work he was required to do under terms of the extension approval and the Certificate of Occupancy. Whalen recommended that the village not accede to any further requests from Great Neck Games “until the covenants have been met.”

As Delafraz tried to interject, Martins ignored him, and asked for a motion that no further action be taken on Great Neck Games’ application until the involvement of the fire marshal could be verified and prior conditions set by the board be met.

“This matter is adjourned,” Martins said. “The next step of the board is to revoke the temporary CO.”

Herricks Superintendent of Schools John Bierwirth issued a grim school budget forecast at last week’s school board meeting, projecting a 7.65 percent increase of $7.3 million based on rising costs of health insurance, retirement contributions and negotiated salary increases.

Bierwirth said that although the school board is several weeks away from producing a preliminary draft of the budget, he wants to spread the word about the dire budget prospects, particularly among PTA members, to engage the community earlier in the process.

“We’re coming to you now because we’re facing some extra challenges from the expenditure side and the revenue side,” Bierwirth said.

Rates for health insurance coverage will increase 13.75 percent during the first half of 2011, translating to an increase of $1.6 million, according to Bierwirth, who said the rate of increase for the second half of the year is not known. Contribution rates for the teacher retirement system and the employee retirement system are increasing by one-third, to $1.6 million and $846,031 respectively, which will be partially offset with funds from an ERS reserve.

Anticipated salary increases represent the largest segment of the increases Bierwirth outlined, totaling $3.1 million next year.

“A shaved, stand-pat budget would increase by 7.65 percent. I don’t see it changing much,” he said.

Bierwirth said he expects state aid to bring between $500,000 and $700,000 less to the Herricks school district than was projected last spring. He noted that the school board had set aside a reserve of $500,000 last spring in anticipation of that shortfall. He said more than $400,000 in federal stimulus funds the district received last year won’t be in the mix this time around.

And Bierwirth said it’s possible the financial picture could get worse, depending on the state’s budget numbers for the coming year.

“I just want to make it clear, if there are any changes it’ll be down, not up,” he said.

A proposed 2 percent state property tax cap, which he said also caps tax levy increases would “complicate things further.”

School board member Peter Grifasi asked whether it the school district could set up its own health insurance plan. Bierwirth said that would only be a viable alternative if a group encompassing all school boards and municipalities in the county were formed.

“I’d need my head examined to get my head into that,” Bierwirth said.

Bierwirth suggested that the board draft two sets of budgets by the end of January, with one based on the 2 percent tax levy cap.

Last year, after the Herricks school budget was rejected by a one-vote margin, the board made cuts and presented a $96.5 million budget, representing a 2.91 percent increase and a 3.8 percent hike in the tax levy that passed in a subsequent vote.

“They keep talking about school budget spending being out of whack, and then they decide to force us to spend more money,” said board member Paul Ehrbar.

Bierwirth said he wants the public to “grapple with it” and PTA members at the meeting agreed.

“It’s very important for the public to know where we are today,” said Jonai Singh, co-president of the Herricks PTA.

Singh said she intended to set up a meeting with Bierwirth and PTA members on Wednesday this week.

Bierwirth said what he doesn’t yet have a handle on potential cuts, but said it was important to discuss issues such as increasing class sizes “to start talking about what the real ramifications would be.”

Asked about likely prospective budget cuts after the meeting, he declined to get specific.

“It’s going to be cuts in programs and services,” Bierwirth said.

The Herricks High School Chamber Orchestra and Choir, and singers from St. Aidan School will hit the big time on Sunday with a performance at Lincoln Center.

The accomplished young Herricks musicians and the St. Aidan singers are slated to perform in Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in a holiday concert with an elite Croatian girls choir, Zvjezdice (Little Stars). They’ll also be sharing the bill with Klapa Astoria, a Croatian a cappella folk singing group, the West Point Military Academy Band and the South Shore Brass on the Dec. 19 program which starts at 3 p.m.

The concert, sponsored by the Harmony for Peace Foundation, is intended to bring Croatians together “as a healing event” after the years of war in that country, according to Drago Bubalo, St. Aidan music director. Proceeds above costs of the event will be donated to an orphanage in Bosnia called Mother’s Village, Drago said.

Bubalo had heard about Herrick’s orchestra, and was favorably impressed with their performance at a concert in October. He had been thinking of using Jullilard string players for an upcoming performance, but instead contacted Robin Maddox, director of Herrick High’s chamber players, to have several members of that ensemble accompany the St. Aidan choir in the U.S. debut of a requiem by Franz Suppe.

Bubalo subsequently e-mailed video of the group to Zdravko Sljivac, director of the Little Stars, Croatian girls aged 13 to 18 years old, and Sljivac endorsed Bubalo’s idea to have the Herricks orchestra accompany the young singers.

“We thought it’s a much more charming and enchanting to have a youth orchestra playing with young singers,” Bubalo said.

Maddox said it’s an “exciting opportunity” for the Herricks musicians, and hopes it will lead to other things.

“We’ve established a relationship. And we’re looking forward to further collaborations,” Maddox said.

Bubalo said he hoped the December concert would become an annual event, and said he also welcomed more opportunities to perform with the Herricks musicians.

“I thought people should hear more about this youth orchestra,” said Bubalo, who will conduct the Herricks players at the Manhattan performance.

More people certainly will become aware of them when they perform at Lincoln Center on Sunday.

“It’s a great feeling,” Herricks senior Ashley Thakus, a violinst, said. “We’ve never performed as a chamber orchestra in Lincoln Center. It’s really exciting and we’re excited about performing with so many important people coming. As an orchestra, we’re pretty good already.”

Herricks senior Anthony Madonna, who has performed and sung in Eastern European venues on one of Herricks’ summer concert tours, is particularly looking forward to learning new music for the performance, and encountering new people.

“The venue is very cool, but it’s more interesting what we’re playing,” Madonna said. “It’s the opportunity to meet new people. It’s definitely an interesting experience because it’s so new to us.”

Avery Fisher Hall is located at 10 Lincoln Center Plaza. Tickets for Sunday’s performance are $65 and $45 for the orchestra; $35 and $25 for the tiers. They can be purchased online at www.lincolncenter.org or by calling 484-885-8539.