Mayor's Message - Fall 2007Dear Neighbors:
Fall is officially here. There is sadness as we must leave behind the whimsical days of summer, but comfort in the thoughts of the many holidays and activities planned for the upcoming fall and winter season.
A Memorial Service was held on September 11th. We assembled in front of the firehouse for a candle lighting ceremony which included songs and reflection. I wish to thank all who came and an extra special thanks to Chief Puglisi and the Fire Department for their time and effort putting together the evening.
LEAF REMOVAL
Thanks to our maintenance staff, Dominic and Bob, the leaf season has already gotten off to a great start. Leaf season will officially start on Monday, October l, and end on Monday, November 26th. Any leaves left after this time must be placed in plastic bags for regular garbage pick up. For effective leaf removal, leaves should be 18 inches from the curb and piled no higher than 12 inches. If you have a gardener, they are responsible for the removal of leaves from your property. If you notice any landscaper in violation, please contact the Village Hall. Remember that although leaf piles are a lot of fun to play in they can also be dangerous.
TREES
Our tree planting and pruning is underway. The landscaper is in the process of siting the trees for removal or pruning. We will then continue our regular maintenance program of pruning and caring for our trees. As part of our original plan, tree plantings are planned for the latter part of fall.
METERS
Our brand new, state-of-the art, meters have been ordered for Jericho Turnpike. They will come equipped with a new head, base and pole cover. With arrival planned for sometime in the fall. I wish to thank Margaret Hagen, Traffic Commissioner, and her committee for their work and research on this project.
STORM WATER DRAINS
This summer Long Island was inundated with water on two separate occasions. Many towns and villages experienced major flooding. These storms caused a lake effect on roads throughout the Village, especially Superior Road. Our catch basins seemed to be working, but it was obvious there was a back-up somewhere in the system. The water from these basins empties into Bellerose Terrace on the west end and Floral Park under the tracks on the east end. Once the rain had ceased, the water disappeared quickly. Floral Park has hired engineers to look into the Belmont Sump to see whether it needs to be increased in size, or its pumping capacity is inadequate. They will check the Nassau County drainage system, the size of drain pipes that are now in place. The Village has contracted a company to clean our catch basins as we have in previous years. We will also be installing, with the help of the Junior Women's Club of Bellerose, medallions on our catch basins covers warning that they are not waste containers. In the past when these basins have been cleaned such items as soda cans, papers of all kinds and bags full of dog waste have been retrieved. Placement of any items other than water pollutes and impedes the effectiveness of these basins. The drainage system is not equipped to handle these items and should not be used as a point of disposal. Remember: 'Only Rain Down the Drain!'
VERIZON FIOS & ECONNERGY
NATURAL GAS SUPPLY
Many residents have been asking about Verizon and when and if it's coming to Bellerose Village. Unfortunately, Verizon started hooking up residents in the Village without a franchise agreement in place. In the past several years, the Village approached Verizon on many occasions; even our attorney contacted their attorney to start the franchise procedure. But this fell on deaf ears and resulted in Verizon disconnecting the systems that they just connected. I am happy to report that the Board met with Verizon on September 24th and is in the process of negotiating a franchise agreement. If you have been hooked up to Verizon, please let the Village know. The Village will lose revenue if you were hooked up without our notice. The Village now has a franchise agreement with Cablevision and the Village receives a percent of Cablevision revenue. Hopefully, it will not be long before Village residents can enjoy the advantage of Verizon FIOS.
In September, the Board of Trustees approved a natural gas supply agreement with the Nassau County Village Officials Association and Econnergy Energy Company, Inc. to benefit residents and businesses in our village. Advantages of this program include a 10% rebate on the highest monthly natural gas supply bill, a competitive variable rate plan and eliminiation of sales tax (up to 8.75%) on the KeySpan delivery charge. If you would like to learn more about this program and how to enroll contact Trustee Rosaleen Shea or Rosemary Stimpfel, Village Clerk at Village Hall.
THIRD TRACK PROJECT
Although the Village of Bellerose was not immediately impacted by the third track plan, I am still committed to the cause. During the summer I have attended three meetings with the Citizens Against Rail Expansion (CARE) committee on the third track project. CARE has now incorporated with members from Bellerose, Floral Park, Garden City, New Hyde Park, Mineola, and Westbury. The group has retained Stephen Gordon, Esq. of Beverage and Diamond to evaluate the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) with $25,000 worth of funding provided by Senators Skelos and Hannon. Updates on future CARE developments will be provided.
CURBING & PAVING
STUDY/FIREHOUSE STUDY
We have recently received copies of the curb and pavement study for Commonwealth Boulevard from Carman-Dunne, P.C. This included new residential and median curb, milling of existing pavement, pavement resurfacing, removal and replacement of defective pavement and restoration of curbside walks, driveways and grassed areas. We will use this study when we phase in this part of the Master/Beautification plan for our Village.
We are waiting and should have in our hands very shortly the evaluation of the structure of our Firehouse and Maintenance garage.
TENNIS COURTS
A representative of Carman-Dunne, P.C. also looked at the tennis courts and did not feel that a further study was needed on that area. He felt that the cracks were like stress cracks caused from climate conditions and age. He felt that if there were problems below, the cracks would be entirely different. When I received estimates from two other companies to resurface the courts, this seemed to be their opinion as well. Plans for resurfacing the tennis courts will be scheduled for early spring.
RECREATION
The playground will close for the season on Friday, November 30th. With the Halloween season just around the corner the Recreation Commission us busy readying the Firehouse for the 'Haunted House' for Saturday, October 27th. The Halloween parade sponsored by The Junior Women's Club will precede a walk through the Haunted House. Anyone who is interested in helping with setting up, playing a character, or cleaning up, contract Noreen at Noreen.myers@bonniercorp.com. Mark your calendars for Friday, December 7th, Tree Lighting Ceremony, and caroling on Sunday, December 23rd.
CODE ENFORCEMENT
There are a number of provisions in the Village Code that we receive many inquiries on that are subject to issued violations and penalties. This is a reminder that it is the homeowner's responsibility to ensure that all licensed contractors required to have permits are compliant with all village codes. You are responsible for the conduct of contractors working on your premises '� do not allow dumpsters in driveways '� do not allow mixing concrete on un-protected streets. Dog owners are to have their dogs leashed at all times or fenced in and must pick-up and dispense dog waste. Do not use catch basins to dispense waste of any kind. Also, there is not parking on the streets from 10AM - 12 Noon, from 2PM -4PM or overnight parking from 2AM to 6AM. Your corporation and consideration provides for a better quality of life and the safety and welfare of all our village residents
HAND CAR WASH
I am sure you might have heard the buzz going around about the Hand Car Wash that is being proposed on Jericho Turnpike. So far there have been several meetings with the owners, Smoke-N-Coffee, Inc. (SNC) regarding their application to develop the property to be a hand car wash. During the summer meetings with the residents were held. At these meetings much was discussed with variations made to the original plans to accommodate our community needs. The Board has received a number of petitions and inquiries regarding the car wash and their concerns. In case you haven't noticed our business district is looking tired and abandoned. This is a very crucial time in the evolution of Jericho Turnpike. The Board of Trustees is committed to the revitalization of the business district. Jericho Turnpike is the front door to our Community and we need to try to create a business district that mirrors our Village. No decision has been rendered by the Board at this time; however SNC has been invited back to present a revised car wash plan reflective of the concerns voiced by our residents at the past meetings. A public meeting for all residents is being scheduled in the fall. This is an important issue for the Village; and the Board would appreciate hearing from residents regarding this proposal. I urge ALL residents to attend and share your views and concerns. The plans will be on display in October at the Village Hall. The Board invites the residents to come to Village Hall and view the material.
I look forward to seeing you at the Car Wash meeting and at our next Board of Trustees meeting Monday, October 22, 2007.
I remain,
Attached PDFs2007 Flu Shot Information
