The Incorporated Village of Farmingdale this week received a good government award from the Nassau County Village Officials Association (NCVOA) that is the first of its kind, and, which some say, has helped propel the community's status.

The citation, Best Practices of Village Government award, commended the municipality for keeping taxes stable for 10 years in a row, as well as for overall innovative fiscal planning.

Hempstead Mayor James A. Garner, president of the NCVOA, bestowed the honor at a ceremony inside Farmingdale Village Hall, Monday. He, for one, sees the award as a significant win for Farmingdale because it was given by peers of the village's elected officials and has promoted the reputation of this eastern Nassau community within the county and state. Noting that Farmingdale has set an example for other villages to follow, he said, "The fact of the matter that Farmingdale has held down taxes for ten years - is unprecedented - is unheard of." He added that it "speaks to the fiscal prudence of the mayor and the trustees."

Along with the good government award also came much good press. Several local media outlets attended Monday's ceremony and publicized the mark of distinction for Farmingdale.

Criteria for the award, which was open to all 64 incorporated villages in Nassau County, was the demonstration of initiatives used to improve services, decrease costs, raise the quality of life for residents and eliminate potential problems from the community. To illustrate success in these areas, Farmingdale submitted a report entitled Doing More With Less. Measures in the report included tools such as zero-based budgeting, inter-municipal cooperative agreements, de-privatization of services, and the establishment of a six-year capital plan.

The municipality has also been effective in obtaining grant money. In recent years, over $3 million in such funds have been used in downtown revitalization efforts, LIRR station historic restoration, and to create 500 new commuter parking spots.

According to Farmingdale Mayor Joseph Trudden, the 10-year tax stability was a key reason the village received the award, but he also noted that other village-sponsored quality of life incentives, such as affordable senior housing and grant-funded Victorian street lighting and brick sidewalks also played a part. He added, "And of course, it's a great place to raise children, so I guess it's a town for everyone." He lauded Village Trustees Dr. Benjamin Giminaro, Michael Kelly, Vincent Sotis, and Marialyce Denauski, as well as Village Clerk-Treasurer John Giordano for their role in these efforts, and for their diligence.

Trudden also pointed to the importance of the village's decision to keep some of its physical projects in-house, rather than contracting them out to private bidders. For example, he noted, a recent parking lot repavement project completed by village highway personnel cost $20,000, but would have cost about $250,000 if the work had been awarded to a private company. Volunteer work, he added, such as that done by the Village Beautification Committee, Boy Scouts, and other local community organizations, has also helped keep down costs.