The Jan. 18 Farmingdale Village Board of Trustees meeting began with the approval of seven building permits, including converting a boarding house on Fulton Street into a two-family house.

The village board then approved the adoption of the Senior Tax Exemption.

"The exemption is based on your income level," Village Clerk John Giordano explained. "Through this you are eligible for a reduction on your village taxes. Every year the state increases the limit to deal with inflation."

Senior citizens with a combined household income of up to $24,000 per year would be eligible for the maximum reduction of 50 percent. According to Giordano, the cost to the village would be approximately $5,000-$6,000 per year if the maximum number of people apply for the exemption.

Authorization was then sought for the village to file a grant in the amount of $40,000. Senator Kemp Hannon and Assemblyman James Conte are going to try to include this in the state budget. This money will go toward traffic pre-emptors. "They are supposed to make traffic lights turn green as emergency vehicles approach so they don't get stuck," Giordano said.

Traffic pre-emptors were already installed on Route 110 and Conklin Street just west of the village line, however they were not paid for by the village. Village officials are expecting a cost estimate within a few weeks, with the time frame for completion being up to one year. The village board authorized the request of $50,000 total in grant funds.

The board continued on to approve a Nassau County Capital Project Funding contract. Legislator Dave Mejias was given discretionary funds to use within his district.

"We need to prioritize what we want done in the village," Giordano said.

Three items were mentioned in regard to how the village could spend the funds. Curb and lawn repairs, village hall repairs and a public restroom in the downtown area were all mentioned as possibilities.

"I've used a public restroom in several other towns," village trustee Dr. Benjamin Giminaro said, who made the recommendation. "During the day you could have tourists walking around and some restaurants don't allow you to use their restrooms."

While there was a discrepancy about how much money Legislator Mejias could bestow upon Farmingdale, village attorney Greg Carman said he "only has about $200,000 to spread throughout his entire district."

The public be heard portion of the meeting began with village resident Chuck Goslin speaking on behalf of his mother-in-law and three other Woodbridge Senior Center residents.

"The issue here tonight is safety," Goslin began. "The fire department can't find the center and the owner refuses to replace the numbers. Plus, the fire department has had a problem with false alarms at Woodbridge as well."

Code Enforcement Supervisor Ron Craig responded to Goslin's concerns by saying he "will be in touch with the super of the buildings the next day."

"We are going to remedy any and all code violations," Craig said.

A Roxbury Street resident inquired about snow removal procedures in the village and flag markers for fire hydrants. The Department of Public Works Superintendent Fred Zamparelle responded that "we will first sand and then salt." The village uses a salt and sand barn facility on the Farmingdale State campus.

"The markers are on order," Zamparelle said. When the answer seemed not to satisfy the resident, Mayor George Graf chimed in by explaining that "Fred has been multi-tasking on quite a number of issues."

Robert Jenkins of Staples Street was next to speak. He vehemently expressed his concerns about bus and truck traffic down his block.

"I contacted the 8th Precinct and the inspector promised he would have a car there and they did for only one evening," Jenkins said. "Nine out of 10 buses are still using Staples Street."

In early 2004 the previous village administration received complaints about bus and truck traffic on Van Cott Avenue. They voted to restrict traffic on Van Cott Avenue, which resulted in the transfer of traffic onto Staples Street.

Jenkins is worried about his son who plays in the street frequently and asked the village what they were going to do to help.

"I am going to send a letter to the inspector so that it is in writing," Giordano responded. "What we've asked the residents to do if they see the same trucks everyday using it as a shortcut, they can let us know the name of the truck companies and we will contact the owners to advise them that there is a no truck rule on that street."

The village board went on to explain that the problem exists on various streets and their only option is for both the village and residents to keep notifying the 8th Precinct about the problem.

There will be a work session on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 12:30 p.m. in village hall. The next Farmingdale village board Trustees meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m. For more information call village hall at 249-0093.