The following are trustee reports from the Tuesday, May 3, Floral Park village board meeting.

Deputy Mayor Kevin Greene noted that the staff is continuing to repair the roads that were damaged as a result of the winter season. The ground freezing, coupled with salting, sanding and plowing, have caused damage to the roads.

The sidewalk program will continue in the West End this summer. Notification was sent out in early spring to residents with defective sidewalks. Crocus Avenue has already been marked and residents with defective sidewalks have received notification that they have 20 days to repair the sidewalks. Residents have the option to use their own contractor or the contractor being used by the village. A typical 4' x 4' x 4" slab is priced at $72 and a sidewalk that is exposed to vehicular traffic, which requires a depth of 6", is priced at $96.

Deputy Mayor Greene was also happy to announce that the village has received a $38,000 traffic-calming grant. The grant money is going to be used to reconfigure Woodbine Court and the western portion of the parking field. This will make the area safer for vehicular and pedestrian traffic and also provide the parking field with additional parking spaces.

Public Works crews are continuing to work throughout the village, beautifying the parks and green areas.

Deputy Mayor Greene also reported that the fire department responded to 92 alarms this past month. Sixty-six of the alarms were medical emergencies and 26 were fire emergencies. The fire emergencies included the response to two working fires, one large brush fire caused by a freight train, mutual aid to New Hyde Park for a working house fire and a construction incident in which two workers were electrocuted.

He said he had the privilege of attending the Nassau County Fire Commission meeting this past month where the Floral park Fire Department received a unit citation for their actions in responding to contractor workers who were trapped in a roof collapse last summer. This is the department's third unit citation in the past eight years.

Members of the fire department and the village board have been reviewing the service award program provided to firefighters. This program was introduced, voted on and approved by residents in 1993. This program was established in an effort to increase the membership and provide an incentive to maintain experienced members. In order for a member to participate in the program, they are required to be an active firefighter or medical technician and they must fulfill the requirements outlined within this program.

If a member fulfills this requirement, their service award account is credited with $450 a year. This account can be distributed when the member turns 65 years of age. In September 2004, Governor George Pataki signed into law a bill that increased the maximum service award contribution by a municipality. Over the next several months, the fire department and Deputy Mayor Greene will be meeting with Floral Park's civic associations and will hold public information meetings in an effort to educate residents on the service award program.

Trustee Gerry Bambrick reported that the multiple dwelling inspections have been completed. Thirty-five properties were inspected. Swimming pool renewals are being sent out this month. A yearly inspection is required for all privately owned pools in the village.

Further, the department will begin inspecting commercial properties for property maintenance issues. The county fire marshal has cited various restaurants in the village for not having their occupant loads posted. The department is in the process of re-posting them.

On April 27, the Board of Architectural and Preliminary Site Review reviewed subdivision applications for 4 Childs Avenue, 81 Willow Street and 364 Plainfield Avenue. The Architectural Review Board did not approve the applications. The applicants have been asked to resubmit their applications for further consideration. Trustee Bambrick said the Architectural Review Board is doing an excellent job preserving the character of the village.

He also said a number of residents said they have been experiencing electrical power surges. This could be one of three things. It could be a loose neutral wire out on the pole, a loose neutral in the resident's electrical panel or the electric company may be changing a feeder line at the plant, Trustee Bambrick said. If a resident is experiencing problems with power surges, the department recommends he/she call a licensed electrician to inspect. The department can provide residents with a list of licensed electricians.

Trustee Bambrick also reported on increased air traffic over Floral Park. He has continued to express his concern with the FAA, Port Authority and Tracon (air traffic controllers). The explanation Trustee Bambrick has received for the increase in air traffic is the change in winds this time of year and runway construction at Kennedy Airport, which began last October. Trustee Bambrick is discussing with the various agencies the need to have a more equitable distribution of approach patterns into the airports. The village board will continue to apply pressure to these agencies and feels in the long term there will be significant improvement to this problem.

Trustee Tom Tweedy reported that registration for the all-day camps and tennis camp will be this Saturday, May 14, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. The tennis camp is open to children in Grades 4-8. This camp emphasizes improvement of tennis ability through personal instruction. The cost of the camp is $60.

The all-day camps are open to Floral Park children ages 5-10. This is one of the most popular programs offered at the Recreation Center, Trustee Tweedy noted. Children can enjoy a full-day camp experience under well-supervised conditions, he added. The camp runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday (except 4th of July week, which is Tuesday through Friday). Each camper will enjoy daily snack and lunch, arts and crafts, games, pool time and many other activities. The cost of the camp is $125.

Some upcoming events at the park include Little League baseball games on both weeknights and weekends. On Saturday, May 21, at 5 p.m., the Council of Cultural Affairs, in conjunction with the Literary Guild of the Floral Park Woman's Club, will sponsor a competitive poetry contest. All high school poets are invited to come and read their work.

Trustee James Rhatigan reported that renovation work at the library continues with the removal of the old boiler. The library board and staff are looking ahead to the summer. Letters have been sent to schools asking for summer reading lists and plans are being made to have sufficient copies on hand.

The Friends of the Library are gearing up for their annual book sale Saturday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The follow-up bagful sale will take place Monday, June 20 between 6-9 p.m. This year the sale will take place at Centennial Hall, which will allow for rain or shine operations. Donations of new or lovingly used books are welcome and may be dropped off at the library during normal hours. The Friends of the Library are assisting with plans for the summer youth programs, which will be announced in the near future.

Trustee Rhatigan also reported that the Heritage Park Fund has completed laying another series of personalized bricks. Personalized bricks cost $85. Application forms are available at village hall.

He also noted that the Historical Society is underway with their plans for the museum at Centennial Hall. Construction to provide for their secure area has started. The cost of this project is being borne by the Historical Society. A set of French doors wwas recovered from the NAC building and are being used at the museum to provide an entry. The style of these doors is in keeping with the character of the building.

Mayor Phil Guarnieri said that on Saturday, April 23, he had the privilege of attending Floral Park's annual Fireman's Installation Dinner at the New Hyde Park Inn in which tribute was paid to outgoing Chief William Watts for his 28 years of outstanding service to the department and to welcome incoming Fire Chief Peter Bilardello and his staff as they meet the challenges of the upcoming year. Last year, the department responded to over 1,200 calls. "The residents who serve the department represent the highest ideals in volunteerism," he said, adding that as the village approaches its centennial, one of his objectives is to encourage that spirit of volunteerism as gratitude for the many blessings bestowed upon the residents of Floral Park.

He reported that this past year the department added 22 new members to the department and that he would like to see the civic associations and all community-based organizations increase their memberships as well. "Volunteering is not a one-way street but a powerful gift that enriches your way of life in a way that it will never be the same again," he said.

Mayor Guarnieri said that on Friday, April 22, the village board participated in the Floral Park Little League parade, which began at village hall and concluded at the Recreation Center with parents, coaches and the Little Leaguers themselves participating in the festivities. The Floral Park American Legion led the parade, lending a strong sense of patriotism to the occasion. Mayor Guarnieri thanked the Little League board of directors for their dedication to the youth, to the coaches for devoting their time and expertise and to the parents for their involvement.

He also reported that the Water Authority of Western Nassau County will be replacing the water main on Stewart Street from Plainfield Avenue to Pool and Garage Road and proceed westward to Plainfield Avenue. One new fire hydrant will be added and existing hydrants will be moved to new locations in the portion of Stewart Street between Tunnel Street and Plainfield Avenue. This project, which began May 9, is needed in order to improve water service and fire protection. Significant road excavation will be required and Stewart Street will, at times, be closed to through traffic between Covert and Terrace Avenues.

Work hours will be from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the road will be restored daily to accommodate vehicular and pedestrian traffic at night. The Water Authority will notify area residents by door-to-door notices and notification will also be on the village website.

It will take approximately two weeks to install the main pipe on Stewart Street from New Hyde Park to Pool and Garage Road, approximately four weeks to install the main pipe on the remainder of Stewart Street from the Recreation Center to Plainfield Avenue and approximately two weeks to hook up new house services and hydrants.

The project is expected to be finished within two months. At no time during the construction will any customer be without water for more than eight hours. Once this project is completed, the village will begin its asphalt overlay on Stewart Street. The village must wait one month to start the overlay to make certain there is no sinking of any trenching done by the Water Authority's contractor.

With regard to the construction of a 10.5-mile third track through Floral Park, Mayor Guarnieri reported that the MTA has had to address budgetary constraints, delaying some portions of its project. While the MTA has stated there are no changes in their schedule for the completion of the third rail, this is simply not true, Mayor Guarnieri said. The MTA's completion date of 2012 has now been extended to 2015. The village and its task force, which is operating on behalf of the village, community leaders, business sector, civic associations and residents, are working to meet with other communities to get as much information as possible from the MTA.

"There is no benefit to Floral Park to build a third track," Mayor Guarnieri said. "It will increase pollution, increase parking problems and affect the infrastructure by the railroad tracks, including the Recreation Center, the library, businesses and homes." The village has been in contact with Senator Dean Skelos, Senate Deputy Majority Leader and liaison to the MTA. "Senator Skelos is quite aware of Floral Park's opposition to the construction. The views of Floral Park are being heard not only by the MTA but by our elected officials throughout the state," he added.

In other news, Mayor Guarnieri attended an Eagle Scout Court of Honor April 22 at village hall for Steven Taylor. Eagle Scout is the highest honor a Boy Scout can achieve and the mayor said that he is very proud to have such a "fine young man in our midst."

He further noted that he and Trustees Tweedy and Rhatigan planted a tree on Atlantic Avenue in observance of Arbor Day, which was April 29. Last year 130 trees were planted throughout the village in an effort to keep "floral" in Floral Park.

Mayor Guarnieri also reminded residents that a public hearing regarding alterations to a church at 70 Floral Parkway is scheduled for Tuesday, June 7 in the courtroom.

On motion by Deputy Mayor Greene, seconded by Trustee Rhatigan and carried unanimously, Mayor Guarnieri recessed the meeting at 9:20 p.m.