As has been reported in the local newspapers on Aug. 31, the final day for filing public comments for inclusion in the official MTA third track project, I participated in a Floral Park press conference with Kate Murray, supervisor of the Town of Hempstead, to announce that in connection with Assemblyman Tom Alfano we collected 10,000 signatures in opposition to the MTA's plan to construct an additional 11.5 mile electrified track between Queens Village and Hicksville.

Also attending the press conference were our own trustee, Tom Tweedy, numerous mayors from neighboring villages, Town Councilman Ed Ambrosino, State Senators Kemp Hannon and Mike Balboni, Nassau County Legislators Vincent Muscarella and Rich Nicolello, Town Clerk Mark Bonilla and former Presiding Supervisor Gregory P. Peterson, all of whom have lent enormous support and advice in our ongoing struggle to defeat this mega-project.

After the press conference, Mayor Donna Sherrer of Bellerose Village, Trustee Tom Tweedy and I decided to take the train to Jamaica Station and delivered the petitions, letters and postcards personally to LIRR President James Dermody. We also took the train back to Floral Park and took note that on the reverse commute (which the LIRR says a new track is needed to accommodate the overflow) the train was half empty...hmm???

The fact is that another railroad track running through Floral Park has no more place than a full moon does in the skies of a burning noonday.

This past Wednesday, Trustee Tweedy and I made a presentation at the Cradle of Aviation to the Village Official's Association, which represents all 64 villages in Nassau County. I informed them that while we oppose the new track we are in favor of the elimination of the five proposed grade crossings. The leaders of the VOA have pledged their support for our efforts. Also attending that meeting was State Senator Dean Skelos, deputy majority leader of the New York Senate and one of the most powerful public figures in the state. Senator Skelos sits on the very influential Capital Review Board that imposed on the MTA the unprecedented requirement to provide full disclosure before any funding for the project could be spent.

From the beginning, our strategy has been to reach out to everyone and accumulate support. We did not want to be an island unto ourselves but an archipelago crying out with one voice for one common cause. That is why it is critical that our community should act in concert, that a common concern should make a common duty.

I've learned long ago that you can't whistle a symphony - you need an orchestra. We wasted no time. Our opposition burst forth like the opening movements of Beethoven's Third and Fifth Symphonies - what musicians call - Allegro con brio - fast and with spirit! The fermentation of support was truly extraordinary as the feverish activity surrounding our efforts eagerly and fully attested to.

For too long now we have suffered the indignities of the MTA/LIRR's neglect: the crumbling stations, the smell of urine in the waiting rooms, the pigeon dirt, the scurrying rodents and a host of other maladies that plague our commuters and village. We are tired of the MTA/LIRR using our village as their toilet brush.

Unfortunately, for the MTA/LIRR, they miscalculated on their machinations for the so-called Third Track - they thought it would simply sail through. They underestimated us thinking we would react to the news as if we were a lamb on valium - instead they've caught a tiger by the tail full of vinegar and fight.

If I had to catalogue the issue that generates the greatest number of complaints it would be overhead air traffic. I am reminded of Mark Twain who once quipped that: "Everyone talks about the weather but no one ever does anything about it."

Well, while we have not yet discovered the aspirin to dissolve this migraine of overhead flights, we are doing something about the air traffic. It is indeed true that overhead flights have been particularly onerous this past summer and a particular disturber of the peace. One of the major reasons for this has been the on-going construction at Kennedy Airport on Runways 13 and 31. This construction takes place mostly at night and the upshot is that nearly all the arrival traffic is coming in on Runway 22 that follows a direct path with the village.

But now some good news has come our way. Trustee Gerry Bambrick, who has been championing our cause, has finally received written confirmation from the FAA that they have rescinded a provision of the New York TRACON's (Air Traffic Controllers) Standard Operating Procedure that we had been tirelessly lobbying for. Initially we met with significant resistance to our request from the FAA Regional Office.

Undeterred, we contacted Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy's office who arranged a meeting with representatives from the FAA, the Port Authority, the Aviation Development Council and representatives from Floral Park, including Trustee Bambrick, Linda Dersch, Joe Reekie and myself. Our conversations were productive and a follow-up meeting was held July 15 at village hall. It was at that meeting that we learned that the provision of the Standard Operating Procedure would, as we insisted, be rescinded.

However, given the disappointing history behind our efforts to get this change, we chose not to announce it until we received confirmation in writing from the FAA. That written confirmation arrived this past week.

Clearly, this is an important development that should diminish air traffic over Floral Park by removing a hurdle to obtain a more equitable distribution of overhead flights. I congratulate Trustee Bambrick who has been high-minded, principled and doggedly determined in his efforts to secure this rescission.

In acknowledging Trustee's Bambrick's success let us also observe his words of caution: "Given our proximity to Kennedy Airport (seven miles) and due to the fact that we are in a straight line approach to one of the runways, Floral Park will continue to receive a considerable amount of air traffic. There are many wonderful features to living in Floral Park. However, complete freedom from air traffic will never be one of them."

On Sept. 8, Deputy Mayor Kevin Greene, Trustee Bambrick, Trustee Tom Tweedy and myself attended the Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Stella's Restaurant on Jericho Turnpike.

Our business community is vital to the health of our village in more ways than just the financial. The blend of business and residential is a natural marriage in a bedroom community such as Floral Park. When the CEO of General Motors said that the business of America is business - he exaggerated, but not terribly.

Of the 22 million non-farm businesses in the United States, the IRS classifies 99 percent of them as small. As a matter of fact, if the small businesses in the US were their own country, that country would be the third largest in the world in terms of gross national product, trailing only the United States and Japan. The number of people owning or employed in small business is also on the rise. Over the past five years, most new employment came from small companies with 18 or fewer total employees or the "Mom and Pop" stores so much of which populate our own community.

What that means is that small business is an engine of economic activity, a veritable incubator of capitalism. It also means that these businesses are terribly important to communities like Floral Park. The Chamber of Commerce helps businesses in our community and they are to be applauded for their efforts. It is my intention, as well as the village board's, to help our business community, to share their aspirations and work toward a better future.

Also, I want to encourage all our residents to patronize our local businesses. They need your support. With fuel prices at an all time high there is no better time to shop locally.

Finally, I want to congratulate Terry Whalen for being nominated once again as president of the Chamber of Commerce. She truly cares for the plight of business and businesspeople. She understands that in the local business world everything makes a difference - the big things and the little things and the in-between things. I look forward to working with her closely and the entire chamber in uniting government and business in developing a more fruitful environment for our local merchants and residents alike.

Our very successful pool season culminated with our traditional luncheon for our senior citizens that was attended by Trustee Tweedy, Trustee Jim Rhatigan and me. This summer was particularly hot and if you measure the heat by the number of 90-degree temperatures it was the warmest summer since 1966. On 12 separate occasions we kept the pool open late so that our residents could find an oasis from the oppressive heat. We were especially pleased that our seniors, who are most vulnerable to the high temperatures, were able to find relief and refreshment at our beautiful pool facility. Finally, I want to thank all our residents for being so generous in helping the victims of the Katrina hurricane. Floral Park residents have always shown a big and generous heart for other people in need. God bless you all.