I'm happy to report that the overlay project on Stewart Street is complete. With two inches of freshly poured asphalt we have provided a proper crown and pitch for adequate drainage that will eliminate ponding conditions that occur after heavy rainstorms. Just last week we finished striping the street. Functionally and aesthetically, it is a major improvement for the area. If things go according to plan, we will also overlay King and Emerson Streets in the near future.

All crosswalks located within school zones have been re-striped with thermoplastic material for greater visibility. In our efforts to enhance safety of our school children our police department is participating in "Operation Safe Stop" - a zero-tolerance program designed to target motorists who ignore Stop signs and flashing lights on school buses. Our village wants it clearly understood that there is no excuse for this irresponsible and reckless behavior. Our police will also be focusing on ticketing motorists who are using handheld cell phones while driving (national studies have shown that you are four times more likely to have an accident while talking on a cell phone), non-use of seat belts and small children riding without the benefit of child safety seats. So, obey the law and make our community safer for everyone.

Trustee Gerry Bambrick and myself also met with Superintendent John Williams and the principals of Floral Park Memorial and Sewanhaka High Schools, Kathleen Sottile and Debbie Lidowsky respectively, regarding a number of important issues, including communication between the village and the school district, after-school security during dismissal and traffic and parking issues around the school. It was important to establish our priorities and goals very early in the school year so that both village government and our school district can work together in achieving them. We hope to arrange a meeting with the principals and superintendent of our grammar schools very shortly.

In Nassau County, subdivisions are spreading like wildfire, but here in Floral Park it is barely an ember. Subdivisions are a process by which a larger parcel with one house is made into two buildable lots for two homes. The effect often creates an overcrowding look. Recent changes we made to the zoning code increased setback requirements and intensified the review process by which developers must get a subdivision approved. Specifically, a subdivision not only has to be approved by the village board but now both the site plan and the building to be constructed also have to be approved by the Architectural Review Board. While we recognize this increases the burden on the developer, we feel it necessary to preserve the beauty and character of our village.

On Jericho Turnpike, just west of St. Hedwig's Roman Catholic Church, the village board approved a four-story 17-unit co-op building. The approval of this application was especially gratifying since it was a masterpiece of cooperation between the village, local residents who serve on the Architectural Review Board and a private developer.

The original proposal called for a five-floor 26-unit complex. While the village board believed that the attractive style of the building and the fact that its occupants would be patronizing local businesses would revitalize and give a much needed facelift to that part of Jericho Turnpike, we were also convinced that it was an over-intensification of land use and that its five-floor structure would be too intrusive to the residential neighbors just south and in the rear of the proposed site.

We requested that the applicant meet with the North End Civic Association and its members, which they did on two different occasions. In addition, the applicant met with our Architectural Review Board on three different occasions to discuss how to modify and integrate the proposal to more completely conform to the character of the community.

In their two public hearings with the village board, we were meticulously conscious of the need to work together and hammer out a workable proposition. After all, we want entrepreneurs to invest in our community and help us build for the future. We understand that investors are risking their own capital and will only do so if they believe there is a reasonable opportunity for a reasonable return on their investment. After carefully studying the economics, collaborating with both the developer and members of the Architectural Review Board, we believed that such a situation existed if the proposed development was scaled down to four floors with 17 units.

This is what the village board ultimately approved. The reduced height of the building, the required setbacks for each of the floors in the rear of the building and the professionally maintained landscaping will protect and enhance the environment for our residents to the south of the property on West Hitchcock. Moreover, the appearance of Jericho Turnpike in that area will be vastly improved by an aesthetically pleasing residential building whose residents will shop in our local stores. It was a big win not only for all parties but also for Floral Park as a whole. I want to thank the Architectural Review Board for all their hard work and insightful suggestions. I also want to thank the developer, Bernie Klein, an astute businessman and a wonderful communicator who was sensitive to the community's needs and was willing to listen.

Glorious weather blessed the Covert Avenue Fair sponsored by the Covert Avenue Chamber of Commerce. The avenue was packed with people who really enjoyed the fair and the beautiful weather. Deputy Mayor Kevin Greene, Trustees Gerry Bambrick, Tom Tweedy and Jim Rhatigan and myself were there to join the festivities.