The following are trustee reports from the Tuesday, Nov. 1, village board meeting.

Deputy Mayor Kevin Greene reported that if any resident is interested in having a tree planted in front of their home to call the Department of Public Works at 326-6321.

He also noted that the department is gearing up for leaf season. Leaves must be bagged and placed at the curb for pick up.

The department would like to remind residents and businesses to have their chimneys cleaned and furnaces inspected and to check the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

Deputy Mayor Greene also thanked the department for hosting Fire Prevention Sunday Oct. 23. Residents who attended the event received very good information on how to protect their family during a fire emergency, he added.

Deputy Mayor Greene also reported that a meeting of the Emergency Management and Civil Preparedness Task Force took place Wednesday, Oct. 26. A presentation on the National Information Management System (NIMS) was given. This system will provide a consistent nationwide approach for federal, state and local governments to work together effectively and efficiently to prepare, respond and recover from domestic incidents regardless of cause, size or complexity. The committee will be meeting the last Tuesday of each month at village hall. Any resident who is interested in helping out the committee or who might have an interest in being trained to help out during an emergency, contact village hall at 326-6300.

Trustee Gerry Bambrick reported that demolition at 115 Jericho Turnpike has begun. The department recently issued the construction permit.

A major façade repair project is scheduled to start this month at the Flowerview Garden apartment complex. This project encompasses all the Flowerview Garden buildings on Carnation Avenue and Tulip Avenue and involves reconstructing or anchoring the existing brick veneer and replacement of windows and siding. Permits were filed for the first phase of the project and are currently being reviewed. This project is expected to continue well into next year.

Trustee Bambrick also clarified a statement made in an article that appeared in the Oct. 11 issue of Newsday regarding home break-ins in Nassau and Suffolk counties. The article said there had been a home break-in in Floral Park. That information is inaccurate. No break-ins or burglaries have been reported in Floral Park. For further clarification, residents may call village hall at 326-6300.

Trustee Tom Tweedy reported that the programs at the Recreation Center are halfway through the season. The youth and adult athletic programs are coming to an end but the Screaming Eagles roller hockey has just begun its season. The Recreation Center staff has begun preparing to winterize water fountains, the sprinkler irrigation system and the general maintenance required for winterizing the park.

Further, Trustee Tweedy happily noted that there was little mischief at the tunnels or the Recreation Center on Halloween. There was extra staff on duty until 11 p.m. Trustee Tweedy thanked the Recreation Center staff for their extra effort and thanked the youth of Floral Park for enjoying Halloween in a constructive, festive way by respecting the property of others.

Trustee James Rhatigan had no library business to report.

However, he said he did have the pleasure of attending Fire Prevention Sunday and was impressed by the professionalism of the department's members. Trustee Rhatigan was especially pleased to see members of Fire Explorers Post 129 taking part in the demonstrations and being available to answer questions about their program. "The Fire Explorers are an involved and vital part of fire service," he said. "They respond to the scene of general alarms within the village and assist the department with crowd control, changing air tanks and other special assignments that the chief may ask of them."

The Fire Explorers membership is open to young men and women between the ages of 14-18. They train and hold meetings at 10 a.m. on the first and third Sunday of each month at Fire Department Headquarters located at village hall. As Floral Park finds itself like many other villages, having difficulty filling the ranks of its fire department, Trustee Rhatigan sees the Fire Explorers as a "wonderful way to home grow the next generation of dedicated volunteers." He encourages any youngster interested in the Fire Explorers to stop by the firehouse on a Sunday morning to get more information.

Mayor Phil Guarnieri echoed the comments made by Trustee Rhatigan and encouraged the youth of the community to join Fire Explorers. The mayor said that volunteerism cultivates strong values that help meet the challenges of life.

He also reported that along with Deputy Mayor Greene and Trustees Tweedy and Rhatigan, he attended Fire Prevention Sunday Oct. 23 and was pleased to see the new smoke house that was purchased through a state grant from Senator Michael Balboni's office.

He said he also had the pleasure of attending the 115th anniversary celebration for the United Methodist Church on Verbena Avenue, which was hosted by Pastor Gainus Sikes. The United Methodist Church was the first house of worship built in Floral Park.

The mayor also reported that re-paving work has begun on Plainfield Avenue. This is an extensive project and the mayor asked residents for their patience while this work is going on. Plainfield Avenue is a Nassau County-owned road but hopes that the county and the village will be able to work collaboratively to ensure residents are inconvenienced as little as possible.

A resident commented on traffic patterns throughout the village during the re-paving of Plainfield Avenue. Mayor Guarnieri said the village would speak with the county to make sure that no street within the village is disproportionately inconvenienced during the work.

On motion by Trustee Tweedy, seconded by Trustee Bambrick and carried unanimously, Mayor Guarnieri recessed the meeting at 8:15 p.m.