As a result of persistent and ongoing negotiations, TVASNAC (Town Village Aircraft Safety and Noise Abatement Committee) agreed to meet at Floral Park Village Hall Monday, Aug. 28, at 7:30 p.m.

As mentioned previously in this space, we had been working diligently with TVASNAC to get the JFK control tower to prioritize a rotation system that would spread out jet flights in a more equitable fashion. We have also been encouraging greater use of a visual landing approach, when weather and safety conditions permit, which would allow for varying flight paths into JFK. Presently, Floral Park appears to experience a disproportionate and preponderant number of flights as compared to other surrounding communities.

That this meeting was even held in our village is a victory of sorts since I know of no other time when TVASNAC has ever scheduled a meeting outside of their usual meeting locale in the Village of Lawrence. What this means is that the voice of Floral Park has been heard. It has not yet been obeyed - but it has been heard. You don't lightly move the location of a comfortable, customary meeting place that has, in fact, been inflexibly fixed for years without knowing you are dealing with serious people with serious issues.

I think this is a magnificent opportunity for our residents to learn what TVASNAC, the Aviation Development Council and the JFK control tower are doing to give us some relief from the nuisance of jet noise. You will also have an opportunity to ask your own questions and to make your own observations.

In attendance for this meeting was Ken Lampkin, chairman of TVASNAC; Heinz Graumann from Eastern Region Helicopter; Bill Huisman from the Aviation Development Council; and David Siewert, air traffic manager, JFK Airport Tower.

I am happy to announce that the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved our village's application to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program pursuant to and in accordance with Section 1336 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968. Flood insurance is now available to local property owners and may be purchased from any insurance agent or broker licensed to do business in the state where insurable property is located.

While we don't live in an area, thank God, that is susceptible to a deluge, it must be recognized that the federal definition of flood is much broader than one might initially realize and it is for that purpose that Floral Park, although not a shoreline community, can still benefit from this program.

As a result of our application to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the Village of Floral Park has joined over 20,000 communities nationwide that are allowed to purchase federally backed flood insurance. The availability follows our village's adoption and enforcement of ordinances to reduce flood loses and acceptance by the NFIP. At last count, there are over 4 million flood insurance policies in those participating communities.

Our residents will be able to purchase flood insurance up to the limits of what is called the "Regular Phase" of the program. However, there is a 30-day waiting period before flood insurance goes into effect. For single-family dwellings, the building coverage limit is $100,000. Renters can also protect their belongings by purchasing contents coverage. For commercial properties, the building and contents coverage limits are both $500,000.

Being a participant in NFIP will give our residents an opportunity to shield themselves with an extra layer of protection from the uncertainties of life. In an age of highly publicized storm surges and manmade mishaps it is something we all need to look into.

This past Thursday evening I, along with Trustees Greene, Tweedy and Rhatigan, attended the summer camp awards at our Recreation Center. Clear skies and balmy temperatures graced the festivities and, all and all, it was a truly beautiful evening for the presentation of individual spirit awards and team awards for our various programs consisting of football, basketball, tennis and volleyball. Our participants not only learned the fundamentals of their respective sports, not only were able to improve their athletic technique, but they also benefited from the entire concept of teamwork. No matter how talented we may be, if we can't work with others toward a common goal, most of our individual goals are going to hit a roadblock. Teamwork is one of the most beautiful things in the world to experience, and is, in fact, the building blocks of a cooperative society. Everyone who participated in this year's activities was a beneficiary of the magical workings of collective play and mutual assistance in order to achieve a common objective.

Good things just don't happen by accident, they happen for a reason. So I want to thank the Recreation Commissioner, Kurt Meyfohrt, for being so deeply committed to the success of our Recreation and Pool programs. Our emcee was John Michon who has contributed so much to the triumph of our summer camp programs. Indeed, one of the crowning achievements of these programs is that many of our counselors for this year's sport activities were recently campers themselves and it is deeply satisfying to see the next generation take a leadership role. I would like to congratulate the award winners and everyone who cared enough to be involved.

Along with Recreation Trustee Jim Rhatigan, Deputy Mayor Kevin Greene, Trustees Tom Tweedy and Gerry Bambrick, I attended the Pirate Swim Team Award Ceremony. Unlike the Summer Camp Awards the skies did not smile upon us. The rain, indeed, forced us indoors but there was a silver lining in that the inclement weather gave the many who attended another opportunity to enjoy our magnificent Recreation Building.

Inside the spirits were as sunny as ever as individual swim awards, which were decided by the instructors and coaches, were given out to the winners. This year the number of our participants in our younger ranks swelled to nearly record proportions giving promise to a bright future for this program in the years ahead. I want to thank our Pool Director, Tom Dillon, for coordinating with other communities for our swim meets and making everything go smoothly. The truth is everyone involved in this great program was a winner: the instructors, the parents and, of course, the participants whose youthful enthusiasm was the spark that makes this community so irrepressibly and infectiously alive.