The following are trustee reports from the Feb. 6 village board meeting.

Deputy Mayor Kevin Greene reported that the department responded to 96 alarms during January. Further, Rescue Company is expecting the delivery of their new ambulance within the next couple of weeks. The old ambulance has responded to more than 8,000 medical alarms, making at least 7,000 trips to the hospital and has also responded to approximately 2,000 fire alarms to provide medical support for firefighters. The new ambulance is equipped with the most advanced equipment that will allow medical responders to provide residents with the best care.

On Feb. 11, Alert Engine Company celebrated its 100th anniversary. Alert Engine Company is located at village hall and currently has a membership of 33 active members. Alert is the second company, Hook and Ladder Company being the first, to celebrate its 100th anniversary. For over 100 years, the fire department has been providing an emergency response service to residents with a 100 percent volunteer membership. On behalf of the village board, Deputy Mayor Greene congratulated members of Alert Engine Company and thanked them for their dedication and commitment to residents' safety.

Deputy Mayor Greene also reported that Nassau County is susceptible to a number of different natural hazards. These natural hazards have the potential to cause property loss, loss of life, economic hardship and threats to public health and safety.

"While an important aspect of emergency management deals with disaster recovery, which are actions a community must take to repair damages and make itself whole in the wake of a natural disaster, an equally important aspect of emergency management involves hazard mitigation," Deputy Mayor Greene noted. "Hazard mitigation measures are efforts taken before a disaster happens to lessen the impact that future disasters of that type will have on people and property in the community. These are things you do today to be more protected in the future. Hazard mitigation actions taken in advance of a hazard event are essential to breaking the typical disaster cycle of damage, reconstruction and repeated damage. With careful selection, hazard mitigation actions can be a long-term, cost-effective means of reducing the risk of loss and help create a more disaster-resistant and sustainable community."

In an effort to reduce costs, the Village of Floral Park is looking to sign on to the Nassau County Mitigation Plan. Nassau County, through grants, has hired a consultant to write a plan for the county. Each village was asked to provide the consultant with information specific to their own community that will be incorporated into the plan. A hazard mitigation plan is a well-organized and well-documented evaluation of the hazards that a jurisdiction is susceptible to and the extent to which these events will occur. Hazard mitigation plans identify an area's vulnerability to the effects of the natural hazards typically present in a certain area, as well as the goals, objectives and actions required for minimizing future loss of life and property damage as a result of hazardous events. The primary purpose of mitigation planning is to systematically identify policies, actions and tools that can be used to implement those actions.

Mitigation planning has four steps: organizing resources, assessing risks, developing a mitigation plan and implementing the plan and monitoring progress. Each village was asked to provide the consultant with information specific to their own community that will incorporated into the plan. The plan is expected to be completed soon, and once it is ready, each of the villages looking to partner with the county will have an opportunity to review, and if acceptable, adopt the plan.

Trustee Gerry Bambrick reported that the department received an application for a property sub-division at 21 Adams Street. The Architectural Review Board has scheduled a meeting to discuss this property Feb 28.

The renewals for the contractors, plumbers and electricians licenses are complete. The department staff processed over 340 licenses in a 30-day period. "Permit activity has been picking up since the beginning of the year," Trustee Bambrick noted. "During January, the Building Department contacted property owners to close out old permits. Most of these permits require minor paperwork like electrical certificates for closeouts."

The Architectural Review Board has been reviewing many cases regarding façade restorations, commercial signs and residential permits for substantial alterations, in some cases complete knockdowns and reconstruction.

The Zoning Board of Appeals has a full calendar in April, Trustee Bambrick added.

Trustee Tom Tweedy reported that the village accepted delivery of a new recycling truck Feb. 6. The department can now retire the oldest truck in its fleet.

On Friday, Feb. 2, bids were opened for the purchase of two new garbage trucks. Further, there will be no sanitation pickup on President's Day, Monday, Feb. 19. If your regular pick up is Monday of that week, then your pick up will be Tuesday. Those residents with a regular pick up on Tuesday of that week will have collection Wednesday. There will be no bulk or rubbish pick up anywhere in the village Wednesday of that week. Please be aware that appliances containing Freon will be picked up Wednesday, Feb. 21, as scheduled.

Further, in order for residents to help alleviate icy conditions, there is sand available in the parking field across form the Recreation Center on Stewart Street.

Trustee James Rhatigan reported that after an extensive search and interview process, the library board selected Linda Price to assume the library board position vacated by Ned Johnson. Price comes to the board with an extensive background in finance, which will complement the talents of the other board members. The village board thanked Linda on her dedication to this task.

Trustee Rhatigan also thanked the other community-mined individuals who participated in the interview process. "It is wonderful to see such interest in volunteer service," he said.

Mayor Phil Guarnieri reported that the evening of Monday, Feb. 5, was an exciting one when he and the village trustees had the opportunity to meet "America's Mayor" Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani was in Floral Park showing his support for Republican candidate Maureen O'Connell in her bid for New York State Senate District #7 seat. "It was thrilling to have someone of Mr. Giuliani's national stature here in Floral Park," he said.

On motion by Deputy Mayor Greene, seconded by Trustee Rhatigan and carried unanimously, Mayor Guarnieri recessed the meeting at 8:50 p.m.