President Robert Alvey of the Garden City Bird Sanctuary, also known as Storm Water Storage Basin #232, issued a letter and a petition with over 200 signatures from Village residents and visitors to the sanctuary last week to County Executive Tom Gulotta, County Legislator Vincent Muscarella, Village Trustee Donald Jenkins, and WPOA President Gerry Lundquist. Copies were also sent to New York State Senator Kemp Hannon, Nassau County Planning Commission Chairperson Paul Ponessa, and Garden City's Village Administrator Robert Schoelle, as well as this newspaper. The letter thanks Gulotta, Muscarella, Jenkins, and Lundquist for their support of the Bird Sanctuary, and says that the Nassau County Department of Public Works, however, has not been supportive of their efforts.

NCDPW Commissioner John M. Waltz, in an interview over the telephone with Garden City Life on Monday, Nov. 9 called the letter and the wording of the petition "inflammatory" and said that the claims made by the letter are "grossly exaggerated." He added that the County has 600 storm water storage basins to maintain and that all of them are fenced and that the NCDPW tries "to maintain them all at an acceptable level. We routinely inspect and make repairs to all of the fences, but we are up against a frustrating situation when poeple cut the fences and trespass on the grounds of the water basins. We're trying to keep up the fences, but what the Garden City Bird Sanctuary wants, is decorative fencing. The County doesn't put that around its parks. It's very expensive and the taxpayers of the County shouldn't be asked to pay for it. We use chain link fencing around all of the storm water basins."

Alvey states in the Bird Sanctuary letter that, "Rusted chain link, battered or missing supports, and broken barbed wire appear to be the acceptable mode of gate and fencing for the NCDPW. They are not acceptable for our community. A muddy vehicle access ramp to Tanners Pond Road may be acceptable for LIRR and NCDPW trucks. It is an eyesore for our community and should be paved with concrete." One environmental activist in the Village, who asked not to be named in this article, agreed with all of the Bird Sanctuary requests except the one for the paving of the access ramp, explaining that pavement is ecologically unsound and in the individual's opinion would detract from the natural environment, suggesting a compromise of wood chips as on the walkways through the Bird Sanctuary instead.

The letter also states, "The landscaping improvements and post and rail fencing are an inexpensive means of making a positive visual impact consistent with our local community and property owner goals." Alvey suggests that an estate style fence such as the one at Hofstra University's Bird Sanctuary be used. Commissioner Waltz noted that Hofstra University is a private institution and has the funds to pay for such an elaborate fence, whereas the County relies on taxes, thus making it more difficult to install costly fencing.

The letter also refers to the Environmental Beautification Program grant, and states that the grant had "identified this new style [the estate style fencing] a highest priority so we could raise funds to purchase additional fencing along Tanners Pond Road."

The petition states, "We need your urgent action now to force the Nassau County Department of Public Works to repair fencing and complete improvements awarded to the Garden City Bird Sanctuary under the 1997 Environmental Beautification Grant Program. Must the NCDPW fraud continue? How long will the NCDPW continue to endanger children by allowing holes in fencing next to active railroad tracks?" The petition continues, "The Nassau County Department of Public Works was tasked with coordinating your innovative environmental program for dual use of stormwater basins as passive parks, nature preserves, wildlife sanctuaries, and recreational fields throughout the County."

It then contends, "The NCDPW has instead made a policy of neglect and avoidance to prevent progress with your program. Instead of a proactive, community outreach approach to help protect our greenspace and wildlife habitats, the NCDPW has diverted funds from maintenance and the Environmental Beautification Grant program. The NCDPW insulted our Garden City community by allowing stormwater storage basin #232 to be used as a construction staging area by the Long Island Rail Road. We request your commitment and urgent attention to expediting the installation of the new estate style gate, post and rail fencing, and landscaping improvements approved January 1998 for the Garden City Bird Sanctuary site in the 1997 Nassau County Environmental Beautification Grant. The NCDPW has stated they do not consider this a priority."

Commissioner Waltz argued that the reason the money from the grant has not been issued to the Garden City Bird Sanctuary is the result of stalled negotiations with the Sanctuary's president and directors and the Nassau County Real Estate Bureau. The Garden City Bird Sanctuary initially held a land use and occupancy permit through the South Shore Audubon Society, but the Society terminated it last February. The termination of the permit left the Bird Sanctuary operating without a permit, so a new permit was offered through Nassau County, Waltz explained. The terms of the County's permit were to be the same as those of the South Shore Audibon Society's, but the Bird Sanctuary wouldn't agree to these terms, fighting for "the County to commit to doing far more work and giving the Sanctuary's people far more latitude," according to Waltz. Because the County and the Garden City Bird Sanctuary have not yet been able to come to terms, although Waltz says the County is "still receptive" on the issue, there is no permit for the Sanctuary, which means the grant money cannot be issued. Waltz said, "The grant money can't be given until the permit is given."

In response to accusations that the NCDPW is not doing enough to ensure the safety of children from passing through holes in the fencing and accessing the railroad tracks, and preventing others to enter the sanctuary from the tracks, Waltz referred back to the issue of people routinely cutting holes in fencing in areas such as the border between the Sanctuary and the LIRR tracks and said that the NCDPW is doing its best to keep up with the repairs on their fences throughout the County.

Trustee Torino raised this issue at the last Board of Trustees meeting and urged residents to provide the Sanctuary with support, input, and ideas. He stated that the progress of the Bird Sanctuary is "for all of our benefit."

While the Sanctuary and the County work out their differences over the permit and the fencing, the volunteer work of residents and financial contributions continue. To help support the Sanctuary and its landscaping efforts, residents can become members for an annual dues of $15 per individual or $25 per family. Memorial trees can also be purchased for $100 each. Checks can be made payable to "The Garden City Bird Sanctuary, Inc." and mailed to 44 Fenimore Avenue in Garden City.