Trustee Bruce Torino, as the liaison to the Garden City Police Department from the Board of Trustees has devised a plan of action to help stem the tide of bicycle injuries resulting in a failure to comply with New York State's Bicycle Helmet Law. Several weeks ago, Torino began working with Police Commissioner Ernest J. Cipullo and the GCPD to develop a program that will reinforce the importance of wearing a helmet when cycling for all children under the age of 14. The program entails notifying the parents of children spotted without helmets by officers of the GCPD.

A flier has been printed with the heading, "Garden City Police Department/ NYS Bicycle Helmet Law/ Educational - Enforcement Warning Notice." The flier states, "Your child was observed in violation of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 1238.5 which states: 'All bicyclists under 14 years of age are required to wear approved bicycle helmets when they are operators or passengers on a bicycle.' Your child was issued a verbal warning as an informational and educational purpose. No official record exists of this action. The safety of all children is a primary concern to this Department. We ask that you reinforce this issue with them to ensure future compliance with the law. Should you have any questions please contact the Garden City Police Department Youth Bureau during normal business hours at 465-4000, ext. 4116."

The flier closes with thanks from Commissioner Cipullo and folds in half to become a mailer home to the child's parents/guardians with the return address of the GCPD on the back and lines for the child's address. Trustee Torino explained that he was concerned about the safety of the youth of the Village and wanted to work to spare any child the pain of injury and parents any unavoidable tragic loss. Mayor Hecken has also contributed to the cause by issuing reminders about the helmet law in his weekly column in the Garden City Life.

Trustee Donald Jenkins commented during the meeting that he was a wittness to an accident the week before the Village Board meeting, which was three weeks after Trustee Torino came up with the idea, according to Cipullo. An adolescent, who resides in the Village, was riding his bicycle when he was hit by a car, rolled up onto the windshield, and then fell back onto the ground. Jenkins noted that if it were not for the driver's quick response time, the boy would have then been run over by the wheels of the car. Jenkins ran to the aid of the youth and made him sit down, as the boy continually attempted to walk home, in his dazed state. An ambulance was called and the boy was taken to the hospital within two minutes of reporting the accident.

Jenkins noted that the young man was not wearing a helmet and was in his observation of the scene, "a hurtin' puppy." While the accident could have been worse and the boy is all right now, he would have been much better had he been wearing his helmet, as dictated by NYS law. Without a helmet riders risk serious head trauma. Jenkins commended Torino on his helmet notification initiative.

Jenkins, in other news, reported that the Recreation Commission unanimously voted to propose the expansion of the parking lot adjacent to Cluett Hall. The Board of Trustees voted to approve a motion by Jenkins to proceed with the expansion of the lot. Engineers will work to develop drawings of the lot and the proposed expansion and they will be published in the Garden City Life as soon as they become available. Jenkins stated that the estimates for the expansion are around $22,000 and the lot will be made of crushed stone, rather than asphalt. He explained that the crushed stone was more economical and could serve as a base should they decide to asphalt later. There are roughly 80 spots in the lot now and it will be expanded to contain about 150 spots when expanded.

Plans to expand the lot prompted questions from residents about the Ward Associates report and drawings, which have not yet been made public and contain the consultant's proposals for the fields at St. Paul's. The entire report is being evaluated by the Recreation Commission, which decided not to hold up the lot expansion part while they analyzed the rest of the document. Jenkins says the Commission will complete its study of the report this summer and the "road show" to the POAs and the public at large will begin in October/November.

The work on the lot could begin around "the latter part of August or beginning of September," according to Jenkins. He acknowledged in reponse to questions from Trustee Kettner that the work would overlap with the start of the fall soccer season at the fields, but he stated that it would be a minimal problem, if any. Jenkins noted, "Parking is critical over at St. Paul's" and explained that the wait for action in expanding the lot was necessary to allow time to evaluate the impact having Village employees at the cottages during Village Hall restoration will have on parking.

The track has been removed from the property at St. Paul's, which cost about $21,000. The cost comes predominantly from the expenditure of new grass and soil to cover the area and convert in into playing field space, according to Paul Blake of the Recreation Department. Also discussed, but not as an agenda item, was the proposal by the Recreation Commission to purchase a new wheel irrigation system for the fields with two to three wheels. This could cost about $35,000 for the three wheels. Blake suggested waiting to vote on the proposal until after this week when the Recreation Department will meet with their usual vendors and get figures for the work and equipment. The Board agreed and no motion was made on the issue.

The deferred agenda item on the installation of children's play equipment was removed to allow the Commission the opportunity to explore the issue and introduce their plans into next year's budget process. Funds were transferred by the Board from a playground in Central to the St. Paul's Project after the residents of Central could not agree on a site or the conditions of the site. Some equipment for what was supposed to be a totlot was purchased and remains in storage and will be used along with other equipment to be chosen for the larger site at St. Paul's. The completed playground at St. Paul's could be seen in May of 2000.

It was also reported that SEPTA has offered to donate funds from their Spring Festival 1999 to the Village. A figure of $6,000 has been allotted for the school district to use for the special education students and a total of $500 has been allotted to the Village to use in its Recreation Department for special education friendly games and/or equipment at the playgrounds. The funds have not yet been distributed to the Village by SEPTA.

Robert C. Seitz was voted in unanimously to the Architectural Design Review Board to take the seat of a vacating member. Seitz resigned from the Environmental Advisory Board to make himself available for the post on the ADRB, which means the Joint Conference Committee will have to select a replacement for the EAB. The EPOA will be seeking interested candidates.

The next Village Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 12 at 8 p.m. in Village Hall. All residents may attend. There are open portions of the meeting at which time residents may address the Board.