On June 14 the rain held out for the opening of the Garden City swimming pool. Despite a very rainy spring, newly appointed Recreation Director Kevin Ocker and his team were able to prepare our first-rate pool for its 47th season opening day. I think that members will agree that the plantings are noteworthy. Congratulations to all! Any questions with regard to application forms/procedures, etc. should be directed to the Garden City Pool at 483-1714, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. It was brought up at the June 5 board of trustees' meeting that some residents may not understand the significance of the phrase "P-Zone." Several newspaper articles and a Mayor's column discussed this issue but perhaps the connection was not made clear that the "P" of the "P-Zone" stands for "Public Use" zone. The Trustee Public use ("P") Zone Committee and consultants (special zoning counsel and planner) have been studying the selected county properties that are technically within the Incorporated Village of Garden City which are owned and used for public use services by the county. The county is discussing selling off some of these properties as part of County Executive Suozzi's consolidation plan. I hope this clarifies this issue and I will ask that the board of trustees in the future refer to their committee as the "Public Zone." This Friday, June 27, marks the graduation of the Garden City High School Class of 2003. On behalf of the village board of trustees and the residents, we extend our very best wishes and congratulations to the Class of 2003. They are an outstanding group of young people who are a credit to our community and I know that they will be ambassadors in their "homes away from home" during their college years. We urge them to keep listening, learning and seeking knowledge so that they can make a difference. Personally I encourage them to stand up for the values that they have been wisely taught by their parents and others in our community and to believe that they have the courage if necessary to stand alone and be counted.

At the close of Adelphi University's 2002/2003 academic year, I want to acknowledge and compliment President Robert A. Scott on the many contributions that he and his administration have made during this past year. While Adelphi University has always been a hospitable neighbor, President Scott has made a special effort to not only attend village functions he has been invited to but to also open the Adelphi Campus to the entire Garden City Community. This has ranged from hosting an outstanding cultural lecture series, welcoming youth athletic teams onto their playing fields, providing a tour of the campus to the village trustees as well as conducting a study on the needs of seniors in Garden City. I was pleased to have been asked to speak at their graduation ceremony and bring congratulations to the graduates, faculty and staff on behalf of the trustees.

On behalf of the board of trustees I look forward to continuing our relationship with Dr. Scott and to partnering with him by sharing resources that all sectors of the village can benefit from. We wish him a smooth and successful opening of the fall 2003/spring 2004 academic year.

The Recreation Department has done another fine job in arranging this season's Concert Series at the Village Gazebo, located on the Village Green at the corner of Stewart and Hilton Avenues. The opening program, scheduled for June 26, will feature The Terry Nova Little Big Band - great big band sounds from yesteryear.

The programs will begin at 7:15 and admission is free. Please bring your family, lawn chairs or blankets, a picnic dinner and enjoy a very pleasant evening - don't forget to use your anti-bug spray before leaving your home. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be held at the Cultural and Performing Arts Center at Cluett Hall at St. Paul's.

Please contact the Recreation Program Line (742-5888) with questions pertaining to the concert.

Last week the Water Department mailed the 2002 Drinking Water Quality Report. This report demonstrates that our water is safe and meets all federal and state requirements. All results were excellent, indicating that the village's corrosion control treatment program was effective in preventing the leaching of lead and copper from your home's plumbing into your drinking water.

During 2002, the village implemented a water conservation program in order to minimize unnecessary water use. I am pleased to announce that the interventions of this program resulted in an approximate 5 percent lower usage this past year.

Residents are encouraged to implement their own water conservation measures such as retrofitting plumbing fixtures with flow restrictors, modifying automatic lawn sprinklers to include rain sensors, repairing leaks in the home, installing water conservation fixtures/appliances and maintaining a daily awareness of water conservation in their personal habits including following the Village Lawn Sprinkler Regulations. Don't forget that the village trees along curbsides, especially those newly planted this past fall require tender watering from residents. In addition to protecting our precious underground water supply, water conservation will produce a cost savings to the consumer in terms of both water and energy bills (hot water). Remember, it takes a village.