The board of trustees met again Thursday, Feb. 24, to hopefully finalize the budget for this coming fiscal year. It will be presented to interested parties prior to the board meeting March 17. The board will vote on the budget at the organizational meeting Monday, April 4. On behalf of the board, I would like to thank the executive staff for their participation in this process, especially Village Administrator Robert Schoelle and Village Auditor Jim Olivo. I would also like to recognize Commissioner of Finance Trustee Peter Negri for his second year of leadership as chair of this process. The Mayor's Committee on Public Use of St. Paul's HMB, chaired by former trustee, Eileen Collins, continues to work with staff to elicit from interested resident groups their views on their space needs. An update is expected at the next board of trustees meeting March 3. Continued discussion of the Segerdahl resolution is also expected at this meeting. Trustee Segerdahl completed his report to the board of trustees on these changes in December 2002. Robert Cunningham, chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals, has requested several times at board of trustees meetings that these changes be brought forth. At the last BOT meeting, Feb. 15, the board of trustees set a public hearing date for Thursday, March 3, at 8 p.m. (regularly scheduled board meeting) to hear residents on this matter.

The annual St. Patrick's Day Parade on Long Island, organized by the Irish-American Society of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens, Inc., will be held in Garden City Sunday, March 6.

The parade will assemble at noon in the parking field opposite Ninth Street and will step off at 1 p.m. proceeding north on Franklin Avenue. The parade route will be from Ninth Street, north on Franklin Avenue to Old Country Road, east on Old Country Road to County Seat Drive, south on County Seat Drive where the parade will disband. The reviewing stand will be on Old Country Road in front of the Nassau County Office Building.

With the safety of our pedestrians in mind, I caution our residents to use the signal push buttons when crossing at major intersections. The system is designed to extend the light phase once the button is pressed to allow the pedestrian sufficient time to cross safely. It is important that parents stress this safety precaution with their children, as a major portion of them cross main intersections daily en route to and from school and to play areas. Absentee ballot applications, to be used in conjunction with the general village election on March 15, are available at village hall, 351 Stewart Avenue. The village clerk must receive applications by March 8 if the ballot is to be mailed. For personal application, the deadline is March 14.