The board of trustees adopted a policy May 5 for the "non-discriminatory enforcement of the residency requirement in neighborhood parks." After seeking opinion of counsel during an executive session, Mayor Gerard Lundquist noted it is the village's policy that Garden City parks, including Hemlock, Tullamore, Grove, Edgemere and Nassau Haven, are to be used by Garden City residents only and their guests.

"While we are enforcing the residency requirement, recreation staff will not challenge residency based on race, color, sex, age or other protected classifications of park users," Mayor Lundquist explained. "We are going to enact the policy and deliver it to recreation staff and Recreation Director Kevin Ocker for its establishment as a policy for the upcoming summer period..."

Mayor Lundquist, along with Trustees Nicholas Episcopia, Robert Rothschild, John Mauk and Peter Bee adopted the policy while Trustee Tom Lamberti and the board's newest trustee from Central, Donald Brudie, abstained. "I'm new to the process and would prefer to abstain," Trustee Lamberti said; Trustee Brudie concurred. Trustee John Watras was not in attendance.

The policy seeks to reaffirm that the use of all Garden City parks is for Garden City residents only and their guests and find a vice by which the village can implement a policy that does not use a park user's race or color as proof of residency.

"We have attempted to merge those two policies into the document created," Trustee Peter Bee said. "That policy will now be implemented in the forthcoming period of time. Park staff and village staff will monitor how well the policy works, how it is implemented and will periodically report back to the board their comments on it."

No later than 45 days after the adoption of the policy, all park employees shall be trained not to discriminate against persons based on "their race, color, sex, age or other protected classifications." Further, before the assignment of any new park employees, the village shall also train them on the same.

Each park user will be required - upon entry - to complete a park entry form listing his/her name, address and the names of any non-resident guests accompanying him/her. Any park users who list a Garden City address will be permitted into the park without being required to show ID or other proof of name and/or address. Those who refuse to complete a park entry form will be asked to leave the premise; signage indicating the requirement to complete a park entry form will be placed at each of the parks' entrances.

A random sample of park entry forms will be checked for accuracy against a reverse telephone directory and/or other recent accurate listings of Garden City residents. Any park user who signed an entry form but is not listed as a village resident will receive a letter, via mail, at the address listed on the entry form asking if the person resides at that address. Within 10 days of sending such letter, if the letter is either returned as undeliverable or the park user does not call the contact number, the village may bar that user from using its parks until the user presents identification or proof of residency to a park employee.

Trustees have asked Village Administrator Robert Schoelle, Jr. and Recreation Director Ocker to enact the policy with its staff and report back to the board on a periodic basis to keep them abreast on how the policy is being implemented and any issues or successes with it.

Back in February, the ACORN organization alleged that Garden City's park attendants used racial profiling to keep tabs on the residency of park users rather than asking for ID.