During the Village of Garden City's 25th annual budget overview Feb. 9 - held on a Thursday evening this year rather than a Saturday morning - residents got a glimpse of the municipality's five-year (2006-2011) capital plan. A departure from what Garden City has seen in the past, Village Auditor Jim Olivo said this plan moves away from the pay-as-you-go philosophy due to a number of projects that warrant a debt service issuance.

Particularly, the proposed Garden City Library expansion, estimated to cost $958,000, Seventh Street parking field improvements as well as Community Park updates could be bonded.

The village has a constitutional debt limit used of 2.36 percent of allowable debt, a low number for a village of its size, according to Olivo. The peak percentage in this measure for Garden City was approximately 6 percent soon after Garden City acquired the St. Paul's property back in 1993. The debt service, including the aforementioned projects, represents 3.6 percent of the 2006-07 budget while the capital plans themselves represent 9 percent. Combined, the debt service and capital projects total 12.17 percent of the budget when compared to an average 12.4 percent in the village's past.

It's interesting to note that there are certain projects coming out of debt service, particularly the Franklin Avenue streetscape improvement project. The year 2009 will see the finality of that debt service. "What we're suggesting it that we'll put the issuances that we're doing now, issue those bonds in a manner so as to replace that debt service as it comes out, thereby minimizing the impact," Olivo explained.

Finance Officer and Trustee John Watras added, "We are one of the highest taxed areas in the nation ... so really there's a clear mandate here to hold the line on taxes. We are not tax-and-spend addicts. Really, over the past four years, we've held the line on taxes and tax increases. We've asked staff to be imaginative in making their reductions."

Trustee Watras continued, adding, "We've been fiscally prudent and will continue in that vein in a conservative and pragmatic fashion. It's government right now in pure definition but we feel we want to run it a little bit like a business."

The annual budget process is always difficult at best, but this year, perhaps, might be a bit more challenging with an aging infrastructure that is village hall, utility issues, including three recent water main breaks and playground and recreation center maintenance. Village Administrator Robert Schoelle added it's a holistic approach, with input from the various POAs, the Garden City Chamber of Commerce, the residents and certainly staff. Department heads were asked to cut back on wish list items and most importantly, be accountable.

The village's five-year capital program has brought much positive notoriety to the village from the National Municipal Finance Officers Association and locally from a watchdog group in Nassau. Schoelle said the document works quite well, although it's virtually impossible to look five years into the future and attach a price tag to a project. "But by acknowledging that we have projects into the future, we can plan for them, consider financing and avoid some of the peaks and valleys," Schoelle added, noting that's part of his responsibility in the entire budget process.

Dubbed the village's technology czar, Village Auditor Olivo noted $168,000 is requested for the 2006-07 budget to replace six or seven mini computers - three this year and one in each subsequent year. "We operate six or seven servers for different tasks and with the technology changing to blade servers ... we're going to replace the six or seven mini computer floor units with things that look like stacked pizza boxes. It's a much more efficient way of going and those prices are significantly lower." Fire Headquarters Captain Harold Frank noted $225,000 is funded annually for apparatus replacement. The department is hoping to replace a second line ladder truck, bought back in 1982 with more than 36,000 miles to date. "This truck finds itself in first line service more often than I think it should be," Captain Frank admitted, adding that it lacks some capabilities the department would like to see in this era. Further, the department hopes to replace a 1999 Suburban currently used as command vehicle 148. With more than 40,000 miles, this vehicle responded to nearly 1,100 alarms in 2005 alone and more than 400 inspections. Captain Frank noted this apparatus would become a spare command vehicle if the department obtains a new one. The current spare, a 1990 Suburban with more than 77,000 miles, is showing some wear and tear with visible body rot and water damage.

Police Commissioner Ernest Cipullo, who's been to every budget overview to date, said the force hopes to replace six police vehicles, three marked and three unmarked - an annual request for usual vehicle rotation. The village self-sustains the vehicles - the Department of Public Works mechanics keep the cars in good shape - which are bought on a state contract for approximately $23,000-$24,000 per vehicle with all the necessary equipment except radios. Many of the unmarked cars are handed down to other village departments like Public Works while many of the marked vehicles are awarded to a maximum bid, interestingly enough, oftentimes local taxi companies.

The department is faced with a different situation this year - replacing its communications center and radios. "It's a two-prong attack," Cipullo said. The Nassau County Police Department has received, through the Office of Homeland Security, a grant of approximately $6-$7 million to install an interoperable system so that all county police departments can speak to each other. "We can't do that right now," Cipullo said. "The only direct contact we have right now is with the Hempstead Police Department and the Nassau County Police helicopter and ambulance service, which we use quite often. Other than that we can't communicate with Nassau County police vehicles or Nassau County headquarters directly. With the interoperable system they are putting into effect, we all will be a part of that. We've put monies aside in last year's budget and we're looking to put $100,000 in this year's budget and we're looking to put another $100,000 in next year's budget. The county system hopefully will be ready to go in the early part of 2007 so we're looking to coincide our system with that one. We have to replace our base station, approximately 12 or 13 years old, and our backup base station, which is 20 years old. Some may say that doesn't sound like it's too old but you have to keep in mind that the radios are on 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We never turn them off."

The mobile radios are going to be compatible with the county system and the portable radios must be replaced in order to be compatible with the county system. "It's an expensive project but it's something that has to be done," Commissioner Cipullo said. Although the total project is somewhere in the neighborhood of $300,000, part of that $6-$7 million the county is receiving will help offset the village's expenses. "How much we're going to get we don't know but we will be reimbursed for some of those monies," he said. "We are one of the only village departments that has someone on that committee, which is setting up this radio system. So we do have someone looking out for our interests," he added.

Director Alan Roeckel noted the first project on the table is the library's local area network, which entails replacing PCs and cabling and adding to and replacing certain servers. Most, if not everything, in this particular project the library acquires through state contracts, with discounts from 25-50 percent. "We really are able to get a great deal of mileage with our budgeted monies for this particular project," Roeckel said.

The second project, a service area renovation and expansion project expected to cost $958,802, resulted from several years of deliberation and study on the part of the library trustees and Roeckel himself. The current library building was designed in the late 1960s and opened in 1973. Roeckel said society, and certainly the library world, has moved very far in those succeeding 33 years. "When the library opened there were no such thing as audio/visual materials ... We took a hard look at services we were providing and services that our patrons were telling us they'd like to see expanded or changed," he added. Library officials were particularly concerned about accomplishing the project within the existing building envelope and doing it in the most cost-efficient manner possible.

The areas being considered for expansion/renovation include audio/visual, public access Internet-capable microcomputers, the young adult department and the stair area and lobby, the reason for the latter being materials security. Once materials can be borrowed from the lower level, some kind of security system needs to be in place forcing patrons to re-enter the library and exit through some sort of materials control panels. This project is important to bring the library up to speed as well as satisfy patron demand, Roeckel said.

Lastly, the final project entails refurbishing the circulation department office at an expenditure of $15,000. This department has had nothing done to it since the library opened in 1973. "Over the past 33 years, it's been heavily used. Most of the cabinetry and shelving in that office are literally falling apart," Roeckel said.

Public Works Director Robert Mangan, in his 15th year presenting that department's budget, noted his supervisor's request for the 2006-07 budget for DPW equipment was well over $600,000. Scaling down, the current request is now $517,000.

Mangan noted $200,000 has been requested for sewer repairs and manhole relining. This year Garden City faced three sewer collapses, two on Stewart Avenue and another on Cambridge Avenue in the vicinity of Adelphi University. Mangan expects that in another six or seven years, the village should have a completely new sewer system. Road repairs allot for $775,000 of the department's 2006-07 budget request while curb replacement totals $200,000; sidewalk repairs total $300,000; and tree plantings total $117,000. "We remove approximately 100 trees a year in January-February but plant approximately 400 so we gain about 300 trees every year," Mangan noted.

Village hall improvements allot for $167,000, some of which is meant for an outdoor patio outside the fire meeting room, abatement of asbestos in the police department as well as 88 bathroom modifications required for the first floor of village hall.

Village hall's boilers were replaced this year and its new heating system is 90 percent complete. Some re-pointing has been done on the building as well. A new generator, which can be found outside the firehouse, now services the entire building. "Previously, when there was a power failure or a brown out by LIPA, we had a small generator in the basement that could really only keep the police department operating, emergency lighting while everything else had to be shut down," he explained.

For Seventh Street parking field improvements, the department is requesting $650,000. That work design should be completed this spring. Mangan hopes to be in construction during this summer when traffic is on the lighter side.

Mangan continued, explaining the Water Department's budget. Machinery and equipment allots for $115,000 of this department's budget request. Improvements - other than to buildings - allots for $60,000. "This is generally for fire hydrants and valves, which is the heart of the water distribution system," Mangan said. Usually 25 fire hydrants are up for replacement on a 60-70 year schedule while valves are replaced once a water main break hits.

Water main improvements are slated for Newmarket Road, east of Nassau Boulevard this year and possibly west of Nassau Boulevard next year. "I know the residents on Newmarket have been clamoring to get the street repaved but we're going to perform the water main work first and then repave the following year," Mangan said.

The department hopes to replace all of the village's read meters with a radio read system where a system will be installed inside a vehicle and once stopped at an intersection will be able to obtain readings for a couple of blocks at a time. "Eventually we hope to get the entire village converted this way but we're starting with the commercial district first," Mangan said.

Re-drilling of Well #8 on the Garden City Golf Club is allotted for $261,600 while installing an additional air stripper at Wells #13 and #14 is allotted for $1,247,500.

Recreation Director Kevin Ocker mentioned as he has in the past that the department's mission in the village is to enhance the community the best it can with people, parks and programs. Ocker hopes to replace a 16-year-old skid loader and pass it on to Public Works' use. With regard to St. Paul's open space improvements, $282,000 has been earmarked for an estate-style fence and stone pilasters on Stewart and Rockaway Avenues. These requests were deferred but have been included in the 2006-07 budget request.

Ocker also hopes to replace worn-down paths, parking lots and roadways as well as replace fencing around various courts, backstops and security gates. "Fencing does have a life and we are requesting funding of $100,000 to be able to get out and replace fencing," he said. "Price wise, it goes off a state or county contract at about $19 a running foot to replace a black vinyl chain link fence."

Money for court replacement is also a budget request, as is playground equipment replacement. "Our playground replacement program is moving along nicely," Ocker noted. "We were successful in completing the playground this year at Tullamore Park ...We are eliminating the old sand underneath the playground equipment and replacing it with rubberized surfacing. It's much cleaner and meets safety standards." In this current fiscal year, the department was successful in awarding a bid to replace Hemlock. The goal is to replace Hemlock Park and hopefully be ready, if funding is available, to improve Nassau Haven Park this spring.

Moreover, the old-style bleachers throughout the parks system no longer meet governing agencies' safety standards and must all be replaced. Over a two-year period, the department hopes to replace these bleachers.

The village's Community Park rehabilitation began before Ocker came on board. Improvements to Garden City's 18-hole miniature golf course are expected to cost $495,000 while replacement of the platform tennis courts is estimated at $464,500. Further, a new clubhouse, with a concession stand inside the building, is on the table at a cost of $894,500. "Some say towns, even some cities, are ahead of us in offering these kinds of facilities," Ocker admitted. "The miniature golf course is a basic style course well over 20 years old. We spend some money each year on maintenance but it's not the style we feel we should be offering to residents and guests."

The standard price for up-to-date or deluxe miniature golf is $5-$6. The department got their projections by charging a $3 fee and only using a percent capacity of 20 percent during daytime hours and 35 percent during evening hours. For the May 15-Sept. 15 period, the village could potentially generate over $100,000. "We feel this would be an excellent recreational improvement and an opportunity for good, wholesome recreation here in the village," Ocker added.

Mayor Gerard Lundquist, who attended the budget overview with fellow village board members, reiterated to residents that what has been proposed by the various department heads and what will actually be budgeted for are two entirely different aspects of the budget process. For example, money earmarked for the controversial perimeter path around the St. Paul's property is currently included in the five-year capital plan. However, the board of trustees must approve the proposal in order for it to move forward. More importantly, residents will have their chance to voice their opinions at the next budget session to be held at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, March 4 in village hall.