Village department heads presented ambitious capital projects during the 26th annual budget overview of Garden City's five-year capital plan Feb. 14.

Although Village Administrator Robert Schoelle admitted it is difficult to forecast five years down the road, this analysis does provide the village with an opportunity to identify projects and equipment needs and forecast the future, keeping in mind various financing options.

"We've done, I think, a very good job with careful capital planning, avoiding many, many pitfalls along the way in terms of maintenance. Unlike many communities throughout the nation, we've avoided deferring maintaining our infrastructure with the knowledge that you really can't put it off to a large extent," Schoelle added. "It is vitally important that everybody understand this is truly a compilation of all the input that we have received from the property owners' associations, the Chamber of Commerce, the executive staff and items that have been on prior capital budgets within the five-year plan. There's a lot of work to be done, a lot of pairing down, a lot of deferring of items in order to maximize the efficiency of the upcoming budget..."

From a historical perspective, capital plans range from 10 to 15 or 16 percent of the total village budget; last year plans represented 17 percent while this year they represent 20 percent, inclusive of future debt service ($1.9 million worth of debt service that cannot be deferred), Village Auditor James Olivo noted.

"This kind of shows a bit of a pent-up demand for capital projects. They are getting more expensive to do and there is a lot of need and desire out there. This plan is trying to meet the desires of the community and minimize the effect on today's taxpayer while also thinking about what next year's taxpayer is going to have to deal with," Olivo continued.

Trustee and Finance Commissioner Gerard Lundquist wants residents to keep in mind that capital budget projects prepare the village for its future. "Some of these projects take a while ... we talk about them sometimes, we defer them but ultimately they do come to fruition and ultimately make what Garden City is, a great place to live," he said.

Many projects have been accomplished through the years, dating back to 1992, with some still being paid for. Interestingly, St. Paul's will be completely paid for in 2013 and the 1999 Franklin Avenue Streetscape project will be paid off next year, which frees up capital monies. The current Garden City Public Library renovations as well as improvements being made to the Community Park building and mini-golf/platform tennis area won't be paid off until 2022.

"This plan won't happen without borrowing," Olivo said. "The question is do we borrow this year or do we wait until next year?"

Future considerations thought to be big-ticket items for financing at this time include Garden City Village Hall building modifications, improved roller hockey rinks, continued business district improvements, a possible indoor sports center adjacent to the Cherry Valley fields and reconstruction of parking areas and roads.

With extensive technology used at Village Hall and within the Garden City Police Department, there is a request for $183,000 constant dollars for more than 120 devices. The network, according to Olivo, includes the Village Yard, Water Works, Recreation and Village Hall. "There's additional technology coming down the road. We're prepared for it. We're funded for it. We think this is the way to go," he said.

Garden City Fire Captain Harry G. Frank is requesting, on behalf of the department, apparatus replacement, which is funded every year. Engines are replaced on a 15-year schedule; ladder apparatus on a 25-year schedule; heavy rescue apparatus on a 15-year schedule; personnel carriers on a 10-year schedule; chief's SUVs on an eight-year schedule; and the duty lieutenant command vehicle on a four-year schedule.

The department is also requesting $17,500 for the replacement of Station 2's apparatus doors, an item that was deferred from the 2007-08 capital plan. According to Captain Frank, the current doors were scraped and repainted during the summer of 2006, the corners of wood door panels are showing rot and numerous cracks and wind and rain leak through them.

"We've been trying to keep them in service by painting them but they are in need of repair," he said. Station 2 is currently in the design phase.

Further, another $65,000 is budgeted for the replacement of the peaked roof at Station 3, located at 27 St. James Street North, which has had an issue with water and heavy rains.

The installation of a natural gas-fueled emergency generator at Station 3, estimated to cost $45,000, has been deferred to the 2009-2010 budget.

Garden City Police Commissioner Ernest Cipullo would like to renovate the front desk area of headquarters, asking for $197,000 to do the job, although he admits this estimate is a bit stale since officials have been reviewing the project for the past year.

Reasons for the upgrade include insufficient building security in a post-September 11, 2001 world, inadequate office space and storage do not meet current needs and the filing systems, cabinets and desktops are showing wear after more than 15 years of service.

Police headquarters has not undergone any substantial enhancements in more than a decade. Plans include a new floor plan, new work stations, file cabinets and furniture, a ballistic deterrent system, similar to those commonly used in financial institutions, as well as, and perhaps most importantly, an entry security system.

Commissioner Cipullo said the new entry security system would improve officer safety, secure non-public entrances into police headquarters and keep a log of all personnel entering police headquarters.

Another improvement the department hopes to make is through the use of Live Scan, a fingerprint and photograph system that would enable the department to efficiently record fingerprints and photos of arrested subjects. These fingerprints and photos would then be immediately transferred to FBI and DCJS for identification and wanted person inquiry.

"This is a system Nassau County is going into now," Commissioner Cipullo explained. "We don't have a choice." The good news is that Nassau County will reimburse the village for all Live Scan equipment expenses. The county is paying for all the equipment, which is only being offered to certain departments, including Garden City, Lynbrook, Freeport, Rockville Centre, Hempstead and Long Beach, with seized money mandated by law to be used for police purposes only. Such a system will cut down on arrest time.

The department is also looking to replace six department vehicles for $147,000. The current fleet consists of 25 vehicles, including eight marked cars, five of which are used 24/7, one marked Tahoe, the patrol supervisor's vehicle, eight unmarked cars, two marked Suburbans primarily used at truck inspection check points or during severe weather conditions, one unmarked Expedition, which carries tactical weapons and is used at critical incidents and as an undercover surveillance vehicle, and five marked Blazers used by police aides for parking enforcement and traffic details.

The ongoing Garden City Public Library renovations, which came about in response to focus groups, includes the expansion of the Young Adult area, the creation of a lower level Media Center, the refurbishment of the Adult Reading Lounge and a new lower level Computer Center. The updated Young Adult area and Adult Reading Lounge are currently in service. Library officials anticipate that the lower level Media Center would begin operation this month while the lower level Computer Center is expected to be up and running come April.

Suggested capital improvements include upgrades to the local area network and a conversion of bathrooms in the children's section. "We've had numerous complaints from moms and dads that there isn't enough room for changing tables," Library Director Alan Roeckel said. The plan is to remove the dividing wall and combine both children's section bathrooms into one family bathroom.

Roeckel also hopes the library could replace the lower level galley, which is 35 years old and heavily used. "The recreation staff did a fine job on their galley area," he said, adding that the library is looking into recreation staff to do the job.

Perhaps the most interesting capital improvement request was obtaining a Microturbine Generator Study, roughly the size of a large refrigerator. Roeckel said such a system could provide light to the entire building and heat power during the winter. "This is where the real efficiencies kick in," he said.

Roeckel further noted that the exhaust gas could offset the cost of air conditioning in the summer, which runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. beginning May 1 at 24 cents a kilowatt per hour. "We spend an awful lot of money during the summer air conditioning this place," Roeckel continued.

With more than 100 pieces of equipment in the department, $437,000 has been requested to replace certain pieces in order to decrease downtime due to equipment failure.

Additional projects include sidewalk repairs and curb replacement, road resurfacing and repairs, sewer repairs and relining and tree planting. According to Robert Mangan, Department of Public Works (DPW) director, while the village takes down approximately 100 trees per year, 300-400 trees are planted. Moreover, the Franklin Court water main was completed in February, with curb replacement and repaving work to follow.

The resurfacing of Parking Fields 7N, 12, 5 and Fair Court is being requested at a cost of $1.7 million, which is requested to be bonded. "This would complete almost all the parking field work," Mangan noted, adding that the Country Life Press train station parking lot is not as high a priority right now although Eastern Property Owners' Association residents have been asking for its improvement for the past six years, according to Poplar Street resident Bill Bellmer.

Business district improvements are included in the department's capital budget, namely Franklin Avenue between Eleventh Street and Old Country Road. The department, with great approval from the Garden City Chamber of Commerce, hopes to further incorporate lighting, benches and bus shelters all the way to Old Country Road, all for $1.2 million. Mangan noted that the plan does not call for brick pavers in front of the newly opened and refurbished county courthouse, Nassau County Police Department building nor the Sears building.

Garden City Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Althea Robinson applauded the continuation of improvements along one of the village's business corridors. "Thank you for getting this into the budget. The chamber looks forward to sitting down with you," she said, adding though that Parking Field 6E has been plagued with major flooding and hasn't been resurfaced in years. Mangan admitted the department wants to "milk that lot" for another two more seasons.

A Garden City Village Hall elevator is also in the works, if approved, at a projected cost of $1.7 million. The ADA-compliant elevator, which would be located in the southeast corner of the building, would give accessibility to the second floor. A patio rehabilitation at Garden City Fire Department Headquarters is also included in the $1.7 million cost.

"The roof concrete is spoiling," Mangan said, "causing water intrusion into the vehicle bays." The patio is located specifically above the fire apparatus bays and adjacent to the department's meeting room.

Suggested capital projects include Well 7 GAC filters, which provide low-level VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) removal. Mangan noted that architectural housing would be provided over the filters, which would be located behind the Well 7 house. VOC removal at Well 8 is also suggested, specifically the replacement of the existing tower serving Well 12 with a tower that serves Wells 8 and 12. "I hate to say it but then all the wells will have treatment on them," Mangan said.

Further, treatment at Well 9, located adjacent to Edgemere Park, entails enhancing the performance of existing treatment with the addition of spray nozzles inside the tower. The plant's profile will remain the same.

Additional projects include water main improvements, specifically $100,000 for the Newmarket Road water main, west of Nassau Boulevard down to Tanners Pond Road, an upgrade of the Well 12 building, including electric, hydrant and meter replacement and SCADA equipment upgrades.

One of the most exciting plans in the recreation department's budget is the creation of an indoor sports center adjacent to the Cherry Valley parking lot. The idea is in the early stages and is under study, according to Recreation Director Kevin Ocker, admitting that the cost of such a center is more than what was projected one year ago.

"This would only be run as an enterprise if it ever was to be considered," Ocker continued. The proposed 50,000 square foot structure could provide $1.5 million in revenue potential with no tax burden on residents.

There are issues, however, with the current site and consulting firms are under consideration although Ocker said the department has not moved forward with an award.

The department is also looking to replace the village's roller hockey rinks at an $800,000 price tag. Ocker said the rinks are approximately 12 years old and experience severe surface cracking.

"We're delighted that the program has just exploded and is growing in the community but we have issues. We have to do something but it's not going to be cheap," Ocker admitted.

Ocker continued, adding that if this project has to be deferred, the department needs to ensure - one way or another - that the surface they are encouraging faculty to use is in fact safe.

Fence replacement at a price of $50,000 is suggested primarily for backstop replacement at fields in Community Park and another $50,000 is being requested for the replacement of various tennis courts. Ocker said this particular item could be deferred if need be and that the department could improve drainage problems with the help of DPW, a job that could be done in-house.