Around the Town: July 5, 2011

July Summer Concerts

Every summer, the Town of Hempstead’s Summer Concert Series, hosted by the Department of Parks and Recreation, brings talented musicians to perform at the town’s neighborhood parks. Our lineup this year features an exciting range of musical genres, from the smooth sounds of Sinatra and classic rock to the Doo-Wop hits of the 1960s and the sounds of the Caribbean.

Mayor's Report: June 28, 2011

Parking Field #5 - Rear of 520 Franklin Avenue — Garden City Medical Center

Work in Parking Field #5 is ongoing. All curb and sidewalk work has been completed and the contractor is now preparing the lot for paving. The first row of parking is currently partially closed and will be fully closed this week/early next week for paving and striping. Weather permitting, work will be completed in this field by early next week at which time it will be reopened to the public. In the meantime, parking is available on both Fifth and Sixth streets; please take notice of the temporary parking restrictions posted by the Police Department. The owners’ of 520 Franklin Ave. have also arranged parking on the east side of Franklin Avenue and have personnel outside to direct traffic there. Parking Field #6E (east of Franklin Avenue, south of Seventh Street) is also available for use during construction. Please exercise caution when driving or walking near areas of construction. We thank you for your patience and cooperation during this much needed construction improvement.

Letter: Property Tax Cap and Police Salaries

On May 17, 2011 an arbitrator issued an award determining police salaries for five years. It raised their pay approximately 20 percent over this period of time. This award was the result of a voluntary Arbitration Agreement between the village and the PBA, which set forth the criteria for the arbitration award.

Mayor’s Report: June 21, 2011

Congratulations to the Adelphi Women’s Lacrosse Team

I would like to offer congratulations, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, to the Adelphi Women’s Lacrosse Team, Coach Joe Spallina and Director of Athletics Robert Hartwell for Adelphi’s victory over Limestone College of Gaffney, South Carolina, in the NCAA Division II women’s national lacrosse championship game. This was Adelphi’s third consecutive national title and the fifth in eight years for Adelphi. The Panthers finished the season 20-0.

Around the Town: June 21, 2011

Hempstead Town’s July 4th Celebration

The Town of Hempstead proudly takes part in the celebration of our nation’s independence with our Annual Independence Day Celebration and Veterans Salute.  The salute will occur on Saturday, June 25 at 7:30 p.m.

The evening will feature a ceremony honoring veterans from throughout the Township who have distinguished themselves in service to their country and their community. The evening will also include a free concert featuring the legendary rock ‘n’ roll group Blood, Sweat and Tears and will conclude with a spectacular fireworks finale. Pre-concert attractions include classic and vintage cars on display from several area car clubs.  In addition to the classic cars, there will be an impressive array of military vehicles and armored equipment from the 2nd Marines 25th Battalion of Garden City.

Mayor’s Report: June 17, 2011

Replacement of the Franklin Avenue Crosswalks

Work on the Franklin Avenue crosswalks has been completed. We thank you for your patience and cooperation during this project.

Fair Court Parking Field Update

Work in the Fair Court Parking Field has also been completed. The lot has been fully reopened for public use and all temporary parking restrictions on the nearby streets have been returned to normal. Again, we thank you for your patience and cooperation during this project.

Mayor’s Report: June 10, 2011

Replacement of the Franklin Avenue Crosswalks

As I write this column, work continues on the Franklin Avenue crosswalks. As of today, only a few more nights will be required to complete this project. Again, this is all subject to weather conditions.

We appreciate your continued cooperation during this much-needed improvement and will work to complete the project in a timely manner. If you have any questions regarding this project, please contact the Public Works Department at (516) 465-4004 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Please use caution when driving/walking past the areas that are under construction.

Around the Town: June 10, 2011

Displaying Our Flag

On Tuesday, June 14 many Americans demonstrate their patriotism by displaying the “Stars and Stripes” for Flag Day.

Americans are proud of our flag, the symbol of this great nation, our constitution and the liberty we enjoy. Many men and women have made enormous sacrifices so that we might live in peace and freedom.

Mayor's Report: June 3, 2011

Memorial Day Information

Village offices will be closed on Monday, May 30, in observance of Memorial Day and will reopen on Tuesday, May 31 at 8:30 a.m. For your convenience, correspondence for the village may be placed in the “Letter” drop slot at the front door.

Residents are reminded that there will be no garbage or recycling pickup on Monday, May 30. Garbage will be collected Tuesday and Friday for the Western half and Wednesday and Saturday for the Eastern half of the Village. Those scheduled for recycling are asked to put their recyclables out on Monday, June 6.

Rubbish collection for the entire Village will be on Thursday, June 2nd.

School Boards: No Tax Cap Without Mandate Relief

Let’s be clear: a 2 percent tax cap on school districts fails to address the root causes of our ever-increasing tax burden.

Politicians and special interest groups can trumpet the tax cap all they want, but homeowners across New York will find their taxes continuing to rise unless their elected officials get serious about relieving local schools of millions of dollars of costs tied up in state mandates that do nothing to advance student achievement.