The 2005 City of Glen Cove budget was presented to the public, and approved by city council, at the Glen Cove City Council meeting of Tuesday, Oct. 12. After opening the public hearing, Mayor Mary Ann Holzkamp spoke of challenges faced by the city and of opportunities offered to the city.

She noted that most of the increased budgetary costs the city is facing are the same ones being faced by most municipalities in the nation. The largest increases in the budget are in the areas of salaries for CSEA employees and police department members as well as payroll taxes, health and dental insurance and utility costs. Also, the mayor said, the New York State Retirement System had "an appreciable impact on this budget." The 2005 budget indicates total appropriations of $34,188,905, a conservative increase over the $32,286,968 of 2004. Total revenues for 2005 are $15,989,015, resulting in an amount of $18,199,890 to be raised by property taxes. According to City Controller Vincent Suozzi, this translates to a four percent increase for residential taxpayers and seven percent for commercial taxpayers.

Ms. Holzkamp said she is optimistic about the city's future and the "scores of improvements ...in recent years." She noted the downtown, where new businesses such as Cold Stone Creamery, New Health Pediatrics, Claynation and Café Rustica "proudly display their names along busy streets."

Calling Glen Cove "the best place to be," the mayor listed Walgreen's and Washington Mutual Bank as on their way to the city, and the Glen Street CVS and Ruby Tuesday, which are planning expansions. She added that the city has pending applications for at least 10 new expansions and subdivisions, plus residential and business requests for more than a half dozen applications not yet ready for processing. The mayor said the AvalonBay apartments are boasting an 85 percent occupancy rate with 95 percent expected by the renting agent "very shortly."

The city has received a federal EPA grant of $75,000 to be used for water quality improvement for the Glen Cove Creek area. The money will be used to improve surface water, reduce storm water runoff and provide public access for recreational use of the water. Natural resources and wetlands improvement are included.

The mayor stated that the waterfront project continues to move forward, with funding for the removal of the waste at Captain's Cove now authorized in the amount of $20 million. Work should commence before the end of 2004. Mayor Holzkamp praised the many agencies and developers that are working to help the city "get it right" at the waterfront, most especially city workers and volunteers involved in the project.

She finished her remarks by stating that "Glen Cove property values are at an all-time high, our city is bustling with new businesses and new residents and our outlook for the future is bright. Glen Cove is fast becoming the place to be."

When the council members voted to approve the budget, special appreciation was given to Councilman Mike Norman for his time, effort and expertise in finances, and to the mayor and the controller for the extra hours put in.

The meeting was over in short order, as Tuesday night was the first game of the Yankees/Red Sox ALCS series, and that subject was discussed almost as much as the budget.

The next meeting of the Glen Cove City Council will be on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in city hall chambers.