Plaza’s Bond Street/ North Station Promenade Night

Thursday Evening, July 16

The Village of Great Neck Plaza welcomes residents, neighbors and friends to another evening of fine dining and entertainment under the stars. After the successful Promenade Night on June 25 on Middle Neck Road and Grace Avenue, this second Promenade Night of Summer 2009 will take place on Bond Street and North Station Plaza, reprising the two very successful Summer 2008 promenades on Bond Street, with this summer’s version being expanded to include the restaurants on North Station Plaza.

Settlement on 2 Potters Lane Tree Case

Lawyers for the Village of Great Neck and the United Mashadi Jewish Community of America reached a settlement on the trees case on 2 Potters Lane, which was approved by village justice Jerome Reisman on June 24. With all three defendants pleading guilty, the court agreed to a fine of $40,000, nearly $1,000 per tree illegally removed, and also requires that three trees be planted for every one cut down. Although the village may fine up to $5,000 per tree under the ordinance, this was the highest fine ever imposed by the village court for such an offense.

Crucial Decisions Ahead: Library Renovation

Library board members are at a crossroad in making vital decisions about the redesign of a renovated library building and it is time for members of the public to get more informed and involved in the process.
On Thursday, July 16, there will be a special meeting of the board of trustees to discuss design and cost options of the three plans that have been submitted by Dattner Architects. On Monday, July 20, the building committee will meet with the architect to further discuss design and cost options. Both meetings will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Main library and the public is urged to attend both meetings.

Village of Kensington Celebrates a Centennial With a Day in the Park

On June 7, the weather cooperated and a lovely day unfolded as the Village of Kensington celebrated its 100-year anniversary. Almost 500 people joined in the festivities as both young and old, recent and long time residents came together to have a party. There were lots of exhibits including “Where in the world is your family from;” fingerprinting and safety demonstrations by the Kensington police force; an historical exhibit with over a dozen binders and photo albums to peruse; a community networking table; numerous raffle prizes and a centennial montage set to music created by one of the residents. 

The Class of 2009—Honors and Awards

An overview of the Great Neck Public Schools Class of 2009 reveals 544 graduates from our three high schools: 224 from North, 305 from South, and 15 from the Village School. Almost 98 percent of the graduates will pursue higher education in either four- or two-year colleges. The remainder historically seeks employment, vocational training, or enlistment in the Armed Services. Graduation ceremonies for North and South High Schools take place on Thursday, June 25, at Tilles Center, C.W. Post Campus, Long Island University, with North’s ceremony in the morning and South’s in the afternoon. The Village School graduation was held on Wednesday afternoon, June 24, at the school.

Quality of Life on Steamboat, Fear and Frustration

A group of approximately 60 frustrated residents from the Steamboat Road area attended a public safety meeting in the Village of Great Neck in response to an invitation by Mayor Ralph Kreitzman and Trustee Mark Birnbaum, the village’s public safety commissioner. Captain Sean McCarthy, deputy commanding officer from the 6th Precinct, listened to a stream of complaints about groups of “menacing” men who congregate outside, openly drinking beer, publicly urinating, making unwelcome noises if women walk by, littering, playing loud radios, smashing bottles, and generally making life miserable for surrounding residents. The residents are convinced that there is drug dealing in the area. As a result, parents are loath to let their kids play outside or send them to the corner deli to pick up a quart of milk because parents are worried about what they may see and hear. One mother said, “Do we have to wait until there is a drive-by shooting to do something?”

School District Considers Leasing Watermill Property

Proposals From Firefighters and Park District

The Great Neck Public Schools Board of Education is reviewing proposals from the Great Neck Park District and the three Great Neck fire departments for the lease of the school district’s property on Watermill Lane. The park district would like to use the former Cuttermill School site for athletic fields, while the Alert, Vigilant and Manhasset-Lakeville fire companies would like to use the site for fire-fighting training. Both have stated that they would be willing to share the lease on the now-vacant 3.74 acre piece of land located within the Town of North Hempstead.

Three Villages Holding Elections Tuesday, June 16

(Editor’s Note: Immediately after the petitions for candidacy were filed the Great Neck Record contacted each of the three villages holding elections. Each village clerk/treasurer was advised that the Record would accept a photograph and short biography and statement of intent to run for office from each candidate. To date only the Village of Great Neck candidates have chosen to comply and have submitted the following statements.)

The villages of Great Neck, Kings Point and Lake Success will all hold elections this coming Tuesday, June 16. Seats are open for mayor and trustee positions. None of these villages will see a contested election.

BZA Sends 2 Potters Lane Case Back to Court

The Village of Great Neck’s Board of Zoning Appeals, on advice of counsel, has deferred making a ruling on the application by the United Mashadi Jewish Community of America for the construction of a parking lot on 2 Potters Lane until it can be heard in the village court.

Chris Prior, from the law firm of Ackerman, Levine, Cullen, Brickman & Limmer, stated that village law requires that “every department, board and committee of the village shall withhold the processing of any application” made to them “if the building inspector has determined that a violation of any provision of the Village Code exists on or at the subject property, or a summons has been issued with regard to an alleged violation of any provision of the Village Code on or at any other property owned by the owner or the applicant within the village.” Further, village law states that the prohibition may be lifted if  “the Board of Trustees, in its sole discretion, grants a waiver from such prohibition. Among the criteria the Board of Trustees may consider in determining whether or not to grant such a waiver is if the applicant is acting in good faith and with due diligence to cure the violations, or presents a case of hardship, similar to that required for a use variance before the Board of Appeals.”

Bills to Dissolve/ Consolidate Villages And Districts in Play

Legislation to make it easier to dissolve or consolidate villages and special districts has snowballed through both the New York State Assembly and Senate’s relevant committees and is expected to reach both floors for a vote as soon as this week. Albany’s seasoned spectators are watching with astonishment, given the usual glacial movement there, as this legislation proposed by gubernatorial contender Attorney General Andrew Cuomo rolls by with the support of key legislative leaders, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and State Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith.

The only districts exempted in this legislation are school districts, but all others, water, fire, sewage and garbage are included.