What a great time of the year. The weather is cooler, the kids are back in school and Election Day is right around the corner. I write to you today to update everyone on the tremendous progress the Hicksville Gardens Civic Association continues to make in addressing the issues that affect us as a community. The following are some of the issues we have been working on.

Loews: Due to our diligence in pointing out irregularities in the state and town applications the Town of Oyster Bay has placed this application on hold pending further review. We anxiously await the town's decision on our request to close Willis Court to vehicular traffic.

CERT (Community Emergency Response Team): Volunteers assist emergency personnel during local emergencies. Nineteen members of the association attended the eight-week training program.

Bagga Associates (former motel issue): Mr. Bagga plans to build a two-story retail facility with underground parking at the former TJ Courney property. I met with Mr. Bagga on Sept. 27 to discuss the signage at the triangle he adopted on the corner of Lee Avenue and South Broadway/Route 107. Mr. Bagga informed me that he and other local merchants have been discussing the adoption of the median between Murray and Rave on Route 107 and transforming it into something similar to what we had the state do between Lewis/Somerset and Gerald Avenue.

Avnit Plaza: The ZBA has approved a variance to allow less parking than required by town code. The town will allow an Asian restaurant to operate in Avint Plaza with significantly reduced parking availability. This allowance will force all those employed within the plaza to park within the residential side streets north of Bloomingdale Road. The block and board of the Hicksville Gardens Civic Association opposes this decision.

Hibachi Restaurant: The owner and town officials met with us last spring to discuss the application. After addressing our concerns the town board approved this restaurant, which will be located at the former bank building located south of the Compare Food Complex.

Taco Bell: The Taco Bell located on Old Country Road and South Broadway/Route 107 is looking to relocate and build a drive-through facility in the Delco Plaza Shopping Center. Representatives of Taco Bell met with our membership on Oct. 12. The membership was not favorably disposed to the proposed plan questioning the safety of such a development. Issues such as traffic flow, adult and child pedestrian safety within the shopping center, parking, noise, odor and rodent issues were raised. The board member and block captain representing this area and I plan to meet privately with Taco Bell officials in the near future to further discuss our concerns.

Election Day: I encourage everyone to go out and vote Tuesday. We have approximately 25,000 registered voters in Hicksville yet we're lucky if we get 2,000 to 3,000 to actually come out and vote.

Politicians pay attention to numbers, to people who vote. We as a community have an obligation to let our elected officials know that we care about the place we call home. We have an obligation to let our elected officials know that we either agree or disagree with their positions. We have the right to question decisions being made on our behalf that affect our quality of life and as American citizens of this great nation it is our duty to exercise that right on Election Day. Vote. It counts!

Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Hicksville Public Library Kenneth Barnes Community Room.

Henry A Goessmann

President, Hicksville Gardens Civic Association