After serving an approximate six months in office, Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray said she believes that many developments have taken place and plans for more in the future. In a recent interview with the editors of Anton Newspapers, the supervisor noted some successful town-wide developments, especially in the environmental area and those concerning quality of life issues for town residents.

The supervisor discussed the recent groundbreaking at the town's newest environmental preserve, the Lido Beach Passive Nature Area. Noting that open space in the town, as well as all of Nassau County, is rare, Murray said that town officials are proud that they were able to secure the 40-acre parcel and are looking to seal yet another 60 acres down Lido Blvd.

"We entered into a management agreement with the state DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) so that they retain title to the land, but we will be the official managers," Murray explained. She noted that it will probably be a five year start-to-finish project in getting the preserve up to speed. She said the first year will consist of cleaning the preserve, followed by construction, which will be very passive, consisting of a seashell parking lot with approximately 20 parking spaces.

"It's going to be very passive and low key. The walking paths will give people an opportunity to have educational groups and seminars in the area," she said. In addition, the supervisor added that there will be a number of sanctuaries for birds that are either already on the endangered species list or are threatened. "There will be natural habitats for some species as well as marine life. It's going to be great."

In addition to the 40 acres, the town received a $50,000 grant from Secretary of State Randy A. Daniels, which will assist in the cleanup process, which will be done strictly by the town. Murray said this is the most cost-effective method of rehabbing the preserve.

"We have the expertise in-house through our Department of Conservation and Waterways to rehab the areas while being sensitive to the nesting grounds and the marine/sea life," she said. The supervisor added that the town is starting to recruit volunteers to assist in the cleanup process. The Lido Preserve is in addition to the town's existing Levy Preserve, which recently received some new additions of its own. Butterfly houses and Terrapin nesting areas were recently included. "Each year we try to add another element, different elements that make the preserves even richer than they are now," Murray said.

In addition to the progress at the preserves, another environmental development was the town's possession of 77 Global Electric Motorcars (GEMs).

"What's great about them is that they came strictly through a state grant and we used them immediately," Murray said. The supervisor added that town water meter readers used to use economy cars, which cost about five cents a mile, while the GEMs cost about a penny a mile.

"These GEMs can go up to 35 miles per hour. Since all the town streets have a 30 mile per hour speed limit, they can go down our residential streets," she said. "Environmentally, it's great. They have zero emissions; absolutely no pollution. We immediately put them in all of our parks and they run around the beach all the time. They were immediately incorporated, they're not just 'cute' showpieces."

The supervisor also noted that the town is in the midst of a $40 million park renovation. Over the past two years, renovations have been under way in many of the town's 192 parks. Playgrounds in almost every park have been done, in addition to basketball and tennis courts. The supervisor said that all parks should be renovated within the next two years.

According to Murray, a major concern throughout the Town of Hempstead, as well as all of Nassau County and Long Island, is affordable housing for residents looking to become homeowners and housing for the town's senior citizens. The supervisor said that there are over 200 affordable single family homes in the town now and that another 14 are in the process of being constructed, with yet another 19 expected to be completed by next year.

"They're beautiful homes, they're not basic at all," Murray explained. "The homebuyer, if he or she is income eligible, pays $112,000 for the home. On top of the incredibly good price, they also get 10 years of tax breaks because their assessment stays at that $112,000 price tag for 10 years before it goes up. It's a phenomenal program.

"On the senior level, we can't build them fast enough. So many seniors are looking to stay in their community where they raised their families," Murray said, adding that many seniors just no longer have the ability or desire to be mowing lawns, fixing roofs and performing other maintenance tasks. "We're trying to build as many units as we can. As fast as senior housing units are built, they're scooped up. It's not even the building that's a problem, it's the open space. We have a whole real estate division that literally just scouts for land."

The supervisor said that there are two 30-unit developments currently being built in Levittown and Elmont. She also discussed plans for the Roosevelt Raceway property in Westbury.

"We created a special zoning for that property with a 20 percent component in it - 10 percent is set aside for senior housing and 10 percent for affordable housing," she said. "That's the largest rental development with this kind of a housing component on Long Island. Some are starting out in Suffolk, but this is by far the largest in Nassau County," Murray said. The supervisor added that the town board resolution was passed in December and the company building and maintaining the property is anxious to get started. She also noted that as the homes are built, they are going to have a rolling tenancy, allowing residents to move in as the homes become available.

In regard to quality of life issues, the supervisor said that illegal housing has become a major issue throughout the town.

"Right after I became supervisor, I directed our town attorney staff to think up ways of strengthening the existing code. The way it was beforehand, basically the homeowner could refuse an inspector's request to enter a premises and that was the end of the inquiry," she explained. "Now we can look at the visual indicia on the outside of the home."

Murray said that some visual indicators town inspectors look for include multiple mailboxes or utility boxes. Additionally, the town's 38 building inspectors also, to the extent possible, go through newspapers to look for advertisements for accessory apartments.

Other quality of life improvements taking place throughout many town communities include the $16 million road improvement project and the façade program. Murray said that the façade program, which is under way in areas such as East Meadow, Franklin Square, Levittown, Elmont and Seaford, has been a huge success.

"We pay 55 percent, most times, of the façade improvements, so local businesses are getting a great fix for half price," she said. "It's a much wider spectrum than one might think as far as which communities are eligible for the money. The program is a real boost to the downtowns and to the upgrading of the quality of life in our little communities. That's the nice thing about downtown revitalizations - you make people sort of come right back to the heart of their community."