North Hempstead Supervisor Looks to the Future

By Eileen Brennan

In a visit with Anton Newspapers this week, Town of North Hempstead Supervisor May Newburger maintained her usual aplomb and optimism as she gave a glimpse into what her next term will hold. Supervisor Newburger held off a challenge by Republican Maureen O'Connell last November although her running mates, Councilmen Fred Pollack and John Fabio and Town Clerk Deena Lesser were defeated.

One piece of good news for North Hempstead is the sale of property the town owned under the viaduct between Great Neck and Manhasset. The property has been sold to developer Bob Fromer whose company paid the town slightly more than $1 million for the 2.4 acres. The plan is for an apartment house to be built on the site. Earlier projects to build senior housing at the same location came to nothing. This time, according to the supervisor, "the money is in the bank." She said that the residents of the Bayview area of Manhasset should see an immediate improvement to their shoreline as Mr. Fromer plans to build a weir to prevent the arm of Manhasset Bay from draining as it has in the past (weir: a dam placed across a river or canal to raise or divert the water, as for a millrace or to regulate the flow). A footbridge is also proposed between the property and the Nassau County-owned park across the western end of Bayview Avenue.

Supervisor Newburger hopes to see all the town's plans for the former Morewood property on Hempstead Harbor in Port Washington well in place. The golf course and related athletic fields are expected to open next summer. The town hopes to see the "shovels in the ground" for the senior housing by spring.

Aside from Morewood, the supervisor says she hopes to further "firm up the town's fiscal situation." At present, she said, all the departments except the highway department are running in the black and it is hoped that, presuming no weather disasters this winter, that the highway department will see the light of day financially before long. "I would like us to be in a situation so we're not hit on the head if we find we have to buy two trucks, or some other major expense," she said.

Ms. Newburger said that she realizes that North Hempstead needs to undertake a revision of its building code and she and the town board will examine that possibility next year. "It's too huge a job to do in house, " she said.

Looking to the way her administration will proceed in 1998-1999, Supervisor Newburger acknowledged that the situation has changed from her first two terms when she had an entire board consisting of members of her own party. The former New York State Assemblywoman said, "I have worked well with Republicans in Albany and I think I can work with them in North Hempstead," although she acknowledged that it is a different matter working at a small, local level than working in a large state. She reiterated her former call for councilmanic districts, rather than the present at-large method of selecting town board members. It is within the power of the town board to pass legislation creating councilmanic districts which would then go to the voters in a referendum.

Supervisor Newburger will deliver the annual State of the Town message at the League of Women Voters luncheon at the George Washington Manor in Roslyn on Friday, Jan. 23. The annual event is open to the public.