The North Hempstead Town Board voted at its regular meeting on April 20 to award a contract for purchase and installation of playground equipment at Mary Jane Davies Green Park to Louis Barbato Landscaping, Inc. of Ronkonkoma. According to the town, two bids were received for the project but only one was responsive to the bid specifications and constituted a responsible bidder. The amount of the contract is $64,076. The vote on the contract award was unanimous so it looks as if Manhasset will have a playground in its downtown area for the first time.

A public hearing to consider the adoption of a local law amending Chapter 70 of the Town of North Hempstead regarding senior citizen housing within the town ended inconclusively and the hearing will be carried over to the May 18 meeting as the result of a unanimous vote.

The board also voted unanimously to pass a resolution proposing that Town of North Hempstead veterans be eligible for a discount at all town parks and recreational facilities. While the Democratic members of the board found some technical problems with the original proposal, these were resolved and Supervisor May Newburger introduced the resolution on behalf of all of the town board members. William Baxter of Manhasset, former commander of the Manhasset American Legion and of the Nassau County American Legion, applauded the resolution but deplored the political infighting that preceded it, saying that veterans' issues should not become political footballs. In order to take advantage of the reduced fees, the veteran must produce a certified copy of his/her Form DD-214 showing a discharge, "under any condition other than dishonorable," from the Armed Forces of the United States. All veterans of World War II and the Korean War already are eligible for the senior citizen discount and the new legislation does not give them an additional discount.

Councilwoman Doreen Banks introduced a resolution, which passed unanimously, urging the State of New York to amend the vehicle and traffic law "to prohibit the use of cellular and wireless telephones while operating a motor vehicle on public highways." Such a bill has been introduced in the New York State Assembly by Democratic Assemblyman David Sidikman and in the State Senate by Republican State Senator Carl Marcellino. The bill would permit exception in the case of an emergency. Assistant Commissioner of Social Services Deena Lesser subsequently circulated petitions to the public in support of the resolution. Mrs. Lesser's husband, Frank, was killed last year in an automobile accident in which the other driver is alleged to have been using a cell phone.

The board set a date of May 18 for a public hearing on the application of the Manhasset Park District "for certain capital improvements and the financing thereof." (See related article on page 3.)

The board voted along partisan lines on the issue of appointing a special counsel to the town. The town is considering an environmental bond act and the majority held it to be necessary that "specialized legal services are necessary to represent the town in the preparation for such a referendum." Supervisor Newburger, Councilwoman Doreen Banks and Councilman Tony D'Urso voted in favor; Councilman Angelo Ferrara and James O'Connor voted against.