1982 - Twenty-five years ago, I bought 14 Locust Place (immediately behind the Bayview Firehouse) and offered it to the Manhasset Park Commission for exactly my cost because the community needed additional parking. Their response, thanks, but no thanks.

Between 1992 and 2000, all houses on both sides of Locust Place changed hands and the Manhasset Park District again did nothing.

2000 - The community raised the possible acquisition of the Wright Parking Lot for shoppers so the Manhasset Park District formed the Independent Plandome Road Commission. At no cost to the taxpayer, the Commission staffed by volunteers with expertise in finance, real estate development, law and architecture, identified exactly what the Town of North Hempstead just paid consultants to determine. During the existence of the Commission, 26 Locust Place again came on the market and again the park district vacillated stating that by the time they got the approvals and the financing, the property would be sold. I bought the property and offered to hold it until the park district accomplished the bureaucratic necessities. Six months passed but, once again, the park district said thanks, but no thanks. The commission also pointed out that the American Legion operated a commercial parking lot (without a permit, without paying real estate taxes and without collecting sales tax) which could be a major relief to our parking problem, particularly since the Legion does not welcome shopper parking even on the weekends. But for some reason this is a political hot potato.

2005 - I approached the newly constituted park district board and proposed that I would demolish 26 Locust Place and convert it to a parking lot that I would rent Monday through Friday and shoppers could use it without charge on the weekends. The quid pro quo from the Manhasset Park District would be they plow it and cover me under their liability policy. Their response (you'll never guess) thanks, but no thanks because they intended to use their resources elsewhere. What resources? It wouldn't cost them a dime. Elsewhere? Where? So the park commissioners can dedicate another plaque to themselves at the World War I monument or the September 11 monument?

2007 - New Plandome Road study, this time at taxpayers' expense, and Supervisor Kaiman is seeking $3 million from the federal government to fund its implementation. (FYI - Any largess from Washington will not increase our taxes since only people outside the Town of North Hempstead will bear the burden. However, in return, we will fund the Alaska bridge to nowhere). Within the last month, a house on Locust Place, the house immediately adjacent to the west side Locust Place Parking Lot, came on the market and the Manhasset Park District once again did nothing. Yesterday I received notice that the Manhasset Park District wants to gussy-up their office for $1.4 million which should really help our parking mess. "Dynamic leadership inevitably yields Dynamic results."

Prediction: Ten years from now, Manhasset Press headline will read, "15 Years Down etc., etc."

Bruce Bent