The apparent disparity between the share of revenue collected from Mineola for Nassau County Police patrol and the share of service received, which was the initial impetus for the Mineola police proposal, is still an unresolved issue. It also became apparent in the debate surrounding the police proposal that some residents, as well as the Police Task Force and some board members, believe that there are serious and growing crime and quality of life issues in the village.

The "Five Point Plan for Public Safety" proposed by trustees Fairgrieve and Cusato and quickly adopted by a unanimous vote of the board seems like a promising way to continue to address those issues. We should recognize that considerable participation and effort from the community are critical to refine and implement it. It also seems that some village funding will be required. Before expending too much time and effort, it would be prudent to ensure that sufficient community support and enthusiasm either exist or can be instilled. The Mineola police proposal is an example of how considerable effort and community service can be squandered on an issue for which the village simply has no appetite.

Richard Ayers